d　have　either　married　or　been　elected　to　office。　We　limited　our　losses　at　poker　to　so　much　an　evening；　and　what　we　won　from　the　merchant　class　we　invariably　lost　among　the　volunteer　guards　and　cowmen；　taking　our　luck　with　a　sangfroid　which　proved　us　dead…game　sports；　and　made　us　hosts　of　friends。　We　had　contributed　one　hundred　dollars　to　the　general　quarantine　fund；　and　had　otherwise　made　ourselves　popular　with　all　classes　in　the　brief　time　at　our　command。　Under　the　pretense　that　we　might　receive　orders　at　any　time　to　overtake　our　herds；　we　declined　all　leadership　in　the　second　campaign　about　to　be　inaugurated　against　Texas　fever。　Dave　and　I　were　both　feeling　rather　chesty　over　the　masterful　manner　in　which　we　had　aroused　the　popular　feeling　in　favor　of　quarantine　in　our　own　interest；　at　the　same　time　making　it　purely　a　local　movement。　We　were　swaggering　about　like　ward…heelers；　when　on　the　afternoon　of　the　5th　the　unexpected　again　happened。　The　business　interests　of　the　village　usually　turned　out　to　meet　the　daily　passenger　trains；　even　the　poker…games　taking　a　recess　until　the　cars　went　past。　The　arrival　and　departure　of　citizens　of　the　place　were　noted　by　every　one；　and　strangers　were　looked　upon　with　timidity；　very　much　as　in　all　simple　communities。　Not　taking　any　interest　in　the　passing　trains；　Sponsilier　was　writing　a　letter　to　his　girl　in　Texas；　while　I　was　shaking　dice　for　the　cigars　with　the　bartender　of　the　Stock　Exchange；　when　the　Eastbound　arrived。　After　the　departure　of　the　train；　I　did　not　take　any　notice　of　the　return　of　the　boys　to　the　abandoned　gamed；　or　the　influx　of　patrons　to　the　house；　until　some　one　laid　a　hand　on　my　shoulder　and　quietly　said；　〃Isn't　your　name　Quirk？〃
  Turning　to　the　speaker；　I　was　confronted　by　Mr。　Field　and　Mr。　Radcliff；　who　had　just　arrived　by　train　from　the　west。　Admitting　my　identity；　I　invited　them　to　have　a　cigar　or　liquid　refreshment；　inquiring　whence　they　had　come　and　where　their　cattle　were。　To　my　surprise；　Fort　Keogh　was　named　as　their　last　refuge；　and　the　herds　were　reported　to　cross　the　railroad　within　the　next　few　days。　Similar　questions　were　asked　me；　but　before　replying；　I　caught　Sponsilier's　eye　and　summoned　him　with　a　wink。　On　Dave's　presenting　himself；　I　innocently　asked　the　pair　if　they　did　not　remember　my　friend　as　one　of　the　men　whom　they　had　under　arrest　at　Dodge。　They　grunted　an　embarrassed　acknowledgment；　which　was　returned　in　the　same　coin；　when　I　proceeded　to　inform　them　that　our　cattle　crossed　the　railroad　at　Little　Missouri　ten　days　before；　and　that　we　were　only　waiting　the　return　of　Mr。　Lovell　from　the　Crow　Agency　before　proceeding　to　our　destination。　With　true　Yankee　inquisitiveness；　other　questions　followed；　the　trend　of　which　was　to　get　us　to　admit　that　we　had　something　to　do　with　the　present　activities　in　quarantining　Texas　cattle。　But　I　avoided　their　leading　queries；　and　looked　appealingly　at　Sponsilier；　who　came　to　my　rescue　with　an　answer　born　of　the　moment。
  〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　said　Dave；　seating　himself　on　the　bar　and　leisurely　rolling　a　cigarette；　〃that　town　of　Little　Missouri　is　about　the　dullest　hole　that　I　was　ever　water…bound　in。　Honestly；　I'd　rather　be　with　the　cattle　than　loafing　in　it　with　money　in　my　pocket。　Now　this　town　has　got　some　get…up　about　it；　I'll　kiss　a　man's　foot　if　he　complains　that　this　burg　isn't　sporty　enough　for　his　blood。　They've　given　me　a　run　here　for　my　white　alley；　and　I　still　think　I　know　something　about　that　game　called　draw…poker。　But　you　were　speaking　about　quarantine。　Yes；　there　seems　to　have　been　a　good　many　cattle　lost　through　these　parts　last　fall。　You　ought　to　have　sent　your　herds　up　through　Dakota；　where　there　is　no　native　stock　to　interfere。　I'd　hate　to　have　cattle　coming　down　the　Powder　River。　A　friend　of　mine　passed　through　here　yesterday；　his　herd　was　sold　for　delivery　on　the　Elkhorn；　north　of　here；　and　he　tells　me　he　may　not　be　able　to　reach　there　before　October。　He　saw　your　herds　and　tells　me　you　are　driving　the　guts　out　of　them。　So　if　there's　anything　in　that　old　'ship…fever　theory；'　you　ought　to　be　quarantined　until　it　snows。　There's　a　right　smart　talk　around　here　of　fixing　a　dead…line　below　somewhere；　and　if　you　get　tied　up　before　reaching　the　railroad；　it　won't　surprise　me　a　little　bit。　When　it　comes　to　handling　the　cattle；　old　man　Don　has　the　good　hard　cow…sense　every　time；　but　you　shorthorns　give　me　a　pain。〃
  〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　said　Radcliff；　the　elder　one　said　to　his　partner；　as　they　turned　to　leave。
  On　nearing　the　door；　Mr。　Field　halted　and　begrudgingly　said；　〃See　you　later；　Quirk。〃
  〃Not　if　I　see　you　first；〃　I　replied；　〃you　ain't　my　kind　of　cowmen。〃
  Not　even　waiting　for　them　to　pass　outside；　Sponsilier；　from　his　elevated　position；　called　every　one　to　the　bar　to　irrigate。　The　boys　quit　their　games；　and　as　they　lined　up　in　a　double　row；　Dave　begged　the　bartenders　to　bestir　themselves；　and　said　to　his　guests：　〃Those　are　the　kid…gloved　cowmen　that　I've　been　telling　you　aboutthe　owners　of　the　Texas　cattle　that　are　coming　through　here。　Did　I　hang　it　on　them　artistically；　or　shall　I　call　them　back　and　smear　it　on　a　shade　deeper？　They　smelt　a　mouse　all　right；　and　when　their　cattle　reach　Cabin　Creek；　they'll　smell　the　rat　in　earnest。　Now；　set　out　the　little　and　big　bottle　and　everybody　have　a　cigar　on　the　side。　And　drink　hearty；　lads；　for　to…morrow　we　may　be　drinking　branch　water　in　a　quarantine　camp。〃
  The　arrival　of　Field　and　Radcliff　was　accepted　as　a　defiance　to　the　local　cattle　interests。　Popular　feeling　was　intensified　when　it　was　learned　that　they　were　determined　not　to　recognize　any　local　quarantine；　and　were　secretly　inquiring　for　extra　men　to　guard　their　herds　in　passing　Glendive。　There　was　always　a　rabble　element　in　every　frontier　town；　and　no　doubt；　as　strangers；　they　could　secure　assistance　in　quarters　that　the　local　cowmen　would　spurn。　Matters　were　approaching　a　white　heat；　when　late　that　night　an　expected　courier　arrived；　and　reported　the　cattle　coming　through　at　the　rate　of　twenty　miles　a　day。　They　were　not　following　any　particular　trail；　traveling　almost　due　north；　and　if　the　present　rate　of　travel　was　maintained；　Cabin　Creek　would　be　reached　during　the　forenoon　of　the　7th。　This　meant　business；　and　the　word　was　quietly　passed　around　that　all　volunteers　were　to　be　ready　to　move　in　the　morning。　A　cowman　named　Retallac；　owner　of　a　range　on　the　Yellowstone；　had　previously　been　decided　on　as　captain；　and　would　have　under　him　not　less　than　seventy…five　chosen　men；　which　number；　if　necessary；　could　easily　be　increased　to　one　hundred。
  Morning　dawned　on　a　scene　of　active　operations。　The　two　wagons　were　started　fully　an　hour　in　advance　of　the　cavalcade；　which　was　to　follow；　driving　a　remuda　of　over　two　hundred　saddle　horses。　Sponsilier　and　I　expected　to　accompany　the　outfit；　but　at　the　last　moment　our　plans　were　changed　by　an　incident　and　we　remained　behind；　promising　to　overtake　them　later。　There　were　a　number　of　old　buffalo　hunters　in　town；　living　a　precarious　life；　and　one　of　their　number　had　quietly　informed　Sheriff　Wherry　that　they　had　been　approached　with　an　offer　of　five　dollars　a　day　to　act　as　an　escort　to　the　herds　while　passing　through。　The　quarantine　captain　looked　upon　that　element　as　a　valuable　ally；　suggesting　that　if　it　was　a　question　of　money；　our　side　ought　to　be　in　the　market　for　their　services。　Heartily　agreeing　with　him；　the　company　of　guards　started；　leaving　their　captain　behind　with　Sponsilier　and　myself。　Glendive　was　a　county　seat；　and　with　the　assistance　of　the　sheriff；　we　soon　had　every　buffalo　hunter　in　the　town　corralled。　They　were　a　fine　lot　of　rough　men；　inclined　to　be　convivial；　and　with　the　assistance　of　Sheriff　Wherry；　coupled　with　the　high　standing　of　the　quarantine　captain；　on　a　soldier's　introduction　Dave　and　I　made　a　good　impression　among　them。　Sponsilier　did　the　treating　and　talking；　his　offer　being　ten　dollars　a　day　for　a　man　and　horse；　which　was　promptly　accepted；　when　the　question　naturally　arose　who　would　stand　sponsor　for　the　wages。　Dave　backed　off　some　distance；　and　standing　on　his　left　foot；　pulled　off　his　right　boot；　shaking　out　a　roll　of　money　on　the　floor。
  〃There's　the　long　green；　boys；〃　said　he；　〃and　you　fellows　can　name　your　own　banker。　I'll　make　it　up　a　thousand；　and　whoever　you　say　goes　with　me。　Shall　it　be　the　sheriff；　or　Mr。　Retallac；　or　the　proprietor　of　the　Stock　Exchange？〃
  Sheriff　Wherry　interfered；　relieving　the　embarrassment　in　appointing　a　receiver；　and　vouched　that　these　two　Texans　were　good　for　any　reasonable　sum。　The　buffalo　hunters　approved；　apologizing　to　Sponsilier；　as　he　pulled　on　his　boot；　for　questioning　his　financial　standing；　and　swearing　allegiance　in　every　breath。　An　hour's　time　was　granted　in　which　to　saddle　and　make　ready；　during　which　we　had　a　long　chat　with　Sheriff　Wherry　and　found　him　a　valuable　ally。　He　had　cattle　interests　in　the　country；　and　when　the　hunters　appeared；　fifteen　strong；　he　mounted　his　horse　and　accompanied　us　several　miles　on　the　way。　〃Now；　boys；〃　said　he；　at　parting；　〃I'll　keep　an　eye　over　things　around　town；　and　if　anything　important　happens；　I'll　send　a　courier　with　the　news。　If　those　shorthorns　attempt　to　offer　any　opposition；　I'll　run　a　blazer　on　them；　and　if　necessary　I'll　jug　the　pai