representatives。
  The　special　commissioner　assumed　an　air　of　affected　dignity　and　announced　that　a　conclusion　had　been　arrived　at。　Turning　to　old　man　Don；　he　expressed　the　deepest　regret　that　a　civilian　was　beyond　his　power　to　punish；　otherwise　he　would　have　cause　to　remember　the　affront　offered　himself；　not　that　he　personally　cared；　but　the　department　of　government　which　he　had　the　honor　to　serve　was　jealous　of　its　good　name。　Under　the　circumstances　he　could　only　warn　him　to　be　more　guarded　hereafter　in　choosing　his　language；　and　assured　Lovdll　that　it　was　in　his　power　to　escort　any　offender　off　that　military　reservation。　Pausing　a　moment；　he　resumed　a　judicial　air；　and　summed　up　the　situation：
  〃There　was　no　occasion；〃　said　he；　in　an　amiable　mood；　〃to　refer　this　incident　to　the　War　Department　if　the　authorities　here　had　gone　about　their　work　properly。　Fortunately　I　was　in　Minneapolis　adjusting　some　flour　accounts；　when　I　was　ordered　here　by　the　quartermaster…general。　Instead　of　attempting　to　decide　who　had　the　best　tender　of　cattle；　the　one　with　the　legal　right　alone　should　have　been　considered。　Our　department　is　perfectly　familiar　with　these　petty　jealousies；　which　usually　accompany　awards　of　this　class；　and　generally　emanate　from　disappointed　and　disgruntled　competitors。　The　point　is　well　taken　by　counsel　that　the　government　does　not　anticipate　the　unforeseen；　and　it　matters　not　what　the　loss　may　be　from　the　rigors　of　winter；　the　contractor　is　exempt　after　the　day　of　delivery。　If　the　cattle　were　delayed　en　route；　as　has　been　asserted；　and　it　was　necessary　to　make　forced　drives　in　order　to　reach　here　within　the　specified　time；　all　this　should　be　taken　into　consideration　in　arriving　at　a　final　conclusion。　On　his　reinstatement；　I　shall　give　the　quartermaster　of　this　post　instructions；　in　receiving　these　cattle；　to　be　governed；　not　so　much　by　their　present　condition　as　by　what　they　would　have　been　had　there　been　no　interference。　Now　in　behalf　of　the　War　Department；　I　declare　the　award　to　The　Western　Supply　Company；　and　assigned　to　Field；　Radcliff；　and　associates；　to　have　been　fulfilled　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　parties　concerned。　This　closes　the　incident；　and　if　there　is　nothing　further；　the　inquiry　will　stand　adjourned　without　date。〃
  〃One　moment；　if　you　please；〃　said　Don　Lovell；　addressing　the　commissioner　and　contractors；　〃there　is　a　private　matter　existing　between　Field；　Radcliff　&　Co。　and　myself　which　demands　an　understanding　between　us。　I　hold　a　sum　of　money；　belonging　to　them；　as　indemnity　against　loss　in　driving　ten　thousand　cattle　from　Southern　Texas　to　this　post。　That　I　will　sustain　a　heavy　loss；　under　your　decision；　is　beyond　question。　I　am　indemnified　to　the　amount　of　about　six　dollars　and　a　half　a　head；　and　since　the　government　is　exempt　from　garnishment　and　the　contractors　are　wholly　irresponsible；　I　must　content　myself　with　the　money　in　hand。　To　recover　this　amount；　held　as　indemnity；　suit　has　been　threatened　against　me。　Of　course　I　can't　force　their　hands；　but　I　sincerely　hope　they　will　feel　exultant　enough　over　your　kangaroo　decision　to　file　their　action　before　taking　their　usual　outing　in　Europe。　They　will　have　no　trouble　in　securing　my　legal　address；　my　rating　can　be　obtained　from　any　commercial　agency；　and　no　doubt　their　attorneys　are　aware　of　the　statute　of　limitation　in　my　state。　I　believe　that's　all；　except　to　extend　my　thanks　to　every　one　abdut　Fort　Buford　for　the　many　kind　attentions　shown　my　counsel；　my　boys；　and　myself。　To　my　enemies；　I　can　only　say　that　I　hope　to　meet　them　on　Texas　soil；　and　will　promise　them　a　fairer　hearing　than　was　accorded　me　here　to…day。　Mr。　Commissioner；　I　have　always　prided　myself　on　being　a　good　citizen；　have　borne　arms　in　defense　of　my　country；　and　in　taking　exception　to　your　decision　I　brand　you　as　the　most　despicable　member　of　The　Western　Supply　Company。　Any　man　who　will　prostitute　a　trust　for　a　money　consideration　〃
  〃That's　enough！〃　shouted　the　special　commissioner；　rising。　〃Orderly；　call　the　officer　of　the　day；　and　tell　him　I　want　two　companies　of　cavalry　to　furnish　an　escort　for　this　man　and　his　herds　beyond　the　boundaries　of　this　military　reservation。〃　Looking　Lovell　in　the　face；　he　said：　〃You　have　justly　merited　a　severe　punishment；　and　I　shall　report　your　reflections　to　the　War　and　Indian　departments；　and　you　may　find　it　more　difficult　to　secure　contracts　in　the　future。　One　of　you　officers　detail　men　and　take　charge　of　this　man　until　the　escort　is　ready。　The　inquiry　is　adjourned。〃
  CHAPTER　XXIV。　THE　WINTER　OF　OUR　DISCONTENT
  The　inquiry　was　over　before　noon。　A　lieutenant　detailed　a　few　men　and　made　a　pretense　of　taking　possession　of　Lovell。　But　once　the　special　commissioner　was　out　of　sight；　the　farce　was　turned　into　an　ovation；　and　nearly　every　officer　in　the　post　came　forward　and　extended　his　sympathy。　Old　man　Don　was　visibly　affected　by　the　generous　manifestations　of　the　military　men　in　general；　and　after　thanking　each　one　personally；　urged　that　no　unnecessary　demonstration　should　be　made；　begging　that　the　order　of　escort　beyond　the　boundary　of　the　reservation　be　countermanded。　No　one　present　cared　to　suggest　it；　but　gave　assurance　that　it　would　be　so　modified　as　not　in　any　way　to　interfere　with　the　natural　movement　of　the　herds。　Some　little　time　would　be　required　to　outfit　the　forage…wagons　to　accommodate　the　cavalry　companies；　during　which　my　brother　rode　up；　leading　Lovell's　horse；　permission　was　given　to　leave　in　advance　of　the　escort；　and　we　all　mounted　and　quietly　rode　away。
  The　sudden　turn　of　affairs　had；　disconcerted　every　man　in　the　three　outfits。　Just　what　the　next　move　would　be　was　conjecture　with　most　of　us；　though　every　lad　present　was　anxious　to　know。　But　when　we　were　beyond　the　immediate　grounds；　Lovell　turned　in　his　saddle　and　asked　which　one　of　us　foremen　wanted　to　winter　in　the　North。　No　one　volunteered；　and　old　man　Don　continued：　〃Anticipating　the　worst；　I　had　a　long　talk　this　morning　with　Sanders；　and　he　assured　me　that　our　cattle　would　go　through　any　winter　without　serious　loss。　He　suggested　the　Little　Missouri　as　a　good　range；　and　told　me　of　a　hay　ranch　below　the　mouth　of　the　Beaver。　If　it　can　be　bought　reasonably；　we　would　have　forage　for　our　horses；　and　the　railroad　is　said　to　be　not　over　forty　miles　to　the　south。　If　the　government　can　afford　to　take　the　risk　of　wintering　cattle　in　this　climate；　since　there　is　no　other　choice；　I　reckon　I'll　have　to　follow　suit。　Bob　and　I　will　take　fresh　horses　and　ride　through　to　the　Beaver　this　afternoon；　and　you　fellows　follow　up　leisurely　with　the　cattle。　Sanders　says　the　winters　are　dry　and　cold；　with　very　little　if　any　snowfall。　Well；　we're　simply　up　against　it；　there's　no　hope　of　selling　this　late　in　the　season；　and　nothing　is　left　ns　but　to　face　the　music　of　a　Northern　winter。〃
  As　we　turned　in　to　ford　the　Missouri；　some　one　called　attention　to　a　cavalry　company　riding　out　from　their　quarters　at　the　post。　We　halted　a　moment；　and　as　the　first　one　entered　the　road；　the　second　one　swung　into　view；　followed　by　foragewagons。　From　maps　in　our　possession　we　knew　the　southern　boundary　of　the　Fort　Buford　military　reservation　must　be　under　twenty　miles　to　the　south；　and　if　necessary；　we　could　put　it　behind　us　that　afternoon。　But　after　crossing　the　river；　and　when　the　two　troops　again　came　in　view；　they　had　dropped　into　a　walk；　passing　entirely　out　of　sight　long　before　we　reached　Forrest's　camp。　Orders　were　left　with　the　latter　to　take　the　lead　and　make　a　short　drive　that　evening；　at　least　far　enough　to　convince　observers　that　we　were　moving。　The　different　outfits　dropped　out　as　their　wagons　were　reached；　and　when　my　remuda　was　sighted；　old　man　Don　ordered　it　brought　in　for　a　change　of　horses。　One　of　the　dayherders　was　at　camp　getting　dinner；　and　inviting　themselves　to　join　him；　my　employer　and　my　brother　helped　themselves　while　their　saddles　were　shifted　to　two　of　my　well…rested　mounts。　Inquiry　had　been　made　of　all　three　of　the　outfits　if　any　ranch　had　been　sighted　on　the　Beaver　while　crossing　that　creek；　but　the　only　recollection　among　the　forty…odd　men　was　that　of　Burl　Van　Vedder；　who　contended　that　a　dim　trail；　over　which　horses　had　passed　that　summer；　ran　down　on　the　south　side　of　the　stream。
  With　this　meagre　information　Lovell　and　my　brother　started。　A　late　dinner　over　and　the　herders　relieved；　we　all　rode　for　the　nearest　eminence　which　would　afford　us　a　view。　The　cavalry　were　just　going　into　camp　below　O'Brien's　ranch；　their　foragetrain　in　sight；　while　Forrest's　cattle　were　well　bunched　and　heading　south。　Sponsilier　was　evidently　going　to　start；　as　his　team　was　tied　up　and　the　saddle　stock　in　hand；　while　the　herd　was　crossing　over　to　the　eastern　side　of　the　Yellowstone。　We　dismounted　and　lay　around　for　an　hour　or　so；　when　the　greater　portion　of　the　boys　left　to　help　in　the　watering　of　our　herd；　the　remainder　of　us　doing　outpost　duty。　Forrest　had　passed　out　of　sight；　Sponsilier's　wagon　and　remuda　crossed　opposite　us；　going　up　the　valley；　followed　by　his　cattle　in　loose　grazing　order；　and　still　we　loitered　on　the　hill。　But　towards　evening　I　rode　down　to　where　the　cavalry　was　encamped；　and　before　I　had　conversed　very　long　with　the　officers；　it　was　clear　to　me　that　the　shorter　our　moves　the　l