登陆注册
19853200000047

第47章 ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK(2)

There was some settlement in the Smoky River Valley which must be avoided, as in years past serious enmity had been engendered between settlers and drovers in consequence of the ravages of Texas fever among native cattle.I was riding on the left point, and when within a short distance of the trail, one of the boys called my attention to a loose herd of cattle, drifting south and fully two miles to the west of us.It was certainly something unusual, and as every man of us scanned them, a lone horseman was seen to ride across their front, and, turning them, continue on for our herd.The situation was bewildering, as the natural course of every herd was northward, but here was one apparently abandoned like a water-logged ship at sea.

The messenger was a picture of despair.He proved to be the owner of the abandoned cattle, and had come to us with an appeal for help.According to his story, he was a Northern cowman and had purchased the cattle a few days before in Dodge.He had bought the outfit complete, with the understanding that the through help would continue in his service until his range in Wyoming was reached.But it was a Mexican outfit, foreman and all, and during the storm of the night before, one of the men had been killed by lightning.The accident must have occurred near dawn, as the man was not missed until daybreak, and like ours, his cattle had drifted with the storm.Some time was lost in finding the body, and to add to the panic that had already stricken the outfit, the shirt of the unfortunate vaquero was burnt from the corpse.The horse had escaped scathless, though his rider met death, while the housings were stripped from the saddle so that it fell from the animal.The Mexican foreman and vaqueros had thrown their hands in the air; steeped in superstition, they considered the loss of their comrade a had omen, and refused to go farther.The herd was as good as abandoned unless we could lend a hand.

The appeal was not in vain.Detailing four of my men, and leaving Jack Splann as segundo in charge of our cattle, I galloped away with the stranger.As we rode the short distance between the two herds and I mentally reviewed the situation, I could not help but think it was fortunate for the alien outfit that their employer was a Northern cowman instead of a Texan.Had the present owner been of the latter school, there would have been more than one dead Mexican before a valuable herd would have been abandoned over an unavoidable accident.I kept my thoughts to myself, however, for the man had troubles enough, and on reaching his drifting herd, we turned them back on their course.It was high noon when we reached his wagon and found the Mexican outfit still keening over their dead comrade.We pushed the cattle, a mixed herd of about twenty-five hundred, well past the camp, and riding back, dismounted among the howling vaqueros.There was not the semblance of sanity among them.The foreman, who could speak some little English, at least his employer declared he could, was carrying on like a madman, while a majority of the vaqueros were playing a close second.The dead man had been carried in and was lying under a tarpaulin in the shade of the wagon.Feeling that my boys would stand behind me, and never offering to look at the corpse, I inquired in Spanish of the vaqueros which one of the men was their corporal.A heavy-set, bearded man was pointed out, and walking up to him, with one hand I slapped him in the face and with the other relieved him of a six-shooter.He staggered back, turned ashen pale, and before he could recover from the surprise, in his own tongue I berated him as a worthless cur for deserting his employer over an accident.Following up the temporary advantage, I inquired for the cook and horse-wrangler, and intimated clearly that there would be other dead Mexicans if the men were not fed and the herd and saddle stock looked after;that they were not worthy of the name of vaqueros if they were lax in a duty with which they had been intrusted.

"But Pablo is dead," piped one of the vaqueros in defense.

同类推荐
  • 十剂表

    十剂表

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 金刚顶莲花部心念诵仪轨

    金刚顶莲花部心念诵仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 青城山隐者记

    青城山隐者记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 王文端公集

    王文端公集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 奇门法窍

    奇门法窍

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 赌爱:痞子玩心么

    赌爱:痞子玩心么

    苏萌萌,和在国外的父母失去联系,无家可归。遇到他__凌泽。他说:“以后,我就是你的哥哥。你叫凌萌萌。”跟他和他的妹妹凌夕一起生活了五年,他总是以捉弄她为乐,却因为她的一句,喜欢明星,有了现在的当红明星,King.转学去倾霖学院,因为和死党们的一个赌局,不服输的她去倒追学校里的痞子校草,她发誓,必定要驯服他,一定要把他追到手。最终她能成功赢得痞子心吗?谁才是她的幸福?拭目以待。。【新文求收藏,本文的男主多多哦。。】
  • 定清

    定清

    调教太平军,执掌天朝权,平定大清朝,称霸全世界。淮军湘军、蒙古铁骑、洋人枪队、坚船利炮、世界列强,在张世成的太平军海陆空三军面前,神马的都是浮云。———————————————————————————————————————————一军团:36161052(感谢书友约定提供一团团番号)二军团:30166312(感谢书友衰仔提供二至五团团番号)三军团:30166509四军团:30166455五军团:30166381
  • 超神造物主

    超神造物主

    《王国建造指南》1.找到一个王国2.绑架国王3.打他,继续打他4.恐吓他,把他丢进烤炉5.特别提示:如果是女王,则第2.3.4条作废,那么我们需要深入探讨,唉,别跑。想要我自己一砖一瓦建造世界,怎么可能,我很忙的。建造一个城市需要一年,而破坏它只需要一分钟,没错我就是各个世界的破坏大魔王。
  • 学习故事(影响青少年一生的中华典故)

    学习故事(影响青少年一生的中华典故)

    《学习故事》每个典故包括诠释、出处和故事等内容,简单明了,短小精炼,具有很强的启迪性、智慧性和内涵性,非常适合青少年用于话题作文的论据,也对青少年的人生成长以及知识增长具有重要的作用。
  • 洪荒天人录

    洪荒天人录

    本是洪荒大陆天才武者,天资卓绝,却被最信任的兄弟毒计陷害,险死还生之际,古荒却幸得天人轮回枪典!炼体,炼气,炼神,修阴阳,通五行,超脱轮回,开天辟地!古荒和他的兄弟们,在洪荒大陆留下不朽的传奇……
  • 中国古代贤人传

    中国古代贤人传

    这是一部历史人物传记荟萃的书,取名《中国古代贤人传》。书中所选择这些垂范卓越的人物,他们的影响、贡献很大,是中国人永远引为骄傲的。例如书中所选的周公、管仲等人,就是我们常想到的“贤人”。书的取名,响亮明快,发人联想,让人一看就知道这是给历史上的某个方面有名气、领风骚、有代表性的文化名人做传的书,很有文化意蕴。相信这部书一定很受欢迎。
  • 为君解罗裳:妖女倾天下

    为君解罗裳:妖女倾天下

    这东南国,谁人不知,谁人不晓,这要嫁的王爷,是传说中的暴君,杀人不眨眼,嗜血成狂的一个魔君的?圣旨一下,要千家的女儿嫁给东南国国的这个平南王爷,千家一听,仿佛是立马炸开了锅一样的,你不愿意去,我不愿意去,自然,就是由这个痴儿傻儿嫁过去了?
  • 速度快来当皇婶

    速度快来当皇婶

    当古武世家的女汉子穿越成书香门第的乖乖女,会发生什么事?叶九韶表示,她非常努力的适应书香门第的闺训,不打架、不杀人、不放火,与人为善做个热爱生活的好姑娘,甚至打算找个好人家嫁了。然而,生活总是充满了戏剧性,她刚跟另一个书香门第的公子谈婚论嫁,那个不知道哪里冒出来的小皇叔偏吵着闹着要娶她当皇婶,不答应还打算明抢?小皇叔,你这么重的匪气,你亲哥造吗?真当名门淑女跟武林女汉子不能划等号?养过深闺、闯过江湖,连傲娇的小皇叔都被她拐回家里抱孩子去了,这一生应该算丰富多彩吧……叶九韶歪着头,大概吧!(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 倾世魔妃:废材小姐寻子记

    倾世魔妃:废材小姐寻子记

    云琦,21世纪顶级特工,一场车祸,魂穿异世,与儿子骨肉分离。举头望云林,愧听慧鸟语。分离之苦,思念之痛。且看一个母亲如何以废物之身俯瞰世界,睥睨群伦,带着孩子的牛气爹一步步归来。
  • 爆笑萌兽:废材王妃要逆天

    爆笑萌兽:废材王妃要逆天

    她是z国的第一杀手诺诗烟,却意外穿越到天生痴傻花痴,懦弱无能的废物小姐身上。嗯?天生痴傻?懦弱无能?哦?原来空间法师炼药师符咒师驭兽师,百年难得一见的尊贵血脉,这样的叫做废材?而他,传闻杀人不眨眼的腹黑王爷,却偏偏遇到了她这个不好惹的主儿。竹林合奏一曲,自此天上地下不离不弃。