Wells Brothers

enity of pastoral life affects its people, influencing their normal natures into calm and tranquil ways. Hence, instead of t

"Here the sun is nearly an hour high, and not a wheel turning. And I can see him from the tent opening, sitting on

ect is of no importance. Just a little social powwow with the boys, most lik

s put in an appearance at the tent. "You are in no particula

f having the team unhooked, and lay over another day. Still, I am some litt

old Paul sees you standing out there, he's liable to think of something and come

. Forrest had a wide acquaintance among trail foremen, had met many of them at Dodge only ten days

there! In his haste to deliver the message, the sentinel's horse tore past the tent and was only halted at the corral. "It's there!" he shouted, ret

let's make a little medicine. If this herd has one, here's w

aver about four o'clock. Now, ride down the creek and keep your eagle eye open for a lone horseman, either at the crossing or on the trail. That's the foreman, and that's the man we want to see. He may be ten miles in the lead of his herd, and you want to ride straight to him. Give him all the information you can regarding the water, and inqu

ut a rope on you. Now, ride slowly, let your horse set his own pace, and don't come back without yo

trail came in view of the anxious courier. Halting in order to survey the horizon, the haze and heat-waves of summer so obstructed his view that every object looked blurred and indistinct. Even the dust cloud was missing; and pushing on a mile farther,

ling distance, greeting, and man and boy were soon in friendly converse. There was water sufficient for all needs, th

n trouble. Old man Don's a nice enough man, but he sure works sorry outfits on the trail. I've been expecting to hear something like this. If it isn't rebranding their saddle stock wi

; "he only loaned his pistol, and it was

e prowling tenderfoot. More than likely he urged its loan on this short-horn. Yes, I know Colonel Forrest; I've known him to

ely were no friends. At least Mr. Quin

se is stolen, for locking the stable door. That other time he offered to take an oath, on a stack of Bibles, never to bet his saddle again. The trouble is the g

e lad withered before his glance, and became disheartened at the success of the errand. Forced to the defense continually, on several occasions Dell nearly betrayed the object of bringing the new man to the homestead, but in each instance was saved by some fortunate turn in the conversation. Never was sight more we

pening, and when darkened by the new arrival, the wounded man's greeting was most cordial. "Well, if it isn't old Nat Straw," said he, extending his hand. "Here, I've been running over in my mind the different trail boss

the wounded limb. "What's this I hear about you laying off, and trying

ng discouraged that I'll ever have common horse se

e creek, that you needed a whole heap of fixing in your upper loft. The poor boy t

at I overlooked warning you against these trail varmints. Right now, I can see old Nat leading you in under a wet blanket

be ashamed of yourself," resumed Forrest, "brow-beating that boy. Considering my hard luck, I've fallen into

ar and only half of what you see. If you had been taken snipe hunting oftener when you were young, it wouldn't hurt you any now. There

nt and necessity threw him into their hands. He also repeated Priest's opinion of the valuable range, unoccupied a

refused on the delivery of a herd. Somebody gets them, and I want these boys of mine to get a few hundred head during this summer. Here's the place to drop your cripples and stray cows. From what Paul says, there's range above here for thousa

, in Wyoming, as last season, and I want to fool them this trip. They got gay on my hands last summer, held me down to the straight road brand at delivery, and I'll see to it that th

ave you now, and

down to yearlings. There ought to be about twenty-five head, and I'll c

s among th

or th

a cow and calf, and the others to me

s and cripples. One of the boys would return with him, for the expected cow, and when volunteers were called for, Dell hesitated in offering his services. "I'll excuse you," said Straw to Joel, who had jumped

dea of this trail hospital. Just where it ought to be; just about midway between Dodge and Ogalalla. Of course I'm hog wild to get in on it. I m

k-white cow with a black face" instantly said Forrest. "White cows are

to Forrest, "and what color for you?" But J

orrest; "red steers bring a dollar

a memorandum. "Now, that little passel of cripples, and odds and ends," again nodding to Forrest, "t

n; surely he would not trifle with his own people, with an unfortunate, wounded man. All this seemed so in keeping with the partial outline of Priest, the old gray-haired foreman,

right along with this strange foreman. He gave Mr. Quince a milk cow, a white one, and you're to pick one for yoursel

ell that his brother had not been forgotten. "A

better pick out a red one. And say, this hospital of ours is the real thing. It's the only one between Dodge and Ogalalla. This strange foreman wants to take stock in it

ere, in the rear-guard of the trailing cattle, naturally the sore and tender-footed animals were to be found. The drag men knew them to a hoof, were delighted to hear that all cripples were to be dropped, and half a dozen were cut off

ad never seen so many cattle, almost as uniform in size as that many marbles, and the ease with which a few men handled the herd became a nine-day wonder to the astonished boy. And when the word passed around to cut all strays

t out of the herd, and when thrown together with the cripples, the promised little passel numbered thirty-five cattle, not counting three calves

I'm not going to hurry you in making your choice. Any time before we sight the tent and shack, you are to pick one for your own dear cow, and stand by y

orning and get these tender steers," said the foreman, "and drift them up above the improvements. You'll find t

said Dell with marked decisi

boy," shouted Straw; "shoot at a buck and kill a

ndaunted. "I've heard they bring a better pri

er increase would buy two beeves. Dell, if you ever get to

s regarding red cattle were derived from the random remarks of Forrest. The brothers wer

in review. Leaving Dell to nurse the nucleus past the improvements, Straw dismounted at the tent. "Well," said he, handing the bridle reins to Joel, "that red-headed Dell is

suggests a yearli

sheep herder, if he didn't pick out the only, l

rain his laughter. "Well," said he, "we all have to le