Wells Brothers

against the coming winter. The elements have laughed at the hopes and ambitions of a conqueror, and an invincible army has trailed its banners in the snow, unable to cope

mingly broken its bonds, and in lieu, through the le

ast next morning, "holding these cattle will be n

ND HIS SPANI

le warning, and the only way to overcome one is to be fully prepared. That's what Mr. Paul mean

s lacking?"

len timber in Hackberry Grove. Keep an eye open for posts and stays--I'll cut them while you're hauling wood.

the required amount of hay was in stack, while the further supply of for

ne, two round trips daily. The fuel supply grew, not to meet a winter's, but a year's requirements. Where strength was essential, only the best of timber was chosen

. "If we only knew the plans, we might dig the post-holes. The corn's still growing, and it won't do to cut unt

re to the ford doesn't matter, but all the upper tributaries ought to be known. We must learn the location of e

y a few miles above Hackbe

come back through the sand hills. There must

up and away with the rising sun, riding among and counting the different bunches of cattle encountered, noting the cripp

numbered hills, and its many depressions, scalloped out of the sandy soil by the action of winds. Coveys of wild quail were encountered, prairie chicken took wing on every hand, and near the noon hour a monster gray wolf arose from a sunny siesta on the summit of a near-by dune, and sniffed the air in search of the cause of disturbance. Uns

hunt alone, and are still following their mother. Their lair is in these hills, and if this proves a cold winte

" timidly asked Dell. "We

ith confidence. "They'll not bother

ng the sand dunes, and breathed easier once the open of the plain was reached. Following a low watershed, the brothers made a wide detour from the Beaver,

ding up to the stable corral, in the rough reception which followed, the lads were fairly dragged from their saddles ami

ur herd?" i

ning, I'll split this ranch wide open with two herds, each of thirty-five hundred two-yea

e extra men and came through a day ahead. We can't halt our cattle, but we can have the chute and corrals nearly rea

twilight the outlines of the branding chute had taken form. The stable corral was built out of heavy poles and posts, with a cap

themselves, and had decided that the simple truth concerning the facts was the only course to adopt. The older of the two men, by the consent of years,

it is simply impossible to keep strays out of moving herds. They come in at night, steal in while a herd is passing through thickets, while it is watering, and they may not be noticed for a month. Under all range customs, strays are recognized as flots

gathered, and as trustees and owners of the range, all increase will fall to Wells Brothers. However, in accepting this deputyship, you do so with the understanding that the brand is merely a tally-mark, and that in no way does it deprive the owner of coming forward to prove and take possession o

calls for these stray cow

st. "The weeds grow rankly wherever a cow dies, and that wa

llowing morning. The forces were divided between the tasks, and as Priest and Joe

and keep your weather eye open. When other food becomes scarce, they run in packs and will kill cattle. You are perfectly safe, as yours will be either under herd or in a corral. Wolves always single out an animal to attack; they

wire, webbed together with stays, admitting of a pliability which served a double purpose. By sinking an extra post opposite each of the main ones, the flexibility of the gate also admitted of making a perfect wing, aiding in the entrance or

ged within a mile or two on either side of the creek, and by slowly closing in and drifting down the Beaver, the nucleus of the ranch was brought into a compact herd. There was no hurry, as ample time must be allowed for th

of its use at an easy canter. The stretching of the wire was less than an hour's work, the slack being taken up by the wranglers, ever upholding Texas methods, from the pommels of saddles, while Priest clinched the strands with staples at the proper tension. The gates

rived late, expecting to camp on the Beaver that night, and were met by their respective foremen while watering for the day. In receiving, at Dodge, two large herds of one-aged cattle, both foremen, but more particularly Forrest, in the extra time at his command, had levied on the flotsam o

climax of the day's work. Detailing both of the boys on the point, as the upper herd was nearing the corral, it was suddenly confronted by another contingent, rounding a bend of the creek from the opposite quarter. Pr

loping up, "here's a nice come-off! Trust my own boys to point a little herd into

t," protested Dell dejectedly. "They were looking away off

nity River, and it made me absent-minded. I forgot what we were doing. Well,

herd shortly revealed the situation to the crafty Joel. On the homeward canter, the gray-haired f

the creek, and the outfits mingled around the same camp-fire. Rare stories were told, old songs were sung

n and the boys, a branding crew stood ready for the task before them. The chute had been ironed and bolted the evening previous, and

re and aft, the actual branding, at the hands of two trail foremen, was quickly over. The main herd was cut into half a dozen bunch

oys were advised to file their order for corn, and to advance a liberal payment to insure attention. All details of the ranch seemed well in hand, the cattle were in good condition to withstand a winter, and if spirit and confidence could be im

aching a divide, which gave the party of horsemen a last gli

ing far beyond the hazy valley. "I wish we k

riest, in a tone as decisive as if his