Redskin and Cow-Boy

just as much interest in a race if it is for a dollar or two as if all the boys in the outfit piled their money upon it. That horse beat yours pretty easily, quite as

hether it was twenty miles or fifty; but I would not press him when it was merely a question of making money on him. Your horse was beaten, and, of course, we none of us like to own that the cross T's men have got a bette

take that fellow down a bit. He is one of those fellows as is always blowing. He rat

y in question, with two or three men of the same ranc

o Harry. "There don't seem any horses worth talking about in the whole round-up. S

ow at starting, and that critter of yours is too speedy for the bay to have a chance of catching him

e, if you like; or if you fancy your critter for a long journey, I am open to m

t, mate?" Broncho Harry

g speed twenty miles if there were a thousand dollars at stake," he

t?" the cow-boy said; "why

than you do," Hugh said; "and if the horse is g

roncho Harry. "I suppose we may as well say the same stake. A hundred

in together, "Take him up, B

y five o'clock? I suppose we shall ride the same course as last time

ch Broncho attached his neckerchief, was stuck up as the winning-post, while a low bush marked the point from which they had started to measure. The news soon spread through the camp, and many of the co

"my horse didn't bea

he just jumped two lengths ahead,

plied, "but we don't know t

use in giving his horse away. I expect he had got a bit in hand. I don'

your five dollars each, and Hugh and I will make it up to fifty. Like enough they will be laying odds on their horse, especially when they find

l was at on

anche would not bet on their horse. At the appointed hour the two competitors went to the post. There had been several minor races, but these had attracted comparatively little interest; every man in camp, however, had a

before he mounted. "He will do his best afterwards. He hates being pa

hat you can both see me, then I shall hold up my six-shooter and fire. Don't either of you start till I do. I may fire straight off. I

els into their mounts, while, at the same moment, Broncho Harry brought down his whip smartly on Prin

yards the horses maintained their relative position, but Prince was tugging at his bridle; and his rider, though shouting and yelling as if to urge him to his fullest speed, was yet holding him in. Then the leading horseman, thinking that Prince was doing his best, and feeling certain th

usly Prince was level with his opponent, and then dashing on ahead passed the flag-post three lengths in advance amidst a loud cheer from the men, and from most of the other cow-boys; for although few had ventured to back the horse, there was a

de at three to one. "I call that an easier way of making money than cow-punching. I can't stand treat, boys,

h of the twenty-five men received his share of t

d-tempered lot at best, and he dropped his money heavy, for I hear he put in all the stake himself, and he bet some besides. He

leave him t

fraid it is likely enough he will try and make trouble with you. He knows that I am a pretty tough hand, but he thi

e than you. I know that you are a good deal better shot than I am, but you know you ar

ou get the drop on him, you wil

off without the defeated co

oped off after Broncho came in ahead of him. If he was to come down here and make a muss, he knows that for sure the crowd wouldn't stand it, and that if everything wasn't perfectly square, they would come Judge Lynch on him in no time. Now a man may take the chance of being shot in a quarrel; but when, if he ain't shot by one man he is li

the worst sort of white; that is, if you can call the

. This was much more to Hugh's taste than the previous work had been. He did not mind the work of hauling out and throwing the calves, nor of keeping back the cows, but he hated seeing the calves branded, and still more, the opera

their guard to drive them down to the yard, and still more to keep them there while awaiting their turn to enter it. But more exciting still, and much more dangerous, was the work of those who kept guard at the lower end of the yard. As the animals came out, the calves were half mad with terror and pain, an

sh. This generally proved sufficient. The cow, when the rope was slackened, rose to its feet in a half dazed way and walked heavily off, with the evident impression upon its mind that an earthquake had taken place. Hugh was glad when he heard in the

from the yard. In these cases three or four of the cow-boys united, and while one attracted his attention,

of Flash Bill, walked up to the fire round wh

e, Broncho. I allow it was a mean trick of me, but I was riled pretty con

you own up there is an end of it

ranche sauntered up and joined in. Presently Flash Bill turned to Hugh, who had t

said. "It exactly suits me, and I should f

en that horse before," th

about eight mont

. Can't think where I have s

m at M'Kinne

ought him,

se I got him?" Hu

s out on these plains as never

ied. "At any rate, I expect you are a

you mean

what I say," H

ave been a horse-thief!" t

actly what I did

his astonishment, before his finger had closed on the butt of

imed, "or I fire!" Flas

take that ba

ot the drop on me, though how you did it I don't know

ing his pistol in his belt. "You thought you had

his own with you I would have put a bullet into you myself when I saw your hand go to your pistol. You git, and if you will take my advice, you w

Bill got up, and, followed by the

in not shooting. The rule on the plains is, if one man calls another either a liar or a coward, that

a chorus

here; but them two words, liar and coward, is death, and you would have done well to have shot him. You be

han I could have flown," Hugh sa

ere bound to kill you. I agree with Broncho. You have done a mighty soft thing, and maybe you will be sorry for it some day. I have heard say that Flash Bill has been a mighty hard man in his time, and I guess

and kit strapped behind his saddle. He checked his horse as he came up to them. "I give you wa

oth be ready for you." Without another word Fla

e men had been drinking, or when there was no previous malice or dislike between the men, the matter would be made up and things go on as before. If, however, the quarrel had been a deliberate one, and one or other considered himself still aggrieved, he would take his discharge an

t body were more pleased than anyone else that the bully had had to leave. None were more astonished than the men of the other outfits of the ranche. They had heard Hugh addressed as Lightning; but curiosity is not a cow-boy failing, and few had given a thought as to how he had come by the appellation. One or two had asked the questio

ked, therefore, had

ry had said to one of the questioners. "You

ood of their station for the convenience of cutting out the steers that were to be sent down to market, or herds, principally of cows and calves, for purchasers who intended to establish ranches in the still unoccupied territory in New Mexico, Colorado,

in which case parties of cow-boys would go out to cut out and drive in the number required. The number of cattle collected at the rounds-up was enormous, many of the ranches owning from forty to eighty thousand cattle. A considerable number were not driven in at the round-up, as the greater portion of the beef-

as over when No. 2 outfi

ll," Hugh said, as they halted at

work. All day at the stock-yard, and half one's time at nigh

ther ways as usual. The men are too tired to talk or sing of an evening. One breakfasted, or rather swallowed one's

n only four men killed by the cattle, and there haven't been more than five

too many, Bron

gh; but you see we should never

houldn

we didn't all carry six-shooters, and were ready to use them, the bad-tempered men, and the hard men, would have it their own way. Big fellows like you would be able to bully little fellows like me. We should get all the bad men from the towns whenever they found the settlements too hot for them. We should have murderers, and gamblers, and horse-thieves coming and mixing themselves up with us. I tell you, Hugh, that without the revolver there would be no living out here. No, sirree, the six-shooter puts us all on a level, and eac

ther day, Broncho, and I reck

ut the other night. Flash Bill came over to get up a quarrel. He was pretty well bound to get up a quarrel with some one, but if you had been a downright peaceable chap he could not have got up a quarrel with you. If you had said quietly, when he kinder said as how you hadn't come by that horse honest, that Bill here had been with you when you bought him, and that you got a document in your pocket, signed by a sheriff and a judge, to prove that you had paid for it, there would have been no words with you. I don't

let us say, who is known to be ready to

g out in the plains is just arranged as it might be in New York; but I say that, take the life as it is, I don't see as it could be arranged better. There was a chap out here for a bit as had read up no end of books, and he said it was just the same sort of thing way back in Europe, when every man carried his sword by his side and was always fighting duels, till at last the kings got strong enough to make laws to put it down and managed things without it; and that's the way it will be in this country. Once the law is strong enough to punish bad men, and make it so that there ain't no occasion for a fellow to carry about a six-

in the east, who don't know nothing about Injuns, are always doing some foolish thing like that. The big chief he listens to the commissioner, and when he has done

er, 'we can't give you cann

e troops? We can just drive them whenever we l

ears out the strongest in a few years, a cow-boy's life is bound to be a short one. You won't meet one in ten who is over thirty. It ain't like other jobs. We don't go away and take up with another trade. What should we be fit for? A man that has lived on horseback, and spent his life galloping over the plains, what is he going to do when he ain't no longer fit for this work? He ain't going to hoe a corn-patch or wear a biled shirt and work in a store. He ain't going to turn lawyer, or set up to make boots or breeches. No, sirree. He knows as ten years is about

ve probably either enlisted or run away as boys and gone to sea. They were men to whom a life of action was a necessity. Their life resembled rather that of the Arab or the Red Indian than that of civilized men. Their senses had become prete

ecdotes to prove, sustain wounds and injuries of the most terrible kind and yet survive, seeming, in many cases, almost insensible to pain. They were, in fact, a race apart, and had very many good qualities and comparatively few bad ones. They were, indeed, as Long Tom had said, reckless of

rodigious exertions. They were frank, good-tempered, and kindly in their intercourse with each other, as addicted to practical jokes as so many school-boys, and joining as heartily in the laugh when they happened to be the victims as when