Major Hunter was Western in his sympathies and coincided with my views, the Senator was won over from the enterprise, and the project failed to materialize.  The friendly relations of our firm were slightly strained over the outcome, but on the announcement of the awards we pulled together again like brothers.  In the allotment for delivery during the summer and fall of 1879, some eighteen contracts fell to us,—­six in the Indian Bureau and the remainder to the Army, four of the latter requiring northern wintered beeves.  A single award for Fort Buford in Dakota called for five million pounds on foot and could be filled with Southern cattle.  Others in the same department ran from one and a half to three million pounds, varying, as wanted for future or present use, to through or wintered beeves.  The latter fattened even on the trail and were ready for the shambles on their arrival, while Southern stock required a winter and time to acclimate to reach the pink of condition.  The government maintained several distributing points in the new Northwest, one of which was Fort Buford, where for many succeeding years ten thousand cattle were annually received and assigned to lesser posts.  This was the market that I knew.  I had felt every throb of its pulse ever since I had worked as a common hand in driving beef to Fort Sumner in 1866.  The intervening years had been active ones, and I had learned the lessons of the trail, knew to a fraction the cost of delivering a herd, and could figure on a contract with any other cowman.

Leaving the arrangement of the bonds to our silent partner, the next day after the awards were announced we turned our faces to the Southwest.  February 1 was agreed on for the meeting at Fort Worth, so picking up the wife and babies in Virginia, we embarked for our Texas home.  My better half was disappointed in my not joining in the proposed cattle company, with its officers, its directorate, annual meeting, and other high-sounding functions.  I could have turned into the company my two ranches at fifty cents an acre, could have sold my brand outright at a fancy figure, taking stock in lieu for the same, but I preferred to keep them private property.  I have since known other cowmen who put their lands and cattle into companies, and after a few years’ manipulation all they owned was some handsome certificates, possibly having drawn a dividend or two and held an honorary office.  I did not then have even the experience of others to guide my feet, but some silent monitor warned me to stick to my trade, cows.

Leaving the family at the Edwards ranch, I returned to Fort Worth in ample time for the appointed meeting.  My active partner and our segundo had become as thick as thieves, the two being inseparable at idle times, and on their arrival we got down to business at once.  The remudas were the first consideration.  Besides my personal holdings of saddle stock, we had sent the fall before one thousand horses belonging to the