we managed to reach the ranch the next evening, where we lay over a day and rigged up a second wagon, purposely for calves.  It was the intention to send the stock cattle to my new ranch on the Clear Fork, and releasing all but four men, the idle help about the home ranch were substituted.  In moving cattle from one range to another, it should always be done with the coming of grass, as it gives them a full summer to locate and become attached to their new range.  When possible, the coming calf crop should be born where the mothers are to be located, as it strengthens the ties between an animal and its range by making sacred the birthplace of its young.  From instinctive warnings of maternity, cows will frequently return to the same retreat annually to give birth to their calves.

It was about fifty miles between the home and the new ranch.  As it was important to get the cattle located as soon as possible, they were accordingly started with but the loss of a single day.  Two wagons accompanied them, every calf was saved, and by nursing the herd early and late we managed to average ten miles between sunrise and sunset.  The elder Edwards, anxious to see the new ranch, accompanied us, his patience with a cow being something remarkable.  When we lacked but a day’s drive of the Clear Fork it was considered advisable for me to return.  Once the cattle reached the new range, four men would loose-herd them for a month, after which they would continue to ride the range and turn back all stragglers.  The veteran cowman assumed control, and I returned to the home ranch, where a horse had been left on which to overtake the trail herd.  My wife caught several glimpses of me that spring; with stocking a new ranch and starting a herd on the trail I was as busy as the proverbial cranberry-merchant.  Where a year before I was moneyless, now my obligations were accepted for nearly fourteen thousand dollars.

I overtook the herd within one day’s drive of Red River.  Everything was moving nicely, the cattle were well trail-broken, not a run had occurred, and all was serene and lovely.  We crossed into the Nations at the regular ford, nothing of importance occurring until we reached the Washita River.  The Indians had been bothering us more or less, but we brushed them aside or appeased their begging with a stray beef.  At the crossing of the Washita quite an encampment had congregated, demanding six cattle and threatening to dispute our entrance to the ford.  Several of the boys with us pretended to understand the sign language, and this resulted in an animosity being engendered between two of the outfit over interpreting a sign made by a chief.  After we had given the Indians two strays, quite a band of bucks gathered on foot at the crossing, refusing to let us pass until their demand had been fulfilled.  We had a few carbines, every lad had a six-shooter or two, and, summoning every mounted man, we rode up to the ford.  The braves outnumbered us about