My employer and Mr. Orahood had met before, and greeted each other with a rugged cordiality common among cowmen.  The others had eaten their supper; but while the buyer and I satisfied the inner man, Uncle Lance sat with us at the table and sparred with Orahood in repartee, or asked regarding mutual friends, artfully avoiding any mention of cattle.  But after we had finished Mr. Orahood spoke of his mission, admitted deprecatingly that he had taken a little ride south and west that afternoon, and if it was not too much trouble he would like to look over our beeves on the north of the Nueces in the morning.  He showed no enthusiasm, but acknowledged that he was buying for shipment, and thought that another month’s good grass ought to put our steers in fair condition.  I noticed Uncle Lance clouding up over the buyer’s lack of appreciation, but he controlled himself, and when Mr. Orahood expressed a wish to retire, my employer said to his guest, as with candle in hand the two stood in parting:—­

“Well, now, Wayne, that’s too bad about the cattle being so thin.  I’ve been working my horse stock lately, and didn’t get any chance to ride the range until this wet spell.  But since the screw worms got so bad, being short-handed, I had to get out and rustle myself or we’d lost a lot of calves.  Of course, I have noticed a steer now and then, and have been sorry to find them so spring-poor.  Actually, Wayne, if we were expecting company, we’d have to send to the ferry and get a piece of bacon, as I haven’t seen a hoof fit to kill.  That roast beef which you had for supper—­well, that was sent us by a neighbor who has fat cows.  About a year ago now, water was awful scarce with us, and a few old cows died up and down this valley.  I suppose you didn’t hear of it, living so far away.  Heretofore, every time we had a drouth there was such a volunteer growth of fallow-weed that the cattle got mud fat following every dry spell.  Still I’ll show you a few cattle among the guajio brush and sand hills on the divide in the morning and see what you think of them.  But of course, if they lack flesh, in case you are buying for shipment I shan’t expect you to bid on them.”

The old ranchero and the buyer rode away early the next morning, and did not return until near the middle of the afternoon, having already agreed on a sale.  I was asked to write in duplicate the terms and conditions.  In substance, Las Palomas ranch agreed to deliver at Rockport on the coast, on the twentieth of May, and for each of the following three months, twelve hundred and fifty beeves, four years old and upward.  The consideration was $27.50 per head, payable on delivery.  I knew my employer had oversold his holdings, but there would be no trouble in making up the five thousand head, as all our neighbors would gladly turn in cattle to fill the contract.  The buyer was working on commission, and the larger the quantity he could contract for, the better he was suited.  After the agreement