Uncle Lance was never much of a man for towns, and soon after settlement the next morning we were ready to start home.  But the payment, amounting to thirty thousand dollars, presented a problem, as the bulk of it came to us in silver.  There was scarcely a merchant in the place who would assume the responsibility of receiving it even on deposit, and in the absence of a bank, there was no alternative but to take it home.  The agent for the steamship company solicited the money for transportation to New Orleans, mentioning the danger of robbery, and referring to the recent attempt of bandits to hold up the San Antonio and Corpus Christi stage.  I had good cause to remember that incident, and was wondering what my employer would do under the circumstances, when he turned from the agent, saying:—­

“Well, we’ll take it home just the same.  I have no use for money in New Orleans.  Nor do I care if every bandit in Texas knows we’ve got the money in the wagon.  I want to buy a few new guns, anyhow.  If robbers tackle us, we’ll promise them a warm reception—­and I never knew a thief who didn’t think more of his own carcass than of another man’s money.”

The silver was loaded into the wagon in sacks, and we started on our return.  It was rather a risky trip, but we never concealed the fact that we had every dollar of the money in the wagon.  It would have been dangerous to make an attempt on us, for we were all well armed.  We reached the ranch in safety, rested a day, and then took the ambulance and went on to San Antonio.  Three of us, besides Tiburcio, accompanied our employer, each taking a saddle horse, and stopping by night at ranches where we were known.  On the third day we reached the city in good time to bank the money, much to my relief.

As there was no work pressing at home, we spent a week in the city, thoroughly enjoying ourselves.  Uncle Lance was negotiating for the purchase of a large Spanish land grant, which adjoined our range on the west, taking in the Ganso and several miles’ frontage on both sides of the home river.  This required his attention for a few days, during which time Deweese met two men on the lookout for stock cattle with which to start a new ranch on the Devil’s River in Valverde County.  They were in the market for three thousand cows, to be delivered that fall or the following spring.  Our segundo promptly invited them to meet his employer that evening at our hotel.  As the ranges in eastern Texas became of value for agriculture, the cowman moved westward, disposing of his cattle or taking them with him.  It was men of this class whom Deweese had met during the day, and on filling their appointment in the evening, our employer and the buyers soon came to an agreement.  References were exchanged, and the next afternoon a contract was entered into whereby we were to deliver, May first, at Las Palomas ranch, three thousand cows between the ages of two and four years.