Miss Gertrude was only four years my junior, a very dangerous
age, and in spite of all resolutions to the contrary, I felt myself
constantly slipping. Nothing but my poverty and the hopelessness of it
kept me from falling desperately in love.
But a temporary relief came during the latter part of May. Reports
came down the river that a firm of drovers were putting up a herd of
cattle for delivery at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Their headquarters
were at Belknap, a long day's ride above, on the Brazos; and
immediately, on receipt of the news, George and I saddled, and
started up the river. The elder Edwards was very anxious to sell his
beef-cattle and a surplus of cow-horses, and we were commissioned to
offer them to the drovers at prevailing prices. On arriving at Belknap
we met the pioneer drover of Texas, Oliver Loving, of the firm of
Loving & Goodnight, but were disappointed to learn that the offerings
in making up the herd were treble the drover's requirements; neither
was there any chance to sell horses. But an application for work met
with more favor. Mr. Loving warned us of the nature of the country,
the dangers to be encountered, all of which we waived, and were
accordingly employed at forty dollars a month in gold. The herd was to
start early in June. George Edwards returned home to report, but I was
immediately put to work, as the junior member of the firm was then out
receiving cattle.
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