One such lesson was usually sufficient, and by reaching
corrals every night and penning them, we managed, after two weeks'
hard work, to land them in the stockyards at Fort Worth. The buyer
remained with and accompanied us during the gathering and en route to
the railroad, evidently enjoying the continuous performance. He
proved a good mixer, too, and returned annually thereafter. For years
following I contracted with him, and finally shipped on consignment,
our business relations always pleasant and increasing in volume until
his death.
Returning with the outfit, I continued on west to the new ranch, while
the men began the fall branding at home. On arriving on the Double
Mountain range, I found the outfit in the saddle, ironing up a big
calf crop, while the improved herd was the joy and pride of my
foreman. An altitude of about four thousand feet above sea-level had
proved congenial to the thoroughbreds, who had acclimated nicely, the
only loss being one from lightning. Two men were easily holding the
isolated herd in their canon home, the sheltering bluffs affording
them ample protection from wintry weather, and there was nothing
henceforth to fear in regard to the experiment. I spent a week with
the outfit; my ranch foreman assured me that the brand could turn
out a trail herd of three-year-old steers the following spring and a
second one of twos, if it was my wish to send them to market.
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