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was to sit my saddle； and apply just that final touch of judgment
denied even the wisest of the lower animals。 Time and again the
turn was so quick that the stirrup swept the ground。 At last the
cow； convinced of the uselessness of further effort to return；
broke away on a long lumbering run to the open plain。 She was
stopped and held by the men detailed； and so formed the nucleus
of the new cut…herd。 Immediately Little G； his ears working in
conscious virtue； jog…trotted back into the herd； ready for
another。
After a dozen cows had been sent across to the cut…herd； the
work simplified。 Once a cow caught sight of this new band； she
generally made directly for it； head and tail up。 After the
first short struggle to force her from the herd； all I had to do
was to start her in the proper direction and keep her at it until
her decision was fixed。 If she was too soon left to her own
devices； however； she was likely to return。 An old cowman knows
to a second just the proper moment to abandon her。
Sometimes； in spite of our best efforts a cow succeeded in
circling us and plunging into the main herd。 The temptation was
then strong to plunge in also； and to drive her out by main
force； but the temptation had to be resisted。 A dash into the
thick of it might break the whole band。 At once； of his own
accord； Little G dropped to his fast； shuffling walk； and again
we addressed ourselves to the task of pushing her gently to the
edge。
This was all comparatively simplealmost any pony is fast enough
for the calf cutbut now Homer gave orders for the steer cut to
begin； and steers are rapid and resourceful and full of natural
cussedness。 Little G and I were relieved by Windy Bill； and
betook ourselves to the outside of the herd。
Here we had leisure to observe the effects that up to this moment
we had ourselves been producing。 The herd； restless by reason of
the horsemen threading it； shifted； gave ground； expanded； and
contracted； so that its shape and size were always changing in
the constant area guarded by the sentinel cowboys。 Dust arose
from these movements； clouds of it； to eddy and swirl； thicken
and dissipate in the currents of air。 Now it concealed all but
the nearest dimly…outlined animals； again it parted in rifts
through which mistily we discerned the riders moving in and out
of the fog； again it lifted high and thin； so that we saw in
clarity the whole herd and the outriders and the mesas far away。
As the afternoon waned； long shafts of sun slanted through this
dust。 It played on men and beasts magically； expanding them to
the dimensions of strange genii； appearing and effacing
themselves in the billows of vapour from some enchanted bottle。
We on the outside found our sinecure of hot noon…tide filched
from us by the cooler hours。 The cattle； wearied of standing；
and perhaps somewhat hungry and thirsty； grew more and more
impatient。 We rode continually back and forth； turning the slow
movement in on itself。 Occasionally some particularly
enterprising cow would conclude that one or another of the
cut…herds would suit her better than this mill of turmoil。 She
would start confidently out； head and tail up； find herself
chased back； get stubborn on the question； and lead her pursuer a
long； hard run before she would return to her companions。 Once
in a while one would even have to be roped and dragged back。 For
know； before something happens to you； that you can chase a cow
safely only until she gets hot and
winded。 Then she stands her ground and gets emphatically 〃on the
peck。〃
I remember very well when I first discovered this。 It was after I
had had considerable cow work； too。 I thought of cows as I had
always seen themafraid of a horseman； easy to turn with the
pony； and willing to be chased as far as necessary to the work。
Nobody told me anything different。 One day we were making a
drive in an exceedingly broken country。 I was bringing in a
small bunch I had discovered in a pocket of the hills； but was
excessively annoyed by one old cow that insisted on breaking
back。 In the wisdom of further experience； I now conclude that
she probably had a calf in the brush。 Finally she got away
entirely。 After starting the bunch well ahead； I went after her。
Well； the cow and I ran nearly side by side for as much as half a
mile at top speed。 She declined to be headed。 Finally she fell
down and was so entirely winded that she could not get up。
〃Now； old girl； I've got you！〃 said I； and set myself to urging
her to her feet。
The pony acted somewhat astonished； and suspicious of the job。
Therein he knew a lot more than I did。 But I insisted； and； like
a good pony； he obeyed。 I yelled at the cow； and slapped my bat；
and used my quirt。 When she had quite recovered her wind； she
got slowly to her feetand charged me in a most determined
manner。
Now； a bull； or a steer； is not difficult to dodge。 He lowers
his head； shuts his eyes； and comes in on one straight rush。 But
a cow looks to see what she is doing； her eyes are open every
minute； and it overjoys her to take a side hook at you even when
you succeed in eluding her direct charge。
The pony I was riding did his best； but even then could not avoid
a sharp prod that would have ripped him up had not my leather
bastos intervened。 Then we retired to a distance in order to
plan further； but we did not succeed in inducing that cow to
revise her ideas； so at last we left her。 When； in some chagrin；
I mentioned to the round…up captain the fact that I had skipped
one animal； he merely laughed。
〃Why； kid；〃 said he； 〃you can't do nothin' with a cow that gets
on the prod that away 'thout you ropes her； and what could you do
with her out there if you DID rope her？〃
So I learned one thing more about cows。
After the steer cut had been finished； the men representing the
neighbouring ranges looked through the herd for strays of their
brands。 These were thrown into the stray…herd； which had been
brought up from the bottom lands to receive the new accessions。
Work was pushed rapidly； as the afternoon was nearly gone。
In fact； so absorbed were we that until it was almost upon us we
did not notice a heavy thunder…shower that arose in the region of
the Dragoon Mountains； and swept rapidly across the zenith。
Before we knew it the rain had begun。 In ten seconds it had
increased to a deluge； and in twenty we were all to leeward of
the herd striving desperately to stop the drift of the cattle
down wind。
We did everything in our power to stop them； but in vain。
Slickers waved； quirts slapped against leather； six…shooters
flashed； but still the cattle； heads lowered； advanced with slow
and sullen persistence that would not be stemmed。 If we held our
ground； they divided around us。 Step by step we were forced to
give waythe thin line of nervously plunging horses sprayed
before the dense mass of the cattle。
〃No； they won't stampede；〃 shouted Charley to my question。
〃There's cows and calves in them。 If they was just steers or
grown critters； they might。〃
The sensations of those few moments were very vividthe blinding
beat of the storm in my face； the unbroken front of horned heads
bearing down on me； resistless as fate； the long slant of rain
with the sun shining in the distance beyond it。
Abruptly the downpour ceased。 We shook our hats free of water；
and drove the herd back to the cutting grounds again。
But now the surface of the ground was slippery； and the rapid
manoeuvring of horses had become a matter precarious in the
extreme。 Time and again the ponies fairly sat on their haunches
and slid when negotiating a sudden stop； while quick turns meant
the rapid scramblings that only a cow…horse could accomplish。
Nevertheless the work went forward unchecked。 The men of the
other outfits cut their cattle into the stray…herd。 The latter
was by now of considerable size； for this was the third week of
the round…up。
Finally everyone expressed himself as satisfied。 The largely
diminished main herd was now started forward by means of shrill
cowboy cries and beating of quirts。 The cattle were only too
eager to go。 From my position on a little rise above the
stray…herd I could see the leaders breaking into a run； their
heads thrown forward as they snuffed their freedom。 On the mesa
side the sentinel riders quietly withdrew。 From the rear and
flanks the horsemen closed in。 The cattle poured out in a steady
stream through the opening thus left on the mesa side。 The
fringe of cowboys followed； urging them on。 Abruptly the
cavalcade turned and came loping back。 The cattle continued ahead
on a trot； gradually spreading abroad over the landscape； losing
their integrity as a herd。 Some of the slower or hungrier
dropped o