Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-12-04

,..D,}iar combination of haste and skill that doubtless the life of the sHt.t.ie eauuteraets. IS digestive troubIeS afs apparently unknown among plaIiNnl3ll.- The cook. ill handing Peter his tin nlate cup. spoon and black handled fork asked him if he would take overland trout or Cincinnati chicken this morning?' The cook never omit ted these iocular inquiries regarding the various camp naines for bacon. II" seemed to think that choice of ailas was as good as a change or menu There was little talk at breakfast, and that bearing chiefly on the days work Every one was impatient for an early start The horse wrangler had DIS string waiting, the cook was securing his iron pots, saddles were throWh over horses fresh from long night $ good grazing, cinches were frightened, slickers and blankets were adjusted, and camp melted away in troop of horsemen winding away through the gray of early morning.
 The scene of the beef roundup was mighty plain, affording limitless scope for handling the cattle of q thousand hills. The specks in the far distance began to grow as if the screw of field glass was bringing them nearer, turning them into horsemen, punches of cattle, chuck wagons ot the different outfits, reserves of horses restrained by temporary rope corrals- all the equipment of great roundup. l of hordes of cattIe-the mighty plain swal- lowed all the little, prancing. gallop- ing. believing things, and still looked mighty in it's loneliness. Men darted hither and thither, yelling shrilly; cows, born apparently to be leaders. broke from the punches to which they had been assigned and started at clumsy run, followed by kindred susceptible to example. Cow punchers, waiting for just such manifestations of individu- ality. whirled after them like comets, and soon they were again in the paw ing, heaving. sweltering bunch to which they belonged.
 Peter Hamilton, whose particular skill as d COW puncher lay in that branch of the profession known as "cutt ting out,' found that the work of the rustlers had been carried on with no unSparing hand since the early spring roundup. Calves bearing the II I. bialld--tlat' claimed by d com pany known to be made up of cattle tlievcs-followeI mothers bearing al ] most every brand that grazed herds in ,.t If tt,n f.lf At outfit that used w inclosed ill q square, were apparently the heaviest losers The cows and calves were herded at the right of the plain, con venient to the branding pen, the steers well away to tie opposite side As Peter drove d W-Square COW, followed by q little white faced calf whose brand had plainly been tempered with, he heard ole of his associates say:
 "Ihere's nothing small about the H I. except their methods.
 "What's H l. stand for anyway" the other COW puncher asked.
 Why. H-l or How Long. Depends whether you're with 'em or agin 'em.'
 Peter wheeled from the men anG headed for the bunch he was cutting out. He fancied that the man ha( looked at him strangely as he offered choice of meanings for the II l. and yet he could not have known tha' ; Peter had gone to Rodney's cabin las ! night He flung himself heart and sou into his work. dashing full tilt at the snorting stamping bedlam envelopef in clouds of dust that dimmed the very daylight Calves bleated piteously as they were jammed in the thickenin i pack. Peter shouted. swung the rop 1 right and left, thinning the bunc . about him. and second later emerged
 driving before him q COW, followed b a calf These were turned over to COW boys waiting for them. Time afte time Hamilton returned to that mas j of unconscious power that with d sir . gle rush could have annih!ated the lii , tie band of horSemen that handie | them with the skill of dealer shuf : fling, cutting, dealing pack of cards.
 To the left were the steers pawin and tearing up the earth in very e staSy of impotent fury. But handfu of cowboys kept item in check. cir cling round and round them on p3Hie | that did their work without waitin for Quirt or rowel.
 The monday sun looked down upo : a scene that to the eye unskilled i thesc things was as confusion wors confounded. Cowboys dashed from nc
 where in particular and did amazin
 things With d bit of rope, sending
 through the air with snaky undul: tionS after flying cattle. The rope
 taking on ifelike coils. would purSil { the flying beast like an aerial reptile
 then the moose would fall true. and tn
 thing was done. A second later d cot
 pie of cowboys would be examining tn
 disputed brand on the prone animal
 The smell of burning flesh and ha
 rose from the branding pen and mil
 gled with the stench of tie herds i
 one noisome compound. The yells (
 fhp cow n1InchnrS aaoh bnyipo ;tc q