The next thing I knew, Owen, Bill and Fred, each carrying a gun, got into the wagon and drove off.
When anything happened it came with such suddenness there was never opportunity for questions, besides, my association with men had taught me the value of silence—in an emergency.
In a few hours Owen and Fred came back. They had met the eight new herders walking into the ranch to “quit”. They walked back to their respective camps instead, their pace accelerated by a loaded gun pointing at their backs. The cabins were searched, several villainous looking knives confiscated and eight subdued cut-throats returned to the peaceful occupation of herding sheep, under Bill’s watchful eye and loaded gun.
Owen said that it wasn’t at all necessary for the Mexicans to understand English since Bill’s few remarks were sufficiently lurid to attract their attention.
Until other herders could be brought to the ranch, one white man, always armed, stayed at each camp, constantly on guard lest the vindictive herders set fire to the camps or kill the sheep. These were no gentle children from the land of Mañana; we discovered they were desperate characters from Old Mexico, to whom murder was second nature.
Bill’s opinion of the sheep business after his brief experience in the camps could only be published in an expurgated edition. He hated the Mexicans, he hated the sheep, he hated everything connected with them. After seeing his charges safely on board a southbound train, he returned to the ranch with all the joy of an exile.
“I’ve been up against tough men, Mrs. Brook, but that bunch is the worst I ever seen. They’re just like a pack of coyotes, grinnin’ and sneakin’ up behind you, waitin’ ’til they git a chance to finish you. Between listnin’ to the grass grow and pickin’ off sheep ticks, I got plumb locoed settin’ there watchin’ ’em. I jest had to feel my skin every once in a while to be sure I wasn’t growin’ wool.”
IX—THE UNEXPECTED
If there is anything in suggestion, Carlyle was responsible for the whole affair, otherwise why should we have deferred our drive until the late afternoon and selected Sartor Resartus of all books to read aloud after lunch?
Owen wanted to visit one of the sheep camps to examine the corrals before having the hay stacked there for winter use and he urged us to go with him. His invitation was joyfully accepted. For many weeks we had scarcely left the ranch as Owen’s Mother, who was with us, had been desperately ill. The crisis had passed, however, so we did not hesitate to go off for a few hours, leaving Madame Brook with her nurse. My aunt, Owen’s sister and her two children were at the ranch also, and after so many weeks of anxiety we all felt the relaxation and joyously climbed into the wagon when Owen drove up.