The spring round-up was about to begin, and near by I found M----'s "outfit" wagon, "cavayad" of horses, his full force of "hands" and the foreman H----.

After dining with them I pulled out my papers to show H---- who I was and told him I had come there to take possession of M----- 's saddle horses, the whole "ramuda" in fact of nearly a hundred head.

Oh, no! he had no instructions to give them up; he did not know anything of the matter and he certainly would not let me touch them! I said I had come to carry out my orders and meant to do so; and mounting, rode out to gather up the grazing ponies.

At once they came after me, not believing that anyone would dare do such a thing in their presence, and began to jostle me, with more evil intentions in their eyes.
Desisting at once, and before they had gone too far, I told them that that was all I wanted, said good-bye in as friendly a way as possible, and went before a Justice of the Peace and made affidavit of having attempted to take possession of the horses till resisted by force, in fact, that physical violence had been used against me.

This was sent to Las Vegas, and in due course the lawyers advised me that it was satisfactory and recommended me to adopt similar methods when attempting to get possession of the ranches, cattle, stock horses, etc.
This was a funny position to be in! M----was a popular man; the other cattlemen would certainly side with him and resent such novel and apparently high-handed proceedings.