They rode on afterwards, coolly picked up some thirty head of my cattle, drove them all night into Texas and sold them to a farmer there.

Of course they were not missed out of so many cattle; but someone in Texas had seen them at their new home, noticed my brand and sent word to me.

On going after them I found they had been sold to an innocent man who had paid cash for them and taken no bill of sale.

It was not a pleasant duty to demand the cattle back from such a man, but he ought to have known better.
Some rustlers in Arizona once detached from a train at a small station a couple of carloads of beef cattle, ran them back down the track to the corral, there unloaded the cattle and drove them off.

This very smart trick of course was done during the night and while the crew were at supper.
For all these reasons it will be seen why my small ranch was such a success and such a profitable and money-making institution.