A Frontier Doctor Page: 51

SEARCHING FOR JOHN CHISUM

discussed, including 'Billy the Kid,' who at that time was
leader of the Chisum fighting men. We listened to many
bloody tales and hairbreadth escapes, so wild and woolly
that we both had a suspicion that we were sized up as
tenderfeet and a lot was being rehearsed for our special
benefit. Later we learned better.
McCune was disappointed. Chisum was short-handed
and offered him a job as cowboy, but there was nothing
doing in letting cattle on shares. After learning my own
objective he pointed in a northeasterly direction, saying,
'Doc, over yonder is the Panhandle of Texas, a big coun-
try, full of people, an epidemic of smallpox, and no
doctor. There's the place you're looking for.'
Mac and I conferred the most of the night and decided
to stick together, cross the plains, and investigate the
Panhandle.
Next morning John Chisum gave us some good advice,
had his boys throw a fresh quarter of beef into our wagon,
also a ten-gallon keg as there was one stretch of eighty
miles without water, investigated our supply of ammuni-
tion which he considerably increased, after cautioning us
that the Comanches were then on the war path, and
wished us good luck as we pulled out.

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