My father, Frank S. Smith, was born in Harvey County, Kansas, where my
  grandfather, William H. Smith, first settled when he moved from the state
  of Delaware. When father was four years old, grandfather moved to Barber
  County. The year was 1877. Grandfather bought a place in Elwood Township,
  where he lived the rest of his life. Father grew to manhood there, so he 
  was one of the earliest residents of Barber County.
     Cattle raising was the main occupation in the early days before much
  of the sod was broken for raising crops. Father learned about cattle by
  working for some of the big cattle companies or cattle pools, as they
  were called when different herds were put together on a common range.
  One group of 'cowboys' would keep the herds within the bounds of the
  particular range, which could be as much as 1000 square miles. They had
  line camps, which were one'room shacks with a place to sleep and cook. These
  line camps were strung out on the perimeter of the particular range about
  eight to ten miles apart. The cowboy then was responsible for keeping the
  stock from wandering off the range, or his part of the range.
     As a child, I loved to lay by the fire on long winter evenings and listen
  to father's stories of the old West. One such story I remember vividly; Once,
  when father was working for the C.E. Cattle Company in the Oklahoma Panhandle,
  he was stationed at a line camp by himself. He was to be relieved in two weeks
  by another cowboy. One day, three men rode up and demanded he feed them. One
  of the men was a red-faced half-breed Indian with a mean look and a surly
  attitude. Father recognized him as an outlaw named Red Buck, with a price
  on his head, who was being hunted by the law.
     They ate the meal father prepared for thyem, then Red Buck saw a
  Winchester rifle up over the door. He took it down and demanded shells for it.
  Father objected to him taking the gun, stating it was the only protection he
  had against the coyotes, rattlesnakes and other wild animals. This seemed
  to infuriate Red Buck and he threatened father, saying, "I think I'll shoot
  you to see how this rifle works." and he aimed the gun at father. One of the 
  other men yelled, "Hold it! I think this man is a good friend of Bud McCracken,
  and you know what McCracken would do if you killed one of his friends." (Bud
  McCracken was known on the range at that time as a fast gun).
     Red Buck lowered the gun and stood silent for a minute, then ordered father
  to stay in the shack until they were gone. All three men mounted their horses
  and took off, taking the rifle with them.
     Father just stood there thanking his lucky stars that he was a friend of
  Bud McCracken. Later Bud married father's sister, Ella Smith, and was elected
  Sheriff of Barber County.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 426 
     Submitted by: Sanford A. Smith