the flying u ranch-第10节

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down　to　the　stable。　〃If　they　belonged　anywhere　in　this　part　of

the　country；　though；　they　wouldn't　be　acting　the　way　they　are。

They'd　be　wise　to　the　fact　that　it　ain't　healthy。〃



Even　while　he　spoke　his　eyes　were　fixed　with　cold　intensity　upon

a　fringe　of　gray　across　the　coulee　below　the　little　pasture。　To

the　nostrils　of　the　outraged　Happy　Family　was　borne　that

indescribable　aroma　which　betrays　the　presence　of　sheep；　that

aroma　which　sheepmen　love　and　which　cattlemen　hate；　and　which　a

favorable　wind　will　carry　a　long　way。



They　slapped　saddles　on　their　horses　in　record　time　that　morning；

and　raced　down　the　coulee　ironically　shouting　commiserating

sentences　to　the　unfortunate　Andy；　who　rode　slowly　up　to　the

mess…house　for　the　lunch　which　Patsy　had　waiting　for　him　in　a

flour　sack；　and　afterward　climbed　the　grade　and　loped　along

outside　the　line　fence　to　a　point　opposite　the　sheep　and　the

shouting　horsemen；　who　forced　them　back　by　weight　of　numbers。



This　morning　the　herders　were　not　quite　so　passive。　The

bug…killer　still　scowled；　but　he　spoke　without　the　preliminary

sulky　silence　of　the　day　before；



〃We're　goin'　across　the　coulee；〃　he　growled。　〃Them's　orders。　We

range　south　uh　here。〃



〃No；　you　don't；〃　Weary　dissented　calmly。　〃Not　by　a　long　shot；　you

don't。　You're　going　back　where　you　come　fromif　you　ask　me。　And

you're　going　quick！〃







CHAPTER　VI。　What　Happened　to　Andy



With　the　sun　shining　comfortably　upon　his　back；　and　with　a

cigarette　between　his　lips；　Andy　sat　upon　his　horse　and　watched

in　silent　glee　while　the　irate　Happy　Family　scurried　here　and

there　behind　the　band；　swinging　their　ropes　down　upon　the　woolly

backs；　and　searching　their　vocabularies　for　new　and　terrible

epithets。　Andy　smiled　broadly　as　a　colorful　phrase　now　and　then

boomed　across　the　coulee　in　that　clear；　snappy　atmosphere；　which

carries　sounds　so　far。　He　did　not　expect　to　do　much　smiling　upon

his　own　account；　that　day；　and　he　was　therefore　grateful　for　the

opportunity　to　behold　the　spectacle　before　him。



There　was　Slim；　for　instance；　unwillingly　careening　down　hill

toward　home；　because；　in　his　zeal　to　slap　an　old　ewe　smartly　with

his　rope；　he　drove　her　unexpectedly　under　his　horse；　and　so

created　a　momentary　panic　that　came　near　standing　both　horse　and

rider　upon　their　heads。　And　there　was　Big　Medicine　whistling

until　he　was　purple；　while　the　herder；　with　a　single　gesture；

held　the　dog　motionless；　though　a　dozen　sheep　broke　back　from　the

band　and　climbed　a　slope　so　steep　that　Big　Medicine　was　compelled

to　go　after　them　afoot；　and　turn　them　with　stones　and　profane

objurgations。



It　was　very　funnywhen　one　could　sit　at　ease　upon　the　hilltop

and　smoke　a　cigarette　while　others　risked　apoplexy　and　their

souls'　salvation　below。　By　the　time　they　panted　up　the　last

rock…strewn　slope　of　the　bluff；　and　sent　the　vanguard　of　the

invaders　under　the　fence；　Andy's　mood　was　complacent　in　the

extreme；　and　his　smile　offensively　wide。



〃Oh；　you　needn't　look　so　sorry　for　us；〃　drawled　the　Native　Son；

jingling　over　toward　him　until　only　the　fence　and　a　few　feet　of

space　divided　them。　〃Here's　where　you　get　yours；　amigo。　I　wish

you　a　pleasant　dayand　a　long　one！〃　He　waved　his　hand　in　mocking

adieu；　touched　his　horse　with　his　silver　spurs；　and　rode　gaily

away　down　the　coulee。



〃Here；　sheepherder's　your　outfit。　Ma…aa…a…a！〃　jeered　Big

Medicine。　〃You'll　wisht；　by　cripes；　you　was　a　dozen　men　just　like

yuh　before　you're　through　with　the　deal。　Haw…haw…haw…w！〃



There　were　others　who；　seeing　Andy's　grin；　had　something　to　say

upon　the　subject　before　they　left。



Weary　rode　up；　and　looked　undecidedly　from　Andy　to　the　sheep；　and

back　again。



〃If　you　don't　feel　like　tackling　it　single…handed；　I'll　send〃



〃What　do　yuh　think　I　am；　anyway　？〃　Andy　interrupted　crisply；　〃a

Montgomery　Ward　two…for…a…quarter　cowpuncher？　Don't　you　fellows

waste　any　time　worrying　over　me！〃



The　herders　stared　at　Andy　curiously　when　he　swung　in　behind　the

tail…end　of　the　band　and　kept　pace　with　their　slow　moving；　but

they　did　not　speak　beyond　shouting　an　occasional　command　to　their

dogs。　Neither　did　Andy　have　anything　to　say；　until　he　saw　that

they　were　swinging　steadily　to　the　west；　instead　of　keeping

straight　north；　as　they　had　been　told　to　do。　Then　he　rode　over　to

the　nearest　herder；　who　happened　to　be　the　bug…killer。



〃You　don't　want　to　get　turned　around；〃　he　hinted　quietly。　〃That's

north；　over　there。〃



〃I'm　workin'　fer　the　man　that　pays　my　wages；〃　the　fellow　retorted

glumly；　and　waved　an　arm　to　a　collie　that　was　waiting　for　orders。

The　dog　dropped　his　head；　and　ran　around　the　right　wing　of　the

band；　with　sharp　yelps　and　dartings　here　and　there；　turning　them

still　more　to　the　west。



Andy　hesitated；　decided　to　leave　the　man　alone　for　the　present；

and　rode　around　to　the　other　herder。



〃You　swing　these　sheep　north！〃　he　commanded；　disdaining　preface

or　explanation。



〃I'm　workin'　for　the　man　that　pays　my　wages；〃　the　herder　made

answer　stolidly；　and　chewed　steadily　upon　a　quid　of　tobacco　that

had　stained　his　lips　unbecomingly。



So　they　had　talked　the　thing　overhad　those　two　herdersand

were　following　a　premeditated　plan　of　defiance！　Andy　hooked　at

the　man　a　minute。　〃You　turn　them　sheep；　damn　you；〃　he　commanded

again；　and　laid　a　hand　upon　his　saddle…horn　suggestively。



〃You　go　to　the　devil；　damn　yuh；〃　advised　the　herder；　and　cocked　a

wary　eye　at　him　from　under　his　hat…brim。　Not　all　herders；　let　it

be　said　in　passing；　take　unto　themselves　the　mental　attributes　of

their　sheep；　there　are　those　who　believe　that　a　bold　front　is

better　than　weak　compliance；　and　who　will　back　that　belief　by　a

very　bold　front　indeed。



Andy　appraised　him　mentally；　decided　that　he　was　an　able…bodied

man　and　therefore　fightable；　and　threw　his　right　leg　over　the

cantle　with　a　quite　surprising　alacrity。



〃Are　you　going　to　turn　them　sheep？〃　Andy　was　taking　off　his　coat

when　he　made　that　inquiry。



〃Not　for　your　tellin'。　You　keep　back；　young　feller；　or　I'll　sick

the　dogs　on　yuh。〃　He　turned　and　whistled　to　the　nearest　one；　and

Andy　hit　him　on　the　ear。



They　clinched　and　pummeled　when　they　could　and　where　they　could。

The　dog　came　up；　circled　the　gyrating　forms　twice；　then　sat　down

upon　his　haunches　at　a　safe　distance；　tilted　his　head　sidewise

and　lifted　his　ears　interestedly。　He　was　a　wise　little　dog；　the

other　dog　was　also　wise；　and　remained　phlegmatically　at　his　post；

as　did　the　bug…killer。



〃Are　you　going　to　turn　them　sheep？〃　Andy　spoke　breathlessly；　but

with　deadly　significance。



〃N…yes。〃



Andy　took　his　fingers　from　the　other's　Adam's　apple；　his　knee

from　the　other's　diaphragm；　and　went　over　to　where　he　had　thrown

down　his　coat；　felt　in　a　pocket　for　his　handkerchief；　and；　when

he　had　found　it；　applied　it　to　his　nose；　which　was　bleeding

profusely。



〃Fly　at　it；　then；〃　he　advised；　eyeing　the　other　sternly　over　the

handkerchief。　〃I'd　hate　to　ask　you　a　third　time。〃



〃I'd　hate　to　have　yuh；〃　conceded　the　herder　reluctantly。　〃I　was

sure　I　c'd　lick　yuh；　or　I'd　'a'　turned　'em　before。〃　He　sent　the

dog　racing　down　the　south　line　of　the　band。



Andy　got　thoughtfully　back　upon　his　horse；　and　sat　looking　hard

at　the　herder。　〃Say；　you're　grade　above　the　general　run　uh　lamb…

hickers；〃　he　observed；　after　a　minute。　〃Who　are　you　working　for；

and　what's　your　object　in　throwing　sheep　on　Flying　U　land？

There's　plenty　of　range　to　the　north。〃



〃I'm　workin'；〃　said　the　herder；　〃for　the　Dot　outfit。　I　thought

you　could　read　brands。〃



〃Don't　get　sassyI've　got　a　punch　or　two　I　haven't　used　yet。　Who

owns　these　woollies？〃



〃WellWhittaker　and　Oleson；　if　yuh　want　to　know。〃



〃I　do。〃　Andy　was　keeping　pace　with　him　around　the　band；　which

edged　off　from　then　and　the　dogs。　〃And　what　makes　you　so　crazy

about　Flying　U　grass？〃　he　pursued。



〃We've　got　to　cross　that　coulee　to　git　to　where　we're　headed　for；

we　got　a　right　to；　and　we're　going　to　do　it。〃　The　herder　paused

and　glanced　up　at　Andy　sourly。　〃We　knowed　you　was　a　mean　outfit；

the　boss　told　us　so。　And　he　told　us　you　was　blank　ca'tridges　and

we　needn't　back　up　just　'cause　you　raised　up　on　your　hind　legs

and　howled　a　little。　I've　had　truck　with　you　cowmen　before。　I've

herded　sheep　in　Wyoming。〃　He　walked　a　few　steps　with　his　head

down；　considering。



〃I　better　go　over　and　talk　some　sense　into　the　other　fellow；〃　he

said；　looking　up　at　Andy　as　if　all　his　antagonism　had　oozed　in

the　fight。　〃You　ride　along　this　edge；　so　they　won't　scatterwe

ought　to　be　grazin'　'em　along；　by　rights；　only　you　seem　to　be　in

such　an　all…fired　rush〃



〃You　go　on　and　tell　that　loco　son…of…a…gun　over　there　what　he's

up　against；〃　Andy　urged。　〃Blank　cartridgesI　sure　do　like　that！

If　you　only　knew　it；　high　power　dum…dums　would　be　a　lot　closer　to

our　brand。　Run　alongI　am　in　a　kinda　hurry；　this　morning。〃



And