the flying u ranch-第12节
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farther along the coulee than before； and therefore with a better
chance of passing undetected； especially since the Happy Family；
believing that he was forcing them steadily to the north； would
not be watching for sheep。 The barbed wire barrier bothered him
somewhat。 He was compelled to lie down and roll under the fence；
in the most undignified manner； and； when he was through； there
was the problem of getting upon his feet again。 But he managed it
somehow； and went on down the coulee； perspiring with the heat
and a bitter realization of his ignominy。 What the Happy Family
would have to say when they saw him； even Andy Green's vivid
imagination declined to picture。
He knew by the sun that it was full noon when he came in sight of
the stable and corrals； and his soul sickened at the thought of
facing that derisive bunch of punchers； with their fiendish grins
and their barbed tongues。 But he was hungry； and his arms had
reached the limit of prickly sensations and were numb to his
shoulders。 He shook his hair back from his beaded forehead； cast
a wary glance at the silent stables； set his jaw； and went on up
the hill to the mess…house； wishing tardily that he had waited
until they were off at work again； when he might intimidate old
Patsy into keeping quiet about his predicament。
Within the mess…house was the clatter of knives and forks plied
by hungry men； the sound of desultory talk and a savory odor of
good things to eat。 The door was closed。 Andy stood before it as
a guilty…conscienced child stands before its teacher； clicked his
teeth together； and； since he could not open the door； lifted his
right foot and gave it a kick to strain the hinges。
Within were exclamations of astonishment； silence and then a
heavy tread。 Patsy opened the door； gasped and stood still； his
eyes popping out like a startled rabbit。
〃Well； what's eating you？〃 Andy demanded querulously； and pushed
past him into the room。
Not all of the Happy Family were there。 Cal； Jack Bates； Irish
and Happy Jack had gone into the Bad Lands next to the river； but
there were enough left to make the soul of Andy quiver
forebodingly； and to send the flush of extreme humiliation to his
cheeks。
The Happy Family looked at him in stunned surprise； then they
glanced at one another in swift； wordless inquiry； grinned wisely
and warily； and went on with their dinner。 At least they
pretended to go on with their dinner； while Andy glared at them
with amazed reproach in his misleadingly honest gray eyes。
〃When you've got plenty of time；〃 he said at last in a choked
tone； 〃maybe one of you obliging cusses will untie this damned
rope。〃
〃Why； sure！〃 Pink threw a leg over the bench and got up with
cheerful alacrity。 〃I'll do it now； if you say so； I didn't know
but what that was some new fad of yours； like〃
〃Fad！〃 Andy repeated the word like an explosion。
〃Well； by golly； Andy needn't think I'm goin' to foller that
there style；〃 Slim stated solemnly。 〃I need m' rope for something
else than to tie n' clothes on with。〃
〃I sure do hate to see a man wear funny things just to make
himself conspicuous；〃 Pink observed； while he fumbled at the
knot； which was intricate。 Andy jerked away from him that he
might face him ragefully。
〃Maybe this looks funny to you；〃 he cried； husky with wrath。 〃But
I can't seem to see the joke； myself。 I admit I let then herders
make a monkey of me。。。。 They slipped up behind； going down into
Antelope coulee； and slid down the bluff onto me； and； before I
could get up； they got me tied； all right。 I licked one of 'en
before that； and thought I had 'en gentled down〃
Andy stopped short； silenced by that unexplainable sense which
warns us when our words are received with cold disbelief。
〃Mh…hmI thought maybe you'd run up against a hostile
jackrabbit； or something；〃 Pink purred； and went back to his
place on the bench。
〃Haw…haw…haw…w…w！〃 came Big Medicine's tardy bellow。 〃That's more
reasonable than the sheepherder story； by cripes！〃
Andy looked at them much as he had stared up at the sky before he
began to swearspeechlessly； with a trembling of the muscles
around his mouth。 He was quite white； considering how tanned he
was； and his forehead was shiny； with beads of perspiration
standing thickly upon it。
〃Weary； I wish you'd untie this rope。 I can't。〃 He spoke still in
that peculiar； husky tone； and； when the last words were out； his
teeth went together with a snap。
Weary glanced inquiringly across at the Native Son； who was
regarding Andy steadily； as one gazes upon a tangled rope；
looking for the end which will easiest lead to an untangling。
Miguel's brown eyes turned languidly to meet the look。 〃You'd
better untie him；〃 he advised in his soft drawl。 〃He may not be
in the habit of doing itbut he's telling the truth。〃
〃Untie me； Miguel；〃 begged Andy； going over to him； 〃and let me
at this bunch。〃
〃I'll do it；〃 said Weary； and rose pacifically。 〃I kinda believe
you myself； Andy。 But you can't blame the boys none； you've
fooled 'em till they're dead shy of anything they can't see
through。 And； besides； it sure does look like a plant。 I'd back
you single…handed against a dozen sheepherders like then two
we've been chasing around。 If I hadn't felt that way I wouldn't
have sent yuh out alone with 'em。〃
〃Well； Andy needn't think he's goin' to stick me on that there
story；〃 Slim declared with brutal emphasis。 〃I've swallered too
many baits； by golly。 He's figurin' on gettin' us all out on the
war…path； runnin' around in circles； so's't he can give us the
laugh。 I'll bet； by golly； he paid then herders to tie him up
like that。 He can't fool me！〃
〃Say； Slim； I do believe your brains is commencin' to sprout！〃
Big Medicine thumped him painfully upon the back by way of
accenting the compliment。 〃You got the idee； all right。〃
Andy stood quiet while Weary unwound the rope； lifted his numbed
arms with some difficulty； and displayed to the doubters his
rope…creased wrists； and purple； swollen hands。
〃I couldn't fight a caterpiller right now；〃 he said thickly。
〃Look at them hands！ Do yuh call that a josh？ I've been tied up
like a bed…roll for five hours； you〃 Well； never mind； he
merely repeated a part of what he had recited aloud in Antelope
coulee； the only difference being that he applied the vitriolic
utterances to the Happy Family instead of to sheepherders； and
that with the second recitation he gained much in fluency and
dramatic delivery。
It is not nice for a man to swear； to swear the way Andy did； at
any rate。 But the result perhaps atoned in a measure for the
wickedness； in that the Happy Family were absolutely convinced of
his sincerity； and the feelings of Andy greatly relieved； so
that； when he had for the third time that day completely
exhausted his vocabulary； he sat down and began to eat his dinner
with a keen appetite。
〃I don't suppose you know where your horse is at； by this tine；〃
Weary observed； as casually as possible； breaking a somewhat
constrained silence。
〃I don'tand I don't give a darn；〃 Andy snapped back。 He ate a
few mouthfuls； and added less savagely： 〃He wasn't in sight； as I
came along。 I didn't follow the trail； I struck straight across
and came down the coulee。 He may be at the gate； and he may be
down toward Rogers'。〃
Pink reached for a toothpick； eyeing Andy side…long； dimpled his
cheeks disarmingly； and cleared his throat。 〃Please don't kill me
off when you get that pie swallowed；〃 he began pacifically。
〃Strange as it may seem； I believe you； Andy。 What I want to know
is this： Who owns them Dots？ And what are they chasing all over
the Flying U range for？ It looks plumb malicious； to me。 Did you
find out anything about 'en； Andy； while youerwhile they〃
His eyes twinkled and betrayed him for an arrant pretender。 （Pink
was not afraid of anything on earthleast of all Andy Green。）
〃I will kill yuh by inches； if I hear any remarks out of yuh that
ain't respectful；〃 Andy promised； thawing to his normal tone；
which was pleasant to the ear。 〃I didn't find out much about 'em。
The fellow I licked told me that Whittaker and Oleson owned the
sheep。 He didn't say〃
〃Wellbygolly！〃 Shin thrust his head forward belligerently。
〃Whittaker！ Well； what d'yuh think uh that！〃 He glared from one
face to the other； his gaze at last resting upon Weary。 〃Say； do
yuh reckon it'sDunk？〃
Weary paid no heed to Slim。 He leaned forward； his face turned to
Andy with that concentration of attention which means so much
more than mere exclamation。 〃You're sure he said Whittaker？〃 he
asked。
His tone and his attitude arrested Andy's cup midway to his
mouth。 〃SureWhittaker and Oleson。 I never heard of the
outfitwho's this Whittaker person？〃
Weary settled back in his place and smiled； but his eyes had
quite lost th
