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第12节

the flying u ranch-第12节

小说: the flying u ranch 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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