the flying u ranch-第23节
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Andy and Miguel as well。 They believed that they were entitled to
know the truth； and they called it a smart…aleck trick to keep
the thing so almighty secret。
There is in resentment a crisis； when that crisis is reached； and
the dam of repression gives way； the full flood does not always
sweep down upon those who have provoked the disaster。 Frequently
it happens that perfectly innocent victims are made to suffer。
The Happy Family had been extremely forbearing； as has been
pointed out before。 They had frequently come to the boiling point
of rage and had cooled without committing any real act of
violence。 But that day had held a long series of petty
annoyances； and here was a really important thing kept from them
as if they were mere outsiders。 When Weary was gone； Irish asked
Pink what crime Dunk had committed in the past。 And Pink shook
his head and said he didn't know。 Irish mentally accused Pink of
lying； and his temper was none the better for the rebuff； as
anyone can readily understand。
When the herders； therefore； rounded up the sheep and started
them moving south； the Happy Family speedily rebelled against
that shuffling； nibbling； desultory pace that had kept them long；
weary hours in the saddle with the other band。 But it was Irish
who first took measures to accelerate that pace。
He got down his rope and whacked the loop viciously down across
the nearest gray back。 The sheep jumped； scuttled away a few
paces and returned to its nibbling progress。 Irish called it
names and whacked another。
After a few minutes he grew tired of swinging his loop and seeing
it have so fleeting an effect； and pulled his gun。 He fired close
to the heels of a yearling buck that had more than once stopped
to look up at him foolishly and blat； and the buck charged ahead
in a panic at the noise and the spat of the bullet behind him。
〃Hit him agin in the same place！〃 yelled Big Medicine； and drew
his own gun。 The Happy Family； at that high tension where they
were ready for anything； caught the infection and began shooting
and yelling like crazy men。
The effect was not at all what they expected。 Instead of adding
impetus to the band； as would have been the case if they had been
driving cattle； the result was exactly the opposite。 The sheep
ranbut they ran to a common center。 As the shooting went on
they bunched tighter and tighter； until it seemed as though those
in the center must surely be crushed flat。 From an ambling；
feeding company of animals； they become a lumpy gray blanket；
with here and there a long； vacuous face showing idiotically upon
the surface。
The herders grinned and drew together as against a common
enemyor as with a new joke to be discussed among themselves。
The dogs wandered helplessly about； yelped half…heartedly at the
woolly mass； then sat down upon their haunches and lolled red
tongues far out over their pointed little teeth； and tilted
knowing heads at the Happy Family。
〃Look at the darned things！〃 wailed Pink； riding twice around the
huddle； almost ready to shed tears of pure rage and helplessness。
〃Git outa that！ Hi！ Woopp…ee！〃 He fired again and again； and gave
the range…old cattle…yell； the yell which had sent many a tired
herd over many a weary mile； the yell before which had fled fat
steers into the stockyards at shipping time； and up the chutes
into the cars； the yell that had hoarsened many a cowpuncher's
voice and left him with a mere croak to curse his fate with； a
yell to bring resultsbut it did not start those sheep。
The Happy Family； riding furiously round and round； fired every
cartridge they had upon their persons； they said every improper
thing they could remember or invent； they yelled until their eyes
were starting from their sockets； they glued that band of sheep
so tight together that dynamite could scarcely have pried them
apart。
And the herders； sitting apart with grimy hands clasped loosely
over hunched…up knees； looked on； and talked together in low
tones； and grinned。
Irish glanced that way and caught them grinning； caught them
pointing derisively； with heaving shoulders。 He swore a great
oath and made for them； calling aloud that he would knock those
grins so far in that they would presently find themselves smiling
wrong…side…out from the back of their heads。
Pink； overhearing him； gave a last swat at the waggling tail of a
burrowing buck； and wheeled to overtake Irish and have a hand in
reversing the grins。 Big Medicine saw them start； and came
bellowing up from the far side of the huddle like a bull
challenging to combat from across a meadow。 Big Medicine did not
know what it was all about； but he scented battle； and that was
sufficient。 Cal Emmett and Weary； equally ignorant of the cause；
started at a lope toward the trouble center。
It began to look as if the whole Family was about to fall upon
those herders and rend them asunder with teeth and nails； so much
so that the herders jumped up and ran like scared cottontails
toward the rim of Denson coulee； a hundred yards or so to the
west。
〃Mamma！ I wish we could make the sheep hit that gait and keep
it；〃 exclaimed Weary； with the first laugh they had heard from
him that day。
While he was still laughing； there was a shot from the ridge
toward which they were running； the sharp； vicious crack of a
rifle。 The Happy Family heard the whistling hum of the bullet；
singing low over their heads； quite low indeed； altogether too
low to be funny。 And they had squandered all their ammunition on
the prairie sod； to hurry a band of sheep that flatly refused to
hurry anywhere except under one another's odorous； perspiring
bodies。
From the edge of the coulee the rifle spoke again。 A tiny geyser
of dust； spurting up from the ground ten feet to one side of Cal
Emmett； showed them all where the bullet struck。
〃Get outa range； everybody！〃 yelled Weary； and set the example by
tilting his rowels against Glory's smooth hide； and heading
eastward。 〃I like to be accommodating； all right； but I draw the
line on standing around for a target while my neighbors practise
shooting。〃
The Happy Family； having no other recourse； therefore retreated
in haste toward the eastern skyline。 Bullets followed them；
overtook them as the shooter raised his sights for the increasing
distance； and whined harmlessly over their heads。 All save one。
CHAPTER XIV。 Happy Jack
Big Medicine； Irish and Pink； racing almost abreast； heard a
scream behind them and pulled up their horses with short；
stiff…legged plunges。 A brown horse overtook them； a brown horse；
with Happy Jack clinging to the saddle…horn； his body swaying far
over to one side。 Even as he went hurtling past them his hold
grew slack and he slumped； head foremost； to the ground。 The
brown horse gave a startled leap away from him and went on with
empty stirrups flapping。
They sprang down and lifted him to a less awkward position； and
Big Medicine pillowed the sweat…dampened； carroty head in the
hollow of his arm。 Those who had been in the lead looked back
startled when the brown horse tore past them with that empty
saddle； saw what had happened； wheeled and galloped back。 They
dismounted and stood silently grouped about poor； ungainly Happy
Jack； lying there limp and motionless in Big Medicine's arms。 Not
one of them remembered then that there was a man with a rifle not
more than two hundred yards away； or； if they did； they quite
forgot that the rifle might be dangerous to themselves。 They were
thinking of Happy Jack。
Happy Jack； butt of all their jokes and jibes； Happy the croaker；
the lugubrious forecaster of trouble； Happy Jack； the ugliest；
the stupidest； the softest…hearted man of them all。 He had
〃betched〃 there would be someone killed； over these Dot sheep； he
had predicted trouble of every conceivable kind； and they had
laughed at him； swore at him； lied to him； 〃joshed〃 him
unmercifully； and kept him in a state of chronic indignation；
never dreaming that the memory of it would choke them and strike
them dumb with that horrible； dull weight in their chests with
which men suffer when a woman would find the relief of weeping。
〃Where's he hurt？〃 asked Weary； in the repressed tone which only
tragedy can bring into a man's voice； and knelt beside Big
Medicine。
〃I dunnothrough the lungs； I guess； my sleeve's gitting soppy
right under his shoulder。〃 Big Medicine did not bellow； his voice
was as quiet as Weary's。
Weary looked up briefly at the circle of staring faces。 〃Pink；
you pile onto Glory and go wire for a doctor。 Try Havre first；
you may get one up on the nine o' clock train。 If you can't； get
one down on the 'leven…twenty； from Great Falls。 Or there's
Bentonanyway； git one。 If you could catch MacPherson； do it。
Try him first； and never mind a Havre doctor unless you can't get
MacPherson。 I
