the flying u ranch-第24节

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Try　him　first；　and　never　mind　a　Havre　doctor　unless　you　can't　get

MacPherson。　I'd　rather　wait　a　couple　of　hours　longer；　for　him。

I'll　have　a　rigno；　you　better　get　a　team　from　Jim。　They'll　be

fresh；　and　you　can　put　'em　through。　If　you　kill　'em；〃　he　added

grimly；　〃we　can　pay　for　'em。〃　He　had　his　jack…knife　out；　and　was

already　slashing　carefully　the　shirt　of　Happy　Jack；　that　he　might

inspect　the　wound。



Pink　gave　a　last；　wistful　look　at　Happy　Jack's　face；　which　seemed

unfamiliar　with　all　the　color　and　all　the　expression　wiped　out　of

it　like　that；　and　turned　away。　〃Come　and　help　me　change　saddles；

Cal；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃Weary's　stirrups　are　too　darned　long。〃

Even　with　the　delay；　he　was　mounted　on　Glory　and　galloping　toward

Flying　U　coulee　before　Weary　was　through　uncovering　the　wound；

and　that　does　not　mean　that　Weary　was　slow。



The　rifle　cracked　again；　and　a　bullet　plucked　into　the　sod　twenty

feet　beyond　the　circle　of　men　and　horses。　But　no　one　looked　up　or

gave　any　other　sign　of　realization　that　they　were　still　the

target；　they　were　staring；　with　that　frowning　painfully　intent

look　men　have　at　such　moments；　at　a　purplish　hole　not　much　bigger

than　if　punched　by　a　lead　pencil；　just　under　the　point　of　Happy

Jack's　shoulder　blade；　and　at　the　blood　oozing　sluggishly　from　it

in　a　tiny　stream　across　the　girlishly　white　flesh　and　dripping

upon　Big　Medicine's　arm。



〃Hadn't　we　better　get　a　rig　to　take　him　home　with？〃　Irish

suggested。



Weary；　exploring　farther；　had　just　disclosed　a　ragged　wound　under

the　arm　where　the　bullet　had　passed　out；　he　made　no　immediate

reply。



〃Well；　he　ain't　got　it　stuck　inside　of　'im；　anyway；〃　Big　Medicine

commented　relievedly。　〃Don't　look　to　me　like　it's　so　awful

badwent　through　kinda　anglin'；　and　maybe　missed　his　lungs。　I've

saw　men　shot　up　before〃



〃AwI　betche　you'dthink　it　was　badif　you　had　it〃　murmured

Happy　Jack　peevishly；　lifting　his　eyelids　heavily　for　a　resentful

glance　when　they　moved　him　a　little。　But　even　as　Big　Medicine

grinned　joyfully　down　at　him　he　went　off　again　into　mental

darkness；　and　the　grin　faded　into　solicitude。



〃You'd　kick；　by　golly；　if　you　was　goin'　to　be　hung；〃　Slim

bantered　tritely　and　belatedly；　and　gulped　remorsefully　when　he

saw　that　he　was　〃joshing〃　an　unconscious　man。



〃We　better　get　him　home。　Irish；　you〃　Weary　looked　up　and

discovered　that　Irish　and　jack　Bates　were　already　headed　for　home

and　a　conveyance。　He　gave　a　sigh　of　approval　and　turned　his

attention　toward　wiping　the　sweat　and　grime　from　Happy's　face

with　his　handkerchief。



〃Somebody　else　is　goin'　to　git　hit；　by　golly；　if　we　stay　here；〃

Slim　blurted　suddenly；　when　another　bullet　dug　up　the　dirt　in

that　vicinity。



〃That　gol…darned　fool'll　keep　on　till　he　kills　somebody。　I　wisht

I　had　m'　thirty…thirty　hereI'd　make　him　wisht　his　mother　was　a

man；　by　golly！〃



Big　Medicine　looked　toward　the　coulee　rim。　〃I　ain't　got　a　shell

left；〃　he　growled　regretfully。　〃I　wisht　we'd　thought　to　tell　the

boys　to　bring　them　rifles。　Say；　Slim；　you　crawl　onto　your　hoss

and　go　git　'em。　It　won't　take　more'n　a　minute。　There'll　likely　be

some　shells　in　the　magazines。〃



〃Go　on；　Slim；〃　urged　Weary　grimly。　〃We've　got　to　do　something。

They　can't　do　a　thing　like　this〃he　glanced　down　at　Happy　Jack…

〃and　get　away　with　it。〃



〃I　got　half　a　box　uh　shells　for　my　thirty…thirty；　I'll　bring

that。〃　Slim　turned　to　go；　stopped　short　and　stared　at　the　coulee

rim。　〃By　golly；　they're　comm'　over　here！〃　he　exclaimed。



Big　Medicine　glanced　up；　took　off　his　hat；　crumpled　it　for　a

pillow　and　eased　Happy　Jack　down　upon　it。　He　got　up　stiffly；

wiped　his　fingers　mechanically　upon　his　trouser　legs；　broke　his

gun　open　just　to　make　sure　that　it　was　indeed　empty；　put　it　back

and　picked　up　a　handful　of　rocks。



〃Let　'em　come；〃　he　said　viciously。　〃I　c'n　kill　every　damn'　one

with　m'　bare　hands！〃







CHAPTER　XV。　Oleson



〃Say；　ain't　that　Andy　and　Mig　following　along　behind？〃　Cal　asked

after　a　minute　of　watching　the　approach。　〃Sure；　it　is。　Now

what〃



〃They're　drivin'　'em；　by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine；　under　the　stress

of　the　moment；　returned　to　his　usual　bellowing　tone。　〃Who's　that

tall；　lanky　feller　in　the　lead？　I　don't　call　to　mind　ever　seem

him　before。　Them　four　herders　I'd　know　a　mile　off。〃



〃That？〃　Weary　shaded　his　eyes　with　his　hat…brim；　against　the

slant　rays　of　the　westering　sun。　〃That's　Oleson；　Dunk's　partner。〃



〃His　mother'd　be　a…weepin'；〃　Big　Medicine　observed　bodefully；　〃if

she　knowed　what　was　due　to　happen　to　her　son　right　away　quick。

Must　be　him　that　done　the　shootin'。〃



They　came　on　steadily；　the　four　herders　and　Oleson　walking

reluctantly　ahead；　with　Andy　Green　and　the　Native　Son　riding

relentlessly　in　the　rear；　their　guns　held　unwaveringly　in　a　line

with　the　backs　of　their　captives。　Andy　was　carrying　a　rifle；

evidently　taken　from　one　of　the　menOleson；　they　judged　for　the

guilty　one。　Half　the　distance　was　covered　when　Andy　was　seen　to

turn　his　head　and　speak　briefly　with　the　Native　Son；　after　which

he　lunged　past　the　captives　and　galloped　up　to　the　waiting　group。

His　quick　eye　sought　first　the　face　of　Happy　Jack　in　anxious

questioning；　then；　miserably；　he　searched　the　faces　of　his

friends。



〃Good　Lord！〃　he　exclaimed　mechanically；　dismounted　and　bent　over

the　figure　on　the　ground。　For　a　long　minute　he　knelt　there；　he

laid　his　ear　close　to　Happy　Jack's　mouth；　took　off　his　glove　and

laid　his　hand　over　Happy's　heart；　reached　up；　twitched　off　his

neckerchief；　shook　out　the　creases　and　spread　it　reverently　over

Happy　Jack's　face。　He　stood　up　then　and　spoke　slowly；　his　eyes

fixed　upon　the　stumbling　approach　of　the　captives。



〃Pink　told　us　Happy　had　been　shot；　so　we　rode　around　and　come　up

behind　'em。　It　was　a　cinch。　Andsay；　boys；　we've　got　the　Dots　in

a　pocket。　They've　got　to　eat　outa　our　hands；　now。　So　don't　think

aboutour　own　feelings；　or　about〃　he　stopped　abruptly　and　let

a　downward　glance　finish　the　sentence。　〃We've　got　to　keep　our　own

hands　clean；　andnow　don't　let　your　fingers　get　the　itch；　Bud！〃

This；　because　of　certain　manifestations　of　a　murderous　intent　on

the　part　of　Big　Medicine。



〃Oh；　it's　all　right　to　talk；　if　yuh　feel　like　talking；〃　Big

Medicine　retorted　savagely。　〃I　don't。〃　He　made　a　catlike　spring

at　the　foremost　man；　who　happened　to　be　Oleson；　and　got　a

merciless　grip　with　his　fingers　on　his　throat；　snarling　like　a

predatory　animal　over　its　kill。　From　behind；　Andy；　with　Weary　to

help；　pulled　him　off。



〃I　didn't　mean　toto　kill　anybody；〃　gasped　Oleson；　pasty　white。

〃I　heard　a　lot　of　shooting；　and　so　I　ran　up　the　hilland　the

herders　came　running　toward　me；　and　I　thought　I　was　defending　my

property　and　men。　I　had　a　right　to　defend〃



〃Defend　hell！〃　Big　Medicine　writhed　in　the　restraining　grasp　of

those　who　held　him。　〃Look　at　that　there！　As　good　hearted　a　boy　as

ever　turned　a　cow！　Never　harmed　a　soul　in　'is　life。　Is　all　your

dirty；　stinkin'　sheep；　an'　all　your　lousy　herders；　worth　that

boy's　life？　Yuh　shot　'im　down　like　a　doglemme　go；　boys。〃　His

voice　was　husky。　〃Lemme　tromp　the　life　outa　him。〃



〃I　thought　you　were　killing　my　men；　or　I　neverI　never　meant

toto　kill〃　Oleson；　shaking　till　he　could　scarcely　stand；

broke　down　and　wept；　wept　pitiably；　hysterically；　as　men　of　a

certain　fiber　will　weep　when　black　tragedy　confronts　them　all

unawares。　He　cowered　miserably　before　the　Happy　Family；　his　face

hidden　behind　his　two　hands。



〃Boys；　I　want　to　say　a　word　or　two。　Come　over　here。〃　Andy's

voice；　quiet　as　ever；　contrasted　strangely　with　the　man's

sobbing。　He　led　them　back　a　few　pacesWeary；　Cal；　Big　Medicine

and　Slim；　and　spoke　hurriedly。　The　Native　Son　eyed　them　sidelong

from　his　horse；　but　he　was　careful　to　keep　Oleson　covered　with

his　gunand　the　herders　too；　although　they　were　unarmed。　Once　or

twice　he　glanced　at　that　long；　ungainly　figure　in　the　grass　with

the　handkerchief　of　Andy　Green　hiding　the　face　except　where　a

corner；　fluttering　in　the　faint　breeze　which　came　creeping　out　of

the　west；　lifted　now　and　then　and　gave　a　glimpse　of　sunbrowned

throat　and　a　quiet　chin　and　mouth。



〃Quit　that　blubbering；　Oleson；　and　listen　here。〃　Andys　voice

broke　relentlessly　upon　the　other's　woe。　〃All　these　boys　want　to

hang　yuh　without　any　red　tape；　far　as　I'm　concerned；　I'm　dead

willing。　But　we're　going　to　give　yuh　a　chance。　Your　partner；　as

we　told　yuh　coming　over；　we've　got　the　dead　immortal　cinch　on；

right　now。　Andwell　you　can　see　what　you're　up　against。　But

we'll　give　yuh　a　chance。　Have　you　got　any　family？〃



Oleson；　trying　to　pull　himself　together；　shook　his　head。



〃Well；　then；　you　can　get　rid　of　them　sheep；　can't　yuh？　Sell　'em；

ship　'em　outa　herewe　don't　give　a　darn　what　yuh　do；　only　so　yuh

get　'em　off　the　range。〃



〃Y…yes；　I'll　do　that。〃　Oleson's　consent　was　reluctant；　but　it　was

fairly　prompt。　〃I'll　get　rid　of　the　sheep；〃　he　said；　as　if　he　was