the flying u ranch-第25节

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〃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

minded　to　clinch　the　promise。　〃I'll　do　it　at　once。〃



〃That's　nice。〃　Andy　spoke　with　grim　irony。　〃And　you'll　get　rid　of

the　ranch；　too。　You'll　sell　it　to　the　Flying　Ucheap。〃



〃But　my　partnerWhittaker　might　object〃



〃Look　here；　old…timer。　You'll　fix　that　part　up；　you'll　find　a　way

of　fixing　it。　Look　hereat　what　you're　up　against。〃　He　waited；

with　pointing　finger；　for　one　terrible　minute。　〃Will　you　sell　to

the　Flying　U？〃



〃Y…yes！〃　The　word　was　really　a　gulp。　He　tried　to　avoid　looking

where　Andy　pointed；　failed；　and　shuddered　at　what　he　saw。



〃I　thought　you　would。　We'll　get　that　in　writing。　And　we're　going

to　wait　just　exactly　twenty…four　hours　before　we　make　a　move。

It'll　take　some　fine　work；　but　we'll　do　it。　Our　boss；　here；　will

fix　up　the　business　end　with　you。　He'll　go　with　yuh　right　now；

and　stay　with　yuh　till　you　make　good。　And　the　first　crooked　move

you　make〃　Andy；　in　unconscious　imitation　of　the　Native　Son；

shrugged　a　shoulder　expressively　and　urged　Weary　by　a　glance　to

take　the　leadership。



〃Irish；　you　come　with　me。　The　rest　of　you　fellows　know　about　what

to　do。　Andy；　I　guess　you'll　have　to　ride　point　till　I　get　back。〃

Weary　hesitated；　looked　from　Happy　Jack　to　Oleson　and　the

herders；　and　back　to　the　sober　faces　of　his　fellows。　〃Do　what　you

can　for　him；　boysand　I　wish　one　of　you　would　ride　over；　after

Pink　gets　back；　andlet　me　know　how　things　stack　up；　will　you？〃



Incredible　as　was　the　situation　on　the　face　of　it；　nevertheless

it　was　extremely　matter…of…fact　in　the　handling；　which　is　the　way

sometimes　with　incredible　situations；　as　if；　since　we　know

instinctively　that　we　cannot　rise　unprepared　to　the　bigness　of

its　possibilities；　we　keep　our　feet　planted　steadfastly　on　the

ground　and　refuse　to　rise　at　all。　And　afterward；　perhaps；　we　look

back　and　wonder　how　it　all　came　about。



At　the　last　moment　Weary　turned　back　and　exchanged　guns　with　Andy

Green；　because　his　own　was　empty　and　he　realized　the　possible

need　of　oneor　at　least　the　need　of　having　the　sheep…men

perfectly　aware　that　he　had　one　ready　for　use。　The　Native　Son；

without　a　word　of　comment；　handed　his　own　silver…trimmed　weapon

over　to　Irish；　and　rolled　a　cigarette　deftly　with　one　hand　while

he　watched　them　ride　away。



〃Does　this　strike　anybody　else　as　being　pretty　raw？〃　he　inquired

calmly；　dismounting　among　them。　〃I'd　do　a　good　deal　for　the

outfit；　myself；　but　letting　that　man　get　offSay；　you　fellows　up

this　way　don't　think　killing　a　man　amounts　to　much；　do　you？〃　He

looked　from　one　to　the　other　with　a　queer；　contemptuous　hostility

in　his　eyes。



Andy　Green　took　a　forward　step　and　laid　a　hand　familiarly　on　his

rigid　shoulder。　〃Quit　it；　Mig。　We　would　do　a　lot　for　the　outfit；

that's　the　God's　truth。　And　I　played　the　game　right　up　to　the

hilt；　I　admit。　But　nobody's　killed。　I　told　Happy　to　play　dead。　By

gracious；　I　caught　him　just　in　the　nick　uh　time；　he'd　been

setting　up；　in　another　minute。〃　To　prove　it；　he　bent　and　twitched

the　handkerchief　from　the　face　of　Happy　Jack；　and　Happy　opened

his　eyes　and　made　shift　to　growl。



〃Yuh　purty　near…smothered　me　t'death；　darn　yuh。〃



〃Dios！〃　breathed　the　Native　Son；　for　once　since　they　knew　him

jolted　out　of　his　eternal　calm。　〃God；　but　I'm　glad！〃



〃I　guess　the　rest　of　us　ain't；〃　insinuated　Andy　softly；　and

lifted　his　hat　to　wipe　the　sweat　off　his　forehead。　〃I　will　say

that〃　After　all；　he　did　not。　Instead；　he　knelt　beside　Happy

Jack　and　painstakingly　adjusted　the　crumpled　hat　a　hair's　breadth

differently。



〃How　do　yuh　feel；　old…timer？〃　be　asked　with　a　very　thin　disguise

of　cheerfulness　upon　the　anxiety　of　his　tone。



〃Well；　I　could　feel　a　lotbetter；　without　hurtin'　nothin；〃　Happy

Jack　responded　somberly。　〃I　hope　you　fellersfeel　better；　now。

Yuh　got　'emtryin'　to　murderthe　hull　outfit；　jes'　like　Itold

yuh　they　would〃　Gunshot　wounds；　contrary　to　the　tales　of

certain　sentimentalists；　do　not　appreciably　sweeten；　or　even

change；　a　man's　disposition。　Happy　Jack　with　a　bullet　hole

through　one　side　of　him　was　still　Happy　Jack。



〃Aw；　quit　your　beefin'；〃　Big　Medicine　advised　gruffly。　〃A　feller

with　a　hole　in　his　lung　yuh　could　throw　a　calf　through　sideways

ain't　got　no　business　statin'　his　views　on　nothin'；　by　cripes！〃



〃Aw　gwan。　I　thought　you　saidit　didn't　amount　t'　nothin'；〃　Happy

reminded　him；　anxiety　stealing　into　his　face。



〃Well；　it　don't。　May　lay　yuh　up　a　day　or　two；　wouldn't　be

su'prised　if　yuh　had　to　stay　on　the　bed…ground　two　or　three

meals。　But　look　at　Slim；　here。　Shot　through　the　legshattered　a

bone；　by　cripes！las'　night；　only；　and　here　he's　makin'　a　hand

and　ridin'　and　cussin'　same　as　any　of　us　t'day。　We　ain't　goin'　to

let　yuh　grouch　around；　that's　all。　We　claim　we　got　a　vacation

comm'　to　us；　you're　shot　up；　now；　and　that's　fun　enough　for　one

man；　without　throwin'　it　into　the　whole　bunch。　Why；　a　little　nick

like　that　ain't　nothin'；　nothin'　a…tall。　Why；　I've　been　shot

right　through　here；　by　cripes〃Big　Medicine　laid　an　impressive

finger…tip　on　the　top　button　of　his　trousers〃and　it　come　out

back　here〃he　whirled　and　showed　his　thumb　against　the　small　of

his　back〃and　I　never　laid　off　but　that　day　and　part　uh　the

next。　I　was　sore；〃　he　admitted；　goggling　Happy　Jack　earnestly；

〃but　I　kep'　a…goin'。　I　was　right　in　fall　roundup；　an'　I　had　to。　A

man　can't　lay　down　an'　cry；　by　cripes；　jes'　because　he　gets

pinked　a　little〃



〃Aw；　that's　jest　becauseit　ain't　you。　I　betche　you'd　lay　'em

downjest　like　other　folks；　if　yuh　got　shotthrough　the　lungs。

That　ain't　nojoke；　lemme　tell　yuh！〃　Happy　Jack　was　beginning　to

show　considerable　spirit　for　a　wounded　man。　So　much　spirit　that

Andy　Green；　who　had　seen　men　stricken　down　with　various　ills；

read　fever　signs　in　the　countenance　and　in　the　voice　of　Happy；

and　led　Big　Medicine　somewhat　peremptorily　out　of　ear…shot。



〃Ain't　you　got　any　sense？〃　he　inquired　with　fine　candor。　〃What　do

you　want　to　throw　it　into　him　like　that；　for？　You　may　not　think

so；　but　he's　pretty　bad　offif　you　ask　me。〃



Big　Medicine's　pale　eyes　turned　commiseratingly　toward　Happy

Jack。　〃I　know　he　is；　I　ain't　no　fool。　I　was　jest　tryin'　to　cheer

'im　up　a　little。　He　was　beginnin'　to　look　like　he　was　gittin'

scared　about　it；　I　reckon　maybe　I　made　a　break；　sayin'　what　I　did

about　it；　so　I　jest　wanted　to　take　the　cuss　off。　Honest　to

gran'ma〃



〃If　you　know　anything　at　all　about　such　things；　you　must　know

what　fever　means　in　such　a　case。　And；　recollect；　it's　going　to　be

quite　a　while　before　a　doctor　can　get　here。〃



〃Oh；　I'll　be　careful。　Maybe　I　did　throw　it　purty　strong；　I　won't；

no　more。〃　Big　Medicine　s　meekness　was　not　the　least　amazing

incident　of　the　day。　He　was　a　big…hearted　soul　under　his　bellow

and　bluff；　and　his　sympathy　for　Happy　Jack　struck　deep。　He　went

back　walking　on　his　toes；　and　he　stood　so　that　his　sturdy　body

shaded　Happy　Jack's　face　from　the　sun；　and　he　did　not　open　his

mouth　for　another　word　until　Irish　and　Jack　Bates　came　rattling

up　with　the　spring　wagon　hurriedly　transformed　with　mattress；

pillows　and　blankets　into　an　ambulance。



They　had　been　thoughtful　to　a　degree。　They　brought　with　them　a

jug　of　water　and　a　tin　cup；　and　they　gave　Happy　Jack　a　long；

cooling　drink　of　it　and　bathed　his　face　before　they　lifted　him

into　the　wagon。　And　of　all　the　hands　that　ministered　to　his

needs；　the　hands　of　Big　Medicine　were　the　eagerest　and　gentlest；

and　his　voice　was　the　most　vibrant　with　sympathy；　which　was

saying　a　good　deal。







CHAPTER　XVI。　The　End　of　the　Dots



Slim　may　not　have　been　more　curious　than　his　fellows；　but　he　was

perhaps　more　single…hearted　in　his　loyalty　to　the　outfit。　To　him

the　shooting　of　Happy　Jack；　once　he　felt　assured　that　the　wound

was　not　necessarily　fatal；　became　of　secondary　importance。　It　was

all　in　behalf　of　the　Flying　U；　and　if　the　bullet　which　laid　Happy

Jack　upon　the　ground　was　also　the　means　of　driving　the　hated　Dots

from　that　neighborhood；　he　felt；　in　his　slow；　phlegmatic　way；

that　it　wasn't　such　a　catastrophe　as　some　of　the　others　seemed　to

think。　Of　course；　he　wouldn't　want　Happy　to　die；　but　he　didn't

believe；　after　all；　that　Happy　was　going　to　do　anything　like

that。　Old　Patsy　knew　a　lot　about　sickness　and　wounds。　（Who　can

cook　for　a　cattle　outfit；　for　twenty　years　and　more；　and　not　know

a　good　deal　of　hurts？）　Old　Patsy　had　looked　Happy　over　carefully；

and　had　given　a　grin　and　a　snort。



〃Py　cosh；　dot　vos　lucky　for　you；　alreatty；〃　he　had　pronounced。

〃So　you　don't　git　plood…poisonings；　mit　fever；　you　be　all　right

pretty　soon。　You　go　to　shleep；　yet。　If　fix　you　oop　till　der

dochtor　he　cooms。　I　seen　fellers　shot　plumb　through　der　middle

off　dem；　und　git　yell。　You　ain't　shot　so　bad。　You　go　to　shleep。〃



So；　his　immediate　fears　relieved；　Slim's　slow　mind　had　swung　back

t