the flying u ranch-第4节

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hastily；　〃he　hasn't　topped　anything　worse　than　Crow…　hop。　He

ain't　hard　to　ride。　Happy　Jack　could〃



〃Aw；　I'm　gittin'　good　and　sick　of'　hearin'　that　there　tune；〃

Happy　growled　indignantly。　〃Why　don't　you　point　out　Slim　as　the

limit；　once　in　a　while？〃



〃Come　on　down　to　the　stable；　and　let's　talk　it　over；〃　Andy

suggested；　and　led　the　way。　〃What's　his　style；　anyway？　Mouthy；　or

what？〃



With　four　willing　tongues　to　enlighten　him；　it　would　be　strange；

indeed；　if　one　so　acute　as　Andy　Green　failed　at　last　to　have　a

very　fair　mental　picture　of　Miguel。　He　gazed　thoughtfully　at　his

boots；　laughed　suddenly；　and　slapped　Irish　quite　painfully　upon

the　back。



〃Come　on　up　and　introduce　me；　boys；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　make　this

Native　Son　so　hungry　for　homeyou　watch　me　put　it　on　the

gentleman。　Only　it　does　seem　a　shame　to　do　it。〃



〃No；　it　ain't。　If　you'd　been　around　him　for　two　weeks；　you'd　want

to　kill　him　just　to　make　him　take　notice；〃　Irish　assured　him。



〃What　gets　me；〃　Andy　mused；　〃is　why　you　fellows　come　crying　to　me

for　help。　I　should　think　the　bunch　of　you　ought　to　be　able　to

handle　one　lone　Native　Son。〃



〃Aw；　you're　the　biggest　liar　and　faker　in　the　bunch；　is　why；〃

Happy　Jack　blurted。



〃Oh；　I　see。〃　Andy　hummed　a　little　tune　and　pushed　his　hands　deep

into　his　pockets；　and　at　the　corners　of　his　lips　there　flickered

a　smile。



The　Native　Son　sat　with　his　hat　tilted　slightly　back　upon　his

head　and　a　cigarette　between　his　lips；　and　was　reaching　lazily

for　the　trick　which　made　the　fourth　game　his；　when　the　group

invaded　the　bunk…house。　He　looked　up　indifferently；　swept　Andy's

face　and　figure　with　a　glance　too　impersonal　to　hold　even　a　shade

of　curiosity；　and　began　rapidly　shuffling　his　cards　to　count　the

points　he　had　made。



Andy　stopped　short；　just　inside　the　door；　and　stared　hard　at

Miguel；　who　gave　no　sign。　He　turned　his　honest；　gray　eyes　upon

Pink　and　Irish　accusinglywhereat　they　wondered　greatly。



〃Your　dealif　you　want　to　play；〃　drawled　Miguel；　and　shoved　his

cards　toward　Big　Medicine。　But　the　boys　were　already　uptilting

chairs　to　grasp　the　quicker　the　outstretched　hand　of　the

prodigal；　so　that　Miguel　gathered　up　the　cards；　evened　their

edges　mechanically；　and　deigned　another　glance　at　this　stranger

who　was　being　welcomed　so　vociferously。　Also　he　sighed　a　bit

for　even　a　languid…eyed　stoic　of　a　Native　Son　may　feel　the　twinge

of　loneliness。　Andy　shook　hands　all　round；　swore　amiably　at

Weary；　and　advanced　finally　upon　Miguel。



〃You　don't　know　me　from　Adam's　off　ox；〃　he　began　genially；　〃but　I

know　you；　all　right；　all　right。　I　hollered　my　head　off　with　the

rest　of　'em　when　you　played　merry　hell　in　that　bull…ring；　last

Christmas。　Also；　I　was　part　of　your　bodyguard　when　them　greasers

were　trying　to　tickle　you　in　the　ribs　with　their　knives　in　that

dark　alley。　Shake；　old…timer！　You　done　yourself　proud；　and　I'm

glad　to　know　yuh！〃



Miguel；　for　the　first　time　in　two　weeks；　permitted　himself　the

luxury　of　an　expressive　countenance。　He　gave　Andy　Green　one

quick；　grateful　lookand　a　smile；　the　like　of　which　made　the

Happy　Family　quiver　inwardly　with　instinctive　sympathy。



〃So　you　were　there；　too；　eh？〃　Miguel　exclaimed　softly；　and　rose

to　greet　him。　〃And　that　scrap　in　the　alleywe　sure　had　a　hell　of

a　time　there　for　a　few　minutes；　didn't　we？　Are　you　that　tall

fellow　who　kicked　that　squint…eyed　greaser　in　the　stomach？　Muchos

gracios；　senor！　They　were　piling　on　me　three　deep；　right　then；

and　I　always　believed　they'd　have　got　me；　only　for　a　tall　vaquero

I　couldn't　locate　afterward。〃　He　smiled　again　that　wonderful

smile；　which　lighted　the　darkness　of　his　eyes　as　with　a　flame；

and　murmured　a　sentence　or　two　in　Spanish。



〃Did　you　get　the　spurs　me　and　my　friends　sent　you　afterward？〃

asked　Andy　eagerly。　〃We　heard　about　the　Arizona　boys　giving　you

the　saddleand　we　raked　high　and　low　for　them　spurs。　And；　by

gracious；　they　were　beauts；　toodid　yuh　get　'em？〃



〃I　wear　them　every　day　I　ride；〃　answered　Miguel；　a　peculiar；

caressing　note　in　his　voice。



〃I　didn't　knowwe　heard　you　had　disappeared　off　the　earth。

Why〃



Miguel　laughed　outright。　〃To　fight　a　bull　with　bare　hands　is　one

thing；　amigo；〃　he　said。　〃To　take　a　chance　on　getting　a　knife

stuck　in　your　back　is　another。　Those　Mexicansthey　don't　love

the　man　who　crosses　the　river　and　makes　of　their　bull…fights　a

plaything。〃



〃That's　right；　only　I　thought；　you　being　a〃



〃Not　a　Mexican。〃　Miguel's　voice　sharpened　a　trifle。　〃My　father

was　Spanish；　yes。　My　mother〃his　eyes　flashed　briefly　at　the

faces　of　the　gaping　Happy　Family〃my　mother　was　born　in

Ireland。〃



〃And　that　sure　makes　a　hard　combination　to　beat；〃　cried　Andy

heartily。　He　looked　at　the　othersat　all；　that　is；　save　Pink　and

Irish；　who　had　disappeared。　〃Well；　boys；　I　never　thought　I'd　come

home　and　find〃



〃Miguel　Rapponi；〃　supplied　the　Native　Son　quickly。　〃As　well

forget　that　other　name。　And；〃　he　added　with　the　shrug　which　the

Happy　Family　had　come　to　hate；　〃as　well　forget　the　story；　also。　I

am　not　hungry　for　the　feel　of　a　knife　in　my　back。〃　He　smiled

again　engagingly　at　Andy　Green。　It　was　astonishing　how　readily

that　smile　had　sprung　to　life　with　the　warmth　of　a　little

friendship；　and　how　pleasant　it　was；　withal。



〃Just　as　you　say；〃　Andy　agreed；　not　trying　to　hide　his

admiration。　〃I　guess　nobody's　got　a　better　right　to　holler　for

silence。　Butsay；　you　sure　delivered　the　goods；　old　boy！　You

musta　read　about　it；　you　fellows；　about　the　American　puncher　that

went　over　the　line　and　rode　one　of　their　crack　bulls　all　round

the　ring；　and　then〃　He　stopped　and　looked　apologetically　at

Miguel；　in　whose　dark　eyes　there　flashed　a　warning　light。　〃I

clean　forgot；〃　he　confessed　impulsively。　〃This　meeting　you　here

unexpectedly；　like　this；　has　kinda　got　me　rattled；　I　guess。

ButI　never　saw　yuh　before　in　my　life；〃　he　declared

emphatically。　〃I　don't　know　a　darn　thing　aboutanything　that

ever　happened　in　an　alley　in　the　city　ofoh；　come　on；　old…timer；

let's　talk　about　the　weather；　or　something　safe！〃



After　that　the　boys　of　the　Flying　U　behaved　very　much　as　do

children　who　have　quarreled　foolishly　and　are　trying　shamefacedly

to　re…establish　friendly　relations　without　the　preliminary

indignity　of　open　repentance。　They　avoided　meeting　the

velvet…eyed　glances　of　Miguel；　and　at　the　same　time　they　were

plainly　anxious　to　include　him　in　their　talk　as　if　that　had　been

their　habit　from　the　first。　A　difficult　situation　to　meet；　even

with　the　fine　aplomb　of　the　Happy　Family　to　ease　the　awkwardness。



Later　Miguel　went　unobtrusively　down　to　the　creek　after　his

chaps；　he　did　not　get　them；　just　then；　but　he　stood　for　a　long

time　hidden　behind　the　willow…fringe；　watching　Pink　and　Irish

feverishly　combing　out　certain　corkscrew　ringlets；　and　dampening

their　combs　in　the　creek　to　facilitate　the　process　of

straightening　certain　patches　of　rebellious　frizzes。　Miguel　did

not　laugh　aloud；　as　Big　Medicine　had　done。　He　stood　until　he

wearied　of　the　sight；　then　lifted　his　shoulders　in　the　gesture

which　may　mean　anything；　smiled　and　went　his　way。



Not　until　dusk　did　Andy　get　a　private　word　with　him。　When　he　did

find　him　alone；　he　pumped　Miguel's　hand　up　and　down　and　afterward

clutched　at　the　manger　for　support；　and　came　near　strangling。

Miguel　leaned　beside　him　and　smiled　to　himself。



〃Good　team　work；　old　boy；〃　Andy　gasped　at　length；　in　a　whisper。

〃Best　I　ever　saw　in　m'life；　impromptu　on　the　spot；　like　that。　I

saw　you　had　the　makings　in　you；　soon　as　I　caught　your　eye。　And

the　whole；　blame　bunch　fell　for　itwoo…oof！〃　He　laid　his　face

down　again　upon　his　folded　arms　and　shook　in　all　the　long　length

of　him。



〃They　had　it　coming；〃　said　Miguel　softly；　with　a　peculiar　relish。

〃Two　whole　weeks；　and　never　a　friendly　word　from　one　of　themoh；

hell！〃



〃I　knowI　heard　it　all；　soon　as　I　hit　the　ranch；〃　Andy　replied

weakly；　standing　up　and　wiping　his　eyes。　〃I　just　thought　I'd

learn　'em　a　lessonand　the　way　you　played　upsay；　my　hat's　off

to　you；　all　right！〃



〃One　learns　to　seize　opportunities　without　stuttering；〃　Miguel

observed　calmlyand　a　queer　look　came　into　his　eyes　as　they

rested　upon　the　face　of　Andy。　〃And；　if　the　chance　comes；　I'll　do

as　much　for　you。　By　the　way；　did　you　see　the　saddle　those　Arizona

boys　sent　me？　It's　over　here。　It's　a　pip…pinalmost　as　fine　as

the　spurs；　which　I　keep　in　the　bunk…house　when　they're　not　on　my

heels。　And；　if　I　didn't　say　so　before；　I'm　sure　glad　to　meet　the

man　that　helped　me　through　that　alley。　That　big；　fat　devil　would

have　landed　me；　sure；　if　you　hadn't〃



〃Ahwhat？〃　Andy　leaned　and　peered　into　the　face　of　Miguel；　his

jaw　hanging　slack。　〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　meit's　true？〃



〃True？　Why；　I　thought　you　were　the　fellow〃　Miguel　faced　him

steadily。　His　eyes　were　frankly　puzzled。



〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　so　help　me；〃　Andy　said　heavily。　〃I

don't　know　a　darned　thing　ab