the flying u ranch-第6节
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his rope as he came up。
〃Oh； shut up！〃 Andy's voice was sharp with trouble。 〃Boys； the
Old Man'swell； he's most likely dead by this time。 I brought
out a telegram〃
〃Go on！〃 Pink's eyes widened incredulously。 〃Don't you try that
kind of a load； Andy Green； or I'll just about〃
〃Oh； you fellows make me sick！〃 Andy took his elbows off the rail
and stood straight。 〃Dammit； the telegram's up at the housego
and read it yourselves； then！〃
The three stared after him doubtfully； fear struggling with the
caution born of much experience。
〃He don't act； to me； like he was putting up a josh；〃 Weary
stated uneasily； after a minute of silence。 〃Run up to the house
and find out； Cadwalloper。 The Old Manoh； good Lord！〃 The tan
on Weary's face took a lighter tinge。 〃Scootit won't take but a
minute to find out for sure。 Go on； Pink。〃
〃So help me Josephine； I'll kill that same Andy Green if he's
lied about it；〃 Pink declared； while he climbed the fence。
In three minutes he was back； and before he had said a word； his
face confirmed the bad news。 Their eyes besought him for details；
and he gave them jerkily。 〃Automobile run over him。 He ain't
dead； but they thinkChip and the Little Doctor are going to
catch the night train。 You go haze in the team； Happy。 And give
'em a feed of oats； Chip said。〃
Irish and Big Medicine； seeing the； three standing soberly
together there； and sensing something unusual； came up and heard
the news in stunned silence。 Andy； forgetting his pique at their
first disbelief； came forlornly back and stood with them。
The Old Manthe thing could not be true！ To every man of them
his presence； conjured by the impending tragedy； was almost a
palpable thing。 His stocky figure seemed almost to stand in their
midst； he looked at them with his whimsical eyes； which had the
radiating crows…feet of age； humor and habitual squinting against
sun and wind； the bald spot on his head； the wrinkling
shirt…collar that seldom knew a tie； the carpet slippers which
were his favorite footgear because they were kind to his bunions；
his husky voice； good…naturedly complaining； were poignantly real
to them at that moment。 Then Irish mentally pictured him lying
maimed； dying； perhaps； in a far…off hospital among strangers；
and swore。
〃If he's got to die； it oughta be here； where folks know him
andwhere he knows〃 Irish was not accustomed to giving voice
to his deeper feelings； and he blundered awkwardly over it。
〃I never did go much on them darned hospitals； anyway；〃 Weary
observed gloomily。 〃He oughta be home； where folks can look after
him。 Mam…ma！ It sure is a fright。〃
〃I betche Chip and the Little Doctor won't get there in time；〃
Happy Jack predicted； with his usual pessimism。 〃The Old Man's
gittin' old〃
〃He ain't but fifty…two； yuh call that old； consarn yuh？ He's
younger right now than you'll be when you're forty。〃
〃Countess is going along； too； so she can ride herd on the Kid；〃
Pink informed then。 〃I heard the Little Doctor tell her to pack
up； and 'never mind if she did have sponge all set！' Countess
seemed to think her bread was a darned sight more important than
the Old Man。 That's the way with women。 They'll pass up〃
〃Well； by golly； I like to see a woman take some interest in her
own affairs；〃 Slim defended。 〃What they packin' up for； and where
they goin'？〃 Slim had just ridden up to the group in time to
overhear Pink's criticism。
They told him the news； and Slim swallowed twice； said 〃By
golly！〃 quite huskily； and then rode slowly away with his head
bowed。 He had worked for the Flying U when it was strictly a
bachelor outfit； and with the tenacity of slow minds he held J。
G。 Whitmore； his beloved 〃Old Man；〃 as but a degree lower than
that mysterious power which made the sun to shineand； if the
truth were known； he had accepted him as being quite as eternal。
His loyalty adjusted everything to the interests of the Flying U。
That the Old Man could diethe possibility stunned him。
They were a sorry company that gathered that night around the
long table with its mottled oil…cloth covering and benches
polished to a glass…like smoothness with their own vigorous
bodies。 They did not talk much about the Old Man； indeed； they
came no nearer the subject than to ask Weary if he were going to
drive the team in to Dry Lake。 They did not talk much about
anything； for that matter； even the knives and forks seemed to
share the general depression of spirits； and failed to give forth
the cheerful clatter which was a daily accompaniment of meals in
that room。
Old Patsy； he who had cooked for J。 G。 Whitmore when the Flying U
coulee was a wilderness and the brand yet unrecorded and the
irons unmadePatsy lumbered heavily about the room and could not
find his dish…cloth when it was squeezed tight in one great； fat
hand； and unthinkingly started to fill their coffee cups from the
tea…kettle。
〃Py cosh； I vould keel der fool vot made her first von of der
automo…beels； yet！〃 he exclaimed unexpectedly； after a long
silence； and cast his pipe vindictively toward his bunk in one
corner。
The Happy Family looked around at him； then understandingly at
one another。
〃Same here； Patsy；〃 Jack Bates agreed。 〃What they want of the
damned things when the country's full uh good horses gits me。〃
〃So some Yahoo with just sense enough to put goggles on to cover
up his fool face can run over folks he ain't good enough to speak
to； by cripes！〃 Big Medicine glared aggressively up and down the
table。
Weary got up suddenly and went out； and Slim followed him； though
his supper was half…uneaten。
〃This goin' to be hard on the Little Doctoronly brother she's
got；〃 they heard Happy Jack point out unnecessarily； and Weary；
the equable； was guilty of slamming the door so that the whole
building shook； by way of demonstrating his dislike of speech
upon the subject。
They were a sorry company who waved hands at the Little Doctor
and the Kid and the Countess； just when the afterglow of a red
sunset was merging into the vague； purple shadows of coming dusk。
They stood silent； for the most part； and let them go without the
usual facetious advice to 〃Be good to yourselves；〃 and the
hackneyed admonition to Chip to keep out of jail if he could。
There must have been something very wistful in their faces； for
the Little Doctor smiled bravely down upon then from the buggy
seat； and lifted up the Kid for a four…toothed smile and an
ecstatic 〃Bye！〃 accompanied by a vigorous flopping of hands；
which included then all。
〃We'll telegraph first thing； boys；〃 the Little Doctor called
back； as the rig chucked into the pebbly creek crossing。 〃We'll
keep you posted； and I'll write all the particulars as soon as I
can。 Don't think the worstunless you have to。 I don't。〃 She
smiled again； and waved her hand hastily because of the Kid's
contortions； and； though the smile had tears close behind it；
though her voice was tremulous in spite of herself； the Happy
Family took heart from her courage and waved their hats gravely；
and smiled back as best they could。
〃There's a lot uh cake you boys might just as well eat up；〃 the
Countess called belatedly。 〃It'll all dry out； if yuh don'tand
there ain't no use wastin' itand there's two lemon pies in the
brown cupboard； and what under the shinin' sun〃 The wheels
bumped violently against a rock； and the Happy Family heard no
more。
CHAPTER IV。 Some Hopes
On the third day after the Happy Family decided that there should
be some word from Chicago； and； since that day was Sunday； they
rode in a body to Dry Lake after it。 They had not discussed the
impending tragedy very much； but they were an exceedingly Unhappy
Family； nevertheless； and； since Flying U coulee was but a place
of gloom； they were not averse to leaving it behind them for a
few hours； and riding where every stick and stone did not remind
then of the Old Man。
In Dry Lake was a message； brief but heartening：
〃J。 G。 still alive。 Some hopes〃。
They left the station with lighter spirits after reading that；
rode to the hotel； tied their horses to the long hitching pole
there and went in。 And right there the Happy Family unwittingly
became cast for the leading parts in one of those dramas of the
West which never is heard of outside the theater in which grim
circumstance stages it for a single playingunless； indeed； the
curtain rings down on a tragedy that brings the actors before
their district judge for trial。 And； as so frequently is the
case； the beginning was casual to the point of triviality。
Sary； Ellen； Marg'reet； Sybilly and Jos'phine Denson （spelled in
accordance with parental pronunciation） were swinging idly upon
the hitching pole； with the self…conscious sang froid of country
children come to town。 They backed away from the Happy Family's
a
