arizona nights-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



them；〃　he　snapped。　　〃I've　never　lied　to　a　man　yet。　　Your　stock　is

in　the　corral。　　I'll　trouble　you　for　that　five　thousand。　　I'm　the

man　who　stole　your　cattle！〃







PART　III　　THE　RAWHIDE





CHAPTER　ONE

THE　PASSING　OF　THE　COLT'S　FORTY…FIVE



The　man　of　whom　I　am　now　to　tell　you　came　to　Arizona　in　the　early

days　of　Chief　Cochise。　　He　settled　in　the　Soda　Springs　Valley；

and　there　persisted　in　spite　of　the　devastating　forays　of　that

Apache。　　After　a　time　he　owned　all　the　wells　and　springs　in　the

valley；　and　so；　naturally；　controlled　the　grazing　on　that

extensive　free　range。　　Once　a　day　the　cattle；　in　twos　and　threes；

in　bands；　in　strings；　could　be　seen　winding　leisurely　down　the

deep…trodden　and　converging　trails　to　the　water　troughs　at　the

home　ranch；　there　leisurely　to　drink；　and　then　leisurely　to　drift

away　into　the　saffron　and　violet　and　amethyst　distances　of　the

desert。　　At　ten　other　outlying　ranches　this　daily　scene　was

repeated。　　All　these　cattle　belonged　to　the　man；　great　by　reason

of　his　priority　in　the　country；　the　balance　of　his　even

character；　and　the　grim　determination　of　his　spirit。



When　he　had　first　entered　Soda　Springs　Valley　his　companions　had

called　him　Buck　Johnson。　　Since　then　his　form　had　squared；　his

eyes　had　steadied　to　the　serenity　of　a　great　authority；　his

mouth；　shadowed　by　the　moustache　and　the　beard；　had　closed

straight　in　the　line　of　power　and　taciturnity。　　There　was　about

him　more　than　a　trace　of　the　Spanish。　　So　now　he　was　known　as

Senor　Johnson；　although　in　reality　he　was　straight　American

enough。

　　　

Senor　Johnson　lived　at　the　home　ranch　with　a　Chinese　cook；　and

Parker；　his　foreman。　　The　home　ranch　was　of　adobe；　built　with

loopholes　like　a　fort。　　In　the　obsolescence　of　this　necessity；

other　buildings　had　sprung　up　unfortified。　　An　adobe　bunkhouse

for　the　cow…punchers；　an　adobe　blacksmith　shop；　a　long；　low

stable；　a　shed；　a　windmill　and　pond…like　reservoir；　a　whole

system　of　corrals　of　different　sizes；　a　walled…in　vegetable

gardenthese　gathered　to　themselves　cottonwoods　from　the

moisture　of　their　being；　and　so　added　each　a　little　to　the　green

spot　in　the　desert。　　In　the　smallest　corral；　between　the　stable

and　the　shed；　stood　a　buckboard　and　a　heavy　wagon；　the　only

wheeled　vehicles　about　the　place。　Under　the　shed　were　rows　of

saddles；　riatas；　spurs　mounted　with　silver；　bits　ornamented　with

the　same　metal；　curved　short　irons　for　the　range　branding；　long；

heavy　〃stamps〃　for　the　corral　branding。　　Behind　the　stable　lay

the　〃pasture；〃　a　thousand　acres　of　desert　fenced　in　with　wire。　

There　the　hardy　cow…ponies　sought　out　the　sparse；　but　nutritious；

bunch　grass；　sixty　of　them；　beautiful　as　antelope；　for　they　were

the　pick　of　Senor　Johnson's　herds。

　　　

And　all　about　lay　the　desert；　shimmering；　changing；　many…tinted；

wonderful；　hemmed　in　by　the　mountains　that　seemed　tenuous　and

thin；　like　beautiful　mists；　and　by　the　sky　that　seemed　hard　and

polished　like　a　turquoise。

　　　

Each　morning　at　six　o'clock　the　ten　cow…punchers　of　the　home

ranch　drove　the　horses　to　the　corral；　neatly　roped　the　dozen　to

be　〃kept　up〃　for　that　day；　and　rewarded　the　rest　with　a　feed　of

grain。　　Then　they　rode　away　at　a　little　fox　trot；　two　by　two。　

All　day　long　they　travelled　thus；　conducting　the　business　of　the

range；　and　at　night；　having　completed　the　circle；　they　jingled

again　into　the　corral。

　

At　the　ten　other　ranches　this　programme　had　been　duplicated。　　The

half…hundred　men　of　Senor　Johnson's　outfit　had　covered　the　area

of　a　European　principality。　　And　all　of　it；　every　acre；　every

spear　of　grass；　every　cactus　prickle；　every　creature　on　it；

practically　belonged　to　Senor　Johnson；　because　Senor　Johnson

owned　the　water；　and　without　water　one　cannot　exist　on　the

desert。



This　result　had　not　been　gained　without　struggle。　　The　fact　could

be　read　in　the　settled　lines　of　Senor　Johnson's　face；　and　the

great　calm　of　his　grey　eye。　　Indian　days　drove　him　often　to　the

shelter　of　the　loopholed　adobe　ranch　house；　there　to　await　the

soldiers　from　the　Fort；　in　plain　sight　thirty　miles　away　on　the

slope　that　led　to　the　foot　of　the　Chiricahuas。　　He　lost　cattle

and　some　men；　but　the　profits　were　great；　and　in　time　Cochise；

Geronimo；　and　the　lesser　lights　had　flickered　out　in　the　winds　of

destiny。　　The　sheep　terror　merely　threatened；　for　it　was　soon

discovered　that　with　the　feed　of　Soda　Springs　Valley　grew　a　burr

that　annoyed　the　flocks　beyond　reason；　so　the　bleating　scourge

swept　by　forty　miles　away。　　Cattle　rustling　so　near　the　Mexican

line　was　an　easy　matter。　　For　a　time　Senor　Johnson　commanded　an

armed　band。　　He　was　lord　of　the　high；　the　low；　and　the　middle

justice。　　He　violated　international　ethics；　and　for　the　laws　of

nations　he　substituted　his　own。　　One　by　one　he　annihilated　the

thieves　of　cattle；　sometimes　in　open　fight；　but　oftener　by

surprise　and　deliberate　massacre。　　The　country　was　delivered。　

And　then；　with　indefatigable　energy；　Senor　Johnson　became　a

skilled　detective。　　Alone；　or　with　Parker；　his　foreman；　he　rode

the　country　through；　gathering　evidence。　　When　the　evidence　was

unassailable　he　brought　offenders　to　book。　　The　rebranding

through　a　wet　blanket　he　knew　and　could　prove；　the　ear…marking　of

an　unbranded　calf　until　it　could　be　weaned　he　understood；　the

paring　of　hoofs　to　prevent　travelling　he　could　tell　as　far　as　he

could　see；　the　crafty　alteration　of　similar　brandsas　when　a

Mexican　changed　Johnson's　Lazy　Y　to　a　Dumb…bell　Barhe　saw

through　at　a　glance。　　In　short；　the　hundred　and　one　petty　tricks

of　the　sneak…thief　he　ferreted　out；　in　danger　of　his　life。　　Then

he　sent　to　Phoenix　for　a　Rangerand　that　was　the　last　of　the

Dumb…bell　Bar　brand；　or　the　Three　Link　Bar　brand；　or　the　Hour

Glass　Brand；　or　a　half　dozen　others。　　The　Soda　Springs　Valley

acquired　a　reputation　for　good　order。



Senor　Johnson　at　this　stage　of　his　career　found　himself　dropping

into　a　routine。　　In　March　began　the　spring　branding；　then　the

corralling　and　breaking　of　the　wild　horses；　the　summer

range…riding；　the　great　fall　round…up；　the　shipping　of　cattle；

and　the　riding　of　the　winter　range。　　This　happened　over　and　over

again。



You　and　I　would　not　have　suffered　from　ennui。　The　roping　and

throwing　and　branding；　the　wild　swing　and　dash　of　handling　stock；

the　mad　races　to　head　the　mustangs；　the　fierce　combats　to　subdue

these　raging　wild　beasts　to　the　saddle；　the　spectacle　of　the

round…up　with　its　brutish　multitudes　and　its　graceful　riders；　the

dust　and　monotony　and　excitement　and　glory　of　the　Trail；　and

especially　the　hundreds　of　incidental　and　gratuitous　adventures

of　bears　and　antelope；　of　thirst　and　heat；　of　the　joy　of　taking

care　of　one's　selfall　these　would　have　filled　our　days　with　the

glittering；　changing　throng　of　the　unusual。

　　　

But　to　Senor　Johnson　it　had　become　an　old　story。　　After　the　days

of　construction　the　days　of　accomplishment　seemed　to　him　lean。　

His　men　did　the　work　and　reaped　the　excitement。　　Senor　Johnson

never　thought　now　of　riding　the　wild　horses；　of　swinging　the　rope

coiled　at　his　saddle　horn；　or　of　rounding　ahead　of　the　flying

herds。　　His　inspections　were　business　inspections。　　The　country

was　tame。　　The　leather　chaps　with　the　silver　conchas　hung　behind

the　door。　　The　Colt's　forty…five　depended　at　the　head　of　the　bed。　

Senor　Johnson　rode　in　mufti。　　Of　his　cowboy　days　persisted　still

the　high…heeled　boots　and　spurs；　the　broad　Stetson　hat；　and　the

fringed　buckskin　gauntlets。

　　　

The　Colt's　forty…five　had　been　the　last　to　go。　　Finally　one

evening　Senor　Johnson　received　an　express　package。　　He　opened　it

before　the　undemonstrative　Parker。　　It　proved　to　contain　a　pocket

〃gun〃a　nickel…plated；　thirty…eight　calibre　Smith　&　Wesson

〃five…shooter。〃　　Senor　Johnson　examined　it　a　little　doubtfully。　

In　comparison　with　the　six…shooter　it　looked　like　a　toy。

　　

〃How　do　you；　like　her？〃　he　inquired；　handing　the　weapon　to

Parker。

　　　

Parker　turned　it　over　and　over；　as　a　child　a　rattle。　　Then　he

returned　it　to　its　owner。



〃Senor；〃　said　he；　〃if　ever　you　shoot　me　with　that　little　old　gun；

AND　I　find　it　out　the　same　day；　I'll　just　raise　hell　with　you！〃



〃I　don't　reckon　she'd　INJURE　a　man　much；〃　agreed　the　Senor；　〃but

perhaps　she'd　call　his　attention。〃



However；　the　〃little　old　gun〃　took　its　place；　not　in　Senor

Johnson's　hip　pocket；　but　inside　the　front　waistband　of　his

trousers；　and　the　old　shiny　Colt's　forty…five；　with　its　worn

leather　〃Texas　style〃　holster；　became　a　bedroom　ornament。

　　　

Thus；　from　a　frontiersman　dropped　Senor　Johnson　to　the　status　of

a　property　owner。　　In　a　general　way　he　had　to　attend　to　his

interests　before　the　cattlemen's　association；　he　had　to　arrange

for　the　buying　and　shipping；　and　the　rest　was　leisure。　　He　could

now　have　gone　away　somewhere　as　far　as　time　went。　　So　can　a　fish

live　in　treesas　far　as　time　goes。　　And　in　the　daily　riding；

riding；　riding　over　the