arizona nights-第38节

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whom　be　designated　as　his　wife。　　The　actual　state　of　affairs

whatever　it　might　behe　did　not　see；　and　the　actual　woman

supplied　merely　the　material　medium　necessary　to　the　reality　of

his　idea。　　Whether　Estrella's　eyes　were　interested　or　bored；

bright　or　dull；　alert　or　abstracted；　contented　or　afraid；　Senor

Johnson　could　not　have　told　you。　　He　might　have　replied　promptly

enoughthat　they　were　happy　and　loving。　　That　is　the　way　Senor

Johnson　conceived　a　wife's　eyes。

　　　

The　routine　of　life；　then；　soon　settled。　　After　breakfast　the

Senor　insisted　that　his　wife　accompany　him　on　a　short　tour　of

inspection。　　〃A　little　pasear；〃　he　called　it；　〃just　to　get　set

for　the　day。〃　　Then　his　horse　was　brought；　and　he　rode　away　on

whatever　business　called　him。　　Like　a　true　son　of　the　alkali；　he

took　no　lunch　with　him；　nor　expected　his　horse　to　feed　until　his

return。　　This　was　an　hour　before　sunset。　　The　evening　passed　as

has　been　described。　It　was　all　very　simple。

　　　

When　the　business　hung　close　to　the　ranch　house　was　in　the　bronco

busting；　the　rebranding　of　bought　cattle；　and　the　likehe　was

able　to　share　his　wife's　day。　　Estrella　conducted　herself

dreamily；　with　a　slow　smile　for　him　when　his　actual　presence

insisted　on　her　attention。　　She　seemed　much　given　to　staring　out

over　the　desert。　　Senor　Johnson；　appreciatively；　thought　he　could

understand　this。　　Again；　she　gave　much　leisure　to　rocking　back

and　forth　on　the　low；　wide　veranda；　her　hands　idle；　her　eyes

vacant；　her　lips　dumb。　　Susie　O'Toole　had　early　proved

incompatible　and　had　gone。

　　

〃A　nice；　contented；　home　sort　of　a　woman；〃　said　Senor　Johnson。

　　　

One　thing　alone　besides　the　deserts　on　which　she　never　seemed

tired　of　looking；　fascinated　her。　　Whenever　a　beef　was　killed　for

the　uses　of　the　ranch；　she　commanded　strips　of　the　green　skin。　

Then；　like　a　child；　she　bound　them　and　sewed　them　and　nailed　them

to　substances　particularly　susceptible　to　their　constricting

power。　　She　choked　the　necks　of　green　gourds；　she　indented　the

tender　bark　of　cottonwood　shoots；　she　expended　an　apparently

exhaustless　ingenuity　on　the　fabrication　of　mechanical　devices

whose　principle　answered　to　the　pulling　of　the　drying　rawhide。　

And　always　along　the　adobe　fence　could　be　seen　a　long　row　of

potatoes　bound　in　skin；　some　of　them　fresh　and　smooth　and　round；

some　sweating　in　the　agony　of　squeezing；　some　wrinkled　and　dry

and　little；　the　last　drops　of　life　tortured　out　of　them。　　Senor

Johnson　laughed　good…humouredly　at　these　toys；　puzzled　to　explain

their　fascination　for　his　wife。



〃They're　sure　an　amusing　enough　contraption　honey；〃　said　he；　〃but

what　makes　you　stand　out　there　in　the　hot　sun　staring　at　them

that　way？　　It's　cooler　on　the　porch。〃

　　　

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Estrella；　helplessly；　turning　her　slow；

vacant　gaze　on　him。　　Suddenly　she　shivered　in　a　strong　physical

revulsion。　　〃I　don't　know！〃　she　cried　with　passion。



After　they　had　been　married　about　a　month　Senor　Johnson　found　it

necessary　to　drive　into　Willets。

　　　

〃How　would　you　like　to　go；　too；　and　buy　some　duds？〃　he　asked

Estrella。

　　　

〃Oh！〃　she　cried　strangely。　〃When？〃



〃Day　after　tomorrow。〃



The　trip　decided；　her　entire　attitude　changed。　　The　vacancy　of

her　gaze　lifted；　her　movements　quickened；　she　left　off　staring　at

the　desert；　and　her　rawhide　toys　were　neglected。　　Before

starting；　Senor　Johnson　gave　her　a　check　book。　　He　explained　that

there　were　no　banks　in　Willets；　but　that　Goodrich；　the

storekeeper；　would　honour　her　signature。



〃Buy　what　you　want　to；　honey；〃　said　he。　〃Tear　her　wide　open。　　I'm

good　for　it。〃

　　

〃How　much　can　I　draw？〃　she　asked；　smiling。

　　

〃As　much　as　you　want　to；〃　he　replied　with　emphasis。

　　

〃Take　care〃she　poised　before　him　with　the　check　book　extended

〃I　may　drawI　might　draw　fifty　thousand　dollars。〃

　　

〃Not　out　of　Goodrich；〃　he　grinned；　〃you'd　bust　the　game。　　But

hold　him　up　for　the　limit；　anyway。〃

　　　

He　chuckled　aloud；　pleased　at　the　rare；　bird…like　coquetry　of　the

woman。　　They　drove　to　Willets。　　It　took　them　two　days　to　go　and

two　days　to　return。　　Estrella　went　through　the　town　in　a　cyclone

burst　of　enthusiasm；　saw　everything；　bought　everything；　exhausted

everything　in　two　hours。　　Willets　was　not　a　large　place。　　On　her

return　to　the　ranch　she　sat　down　at　once　in　the　rocking…chair　on

the　veranda。　　Her　hands　fell　into　her　lap。　　She　stared　out　over

the　desert。

　　　　

Senor　Johnson　stole　up　behind　her；　clumsy　as　a　playful　bear。　　His

eyes　followed　the　direction　of　hers　to　where　a　cloud　shadow　lay

across　the　slope；　heavy；　palpable；　untransparent；　like　a　blotch

of　ink。

　　　

〃Pretty；　isn't　it；　honey？〃　said　he。　〃Glad　to　get　back？〃

　　　　

She　smiled　at　him　her　vacant；　slow　smile。

　　　

〃Here's　my　check　book；〃　she　said；　〃put　it　away　for　me。　　I'm

through　with　it。〃

　　　

〃I'll　put　it　in　my　desk；〃　said　he。　〃It's　in　the　left…hand

cubbyhole；〃　he　called　from　inside。

　　　

〃Very　well；〃　she　replied。

　　　　

He　stood　in　the　doorway；　looking　fondly　at　her　unconscious

shoulders　and　the　pose　of　her　blonde　head　thrown　back　against　the

high　rocking…chair。

　　　

〃That's　the　sort　of　a　woman；　after　all；〃　said　Senor　Johnson。　〃No

blame　fuss　about　her。〃







CHAPTER　EIGHT

THE　ROUND…UP

　

This；　as　you　well　may　gather；　was　in　the　summer　routine。　　Now　the

time　of　the　great　fall　round…up　drew　near。　　The　home　ranch　began

to　bustle　in　preparation。

　　　

All　through　Cochise　County　were　short　mountain　ranges　set　down；

apparently　at　random；　like　a　child's　blocks。　　In　and　out　between

them　flowed　the　broad；　plain…like　valleys。　　On　the　valleys　were

the　various　ranges；　great　or　small；　controlled　by　the　different

individuals　of　the　Cattlemen's　Association。　　During　the　year　an

unimportant；　but　certain；　shifting　of　stock　took　place。　　A　few

cattle　of　Senor　Johnson's　Lazy　Y　eluded　the　vigilance　of　his

riders　to　drift　over　through　the　Grant　Pass　and　into　the　ranges

of　his　neighbour；　equally；　many　of　the　neighbour's　steers　watered

daily　at　Senor　Johnson's　troughs。　It　was　a　matter　of　courtesy　to

permit　this；　but　one　of　the　reasons　for　the　fall　round…up　was　a

redistribution　to　the　proper　ranges。　　Each　cattle…owner　sent　an

outfit　to　the　scene　of　labour。　　The　combined　outfits　moved　slowly

from　one　valley　to　another；　cutting　out　the　strays；　branding　the

late　calves；　collecting　for　the　owner　of　that　particular　range

all　his　stock；　that　he　might　select　his　marketable　beef。　　In　turn

each　cattleman　was　host　to　his　neighbours　and　their　men。



This　year　it　had　been　decided　to　begin　the　circle　of　the　round…up

at　the　C　0　Bar；　near　the　banks　of　the　San　Pedro。　　Thence　it　would

work　eastward；　wandering　slowly　in　north　and　south　deviation；　to

include　all　the　country；　until　the　final　break…up　would　occur　at

the　Lazy　Y。

　　　

The　Lazy　Y　crew　was　to　consist　of　four　men；　thirty　riding　horses；

a　〃chuck　wagon；〃　and　cook。　　These；　helping　others；　and　receiving

help　in　turn；　would　suffice；　for　in　the　round…up　labour　was

pooled　to　a　common　end。　　With　them　would　ride　Jed　Parker；　to

safeguard　his　master's　interests。

　　　

For　a　week　the　punchers；　in　their　daily　rides；　gathered　in　the

range　ponies。　　Senor　Johnson　owned　fifty　horses　which　he

maintained　at　the　home　ranch　for　every…day　riding；　two　hundred

broken　saddle　animals；　allowed　the　freedom　of　the　range；　except

when　special　occasion　demanded　their　use；　and　perhaps　half　a

thousand　quite　unbrokenbrood　mares；　stallions；　young　horses；

broncos；　and　the　like。　　At　this　time　of　year　it　was　his　habit　to

corral　all　those　saddlewise　in　order　to　select　horses　for　the

round…ups　and　to　replace　the　ranch　animals。　　The　latter　he　turned

loose　for　their　turn　at　the　freedom　of　the　range。



The　horses　chosen；　next　the　men　turned　their　attention　to　outfit。　

Each　had；　of　course；　his　saddle；　spurs；　and　〃rope。〃　　Of　the

latter　the　chuck　wagon　carried　many　extra。　　That　vehicle；

furthermore；　transported　such　articles　as　the　blankets；　the

tarpaulins　under　which　to　sleep；　the　running　irons　for　branding；

the　cooking　layout；　and　the　men's　personal　effects。　　All　was　in

readiness　to　move　for　the　six　weeks'　circle；　when　a　complication

arose。　　Jed　Parker；　while　nimbly　escaping　an　irritated　steer；

twisted　the　high　heel　of　his　boot　on　the　corral　fence。　　He

insisted　the　injury　amounted　to　nothing。　　Senor　Johnson　however；

disagreed。



〃It　don't　amount　to　nothing；　Jed；〃　he　pronounced；　after

manipulation；　〃but　she　might　make　a　good　able…bodied　injury　with

a　little　coaxing。　　Rest　her　a　week　and　then　you'll　be　all

right。〃

　　　

〃Rest　her；　the　devil！〃　growled　Jed；　〃who's　going　to　San　Pedro？〃



〃I　will；　of　course；〃　replied　the　Senor　promptly。　〃Didje　think

we'd　send　the　Chink？〃

　　　

〃I　was　first　cousin　to　a　Yaqui　jackass　for　sendin'　young　Billy

Ellis　out。　　He'll　be　back　in　a　week。　　He'd　do。〃

　　　

〃So'd　the　President；〃　the　Senor　pointed　out；　〃I　hear　he's　had

some　experi