rowdy of the cross l-第10节

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Pink　that　Pink　wanted　to　know；　besides；　there　was　a　certain　comfort　in
telling　his　troubles　to　so　stanch　a　friend。　〃Harry　got　his　work　in　there；
too；〃　he　said　bitterly。　〃He　beat　me　to　her　and　queered　me　for　good；　by　the
looks。〃

〃Huh！〃　said　Pink。　〃I　wouldn't　waste　much　time　worrying　over　her；　if　she's
that　easy　turned。〃

〃She's　all　right；〃　defended　Rowdy　quickly。　〃I　don't　know　as　I　blame　her；　she
takes　the　stand　any　sister　would　take。　She　wants　to　know　all　about　the
troublehear　both　sides；　she　said；　so　she　could　judge　which　was　to　blame。　I
guess　she's　got　her　heart　set　on　being　peacemaker。　I　know　one　thing：
shelikes　me；　all　right。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　he　queered　yuh　any；　then；〃　puzzled　Pink。　〃She　sure　couldn't
take　his　part　after　you'd　told　her　all　he　done。〃

Rowdy　turned　on　him　savagely。　〃You　little　fool；　do　you　think　I　told　her？
Right　there's　the　trouble。　He　told　his　story；　and　when　she　asked　for　mine；　I
couldn't　say　anything。　She's　his　sister。〃

〃Youdidn'ttell！〃　Pink　leaned　against　the　stable　and　stared。　〃Rowdy
Vaughan；　there's　times　when　even　your　friend　can't　disguise　the　fact　that
yuh　act　plumb　batty。　Yuh　let　Harry　do　yuh　dirt　that　any　other　man'd　'a'
killed　him　on　bare　suspicion　uh　doing；　and　yuh　never　told　her　when　she　asked
yuh　to！　How　yuh　lent　him　money；　and　let　him　steal　some　right　out　uh　your
pocket〃

〃I　couldn't　prove　that；〃　Rowdy　objected。

〃And　yuh　never　told　her　about　his　cutting　your　latigo〃

〃Oh；　cut　it　out！〃　Rowdy　glowered　down　at　him。　〃I　guess　I　don't　need　to　be
reminded　of　all　those　things。　But　are　they　the　things　a　man　can　tell　a　girl
about　her　brother？　Pink；　you're　about　as　unfeeling　a　little　devil　as　I　ever
run　across。　Maybe　you'd　have　told　her；　but　I　couldn't。　So　it's　all　off。〃

He　turned　away　and　stared　unseeingly　at　the　rim　of　hills　that　hid　the　place
where　she　lived。　She　seemed　very　far　away　from　him　just　thenand　very；　very
desirable。　He　thought　then　that　he　had　never　before　realized　just　how　much
he　cared。

〃You　can　jest　bet　I'd　'a'　told　her！〃　gritted　Pink；　watching　furtively
Rowdy's　averted　face。　〃She　ain't　goin'　t'　be　bowed　down　by　no　load　of
ignorance　much　longer；　either。　If　she　don't　get　Harry　Conroy's　pedigree
straight　out；　without　the　varnish；　it'll　be　because　I　ain't　next　to　all　his
past。〃

But　Rowdy；　glooming　among　the　debris　of　certain　pet　air…castles；　neither
heard　nor　wanted　to　hear　Pink's　wrathful　mutterings。As　a　matter　of　fact；　it
was　not　till　Pink　clattered　out　of　the　yard　on　Mascot　that　he　remembered
where　he　was。　Even　then　it　did　not　occur　to　him　to　wonder　where　Pink　was
going。



CHAPTER　9

Moving　the　Herd。

Four　thousand　weary　cattle　crawled　up　the　long　ridge　which　divides　Chin
Coulee　from　Quitter　Creek。　Pink；　riding　point；　opposite　the　Silent　One；
twisted　round　in　his　saddle　and　looked　back　at　the　slow…moving　river　of
horns　and　backs　veiled　in　a　gray　dust…cloud。　Down　the　line　at　intervals　rode
the　others；　humped　listlessly　in　their　saddles；　their　hat　brims　pulled　low
over　tired　eyes　that　smarted　with　dust　and　wind　and　burning　heat。

Pink　sighed；　and　wished　lonesomely　that　it　was　Rowdy　riding　point　with　him；
instead　of　the　Silent　One；　who　grew　even　more　silent　as　the　day　dragged
leadenly　to　mid…afternoon；　Pink　could　endure　anything　better　than　being　left
to　his　thoughts　and　to　the　complaining　herd　for　company。

He　took　off　his　hat；　pushed　back　his　curlsdripping　wet　they　were　and
flattened　unbecomingly　in　pasty；　yellow　rings　on　his　foreheadand　eyed　with
disfavor　a　line…backed；　dry　cow；　with　one　horn　tipped　rakishly　toward　her
speckled　nose；　she　blinked　silently　at　wind　and　heat；　and　forged　steadily
ahead；　up…hill　and　down　coulee；always　in　the　lead；　always　walking；　walking；
like　an　automaton。　Her　energy；　in　the　face　of　all　the　dry；　dreary　days；
rasped　Pink's　nerves　unbearably。　For　nearly　a　week　he　had
ridden　left　point；　and　always　that　line…backed　cow　with　the　down…crumpled
horn　walked　and　walked　and　walked；　a　length　ahead　of　her　most　intrepid
followers。

He　leaned　from　his　saddle；　picked　up　a　rock　from　the　barren；　yellow
hillside；　and　threw　it　at　the　cow　spitefully。　The　rock　bounced　off　her　lean
rump；　she　blinked　and　broke　into　a　shuffling　trot；　her　dragging　hoofs
kicking　up　an　extra　amount　of　dust；　which　blew　straight　into　Pink's　face。

〃Aw；　cut　it　out！〃　he　shouted　petulantly。　〃You're　sure　the　limit；　without
doing　any　stunts　at　sprinting　up…hill。　Ain't　yuh　got　any　nerves；　yuh　blamed
old　skate？　Yuh　act　like　it　was　milkin'…time；　and　yuh　was　headed　straight　for
the　bars　and　a　bran　mash。　Can't　yuh　realize　the　kind　uh　deal　you're　up
against？　Here's　cattle　that's　got　you　skinned　for　looks；　old　girl；　and　they
know　it's　coming　blamed　tough；　and　you　just　bat　your　eyes　and　peg　along
like　yuh　enjoyed　it。　Bawl；　or　something；　can't　yuh？　Drop　back　a　foot　and　act
human！〃

The　Silent　One　looked　across　at　him　with　a　tired　smile。　〃Let　her　go；　Pink；
and　pray　for　more　like　her；〃　he　called　amusedly。　〃There'll　be　enough　of　them
dropping　back　presently。〃

Pink　threw　one　leg　over　the　horn　and　rode　sidewise；　made　him　a　cigarette；
and　tried　to　forget　the　cowor；　at　least；　to　forgive　her　for　not　acting　as
dog…tired　as　he　felt。

They　were　on　the　very　peak　of　the　ridge　now；　and　the　hill　sloped　smoothly
down　before　them　to　the　bluff　which　bounded　Quitter　Creek。　Far　down；　a　tiny
black　speck　in　the　coulee…bottom；　they　could　see　Wooden　Shoes　riding　along
the　creek…bank；　scouting　for　water。　From　the　way　he　rode；　and　from　the　fact
that　camp　was　nowhere　in　sight；　Pink　guessed　shrewdly　that　his　quest　was　in
vain。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　at　what　that　meant；　and　gave　his　attention
to　the　herd。

The　marching　line　split　at　the　brow　of　the　bluff。　The　line…backed　cow
lowered　her　head　a　bit　and　went　unfaltering　down　the　parched；　gravel…coated
hill；　followed　by　a　few　hundred　of　the　freshest。　Then　the　stream　stopped
flowing；　and　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　rode　back　up　the　bluff　to　where　the
bulk　of　the　footsore　herd；　their　senses　dulled　by　hunger　and　weariness　and
choking　thirst；　sniffed　at　the　gravel　that　promised　agony　to　their　bruised
feet；　and　balked　at　the　ordeal。　Others　straggled　up；　bunched　against　the
rebels；　and　stood　stolidly　where　they　were。

Pink　galloped　on　down　the　crawling　line。　〃Forward；　the　Standard　Oil
Brigade！〃　he　yelled　whimsically　as　he　went。

The　cowboys　heardand　understood。　They　left　their　places　and　went　forward
at　a　lope；　and　Pink　rode　back　to　the　coulee　edge；　untying　his　slicker　as　he
went。　The　Silent　One　was　already　off　his　horse　and　shouting　hoarsely　as　he
whacked　with　his　slicker　at　the　sulky　mass。　Pink　rode　in　and　did　the　same。
It　was　not　the　first　time　this　thing　had　happened；　and　from　a　diversion　it
was　verging　closely　on　the　monotonous。　Presently；　even　a　rank　tenderfoot
must　have　caught　the　significance　of　Pink's　military　expression。　The
Standard　Oil　Brigade　was　at　the　front　in　force。

Cowboys；　swinging　five…gallon　oil…cans；　picked　up　from　scattered　sheep　camps
and　carried　many　a　weary　mile　for　just　such　an　emergency；　were　charging　the
bunch　intrepidly。　Others　made　shift　with　flat　sirup…cans　with　pebbles
inside。　A　few；　like　Pink　and　the　Silent　One；　flapped　their　slickers　till
their　arms　ached。　Anything；　everything　that　would　make　a　din　and　startle　the
cattle　out　of　their　lethargy；　was　pressed　into　service。

But　they　might　have　been　raised　in　a　barnyard　and　fed　cabbage　leaves　from
back　door…steps；　for　all　the　excitement　they　showed。　Cattle　that　three
months　agoor　a　monthwould　run；　head　and　tail　high　in　air；　at　sight　of　a
man　on　foot；　backed　away　from　a　rattling；　banging　cube　of　gleaming　tin；
turned　and　faced　the　thing　dull…eyed　and　apathetic。

In　time；　however；　they　gave　way　dogedly　before　the　onslaught。　A　few　were
forced　shrinkingly　down　the　hill；　others　followed　gingerly；　until　the　line
lengthened　and　flowed；　a　sluggish；　brown…red　stream；　into　the　coulee　and
across　to　Quitter　Creek。

Here　the　leaders　were　browsing　greedily　along　the　banks。　They　had　emptied
the　few　holes　that　had　still　held　a　meager　store　of　brackish　water　and　so
the　mutinous　bulk　of　the　herd　snuffed　at　the　trampled；　muddy　spots　and
bellowed　their　disappointment。

Wooden　Shoes　rode　up　and　surveyed　the　half　maddened　animals　gloomily。　〃Push
'em　on；　boys；〃　he　said。　〃They's　nothings　for　'em　here。　I've　sent　the　wagons
on　to　Red　Willow；　we'll　try　that　next。　Push　'em　along　all　yuh　can；　while　I
go　on　ahead　and　see。〃

With　tin…cans；　slickers；　and　much　vituperation；　they　forced　the　herd　up　the
coulee　side　and　strung　them　out　again　on　trail。　The　line…backed　cow　walked
and　walked　in　the　lead　before　Pink's　querulous　gaze；　and　the　others　plodded
listlessly　after。　The　gray　dust…cloud　formed　anew　over　their　slowmoving
backs；　and　the　cowboys　humped　over　in　their　saddles　and　rode　and　rode；　with
the　hot　sun　beating　aslant　in　their　dirt…grimed　faces；　and　with　the　wind
blowing　and　blowing。

If　this　had　been　the　first　herd　to　make　that　dreary　trip；　things　would　not
have　been　quite　so　disheartening。　But　it　was　the　third。　Seven　thousand　lean
kine　had　passed　that　way　before　them；　eating　the　scant　grass　growth　and
drinking　what　water　they　could　find　among　those　barren；　sun…baked　coulees。

The　Cro