rowdy of the cross l-第11节

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drinking　what　water　they　could　find　among　those　barren；　sun…baked　coulees。

The　Cross　L　boys；　on　this　third　trip；　were　become　a　jaded　lot　of
hollow…eyed　men；　whose　nerves　were　rasped　raw　with　long　hours　and　longer
days　in　the　saddle。　Pink's　cheeks　no　longer　made　his　name　appropriate；　and
he　was　not　the　only　one　who　grew　fretful　over　small　things。　Rowdy　had　been
heard；　more　than　once　lately；　to　anathematize　viciously　the　prairie…dogs　for
standing　on　their　tails　and　chipchip…chipping　at　them　as　they　went　by。　And
though　the　Silent　One　did　not　swear；　he　carried　rocks　in　his　pockets；
and　threw　them　with　venomous　precision　at　every　〃dog〃　that　showed　his
impertinent　nose　out　of　a　burrow　within　range。　For　Pink；　he　vented　his
spleen　on　the　line…backed　cow。

So　they　walked　and　walked　and　walked。

The　cattle　balked　at　another　hill；　and　all　the　tincans　and　slickers　in　the
crowd　could　scarcely　move　them。　The　wind　dropped　with　the　sun；　and　the
clouds　glowed　gorgeously　above　them；　getting　scant　notice；　except　that　they
told　eloquently　of　the　coming　night；　and　there　were　yet　mileslong；　rough；
heartbreaking　milesto　put　behind　them　before　they　could　hope　for　the
things　their　tired　bodies　craved：　supper　and　dreamless　sleep。

When　the　last　of　the　herd　had　sidled；　under　protest；　down　the　long　hill　to
the　flat；　dusk　was　pushing　the　horizon　closer　upon　them；　mile　by　mile。　When
they　crawled　sinuously　out　upon　the　welcome　level；　the　hill　loomed　ghostly
and　black　behind　them。　A　mile　out；　Wooden　Shoes　rode　out　of　the　gloom　and
met　the　point。　He　turned　and　rode　beside　Pink。

〃Yuh'll　have　t'　swing　'em　north；〃　he　greeted。

〃Red　Willow's　dry　as　hellall　but　in　the　Rockin'　R　field。　No　use　askin'　ole
Mullen　to　let　us　in　there；　we'll　just　go。　I　sent　the　wagons　through　the
fence；　an'　yuh'll　find　camp　about　a　mile　up　from　the　mouth　uh　the　big
coulee。　You　swing　'em　round　the　end　uh　this　bench；　an'　hit　that　big　coulee
at　the　head。　When　you　come　t'　the　fence；　tear　it　down。　They's　awful　good
grass　in　that　field！〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Pink　cheerfully。　It　was　in　open　defiance　of　range
etiquette；　but　their　need　was　desperate。　The　only　thing　about　it　Pink　did
not　like　was　the　long　detour　they　must　make。　He　called　the　news　across　to
the　Silent　One；　after　Wooden　Shoes　had　gone　on　down　the　line；　and　they　swung
the　point　gradually　to　the　left。

Before　that　drive　was　over；　Pink　had　vowed　many　times　to　leave　the　range
forever　and　never　to　turn　another　cowbesides　a　good　many　other　foolish
things　which　would　be　forgotten；　once　he　had　a　good　sleep。　And　Rowdy；
plodding　half…way　down　the　herd；　had　grown　exceedingly　pessimistic　regarding
Jessie　Conroy；　and　decided　that　there　was　no　sense　in　thinking　about　her　all
the　time；　the　way　he　had　been　doing。　Also；　he　told　himself　savagely　that　if
Harry　ever　crossed　his　trail　again；　there　would　be　something　doing。　This
thing　of　letting　a　cur　like　that　run　roughshod　over　a　man　on　account　of　a
girl　that　didn't　care　was　plumb　idiotic。　And　beside　him　the　cattle　walked
and　walked　and　walked；　a　dim；　moving　mass　in　the　quiet　July　night。



CHAPTER　10

Harry　Conroy　at　Home。

It　was　late　next　morning　when　they　got　under　way；　for　they　had　not　reached
camp　until　long　after　midnight；　and　Wooden　Shoes　was　determined　the　cattle
should　have　one　good　feed；　and　all　the　water　they　wanted；　to　requite　them
for　the　hard　drive　of　the　day　before。

Pink　rode　out　with　Rowdy　to　the　herda　heavylidded；　gloomy　Rowdy　he　was；
and　not　amiably　inclined　toward　the　small　talk　of　the　range。　But　Pink　had
slept　five　whole　hours　and　was　almost　his　normal　self；　which　means　that
speech　was　not　to　be　denied　him。

〃What　yuh　mourning　over？〃　he　bantered。　〃Mad　'cause　the　reservation's　so
close？〃

〃Sure；〃　assented　Rowdy；　with　deep　sarcasm。

〃That's　what　I　thought。　Studying　up　the　nicest　way　uh　giving　brother…in…law
the　glad　hand；　ain't　yuh？〃

〃He's　no　relation　uh　mineand　never　will　be；〃　said　Rowdy　curtly。　〃And　I'll
thank　you；　Pink；　to　drop　that　subject　for　good　and　all。〃

〃Down　she　goes；〃　assented　Pink；　quite　unperturbed。　〃But　the　cards　ain't　all
turned　yet；　yuh　want　to　remember；　I　wouldn't　pass　on　no　hand　like　you've
got。　If　I　wanted　a　girl　right　bad；　Rowdy；　I'd　wait　till　I　got　refused　before
I'd　quit。〃

〃Seems　to　me　you've　changed　your　politics　lately；〃　Rowdy　retorted。　〃A　while
back　you　was　cussing　the　whole　business；　and　now　you're　worse　than　an　old
maid　aunt。　Pink；　you　may　not　be　wise　to　the　fact；　but　you　sure　are　an
inconsistent　little　devil。〃

〃Are　yuh　going　t'　hunt　Harry　up　and〃

〃I　thought　I　told　you　to　drop　that。〃

〃Did　yuh？　All　right；　thenonly　I　hope　yuh　didn't　leave　your　gun　packed　away
in　your　bed；〃　he　insinuated。

〃You　can　take　a　look　to…night；　if　you　want　to。〃

Pink　laughed　in　a　particularly　infectious　way　he　had；　and；　before　he　quite
knew　it；　Rowdy　was　laughing；　also。　After　that　the　world　did　not　look　quite
so　forlorn　as　it　had；　nor　the　day's　work　so　distasteful。　So　Pink；　having
accomplished　his　purpose；　was　content　to　turn　the　subject。

〃There's　old　Liney〃he　pointed　her　out　to　Rowdy〃fresh　as　a　meadow…lark。　I
had　a　big　grouch　against　her　yesterday；　just　because　she　batted　her　eyes　and
kept　putting　one　foot　ahead　uh　the　other。　I　could　'a'　killed　her。　But　she's
all　right；　that　old　girl。　The　way　she　led　out　down　that　black　coulee　last
night　wasn't　slow！　Say；　she's　an　ambitious　old　party。　I　wish　you　was　riding
point　with　me；　Rowdy。　The　Silent　One　talks　just　about　as　much　as
that　old　cow。　He　sure　loves　to　live　up　to　his　rep。〃

〃Oh；　go　on　to　work；〃　Rowdy　admonished。　〃You　make　me　think　of　a　magpie。〃　All
the　same；　he　looked　after　him　with　smiling　lips；　and　eyes　that　forgot　their
gloom。　He　even　whistled　while　he　helped　round　up　the　scattered　herd；　ready
for　that　last　day's　drive。

Every　man　in　the　outfit　comforted　himself　with　the　thought　that　it　was　the
last　day's　drive。　After　long　weeks　of　trailing　lean　herds　over　barren；
windbrushed　hills；　the　last　day　meant　much　to　them。　Even　the　Silent　One　sang
something　they　had　never　heard　before；　about　〃If　Only　I　Knew　You　Were　True。〃

They　crossed　the　Rocking　R　field；　took　down　four　panels　of　fence；　passed
out；　and　carefully　put　them　up　again　behind　them。　Before　them　stretched
level　plain　for　two　miles；　beyond　that　a　high；　rocky　ridge　that　promised
some　trouble　with　the　herd；　and　after　that　more　plain　and　a　couleee　or　two；
and　then；　on　a　far　slopethe　reservation。

The　cattle　were　rested　and　fed；　and　walked　out　briskly；　the　ridge　neared
perceptibly。　Pink's　shrill　whistle　carried　far　back　down　the　line　and
mingled　pleasantly　with　voices　calling　to　one　another　across　the　herd。　Not　a
man　was　humped　listlessly　in　his　saddle；　instead；　they　rode　with　shoulders
back　and　hats　at　divers　jaunty　angles　to　keep　the　sun　from　shining　in　eyes
that　faced　the　future　cheerfully。

The　herd　steadily　climbed　the　ridge；　choosing　the　smoothest　path　and　the
easiest　slope。　Pink　assured　the　line…backed　cow　that　she　was　a　peach；　and
told　her　to　〃go　to　it；　old　girl。〃　The　Silent　One's　pockets　were　quite　empty
of　rocks；　and　the　prairiedogs　chipped　and　flirted　their　funny　little　tails
unassailed。　And　Rowdy；　from　wondering　what　had　made　Pink　change　his　attitude
so　abruptly；　began　to　plan　industriously　the　next　meeting　with
Jessie　Conroy；　and　to　build　a　new　castle　that　was　higher　and　airier　than　any
he　had　ever　before　attemptedand　perhaps　had　a　more　flimsy　foundation；　for
it　rested　precariously　on　Pink's　idle　remarks。

The　point　gained　the　top　of　the　ridge；　and　Pink　turned　and　swung　his　hat
jubilantly　at　the　others。　The　reservation　was　in　sight；　though　it　lay
several　miles　distant。　But　in　that　clear　air　one　could　distinguish　the　line
fenceif　one　had　the　eye　of　faith　and　knew　just　where　to　look。　Presently　he
observed　a　familiar　horseman　climbing　the　ridge　to　meet　them。

〃Eagle　Creek's　coming；〃　he　shouted　to　the　man　behind。　〃Come　alive；　there；
and　don't　let　'em　roam　all　over　the　map。　Git　some　style　on　yuh！〃

Those　who　heard　laughed；　no　one　ever　dreamed　of　being　offended　at　what　Pink
said。　Those　who　had　not　heard　had　the　news　passed　on　to　them；　in　various
forms。　Wooden　Shoes；　who　had　been　loitering　in　the　rear　gossiping　with　the
men；　rode　on　to　meet　Smith。

Eagle　Creek　urged　his　horse　up　the　last　steep　place；　right　in　the　face　of
the　leaders；　which　halted　and　tried　to　turn　back。　Pink；　swearing　in　a
whisper；　began　to　force　them　forward。

〃Let　'em　alone；〃　Eagle　Creek　bellowed　harshly。　〃They　ain't　goin'　no
farther。〃

〃W…what？〃　Pink　stopped　short　and　eyed　him　critically。　Eagle　Creek　could　not
justly　be　called　a　teetotaler；　but　Pink　had　never　known　him　to　get　worse
than　a　bit　wobbly　in　his　legs；　his　mind　had　never　fogged　perceptibly。　Still；
something　was　wrong　with　him；　that　was　certain。　Pink　glanced　dubiously
across　at　the　Silent　One　and　saw　him　shrug　his　shoulders　expressively。

Eagle　Creek　rode　up　and　stopped　within　ten　feet　of　the　line…backed　cow；　she
seemed　hurt　at　being　held　up　in　this　manner；　Pink　thought。

〃Yuh'll　have　t'　turn　this　herd　back；〃　Eagle　Creek　announced　bluntly。

〃Where　to？〃　Pink　asked；　too　stunned　to　take　in　the　meaning　of　it。

〃T'　hell；　I　guess。　It's　the　only　place　I　know　of　where　everybody's
welc