rowdy of the cross l-第12节

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〃T'　hell；　I　guess。　It's　the　only　place　I　know　of　where　everybody's
welcome。〃　Eagle　Creek's　tone　was　not　pleasant。

〃We　just　came　from　there；〃　Pink　said　simply；　thinking　of　the　horrors　of　that
drive。

〃Where's　Wooden　Shoes？〃　snapped　the　old　man；　and　the　foreman's　hat…crown
appeared　at　that　instant　over　the　ridge。

〃Well；　we're　up　against　it；〃　Eagle　Creek　greeted。　〃That　damn'　agentor　the
fellow　he　had　workin'　for　himreported　his　renting　us　pasture。　Made　the
report　read　about　twice　as　many　as　we're　puttin'　on。　He's　got　orders　now　t'
turn　out　every　hoof　but　what　b'longs　there。〃

〃My　Lord！〃　Wooden　Shoes　gasped　at　the　catastrophe　which　faced　the　Cross　L。

〃That's　Harry　Conroy's　work；〃　Pink　cut　in　sharply'　〃He'd　hurt　the　Cross　L　if
he　could；　t'　spite　me　and　Rowdy。　He〃

〃Don't　matterseein'　it's　done。　Yuh　might　as　well　turn　the　herd　loose　right
here；　an'　let　'em　go　t'　the　devil。　I　don't　know　what　else　t'　do　with　'em。〃

〃Anything　gone　wrong？〃　It　was　Rowdy；　who　had　left　his　place　and　ridden
forward　to　see　what　was　holding　the　herd　back。

〃Naw。　We're　fired　off　the　reservation；　is　all。　We　got　orders　to　take　the
herd　to　hell。　Eagle　Creek's　leased　it。　Mr。　Satan　is　going　to　keep　house　here
in　Montana；　he　says　it's　better　for　his　trade；〃　Pink　informed　him；　in　his
girlish　treble。

Eagle　Creek　turned　on　him　fiercely；　then　thought　better　of　it　and　grinned。
〃Them　arrangements　wouldn't　make　us　any　worse　off'n　what　we　are；〃　he
commented。　〃Turn　'em　loose；　boys。〃

〃Man；　if　yuh　turn　'em　loose　here；　the　first　storm　that　hits　'em；　they　all
die；〃　Wooden　Shoes　interposed　excitedly。　〃They　ain't　nothings　for　'em。　We
had　t'　turn　'em　into　the　Rockin'　R　field　last　night；　t'　git　water　an'　feed。
Red　Willow's　gone　dry　outside　dat　field。　They　ain'tnothings。　They'll　die！〃

Eagle　Creek　looked　at　him　dully。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　faced
utter　ruin。　〃Damn　'em；　let　'em　die；　then！〃　he　said。

〃That's　what　they'll　sure　do；〃　Wooden　Shoes　reiterated　stubbornly。　〃If　they
don't　git　feed　and　water　now；　yuh　needn't　start　no　round…up　next　spring。〃

Pink's　eyes　went　down　over　the　close…huddled　backs　and　the　thicket　of
polished　horns；　and　his　eyelids　stung。　Would　all　of　them　die；　he　wondered！
Four　thousand！　He　hoped　not。　There　must　be　some　way　out。　Down　the　hill；　he
knew　the　cowboys　were　making　cigarettes　while　they　waited　and　wondered
mightily　what　it　was　all　about　If　they　only　knew；　he　thought；　there　would　be
more　than　one　rope　ready　for　Harry　Conroy。

〃How　about　the　Peck　reservation？　Couldn't　you　get　them　on　there？〃　Rowdy
ventured。

〃Not　a　hoof！〃　growled　Eagle　Creek；　with　his　chin　sunk　against　his　chest。
〃There's　thirty　thousand　Valley　County　cattle　on　there　now。〃　He　looked　down
at　the　cattle；　as　Pink　had　done。　〃God！　It's　bad　enough　t'　go　broke；〃　he
groaned；　〃but　t'　think　uh　them　poor　brutes　dyin'　off　in　bunches；　for　want　uh
grass　an'　water！　I've　run　that　brand　fer　over　thirty　year。〃



CHAPTER　11

Rowdy　Promoted。

Rowdy　rode　closer。　〃If　you　don't　mind　paying　duty；〃　he　began　tentatively；　〃I
can　put　you　next　to　a　range　over　the　line；　where　I'll　guarantee　feed　and
water　the　year　round　for　every　hoof　you　own。〃

Eagle　Creek　lifted　his　head　and　looked　at　him　〃Whereabouts？〃　he　demanded
skeptically。

〃Up　in　the　Red　Deer　country。　Pink　knows　the　place。　There's　range　a…plenty；
and　creeks　running　through　that　never　go　dry；　and　the　country　isn't　stocked
and　fenced　to　death；　like　this　is。〃

〃And　would　we　be　ordered　off　soon　as　we　got　there？〃

〃Sure　notif　you　paid　duty；　which　would　only　be　about　double　what　you　were
going　to　pay　for　one　year's　pasture。〃

Eagle　Creek　breathed　deeply；　like　a　man　who　has　narrowly　escaped
suffocation。　〃Young　man；　I　b'lieve　you're　a　square　dealer；　and　that　yuh
savvy　the　cow　business。　I've　thought　it　ever　since　yuh　started　t'　work。〃　His
keen　old　eyes　twinkled　at　the　memory　of　Rowdy's　arrival；　and　Rowdy　grinned。
〃I　take　yuh　at　your　word；　and　yuh　can　consider　yourself　in　charge　uh　this
herd　as　it　stands。　Take　it　t'　that　cow　heaven　yuh　tell　aboutand　damn　it；
yuh　won't　be　none　the　worse　for　it！〃

〃We'll　pass　that　up；〃　said　Rowdy　quietly。　〃I'll　take　the　herd　through；
though；　and　I'd　advise　you　to　get　the　rest　on　the　road　as　soon　as　they　can
be　gathered。　It's　a　three…hundred…mile　drive。〃

〃All　right。　From　now　on　it's　up　to　you；〃　Eagle　Creek　told　him　briskly。　〃Take
'em　back　t'　the　Rockin'　R　field；　and　I'll　send　the　wagons　back　t'　you。　Old
Mullen'll　likely　make　a　roarbut　that's　most　all　gove'ment　land　he's　got
fenced；　so　I　guess　I　can　calm　him　down。　Will　yuh　go　near　the　ranch？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　said　Rowdy。　〃It　will　be　the　shortest　way。〃

〃Well；　I'll　give　yuh　some　blank　checks；　an'　you　can　load　up　with　grub　and
anything　else　yuh　need。　I'll　be　over　there　by　the　time　you　are；　and　fix　up
that　duty　business。　Wooden　Shoes'll　have　t'　get　another　outfit　together；　and
get　another　bunch　on　the　trail。　One　good　thingI　got　thirty　days　t'　get　off
what　cattle　is　on　there；　and　thirty　days　uh　grass　and　water'll　put　'em　in
good　shape　for　the　trip。　Wish　this　bunch　was　as　well　fixed。〃

〃That's　what；〃　Rowdy　assented。　〃But　I　think　they'll　make　it；　all　right。〃

〃I'll　likely　want　yuh　to　stay　up　there　and　keep　cases　on　'em。　Any
objections？〃

〃Sure　not！〃　laughed　Rowdy。　〃Only　I'll　want　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　to　stay
with　me。〃

〃Keep　what　men　yuh　want。　Anything　else？〃

〃I　don't　think　of　anything；〃　said　Rowdy。　〃Only　I'd　like　to　have
atalkwith　Conroy。〃　Creek　eyed　him　sharply。　〃Yuh　won't　be　apt　t'　meet
him。　Old　Bill　Brown；　up　home；　would　like　to　see　him；　too。　Bill's　a
perseverin'　old　cuss；　and　wants　to　see　Conroy　so　bad　he's　got　the　sheriff
out　lookin'　for　him。　It's　about　a　bunch　uh　horses　that　was　run　off；　three
years　ago。　Yuh　brought　one　of　'em　back　into　the　country　last　spring；　yuh
mind。〃

Rowdy　and　Pink　looked　at　one　another；　but　said　nothing。

〃Old　Bill；　he　follered　your　back　trail　and　found　out　some　things　he　wanted
t'　know。　Conroy　got　wind　of　it；　though；　and　he　left　the　agency　kind…a
suddint。　No　use　yuh　lookin'　for　him。〃

〃Then　we're　ready　to　hit　the　grit；　I　guess。〃　Rowdy　glanced　again　at　Pink　who
nodded。

〃Well；　I　ain't　stoppin'　yuh；〃　Eagle　Creek　drawled　laconically。　〃S'…long；　and
good　luck　t'　yuh。〃

He　waited　while　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　swung　the　point　back　down　the　hill；
with　Rowdy　helping　them；　quite　unmoved　by　his　sudden　promotion。　When　the
herd　was　fairly　started　on　the　backward　march；　Eagle　Creek　nodded
satisfaction　the　while　he　pried　off　a　corner　of　plug…tobacco。

〃He's　all　right；〃　he　asserted　emphatically。　〃That　boy　suits　me；　from　the
ground　up。　If　he　don't　put　that　deal　through　in　good　shape；　it'll　be　becaus'
it　can't　be　did。〃

Wooden　Shoes；　with　whom　Rowdy　had　always　been　a　prime　favorite；　agreed　with
Dutch　heartiness。　Then；　leaving　the　herd　to　its　new　guardian　they　rode
swiftly　to　overtake　and　turn　back　the　wagons。

〃Three　hundred　miles！　And　part　of　it　across　howling　desert！〃　Rowdy　drew　his
brows　together。　〃It's　a　big　thing　for　me；　all　right；　Pink；　but　it's　sure　a
big　contract　to　take　this　herd　through；　if　anybody　should　happen　to　ask
yuh。〃

〃Oh；　buck　up！　You'll　make　good；　all　rightif　only　these　creeks　wasn't　so
bone　dry！〃

〃Well；　there's　water　enough　in　the　Rocking　R　field　for　to…day；　we'll　throw
'em　in　there　till　tomorrow。　And　I've　a　notion　I　can　find　a　better　trail
across　to　North　Fork　than　the　way　we　came。　I'm　going　to　strike　out　this
afternoon　and　see；　anyway；　if　Quitter　Creek　hasn't　got　water　farther　up。
Once　we　get　up　north　uh　the　home　ranch；　I　can　see　my　way　clear。〃

〃Go　to　it；　boss；〃　Pink　cried　heartily。　〃I　don't　see　how　I'm　goin　t'　keep
from　sassing　yuh；　once　in　a　while；　though。　That's　what　bothers　me。　What'll
happen　if　I　turn　loose　on　yuh；　some　time？〃

〃You'll　get　fired；　I　expect；〃　laughed　Rowdy；　and　rode　off　to　announce　the
news　to　the　rest　of　the　outfit；　who　were　very　unhappy　in　their
mystification。

If　their　reception　of　the　change　of　plans　and　foreman　was　a　bit　profane；　and
their　manner　toward　him　a　bit　familiar；　Rowdy　didn't　mind。　He　knew　that　they
did　not　grudge　him　his　good　luck；　even　while　they　hated　the　long　drive。　He
also　knew　that　they　watched　him　furtively；　for　nothingnot　even
misfortuneis　as　sure　a　test　of　a　man's　character　as　success。　They　liked
Rowdy；　and　they　did　not　believe　this　would　spoil　him；　still；　every　man　of
them　was　secretly　a　bit　anxious。

On　the　trail；　he　rode　in　his　accustomed　place；　and；　so　far　as　appearances
went；　the　party　had　no　foreman。　He　went　forward　and　helped　Pink　take　down
the　fence　that　had　been　so　carefully　put　up　a　few　hours　before；　and　he
whistled　while　he　put　it　in　place　again；　just　as　if　he　had　no　responsibility
in　the　world。　Then　the　cattle　were　left　to　themselves；　and　the　men　rode　down
to　their　old　campground；　marked　by　empty　tin…cans　and　a　trodden　place　where
had　been　the　horse　corral。

Rowdy　swung　down　and　faced　the　men　gravely。　Instinctively　they　stood　at
attention；　waiting　for　what　he　had　to　say；　they　felt　that　the　situation　was
so　far　out　of　the　ordinary　that　a　few　remarks　pertaining　to　their　new
relations　would　not　be　out　of　place。

He　looked　them　over　appraisingly；　and　met　glances　as　grave　as　his　own。
Straight；　capable　fellows　t