rowdy of the cross l-第13节
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relations would not be out of place。
He looked them over appraisingly； and met glances as grave as his own。
Straight； capable fellows they were； every man of them。
〃Boys；〃 he began impressively； 〃you all know that from to…day on you're
working under my orders。 I never was boss of anything but the cayuse I
happened to have under me； and I'm going to extract all the honey there is
in the situation。 Maybe I'll never be boss againbut at present I'm it。 I
want you fellows to remember that important fact； and treat me with proper
respect。 From now on you can call me Mr。 Vaughan； 'Rowdy' doesn't go； except
on a legal holiday。
〃Furthermore； I'm not going to get out at daylight and catch up my own
horse； I'll let yuh take turns being flunky； and I'll expect yuh to saddle
my horse every morning and noon； and bring him to the cook…tentand hold my
stirrup for me。 Also； you are expected； at all times and places； to
anticipate my wants and fall over yourselves waiting on me。 〃You're just
common； ordinary； forty…dollar cow…punchers； and if I treat yuh white； it's
because I pity yuh for not being up where I am。 Remember； vassals； that I'm
your superior； mentally； morally； socially〃
〃Chap him！〃 yelled Pink； and made for him 〃I'll stand for a lot； but don't
yuh ever think I'm a vassal！〃
〃Mutiny is strictly prohibited！〃 he thundered。 〃Villains； beware！
Gadzookserlet's have a swim before the wagons come！〃
They laughed and made for the creek； feeling rather crestfallen and a bit
puzzled。
〃If I had an outfit like this to run； and a three hundred…mile drive to
make；〃 Bob Nevin remarked to the Silent One； 〃blessed if I'd make a josh of
it！ I'd cultivate the corrugated brow and the stiff spineme！〃
〃My friend；〃 the Silent One responded； 〃don't be too hasty in your
judgment。 It's because the corrugated brow will come later that he laughs
now。 You'll presently find yourself accomplishing the impossible in
obedience to the flicker of Rowdy Vaughan's eyelids。 Man； did you never
observe the set of his head； and the look of his eye？ Rowdy Vaughan will get
more out of this crowd than any man ever did； and if he fails； he'll fail
with the band playing 'Hot Time。'〃
〃Maybe so；〃 Bob admitted； not quite convinced； 〃but I wonder if he realizes
what he's up against。〃 At which the Silent One only smiled queerly as he
splashed into the water。
After dinner Rowdy caught up the blue roan； which was his favorite for a
hard ridehe seemed to have forgotten his speech concerning
〃flunkies〃and rode away up the coulee which had brought them into the
field the night before。 The boys watched him go； speculated a lot； and went
to sleep as the best way of putting in the afternoon。
Pink； who knew quite well what was in Rowdy's mind； said nothing at all； it
is possible that he was several degrees more jealous of the dignity of
Rowdy's position than was Rowdy himself； who had no time to think of
anything but the best way of getting the herd to Canada。 He would like to
have gone along； only that Rowdy did not ask him to。 Pink assured himself
that it was best for Rowdy not to start playing any favorites； and curled
down in the bed…tent with the others and went to sleep。
It was late that night when Rowdy crept silently into his corner of the
tent； but Pink was awake； and whispered to know if he found water。 Rowdy's
〃Yes〃 was a mere breath； but it was enough。
At sunrise the herd trailed up the Rocking R coulee； and Pink and the Silent
One pointed them north of the old trail。
CHAPTER 12
〃You Can Tell Jessie。〃
In the days that followed Rowdy was much alone。 There was water to hunt； far
ahead of the herd； together with the most practicable way of reaching it。 He
did not take the shortest way across that arid country and leave the next
day's camping…place to chanceas Wooden Shoes had done。 He felt that there
was too much at stake； and the cattle were too thin for any more dry drives；
long drives there were； but such was his generalship that there was always
water at the end。
He rode miles and miles that he might have shirked； and he never slept until
the next day's move； at least； was clearly defined in his mind and he felt
sure that he could do no better by going another route。
These lonely rides gave him over to the clutch of thoughts he had never
before harbored in his sunny nature。 Grim； ugly thoughts they were； and not
nice to remember afterward。 They swung persistently around a central
subject； as the earth revolves around the sun； and； like the earth； they
turned and turned on the axis of his love for a woman。
In particularly ugly moods he thought that if Harry Conroy were caught and
convicted of horsestealing； Jessie must perforce admit his guilt and general
unworthinessRowdy called it general cussednessand Rowdy be vindicated in
her eyes。 Then she would marry him； and go with him to the Red Deer country
andair…castles for miles！ When he awoke to the argument again； he would
tell himself savagely that if he could； by any means； bring
about Conroy's speedy conviction； he would do so。〃
This was unlike Rowdy； whose generous charity toward his enemies came near
being a fault。 He might feel any amount of resentment for wrong done； but
cold…blooded revenge was not in him； that he had suffered so much at
Conroy's hands was due largely to the fact that Conroy was astute enough to
read Rowdy aright； and unscrupulous enough to take advantage。 Add to that a
smallminded jealousy of Rowdy's popularity and horsemanship； one can easily
imagine him doing some rather nasty things。 Perhaps the meanest； and the one
which rankled most in Rowdy's memory； was the cutting of Rowdy's latigo just
before a riding contest； in which the purse and the glory of a
championship…belt seemed in danger of going to Rowdy。
Rowdy had got a fall that crippled him for weeks； and Harry had won the
purse and beltand the enmity of several men better than he。 For though
morally sure of his guilt； no one could prove that he had cut the strap； and
so he got off unpunished； except that Pink thrashed hima bit
unscientifically； it is true； since he resorted to throwing rocks toward the
last； but with a thoroughness worthy even of Pink。
But in moods less ugly he shrank from the hurt that must be Jessie's if she
should discover the truth。 Jessie's brother a convicted thief serving his
sentence in Deer Lodge！ The thought was horrible； it was brutal cruelty。 If
he could only know where to look for that lad； he'd help him out of the
country。 It was no good shutting him up in jail； that wouldn't help him any；
or make him better。 He hoped he would get offgo somewhere； where they
couldn't find him； and stay there。
He wondered where he was； and if he had money enough to see him through。 He
might be no goodhe sure wasn't！but he was Jessie's brother； and Jessie
believed in him and thought a lot of him。 It would be hard lines for that
little girl if Harry were caught。 Bill Brown； the meddlesome old freak！he
didn't blame Jessie for not wanting to stop there that night。 She did just
the right thing。
With all this going round and round； monotonously persistent in his brain；
and with the care of four thousand lean kine and more than a hundred
saddle…horsesto say nothing of a dozen overworked； fretful
cow…punchersRowdy acquired the 〃corrugated brow〃 fast enough without any
cultivation。
The men were as the Silent One had predicted。 They made drives that lasted
far into the night； stood guard； and got along with so little sleep that it
was scarce worth mention； and did many things that shaved close the
impossiblejust because Rowdy looked at them straightly； with half…closed
lids； and asked them if they thought they could。
Pink began to speak of their new foreman as 〃Moses〃； and when the curious
asked him why； told them soberly that Rowdy could 〃hit a rock with his quirt
and start a creek running bank full。〃 When Rowdy heard that； he thought of
the miles of weary searching； and wished that it were true。
They had left the home ranch a day's drive behind them； and were going
north。 Rowdy had denied himself the luxury of riding over to see Jessie； and
he was repenting the sacrifice in deep gloom and sincerity； when two men
rode into camp and dismounted； as if they had a right。 The taller onewith
brawn and brain a…plenty； by the look of himannounced that he was the
sheriff； and would like to stop overnight。
Rowdy gave him welcome half…heartedly； and questioned him craftily。 A
sheriff is not a detective； and does not mind giving harmless information；
so Rowdy learned that they had traced Conroy thus far； and believed that he
was ahead of them and making for Canada。 He had dodged them cleverly two or
three times； but now they had reason to believe that he was not more than
half a day's ride before them。 They wanted to know if the outfit had seen
any one that day； or sign of any one having passed that way。
Rowdy shook his head。
〃I bet it was Harry Conroy driving that little bunch uh horses up the creek；
just as we come over the ridge；〃 spoke Pink eagerly。
Rowdy could have choked him。 〃He wouldn't be driving a lot of horses；〃 he
interposed quickly。
〃Well； he might；〃 a
