rowdy of the cross l-第14节

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interposed　quickly。

〃Well；　he　might；〃　argued　Pink。　〃If　I　was　making　a　quick　get…away；　and　my
horse　was　about　played　outlike　his　was　apt　t'　beI'd　sure　round　up　the
first　bunch　I　seen；　and　catch　me　a　fresh　oneif　I　was　a　horse…thief。　I'll
bet　yuh〃

The　sheriff　had　put　down　his　cup　of　coffee。　〃Is　there　any　place　where　a　man
could　corral　a　bunch　on　the　quiet？〃　he　asked　crisply。　It　was　evident　that
Pink's　theory　had　impressed　him。

〃Yes；　there　is。　There's　an　old　corral　up　at　the　fordDrowning　Ford；　they
call　itthat　I'd　use；　if　it　was　me。　It　was　an　old　line　camp；　and　there's　a
cabin。　It's　down　on　the　flat　by　the　creek；　and　it's　as　God…forsaken　a　place
as　a　man'd　want　t'　hide　in；　or　t'　change　mounts。〃　Pink　hitched　up　his
chapbelt　and　looked　across　at　Rowdy。　He　was　aching　for　a　sight　of　Harry
Conroy　in　handcuffs；　and　he　was　certain　that　Rowdy　felt　the　same。　〃If　it　was
me；〃　he　added　speculatively；　〃and　I　thought　I　was　far　enough　in　the　lead；
I'd　stop　there　till　morning。〃

〃How　far　is　it　from　here？〃　demanded　the　sheriff；　standing　up。

Pink　told　him　he　guessed　it　was　five　miles。　Whereupon　the　sheriff　announced
his　intention　of　going　up　there　at　once；　and　Pink　hinted　rather　strongly
that　he　would　like　to　go　with　them。　The　sheriff　did　not　know　Pink；　he　looked
down　at　his　slimness　and　at　the　yellow　fringe　of　curls　showing　under　his　hat
brim；　at　his　pink　cheeks　and　dimples　and　girlish　hands；　and　threw　back　his
head　in　a　loud　ha！　ha！

Pink　asked　him　politely；　but　rather　stiffly；　what　there　was　funny　about　it。
The　sheriff　laughed　louder　and　longer；　then；　being　the　sort　of　man　who　likes
a　joke　now　and　then；　even　in　the　way　of　business；　he　solemnly　deputized
Pink；　and　patted　him　on　the　shoulder　and　told　him　gravely　that　they　couldn't
possibly　do　without　him。

It　looked　for　a　minute　as　if　Pink　were　going　at　him　with　his　fistsbut　he
didn't。　He　reflected　that　one　must　not　offer　violence　to　an　officer　of　the
law；　and　that；　being　made　a　deputy；　he　would　have　to　go；　anyway；　so　he
gritted　his　teeth　and　buckled　on　his　gun；　and　went　along　sulkily。

They　rode　silently；　for　the　most　part；　and　swiftly。

Even　in　the　dusk　they　could　see　where　a　band　of　horses　had　been　driven　at　a
gallop　along　the　creek　bank。　When　they　neared　the　place　it　was　dark。　Pink
pulled　up　and　spoke　for　the　first　time　since　leaving　the　tent。

〃We　better　tie　up　our　horses　here　and　walk；〃　he　said；　quite　unconscious　of
the　fact　that　he　was　usurping　the　leadership；　and　thinking　only　of　their
quest。

But　the　sheriff　was　old　at　the　business；　and　not　too　jealous　of　his
position。　He　signed　to　his　deputy　proper；　and　they　dismounted。

When　they　started　on；　Pink　was　ahead。　The　sheriff　observed　that　Pink's　gun
still　swung　in　its　scabbard　at　his　hip；　and　he　grinnedbut　that　was　because
he　didn't　know　Pink。　That　the　gun　swung　at　his　hip　would　have　been　quite
enough　for　any　one　who　did　know　him；　it　didn't　take　Pink　all　day　to　get　into
action

Ten　rods　from　the　corral；　which　they　could　distinguish　as　a　black　blotch　in
the　sparse　willow　growth；　Pink　turned　and　stopped　them。　〃I　know　the　layout
here；〃　he　whispered。　〃I'll　just　sneak　ahead　and　rubber　around。　You　Rubes
sound　like　the　beginning　of　a　stampede；　in　this　brush。〃

The　sheriff　had　never　before　been　called　a　Rubeto　his　face；　at　least。　The
audacity　took　his　breath；　and　when　he　opened　his　mouth　for　scathing　speech；
Pink　was　not　there。　He　had　slipped　away；　like　a　slim；　elusive　shadow；　and
the　sheriff　did　not　even　know　the　exact　direction　of　his　going。　There　was
nothing　for　it　but　to　wait。

In　five　minutes　Pink　appeared　with　a　silent　suddenness　that　startled　them
more　than　they　would　like　to　own。

〃He's　somewheres　around；〃　he　announced；　in　a　murmur　that　would　not　carry　ten
feet。　〃He's　got　a　horse　in　the　corral；　and；　from　the　sound；　he's　got　him　all
saddled；　and　the　gate's　tied　shut　with　a　rope。〃

〃How　d'yuh　know？〃　grunted　the　sheriff　crossly。

〃Felt　of　it；　yuh　chump。　He's　turned　the　bunch　loose　and　kept　up　a　fresh　one；
like　I　said　he　would。　It's　blame　dark；　but　I　could　see　the　horsea　big
white　devil。　It's　him　yuh　hear　makin'　all　that　racket。　If　he　gits　away
now〃

〃Well；　we　didn't　come　for　a　chin…whackin'　bee；〃　snapped　the　sheriff。　〃I　come
out　here　t'　git　him。〃

Pink　gritted　his　teeth　again；　and　wished　the　sheriff　was　just　a　man；　so　he
could　lick　him。　He　led　them　forward　without　a　word；　thinking　that　Rowdy
wanted　Harry　Conroy　captured。

The　sheriff　circled　warily　the　corral；　peered　through　the　rails　at　the　great
white　horse　that　ran　here　and　there；　whinnying　occasionally　for　the　band；
and　heard　the　creak　of　leather　and　the　rattle　of　the　bit。　Pink　was　right；
the　horse　was　saddled；　ready　for　immediate　flight。

〃Maybe　he's　in　the　cabin；〃　he　whispered；　coming　up　where　Pink　stood
listening　tensely　at　all　the　little　night　sounds。　Pink　turned　and　crept
silently　to　the　right；　keeping　in　the　deepest　shade；　while　the　others
followed　willingly。　They　were　beginning　to　see　the　great　advantage　of　having
Pink　along；　even　if　he　had　called　them　Rubes。

The　cabin　door　yawned　wide　open；　and　creaked　weirdly　as　the　light　wind　moved
it；　the　interior　was　black　and　silentsuspiciously　silent；　in　the　opinion
of　the　sheriff。　He　waited　for　some　time　before　venturing　in；　fearing　an
ambush。　Then　he　caught　the　flicker　of　a　shielded　match；　called　out　to　Conroy
to　surrender；　and　leveled　his　gun　at　the　place。

There　was　no　answer　but　the　faint　shuffle　of　stealthy　feet　on　the　board
floor。　The　sheriff　called　another　warning；　cocked　his　gunand　came　near
shooting　Pink；　who　walked　composedly　out　of　the　door　into　the　sheriff's
astonished　face。　The　sheriff　had　been　sure　that　Pink　was　just　behind　him。

〃What　the　hell　〃　began　the　sheriff　explosively。

〃He　ain't　here；〃　said　Pink　simply。　〃I　crawled　in　the　window　and　hunted　the
place　over。〃

The　sheriff　glared　at　him　dumbly；　he　could　not　reconcile　Pink's　daredevil
behavior　with　Pink's　innocent；　girlish　appearance。

〃I　tell　yuh　the　corral's　what　we　want　t'　keep　cases　on；〃　Pink　added
insistently。　〃He's　sure　somewheres　aroundI'd　gamble　on　it。　He　saddled　that
horse　t'　git　away　on。　That　horse　is　sure　the　key　t'　this　situation；
old…timer。　If　you　fellows'll　keep　cases　on　the　gate；　I'll　cover　the　rear。〃

He　made　his　way　quietly　to　the　back　of　the　corral；　inwardly　much　amused　at
the　tractability　of　the　sheriff；　who　took　his　deputy　obediently　to　watch　the
gate。

Pink　squatted　comfortably　in　the　shade　of　a　willow　and　wished　he　dared
indulge　in　a　cigarette；　and　wondered　what　scheme　Harry　was　trying　to　play。

Fifty　feet　away　the　big　white　horse　still　circled　round　and　round；　rattling
his　bridle　impatiently　and　shaking　the　saddle　in　an　occasional　access　of
rage；　and　whinnying　lonesomely　out　into　the　gloom。

So　they　waited　and　waited；　and　peered　into　the　shadows；　and　listened　to　the
trampling　horse　fretting　for　freedom　and　his　mates。

The　cook　had　just　called　breakfast　when　Pink　dashed　up　to　the　tent；　flung
himself　from　his　horse；　and　confronted　Rowdya　hollow…eyed；　haggard　Rowdy
who　had　not　slept　all　night；　and　whose　eyes　questioned　anxiously。

〃Well；〃　Rowdy　said；　with　what　passed　for　composure；　〃did　you　get　him？〃

Pink　leaned　against　his　horse；　with　one　hand　reaching　up　and　gripping
tightly　the　horn　of　the　saddle。　His　cheeks　held　not　a　trace　of　color；　and
his　eyes　were　full　of　a　great　horror。

〃They're　bringin'　him　t'　camp；〃　he　answered　huskily。　〃We　found　a　horsea
big　white　horse　they　call　the　Fern　Outlaw〃the　Silent　One　started　and　came
closer；　listening　intently；　evidently　he　knew　the　horse〃saddled　in　the
corral；　and　the　gate　tied　shut。　We　dubbed　around　a　while；　but　we　didn't
findHarry。　So　we　camped　down　by　the　corral　and　waited。　We　set　there　all
nightand　the　horse　faunching　around　inside　something　fierce。　Whenit
come　daybreakI　seen　somethingby　the　fence；　inside。　It　wasHarry。〃　Pink
shivered　and　moistened　his　dry　lips。　〃That　Fern　Outlawsome　uh　the　boys
knowis　a　devil　t'　mount。　He'd　got　Harry　downhell；　Rowdy！　itit　was
sureawful。　He'd　been　there　all　nightand　that　horse　stomping。　〃

〃Shut　up！〃　Rowdy　turned　all　at　once　deathly　sick。　He　had　once　seen　a　man　who
had　been　trampled　by　a　maddened；　man…killing　horse。　It　had　not　been　a　pretty
sight。　He　sat　down　weakly　and　covered　his　face　with　his　shaking　hands。

The　others　stood　around　horrified；　muttering　disjointed；　shocked　sentences。

Pink　lifted　his　head　from　where　it　had　fallen　upon　his　arm。　〃One　thing；
RowdyI　done。　You　can　tell　Jessie。　I　shot　that　horse。〃

Rowdy　dropped　his　hands　and　stood　up。　Yes；　he　must　tell　Jessie。

〃You'll　have　to　take　the　herd　on；〃　he　told　Pink　in　his　masterful　way。　〃I'll
catch　you　to…morrow　some　time。　I've　got　to　go　back　and　tell　Jessie。　You　know
the　trail　I　was　going　to　takestraight　across　to　Wild　Horse　Lake。　From
there　you　strike　across　to　North　Forkand　if　I　don't　overtake　you　on　the
way；　I'll　hit　camp　some　time　in　the　night。　It's　all　plain　sailing。〃



CHAPTER　13

Rowdy　Finds　Happiness。

Miss　Conroy　was　rather　listlessly　endeavoring　to　persuade　the　First　Reader
class　that　〃catch〃　should　not　be　pronounced　〃ketch；〃　when　she　saw　Rowdy　ride
past　the　window。　Intuition　of　something　amiss　sent　her　to　the　door　before　he
reached　i