rowdy of the cross l-第8节

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asked　to　drink　with　another；　he　must　comply　or　decline　graciously；　if　he
would　not　give　a　direct　insult。

Harry　Conroy　took　three　long　steps　and　laid　a　hand　on　Rowdy's　shouldera
hand　which　Rowdy　shook　off　as　though　it　burned。　〃Say；　stranger；　are　you　too
high…toned　t'　drink　with　a　common　cowpuncher？〃　he　demanded　sharply。

Rowdy　half…turned　toward　him。　〃No；　sir。　But　I'll　be　mighty　thirsty　before　I
drink　with　you。〃　His　voice　was　even；　but　it　cut。

The　room　stilled　on　the　instant；　it　was　as　if　every　man　of　them　had　turned
to　lay　figures。　Harry　Conroy　had　winced　at　sight　of　Rowdy's　facemen　saw
that；　and　some　of　them　wondered。　Pink　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　every　nerve
tightened　for　the　next　move；　and　waited。　It　was　Harryhandsome；　sneering；　a
certain　swaggering　defiance　in　his　pose　who　first　spoke。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？　I　haven't　saw　yuh　for　some　time。　How's
bronco…fighting？　Gone　up　against　any　more　contests？〃　He　laughed
mockinglywith　mouth　and　eyes　maddeningly　like　Jessie's　in　teasing　mood。

Rowdy　could　have　killed　him　for　the　resemblance　alone。　His　lids　drooped
sleepily　over　eyes　that　glittered。　Harry　saw　the　sign；　read　it　for　danger；
but　he　laughed　again。

〃Yuh　ought　to　have　seen　this　bronco…peeler　pull　leather；　boys；〃　he　jeered
recklessly　〃I　like　to　'a'　died。　He　got　piled　up　the　slickest　I　ever　saw；　and
there　was　some　feeble…minded　Canucks　had　money　up　on　him；　too：　He　won't
drink　with　me；　'cause　I　got　off　with　the　purse。　He's　got　a　grouchand　I
don't　know　as　I　blame　him；　he　did　get　let　down　pretty　hard；　for　a　fact。〃

〃Maybe　he　did　pull　leatherbut　he　didn't　cut　none；　like　you　did；　you　damn'
skunk！〃　It　was　PinkPink；　with　big；　long…lashed　eyes　purple　with　rage；　and
with　a　dead…white　streak　around　his　mouth；　and　a　gun　in　his　hand。

Harry　wheeled　toward　him；　and　if　a　new　light　of　fear　crept　into　his　eyes；
his　lips　belied　it　in　a　sneer。　〃Two　of　a　kind！〃　he　laughed。　〃So　that's　the
story　yuh　brought　over　here；　is　it？　Hell　of　a　lot　uh　good　it'll　do　yuh！〃

Something　in　Pink's　face　warned　Rowdy。　Harry's　face　turned　watchfully　from
one　to　the　other。　Evidently　he　considered　Pink　the　more　uncertain　of　the
two；　and　he　was　quite　justified　in　so　thinking。　Pink　was　only　waiting　for　a
cue　before　using　his　gun；　and　when　Pink　once　began；　there　was　no　telling
where　or　when　he　would　leave　off。

While　Harry　stood　uncertain；　Rowdy's　fist　suddenly　spatted　against　his　cheek
with　considerable　force。　He　tumbled；　a　cursing　heap；　against　the　foot…rail
of　the　bar；　scrambled　up　like　a　cata　particularly　vicious　catand　came　at
Rowdy　murderously。　The　Come　Again　would　shortly　have　been　filled　with　the
pungent　haze　of　burned　powder；　only　that　the　bartender　was　a　man…of…action。
He　hated　brawls；　and　it　did　not　matter　to　him　how　just　might　be　the　quarrel；
he　slapped　the　gaping　barrels　of　a　sawed…off　shotgun　across　the　barand　from
the　look　of　it　one　might　imagine　many　disagreeable　things。

〃Drop　it！　Cut　it　out！〃　he　bellowed。　〃Yuh　ain't　going　t'　make　no
slaughter…pen　out　uh　this　joint；　I　tell　yuh。　Put　up　them　guns　or　else　take
'em　outside。　If　you　fellers　are　hell…bent　on　smokin'　each　other　up；　they's
all　kinds　uh　room　outdoors。　Git！　Vamose！　Hike！〃

Conroy　wheeled　and　walked；　straight…backed　and　venomous；　to　the　door。　〃Come
on　out；　if　yuh　ain't　scared；〃　he　sneered。　〃It's　two　agin'　one　and　then　some；
by　the　look　uh　things。　But　I'll　take　yuh　singly　or　in　bunches。　I'm　ready　for
the　whole　damn'　Cross　L　bunch　uh　coyotes。　Come　on；　you　white…livered！〃

Rowdy　rushed　for　him；　with　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　at　his　heels。　He　had
forgotten　that　Harry　Conroy　ever　had　a　sister　of　any　sort　whatsoever。　All　he
knew　was　that　Harry　had　done　him　much　wrong；　of　the　sort　which　comes　near　to
being　unforgivable；　and　that　he　had　sneered　insults　that　no　man　may
overlook。　All　he　thought　of　was　to　get　his　hands　on　him。

Outside；　the　dusky　stillness　made　all　sounds　seem　out　of　place；　the　faint
starlight　made　all　objects　black　and　unfamiliar。　Rowdy　stopped；　just　off　the
threshold；　blinking　at　the　darkness　which　held　his　enemy。　It　was　strange
that　he　did　not　find　him　at　his　elbow；　he　thoughtand　a　suspicion　came　to
him　that　Harry　was　lying　in　wait；　it　would　be　like　him。　He　stepped　out　of
the　yellow　glare　from　a　window　and　stood　in　more　friendly　shade。　Behind　him；
on　the　door…step；　stood　the　other　two；　blinking　as　he　had　done。

A　form　which　he　did　not　recognize　rushed　up　out　of　the　darkness　and
confronted　the　three　belligerently。　〃You're　a…disturbin'　the　peace；〃　he
yelled。　〃We　don't　stand　for　nothing　like　that　in　Camas。　You're　my
prisonersall　uh　yuh。〃　The　edict　seemed　to　include　even　the　bartender；
peering　over　the　shoulder　of　Bob　Nevin；　who　struggled　with　several　others
for　immediate　passage　through　the　doorway。

〃I　guess　not；　pardner；〃　retorted　Pink；　facing　him　as　defiantly　as　though　the
marshal　were　not　twice　his　size。

The　marshal　lunged　for　him；　but　the　Silent　One；　reaching　a　long　arm　from　the
door…step；　rapped　him　smartly　on　the　head　with　his　gun。　The　marshal　squawked
and　went　down　in　a　formless　heap。

〃Come　on；　boys；〃　said　the　Silent　One　coolly。　〃I　think　we'd　better　go。　Your
friend　seems　to　have　vanished　in　thin　air。〃

Rowdy；　grumbling　mightily　over　what　looked　unpleasantly　like　retreat；　was
pushed　toward　his　horse　and　mounted　under　protest。　Likewise　Pink；　who　was
for　staying　and　cleaning　up　the　whole　town。　But　the　Silent　One　was　firm；　and
there　was　that　in　his　manner　which　compelled　obedience。

Harry　Conroy　might　have　been　an　opticaland　auralillusion；　for　all　the
trace　there　was　of　him。　But　when　the　three　rode　out　into　the　little　street；
a　bullet　pinged　close　to　Rowdy's　left　ear；　and　the　red　bark　of　a　revolver
spat　viciously　from　a　black　shadow　beside　the　Come　Again。

Rowdy　and　the　two　turned　and　rode　back；　shooting　blindly　at　the　place；　but
the　shadow　yawned　silently　before　them　and　gave　no　sign。　Then　the　Silent
One；　observing　that　the　marshal　was　getting　upon　a　pair　of　very　unsteady
legs；　again　assumed　the　leadership；　and　fairly　forced　Rowdy　and　Pink　into
the　homeward　trail。



CHAPTER　7

Rowdy　in　a　Tough　Place。

Rowdy；　with　nice　calculation；　met　Miss　Conroy　just　as　she　had　left　the
school…house；　and　noted　with　much　satisfaction　that　she　was　riding　alone。
Miss　Conroy；　if　she　had　been　at　all　observant；　must　have　seen　the　light　of
some　fixed　purpose　shining　in　his　eyes；　for　Rowdy　was　resolved　to　make　her　a
partner　in　his　dreams　of　matters　domestic。　And；　of　a　truth；　his　easy
assurance　was　the　thinnest　of　cloaks　to　hide　his　inner　agitation。

〃The　round…up　just　got　in　yesterday　afternoon；〃　he　told　her；　as　he　swung
into　the　trail　beside　her。　〃We're　going　to　start　out　again　to…morrow；　so
this　is　about　the　only　chance　I'll　have　to　see　you　for　a　while。〃

〃I　knew　the　round…up　must　be　in；〃　said　Miss　Conroy　calmly。　〃I　heard　that　you
were　in　Camas　a　night　or　two　ago。〃

Inwardly；　Rowdy　dodged。　〃We　camped　close　to　Camas；〃　he　conceded　guardedly。
〃A　lot　of　us　fellows　rode　into　town。〃

〃Yes；　so　Harry　told　me；〃　she　said。　〃He　came　over　to　see　me　yesterday。　He　is
going　to　leavehas　already；　in　fact。　He　has　had　a　fine　position　offered　him
by　the　Indian　agent　at　Belknap。　The　agent　used　to　be　a　friend　of　father's。〃
She　looked　at　Rowdy　sidelong；　and　then　went　straight　at　what　was　in　the
minds　of　both。

〃I'm　sorry　to　hear；　Mr。　Vaughan；　that　you　are　on　bad　terms　with　Harry。　What
was　the　trouble？〃　She　turned　her　head　and　smiled　at　himbut　the　smile　did
not　bring　his　lips　to　answer；　it　was　unpleasantly　like　the　way　Harry　smiled
when　he　had　some　deviltry　in　mind。

Rowdy　scented　trouble　and　parried。　〃Men　can't　always　get　along　agreeably
together。〃

〃And　you　disagree　with　a　man　rather　emphatically；　I　should　judge。　Harry　said
you　knocked　him　down。〃　Politeness　ruled　her　voice；　but　cheeks　and　eyes　were
aflame。

〃I　did。　And　of　course　he　told　you　how　he　took　a　shot　at　me　from　a　dark
corner；　outside。〃　Rowdy's　eyes；　it　would　seem；　had　kindled　from　the　fire　in
hers。

〃No；　he　didn'tbut　Iyou　struck　him　first。〃

〃Hitting　a　man　with　your　fist　is　one　thing；〃　said　Rowdy　with　decision。
〃Shooting　at　him　from　ambush　is　another。〃

〃Harry　shouldn't　have　done　that；〃　she　admitted　with　dignity。　〃But　why
wouldn't　you　take　a　drink　with　him？　Not　that　I　approve　of　drinkingI　wish
Harry　wouldn't　do　such　thingsbut　he　said　it　was　an　insult　the　way　you
refused。〃

〃Jessie〃

〃Miss　Conroy；　please。〃

〃Jessie〃he　repeated　the　name　stubbornly〃I　think　we'd　better　drop　that
subject。　You　don't　understand　the　case；　and；　anyway；　I　didn't　come　here　to
discuss　Harry。　Our　trouble　is　long　standing；　and　if　I　insulted　him　you　ought
to　know　I　had　a　reason。　I　never　came　whining　to　you　about　him；　and　it　don't
speak　well　for　him　that　he　hot…footed　over　to　you　with　his　version。　I
suppose　he'd　heard　about　meergoing　to　see　you；　and　wanted　to　queer　me。
I　hope　you'll　take　my　word　for　it；　Jessie；　that　I've　never　harmed　him；　all
the　trouble　he's　made　for　himself；　one　way　and　another。

〃But　what　I　came　over　for　to…day　concerns　just　you　and　me。　I　wanted　to　tell
you　thatto　ask　you　if　you'll　marry　me。　I　might　put　it　more　artistic；
Jessie；　but　that's　what　I　mean；　andI　mean　all　the　things　I'd　like　to　say
and　can't。〃　He　stopped　a