wyoming(怀俄明)-第11章
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They rode in close formation； to lessen the chance of an ambuscade。
Bannister alone chatted at his debonair ease； ignoring the responsibility
they felt for his safety。
〃I got my ride； after all；〃 he presently chuckled。 〃To be sure； I wasn't
expecting Mr。 McWilliams to chaperon us。 But that's an added pleasure。〃
〃Would it be an added pleasure to get bumped off to kingdom come？〃
drawled the foreman； giving a reluctant admiration to his aplomb。
〃Thinking of those willing boys of yours again； are you？〃 laughed
Bannister。 〃They're ce'tainly a heap prevalent with their hardware； but
their hunting don't seem to bring home any meat。〃
〃By the way； how IS your ankle； Mr。 Bannister？ I forgot to ask。〃 This
shot from the young woman。
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He enjoyed it with internal mirth。 〃They did happen on the target that
time；〃 he admitted。 〃Oh； it's getting along fine； but I aim to do most of my
walking on horseback for a while。〃
They swept past the first dangerous grove of cottonwoods in safety；
and rounded the boundary fence corner。
〃They're in that bunch of pines over there；〃 said the foreman； after a
single sweep of his eyes in that direction。
〃Yes； I see they are。 You oughtn't to let your boys wear red bandannas
when they go gunning； Miss Messiter。 It's an awful careless habit。〃
Helen herself could see no sign of life in the group of pines； but she
knew their keen； trained eyes had found what hers could not。 Riding with
one or another of her cowboys； she had often noticed how infallibly they
could read the country for miles around。 A scattered patch on a distant
hillside； though it might be a half…hour's ride from them； told them a great
deal more than seemed possible。 To her the dark spots sifted on that slope
meant scrub underbrush； if there was any meaning at all in them。 But her
riders could tell not only whether they were alive； but could differentiate
between sheep and cattle。 Indeed； McWilliams could nearly always tell
whether they were HER cattle or not。 He was unable to explain to her how
he did it。 By a sort of instinct； she supposed。
The pines were negotiated in safety； and on the part of the men with a
carelessness she could not understand。 For after they had passed there was
a spot between her shoulder…blades that seemed to tingle in expectation of
a possible bullet boring its way through。 But she would have died rather
than let them know how she felt。
Perhaps Bannister understood； however； for he remarked casually： 〃I
wouldn't be ambling past so leisurely if I was riding alone。 It makes a heap
of difference who your company is； too。 Those punchers wouldn't take a
chance at me now for a million dollars。〃
〃No； they're some haidstrong； but they ain't plumb locoed；〃 agreed
Mac。
Fifteen minutes later Helen drew up at the line corner。 〃We'll part
company here； Mr。 Bannister。 I don't think there is any more danger from
my men。〃
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〃Before we part there is something I want to say。 I hold that a man has
as much right to run sheep on these hills as cows。 It's government land；
and neither one of us owns it。 It's bound to be a case of the survival of the
fittest。 If sheep are hardier and more adapted to the country； then cows
have got to vamos。 That's nature； as it looks to me。 The buffalo and the
antelope have gone； and I guess cows have got to take their turn。〃
Her scornful eyes burned him。 〃You came to tell me that； did you？
Well； I don't believe a word of it。 I'll not yield my rights without a fight。
You may depend on that。〃
〃Here； too；〃 nodded her foreman。 〃I'm with my boss clear down the
line。 And as soon as she lets me turn loose my six…gun； you'll hear it pop；
seh。〃
〃I have not a doubt of it； Mr。 McWilliams；〃 returned the sheepman
blithely。 〃In the meantime I was going to say that though most of my
interests are in sheep instead of cattle〃
〃I thought most of your interests were in other people's property；〃
interrupted the young woman。
〃It goes into sheep ultimately；〃 he smiled。 〃Now； what I am trying to
get at is this： I'm in debt to you a heap； Miss Messiter； and since I'm not all
yellow cur； I intend to play fair with you。 I have ordered my sheep back
across the deadline。 You can have this range to yourself for your cattle。
The fight's off so far as we personally are concerned。〃
A hint of deeper color touched her cheeks。 Her manner had been
cavalier at best； for the most part frankly hostile； and all the time the man
was on an errand of good…will。 Certainly he had scored at her expense； and
she was ashamed of herself。
〃Y'u mean that you're going to respect the deadline？ asked Mac in
surprise。
〃I didn't say quite that；〃 explained the sheepman。 〃What I said was that
I meant to keep on my side of it so far as the Lazy D cattle are concerned。
I'll let your range alone。〃
〃But y'u mean to cross it down below where the Bar Double…E cows
run？〃
Bannister's gay smile touched the sardonic face。 〃Do you invite the
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public to examine your hand when you sit into a game of poker； Mr。
McWilliams？〃
〃You're dead right。 It's none of my business what y'u do so long as y'u
keep off our range；〃 admitted the foreman。 〃And next time the
conversation happens on Mr。 Bannister； I'll put in my little say…so that he
ain't all black。〃
〃That's very good of you； sir；〃 was the other's ironical retort。
The girl's gauntleted hand offered itself impulsively。 〃We can't be
friends under existing circumstances； Mr。 Bannister。 But that does not alter
the fact that I owe you an apology。 You came as a peace envoy； and one of
my men shot at you。 Of course； he did not understand the reason why you
came； but that does not matter。 I did not know your reason myself； and I
know I have been very inhospitable。〃
〃Are you shaking hands with Ned Bannister the sheepman or Ned
Bannister the outlaw？〃 asked the owner of that name； with a queer little
smile that seemed to mock himself。
〃With Ned Bannister the gentleman。 If there is another side to him I
don't know it personally。〃
He flushed underneath the tan； but very plainly with pleasure。 〃Your
opinions are right contrary to Hoyle； ma'am。 Aren't you aware that a
sheepman is the lowest thing that walks？ Ask Mr。 McWilliams。〃
〃I have known stockmen of that opinion； but〃
The foreman's sentence was never finished。 From a clump of bushes a
hundred yards away came the crack of a rifle。 A bullet sang past； cutting a
line that left on one side of it Bannister； on the other Miss Messiter and her
foreman。 Instantly the two men slid from their horses on the farther side；
dragged down the young woman behind the cover of the broncos； and
arranged the three ponies so as to give her the greatest protection available。
Somehow the weapons that garnished them had leaped to their hands
before their feet touched the ground。
〃That coyote isn't one of our men。 I'll back that opinion high；〃 said
McWilliams promptly。
〃Who is he？〃 the girl whispered。
〃That's what we're going to find out pretty soon；〃 returned Bannister
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grimly。 〃Chances are it's me he is trying to gather。 Now； I'm going to make
a break for that cottonwood。 When I go； you better run up a white
handkerchief and move back from the firing…line。 Turn Buck loose when
you leave。 He'll stay around and come when I whistle。〃
He made a run for it； zigzagging through the sage…brush so swiftly as
to offer the least certain mark possible for a sharpshooter。 Yet twice the
rifle spoke before he reached the cottonwood。
Meanwhile Mac had fastened the handkerchief of his mistress on the
end of a switch he had picked up and was edging out of range。 His tense；
narrowed gaze never left the bush…clump from which the shots were being
pumped； and he was careful during their retreat to remain on the danger
side of the road； in order to cover Helen。
〃I guess Bannister's right。 He don't want us； whoever he is。〃
And even as he murmured it； the wind of a bullet lifted his hat from
his head。 He picked it up and examined it。 The course of the bullet was
marked by a hole in the wide brim； and two more in the side and crown。
〃He ce'tainly ventilated it proper。 I reckon； ma'am； we'll make a run for
it。 Lie low on the pinto's neck； with your haid on the off side。 That's right。
Let him out。〃
A mile and a half farther up the road Mac reined in； and made the
Indian peace…sign。 Two dejected figures came over the hill and resolved
themselves into punchers of the Lazy D。 Each of them trailed a rifle by his
side。
〃You're a fine pair of ring…tailed snorters； ain't y'u？〃 jeered the foreman。
〃Got to get gay and go projectin' round on the shoot after y'u got your
orders to stay hitched。 Anything to say for yo'selves？〃
If they had it was said very silently。
〃Now； Miss Messiter is going to pass it up this time； but from now on
y'u don't go off on any private massacrees while y'u punch at the Lazy D。
Git that？ This hyer is the last call for supper in the dining…cah。 If y'u miss
it； y'u'll feed at some other chuckhouse。〃 Suddenly the drawl of his
sarcasm vanished。 His voice carried the ring of peremptory command。
〃Jim； y'u go back to the ranch with Miss Messiter； AND KEEP YOUR
EYES OPEN。 Missou； I need y'u。 We're going back。 I reckon y'u better
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