wyoming(怀俄明)-第8章
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put it to yuh straight。 Long as yuh live you'll be sorry for this。〃
And with that he wheeled away。
She turned to her new foreman and found him less radiant than she
could have desired。 〃I'm right sorry y'u did that。 I'm afraid y'u'll make
trouble for yourself；〃 he said quietly。
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know myself just why。〃 He hesitated before adding： 〃They say
him and Bannister is thicker than they'd ought to be。 It's a cinch that he's in
cahoots somehow with that Shoshone bunch of bad men。〃
〃Butwhy； that's ridiculous。 Only this morning he was trying to kill
Bannister himself。〃
〃That's what I don't just savvy。 There's a whole lot about that business
I don't get next to。 I guess Bannister is at the head of them。 Everybody
seems agreed about that。 But the whole thing is a tangle of contradiction to
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me。 I've milled it over a heap in my mind； too。〃
〃What are some of the contradictions？〃
〃Well； here's one right off the bat； as we used to say back in the States。
Bannister is a great musician； they claim； fine singer； and all that。 Now I
happen to know he can't sing any more than a bellowing yearling。〃
〃How do you know？〃 she asked； her eyes shining with interest。
〃Because I heard him try it。 'Twas one day last summer when I was out
cutting trail of a bunch of strays down by Dead Cow Creek。 The day was
hot； and I lay down behind a cottonwood and dropped off to sleep。 When I
awakened it didn't take me longer'n an hour to discover what had woke me。
Somebody on the other side of the creek was trying to sing。 It was
ce'tainly the limit。 Pretty soon he come out of the brush and I seen it was
Bannister。〃
〃You're sure it was Bannister？〃
〃If seeing is believing； I'm sure。〃
〃And was his singing really so bad？〃
〃I'd hate ever to hear worse。〃
〃Was he singing when you saw him？〃
〃No； he'd just quit。 He caught sight of my pony grazing； and hunted
cover real prompt。〃
〃Then it might have been another man singing in the thicket。〃 〃It
might； but it wasn't。 Y'u see； I'd followed him through the bush by his song；
and he showed up the moment I expected him。〃
〃Still there might have been another man there singing。〃
〃One chance in a million；〃 he conceded。
A sudden hope flamed up like tow in her heart。 Perhaps； after all； Ned
Bannister was not the leader of the outlaws。 Perhaps somebody else was
masquerading in his name； using Bannister's unpopularity as a shield to
cover his iniquities。 Still； this was an unlikely hypothesis； she had to admit。
For why should he allow his good name to be dragged in the dust without
any effort to save it？ On a sudden impulse the girl confided her doubt to
McWilliams。
〃You don't suppose there can be any mistake； do you？ Somehow I can't
think him as bad as they say。 He looks awfully reckless； but one feels one
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could trust his face。〃
〃Same here；〃 agreed the new foreman。 〃First off when I saw him my
think was； 'I'd like to have that man backing my play when I'm sitting in
the game with Old Man Hard Luck reaching out for my blue chips。'〃
〃You don't think faces lie； do you？〃
〃I've seen them that did； but； gen'rally speaking； tongues are a heap
likelier to get tangled with the truth。 But I reckon there ain't any doubt
about Bannister。 He's known over all this Western country。〃
The young woman sighed。 〃I'm afraid you're right。〃
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CHAPTER 5。 THE DANCE AT
FRASER'S
〃Heard tell yet of the dance over to Fraser's？〃
He was a young man of a brick red countenance and he wore loosely
round his neck the best polka dot silk handkerchief that could be bought in
Gimlet Butte； also such gala attire as was usually reserved only for events
of importance。 Sitting his horse carelessly in the plainsman's indolent
fashion； he asked his question of McWilliams in front of the Lazy D
bunkhouse。
〃Nope。 When does the shindig come off？〃
〃Friday night。 Big thing。 Y'u want to be there。 All y'u lads。〃
〃Mebbe some of us will ride over。〃
He of the polka dot kerchief did not appear quite satisfied。 His glance
wandered toward the house； as it had been doing occasionally since the
moment of his arrival。
〃Y'u bet this dance is ace high； Mac。 Fancy costumes and masks。 Y'u
can rent the costumes over to Slauson's for three per。 Texas； he's going to
call the dances。 Music from Gimlet Butte。 Y'u want to get it tucked away
in your thinker that this dance ain't on the order of culls。 No； sirree； it's
cornfed。〃
〃Glad to hear of it。 I'll cipher out somehow to be there； Slim。〃
Slim's glance took in the ranchhouse again。 He had ridden twenty…
three miles out of his way to catch a glimpse of the newly arrived mistress
of the Lazy D； the report of whose good looks and adventures had traveled
hand in hand through many canons even to the heart of the Tetons。 It had
been on Skunk Creek that he had heard of her three days before； and now
he had come to verify the tongue of rumor； to see her quite casually； of
course； and do his own appraising。 It began to look as if he were going to
have to ride off without a glimpse of her。
He nodded toward the house； turning a shade more purple than his
native choleric hue。 〃Y'u want to bring your boss with y'u； Mac。 We been
hearing a right smart lot about her and the boys would admire to have her
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present。 It's going to be strictly according to Hoyleno rough…house plays
go； y'understand。〃
〃I'll speak to her about it。〃 Mac's deep amusement did not reach the
surface。 He was quite well aware that Slim was playing for time and that
he was too bashful to plump out the desire that was in him。 〃Great the way
cows are jumpin'； ain't it？〃
〃Sure。 Well； I'll be movin' along to Slauson's。 I just drapped in on my
way。 Thought mebbe y'u hadn't heard tell of the dance。〃
〃Much obliged。 Was it for old man Slauson y'u dug up all them togs；
Slim？ He'll ce'tainly admire to see y'u in that silk tablecloth y'u got round
your neck。〃
Slim's purple deepened again。 〃Y'u go to grass； Mac。 I don't aim to ask
y'u to be my valley yet awhile。〃
〃C'rect。 I was just wondering do all the Triangle Bar boys ride the
range so handsome？〃
〃Don't y'u worry about the Triangle Bar boys；〃 advised the
embarrassed Slim； gathering up his bridle reins。
With one more reluctant glance in the direction of the house he rode
away。 When he reached the corral he looked back again。 His gaze showed
him the boyish foreman doubled up with laughter； also the sweep of a
white skirt descending from the piazza。
〃Now； ain't that hoodooed luck？〃 the aggrieved rider of the Triangle
Bar outfit demanded of himself； 〃I made my getaway about three shakes
too soon； by gum！〃
Her foreman was in the throes of mirth when Helen Messiter reached
him。
〃Include me in the joke；〃 she suggested。
〃Oh； I was just thinkin'；〃 he explained inadequately。
〃Does it always take you that way？〃
〃About these boys that drop in so frequent on business these days。
Funny how fond they're getting of the Lazy D。 There was that stock
detective happened in yesterday to show how anxious he was about your
cows。 Then the two Willow Creek riders that wanted a job punching for
y'u； not to mention mention the Shoshone miner and the storekeeper from
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Gimlet Butte and Soapy Sothern and〃
〃Still I don't quite see the joke。〃
〃It ain't any joke with them。 Serious business； ma'am。〃
〃What happened to start you on this line？〃
〃The lad riding down the road on that piebald pinto。 He come twenty
miles out of his way； plumb dressed for a wedding； all to give me an invite
to a dance at Fraser's。 Y'u would call that real thoughtful of him； I expect。〃
She gayly sparkled。 〃A real ranch dancethe kind you have been
telling me about。 Are Ida and I invited？〃
〃Invited？ Slim hinted at a lynching if I came without y'u。〃
She laughed softly； merry eyes flashing swiftly at him。 〃How gallant
you Westerners are； even though you do turn it into burlesque。〃
His young laugh echoed hers。 〃Burlesque nothing。 My life wouldn't be
worth a thing if I went alone。 Honest； I wouldn't dare。〃
〃Since the ranch can't afford to lose its foreman Ida and I will go
along；〃 she promised。 〃That is； if it is considered proper here。〃
〃Proper。 Good gracious； ma'am！ Every lady for thirty miles round will
be there； from six months old to eighty odd years。 It wouldn't be PROPER
to stay at home。〃
The foreman drove her to Fraser's in a surrey with Ida Henderson and
one of the Lazy D punchers on the back seat。 The drive was over twenty…
five miles； but in that silent starry night every mile was a delight。 Part of
the way led through a beautiful canon； along the rocky mountain road of
which the young man guided the rig with unerring skill。 Beyond the gorge
the country debouched into a grassy park that fell away from their feet for
miles。 It was in this basin that the Fraser ranch lay。
The strains of the fiddle and the thumping of feet could be heard as
they drove up。 Already the rooms seemed to be pretty well filled； as Helen
noticed when they entered。 Three sets were on the floor for a quadrille and
the house shook with the energy of the dancers。 On benches against the
walls were seated the spectators； and on one of them stood Texas calling
the dance。
〃Alemane left。 Right hand t'yer pardner and grand right and left。 Ev…v…
rybody swing；〃 chanted the caller。
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