the flying u ranch-第13章

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all　the　evidence　there　was　against　him　was　the　fact　that　he　was

seen　within　five　miles　of　the　place　on　the　same　day　the　murder

was　committed；　and　his　face。　They　had　an　expert　physiognomist

there；　and　he　swore　that　the　fellow　had　the　face　of　a　murderer；

the　poor　devil　looked　like　a　criminaland；　though　he　had　one　of

the　best　lawyers　on　the　Coast；　it　was　adios　for　him。〃



〃I　s'pose　you　mean　I　got　the　face　of　a　criminal！〃　sputtered　Happy

Jack。　〃It　ain't　always　the　purty　fellers　that　wins　out　like　you

'n'　Pink。　I　never　seen　the　purty　man　yit　that　was　worth　the

powder　it'd　take　to　blow　him　up！　Aw；　you　fellers　make　me　sick！〃

He　went　off；　muttering　his　opinion　of　them　all；　and　particularly

of　the　Native　Son；　who　smiled　while　he　listened。　〃You　go　awn　and

start　somethingand　you'll　wisht　you　hadn't；〃　they　heard　him

croak　from　the　big　gate；　and　chuckled　over　his　wrath。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　Happy　Family；　as　a　whole；　or　as

individuals；　had　no　intention　of　committing　any　great　violence

that　evening。　Pink　wanted　to　see　just　where　this　new　band　of

sheep　was　spending　the　night；　and　to　find　out；　if　possible；　what

were　the　herders'　intentions。　Since　the　boys　were　all　restless

under　their　worry；　and；　since　there　is　a　contagious　element　in

seeking　a　trouble…zone；　none　save　Happy　Jack；　who　was　〃sore〃　at

them；　and　Weary　stayed　behind　in　the　coulee　with　old　Patsy　while

the　others　rode　away　up　the　grade　and　out　toward　Antelope　coulee

beyond。



They　meant　only　to　reconnoiter；　and　to　warn　the　herders　against

attempting　to　cross　Flying　U　coulee；　though　they　were　not　exactly

sure　that　they　would　be　perfectly　polite；　or　that　they　would

confine　themselves　rigidly　to　the　language　they　were　wont　to

employ　at　dances。　Andy　Green；　in　particular；　seemed　rather　to

look　forward　with　pleasure　to　the　meeting。　Andy；　by　the　way；　had

remained　heartbrokenly　passive　during　that　whole　week；　because

Weary　had　extracted　from　him　a　promise　which　Andy；　mendacious

though　he　had　the　name　of　being；　felt　constrained　to　keep　intact。

Though　of　a　truth　it　irked　him　much　to　think　of　two　sheepherders

walking　abroad　unpunished　for　their　outrage　upon　his　person。



Weary；　as　he　had　made　plain　to　them　all；　wanted　to　avoid　trouble

if　it　were　possible　to　do　so。　And；　though　they　grinned　together

in　secret　over　his　own　affair　with　Dunkwhich　was　not；　in　their

opinion；　exactly　pacificthey　meant　to　respect　his　wishes　as　far

as　human　nature　was　able　to　do　so。　So　that　the　Happy　Family；

galloping　toward　the　red　sunset　and　the　great；　gray　blot　on　the

prairie；　just　where　the　glory　of　the　west　tinged　the　grass　blades

with　red；　were　not　one…half　as　blood…thirsty　as　they　had

proclaimed　themselves　to　be。



While　they　were　yet　afar　off　they　could　see　two　men　walking

slowly　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　the　huddled　band。　A　hundred

yards　away　was　a　small　tent；　with　a　couple　of　horses　picketed

near　by　and　feeding　placidly。　The　men　turned；　gazed　long　at　their

approach；　and　walked　to　the　tent；　which　they　entered　somewhat

hastily。



〃Look　at　'em　dodge　outa　sight；　will　you！〃　cried　Cal　Emmett；　and

lifted　up　his　voice　in　the　yell　which　sometimes　announced　the

Happy　Family's　arrival　in　Dry　Lake　after　a　long；　thirsty　absence

on　roundup。　Other　voices　joined　in　after　that　first；　shrill

〃Ow…ow…ow…eee！〃　of　Cal's；　so　that　presently　the　whole　lot　of　them

were　emitting　nerve…crimping　yells　and　spurring　their　horses　into

a　thunder　of　hoofbeats；　as　they　bore　down　upon　the　tent。　Between

howls　they　laughed；　picturing　to　themselves　four　terrified

sheepherders　cowering　within　those　frail；　canvas　walls。



〃I'm　a　rambler；　and　a　gambler；　and　far　from　my　ho…o…me；　And　if

yuh　don't　like　me；　jest　leave　me　alo…o…ne！〃　chanted　Big　Medicine

most　horribly；　and　finished　with　a　yell　that　almost　scared

himself　and　set　his　horse　to　plunging　wildly。



〃Come　out　of　there；　you　lop…eared　mutton…chewers；　and　let　us　pick

the　wool　outa　your　teeth！〃　shouted　Andy　Green；　telling　himself

hastily　that　this　was　not　breaking　his　promise　to　Weary；　and

yielding　to　the　temptation　of　coming　as　close　to　the　guilty

persons　as　he　might；　for；　while　these　were　not　the　men　who　had

tied　him　and　left　him　alone　on　the　prairie；　they　belonged　to　the

same　outfit；　and　there　was　some　comfort　in　giving　them　a　few

disagreeable　minutes。



Pink；　in　the　lead；　was　turning　to　ride　around　the　tent；　still

yelling；　when　someone　within　the　tent　fired　a　rifleand　did　not

aim　as　high　as　he　should。　The　bullet　zipped　close　over　the　head

of　Big　Medicine；　who　happened　to　be　opposite　the　crack　between

the　tent…flaps。　The　hand　of　Big　Medicine　jerked　back　to　his　hip；

but；　quick　as　he　was；　the　Native　Son　plunged　between　him　and　the

tent　before　he　could　take　aim。



〃Steady；　amigo；〃　smiled　Miguel。　〃You　aren't　a　crazy　sheepherder。〃



〃No；　but　I'm　goin'　to　kill　off　one。　Git　outa　my　way！〃　Big

Medicine　was　transformed　into　a　cold…eyed；　iron…jawed　fighting

machine。　He　dug　the　spurs　in；　meaning　to　ride　ahead　of　Miguel。

But　Miguel's　spurs　also　pressed　home；　so　that　the　two　horses

plunged　as　one。　Big　Medicine；　bellowing　one　solitary　oath；　drew

his　right　leg　from　the　stirrup　to　dismount。　Miguel　reached　out；

caught　him　by　the　arm；　and　held　him　to　the　saddle。　And；　though

Big　Medicine　was　a　strong　man；　the　grip　held　firm　and　unyielding。



〃You　must　think　of　the　outfit；　you　know；〃　said　Miguel；　smiling

still。　〃There　must　be　no　shooting。　Once　that　begins〃　He

shrugged　his　shoulders　with　that　slight；　eloquent　movement；　which

the　Happy　Family　had　come　to　know　so　well。　He　was　speaking　to

them　all；　as　they　crowded　up　to　the　scuffle。　〃The　man　who　feels

the　trigger…itch　had　better　throw　his　gun　away；〃　he　advised

coolly。　〃I　know；　boys。　I've　seen　these　things　start　before。　All

hell　can't　stop　you；　once　you　begin　to　shoot。　Put　it　up；　Bud；　or

give　it　to　me。〃



〃The　man　don't　live　that　can　shoot　at　me；　by　cripes；　and　git　away

with　it。　Not　if　he　misses　killin'　me！〃　Big　Medicine　was　shaking

with　rage；　but　the　Native　Son　saw　that　he　hesitated；

nevertheless；　and　laughed　outright。



〃Call　him　out　and　give　him　a　thumping。　That's　good　enough　for　a

sheepherder；〃　he　suggested　as　a　substitute。



Perhaps　because　the　Native　Son　so　seldom　offered　advice；　and；

because　of　his　cool　courage　in　interfering　with　Big　Medicine　at

such　a　time；　Bud's　jaw　relaxed　and　his　pale　eyes　became　more

human　in　their　expression。　He　even　permitted　Miguel　to　remove　the

big；　wicked　Colt　from　his　hand；　and　slide　it　into　his　own　pocket；

whereat　the　Happy　Family　gasped　with　astonishment。　Not　even　Pink

would　have　dreamed　of　attempting　such　a　thing。



〃Well　he's　got　to　come　out　and　take　a　lickin'；　anyway；〃　shouted

Big　Medicine　vengefully；　and　rode　close　enough　to　slap　the　canvas

smartly　with　his　quirt。　By　all　the　gods　he　knew　by　name　he　called

upon　the　offender　to　come　forth；　while　the　others　drew　up　in　a

rude　half…circle　to　await　developments。　Heavy　silence　was　the

reply　he　got。　It　was　as　though　the　men　within　were　sitting　tense

and　watchful；　like　cougars　crouched　for　a　spring；　with　claws

unsheathed　and　muscles　quivering。



〃You　better　come　out；〃　called　Andy　sharply；　after　they　had　waited

a　decent　interval。　〃We　didn't　come　here　hunting　trouble；　we　want

to　know　where　you're　headed　for　with　these　sheep。　The　fellow　that

cut　loose　with　the　gun〃



〃Aw；　don't　talk　so　purty！　I'm　gitting　almighty　tired；　just

setting　here　lettin'　m'　legs　hang　down。　Git　your　ropes；　boys！〃

With　one　sweeping　gesture　of　his　arm　Big　Medicine　made　plain　his

meaning　as　he　rode　a　few　paces　away；　his　fingers　fumbling　with

the　string　that　held　his　rope。　〃I'm　goin'　to　have　a　look　at　'em；

anyway；〃　he　grinned。　〃I　sure　do　hate　to　see　men　act　so　bashful。〃



With　his　rope　free　and　ready　for　action；　Big　Medicine　shook　the

loop　out；　glanced　around；　and　saw　that　Andy；　Pink　and　Cal　Emmett

were　also　ready；　and；　with　a　dexterous　flip；　settled　the　noose

neatly　over　the　iron　pin　that　thrust　up　through　the　end　of　the

ridge…pole　in　front。　Andy's　loop　sank　neatly　over　it　a　second

later；　and　the　two　wheeled　and　dashed　away　together；　with　Pink

and　Irish　duplicating　their　performance　at　the　other　end　of　the

tent。　The　dingy；　smoke…stained　canvas　swayed；　toppled；　as　the

pegs　gave　way；　and　finally　lay　flat　upon　the　prairie　fifty　feet

from　where　it　had　stood；　leaving　the　inmates　exposed　to　the　cruel

stare　of　eight　unfriendly　cowpunchers。　Four　cowering　figures　they

were；　with　guns　in　their　hands　that　shook。



〃Drop　them　guns！〃　thundered　Big　Medicine；　flipping　his　rope　loose

and　recoiling　it　mechanically　as　he　plunged　up　to　the　group。



One　man　obeyed。　One　gave　a　squawk　of　terror　and　permitted　his　gun

to　go　off　at　random　before　he　fled　toward　the　coulee。　The　other

two　crouched　behind　their　bed…rolls；　set　their　jaws　doggedly　and

glared　defiance。



Pink；　Andy；　Irish；　Big　Medicine　and　the　Native　Son　slid　off　their

horses　and　made　a　rush　at　them。　A　rifle　barked　viciously；　and

Slim；　sitting　prudently　on　his　horse　well　in　the　rear；　gave　a

yell　and　started　for　home　at　a　rapid　pace。



Considering　the　provocation　the　Happy　Family　behaved　with　quite

praiseworthy　self…control　and　leniency。　They　did　not　lynch　those

two　herders。　They　did　not　kill　them；　either　by　bullets；　knives；

or　beating　to　death。　They　took　away　the　guns；　however；　and　they

told　them　with　extreme　bluntness　what　sort　of　men　they　believed

them　to　be。　They　defined　accurately　their　position　in　society　at

large；　in　that　neighborhood；　and　stated　what　would　be　their

future　fate　if　they　persisted　in　acting　with　so　little　caution

and　common　sense。



At　Andy　Green's　earnest　behest　they　also　wound　them　round　and

round　with　ropes；　before　they　departed；　and　gave　them　some　very

good　advice　upon　the　matter　of　range　rules　and　the　herding　of

sheep；　particularly　of　Dot　sheep。



〃You're　playing　big　luck；　if　you　only　had　sense　enough　to　know

it；〃　Andy　pointed　out　to　the　recumbent　three　before　they　rode

away。　〃We　didn't　come　over　here　on　the　warpath；　and；　if　you

hadn't　got　in　such　a　darned　hurry　to　start　something；　you'd　be　a

whole　lot　more　comfortable　right　now。　We　rode　over　to　tell　yuh

not　to　start　them　sheep　across　Flying　U　coulee；　because；　if　you

do；　you're　going　to　have　both　hands　and　your　hats　plumb　full　uh

trouble。　It　has　taken　some　little　time　and　fussing　to　get　yuh

gentled　down　so　we　can　talk　to　you；　and　I　sure　do　hope　yuh

remember　what　I'm　saying。〃



〃Oh；　we'll　remember　it；　all　right！〃　menaced　one　of　the　men；

lifting　his　head　turtlewise　that　he　might　glare　at　the　group。

〃And　our　bosses'll　remember　it；　you　needn't　worry　about　that

none。　You　wait　till〃



The　next　man　to　him　turned　his　head　and　muttered　a　sentence；　and

the　speaker　dropped　his　head　back　upon　the　ground；　silenced。



〃It　was　your　own　outfit　started　this　style　of　rope　trimming；　so

you　can't　kick　about　that　part　of　the　deal；〃　Pink　informed　them

melodious