the flying u ranch-第17章

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if　old　Bud　cut　loose　oncet。　Sheepherders？　Why；　they　jest

natcherly　couldn't　keep　enough　on　hand；　securely；　to　run　their

sheep。　They　used　to　order　sheepherders　like　they　did　woolsacks；

by　cripes！　You　could　always　tell　when　I　was　in　the　country；　by

the　number　uh　extra　herders　them　sheep　outfits　always　kep'　in

reserve。　Honest　to　grandma；　I've　knowed　two　or　three　outfits　to

club　together　and　ship　in　a　carload　at　a　time；　when　they　heard　I

was　headed　their　way。　And　so　when　it　comes　to　killin'　off　four；

why　that　ain't　skurcely　enough　to　make　it　worth　m'while　to　dirty

up　m'gun！〃



〃Aw；　I　betche　yuh　never　killed　a　man　in　your　life！〃　Happy　Jack

grumbled　in　his　characteristic　tone　of　disparagement；　but　such

was　his　respect　for　Big　Medicine's　prowess　that　he　took　care　not

to　speak　loud　enough　to　be　overheard　by　that　modest　gentleman；

who　continued　with　certain　fearsome　details　of　alleged　murderous

exploits　of　his　own；　down　in　Coconino　County；　Arizona。



But　as　they　passed　the　detested　animals；　thankful　that　the　trail

permitted　them　to　ride　by　at　a　distance　sufficient　to　blur　the

most　unsavory　details；　even　Big　Medicine　gave　over　his　deliberate

boastings　and　relapsed　into　silence。



He　had　begun　his　fantastic　vauntings　from　an　instinctive　impulse

to　leaven　with　humor　a　situation　which；　at　the　moment；　could　not

be　bettered。　Just　as　they　had；　when　came　the　news　of　the　Old

Man's　dire　plight；　sought　to　push　the　tragedy　of　it　into　the

background　and　cling　to　their　creed　of　optimism；　they　had　avoided

openly　facing　the　sheep　complication　squarely　with　mutual

admissions　of　all　it　might　mean　to　the　Flying　U。



Until　Weary　had　unburdened　his　heart　of　worry　on　the　ride　home

that　day；　they　had　not　said　much　about　it；　beyond　a　general

vilification　of　the　sheep　industry　as　a　whole；　of　Dunk　as　the

chief　of　the　encroaching　Dots；　and　of　the　herders　personally。



But　there　were　times　when　they　could　not　well　avoid　thinking

rather　deeply　upon　the　subject；　even　if　they　did　refuse　to　put

their　forebodings　into　speech。　They　were　not　children；　neither

were　they　to　any　degree　lacking　in　intelligence。　Swearing；　about

herders　and　at　them；　was　all　very　well；　bluffing；　threatening；

pummeling　even　with　willing　fists；　tearing　down　tents　and　binding

men　with　ropes　might　serve　to　relieve　the　emotions　upon　occasion。

But　there　was　the　grim　economic　problem　which　faced　squarely　the

Flying　U　as　a　〃cow　outfit〃the　problem　of　range　and　water；　the

Happy　Family　did　not　call　it　by　name；　but　they　realized　to　the

full　what　it　meant　to　the　Old　Man　to　have　sheep　just　over　his

boundary　line　always。　They　realized；　too；　what　it　meant　to　have

the　Old　Man　absent　at　this　timeworse；　to　have　him　lying　in　a

hospital；　likely　to　die　at　any　moment；　what　it　meant　to　have　the

whole　responsibility　shifted　to　their　shoulders；　willing　though

they　might　be　to　bear　the　burden；　what　it　meant　to　have　the

general　of　an　army　gone　when　the　enemy　was　approaching　in

overwhelming　numbers。



Pink；　when　they　were　descending　the　first　slope　of　the　bluff

which　was　the　southern　rim　of　Flying　U　coulee；　turned　and　glared

vindictively　back　at　the　wavering；　gray　blanket　out　there　to　the

west。　When　he　faced　to　the　front　his　face　had　the　look　it　wore

when　he　was　fighting。



〃So　help　me；　Josephine！〃　he　gritted　desperately；　〃we've　got　to

clean　the　range　of　them　Dots　before　the　Old　Man　comes　back；　or〃

He　snapped　his　jaws　shut　viciously。



Weary　turned　haggard　eyes　toward　him。



〃How？〃　he　asked　simply。　And　Pink　had　no　answer　for　him。







CHAPTER　XII。　Two　of　a　Kind



Patsy；　staunch　old　partisan　that　he　was；　placed　before　them　much

food　which　he　had　tried　his　best　to　keep　hot　without　burning

everything　to　a　crisp；　and　while　they　ate　with　ravenous　haste　he

told；　with　German　epithets　and　a　trembling　lower　jaw；　of　his

troubles　that　day。



〃Dem　sheeps；　dey　coom　by　der　leetle　pasture；〃　he　lamented　while

he　poured　coffee　muddy　from　long　boiling。　〃Looks　like　dey　know　so

soon　you　ride　away；　und　dey　cooms　cheeky　as　you　pleece；　und　eats

der　grass　und　crawls　under　der　fence　and　leafs　der　vool　sthicking

by　der　vires。　I　goes　out　mit　a　club；　py　cosh；　und　der　sheeps

chust　looks　und　valks　by　some　better　place　alreatty；　und　I　throw

rocks　and　yells　till　mine　neck　iss　sore。



〃Und'　dose　herders；　dey　sets　dem　by　der　rock　and　laugh　till　I

felt　like　I　could　kill　der　whole　punch；　by　cosh！　Und　von　yells；

'Hey；　dutchy；　pring　me　some　pie；　alreatty！'　Und　he　laughs　some

more　pecause　der　sheeps　dey　don't　go　avay；　dey　chust　run　around

und　eat　more　grass　and　baa…aa！〃　He　turned　and　went　heavily　back

to　the　greasy　range　with　the　depleted　coffee　pot；　lifted　the　lid

of　a　kettle　and　looked　in　upon　the　contents　with　a　purely

mechanical　glance；　gave　a　perfunctory　prod　or　two　with　a　long…

handled　fork；　and　came　back　to　stand　uneasily　behind　Weary。



〃If　you　poys　are　goin'　to　shtand　fer　dot；〃　he　began　querulously；

〃Py　cosh　I　von't！　Py　myself　I　vill　go　and　tell　dot　Dunk　W'ittaker

vot　lowdown　skunk　I　t'ink　he　iss。　Sheep's　vool　shtickin'　by　der

fences　efferwhere　on　der　ranch；　py　cosh！　Dot　vould　sure　kill　der

Old　Man　quick　if　he　see　it。　Shtinkin'　off　sheeps　py　our　noses　all

der　time；　till　I　can't　eat　no　more　mit　der　shmell　of　dem。　Neffer

pefore　did　I　see　vool　on　der　Flying　U　fences；　py　cosh；　und　sheeps

baa…aain'　in　der　coulee！〃



Never　had　they　seen　Patsy　take　so　to　heart　a　matter　of　mere

business　importance。　They　did　not　say　much　to　him；　there　was　not

much　that　they　could　say。　They　ate　their　fill　and　went　out

disconsolately　to　discuss　the　thing　among　themselves；　away　from

Patsy's　throaty　complainings。　They　hated　it　as　badly　as　did　he；

with　Weary's　urgent　plea　for　no　violence　holding　them　in　leash；

they　hated　it　more；　if　that　were　possible。



The　Native　Son　tilted　his　head　unobtrusively　stableward　when　he

caught　Andy's　eye；　and　as　unobtrusively　wandered　away　from　the

group。　Andy　stopped　long　enough　to　roll　and　light　a　cigarette　and

then　strolled　after　him　with　apparent　aimlessness；　secretly

curious　over　the　summons。　He　found　Miguel　in　the　stable　waiting

for　him；　and　Miguel　led　the　way；　rope　in　hand　across　the　corral

and　into　the　little　pasture　where　fed　a　horse　he　meant　to　ride。

He　did　not　say　anything　until　he　had　turned　to　close　the　gate；

and　to　make　sure　that　they　were　alone　and　that　their　departure

had　not　carried　to　the　Happy　Family　any　betraying　air　of

significance。



〃You　remember　when　you　blew　in　here；　a　few　weeks　or　so　ago？〃　the

Native　Son　asked　abruptly；　a　twinkle　in　his　fathomless　eyes。　〃You

put　up　a　good　one　on　the　boys；　that　time；　you　remember。　Bluffed

them　into　thinking　I　was　a　hero　in　disguise；　and　that　you'd　seen

me　pull　off　a　big　stunt　of　bull…fighting　and　bull…　dogging　down

in　Mexico。　It　was　a　fine　josh。　They　believe　it　yet。〃



Andy　glanced　at　him　perplexedly。　〃Yesbut　when　it　turned　out　to

be　true；〃　he　amended；　〃the　josh　was　on　me；　I　guess；　I　thought　I

was　just　lying；　when　I　wasn't。　I've　wondered　a　good　deal　about

that。　By　gracious；　it　makes　a　man　feel　funny　to　frame　up　a　yarn

out　of　his　own　think…machine；　and　then　find　out　he's　been　telling

the　truth　all　the　while。　It's　like　a　fellow　handing　out　a

twenty…four　karat　gold　bar　to　a　rube　by　mistake；　under　the

impression　it　only　looks　like　one。　Of　course　they　believe　it！

Only　they　don't　know　I　just　merely　hit　the　truth　by　accident。〃



The　Native　Son　smiled　his　slow；　amused　smile；　that　somehow　never

failed　to　be　impressive。　〃That's　the　funny　part　of　it；〃　he

drawled。　〃You　didn't。　I　just　piled　another　little　josh　on　top　of

yours；　that's　all。　I　never　throwed　a　bull　in　my　life；　except　with

my　lariat。　I'd　heard　a　good　deal　about　you；　andwell；　I　thought

I'd　see　if　I　could　go　you　one　better。　And　you　put　that　Mexico

yarn　across　so　smooth　and　easy；　I　just　simply　couldn't　resist　the

temptation　to　make　you　think　it　was　all　straight　goods。　Sabe？〃



Andy　Green　did　not　say　a　word；　but　he　looked　exceedingly　foolish。



〃So　I　think　we　can　both　safely　consider　ourselves　top…hands　when

it　comes　to　lying；〃　the　Native　Son　went　on　shamelessly。　〃And　if

you're　willing　to　go　in　with　me　on　it　and　help　put　Dunk　on　the

run〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　saw　that　Happy　Jack；　on

horseback；　was　coming　out　to　haze　in　the　saddle　bunch；　and　turned

to　stroll　back　as　lazily　as　he　had　come。　He　continued　to　speak

smoothly　and　swiftly；　in　a　voice　that　would　not　carry　ten　paces。

While　Andy　Green；　with　brown　head　bent　attentively；　listened

eagerly　and　added　a　sentence　or　two　on　his　own　account　now　and

then；　and　smiledwhich　he　had　not　been　in　the　habit　of　doing

lately。



〃Say；　you　fellers　are　gittin'　awful　energetic；　ain't

yuh？wranglin'　horses　afoot！〃　Happy　Jack　bantered　at　the　top　of

his　voice　when　he　passed　them　by。　〃Better　save　up　your　strength

while　you　kin。　Weary's　goin'　to　set　us　herdin'　sheep　aginand　I

betche　there's　goin'　to　be　something　more'n　herdin'　on　our　hands

before　we　git　through。〃



〃I　wouldn't　be　a　bit　surprised　if　there　was；〃　sang　out　Andy；　as

cheerfully　as　if　he　had　been　invited　to　dance　〃Ladies'　choice〃

with　the　prettiest　girl　in　the　crowd。　〃Wonder　what　hole　he's

going　to　dump　this　bunch　into；〃　he　added　to　the　Native　Son。　〃By

gracious；　he　ought　to　send　'em　just　as　far　north　as　he　can　drive

'em　without　paying　duty！　I'd　sure　take　'em　over　into　Canada；　if

it　was　me　running　the　show。〃



〃It　was　a　mistake；〃　the　Native　Son　volunteered；　〃for　the　whole

bunch　to　go　off　like　we　did　to…day。　They　had　those　sheep　up　here

on　the　hill　just　for　a　bait。　They　knew　we'd　go　straight　up　in　the

air　and　come　down　on　those　two　freaks　herding　'em；　and　that　gave

them　the　chance　to　cross　the　other　bunch。　I　thought　so　all　along；

but　I　didn't　like　to　butt　in。〃



〃Well　Weary's　mad　enough　now　to　do　things　that　will　leave　a　dent；

anyway；〃　Andy　commented　under　his　breath　when；　from　the　corral

gate；　he　got　a　good　look　at　Weary's　profile；　which　showed　the　set

of　his　mouth　and　chin。　〃See　that　mouth？　It's　hunt　the　top　rail；

and　do　it　quick；　when　old　Weary　straightens　out　his　lips　like

that。〃



Behind　them；　Happy　Jack　bellowed　for　an　open　gate　and　no

obstructions；　and　they　drew　hastily　to　one　side　to　let　the　saddle

horses　gallop　past　with　a　great　upflinging　of　dust。　Pink；　with　a

quite　obtrusive　facetiousness；　began　lustily　chanting　that　it

looked　to　him　like　a　big　night　to…nightwith　occasional；　furtive

glances　at　Weary's　face；　for　he；　also；　had　been　quick　to　read

those　close…pressed　lips；　which　did　not　soften　in　response　to　the

ditty。　Usually　he　laughed　at　Pink's　drollery。



They　rode　rather　quietly　upon　the　hill　again；　to　where　fed　the

sheep。　During　the　hour　or　so　that　they　had　been　absent　the　sheep

had　not　moved　appreciably；　they　still　grazed　close　enough　to　the

boundary　to　make　their　position　seem　a　direct　insult　to　the

Flying　U；　a　virtual　slap　in　the　face。　And　these　young　men　who

worked　for　t