the flying u ranch-第18章

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

worked　for　the　Flying　U；　and　who　made　its　interests　right　loyally

their　own；　were　growing　very；　very　tired　of　turning　the　other

cheek。　With　them；　the　time　for　profanity　and　for　horseplay

bluffing　and　judicious　temporizing　was　past。　There　were　other

lips　besides　Weary's　that　were　drawn　tight　and　thin　when　they

approached　that　particular　band　of　sheep。　More　than　one　pair　of

eyes　turned　inquiringly　toward　him　and　away　again　when　they　met

no　answering　look。



They　topped　a　rise　of　ground；　and　in　the　shallow　wrinkle　which

had　hidden　him　until　now　they　came　full　upon　Dunk　Whittaker；

riding　a　chunky　black　which　stepped　restlessly　about　while　he

conferred　in　low　tones　with　a　couple　of　the　herders。　The　Happy

Family　recognized　them　as　two　of　the　fellows　in　whose　safe

keeping　they　had　left　their　ropes　the　night　before。　Dunk　looked

around　quickly　when　the　group　appeared　over　the　little　ridge；

scowled；　hesitated　and　then　came　straight　up　to　them。



〃I　want　you　rowdies　to　bring　back　those　sheep　you　took　the

trouble　to　drive　off　this　morning；〃　he　began；　with　the　even；

grating　voice　and　the　sneering　lift　of　lip　under　his　little；

black　mustache　which　the　older　members　of　the　Happy　Family

rememberedand　hatedso　vividly。　〃I've　stood　just　all　I'm　going

to　stand；　of　these　typically　Flying　U　performances　you've　been

indulging　in　so　freely　during　the　past　week。　It's　all　very　well

to　terrorize　a　neighborhood　of　long…haired　rubes　who　don't　know

enough　to　teach　you　your　places；　but　interfering　with　another

man's　property　is〃



〃Interfering　with　anotherwhat？〃　Big　Medicine；　his　pale　blue

eyes　standing　out　more　like　a　frog's　than　ever　upon　his　face；

gave　his　horse　a　kick　and　lunged　close　that　he　might　lean　and

thrust　his　red　face　near　to　Dunk's。　〃Another　what？　I　don't　see

nothin'　in　your　saddle　that　looks　t'me　like　a　man；　by　cripes！　All

I　can　see　is　a　smooth…skinned；　slippery　vermin　I'd　hate　to　name　a

snake　after；　that　crawls　around　in　the　dark　and　lets　cheap　rough…

necks　do　all　his　dirty　work。　I've　saw　dogs　sneak　up　and　grab　a

man　behind；　but　most　always　they　let　out　a　growl　or　two　first。

And　even　a　rattler　is　square　enough　to　buzz　at　yuh　and　give　yuh　a

chanc't　to　side…step　him。　Honest　to　grandma；　I　don't　hardly　know

what　kinda　reptyle　y'are。　I　hate　to　insult　any　of　'em；　by　cripes；

by　namin'　yuh　after　'em。　But　don't；　for　Lordy's　sake；　ever　call

yourself　a　man　agin！〃



Big　Medicine　turned　his　head　and　spat　disgustedly　into　the　grass

and　looked　back　slightingly　with　other　annihilating　remarks　close

behind　his　wide…apart　teeth；　but　instead　of　speaking　he　made　an

unbelievably　quick　motion　with　his　hand。　The　blow　smacked　loudly

upon　Dunk's　cheek；　and　so　nearly　sent　him　out　of　the　saddle　that

he　grabbed　for　the　horn　to　save　himself。



〃Oh；　I　seert　yuh　keepin'　yer　hand　next　yer　six…gun　all　the

while；〃　Big　Medicine　bawled。　〃That's　one　reason　I　say　yuh　ain't

no　man！　Yuh　wouldn't　dast　talk　up　to　a　prairie　dog　if　yuh　wasn't

all　set　to　make　a　quick　draw。　Yuh　got　your　face　slapped　oncet

before　by　a　Flyin'　U　man；　and　yuh　had　it　comm'。　Now

you'regittin'itdoneright！〃



If　you　have　ever　seen　an　irate；　proletarian　mother　cuffing　her

offspring　over　an　empty　wood…box；　you　may　picture　perhaps　the

present　proceeding　of　Big　Medicine。　To　many　a　man　the　thing　would

have　been　unfeasible；　after　the　first　blow；　because　of　the

horses。　But　Big　Medicine　was　very　nearly　all　that　he　claimed　to

be；　and　one　of　his　pet　vanities　was　his　horsemanship；　he　managed

to　keep　within　a　fine　slapping　distance　of　Dunk。　He　stopped　when

his　hand　began　to　sting　through　his　glove。



〃Now　you　keep　your　hand　away　from　that　gunthat　you　ain't　honest

enough　to　carry　where　folks　can　see　it；　but　'ye　got　it　cached　in

your　pocket！〃　he　thundered。　〃And　go　on　with　what　you　was　goin'

t'say。　Only　don't　get　swell…headed　enough　to　think　you're　a　man；

agin。　You　ain't。〃



〃I've　got　this　to　say！〃　Mere　type　cannot　reproduce　the

malevolence　of　Dunk's　spluttering　speech。　〃I've　sent　for　the

county　sheriff　and　a　dozen　deputies　to　arrest　you；　and　you；　and

you；　damn　you！〃　He　was　pointing　a　shaking　finger　at　the　older

members　of　the　Happy　Family；　whom　he　recognized　not　gladly；　but

too　well。　〃I'll　have　you　all　in　Deer　Lodge　before　that　lying；

thieving；　cattle…stealing　Old　Man　of　yours　can　lift　a　finger。

I'll　sheep　Flying　U　coulee　to　the　very　doors　of　the　white　house。

I'll　skin　the　range　between　here　and　the　riverand　I'll　have

every　one　of　you　hounds　put　where　the　dogs　won't　bite　you！〃　He

drew　a　hand　across　his　mouth　and　smiled　as　they　say　Satan　himself

can　smile　upon　occasion。



〃You've　done　enough　to　send　you　all　over　the　road；　destroying

property　and　assaulting　harmless　menyou　wait！　There　are　other

and　better　ways　to　fight　than　with　the　fists；　and　I　haven't

forgotten　any　of　you　fellowsthere　are　a　few　more　rounders　among

you〃



〃Hey！　You　apologize　fer　that；　by　cripes；　er　I'll　kill　yuh　the

longest　way　I　know。　And　that〃　Big　Medicine　again　laid　violent

hands　upon　Dunk；　〃and　that　way　won't　feel　good；　now　I'm　tellin'

yuh。　Apologize；　er〃



〃Say；　all　this　don't　do　any　good；　Bud；〃　Weary　expostulated。　〃Let

Dunk　froth　at　the　mouth　if　he　wants　to；　what　we　want　is　to　get

these　sheep　off　the　range。　And；〃　he　added　recklessly；　〃so　long　as

the　sheriff　is　headed　for　us　anyway；　we　may　as　well　get　busy　and

make　it　worth　his　while。　So〃　He　stopped；　silenced　by　a　most

amazing　interruption。



On　the　brow　of　the　hill；　when　first　they　had　sighted　Dunk　in　the

hollow；　something　had　gone　wrong　with　Miguel's　saddle　so　that　he

had　stopped　behind；　and；　to　keep　him　company；　Andy　had　stopped

also　and　waited　for　him。　Later；　when　Dunk　was　spluttering

threats；　they　had　galloped　up　to　the　edge　of　the　group　and　pulled

their　horses　to　a　stand。　Now；　Miguel　rode　abruptly　close　to　Dunk

as　rides　one　with　a　purpose。



He　leaned　and　peered　intently　into　Dunk's　distorted　countenance

until　every　man　there；　struck　by　his　manner；　was　watching　him

curiously。　Then　he　sat　back　in　the　saddle；　straightened　his　legs

in　the　stirrups　and　laughed。　And　like　his　smile　when　he　would

have　it　so；　or　the　little　twitch　of　shoulders　by　which　he　could

so　incense　a　man；　that　laugh　brought　a　deeper　flush　to　Dunk's

face；　reddened　though　it　was　by　Big　Medicine's　vigorous　slapping。



〃Say；　you've　got　nerve；〃　drawled　the　Native　Son；　〃to　let　a

sheriff　travel　toward　you。　I　can　remember　when　you　were　more

timid；　amigo。〃　He　turned　his　head　until　his　eyes　fell　upon　Andy。

〃Say；　Andy！〃　he　called。　〃Come　and　take　a　look　at　this　hombre。

You'll　have　to　think　back　a　few　years；〃　he　assisted　laconically。



In　response；　Andy　rode　up　eagerly。　Like　the　Native　Son；　he　leaned

and　peered　into　eyes　that　stared　back　defiantly；　wavered；　and

turned　away。　Andy　also　sat　back　in　the　saddle　then；　and　snorted。



〃So　this　is　the　Dunk　Whittaker　that's　been　raising　merry　hell

around　here！　And　talks　about　sending　for　the　sheriff；　huh？　I've

always　heard　that　a　lot　uh　gall　is　the　best　disguise　a　man　can

hide　under；　but；　by　gracious；　this　beats　the　deuce！〃　He　turned　to

the　astounded　Happy　Family　with　growing　excitement　in　his　manner。



〃Boys；　we　don't　have　to　worry　much　about　this　gazabo！　We'll　just

freeze　onto　him　till　the　sheriff　heaves　in　sight。　Gee！　There'll

sure　be　something　stirring　when　we　tell　him　who　this　Dunk　person

really　is！　And　you　say　he　was　in　with　the　Old　Man；　once？　Oh；

Lord！〃　He　looked　with　withering　contempt　at　Dunk；　and　Dunk's

glance　flickered　again　and　dropped；　just　as　his　hand　dropped　to

the　pocket　of　his　coat。



〃No；　yuh　don't；　by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine's　hand　gripped　Dunk's

arm　on　the　instant。　With　his　other　he　plucked　the　gun　from　Dunk's

pocket；　and　released　him　as　he　would　let　go　of　something　foul

which　he　had　been　compelled　to　touch。



〃He'll　be　good；　or　he'll　lose　his　dinner　quick；〃　drawled　the

Native　Son；　drawing　his　own　silver…mounted　six…shooter　and

resting　it　upon　the　saddle　horn　so　that　it　pointed　straight　at

Dunk's　diaphragm。　〃You　take　Weary　off　somewhere　and　tell　him

something　about　this　deal；　Andy。　I'll　watch　this　slippery

gentleman。〃　He　smiled　slowly　and　got　an　answering　grin　from　Andy

Green；　who　immediately　rode　a　few　rods　away；　with　Weary　and　Pink

close　behind。



〃Say；　by　golly；　what's　Dunk　wanted　fer？〃　Slim　blurted

inquisitively　after　a　short　silence。



〃Not　for　riding　or　driving　over　a　bridge　faster　than　a　walk

Slim；〃　purred　the　Native　Son；　shifting　his　gun　a　trifle　as　Dunk

moved　uneasily　in　the　saddle。　〃You　know　the　man。　Look　at　his

faceand　use　your　imagination；　if　you've　got　any。〃







CHAPTER　XIII。　The　Happy　Family　Learn　Something



〃Well；　I　hope　this　farce　is　about　over；〃　Dunk　sneered；　with　as

near　an　approach　to　his　old；　supercilious　manner　as　he　could

command；　when　the　three　who　had　ridden　apart　returned　presently。

〃Perhaps；　Weary；　you'll　be　good　enough　to　have　this　fellow　put　up

his　gun；　and　these〃　he　hesitated；　after　a　swift　glance；　to

apply　any　epithet　whatever　to　the　Happy　Family。　〃I　have　two

witnesses　here　to　swear　that　you　have　without　any　excuse

assaulted　and　maligned　and　threatened　me；　and　you　may　consider

yourselves　lucky　if　I　do　not　insist〃



〃Ah；　cut　that　out；〃　Andy　advised　wearily。　〃I　don't　know　how　it

strikes　the　rest；　but　it　sounds　pretty　sickening　to　me。　Don't

overlook　the　fact　that　two　of　us　happen　to　know　all　about　you；

and　we　know　just　where　to　send　word；　to　dig　up　a　lot　more

identification。　So　bluffing　ain't　going　to　help　you　out；　a　darned

bit。〃



〃Miguel；　you　can　go　with　Andy；〃　Weary　said　with　brisk　decision。

〃Take　Dunk　down　to　the　ranch　till　the　sheriff　gets　hereif　it's

straight　goods　about　Dunk　sending　for　him。　If　he　didn't；　we　can

take　Dunk　in　to…morrow；　ourselves。〃　He　turned　and　fixed　a　cold；

commanding　eye　upon　the　slack…jawed　herders。　〃Come　along；　you

two；　and　get　these　sheep　headed　outa　here。〃



〃Say；　we'll　just　lock　him　up　in　the　blacksmith　shop；　and　come　on

back；〃　Andy　amended　the　order　after　his　own　free　fashion。　〃He

couldn't　get　out　in　a　million　years；　not　after　I'm　through

staking　him　out　to　the　anvil　with　a　log…chain。〃　He　smiled

maliciously　into　Dunk's　fear…yellowed　countenance；　and　waved　him

a　signal　to　ride　ahead；　which　Dunk　did　without　a　word　of　protest

while　the　Happy　Family　looked　on　dazedly。



〃What's　it　all　about；　Weary？〃　Irish　asked；　when　the　three　were

gone。　〃What　is　it　they've　got　on　Dunk？　Must　be　something　pretty

fierce；　the　way　he　wilted　down　into　the　saddle。〃



〃You'll　have　to　wait　and　ask　the　boys。〃　Weary　rode　off　to　hurry

the　herders　on　the　far　side　of　the　band。



So　the　Happy　Family　remained　perforce　unenlightened　upon　the

subject　and　for　that　they　said　hard　things　about　Weary；　and　about

Andy　and　Miguel　as　well。　They　believed　that　they　were　entitled　to

know　the　truth；　and　they　called　it　a　smart…aleck　trick