the flying u ranch-第19章

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

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

the　thing　so　almighty　secret。



There　is　in　resentment　a　crisis；　when　that　crisis　is　reached；　and

the　dam　of　repression　gives　way；　the　full　flood　does　not　always

sweep　down　upon　those　who　have　provoked　the　disaster。　Frequently

it　happens　that　perfectly　innocent　victims　are　made　to　suffer。

The　Happy　Family　had　been　extremely　forbearing；　as　has　been

pointed　out　before。　They　had　frequently　come　to　the　boiling　point

of　rage　and　had　cooled　without　committing　any　real　act　of

violence。　But　that　day　had　held　a　long　series　of　petty

annoyances；　and　here　was　a　really　important　thing　kept　from　them

as　if　they　were　mere　outsiders。　When　Weary　was　gone；　Irish　asked

Pink　what　crime　Dunk　had　committed　in　the　past。　And　Pink　shook

his　head　and　said　he　didn't　know。　Irish　mentally　accused　Pink　of

lying；　and　his　temper　was　none　the　better　for　the　rebuff；　as

anyone　can　readily　understand。



When　the　herders；　therefore；　rounded　up　the　sheep　and　started

them　moving　south；　the　Happy　Family　speedily　rebelled　against

that　shuffling；　nibbling；　desultory　pace　that　had　kept　them　long；

weary　hours　in　the　saddle　with　the　other　band。　But　it　was　Irish

who　first　took　measures　to　accelerate　that　pace。



He　got　down　his　rope　and　whacked　the　loop　viciously　down　across

the　nearest　gray　back。　The　sheep　jumped；　scuttled　away　a　few

paces　and　returned　to　its　nibbling　progress。　Irish　called　it

names　and　whacked　another。



After　a　few　minutes　he　grew　tired　of　swinging　his　loop　and　seeing

it　have　so　fleeting　an　effect；　and　pulled　his　gun。　He　fired　close

to　the　heels　of　a　yearling　buck　that　had　more　than　once　stopped

to　look　up　at　him　foolishly　and　blat；　and　the　buck　charged　ahead

in　a　panic　at　the　noise　and　the　spat　of　the　bullet　behind　him。



〃Hit　him　agin　in　the　same　place！〃　yelled　Big　Medicine；　and　drew

his　own　gun。　The　Happy　Family；　at　that　high　tension　where　they

were　ready　for　anything；　caught　the　infection　and　began　shooting

and　yelling　like　crazy　men。



The　effect　was　not　at　all　what　they　expected。　Instead　of　adding

impetus　to　the　band；　as　would　have　been　the　case　if　they　had　been

driving　cattle；　the　result　was　exactly　the　opposite。　The　sheep

ranbut　they　ran　to　a　common　center。　As　the　shooting　went　on

they　bunched　tighter　and　tighter；　until　it　seemed　as　though　those

in　the　center　must　surely　be　crushed　flat。　From　an　ambling；

feeding　company　of　animals；　they　become　a　lumpy　gray　blanket；

with　here　and　there　a　long；　vacuous　face　showing　idiotically　upon

the　surface。



The　herders　grinned　and　drew　together　as　against　a　common

enemyor　as　with　a　new　joke　to　be　discussed　among　themselves。

The　dogs　wandered　helplessly　about；　yelped　half…heartedly　at　the

woolly　mass；　then　sat　down　upon　their　haunches　and　lolled　red

tongues　far　out　over　their　pointed　little　teeth；　and　tilted

knowing　heads　at　the　Happy　Family。



〃Look　at　the　darned　things！〃　wailed　Pink；　riding　twice　around　the

huddle；　almost　ready　to　shed　tears　of　pure　rage　and　helplessness。

〃Git　outa　that！　Hi！　Woopp…ee！〃　He　fired　again　and　again；　and　gave

the　range…old　cattle…yell；　the　yell　which　had　sent　many　a　tired

herd　over　many　a　weary　mile；　the　yell　before　which　had　fled　fat

steers　into　the　stockyards　at　shipping　time；　and　up　the　chutes

into　the　cars；　the　yell　that　had　hoarsened　many　a　cowpuncher's

voice　and　left　him　with　a　mere　croak　to　curse　his　fate　with；　a

yell　to　bring　resultsbut　it　did　not　start　those　sheep。



The　Happy　Family；　riding　furiously　round　and　round；　fired　every

cartridge　they　had　upon　their　persons；　they　said　every　improper

thing　they　could　remember　or　invent；　they　yelled　until　their　eyes

were　starting　from　their　sockets；　they　glued　that　band　of　sheep

so　tight　together　that　dynamite　could　scarcely　have　pried　them

apart。



And　the　herders；　sitting　apart　with　grimy　hands　clasped　loosely

over　hunched…up　knees；　looked　on；　and　talked　together　in　low

tones；　and　grinned。



Irish　glanced　that　way　and　caught　them　grinning；　caught　them

pointing　derisively；　with　heaving　shoulders。　He　swore　a　great

oath　and　made　for　them；　calling　aloud　that　he　would　knock　those

grins　so　far　in　that　they　would　presently　find　themselves　smiling

wrong…side…out　from　the　back　of　their　heads。



Pink；　overhearing　him；　gave　a　last　swat　at　the　waggling　tail　of　a

burrowing　buck；　and　wheeled　to　overtake　Irish　and　have　a　hand　in

reversing　the　grins。　Big　Medicine　saw　them　start；　and　came

bellowing　up　from　the　far　side　of　the　huddle　like　a　bull

challenging　to　combat　from　across　a　meadow。　Big　Medicine　did　not

know　what　it　was　all　about；　but　he　scented　battle；　and　that　was

sufficient。　Cal　Emmett　and　Weary；　equally　ignorant　of　the　cause；

started　at　a　lope　toward　the　trouble　center。



It　began　to　look　as　if　the　whole　Family　was　about　to　fall　upon

those　herders　and　rend　them　asunder　with　teeth　and　nails；　so　much

so　that　the　herders　jumped　up　and　ran　like　scared　cottontails

toward　the　rim　of　Denson　coulee；　a　hundred　yards　or　so　to　the

west。



〃Mamma！　I　wish　we　could　make　the　sheep　hit　that　gait　and　keep

it；〃　exclaimed　Weary；　with　the　first　laugh　they　had　heard　from

him　that　day。



While　he　was　still　laughing；　there　was　a　shot　from　the　ridge

toward　which　they　were　running；　the　sharp；　vicious　crack　of　a

rifle。　The　Happy　Family　heard　the　whistling　hum　of　the　bullet；

singing　low　over　their　heads；　quite　low　indeed；　altogether　too

low　to　be　funny。　And　they　had　squandered　all　their　ammunition　on

the　prairie　sod；　to　hurry　a　band　of　sheep　that　flatly　refused　to

hurry　anywhere　except　under　one　another's　odorous；　perspiring

bodies。



From　the　edge　of　the　coulee　the　rifle　spoke　again。　A　tiny　geyser

of　dust；　spurting　up　from　the　ground　ten　feet　to　one　side　of　Cal

Emmett；　showed　them　all　where　the　bullet　struck。



〃Get　outa　range；　everybody！〃　yelled　Weary；　and　set　the　example　by

tilting　his　rowels　against　Glory's　smooth　hide；　and　heading

eastward。　〃I　like　to　be　accommodating；　all　right；　but　I　draw　the

line　on　standing　around　for　a　target　while　my　neighbors　practise

shooting。〃



The　Happy　Family；　having　no　other　recourse；　therefore　retreated

in　haste　toward　the　eastern　skyline。　Bullets　followed　them；

overtook　them　as　the　shooter　raised　his　sights　for　the　increasing

distance；　and　whined　harmlessly　over　their　heads。　All　save　one。







CHAPTER　XIV。　Happy　Jack



Big　Medicine；　Irish　and　Pink；　racing　almost　abreast；　heard　a

scream　behind　them　and　pulled　up　their　horses　with　short；

stiff…legged　plunges。　A　brown　horse　overtook　them；　a　brown　horse；

with　Happy　Jack　clinging　to　the　saddle…horn；　his　body　swaying　far

over　to　one　side。　Even　as　he　went　hurtling　past　them　his　hold

grew　slack　and　he　slumped；　head　foremost；　to　the　ground。　The

brown　horse　gave　a　startled　leap　away　from　him　and　went　on　with

empty　stirrups　flapping。



They　sprang　down　and　lifted　him　to　a　less　awkward　position；　and

Big　Medicine　pillowed　the　sweat…dampened；　carroty　head　in　the

hollow　of　his　arm。　Those　who　had　been　in　the　lead　looked　back

startled　when　the　brown　horse　tore　past　them　with　that　empty

saddle；　saw　what　had　happened；　wheeled　and　galloped　back。　They

dismounted　and　stood　silently　grouped　about　poor；　ungainly　Happy

Jack；　lying　there　limp　and　motionless　in　Big　Medicine's　arms。　Not

one　of　them　remembered　then　that　there　was　a　man　with　a　rifle　not

more　than　two　hundred　yards　away；　or；　if　they　did；　they　quite

forgot　that　the　rifle　might　be　dangerous　to　themselves。　They　were

thinking　of　Happy　Jack。



Happy　Jack；　butt　of　all　their　jokes　and　jibes；　Happy　the　croaker；

the　lugubrious　forecaster　of　trouble；　Happy　Jack；　the　ugliest；

the　stupidest；　the　softest…hearted　man　of　them　all。　He　had

〃betched〃　there　would　be　someone　killed；　over　these　Dot　sheep；　he

had　predicted　trouble　of　every　conceivable　kind；　and　they　had

laughed　at　him；　swore　at　him；　lied　to　him；　〃joshed〃　him

unmercifully；　and　kept　him　in　a　state　of　chronic　indignation；

never　dreaming　that　the　memory　of　it　would　choke　them　and　strike

them　dumb　with　that　horrible；　dull　weight　in　their　chests　with

which　men　suffer　when　a　woman　would　find　the　relief　of　weeping。



〃Where's　he　hurt？〃　asked　Weary；　in　the　repressed　tone　which　only

tragedy　can　bring　into　a　man's　voice；　and　knelt　beside　Big

Medicine。



〃I　dunnothrough　the　lungs；　I　guess；　my　sleeve's　gitting　soppy

right　under　his　shoulder。〃　Big　Medicine　did　not　bellow；　his　voice

was　as　quiet　as　Weary's。



Weary　looked　up　briefly　at　the　circle　of　staring　faces。　〃Pink；

you　pile　onto　Glory　and　go　wire　for　a　doctor。　Try　Havre　first；

you　may　get　one　up　on　the　nine　o'　clock　train。　If　you　can't；　get

one　down　on　the　'leven…twenty；　from　Great　Falls。　Or　there's

Bentonanyway；　git　one。　If　you　could　catch　MacPherson；　do　it。

Try　him　first；　and　never　mind　a　Havre　doctor　unless　you　can't　get

MacPherson。　I'd　rather　wait　a　couple　of　hours　longer；　for　him。

I'll　have　a　rigno；　you　better　get　a　team　from　Jim。　They'll　be

fresh；　and　you　can　put　'em　through。　If　you　kill　'em；〃　he　added

grimly；　〃we　can　pay　for　'em。〃　He　had　his　jack…knife　out；　and　was

already　slashing　carefully　the　shirt　of　Happy　Jack；　that　he　might

inspect　the　wound。



Pink　gave　a　last；　wistful　look　at　Happy　Jack's　face；　which　seemed

unfamiliar　with　all　the　color　and　all　the　expression　wiped　out　of

it　like　that；　and　turned　away。　〃Come　and　help　me　change　saddles；

Cal；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃Weary's　stirrups　are　too　darned　long。〃

Even　with　the　delay；　he　was　mounted　on　Glory　and　galloping　toward

Flying　U　coulee　before　Weary　was　through　uncovering　the　wound；

and　that　does　not　mean　that　Weary　was　slow。



The　rifle　cracked　again；　and　a　bullet　plucked　into　the　sod　twenty

feet　beyond　the　circle　of　men　and　horses。　But　no　one　looked　up　or

gave　any　other　sign　of　realization　that　they　were　still　the

target；　they　were　staring；　with　that　frowning　painfully　intent

look　men　have　at　such　moments；　at　a　purplish　hole　not　much　bigger

than　if　punched　by　a　lead　pencil；　just　under　the　point　of　Happy

Jack's　shoulder　blade；　and　at　the　blood　oozing　sluggishly　from　it

in　a　tiny　stream　across　the　girlishly　white　flesh　and　dripping

upon　Big　Medicine's　arm。



〃Hadn't　we　better　get　a　rig　to　take　him　home　with？〃　Irish

suggested。



Weary；　exploring　farther；　had　just　disclosed　a　ragged　wound　under

the　arm　where　the　bullet　had　passed　out；　he　made　no　immediate

reply。



〃Well；　he　ain't　got　it　stuck　inside　of　'im；　anyway；〃　Big　Medicine

commented　relievedly。　〃Don't　look　to　me　like　it's　so　awful

badwent　through　kinda　anglin'；　and　maybe　missed　his　lungs。　I've

saw　men　shot　up　before〃



〃AwI　betche　you'dthink　it　was　badif　you　had　it〃　murmured

Happy　Jack　peevishly；　lifting　his　eyelids　heavily　for　a　resentful

glance　when　they　moved　him　a　little。　But　even　as　Big　Medicine

grinned　joyfully　down　a