the flying u ranch-第4章

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ButI　never　saw　yuh　before　in　my　life；〃　he　declared

emphatically。　〃I　don't　know　a　darn　thing　aboutanything　that

ever　happened　in　an　alley　in　the　city　ofoh；　come　on；　old…timer；

let's　talk　about　the　weather；　or　something　safe！〃



After　that　the　boys　of　the　Flying　U　behaved　very　much　as　do

children　who　have　quarreled　foolishly　and　are　trying　shamefacedly

to　re…establish　friendly　relations　without　the　preliminary

indignity　of　open　repentance。　They　avoided　meeting　the

velvet…eyed　glances　of　Miguel；　and　at　the　same　time　they　were

plainly　anxious　to　include　him　in　their　talk　as　if　that　had　been

their　habit　from　the　first。　A　difficult　situation　to　meet；　even

with　the　fine　aplomb　of　the　Happy　Family　to　ease　the　awkwardness。



Later　Miguel　went　unobtrusively　down　to　the　creek　after　his

chaps；　he　did　not　get　them；　just　then；　but　he　stood　for　a　long

time　hidden　behind　the　willow…fringe；　watching　Pink　and　Irish

feverishly　combing　out　certain　corkscrew　ringlets；　and　dampening

their　combs　in　the　creek　to　facilitate　the　process　of

straightening　certain　patches　of　rebellious　frizzes。　Miguel　did

not　laugh　aloud；　as　Big　Medicine　had　done。　He　stood　until　he

wearied　of　the　sight；　then　lifted　his　shoulders　in　the　gesture

which　may　mean　anything；　smiled　and　went　his　way。



Not　until　dusk　did　Andy　get　a　private　word　with　him。　When　he　did

find　him　alone；　he　pumped　Miguel's　hand　up　and　down　and　afterward

clutched　at　the　manger　for　support；　and　came　near　strangling。

Miguel　leaned　beside　him　and　smiled　to　himself。



〃Good　team　work；　old　boy；〃　Andy　gasped　at　length；　in　a　whisper。

〃Best　I　ever　saw　in　m'life；　impromptu　on　the　spot；　like　that。　I

saw　you　had　the　makings　in　you；　soon　as　I　caught　your　eye。　And

the　whole；　blame　bunch　fell　for　itwoo…oof！〃　He　laid　his　face

down　again　upon　his　folded　arms　and　shook　in　all　the　long　length

of　him。



〃They　had　it　coming；〃　said　Miguel　softly；　with　a　peculiar　relish。

〃Two　whole　weeks；　and　never　a　friendly　word　from　one　of　themoh；

hell！〃



〃I　knowI　heard　it　all；　soon　as　I　hit　the　ranch；〃　Andy　replied

weakly；　standing　up　and　wiping　his　eyes。　〃I　just　thought　I'd

learn　'em　a　lessonand　the　way　you　played　upsay；　my　hat's　off

to　you；　all　right！〃



〃One　learns　to　seize　opportunities　without　stuttering；〃　Miguel

observed　calmlyand　a　queer　look　came　into　his　eyes　as　they

rested　upon　the　face　of　Andy。　〃And；　if　the　chance　comes；　I'll　do

as　much　for　you。　By　the　way；　did　you　see　the　saddle　those　Arizona

boys　sent　me？　It's　over　here。　It's　a　pip…pinalmost　as　fine　as

the　spurs；　which　I　keep　in　the　bunk…house　when　they're　not　on　my

heels。　And；　if　I　didn't　say　so　before；　I'm　sure　glad　to　meet　the

man　that　helped　me　through　that　alley。　That　big；　fat　devil　would

have　landed　me；　sure；　if　you　hadn't〃



〃Ahwhat？〃　Andy　leaned　and　peered　into　the　face　of　Miguel；　his

jaw　hanging　slack。　〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　meit's　true？〃



〃True？　Why；　I　thought　you　were　the　fellow〃　Miguel　faced　him

steadily。　His　eyes　were　frankly　puzzled。



〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　so　help　me；〃　Andy　said　heavily。　〃I

don't　know　a　darned　thing　about　it；　only　what　I　read　in　the

papers。　I　spent　the　whole　winter　in　Colorado　and　Wyoming。　I　was

just　joshing　the　boys。〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Miguel。



They　stood　there　in　the　dusk　and　silence　for　a　space；　after　which

Andy　went　forth　into　the　night　to　meditate　upon　this　thing。

Miguel　stood　and　looked　after　him。



〃He's　the　real　goods　when　it　comes　to　lyingbut　there　are

others；〃　he　said　aloud；　and　smiled　a　peculiar　smile。　But　for　all

that　he　felt　that　he　was　going　to　like　Andy　very　much　indeed。

And；　since　the　Happy　Family　had　shown　a　disposition　to　make　him

one　of　themselves；　he　knew　that　he　was　going　to　become　quite　as

foolishly　attached　to　the　Flying　U　as　was　even　Slim；　confessedly

the　most　rabid　of　partisans。



In　this　wise　did　Miguel　Rapponi；　then；　become　a　member　of　Jim

Whitmore's　Happy　Family；　and　play　his　part　in　the　events　which

followed　his　adoption。







CHAPTER　III。　Bad　News



Andy　Green；　that　honest…eyed　young　man　whom　everyone　loved；　but

whom　not　a　man　believed　save　when　he　was　indulging　his　love　for

more　or　less　fantastic　flights　of　the　imagination；　pulled　up　on

the　brow　of　Flying　U　coulee　and　stared　somberly　at　the　picture

spread　below　him。　On　the　porch　of　the　White　House　the　hammock

swung　gently　under　the　weight　of　the　Little　Doctor；　who　pushed

her　shipper…toe　mechanically　against　a　post　support　at　regular

intervals　while　she　read。



On　the　steps　the　Kid　was　crawling　laboriously　upward；　only　to

descend　again　quite　as　laboriously　when　he　attained　the　top。　One

of　the　boys　was　just　emerging　from　the　blacksmith　shop；　from　the

build　of　him　Andy　knew　it　must　be　either　Weary　or　Irish；　though

it　would　take　a　much　closer　observation；　and　some　familiarity

with　the　two　to　identify　the　man　more　exactly。　In　the　corral　were

a　swirl　of　horses　and　an　overhanging　cloud　of　dust；　with　two　or

three　figures　discernible　in　the　midst；　and　away　in　the　little

pasture　two　other　figures　were　galloping　after　a　fleeing　dozen　of

horses。　While　he　looked；　old　Patsy　came　out　of　the　messhouse；　and

went；　with　flapping　flour…sack　apron；　to　the　woodpile。



Peaceful　it　was；　and　home…like　and　contentedly　prosperous；　a

little　world　tucked　away　in　its　hills；　with　its　own　little

triumphs　and　defeats；　its　own　heartaches　and　rejoicings；　a　lucky

little　world；　because　its　triumphs　had　been　satisfying；　its

defeats　small；　its　heartaches　brief；　and　its　rejoicings　untainted

with　harassment　or　guilt。　Yet　Andy　stared　down　upon　it　with　a

frown；　and；　when　he　twitched　the　reins　and　began　the　descent；　he

sighed　impatiently。



Past　the　stable　he　rode　with　scarcely　a　glance　toward　Weary；　who

shouted　a　casual　〃Hello〃　at　him　from　the　corral；　through　the　big

gate　and　up　the　trail　to　the　White　House；　and　straight　to　the

porch；　where　the　Little　Doctor　flipped　a　leaf　of　her　magazine　and

glanced　at　him　with　a　smile；　and　the　Kid　turned　his　plump　body

upon　the　middle　step　and　wrinkled　his　nose　in　a　smile　of

recognition；　while　he　threw　out　an　arm　in　welcome；　and　made　a

wobbling　effort　to　get　upon　his　feet。



Andy　smiled　at　the　Kid；　but　his　smile　did　not　reach　his　eyes；　and

faded　almost　immediately。　He　glanced　at　the　Little　Doctor；　sent

his　horse　past　the　steps　and　the　Kid；　and　close　to　the　railing；

so　that　he　could　lean　and　toss　the　mail　into　the　Little　Doctor's

lap。　There　was　a　yellow　envelope　among　the　letters；　and　her

fingers　singled　it　out　curiously。　Andy　folded　his　hands　upon　the

saddle…horn　and　watched　her　frankly。



〃Must　be　from　J。　G。；〃　guessed　the　Little　Doctor；　inserting　a　slim

finger　under　the　badly　sealed　flap。　〃I've　been　wondering　if　he

wasn't　going　to　send　some　wordhe's　been　gone　a　weekBaby！　He's

right　between　your　horse's　legs；　Andy！　Oh…hbaby　boy；　what　won't

you　do　next？〃　She　scattered　letters　and　papers　from　her　lap　and

flew　to　the　rescue。　〃Will　he　kick；　Andy？　You　little　ruffian。〃　She

held　out　her　arms　coaxingly　from　the　top　of　the　steps；　and　her

face；　Andy　saw　when　he　looked　at　her；　had　lost　some　of　its　color。



〃The　horse　is　quiet　enough；〃　he　reassured　her。　〃But　at　the　same

time　I　wouldn't　hand　him　out　as　a　plaything　for　a　kid。〃　He　leaned

cautiously　and　peered　backward。



〃Ohdid　you　ever　see　such　a　child！　Come　to　mother；　Baby！〃　Her

voice　was　becoming　strained。



The　Kid；　wrinkling　his　nose；　and　jabbering　unintelligibly　at　her；

so　that　four　tiny　teeth　showed　in　his　pink　mouth；　moved　farther

backward；　and　sat　down　violently　under　the　horse's　sweat…

roughened　belly。　He　wriggled　round　so　that　he　faced　forward；

reached　out　gleefully；　caught　the　front　fetlocks；　and　cried

〃Dup！〃　while　he　pulled。　The　Little　Doctor　turned　white。



〃He's　all　right；〃　soothed　Andy；　and；　leaning　with　a　twist　of　his

slim　body；　caught　the　Kid　firmly　by　the　back　of　his　pink　dress；

and　lifted　him　clear　of　danger。　He　came　up　with　a　red　face；

tossed　the　Kid　into　the　eager　arms　of　the　Little　Doctor；　and

soothed　his　horse　with　soft　words　and　a　series　of　little　slaps

upon　the　neck。　He　was　breathing　unevenly；　because　the　Kid　had

really　been　in　rather　a　ticklish　position；　but　the　Little　Doctor

had　her　face　hidden　on　the　baby's　neck　and　did　not　see。



〃Where's　Chip？〃　Andy　turned　to　ride　back　to　the　stable；　glancing

toward　the　telegram　lying　on　the　floor　of　the　porch；　and　from　it

his　eyes　went　to　the　young　woman　trying　to　laugh　away　her

trembling　while　she　scolded　adoringly　her　adventurous　man…child。

He　was　about　to　speak　again；　but　thought　better　of　it；　and

sighed。



〃Down　at　the　stables　somewhereI　don't　know；　really；　the　boys

can　tell　you。　Mother's　baby　mustn't　touch　the　naughty　horses。

Naughty　horses　hurt　mother's　baby！　Make　him　cry！〃



Andy　gave　her　a　long　look；　which　had　in　it　much　pity；　and　rode

away。　He　knew　what　was　in　that　telegram；　for　the　agent　had　told

him　when　he　hunted　him　up　at　Rusty　Brown's　and　gave　it　to　him；

and　the　horse　of　Andy　bore　mute　testimony　to　the　speed　with　which

he　had　brought　it　to　the　ranch。　Not　until　he　had　reached　the

coulee　had　he　slackened　his　pace。　He　decided；　after　that　glance；

that　he　would　not　remind　her　that　she　had　not　read　the　telegram；

instead；　he　thought　he　ought　to　find　Chip　immediately　and　send

him　to　her。



Chip　was　rummaging　after　something　in　the　store…house；　and；　when

Andy　saw　him　there；　he　dismounted　and　stood　blotting　out　the

light　from　the　doorway。　Chip　looked　up；　said　〃Hello〃　carelessly；

and　flung　an　old　slicker　aside　that　he　might　search　beneath　it。

〃Back　early；　aren't　you？〃　he　asked；　for　sake　of　saying　something。



Andy's　attitude　was　not　as　casual　as　he　would　have　had　it。



〃Say；　maybe　you　better　go　on　up　to　the　house；〃　he　began

diffidently。　〃I　guess　your　wife　wants　to　see　yuh；　maybe。〃



〃Just　as　a　good　wife　should；〃　grinned　Chip。　〃What's　the　matter？

Kid　fall　off　the　porch？〃



〃N…o…oI　brought　out　a　wire　from　Chicago。　It's　from　a　doctor

theresome　hospital。　TheOld　Man　got　hurt。　One　of　them　cussed

automobiles　knocked　him　down。　They　want　you　to　come。〃



Chip　had　straightened　up　and　was　hooking　at　Andy　blankly。　〃If

you're　just〃



〃Honest；〃　Andy　asserted；　and　flushed　a　little。　〃I'll　go　tell　some

one　to　catch　up　the　teamyou'll　want　to　make　that　11：20；　I　take

it。〃　He　added；　as　Chip　went　by　him　hastily；　〃I　had　the　agent　wire

for　sleeper　berths　on　the　11：20　so〃



〃Thanks。　Yes；　you　have　the　team　caught　up；　Andy。〃　Chip　was

already　well　on　his　way　to　the　house。



Andy　waited　till　he　saw　the　Little　Doctor　come　hurriedly　to　the

end　of　the　porch　overlooking　the　pathway；　with　the　telegram

fluttering　in　her　fingers；　and　then　led　his　horse　down　through

the　gate　and　to　the　stable。　He　yanked　the　saddle　off；　turned　the

tired　animal　into　a　stall；　and　went　on　to　the　corral；　where　he

leaned　elbows　on　a　warped　rail　and　peered　through　at　the　turmoil

within。　Close　beside　him　stood　Weary；　with　hi