the flying u ranch-第9章

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profusely。



〃Fly　at　it；　then；〃　he　advised；　eyeing　the　other　sternly　over　the

handkerchief。　〃I'd　hate　to　ask　you　a　third　time。〃



〃I'd　hate　to　have　yuh；〃　conceded　the　herder　reluctantly。　〃I　was

sure　I　c'd　lick　yuh；　or　I'd　'a'　turned　'em　before。〃　He　sent　the

dog　racing　down　the　south　line　of　the　band。



Andy　got　thoughtfully　back　upon　his　horse；　and　sat　looking　hard

at　the　herder。　〃Say；　you're　grade　above　the　general　run　uh　lamb…

hickers；〃　he　observed；　after　a　minute。　〃Who　are　you　working　for；

and　what's　your　object　in　throwing　sheep　on　Flying　U　land？

There's　plenty　of　range　to　the　north。〃



〃I'm　workin'；〃　said　the　herder；　〃for　the　Dot　outfit。　I　thought

you　could　read　brands。〃



〃Don't　get　sassyI've　got　a　punch　or　two　I　haven't　used　yet。　Who

owns　these　woollies？〃



〃WellWhittaker　and　Oleson；　if　yuh　want　to　know。〃



〃I　do。〃　Andy　was　keeping　pace　with　him　around　the　band；　which

edged　off　from　then　and　the　dogs。　〃And　what　makes　you　so　crazy

about　Flying　U　grass？〃　he　pursued。



〃We've　got　to　cross　that　coulee　to　git　to　where　we're　headed　for；

we　got　a　right　to；　and　we're　going　to　do　it。〃　The　herder　paused

and　glanced　up　at　Andy　sourly。　〃We　knowed　you　was　a　mean　outfit；

the　boss　told　us　so。　And　he　told　us　you　was　blank　ca'tridges　and

we　needn't　back　up　just　'cause　you　raised　up　on　your　hind　legs

and　howled　a　little。　I've　had　truck　with　you　cowmen　before。　I've

herded　sheep　in　Wyoming。〃　He　walked　a　few　steps　with　his　head

down；　considering。



〃I　better　go　over　and　talk　some　sense　into　the　other　fellow；〃　he

said；　looking　up　at　Andy　as　if　all　his　antagonism　had　oozed　in

the　fight。　〃You　ride　along　this　edge；　so　they　won't　scatterwe

ought　to　be　grazin'　'em　along；　by　rights；　only　you　seem　to　be　in

such　an　all…fired　rush〃



〃You　go　on　and　tell　that　loco　son…of…a…gun　over　there　what　he's

up　against；〃　Andy　urged。　〃Blank　cartridgesI　sure　do　like　that！

If　you　only　knew　it；　high　power　dum…dums　would　be　a　lot　closer　to

our　brand。　Run　alongI　am　in　a　kinda　hurry；　this　morning。〃



Andy；　riding　slowly　upon　the　outskirts　of　the　grazing；　blatting

band；　watched　the　two　confer　earnestly　together　a　hundred　yards

or　so　away。　They　seemed　to　be　having　some　sort　of　argument；　the

bug…killer　gesticulated　with　the　long　stick　he　carried；　and　the

sheep；　while　the　herders　talked；　scattered　irresponsibly。　Andy

wondered　what　made　sheepmen　so　〃ornery；〃　particularly　herders。　He

wondered　why　the　fellow　he　had　thrashed　was　so　insultingly

defiant　at　first；　and；　after　the　thrashing；　so　unresentful　and

communicative；　and　so　amenable　to　authority　withal。　He　felt　his

nose；　and　decided　that　it　was；　all　things　considered；　a　cheap

victory；　and　yet　one　of　which　he　need　not　be　ashamed。



The　herder　cane　back　presently　and　helped　drive　the　sheep　over

the　edge　of　the　bluff　which　bordered　Antelope　coulee。　The

bug…killer；　upon　his　side；　also　seemed　imbued　with　the　spirit　of

obedience；　Andy　heard　him　curse　a　collie　into　frenzied　zeal；　and

smiled　approvingly。



〃Now　you're　acting　a　heap　more　human；〃　he　observed；　and　the　man

from　Wyoming　grinned　ruefully　by　way　of　reply。



Antelope　coulee；　at　that　point；　was　steep；　too　steep　for　riding；

so　that　Andy　dismounted　and　dug　his　boot…heels　into　the　soft

soil；　to　gain　a　foothold　on　the　descent。　When　he　was　halfway

down；　he　chanced　to　look　back；　straight　into　the　scowling　gaze　of

the　bug…killer；　who　was　sliding　down　behind　him。



〃Thought　you　were　hazing　down　the　other　side　of　'em；〃　Andy　called

back；　but　the　herder　did　not　choose　to　answer　save　with　another

scowl。



Andy　edged　his　horse　around　an　impracticable　slope　of　shale　stuff

and　went　on。　The　herder　followed。　When　he　was　within　twelve　feet

or　so　of　the　bottom；　there　was　a　sound　of　pebbles　knocked　loose

in　haste；　a　scrambling；　and　then　came　the　impact　of　his　body。

Andy　teetered；　lost　his　balance；　and　went　to　the　bottom　in　one

glorious　slide。　He　landed　with　the　bug…killer　on　topand　the

bug…killer　failed　to　remove　his　person　as　speedily　as　true

courtesy　exacted。



Andy　kicked　and　wriggled　and　tried　to　remember　what　was　that

high…colored；　vituperative　sentence　that　Irish　had　invented　over

a　stubborn　sheep；　that　he　might　repeat　it　to　the　bug…killer。　The

herder　from　Wyoming　ran　up；　caught　Andy's　horse；　and　untied

Andy's　rope　from　the　saddle。



〃Good　fer　you；　Oscar；〃　he　praised　the　bug…killer。　〃Hang　onto　him

while　I　take　a　few　turns。〃　He　thereupon　helped　force　Andy's　arms

to　his　side；　and　wound　the　rope　several　times　rather　tightly

around　Andy's　outraged；　squirming　person。



〃Oh；　it　ain't　goin'　to　do　yuh　no　good　to　buck　'n　bawl；〃

admonished　the　tier。　〃I　learnt　this　here　little　trick　down　in

Wyoming。　A　bunch　uh　punchers　done　it　to　meand　I've　been　just

achin'　all　over　fer　a　chance　to　return　the　favor　to　some　uh　you

gay　boys。　And；〃　he　added；　with　malicious　satisfaction；　while　he

rolled　Andy　over　and　tied　a　perfectly　unslippable　knot　behind；

〃it　gives　me　great　pleasure　to　hand　the　dose　out　to　you；　in

p'ticular。　If　I　was　a　mean　man；　I'd　hand　yuh　the　boot　a　few　times

fer　luck；　but　I'll　save　that　up　till　next　time。〃



〃You　can　bet　your　sweet　life　there'll　be　a　next　time；〃　Andy

promised　earnestly；　with　embellishments　better　suited　to　the

occasion　than　to　a　children's　party。



〃Well；　when　it　arrives　I'm　sure　Johnny…on…the…spot。　Them　Wyoming

punchers　beat　me　up　after　they'd　got　me　tied。　I'm　tellin'　yuh　so

you'll　see　I　ain't　mean　unless　I'm　drove　to　it。　Turn　him　feet

down　hill；　Oscar；　so　he　won't　git　a　rush　uh　brains　to　the　head

and　die　on　our　hands。　Now　you're　goin'　to　mind　your　own　business；

sonny。　Next　time　yuh　set　out　to　herd　sheep；　better　see　the　boss

first　and　git　on　the　job　right。〃



He　rose　to　his　feet；　surveyed　Andy　with　his　hands　on　his　hips；

mentally　pronounced　the　job　well　done；　and　took　a　generous　chew

of　tobacco；　after　which　he　grinned　down　at　the　trussed　one。



〃That　the　language　uh　flowers　you're　talkin'？〃　he　inquired

banteringly；　before　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　horse；　which

he　disposed　of　by　tying　up　the　reins　and　giving　it　a　slap　on　the

rump。　When　it　had　trotted　fifty　yards　down　the　coulee　bottom；　and

showed　a　disposition　to　go　farther；　he　whistled　to　his　dogs；　and

turned　again　to　Andy。



〃This　here　is　just　a　hint　to　that　bunch　you　trot　with；　to　leave

us　and　our　sheep　alone；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　pick　no　quarrels；　but

we're　goin'　to　cross　our　sheep　wherever　we　dern　please；　to　git

where　we　want　to　go。　Gawd　didn't　make　this　range　and　hand　it　over

to　you　cowmen　to　put　in　yer　pocketsI　guess　there's　a　chance　fer

other　folks　to　hang　on　by　their　eyebrows；　anyway。〃



Andy；　lying　there　like　a　very　good　presentation　of　a　giant

cocoon；　roped　round　and　round；　with　his　arms　pinned　to　his　sides；

had　the　doubtful　pleasure　of　seeing　that　noisome；　foolish…faced

band　trail　down　Antelope　coulee　and　back　upon　the　level　they　had

just　left；　and　of　knowing　to　a　gloomy　certainty　that　he　could　do

nothing　about　it；　except　swear；　and　even　that　palls　when　a　man

has　gone　over　his　entire　repertoire　three　times　in　rapid

succession。



Andy；　therefore；　when　the　last　sheep　had　trotted　out　of　sight；

hearing　and　smell；　wriggled　himself　into　as　comfortable　a

position　as　his　bonds　would　permit；　and　took　a　nap。







CHAPTER　VII。　Truth　Crushed　to　Earth；　etc。



Andy；　only　half　awake；　tried　to　obey　both　instinct　and　habit　and

reach　up　to　pull　his　hat　down　over　his　eyes；　so　that　the　sun

could　not　shine　upon　his　lids　so　hotly；　when　he　discovered　that

he　could　do　no　more　than　wiggle　his　fingers；　he　came　back　with　a

jolt　to　reality　and　tried　to　sit　up。　It　is　surprising　to　a　man　to

discover　suddenly　just　how　important　a　part　his　arms　play　in　the

most　simple　of　body　movements；　Andy；　with　his　arms　pinioned

tightly　the　whole　length　of　them；　rolled　over　on　his　face；　kicked

a　good　deal；　and　rolled　back　again；　but　he　did　not　sit　up；　as　he

had　confidently　expected　to　do。



He　lay　absolutely　quiet　for　at　least　five　minutes；　staring　up　at

the　brilliant　blue　arch　above　him。　Then　he　began　to　speak　rapidly

and　earnestly；　a　man　just　close　enough　to　hear　his　voice　sweeping

up　to　a　certain　rhetorical　climax；　pausing　there　and　commencing

again　with　a　rhythmic　fluency　of　intonation；　might　have　thought

that　he　was　repeating　poetry；　indeed；　it　sounded　like　some　of

Milton's　majestic　blank　verse；　but　it　was　not。　Andy　was　engaged

in　a　methodical；　scientific；　reprehensibly　soul…satisfying　period

of　swearing。



A　curlew；　soaring　low；　with　long　beak　outstretched　before　him；

and　long　legs　outstretched　behind　cast　a　beady　eye　upon　him；　and

shrilled　〃Cor…reck！　Cor…reck！〃　in　unregenerate　approbation　of　the

blasphemy。



Andy　stopped　suddenly　and　laughed。　〃Glad　you　agree　with　me；　old

sport；〃　he　addressed　the　bird　whimsically；　with　a　reaction　to　his

normally　cheerful　outlook。　〃Sheepherders　are　all　those　things　I

named　over；　birdie；　and　some　that　I　can't　think　of　at　present。〃



He　tried　again；　this　time　with　a　more　careful　realization　of　his

limitations；　to　assume　an　upright　position；　and　being　a

persevering　young　man；　and　one　with　a　ready　wit；　he　managed　at

length　to　wriggle　himself　back　upon　the　slope　from　which　he　had

slid　in　his　sleep；　and；　by　digging　in　his　heels　and　going

carefully；　he　did　at　last　rise　upon　his　knees；　and　from　there

triumphantly　to　his　feet。



He　had　at　first　believed　that　one　of　the　herders　would；　in　the

course　of　an　hour　or　so；　return　and　untie　him；　when　he　hoped　to

be　able　to　retrieve；　in　a　measure；　his　self…respect；　which　he　had

lost　when　the　first　three　feet　of　his　own　rope　had　encircled　him。

To　be　tied　and　trussed　by　sheepherders！　Andy　gritted　his　teeth

and　started　down　the　coulee。



He　was　hungry；　and　his　lunch　was　tied　to　his　saddle。　He　looked

eagerly　down　the　coulee；　in　the　faint　hope　of　seeing　his　horse

grazing　somewhere　along　its　length；　until　the　numbness　of　his

arms　and　hands　reminded　him　that　forty　lunches；　tied　upon　forty

saddles　at　his　side；　would　be　of　no　use　to　him　in　his　present

position。　His　hands　he　could　not　move　from　his　thighs；　he　could

wiggle　his　fingerswhich　he　did；　to　relieve　as　much　as　possible

that　unpleasant；　prickly　sensation　which　we　call　a　〃going　to

sleep〃　of　the　afflicted　members。　When　it　occurred　to　him　that　he

could　not　do　anything　with　his　horse　if　he　found　it；　he　gave　up

looking　for　it　and　started　for　the　ranch；　walking　awkwardly；

because　of　his　bonds；　the　sun　shining　hotly　upon　his　brown　head；

because　his　hat　had　been　knocked　off　in　the　scuffle；　and　he　could

not　pick　it　up　and　put　it　back　where　it　belonged。



Taking　a　straight　course　across　the　prairie；　he　struck　Flying　U

coulee　at　the　point　where　the　sheep　had　left　it。　On　the　way　there

he　had　crossed　their　trail　where　they　went　through　the　fence

farther　along　the　coulee　than　before；　and　therefore　with　a　better

chance　of　passing　undetected；　especially　since　the