cabin fever-第23部分

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ly　planted　in　Cash's　mind　the　impression　that　his　life　had　never　held　any　close　ties　whatsoever。　So；　lacking　the　clue；　Cash　only　wondered　and　did　not　suspect。

What　most　troubled　Cash　was　the　fact　that　he　had　unwittingly　caused　all　the　trouble　for　Lovin　Child。　He　should　not　have　tried　to　scrub　the　floor　with　the　kid　running　loose　all　over　the　place。　As　a　slight　token　of　his　responsibility　in　the　matter；　he　watched　his　chance　when　Bud　was　busy　at　the　old　cookstove；　and　tossed　a　rabbit　fur　across　to　Lovin　Child　to　play　with；　a　risky　thing　to　do；　since　he　did　not　know　what　were　Lovin　Child's　little　peculiarities　in　the　way　of　receiving　strange　gifts。　But　he　was　lucky。　Lovin　Child　was　enraptured　with　the　soft　fur　and　rubbed　it　over　his　baby　cheeks　and　cooed　to　it　and　kissed　it；　and　said　〃Ee？　Ee？〃　to　Cash；　which　was　reward　enough。

There　was　a　strained　moment　when　Bud　came　over　and　discovered　what　it　was　he　was　having　so　much　fun　with。　Having　had　three　days　of　experience　by　which　to　judge；　he　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　Lovin　Child　had　been　in　mischief　again。

〃Now　what　yuh　up　to；　you　little　scallywag？　〃　he　demanded。　〃How　did　you　get　hold　of　that？　Consarn　your　little　hide；　Boy。。。〃

〃Let　the　kid　have　it；〃　Cash　muttered　gruffly。　〃I　gave　it　to　him。〃　He　got　up　abruptly　and　went　outside；　and　came　in　with　wood　for　the　cookstove；　and　became　exceedingly　busy；　never　once　looking　toward　the　other　end　of　the　room；　where　Bud　was　sprawled　upon　his　back　on　the　bunk；　with　Lovin　Child　astride　his　middle；　having　a　high　old　time　with　a　wonderful　new　game　of　〃bronk　riding。〃

Now　and　then　Bud　would　stop　bucking　long　enough　to　slap　Lovin　Child　in　the　face　with　the　soft　side　of　the　rabbit　fur；　and　Lovin　Child　would　squint　his　eyes　and　wrinkle　his　nose　and　laugh　until　he　seemed　likely　to　choke。　Then　Bud　would　cry；　〃Ride　'im；　Boy！　Ride　'im　an'　scratch　'im。　Go　get　'im；　cowboyhe's　your　meat！〃　and　would　bounce　Lovin　Child　till　he　squealed　with　glee。

Cash　tried　to　ignore　all　that。　Tried　to　keep　his　back　to　it。　But　he　was　human；　and　Bud　was　changed　so　completely　in　the　last　three　days　that　Cash　could　scarcely　credit　his　eyes　and　his　ears。　The　old　surly　scowl　was　gone　from　Bud's　face；　his　eyes　held　again　the　twinkle。　Cash　listened　to　the　whoops；　the　baby　laughter；　the　old；　rodeo　catch…phrases；　and　grinned　while　he　fried　his　bacon。

Presently　Bud　gave　a　whoop；　forgetting　the　feud　in　his　play。　〃Lookit；　Cash！　He's　ridin'　straight　up　and　whippin'　as　he　rides！　He's　so…o…me　bronk…fighter；　buh…lieve　me！〃

Cash　turned　and　looked；　grinned　and　turned　away　againbut　only　to　strip　the　rind　off　a　fresh…fried　slice　of　bacon　the　full　width　of　the　piece。　He　came　down　the　room　on　his　own　side　the　dead　line；　and　tossed　the　rind　across　to　the　bunk。

〃Quirt　him　with　that；　Boy；〃　he　grunted；　〃and　then　you　can　eat　it　if　you　want。〃



CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN。　LOVIN　CHILD　WRIGGLES　IN

On　the　fourth　day　Bud's　conscience　pricked　him　into　making　a　sort　of　apology　to　Cash；　under　the　guise　of　speaking　to　Lovin　Child；　for　still　keeping　the　baby　in　camp。

〃I've　got　a　blame　good　notion　to　pack　you　to　town　to…day；　Boy；　and　try　and　find　out　where　you　belong；〃　he　said；　while　he　was　feeding　him　oatmeal　mush　with　sugar　and　canned　milk。　〃It's　pretty　cold；　though　。。。〃　He　cast　a　slant…eyed　glance　at　Cash；　dourly　frying　his　own　hotcakes。　〃We'll　see　what　it　looks　like　after　a　while。　I　sure　have　got　to　hunt　up　your　folks　soon　as　I　can。　Ain't　I；　old…timer？〃

That　salved　his　conscience　a　little；　and　freed　him　of　the　uneasy　conviction　that　Cash　believed　him　a　kidnapper。　The　weather　did　the　rest。　An　hour　after　breakfast；　just　when　Bud　was　downheartedly　thinking　he　could　not　much　longer　put　off　starting　without　betraying　how　hard　it　was　going　to　be　for　him　to　give　up　the　baby；　the　wind　shifted　the　clouds　and　herded　them　down　to　the　Big　Mountain　and　held　them　there　until　they　began　to　sift　snow　down　upon　the　burdened　pines。

〃Gee；　it's　going　to　storm　again！〃　Bud　blustered　in。　〃It'll　be　snowing　like　all　git…out　in　another　hour。　I'll　tell　a　cruel　world　I　wouldn't　take　a　dog　out　such　weather　as　this。　Your　folks　may　be　worrying　about　yuh；　Boy；　but　they　ain't　going　to　climb　my　carcass　for　packing　yuh　fifteen　miles　in　a　snow…storm　and　letting　yuh　freeze；　maybe。　I　guess　the　cabin's　big　enough　to　hold　yuh　another　daywhat？〃

Cash　lifted　his　eyebrows　and　pinched　in　his　lips　under　his　beard。　It　did　not　seem　to　occur　to　Bud　that　one　of　them　could　stay　in　the　cabin　with　the　baby　while　the　other　carried　to　Alpine　the　news　of　the　baby's　whereabouts　and　its　safety。　Or　if　it　did　occur　to　Bud；　he　was　careful　not　to　consider　it　a　feasible　plan。　Cash　wondered　if　Bud　thought　he　was　pulling　the　wool　over　anybody's　eyes。　Bud　did　not　want　to　give　up　that　kid；　and　he　was　tickled　to　death　because　the　storm　gave　him　an　excuse　for　keeping　it。　Cash　was　cynically　amused　at　Bud's　transparency。　But　the　kid　was　none　of　his　business；　and　he　did　not　intend　to　make　any　suggestions　that　probably　would　not　be　taken　anyway。　Let　Bud　pretend　he　was　anxious　to　give　up　the　baby；　if　that　made　him　feel　any　better　about　it。

That　day　went　merrily　to　the　music　of　Lovin　Child's　chuckling　laugh　and　his　unintelligible　chatter。　Bud　made　the　discovery　that　〃Boy〃　was　trying　to　say　Lovin　Child　when　he　wanted　to　be　taken　and　rocked；　and　declared　that　he　would　tell　the　world　the　name　fit；　like　a　saddle　on　a　duck's　back。　Lovin　Child　discovered　Cash's　pipe；　and　was　caught　sucking　it　before　the　fireplace　and　mimicking　Cash's　meditative　pose　with　a　comical　exactness　that　made　Bud　roar。　Even　Cash　was　betrayed　into　speaking　a　whole　sentence　to　Bud　before　he　remembered　his　grudge。　Taken　altogether；　it　was　a　day　of　fruitful　pleasure　in　spite　of　the　storm　outside。

That　night　the　two　men　sat　before　the　fire　and　watched　the　flames　and　listened　to　the　wind　roaring　in　the　pines。　On　his　side　of　the　dead　line　Bud　rocked　his　hard…muscled；　big　body　back　and　forth；　cradling　Lovin　Child　asleep　in　his　arms。　In　one　tender　palm　he　nested　Lovin　Child's　little　bare　feet；　like　two　fat；　white　mice　that　slept　together　after　a　day's　scampering。

Bud　was　thinking；　as　he　always　thought　nowadays；　of　Marie　and　his　own　boy；　yearning；　tender　thoughts　which　his　clumsy　man's　tongue　would　never　attempt　to　speak。　Before；　he　had　thought　of　Marie　alone；　without　the　baby；　but　he　had　learned　much；　these　last　four　days。　He　knew　now　how　closely　a　baby　can　creep　in　and　cling；　how　they　can　fill　the　days　with　joy。　He　knew　how　he　would　miss　Lovin　Child　when　the　storm　cleared　and　he　must　take　him　away。　It　did　not　seem　right　or　just　that　he　should　give　him　into　the　keeping　of　strangersand　yet　he　must　until　the　parents　could　have　him　back。　The　black　depths　of　their　grief　to…night　Bud　could　not　bring　himself　to　contemplate。　Bad　enough　to　forecast　his　own　desolateness　when　Lovin　Child　was　no　longer　romping　up　and　down　the　dead　line；　looking　where　he　might　find　some　mischief　to　get　into。　Bad　enough　to　know　that　the　cabin　would　again　be　a　place　of　silence　and　gloom　and　futile　resentments　over　little　things；　with　no　happy　little　man…child　to　brighten　it。　He　crept　into　his　bunk　that　night　and　snuggled　the　baby　up　in　his　arms；　a　miserable　man　with　no　courage　left　in　him　for　the　future。

But　the　next　day　it　was　still　storming；　and　colder　than　ever。　No　one　would　expect　him　to　take　a　baby　out　in　such　weather。　So　Bud　whistled　and　romped　with　Lovin　Child；　and　would　not　worry　about　what　must　happen　when　the　storm　was　past。

All　day　Cash　brooded　before　the　fire；　bundled　in　his　mackinaw　and　sweater。　He　did　not　even　smoke；　and　though　he　seemed　to　feel　the　cold　abnormally；　he　did　not　bring　in　any　wood　except　in　the　morning；　but　let　Bud　keep　the　fireplace　going　with　his　own　generous　supply。　He　did　not　eat　any　dinner；　and　at　supper　time　he　went　to　bed　with　all　the　clothes　he　possessed　piled　on　top　of　him。　By　all　these　signs；　Bud　knew　that　Cash　had　a　bad　cold。

Bud　did　not　think　much　about　it　at　firstbeing　of　the　sturdy　type　that　makes　light　of　a　cold。　But　when　Cash　began　to　cough　with　that　hoarse；　racking　sound　that　tells　the　tale　of　laboring　lungs；　Bud　began　to　feel　guiltily　that　he　ought　to　do　something　about　it。

He　hushed　Lovin　Child's　romping；　that　night；　and　would　not　let　him　ride　a　bronk　at　bedtime。　When　he　was　asleep；　Bud　laid　him　down　and　went　over　to　the　supply　cupboard；　which　he　had　been　obliged　to　rearrange　with　everything　except　tin　cans　placed　on　shelves　too　high　for　a　two…year…old　to　reach　even　when　he　stood　on　his　tiptoes　and　grunted。　He　hunted　for　the　small　bottle　of　turpentine；　found　it　and　mixed　some　with　melted　bacon　grease；　and　went　over　to　Cash's　bunk；　hesitating　before　he　crossed　the　dead　line；　but　crossing　nevertheless。

Cash　seemed　to　be　asleep；　but　his　breathing　sounded　harsh　and　unnatural；　and　his　hand；　lying　uncovered　on　the　blanket；　clenched　and　unclenched　spasmodically。　Bud　watched　him　for　a　minute；　holding　the　cup　of　grease　and　turpentine　in　his　hand。

〃Say；〃　he　began　constrainedly；　and　waited。　Cash　muttered　something　and　moved　his　hand　irritatedly；　without　opening　his　eyes。　Bud　tried　again。

〃Say；　you　better　swab　your　chest　with　this　dope。　Can't　monkey　with　a　cold；　such　weather　as　this。〃

Cash　opened　his　eyes；　gave　the　log　wall　a　startled　look；　and　swung　his　glance　to　Bud。　〃YeahI'm　all　right；〃　he　croaked；　and　proved　his　statement　wrong　by　coughing　violently。

Bud　set　down　the　cup　on　a　box；　laid　hold　of　Cash　by　the　shoulders　and　forced　him　on　his　back。　With　movements　roughly　gentle　he　opened　Cash's　clothing　at　the　throat；　exposed　his　hairy　chest；　and　poured　on　grease　until　it　ran　in　a　tiny　rivulets。　He　reached　in　and　rubbed　the　grease　vigorously　with　the　palm　of　his　hand；　giving　particular　attention　to　the　surface　over　the　bronchial　tubes。　When　he　was　satisfied　that　Cash's　skin　could　absorb　no　more；　he　turned　him　unceremoniously　on　his　face　and　repeated　his　ministrations　upon　Cash's　shoulders。　Then　he　rolled　him　back；　buttoned　his　shirts　for　him；　and　tramped　heavily　back　to　the　table。

〃I　don't　mind　seeing　a　man　play　the　mule　when　he's　well；〃　he　grumbled；　〃but　he's　got　a　right　to　call　it　a　day　when　he　gits　down　sick。　I　ain't　going　to　be　bothered　burying　no　corpses；　in　weather　like　this。　I'll　tell　the　world　I　ain't！〃

He　went　searching　on　all　the　shelves　for　somet