the flying u ranch-第24部分

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the　how　of　it。　Huh；　Mig？〃



Miguel　cast　a　slow；　humorous　glance　over　the　four。　〃Ye…es

they'll　have　us　treed　in　about　two　minutes　if　we　don't；〃　he

assented。　〃Go　ahead。〃



〃Well；〃　Andy　lifted　his　head　and　shoulders　that　he　might　readjust

a　pillow　to　his　liking；　〃we　wanted　him　to　make　a　getaway。　Fact

is；　if　he　hadn't；　we'd　have　beenstrictly　up　against　it。　Right！

If　he　hadn'thow　about　it；　Mig？　I　guess　we'd　have　been　to　the

Little　Rockies　ourselves。〃



〃You've　got　a　sweet　little　voice；〃　Irish　cut　in　savagely；　〃but

we're　tired。　We'd　rather　hear　yuh　say　something！〃



〃Ohall　right。　Well；　Mig　and　I　just　ribbed　up　a　josh　on　Dunk。

I'd　read　somewhere　about　the　same　kinda　deal；　so　it　ain't

original；　I　don't　lay　any　claim　to　the　idea　at　all；　we　just

borrowed　it。　You　see；　it's　like　this：　We　figured　that　a　man　as

mean　as　this　Dunk　person　most　likely　had　stepped　over　the　line；

somewhere。　So　we　just　took　a　gambling　chance；　and　let　him　do　the

rest。　You　see；　we　never　saw　him　before　in　our　lives。　All　that

identification　stunt　of　ours　was　just　a　bluff。　But　the　minute　I

shoved　my　chips　to　the　center；　I　knew　we　had　him　dead　to　rights。

You　were　there。　You　saw　him　wilt。　By　gracious〃



〃Yuh　don't　know　anything　against　him？〃　gasped　Irish。



〃Not　a　darned　thingany　more　than　what　you　all　know；〃　testified

Andy　complacently。



It　took　a　minute　or　two　for　that　to　sink　in。



〃Well；　I'll　be　damned！〃　breathed　Irish。



〃We　did　chain　him　to　the　anvil；〃　Andy　went　on。　〃On　the　way　down；

we　talked　about　being　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　you　fellows；　and

I　told　Migso　Dunk　could　hearthat　we　wouldn't　bother　with　the

horse。　We　tied　him　to　the　corral。　And　I　hunted　around　for　that

bum　chain；　and　then　we　made　out　we　couldn't　find　the　padlock　for

the　door；　so　we　decided；　right　out　loud；　that　he'd　be　dead　safe

for　an　hour　or　two；　till　the　bunch　of　us　got　back。　Not　knowing　a

darn　thing　about　him；　except　what　you　boys　have　told　us；　we　sure

would　have　been　in　bad　if　he　hadn't　taken　a　sneak。　Fact　is；　we

were　kinda　worried　for　fear　he　wouldn't　have　nerve　enough　to　try

it。　We　waited；　up　on　the　hill；　till　we　saw　him　sneak　down　to　the

corral　and　jump　on　his　horse　and　take　off　down　the　coulee　like　a

scared　coyote。　It　was；〃　quoth　the　young　man；　unmistakably　pleased

with　himself；　〃pretty　smooth　work；　if　you　ask　me。〃



〃I'd　hate　to　ride　as　fast　and　far　to…night　as　that　hombre　will；〃

supplemented　Miguel　with　his　brief　smile；　that　was　just　a　flash

of　white；　even　teeth　and　a　momentary　lightening　of　his　languorous

eyes。



Slim　stood　for　five　minutes；　a　stolid；　stocky　figure　in　the　midst

of　a　storm　of　congratulatory　comment。　They　forgot　all　about　Happy

Jack；　asleep　inside　the　house；　and　so　their　voices　were　not

hushed。　Indeed；　Big　Medicine's　bull…like　remarks　boomed　full…

throated　across　the　coulee　and　were　flung　back　mockingly　by　the

barren　hills。　Slim　did　not　hear　a　word　they　were　saying；　he　was

thinking　it　over；　with　that　complete　mental　concentration　which

is　the　chief　recompense　of　a　slow…working　mind。　He　was

methodically　thinking　it　all　outand；　eventually；　he　saw　the

joke。



〃Well；　by　golly！〃　he　bawled　suddenly；　and　brought　his　palm　down

with　a　terrific　smack　upon　his　sore　legwhereat　his　fellows

laughed　uproariously。



〃We　told　you　not　to　try　to　see　through　any　more　jokes　till　your

leg　gets　well；　Slim；〃　Andy　reminded　condescendingly。



〃Say；　by　golly；　that's　a　good　one　on　Dunk；　ain't　it？　Chasin'

himself　clean　outa　the　country；　by　gollyscared　plumb　to

death…and　you　fellers　was　only　jest　makin'　b'lieve　yuh　knowed

him！　By　golly；　that　sure　is　a　good　one；　all　right！〃



〃You've　got　it；　give　you　time　enough　and　you　could　see　through　a

barbed…wire　fence；〃　patronized　Andy；　from　the　hammock。　〃Yes；

since　you　mention　it；　I　think　myself　it　ain't　so　bad。〃



〃Aw…w　shut　up；　out　there；　an'　let　a　feller　sleep！〃　came　a

querulous　voice　from　within。　〃I'd　ruther　bed　down　with　a　corral

full　uh　calves　at　weanin'　time；　than　be　anywheres　within　ten　mile

uh　you　darned；　mouthy〃　The　rest　was　indistinguishable；　but　it

did　not　matter。　The　Happy　Family；　save　Slim；　who　stayed　to　look

after　the　patient；　tiptoed　penitently　off　the　porch　and　took

themselves　and　their　enthusiasm　down　to　the　bunk…house。







CHAPTER　XVII。　Good　News



Pink　rolled　over　in　his　bed　so　that　he　might　lookhowever

sleepilyupon　his　fellows；　dressing　more　or　less　quietly　in　the

cool　dawn…hour。



〃Say；　I　got　a　letter　for　you；　Weary；〃　he　yawned；　stretching　both

arms　above　his　head。　〃I　opened　it　and　read　it；　it　was　from　Chip；

so〃



〃What　did　he　have　to　say？〃



〃Old　Man　any　better？〃



〃How　they　comm'；　back　here？〃



Several　voices；　speaking　at　once；　necessitated　a　delayed　reply。



〃They'll　be　here；　to…day　or　to…morrow；〃　Pink　replied　without　any

circumlocution　whatever；　while　he　fumbled　in　his　coat　pocket　for

the　letter。　〃He　says　the　Old　Man　wants　to　come；　and　the　doctors

think　he　might　as　well　tackle　it　as　stay　there　fussing　over　it。

They're　coming　in　a　special　car；　and　we've　got　to　rig　up　an

outfit　to　meet　him。　The　Little　Doctor　tells　just　how　she　wants

things　fixed。　I　thought　maybe　it　was　importantit　come　special

delivery；〃　Pink　added　naively；　〃so　I　just　played　it　was　mine　and

read　it。〃



〃That's　all　right；　Cadwalloper；〃　Weary　assured　him　while　he　read

hastily　the　letter。　〃Well；　we'll　fix　up　the　spring　wagon　and　take

it　in　right　away；　somebody's　got　to　go　back　anyway；　with

MacPherson。　Hello；　Cal；　how's　Happy？〃



〃All　right；〃　answered　Cal；　who　had　watched　over　him　during　the

night　and　came　in　at　that　moment　after　someone　to　take　his　place

in　the　sickroom。　〃Waked　up　on　the　fight　because　I　just　happened

to　be　setting　with　my　eyes　shut。　I　wasn't　asleep；　but　he　said　I

was；　claimed　I　snored　so　loud　I　kept　him　awake　all　night。　Gee

whiz！　I'd　ruther　nurse　a　she　bear　with　the　mumps！〃



〃Old　Man's　coming　home；　Cal。〃　Pink　announced　with　more　joy　in　his

tone　and　in　his　face　than　had　appeared　in　either　for　many　a　weary

day。　Whereupon　Cal　gave　an　exultant　whoop。　〃Go　tell　that　to

Happy；〃　he　shouted。　〃Maybe　he'll　forget　a　grouch　or　two。　Say；

luck　seems　to　be　kinda　casting　loving　glances　our　way　again

what？〃



〃By　golly；　seems　to　me　Pink　oughta　told　us　when　he　come　in；　las'

night；〃　grumbled　Slim；　when　he　could　make　himself　heard。



〃You　were　all　dead　to　the　world；〃　Pink　defended；　〃and　I　wanted　to

be。　Two　o'clock　in　the　morning　is　a　mighty　poor　time　for　elegant

conversation；　if　you　want　my　opinion。〃



〃And　the　main　point　is；　you　knew　all　about　it；　and　you　didn't

give　a　darn　whether　we　did　or　not；〃　Irish　said　bluntly。　〃And

Weary　sneaked　in；　too；　and　never　let　a　yip　outa　him　about　things

over　in　Denson　coulee。〃



〃Oh；　what　was　the　use？〃　asked　Weary　blandly。　〃I　got　an　option　out

of　Oleson　for　the　ranch　and　outfit；　and　all　his　sheep；　at　a

mighty　good　figurefor　the　Flying　U。　The　Old　Man　can　do　what　he

likes　about　it；　but　ten　to　one　he'll　buy　him　out。　That　is；

Oleson's　share；　which　was　two…thirds。　I　kinda　counted　on　Dunk

letting　go　easy。　And；〃　he　added；　reaching　for　his　hat；　〃once　I

got　the　papers　for　it；　there　wasn't　anything　to　hang　around　for；

was　there？　Especially；〃　he　said　with　his　old；　sunny　smile；　〃when

we　weren't　urged　a　whole　lot　to　stay。〃



Remained　therefore　little；　save　the　actual　arrival　of　the　Old

Mana　pitifully　weak　Old　Man；　bandaged　and　odorous　with

antiseptics；　and　quite　pathetically　glad　to　be　back　homeand　his

recovery；　which　was　rather　slow；　and　the　recovery　of　Happy　Jack；

which　was　rapid。



For　a　brief　space　the　Flying　U　outfit　owned　the　Dots；　very　brief

it　was；　not　a　day　longer　than　it　took　Chip　to　find　a　buyerat　a

figure　considerably　above　that　named　in　the　option；　by　the　way。



So；　after　a　season　of　worry　and　trouble　and　impending　tragedy

such　as　no　man　may　face　unflinchingly；　life　dropped　back　to　its

usual　level；　and　the　trail　of　the　Flying　U　outfit　once　more　led

through　pleasant　places。








End