the flying u ranch-第5部分

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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　his　loop　dragging

behind　him；　waiting　for　a　chance　to　throw　it　over　the　head　of　a

buckskin　three…year…old　with　black　mane　and　tail。



〃Get　in　here　and　make　a　hand；　why　don't　you？〃　Weary　bantered；　his

eye　on　the　buckskin。　〃Good　chance　to　make　a　'rep'　for　yourself；

Andy。　Gawd　greased　that　buckskinhe　sure　can　slide　out　from

under　a　rope　as　easy〃



He　broke　off　to　flip　the　hoop　dexterously　forward；　had　the　reward

of　seeing　the　buckskin　dodge　backward；　so　that　the　rope　barely

flicked　him　on　the　nose；　and　drew　in　his　rope　disgustedly。　〃Come

on；　Andymy　hands　are　up　in　the　air；　I　can't　land　him　that's

the　fourth　throw。〃



Andy's　interest　in　the　buckskin；　however；　was　scant。　His　face　was

sober；　his　whole　attitude　one　of　extreme　dejection。



〃You　got　the　tummy…ache？〃　Pink　inquired　facetiously；　moving

around　so　that　he　got　a　fair　look　at　his　face。



〃Nawhis　girl's　went　back　on　him！〃　Happy　Jack　put　in；　coiling

his　rope　as　he　came　up。



〃Oh；　shut　up！〃　Andy's　voice　was　sharp　with　trouble。　〃Boys；　the

Old　Man'swell；　he's　most　likely　dead　by　this　time。　I　brought

out　a　telegram〃



〃Go　on！〃　Pink's　eyes　widened　incredulously。　〃Don't　you　try　that

kind　of　a　load；　Andy　Green；　or　I'll　just　about〃



〃Oh；　you　fellows　make　me　sick！〃　Andy　took　his　elbows　off　the　rail

and　stood　straight。　〃Dammit；　the　telegram's　up　at　the　housego

and　read　it　yourselves；　then！〃



The　three　stared　after　him　doubtfully；　fear　struggling　with　the

caution　born　of　much　experience。



〃He　don't　act；　to　me；　like　he　was　putting　up　a　josh；〃　Weary

stated　uneasily；　after　a　minute　of　silence。　〃Run　up　to　the　house

and　find　out；　Cadwalloper。　The　Old　Manoh；　good　Lord！〃　The　tan

on　Weary's　face　took　a　lighter　tinge。　〃Scootit　won't　take　but　a

minute　to　find　out　for　sure。　Go　on；　Pink。〃



〃So　help　me　Josephine；　I'll　kill　that　same　Andy　Green　if　he's

lied　about　it；〃　Pink　declared；　while　he　climbed　the　fence。



In　three　minutes　he　was　back；　and　before　he　had　said　a　word；　his

face　confirmed　the　bad　news。　Their　eyes　besought　him　for　details；

and　he　gave　them　jerkily。　〃Automobile　run　over　him。　He　ain't

dead；　but　they　thinkChip　and　the　Little　Doctor　are　going　to

catch　the　night　train。　You　go　haze　in　the　team；　Happy。　And　give

'em　a　feed　of　oats；　Chip　said。〃



Irish　and　Big　Medicine；　seeing　the；　three　standing　soberly

together　there；　and　sensing　something　unusual；　came　up　and　heard

the　news　in　stunned　silence。　Andy；　forgetting　his　pique　at　their

first　disbelief；　came　forlornly　back　and　stood　with　them。



The　Old　Manthe　thing　could　not　be　true！　To　every　man　of　them

his　presence；　conjured　by　the　impending　tragedy；　was　almost　a

palpable　thing。　His　stocky　figure　seemed　almost　to　stand　in　their

midst；　he　looked　at　them　with　his　whimsical　eyes；　which　had　the

radiating　crows…feet　of　age；　humor　and　habitual　squinting　against

sun　and　wind；　the　bald　spot　on　his　head；　the　wrinkling

shirt…collar　that　seldom　knew　a　tie；　the　carpet　slippers　which

were　his　favorite　footgear　because　they　were　kind　to　his　bunions；

his　husky　voice；　good…naturedly　complaining；　were　poignantly　real

to　them　at　that　moment。　Then　Irish　mentally　pictured　him　lying

maimed；　dying；　perhaps；　in　a　far…off　hospital　among　strangers；

and　swore。



〃If　he's　got　to　die；　it　oughta　be　here；　where　folks　know　him

andwhere　he　knows〃　Irish　was　not　accustomed　to　giving　voice

to　his　deeper　feelings；　and　he　blundered　awkwardly　over　it。



〃I　never　did　go　much　on　them　darned　hospitals；　anyway；〃　Weary

observed　gloomily。　〃He　oughta　be　home；　where　folks　can　look　after

him。　Mam…ma！　It　sure　is　a　fright。〃



〃I　betche　Chip　and　the　Little　Doctor　won't　get　there　in　time；〃

Happy　Jack　predicted；　with　his　usual　pessimism。　〃The　Old　Man's

gittin'　old〃



〃He　ain't　but　fifty…two；　yuh　call　that　old；　consarn　yuh？　He's

younger　right　now　than　you'll　be　when　you're　forty。〃



〃Countess　is　going　along；　too；　so　she　can　ride　herd　on　the　Kid；〃

Pink　informed　then。　〃I　heard　the　Little　Doctor　tell　her　to　pack

up；　and　'never　mind　if　she　did　have　sponge　all　set！'　Countess

seemed　to　think　her　bread　was　a　darned　sight　more　important　than

the　Old　Man。　That's　the　way　with　women。　They'll　pass　up〃



〃Well；　by　golly；　I　like　to　see　a　woman　take　some　interest　in　her

own　affairs；〃　Slim　defended。　〃What　they　packin'　up　for；　and　where

they　goin'？〃　Slim　had　just　ridden　up　to　the　group　in　time　to

overhear　Pink's　criticism。



They　told　him　the　news；　and　Slim　swallowed　twice；　said　〃By

golly！〃　quite　huskily；　and　then　rode　slowly　away　with　his　head

bowed。　He　had　worked　for　the　Flying　U　when　it　was　strictly　a

bachelor　outfit；　and　with　the　tenacity　of　slow　minds　he　held　J。

G。　Whitmore；　his　beloved　〃Old　Man；〃　as　but　a　degree　lower　than

that　mysterious　power　which　made　the　sun　to　shineand；　if　the

truth　were　known；　he　had　accepted　him　as　being　quite　as　eternal。

His　loyalty　adjusted　everything　to　the　interests　of　the　Flying　U。

That　the　Old　Man　could　diethe　possibility　stunned　him。



They　were　a　sorry　company　that　gathered　that　night　around　the

long　table　with　its　mottled　oil…cloth　covering　and　benches

polished　to　a　glass…like　smoothness　with　their　own　vigorous

bodies。　They　did　not　talk　much　about　the　Old　Man；　indeed；　they

came　no　nearer　the　subject　than　to　ask　Weary　if　he　were　going　to

drive　the　team　in　to　Dry　Lake。　They　did　not　talk　much　about

anything；　for　that　matter；　even　the　knives　and　forks　seemed　to

share　the　general　depression　of　spirits；　and　failed　to　give　forth

the　cheerful　clatter　which　was　a　daily　accompaniment　of　meals　in

that　room。



Old　Patsy；　he　who　had　cooked　for　J。　G。　Whitmore　when　the　Flying　U

coulee　was　a　wilderness　and　the　brand　yet　unrecorded　and　the

irons　unmadePatsy　lumbered　heavily　about　the　room　and　could　not

find　his　dish…cloth　when　it　was　squeezed　tight　in　one　great；　fat

hand；　and　unthinkingly　started　to　fill　their　coffee　cups　from　the

tea…kettle。



〃Py　cosh；　I　vould　ke