the flying u ranch-第6部分

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

tea…kettle。



〃Py　cosh；　I　vould　keel　der　fool　vot　made　her　first　von　of　der

automo…beels；　yet！〃　he　exclaimed　unexpectedly；　after　a　long

silence；　and　cast　his　pipe　vindictively　toward　his　bunk　in　one

corner。



The　Happy　Family　looked　around　at　him；　then　understandingly　at

one　another。



〃Same　here；　Patsy；〃　Jack　Bates　agreed。　〃What　they　want　of　the

damned　things　when　the　country's　full　uh　good　horses　gits　me。〃



〃So　some　Yahoo　with　just　sense　enough　to　put　goggles　on　to　cover

up　his　fool　face　can　run　over　folks　he　ain't　good　enough　to　speak

to；　by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine　glared　aggressively　up　and　down　the

table。



Weary　got　up　suddenly　and　went　out；　and　Slim　followed　him；　though

his　supper　was　half…uneaten。



〃This　goin'　to　be　hard　on　the　Little　Doctoronly　brother　she's

got；〃　they　heard　Happy　Jack　point　out　unnecessarily；　and　Weary；

the　equable；　was　guilty　of　slamming　the　door　so　that　the　whole

building　shook；　by　way　of　demonstrating　his　dislike　of　speech

upon　the　subject。



They　were　a　sorry　company　who　waved　hands　at　the　Little　Doctor

and　the　Kid　and　the　Countess；　just　when　the　afterglow　of　a　red

sunset　was　merging　into　the　vague；　purple　shadows　of　coming　dusk。

They　stood　silent；　for　the　most　part；　and　let　them　go　without　the

usual　facetious　advice　to　〃Be　good　to　yourselves；〃　and　the

hackneyed　admonition　to　Chip　to　keep　out　of　jail　if　he　could。

There　must　have　been　something　very　wistful　in　their　faces；　for

the　Little　Doctor　smiled　bravely　down　upon　then　from　the　buggy

seat；　and　lifted　up　the　Kid　for　a　four…toothed　smile　and　an

ecstatic　〃Bye！〃　accompanied　by　a　vigorous　flopping　of　hands；

which　included　then　all。



〃We'll　telegraph　first　thing；　boys；〃　the　Little　Doctor　called

back；　as　the　rig　chucked　into　the　pebbly　creek　crossing。　〃We'll

keep　you　posted；　and　I'll　write　all　the　particulars　as　soon　as　I

can。　Don't　think　the　worstunless　you　have　to。　I　don't。〃　She

smiled　again；　and　waved　her　hand　hastily　because　of　the　Kid's

contortions；　and；　though　the　smile　had　tears　close　behind　it；

though　her　voice　was　tremulous　in　spite　of　herself；　the　Happy

Family　took　heart　from　her　courage　and　waved　their　hats　gravely；

and　smiled　back　as　best　they　could。



〃There's　a　lot　uh　cake　you　boys　might　just　as　well　eat　up；〃　the

Countess　called　belatedly。　〃It'll　all　dry　out；　if　yuh　don'tand

there　ain't　no　use　wastin'　itand　there's　two　lemon　pies　in　the

brown　cupboard；　and　what　under　the　shinin'　sun〃　The　wheels

bumped　violently　against　a　rock；　and　the　Happy　Family　heard　no

more。







CHAPTER　IV。　Some　Hopes



On　the　third　day　after　the　Happy　Family　decided　that　there　should

be　some　word　from　Chicago；　and；　since　that　day　was　Sunday；　they

rode　in　a　body　to　Dry　Lake　after　it。　They　had　not　discussed　the

impending　tragedy　very　much；　but　they　were　an　exceedingly　Unhappy

Family；　nevertheless；　and；　since　Flying　U　coulee　was　but　a　place

of　gloom；　they　were　not　averse　to　leaving　it　behind　them　for　a

few　hours；　and　riding　where　every　stick　and　stone　did　not　remind

then　of　the　Old　Man。



In　Dry　Lake　was　a　message；　brief　but　heartening：



〃J。　G。　still　alive。　Some　hopes〃。



They　left　the　station　with　lighter　spirits　after　reading　that；

rode　to　the　hotel；　tied　their　horses　to　the　long　hitching　pole

there　and　went　in。　And　right　there　the　Happy　Family　unwittingly

became　cast　for　the　leading　parts　in　one　of　those　dramas　of　the

West　which　never　is　heard　of　outside　the　theater　in　which　grim

circumstance　stages　it　for　a　single　playingunless；　indeed；　the

curtain　rings　down　on　a　tragedy　that　brings　the　actors　before

their　district　judge　for　trial。　And；　as　so　frequently　is　the

case；　the　beginning　was　casual　to　the　point　of　triviality。



Sary；　Ellen；　Marg'reet；　Sybilly　and　Jos'phine　Denson　（spelled　in

accordance　with　parental　pronunciation）　were　swinging　idly　upon

the　hitching　pole；　with　the　self…conscious　sang　froid　of　country

children　come　to　town。　They　backed　away　from　the　Happy　Family's

approach；　grinned　foolishly　in　response　to　their　careless

greeting；　and　tittered　openly　at　the　resplendence　of　the　Native

Son；　who　was　wearing　his　black　Angora　chaps　with　the　three　white

diamonds　down　each　leg；　the　gay　horsehair　hatband；　crimson

neckerchief　and　Mexican　spurs　with　their　immense　rowels　and

ornate　conchos　of　hand…beaten　silver。　Sary；　Ellen；　Marg'reet；

Jos'phine　and　Sybilly　were　also　resplendent；　in　their　way。　Their

carroty　hair　was　tied　with　ribbons　quite　aggressively　new；　their

freckles　shone　with　maternal　scrubbing；　and　there　was　a　hint　of

home…made　〃crochet…lace〃　beneath　each　stiffly　starched　dress。



〃Hello；　kids；〃　Weary　greeted　them　amiably；　with　a　secret　smile

over　the　memory　of　a　time　when　they　had　purloined　the　Little

Doctor's　pills　and　had　made　reluctant　acquaintance　with　a　stomach

pump。　〃Where's　the　circus　going　to　be　at？〃



〃There　ain't　goin'　to　be　no　circus；〃　Sybilly　retorted；　because

she　was　the　forward　one　of　the　family。　〃We're　going　away；　on　the

train。　The　next　one　that　comes　along。　We're　going　to　be　on　it　all

night；　too；　and　we'll　have　to　eat　on　it；　too。〃



〃Well；　by　golly；　you'll　want　something　to　eat；　then！〃　Slim　was

feeling　abstractedly　in　his　pocket　for　a　coin；　for　these　were　the

nieces　of　the　Countess；　and　therefore　claimed　more　than　a　cursory

interest　from　Slim。　〃You　take　this　up　to　the　store　and　see　if　yuh

can't　swop　it　for　something　good　to　eat。〃　Because　Sary　was　the

smallest　of　the　lot　he　pressed　the　dollar　into　her　shrinking；

amazed　palm。



〃Paw's　got　more　money'n　that；〃　Sybilly　announced　proudly。　〃Paw's

got　a　million　dollars。　A　man　bought　our　ranch　and　gave　him　a　lot

of　money。　We're　rich　now。　Maybe　paw'll　buy　us　a　phony…graft。　He

said　maybe　he　would。　And　maw's　goin'　to　have　a　blue　silk　dress

with　green　onto　it。　And〃



〃Better　haze　along　and　buy　that　grub　stake；〃　Slim　interrupted　the

family　gift　for　profuse　speech。　He　had　caught　the　boys　grinning；

and　fancied　that　they　were　tracing　a　likeness　between　the

garrulity　of　Sybilly　and　the　fluency　of　her　aunt；　the　Countess。

〃You　don't　want　that　train　to　go　off　and　leave　yuh；　by　golly。〃



〃Wonder　who　bought　Denson　out？〃　Cal　Emmett　asked　of　no　one　in

particular；　as　the　children　went　strutting　off　to　the　store　to

spend　the　dollar　which　little　Sary　clutched　so　tightly　it　seemed

as　if　the　goddess　of　liberty　must　surely　have　been　imprinted　upon

her　palm。



When　they　went　inside　and　found　Denson　himself　pompously　〃setting

'em　up　to　the　house；〃　Cal　repeated　the　question　in　a　slightly

different　form　to　the　man　himself。



Denson；　while　he　was　ready　to　impress　the　beholders　with　his

unaccustomed　affluence；　became　noticeably　embarrassed　at　the

inquiry；　and　edged　off　into　vague　generalities。



〃I　jest　nacherlly　had　to　sell　when　I　got　m'　price；〃　he　told　the

Happy　Family　in　a　tone　that　savored　strongly　of　apology。　〃I　like

the　country；　and　I　like　m'　neighbors　fine。　Never'd　ask　for　better

than　the　Flyin'　U　has　been　t'　me。　I　ain't　got　no　kick　comin'

there。　Sorry　to　hear　the　Old　Man's　hurt　back　East。　Mary　was　real

put　out　at　not　bein'　able　to　see　Louise　'fore　she　went　away〃

Louise　being　the　Countess'　and　Mary　Denson's　sister〃but　soon　as

I　sold　I　got　oneasy　like。　The　feller　wanted　p'session　right　away；

too；　so　I　told　Mary　we　might　as　well　start　b'fore　we　git　outa　the

notion。　I　wouldn't　uh　cared　about　sellin'；　maybe；　but　the　kids

needs　to　be　in　school。　They're　growin'　up　in　ign'rance　out　here；

and　Mary's　folks　wants　us　to　come　back　'n'　settle　close　handy

bythey　been　at　us　t'　sell　out　and　move　fer　the　last　five　years；

now；　and　I　told　Mary〃



Even　Cal　forgot；　eventually；　that　he　had　asked　a　question　which

remained　unanswered；　what　interest　he　had　felt　at　first　was

smothered　to　death　beneath　that　blanket　of　words；　and　he　eagerly

followed　the　boys　out　and　over　to　Rusty　Brown's　place；　where

Denson；　because　of　an　old　grudge　against　Rusty；　might　be　trusted

not　to　follow。



〃Mamma！〃　Weary　commented　amusedly；　when　they　were　crossing　the

street；　〃that　Denson　bunch　can　sure　talk　the　fastest　and　longest；

and　say　the　least；　of　any　outfit　I　ever　saw。〃



〃Wonder　who　did　buy　him　out？〃　Jack　Bates　queried。　〃Old

ginger…whiskers　didn't　pass　out　any　facts；　yuh　notice。　He

couldn't　have；got　much；　his　land's　mostly　gravel　and　'doby

patches。　He's　got　a　water　right　on　Flying　U　creek；　you

knowfirst　right；　at　that；　seems　to　meand　a　dandy　fine　spring

in　that　coulee。　Wonder　why　our　outfit　didn't　buy　him　outseeing

he　wanted　to　sell　so　bad？〃



〃This　wantin'　to　sell　is　something　I　never　heard　of　b'fore；〃　Slim

said　slowly。　〃To　hear　him　tell　it；　that　ranch　uh　hisn　was　worth　a

dollar　an　inch；　by　golly。　I　don't　b'lieve　he's　been　wantin'　to

sell　out。　If　he　had；　Mis'　Bixby　woulda　said　something　about　it。

She　don't　know　about　this　here　sellin'　business；　or　she'd　a

said〃



〃Yeah；　you　can　most　generally　bank　on　the　Countess　telling　all

she　knows；〃　Cal　assented　with　some　sarcasm；　at　which　Slim　grunted

and　turned　sulky　afterward。



Denson　and　his　affairs　they　speedily　forgot　for　a　time；　in　the

diversion　which　Rusty　Brown's　familiar　place　afforded　to　young

men　with　unjaded　nerves　and　a　zest　for　the　primitive　pleasures。

Not　until　mid…afternoon　did　it　occur　to　them　that　Flying　U　coulee

was　deserted　by　all　save　old　Patsy；　and　that　there　were　chores　to

be　done；　if　all　the　creatures　of　the　coulee　would　sleep　in

comfort　that　night。　Pink；　therefore；　withdrew　his　challenge　to

the　bunch；　and　laid　his　billiard　cue　down　with　a　sigh　and　the

remark　that　all　he　lacked　was　time；　to　have　the　scalps　of　every

last　one　of　them　hanging　from　his　belt。　Pink　was　figurative　in

his　speech；　you　will　understand；　and　also　a　bit　vainglorious　over

beating　Andy　Green　and　Big　Medicine　twice　in　succession。



It　occurred　to　Weary　then　that　a　word　of　cheer　to　the　Old　Man　and

his　anxious　watche