rowdy of the cross l-第12章

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inside。　A　few；　like　Pink　and　the　Silent　One；　flapped　their　slickers　till
their　arms　ached。　Anything；　everything　that　would　make　a　din　and　startle　the
cattle　out　of　their　lethargy；　was　pressed　into　service。

But　they　might　have　been　raised　in　a　barnyard　and　fed　cabbage　leaves　from
back　door…steps；　for　all　the　excitement　they　showed。　Cattle　that　three
months　agoor　a　monthwould　run；　head　and　tail　high　in　air；　at　sight　of　a
man　on　foot；　backed　away　from　a　rattling；　banging　cube　of　gleaming　tin；
turned　and　faced　the　thing　dull…eyed　and　apathetic。

In　time；　however；　they　gave　way　dogedly　before　the　onslaught。　A　few　were
forced　shrinkingly　down　the　hill；　others　followed　gingerly；　until　the　line
lengthened　and　flowed；　a　sluggish；　brown…red　stream；　into　the　coulee　and
across　to　Quitter　Creek。

Here　the　leaders　were　browsing　greedily　along　the　banks。　They　had　emptied
the　few　holes　that　had　still　held　a　meager　store　of　brackish　water　and　so
the　mutinous　bulk　of　the　herd　snuffed　at　the　trampled；　muddy　spots　and
bellowed　their　disappointment。

Wooden　Shoes　rode　up　and　surveyed　the　half　maddened　animals　gloomily。　〃Push
'em　on；　boys；〃　he　said。　〃They's　nothings　for　'em　here。　I've　sent　the　wagons
on　to　Red　Willow；　we'll　try　that　next。　Push　'em　along　all　yuh　can；　while　I
go　on　ahead　and　see。〃

With　tin…cans；　slickers；　and　much　vituperation；　they　forced　the　herd　up　the
coulee　side　and　strung　them　out　again　on　trail。　The　line…backed　cow　walked
and　walked　in　the　lead　before　Pink's　querulous　gaze；　and　the　others　plodded
listlessly　after。　The　gray　dust…cloud　formed　anew　over　their　slowmoving
backs；　and　the　cowboys　humped　over　in　their　saddles　and　rode　and　rode；　with
the　hot　sun　beating　aslant　in　their　dirt…grimed　faces；　and　with　the　wind
blowing　and　blowing。

If　this　had　been　the　first　herd　to　make　that　dreary　trip；　things　would　not
have　been　quite　so　disheartening。　But　it　was　the　third。　Seven　thousand　lean
kine　had　passed　that　way　before　them；　eating　the　scant　grass　growth　and
drinking　what　water　they　could　find　among　those　barren；　sun…baked　coulees。

The　Cross　L　boys；　on　this　third　trip；　were　become　a　jaded　lot　of
hollow…eyed　men；　whose　nerves　were　rasped　raw　with　long　hours　and　longer
days　in　the　saddle。　Pink's　cheeks　no　longer　made　his　name　appropriate；　and
he　was　not　the　only　one　who　grew　fretful　over　small　things。　Rowdy　had　been
heard；　more　than　once　lately；　to　anathematize　viciously　the　prairie…dogs　for
standing　on　their　tails　and　chipchip…chipping　at　them　as　they　went　by。　And
though　the　Silent　One　did　not　swear；　he　carried　rocks　in　his　pockets；
and　threw　them　with　venomous　precision　at　every　〃dog〃　that　showed　his
impertinent　nose　out　of　a　burrow　within　range。　For　Pink；　he　vented　his
spleen　on　the　line…backed　cow。

So　they　walked　and　walked　and　walked。

The　cattle　balked　at　another　hill；　and　all　the　tincans　and　slickers　in　the
crowd　could　scarcely　move　them。　The　wind　dropped　with　the　sun；　and　the
clouds　glowed　gorgeously　above　them；　getting　scant　notice；　except　that　they
told　eloquently　of　the　coming　night；　and　there　were　yet　mileslong；　rough；
heartbreaking　milesto　put　behind　them　before　they　could　hope　for　the
things　their　tired　bodies　craved：　supper　and　dreamless　sleep。

When　the　last　of　the　herd　had　sidled；　under　protest；　down　the　long　hill　to
the　flat；　dusk　was　pushing　the　horizon　closer　upon　them；　mile　by　mile。　When
they　crawled　sinuously　out　upon　the　welcome　level；　the　hill　loomed　ghostly
and　black　behind　them。　A　mile　out；　Wooden　Shoes　rode　out　of　the　gloom　and
met　the　point。　He　turned　and　rode　beside　Pink。

〃Yuh'll　have　t'　swing　'em　north；〃　he　greeted。

〃Red　Willow's　dry　as　hellall　but　in　the　Rockin'　R　field。　No　use　askin'　ole
Mullen　to　let　us　in　there；　we'll　just　go。　I　sent　the　wagons　through　the
fence；　an'　yuh'll　find　camp　about　a　mile　up　from　the　mouth　uh　the　big
coulee。　You　swing　'em　round　the　end　uh　this　bench；　an'　hit　that　big　coulee
at　the　head。　When　you　come　t'　the　fence；　tear　it　down。　They's　awful　good
grass　in　that　field！〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Pink　cheerfully。　It　was　in　open　defiance　of　range
etiquette；　but　their　need　was　desperate。　The　only　thing　about　it　Pink　did
not　like　was　the　long　detour　they　must　make。　He　called　the　news　across　to
the　Silent　One；　after　Wooden　Shoes　had　gone　on　down　the　line；　and　they　swung
the　point　gradually　to　the　left。

Before　that　drive　was　over；　Pink　had　vowed　many　times　to　leave　the　range
forever　and　never　to　turn　another　cowbesides　a　good　many　other　foolish
things　which　would　be　forgotten；　once　he　had　a　good　sleep。　And　Rowdy；
plodding　half…way　down　the　herd；　had　grown　exceedingly　pessimistic　regarding
Jessie　Conroy；　and　decided　that　there　was　no　sense　in　thinking　about　her　all
the　time；　the　way　he　had　been　doing。　Also；　he　told　himself　savagely　that　if
Harry　ever　crossed　his　trail　again；　there　would　be　something　doing。　This
thing　of　letting　a　cur　like　that　run　roughshod　over　a　man　on　account　of　a
girl　that　didn't　care　was　plumb　idiotic。　And　beside　him　the　cattle　walked
and　walked　and　walked；　a　dim；　moving　mass　in　the　quiet　July　night。



CHAPTER　10

Harry　Conroy　at　Home。

It　was　late　next　morning　when　they　got　under　way；　for　they　had　not　reached
camp　until　long　after　midnight；　and　Wooden　Shoes　was　determined　the　cattle
should　have　one　good　feed；　and　all　the　water　they　wanted；　to　requite　them
for　the　hard　drive　of　the　day　before。

Pink　rode　out　with　Rowdy　to　the　herda　heavylidded；　gloomy　Rowdy　he　was；
and　not　amiably　inclined　toward　the　small　talk　of　the　range。　But　Pink　had
slept　five　whole　hours　and　was　almost　his　normal　self；　which　means　that
speech　was　not　to　be　denied　him。

〃What　yuh　mourning　over？〃　he　bantered。　〃Mad　'cause　the　reservation's　so
close？〃

〃Sure；〃　assented　Rowdy；　with　deep　sarcasm。

〃That's　what　I　thought。　Studying　up　the　nicest　way　uh　giving　brother…in…law
the　glad　hand；　ain't　yuh？〃

〃He's　no　relation　uh　mineand　never　will　be；〃　said　Rowdy　curtly。　〃And　I'll
thank　you；　Pink；　to　drop　that　subject　for　good　and　all。〃

〃Down　she　goes；〃　assented　Pink；　quite　unperturbed。　〃But　the　cards　ain't　all
turned　yet；　yuh　want　to　remember；　I　wouldn't　pass　on　no　hand　like　you've
got。　If　I　wanted　a　girl　right　bad；　Rowdy；　I'd　wait　till　I　got　refused　before
I'd　quit。〃

〃Seems　to　me　you've　changed　your　politics　lately；〃　Rowdy　retorted。　〃A　while
back　you　was　cussing　the　whole　business；　and　now　you're　worse　than　an　old
maid　aunt。　Pink；　you　may　not　be　wise　to　the　fact；　but　you　sure　are　an
inconsistent　little　devil。〃

〃Are　yuh　going　t'　hunt　Harry　up　and〃

〃I　thought　I　told　you　to　drop　that。〃

〃Did　yuh？　All　right；　thenonly　I　hope　yuh　didn't　leave　your　gun　packed　away
in　your　bed；〃　he　insinuated。

〃You　can　take　a　look　to…night；　if　you　want　to。〃

Pink　laughed　in　a　particularly　infectious　way　he　had；　and；　before　he　quite
knew　it；　Rowdy　was　laughing；　also。　After　that　the　world　did　not　look　quite
so　forlorn　as　it　had；　nor　the　day's　work　so　distasteful。　So　Pink；　having
accomplished　his　purpose；　was　content　to　turn　the　subject。

〃There's　old　Liney〃he　pointed　her　out　to　Rowdy〃fresh　as　a　meadow…lark。　I
had　a　big　grouch　against　her　yesterday；　just　because　she　batted　her　eyes　and
kept　putting　one　foot　ahead　uh　the　other。　I　could　'a'　killed　her。　But　she's
all　right；　that　old　girl。　The　way　she　led　out　down　that　black　coulee　last
night　wasn't　slow！　Say；　she's　an　ambitious　old　party。　I　wish　you　was　riding
point　with　me；　Rowdy。　The　Silent　One　talks　just　about　as　much　as
that　old　cow。　He　sure　loves　to　live　up　to　his　rep。〃

〃Oh；　go　on　to　work；〃　Rowdy　admonished。　〃You　make　me　think　of　a　magpie。〃　All
the　same；　he　looked　after　him　with　smiling　lips；　and　eyes　that　forgot　their
gloom。　He　even　whistled　while　he　helped　round　up　the　scattered　herd；　ready
for　that　last　day's　drive。

Every　man　in　the　outfit　comforted　himself　with　the　thought　that　it　was　the
last　day's　drive。　After　long　weeks　of　trailing　lean　herds　over　barren；
windbrushed　hills；　the　last　day　meant　much　to　them。　Even　the　Silent　One　sang
something　they　had　never　heard　before；　about　〃If　Only　I　Knew　You　Were　True。〃

They　crossed　the　Rocking　R　field；　took　down　four　panels　of　fence；　passed
out；　and　carefully　put　them　up　again