rowdy of the cross l-第13章

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They　crossed　the　Rocking　R　field；　took　down　four　panels　of　fence；　passed
out；　and　carefully　put　them　up　again　behind　them。　Before　them　stretched
level　plain　for　two　miles；　beyond　that　a　high；　rocky　ridge　that　promised
some　trouble　with　the　herd；　and　after　that　more　plain　and　a　couleee　or　two；
and　then；　on　a　far　slopethe　reservation。

The　cattle　were　rested　and　fed；　and　walked　out　briskly；　the　ridge　neared
perceptibly。　Pink's　shrill　whistle　carried　far　back　down　the　line　and
mingled　pleasantly　with　voices　calling　to　one　another　across　the　herd。　Not　a
man　was　humped　listlessly　in　his　saddle；　instead；　they　rode　with　shoulders
back　and　hats　at　divers　jaunty　angles　to　keep　the　sun　from　shining　in　eyes
that　faced　the　future　cheerfully。

The　herd　steadily　climbed　the　ridge；　choosing　the　smoothest　path　and　the
easiest　slope。　Pink　assured　the　line…backed　cow　that　she　was　a　peach；　and
told　her　to　〃go　to　it；　old　girl。〃　The　Silent　One's　pockets　were　quite　empty
of　rocks；　and　the　prairiedogs　chipped　and　flirted　their　funny　little　tails
unassailed。　And　Rowdy；　from　wondering　what　had　made　Pink　change　his　attitude
so　abruptly；　began　to　plan　industriously　the　next　meeting　with
Jessie　Conroy；　and　to　build　a　new　castle　that　was　higher　and　airier　than　any
he　had　ever　before　attemptedand　perhaps　had　a　more　flimsy　foundation；　for
it　rested　precariously　on　Pink's　idle　remarks。

The　point　gained　the　top　of　the　ridge；　and　Pink　turned　and　swung　his　hat
jubilantly　at　the　others。　The　reservation　was　in　sight；　though　it　lay
several　miles　distant。　But　in　that　clear　air　one　could　distinguish　the　line
fenceif　one　had　the　eye　of　faith　and　knew　just　where　to　look。　Presently　he
observed　a　familiar　horseman　climbing　the　ridge　to　meet　them。

〃Eagle　Creek's　coming；〃　he　shouted　to　the　man　behind。　〃Come　alive；　there；
and　don't　let　'em　roam　all　over　the　map。　Git　some　style　on　yuh！〃

Those　who　heard　laughed；　no　one　ever　dreamed　of　being　offended　at　what　Pink
said。　Those　who　had　not　heard　had　the　news　passed　on　to　them；　in　various
forms。　Wooden　Shoes；　who　had　been　loitering　in　the　rear　gossiping　with　the
men；　rode　on　to　meet　Smith。

Eagle　Creek　urged　his　horse　up　the　last　steep　place；　right　in　the　face　of
the　leaders；　which　halted　and　tried　to　turn　back。　Pink；　swearing　in　a
whisper；　began　to　force　them　forward。

〃Let　'em　alone；〃　Eagle　Creek　bellowed　harshly。　〃They　ain't　goin'　no
farther。〃

〃W…what？〃　Pink　stopped　short　and　eyed　him　critically。　Eagle　Creek　could　not
justly　be　called　a　teetotaler；　but　Pink　had　never　known　him　to　get　worse
than　a　bit　wobbly　in　his　legs；　his　mind　had　never　fogged　perceptibly。　Still；
something　was　wrong　with　him；　that　was　certain。　Pink　glanced　dubiously
across　at　the　Silent　One　and　saw　him　shrug　his　shoulders　expressively。

Eagle　Creek　rode　up　and　stopped　within　ten　feet　of　the　line…backed　cow；　she
seemed　hurt　at　being　held　up　in　this　manner；　Pink　thought。

〃Yuh'll　have　t'　turn　this　herd　back；〃　Eagle　Creek　announced　bluntly。

〃Where　to？〃　Pink　asked；　too　stunned　to　take　in　the　meaning　of　it。

〃T'　hell；　I　guess。　It's　the　only　place　I　know　of　where　everybody's
welcome。〃　Eagle　Creek's　tone　was　not　pleasant。

〃We　just　came　from　there；〃　Pink　said　simply；　thinking　of　the　horrors　of　that
drive。

〃Where's　Wooden　Shoes？〃　snapped　the　old　man；　and　the　foreman's　hat…crown
appeared　at　that　instant　over　the　ridge。

〃Well；　we're　up　against　it；〃　Eagle　Creek　greeted。　〃That　damn'　agentor　the
fellow　he　had　workin'　for　himreported　his　renting　us　pasture。　Made　the
report　read　about　twice　as　many　as　we're　puttin'　on。　He's　got　orders　now　t'
turn　out　every　hoof　but　what　b'longs　there。〃

〃My　Lord！〃　Wooden　Shoes　gasped　at　the　catastrophe　which　faced　the　Cross　L。

〃That's　Harry　Conroy's　work；〃　Pink　cut　in　sharply'　〃He'd　hurt　the　Cross　L　if
he　could；　t'　spite　me　and　Rowdy。　He〃

〃Don't　matterseein'　it's　done。　Yuh　might　as　well　turn　the　herd　loose　right
here；　an'　let　'em　go　t'　the　devil。　I　don't　know　what　else　t'　do　with　'em。〃

〃Anything　gone　wrong？〃　It　was　Rowdy；　who　had　left　his　place　and　ridden
forward　to　see　what　was　holding　the　herd　back。

〃Naw。　We're　fired　off　the　reservation；　is　all。　We　got　orders　to　take　the
herd　to　hell。　Eagle　Creek's　leased　it。　Mr。　Satan　is　going　to　keep　house　here
in　Montana；　he　says　it's　better　for　his　trade；〃　Pink　informed　him；　in　his
girlish　treble。

Eagle　Creek　turned　on　him　fiercely；　then　thought　better　of　it　and　grinned。
〃Them　arrangements　wouldn't　make　us　any　worse　off'n　what　we　are；〃　he
commented。　〃Turn　'em　loose；　boys。〃

〃Man；　if　yuh　turn　'em　loose　here；　the　first　storm　that　hits　'em；　they　all
die；〃　Wooden　Shoes　interposed　excitedly。　〃They　ain't　nothings　for　'em。　We
had　t'　turn　'em　into　the　Rockin'　R　field　last　night；　t'　git　water　an'　feed。
Red　Willow's　gone　dry　outside　dat　field。　They　ain'tnothings。　They'll　die！〃

Eagle　Creek　looked　at　him　dully。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　faced
utter　ruin。　〃Damn　'em；　let　'em　die；　then！〃　he　said。

〃That's　what　they'll　sure　do；〃　Wooden　Shoes　reiterated　stubbornly。　〃If　they
don't　git　feed　and　water　now；　yuh　needn't　start　no　round…up　next　spring。〃

Pink's　eyes　went　down　over　the　close…huddled　backs　and　the　thicket　of
polished　horns；　and　his　eyelids　stung。　Would　all　of　them　die；　he　wondered！
Four　thousand！　He　hoped　not。　There　must　be　some　way　out。　Down　the　hill；　he
knew　the　cowboys　were　making　cigarettes　while　they　waited　and　wondered
mightily　what　it　was　all　about　If　they　only　knew；　he　thought；　there　would　be
more　than　one　rope　ready　for　Harry　Conroy。

〃How　about　the　Peck　reservation？　Couldn't　you　get　them　on　there？〃　Rowdy
ventured。

〃Not　a　hoof！〃　growled　Eagle　Creek；　with　his　chin　sunk　against　his　chest。
〃There's　thirty　thousand　Valley　County　cattle　on　there　now。〃　He　looked　down
at　the　cattle；　as　Pink　had　done。　〃God！　It's　bad　enough　t'　go　broke；〃　he
groaned；　〃but　t'　think　uh　them　poor　brutes　dyin'　off　in　bunches；　for　want　uh
grass　an'　water！　I've　run　that　brand　fer　over　thirty　year。〃



CHAPTER　11

Rowdy　Promoted。

Rowdy　rode　closer。　〃If　you　don't　mind　paying　duty；〃　he　began　tentatively；　〃I
can　put　you　next　to　a　range　over　the　line；　where　I'll　guarantee　feed　and
water　the　year　round　for　every　hoof　you　own。〃

Eagle　Creek　lifted　his　head　and　looked　at　him　〃Whereabouts？〃　he　demanded
skeptically。

〃Up　in　the　Red　Deer　country。　Pink　knows　the　place。　There's　range　a…plenty；
and　creeks　running　through　that　never　go　dry；　and　the　country　isn't　stocked
and　fenced　to　death；　like　this　is。〃

〃And　would　we　be　ordered　off　soon　as　we　got　there？〃

〃Sure　notif　you　paid　duty；　which　would　only　be　about　double　what　you　were
going　to　pay　for　one　year's　pasture。〃

Eagle　Creek　breathed　deeply；　like　a　man　who　has　narrowly　escaped
suffocation。　〃Young　man；　I　b'lieve　you're　a　square　dealer；　and　that　yuh
savvy　the　cow　business。　I've　thought　it　ever　since　yuh　started　t'　work。〃　His
keen　old　eyes　twinkled　at　the　memory　of　Rowdy's　arrival；　and　Rowdy　grinned。
〃I　take　yuh　at　your　word；　and　yuh　can　consider　yourself　in　charge　uh　this
herd　as　it　stands。　Take　it　t'　that　cow　heaven　yuh　tell　aboutand　damn　it；
yuh　won't　be　none　the　worse　for　it！〃

〃We'll　pass　that　up；〃　said　Rowdy　quietly。　〃I'll　take　the　herd　through；
though；　and　I'd　advise　you　to　get　the　rest　on　the　road　as　soon　as　they　can
be　gathered。　It's　a　three…hundred…mile　drive。〃

〃All　right。　From　now　on　it's　up　to　you；〃　Eagle　Creek　told　him　briskly。　〃Take
'em　back　t'　the　Rockin'　R　field；　and　I'll　send　the　wagons　back　t'　you。　Old
Mullen'll　likely　make　a　roarbut　that's　most　all　gove'ment　land　he's　got
fenced；　so　I　guess　I　can　calm　him　down。　Will　yuh　go　near　the　ranch？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　said　Rowdy。　〃It　will　be　the　shortest　way。〃

〃Well；　I'll　give　yuh　some　blank　checks；　an'　you　can　load　up　with　grub　and
anything　else　yuh　need。　I'll　be　over　there　by　the　time　you　are；　and　fix　up
that　duty　business。　Wooden　Shoes'll　have　t'　get　another　outfit　together；　and
get　another　bunch　on　the　trail。　One　good　thingI　got　thirty　days　t'　get　off
what　cattle　is　on　there；　and　thirty　days　uh　grass　and　water'll　put　'em　in
good　shape　for　the　trip。　Wish　this　bunch　was　as　well　fixed。〃

〃That's　what；〃　Rowdy　assented。　〃But　I　think　they'll　make　it；　all　right