rowdy of the cross l-第15章

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the　next　day's　move；　at　least；　was　clearly　defined　in　his　mind　and　he　felt
sure　that　he　could　do　no　better　by　going　another　route。

These　lonely　rides　gave　him　over　to　the　clutch　of　thoughts　he　had　never
before　harbored　in　his　sunny　nature。　Grim；　ugly　thoughts　they　were；　and　not
nice　to　remember　afterward。　They　swung　persistently　around　a　central
subject；　as　the　earth　revolves　around　the　sun；　and；　like　the　earth；　they
turned　and　turned　on　the　axis　of　his　love　for　a　woman。

In　particularly　ugly　moods　he　thought　that　if　Harry　Conroy　were　caught　and
convicted　of　horsestealing；　Jessie　must　perforce　admit　his　guilt　and　general
unworthinessRowdy　called　it　general　cussednessand　Rowdy　be　vindicated　in
her　eyes。　Then　she　would　marry　him；　and　go　with　him　to　the　Red　Deer　country
andair…castles　for　miles！　When　he　awoke　to　the　argument　again；　he　would
tell　himself　savagely　that　if　he　could；　by　any　means；　bring
about　Conroy's　speedy　conviction；　he　would　do　so。〃

This　was　unlike　Rowdy；　whose　generous　charity　toward　his　enemies　came　near
being　a　fault。　He　might　feel　any　amount　of　resentment　for　wrong　done；　but
cold…blooded　revenge　was　not　in　him；　that　he　had　suffered　so　much　at
Conroy's　hands　was　due　largely　to　the　fact　that　Conroy　was　astute　enough　to
read　Rowdy　aright；　and　unscrupulous　enough　to　take　advantage。　Add　to　that　a
smallminded　jealousy　of　Rowdy's　popularity　and　horsemanship；　one　can　easily
imagine　him　doing　some　rather　nasty　things。　Perhaps　the　meanest；　and　the　one
which　rankled　most　in　Rowdy's　memory；　was　the　cutting　of　Rowdy's　latigo　just
before　a　riding　contest；　in　which　the　purse　and　the　glory　of　a
championship…belt　seemed　in　danger　of　going　to　Rowdy。

Rowdy　had　got　a　fall　that　crippled　him　for　weeks；　and　Harry　had　won　the
purse　and　beltand　the　enmity　of　several　men　better　than　he。　For　though
morally　sure　of　his　guilt；　no　one　could　prove　that　he　had　cut　the　strap；　and
so　he　got　off　unpunished；　except　that　Pink　thrashed　hima　bit
unscientifically；　it　is　true；　since　he　resorted　to　throwing　rocks　toward　the
last；　but　with　a　thoroughness　worthy　even　of　Pink。

But　in　moods　less　ugly　he　shrank　from　the　hurt　that　must　be　Jessie's　if　she
should　discover　the　truth。　Jessie's　brother　a　convicted　thief　serving　his
sentence　in　Deer　Lodge！　The　thought　was　horrible；　it　was　brutal　cruelty。　If
he　could　only　know　where　to　look　for　that　lad；　he'd　help　him　out　of　the
country。　It　was　no　good　shutting　him　up　in　jail；　that　wouldn't　help　him　any；
or　make　him　better。　He　hoped　he　would　get　offgo　somewhere；　where　they
couldn't　find　him；　and　stay　there。

He　wondered　where　he　was；　and　if　he　had　money　enough　to　see　him　through。　He
might　be　no　goodhe　sure　wasn't！but　he　was　Jessie's　brother；　and　Jessie
believed　in　him　and　thought　a　lot　of　him。　It　would　be　hard　lines　for　that
little　girl　if　Harry　were　caught。　Bill　Brown；　the　meddlesome　old　freak！he
didn't　blame　Jessie　for　not　wanting　to　stop　there　that　night。　She　did　just
the　right　thing。

With　all　this　going　round　and　round；　monotonously　persistent　in　his　brain；
and　with　the　care　of　four　thousand　lean　kine　and　more　than　a　hundred
saddle…horsesto　say　nothing　of　a　dozen　overworked；　fretful
cow…punchersRowdy　acquired　the　〃corrugated　brow〃　fast　enough　without　any
cultivation。

The　men　were　as　the　Silent　One　had　predicted。　They　made　drives　that　lasted
far　into　the　night；　stood　guard；　and　got　along　with　so　little　sleep　that　it
was　scarce　worth　mention；　and　did　many　things　that　shaved　close　the
impossiblejust　because　Rowdy　looked　at　them　straightly；　with　half…closed
lids；　and　asked　them　if　they　thought　they　could。

Pink　began　to　speak　of　their　new　foreman　as　〃Moses〃；　and　when　the　curious
asked　him　why；　told　them　soberly　that　Rowdy　could　〃hit　a　rock　with　his　quirt
and　start　a　creek　running　bank　full。〃　When　Rowdy　heard　that；　he　thought　of
the　miles　of　weary　searching；　and　wished　that　it　were　true。

They　had　left　the　home　ranch　a　day's　drive　behind　them；　and　were　going
north。　Rowdy　had　denied　himself　the　luxury　of　riding　over　to　see　Jessie；　and
he　was　repenting　the　sacrifice　in　deep　gloom　and　sincerity；　when　two　men
rode　into　camp　and　dismounted；　as　if　they　had　a　right。　The　taller　onewith
brawn　and　brain　a…plenty；　by　the　look　of　himannounced　that　he　was　the
sheriff；　and　would　like　to　stop　overnight。

Rowdy　gave　him　welcome　half…heartedly；　and　questioned　him　craftily。　A
sheriff　is　not　a　detective；　and　does　not　mind　giving　harmless　information；
so　Rowdy　learned　that　they　had　traced　Conroy　thus　far；　and　believed　that　he
was　ahead　of　them　and　making　for　Canada。　He　had　dodged　them　cleverly　two　or
three　times；　but　now　they　had　reason　to　believe　that　he　was　not　more　than
half　a　day's　ride　before　them。　They　wanted　to　know　if　the　outfit　had　seen
any　one　that　day；　or　sign　of　any　one　having　passed　that　way。

Rowdy　shook　his　head。

〃I　bet　it　was　Harry　Conroy　driving　that　little　bunch　uh　horses　up　the　creek；
just　as　we　come　over　the　ridge；〃　spoke　Pink　eagerly。

Rowdy　could　have　choked　him。　〃He　wouldn't　be　driving　a　lot　of　horses；〃　he
interposed　quickly。

〃Well；　he　might；〃　argued　Pink。　〃If　I　was　making　a　quick　get…away；　and　my
horse　was　about　played　outlike　his　was　apt　t'　beI'd　sure　round　up　the
first　bunch　I　seen；　and　catch　me　a　fresh　oneif　I　was　a　horse…thief。　I'll
bet　yuh〃

The　sheriff　had　put　down　his　cup　of　coffee。　〃Is　there　any　place　where　a　man
could　corral　a　bunch　on　the　quiet？〃　he　asked　crisply。　It　was　evident　that
Pink's　theory　had　impressed　him。

〃Yes；　there　is。　There's　an　old　corral　up　at　the　fordDrowning　Ford；　they
call　itthat　I'd　use；　if　it　was　me。　It　was　an　old　line　camp；　and　there's　a
cabin。　It's　down　on　the　flat　by　the　creek；　and　it's　as　God…forsaken　a　place
as　a　man'd　want　t'　hide　in；　or　t'　change　mounts。〃　Pink　hitched　up　his
chapbelt　and　looked　across　at　Rowdy。　He　was　aching　for　a　sight　of　Harry
Conroy　in　handcuffs；　and　he　was　certain　that　Rowdy　felt　the　same。　〃If　it　was
me；〃　he　added　speculatively；　〃and　I　thought　I　was　far　enough　in　the　lead；
I'd　stop　there　till　morning。〃

〃How　far　is　it　from　here？〃　demanded　the　sheriff；　standing　up。

Pink　told　him　he　guessed　it　was　five　miles。　Whereupon　the　sheriff　announced
his　intention　of　going　up　there　at　once；　and　Pink　hinted　rather　strongly
that　he　would　like　to　go　with　them。　The　sheriff　did　not　know　Pink；　he　looked
down　at　his　slimness　and　at　the　yellow　fringe　of　curls　showing　under　his　hat
brim；　at　his　pink　cheeks　and　dimples　and　girlish　hands；　and　threw　back　his
head　in　a　loud　ha！　ha！

Pink　asked　him　politely；　but　rather　stiffly；　what　there　was　funny　about　it。
The　sheriff　laughed　louder　and　longer；　then；　being　the　sort　of　man　who　likes
a　joke　now　and　then；　even　in　the　way　of　business；　he　solemnly　deputized
Pink；　and　patted　him　on　the　shoulder　and　told　him　gravely　that　they　couldn't
possibly　do　without　him。

It　looked　for　a　minute　as　if　Pink　were　going　at　him　with　his　fistsbut　he
didn't。　He　reflected　that　one　must　not　offer　violence　to　an　officer　of　the
law；　and　that；　being　made　a　deputy；　he　would　have　to　go；　anyway；　so　he
gritted　his　teeth　and　buckled　on　his　gun；　and　went　along　sulkily。

They　rode　silently；　for　the　most　part；　and　swiftly。

Even　in　the　dusk　they　could　see　where　a　band　of　horses　had　been　driven　at　a
gallop　along　the　creek　bank。　When　they　neared　the　place　it　was　dark。　Pink
pulled　up　and　spoke　for　the　first　time　since　leaving　the　tent。

〃We　better　tie　up　our　horses　here　and　walk；〃　he　said；　quite　unconscious　of
the　fact　that　he　was　usurping　the　leadership；　and　thinking　only　of　their
quest。

But　the　sheriff　was　old　at　the　business；　and　not　too　jealous　of　his
position。　He　signed　to　his　deputy　proper；　and　they　dismounted。

When　they　started　on；　Pink　was　ahead。　The　sheriff　observed　that　Pink's　gun
still　swung　in　its　scabbard　at　his　hip；　and　he　grinnedbut　that　was　because
he　didn't　know　Pink。　That　the　gun　swung　at　his　hip　would　have　been　quite
enough　for　any　one　who　did　know　him；　it　didn't　take　Pink　all　day　to　get　into
action

Ten　rods　from　the　corral；　which　they　could　distinguish　as　a　black　blotch　in
the　sparse　willow　growth；　Pink　turned　and　stopped　them。　〃I　know　the　layout
here；〃　he　whispered。　〃I'll　just　sneak　ahead　and　ru