rowdy of the cross l-第16章

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the　sparse　willow　growth；　Pink　turned　and　stopped　them。　〃I　know　the　layout
here；〃　he　whispered。　〃I'll　just　sneak　ahead　and　rubber　around。　You　Rubes
sound　like　the　beginning　of　a　stampede；　in　this　brush。〃

The　sheriff　had　never　before　been　called　a　Rubeto　his　face；　at　least。　The
audacity　took　his　breath；　and　when　he　opened　his　mouth　for　scathing　speech；
Pink　was　not　there。　He　had　slipped　away；　like　a　slim；　elusive　shadow；　and
the　sheriff　did　not　even　know　the　exact　direction　of　his　going。　There　was
nothing　for　it　but　to　wait。

In　five　minutes　Pink　appeared　with　a　silent　suddenness　that　startled　them
more　than　they　would　like　to　own。

〃He's　somewheres　around；〃　he　announced；　in　a　murmur　that　would　not　carry　ten
feet。　〃He's　got　a　horse　in　the　corral；　and；　from　the　sound；　he's　got　him　all
saddled；　and　the　gate's　tied　shut　with　a　rope。〃

〃How　d'yuh　know？〃　grunted　the　sheriff　crossly。

〃Felt　of　it；　yuh　chump。　He's　turned　the　bunch　loose　and　kept　up　a　fresh　one；
like　I　said　he　would。　It's　blame　dark；　but　I　could　see　the　horsea　big
white　devil。　It's　him　yuh　hear　makin'　all　that　racket。　If　he　gits　away
now〃

〃Well；　we　didn't　come　for　a　chin…whackin'　bee；〃　snapped　the　sheriff。　〃I　come
out　here　t'　git　him。〃

Pink　gritted　his　teeth　again；　and　wished　the　sheriff　was　just　a　man；　so　he
could　lick　him。　He　led　them　forward　without　a　word；　thinking　that　Rowdy
wanted　Harry　Conroy　captured。

The　sheriff　circled　warily　the　corral；　peered　through　the　rails　at　the　great
white　horse　that　ran　here　and　there；　whinnying　occasionally　for　the　band；
and　heard　the　creak　of　leather　and　the　rattle　of　the　bit。　Pink　was　right；
the　horse　was　saddled；　ready　for　immediate　flight。

〃Maybe　he's　in　the　cabin；〃　he　whispered；　coming　up　where　Pink　stood
listening　tensely　at　all　the　little　night　sounds。　Pink　turned　and　crept
silently　to　the　right；　keeping　in　the　deepest　shade；　while　the　others
followed　willingly。　They　were　beginning　to　see　the　great　advantage　of　having
Pink　along；　even　if　he　had　called　them　Rubes。

The　cabin　door　yawned　wide　open；　and　creaked　weirdly　as　the　light　wind　moved
it；　the　interior　was　black　and　silentsuspiciously　silent；　in　the　opinion
of　the　sheriff。　He　waited　for　some　time　before　venturing　in；　fearing　an
ambush。　Then　he　caught　the　flicker　of　a　shielded　match；　called　out　to　Conroy
to　surrender；　and　leveled　his　gun　at　the　place。

There　was　no　answer　but　the　faint　shuffle　of　stealthy　feet　on　the　board
floor。　The　sheriff　called　another　warning；　cocked　his　gunand　came　near
shooting　Pink；　who　walked　composedly　out　of　the　door　into　the　sheriff's
astonished　face。　The　sheriff　had　been　sure　that　Pink　was　just　behind　him。

〃What　the　hell　〃　began　the　sheriff　explosively。

〃He　ain't　here；〃　said　Pink　simply。　〃I　crawled　in　the　window　and　hunted　the
place　over。〃

The　sheriff　glared　at　him　dumbly；　he　could　not　reconcile　Pink's　daredevil
behavior　with　Pink's　innocent；　girlish　appearance。

〃I　tell　yuh　the　corral's　what　we　want　t'　keep　cases　on；〃　Pink　added
insistently。　〃He's　sure　somewheres　aroundI'd　gamble　on　it。　He　saddled　that
horse　t'　git　away　on。　That　horse　is　sure　the　key　t'　this　situation；
old…timer。　If　you　fellows'll　keep　cases　on　the　gate；　I'll　cover　the　rear。〃

He　made　his　way　quietly　to　the　back　of　the　corral；　inwardly　much　amused　at
the　tractability　of　the　sheriff；　who　took　his　deputy　obediently　to　watch　the
gate。

Pink　squatted　comfortably　in　the　shade　of　a　willow　and　wished　he　dared
indulge　in　a　cigarette；　and　wondered　what　scheme　Harry　was　trying　to　play。

Fifty　feet　away　the　big　white　horse　still　circled　round　and　round；　rattling
his　bridle　impatiently　and　shaking　the　saddle　in　an　occasional　access　of
rage；　and　whinnying　lonesomely　out　into　the　gloom。

So　they　waited　and　waited；　and　peered　into　the　shadows；　and　listened　to　the
trampling　horse　fretting　for　freedom　and　his　mates。

The　cook　had　just　called　breakfast　when　Pink　dashed　up　to　the　tent；　flung
himself　from　his　horse；　and　confronted　Rowdya　hollow…eyed；　haggard　Rowdy
who　had　not　slept　all　night；　and　whose　eyes　questioned　anxiously。

〃Well；〃　Rowdy　said；　with　what　passed　for　composure；　〃did　you　get　him？〃

Pink　leaned　against　his　horse；　with　one　hand　reaching　up　and　gripping
tightly　the　horn　of　the　saddle。　His　cheeks　held　not　a　trace　of　color；　and
his　eyes　were　full　of　a　great　horror。

〃They're　bringin'　him　t'　camp；〃　he　answered　huskily。　〃We　found　a　horsea
big　white　horse　they　call　the　Fern　Outlaw〃the　Silent　One　started　and　came
closer；　listening　intently；　evidently　he　knew　the　horse〃saddled　in　the
corral；　and　the　gate　tied　shut。　We　dubbed　around　a　while；　but　we　didn't
findHarry。　So　we　camped　down　by　the　corral　and　waited。　We　set　there　all
nightand　the　horse　faunching　around　inside　something　fierce。　Whenit
come　daybreakI　seen　somethingby　the　fence；　inside。　It　wasHarry。〃　Pink
shivered　and　moistened　his　dry　lips。　〃That　Fern　Outlawsome　uh　the　boys
knowis　a　devil　t'　mount。　He'd　got　Harry　downhell；　Rowdy！　itit　was
sureawful。　He'd　been　there　all　nightand　that　horse　stomping。　〃

〃Shut　up！〃　Rowdy　turned　all　at　once　deathly　sick。　He　had　once　seen　a　man　who
had　been　trampled　by　a　maddened；　man…killing　horse。　It　had　not　been　a　pretty
sight。　He　sat　down　weakly　and　covered　his　face　with　his　shaking　hands。

The　others　stood　around　horrified；　muttering　disjointed；　shocked　sentences。

Pink　lifted　his　head　from　where　it　had　fallen　upon　his　arm。　〃One　thing；
RowdyI　done。　You　can　tell　Jessie。　I　shot　that　horse。〃

Rowdy　dropped　his　hands　and　stood　up。　Yes；　he　must　tell　Jessie。

〃You'll　have　to　take　the　herd　on；〃　he　told　Pink　in　his　masterful　way。　〃I'll
catch　you　to…morrow　some　time。　I've　got　to　go　back　and　tell　Jessie。　You　know
the　trail　I　was　going　to　takestraight　across　to　Wild　Horse　Lake。　From
there　you　strike　across　to　North　Forkand　if　I　don't　overtake　you　on　the
way；　I'll　hit　camp　some　time　in　the　night。　It's　all　plain　sailing。〃



CHAPTER　13

Rowdy　Finds　Happiness。

Miss　Conroy　was　rather　listlessly　endeavoring　to　persuade　the　First　Reader
class　that　〃catch〃　should　not　be　pronounced　〃ketch；〃　when　she　saw　Rowdy　ride
past　the　window。　Intuition　of　something　amiss　sent　her　to　the　door　before　he
reached　it。

〃Can't　you　give　the　kids　a　day　off？〃　he　began；　without　preface。　〃I've　got
such　a　lot　to　talk　aboutand　I　don't　come　very　often。〃　He　thought　that　his
tone　was　perfectly　natural；　but　all　the　same　she　turned　white。　He　rode　on　to
a　little　tree　and　tied　his　horsenot　that　it　was　necessary　to　tie　him；　but
to　avoid　questions。

Miss　Conroy　went　in　and　dismissed　the　children；　although　it　was　only　fifteen
minutes　after　nine。　They　gathered　up　their　lunch…pails　and　straggled　out
reluctantly；　round…eyed；　and　curious。　Rowdy　waited　until　the　last　one　had
gone　before　he　went　in。　Miss　Conroy　sat　in　her　chair　on　the　platform；　and
she　was　still　white；　otherwise　she　seemed　to　have　herself　well　in　hand。

〃It's　about　Harry；〃　she　asserted；　rather　sharply。

〃Have　theycaught　him？〃

Rowdy　stopped　half…way　down　the　aisle　and　stared。　〃How　did　you　know　they
wereafter　him？〃

〃He　came　to　me　night　before　last；　andtold　me。〃　She　bit　her　lip；　took　firm
hold　on　her　honesty　and　her　courage；　and　went　on　steadily。　〃He　came　because
hewanted　money。　I've　wanted　to　see　you　since；　to　tell　you　thatI
misjudged　you。　I　know　all　about　yourtrouble；　and　I　want　you　to　know　that　I
think　you　arethat　you　did　quite　right。　You　are　to　understand　that　I　cannot
honestly　upholdHarry。　He　isnot　the　kind　of　brotherI　thought。〃

Rowdy　went　clanking　forward　till　only　the　table　stood　between。　〃Did　he　tell
you？〃　he　demanded；　in　a　curious；　breathless　fashion。

〃No；　he　did　not。　He　denied　everything。　It　was　Pink。　He　told　me　long
agothat　evening；　just　after　youthe　last　time　I　saw　you。　I　told　him
helied。　I　tried　not　to　believe　it；　but　I　did。　Pink　knew　I　would；　he　said
so。　The　other　night　I　asked　Harry　aboutthose　things　he　did　to　you。　He　lied
to　me。　I'd　have　forgiven　himbut　he　lied。　Ican't　forgive　that。　I〃

〃Hush！〃　Rowdy　threw　out　a　gloved　hand　quickly。　He　could　not　bear　to　let　her
go　on　like　that。

She　looked　up　at　him；　and　all　at　once　she　was　shaking。　〃There's
somethingtell　me！〃

〃They　didn't　take　him；〃　he　said　slowly；　weig