rowdy of the cross l-第4章

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window　winked　after　them。　They　missed　Rodway's　by　a　scant　hundred　yards；　and
didn't　know　it；　because　the　side　of　the　house　next　them　had　no　lighted
windows。　They　traveled　in　a　wide；　half　circle；　and　thought　that　they　were
leaving　a　straight　trail　behind　them。　More　than　once　Rowdy　was　urged　by　his
aching　arm　to　drop　the　lead…rope　and　leave　Chub　to　shift　by　himself；　but
habit　was　strong　and　his　heart　was　soft。　Then　he　felt　an　odd　twitching　at
the　lead…rope；　as　if　Chub　were　minded　to　rebel　against　their　leadership。
Rowdy　yanked　him　into　remembrance　of　his　duty；　and　wondered。　Bill　Brown's
question　came　insistently　to　mind；　he　wondered　the　more。

Two　minutes　and　the　lead…rope　was　sawing　against　the　small　of　his　back
again。　Rowdy　turned　Dixie's　head；　and　spoke　for　the　first　time　in　an　hour。

〃My　packhorse　seems　to　have　an　idea　about　where　he　wants　to　go；〃　he　said。　〃I
guess　we　might　as　well　follow　him　as　anybody；　he　ain't　often　taken　with　a
rush　of　brains　to　the　head。　And　we　can't　be　any　worse　lost　than　we　are　now；
can　we？〃

Miss　Conroy　said　no　dispiritedly；　and　they　swung　about　and　followed　Chub's
leadership　apathetically。　It　took　Chub　just　five　minutes　to　demonstrate　that
he　knew　what　he　was　about。　When　he　stopped；　it　was　with　his　nose　against　a
corral　gate；　not　content　with　that；　he　whinnied；　and　a　new；　exultant　note
was　in　the　sound。　A　deep…voiced　dog　bayed　loudly；　and　a　shrill　yelp　cut　in
and　clamored　for　recognition。

Miss　Conroy　gasped。　〃It's　Lion　and　Skeesicks。　We're　at　Rodway's；　Mr。
Vaughan。〃

Rowdy；　for　the　second　time；　thanked　the　Lord。　But　when　he　was　stripping　the
pack　off　Chub's　back；　ten　minutes　later；　he　was　thinking　many　things　he
would　not　have　cared　to　say　aloud。　It　might　be　all　right；　but　it　sure　was
strange；　he　told　himself；　that　Chub　belonged　here　at　Rodway's　when　Harry
Conroy　claimed　that　he　was　an　Oregon　horse。　Rowdy　had　thought　his　account
against　Harry　Conroy　long　enough；　but　it　looked　now　as　though　another　item
must　be　added　to　the　list。　He　went　in　and　ate　his　supper　thoughtfully；　and
when　he　got　into　bed　he　did　not　fall　asleep　within　two　minutes；　as　he　might
be　expected　to　do。　His　last　conscious　thought　was　not　of　stolen　horses；
however。　It　was：　〃And　she's　Harry　Conroy's　sister！　Now；　what　do　you　think　of
that？　But　all　the　same；　she's　sure　a　nice　little　schoolma'am。〃



CHAPTER　3

Rowdy　Hires　a　New　Boss。

Next　morning；　after　breakfast；　Mr。　Rodway　followed　Vaughan　out　to　the
stable；　and　repeated　Bill　Brown's　question。

〃I'd　like　to　know　where　yuh　got　this　horse；〃　he　began；　with　an　apologetic
sort　of　determination　in　his　tone。　〃He　happens　to　belong　to　me。　He　was　run
off　with　a　bunch　three　years　ago；　and　this　is　the　first　trace　anybody　has
ever　got　of　'em。　I　see　the　brand's　been　worked。　It　was　a　Roman　fourthat's
my　brand；　now　it　looks　like　a　map　of　Texas；　but　I'd　swear　to　the
horseraised　him　from　a　colt。〃

Rowdy　had　expected　something　of　the　sort；　and　he　knew　quite　well　what　he　was
going　to　do；　he　had　settled　that　the　night　before；　with　the　memory　of　Miss
Conroy's　eyes　fresh　in　his　mind。

〃I　got　him　in　a　deal　across　the　line；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　told　he　came　from
east　Oregon。　But　last　night；　when　he　piloted　us　straight　to　your　corral
gate；　I　guessed　he'd　been　here　before。　He's　yours；　all　right；　if　you　say
so。〃

〃Uh　course　he　ain't　worth　such　a　pile　uh　money；　apologized　Rodway；　〃but　the
kids　thought　a　heap　of　him。　I'd　rather　locate　some　of　the　horses　that　was
with　himor　the　man　yuh　got　him　of。　They　was　some　mighty　good　horses　run
out　uh　this　country　then；　but　they　was　all　out　on　the　range；　so　we　didn't
miss　'em　in　time　to　do　any　good。　Do　yu　know　who　took　'em　across　the　line？〃

〃No；〃　said　Rowdy　deliberately。　〃The　man　I　got　Chub　from　went　north；　and　I
heard　he　got　killed。　I　don't　know　of　any　other　in　the　deal。〃

Rodway　grunted；　and　Vaughan　began　vigorously　brushing　Dixie's　roughened
coat。　〃If　you　don't　mind；〃　he　said；　after　a　minute；　〃I'd　like　to　borrow　Chub
to　pack　my　bed　over　to　the　Cross　L。　I　can　bring　him　back　again。〃

〃Why；　sure！〃　assented　Rodway　eagerly。　〃I　hate　to　take　him　from　yuh；　but　the
kids〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　interrupted　Rowdy　cheerfully。　〃It's　all　in　the　game；
and　I　should　'a'　looked　up　his　pedigree；　for　I　knew。　Anyway；　was　worth　the
price　of　him　to　have　him　along　last　night。　We'd　have　milled　around　till
daylight；　I　guess；　only　for　him。〃

〃That's　what；〃　agreed　Rodway。　〃Jessie's　horse　is　one　she　brought　from　home
lately；　and　he　ain't　located　yet；　I　dunno　as　he'd　'a'　piloted　her　home。
Billythat's　what　the　kids　named　himwas　born　and　raised　here；　yuh　see。
I'll　bet　he's　glad　to　get　backand　the　kids'll　be　plumb　wild。〃

Rowdy　did　not　answer；　there　seemed　nothing　in　particular　to　say；　and　he　was
wondering　if　he　would　see　Miss　Conroy　before　he　left。　She　had　not　eaten
breakfast　with　the　others；　from　their　manner；　he　judged　that　no　one　expected
her　to。　He　was　not　well　informed　upon　the　subject　of　schoolma'ams；　but　he
had　a　hazy　impression　that　late　rising　was　a　distinguishing
characteristicand　he　did　not　know　how　late。　He　saddled　leisurely；　and
packed　his　bed　for　the　last　time　upon　Chub。　The　red…and…yellow　Navajo
blanket　he　folded　tenderly；　with　an　unconscious　smile　for　the　service　it　had
done；　and　laid　it　in　its　accustomed　place　in　the　bed。　Then；　having　no
plausible　excuse　for　going　back　to　the　house；　he　mounted　and　rode　away　into
the　brilliant　white　world；　watching　wistfully　the　house　from　the　tail　of　his
eye。

She　might　have　got　up　in　time　to　see　him　off；　he　thought　discontentedly；　but
he　supposed　one　cowpuncher　more　or　less　made　little　difference　to　her。
Anyway；　he　didn't　know　as　he　had　any　license　to　moon　around　her。　She
probably　had　a　fellow；　she　might　even　be　engaged；　for　all　he　knew。　Andshe
was　Harry　Conroy's　sister；　and　from　his　experience　with　the　breed；　good
looks　didn't　count　for　anything。　Harry　was　good…looking；　and　he　was　a　snake；
if　ever　there　was　one。　He　had　never　expected　to　lie　for　himbut　he
had　done　it；　all　right　and　because　Harry's　sister　happened　to　have　nice
eyes　and　a　pretty　little　foot！

He　had　half　a　mind　to　go　back　and　tell　Rodway　all　he　knew　about　those
horses；　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time；　anyway；　till　Harry　Conroy　overshot　the
mark　and　got　what　was　coming　to　him。　He　sure　didn't　owe　Harry　anything；　that
he　had　need　to　shield　him　like　he　had　done。　Still；　Rodway　would　wonder　why
he　hadn't　told　it　at　first；　and　that　little　girl　believed　in　Harry；　and　said
he　was　〃splendid！〃　Humph！　He　wondered　if　she　really　meant　that。　If　she
did

He　squared　his　back　to　the　houseand　the　memory　of　Miss　Conroy's　eyesand
plodded　across　the　field　to　the　gate。　Now　the　sun　was　shining；　and　there　was
no　possibility　of　getting　lost。　The　way　to　the　Cross　L　lay　straight　and
plain　before　him。

Rowdy　rode　leisurely　up　over　the　crest　of　a　ridge　beyond　which　lay　the　home
ranch　of　the　Cross　L。　Whether　it　was　henceforth　to　be　his　home　he　had　yet　to
discoverthough　there　was　reason　for　hoping　that　it　would　be。　Even　so
venturesome　a　man　as　Rowdy　Vaughan　would　scarce　ride　a　long　hundred　miles
through　unpeopled　prairie；　in　the　tricky　month　of　March；　without　some　reason
for　expecting　a　welcome　at　the　end　of　his　journey。　In　this　case；　a　previous
acquaintance　with　〃Wooden　Shoes〃　Mielke；　foreman　of　the　Cross　L；　was　Rowdy's
trump…card。　Wooden　Shoes；　whenever　chance　had　brought　them　together　in　the
last　two　or　three　years；　was　ever　urging　Rowdy　to　come　over　and　unroll　his
soogans　in　the　Cross　L　bed…tent；　and　promising　the　best　string　in　the　outfit
to　ridebesides　other　things　alluring　to　a　cow…puncher。　So　that；　when　his
relations　with　the　Horseshoe　Bar　became　strained；　Rowdy　remembered　his
friend　of　the　Cross　L　and　the　promises；　and　had　drifted　south。

Just　now　he　hoped　that　Wooden　Shoes　would　be　home　to　greet　him；　and　his　eyes
searched　wishfully　the　huddle　of　low…eaved　cabins　and　the　assortment　of
sheds　and　corrals　for　the　bulky　form　of　the　foreman。　But　no　one　seemed　to　be
aboutexcept　a　bigbodied；　bandy…legged　individual；　who　appeared　to　be
playfully　chasing　a　big；　bright　bay　stallion　inside　the　large　enclosure
where　stood　the　cabins。

Rowdy　watched　them　impersonally；　a　glance　proved　that