rowdy of the cross l-第6章

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himself　to　home　in　the　corral。　By　all　them　signs　and　tokens；　I　give　a
reckless　guess　you're　here　t'　stay　a　while。　That　right？〃　He　prodded　again　at
Rowdy's　ribs。

〃It　sure　is；　Pink。　And　if　I'd　known　you　was　holding　out　here；　I'd　'a'　come
sooner；　maybe。　You　sure　look　good　to　me；　you　darned　little　cuss！〃　Rowdy　sat
up　and　took　a　lightning　inventory　of　the　four　or　five　other　fellows　lounging
about。　He　must　have　slept　pretty　sound；　he　thought；　not　to　hear　them　come
in。

Pink　read　the　look；　and　bethought　him　of　the　necessary　introductions。　〃This
is　my　side…kicker　over　the　line　thatyou've　heard　about　till　you're　plumb
weary；　boys；〃　he　announced　musically。　〃His　name　is　Rowdy
Vaughanbronco…peeler；　crap　fiend；　and　all…round　bad　man。　He　ain't　a　safe
companion；　and　yuh　want　t'　sleep　with　your　six…guns　cuddled　under　your　right
ear；　and　never；　on　no　account；　show　him　your　backs。　He's　a　real　wolf；　he　is；
and　the　only　reason　I　live　t'　tell　the　tale　is　because　he　respects
m'　size。　Boys；　I'm　afraid　for　yuhbut　I　wish　yuh　well。〃

〃Pink；　you　need　killing；　and　I'm　tempted　to　live　up　to　my　rep；〃　grinned
Rowdy　indulgently。　〃Read　me　the　pedigree　of　your　friends。〃

〃Oh；　they　ain't　no　worsewhen　yuh　git　used　to　'em。　That　long…legged　jasper
with　the　far…away　look　in　his　eyes　is　the　Silent　Oneif　he　takes　a　notion
t'　you；　he'll　maybe　tell　yuh　the　name　his　mother　calls　him。　He　may　have　seen
better　days；　but　here's　hoping　he　won't　see　no　worse！　He　once　was　a
tenderfoot；　but　he's　convalescing。〃

The　Silent　One　nodded　carelessly；　but　with　a　quick；　measuring　glance　that
Rowdy　liked。

〃This　unshaved　savage　is　Smoky。　He's　harmless；　if　yuh　don't　mention
socialism　in　his　presence；　and　if　yuh　do；　he'll
down…with…the…trust…and…long…live…the…sons…uh…toil；　all　hours　uh　the　night；
and　keep　folks　awake。　Then　him　and　the　fellow　that　started　him　off　'll
likely　get　chapped　good　and　plenty。　Over　there's　Jim　Ellis　and　Bob　Nevin；
they've　both　turned　a　cow　or　two；　and　I've　seen　worse　specimens　running
around　looseplenty　of　'em。　That　man　hidin'　behind　the　grinyou　can　see
him　if　yuh　look　closeis　Sunny　Sam。　Yuh　needn't　take　no　notice　of　him；
unless　you're　a　mind　to。　He　won't　carehe's　dead　gentle。

〃Say；〃　he　broke　off；　〃how'd　you　happen　t'　stray　onto　this　range；　anyhow？　Yuh
used　t'　belong　t　the　Horseshoe　Bar　so　solid　the　assessor　always　t'　yuh　down
on　the　personal…property　list。〃

〃They　won't　pay　taxes　on　me　no　more；　son。〃　Rowdy's　eyes　dwelt　fondly　upon
Pink's　cupid…bow　mouth　and　dimples。　He　had　never　dreamed　of　finding　Pink
here；　though；　when　he　came　to　think　of　it　there　was　no　reason　why　he
shouldn't。

Pink　was　not　like　any　one　else。　He　was　slight　and　girlish　to　look　at。　But
you　mustn't　trust　appearances；　for　Pink　was　all　muscle　strung　on　steel　wire；
according　to　the　belief　of　those　who　tried　to　handle　him。　He　had　little
white　hands；　and　feet　that　looked　quite　comfortable　in　a　number　four　boot；
and　his　hair　was　a　tawny　gold　and　curled　in　distracting；　damp　rings　on　his
forehead。　His　eyes　were　blue　and　long…lashed　and　beautiful；　and　they　looked
at　the　world　with　baby　innocencewhereas　a　more　sophisticated
little　devil　never　jangled　spurs　at　his　heels。　He　was　everything　but
insipid；　and　men　liked　himunless　he　chose　to　dislike　them；　when　they
thought　of　him　with　grating　teeth。　To　find　him　bullying　the　Cross　L　boys
brought　a　warmth　to　Rowdy's　heart。

Pink　made　a　cigarette；　and　then　offered　Rowdy　his　tobacco…sack；　and　asked
questions　about　the　Cypress　Hills　country。　How　was　this　girl？and　was　that
one　married　yet？and　did　the　other　still　grieve　for　him？　As　a　matter　of
fact；　he　had　yet　to　see　the　girl　who　could　quicken　his　pulse　a　single　beat；
and　for　that　reason　it　sometimes　pleased　him　to　affect　susceptibility　beyond
that　of　other　men。

It　was　after　dinner　when　he　and　Rowdy　went　humming　down　to　the　stables；
gossiping　like　a　couple　of　old　women　over　a　back　fence。

〃I　see　you've　got　Conroy's　Chub　yet；〃　Pink　observed　carelessly。

〃Oh；　for　Heaven's　sake　let　up　on　that　cayuse！〃　Rowdy　cried　petulantly。　〃I
wish　I'd　never　got　sight　of　the　little　buzzard…head；　I've　had　him　crammed
down　my　throat　the　last　day　or　two　till　it's　getting　plumb　monotonous。　Pink；
that　cayuse　never　saw　Oregon。　He　was　raised　right　on　this　flat；　and　he
belongs　to　old　Rodway。　I've　got　to　lead　him　back　there　and　turn　him　over
to…day。〃

Pink　took　three　puffs　at　his　cigarette；　and　lifted　his　long　lashes　to
Rowdy's　gloom…filled　face。　〃Stole？〃　he　asked　briefly。

〃Stole；〃　Rowdy　repeated　disgustedly。　〃So　was　the　whole　blame'　bunch；　as　near
as　I　can　make　out。〃

〃We　might　'a'　knowed　it。　We　might　'a'　guessed　Harry　Conroy　wouldn't　have　a
straight　title　to　anything　if　he　could　make　it　crooked。　I　bet　he　never
finished　paying　back　that　money　yuh　lent　himout　uh　the　kindness　uh　your
heart。　Did　he？〃　Pink　leaned　against　the　corral　fence　and　kicked　meditatively
at　a　snow…covered　rock。

〃He　did　not；　m'　son。　Chub's　all　I　ever　got　out　uh　the　dealand　I　haven't
even　got　him。　I　borrowed　him　from　Rodway　to　pack　my　bed　overborrowed　the
blame'　little　runty　cayuse　that　cost　me　sixty…four　hard…earned　dollars；
that's　what　Harry　borrowed　of　me。　And　every　blame'　gazabo　on　the　flat　wanted
to　know　what　I　was　doing　with　him！〃

〃I　can　tell　yuh　where　t'　find　Conroy；　Rowdy。　He's　working　for　an　outfit　down
on　the　river。　I'd　sure　fix　him　for　this！　Yuh　got　plenty　of　evidence；　you　can
send　him　up　like　a　charm。　It　was　different　when　he　cut　your　latigo　strap　in
that　rough…riding　contest；　yuh　couldn't　prove　it　on　him。　But　thiswhy；　man；
it's　a　cinch！〃

〃I　haven't　lost　Harry　Conroy；　so　I　ain't　looking　for　him　just　now；〃　growled
Rowdy。　〃So　long　as　he　keeps　out　uh　reach；　I　won't　ask　no　more　of　him。

And；　Pink；　I　wish　you'd　keep　this　quietabout　him　having　Chub。　I　told
Rodway　I　couldn't　put　him　next　to　the　fellow　that　brought　that　bunch　across
the　line。　I　told　him　the　fellow　went　north　and　got　killed。　He　did　go
northfifty　miles　or　so；　and　he'd　ought　to　been　killed；　if　he　wasn't。　Let
it　go　that　way；　Pink。〃

Pink　looked　like　a　cherub…faced　child　when　he　has　been　told　there's　no　Santa
Claus。　〃Sure；　if　yuh　say　so；〃　he　stammered　dubiously。　He　eyed　Rowdy
reproachfully；　and　then　looked　away　to　the　horizon。　He　kicked　the　rock　out
of　place；　and　then　poked　it　painstakingly　back　with　his　toeand　from　the
look　of　him；　he　did　not　know　there　was　a　rock　there　at　all。

〃How'd　yuh　happen　to　run　across　Rodway？〃　he　asked　guilelessly。

〃I　stopped　there　last　night。　I　got　to　milling　around　in　that　storm；　and　ran
across　the　schoolma'am　that　boards　at　Rodway's；　She　was　plumb　lost；　too；　so
we　dubbed　around　together　for　a　while；　and　finally　got　inside　Rodway's
field。　Then　Chub　come　alive　and　piloted　us　to　the　house。　This　morning　Rodway
claimed　himsays　the　brand　has　been　worked　from　a　Roman　four。　Oh；　it's　all
straight　goods；〃　he　added　hastily。　〃Old　Eagle　Creek　here　knew　him；　too。〃

But　Pink　was　not　thinking　of　Chub。　He　hunched　his　chap…belt　higher　and　spat
viciously　into　the　snow。　〃I　knowed　it；〃　he　declared；　with　melancholy
triumph。　〃It's　school…ma'amitis　that's　gave　yuh　softening　uh　the　vitals；　and
not　no　Christian　charity　play。　How　comes　it　you're　took　that　way；　all
unbeknown　t'　your　friends？　Yuh　never　used　t'　bother　about　no　female　girls。
It's　a　cinch　you're　wise　that　she's　Harry's　sister；　and　I　admit　she's　a
swell　looker。　But　so's　he；　and　I　should　think；　Rowdy；　you'd　had　about　enough
uh　that　brand　uh　snake。〃

〃There's　nothing　so　snaky　about　her　that　I　could　see；〃　defended　Rowdy。　He
did　not　particularly　relish　having　his　own　mental　argument　against　Miss
Conroy　thrown　back　at　him　from　another。　〃She　seemed　to　be　all　right；　and　if
you'd　seen　how　plucky　she　was　in　that　blizzard〃

〃Well；　I　never　heard　anybody　stand　up　and　call　Harry　white…livered；　when　yuh
come　t'　that；〃　Pink　cut　in　tartly。　〃Anyway；　you're　a　blame　fool。　If　she　was
a　little　white…winged　angel；　yuh　wouldn't　stand　no　kind　uh　show；　and　I　tell
yuh　why。　She's　got　a　little　tin　god　that　she　says　prayers　to　regular。

That's　Harry。　And　wouldn't　he　be　the　fine　brother…in…law？　He　could　borrow
all　your　wages　off'n　yuh；　and　when　yuh　went　t'　make　a　pretty　ride；　he'd　up
and　cut　your　latigo；　and　give　yuh　a　fall。　And