rowdy of the cross l-第8章

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up　flesh。　There's　some　mighty　good　ones　in　the　bunch；　too。　I　hope　Wooden
Shoes　don't　forget　to　give　me　the　first　pick。　There's　one　I　got　my　eye
onthat　blue　roan。　Anyway；　I　guess　you　can　wiggle　along　with　less　than
forty。〃

Pink　shook　his　head　thoughtfully　and　sighed。　Pink　loved　good　mounts；　and　the
outlook　did　not　please　him。　The　round…up　had　camped；　for　the　last　time；　on
the　river　within　easy　riding　distance　of　Camas。　The　next　day's　drive　would
bring　them　to　the　home　ranch；　where　Eagle　Creek　was　fuming　over　the
lateness　of　the　season；　the　condition　of　the　range；　and　the　June　rains；
which　had　thus　far　failed　even　to　moisten　decently　the　grass…roots。

〃Let's　ride　over　to　Camas；　all　the　other　fellows　have　gone；〃　Pink　proposed
listlessly；　drawing　in　his　line。

Rowdy　as　listlessly　consented。　Camas　as　a　town　was　neither　interesting　nor
important；　but　when　one　has　spent　three　long　weeks　communing　with　nature　in
her　sulkiest　and　most　unamiable　mood；　even　a　town　without　a　railroad　to　its
name　may　serve　to　relieve　the　monotony　of　living。

The　sun　was　piling　gorgeous　masses　of　purple　and　crimson　clouds　high　about
him；　cuddling　his　fat　cheeks　against　their　soft　folds　till；　a　Midas；　he
turned　them　to　gold　at　the　touch。　Those　farther　away　gloomed　jealously　at
the　favoritism　of　their　lord；　and　huddled　closer　togetherthe　purple　for
rage；　perhaps；　and　the　crimson　for　shame！

Pink's　face　was　tinged　daintily　with　the　glow。　and　even　Rowdy's　lean；　brown
features　were　for　the　moment　glorified。　They　rode　knee　to　knee　silently；
thinking　each　his　own　thoughts　the　while　they　watched　the　sunset　with　eyes
grown　familiar　with　its　barbaric　splendor；　but　never　indifferent。

Soon　the　west　held　none　but　the　deeper　tints；　and　the　shadows　climbed；　with
the　stealthy　tread　of　trailing　Indians；　from　the　valley；　chasing　the
after…glow　to　the　very　hilltops；　where　it　stood　a　moment　at　bay　and　then
surrendered　meekly　to　the　dusk。　A　meadow…lark　near…by　cut　the　silence　into
haunting　ripples　of　melody；　stopped　affrighted　at　their　coming；　and　flew　off
into　the　dull　glow　of　the　west；　his　little　body　showed　black　against　a
crimson　cloud。　Out　across　the　river　a　lone　coyote　yapped　sharply；　then
trailed　off　into　the　weird　plaint　of　his　kind。

〃Brother…in…law's　in　town　to…day；　Bob　Nevin　saw　him；〃　Pink　remarked；　when
the　coyote　ceased　wailing　and　held　his　peace。

〃Who？〃　Rowdy　only　half…heard。

〃Bob　Nevin；〃　repeated　Pink　naively。

〃Don't　get　funny。　Who　did　Bob　see？〃

〃Brother…in…law。　Yours；　not　mine。　Jessie's　tin　god。　If　he's　there　yet；　I　bid
for　an　invite　to　the　'swatfest。'　Or　maybe〃a　horrible　possibility　forced
itself　upon　Pink〃maybe　you'll　kill　the　fattest　maverick　and　fall　on　his
neck〃

〃The　maverick's？〃　Rowdy's　brows　were　rather　pinched　together；　but　his　tone
told　nothing。

〃Naw；　Harry　Conroy's　a　fellow's　liable　to　do　most　any　fool　thing　when　he's
got　schoolma'amitis。〃

〃That　so？〃

Pink　snorted。　The　possibility　had　grown　to　black　certainty　in　his　mind。　He
became　suddenly　furious。

〃Lord！　I　hope　some　kind　friend'll　lead　me　out　an'　knock　me　in　the　head；　if
ever　I　get　locoed　over　any　darned　girl！〃

〃Same　here；〃　agreed　Rowdy；　unmoved。

〃Then　your　days　are　sure　numbered　in　words　uh　one　syllable；　old…timer；〃
snapped　Pink。

Rowdy　leaned　and　patted　him　caressingly　upon　the　shouldera　form　of　irony
which　Pink　detested。　〃Don't　get　excited；　sonny；〃　he　soothed。　〃Did　you　fetch
your　gun？〃

〃I　sure　did！〃　Pink　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief。　〃Yuh　needn't　think　I'm
going　t'　take　chances　on　being　no　human　colander。　I've　packed　a　gun　for
Harry　Conroy　ever　since　that　rough…riding　contest　uh　yourn。　Yuh　mind　the　way
I　took　him　under　the　ear　with　a　rock？　He's　been　makin'　war…talk　behind　m'
back　ever　since。　Did　I　bring　m'　gun！　Well；　I　guess　yes！〃　He　dimpled
distractingly。

〃All　the　same；　it'll　suit　me　not　to　run　up　against　him；〃　said　Rowdy　quite
frankly。　He　knew　Pink　would　understand。　Then　he　lifted　his　coat
suggestively；　to　show　the　weapon　concealed　beneath；　and　smiled。

〃Different　here。　Yuh　did　have　sense　enough　t'　be　readyand　if　yuh　see　him；
and　don't　forget　he's　got　a　sister　with　a　number　two　foot；　damned　if　I　don't
fix　yuh　both　a…plenty！〃　He　settled　his　hat　more　firmly　over　his　curls；　and
eyed　Rowdy　anxiously　from　under　his　lashes。

Rowdy　caught　the　action　and　the　look　from　the　tail　of　his　eye；　and　grinned
at　his　horse's　ears。　Pink　in　warlike　mood　always　made　him　think　of　a
four…year…old　child　playing　pirate　with　the　difference　that　Pink　was　always
in　deadly　earnest　and　would　fight　like　a　fiend。

For　more　reasons　than　one　he　hoped　they　would　not　meet　Harry　Conroy。　Jessie
was　still　in　ignorance　of　his　real　attitude　toward　her　brother；　and　Rowdy
wanted　nothing　more　than　to　keep　her　so。　The　trouble　was　that　he　was　quite
certain　to　forget　everything　but　his　grievances；　if　ever　he　came　face　to
face　with　Harry。　Also；　Pink　would　always　fight　quicker　for　his　friends　than
for　himself；　and　he　felt　very　tender　toward　Pink。　So　he　hoped　fervently
that　Harry　Conroy　had　already　ridden　back　whence　he　came；　and　there　would　be
no　unpleasantness。

Four　or　five　Cross　L　horses　stood　meekly　before　the　Come　Again　Saloon；　so
Rowdy　and　Pink　added　theirs　to　the　gathering　and　went　in。　The　Silent　One
looked　up　from　his　place　at　a　round　table　in　a　far　corner；　and　beckoned。

〃We　need　another　hand　here；〃　he　said；　when　they　went　over　to　him。　〃These
gentlemen　are　worried　because　they　might　be　taken　into　high　society　some
day；　and　they　would　be　placed　in　a　very　embarrassing　position　through　their
ignorance　of　bridge…whist。　I　have　very　magnanimously　consented　to　teach　them
the　rudiments。〃

Bob　Nevin　looked　up；　and　then　lowered　an　eyelid　cautiously。　〃He's　a　liar。　He
offered　to　learn　us　how　to　play　it；　we　bet　him　the　drinks　he　didn't　savvy
the　game　himself。　Set　down；　Pink；　and　I'll　have　you　for　my　pretty　pardner。〃

The　Silent　One　shuffled　the　cards　thoughtfully。　〃To　make　it　seem　like
bona…fide　bridge；〃　he　began；　〃we　should　have　everybody　playing。〃

〃Aw；　the　common；　ordinary　brand　is　good　enough；〃　protested　Bob。　〃I　ain't　in
on　any　trimmings。〃

The　Silent　One　smiled　ever　so　slightly。　〃We　should　have　prizesor　favors。
Is　there　a　store　in　town　where　one　could　buy　something　suitable？〃

〃They　got　codfish　up　here；　I　smelt　it；〃　suggested　Jim　Ellis。　Him　the　Silent
One　ignored。

〃What　do　you　say；　boys；　to　a　real；　high　society　whist…party？　I'll　invite　the
crowd；　and　be　the　hostess。　And　I'll　serve　punch〃

〃Come　on；　fellows；　and　have　one　with　me；〃　called　a　strange　voice　near　the
door。

〃Meeting's　adjourned；〃　cried　Jim　Ellis；　and　got　up　to　accept　the　invitation
and　range　along　the　bar　with　the　rest。　He　had　not　been　particularly
interested　in　bridge…whist　anyway。

The　others　remained　seated；　and　the　bartender　called　across　to　know　what
they　would　have。　Pink　cut　the　cards　very　carefully；　and　did　not　look　up。
Rowdy　thrust　both　hands　in　his　pockets　and　turned　his　square　shoulder　to　the
bar。　He　did　not　need　to　lookhe　knew　that　voice；　with　its　shoddy
heartiness。

Men　began　to　observe　his　attitude；　and　looked　at　one　another。　When　one　is
asked　to　drink　with　another；　he　must　comply　or　decline　graciously；　if　he
would　not　give　a　direct　insult。

Harry　Conroy　took　three　long　steps　and　laid　a　hand　on　Rowdy's　shouldera
hand　which　Rowdy　shook　off　as　though　it　burned。　〃Say；　stranger；　are　you　too
high…toned　t'　drink　with　a　common　cowpuncher？〃　he　demanded　sharply。

Rowdy　half…turned　toward　him。　〃No；　sir。　But　I'll　be　mighty　thirsty　before　I
drink　with　you。〃　His　voice　was　even；　but　it　cut。

The　room　stilled　on　the　instant；　it　was　as　if　every　man　of　them　had　turned
to　lay　figures。　Harry　Conroy　had　winced　at　sight　of　Rowdy's　facemen　saw
that；　and　some　of　them　wondered。　Pink　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　every　nerve
tightened　for　the　next　move；　and　waited。　It　was　Harryhandsome；　sneering；　a
certain　swaggering　defiance　in　his　pose　who　first　spoke。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？　I　haven't　saw　yuh　for　some　time。　How's
bronco…fighting？　Gone　up　against　any　more　contests？〃　He　laughed
mockinglywith　mouth　and　eyes　maddeningly　like　Jessie's　in　teasing　mood。

Rowdy　could　have　killed　him　for　the　resemblance　alone。　His　lids　drooped
sl