the flying u ranch-第12章
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profusely。
〃Fly at it; then;〃 he advised; eyeing the other sternly over the
handkerchief。 〃I'd hate to ask you a third time。〃
〃I'd hate to have yuh;〃 conceded the herder reluctantly。 〃I was
sure I c'd lick yuh; or I'd 'a' turned 'em before。〃 He sent the
dog racing down the south line of the band。
Andy got thoughtfully back upon his horse; and sat looking hard
at the herder。 〃Say; you're grade above the general run uh lamb…
hickers;〃 he observed; after a minute。 〃Who are you working for;
and what's your object in throwing sheep on Flying U land?
There's plenty of range to the north。〃
〃I'm workin';〃 said the herder; 〃for the Dot outfit。 I thought
you could read brands。〃
〃Don't get sassyI've got a punch or two I haven't used yet。 Who
owns these woollies?〃
〃WellWhittaker and Oleson; if yuh want to know。〃
〃I do。〃 Andy was keeping pace with him around the band; which
edged off from then and the dogs。 〃And what makes you so crazy
about Flying U grass?〃 he pursued。
〃We've got to cross that coulee to git to where we're headed for;
we got a right to; and we're going to do it。〃 The herder paused
and glanced up at Andy sourly。 〃We knowed you was a mean outfit;
the boss told us so。 And he told us you was blank ca'tridges and
we needn't back up just 'cause you raised up on your hind legs
and howled a little。 I've had truck with you cowmen before。 I've
herded sheep in Wyoming。〃 He walked a few steps with his head
down; considering。
〃I better go over and talk some sense into the other fellow;〃 he
said; looking up at Andy as if all his antagonism had oozed in
the fight。 〃You ride along this edge; so they won't scatterwe
ought to be grazin' 'em along; by rights; only you seem to be in
such an all…fired rush〃
〃You go on and tell that loco son…of…a…gun over there what he's
up against;〃 Andy urged。 〃Blank cartridgesI sure do like that!
If you only knew it; high power dum…dums would be a lot closer to
our brand。 Run alongI am in a kinda hurry; this morning。〃
Andy; riding slowly upon the outskirts of the grazing; blatting
band; watched the two confer earnestly together a hundred yards
or so away。 They seemed to be having some sort of argument; the
bug…killer gesticulated with the long stick he carried; and the
sheep; while the herders talked; scattered irresponsibly。 Andy
wondered what made sheepmen so 〃ornery;〃 particularly herders。 He
wondered why the fellow he had thrashed was so insultingly
defiant at first; and; after the thrashing; so unresentful and
communicative; and so amenable to authority withal。 He felt his
nose; and decided that it was; all things considered; a cheap
victory; and yet one of which he need not be ashamed。
The herder cane back presently and helped drive the sheep over
the edge of the bluff which bordered Antelope coulee。 The
bug…killer; upon his side; also seemed imbued with the spirit of
obedience; Andy heard him curse a collie into frenzied zeal; and
smiled approvingly。
〃Now you're acting a heap more human;〃 he observed; and the man
from Wyoming grinned ruefully by way of reply。
Antelope coulee; at that point; was steep; too steep for riding;
so that Andy dismounted and dug his boot…heels into the soft
soil; to gain a foothold on the descent。 When he was halfway
down; he chanced to look back; straight into the scowling gaze of
the bug…killer; who was sliding down behind him。
〃Thought you were hazing down the other side of 'em;〃 Andy called
back; but the herder did not choose to answer save with another
scowl。
Andy edged his horse around an impracticable slope of shale stuff
and went on。 The herder followed。 When he was within twelve feet
or so of the bottom; there was a sound of pebbles knocked loose
in haste; a scrambling; and then came the impact of his body。
Andy teetered; lost his balance; and went to the bottom in one
glorious slide。 He landed with the bug…killer on topand the
bug…killer failed to remove his person as speedily as true
courtesy exacted。
Andy kicked and wriggled and tried to remember what was that
high…colored; vituperative sentence that Irish had invented over
a stubborn sheep; that he might repeat it to the bug…killer。 The
herder from Wyoming ran up; caught Andy's horse; and untied
Andy's rope from the saddle。
〃Good fer you; Oscar;〃 he praised the bug…killer。 〃Hang onto him
while I take a few turns。〃 He thereupon helped force Andy's arms
to his side; and wound the rope several times rather tightly
around Andy's outraged; squirming person。
〃Oh; it ain't goin' to do yuh no good to buck 'n bawl;〃
admonished the tier。 〃I learnt this here little trick down in
Wyoming。 A bunch uh punchers done it to meand I've been just
achin' all over fer a chance to return the favor to some uh you
gay boys。 And;〃 he added; with malicious satisfaction; while he
rolled Andy over and tied a perfectly unslippable knot behind;
〃it gives me great pleasure to hand the dose out to you; in
p'ticular。 If I was a mean man; I'd hand yuh the boot a few times
fer luck; but I'll save that up till next time。〃
〃You can bet your sweet life there'll be a next time;〃 Andy
promised earnestly; with embellishments better suited to the
occasion than to a children's party。
〃Well; when it arrives I'm sure Johnny…on…the…spot。 Them Wyoming
punchers beat me up after they'd got me tied。 I'm tellin' yuh so
you'll see I ain't mean unless I'm drove to it。 Turn him feet
down hill; Oscar; so he won't git a rush uh brains to the head
and die on our hands。 Now you're goin' to mind your own business;
sonny。 Next time yuh set out to herd sheep; better see the boss
first and git on the job right。〃
He rose to his feet; surveyed Andy with his hands on his hips;
mentally pronounced the job well done; and took a generous chew
of tobacco; after which he grinned down at the trussed one。
〃That the language uh flowers you're talkin'?〃 he inquired
banteringly; before he turned his attention to the horse; which
he disposed of by tying up the reins and giving it a slap on the
rump。 When it had trotted fifty yards down the coulee bottom; and
showed a disposition to go farther; he whistled to his dogs; and
turned again to Andy。
〃This here is just a hint to that bunch you trot with; to leave
us and our sheep alone;〃 he said。 〃We don't pick no quarrels; but
we're goin' to cross our sheep wherever we dern please; to git
where we want to go。 Gawd didn't make this range and hand it over
to you cowmen to put in yer pocketsI guess there's a chance fer
other folks to hang on by their eyebrows; anyway。〃
Andy; lying there like a very good presentation of a giant
cocoon; roped round and round; with his arms pinned to his sides;
had the doubtful pleasure of seeing that noisome; foolish…faced
band trail down Antelope coulee and back upon the level they had
just left; and of knowing to a gloomy certainty that he could do
nothing about it; except swear; and even that palls when a man
has gone over his entire repertoire three times in rapid
succession。
Andy; therefore; when the last sheep had trotted out of sight;
hearing and smell; wriggled himself into as comfortable a
position as his bonds would permit; and took a nap。
CHAPTER VII。 Truth Crushed to Earth; etc。
Andy; only half awake; tried to obey both instinct and habit and
reach up to pull his hat down over his eyes; so that the sun
could not shine upon his lids so hotly; when he discovered that
he could do no more than wiggle his fingers; he came back with a
jolt to reality and tried to sit up。 It is surprising to a man to
discover suddenly just how important a part his arms play in the
most simple of body movements; Andy; with his arms pinioned
tightly the whole length of them; rolled over on his face; kicked
a good deal; and rolled back again; but he did not sit up; as he
had confidently expected to do。
He lay absolut