the flying u ranch-第16章

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his　saddle…horn　so　that　he　might　roll　a　cigarette　at　ease。



Dunk　remembered；　perhaps；　certain　things　he　had　learned　when　he

was　J。　G。　Whitmore's　partner；　and　had　more　or　less　to　do　with　the

charter　members　of　the　Happy　Family。　He　came　back　and　stood　by

the　gate；　ungraciously　enough；　to　be　sure；　still；　he　came　back。

Weary　smiled　under　cover　of　lighting　his　cigarette。　Dunk；　by　that

reluctant　compliance；　betrayed　something　which　Weary　had　been

rather　anxious　to　know。



〃We've　been　having　a　little　trouble　with　those　sheep　of　yours；〃

Weary　remarked　between　puffs。　〃You've　got　some　poor　excuses　for

humans　herding　them。　They　drove　the　bunch　across　our　coulee　just

exactly　three　times。　There　ain't　enough　grass　left　in　our　lower

field　to　graze　a　prairie　dog。〃　He　glanced　back　to　see　where　Pink

was；　saw　that　he　was　close　behind；　as　was　the　lank　man；　and　spoke

in　a　tone　that　included　them　all。



〃The　Flying　U　ain't　pasturing　sheep；　this　spring；〃　he　informed

them　pleasantly。　〃But；　seeing　the　grass　is　eat　up；　we'll　let　yuh

pay　for　it。　Why　didn't　you　bring　them　in　along　the　trail；

anyway？〃



〃I　didn't　bring　them　in。　I　just　came　down　from　Butte　to…day。　I

suppose　the　herders　brought　them　out　where　the　feed　was　best；

they　did　if　they're　worth　their　wages。〃



〃They　happened　to　strike　some　feed　that　was　pretty　expensive。

And；〃　he　smiled　down　at　Whittaker　misleadingly；　〃you　ought　to

keep　an　eye　on　those　herders；　or　they　might　let　you　in　for

another　grass　bill。　The　Flying　U　has　got　quite　a　lot　of　range；

right　around　here；　you　recollect。　And　we've　got　plenty　of　cattle

to　eat　it。　We　don't　need　any　help　to　keep　the　grass　down　so　we

can　ride　through　it。〃



〃Now；　look　here；〃　began　the　lank　man　with　that　sort　of

persuasiveness　which　can　turn　instantly　into　bluster；　〃all　this

is　pure　foolishness；　you　know。　We're　here　to　stay。　We've　bought

this　place；　and　some　other　land　to　go　with　it；　and　we　expect　to

stay　right　here　and　make　a　living。　It　happens　that　we　expect　to

make　a　living　off　of　sheep。　Now；　we　don't　want　to　start　in　by

quarreling　with　our　neighbors；　and　we　don't　want　our　neighbors　to

start　any　quarrel　with　us。　All　we　want〃



〃Mamma！　You're　taking　a　fine　way　to　make　us　love　yuh；〃　Weary　cut

in　ironically。　〃I　know　what　you　want。　You　want　the　same　as　every

other　meek　and　lovely　sheepman　wants。　You　want　it　all　core；

seeds　and　peeling。　Dunk；〃　he　said　with　a　more　impatient　disgust

than　he　was　in　the　habit　of　showing　for　his　fellowmen；　〃this

man's　a　stranger；　but　I　should　think　you'd　know　better　than　to

come　in　here　with　sheep。〃



〃I　don't　know　why　a　sheep　outfit　isn't　exactly　as　good　as　a　cow

outfit；　and　I　don't　know　why　they　haven't　as　much　right　here。

You're　welcome　to　what　land　you　own；　but　it　always　seemed　to　me

that　public　land　is　open　to　the　use　of　the　public。　Now；　as　Oleson

says；　we　expect　to　raise　sheep　here；　and　we　expect　your　outfit　to

leave　us　alone。　As　far　as　our　sheep　crossing　your　coulee　is

concernedI　don't　know　that　they　did。　But；　if　they　did；　and；　if

they　did　any　damage；　let　J。　G。　do　the　talking　about　that。　I　deal

with　the　ownersnot　with　the　hired　men。〃



Weary；　you　must　understand；　was　never　a　bellicose　young　man。　But；

for　all　that；　he　leaned　over　and　gave　Dunk　a　slap　on　the　jaw

which　must　have　stung　considerablyand　the　full　reason　for　his

violence　lay　four　years　behind　the　two；　when　Dunk　was　part　owner

of　the　Flying　U；　and　when　his　sneering　arrogance　had　been　very

hard　to　endure。



〃Are　you　going　to　swallow　thatfrom　a　hired　man？〃　Weary

inquired；　after　a　minute　during　which　nothing　whatever　occurred

beyond　the　slow　reddening　of　Dunk's　face。



〃I'm　not　going　to　fight；　if　that's　what　you　mean；；〃　Dunk　sneered。

〃I　decline　to　bring　myself　down　to　your　level。　One　doesn't　expect

anything　from　a　jackass　but　a　bray；　you　knowand　one　doesn't

feel　compelled　to　bray　because　the　jackass　does。〃　He　smiled　that

supercilious　smile　which　Weary　had　hated　of　old；　and　which；　he

knew；　was　well　used　to　covering　much　treachery　and　small

meannesses　of　various　sorts。



〃As　I　said；　if　the　Flying　U　has　any　claim　against　us；　let　the

owner　present　it　in　the　usual　way。　Dunk　drew　down　his　black

brows；　lifted　a　corner　of　his　lip　and　turned　his　back

deliberately　upon　them。



Oleson　let　himself　through　the　gate；　which　he　closed　somewhat

hastily　behind　him。　〃I'm　sorry　you　fellows　seem　to　want　to　make

trouble；〃　he　said；　without　looking　up　from　the　latch；　which

seemed　somewhat　out　of　repair；　like　the　rest　of　the　Denson

property。　〃That's　a　poor　way　to　start　in　with　new　neighbors。〃　He

lifted　his　hat　with　what　Pink　considered　insulting　politeness；

and　followed　Dunk　into　the　house。



Weary　waited　there　until　they　had　gone　in　and　closed　the　door；

then　turned　and　rode　back　home　again；　frowning　thoughtfully　at

the　trail　ahead　of　them　all　the　way；　and　making　no　reply　to

Pink's　importunings　for　war。



〃I'd　hate　to　say　you've　lost　your　nerve；　Weary；〃　Pink　cried　at

last；　in　sheer　desperation。　〃But　why　the　devil　didn't　you　get

down　and　thump　the　daylights　out　of　that　black　son…of…a…gun？　I

came　pretty　near　walking　into　him　myself；　only　I　hate　to　butt

into　another　fellow's　scrap。　But；　if　I'd　known　you　were　going　to

set　there　and　let　him　walk　off　with　that　sneer　on　his　face〃



〃I　can't　fight　a　man　that　won't　hit　back；〃　Weary　protested。　〃You

couldn't　either；　Cadwalloper。　You'd　have　done　just　what　I　did；

you'd　have　let　him　go。〃



〃He　will　hit　back；　all　right　enough；〃　Pink　retorted　passionately。

〃He'll　do　it　when　you　ain't　looking；　though。　He〃



〃I　know　it；〃　Weary　sighed。　〃I'm　kinda　sorry；　now；　I　slapped　him。

He'll　hit　backbut　he　won't　hit　me；　he'll　aim　at　the　outfit。　If

the　Old　Man　was　here；　or　Chip；　I'd　feel　a　whole　lot　easier　in　my

mind。〃



〃They　couldn't　do　anything　you　can't　do；〃　Pink　assured　him

loyally；　forgetting　his　petulance　when　he　saw　the　careworn　look

in　Weary's　face。　〃All　they　can　do　is　gobble　all　the　range　around

hereand　I　guess　there's　a　few　of　us　that　will　have　a　word　or

two　to　say　about　that。〃



〃What　makes　me　sore；〃　Weary　confided；　〃is　knowing　that　Dunk　isn't

thinking　altogether　of　the　dollar　end　of　it。　He's　tickled　to

death　to　get　a　whack　at　the　outfit。　And　I　hate　to　see　him　get

away　with　it；　but　I　guess　we'll　have　to　stand　for　it。〃



That　sentiment　did　not　please　Pink；　nor；　when　Weary　repeated　it

later　that　evening　in　the　bunk…house；　did　it　please　the　Happy

Family。　The　less　pleasing　it　was　because　it　was　perfectly　true

and　every　man　of　them　knew　it。　Beyond　keeping　the　sheep　off

Flying　U　land；　there　was　nothing　they　could　do　without　stepping

over　the　line　into　lawlessnessand；　while　they　were　not　in　any

sense　a　meek　Happy　Family；　they　were　far　more　law…abiding　than

their　conversation　that　night　made　them　appear。







CHAPTER　IX。　More　Sheep



The　next　week　was　a　time　of　harassment　for　the　Flying　U；　a　week

filled　to　overflowing　with　petty　irritations；　traceable；　directly

or　indirectly；　to　their　new　neighbors；　the　Dot　sheepmen。　The　band

in　charge　of　the　bug…chaser　and　that　other　unlovable　man　from

Wyoming　fed　just　as　close　to　the　Flying　U　boundary　as　their

guardians　dared　let　them　feed；　a　great　deal　closer　than　was　good

for　the　tempers　of　the　Happy　Family；　who　rode　fretfully　here　and

there　upon　their　own　business　and　at　the　same　time　tried　to　keep

an　eye　upon　their　unsavory　neighborsa　proceeding　as

nerve…racking　as　it　was　futile。



The　Native　Son；　riding　home　in　jingling　haste　from　Dry　Lake；

whither　he　had　hurried　one　afternoon　in　the　hope　of　cheering　news

from　Chicago；　reported　another　trainload　of　Dots　on　the　wide

level　beyond　Antelope　coulee。　There　were；　he　said；　four　men　in

charge　of　the　band；　and　he　believed　they　carried　guns；　though　he

was　not　positive　of　that。　They　were　moving　slowly；　and　he　thought

they　would　not　attempt　to　cross　Flying　U　coulee　before　the　next

day；　though；　from　the　course　they　were　taking；　he　was　sure　they

meant