the flying u ranch-第24章

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temptation　to　make　you　think　it　was　all　straight　goods。　Sabe？〃



Andy　Green　did　not　say　a　word；　but　he　looked　exceedingly　foolish。



〃So　I　think　we　can　both　safely　consider　ourselves　top…hands　when

it　comes　to　lying；〃　the　Native　Son　went　on　shamelessly。　〃And　if

you're　willing　to　go　in　with　me　on　it　and　help　put　Dunk　on　the

run〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　saw　that　Happy　Jack；　on

horseback；　was　coming　out　to　haze　in　the　saddle　bunch；　and　turned

to　stroll　back　as　lazily　as　he　had　come。　He　continued　to　speak

smoothly　and　swiftly；　in　a　voice　that　would　not　carry　ten　paces。

While　Andy　Green；　with　brown　head　bent　attentively；　listened

eagerly　and　added　a　sentence　or　two　on　his　own　account　now　and

then；　and　smiledwhich　he　had　not　been　in　the　habit　of　doing

lately。



〃Say；　you　fellers　are　gittin'　awful　energetic；　ain't

yuh？wranglin'　horses　afoot！〃　Happy　Jack　bantered　at　the　top　of

his　voice　when　he　passed　them　by。　〃Better　save　up　your　strength

while　you　kin。　Weary's　goin'　to　set　us　herdin'　sheep　aginand　I

betche　there's　goin'　to　be　something　more'n　herdin'　on　our　hands

before　we　git　through。〃



〃I　wouldn't　be　a　bit　surprised　if　there　was；〃　sang　out　Andy；　as

cheerfully　as　if　he　had　been　invited　to　dance　〃Ladies'　choice〃

with　the　prettiest　girl　in　the　crowd。　〃Wonder　what　hole　he's

going　to　dump　this　bunch　into；〃　he　added　to　the　Native　Son。　〃By

gracious；　he　ought　to　send　'em　just　as　far　north　as　he　can　drive

'em　without　paying　duty！　I'd　sure　take　'em　over　into　Canada；　if

it　was　me　running　the　show。〃



〃It　was　a　mistake；〃　the　Native　Son　volunteered；　〃for　the　whole

bunch　to　go　off　like　we　did　to…day。　They　had　those　sheep　up　here

on　the　hill　just　for　a　bait。　They　knew　we'd　go　straight　up　in　the

air　and　come　down　on　those　two　freaks　herding　'em；　and　that　gave

them　the　chance　to　cross　the　other　bunch。　I　thought　so　all　along；

but　I　didn't　like　to　butt　in。〃



〃Well　Weary's　mad　enough　now　to　do　things　that　will　leave　a　dent；

anyway；〃　Andy　commented　under　his　breath　when；　from　the　corral

gate；　he　got　a　good　look　at　Weary's　profile；　which　showed　the　set

of　his　mouth　and　chin。　〃See　that　mouth？　It's　hunt　the　top　rail；

and　do　it　quick；　when　old　Weary　straightens　out　his　lips　like

that。〃



Behind　them；　Happy　Jack　bellowed　for　an　open　gate　and　no

obstructions；　and　they　drew　hastily　to　one　side　to　let　the　saddle

horses　gallop　past　with　a　great　upflinging　of　dust。　Pink；　with　a

quite　obtrusive　facetiousness；　began　lustily　chanting　that　it

looked　to　him　like　a　big　night　to…nightwith　occasional；　furtive

glances　at　Weary's　face；　for　he；　also；　had　been　quick　to　read

those　close…pressed　lips；　which　did　not　soften　in　response　to　the

ditty。　Usually　he　laughed　at　Pink's　drollery。



They　rode　rather　quietly　upon　the　hill　again；　to　where　fed　the

sheep。　During　the　hour　or　so　that　they　had　been　absent　the　sheep

had　not　moved　appreciably；　they　still　grazed　close　enough　to　the

boundary　to　make　their　position　seem　a　direct　insult　to　the

Flying　U；　a　virtual　slap　in　the　face。　And　these　young　men　who

worked　for　the　Flying　U；　and　who　made　its　interests　right　loyally

their　own；　were　growing　very；　very　tired　of　turning　the　other

cheek。　With　them；　the　time　for　profanity　and　for　horseplay

bluffing　and　judicious　temporizing　was　past。　There　were　other

lips　besides　Weary's　that　were　drawn　tight　and　thin　when　they

approached　that　particular　band　of　sheep。　More　than　one　pair　of

eyes　turned　inquiringly　toward　him　and　away　again　when　they　met

no　answering　look。



They　topped　a　rise　of　ground；　and　in　the　shallow　wrinkle　which

had　hidden　him　until　now　they　came　full　upon　Dunk　Whittaker；

riding　a　chunky　black　which　stepped　restlessly　about　while　he

conferred　in　low　tones　with　a　couple　of　the　herders。　The　Happy

Family　recognized　them　as　two　of　the　fellows　in　whose　safe

keeping　they　had　left　their　ropes　the　night　before。　Dunk　looked

around　quickly　when　the　group　appeared　over　the　little　ridge；

scowled；　hesitated　and　then　came　straight　up　to　them。



〃I　want　you　rowdies　to　bring　back　those　sheep　you　took　the

trouble　to　drive　off　this　morning；〃　he　began；　with　the　even；

grating　voice　and　the　sneering　lift　of　lip　under　his　little；

black　mustache　which　the　older　members　of　the　Happy　Family

rememberedand　hatedso　vividly。　〃I've　stood　just　all　I'm　going

to　stand；　of　these　typically　Flying　U　performances　you've　been

indulging　in　so　freely　during　the　past　week。　It's　all　very　well

to　terrorize　a　neighborhood　of　long…haired　rubes　who　don't　know

enough　to　teach　you　your　places；　but　interfering　with　another

man's　property　is〃



〃Interfering　with　anotherwhat？〃　Big　Medicine；　his　pale　blue

eyes　standing　out　more　like　a　frog's　than　ever　upon　his　face；

gave　his　horse　a　kick　and　lunged　close　that　he　might　lean　and

thrust　his　red　face　near　to　Dunk's。　〃Another　what？　I　don't　see

nothin'　in　your　saddle　that　looks　t'me　like　a　man；　by　cripes！　All

I　can　see　is　a　smooth…skinned；　slippery　vermin　I'd　hate　to　name　a

snake　after；　that　crawls　around　in　the　dark　and　lets　cheap　rough…

necks　do　all　his　dirty　work。　I've　saw　dogs　sneak　up　and　grab　a

man　behind；　but　most　always　they　let　out　a　growl　or　two　first。

And　even　a　rattler　is　square　enough　to　buzz　at　yuh　and　give　yuh　a

chanc't　to　side…step　him。　Honest　to　grandma；　I　don't　hardly　know

what　kinda　reptyle　y'are。　I　hate　to　insult　any　of　'em；　by　cripes；

by　namin'　yuh　after　'em。　But　don't；　for　Lordy's　sake；　ever　call

yourself　a　man　agin！〃



Big　Medicine　turned　his　head　and　spat　disgustedly　into　the　grass

and　looked　back　slightingly　with　other　annihilating　remarks　close

behind　his　wide…apart　teeth；　but　instead　of　speaking　he　made　an

unbelievably　quick　motion　with　his　hand。　The　blow　smacked　loudly

upon　Dunk's　cheek；　and　so　nearly　sent　him　out　of　the　saddle　that

he　grabbed　for　the　horn　to　save　himself。



〃Oh；　I　seert　yuh　keepin'　yer　hand　next　yer　six…gun　all　the

while；〃　Big　Medicine　bawled。　〃That's　one　reason　I　say　yuh　ain't

no　man！　Yuh　wouldn't　dast　talk　up　to　a　prairie　dog　if　yuh　wasn't

all　set　to　make　a　quick　draw。　Yuh　got　your　face　slapped　oncet

before　by　a　Flyin'　U　man；　and　yuh　had　it　comm'。　Now

you'regittin'itdoneright！〃



If　you　have　ever　seen　an　irate；　proletarian　mother　cuffing　her

offspring　over　an　empty　wood…box；　you　may　picture　perhaps　the

present　proceeding　of　Big　Medicine。　To　many　a　man　the　thing　would

have　been　unfeasible；　after　the　first　blow；　because　of　the

horses。　But　Big　Medicine　was　very　nearly　all　that　he　claimed　to

be；　and　one　of　his　pet　vanities　was　his　horsemanship；　he　managed

to　keep　within　a　fine　slapping　distance　of　Dunk。　He　stopped　when

his　hand　began　to　sting　through　his　glove。



〃Now　you　keep　your　hand　away　from　that　gunthat　you　ain't　honest

enough　to　carry　where　folks　can　see　it；　but　'ye　got　it　cached　in

your　pocket！〃　he　thundered。　〃And　go　on　with　what　you　was　goin'

t'say。　Only　don't　get　swell…headed　enough　to　think　you're　a　man；

agin。　You　ain't。〃



〃I've　got　this　to　say！〃　Mere　type　cannot　reproduce　the

malevolence　of　Dunk's　spluttering　speech。　〃I've　sent　for　the

county　sheriff　and　a　dozen　deputies　to　arrest　you；　and　you；　and

you；　damn　you！〃　He　was　pointing　a　shaking　finger　at　the　older

members　of　the　Happy　Family；　whom　he　recognized　not　gladly；　but

too　well。　〃I'll　have　you　all　in　Deer　Lodge　before　that　lying；

thieving；　cattle…stealing　Old　Man　of　yours　can　lift　a　finger。

I'll　sheep　Flying　U　coulee　to　the　very　doors　of　the　white　house。

I'll　skin　the　range　between　here　and　the　riverand　I'll　have

every　one　of　you　hounds　put　where　the　dogs　won't　bite　you！〃　He

drew　a　hand　across　his　mouth　and　smiled　as　they　say　Satan　himself

can　smile　upon　occasion。



〃You've　done　enough　to　send　you　all　over　the　road；　destroying

property　and　assaulting　harmless　menyou　wait！　There　are　other

and　better　ways　to　fight　than　with　the　fists；　and　I　haven't

forgotten　any　of　you　fellowsthere　are　a　few　more　rounders　among

you〃



〃Hey！　You　apologize　fer　that；　b