the flying u ranch-第25章
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you〃
〃Hey！ You apologize fer that； by cripes； er I'll kill yuh the
longest way I know。 And that〃 Big Medicine again laid violent
hands upon Dunk； 〃and that way won't feel good； now I'm tellin'
yuh。 Apologize； er〃
〃Say； all this don't do any good； Bud；〃 Weary expostulated。 〃Let
Dunk froth at the mouth if he wants to； what we want is to get
these sheep off the range。 And；〃 he added recklessly； 〃so long as
the sheriff is headed for us anyway； we may as well get busy and
make it worth his while。 So〃 He stopped； silenced by a most
amazing interruption。
On the brow of the hill； when first they had sighted Dunk in the
hollow； something had gone wrong with Miguel's saddle so that he
had stopped behind； and； to keep him company； Andy had stopped
also and waited for him。 Later； when Dunk was spluttering
threats； they had galloped up to the edge of the group and pulled
their horses to a stand。 Now； Miguel rode abruptly close to Dunk
as rides one with a purpose。
He leaned and peered intently into Dunk's distorted countenance
until every man there； struck by his manner； was watching him
curiously。 Then he sat back in the saddle； straightened his legs
in the stirrups and laughed。 And like his smile when he would
have it so； or the little twitch of shoulders by which he could
so incense a man； that laugh brought a deeper flush to Dunk's
face； reddened though it was by Big Medicine's vigorous slapping。
〃Say； you've got nerve；〃 drawled the Native Son； 〃to let a
sheriff travel toward you。 I can remember when you were more
timid； amigo。〃 He turned his head until his eyes fell upon Andy。
〃Say； Andy！〃 he called。 〃Come and take a look at this hombre。
You'll have to think back a few years；〃 he assisted laconically。
In response； Andy rode up eagerly。 Like the Native Son； he leaned
and peered into eyes that stared back defiantly； wavered； and
turned away。 Andy also sat back in the saddle then； and snorted。
〃So this is the Dunk Whittaker that's been raising merry hell
around here！ And talks about sending for the sheriff； huh？ I've
always heard that a lot uh gall is the best disguise a man can
hide under； but； by gracious； this beats the deuce！〃 He turned to
the astounded Happy Family with growing excitement in his manner。
〃Boys； we don't have to worry much about this gazabo！ We'll just
freeze onto him till the sheriff heaves in sight。 Gee！ There'll
sure be something stirring when we tell him who this Dunk person
really is！ And you say he was in with the Old Man； once？ Oh；
Lord！〃 He looked with withering contempt at Dunk； and Dunk's
glance flickered again and dropped； just as his hand dropped to
the pocket of his coat。
〃No； yuh don't； by cripes！〃 Big Medicine's hand gripped Dunk's
arm on the instant。 With his other he plucked the gun from Dunk's
pocket； and released him as he would let go of something foul
which he had been compelled to touch。
〃He'll be good； or he'll lose his dinner quick；〃 drawled the
Native Son； drawing his own silver…mounted six…shooter and
resting it upon the saddle horn so that it pointed straight at
Dunk's diaphragm。 〃You take Weary off somewhere and tell him
something about this deal； Andy。 I'll watch this slippery
gentleman。〃 He smiled slowly and got an answering grin from Andy
Green； who immediately rode a few rods away； with Weary and Pink
close behind。
〃Say； by golly； what's Dunk wanted fer？〃 Slim blurted
inquisitively after a short silence。
〃Not for riding or driving over a bridge faster than a walk
Slim；〃 purred the Native Son； shifting his gun a trifle as Dunk
moved uneasily in the saddle。 〃You know the man。 Look at his
faceand use your imagination； if you've got any。〃
CHAPTER XIII。 The Happy Family Learn Something
〃Well； I hope this farce is about over；〃 Dunk sneered； with as
near an approach to his old； supercilious manner as he could
command； when the three who had ridden apart returned presently。
〃Perhaps； Weary； you'll be good enough to have this fellow put up
his gun； and these〃 he hesitated； after a swift glance； to
apply any epithet whatever to the Happy Family。 〃I have two
witnesses here to swear that you have without any excuse
assaulted and maligned and threatened me； and you may consider
yourselves lucky if I do not insist〃
〃Ah； cut that out；〃 Andy advised wearily。 〃I don't know how it
strikes the rest； but it sounds pretty sickening to me。 Don't
overlook the fact that two of us happen to know all about you；
and we know just where to send word； to dig up a lot more
identification。 So bluffing ain't going to help you out； a darned
bit。〃
〃Miguel； you can go with Andy；〃 Weary said with brisk decision。
〃Take Dunk down to the ranch till the sheriff gets hereif it's
straight goods about Dunk sending for him。 If he didn't； we can
take Dunk in to…morrow； ourselves。〃 He turned and fixed a cold；
commanding eye upon the slack…jawed herders。 〃Come along； you
two； and get these sheep headed outa here。〃
〃Say； we'll just lock him up in the blacksmith shop； and come on
back；〃 Andy amended the order after his own free fashion。 〃He
couldn't get out in a million years； not after I'm through
staking him out to the anvil with a log…chain。〃 He smiled
maliciously into Dunk's fear…yellowed countenance； and waved him
a signal to ride ahead； which Dunk did without a word of protest
while the Happy Family looked on dazedly。
〃What's it all about； Weary？〃 Irish asked； when the three were
gone。 〃What is it they've got on Dunk？ Must be something pretty
fierce； the way he wilted down into the saddle。〃
〃You'll have to wait and ask the boys。〃 Weary rode off to hurry
the herders on the far side of the band。
So the Happy Family remained perforce unenlightened upon the
subject and for that they said hard things about Weary； and about
Andy and Miguel as well。 They believed that they were entitled to
know the truth； and they called it a smart…aleck trick to keep
the thing so almighty secret。
There is in resentment a crisis； when that crisis is reached； and
the dam of repression gives way； the full flood does not always
sweep down upon those who have provoked the disaster。 Frequently
it happens that perfectly innocent victims are made to suffer。
The Happy Family had been extremely forbearing； as has been
pointed out before。 They had frequently come to the boiling point
of rage and had cooled without committing any real act of
violence。 But that day had held a long series of petty
annoyances； and here was a really important thing kept from them
as if they were mere outsiders。 When Weary was gone； Irish asked
Pink what crime Dunk had committed in the past。 And Pink shook
his head and said he didn't know。 Irish mentally accused Pink of
lying； and his temper was none the better for the rebuff； as
anyone can readily understand。
When the herders； therefore； rounded up the sheep and started
them moving south； the Happy Family speedily rebelled against
that shuffling； nibbling； desultory pace that had kept them long；
weary hours in the saddle with the other band。 But it was Irish
who first took measures to accelerate that pace。
He got down his rope and whacked the loop viciously down across
the nearest gray back。 The sheep jumped； scuttled away a few
paces and returned to its nibbling progress。 Irish called it
names and whacked another。
After a few minutes he grew tired of swinging his loop and seeing
it have so fleeting an effect； and pulled his gun。 He fired close
to the heels of a yearling buck that had more than once stopped
to look up at him foolishly and blat； and the buck charged ahead
in a panic at the noise and the spat of the bullet behind him。
〃Hit him agin in the same place！〃 yelled Big Medicine； and drew
his own gun。 The Happy Family； at that high tension where they
were ready for anything； caught the infection and began shooting
and yelling like crazy
