the flying u ranch-第3章

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You　snub　him；　and　he　looks　at　yuh　as　if　you　was　his　hired　man

and　then　forgets　all　about　yuh。　He　come　outa　that　'doby　like　he'd

been　swimmin'　a　river　on　a　bet；　and　had　made　good　and　was　a

hee…ro　right　before　the　ladies。　Kinda　'Oh；　that's　nothing　to　what

I　could　do　if　it　was　worth　while；'　way　he　had　with　him。〃



〃It　wouldn't　matter　so　much　if　he　wasn't　all　front；〃　Pink

complained。　〃You'll　notice　that's　always　the　way；　though。　The

fellow　all　fussed　up　with　silver　and　braided　leather　can't　get

out　and　do　anything。　I　remember　up　on　Milk　river〃　Pink　trailed

off　into　absorbing　reminiscence；　which；　however；　is　too　lengthy

to　repeat　here。



〃Say；　Mig…u…ell's　down　at　the　stable；　sweatin　from　every　pore

trying　to　get　his　saddle　clean；　by　golly！〃　Slim　reported

cheerfully；　just　as　Pink　was　relighting　the　cigarette　which　had

gone　out　during　the　big　scene　of　his　story。　〃He　was　cussin'　in

Spanish；　when　I　walked　up　to　himbut　he　shut　up　when　he　seen　me

and　got　that　peaceful　look　uh　hisn　on　his　face。　I　wonder；　by

golly〃



〃Oh；　shut　up　and　go　awn；〃　Irish　commanded　bluntly；　and　looked　at

Pink。　〃Did　he　call　it　off；　then？　Or　did　you　have　to　wade　in〃



〃Naw；　he　was　like　this　here　Native　Sonall　front。　He　could　look

sudden　death；　all　right；　he　had　black　eyes　like　Mig…u…ell　but

all　a　fellow　had　to　do　was　go　after　him；　and　he'd　back　up　so

blamed　quick〃



Slim　listened　that　far；　saw　that　he　had　interrupted　a　tale

evidently　more　interesting　than　anything　he　could　say；　and　went

off；　muttering　to　himself。







CHAPTER　II。　〃When　Greek　Meets　Greek〃



The　next　morning；　which　was　Sunday；　the　machinations　of　Big

Medicine　took　Pink　down　to　the　creek　behind　the　bunk…house。

〃What's　hurtin'　yuh？〃　he　asked　curiously；　when　he　came　to　where

Big　Medicine　stood　in　the　fringe　of　willows；　choking　between　his

spasms　of　mirth。



〃Haw…haw…haw！〃　roared　Big　Medicine；　and；　seizing　Pink's　arm　in　a

gorilla…like　grip；　he　pointed　down　the　bank。



Miguel；　seated　upon　a　convenient　rock　in　a　sunny　spot；　was

painstakingly　combing　out　the　tangled　hair　of　his　chaps；　which　he

had　washed　quite　as　carefully　not　long　before；　as　the　cake　of

soap　beside　him　testified。



〃Combingcombinghis　chaps；　by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine　gasped；

and　waggled　his　finger　at　the　spectacle。　〃Haw…haw…haw！　C…

combin'hischaps！〃



Miguel　glanced　up　at　them　as　impersonally　as　if　they　were　two

cackling　hens；　rather　than　derisive　humans；　then　bent　his　head

over　a　stubborn　knot　and　whistled　La　Paloma　softly　while　he

coaxed　out　the　tangle。



Pink's　eyes　widened　as　he　looked；　but　he　did　not　say　anything。　He

backed　up　the　path　and　went　thoughtfully　to　the　corrals；　leaving

Big　Medicine　to　follow　or　not；　as　he　chose。



〃Combin'his　chaps；　by　cripes！〃　came　rumbling　behind　him。　Pink

turned。



〃Say！　Don't　make　so　much　noise　about　it；〃　he　advised　guardedly。

〃I've　got　an　idea。〃



〃Yuh　want　to　hog…tie　it；　then；〃　Big　Medicine　retorted；　resentful

because　Pink　seemed　not　to　grasp　the　full　humor　of　the　thing。

〃Idees　sure　seems　to　be　skurce　in　this　outfitor　that　there

lily…uh…the…valley　couldn't　set　and　comb　no　chaps　in　broad

daylight；　by　cripes；　not　and　get　off　with　it。〃



〃He's　an　ornament　to　the　Flying　U；〃　Pink　stated　dreamily。　〃Us

boneheads　don't　appreciate　him；　is　all　that　ails　us。　What　we

ought　to　do　ishelp　him　be　as　pretty　as　he　wants　to　be；　and〃



〃Looky　here；　Little　One。〃　Big　Medicine　hurried　his　steps　until　he

was　close　alongside。　〃I　wouldn't　give　a　punched　nickel　for　a

four…horse　load　uh　them　idees；　and　that's　the　truth。〃　He　passed

Pink　and　went　on　ahead；　disgust　in　every　line　of　his　square…

shouldered　figure。　〃Combin'　his　chaps；　by　cripes！〃　he　snorted

again；　and　straightway　told　the　tale　profanely　to　his　fellows；

who　laughed　until　they　were　weak　and　watery…eyed　as　they

listened。



Afterward；　because　Pink　implored　them　and　made　a　mystery　of　it；

they　invited　Miguel　to　take　a　hand　in　a　long…winded　gamerather；

a　series　of　gamesof　seven…up；　while　his　chaps　hung　to　dry　upon

a　willow　by　the　creek　bankor　so　he　believed。



The　chaps；　however；　were　up　in　the　white…house　kitchen；　where

were　also　the　reek　of　scorched　hair　and　the　laughing

expostulations　of　the　Little　Doctor　and　the　boyish　titter　of　Pink

and　Irish；　who　were　curling　laboriously　the　chaps　of　Miguel　with

the　curling　tongs　of　the　Little　Doctor　and　those　of　the　Countess

besides。



〃It's　a　shame；　and　I　just　hope　Miguel　thrashes　you　both　for　it；〃

the　Little　Doctor　told　them　more　than　once；　but　she　laughed；

nevertheless；　and　showed　Pink　how　to　give　the　twist　which　made　of

each　lock　a　corkscrew　ringlet。　The　Countess　stopped；　with　her

dishcloth　dangling　from　one　red；　bony　hand；　while　she　looked。

〃You　boys　couldn't　sleep　nights　if　you　didn't　pester　the　life

outa　somebody；〃　she　scolded。　〃Seems　to　me　I'd　friz　them　diamonds；

if　I　was　goin'　to　be　mean　enough　to　do　anything。〃



〃You　would；　eh？〃　Pink　glanced　up　at　her　and　dimpled。　〃I'll　find

you　a　rich　husband　to　pay　for　that。〃　He　straightway　proceeded　to

friz　the　diamonds　of　white。



〃Why　don't　you　have　a　strip　of　ringlets　down　each　leg；　with　tight

little　curls　between？〃　suggested　the　Little　Doctor；　not　to　be

outdone　by　any　other　woman。



〃Correct　you　are；〃　praised　Irish。



〃And；　remember；　you're　not　heating　branding…irons；　mister　man；〃

she　added。　〃You'll　burn　all　the　hair　off；　if　you　let　the　tongs

get　red…hot。　Just　so　they'll　sizzle；　I've　told　you　five　times

already。〃　She　picked　up　the　Kid；　kissed　many　times　the　finger　he

held　up　for　sympathythe　finger　with　which　he　had　touched　the

tongs　as　Pink　was　putting　them　back　into　the　grate　of　the　kitchen

stove；　and　spoke　again　to　ease　her　conscience。　〃I　think　it's

awfully　mean　of　you　to　do　it。　Miguel　ought　to　thrash　you　both。〃



〃We're　dead　willing　to　let　him　try；　Mrs。　Chip。　We　know　it's　mean。

We're　real　ashamed　of　ourselves。〃　Irish　tested　his　tongs　as　he

had　been　told　to　do。　〃But　we'd　rather　be　ashamed　than　good；　any

old　time。〃



The　Little　Doctor　giggled　behind　the　Kid's　tousled　curls；　and

reached　out　a　slim　hand　once　more　to　give　Pink's　tongs　the　expert

twist　he　was　trying　awkwardly　to　learn。　〃I'm　sorry　for　Miguel；

he's　got　lovely　eyes；　anyway。〃



〃Yes；　ain't　he？〃　Pink　looked　up　briefly　from　his　task。　〃How's

your　leg；　Irish？　Mine's　done。〃



〃Seems　to　me　I'd　make　a　deep　border　of　them　corkscrew　curls　all

around　the　bottoms；　if　I　was　doin'　it；〃　said　the　Countess

peevishly；　from　the　kitchen　sink。　〃If　I　was　that　dago　I'd　murder

the　hull　outfit；　I　never　did　see　a　body　so　hectored　in　my　life

and　him　not　ever　ketchin'　on。　He　must　be　plumb　simple…minded。〃



When　the　curling　was　done　to　the　hilarious　satisfaction　of　Irish

and　Pink；　and；　while　Pink　was　dancing　in　them　to　show　them　off；

another　entered　with　mail　from　town。　And；　because　the　mail…

bearer　was　Andy　Green　himself；　back　from　a　winter's　journeyings；

Cal；　Happy　Jack　and　Slim　followed　close　behind；　talking　all　at

once；　in　their　joy　at　beholding　the　man　they　loved　well　and　hated

occasionally　also。　Andy　delivered　the　mail　into　the　hands　of　the

Little　Doctor；　pinched　the　Kid's　cheek；　and　said　how　he　had　grown

good…looking　as　his　mother；　almost；　spoke　a　cheerful　howdy　to　the

Countess；　and　turned　to　shake　hands　with　Pink。　It　was　then　that

the　honest；　gray　eyes　of　him　widened　with　amazement。



〃Well；　by　golly！〃　gasped　Slim；　goggling　at　the　chaps　of　Miguel。



〃That　there　Natiff　Son'll　just　about　kill　yuh　for　that；〃　warned

Happy　Jack；　as　mournfully　as　he　might　with　laughing。　〃He'll　knife

yuh；　sure。〃



Andy；　demanding　the　meaning　of　it　all；　learned　all　about　Miguel

Rapponifrom　the　viewpoint　of　the　Happy　Family。　At　least；　he

learned　as　much　as　it　was　politic　to　tell　in　the　presence　of　the

Little　Doctor；　and　afterward；　while　Pink　was　putting　the　chaps

back　upon　the　willow；　where　Miguel　had　left　them；　he　was　told

that　they　looked　to　him；　Andy　Green；　for　assistance。



〃Oh；　gosh！　You　don't　wa