the flying u ranch-第5章

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〃Miguel　Rapponi；〃　supplied　the　Native　Son　quickly。　〃As　well

forget　that　other　name。　And；〃　he　added　with　the　shrug　which　the

Happy　Family　had　come　to　hate；　〃as　well　forget　the　story；　also。　I

am　not　hungry　for　the　feel　of　a　knife　in　my　back。〃　He　smiled

again　engagingly　at　Andy　Green。　It　was　astonishing　how　readily

that　smile　had　sprung　to　life　with　the　warmth　of　a　little

friendship；　and　how　pleasant　it　was；　withal。



〃Just　as　you　say；〃　Andy　agreed；　not　trying　to　hide　his

admiration。　〃I　guess　nobody's　got　a　better　right　to　holler　for

silence。　Butsay；　you　sure　delivered　the　goods；　old　boy！　You

musta　read　about　it；　you　fellows；　about　the　American　puncher　that

went　over　the　line　and　rode　one　of　their　crack　bulls　all　round

the　ring；　and　then〃　He　stopped　and　looked　apologetically　at

Miguel；　in　whose　dark　eyes　there　flashed　a　warning　light。　〃I

clean　forgot；〃　he　confessed　impulsively。　〃This　meeting　you　here

unexpectedly；　like　this；　has　kinda　got　me　rattled；　I　guess。

ButI　never　saw　yuh　before　in　my　life；〃　he　declared

emphatically。　〃I　don't　know　a　darn　thing　aboutanything　that

ever　happened　in　an　alley　in　the　city　ofoh；　come　on；　old…timer；

let's　talk　about　the　weather；　or　something　safe！〃



After　that　the　boys　of　the　Flying　U　behaved　very　much　as　do

children　who　have　quarreled　foolishly　and　are　trying　shamefacedly

to　re…establish　friendly　relations　without　the　preliminary

indignity　of　open　repentance。　They　avoided　meeting　the

velvet…eyed　glances　of　Miguel；　and　at　the　same　time　they　were

plainly　anxious　to　include　him　in　their　talk　as　if　that　had　been

their　habit　from　the　first。　A　difficult　situation　to　meet；　even

with　the　fine　aplomb　of　the　Happy　Family　to　ease　the　awkwardness。



Later　Miguel　went　unobtrusively　down　to　the　creek　after　his

chaps；　he　did　not　get　them；　just　then；　but　he　stood　for　a　long

time　hidden　behind　the　willow…fringe；　watching　Pink　and　Irish

feverishly　combing　out　certain　corkscrew　ringlets；　and　dampening

their　combs　in　the　creek　to　facilitate　the　process　of

straightening　certain　patches　of　rebellious　frizzes。　Miguel　did

not　laugh　aloud；　as　Big　Medicine　had　done。　He　stood　until　he

wearied　of　the　sight；　then　lifted　his　shoulders　in　the　gesture

which　may　mean　anything；　smiled　and　went　his　way。



Not　until　dusk　did　Andy　get　a　private　word　with　him。　When　he　did

find　him　alone；　he　pumped　Miguel's　hand　up　and　down　and　afterward

clutched　at　the　manger　for　support；　and　came　near　strangling。

Miguel　leaned　beside　him　and　smiled　to　himself。



〃Good　team　work；　old　boy；〃　Andy　gasped　at　length；　in　a　whisper。

〃Best　I　ever　saw　in　m'life；　impromptu　on　the　spot；　like　that。　I

saw　you　had　the　makings　in　you；　soon　as　I　caught　your　eye。　And

the　whole；　blame　bunch　fell　for　itwoo…oof！〃　He　laid　his　face

down　again　upon　his　folded　arms　and　shook　in　all　the　long　length

of　him。



〃They　had　it　coming；〃　said　Miguel　softly；　with　a　peculiar　relish。

〃Two　whole　weeks；　and　never　a　friendly　word　from　one　of　themoh；

hell！〃



〃I　knowI　heard　it　all；　soon　as　I　hit　the　ranch；〃　Andy　replied

weakly；　standing　up　and　wiping　his　eyes。　〃I　just　thought　I'd

learn　'em　a　lessonand　the　way　you　played　upsay；　my　hat's　off

to　you；　all　right！〃



〃One　learns　to　seize　opportunities　without　stuttering；〃　Miguel

observed　calmlyand　a　queer　look　came　into　his　eyes　as　they

rested　upon　the　face　of　Andy。　〃And；　if　the　chance　comes；　I'll　do

as　much　for　you。　By　the　way；　did　you　see　the　saddle　those　Arizona

boys　sent　me？　It's　over　here。　It's　a　pip…pinalmost　as　fine　as

the　spurs；　which　I　keep　in　the　bunk…house　when　they're　not　on　my

heels。　And；　if　I　didn't　say　so　before；　I'm　sure　glad　to　meet　the

man　that　helped　me　through　that　alley。　That　big；　fat　devil　would

have　landed　me；　sure；　if　you　hadn't〃



〃Ahwhat？〃　Andy　leaned　and　peered　into　the　face　of　Miguel；　his

jaw　hanging　slack。　〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　meit's　true？〃



〃True？　Why；　I　thought　you　were　the　fellow〃　Miguel　faced　him

steadily。　His　eyes　were　frankly　puzzled。



〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth；　so　help　me；〃　Andy　said　heavily。　〃I

don't　know　a　darned　thing　about　it；　only　what　I　read　in　the

papers。　I　spent　the　whole　winter　in　Colorado　and　Wyoming。　I　was

just　joshing　the　boys。〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Miguel。



They　stood　there　in　the　dusk　and　silence　for　a　space；　after　which

Andy　went　forth　into　the　night　to　meditate　upon　this　thing。

Miguel　stood　and　looked　after　him。



〃He's　the　real　goods　when　it　comes　to　lyingbut　there　are

others；〃　he　said　aloud；　and　smiled　a　peculiar　smile。　But　for　all

that　he　felt　that　he　was　going　to　like　Andy　very　much　indeed。

And；　since　the　Happy　Family　had　shown　a　disposition　to　make　him

one　of　themselves；　he　knew　that　he　was　going　to　become　quite　as

foolishly　attached　to　the　Flying　U　as　was　even　Slim；　confessedly

the　most　rabid　of　partisans。



In　this　wise　did　Miguel　Rapponi；　then；　become　a　member　of　Jim

Whitmore's　Happy　Family；　and　play　his　part　in　the　events　which

followed　his　adoption。







CHAPTER　III。　Bad　News



Andy　Green；　that　honest…eyed　young　man　whom　everyone　loved；　but

whom　not　a　man　believed　save　when　he　was　indulging　his　love　for

more　or　less　fantastic　flights　of　the　imagination；　pulled　up　on

the　brow　of　Flying　U　coulee　and　stared　somberly　at　the　picture

spread　below　him。　On　the　porch　of　the　White　House　the　hammock

swung　gently　under　the　weight　of　the　Little　Doctor；　who　pushed

her　shipper…toe　mechanically　against　a　post　support　at　regular

intervals　while　she　read。



On　the　steps　the　Kid　was　crawling　laboriously　upward；　only　to

descend　again　quite　as　laboriously　when　he　attained　the　top。　One

of　the　boys　was　just　emerging　from　the　blacksmith　shop；　from　the

build　of　him　Andy　knew　it　must　be　either　Weary　or　Irish；　though

it　would　take　a　much　closer　observation；　and　some　familiarity

with　the　two　to　identify　the　man　more　exactly。　In　the　corral　were

a　swirl　of　horses　and　an　overhanging　cloud　of　dust；　with　two　or

three　figures　discernible　in　the　midst；　and　away　in　the　little

pasture　two　other　figures　were　galloping　after　a　fleeing　dozen　of

horses。　While　he　looked；　old　Patsy　came　out　of　the　messhouse；　and

went；　with　flapping　flour…sack　apron；　to　the　woodpile。



Peaceful　it　was；　and　home…like　and　contentedly　prosperous；　a

little　world　tucked　away　in　its　hills；　with　its　own　little

triumphs　and　defeats；　its　own　heartaches　and　rejoicings；　a　lucky

little　world；　because　its　triumphs　had　been　satisfying；　its

defeats　small；　its　heartaches　brief；　and　its　rejoicings　untainted

with　harassment　or　guilt。　Yet　Andy　stared　down　upon　it　with　a

frown；　and；　when　he　twitched　the　reins　and　began　the　descent；　he

sighed　impatiently。



Past　the　stable　he　rode　with　scarcely　a　glance　toward　Weary；　who

shouted　a　casual　〃Hello〃　at　him　from　the　corral；　through　the　big

gate　and　up　the　trail　to　the　White　House；　and　straight　to　the

porch；　where　the　Little　Doctor　flipped　a　leaf　of　her　magazine　and

glanced　at　him　with　a　smile；　and　the　Kid　turned　his　plump　body

upon　the　middle　step　and　wrinkled　his　nose　in　a　smile　of

recognition；　while　he　threw　out　an　arm　in　welcome；　and　made　a

wobbling　effort　to　get　upon　his　feet。



Andy　smiled　at　the　Kid；　but　his　smile　did　not　reach　his　eyes；　and

faded　almost　immediately。　He　glanced　at　the　Little　Doctor；　sent

his　horse　past　the　steps　and　the　Kid；　and　close　to　the　railing；

so　that　he　could　lean　and　toss　the　mail　into　the　Little　Doctor's

lap。　There　was　a　yellow　envelope　among　the　letters；　and　her

fingers　singled　it　out　curiously。　Andy　folded　his　hands　upon　the

saddle…horn　and　watched　her　frankly。



〃Must　be　from　J。　G。；〃　guessed　the　Little　Doctor；　inserting　a　slim

finger　under　the　badly　sealed　flap。　〃I've　been　wondering　if　he

wasn't　going　to　send　some　wordhe's　been　gone　a　weekBaby！　He's

right　between　your　horse's　legs；　Andy！　Oh…hbaby　boy；　what　won't

you　do　next？〃　She　scattered　letters　and　papers　from　her　lap　and

flew　to　the　rescue。　〃Will　he　kick；　Andy？　You　little　ruffian。〃　She

held　ou