rowdy of the cross l-第6部分

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of　Milk　River；　where　it　was　still　unfenced　and　unclaimed　by　small　farmers。
The　only　mitigation　of　his　exile；　so　far　as　he　could　see；　lay　in
the　fact　that　he　had　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　for　companions。

It　developed　that　when　he　would　speak　to　the　Silent　One；　he　must　say　Jim；　or
wait　long　for　a　reply。　Also；　the　Silent　One　was　not　always　silent；　and　he
was　quick　to　observe　the　weak　points　in　those　around　him；　and　keen　at
repartee。　When　it　pleased　him　so　to　do；　he　could　handle　the　English　language
in　a　way　that　was　perfectly　amazingand　not　always　intelligible　to　the
unschooled。　At　such　times　Pink　frankly　made　no　attempt　to　understand　him；
Rowdy；　having　been　hustled　through　grammar　school　and　two…thirds　through
high　school　before　he　ran　away　from　a　brand　new　stepmother；　rather　enjoyed
the　outbreaks　and　Pink's　consequent　disgust。

Not　one　of　them　loved　particularly　the　line　camp；　and　Rowdy　least　of　all；
since　it　put　an　extra　ten　miles　between　Miss　Conroy　and　himself。　Rowdy　had
got　to　that　point　where　his　mind　dwelt　much　upon　matters　domestic；　and　he
made　many　secret　calculations　on　the　cost　of　housekeeping　for　two。　More　than
that；　he　put　himself　upon　a　rigid　allowance　for　pocket…moneyan　allowance
barely　sufficient　to　keep　him　in　tobacco　and　papers。　All　this　without
consulting　Miss　Conroy's　wisheswhich　only　goes　to　show　that　Rowdy　Vaughan
was　a　born　optimist。

The　Silent　One　complained　that　he　could　not　keep　supplied　with
reading…matter；　and　Pink　bewailed　the　monotony　of　inaction。　For；　beyond
watching　the　river　to　keep　the　cattle　from　miring　in　the　mud　lately　released
from　frost　grip；　there　was　nothing　to　do。

According　to　the　calendar；　spring　was　well　upon　them；　and　the　prairies　would
soon　be　flaunting　new　dresses　of　green。　The　calendar；　however；　had　neglected
to　record　the　rainless　heat　of　the　summer　gone　before；　or　the　searing　winds
that　burned　the　grass　brown　as　it　grew；　or　the　winter　which　forgot　its　part
and　permitted　prairie…dogs　to　chip…chip…chip　above　ground　in　January；　when
they　should　be　sleeping　decently　in　their　cellar　homes。

Apart　from　the　brief　storm　which　Rowdy　had　brought　with　him；　there　had　been
no　snow　worth　considering。　Always　the　chill　winds　shaved　the　barren　land
from　the　north；　or　veered　unexpectedly；　and　blew　dry　warmth　from　the
southwest；　but　never　the　snow　for　which　the　land　yearned。　Wind；　and　bright
sunlight；　and　more　wind；　and　hypocritical；　drifting　clouds；　and　more　sun；
lean　cattle　walking；　walking；　up…hill　and　down　coulee；　nose　to　the　dry
ground；　snipping　the　stray　tufts　where　should　be　a　woolly　carpet　of　sweet；
ripened　grasses；　eating　wildrose　bushes　level　with　the　sod；　and　wishing
there　was　only　an　abundance　even　of　them；　drifting　uneasily　from　hilltop　to
farther　hilltop；　hunger…driven　and　gaunt；　where　should　be　sleek　content。
When　they　sought　to　continue　their　quest　beyond　the　river；　and　the　weaker
bogged　at　its　muddy　edge；　Rowdy　and　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　would　ride　out；
and　with　their　ropes　drag　them　back　ignominiously　to　solid　ground　and　the
very　doubtful　joy　of　living。

May　Day　found　the　grass…land　brown　and　lifeless；　with　a　chill　wind　blowing
over　it。　The　cattle　wandered　as　before　except　that　knock…kneed　little　calves
trailed　beside　their　lean　mothers　and　clamored　for　full　stomachs。

The　Cross　L　cattle　bore　the　brunt　of　the　range　famine；　because　Eagle　Creek
Smith　was　a　stockman　of　the　old　school。　His　cattle　must　live　on　the　open
range；　because　they　always　had　done　so。　Other　men　bought　or　leased　large
tracts　of　grass…land；　and　fenced　them　for　just　such　an　emergency；　but　not
he。　It　is　true　that　he　had　two　or　three　large　fields；　as　Miss　Conroy　had
told　Rowdy；　but　it　was　his　boast　that　all　the　hay　he　raised　was　eaten　by　his
saddlehorses；　and　that　all　the　fields　he　owned　were　used　solely　for　horse
pastures。　The　open　range　was　the　place　for　cattle　and　no　Cross　L　critter
ever　fed　inside　a　wire　fence。

Through　the　dry　summer　before；　when　other　men　read　the　ominous　signs　and
hurriedly　leased　pasture…land　and　cut　down　their　herds　to　what　the　fields
would　feed；　Eagle　Creek　went　calmly　on　as　he　had　done　always。　He　shipped
what　beef　was　fit　and　that；　of　a　truth；　was　not　much！and　settled　down
for　the　winter；　trusting　to　winter　snows　and　spring　rains　to　refill　the
long…dry　lakes　and　waterholes；　and　coat　the　levels　anew　with　grass。

But　the　winter　snows　had　failed　to　appear；　and　with　the　spring　came　no　rain。
〃April　showers〃　became　a　hideously　ironical　joke　at　nature's　expense。　Always
the　wind　blew；　and　sometimes　great　flocks　of　clouds　would　drift
superciliously　up　from　the　far　sky…line；　play　with　men's　hopes；　and　sail
disdainfully　on　to　some　more　favored　land。

It　is　all　very　well　for　a　man　to　cling　stubbornly　to　precedent；　but　if　he
clings　long　enough；　there　comes　a　time　when　to　cling　becomes　akin　to　crime。
Eagle　Creek　Smith　still　stubbornly　held　that　rangecattle　should　be　kept　to
the　range。　He　waited　until　May　was　fast　merging　to　June；　watching；　from
sheer　habit；　for　the　spring　transformation　of　brown　prairies　into　green。
When　it　did　not　come；　and　only　the　coulee　sides　and　bottoms　showed　green
among　the　brown；　he　accepted　ruefully　the　unusual　conditions　which　nature
had　thrust　upon　him；　and　started　〃Wooden　Shoes〃　out　with　the　wagons　on　the
horse　round…up；　which　is　a　preliminary　to　the　roundup　proper；　as　every　one
knows。



CHAPTER　6

A　Shot　From　the　Dark。

〃I　call　that　a　bad　job　well　done；〃　Pink　remarked；　after　a　long　silence；　as
he　gave　over　trying　to　catch　a　fish　in　the　muddy　Milk　River。

〃What？〃　Rowdy；　still　prone　to　day…dreams　of　matters　domestic；　came　back
reluctantly　to　reality；　and　inspected　his　bait。

〃Oh；　come　alive！　I　mean　the　horse　round…up。　How　we're　going　to　keep　that
bunch　uh　skeletons　under　us　all　summer　is　a　guessing　contest　for　fair。
Wooden　Shoes　has　got　t'　give　me　about　forty；　instead　of　a　dozen；　if　he　wants
me　t'　hit　'er　up　on　circle　the　way　I'm　used　to。　I　bet　their　back…bones'll
wear　clean　up　through　our　saddles。〃

〃Oh；　I　guess　not；〃　said　Rowdy　calmly。　〃They　ain't　so　thinand　they'll　pick
up　flesh。　There's　some　mighty　good　ones　in　the　bunch；　too。　I　hope　Wooden
Shoes　don't　forget　to　give　me　the　first　pick。　There's　one　I　got　my　eye
onthat　blue　roan。　Anyway；　I　guess　you　can　wiggle　along　with　less　than
forty。〃

Pink　shook　his　head　thoughtfully　and　sighed。　Pink　loved　good　mounts；　and　the
outlook　did　not　please　him。　The　round…up　had　camped；　for　the　last　time；　on
the　river　within　easy　riding　distance　of　Camas。　The　next　day's　drive　would
bring　them　to　the　home　ranch；　where　Eagle　Creek　was　fuming　over　the
lateness　of　the　season；　the　condition　of　the　range；　and　the　June　rains；
which　had　thus　far　failed　even　to　moisten　decently　the　grass…roots。

〃Let's　ride　over　to　Camas；　all　the　other　fellows　have　gone；〃　Pink　proposed
listlessly；　drawing　in　his　line。

Rowdy　as　listlessly　consented。　Camas　as　a　town　was　neither　interesting　nor
important；　but　when　one　has　spent　three　long　weeks　communing　with　nature　in
her　sulkiest　and　most　unamiable　mood；　even　a　town　without　a　railroad　to　its
name　may　serve　to　relieve　the　monotony　of　living。

The　sun　was　piling　gorgeous　masses　of　purple　and　crimson　clouds　high　about
him；　cuddling　his　fat　cheeks　against　their　soft　folds　till；　a　Midas；　he
turned　them　to　gold　at　the　touch。　Those　farther　away　gloomed　jealously　at
the　favoritism　of　their　lord；　and　huddled　closer　togetherthe　purple　for
rage；　perhaps；　and　the　crimson　for　shame！

Pink's　face　was　tinged　daintily　with　the　glow。　and　even　Rowdy's　lean；　brown
features　were　for　the　moment　glorified。　They　rode　knee　to　knee　silently；
thinking　each　his　own　thoughts　the　while　they　watched　the　sunset　with　eyes
grown　familiar　with　its　barbaric　splendor；　but　never　indifferent。

Soon　the　west　held　none　but　the　deeper　tints；　and　the　shadows　climbed；　with
the　stealthy　tread　of　trailing　Indians；　from　the　valley；　chasing　the
after…glow　to　the　very　hilltops；　where　it　stood　a　moment　at　bay　and　then
surrendered　meekly　to　the　dusk。　A　meadow…lark　near…by　cut　the　silence　into
haunting　ripples　of　melody；　stopped　affrighted　at　their　coming；　and　flew　off
into　the　dull　glow　of　the　west；　his　little　body　showed　black　against　a
crimson　cloud。　Out　across　the　river　a　lone　coyote　yapped　sharply；　then
trailed　off　into　the　weird　plaint　of　his　kind。

〃Brother…in…law's　in　town　to…day；　Bob　Nevin　saw　him；〃　Pink　remarked；　when
the　coyote　ceased　wailing　and　held　his　peace。

〃Who？〃　Rowdy　only　half…heard。

〃Bob　Nevin；〃　repeated　Pink　naively。

〃Don't　get　funny。　Who　did　Bob　see？〃

〃Brother…in…law。　Yours；　not　mine。　Jessie's　tin　god。　If　he's　there　yet；　I　bid
for　an　invite　to　the　'swatfest。'　Or　maybe〃a　horrible　possibility　forced
itself　upon　Pink〃maybe　you'll　kill　the　fattest　maverick　and　fall　on　his
neck〃

〃The　maverick's？〃　Rowdy's　brows　were　rather　pinched　together；　but　his　tone
told　nothing。

〃Naw；　Harry　Conroy's　a　fellow's　liable　to　do　most　any　fool　thing　when　he's
got　schoolma'amitis。〃

〃That　so？〃

Pink　snorted。　The　possibility　had　grown　to　black　certainty　in　his　mind。　He
became　suddenly　furious。

〃Lord！　I　hope　some　kind　friend'll　lead　me　out　an'　knock　me　in　the　head；　if
ever　I　get　locoed　over　any　darned　girl！〃

〃Same　here；〃　agreed　Rowdy；　unmoved。

〃Then　your　days　are　sure　numbered　in　words　uh　one　syllable；　old…timer；〃
snapped　Pink。

Rowdy　leaned　and　patted　him　caressingly　upon　the　shouldera　form　of　irony
which　Pink　detested。　〃Don't　get　excited；　sonny；〃　he　soothed。　〃Did　you　fetch
your　gun？〃

〃I　sure　did！〃　Pink　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief。　〃Yuh　needn't　think　I'm
going　t'　take　chances　on　being　no　human　colander。　I've　packed　a　gun　for
Harry　Conroy　ever　since　that　rough…riding　contest　uh　yourn。　Yuh　mind　the　way
I　took　him　under　the　ear　with　a　rock？　He's　been　makin'　war…talk　behind　m'
back　ever　since。　Did　I　bring　m'　gun！　Well；　I　guess　yes！〃　He　dimpled
distractingly。

〃All　the　same；　it'll　suit　me　not　to　run　up　against　him；〃　said　Rowdy　quite
frankly。　He　knew　Pink　would　understand。　Then　he　lifted　his　coat
suggestively；　to　show　the　weapon　concealed　beneath；　and　smiled。

〃Different　here。　Yuh　did　have　sense　enough　t'　be　readyand　if　yuh　see　him；
and　don't　forget　he's　got　a　sister　with　a　number　two　foot