rowdy of the cross l-第7部分

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and　don't　forget　he's　got　a　sister　with　a　number　two　foot；　damned　if　I　don't
fix　yuh　both　a…plenty！〃　He　settled　his　hat　more　firmly　over　his　curls；　and
eyed　Rowdy　anxiously　from　under　his　lashes。

Rowdy　caught　the　action　and　the　look　from　the　tail　of　his　eye；　and　grinned
at　his　horse's　ears。　Pink　in　warlike　mood　always　made　him　think　of　a
four…year…old　child　playing　pirate　with　the　difference　that　Pink　was　always
in　deadly　earnest　and　would　fight　like　a　fiend。

For　more　reasons　than　one　he　hoped　they　would　not　meet　Harry　Conroy。　Jessie
was　still　in　ignorance　of　his　real　attitude　toward　her　brother；　and　Rowdy
wanted　nothing　more　than　to　keep　her　so。　The　trouble　was　that　he　was　quite
certain　to　forget　everything　but　his　grievances；　if　ever　he　came　face　to
face　with　Harry。　Also；　Pink　would　always　fight　quicker　for　his　friends　than
for　himself；　and　he　felt　very　tender　toward　Pink。　So　he　hoped　fervently
that　Harry　Conroy　had　already　ridden　back　whence　he　came；　and　there　would　be
no　unpleasantness。

Four　or　five　Cross　L　horses　stood　meekly　before　the　Come　Again　Saloon；　so
Rowdy　and　Pink　added　theirs　to　the　gathering　and　went　in。　The　Silent　One
looked　up　from　his　place　at　a　round　table　in　a　far　corner；　and　beckoned。

〃We　need　another　hand　here；〃　he　said；　when　they　went　over　to　him。　〃These
gentlemen　are　worried　because　they　might　be　taken　into　high　society　some
day；　and　they　would　be　placed　in　a　very　embarrassing　position　through　their
ignorance　of　bridge…whist。　I　have　very　magnanimously　consented　to　teach　them
the　rudiments。〃

Bob　Nevin　looked　up；　and　then　lowered　an　eyelid　cautiously。　〃He's　a　liar。　He
offered　to　learn　us　how　to　play　it；　we　bet　him　the　drinks　he　didn't　savvy
the　game　himself。　Set　down；　Pink；　and　I'll　have　you　for　my　pretty　pardner。〃

The　Silent　One　shuffled　the　cards　thoughtfully。　〃To　make　it　seem　like
bona…fide　bridge；〃　he　began；　〃we　should　have　everybody　playing。〃

〃Aw；　the　common；　ordinary　brand　is　good　enough；〃　protested　Bob。　〃I　ain't　in
on　any　trimmings。〃

The　Silent　One　smiled　ever　so　slightly。　〃We　should　have　prizesor　favors。
Is　there　a　store　in　town　where　one　could　buy　something　suitable？〃

〃They　got　codfish　up　here；　I　smelt　it；〃　suggested　Jim　Ellis。　Him　the　Silent
One　ignored。

〃What　do　you　say；　boys；　to　a　real；　high　society　whist…party？　I'll　invite　the
crowd；　and　be　the　hostess。　And　I'll　serve　punch〃

〃Come　on；　fellows；　and　have　one　with　me；〃　called　a　strange　voice　near　the
door。

〃Meeting's　adjourned；〃　cried　Jim　Ellis；　and　got　up　to　accept　the　invitation
and　range　along　the　bar　with　the　rest。　He　had　not　been　particularly
interested　in　bridge…whist　anyway。

The　others　remained　seated；　and　the　bartender　called　across　to　know　what
they　would　have。　Pink　cut　the　cards　very　carefully；　and　did　not　look　up。
Rowdy　thrust　both　hands　in　his　pockets　and　turned　his　square　shoulder　to　the
bar。　He　did　not　need　to　lookhe　knew　that　voice；　with　its　shoddy
heartiness。

Men　began　to　observe　his　attitude；　and　looked　at　one　another。　When　one　is
asked　to　drink　with　another；　he　must　comply　or　decline　graciously；　if　he
would　not　give　a　direct　insult。

Harry　Conroy　took　three　long　steps　and　laid　a　hand　on　Rowdy's　shouldera
hand　which　Rowdy　shook　off　as　though　it　burned。　〃Say；　stranger；　are　you　too
high…toned　t'　drink　with　a　common　cowpuncher？〃　he　demanded　sharply。

Rowdy　half…turned　toward　him。　〃No；　sir。　But　I'll　be　mighty　thirsty　before　I
drink　with　you。〃　His　voice　was　even；　but　it　cut。

The　room　stilled　on　the　instant；　it　was　as　if　every　man　of　them　had　turned
to　lay　figures。　Harry　Conroy　had　winced　at　sight　of　Rowdy's　facemen　saw
that；　and　some　of　them　wondered。　Pink　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　every　nerve
tightened　for　the　next　move；　and　waited。　It　was　Harryhandsome；　sneering；　a
certain　swaggering　defiance　in　his　pose　who　first　spoke。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？　I　haven't　saw　yuh　for　some　time。　How's
bronco…fighting？　Gone　up　against　any　more　contests？〃　He　laughed
mockinglywith　mouth　and　eyes　maddeningly　like　Jessie's　in　teasing　mood。

Rowdy　could　have　killed　him　for　the　resemblance　alone。　His　lids　drooped
sleepily　over　eyes　that　glittered。　Harry　saw　the　sign；　read　it　for　danger；
but　he　laughed　again。

〃Yuh　ought　to　have　seen　this　bronco…peeler　pull　leather；　boys；〃　he　jeered
recklessly　〃I　like　to　'a'　died。　He　got　piled　up　the　slickest　I　ever　saw；　and
there　was　some　feeble…minded　Canucks　had　money　up　on　him；　too：　He　won't
drink　with　me；　'cause　I　got　off　with　the　purse。　He's　got　a　grouchand　I
don't　know　as　I　blame　him；　he　did　get　let　down　pretty　hard；　for　a　fact。〃

〃Maybe　he　did　pull　leatherbut　he　didn't　cut　none；　like　you　did；　you　damn'
skunk！〃　It　was　PinkPink；　with　big；　long…lashed　eyes　purple　with　rage；　and
with　a　dead…white　streak　around　his　mouth；　and　a　gun　in　his　hand。

Harry　wheeled　toward　him；　and　if　a　new　light　of　fear　crept　into　his　eyes；
his　lips　belied　it　in　a　sneer。　〃Two　of　a　kind！〃　he　laughed。　〃So　that's　the
story　yuh　brought　over　here；　is　it？　Hell　of　a　lot　uh　good　it'll　do　yuh！〃

Something　in　Pink's　face　warned　Rowdy。　Harry's　face　turned　watchfully　from
one　to　the　other。　Evidently　he　considered　Pink　the　more　uncertain　of　the
two；　and　he　was　quite　justified　in　so　thinking。　Pink　was　only　waiting　for　a
cue　before　using　his　gun；　and　when　Pink　once　began；　there　was　no　telling
where　or　when　he　would　leave　off。

While　Harry　stood　uncertain；　Rowdy's　fist　suddenly　spatted　against　his　cheek
with　considerable　force。　He　tumbled；　a　cursing　heap；　against　the　foot…rail
of　the　bar；　scrambled　up　like　a　cata　particularly　vicious　catand　came　at
Rowdy　murderously。　The　Come　Again　would　shortly　have　been　filled　with　the
pungent　haze　of　burned　powder；　only　that　the　bartender　was　a　man…of…action。
He　hated　brawls；　and　it　did　not　matter　to　him　how　just　might　be　the　quarrel；
he　slapped　the　gaping　barrels　of　a　sawed…off　shotgun　across　the　barand　from
the　look　of　it　one　might　imagine　many　disagreeable　things。

〃Drop　it！　Cut　it　out！〃　he　bellowed。　〃Yuh　ain't　going　t'　make　no
slaughter…pen　out　uh　this　joint；　I　tell　yuh。　Put　up　them　guns　or　else　take
'em　outside。　If　you　fellers　are　hell…bent　on　smokin'　each　other　up；　they's
all　kinds　uh　room　outdoors。　Git！　Vamose！　Hike！〃

Conroy　wheeled　and　walked；　straight…backed　and　venomous；　to　the　door。　〃Come
on　out；　if　yuh　ain't　scared；〃　he　sneered。　〃It's　two　agin'　one　and　then　some；
by　the　look　uh　things。　But　I'll　take　yuh　singly　or　in　bunches。　I'm　ready　for
the　whole　damn'　Cross　L　bunch　uh　coyotes。　Come　on；　you　white…livered！〃

Rowdy　rushed　for　him；　with　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　at　his　heels。　He　had
forgotten　that　Harry　Conroy　ever　had　a　sister　of　any　sort　whatsoever。　All　he
knew　was　that　Harry　had　done　him　much　wrong；　of　the　sort　which　comes　near　to
being　unforgivable；　and　that　he　had　sneered　insults　that　no　man　may
overlook。　All　he　thought　of　was　to　get　his　hands　on　him。

Outside；　the　dusky　stillness　made　all　sounds　seem　out　of　place；　the　faint
starlight　made　all　objects　black　and　unfamiliar。　Rowdy　stopped；　just　off　the
threshold；　blinking　at　the　darkness　which　held　his　enemy。　It　was　strange
that　he　did　not　find　him　at　his　elbow；　he　thoughtand　a　suspicion　came　to
him　that　Harry　was　lying　in　wait；　it　would　be　like　him。　He　stepped　out　of
the　yellow　glare　from　a　window　and　stood　in　more　friendly　shade。　Behind　him；
on　the　door…step；　stood　the　other　two；　blinking　as　he　had　done。

A　form　which　he　did　not　recognize　rushed　up　out　of　the　darkness　and
confronted　the　three　belligerently。　〃You're　a…disturbin'　the　peace；〃　he
yelled。　〃We　don't　stand　for　nothing　like　that　in　Camas。　You're　my
prisonersall　uh　yuh。〃　The　edict　seemed　to　include　even　the　bartender；
peering　over　the　shoulder　of　Bob　Nevin；　who　struggled　with　several　others
for　immediate　passage　through　the　doorway。

〃I　guess　not；　pardner；〃　retorted　Pink；　facing　him　as　defiantly　as　though　the
marshal　were　not　twice　his　size。

The　marshal　lunged　for　him；　but　the　Silent　One；　reaching　a　long　arm　from　the
door…step；　rapped　him　smartly　on　the　head　with　his　gun。　The　marshal　squawked
and　went　down　in　a　formless　heap。

〃Come　on；　boys；〃　said　the　Silent　One　coolly。　〃I　think　we'd　better　go。　Your
friend　seems　to　have　vanished　in　thin　air。〃

Rowdy；　grumbling　mightily　over　what　looked　unpleasantly　like　retreat；　was
pushed　toward　his　horse　and　mounted　under　protest。　Likewise　Pink；　who　was
for　staying　and　cleaning　up　the　whole　town。　But　the　Silent　One　was　firm；　and
there　was　that　in　his　manner　which　compelled　obedience。

Harry　Conroy　might　have　been　an　opticaland　auralillusion；　for　all　the
trace　there　was　of　him。　But　when　the　three　rode　out　into　the　little　street；
a　bullet　pinged　close　to　Rowdy's　left　ear；　and　the　red　bark　of　a　revolver
spat　viciously　from　a　black　shadow　beside　the　Come　Again。

Rowdy　and　the　two　turned　and　rode　back；　shooting　blindly　at　the　place；　but
the　shadow　yawned　silently　before　them　and　gave　no　sign。　Then　the　Silent
One；　observing　that　the　marshal　was　getting　upon　a　pair　of　very　unsteady
legs；　again　assumed　the　leadership；　and　fairly　forced　Rowdy　and　Pink　into
the　homeward　trail。



CHAPTER　7

Rowdy　in　a　Tough　Place。

Rowdy；　with　nice　calculation；　met　Miss　Conroy　just　as　she　had　left　the
school…house；　and　noted　with　much　satisfaction　that　she　was　riding　alone。
Miss　Conroy；　if　she　had　been　at　all　observant；　must　have　seen　the　light　of
some　fixed　purpose　shining　in　his　eyes；　for　Rowdy　was　resolved　to　make　her　a
partner　in　his　dreams　of　matters　domestic。　And；　of　a　truth；　his　easy
assurance　was　the　thinnest　of　cloaks　to　hide　his　inner　agitation。

〃The　round…up　just　got　in　yesterday　afternoon；〃　he　told　her；　as　he　swung
into　the　trail　beside　her。　〃We're　going　to　start　out　again　to…morrow；　so
this　is　about　the　only　chance　I'll　have　to　see　you　for　a　while。〃

〃I　knew　the　round…up　must　be　in；〃　said　Miss　Conroy　calmly。　〃I　heard　that　you
were　in　Camas　a　night　or　two　ago。〃

Inwardly；　Rowdy　dodged。　〃We　camped　close　to　Camas；〃　he　conceded　guardedly。
〃A　lot　of　us　fellows　rode　into　town。〃

〃Yes；　so　Harry　told　me；〃　she　said。　〃He　came　over　to　see　me　yesterday。　He　is
going　to　leavehas　already；　in　fact。　He　has　had　a　fine　position　offered　him
by　the　Indian　agent　at　Belknap。　The　agent　used　to　be　a　friend　of