第 13 节
作者:丢丢      更新:2024-11-30 11:15      字数:9322
  relations would not be out of place。
  He looked them over appraisingly; and met glances as grave as his own。
  Straight; capable fellows they were; every man of them。
  〃Boys;〃 he began impressively; 〃you all know that from to…day on you're
  working under my orders。 I never was boss of anything but the cayuse I
  happened to have under me; and I'm going to extract all the honey there is
  in the situation。 Maybe I'll never be boss againbut at present I'm it。 I
  want you fellows to remember that important fact; and treat me with proper
  respect。 From now on you can call me Mr。 Vaughan; 'Rowdy' doesn't go; except
  on a legal holiday。
  〃Furthermore; I'm not going to get out at daylight and catch up my own
  horse; I'll let yuh take turns being flunky; and I'll expect yuh to saddle
  my horse every morning and noon; and bring him to the cook…tentand hold my
  stirrup for me。 Also; you are expected; at all times and places; to
  anticipate my wants and fall over yourselves waiting on me。 〃You're just
  common; ordinary; forty…dollar cow…punchers; and if I treat yuh white; it's
  because I pity yuh for not being up where I am。 Remember; vassals; that I'm
  your superior; mentally; morally; socially〃
  〃Chap him!〃 yelled Pink; and made for him 〃I'll stand for a lot; but don't
  yuh ever think I'm a vassal!〃
  〃Mutiny is strictly prohibited!〃 he thundered。 〃Villains; beware!
  Gadzookserlet's have a swim before the wagons come!〃
  They laughed and made for the creek; feeling rather crestfallen and a bit
  puzzled。
  〃If I had an outfit like this to run; and a three hundred…mile drive to
  make;〃 Bob Nevin remarked to the Silent One; 〃blessed if I'd make a josh of
  it! I'd cultivate the corrugated brow and the stiff spineme!〃
  〃My friend;〃 the Silent One responded; 〃don't be too hasty in your
  judgment。 It's because the corrugated brow will come later that he laughs
  now。 You'll presently find yourself accomplishing the impossible in
  obedience to the flicker of Rowdy Vaughan's eyelids。 Man; did you never
  observe the set of his head; and the look of his eye? Rowdy Vaughan will get
  more out of this crowd than any man ever did; and if he fails; he'll fail
  with the band playing 'Hot Time。'〃
  〃Maybe so;〃 Bob admitted; not quite convinced; 〃but I wonder if he realizes
  what he's up against。〃 At which the Silent One only smiled queerly as he
  splashed into the water。
  After dinner Rowdy caught up the blue roan; which was his favorite for a
  hard ridehe seemed to have forgotten his speech concerning
  〃flunkies〃and rode away up the coulee which had brought them into the
  field the night before。 The boys watched him go; speculated a lot; and went
  to sleep as the best way of putting in the afternoon。
  Pink; who knew quite well what was in Rowdy's mind; said nothing at all; it
  is possible that he was several degrees more jealous of the dignity of
  Rowdy's position than was Rowdy himself; who had no time to think of
  anything but the best way of getting the herd to Canada。 He would like to
  have gone along; only that Rowdy did not ask him to。 Pink assured himself
  that it was best for Rowdy not to start playing any favorites; and curled
  down in the bed…tent with the others and went to sleep。
  It was late that night when Rowdy crept silently into his corner of the
  tent; but Pink was awake; and whispered to know if he found water。 Rowdy's
  〃Yes〃 was a mere breath; but it was enough。
  At sunrise the herd trailed up the Rocking R coulee; and Pink and the Silent
  One pointed them north of the old trail。
  CHAPTER 12
  〃You Can Tell Jessie。〃
  In the days that followed Rowdy was much alone。 There was water to hunt; far
  ahead of the herd; together with the most practicable way of reaching it。 He
  did not take the shortest way across that arid country and leave the next
  day's camping…place to chanceas Wooden Shoes had done。 He felt that there
  was too much at stake; and the cattle were too thin for any more dry drives;
  long drives there were; but such was his generalship that there was always
  water at the end。
  He rode miles and miles that he might have shirked; and he never slept until
  the next day's move; at least; was clearly defined in his mind and he felt
  sure that he could do no better by going another route。
  These lonely rides gave him over to the clutch of thoughts he had never
  before harbored in his sunny nature。 Grim; ugly thoughts they were; and not
  nice to remember afterward。 They swung persistently around a central
  subject; as the earth revolves around the sun; and; like the earth; they
  turned and turned on the axis of his love for a woman。
  In particularly ugly moods he thought that if Harry Conroy were caught and
  convicted of horsestealing; Jessie must perforce admit his guilt and general
  unworthinessRowdy called it general cussednessand Rowdy be vindicated in
  her eyes。 Then she would marry him; and go with him to the Red Deer country
  andair…castles for miles! When he awoke to the argument again; he would
  tell himself savagely that if he could; by any means; bring
  about Conroy's speedy conviction; he would do so。〃
  This was unlike Rowdy; whose generous charity toward his enemies came near
  being a fault。 He might feel any amount of resentment for wrong done; but
  cold…blooded revenge was not in him; that he had suffered so much at
  Conroy's hands was due largely to the fact that Conroy was astute enough to
  read Rowdy aright; and unscrupulous enough to take advantage。 Add to that a
  smallminded jealousy of Rowdy's popularity and horsemanship; one can easily
  imagine him doing some rather nasty things。 Perhaps the meanest; and the one
  which rankled most in Rowdy's memory; was the cutting of Rowdy's latigo just
  before a riding contest; in which the purse and the glory of a
  championship…belt seemed in danger of going to Rowdy。
  Rowdy had got a fall that crippled him for weeks; and Harry had won the
  purse and beltand the enmity of several men better than he。 For though
  morally sure of his guilt; no one could prove that he had cut the strap; and
  so he got off unpunished; except that Pink thrashed hima bit
  unscientifically; it is true; since he resorted to throwing rocks toward the
  last; but with a thoroughness worthy even of Pink。
  But in moods less ugly he shrank from the hurt that must be Jessie's if she
  should discover the truth。 Jessie's brother a convicted thief serving his
  sentence in Deer Lodge! The thought was horrible; it was brutal cruelty。 If
  he could only know where to look for that lad; he'd help him out of the
  country。 It was no good shutting him up in jail; that wouldn't help him any;
  or make him better。 He hoped he would get offgo somewhere; where they
  couldn't find him; and stay there。
  He wondered where he was; and if he had money enough to see him through。 He
  might be no goodhe sure wasn't!but he was Jessie's brother; and Jessie
  believed in him and thought a lot of him。 It would be hard lines for that
  little girl if Harry were caught。 Bill Brown; the meddlesome old freak!he
  didn't blame Jessie for not wanting to stop there that night。 She did just
  the right thing。
  With all this going round and round; monotonously persistent in his brain;
  and with the care of four thousand lean kine and more than a hundred
  saddle…horsesto say nothing of a dozen overworked; fretful
  cow…punchersRowdy acquired the 〃corrugated brow〃 fast enough without any
  cultivation。
  The men were as the Silent One had predicted。 They made drives that lasted
  far into the night; stood guard; and got along with so little sleep that it
  was scarce worth mention; and did many things that shaved close the
  impossiblejust because Rowdy looked at them straightly; with half…closed
  lids; and asked them if they thought they could。
  Pink began to speak of their new foreman as 〃Moses〃; and when the curious
  asked him why; told them soberly that Rowdy could 〃hit a rock with his quirt
  and start a creek running bank full。〃 When Rowdy heard that; he thought of
  the miles of weary searching; and wished that it were true。
  They had left the home ranch a day's drive behind them; and were going
  north。 Rowdy had denied himself the luxury of riding over to see Jessie; and
  he was repenting the sacrifice in deep gloom and sincerity; when two men
  rode into camp and dismounted; as if they had a right。 The taller onewith
  brawn and brain a…plenty; by the look of himannounced that he was the
  sheriff; and would like to stop overnight。
  Rowdy gave him welcome half…heartedly; and questioned him craftily。 A
  sheriff is not a detective; and does not mind giving harmless information;
  so Rowdy learned that they had traced Conroy thus far; and believed that he
  was ahead of them and making for Canada。 He had dodged them cleverly two or
  three times; but now they had reason to believe that he was not more than
  half a day's ride before them。 They wanted to know if the outfit had seen
  any one that day; or sign of any one having passed that way。
  Rowdy shook his head。
  〃I bet it was Harry Conroy driving that little bunch uh horses up the creek;
  just as we come over the ridge;〃 spoke Pink eagerly。
  Rowdy could have choked him。 〃He wouldn't be driving a lot of horses;〃 he
  interposed quickly。
  〃Well; he might;〃 a