the flying u ranch-第14部分

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rather　one…sidedly　as　he　got　back　on　his　horse。



〃I　thought　maybe　you'd　want　to　whip　the　dogs；　too；〃　Weary　told

him　dryly；　which　was　the　nearest　he　came　to　expressing　any

disapproval　of　the　incident。　Weary　was　a　peace…loving　soul；

whenever　peace　was　compatible　with　self…respect；　and　it　would

never　have　occurred　to　him　to　punish　strange　men　as　summarily　as

Pink　had　done。



〃I　would；　if　the　dogs　were　half　as　ornery　as　the　men；〃　Pink

retorted。　〃Say；　they　hang　together　like　bull　snakes　and　rattlers；

don't　they？　If　they　was　human；　they'd　have　helped　each　other

outbut　nothing　doing！　Do　you　reckon　a　man　could　ride　up　to　a

couple　of　our　bunch；　and　thrash　one　at　a　time　without　the　other

fellow　having　something　to　say　about　it？〃　He　turned　in　the　saddle

and　looked　back。　〃So　help　me；　Josephine；　I've　got　a　good　mind　to

go　back　and　lick　them　again；　for　not　hanging　together　like　they

ought　to。〃　But　the　threat　was　an　idle　one；　and　they　went　on　to

Denson's；　Weary　still　with　that　anxious　look　in　his　eyes；　and

Pink　quite　complacent　over　his　exploit。



In　Denson　coulee　was　an　unwonted　atmosphere　of　activity；

heretofore　the　place　had　been　animated　chiefly　by　young　Densons

engaged　in　the　pursuit　of　pleasure；　but　now　a　covered　buggy；

evidently　just　arrived；　bore　mute　witness　to　the　new　order　of

things。　There　were　more　horses　about　the　place；　a　covered　wagon

or　two；　three　or　four　men　working　upon　the　corral；　and；　lastly；

there　was　one　whom　Weary　recognized　the　moment　he　caught　sight　of

him。



〃Looks　like　a　sheep　outfit；　all　right；〃　he　said　somberly。　〃And；

if　that　ain't　old　Dunk　himself；　it's　the　devil；　and　that's　next

thing　to　him。〃



Dunk；　they　judged；　had　just　arrived　with　another　man　whom　they

did　not　know：　a　tall　man　with　light　hair　that　hung　lank　to　his

collar；　a　thin；　sharp…nosed　face　and　a　wide　mouth；　which

stretched　easily　into　a　smile；　but　which　was　none　the　pleasanter

for　that。　When　he　turned　inquiringly　toward　them　they　saw　that　he

was　stoop…shouldered；　though　not　from　any　deformity；　but　from

sheer；　slouching　lankness。　Dunk　gave　them　a　swift；　sour　look　from

under　his　eyebrows　and　went　on。



Weary　rode　straight　past　the　lank　man；　whom　he　judged　to　be

Oleson；　and　overtook　Dunk　Whittaker　himself。



〃Hello；　Dunk；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　sliding　over　in　the　saddle　so

that　a　foot　hung　free　of　the　stirrup；　as　men　who　ride　much　have

learned　to　do　when　they　stop　for　a　chat；　thereby　resting　while

they　may。　〃Back　on　the　old　stamping　ground；　are　you？〃



〃Since　you　see　me　here；　I　suppose　I　am；〃　Dunk　made　churlish

response。



〃Do　you　happen　to　own　those　Dot　sheep；　back　there　on　the　hill？〃

Weary　tilted　his　head　toward　home。



〃I　happen　to　own　half　of　them。〃　By　then　they　had　reached　the　gate

and　Dunk　passed　through　and　started　on　to　the　house。



〃Oh；　don't　be　in　a　rushcome　on　back　and　be　sociable；〃　Weary

called　out；　in　the　mildest　of　tones；　twisting　the　reins　around

his　saddle…horn　so　that　he　might　roll　a　cigarette　at　ease。



Dunk　remembered；　perhaps；　certain　things　he　had　learned　when　he

was　J。　G。　Whitmore's　partner；　and　had　more　or　less　to　do　with　the

charter　members　of　the　Happy　Family。　He　came　back　and　stood　by

the　gate；　ungraciously　enough；　to　be　sure；　still；　he　came　back。

Weary　smiled　under　cover　of　lighting　his　cigarette。　Dunk；　by　that

reluctant　compliance；　betrayed　something　which　Weary　had　been

rather　anxious　to　know。



〃We've　been　having　a　little　trouble　with　those　sheep　of　yours；〃

Weary　remarked　between　puffs。　〃You've　got　some　poor　excuses　for

humans　herding　them。　They　drove　the　bunch　across　our　coulee　just

exactly　three　times。　There　ain't　enough　grass　left　in　our　lower

field　to　graze　a　prairie　dog。〃　He　glanced　back　to　see　where　Pink

was；　saw　that　he　was　close　behind；　as　was　the　lank　man；　and　spoke

in　a　tone　that　included　them　all。



〃The　Flying　U　ain't　pasturing　sheep；　this　spring；〃　he　informed

them　pleasantly。　〃But；　seeing　the　grass　is　eat　up；　we'll　let　yuh

pay　for　it。　Why　didn't　you　bring　them　in　along　the　trail；

anyway？〃



〃I　didn't　bring　them　in。　I　just　came　down　from　Butte　to…day。　I

suppose　the　herders　brought　them　out　where　the　feed　was　best；

they　did　if　they're　worth　their　wages。〃



〃They　happened　to　strike　some　feed　that　was　pretty　expensive。

And；〃　he　smiled　down　at　Whittaker　misleadingly；　〃you　ought　to

keep　an　eye　on　those　herders；　or　they　might　let　you　in　for

another　grass　bill。　The　Flying　U　has　got　quite　a　lot　of　range；

right　around　here；　you　recollect。　And　we've　got　plenty　of　cattle

to　eat　it。　We　don't　need　any　help　to　keep　the　grass　down　so　we

can　ride　through　it。〃



〃Now；　look　here；〃　began　the　lank　man　with　that　sort　of

persuasiveness　which　can　turn　instantly　into　bluster；　〃all　this

is　pure　foolishness；　you　know。　We're　here　to　stay。　We've　bought

this　place；　and　some　other　land　to　go　with　it；　and　we　expect　to

stay　right　here　and　make　a　living。　It　happens　that　we　expect　to

make　a　living　off　of　sheep。　Now；　we　don't　want　to　start　in　by

quarreling　with　our　neighbors；　and　we　don't　want　our　neighbors　to

start　any　quarrel　with　us。　All　we　want〃



〃Mamma！　You're　taking　a　fine　way　to　make　us　love　yuh；〃　Weary　cut

in　ironically。　〃I　know　what　you　want。　You　want　the　same　as　every

other　meek　and　lovely　sheepman　wants。　You　want　it　all　core；

seeds　and　peeling。　Dunk；〃　he　said　with　a　more　impatient　disgust

than　he　was　in　the　habit　of　showing　for　his　fellowmen；　〃this

man's　a　stranger；　but　I　should　think　you'd　know　better　than　to

come　in　here　with　sheep。〃



〃I　don't　know　why　a　sheep　outfit　isn't　exactly　as　good　as　a　cow

outfit；　and　I　don't　know　why　they　haven't　as　much　right　here。

You're　welcome　to　what　land　you　own；　but　it　always　seemed　to　me

that　public　land　is　open　to　the　use　of　the　public。　Now；　as　Oleson

says；　we　expect　to　raise　sheep　here；　and　we　expect　your　outfit　to

leave　us　alone。　As　far　as　our　sheep　crossing　your　coulee　is

concernedI　don't　know　that　they　did。　But；　if　they　did；　and；　if

they　did　any　damage；　let　J。　G。　do　the　talking　about　that。　I　deal

with　the　ownersnot　with　the　hired　men。〃



Weary；　you　must　understand；　was　never　a　bellicose　young　man。　But；

for　all　that；　he　leaned　over　and　gave　Dunk　a　slap　on　the　jaw

which　must　have　stung　considerablyand　the　full　reason　for　his

violence　lay　four　years　behind　the　two；　when　Dunk　was　part　owner

of　the　Flying　U；　and　when　his　sneering　arrogance　had　been　very

hard　to　endure。



〃Are　you　going　to　swallow　thatfrom　a　hired　man？〃　Weary

inquired；　after　a　minute　during　which　nothing　whatever　occurred

beyond　the　slow　reddening　of　Dunk's　face。



〃I'm　not　going　to　fight；　if　that's　what　you　mean；；〃　Dunk　sneered。

〃I　decline　to　bring　myself　down　to　your　level。　One　doesn't　expect

anything　from　a　jackass　but　a　bray；　you　knowand　one　doesn't

feel　compelled　to　bray　because　the　jackass　does。〃　He　smiled　that

supercilious　smile　which　Weary　had　hated　of　old；　and　which；　he

knew；　was　well　used　to　covering　much　treachery　and　small

meannesses　of　various　sorts。



〃As　I　said；　if　the　Flying　U　has　any　claim　against　us；　let　the

owner　present　it　in　the　usual　way。　Dunk　drew　down　his　black

brows；　lifted　a　corner　of　his　lip　and　turned　his　back

deliberately　upon　them。



Oleson　let　himself　through　the　gate；　which　he　closed　somewhat

hastily　behind　him。　〃I'm　sorry　you　fellows　seem　to　want　to　make

trouble；〃　he　said；　without　looking　up　from　the　latch；　which

seemed　somewhat　out　of　repair；　like　the　rest　of　the　Denson

property。　〃That's　a　poor　way　to　start　in　with　new　neighbors。〃　He

lifted　his　hat　with　what　Pink　considered　insulting　politeness；

and　followed　Dunk　into　the　house。



Weary　waited　there　until　they　had　gone　in　and　closed　the　door；

then　turned　and　rode　back　home　again；　frowning　thoughtfully　at

the　trail　ahead　of　them　all　the　way；　and　making　no　reply　to

Pink's　importunings　for　war。



〃I'd　hate　to　say　you've　lost　your　nerve；　Weary；〃　Pink　cried　at

last；　in　sheer　desperation。　〃But　why　the　devil　didn't　you　get

down　and　thump　the　daylights　out　of　that　black　son…of…a…gun？　I

came　pretty　near　walking　into　him　myself；　only　I　hate　to　butt

into　another　fellow's　scrap。　But；　if　I'd　known　you　were　going　to

set　there　and　let　him　walk　off　with　that　sneer　on　his　face〃



〃I　can't　fight　a　man　that　won't　hit　back；〃　Weary　protested。　〃You

couldn't　either；　Cadwalloper。　You'd　have　done　just　what　I　did；

you'd　have　let　him　go。〃



〃He　will　hit　back；　all　right　enough；〃　Pink　retorted　passionately。

〃He'll　do　it　when　you　ain't　looking；　though。　He〃



〃I　know　it；〃　Weary　sighed。　〃I'm　kinda　sorry；　now；　I　slapped　him。

He'll　hit　backbut　he　won't　hit　me；　he'll　aim　at　the　outfit。　If

the　Old　Man　was　here；　or　Chip；　I'd　feel　a　whole　lot　easier　in　my

mind。〃



〃They　couldn't　do　anything　you　can't　do；〃　Pink　assured　him

loyally；　forgetting　his　petulance　when　he　saw　the　careworn　look

in　Weary's　face。　〃All　they　can　do　is　gobble　all　the　range　around

hereand　I　guess　there's　a　few　of　us　th