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blame' little runty cayuse that cost me sixty…four hard…earned dollars；
that's what Harry borrowed of me。 And every blame' gazabo on the flat wanted
to know what I was doing with him！〃
〃I can tell yuh where t' find Conroy； Rowdy。 He's working for an outfit down
on the river。 I'd sure fix him for this！ Yuh got plenty of evidence； you can
send him up like a charm。 It was different when he cut your latigo strap in
that rough…riding contest； yuh couldn't prove it on him。 But thiswhy； man；
it's a cinch！〃
〃I haven't lost Harry Conroy； so I ain't looking for him just now；〃 growled
Rowdy。 〃So long as he keeps out uh reach； I won't ask no more of him。
And； Pink； I wish you'd keep this quietabout him having Chub。 I told
Rodway I couldn't put him next to the fellow that brought that bunch across
the line。 I told him the fellow went north and got killed。 He did go
northfifty miles or so； and he'd ought to been killed； if he wasn't。 Let
it go that way； Pink。〃
Pink looked like a cherub…faced child when he has been told there's no Santa
Claus。 〃Sure； if yuh say so；〃 he stammered dubiously。 He eyed Rowdy
reproachfully； and then looked away to the horizon。 He kicked the rock out
of place； and then poked it painstakingly back with his toeand from the
look of him； he did not know there was a rock there at all。
〃How'd yuh happen to run across Rodway？〃 he asked guilelessly。
〃I stopped there last night。 I got to milling around in that storm； and ran
across the schoolma'am that boards at Rodway's； She was plumb lost； too； so
we dubbed around together for a while； and finally got inside Rodway's
field。 Then Chub come alive and piloted us to the house。 This morning Rodway
claimed himsays the brand has been worked from a Roman four。 Oh； it's all
straight goods；〃 he added hastily。 〃Old Eagle Creek here knew him； too。〃
But Pink was not thinking of Chub。 He hunched his chap…belt higher and spat
viciously into the snow。 〃I knowed it；〃 he declared； with melancholy
triumph。 〃It's school…ma'amitis that's gave yuh softening uh the vitals； and
not no Christian charity play。 How comes it you're took that way； all
unbeknown t' your friends？ Yuh never used t' bother about no female girls。
It's a cinch you're wise that she's Harry's sister； and I admit she's a
swell looker。 But so's he； and I should think； Rowdy； you'd had about enough
uh that brand uh snake。〃
〃There's nothing so snaky about her that I could see；〃 defended Rowdy。 He
did not particularly relish having his own mental argument against Miss
Conroy thrown back at him from another。 〃She seemed to be all right； and if
you'd seen how plucky she was in that blizzard〃
〃Well； I never heard anybody stand up and call Harry white…livered； when yuh
come t' that；〃 Pink cut in tartly。 〃Anyway； you're a blame fool。 If she was
a little white…winged angel； yuh wouldn't stand no kind uh show； and I tell
yuh why。 She's got a little tin god that she says prayers to regular。
That's Harry。 And wouldn't he be the fine brother…in…law？ He could borrow
all your wages off'n yuh； and when yuh went t' make a pretty ride； he'd up
and cut your latigo； and give yuh a fall。 And he could work stolen horses
off onto yuhand yuh wouldn't give a damn； 'cause Jessie wears a number two
shoe〃
〃You must have done some rimrock riding after her yourself！〃 jeered Rowdy。
〃And has got shiny brown eyes； just like Harry's〃
〃They're not！〃 laughed Rowdy； half…angrily。 〃If you say that again； Pink；
I'll stick your head in a snow…bank。 Her eyes are all right。 They sure look
good to me。〃
〃You've sure got 'em；〃 mourned Pink。 〃Yuh need t' be close…herded by your
friends； and that's no dream。 You wait till toward evening before yuh take
that horse back。 I'm going along t' chappyrone yuh； Rowdy。 Yuh ain't safe
running loose any more。〃
Rowdy cursed him companionably and told him to go along； if he wanted to；
and to look out he didn't throw up his own hands； and Pink grumbled and
swore and did go along。 But when they got there； Miss Conroy greeted him
like a very good friend； which sent Rowdy sulky； and kept him so all the
evening。 It seemed to him that Pink was playing a double game； and when they
started home he told him so。
But Pink turned in his saddle and smiled so that his dimples showed plainly
in the moonlight。 〃Chappyrones that set in a corner and look wise are the
rankest kind uh fakes；〃 he explained。 〃When she was talking to me； she was
letting you alonesee？〃
Rowdy accepted the explanation silently； and stored it away in his memory。
After that； by riding craftily； and by threats； and by much vituperation； he
managed to reach Rodway's unchapperoned at least three times out of
fivewhich was doing remarkably well； when one considers Pink。
CHAPTER 5
At Home at Cross L。
In two days Rowdy was quite at home with the Cross L。 In a month he found
himself transplanted from the smoke…laden air of the bunk…house； and set off
from the world in a line camp； with nothing to do but patrol the boggy banks
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 mu