arizona nights-第14部分

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Nobody　told　me　anything　different。　　One　day　we　were　making　a

drive　in　an　exceedingly　broken　country。　　I　was　bringing　in　a

small　bunch　I　had　discovered　in　a　pocket　of　the　hills；　but　was

excessively　annoyed　by　one　old　cow　that　insisted　on　breaking

back。　　In　the　wisdom　of　further　experience；　I　now　conclude　that

she　probably　had　a　calf　in　the　brush。　　Finally　she　got　away

entirely。　　After　starting　the　bunch　well　ahead；　I　went　after　her。

　　　　

Well；　the　cow　and　I　ran　nearly　side　by　side　for　as　much　as　half　a

mile　at　top　speed。　　She　declined　to　be　headed。　　Finally　she　fell

down　and　was　so　entirely　winded　that　she　could　not　get　up。

　　　

〃Now；　old　girl；　I've　got　you！〃　said　I；　and　set　myself　to　urging

her　to　her　feet。

　　　　

The　pony　acted　somewhat　astonished；　and　suspicious　of　the　job。　

Therein　he　knew　a　lot　more　than　I　did。　　But　I　insisted；　and；　like

a　good　pony；　he　obeyed。　　I　yelled　at　the　cow；　and　slapped　my　bat；

and　used　my　quirt。　　When　she　had　quite　recovered　her　wind；　she

got　slowly　to　her　feetand　charged　me　in　a　most　determined

manner。

　　　　

Now；　a　bull；　or　a　steer；　is　not　difficult　to　dodge。　　He　lowers

his　head；　shuts　his　eyes；　and　comes　in　on　one　straight　rush。　　But

a　cow　looks　to　see　what　she　is　doing；　her　eyes　are　open　every

minute；　and　it　overjoys　her　to　take　a　side　hook　at　you　even　when

you　succeed　in　eluding　her　direct　charge。

　　　　

The　pony　I　was　riding　did　his　best；　but　even　then　could　not　avoid

a　sharp　prod　that　would　have　ripped　him　up　had　not　my　leather

bastos　intervened。　　Then　we　retired　to　a　distance　in　order　to

plan　further；　but　we　did　not　succeed　in　inducing　that　cow　to

revise　her　ideas；　so　at　last　we　left　her。　　When；　in　some　chagrin；

I　mentioned　to　the　round…up　captain　the　fact　that　I　had　skipped

one　animal；　he　merely　laughed。

　　　　

〃Why；　kid；〃　said　he；　〃you　can't　do　nothin'　with　a　cow　that　gets

on　the　prod　that　away　'thout　you　ropes　her；　and　what　could　you　do

with　her　out　there　if　you　DID　rope　her？〃



So　I　learned　one　thing　more　about　cows。

　　　　

After　the　steer　cut　had　been　finished；　the　men　representing　the

neighbouring　ranges　looked　through　the　herd　for　strays　of　their

brands。　　These　were　thrown　into　the　stray…herd；　which　had　been

brought　up　from　the　bottom　lands　to　receive　the　new　accessions。　

Work　was　pushed　rapidly；　as　the　afternoon　was　nearly　gone。

　　　　

In　fact；　so　absorbed　were　we　that　until　it　was　almost　upon　us　we

did　not　notice　a　heavy　thunder…shower　that　arose　in　the　region　of

the　Dragoon　Mountains；　and　swept　rapidly　across　the　zenith。　

Before　we　knew　it　the　rain　had　begun。　　In　ten　seconds　it　had

increased　to　a　deluge；　and　in　twenty　we　were　all　to　leeward　of

the　herd　striving　desperately　to　stop　the　drift　of　the　cattle

down　wind。

　　　　

We　did　everything　in　our　power　to　stop　them；　but　in　vain。

Slickers　waved；　quirts　slapped　against　leather；　six…shooters

flashed；　but　still　the　cattle；　heads　lowered；　advanced　with　slow

and　sullen　persistence　that　would　not　be　stemmed。　　If　we　held　our

ground；　they　divided　around　us。　　Step　by　step　we　were　forced　to

give　waythe　thin　line　of　nervously　plunging　horses　sprayed

before　the　dense　mass　of　the　cattle。



〃No；　they　won't　stampede；〃　shouted　Charley　to　my　question。　

〃There's　cows　and　calves　in　them。　If　they　was　just　steers　or

grown　critters；　they　might。〃

　　　

The　sensations　of　those　few　moments　were　very　vividthe　blinding

beat　of　the　storm　in　my　face；　the　unbroken　front　of　horned　heads

bearing　down　on　me；　resistless　as　fate；　the　long　slant　of　rain

with　the　sun　shining　in　the　distance　beyond　it。

　　　

Abruptly　the　downpour　ceased。　　We　shook　our　hats　free　of　water；

and　drove　the　herd　back　to　the　cutting　grounds　again。

　　　

But　now　the　surface　of　the　ground　was　slippery；　and　the　rapid

manoeuvring　of　horses　had　become　a　matter　precarious　in　the

extreme。　　Time　and　again　the　ponies　fairly　sat　on　their　haunches

and　slid　when　negotiating　a　sudden　stop；　while　quick　turns　meant

the　rapid　scramblings　that　only　a　cow…horse　could　accomplish。　

Nevertheless　the　work　went　forward　unchecked。　　The　men　of　the

other　outfits　cut　their　cattle　into　the　stray…herd。　　The　latter

was　by　now　of　considerable　size；　for　this　was　the　third　week　of

the　round…up。

　　　　

Finally　everyone　expressed　himself　as　satisfied。　　The　largely

diminished　main　herd　was　now　started　forward　by　means　of　shrill

cowboy　cries　and　beating　of　quirts。　　The　cattle　were　only　too

eager　to　go。　　From　my　position　on　a　little　rise　above　the

stray…herd　I　could　see　the　leaders　breaking　into　a　run；　their

heads　thrown　forward　as　they　snuffed　their　freedom。　　On　the　mesa

side　the　sentinel　riders　quietly　withdrew。　　From　the　rear　and

flanks　the　horsemen　closed　in。　　The　cattle　poured　out　in　a　steady

stream　through　the　opening　thus　left　on　the　mesa　side。　　The

fringe　of　cowboys　followed；　urging　them　on。　　Abruptly　the

cavalcade　turned　and　came　loping　back。　The　cattle　continued　ahead

on　a　trot；　gradually　spreading　abroad　over　the　landscape；　losing

their　integrity　as　a　herd。　　Some　of　the　slower　or　hungrier

dropped　out　and　began　to　graze。　　Certain　of　the　more　wary

disappeared　to　right　or　left。

　　　

Now；　after　the　day's　work　was　practically　over；　we　had　our　first

accident。　　The　horse　ridden　by　a　young　fellow　from　Dos　Cabesas

slipped；　fell；　and　rolled　quite　over　his　rider。　　At　once　the

animal　lunged　to　his　feet；　only　to　he　immediately　seized　by　the

nearest　rider。　　But　the　Dos　Cabesas　man　lay　still；　his　arms　and

legs　spread　abroad；　his　head　doubled　sideways　in　a　horribly

suggestive　manner。　　We　hopped　off。　　Two　men　straightened　him　out；

while　two　more　looked　carefully　over　the　indications　on　the

ground。



〃All　right；〃　sang　out　one　of　them；　〃the　horn　didn't　catch　him。〃

　　　　

He　pointed　to　the　indentation　left　by　the　pommel。　　Indeed　five

minutes　brought　the　man　to　his　senses。　　He　complained　of　a　very

twisted　back。　　Homer　set　one　of　the　men　in　after　the　bed…wagon；

by　means　of　which　the　sufferer　was　shortly　transported　to　camp。　

By　the　end　of　the　week　he　was　again　in　the　saddle。　　How　men

escape　from　this　common　accident　with　injuries　so　slight　has

always　puzzled　me。　　The　horse　rolls　completely　over　his　rider；

and　yet　it　seems　to　be　the　rarest　thing　in　the　world　for　the

latter　to　be　either　killed　or　permanently　injured。

　　　　　

Now　each　man　had　the　privilege　of　looking　through　the　J　H　cuts　to

see　if　by　chance　steers　of　his　own　had　been　included　in　them。　

When　all　had　expressed　themselves　as　satisfied；　the　various　bands

were　started　to　the　corrals。

　　　　　

From　a　slight　eminence　where　I　had　paused　to　enjoy　the　evening　I

looked　down　on　the　scene。　　The　three　herds；　separated　by　generous

distance　one　from　the　other；　crawled　leisurely　along；　the　riders；

their　hats　thrust　back；　lolled　in　their　saddles；　shouting

conversation　to　each　other；　relaxing　after　the　day's　work；

through　the　clouds　strong　shafts　of　light　belittled　the　living

creatures；　threw　into　proportion　the　vastness　of　the　desert。







CHAPTER　SEVEN

A　CORNER　IN　HORSES



It　was　dark　night。　　The　stay…herd　bellowed　frantically　from　one

of　the　big　corrals；　the　cow…and…calf…herd　from　a　second。　　Already

the　remuda；　driven　in　from　the　open　plains；　scattered　about　the

thousand　acres　of　pasture。　　Away　from　the　conveniences　of　fence

and　corral；　men　would　have　had　to　patrol　all　night。　　Now；

however；　everyone　was　gathered　about　the　camp　fire。

　　　　

Probably　forty　cowboys　were　in　the　group；　representing　all　types；

from　old　John；　who　had　been　in　the　business　forty　years；　and　had

punched　from　the　Rio　Grande　to　the　Pacific；　to　the　Kid；　who　would

have　given　his　chance　of　salvation　if　he　could　have　been　taken

for　ten　years　older　than　he　was。　　At　the　moment　Jed　Parker　was

holding　forth　to　his　friend　Johnny　Stone　in　reference　to　another

old　crony　who　had　that　evening　joined　the　round…up。

　　　

〃Johnny；〃　inquired　Jed　with　elaborate　gravity；　and　entirely

ignoring　the　presence　of　the　subject　of　conversation；　〃what　is

that　thing　just　beyond　the　fire；　and　where　did　it　come　from？〃

　　　　

Johnny　Stone　squinted　to　make　sure。



〃That？〃　he　replied。　　〃Oh；　this　evenin'　the　dogs　see　something　run

down　a　hole；　and　they　dug　it　out；　and　that's　what　they　got。〃



The　newcomer　grinned。



〃The　trouble　with　you　fellows；〃　he　proffered　〃is　that　you're　so

plumb　alkalied　you　don't　know　the　real　thing　when　you　see　it。〃



〃That's　right；〃　supplemented　Windy　Bill　drily。　〃HE　come　from　New

York。〃

　　　

〃No！〃　cried　Jed。　〃You　don't　say　so？　　Did　he　come　in　one　box　or　in

two？〃

　　　　

Under　cover　of　the　laugh；　the　newcomer　made　a　raid　on　the　dutch

ovens　and　pails。　　Having　filled　his　plate；　he　squatted　on　his

heels　and　fell　to　his　belated　meal。　　He　was　a　tall；　slab…sided

individual；　with　a　lean；　leathery　face；　a　sweeping　white

moustache；　and　a　grave　and　sardonic　eye。　　His　leather　chaps　were

plain　and　worn；　and　his　hat　had　been　fashioned　by　time　and

wear　into　much　individuality。　　I　was　not　surprised　to　hear　him

nicknamed　Sacatone　Bill。



〃Just　ask　him　how　he　got　that　game　foot；〃　suggested　Johnny　Stone

to　me　in　an　undertone；　so；　of　course；　I　did　not。

　

Later　someone　told　me　that　the　lameness　resulted　from　his　refusal

of　an　urgent　invitation　to　return　across　a　river。　　Mr。　Sacatone

Bill　happened　not　to　be　riding　his　own　horse　at　the　time。

　

The　Cattleman　dropped　down　beside　me　a　moment　later。

　　　

〃I　wish；〃　said　he　in　a　low　voice；　〃we　could　get　that　fellow

talking。　　He　is　a　queer　one。　　Pretty　well　educated　apparently。　

Claims　to　be　writing　a　book　of　memoirs。　　Sometimes　he　will　open

up　in　good　shape；　and　sometimes　he　will　not。　　It　does　no　good　to

ask　him　direct；　and　he　is　as　shy　as　an　old　crow　when　you　try　to

lead　him　up　to　a　subject。　　We　must　just　lie　low　and　trust　to

Providence。〃

　　　　

A　man　was　playing　on　the　mouth　organ。　　He　played　excellently

well；　with　all　sorts　of　variations　and　frills。　　We　smoked　in

silen