wyoming(怀俄明)-第17章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃What do you think？〃
He shook his head。 〃I'll have to go to the foot of the class on that；
ma'am。 Give me an easier one。〃 〃I'll have to choose another subject then。
What did you do about that bunch of Circle 66 cows you looked at on your
way in？〃
They discussed business for a few minutes； after which she went back
to her patient and he to his work。
〃Ain't she a straight…up little gentleman for fair？〃 the foreman asked
himself in rhetorical and exuberant question； slapping his hat against his
leg as he strode toward the corral。 〃Think of her coming at me like she did；
the blamed little thoroughbred。 Y'u bet she knows me down to the ground
and how sudden I got over any fool notions I might a…started to get in my
cocoanut。 But the way she came back at me； quick as lightning and then
some； pretendin' all that foolishness and knowin' all the time I'd savez the
game。〃
Both McWilliams and his mistress had guessed right in their surmise
as to Nora Darling's popularity in the cow country。 She made an
immediate and pronounced hit。 It was astonishing how many errands the
men found to take them to 〃the house；〃 as they called the building where
the mistress of the ranch dwelt。 Bannister served for a time as an excellent
excuse。 Judging from the number of the inquiries which the men found it
necessary to make as to his progress； Helen would have guessed him
exceedingly popular with her riders。 Having a sense of humor； she
mentioned this to McWilliams one day。
He laughed； and tried to turn it into a compliment to his mistress。 But
she would have none of it。
〃I know better； sir。 They don't come here to see me。 Nora is the
attraction； and I have sense enough to know it。 My nose is quite out of
77
… Page 78…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
joint；〃 she laughed。
Mac looked with gay earnestness at the feature she had mentioned。
〃There's a heap of difference in noses；〃 he murmured； apparently apropos
of nothing。
〃That's another way of telling me that Nora's pug is the sweetest thing
you ever saw；〃 she charged。
〃I ain't half such a bad actor as some of the boys；〃 he deprecated。
〃Meaning in what way？〃
〃The Nora Darling way。〃
He pronounced her name so much as if it were a caress that his
mistress laughed； and he joined in it。
〃It's your fickleness that is breaking my heart； though I knew I was lost
as soon as I saw your beatific look on the day you got back with Nora。 The
first week I came none of you could do enough for me。 Now it's all Nora；
darling。〃 She mimicked gayly his intonation。
〃Well； ma'am； it's this way；〃 explained the foreman with a grin。 〃 Y'u're
right pleasant and friendly； but the boys have got a savvy way down deep
that y'u'd shuck that friendliness awful sudden if any of them dropped
around with 'Object； Matrimony' in their manner。 Consequence is； they're
loaded down to the ground with admiration of their boss； but they ain't
presumptuous enough to expaict any more。 I had notions； mebbe； I'd cut
more ice； me being not afflicted with bashfulness。 My notions faded；
ma'am； in about a week。〃
〃Then Nora came？〃 she laughed。
〃No； ma'am； they had gone glimmering long before she arrived。 I was
just convalescent enough to need being cheered up when she drapped in。〃
〃And are you cheered up yet？〃 his mistress asked。
He took off his dusty hat and scratched his head。 〃I ain't right certain；
yet； ma'am。 Soon as I know I'm consoled； I'll be round with an invite to the
wedding。〃
〃That is； if you are。〃
〃If I amyes。 Y'u can't most always tell when they have eyes like
hers。〃
〃You're quite an authority on the sex considering your years。〃
78
… Page 79…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
〃Yes； ma'am。〃 He looked aggrieved； thinking himself a man grown。
〃How did y'u say Mr。 Bannister was？〃
〃Wait； and I'll send Nora out to tell you；〃 she flashed； and disappeared
in the house。
Conversation at the bunkhouse and the chucktent sometimes circled
around the young women at the house； but its personality rarely grew
pronounced。 References to Helen Messiter and the housemaid were
usually by way of repartee at each other。 For a change had come over the
spirit of the Lazy D men； and； though a cheerful profanity still flowed
freely when they were alone together； vulgarity was largely banished。
The morning after his conversation with Miss Messiter； McWilliams
was washing in the foreman's room when the triangle beat the call for
breakfast； and he heard the cook's raucous 〃Come and get it。〃 There was
the usual stampede for the tent； and a minute later Mac flung back the flap
and entered。 He took the seat at the head of the table； along the benches on
both sides of which the punchers were plying busy knives and forks。
〃A stack of chips；〃 ordered the foreman； and the cook's 〃Coming up〃
was scarcely more prompt than the plate of hot cakes he set before the
young man。
〃Hen fruit； sunny side up；〃 shouted Reddy； who was further advanced
in his meal。
〃Tame that fog…horn； son；〃 advised Wun Hop； but presently he slid
three fried eggs from a frying…pan into the plate of the hungry one。
〃I want y'u boys to finish flankin' that bunch of hill calves to…day；〃 said
the foreman； emptying half a jug of syrup over his cakes。
〃Redtop； he ain't got no appetite these days；〃 grinned Denver； as the
gentleman mentioned cleaned up a second loaded plate of ham； eggs and
fried potatoes。 〃I see him studying a Wind River Bible* yesterday。 Curious
how in the spring a young man's fancy gits to wandering on house
furnishing。 Red； he was taking the catalogue alphabetically。 Carpets was
absorbin' his attention； chairs on deck； and chandeliers in the hole； as we
used to say when we was baseball kids。〃
＇*A Wind River Bible in the Northwest ranch country is a catalogue of
one of the big Chicago department stores that does a large shipping
79
… Page 80…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
business in the West。＇
〃Ain't a word of truth in it；〃 indignantly denied the assailed； his
unfinished nose and chin giving him a pathetic； whipped puppy look。 〃Sho！
I was just looking up saddles。 Can't a fellow buy a new saddle without
asking leave of Denver？〃
〃Cyarpets used to begin with a C in my spelling…book； but saddles got
off right foot fust with a S；〃 suggested Mac amiably。
〃He was ce'tainly trying to tree his saddle among the C's。 He was
looking awful loving at a Turkish rug。 Reckon he thought it was a saddle…
blanket；〃 derided Denver cheerfully。
〃Huh！ Y'u're awful smart； Denver；〃 retaliated Reddy； his complexion
matching his hair。 〃Y'u talk a heap with your mouth。 Nobody believes a
word of what y'u say。〃
Denver relaxed into a range song by way of repartee：
〃I want mighty bad to be married； To have a garden and a home； I
ce'tainly aim to git married； And have a gyurl for my own。〃
〃Aw！ Y'u fresh guys make me tired。 Y'u don't devil me a bit； not a bit。
Whyfor should I care what y'u say？ I guess this outfit ain't got no surcingle
on me。〃 Nevertheless； he made a hurried end of his breakfast and flung out
of the tent。
〃Y'u boys hadn't ought to wound Reddy's tender feelings； and him so
bent on matrimony！〃 said Denver innocently。 〃Get a move on them fried
spuds and sashay them down this way； if there's any left when y'u fill your
plate； Missou。〃
Nor was Reddy the only young man who had dreams those days at the
Lazy D。 Cupid must have had his hands full； for his darts punctured more
than one honest plainsman's heart。 The reputation of the young women at
the Lazy D seemed to travel on the wings of the wind； and from far and
near Cattleland sent devotees to this shrine of youth and beauty。 So
casually the victims drifted in； always with a good business excuse
warranted to endure raillery and sarcasm； that it was impossible to say
they had come of set purpose to sun themselves in feminine smiles。
As for Nora； it is not too much to say that she was having the time of
her life。 Detroit； Michigan； could offer no such field for her expansive
80
… Page 81…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
charms as the Bighorn country； Wyoming。 Here she might have her pick of
a hundred； and every one of them picturesquely begirt with flannel shirt；
knotted scarf at neck； an arsenal that bristled； and a sun…tan that could be
achieved only in the outdoors of the Rockies。 Certainly these knights of
the saddle radiated a romance with which even her floorwalker
〃gentleman friend 〃 could not compete。
81
… Page 82…
WYOMING：A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST
CHAPTER 10。 A SHEPHERD OF
THE DESERT
It had been Helen Messiter's daily custom either to take a ride on her
pony or a spin in her motor car； but since Bannister had been quartered at
the Lazy D her time had been so fully occupied that she had given this up
for the present。 The arrival of Nora Darling； however； took so much work
off her hands that she began to continue her rides and drives。
Her patient was by this time so far recovered that he did not need her
constant attendance and there were reasons why she decided it best to
spend only a minimum of her time with him。 These had to do with her
increasing interest in the man and the need she felt to discourage it。 It had
come to a pretty pass； she told herself scornfully； when she found herself
inventing excuses to take her into the room where this most picturesque of
unhanged scamps was lying。 Most good women are at
