himself to home in the corral。 By all them signs and tokens； I give a
reckless guess you're here t' stay a while。 That right？〃 He prodded again at
Rowdy's ribs。
〃It sure is； Pink。 And if I'd known you was holding out here； I'd 'a' come
sooner； maybe。 You sure look good to me； you darned little cuss！〃 Rowdy sat
up and took a lightning inventory of the four or five other fellows lounging
about。 He must have slept pretty sound； he thought； not to hear them come
in。
Pink read the look； and bethought him of the necessary introductions。 〃This
is my side…kicker over the line thatyou've heard about till you're plumb
weary； boys；〃 he announced musically。 〃His name is Rowdy
Vaughanbronco…peeler； crap fiend； and all…round bad man。 He ain't a safe
companion； and yuh want t' sleep with your six…guns cuddled under your right
ear； and never； on no account； show him your backs。 He's a real wolf； he is；
and the only reason I live t' tell the tale is because he respects
m' size。 Boys； I'm afraid for yuhbut I wish yuh well。〃
〃Pink； you need killing； and I'm tempted to live up to my rep；〃 grinned
Rowdy indulgently。 〃Read me the pedigree of your friends。〃
〃Oh； they ain't no worsewhen yuh git used to 'em。 That long…legged jasper
with the far…away look in his eyes is the Silent Oneif he takes a notion
t' you； he'll maybe tell yuh the name his mother calls him。 He may have seen
better days； but here's hoping he won't see no worse！ He once was a
tenderfoot； but he's convalescing。〃
The Silent One nodded carelessly； but with a quick； measuring glance that
Rowdy liked。
〃This unshaved savage is Smoky。 He's harmless； if yuh don't mention
socialism in his presence； and if yuh do； he'll
down…with…the…trust…and…long…live…the…sons…uh…toil； all hours uh the night；
and keep folks awake。 Then him and the fellow that started him off 'll
likely get chapped good and plenty。 Over there's Jim Ellis and Bob Nevin；
they've both turned a cow or two； and I've seen worse specimens running
around looseplenty of 'em。 That man hidin' behind the grinyou can see
him if yuh look closeis Sunny Sam。 Yuh needn't take no notice of him；
unless you're a mind to。 He won't carehe's dead gentle。
〃Say；〃 he broke off； 〃how'd you happen t' stray onto this range； anyhow？ Yuh
used t' belong t the Horseshoe Bar so solid the assessor always t' yuh down
on the personal…property list。〃
〃They won't pay taxes on me no more； son。〃 Rowdy's eyes dwelt fondly upon
Pink's cupid…bow mouth and dimples。 He had never dreamed of finding Pink
here； though； when he came to think of it there was no reason why he
shouldn't。
Pink was not like any one else。 He was slight and girlish to look at。 But
you mustn't trust appearances； for Pink was all muscle strung on steel wire；
according to the belief of those who tried to handle him。 He had little
white hands； and feet that looked quite comfortable in a number four boot；
and his hair was a tawny gold and curled in distracting； damp rings on his
forehead。 His eyes were blue and long…lashed and beautiful； and they looked
at the world with baby innocencewhereas a more sophisticated
little devil never jangled spurs at his heels。 He was everything but
insipid； and men liked himunless he chose to dislike them； when they
thought of him with grating teeth。 To find him bullying the Cross L boys
brought a warmth to Rowdy's heart。
Pink made a cigarette； and then offered Rowdy his tobacco…sack； and asked
questions about the Cypress Hills country。 How was this girl？and was that
one married yet？and did the other still grieve for him？ As a matter of
fact； he had yet to see the girl who could quicken his pulse a single beat；
and for that reason it sometimes pleased him to affect susceptibility beyond
that of other men。
It was after dinner when he and Rowdy went humming down to the stables；
gossiping like a couple of old women over a back fence。
〃I see you've got Conroy's Chub yet；〃 Pink observed carelessly。
〃Oh； for Heaven's sake let up on that cayuse！〃 Rowdy cried petulantly。 〃I
wish I'd never got sight of the little buzzard…head； I've had him crammed
down my throat the last day or two till it's getting plumb monotonous。 Pink；
that cayuse never saw Oregon。 He was raised right on this flat； and he
belongs to old Rodway。 I've got to lead him back there and turn him over
to…day。〃
Pink took three puffs at his cigarette； and lifted his long lashes to
Rowdy's gloom…filled face。 〃Stole？〃 he asked briefly。
〃Stole；〃 Rowdy repeated disgustedly。 〃So was the whole blame' bunch； as near
as I can make out。〃
〃We might 'a' knowed it。 We might 'a' guessed Harry Conroy wouldn't have a
straight title to anything if he could make it crooked。 I bet he never
finished paying back that money yuh lent himout uh the kindness uh your
heart。 Did he？〃 Pink leaned against the corral fence and kicked meditatively
at a snow…covered rock。
〃He did not； m' son。 Chub's all I ever got out uh the dealand I haven't
even got him。 I borrowed him from Rodway to pack my bed overborrowed the
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