wyoming(怀俄明)-第8节
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tell me where is the foreman of the Lazy D？〃
He introduced with a smile the swarthy man in the doorway。 〃This is
him ma'amMr。 Judd Morgan。〃
Now it happened that Mr。 Judd Morgan was simmering with
suppressed spleen。
〃All I've got to say is that you had no business mixing up in that
shootin' affair back there。 Perhaps you don't know that the man you saved
is Ned Bannister； the outlaw；〃 was his surly greeting。
〃Oh； yes； I know that。〃
〃Then what d'ye meanWho are you； anyway？〃 His insolent eyes
coasted malevolently over her。
〃Helen Messiter is my name。〃
It was ludicrous to see the change that came over the man。 He had
been prepared to bully her； and with a word she had pricked the bubble of
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his arrogance。 He swallowed his anger and got a mechanical smile in
working order。
〃Glad to see you here； Miss Messiter；〃 he said； his sinister gaze
attempting to meet hers frankly 〃I been looking for you every day。〃
〃But y'u managed to surprise him； after all ma'am；〃 chuckled Mac。
〃Where's yo' hawss； Reddy？〃 inquired a tall young man； who had
appeared silently in the doorway of the bunkhouse。
Reddy pinked violently。 〃I had an accident； Denver；〃 he explained。
〃This lady yere she〃
〃Scooped y'u right off yore hawss。 Y'u don't say；〃 sympathized Mac so
breathlessly that even Reddy joined in the chorus of laughter that went up
at his expense。
The young woman thought to make it easy for him； and suggested an
explanation。
〃His horse isn't used to automobiles； and so when it met this one〃
〃I got off；〃 interposed Reddy hastily； displaying a complexion like a
boiled beet。
〃He got off；〃 Mac explained gravely to the increasing audience。
Denver nodded with an imperturbable face。 〃He got off。〃
Mac introduced Miss Messiter to such of her employees as were on
hand。 〃 Shake hands with Miss Messiter； Missou；〃 was the formula； the
name alone varying to suit the embarrassed gentlemen in leathers。 Each of
them in turn presented a huge hand； in which her little one disappeared for
the time； and was sawed up and down in the air like a pump…handle。 Yet if
she was amused she did not show it； and her pleasure at meeting the
simple； elemental products of the plains outweighed a great deal her sense
of the ludicrous。
〃How are your patients getting along？〃 she presently asked of her
foreman。
〃I reckon all right。 I sent Reddy for a doc； but〃
〃He got off；〃 murmured Mac pensively。
〃I'll go rope another hawss；〃 put in the man who had got off。
〃Get a jump on you； then。 Miss Messiter； would you like to look over
the place？〃
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〃Not now。 I want to see the men that were hurt。 Perhaps I can help
them。 Once I took a few weeks in nursing。〃
〃Bully for you； ma'am；〃 whooped Mac。 〃I've a notion those boys are
sufferin' for a woman to put the diamond…hitch on them bandages。〃
〃Bring that suit…case in；〃 she commanded Denver； in the gentlest voice
he had ever heard； after she had made a hasty inspection of the first
wounded man。
From the suit…case she took a little leather medicine…case； the kind that
can be bought already prepared for use。 It held among other things a roll
of medicated cotton； some antiseptic tablets； and a little steel instrument
for probing。
〃Some warm water； please； and have some boiling on the range；〃 were
her next commands。
Mac flew to execute them。
It was a pleasure to see her work； so deftly the skillful hands
accomplished what her brain told them。 In admiring awe the punchers
stood awkwardly around while she washed and dressed the hurts。 Two of
the bullets had gone through the fleshy part of the arm and left clean
wounds。 In the case of the third man she had to probe for the lead； but
fortunately found it with little difficulty。 Meanwhile she soothed the victim
with gentle womanly sympathy。
〃I know it hurts a good deal。 Just a minute and I'll be through。〃
His hands clutched tightly the edges of his bunk。 〃That's all right； doc。
You attend to roping that pill and I'll endure the grief。〃
A long sigh of relief went up from the assembled cowboys when she
drew the bullet out。
The sinewy hands fastened on the wooden bunk relaxed suddenly。
〃'Frisco's daid；〃 gasped the cook； who bore the title of Wun Hop for no
reason except that he was an Irishman in a place formerly held by a
Chinese。
〃He has only fainted；〃 she said quietly； and continued with the
antiseptic dressing。
When it was all over； the big； tanned men gathered at the entrance to
the calf corral and expanded in admiration of their new boss。
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〃She's a pure for fair。 She grades up any old way yuh take her to the
best corn…fed article on the market；〃 pronounced Denver； with enthusiasm。
〃I got to ride the boundary；〃 sighed Missou。 〃I kinder hate to go right
now。〃
〃Here； too；〃 acquiesced another。 〃I got a round…up on Wind Creek to
cut out them two…year…olds。 If 'twas my say…so； I'd order Mac on that job。〃
〃Right kind of y'u。 Seems to me〃Mac's sarcastic eye trailed around to
include all those who had been singing her praises〃the new queen of this
hacienda won't have no trouble at all picking a prince consort when she
gets round to it。 Here's Wun Hop； not what y'u might call anxious； but
ce'tainly willing。 Then Denver's some in the turtle…dove business；
according to that hash…slinger in Cheyenne。 Missou might be induced to
accept if it was offered him proper； and I allow Jim ain't turned the color
of Redtop's hair jest for instance。 I don't want to leave out 'Frisco and the
other boys carrying Bannister's pills〃
〃Nor McWilliams。 I'd admire to include him；〃 murmured Denver。
That sunburned； nonchalant youth laughed musically。 〃Sure thing。 I'd
hate to be left out。 The only difference is〃
〃Well？〃
His roving eye circled blandly round。 〃I stand about one show in a
million。 Y'u roughnecks are dead ones already。〃
With which cold comfort he sauntered away to join Miss Messiter and
the foreman； who now appeared together at the door of the ranchhouse；
prepared to make a tour of the buildings and the immediate corrals。
〃Isn't there a woman on the place？〃 she was asking Morgan。
〃No'm； there ain't。 Henderson's daughter would come and stay with y'u
a while I reckon。〃
〃Please send for her at once； then； and ask her to come to…day。〃
〃All right。 I'll send one of the boys right away。〃
〃How did y'u leave 'Frisco； ma'am？〃 asked Mac； by way of including
himself easily。
〃He's resting quietly。 Unless blood…poisoning sets in they ought all to
do well。〃
〃It's right lucky for them y'u happened along。 This is the hawss corral；
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ma'am；〃 explained the young man just as Morgan opened his thin lips to
tell her。
Judd contrived to get rid of him promptly。 〃Slap on a saddle； Mac； and
run up the remuda so Miss Messiter can see the hawsses for herself；〃 he
ordered。
〃Mebbe she'd rather ride down and look at the bunch；〃 suggested the
capable McWilliams。
As it chanced； she did prefer to ride down the pasture and look over
the place from on horseback。 She was in love with her ranch already。 Its
spacious distances； the thousands of cattle and the horses； these
picturesque retainers who served her even to the shedding of an enemy's
blood； they all struck an answering echo in her gallant young heart that
nothing in Kalamazoo had been able to stir。 She bubbled over with
enthusiasm； the while Morgan covertly sneered and McWilliams warmed
to the untamed youth in her。
〃What about this man Bannister？〃 she flung out suddenly；
