the last of the plainsmen-第14节

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ry　shouts。　With　a　resolve　to　overhaul　him；　I　jumped　on　Satan　and　whirled　after　the　hound。

The　black　stretched　out　with　such　a　stride　that　I　was　at　pains　to　keep　my　seat。　I　dodged　the　jutting　rocks　and　projecting　snags；　felt　stinging　branches　in　my　face　and　the　rush　of　sweet；　dry　wind。　Under　the　crumbling　walls；　over　slopes　of　weathered　stone　and　droppings　of　shelving　rock；　round　protruding　noses　of　cliff；　over　and　under　pinyons　Satan　thundered。　He　came　out　on　the　top　of　the　ridge；　at　the　narrow　back　I　had　called　a　saddle。　Here　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　Sounder　far　below；　going　down　into　the　ravine　from　which　I　had　ascended　some　time　before。　I　called　to　him；　but　I　might　as　well　have　called　to　the　wind。

Weary　to　the　point　of　exhaustion；　I　once　more　turned　Satan　toward　camp。　I　lay　forward　on　his　neck　and　let　him　have　his　will。　Far　down　the　ravine　I　awoke　to　strange　sounds；　and　soon　recognized　the　cracking　of　iron…shod　hoofs　against　stone；　then　voices。　Turning　an　abrupt　bend　in　the　sandy　wash；　I　ran　into　Jones　and　Wallace。

〃Fall　in！　Line　up　in　the　sad　procession！〃　said　Jones。　〃Tige　and　the　pup　are　faithful。　The　rest　of　the　dogs　are　somewhere　between　the　Grand　Canyon　and　the　Utah　desert。〃

I　related　my　adventures；　and　tried　to　spare　Moze　and　Sounder　as　much　as　conscience　would　permit。

〃Hard　luck！〃　commented　Jones。　〃Just　as　the　hounds　jumped　the　cougarOh！　they　bounced　him　out　of　the　rocks　all　rightdon't　you　remember；　just　under　that　cliff　wall　where　you　and　Wallace　came　up　to　me？　Well；　just　as　they　jumped　him；　they　ran　right　into　fresh　deer　tracks。　I　saw　one　of　the　deer。　Now　that's　too　much　for　any　hounds；　except　those　trained　for　lions。　I　shot　at　Moze　twice；　but　couldn't　turn　him。　He　has　to　be　hurt；　they've　all　got　to　be　hurt　to　make　them　understand。〃

Wallace　told　of　a　wild　ride　somewhere　in　Jones's　wake；　and　of　sundry　knocks　and　bruises　he　had　sustained；　of　pieces　of　corduroy　he　had　left　decorating　the　cedars　and　of　a　most　humiliating　event；　where　a　gaunt　and　bare　pinyon　snag　had　penetrated　under　his　belt　and　lifted　him；　mad　and　kicking；　off　his　horse。

〃These　Western　nags　will　hang　you　on　a　line　every　chance　they　get；〃　declared　Jones；　〃and　don't　you　overlook　that。　Well；　there's　the　cabin。　We'd　better　stay　here　a　few　days　or　a　week　and　break　in　the　dogs　and　horses；　for　this　day's　work　was　apple　pie　to　what　we'll　get　in　the　Siwash。〃

I　groaned　inwardly；　and　was　remorselessly　glad　to　see　Wallace　fall　off　his　horse　and　walk　on　one　leg　to　the　cabin。　When　I　got　my　saddle　off　Satan；　had　given　him　a　drink　and　hobbled　him；　I　crept　into　the　cabin　and　dropped　like　a　log。　I　felt　as　if　every　bone　in　my　body　was　broken　and　my　flesh　was　raw。　I　got　gleeful　gratification　from　Wallace's　complaints；　and　Jones's　remark　that　he　had　a　stitch　in　his　back。　So　ended　the　first　chase　after　cougars。



CHAPTER　5。　OAK　SPRING

Moze　and　Don　and　Sounder　straggled　into　camp　next　morning；　hungry；　footsore　and　scarred；　and　as　they　limped　in；　Jones　met　them　with　characteristic　speech：　〃Well；　you　decided　to　come　in　when　you　got　hungry　and　tired？　Never　thought　of　how　you　fooled　me；　did　you？　Now；　the　first　thing　you　get　is　a　good　licking。〃

He　tied　them　in　a　little　log　pen　near　the　cabin　and　whipped　them　soundly。　And　the　next　few　days；　while　Wallace　and　I　rested；　he　took　them　out　separately　and　deliberately　ran　them　over　coyote　and　deer　trails。　Sometimes　we　heard　his　stentorian　yell　as　a　forerunner　to　the　blast　from　his　old　shotgun。　Then　again　we　heard　the　shots　unheralded　by　the　yell。　Wallace　and　I　waxed　warm　under　the　collar　over　this　peculiar　method　of　training　dogs；　and　each　of　us　made　dire　threats。　But　in　justice　to　their　implacable　trainer；　the　dogs　never　appeared　to　be　hurt；　never　a　spot　of　blood　flecked　their　glossy　coats；　nor　did　they　ever　come　home　limping。　Sounder　grew　wise；　and　Don　gave　up；　but　Moze　appeared　not　to　change。

〃All　hands　ready　to　rustle；〃　sang　out　Frank　one　morning。　〃Old　Baldy's　got　to　be　shod。〃

This　brought　us　all；　except　Jones；　out　of　the　cabin；　to　see　the　object　of　Frank's　anxiety　tied　to　a　nearby　oak。　At　first　I　failed　to　recognize　Old　Baldy。　Vanished　was　the　slow；　sleepy；　apathetic　manner　that　had　characterized　him；　his　ears　lay　back　on　his　head；　fire　flashed　from　his　eyes。　When　Frank　threw　down　a　kit…bag；　which　emitted　a　metallic　clanking；　Old　Baldy　sat　back　on　his　haunches；　planted　his　forefeet　deep　in　the　ground　and　plainly　as　a　horse　could　speak；　said　〃No！〃

〃Sometimes　he's　bad；　and　sometimes　worse；〃　growled　Frank。

〃Shore　he's　plumb　bad　this　mornin'；〃　replied　Jim。

Frank　got　the　three　of　us　to　hold　Baldy's　head　and　pull　him　up；　then　he　ventured　to　lift　a　hind　foot　over　his　line。　Old　Baldy　straightened　out　his　leg　and　sent　Frank　sprawling　into　the　dirt。　Twice　again　Frank　patiently　tried　to　hold　a　hind　leg；　with　the　same　result；　and　then　he　lifted　a　forefoot。　Baldy　uttered　a　very　intelligible　snort；　bit　through　Wallace's。　glove；　yanked　Jim　off　his　feet；　and　scared　me　so　that　I　let　go　his　forelock。　Then　he　broke　the　rope　which　held　him　to　the　tree。　There　was　a　plunge；　a　scattering　of　men；　though　Jim　still　valiantly　held　on　to　Baldy's　head；　and　a　thrashing　of　scrub　pinyon；　where　Baldy　reached　out　vigorously　with　his　hind　feet。　But　for　Jim；　he　would　have　escaped。

〃What's　all　the　row？〃　called　Jones　from　the　cabin。　Then　from　the　door；　taking　in　the　situation；　he　yelled：　〃Hold　on；　Jim！　Pull　down　on　the　ornery　old　cayuse！〃

He　leaped　into　action　with　a　lasso　in　each　hand；　one　whirling　round　his　head。　The　slender　rope　straightened　with　a　whiz　and　whipped　round　Baldy's　legs　as　he　kicked　viciously。　Jones　pulled　it　tight；　then　fastened　it　with　nimble　fingers　to　the　tree。

〃Let　go！　let　go！　Jim！〃　he　yelled；　whirling　the　other　lasso。　The　loop　flashed　and　fell　over　Baldy's　head　and　tightened　round　his　neck。　Jones　threw　all　the　weight　of　his　burly　form　on　the　lariat；　and　Baldy　crashed　to　the　ground；　rolled；　tussled；　screamed；　and　then　lay　on　his　back；　kicking　the　air　with　three　free　legs。　〃Hold　this；〃　ordered　Jones；　giving　the　tight　rope　to　Frank。　Whereupon　he　grabbed　my　lasso　from　the　saddle；　roped　Baldy's　two　forefeet；　and　pulled　him　down　on　his　side。　This　lasso　he　fastened　to　a　scrub　cedar。

〃He's　chokin'！〃　said　Frank。

〃Likely　he　is；〃　replied　Jones　shortly。　〃It'll　do　him　good。〃　But　with　his　big　hands　he　drew　the　coil　loose　and　slipped　it　down　over　Baldy's　nose；　where　he　tightened　it　again。

〃Now；　go　ahead；〃　he　said；　taking　the　rope　from　Frank。

It　had　all　been　done　in　a　twinkling。　Baldy　lay　there　groaning　and　helpless；　and　when　Frank　once　again　took　hold　of　the　wicked　leg；　he　was　almost　passive。　When　the　shoeing　operation　had　been　neatly　and　quickly　attended　to　and　Baldy　released　from　his　uncomfortable　position　he　struggled　to　his　feet　with　heavy　breaths；　shook　himself；　and　looked　at　his　master。

〃How'd　you　like　being　hog…tied？〃　queried　his　conqueror；　rubbing　Baldy's　nose。　〃Now；　after　this　you'll　have　some　manners。〃

Old　Baldy　seemed　to　understand；　for　he　looked　sheepish；　and　lapsed　once　more　into　his　listless；　lazy　unconcern。

〃Where's　Jim's　old　cayuse；　the　pack…horse？〃　asked　our　leader。

〃Lost。　Couldn't　find　him　this　morning；　an'　had　a　deuce　of　a　time　findin'　the　rest　of　the　bunch。　Old　Baldy　was　cute。　He　hid　in　a　bunch　of　pinyons　an'　stood　quiet　so　his　bell　wouldn't　ring。　I　had　to　trail　him。〃

〃Do　the　horses　stray　far　when　they　are　hobbled？〃　inquired　Wallace。

〃If　they　keep　jumpin'　all　night　they　can　cover　some　territory。　We're　now　on　the　edge　of　the　wild　horse　country；　and　our　nags　know　this　as　well　as　we。　They　smell　the　mustangs；　an'　would　break　their　necks　to　get　away。　Satan　and　the　sorrel　were　ten　miles　from　camp　when　I　found　them　this　mornin'。　An'　Jim's　cayuse　went　farther；　an'　we　never　will　get　him。　He'll　wear　his　hobbles　out；　then　away　with　the　wild　horses。　Once　with　them；　he'll　never　be　caught　again。〃

On　the　sixth　day　of　our　stay　at　Oak　we　had　visitors；　whom　Frank　introduced　as　the　Stewart　brothers　and　Lawson；　wild…horse　wranglers。　They　were　still；　dark　men；　whose　facial　expression　seldom　varied；　tall　and　lithe　and　wiry　as　the　mustangs　they　rode。　The　Stewarts　were　on　their　way　to　Kanab；　Utah；　to　arrange　for　the　sale　of　a　drove　of　horses　they　had　captured　and　corraled　in　a　narrow　canyon　back　in　the　Siwash。　Lawson　said　he　was　at　our　service；　and　was　promptly　hired　to　look　after　our　horses。

〃Any　cougar　signs　back　in　the　breaks？〃　asked　Jones。

〃Wal；　there's　a　cougar　on　every　deer　trail；〃　replied　the　elder　Stewart；　〃An'　two　for　every　pinto　in　the　breaks。　Old　Tom　himself　downed　fifteen　colts　fer　us　this　spring。〃

〃Fifteen　colts！　That's　wholesale　murder。　Why　don't　you　kill　the　butcher？〃

〃We've　tried　more'n　onct。　It's　a　turrible　busted　up　country；　them　brakes。　No　man　knows　it；　an'　the　cougars　do。　Old　Tom　ranges　all　the　ridges　and　brakes；　even　up　on　the　slopes　of　Buckskin；　but　he　lives　down　there　in　them　holes；　an'　Lord　knows；　no　dog　I　ever　seen　could　follow　him。　We　tracked　him　in　the　snow；　an'　had　dogs　after　him；　but　none　could　stay　with　him；　except　two　as　never　cum　back。　But　we've　nothin'　agin　Old　Tom　like　Jeff　Clarke；　a　hoss　rustler；　who　has　a　string　of　pintos　corraled　north　of　us。　Clarke　swears　he　ain't　raised　a　colt　in　two　years。〃

〃We'll　put　that　old　cougar　up　a　tree；〃　excla