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！
Rowdy stood in his stirrups； cupped his chilled fingers around his numbed
lips； and sent a longdrawn 〃Who…ee！〃 shrilling weirdly into the night。
It seemed to him； after long listening； that from the right came faint
reply； and he turned and rode recklessly； swearing at Chub for his slowness。
He called again； and the answer； though faint； was unmistakable。 He settled
heavily into the saddletoo weak； from sheer relief； to call again。 He had
not known till then just how frightened he had been； and he was somewhat
disconcerted at the discovery。 In a minute the reaction passed and he
shouted a loud hello。
〃Hello？〃 came the voice of Miss Conroy； tantalizingly calm； and as superior
as the greeting of Central。 〃Were you looking for me； Mr。 Vaughan？〃
She was close to himso close that she had not needed to raise her voice
perceptibly。 Rowdy rode up alongside； remembering uncomfortably his
prolonged shouting。
〃I sure was；〃 he admitted。 And then： 〃You rode off with my blanket on。〃 He
was very proud of his matter…of…fact tone。
〃Oh！〃 Miss Conroy was almost deceived； and a bit disappointed。 〃I'll give it
to you now； and you can go backif you know the way。〃
〃No hurry；〃 said Rowdy politely。 〃I'll go on and see if you can find a place
that looks good to you。 You seem pretty particular。〃
Miss Conroy may have blushed； in the shelter of the blanket。 〃I suppose it
did look strange to you；〃 she confessed； but defiantly。 〃Bill Brown is an
enemy toHarry。 Hebecause he lost a horse or two out of a field； one
time； hehe actually accused Harry of taking them！ He lied； of course； and
nobody believed him； nobody could believe a thing like that about Harry。 It
was perfectly absurd。 But he did his best to hurt Harry's name； and I would
rather freeze than ask shelter of him。 Wouldn't youin my place； I mean？〃
〃I always stand up for my friends；〃 evaded Rowdy。 〃And if I had a brother〃
〃Of course you'd be loyal；〃 approved Miss Conroy warmly。 〃But I didn't want
you to come on； it isn't your quarrel。 And I know the way now。 You needn't
have come any farther 〃
〃You forgot the blanket；〃 Rowdy reminded wickedly。 〃I think a lot of that
Navajo。〃
〃You insisted upon my taking it；〃 she retorted； and took refuge in silence。
For a long hour they plodded blindly。 Rowdy beat his hands often about his
body to start the blood； and meditated yearnigly upon hot coffee and the
things he liked best to eat。 Also； a good long pull at a flask wouldn't be
had； either； he thought。 And he hoped this little schoolma'am knew where she
was goingtruth to tell； he doubted it。
After a while； it seemed that Miss Conroy doubted it also。 She took to
leaning forward and straining her eyes to see through the gray wall before。
〃There should be a gate here；〃 she said dubiously； at last。
〃It seems to me；〃 Rowdy ventured mildly； 〃if there were a gate； it would
have some kind of a fence hitched to it； wouldn't it？〃
Miss Conroy was in no mood for facetiousness； and refused to answer his
question。 〃I surely can't have made a mistake；〃 she observed uneasily。
〃It would be a wonder if you didn't； such a night as this；〃 he consoled。 〃I
wouldn't bank on traveling straight myself； even if I knew the
countrywhich I don't。 And I've been in more blizzards than I'm years old。〃
〃Rodway's place can't be far away；〃 she said； brightening。 〃It may be
farther to the east； shall we try that wayif you know which is east？〃
〃Sure； we'll try。 It's all we can do。 My packhorse is about all in； from the
way he hangs back； if we don't strike something pretty soon I'll have to
turn him loose。〃
〃Oh； don't do that；〃 she begged。 〃It would be too cruel。 We're sure to reach
Rodway's very soon。〃
More plodding through drifts high and drifts low； more leaning from saddles
to search anxiously for trace of something besides snow and wind and biting
cold。 Then； far to the right； a yellow eye glowed briefly when the storm
paused to take breath。 Miss Conroy gave a glad little cry and turned Badger
sharply。
〃Did you see？ It was the light from a window。 We were going the wrong way。
I'm sure that is Rodway's。〃
Rowdy thanked the Lord and followed her。 They came up against a fence； found
a gate； and passed through。 While they hurried toward it； the light winked
welcome； as they drew near； some one stirred the fire and sent sparks and
rose…hued smoke rushing up into the smother of snow。 Rowdy watched them
wistfully； and wondered if there would be supper； and strong； hot coffee。 He
lifted Miss Conroy out of the saddle； carried her two long strides； and
deposited her upon the door…step； rapped imperatively； and when a voice
replied； lifted the latch and pushed her in before him。
For a minute they stood blinking； just within the door。 The change from
numbing cold and darkness to the light of the overheated room was
stupefying。
Then Miss Conroy went over and held her little； gloved hands to the heat of
the stove； but she did not take the chair which some one pushed toward her。
She stood； the blanket shrouding her face and her slim young figure； and
looked about her curiously。 It was not Rodway's house； after all。 She
thought she knew what place it wasthe shack where Rodway's hay…balers
bached。
From the first； Rowdy did not like the look of thingsthough for himself it
did not matter； he was used to such scenes。 It was the presence of the girl
which made him uncomfortable。 He unbuttoned his coat that the warmth might
reach his chilled body； and frowned。
Four men sat around a small； dirty table； evidently the arrivals had
interrupted an exciting game of seven…up。 A glance told Rowdy； even if his
nose had not； that the four round； ribbed bottles had not been nearly
emptied without effect。
〃Have one on the house；〃 the man nearest him cried； and shoved a bottle
toward him。
Involuntarily Rowdy reached for it。 Now that he was inside； he realized all
at once how weary he was； and cold and hungry。 Each abused muscle and nerve
seemed to have a distinct grievance against him。 His fingers closed around
the bottle before he remembered and dropped it。 He looked up； hoping Miss
Conroy had not observed the action； met her wide； questioning eyes； and the
blood flew guiltily to his cheeks。
〃Thanks； boysnot any for me；〃 he said； and apologized to Miss Conroy with
his eyes。
The man rose and confronted him unsteadily。 〃Dat's a hell off a way！ You too
proud for drink weeth us？ You drink； now！ By Gar； I make you drink！〃
Rowdy's eyelids drooped； which was a bad sign for those who knew him。
〃You're forgetting there's a lady present；〃 he reminded warningly。
The man turned a brief； contemptuous glance toward the stove。 〃You got the
damn' queer way to talk。 I don't call no squaw no lady。 You drink queeck；
now！〃
〃Aw； shut up； Frenchy；〃 the man at his elbow abjured him。 〃He don't have to
drink if he don't want to。〃
〃You keep the face close；〃 the other retorted majestically； and cursed loud
and long and incoherently。
Rowdy drew back his arm； with a fist that meant trouble for somebody； but
there were others before him who pinned the importunate host to the table；
where he squirmed unavailingly。
Rowdy buttoned up his coat the while he eyed the group disgustedly。 〃I guess
we'll drift；〃 he remarked。 〃You don't look good to me； and that's no dream。〃
〃Aw； stay and warm up；〃 the fourth man expostulated。 〃Yuh don't need t' mind
Le Febre； he's drunk。'
But Rowdy opened the door decisively； and Miss Conroy； her cheeks like two
storm…buffeted poppies； followed him out with dignityalbeit trailing a
yard of red…and…yellow Navajo blanket behind her。 Rowdy lifted her into the
saddle； tucked her feet carefully under the blanket； and said never a word。
〃Mr。 Vaughan；〃 she began hesitatingly； 〃this is too bad； you need not have
left。 II wasn't afraid。〃
〃I know you weren't；〃 conceded Rowdy。 〃But it was a hard formationfor a
woman。 Are there any more places on this flat marked Unavailable？〃
Miss Conroy replied misanthropically that if there were they would be sure
to find them。
They took up their weary wanderings again； while the yellow eye of the
window winked after them。 They missed Rodway's by a scant