Part 36 (1/2)
As we rode along we took notice of the way things were changin'. We pa.s.sed several sheep wagons, five or six irrigation ditches, an' here and there, we found men who put more faith in alfalfa 'n they did in stock. The Friar had been well to the north when I happened upon him, and we traveled a sight o' country before we reached our destination.
Everywhere folks knew him, an' he knew them; and when I saw their faces light up at sight of him, I had to admit that he had done the right thing in stickin'.
Mostly he sang the ”Art thou weary,” one for his marchin' song, now; and it got into my blood and did a lot to healthen me up again. I can't rightly say 'at I ever got religion; but more 'n once religion has got me an' lifted me up like the Crazy Water in flood, bearin' me on over rocks an' through whirlpools, an' showin' me what a weak, useless thing I was at the best. The's somethin' inside me 'at allus responded to the Friar's music, an' made me willin' to sweep on over the edge o' the world with him; but when he tried to reason out religion to me, I have to own up 'at the' was a lot of it I couldn't see into.
We pa.s.sed Skelty's old place on our way in, an' found a red-eyed, black-headed man runnin' it. His name was Maxwell, but they still called the place Skelty's. We went in an' had dinner, an' found five or six Cross-branders there. They were doin' plenty o' drinkin' an'
crackin' idiotic jokes with the girls; but they nodded friendly enough to us, an' we nodded back.
As soon as we finished, the Friar went outside for his smoke; but I leaned back right where I was for mine. One o' the Cross-branders, a tall, gaunt, squinty cuss by the name o' Dixon, was sittin' near me, and presently he turned an' sez: ”You're Happy Hawkins, ain't ya?”
”That's me,” sez I.
”Well, on the level,” sez he, ”what became o' Badger-face?”
”I've often wondered about that myself,” sez I.
”We supposed he got killed,” sez he; ”but two fellers claimed they saw him goin' south in the spring with your huntin' party.”
”What made ya think he got killed?” sez I.
”'Cause he started over here one night, and never showed up again,”
sez he.
”I don't know what become of him,” sez I. ”d.i.n.ky Bradford said he was goin' to take him to Africa; but whether he did or not I can't say. I never felt no call to pry into d.i.n.ky's business. Looks to me as though we were goin' to have an extra dry summer.”
”I say so too,” sez Dixon. ”Who was this d.i.n.ky Bradford?”
”That's bothered me a heap,” sez I. ”He claimed to be a Greek hero, though what sort o' business that is, I can't say. Finished your round-up yet?”
”Just got through. Where is this Greek hero these days?” sez he.
”Can't prove it by me,” sez I. ”He's one o' these fellers no one seems to know anything about. I saw him go without eatin' for four days once, an' he came out of it in better shape 'n he went in. Badger-face was your foreman, wasn't he?”
”Yes,” sez he. ”Ol' Pepper Kendal is foreman now.”
”I should think a foreman would have some load on his shoulders with the boss gone all winter,” sez I.
”The boss brought a woman back with him this time,” sez Dixon.
”What!” sez I. ”You don't mean ta tell me 'at Ty Jones has got him a woman after all these years?”
”That's what,” sez Dixon. ”Somethin' queer about her, too. Ty has had a new shack built for her up back o' the old house. They don't seem overly friendly for a bride an' groom.”
”Ain't nothin' overly friendly with Ty, is the'?” sez I.
”Oh, I dunno,” sez he. ”Ty ain't as sticky as taffy, but he's a mighty good man to work for.”
”What sort of a woman did he get?” sez I.
”She don't show herself much,” sez he. ”She's tall an' shapely, an'
right smart younger 'n Ty; but she spends most of her time in the new shack; and from all we can tell, she's froze up tighter 'n Ty is.”