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command； when the three who had ridden apart returned presently。
〃Perhaps； Weary； you'll be good enough to have this fellow put up
his gun； and these〃 he hesitated； after a swift glance； to
apply any epithet whatever to the Happy Family。 〃I have two
witnesses here to swear that you have without any excuse
assaulted and maligned and threatened me； and you may consider
yourselves lucky if I do not insist〃
〃Ah； cut that out；〃 Andy advised wearily。 〃I don't know how it
strikes the rest； but it sounds pretty sickening to me。 Don't
overlook the fact that two of us happen to know all about you；
and we know just where to send word； to dig up a lot more
identification。 So bluffing ain't going to help you out； a darned
bit。〃
〃Miguel； you can go with Andy；〃 Weary said with brisk decision。
〃Take Dunk down to the ranch till the sheriff gets hereif it's
straight goods about Dunk sending for him。 If he didn't； we can
take Dunk in to…morrow； ourselves。〃 He turned and fixed a cold；
commanding eye upon the slack…jawed herders。 〃Come along； you
two； and get these sheep headed outa here。〃
〃Say； we'll just lock him up in the blacksmith shop； and come on
back；〃 Andy amended the order after his own free fashion。 〃He
couldn't get out in a million years； not after I'm through
staking him out to the anvil with a log…chain。〃 He smiled
maliciously into Dunk's fear…yellowed countenance； and waved him
a signal to ride ahead； which Dunk did without a word of protest
while the Happy Family looked on dazedly。
〃What's it all about； Weary？〃 Irish asked； when the three were
gone。 〃What is it they've got on Dunk？ Must be something pretty
fierce； the way he wilted down into the saddle。〃
〃You'll have to wait and ask the boys。〃 Weary rode off to hurry
the herders on the far side of the band。
So the Happy Family remained perforce unenlightened upon the
subject and for that they said hard things about Weary； and about
Andy and Miguel as well。 They believed that they were entitled to
know the truth； and they called it a smart…aleck trick to keep
the thing so almighty secret。
There is in resentment a crisis； when that crisis is reached； and
the dam of repression gives way； the full flood does not always
sweep down upon those who have provoked the disaster。 Frequently
it happens that perfectly innocent victims are made to suffer。
The Happy Family had been extremely forbearing； as has been
pointed out before。 They had frequently come to the boiling point
of rage and had cooled without committing any real act of
violence。 But that day had held a long series of petty
annoyances； and here was a really important thing kept from them
as if they were mere outsiders。 When Weary was gone； Irish asked
Pink what crime Dunk had committed in the past。 And Pink shook
his head and said he didn't know。 Irish mentally accused Pink of
lying； and his temper was none the better for the rebuff； as
anyone can readily understand。
When the herders； therefore； rounded up the sheep and started
them moving south； the Happy Family speedily rebelled against
that shuffling； nibbling； desultory pace that had kept them long；
weary hours in the saddle with the other band。 But it was Irish
who first took measures to accelerate that pace。
He got down his rope and whacked the loop viciously down across
the nearest gray back。 The sheep jumped； scuttled away a few
paces and returned to its nibbling progress。 Irish called it
names and whacked another。
After a few minutes he grew tired of swinging his loop and seeing
it have so fleeting an effect； and pulled his gun。 He fired close
to the heels of a yearling buck that had more than once stopped
to look up at him foolishly and blat； and the buck charged ahead
in a panic at the noise and the spat of the bullet behind him。
〃Hit him agin in the same place！〃 yelled Big Medicine； and drew
his own gun。 The Happy Family； at that high tension where they
were ready for anything； caught the infection and began shooting
and yelling like crazy men。
The effect was not at all what they expected。 Instead of adding
impetus to the band； as would have been the case if they had been
driving cattle； the result was exactly the opposite。 The sheep
ranbut they ran to a common center。 As the shooting went on
they bunched tighter and tighter； until it seemed as though those
in the center must surely be crushed flat。 From an ambling；
feeding company of animals； they become a lumpy gray blanket；
with here and there a long； vacuous face showing idiotically upon
the surface。
The herders grinned and drew together as against a common
enemyor as with a new joke to be discussed among themselves。
The dogs wandered helplessly about； yelped half…heartedly at the
woolly mass； then sat down upon their haunches and lolled red
tongues far out over their pointed little teeth； and tilted
knowing heads at the Happy Family。
〃Look at the darned things！〃 wailed Pink； riding twice around the
huddle； almost ready to shed tears of pure rage and helplessness。
〃Git outa that！ Hi！ Woopp…ee！〃 He fired again and again； and gave
the range…old cattle…yell； the yell which had sent many a tired
herd over many a weary mile； the yell before which had fled fat
steers into the stockyards at shipping time； and up the chutes
into the cars； the yell that had hoarsened many a cowpuncher's
voice and left him with a mere croak to curse his fate with； a
yell to bring resultsbut it did not start those sheep。
The Happy Family； riding furiously round and round； fired every
cartridge they had upon their persons； they said every improper
thing they could remember or invent； they yelled until their eyes
were starting from their sockets； they glued that band of sheep
so tight together that dynamite could scarcely have pried them
apart。
And the herders； sitting apart with grimy hands clasped loosely
over hunched…up knees； looked on； and talked together in low
tones； and grinned。
Irish glanced that way and caught them grinning； caught them
pointing derisively； with heaving shoulders。 He swore a great
oath and made for them； calling aloud that he would knock those
grins so far in that they would presently find themselves smiling
wrong…side…out from the back of their heads。
Pink； overhearing him； gave a last swat at the waggling tail of a
burrowing buck； and wheeled to overtake Irish and have a hand in
reversing the grins。 Big Medicine saw them start； and came
bellowing up from the far side of the huddle like a bull
challenging to combat from across a meadow。 Big Medicine did not
know what it was all about； but he scented battle； and that was
sufficient。 Cal Emmett and Weary； equally ignorant of the cause；
started at a lope toward the trouble center。
It began to look as if the whole Family was about to fall upon
those herders and rend them asunder with teeth and nails； so much
so that the herders jumped up and ran like scared