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eat and sleep and work together。 It annoyed them exceedingly that
Miguel did not seem to know that they held him at a distance；
they objected to his manner of smoking cigarettes and staring off
at the skyline as if he were alone and content with his dreams。
When he did talk they listened with an air of weary tolerance。
When he did not talk they ignored his presence； and when he was
absent they criticized him mercilessly。
They let him ride unwarned into an adobe patch one dayat least；
Big Medicine； Pink； Cal Emmett and Irish did； for they were with
himand laughed surreptitiously together while he wallowed there
and came out afoot； his horse floundering behind him； mud to the
ears； both of them。
〃Pretty soft going； along there； ain't it？〃 Pink commiserated
deceitfully。
〃It is； kinda；〃 Miguel responded evenly； scraping the adobe off
Banjo with a flat rock。 And the subject was closed。
〃Well； it's some relief to the eyes to have the shine taken off
him； anyway；〃 Pink observed a little guiltily afterward。
〃I betche he ain't goin' to forget that； though；〃 Happy Jack
warned when he saw the caked mud on Miguel's Angora chaps and
silver spurs； and the condition of his saddle。 〃Yuh better watch
out and not turn your backs on him in the dark； none uh you guys。
I betche he packs a knife。 Them kind always does。〃
〃Haw…haw…haw！〃 bellowed Big Medicine uproariously。 〃I'd love to
see him git out an' try to use it； by cripes！〃
〃I wish Andy was here；〃 Pink sighed。 〃Andy'd take the starch outa
him； all right。〃
〃Wouldn't he be pickings for old Andy； though？ Gee！〃 Cal looked
around at them； with his wide； baby…blue eyes； and laughed。
〃Let's kinda jolly him along； boys； till Andy gets back。 It sure
would be great to watch 'em。 I'll bet he can jar the eternal calm
outa that Native Son。 That's what grinds me worse than his
throwin' on so much dog； he's so blamed satisfied with himself！
You snub him； and he looks at yuh as if you was his hired man
and then forgets all about yuh。 He come outa that 'doby like he'd
been swimmin' a river on a bet； and had made good and was a
hee…ro right before the ladies。 Kinda 'Oh； that's nothing to what
I could do if it was worth while；' way he had with him。〃
〃It wouldn't matter so much if he wasn't all front；〃 Pink
complained。 〃You'll notice that's always the way； though。 The
fellow all fussed up with silver and braided leather can't get
out and do anything。 I remember up on Milk river〃 Pink trailed
off into absorbing reminiscence； which； however； is too lengthy
to repeat here。
〃Say； Mig…u…ell's down at the stable； sweatin from every pore
trying to get his saddle clean； by golly！〃 Slim reported
cheerfully； just as Pink was relighting the cigarette which had
gone out during the big scene of his story。 〃He was cussin' in
Spanish； when I walked up to himbut he shut up when he seen me
and got that peaceful look uh hisn on his face。 I wonder； by
golly〃
〃Oh； shut up and go awn；〃 Irish commanded bluntly； and looked at
Pink。 〃Did he call it off； then？ Or did you have to wade in〃
〃Naw； he was like this here Native Sonall front。 He could look
sudden death； all right； he had black eyes like Mig…u…ell but
all a fellow had to do was go after him； and he'd back up so
blamed quick〃
Slim listened that far； saw that he had interrupted a tale
evidently more interesting than anything he could say； and went
off； muttering to himself。
CHAPTER II。 〃When Greek Meets Greek〃
The next morning； which was Sunday； the machinations of Big
Medicine took Pink down to the creek behind the bunk…house。
〃What's hurtin' yuh？〃 he asked curiously； when he came to where
Big Medicine stood in the fringe of willows； choking between his
spasms of mirth。
〃Haw…haw…haw！〃 roared Big Medicine； and； seizing Pink's arm in a
gorilla…like grip； he pointed down the bank。
Miguel； seated upon a convenient rock in a sunny spot； was
painstakingly combing out the tangled hair of his chaps； which he
had washed quite as carefully not long before； as the cake of
soap beside him testified。
〃Combingcombinghis chaps； by cripes！〃 Big Medicine gasped；
and waggled his finger at the spectacle。 〃Haw…haw…haw！ C…
combin'hischaps！〃
Miguel glanced up at them as impersonally as if they were two
cackling hens； rather than derisive humans； then bent his head
over a stubborn knot and whistled La Paloma softly while he
coaxed out the tangle。
Pink's eyes widened as he looked； but he did not say anything。 He
backed up the path and went thoughtfully to the corrals； leaving
Big Medicine to follow or not； as he chose。
〃Combin'his chaps； by cripes！〃 came rumbling behind him。 Pink
turned。
〃Say！ Don't make so much noise about it；〃 he advised guardedly。
〃I've got an idea。〃
〃Yuh want to hog…tie it； then；〃 Big Medicine retorted； resentful
because Pink seemed not to grasp the full humor of the thing。
〃Idees sure seems to be skurce in this outfitor that there
lily…uh…the…valley couldn't set and comb no chaps in broad
daylight； by cripes； not and get off with it。〃
〃He's an ornament to the Flying U；〃 Pink stated dreamily。 〃Us
boneheads don't appreciate him； is all that ails us。 What we
ought to do ishelp him be as pretty as he wants to be； and〃
〃Looky here； Little One。〃 Big Medicine hurried his steps until he
was close alongside。 〃I wouldn't give a punched nickel for a
four…horse load uh them idees； and that's the truth。〃 He passed
Pink and went on ahead； disgust in every line of his square…
shouldered figure。 〃Combin' his chaps； by cripes！〃 he snorted
again； and straightway told the tale profanely to his fellows；
who laughed until they were weak and watery…eyed as they
listened。
Afterward； because Pink implored them and made a mystery of it；
they invited Miguel to take a hand in a long…winded gamerather；
a series of gamesof seven…up； while his chaps hung to dry upon
a willow by the creek bankor so he believed。
The chaps； however； were up in the white…house kitchen； where
were also the reek of scorched hair and the laughing
expostulations of the Little Doctor and the boyish titter of Pink
and Irish； who were curling laboriously the chaps of Miguel with
the curling tongs of the Little Doctor and those of the Countess
besides。
〃It's a shame； and I just hope Miguel thrashes you both for it；〃
the Little Doctor told them more than once； but she laughed；
nevertheless； and showed Pink how to give the twist which made of
each lock a corkscrew ringlet。 The Countess stopped； with her
dishcloth dangling from one red； bony hand； while she looked。
〃You boys couldn't sleep nights if you didn't pester the life
outa somebody；〃 she scolded。 〃Seems to me I'd friz them diamonds；
if I was goin' to be mean enough to do anything。〃
〃You would； eh？〃 Pink glanced up at her and dimpled。 〃I'll find
you a rich husband to pay for that。〃 He straightway proceeded to