But with all the perplexities born of his changed condition and the responsibility it brought him, Billy rejoiced in the work and airily planned the years to come—years in which he would lead Alexander P. Dill straight into the ranks of the Western millionaires; years when the sun of prosperity would stand always straight overhead, himself a Joshua who would, by his uplifted hands, keep it there with never a cloud to dim the glory of its light.
For the first time in his life he rode over Texas prairies and lost thereby10 some ideals and learned many things, the while he spent more money than he had ever owned—or ever expected to own—as the preliminary to making his pet dream come true; truth to tell, it mattered little to Billy Boyle whether his dream came true for himself or for another, so long as he himself were the chief magician.
So it was with a light heart that he swung down from the train at Tower, after his homing flight, and saw Dill, conspicuous11 as a flagstaff, waiting for him on the platform, his face puckered12 into a smile of welcome and his bony fingers extended ready to grip painfully the hand of Charming Billy.
"I'm very glad to see you back, William," he greeted earnestly. "I hope you are well, and that you met with no misfortune while you were away. I have been very anxious for your return, as I need your advice upon a matter which seems to me of prime importance. I did not wish to make any decisive move until I had consulted with you, and time is pressing. Did you—er—buy as many cattle as you expected to get?" It seemed to Billy that there was an anxious note in his voice. "Your letters were too few and too brief to keep me perfectly13 informed of your movements."
"Why, everything was lovely at my end uh the trail, Dilly—only I fell down on them four thousand two-year-olds. Parts uh the country was quarantined for scab, and I went way around them places. And I was too late to see the cattlemen in a bunch when they was at the Association—only you ain't likely to savvy14 that part uh the business—and had to chase 'em all over the country. Uh course it was my luck to have 'em stick their prices up on the end of a pole, where I didn't feel like climbing after 'em. So I only contracted for a couple uh thousand to be laid down in Billings somewhere between the first and the tenth of June, at twenty-one dollars a head. It was the best I could do this year—but next winter I can go down earlier, before the other buyers beat me to it, and do a lot better. Don't yuh worry, Dilly; it ain't serious."
On the contrary, Dill looked relieved, and Billy could not help noticing it. His own face clouded a little. Perhaps Dill had lost his money, or the bulk of it, and they couldn't do all the things they had meant to do, after all; how else, thought Billy uneasily, could he look like that over what should ordinarily be something of a disappointment? He remembered that Dill, after the workings of the cattle business from the very beginning had been painstakingly15 explained to him just before Billy started south, had been anxious to get at least four thousand head of young stock on the range that spring. Something must have gone wrong. Maybe a bank had gone busted16 or something like that. Billy stole a glance up at the other, shambling silently along beside him, and decided17 that something had certainly happened—and on the heels of that he remembered oddly that he had felt almost exactly like this when Miss Bridger had asked him to show her where was the coffee, and there wasn't any coffee. There was the same heavy feeling in his chest, and the same—
"I wrote you a letter three or four days ago—on the third, to be exact," Dill was saying. "I don't suppose it reached you, however. I was going to have you meet me in Hardup; but then your telegram was forwarded to me there and I came on here at once. I only arrived this morning. I think that after we have something to eat we would better start out immediately, unless you have other plans. I drove over in a rig, and as the horses have rested several hours and are none the worse for the drive, I think we can easily make the return trip this afternoon."
"You're the doctor," assented18 Billy briefly19, more uneasy than before and yet not quite at the point of asking questions. In his acquaintance with Dill he had learned that it was not always wise to question too closely; where Dill wished to give his confidence he gave it freely, but beyond the limit he had fixed20 for himself was a stone wall, masked by the flowers, so to speak, of his unfailing courtesy. Billy had once or twice inadvertently located that wall.
A great depression seized upon him and made him quite indifferent to the little pleasures of homecoming; of seeing the grass green and velvety21 and hearing the familiar notes of the meadow-larks and the curlews. The birds had not returned when he went away, and now the air was musical with them. Driving over the prairies seemed fairly certain of being anything but pleasant to-day, with Dill doubled awkwardly in the seat beside him, carrying on an intermittent22 monologue23 of trivial stuff to which Billy scarcely listened. He could feel that there was something at the back of it all, and that was enough for him at present. He was not even anxious now to hear just what was the form of the disaster which had overtaken them.
"While you were away," Dill began at last in the tone that braces24 one instinctively25 for the worst, "I met accidentally a man of whom I had heard, but whom I had not seen. In the course of our casual conversation he discovered that I was about to launch myself and my capital into the cattle-business, whereupon he himself made me an offer which I felt should not be lightly brushed aside."
"They all did!" Billy could not help flinging out half-resentfully, when he remembered that but for his timely interference Dill would have been gulled26 more than once.
"I admit that in my ignorance some offers advantageous27 only to those who made them appealed to me strongly. But I believe you will agree with me that this is different. In this case I am offered a full section of land, with water-rights, buildings, corrals, horses, wagons28 and all improvements necessary to the running of a good outfit, and ten thousand head of mixed cattle, just as they are now running loose on the range, for three hundred thousand dollars. I need only pay half this amount down, a five-year mortgage at eight per cent. on the property covering the remainder, to be paid in five yearly installments29, falling due after shipping time. Now that you did not buy as much young stock as we at first intended, I can readily make the first payment on this place and have left between ten and twelve thousand dollars to carry us along until we begin to get some returns from the investment I am anxious to have you look over the proposition, and tell me what you think of it. If you are in favor of buying, we can have immediate1 possession; ten days after the deal is closed, I think the man said."
Billy tilted30 his hat-brim a bit to keep the sun from his eyes, and considered gravely the proposition. It was a great relief to discover that his fears were groundless and that it was only another scheme of Dilly's; another snare31 which he, perhaps, would be compelled, in Dill's interest, to move aside. He put the reins32 down between his knees and gripped them tightly while he made a cigarette. It was not until he was pinching the end shut that he spoke33.
"If it's as you say"—and he meant no offense—"it looks like a good thing, all right. But yuh can't most always tell. I'd have to see it—say, yuh might tell me where this bonanza34 is, and what's the name uh the brand. If it's anywheres around here I ought to know the place, all right."
Alexander P. Dill must, after all, have had some sense of humor; his eyes lost their melancholy35 enough almost to twinkle. "Well, the owner's name is Brown," he said slowly. "I believe they call the brand the Double-Crank. It is located—"
"Located—hell!—do yuh think I don't know?" The cigarette, ready to light as it was, slipped from Billy's fingers and dropped unheeded over the wheel to the brown trail below. He took the reins carefully from between his knees, straightened one that had become twisted and turned out upon the prairie to avoid a rough spot where a mud-puddle had dried in hard ridges36. Beyond, he swung back again, leaned and flicked37 an early horse-fly from the ribs38 of the off-horse, touched the other one up a bit with his whip and settled back at ease, tilting39 his hat at quite another angle.
"Oh, where have yuh been, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Oh, where have yuh been, charming Billy?"
He hummed, in a care-free way that would have been perfectly maddening to any one with nerves.
"I suppose I am to infer from your silence that you do not take kindly40 to the proposition," observed Mr. Dill, in a colorless tone which betrayed the fact that he did have nerves.
"I can take a josh, all right," Billy stopped singing long enough to say. "For a steady-minded cuss, yuh do have surprising streaks41, Dilly, and that's a fact. Yuh sprung it on me mighty42 smooth, for not having much practice—I'll say that for yuh."
Mr. Dill looked hurt. "I hope you do not seriously think that I would joke upon a matter of business," he protested.
"Well, I know old Brown pretty tolerable well—and I ain't accusing him uh ribbing up a big josh on yuh. He ain't that brand."
"I must confess I fail to get your point of view," said Mr. Dill, with just a hint of irascibility in his voice. "There is no joke unless you are forcing one upon me now. Mr. Brown made me a bona-fide offer, and I have made a small deposit to hold it until you came and I could consult you. We have three days left in which to decide for or against it. It is all perfectly straight, I assure you."
Billy took time to consider this possibility. "Well, in that case, and all jokes aside, I'd a heap rather have the running uh the Double-Crank than be President and have all the newspapers hollering how 'President Billy Boyle got up at eight this morning and had ham-and-eggs for his breakfast, and then walked around the block with the Queen uh England hanging onto his left arm,' or anything like that But what I can't seem to get percolated43 through me is why, in God's name, the Double-Crank wants to sell."
"That," Mr. Dill remarked, his business instincts uppermost, "it seems to me, need not concern us—seeing that they will sell, and at a price we can handle."
"I reckon you're right. Would yuh mind saying over the details uh the offer again?"
"Mr. Brown"—Dill cleared his throat—"offered to sell me a full section of land, extending from the line-fence of the home ranch44, east—"
"Uh-huh—now what the devil's his idea in that?" Billy cut in earnestly. "The Double-Crank owns about three or four miles uh bottom land, up the creek45 west uh the home ranch. Wonder why he wants to hold that out?"
"I'm sure I do not know," answered Dill. "He did not mention that to me, but confined himself, naturally, to what he was willing to sell."
"Oh it don't matter. And all the range stuff, yuh said—ten thousand head, and—"
"I believe he is reserving some thoroughbred stock which he has bought in the last year or two. The stock on the range—the regular range grade-stock—all goes, as well as the saddle-horses."
"Must be the widow said yes and wants him to settle down and be a gentle farmer," decided Billy after a moment.
"We will meet him in Hardup to-night or to-morrow," Dill observed, as if he were anxious to decide the matter finally. "Do you think we would better buy?" It was one of his little courteous46 ways to say "we" in discussing a business transaction, just as though Billy were one of the firm.
"Buy? You bet your life we'll buy! I wisht the papers was all signed up and in your inside pocket right now, Dilly. I'm going to get heart failure the worst kind if there's any hitch47. Lord, what luck!"
"Then, we will consider the matter as definitely settled," said Dill, with a sigh of satisfaction. "Brown cannot rescind48 now—there is my deposit to bind49 the bargain. I will say I should have been sorely disappointed if you had not shown that you favored the idea. It seems to me to be just what we want."
"Oh—that part. But it seems to me that old Brown is sure locoed to give us a chance at the outfit. He's gone plumb50 silly. His friends oughta appoint a guardian51 over him—only I hope they won't get action till this deal is cinched tight." With that, Billy relapsed into crooning his ditty. But there were odd breaks when he stopped short in the middle of a line and forgot to finish, and there was more than one cigarette wasted by being permitted to go cold and then being chewed abstractedly until it nearly fell to pieces.
Beside him, Alexander P. Dill, folded loosely together in the seat, caressed52 his knees and stared unseeingly at the trail ahead of them and said never a word for more than an hour.
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1
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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3
supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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inception
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| n.开端，开始，取得学位 | |
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shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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8
annoyances
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| n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 )；烦恼；打扰；使人烦恼的事 | |
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hindrances
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| 阻碍者( hindrance的名词复数 )； 障碍物； 受到妨碍的状态 | |
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10
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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11
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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12
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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14
savvy
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| v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的 | |
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15
painstakingly
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| adv. 费力地 苦心地 | |
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16
busted
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| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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17
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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18
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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20
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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21
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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23
monologue
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| n.长篇大论，（戏剧等中的）独白 | |
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24
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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26
gulled
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| v.欺骗某人( gull的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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28
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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29
installments
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| 部分( installment的名词复数 ) | |
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30
tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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31
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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32
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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bonanza
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| n.富矿带，幸运，带来好运的事 | |
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35
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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36
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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37
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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38
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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39
tilting
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| 倾斜，倾卸 | |
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40
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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41
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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42
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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43
percolated
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| v.滤( percolate的过去式和过去分词 )；渗透；（思想等）渗透；渗入 | |
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44
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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45
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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46
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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47
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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48
rescind
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| v.废除，取消 | |
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49
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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50
plumb
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| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
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51
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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52
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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