The Flying U Ranch | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by Anthony Matonak.

FLYING U RANCH BY B. M. BOWER

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
The Coming of a Native Son II. "When Greek Meets Greek" III. Bad
News IV. Some Hopes V. Sheep VI. What Happened to Andy VII.
Truth Crushed to Earth, etc. VIII. The Dot Outfit IX. More Sheep X.
The Happy Family Herd Sheep XI. Weary Unburdens XII. Two of a
Kind XIII. The Happy Family Learn Something XIV. Happy Jack XV.
Oleson XVI. The End of the Dots XVII. Good News

FLYING U RANCH
CHAPTER I.
The Coming of a Native Son
The Happy Family, waiting for the Sunday supper call, were grouped
around the open door of the bunk-house, gossiping idly of things purely
local, when the Old Man returned from the Stock Association at Helena;
beside him on the buggy seat sat a stranger. The Old Man pulled up at
the bunk-house, the stranger sprang out over the wheel with the agility
which bespoke youthful muscles, and the Old Man introduced him with
a quirk of the lips:
"This is Mr. Mig-u-ell Rapponi, boys--a peeler straight from the
Golden Gate. Throw out your war-bag and make yourself to home,
Mig-u-ell; some of the boys'll show you where to bed down."
The Old Man drove on to the house with his own luggage, and Happy
Jack followed to take charge of the team; but the remainder of the
Happy Family unobtrusively took the measure of the foreign element.
From his black-and-white horsehair hatband, with tassels that swept to
the very edge of his gray hatbrim, to the crimson silk neckerchief
draped over the pale blue bosom of his shirt; from the beautifully
stamped leather cuffs, down to the exaggerated height of his tan
boot-heels, their critical eyes swept in swift, appraising glances; and
unanimous disapproval was the result. The Happy Family had
themselves an eye to picturesque garb upon occasion, but this passed
even Pink's love of display.
"He's some gaudy to look at," Irish murmured under his breath to Cal
Emmett.
"All he lacks is a spot-light and a brass band," Cal returned, in much
the same tone with which a woman remarks upon a last season's hat on
the head of a rival.

Miguel was not embarrassed by the inspection. He was tall, straight,
and swarthily handsome, and he stood with the complacence of a stage
favorite waiting for the applause to cease so that he might speak his
first lines; and, while he waited, he sifted tobacco into a cigarette paper
daintily, with his little finger extended. There was a ring upon that
finger; a ring with a moonstone setting as large and round as the eye of
a startled cat, and the Happy Family caught the pale gleam of it and
drew a long breath. He lighted a match nonchalantly, by the artfully
simple method of pinching the head of it with his fingernails, leaned
negligently against the wall of the bunk-house, and regarded the group
incuriously while he smoked.
"Any pretty girls up this way?" he inquired languidly, after a moment,
fanning a thin smoke-cloud from before his face while he spoke.
The Happy Family went prickly hot. The girls in that neighborhood
were held in esteem, and there was that in his tone which gave offense.
"Sure, there's pretty girls here!" Big Medicine bellowed unexpectedly,
close beside him. "We're all of us engaged to `em, by cripes!"
Miguel shot an oblique glance at Big Medicine, examined the end of
his cigarette, and gave a lift of shoulder, which might mean anything or
nothing, and so was irritating to a degree. He did not pursue the subject
further, and so several belated retorts were left tickling futilely the
tongues of the Happy Family-- which does not make for amiability.
To a man they liked him little, in spite of their easy friendliness