第35章ThePrincessAndThePuma

第35章theprincessandthepuma

therehadtobeakingandqueen,ofcourse.thekingwasater-ribleoldmanwhoworesix-shootersandspurs,andshoutedinsuchatremendousvoicethattherattlersontheprairiewouldrunintotheirholesunderthepricklypear.beforetherewasaroyalfamilytheycalledtheman"whisperingben."whenhecametoown50,000acresoflandandmorecattlethanhecouldcount,theycalledhimo'donnell"thecattleking."

thequeenhadbeenamexicangirlfromlaredo.shemadeagood,mild,colorado-clarowife,andeveneededinteachingbentomodifyhisvoicesufficientlywhileinthehousetokeepthedishesfrombeingbroken.whenbengottobekingshewouldsitonthegalleryofespinosaranchandweaverushmats.whenwealthbecamesoirresistibleandoppressivethatupholsteredchairsandacentretablewerebroughtdownfromsanantoneinthewagons,shebowedhersmooth,darkhead,andsharedthefateofthedanae.

toavoidlese-majesteyouhavebeenpresentedfirsttothekingandqueen.theydonotenterthestory,whichmightbecalled"thechronicleoftheprincess,thehappythought,andthelionthatbungledhisjob."

josefao'donnellwasthesurvivingdaughter,theprincess.fromhermothersheinheritedwarmthofnatureandadusky,semi-tropicbeauty.frombeno'donnelltheroyalsheacquiredastoreofintrepidity,commonsense,andthefacultyofruling.thecombinationwasoneworthgoingmilestosee.josefawhileridingherponyatagallopcouldputfiveoutofsixbulletsthroughatomato-canswingingattheendofastring.shecouldplayforhourswithawhitekittensheowned,dressingitinallmannerofabsurdclothes.scorningapencil,shecouldtellyououtofherheadwhat1545two-year-oldswouldbringonthehoof,at$8.50perhead.roughlyspeaking,theespinosaranchisfortymileslongandthirtybroad—butmostlyleasedland.josefa,onherpony,hadprospectedovereverymileofit.everycow-puncherontherangeknewherbysightandwasaloyalvassal.ripleygivens,foremanofoneoftheespinosaoutfits,sawheroneday,andmadeuphismindtoformaroyalmatrimonialalliance.presumptuous?no.inthosedaysinthenuecescountryamanwasaman.and,afterall,thetitleofcattlekingdoesnotpresupposebloodroyalty.oftenitonlysignifiesthatitsownerwearsthecrownintokenofhismagnificentqualitiesintheartofcattlestealing.

onedayripleygivensrodeovertothedoubleelmranchtoinquireaboutabunchofstrayedyearlings.hewaslateinsettingoutonhisreturntrip,anditwassundownwhenhestruckthewhitehorsecrossingofthenueces.fromtheretohisowncampitwassixteenmiles.totheespinosaranchitwastwelve.givenswastired.hedecidedtopassthenightatthecrossing.

therewasafinewaterholeintheriver-bed.thebankswerethicklycoveredwithgreattrees,undergrownwithbrush.backfromthewaterholefiftyyardswasastretchofcurlymesquitegrass—supperforhishorseandbedforhimself.givensstakedhishorse,andspreadouthissaddleblanketstodry.hesatdownwithhisbackagainstatreeandrolledacigarette.fromsomewhereinthedensetimberalongtherivercameasudden,rageful,shiveringwail.theponydancedattheendofhisropeandblewawhistlingsnortofcomprehendingfear.givenspuffedathiscigarette,buthereachedleisurelyforhispistol-belt,whichlayonthegrass,andtwirledthecylinderofhisweapontentatively.agreatgarplungedwithaloudsplashintothewaterhole.alittlebrownrabbitskippedaroundabunchofcatclawandsattwitchinghiswhiskersandlookinghumorouslyatgivens.theponywentoneatinggrass.

itiswelltobereasonablywatchfulwhenamexicanlionstagssopranoalongthearroyosatsundown.theburdenofhissongmaybethatyoungcalvesandfatlambsarescarce,andthathehasacarnivorousdesireforyouracquaintance.

inthegrasslayanemptyfruitcan,casttherebysomeformersojourner.givenscaughtsightofitwithagruntofsatisfaction.inhiscoatpockettiedbehindhissaddlewasahandfulortwoofgroundcoffee.blackcoffeeandcigarettes!whatrancherocoulddesiremore?

intwomintueshehadalittlefiregoingclearly.hestarted,withhiscan,forthewaterhole.whenwithinfifteenyardsofitsedgehesaw,betweenthebushes,aside-saddledponywithdown-droppedreinscroppinggrassalittledistancetohisleft.justrisingfromherhandsandkneesonthebrinkofthewaterholewasjosefao'donnell.shehadbeendrinkingwater,andshebrushedthesandfromthepalmsofherhands.tenyardsaway,toherright,halfconcealedbyaclumpofsacuista,givenssawthecrouchingformofthemexicanlion.hisambereyeballsglaredhungrily;sixfeetfromthemwasthetipofthetailstretchedstraight,likeapointer's.hishind-quartersrockedwiththemotionofthecattribepreliminarytoleaping.

givensdidwhathecould.hissix-shooterwasthirty-fiveyardsawaylyingonthegrass.hegavealoudyell,anddashedbetweenthelionandtheprincess.

the"ruckus,"asgivenscalleditafterward,wasbriefandsomewhatconfused.whenhearrivedonthelineofattackhesawadimstreakintheair,andheardacoupleoffaintcracks.thenahundredpoundsofmexicanlionplumpeddownuponhisheadandflattenedhim,withaheavyjar,totheground.herememberedcallingout:"letup,now—nofairgouging!"andthenhecrawledfromunderthelionlikeaworm,withhismouthfullofgrassanddirt,andabiglumponthebackofhisheadwhereithadstrucktherootofawater-elm.thelionlaymotionless.givens,feelingaggrieved,andsuspiciousoffouls,shookhisfistatthelion,andshouted:"i'llrastleyouagainfortwenty—"andthenhegotbacktohimself.

josefawasstandinginhertracks,quietlyreloadinghersilvermounted.38.ithadnotbeenadifficultshot.thelion'sheadmadeaneasiermarkthanatomato-canswingingattheendofastring.therewasaprovoking,teasing,maddeningsmileuponhermouthandinherdarkeyes.thewould-be-rescuingknightfeltthefireofhisfiascoburndowntohissoul.herehadbeenhischance,thechancethathehaddreamedof;andmomus,andnotcupid,hadpresidedoverit.thesatyrsinthewoodwere,nodoubt,holdingtheirsidesinhilarious,silentlaughter.therehadbeensomethinglikevaudeville—saysignorgivensandhisfunnyknockaboutactwiththestuffedlion.

"isthatyou,mr.givens?"saidjosefa,inherdeliberate,harinecontralto."younearlyspoiltmyshotwhenyouyelled.didyouhurtyourheadwhenyoufell?"

"oh,no,"saidgivens,quietly;"thatdidn'thurt."hestoopedignominiouslyandedhisbeststetsonhatfromunderthebeast.itwascrushedandwrinkledtoafinecomedyeffect.thenhekneltdownandsoftlystrokedthefierce,open-jawedheadofthedeadlion.

"pooroldbill!"heexclaimed,mournfully.

"what'sthat?"askedjosefa,sharply.

"ofcourseyoudidn'tknow,missjosefa,"saidgivens,withanairofoneallowingmagnanimitytotriumphovergrief."nobodycanblameyou.itriedtosavehim,buticouldn'tletyouknowintime."

"savewho?"

"why,bill.i'vebeenlookingforhimallday.yousee,he'sbeenourcamppetfortwoyears.pooroldfellow,hewouldn'thavehurtacottontailrabbit.it'llbreaktheboysallupwhentheyhearaboutit.butyoucouldn't,tell,ofcourse,thatbillwasjusttryingtoplaywithyou."

josefa'sblackeyesburnedsteadilyuponhim.ripleygivensmetthetestessfully.hestoodrumplingtheyellow-browncurlsonhisheadpensively.inhiseyewasregret,notunmingledwithagentlereproach.

hissmoothfeaturesweresettoapatternofindisputablesorrow.josefawavered.

"whatwasyourpetdoinghere?"sheasked,makingalaststand."there'snocampnearthewhitehorsecrossing."

"theoldrascalranawayfromcampyesterday,"answeredgtvens,readily."it'sawonderthecoyotesdidn'tscarehimtodeath.yousee,jimlwebster,ourhorsewrangler,broughtalittleterrierpupintocamplastweek.thepupmadelifemiserableforbill—heusedtochasehimaroundandchewhishindlegsforhoursatatime.everynightwhenbedtimecamebillwouldsneakunderoneoftheboys'blanketsandsleeptokeepthepupfromfindinghim.ireckonhemusthavebeenworriedprettydesperateorhewouldn'thaverunaway.hewasalwaysafraidtogetoutofsightofcamp."

josefalookedatthebodyofthefierceanimal.givens.gendypattedoneoftheformidablepawsthatcouldhavekilledayearlingcalfwithoneblow.slowlyaredflushwideneduponthedarkolivefaceofthegirl.wasitthesignalofshameofthetruesportsmanwhohasbroughtdownignoblequarry?hereyesgrewsofter,andtheloweredlidsdroveawayalltheirbrightmockery.

"i'mverysorry,"shesaidhumbly;"buthelookedsobig,andjumpedsohighthat"

"pooroldbillwashungry,"intenruptedgivens,inquickdefenseofthedeceased."wealwaysmadehimjumpforhissupperincamp.hewouldliedownandrolloverforapieceofmeat.whenhesawyouhethoughthewasgoingtogetsomethingtoeatfromyou."

suddenlyjosefa'seyesopenedwide.

"imighthaveshotyou!"sheexclaimed."youranrightinbetween.youriskedyourlifetosaveyourpet!thatwasfine,mr.givens.ilikeamanwhoiskindtoanimals."

yes;therewasevenadmirationinhergazenow.afterall,therewasaherorisingoutoftheruinsoftheanti-climax.thelookongivens'sfacewouldhavesecuredhimahighpositioninthes.p.c.a.

"ialwaysloved'em,"saidhe;"horses,dogs,mexicanlions,cows,alligators——"

"ihatealligators,"instantlydemurredjosefa;"crawly,muddythings!"

"didisayalligators?"saidgivens."imeantantelopes,ofcourse."

josefa'sconsciencedrovehertomakefurtheramends.sheheldoutherhandpenitently.therewasabright,unsheddropineachofhereyes.

"pleaseforgiveme,mr.givens,won'tyou?i'monlyagirl,youknow,andiwasfrightenedatfirst.i'mvery,verysorryishotbill.youdon'tknowhowashamedifeel.iwouldn'thavedoneitforanything."

givenstooktheprofferedhand.hehelditforatimewhileheallowedthegenerosityofhisnaturetoovercomehisgriefatthelossofbill.atlastitwasclearthathehadforgivenher.

"pleasedon'tspeakofitanymore,missjoseta.'twasenoughtofrightenanyyoungladythewaybilllooked.i'llexplainitallrighttotheboys."

"areyoureallysureyoudon'thateme?"josefacameclosertohimimpulsively.hereyesweresweet—oh,sweetandpleadingwithgraciouspenitence."iwouldhateanyonewhowouldkillmykitten.andhowdaringandkindofyoutoriskbeingshotwhenyoutriedtosavehim!howveryfewmenwouldhavedonethat!"victorywrestedfromdefeat!vaudevilleturnedintodramalbravo,ripleygivens!

itwasnowtwilight.ofcoursemissjosefacouldnotbeallowedtorideontotheranch-housealone.givensresaddledhisponyinspiteofthatanimal'sreproachfulglances,androdewithher.sidebysidetheygallopedacrossthesmoothgrass,theprincessandthemanwhowaskindtoanimals.theprairieodorsoffruitfulearthanddelicatebloomwerethickandsweetaroundthem.coyotesyelpingoverthereonthehill!nofear.andyet—josefarodecloser.alittlehandseemedtogrope.givensfounditwithhisown.theponieskeptanevengait.thehandslingeredtogether,andtheownerofoneexplained:

"ineverwasfrtightenedbefore,butjustthink!howterribleitwouldbetomeetareallywildlion!poorbill!i'msogladyoucamewithme!"

o'donnellwassittingontheranchgallery.

"hello,rip!"heshouted—"thatyou?"

"herodeinwithme,"saidjosefa."ilostmywayandwaslate."

"muchobliged,"calledthecattleking."stopover,rip,andridetocampinthemorning."

butgivenswouldnot.hewouldpushontocamp.therewasabunchofsteerstostartoffonthetrailatdaybreak.hesaidgoodnight,andtrottedaway.

anhourlater,whenthelightswereout,josefa,inhernightrobe,cametoherdoorandcalledtothekinginhisownroomacrossthebrick-pavedhallway:

"say,pop,youknowthatoldmexicanliontheycallthe'gotcheareddevil'—theonethatkilledgonzales,mr.martin'ssheepherder,andaboutfiftycalvesonthesaladarange?well,isettledhishashthisafternoonoveratthewhitehorsecrossing.puttwoballsinhisheadwithmy.38whilehewasonthejump.iknewhimbytheslicegonefromhisleftearthatoldgonzalescutoffwithhismachete.youcouldn'thavemadeabettershotyourself,daddy."

"bullyforyou!"thunderedwhisperingbenfromthedarknessoftheroyalchamber.