第54章

"I want to talk of this telegram of the goat's with Magnus, anyhow," he said to himself reflectively, "and there's things Igot to do in Bonneville before the first of the month."He turned about on his heel with a last look at the barn, and set off toward the stable.He had decided to have his horse saddled and ride over to Bonneville by way of Los Muertos.He would make a day of it, would see Magnus, Harran, old Broderson and some of the business men of Bonneville.

A few moments later, he rode out of the barn and the stable-yard, a fresh cigar between his teeth, his hat slanted over his face against the rays of the sun, as yet low in the east.He crossed the irrigating ditch and gained the trail--the short cut over into Los Muertos, by way of Hooven's.It led south and west into the low ground overgrown by grey-green willows by Broderson Creek, at this time of the rainy season a stream of considerable volume, farther on dipping sharply to pass underneath the Long Trestle of the railroad.On the other side of the right of way, Annixter was obliged to open the gate in Derrick's line fence.

He managed this without dismounting, swearing at the horse the while, and spurring him continually.But once inside the gate he cantered forward briskly.

This part of Los Muertos was Hooven's holding, some five hundred acres enclosed between the irrigating ditch and Broderson Creek, and half the way across, Annixter came up with Hooven himself, busily at work replacing a broken washer in his seeder.Upon one of the horses hitched to the machine, her hands gripped tightly upon the harness of the collar, Hilda, his little daughter, with her small, hob-nailed boots and boy's canvas overalls, sat, exalted and petrified with ecstasy and excitement, her eyes wide opened, her hair in a tangle.

"Hello, Bismarck," said Annixter, drawing up beside him."What are YOU doing here? I thought the Governor was going to manage without his tenants this year.""Ach, Meest'r Ennixter," cried the other, straightening up.

"Ach, dat's you, eh? Ach, you bedt he doand menege mitout me.

Me, I gotta stay.I talk der straighd talk mit der Governor.Ifix 'em.Ach, you bedt.Sieben yahr I hef bei der rench ge-stopped; yais, sir.Efery oder sohn-of-a-guhn bei der plaice ged der sach bud me.Eh? Wat you tink von dose ting?""I think that's a crazy-looking monkey-wrench you've got there,"observed Annixter, glancing at the instrument in Hooven's hand.

"Ach, dot wrainch," returned Hooven."Soh! Wail, I tell you dose ting now whair I got 'em.Say, you see dot wrainch.Dat's not Emericen wrainch at alle.I got 'em at Gravelotte der day we licked der stuffun oudt der Frainch, ach, you bedt.Me, I pelong to der Wurtemberg redgimend, dot dey use to suppord der batterie von der Brince von Hohenlohe.Alle der day we lay down bei der stomach in der feildt behindt der batterie, und der schells von der Frainch cennon hef eggsblode--ach, donnerwetter!--I tink efery schell eggsblode bei der beckside my neck.Und dat go on der whole day, noddun else, noddun aber der Frainch schell, b-r-r, b-r-r b-r-r, b-r-AM, und der smoag, und unzer batterie, dat go off slow, steady, yoost like der glock, eins, zwei, boom! eins, zwei, boom! yoost like der glock, ofer und ofer again, alle der day.Den vhen der night come dey say we hev der great victorie made.I doand know.Vhat do I see von der bettle? Noddun.Den we gedt oop und maerch und maerch alle night, und in der morgen we hear dose cennon egain, hell oaf der way, far-off, I doand know vhair.Budt, nef'r mindt.Bretty qnick, ach, Gott--" his face flamed scarlet, "Ach, du lieber Gott! Bretty zoon, dere wass der Kaiser, glose bei, und Fritz, Unzer Fritz.Bei Gott, den I go grazy, und yell, ach, you bedt, der whole redgimend:

'Hoch der Kaiser! Hoch der Vaterland!' Und der dears come to der eyes, I doand know because vhy, und der mens gry und shaike der hend, und der whole redgimend maerch off like dat, fairy broudt, bei Gott, der head oop high, und sing 'Die Wacht am Rhein.' Dot wass Gravelotte.""And the monkey-wrench?"

"Ach, I pick 'um oop vhen der batterie go.Der cennoniers hef forgedt und leaf 'um.I carry 'um in der sack.I tink I use 'um vhen I gedt home in der business.I was maker von vagons in Carlsruhe, und I nef'r gedt home again.Vhen der war hef godt over, I go beck to Ulm und gedt marriet, und den I gedt demn sick von der armie.Vhen I gedt der release, I clair oudt, you bedt.

I come to Emerica.First, New Yor-ruk; den Milwaukee; den Sbringfieldt-Illinoy; den Galifornie, und heir I stay.""And the Fatherland? Ever want to go back?""Wail, I tell you dose ting, Meest'r Ennixter.Alle-ways, I tink a lot oaf Shairmany, und der Kaiser, und nef'r I forgedt Gravelotte.Budt, say, I tell you dose ting.Vhair der wife is, und der kinder--der leedle girl Hilda--DERE IS DER VATERLAND.

Eh? Emerica, dat's my gountry now, und dere," he pointed behind him to the house under the mammoth oak tree on the Lower Road, "dat's my home.Dat's goot enough Vaterland for me."Annixter gathered up the reins, about to go on.

"So you like America, do you, Bismarck?" he said."Who do you vote for?""Emerica? I doand know," returned the other, insistently.

"Dat's my home yonder.Dat's my Vaterland.Alle von we Shairmens yoost like dot.Shairmany, dot's hell oaf some fine plaice, sure.Budt der Vaterland iss vhair der home und der wife und kinder iss.Eh?Yes?Voad?Ach, no.Me, I nef'r voad.

I doand bodder der haid mit dose ting.I maig der wheat grow, und ged der braid fur der wife und Hilda, dot's all.Dot's me;dot's Bismarck."

"Good-bye," commented Annixter, moving off.

Hooven, the washer replaced, turned to his work again, starting up the horses.The seeder advanced, whirring.