lla.thelonelymen-第26章

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o…Fly；　and　something　to　eat？　I'm　getting　almighty　hungry。〃
　〃I　will　do　more　than　that。　Jim〃　…　he　turned　to　one　of　the　others　…　〃get　me　the　keys。　I　am　taking　this　young　man　to　dinner。〃
　He　looked　around　again。　The　man　lying　on　the　floor　was　being　examined。　The　doctor　looked　up。　〃This　man　has　three　broken　ribs　and　a　punctured　lung；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃That's　his　problem；〃　I　said　harshly。　〃Anybody　who　fools　around　with　the　bandwagon　is　likely　to　get　hit　with　a　horn。〃
　〃Those　are　my　sentiments；〃　Oury　said　crisply。　The　keys　jangled；　the　door　swung　wide。　〃e；　Mr。　Sackett；　you　are　my　guest。〃
　〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　warn　you；　I'm　an　eating　man；　just　getting　my　appetite　back。〃
　The　Shoo…Fly　was　almost　empty　when　we　went　in；　but　a　few　minutes　afterward　it　was　crowded　to　the　doors。
　When　I'd　eaten；　I　sat　back　in　my　chair。　One　of　the　Tucson　citizens　came　in　with　my　Winchester　and　gun　belt。　〃If　you're　staying　in　town；〃　he　said；　〃you'd　better　go　armed。〃
　〃I　am　staying；〃　I　replied；　〃until　this　matter　is　cleared　up。　I　did　nothing　wrong　out　there。　I　killed　a　good　man；　a　tough　man。　He　might　have　lived　for　hours　in　that　boiling　hot　sun　with　those　slivers　burning　into　him。　He　was　not　a　man　to　die　easy。〃
　〃I　might　have　asked　for　the　same　thing；〃　somebody　said。
　I　was　quiet　after　that。　I'd　eaten　well；　and　I　had　my　guns　on　again；　and　all　I　wanted　was　to　get　this　affair　cleared　up　and　pull　out　for　Tyrel's　outfit　in　New　Mexico。　As　for　this　town；　it　was　no　place　for　me　until　my　enemies　had　drifted；　and　being　drifters；　I　knew　they'd　soon　be　gone。
　The　doctor　came　in　and　gave　me　a　hard　look。　〃I'll　say　this　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃you're　a　bad　man　to　corner。　You've　put　four　men　in　bed。　One　of　them　has　a　smashed　cheekbone；　his　face　is　ripped　open；　and　he's　lost　nine　teeth。　One　has　a　torn　shoulder　muscle；　another　has　a　dent　in　his　skull　and　his　scalp　is　ripped　right　across　the　top；　laid　open　for　five　inches。　The　one　with　the　punctured　lung　will　live　if　he's　lucky。　All　said　and　done；　you　put　four　men　out　of　action；　and　injured　six　or　seven　more。〃
　〃They　came　after　me；〃　I　said。　The　outer　door　opened　then　and　two　men　came　in。　One　was　Captain　Lewiston；　the　other　was　Toclani；　the　Apache　scout。　They　looked　around　until　their　eyes　spotted　me；　and　they　came　over　to　my　table。
　〃Sackett；〃　Lewiston　said；　〃Toclani　has　talked　to　Kahtenny。　They　verify　your　story。　Kahtenny　told　us　in　detail；　as　did　several　other　Apaches；　what　was　happening　out　there　during　the　attack　when　you　shot　Higgins。〃
　〃You　talked　to　Kahtenny？〃　I　asked　Toclani。
　〃He；　too。〃　He　indicated　Lewiston。　〃We　ride　together　to　Apache　camp。〃
　I　looked　at　Lewiston。　〃You　taken　a　long　chance；　man。〃
　〃It　was　simple　justice。　I　knew　that　the　people　who　would　surely　know　what　happened　were　the　Apaches。　I　did　not　know　they　would　talk；　but　Toclani　came　with　me；　and　Kahtenny　had　much　to　say　of　you；　Sackett。　He　said　you　were　a　brave　man；　a　strong　man；　and　a　warrior。〃
　〃Did　he　get　his　squaw　back？〃
　〃Yes；　and　he　thanks　you。〃　Lewiston　looked　at　me。　〃He　may　e　in。　All　because　of　that；　he　may　e　in。〃
　〃I　hope　he　does；〃　I　said。　〃He's　a　good　Indian。〃
　And　so　it　was　over。　Nobody　wanted　me　back　in　jail　any　longer；　but　I　figured　to　stay　around　until　the　sheriff　came　back　so　as　there'd　be　no　argument。　Around　town　folks　stopped　to　speak　to　me　on　the　street；　and　several　thanked　me　for　bringing　the　youngsters　back。
　But　I　saw　nothing　of　Laura　。。。　had　she　left　town？　Or　was　she　still　there；　waiting；　planning？
　My　mind　kept　turning　to　Dorset　Although　it　was　in　my　thoughts；　I'd　no　right　to　go　a…courting；　for　I'd　no　money　and　no　prospects　worth　counting　on。　Mr。　Rockfellow；　who　had　a　herd　he　wanted　pushed　over　into　the　Sulphur　Springs　Valley；　hired　me　and　some　other　hands；　but　it　was　a　short　job；　and　left　me　with　nothing　more　than　eating　money。
　The　sheriff　came　back　to　town；　and　after　hearing　what　had　happened　he　gave　me　a　clean　bill　on　the　charges　against　me；　so　I　figured　to　saddle　up　and　show　some　dust；　only　I　hadn't　enough　cash　to　lay　in　supplies　to　take　me　anywhere。
　Then　at　the　Shoo…Fly　I　heard　that　Pete　Kitchen　had　located　himself　a　mining　claim　down　in　the　Pajaritos；　so　I　rode　down。　When　he　found　out　I　was　a　hand　with　a　pick　and　shovel；　as　well　as　with　a　cutting　horse　and　a　rope；　he　hired　me　for　the　job。
　When　he　was　laying　out　the　grub　for　me　to　take　along　he　put　in　a　couple　of　hundred　rounds　of　。44's。　〃With　your　kind　of　luck；　and　that　being　Injun　country；　you're　liable　to　need　them。〃
　Well；　I　almost　backed　out。　I'd　had　my　fill　of　Apache　fighting；　and　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　a　spell　of　setting　and　contemplating。
　The　Pajaritos　are　not　much　when　it　es　to　mountains。　They　are　named　for　an　odd　birdlike　formation　on　the　butte。　I　rode　down　there；　leading　a　jack　mule；　and　I　found　the　mining　claim。
　There　was　a　wash　where　run…off　water　had　cut　down　among　the　rocks　and　laid　bare　some　ore。　It　wasn't　of　much　account；　but　gave　promise　of　growing　richer　as　it　went　deeper。
　On　the　back　side　of　a　knoll；　partly　screened　by　brush　and　boulders；　I　made　me　a　camp。　On　some　rough　grass　nearby　I　picketed　my　stock。　Then　I　sat　down　to　contemplate　what　lay　before　me。
　Now；　I'm　no　mining　man；　but　you　don't　prospect　around；　work　in　mines；　or　even　loaf　around　mining　towns　without　picking　up　some　of　the　lingo　as　well　as　a　scraping　of　information。
　This　whole　place　was　faulted。　Movements　of　the　earth　in　bygone　times　had　tilted　and　fractured　the　crust　until　you　had　a　good　idea　of　what　lay　under　you　as　well　as　in　front　of　you。　The　gold；　what　there　was　of　it；　occurred　in　quartz　veins。　It　looked　to　me　like　what　they　call　a　cretaceous　bed　that　had　rested　on　diorite；　but　some　of　the　dikes　that　intruded　offered　a　chance　of　some　likely　ore。
　My　job　was　to　cut　into　that；　do　enough　work　to　establish　a　right　to　the　claim　for　Kitchen；　and　maybe　explore　enough　so　as　he'd　have　an　idea　what　lay　below。　Doing　the　work　I　was　going　to　do　wasn't　going　to　help　much；　but　I　wanted　to　do　the　best　job　for　him　I　could。　I　never　did　figure　a　man　hired　to　do　a　job　should　just　do　it　the　easiest　way。　I　figure　a　man　should　do　the　best　he　knows　how。　So　I　taken　up　my　pick　and　went　to　work　on　that　bank。
　While　I　had　a　little　blasting　powder　and　some　fuse；　I　had　no　notion　of　using　it。　Blasting　makes　an　awful　lot　of　noise；　enough　to　bring　every　Apache　in　the　country　around；　and　I　hoped　to　do　my　work　quietlike；　by　main　strength　and　awkwardness；　and　then　pack　up　and　light　a　shuck　for　Kitchen's　ranch。
　After　working　a　couple　of　hours　I　sat　down　to　take　some　rest；　and　began　to　notice　the　bees。　Some　had　gone　past　while　I　was　working；　and　now　I　noticed　more　of　them。　I　left　my　pick　and　shovel　and；　taking　up　my　Winchester；　which　I　kept　ready　to　hand；　I　went　off　up　the　mountain。　Just　over　the　shoulder　of　it　I　picked　up　tracks　of　a　desert　fox；　just　enough　to　indicate　direction。
　Between　occasional　tracks　and　the　bees；　I　located　a　rock　tank；　nigh　full　of　water。　Two　streams　of　run…off　water　ing　down　off　the　butte　had　worn　places　in　the　rocks。　With　a　branch　from　an　ocotillo；　a　dead　branch　I　found　nearby；　I　tried　to　measure　the　depth　of　water　in　the　tank。　I　touched　no　bottom；　but　it　was　anyway　more　than　six　feet　deep　。。。　water　enough　for　my　stock　and　me。　It　was　half　hidden　under　an　overhang；　and　the　water　was　icy　cold　and　clean。
　Next　morning；　after　a　quick　breakfast；　I　got　at　my　work　again。　Here　and　there　I　found　a　good　piece　of　ore　which　I　put　aside。　Now　I　was　doing　the　same　thing　most　prospectors　do。　I　was　putting　aside　the　best　pieces；　an　easy　way　to　lead　others　to　invest；　and　to　lead　yourself　into　believing　you've　got　more　than　you　have。　Using　water　from　the　tank；　I　washed　out　a　couple　of　pans　from　the　dry　wash　below　the　claim　and　picked　up　a　few　small　colors；　nothing　worth　getting　excited　about。　Unless　that　vein　widened　out　below　where　I'd　been　digging；　it　was　going　to　cost　Pete　more　to　get　the　gold　than　it　was　worth。
　By　nightfall　the　cut　I'd　made　was　beginning　to　look　like　something。　I'd　sacked　up　three　sacks　of　samples　and　had　crushed　a　few　of　them　and　panned　out　the　fragments；　getting　a　little　color。
　The　next　two　days　I　worked　from　can…see　to　can't…see；　and　had　enough　done　to　count　this　as　a　working　claim。　One　more　day　for　good　measure；　and　I　would　saddle　up　for　Tucson。
　This　spell　had　given　me　some　time　to　think；　and　it　showed　me　there　was　no　sense　in　saddle…tramping　around；　riding　the　grub　line　or　picking　up　a　day　of　work　hither　and　yon。　It　was　time　I　settled　in　for　a　lifetime　at　some　kind　of　job；　or　on　a　place　of　my　own。
　It　meant　hard　work；　and　lots　of　it。　Living　a　life　is　much　like　climbing　mountains　…　the　summits　are　always　further　off　than　you　think；　but　when　a　man　has　a　goal；　he　always　feels　he's　working　toward　something。
　The　next　morning；　when　I'd　been　working　an　hour　by　sun；　I　hit　the　pocket。
　It　was　a　crumbling　ledge　of　deposed　quartz；　seemingly　unrelated　to　what　was　on　either　side；　and　the　piece　that　I　found　was　no　bigger　than　an　upright　piano；　but　it　seemed　to　be　only　the　top　of　a　larger　ledge。　Anyway；　in　the　next　three　hours　I　broke　up　enough　of　that　quartz　to　get　out　maybe　two　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　gold。
　Pete　Kitchen　was　going　to　be　almighty　pleased。　I　dumped　one　of　my　other　sacks　back　in　the　hole　and　filled　the　sack　with　the　rich　stuff。　I　was　just　loading　the　last　of　it　and　was　too　busy　to　be　rightly　paying　mind　to　anything　else　when　I　hear　a　voice　saying；　〃Looks　like　this　trip　is　going　to　pay　off　mighty　handsome。〃
　Laura　Sackett　was　there；　and　three　men　were　with　her　…　Arch　Hadden；　Johnny　Wheeler；　sometime　gunman　for　a　smuggling　outfit；　and　one　of　the　gents　who　had　been　with　Hadden　in　the　fight　at　Dead　Man's　Tank。　They　had　e　down　here　for　only　one　reason；　and　that　was　to　kill　me；　and　they　wanted　to　tell　me　about　it。　There　was　no　call　for　conversation；　not　having　to　stall　like　before；　so　I　just　peeled　back　my　forty…five　and　wasted　no　time。
　I　turned　and　saw　and　drew　and　fired；　all　kind　of　in　one　breath。　My　first　shot　took　Johnny　Wheeler；　whose　hand　was　lingering　around　the　butt　of　his　six…gun　as　if　he　was　minded　to　use　it。
　That　shot　hit　right　where　the　ribs　spread　apart。　My　second　shot　was　for　Arch　Hadden；　but　it　missed。　Arch　had　suddenly　whipped　his　horse　around　and　was　running　like　all　get…out。
　Laura's　horse　reared　up　and　she　toppled　from　the　saddle；　and　of　a　sudden　the　other　gunman　was　shooting　past　me。　I　turned　to　see　the　Apaches　ing　down　and　recognized　one　of　them　as　Kahtenny。
　Me；　I　dove　into　that　hole　I'd　been　digging　and　had　sense　enough　to　grab　the　picket　ropes　of　my　horses；　which　I'd　had　up；　loading　for　the　homeward　trip。
　The　Apaches　swept　by　and　I　saw　that　third　gunman　go　down。　I　heard　the　bark　of　Apache　guns　and　saw　the　dust　jump　from　his　vest。　He　came　up　shooting；　only　another　bullet　nailed　him。
　They　caught　Arch　Hadden。
　I　saw　them　catch　him。　It　was　Kahtenny　and　two　others；　and　I　saw　him　turn　to　fight　as　they　rode　up；　but　a　rope　sailed　out；　and　then　another；　and　the　Apaches　had　themselves　a　prisoner。
　Well；　I'd　told　him。　He　had　stolen　Kahtenny's　squaw；　and　he　had　been　warned。　With　Apaches；　nothing　much　was　doubtful　from　here　on　…　only　how　long　Hadden　had　the　guts　to　stick　it　out。
　This　was　a　hard　land；　and　the　rules　were　written　plain　in　the　way　we　lived。　If　you　ove