lla.thelonelymen-第27章

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ck　it　out。
　This　was　a　hard　land；　and　the　rules　were　written　plain　in　the　way　we　lived。　If　you　overstepped　the　rules　you　had　bought　yourself　trouble；　and　from　now　on　it　was　going　to　be　settled　between　Hadden　and　Kahtenny。
　Me；　I　got　up　and　went　to　my　horses。　I　fed　shells　into　my　six…shooters　again；　and　then　I　walked　over　to　the　man　I'd　shot　to　see　if　he　was　alive。　He　wasn't。　Johnny　Wheeler　was　buzzard　meat。
　I　taken　his　guns　off；　and　what　he　had　on　him　for　identification。　Might　be　somebody；　somewhere；　who'd　be　wishful　to　know　what　happened。
　And　then　Laura　Sackett　got　up　off　the　ground　and　we　just　looked　at　each　other。　I　never　did　see　such　hatred　in　anybody's　eyes。
　〃Downright　mis'rable；　ain't　we？〃　I　said　calmly。　〃You'd　think　one　of　us　Sacketts　would　be　considerate　enough　to　die　so's　you　could　get　some　of　that　bile　out　of　your　system。〃
　〃I　suppose　you're　going　to　kill　me？〃　she　said。
　〃No；　I　ain't。　It　would　be　a　kindness　to　the　world；　but　I　never　shot　a　woman　yet；　and　don't　figure　to　now。　No；　I'm　just　goin'　to　leave　you。　I'm　just　goin'　to　mount　up　and　ride　right　out　of　here。〃
　〃You'd　leave　me　here？〃　She　was　incredulous。　〃There's　a　horse　yonder。　You　get　on　that　horse　and　ride。〃
　Putting　my　foot　in　the　stirrup；　I　swung　into　the　saddle；　and　you　can　just　bet　that　before　I　swung　a…straddle　of　that　horse　I　swung　the　animal　around　so　I　could　keep　an　eye　on　her　whilst　I　was　doing　it。
　I　taken　a　turn　around　the　saddlehorn　with　the　lead　rope　of　the　pack　horse；　and　she　said；　〃What　if　those　Indians　e　back？〃
　〃It's　their　tough　luck；　ma'am；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　hope　not；　for　their　sakes。　Apaches　aren't　bad　folks。　They　have　trouble　enough　without　wishin'　you　on　them。　Only　it　might　work　out　for　the　best。　A　session　with　some　of　those　Apache　squaws　might　teach　you　some　manners。〃　I　touched　my　hat；　〃I　hope　I　won't　be　seem'　you；　ma'am。　Good…bye！〃
　That　black　of　mine　went　down　into　the　arroyo　as　if　he　knew　what　was　behind　him；　and　when　he　topped　out　on　the　rise　beyond　we　were　out　of　rifle　shot。　I　pulled　up　then　and　looked　back。
　She　had　caught　one　of　the　horses　and　was　trying　to　mount。　The　horse　was　worried　by　her　skirt；　and　was　sidling　around。
　That　was　the　last　I　saw　of　her；　of　Laura；　who　had　been　Orrin's　wife。
　I　rode　east；　with　the　sun　going　down　behind　me；　the　feel　of　a　good　saddle　under　me；　and　a　horse　between　my　legs。　The　trail　dipped　into　a　wide　hollow；　shadowy　with　evening；　and　somewhere　a　quail　called。　Across　yonder　hills；　miles　away；　was　Pete　Kitchen's。　I'd　make　camp　before　I　got　there；　because　nobody　in　his　right　mind　rode　up　to　Pete's　in　the　nighttime。
　He　was　paying　me　twenty　dollars　for　the　job；　and　might　cut　me　in　for　some　of　the　profits。　Anyway；　it　was　a　road　stake；　and　maybe　before　lining　out　for　somewhere　across　the　country　I'd　just　ride　around　and　call　on　Dorset。
　I　liked　that　little　girl。　She　was　pert　and　she　was　pretty；　and　she　had　nerve。
　A　star　came　out；　the　desert　night　was　soft；　and　a　coolness　came　over　it。
　It　came　on　me　to　sing；　but　my　horse　was　carrying　me　along　nicely；　and　I　was　not　wishful　for　trouble。
　　



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