arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第11章
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three…year…old goat。 〃We seem to he in for adventures to…day；〃 says he。
〃Now； where do you suppose that came from； and how did it get here？〃
〃Well；〃 says I； 〃I've followed lion tracks where they've carried
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yearlin's across their backs like a fox does a goose。 They're tur'ble
strong。〃
〃But where did she come from？〃 he wonders。
〃As for that；〃 says I； 〃don't you remember now that T 0 outfit had a
yearlin' kid when it came into the country？〃
〃That's right；〃 says he。 〃It's only a mile down the canon。 I'll take it
home。 They must be most distracted about it。〃
So I scratched up to the top where my pony was waitin'。 It was a
tur'ble hard climb； and I 'most had to have hooks on my eyebrows to get
up at all。 It's easier to slide down than to climb back。 I dropped my gun
out of my holster； and she went way to the bottom； but I wouldn't have
gone back for six guns。 Larry picked it up for me。
So we went along； me on the rim…rock and around the barrancas； and
Larry in the bottom carryin' of the kid。
By and by we came to the ranch house； stopped to wait。 The minute
Larry hove in sight everybody was out to once； and in two winks the
woman had that baby。 Thy didn't see me at all； but I could hear； plain
enough； what they said。 Larry told how he had found her in the cave； and
all about the lion tracks； and the woman cried and held the kid close to her；
and thanked him about forty times。 Then when she'd wore the edge off a
little； she took the kid inside to feed it or somethin'。
〃Well；〃 says Larry； still laughin'； 〃I must hit the trail。〃
〃You say you found her up the Double R？〃 asks Hahn。 〃Was it that
cave near the three cottonwoods？〃
〃Yes；〃 says Larry。
〃Where'd you get into the canyon？〃
〃Oh； my hoss slipped off into the barranca just above。〃
〃The barranca just above；〃 repeats Hahn； lookin' straight at him。
Larry took one step back。
〃You ought to be almighty glad I got into the canyon at all；〃 says he。
Hahn stepped up； holdin' out his hand。
〃That's right；〃 says he。 〃You done us a good turn there。〃
Larry took his hand。 At the same time Hahn pulled his gun and shot
him through the middle。
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It was all so sudden and unexpected that I stood there paralysed。
Larry fell forward the way a man mostly will when he's hit in the
stomach； but somehow he jerked loose a gun and got it off twice。 He
didn't hit nothin'； and I reckon he was dead before he hit the ground。 And
there he had my gun； and I was about as useless as a pocket in a shirt！
No； sir； you can talk as much as you please； but the killer is a low…
down ornery scub； and he don't hesitate at no treachery or ingratitude to
keep his carcass safe。
Jed Parker ceased talking。 The dusk had fallen in the little room；
and dimly could be seen the recumbent figures lying at ease on their
blankets。 The ranch foreman was sitting bolt upright； cross…legged。 A
faint glow from his pipe barely distinguished his features。
〃What became of the rustlers？〃 I asked him。
〃Well； sir； that is the queer part。 Hahn himself； who had done the
killin'； skipped out。 We got out warrants； of course； but they never got
served。 He was a sort of half outlaw from that time； and was killed
finally in the train hold…up of '97。 But the others we tried for rustling。
We didn't have much of a case； as the law went then； and they'd have gone
free if the woman hadn't turned evidence against them。 The killin' was
too much for her。 And； as the precedent held good in a lot of other
rustlin' cases； Larry's death was really the beginnin' of law and order in the
cattle business。〃
We smoked。 The last light suddenly showed red against the grimy
window。 Windy Bill arose and looked out the door。
〃Boys；〃 said he； returning。 〃She's cleared off。 We can get back to the
ranch tomorrow。〃
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CHAPTER FIVE THE DRIVE
A cry awakened me。 It was still deep night。 The moon sailed
overhead； the stars shone unwavering like candles； and a chill breeze
wandered in from the open spaces of the desert。 I raised myself on my
elbow； throwing aside the blankets and the canvas tarpaulin。 Forty other
indistinct； formless bundles on the ground all about me were sluggishly
astir。 Four figures passed and repassed between me and a red fire。 I
knew them for the two cooks and the horse wranglers。 One of the latter
was grumbling。 〃Didn't git in till moon…up last night；〃 he growled。
〃Might as well trade my bed for a lantern and be done with it。〃
Even as I stretched my arms and shivered a little； the two wranglers threw
down their tin plates with a clatter； mounted horses and rode away in the
direction of the thousand acres or so known as the pasture。
I pulled on my clothes hastily； buckled in my buckskin shirt； and dove
for the fire。 A dozen others were before me。 It was bitterly cold。 In
the east the sky had paled the least bit in the world； but the moon and stars
shone on bravely and undiminished。 A band of coyotes was shrieking
desperate blasphemies against the new day； and the stray herd； awakening；
was beginning to bawl and bellow。
Two crater…like dutch ovens； filled with pieces of fried beef； stood near
the fire； two galvanised water buckets； brimming with soda biscuits；
flanked them； two tremendous coffee pots stood guard at either end。 We
picked us each a tin cup and a tin plate from the box at the rear of the
chuck wagon； helped ourselves from a dutch oven； a pail； and a coffee pot；
and squatted on our heels as close to the fire as possible。 Men who came
too late borrowed the shovel； scooped up some coals； and so started little
fires of their own about which new groups formed。 While we
ate； the eastern sky lightened。 The mountains under the dawn looked like
silhouettes cut from slate…coloured paper； those in the west showed faintly
luminous。 Objects about us became dimly visible。 We could make out
the windmill； and the adobe of the ranch houses； and the corrals。 The
cowboys arose one by one； dropped their plates into the dishpan； and
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began to hunt out their ropes。 Everything was obscure and mysterious in
the faint grey light。 I watched Windy Bill near his tarpaulin。 He
stooped to throw over the canvas。 When he bent； it was before daylight；
when he straightened his back； daylight had come。 It was just like that；
as though someone had reached out his hand to turn on the illumination of
the world。 The eastern mountains were fragile； the plain was
ethereal； like a sea of liquid gases。 From the pasture we heard the
shoutings of the wranglers； and made out a cloud of dust。 In a moment
the first of the remuda came into view； trotting forward with the free grace
of the unburdened horse。 Others followed in procession： those near sharp
and well defined； those in the background more or less obscured by the
dust； now appearing plainly； now fading like ghosts。 The leader turned
unhesitatingly into the corral。 After him poured the stream of the
remudatwo hundred and fifty saddle horseswith an unceasing thunder
of hoofs。
Immediately the cook…camp was deserted。 The cowboys entered the
corral。 The horses began to circle around the edge of the enclosure as
around the circumference of a circus ring。 The men； grouped at the
centre； watched keenly； looking for the mounts they had already decided
on。 In no time each had recognised his choice； and； his loop trailing；
was walking toward that part of the revolving circumference where his
pony dodged。 Some few whirled the loop； but most cast it with a quick
flip。 It was really marvellous to observe the accuracy with which the
noose would fly； past a dozen tossing heads； and over a dozen backs； to
settle firmly about the neck of an animal perhaps in the very centre of the
group。 But again； if the first throw failed； it was interesting to see how
the selected pony would dodge； double back； twist； turn； and hide to
escape second cast。 And it was equally interesting to observe how his
companions would help him。
They seemed to realise that they were not wanted； and would push
themselves between the cowboy and his intended mount with the utmost
boldness。 In the thick dust that instantly arose； and with the bewildering
thunder of galloping； the flashing change of grouping； the rush of the
charging animals； recognition alone would seem almost impossible； yet in
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an incredibly short time each had his mount； and the others； under convoy
of the wranglers； were meekly wending their way out over the plain。
There； until time for a change of horses； they would graze in a loose and
scattered band； requiring scarcely any supervision。 Escape？ Bless you；
no； that tho
