roughing it-第11章

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gangs　of　outlaws；　who　were　wont　to　laugh　at　the　idea　of　any　man's　having
the　temerity　to　resent　such　outrages。　　Slade　resented　them　promptly。

The　outlaws　soon　found　that　the　new　agent　was　a　man　who　did　not　fear
anything　that　breathed　the　breath　of　life。　　He　made　short　work　of　all
offenders。　　The　result　was　that　delays　ceased；　the　company's　property　was
let　alone；　and　no　matter　what　happened　or　who　suffered；　Slade's　coaches
went　through；　every　time！　　True；　in　order　to　bring　about　this　wholesome
change；　Slade　had　to　kill　several　mensome　say　three；　others　say　four；
and　others　sixbut　the　world　was　the　richer　for　their　loss。　　The　first
prominent　difficulty　he　had　was　with　the　ex…agent　Jules；　who　bore　the
reputation　of　being　a　reckless　and　desperate　man　himself。　　Jules　hated
Slade　for　supplanting　him；　and　a　good　fair　occasion　for　a　fight　was　all
he　was　waiting　for。　　By　and　by　Slade　dared　to　employ　a　man　whom　Jules　had
once　discharged。　　Next；　Slade　seized　a　team　of　stage…horses　which　he
accused　Jules　of　having　driven　off　and　hidden　somewhere　for　his　own　use。
War　was　declared；　and　for　a　day　or　two　the　two　men　walked　warily　about
the　streets；　seeking　each　other；　Jules　armed　with　a　double…barreled　shot
gun；　and　Slade　with　his　history…creating　revolver。　　Finally；　as　Slade
stepped　into　a　store　Jules　poured　the　contents　of　his　gun　into　him　from
behind　the　door。　　Slade　was　plucky；　and　Jules　got　several　bad　pistol
wounds　in　return。

Then　both　men　fell；　and　were　carried　to　their　respective　lodgings；　both
swearing　that　better　aim　should　do　deadlier　work　next　time。　　Both　were
bedridden　a　long　time；　but　Jules　got　to　his　feet　first；　and　gathering　his
possessions　together；　packed　them　on　a　couple　of　mules；　and　fled　to　the
Rocky　Mountains　to　gather　strength　in　safety　against　the　day　of
reckoning。　　For　many　months　he　was　not　seen　or　heard　of；　and　was
gradually　dropped　out　of　the　remembrance　of　all　save　Slade　himself。　　But
Slade　was　not　the　man　to　forget　him。　　On　the　contrary；　common　report　said
that　Slade　kept　a　reward　standing　for　his　capture；　dead　or　alive！

After　awhile；　seeing　that　Slade's　energetic　administration　had　restored
peace　and　order　to　one　of　the　worst　divisions　of　the　road；　the　overland
stage　company　transferred　him　to　the　Rocky　Ridge　division　in　the　Rocky
Mountains；　to　see　if　he　could　perform　a　like　miracle　there。　　It　was　the
very　paradise　of　outlaws　and　desperadoes。　　There　was　absolutely　no
semblance　of　law　there。　　Violence　was　the　rule。　　Force　was　the　only
recognized　authority。　　The　commonest　misunderstandings　were　settled　on
the　spot　with　the　revolver　or　the　knife。　　Murders　were　done　in　open　day；
and　with　sparkling　frequency；　and　nobody　thought　of　inquiring　into　them。
It　was　considered　that　the　parties　who　did　the　killing　had　their　private
reasons　for　it；　for　other　people　to　meddle　would　have　been　looked　upon　as
indelicate。　　After　a　murder；　all　that　Rocky　Mountain　etiquette　required
of　a　spectator　was；　that　he　should　help　the　gentleman　bury　his　game
otherwise　his　churlishness　would　surely　be　remembered　against　him　the
first　time　he　killed　a　man　himself　and　needed　a　neighborly　turn　in
interring　him。

Slade　took　up　his　residence　sweetly　and　peacefully　in　the　midst　of　this
hive　of　horse…thieves　and　assassins；　and　the　very　first　time　one　of　them
aired　his　insolent　swaggerings　in　his　presence　he　shot　him　dead！　　He
began　a　raid　on　the　outlaws；　and　in　a　singularly　short　space　of　time　he
had　completely　stopped　their　depredations　on　the　stage　stock；　recovered　a
large　number　of　stolen　horses；　killed　several　of　the　worst　desperadoes　of
the　district；　and　gained　such　a　dread　ascendancy　over　the　rest　that　they
respected　him；　admired　him；　feared　him；　obeyed　him！　　He　wrought　the　same
marvelous　change　in　the　ways　of　the　community　that　had　marked　his
administration　at　Overland　City。　　He　captured　two　men　who　had　stolen
overland　stock；　and　with　his　own　hands　he　hanged　them。　　He　was　supreme
judge　in　his　district；　and　he　was　jury　and　executioner　likewiseand　not
only　in　the　case　of　offences　against　his　employers；　but　against　passing
emigrants　as　well。　　On　one　occasion　some　emigrants　had　their　stock　lost
or　stolen；　and　told　Slade；　who　chanced　to　visit　their　camp。　　With　a
single　companion　he　rode　to　a　ranch；　the　owners　of　which　he　suspected；
and　opening　the　door；　commenced　firing；　killing　three；　and　wounding　the
fourth。

From　a　bloodthirstily　interesting　little　Montana　book。　〃The　Vigilantes
of　Montana；〃　by　Prof。　　Thos。　　J。　　Dimsdale。＇　I　take　this　paragraph：

　　　　　　〃While　on　the　road；　Slade　held　absolute　sway。　　He　would　ride　down　to
　　　　　　a　station；　get　into　a　quarrel；　turn　the　house　out　of　windows；　and
　　　　　　maltreat　the　occupants　most　cruelly。　　The　unfortunates　had　no　means
　　　　　　of　redress；　and　were　compelled　to　recuperate　as　best　they　could。

On　one　of　these　occasions；　it　is　said　he　killed　the　father　of　the　fine
little　half…breed　boy　Jemmy；　whom　he　adopted；　and　who　lived　with　his
widow　after　his　execution。　　Stories　of　Slade's　hanging　men；　and　of
innumerable　assaults；　shootings；　stabbings　and　beatings；　in　which　he　was
a　principal　actor；　form　part　of　the　legends　of　the　stage　line。　　As　for
minor　quarrels　and　shootings；　it　is　absolutely　certain　that　a　minute
history　of　Slade's　life　would　be　one　long　record　of　such　practices。

Slade　was　a　matchless　marksman　with　a　navy　revolver。　　The　legends　say
that　one　morning　at　Rocky　Ridge；　when　he　was　feeling　comfortable；　he　saw
a　man　approaching　who　had　offended　him　some　days　beforeobserve　the　fine
memory　he　had　for　matters　like　thatand；　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Slade；
drawing；　〃it　is　a　good　twenty…yard　shotI'll　clip　the　third　button　on
his　coat！〃　　Which　he　did。　　The　bystanders　all　admired　it。　　And　they　all
attended　the　funeral；　too。

On　one　occasion　a　man　who　kept　a　little　whisky…shelf　at　the　station　did
something　which　angered　Sladeand　went　and　made　his　will。　　A　day　or　two
afterward　Slade　came　in　and　called　for　some　brandy。　　The　man　reached
under　the　counter　（ostensibly　to　get　a　bottlepossibly　to　get　something
else）；　but　Slade　smiled　upon　him　that　peculiarly　bland　and　satisfied
smile　of　his　which　the　neighbors　had　long　ago　learned　to　recognize　as　a
death…warrant　in　disguise；　and　told　him　to　〃none　of　that！pass　out　the
high…priced　article。〃　　So　the　poor　bar…keeper　had　to　turn　his　back　and
get　the　high…priced　brandy　from　the　shelf；　and　when　he　faced　around　again
he　was　looking　into　the　muzzle　of　Slade's　pistol。　　〃And　the　next
instant；〃　added　my　informant；　impressively；　〃he　was　one　of　the　deadest
men　that　ever　lived。〃

The　stage…drivers　and　conductors　told　us　that　sometimes　Slade　would　leave
a　hated　enemy　wholly　unmolested；　unnoticed　and　unmentioned；　for　weeks
togetherhad　done　it　once　or　twice　at　any　rate。　　And　some　said　they
believed　he　did　it　in　order　to　lull　the　victims　into　unwatchfulness；　so
that　he　could　get　the　advantage　of　them；　and　others　said　they　believed　he
saved　up　an　enemy　that　way；　just　as　a　schoolboy　saves　up　a　cake；　and　made
the　pleasure　go　as　far　as　it　would　by　gloating　over　the　anticipation。
One　of　these　cases　was　that　of　a　Frenchman　who　had　offended　Slade。
To　the　surprise　of　everybody　Slade　did　not　kill　him　on　the　spot；　but　let
him　alone　for　a　considerable　time。　　Finally；　however；　he　went　to　the
Frenchman's　house　very　late　one　night；　knocked；　and　when　his　enemy　opened
the　door；　shot　him　deadpushed　the　corpse　inside　the　door　with　his　foot；
set　the　house　on　fire　and　burned　up　the　dead　man；　his　widow　and　three
children！　　I　heard　this　story　from　several　different　people；　and　they
evidently　believed　what　they　were　saying。　　It　may　be　true；　and　it　may
not。　　〃Give　a　dog　a　bad　name；〃　etc。

Slade　was　captured；　once；　by　a　party　of　men　who　intended　to　lynch　him。
They　disarmed　him；　and　shut　him　up　in　a　strong　log…house；　and　placed　a
guard　over　him。　　He　prevailed　on　his　captors　to　send　for　his　wife；　so
that　he　might　have　a　last　interview　with　her。　　She　was　a　brave；　loving；
spirited　woman。　　She　jumped　on　a　horse　and　rode　for　life　and　death。
When　she　arrived　they　let　her　in　without　searching　her；　and　before　the
door　could　be　closed　she　whipped　out　a　couple　of　revolvers；　and　she　and
her　lord　marched　forth　defying　the　party。　　And　then；　under　a　brisk　fire；
they　mounted　double　and　galloped　away　unharmed！

In　the　fulness　of　time　Slade's　myrmidons　captured　his　ancient　enemy
Jules；　whom　they　found　in　a　well…chosen　hiding…place　in　the　remote
fastnesses　of　the　mountains；　gaining　a　precarious　livelihood　with　his
rifle。　　They　brought　him　to　Rocky　Ridge；　bound　hand　and　foot；　and
deposited　him　in　the　middle　of　the　cattle…yard　with　his　back　against　a
post。　　It　is　said　that　the　pleasure　that　lit　Slade's　face　when　he　heard
of　it　was　something　fearful　to　contemplate。　　He　examined　his　enemy　to　see
that　he　was　securely　tied；　and　then　went　to　bed；　content　to　wait　till
morning　before　enjoying　the　luxury　of　killing　him。　　Jules　spent　the　night
in　the　cattle…yard；　and　it　is　a　region　where　warm　nights　are　never　known。
In　the　morning　Slade　practised　on　him　with　his　revolver；　nipping　the
flesh　here　and　there；　and　occasionally　clipping　off　a　finger；　while　Jules
begged　him　to　kill　him　outright　and　put　him　out　of　his　misery。　　Finally
Slade　reloaded；　and　walking　up　close　to　his　victim；　made　some
characteristic　remarks　and　then　dispatched　him。　　The　body　lay　there　half
a　day；　nobody　venturing　to　touch　it　without　orders；　and　then　Slade
detailed　a　party　and　assisted　at　the　burial　himself。　　But　he　first　cut
off　the　dead　man's　ears　and　put　them　in　his　vest　pocket；　where　he　carried
them　for　some　time　with　great　satisfaction。　　That　is　the　story　as　I　have
frequently　heard　it　told　and　seen　it　in　print　in　California　newspapers。
It　is　doubtless　correct　in　all　essential　particulars。

In　due　time　we　rattled　up　to　a　stage…station；　and　sat　down　to　breakfast
with　a　half…savage；　half…civilized　company　of　armed　and　bearded
mountaineers；　ranchmen　and　station　employees。　　The　most　gentlemanly…
appearing；　quiet　and　affable　officer　we　had　yet　found　along　the　road　in
the　Overland　Company's　service　was　the　person　who　sat　at　the　head　of　the
table；　at　my　elbow。　　Never　youth　stared　and　shivered　as　I　did　when　I
heard　them　call　him　SLADE！

Here　was　romance；　and　I　sitting　face　to　face　with　it！looking　upon　it
touching　ithobnobbing　with　it；　as　it　were！　　Here；　right　by　my　side；　was
the　actual　ogre　who；　in　fights　and　brawls　and　various　ways；　had　taken　the
lives　of　twenty…six　human　beings；　or　all　men　lied　about　him！　　I　suppose　I
was　the　proudest　stripling　that　ever　traveled　to　see　strange　lands　and
wonderful　people。

He　was　so　friendly　and　so　gentle…spoken　that　I　warmed　to　him　in　spite　of
his　awful　history。　　It　was　hardly　possible　to　realize　that　this　pleasant
person　was　the　pitiless　scourge　of　the　outlaws；　the　raw…head…and…bloody…
bones　the　nursing　mothers　of　the　mountains　terrified　their　children　with。
And　to　this　day　I　can　remember　nothing　remarkable　about　Slade　except　that
his　face　was　rather　broad　across　the　cheek　bones；　and　that　the　cheek
bones　were　low　and　the　lips　peculiarly　thin　and　straight。　　But　that　was
enough　to　leave　something　of　an　effect　upon　me；　for　since　then　I　seldom
see　a　face　possessing　those　characteristics　with