lla.thelonelymen-第27节

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　〃Other　man。　White　man。〃
　〃A　white　man　wants　me　dead？　What　makes　you　think　so？〃
　〃He　have　my　squaw。　He　say；　you　dead　he　give　her　to　me。　I　bring　your　body；　he　gives　squaw。〃
　〃So　why　haven't　you　done　it？〃　Kahtenny　looked　puzzled。　〃Why　he　want　you　dead？　I　think　somehow　it　is　a　trick。〃
　〃How'd　you　get　the　news？　Did　Toclani　bring　it？〃　He　showed　no　surprise　that　I　knew　Toclani。　〃Yes　。。。　he　bring　it。　My　squaw　。。。　she　talk　to　sister　at　San　Carlo。　She　go　quickly　in　the　night；　but　when　she　leave　these　men　take　her。〃
　〃Did　they　hurt　her？〃
　〃No。　Toclani　say　no。〃　He　looked　at　me。　〃Me　fight　Toclani；　but　Toclani　good　man。　My　squaw　good　woman。　Toclani　puts　Apaches　to　watch　out　for　my　squaw。〃
　〃Who　are　these　white　men？〃　〃Their　name　is　Hadden。　There　are　several。　Toclani　sees　them。　Why　they　want　you　dead？〃
　〃I　shot　them　up。　Rocca　。。。　you　know　Tampico　Rocca？　They　called　him　greaser　and　were　going　to　kill　him。　We　fought　Rocca　and　me；　we　kill　one　。。。　maybe　two　of　them。
　He　still　was　not　satisfied。　〃Toclani　says　you　good　man。　Great　warrior。〃
　There　wasn't　much　I　could　say　to　that；　so　I　kept　my　mouth　shut　and　waited；　but　my　mind　was　working　as　fast　as　I　could　make　it。　I　lay　no　claims　to　being　a　thinker　or　a　planner。　I'm　just　a　mountain　boy　who　grew　up　to　be　a　free　drifting　man；　but　it　didn't　take　much　figuring　to　see　I　had　a　way　out　of　this　if　I　could　e　up　with　the　right　ideas。　Trouble　was；　I　had　to　play　my　cards　almighty　careful；　because　I　surely　didn't　have　any　hole　card。　One　thing　working　for　me　was　that　Kahtenny　was　suspicious；　and　feared　a　trap。
　To　kill　me　of　his　own　idea　would　be　simple　enough；　and　likely　that's　what　he　would　have　done；　after　some　torture　to　see　what　kind　of　a　man　I　was。　But　now　somebody　else　wanted　me　dead；　and　he　was　puzzled。
　From　what　I　gathered；　Kahtenny's　squaw　had　slipped　back　into　the　reservation　to　see　her　sister　and　that　was　when　the　Hadden　boys　caught　her　。。。　waiting　until　she　started　to　leave。
　It　was　nothing　unusual　for　a　wild　Apache　to　return　to　the　reservation；　stay　a　while；　and　then　leave。　The　Army　was　always　trying　to　get　them　to　return；　and　often　the　squaws　would　e　back　first　to　look　over　the　situation。
　Now　they　had　Kahtenny's　squaw　and　he　wanted　her　back；　but　he　was　like　a　wild　thing　that　sniffs　trouble　at　every　change；　and　there　was　a　lot　about　this　offer　that　he　did　not　like。
　He　sat　smoking　and　waiting；　and　finally　I　said；　〃I　think　you　can　not　trust　them。〃
　He　looked　at　me。　〃They　will　kill　her？〃
　〃They　are　bad　men。　They　would　have　killed　Rocca　for　nothing。　I　think　if　you　take　my　body　to　them　they　will　kill　her　and　you　also　。。。　if　they　can。〃
　He　waited　a　while；　and　I　poked　sticks　into　the　fire。　Then　I　said；　〃Give　me　my　guns。　I　will　get　your　squaw　for　you。〃
　For　a　long　time　he　said　nothing；　then　abruptly　he　got　up　and　went　to　the　other　fire；　where　he　remained；　occasionally　in　low…voiced　conversation。　After　a　while　he　came　back　and　sat　down　on　the　sand。　〃You　can　get　my　squaw？〃
　〃Kahtenny　is　a　warrior。　He　knows　the　ways　of　war。　Much　can　happen；　but　this　I　promise。　I　shall　get　her　safely　if　it　can　be　done。〃
　After　a　pause；　I　added；　more　quietly；　〃The　Haddens　are　not　Apaches。　They　are　fierce　men；　but　they　are　not　Apaches。　I　can　get　your　squaw。〃
　〃She　is　a　good　woman。　She　has　been　with　me　for　many　moons。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where　they　are？〃
　〃We　take　you　there。　It　is　near　the　border。〃　Nobody　needed　to　warn　me　that　my　troubles　were　only　beginning。　Kahtenny　might　use　me　to　get　his　squaw　back；　and　then　shoot　me　down　in　my　tracks。　It　wasn't　that　an　Apache　wasn't　grateful；　he　just　had　different　ideas　than　we　folks　had。　If　you　were　not　of　the　tribe　you　were　a　potential　enemy；　and　killing　you　was　in　the　cards。
　There　had　been　no　sign　of　Spanish　or　of　John　J。　Nor　in　the　little　I　could　overhear　was　there　mention　of　them。　It　seemed　likely　that　they　had　gotten　clean　off。　Well；　luck　to　them。
　At　daybreak　they　led　my　black　horse　to　me　and　I　saddled　up；　taking　my　time；　but　when　I　started　for　my　guns；　they　stopped　me　and　Toclani　took　my　Winchester　and　hung　my　gun　belt　over　his　shoulder。　They　let　me　fill　a　canteen；　and　then　we　started　out。
　All　the　time　we　were　riding　I　kept　thinking　about　Neiss；　who　was　one　of　five　men　on　a　stage　near　Stein's　Peak　when　it　was　hit　by　Cochise　and　his　band。　The　driver　and　a　man　named　Elder　were　killed　right　off；　the　stage　capsized；　and　the　men　were　preparing　for　a　fight　when　Neiss　talked　them　out　of　it。　Cochise；　he　said；　was　an　old　friend；　just　let　Neiss　talk　to　Cochise　and　all　would　be　well；　so　they　tried　it。　Cochise　roped　Neiss　and　dragged　him　up　the　canyon　over　the　rocks；　cactus；　and　brush；　while　two　other　warriors　did　the　same　for　the　others。　Then　they　were　tortured　to　death。　That　happened　in　April　of　1861。
　Thinking　of　this；　I　was　placing　no　great　faith　in　my　chances　with　them；　and　although　they　watched　me　like　hawks；　I　kept　a　wary　eye　out　for　any　chance　of　escape。　There　wasn't　any。
　My　black　horse　was　gaunt　and　worn　by　hard　travel。　To　break　and　run；　even　if　the　chance　came；　would　get　me　nowhere。　I　had　no　weapon　and　there　was　no　place　I　had　to　go　。。。　no　place　I　could　reach　in　time。
　The　sun　glared　down　on　us　as　we　walked　our　horses　across　the　parched；　rocky　hills；　weaving　amongst　the　cactus　and　the　greasewood。　It　was　rolling　land；　broken　by　short　sawtooth　ranges　of　dull　red　or　brown　rock；　and　occasional　flows　of　lava　marked　by　the　white　streaks　of　dry　washes。　Indians　rode　on　all　four　sides　of　me；　always　alert；　always　ready。
　Nobody　talked。
　Each　step　my　horse　took　seemed　to　be　carrying　me　closer　to　death　。。。　escape　would　be　too　much　luck。
　I　could　expect　no　help　from　the　Haddens。　I　had　no　idea　how　I　was　going　to　get　the　squaw　away　from　them；　and　I　felt　sure　they　had　no　intention　of　letting　her　go　free。　Even　among　good　men　the　depredations　carried　on　by　the　Apaches　had　created　the　desire　to　exterminate　them；　one　and　all　。。。　and　the　Haddens　were　not　good　men。
　Me；　I　always　had　great　respect　for　the　Apache。　He　had　learned　to　live　off　a　mighty　bleak　and　hard　country；　and　he　had　none　of　the　white　man's　ways　of　thinking；　and　you　had　to　reach　out　to　try　to　understand　how　he　felt　and　what　he　wanted　to　do。
　After　a　while　we　began　to　see　more　cholla；　great　stretches　of　it；　all　pale　yellow　under　the　bright　sun；　with　the　dark　browns　and　blacks　of　the　old　branches　down　below。　Jumping　cactus；　we　called　it；　because　if　a　body　passed　too　close　if　seemed　to　jump　out　to　stick　you。　The　Apaches　thinned　out　to　single　file　as　we　went　through　it。
　All　of　a　sudden　we　drew　up。　Kahtenny　turned　and　pointed　out　a　low　mountain　ahead　of　us；　off　to　the　east。　〃It　is　there　they　are；〃　he　said；　〃at　Dead　Man's　Tank。　They　are　six　men；　and　my　squaw；　and　they　want　you。〃
　They　wanted　me　dead。
　Though　Kahtenny　would　have　killed　me　without　waiting　if　he　figured　that　would　be　enough；　he　was　no　more　trusting　of　the　Haddens　than　I　was。　They　would　get　my　body；　but　that　didn't　mean　he　would　get　his　squaw。
　〃You're　going　to　have　to　give　me　my　guns；〃　I　said。　〃If　I　ride　in　there　without　them；　they'll　kill　the　both　of　us　if　they　can。　I　figure　to　handle　the　Haddens。　Without　them；　the　others　aren't　likely　to　cut　up　no　fuss。〃
　The　funny　thing　about　it　was；　all　day　my　mind　had　been　miles　from　that　hot　desert　and　back　in　the　hill　country　of　the　Cumberland。　They　say　a　man's　whole　life　passes　before　him　when　he's　about　to　die。　I　can't　say　that　mine　did　。。。　only　those　times　back　in　the　mountains；　so　long　ago。
　All　day　my　mind　kept　going　back　to　turnip　greens；　and　to　wild…hog　hunting　in　the　hills　on　those　foggy　mornings　when　the　forest　dripped　and　a　body　prowled　through　it　like　a　red　Indian；　scouting　for　wild　hogs　to　give　us　bacon　to　cook　with　turnip　greens　in　an　iron　pot。　Me　and　Orrin　used　to　go　out；　or　sometimes　Tyrel；　though　he　was　younger。　Never　knew　Tyrel　to　miss；　though　on　occasion　I　did。
　I'd　never　seen　that　country　since。　Never　seen　it　。。。　but　I　hankered　for　it。　Many　a　time　on　the　desert　I　looked　up　to　the　stars　and　wished　I　was　back　there；　seein'　the　kitchen　door　open　with　its　light　shining　out　and　me　ing　up　from　the　milking　with　my　pails　full　to　overflow。
　You　wouldn't　hardly　think　my　mind　would　be　on　that　now；　with　the　trouble　I　was　in　right　this　minute；　but　that's　the　way　it　was　。。。　as　if　I　had　to　give　my　mind　some　ease　with　good　rememberin'。　So　all　the　time；　as　we　rode　along；　my　thoughts　kept　going　back　to　that　green　and　lovely　country。
　I　thought　of　the　time　I　floated　down　the　Big　South　Fork　on　a　flat…boat　to　New　Orleans；　taking　what　we　had　to　trade　…　corn；　sorghum　molasses；　and　maybe　some　tobacco。　We　Sacketts　never　had　much　to　trade　except　muscle；　because　our　poor　ridge…land　didn't　raise　more　than　enough　to　feed　us；　even　if　we　hunted　the　forest　too。　But　folks　liked　to　have　a　Sackett　along　going　downriver　through　some　country　where　unruly　folks　were　liable　to　be。　My　thoughts　came　back　to　where　I　was；　and　I　saw　that　Kahtenny　was　pointing　out　the　land。　〃You　go；〃　he　said；　〃you　go　get　my　squaw。〃
　He　handed　me　my　gun　belt　and　Winchester；　and　I　checked　them　for　loads。　My　mouth　felt　as　dry　as　one　of　those　empty　creek　beds。
　〃You　keep　an　eye　out；〃　I　said。　〃Maybe　I　won't　be　in'　back　with　her。〃
　We　sat　there　a　moment；　and　then　I　held　out　a　hand。　〃Loan　me　a　spare；〃　I　sai