lla.theburninghills-第11节

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s　did　not　like　sheep　but　out　of　sight　might　also　be　out　of　mind。　The　Chaveros　could　build　another　house　but　the　sheep　were　all　they　had。
　〃Take　the　others　with　you；〃　she　said。
　〃And　you？〃
　〃It　is　I　they　will　want。　If　I　am　not　here　they　will　follow。〃
　〃You　are　my　sister。　I　will　stay。〃
　〃Go　。。。　I　can　handle　them。〃
　Vicente　hesitated。　The　others　would　need　him。　Juanito　was　too　young　and　without　Maria　Cristina　or　himself　his　mother　would　be　helpless。　And　his　wife；　Rosa　。。。　she　was　a　fine　girl　but　she　did　not　plan。
　Maria　Cristina　had　handled　men　before。　This　time　she　might　succeed　where　his　presence　might　precipitate　violence。
　The　sun　was　not　yet　up　when　she　saw　them　go。　Juanito　started　ahead　with　the　sheep；　then　her　mother　and　Rosa　with　the　burros；　loaded　with　some　useful；　some　foolish　things。　Vicente　held　his　rifle　in　the　hollow　of　his　arm　and　this　morning　for　the　first　time　he　had　tied　down　his　holster。　He　stood　very　straight　this　morning　and　his　eyes　were　proud。　Yet　he　was　quiet　at　the　end。　〃When　you　can　。。。　e。〃
　〃I　will；　Vicente。〃
　Dry…eyed；　they　stared　at　each　other；　this　brother　whom　she　had　despised　and　loved；　now　no　longer　to　be　despised。　There　had　never　been　emotion　between　them；　there　could　be　none　now。
　〃Vicente　。。。　go　with　God。〃
　He　turned　his　back　abruptly　and　caught　the　pommel。　An　instant　he　remained　so；　his　back　full　upon　her；　then　he　swung　to　the　saddle；　an　easy　grace　in　his　movements　she　had　not　noticed　before。
　He　turned　when　seated。　〃You　。。。　do　you　e　to　us　or　go　to　him？〃
　〃He　is　gone。〃　Within　her　the　words　created　a　strange　emptiness　where　none　had　been　before。　〃He　is　gone。〃
　〃He　will　e　back。　Is　he　a　fool　to　ride　away　from　such　a　woman？〃
　She　watched　him　ride　away：　his　vest　was　patched；　his　boots　were　shabby　and　old；　yet　he　was　a　man；　this　one。　Her　father　would　have　been　proud。
　She　stood　very　still　in　the　empty　yard；　watching　them　out　of　sight　At　last；　as　he　crossed　the　ridge；　Vicente　lifted　a　hand。　Then　the　shaggy　pony　went　over　the　hill　and　out　of　sight
　Inside；　the　house　looked　empty　and　forlorn。　She　took　the　broom　and　began　to　sweep。　Not　to　think　。。。　that　was　the　thing　now。　There　was　nothing　to　think　about　There　was　only　to　wait。
　What　had　she　done？　Ruined　their　lives　for　a　strange　gringo？　A　man　who　meant　nothing　to　her　and　whom　she　had　scarcely　seen？　She　remembered　the　hard　strength　of　his　arms；　his　sudden　strange　gentleness　。。。　she　was　a　fool。
　He　was　a　drifting　man；　a　man　from　the　malpais；　a　gun　fighter。　And　what　had　he　told　her？　That　she　should　join　him　or　he　would　e　back。　But　to　join　him　would　be　to　lead　them　to　his　hiding　place　and　how　could　he　e　to　her　when　it　would　mean　his　death？　No　matter。　What　she　had　done　she　had　done。　It　was　enough。
　She　was　washing　dishes　left　from　breakfast　when　she　heard　them　ing。　She　went　to　meet　them；　drying　her　hands　on　her　apron。
　There　were　nine　of　them；　sour　and　dirty　with　sleeping　in　their　clothes；　wearied　from　long　hours　in　the　saddle。　Mort　Bayless　was　there　。。。　she　had　heard　stories　about　him　。。。　Joe　Sutton；　Jack　Button　。。。　no　friendly　face　among　them。
　Jack　Sutton's　face　was　ragged　from　lack　of　sleep。　He　looked　drawn　and　mean。　Beside　him　Ben　Hindeman　…　as　always　…stolid；　indomitable。　A　man　who　might　have　been　cast　from　iron；　before　whom　other　men　must　bend　or　break。
　〃Where'd　he　go？〃　Hindeman　asked　the　question；　taking　out　the　makings　to　build　a　cigarette。
　〃I　don'　know。〃
　She　made　no　attempt　to　evade　the　issue。　If　she　could　not　defeat　them　she　could　at　least　face　them　with　pride。
　〃He　in'　back？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃Back？。。。　Why　he　e　back？〃
　Joe　Sutton　spoke　into　the　momentary　silence。　〃The　sheep're　gone；　Ben。　I　think　they've　pulled　out。〃
　Ben　Hindeman　put　the　cigarette　between　his　chapped　lips。　By　God；　this　was　a　woman！　The　way　she　stood　there　。。。　no　fear　in　her。
　He　considered　it；　taking　his　time。　Ben　Hindeman　was　a　careful　man　and；　outside　his　own　family；　a　ruthless　and　cold…blooded　man　who　lived　for　the　brand。　Old　Bob　Sutton　had　been　the　boss　but　now　the　mantle　had　fallen　to　Ben's　shoulders　as　Old　Bob　had　always　expected。
　Jack　Sutton　did　not　like　that　but　there　was　little　he　could　do。　Among　the　sixty　cowhands　who　rode　for　SB；　not　more　than　eight　or　nine　would　follow　him；　and　none　would　risk　a　showdown　with　Hindeman。　Direct；　relentless　and　powerful；　Hindeman　wasted　no　effort。　He　destroyed　what　got　in　his　way；　smashing　it　down　without　malice　or　cruelty；　simply　because　it　was　in　the　way。
　There　was　something　here　that　bothered　Ben。　There　was　in　this　Mexican　girl　something　fierce；　something　tigerish　and　dangerous。　She　was　not　like　his　wife；　who　had　the　strength　to　yield　and　to　endure；　but　this　was　a　woman　with　an　aggressive　strength；　she　had　a　brain。　That　was　something　Jack　would　never　understand。
　It　was　because　of　this　quality　that　Hindeman；　who　believed　in　no　wasted　effort；　had　left　the　Chaveros　alone。　They　were　better　off　in　the　canyons　making　their　small　living　harmlessly　from　their　sheep　than　hiding　in　the　hills　and　living　off　SB　stock。
　What　Jack　did　not　realize　was　that　this　girl　would　fight　and　mat　not　too　many　miles　south　there　were　Mexicans　she　could　enlist　to　help　her。　And　the　best　SB　range　lay　on　the　south　side　of　the　border。　It　lay　within　the　power　of　this　girl　to　wreck　the　SB　if　she　were　hurt　or　angry　and　if　she　realized　that　she　could。　At　the　same　time　Hindeman　knew　the　danger　that　could　e　from　successful　defiance　of　SB　by　Trace　Jordan。　Jordan　must　be　found。　He　must　be　killed。
　〃Why　did　you　stay？〃　he　asked　finally。
　〃Why　should　I　go？　This　is　my　home。〃　There　was　a　fine　insolence　in　her　tone　when　she　looked　boldly　at　him　and　asked；　〃Do　you　fight　women　now？〃
　Mort　Bayless'　dry　voice　cut　across　the　stillness。　〃Give　me　ten　minutes　with　a　quirt　and　spur。　She'll　talk。〃
　Ben　Hindeman　looked　at　the　tip　of　his　cigarette；　impatient　with　such　talk。　Mort　was　always　bloody　with　women。　Beat　his　own　wife　until　she　ran　off　and　never　came　back。　Mort　had　followed　her　。。。　maybe　that　was　why　she　hadn't　e　back。　But　any　fool　should　know　this　woman　would　not　talk　unless　she　chose。
　〃Ben？〃　It　was　Jacob　Lantz。　The　old　tracker　had　squatted　beside　the　house。　〃He'll　e　back；　Ben。〃
　Hindeman　caught　the　look　of　something　like　fear　that　came　to　her　face　suddenly　and　was　gone。　Ben　Hindeman　was　smart　in　his　way。　He　was　a　one…woman　man　and　that　woman　was　his　wife；　on　their　ranch　near　Tokewanna；　but　he　knew　a　woman　when　he　saw　one。　I'd　e　back；　he　told　himself；　by　the　Lord　Harry；　I'd　e　back。　〃That's　it；〃　Ben　said。　〃We'll　wait。〃
　Mort's　face　twisted　with　anger。　〃What？〃　He　shoved　his　horse　forward；　almost　knocking　over　Jacob　Lantz。　〃I'll　not　wait！　By　the　…　！〃
　〃Mort。〃
　The　chill　voice　arrested　his　movement；　brought　sanity　to　replace　his　sudden　fury。　Hindeman's　shotgun　was　across　his　saddlebows　and　the　twin　muzzles　had　him　in　their　eyes。　〃I'll　give　the　orders　here。〃
　Mort　hesitated；　feeling　something　cold　and　ugly　within　him。　Yet　there　was　no　room　for　argument　with　Ben　Hindeman；　The　shotgun　was　no　casual　threat。　〃You　wait；　then；〃　he　said　finally。　〃I'm　going　into　town。〃
　Maria　Cristina　walked　into　the　house　and　sat　down；　her　legs　too　weak　to　stand。　Yet　she　had　seen　other　things。　There　was　a　man　with　a　bandaged　face；　like　he　had　been　shot　through　the　cheeks。　And　Dave　Godfrey　was　no　longer　with　them。　Trace　Jordan　was　piling　up　a　score。
　Joe　Sutton　brought　food　into　the　house；　piling　it　on　the　table。　He　faced　her；　hat　in　hand。　〃Will　you　cook？　None　of　us　are　much　at　finding　grub。〃
　His　manner　was　diffident；　yet　she　was　about　to　say　no　when　she　realized　that　well…fed　men　might　relax　and　grow　sleepy。　〃I'll　cook；〃　she　said。
　It　was　something　to　do　and　it　would　keep　her　from　thinking。　They　believed　Trace　Jordan　would　e　back　…　but　would　he？　Because　of　her？
　Six　of　them　stayed；　the　others　riding　away　after　fresh　horses。　Hindeman；　Jack　and　Joe　Sutton；　Lantz；　Buck　Bayless；　and　a　dour…faced　man　she　knew　as　Wes　Parker　stayed。　Godfrey；　she　heard　later；　had　been　knocked　over　a　cliff　by　falling　rocks。　He　was　dead。
　She　did　not　want　Jordan　to　e　back；　yet　she　remembered　the　feel　of　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　the　strange　weakness　that　came　over　her　when　he　touched　her　body。　It　was　a　feeling　she　had　not　known　before　and　it　frightened　her。
　She　did　not　want　to　give　so　much　to　any　man。　To　love　was　to　give　。。。　to　put　herself　in　the　hands　of　a　man　and　to　one　strange　to　her　and　to　her　ways。　She　would　think　no　more　of　him。　He　was　gone。
　It　had　been　enough　and　more　than　enough　that　other　time。　She　had　not　been　in　love　but　was　desperate　for　some　wider　life　than　that　in　their　little　corner　of　desert　and　mountains。　With　her　father　gone　she　was　one　more　mouth　to　feed；　so　she　had　married　Bud　Hayes。　She　had　never　loved　him　but　he　had　loved　her　and　he　had　been　a　good　man　until　he　began　to　drink。　But　he　was　a　weak　man。
　This　man　was　different。　There　was　something　in　him　that　made　her　believe　even　when　she　told　herself　she　was　a　fool　to　listen。　Men　were　liars。　All　of　them。
　She　remembered　how　she　had　first　seen　him；　lying　across　his　half…opened　blanket　roll；　his　face　ghastly；　blood　seeping　from　the　broken　wound　in　his　side。　He　had　seemed　dead　。。。　and　then　she　saw　him　breathe。
　He　was　gone　now。　He　had　gotten　away。　He　would　not