lla.theburninghills-第12节

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d　seemed　dead　。。。　and　then　she　saw　him　breathe。
　He　was　gone　now。　He　had　gotten　away。　He　would　not　e　back。　And　if　he　did　these　men　were　waiting　to　kill　him。
　Buck　Bayless　pushed　back　from　the　table　and　looked　at　Maria　Cristina　with　grudging　admiration。　〃You　can　cook；　Mex。　I'll　give　you　that。〃
　She　flashed　him　a　sullen　look　and　turned　away。　Behind　her　Joe　Sutton　got　to　his　feet；　saying　a　little　self…consciously；　〃Thanks；　Ma'am。〃
　Wes　Parker　glanced　at　him　scornfully　but　Hindeman　added　his　thanks　and　Joe　felt　better。　Only　Jack　Sutton　loitered　at　the　table。　The　food　had　been　good　but　Jack　loitered　because　he　could　not　convince　himself　that　any　mere　Mexican　girl　could　be　cold　to　him。　He　stalled　over　his　coffee；　wanting　to　be　alone　with　her。
　Ben　Hindeman　came　to　the　door　after　several　minutes　and　said；　with　heavy　sarcasm；　〃If　you're　going　to　stay　in　there；　Jack；　get　away　from　the　window。　If　Jordan　sees　you　he'll　never　e　in。〃
　Irritably；　Sutton　moved。
　Maria　Cristina　was　thinking　that　tonight　Jordan　would　not　e　back。　Tonight　he　would　wait　for　her。　Tomorrow？　He　would　wait　tomorrow　too。　After　that　she　must　get　away。
　She　came　to　herself　with　a　start。　She　believed　him！　She　was　no　foolish　girl　to　listen　to　the　talk　of　any　cowpuncher。　Yet　it　could　not　be　that　she　was　in　love　with　this　man。　She　could　never　truly　love　a　gringo。　Yet　he　had　moved　her　as　no　man　had　and　his　hands　upon　her　。。。　she　hurriedly　dismissed　the　thought　and　returned　to　cleaning　up。
　Behind　her；　Jack　Sutton　sat　with　his　hands　shoved　down　behind　his　belt　He　watched　her　move　about　the　room；　the　flattening　of　her　dress　against　her　thighs；　the　way　she　moved　her　shoulders。
　〃You；〃　he　said；　〃in'　it　high　an'　mighty；　an'　up　there　with　him！〃
　She　turned　her　back　to　the　sideboard；　her　eyes　taunting　him。　〃You　don't　like　that；　do　you？　You　think　you　big　man！　You　think　I　should　like　you！　Bah！　You　nothing！　You　animal！　What　woman　want　you？　All　you　know　is　steal　an'　…　〃
　He　came　off　his　chair　with　a　lunge　and　slapped　her　across　the　mouth。　The　sound　was　like　a　pistol　shot。　Then　he　swung　with　the　other　palm　and　she　grabbed　behind　her　for　a　kitchen　knife。
　Before　she　could　use　it；　Ben　Hindeman　sprang　iuto　the　door。　〃Stop　it！〃　he　roared。　〃Damn　you；　Jack！　Leave　that　girl　alone！〃
　Sutton　stopped；　his　face　white　with　fury。　He　turned　on　Hindeman；　his　fingers　spread；　his　face　hungry　with　the　lust　to　kill。　〃Don't　talk　to　me　like　that　Ben！　Some　day　I'll　kill　you！〃
　〃All　right。〃　Ben　Hindeman　rolled　his　tobacco　in　his　jaws。　〃You　call　it；　Jack。　Just　any　time。〃　He　jerked　his　thumb　toward　the　door。　〃Right　now　you　get　out　an'　leave　her　alone。　We　ain't　got　time　to　let　you　mess　things　up　by　grabbing　at　her　skirt。　We're　huntin　Trace。〃
　Jack　Sutton　waited　while　a　man　might　have　counted　a　slow　twenty；　then　he　walked　by　Hindeman　and　out　the　door。　Something　about　Ben　was　too　much　for　him。　He　had　looked　Jack　right　in　the　eye　and　never　missed　chewing　his　tobacco。　He　looked　just　the　same　when　he　watched　a　branding　or　bought　a　barrel　of　flour。
　〃Forget　it；　Ben。　Only　she　gets　under　my　skin。〃
　Hindeman　looked　at　the　knife　Maria　Cristina　gripped。　〃Yeah；〃　he　said　dryly；　〃I　can　see　where　she　might。〃
　Hindeman　left　and　Sutton　turned　in　the　door。　〃No　matter　what　happens　to　Jordan；　you're　still　here。　After　we're　through　with　him　nobody　will　care　what　happens　to　you。　And　when　I　get　through　with　you　there　won't　be　anything　left　for　anybody。〃
　Maria　Cristina　put　down　the　knife。　〃I'll　kill　you；〃　she　said；　utterly　calm。　〃I'll　kill　you　first。〃
　The　day　drew　on　。。。　the　waiting　men　watched　the　hills　through　the　heat　waves；　watched　a　soaring　buzzard。　There　was　no　other　sound；　no　movement。　Heat　gathered　in　the　canyon；　sultry　and　thick。　Jack　Sutton　swore　bitterly　and　mopped　his　neck。
　Buck　Bayless　sat　in　the　shade　near　the　lean…to　barn　and　tossed　pebbles　at　a　panting　lizard　whose　sides　worked　desperately　at　the　hot；　heavy　air。　〃It'll　rain；〃　Lantz　said。　〃This'll　bring　rain。〃　They　stayed　in　the　shade　and　out　of　sight。　There　was　no　telling　when　Jordan　might　decide　to　return。　Buck　Bayless　thought　of　what　Lantz　had　said；　that　when　Jordan　came　back　they　could　have　him。　Bayless　was　remembering　what　had　happened　when　they　caught　up　with　Jordan　the　first　time。
　There　was　something　about　Trace　Jordan　that　was　not　good　to　contemplate。　He　was　a　tough　savage　fighting　man　who　would　fight　like　a　cornered　wolf。
　Joe　Sutton　moved　over　beside　him。　〃They　had　no　business；〃　he　whispered　to　Bayless；　〃pullin'　that　stunt。　Just　like　Jack　an'　Mort。〃
　Buck　Bayless　had　been　thinking　the　same　thing　but　he　wasn't　going　to　say　it。　Let　Ben　handle　Jack。　He　wanted　no　part　of　him。　But　he　was　sure　now　that　bunch　of　horses　had　been　stolen；　like　Jordan　claimed。　〃They　sure　tackled　the　wrong　man；〃　he　said。
　Bayless　did　not　like　this　riding　over　the　hot　bitter　hills；　over　these　rocks　shaped　like　flame。　A　cloud　left　a　momentary　shadow。　It　might　rain；　at　that。　It　was　overdue。　〃I'd　like　a　beer；〃　he　said　irritably。　〃I'm　gettin'　fed　up。〃
　Jack　Sutton　said　nothing。　He　overheard　the　last　remark　and　the　sooner　they　all　felt　that　way；　the　better。　He　wanted　to　be　alone　with　that　Mexican　girl。　He　would　show　her　then。　He　would　show　her　plenty。
　Lantz　sat　quietly　in　the　deepest　part　of　the　shade。　He　always　knew　where　shade　would　be　deepest　and　last　longest。　He　watched　Jack　Sutton　from　time　to　time；　knowing　what　was　in　his　mind。
　Supper　was　a　good　meal　again。　Hindeman　pushed　back　from　the　table　but　did　not　get　up。　Jack　tried　to　wait　him　out；　then　gave　up。　Nobody　could　outwait　Ben。　He　sat　there　stolid　and　immovable　as　a　mountain。　Exasperated；　Jack　gave　up。
　Ben　rolled　a　smoke　and　lit　up。　He　was　no　hand　with　women　and　never　had　been。　He　did　not　even　understand　his　wife；　with　whom　he　had　lived　happily　for　some　years。　Yet　some　women　would　sell　a　man　out。　Some　could　be　frightened。　Some　reached　through　their　families。　Yet　how　to　reach　this　one？
　He　doubted　it　could　be　done　but　he　was　going　to　try。　Ben　Hindeman　was　a　man　of　single　purpose。　He　had　one　idea　at　a　time　and　he　never　stopped　until　he　had　gone　through；　all　the　way。　It　was　one　of　the　things　that　held　Jack　Sutton　from　making　a　break。　Ben　wouldn't　scare　and　he　would　be　hard　to　kill。
　〃You　love　this　man　Jordan？〃　He　asked　it　suddenly。
　〃Why　you　ask　that？〃
　〃Don't　know；　exactly。　Curious；　maybe。　You　done　a　lot　for　him。〃
　〃What　I　do？　He　is　dying　。。。　I　feex　him　up。　I　do　it　for　you。　I　do　it　for　anyone。〃
　〃You　might；　at　that。　You're　a　lot　of　woman。〃　He　turned　it　over　in　his　mind；　searching　for　something　to　take　hold　of。　〃Don't　like　us　much；　do　you？〃
　〃I　should　like　you？〃　she　shrugged；　lifting　her　brows。　〃My　father　is　keel　by　you。　You　try　to　drive　us　out。　This　is　our　country。〃
　〃We　could　change　that；〃　he　began　slowly。　〃Give　you　more　land。　The　old　man　was　dead　set　against　sheep。　I'm　not。〃　He　looked　up　at　her。　〃I　could　stake　you。　Go　partners　in　a　herd。　You　got　enough　family　to　handle　'em。　We　could　split　fifty…fifty。〃
　He　was　sincere；　she　knew　that。　And　if　Hindeman　was　behind　her；　nobody　else　could　object。　Not　out　loud。
　〃What　your　wife　say？〃　She　was　faintly　amused。　Hindeman　looked　rueful。　〃Might　cause　trouble；〃　he　said；　〃the　womenfolks　don't　like　you　much。〃
　〃For　no　reason。　I　don't　bother　them。　I　am　good　girl。〃
　Ben　Hindeman　looked　up。　〃I　believe　you；〃　he　said　and　was　surprised　not　to　have　thought　of　it　before。　〃Yes；〃　he　was　thinking　of　all　he　had　seen　and　heard；　〃I'm　sure　of　it。　But　you　know　how　women　are。　You　look；〃　he　flushed　a　little；　〃you　look　sort　of　sexy。〃
　〃So？　I　am　woman。〃
　〃Well；　how's　about　the　sheep？　Is　it　a　deal？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Because　of　my　wife？〃　He　hesitated。　〃I　can　handle　that。〃
　〃Because　of　what　you　wish　me　to　tell。〃
　〃Tell　us　where　he　is。　I'll　pull　my　men　out　of　here　and　you　can　have　the　sheep。〃
　〃I　do　not　know　where　he　is。〃
　〃He　say　anything　about　in'　back？〃
　She　hesitated　and　instantly　knew　her　mistake。　Quick　knowledge　came　to　Hindeman's　eyes。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Why；　e　back？〃
　But　she　had　hesitated　too　long。　Hindeman　got　to　his　feet；　feeling　better。　He　would　e　back；　all　right。　He　would　be　worried　about　this　girl。　〃You　send　for　me　when　you　want　to　talk。　We'll　get　him；　anyway。　But　you　tell　me　where　he　is　and　I'll　take　care　of　the　town。　If　I　say　you're　all　right；　they'll　treat　you　nice。〃
　That　was　true。　Hindeman's　was　the　voice　of　authority。　They　might　not　like　it　but　nobody　would　go　against　him。　And　Trace　Jordan　might　try　to　e　back　and　be　killed。　Yet　she　did　not　think　of　Hindeman's　offer；　she　worried　only　that　Jordan　might　e　back　and　ride　into　a　trap。
　She　made　coffee　and　left　it　at　the　edge　of　the　fire　and　then　went　to　the　door　and　told　them　of　it。　Then　she　went　to　her　room　but　she　did　not　undress。　They　would　drink　that　coffee。　They　would　drink　it　to　keep　themselves　awake。　But　suppose　they　drank　it　and　never　wakened？
　There　were　desert　plants　that　held　poison。　Many　of　them　she　had　known　since　she　was　a　child；　Rosa　had　told　her　of　others。　Rosa's　mother　had　been　a　famous　medicine　woman　among　the　Navajo。
　But　she　was　no　murderess。　But　suppose　they　only　slept？　She　did　not　immediately　sleep　but　lay　thinking。　Somewhere　out　there　in　the　desert。　Stillness　。。。　a　pinnacle　of　rock　pointed　a　beckoning　finger　at　the　sky　。。。　a　quail　called　into　the