a first family of tasajara-第2节

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Wingate；　buttoning　up　his　coat　in　slow　dejection；　〃I　reckon　I

oughter　be　travelin'　to　help　the　old　woman　do　the　chores　before

supper。〃　　He　had　just　recognized　the　light　in　his　own　dining…room；

and　knew　by　that　sign　that　his　long…waiting　helpmeet　had　finally

done　the　chores　herself。



〃Some　folks　have　it　mighty　easy；〃　said　Billings；　with　long…drawn

discontent；　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet。　　〃You've　only　a　step　to

go；　and　yer's　me　and　Peters　there〃indicating　the　biscuit…nibbler；

who　was　beginning　to　show　alarming　signs　of　returning　to　the　barrel

again〃hev　got　to　trapse　five　times　that　distance。〃



〃More'n　half　a　mile；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　said　Peters；　gloomily。

He　paused　in　putting　on　his　overcoat　as　if　thinking　better　of　it；

while　even　the　more　fortunate　and　contiguous　Wingate　languidly

lapsed　against　the　counter　again。



The　moment　was　a　critical　one。　　Billings　was　evidently　also

regretfully　eying　the　chair　he　had　just　quitted。　　Harkutt　resolved

on　a　heroic　effort。



〃Come；　boys；〃　he　said；　with　brisk　conviviality；　〃take　a　parting

drink　with　me　before　you　go。〃　　Producing　a　black　bottle　from　some

obscurity　beneath　the　counter　that　smelt　strongly　of　india…rubber

boots；　he　placed　it　with　four　glasses　before　his　guests。　　Each　made

a　feint　of　holding　his　glass　against　the　opaque　window　while

filling　it；　although　nothing　could　be　seen。　　A　sudden　tumult　of

wind　and　rain　again　shook　the　building；　but　even　after　it　had

passed　the　glass　door　still　rattled　violently。



〃Just　see　what's　loose；　Peters；〃　said　Billings；　〃you're　nearest

it。〃



Peters；　still　holding　the　undrained　glass　in　his　hand；　walked

slowly　towards　it。



〃It's　suthin'or　somebody　outside；〃　he　said；　hesitatingly。



The　three　others　came　eagerly　to　his　side。　　Through　the　glass；

clouded　from　within　by　their　breath；　and　filmed　from　without　by　the

rain；　some　vague　object　was　moving；　and　what　seemed　to　be　a　mop　of

tangled　hair　was　apparently　brushing　against　the　pane。　　The　door

shook　again；　but　less　strongly。　　Billings　pressed　his　face　against

the　glass。　　〃Hol'　on；〃　he　said　in　a　quick　whisper；〃it's　'Lige！〃

But　it　was　too　late。　　Harkutt　had　already　drawn　the　lower　bolt；　and

a　man　stumbled　from　the　outer　obscurity　into　the　darker　room。



The　inmates　drew　away　as　he　leaned　back　for　a　moment　against　the

door　that　closed　behind　him。　　Then　dimly；　but　instinctively；

discerning　the　glass　of　liquor　which　Wingate　still　mechanically

held　in　his　hand；　he　reached　forward　eagerly；　took　it　from

Wingate's　surprised　and　unresisting　fingers；　and　drained　it　at　a

gulp。　　The　four　men　laughed　vaguely；　but　not　as　cheerfully　as　they

might。



〃I　was　just　shutting　up；〃　began　Harkutt；　dubiously。



〃I　won't　keep　you　a　minit；〃　said　the　intruder；　nervously　fumbling

in　the　breast　pocket　of　his　hickory　shirt。　　〃It's　a　matter　of

businessHarkuttI〃　　But　he　was　obliged　to　stop　here　to　wipe

his　face　and　forehead　with　the　ends　of　a　loose　handkerchief　tied

round　his　throat。　　From　the　action；　and　what　could　be　seen　of　his

pale；　exhausted　face；　it　was　evident　that　the　moisture　upon　it　was

beads　of　perspiration；　and　not　the　rain　which　some　abnormal　heat　of

his　body　was　converting　into　vapor　from　his　sodden　garments　as　he

stood　there。



〃I've　got　a　document　here；〃　he　began　again；　producing　a　roll　of

paper　tremblingly　from　his　pocket；　〃that　I'd　like　you　to　glance

over；　and　perhaps　you'd〃　　His　voice；　which　had　been　feverishly

exalted；　here　broke　and　rattled　with　a　cough。



Billings；　Wingate；　and　Peters　fell　apart　and　looked　out　of　the

window。　　〃It's　too　dark　to　read　anything　now；　'Lige；〃　said　Harkutt；

with　evasive　good　humor；　〃and　I　ain't　lightin'　up　to…night。〃



〃But　I　can　tell　you　the　substance　of　it；〃　said　the　man；　with　a

faintness　that　however　had　all　the　distinctness　of　a　whisper；　〃if

you'll　just　step　inside　a　minute。　　It's　a　matter　of　importance　and

a　bargain〃



〃I　reckon　we　must　be　goin'；〃　said　Billings　to　the　others；　with

marked　emphasis。　　〃We're　keepin'　Harkutt　from　shuttin'　up。〃　　〃Good…

night！〃　　〃Good…night！〃　added　Peters　and　Wingate；　ostentatiously

following　Billings　hurriedly　through　the　door。　　〃So　long！〃



The　door　closed　behind　them；　leaving　Harkutt　alone　with　his

importunate　intruder。　　Possibly　his　resentment　at　his　customers'

selfish　abandonment　of　him　at　this　moment　developed　a　vague　spirit

of　opposition　to　them　and　mitigated　his　feeling　towards　'Lige。　　He

groped　his　way　to　the　counter；　struck　a　match；　and　lit　a　candle。

Its　feeble　rays　faintly　illuminated　the　pale；　drawn　face　of　the

applicant；　set　in　a　tangle　of　wet；　unkempt；　party…colored　hair。　　It

was　not　the　face　of　an　ordinary　drunkard；　although　tremulous　and

sensitive　from　some　artificial　excitement；　there　was　no　ENGORGEMENT

or　congestion　in　the　features　or　complexion；　albeit　they　were

morbid　and　unhealthy。　　The　expression　was　of　a　suffering　that　was

as　much　mental　as　physical；　and　yet　in　some　vague　way　appeared

unmeaningand　unheroic。



〃I　want　to　see　you　about　selling　my　place　on　the　creek。　　I　want　you

to　take　it　off　my　hands　for　a　bargain。　　I　want　to　get　quit　of　it；

at　once；　for　just　enough　to　take　me　out　o'　this。　　I　don't　want　any

profit；　only　money　enough　to　get　away。〃　　His　utterance；　which　had　a

certain　kind　of　cultivation；　here　grew　thick　and　harsh　again；　and

he　looked　eagerly　at　the　bottle　which　stood　on　the　counter。



〃Look　here；　'Lige；〃　said　Harkutt；　not　unkindly。　　〃It's　too　late　to

do　anythin'　tonight。　　You　come　in　to…morrow。〃　　He　would　have　added

〃when　you're　sober；〃　but　for　a　trader's　sense　of　politeness　to　a

possible　customer；　and　probably　some　doubt　of　the　man's　actual

condition。



〃God　knows　where　or　what　I　may　be　tomorrow！　　It　would　kill　me　to　go

back　and　spend　another　night　as　the　last；　if　I　don't　kill　myself　on

the　way　to　do　it。〃



Harkutt's　face　darkened　grimly。　　It　was　indeed　as　Billings　had

said。　　The　pitiable　weakness　of　the　man's　manner　not　only　made　his

desperation　inadequate　and　ineffective；　but　even　lent　it　all　the

cheapness　of　acting。　　And；　as　if　to　accent　his　simulation　of　a

part；　his　fingers；　feebly　groping　in　his　shirt　bosom；　slipped

aimlessly　and　helplessly　from　the　shining　handle　of　a　pistol　in　his

pocket　to　wander　hesitatingly　towards　the　bottle　on　the　counter。



Harkutt　took　the　bottle；　poured　out　a　glass　of　the　liquor；　and

pushed　it　before　his　companion；　who　drank　it　eagerly。　　Whether　it

gave　him　more　confidence；　or　his　attention　was　no　longer　diverted；

he　went　on　more　collectedly　and　cheerfully；　and　with　no　trace　of

his　previous　desperation　in　his　manner。　　〃Come；　Harkutt；　buy　my

place。　　It's　a　bargain；　I　tell　you。　　I'll　sell　it　cheap。　　I　only

want　enough　to　get　away　with。　　Give　me　twenty…five　dollars　and　it's

yours。　　See；　there's　the　papersthe　quitclaimall　drawn　up　and

signed。〃　　He　drew　the　roll　of　paper　from　his　pocket　again；

apparently　forgetful　of　the　adjacent　weapon。



〃Look　here；　'Lige；〃　said　Harkutt；　with　a　business…like　straightening

of　his　lips；　〃I　ain't　buyin'　any　land　in　Tasajara；least　of　all

yours　on　the　creek。　　I've　got　more　invested　here　already　than　I'll

ever　get　back　again。　　But　I　tell　you　what　I'll　do。　　You　say　you

can't　go　back　to　your　shanty。　　Well；　seein'　how　rough　it　is　outside；

and　that　the　waters　of　the　creek　are　probably　all　over　the　trail　by

this　time；　I　reckon　you're　about　right。　　Now；　there's　five　dollars！〃

He　laid　down　a　coin　sharply　on　the　counter。　　〃Take　that　and　go　over

to　Rawlett's　and　get　a　bed　and　some　supper。　　In　the　mornin'　you　may

be　able　to　strike　up　a　trade　with　somebody　elseor　change　your

mind。　　How　did　you　get　here？　　On　your　hoss？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃He　ain't　starved　yet？〃



〃No；　he　can　eat　grass。　　I　can't。〃



Either　the　liquor　or　Harkutt's　practical　unsentimental　treatment　of

the　situation　seemed　to　give　him　confidence。　　He　met　Harkutt's　eye

more　steadily　as　the　latter　went　on。　　〃You　kin　turn　your　hoss　for

the　night　into　my　stock　corral　next　to　Rawlett's。　　It'll　save　you

payin'　for　fodder　and　stablin'。〃



The　man　took　up　the　coin　with　a　certain　slow　gravity　which　was

almost　like　dignity。　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　laying　the　paper　on　the

counter。　　〃I'll　leave　that　as　security。〃



〃Don't　want　it；　'Lige；〃　said　Harkutt；　pushing　it　back。



〃I'd　rather　leave　it。〃



〃But　suppose　you　have　a　chance　to　sell　it　to　somebody　at　Rawlett's？〃

continued　Harkutt；　with　a　precaution　that　seemed　ironical。



〃I　don't　think　there's　much　chance　of　that。〃



He　remained　quiet；　looking　at　Harkutt　with　an　odd　expression　as　he

rubbed　the　edge　of　the　coin　that　he　held　between　his　fingers

abstractedly　on　the　counter。　　Something　in　his　gazerather　perhaps

the　apparent　absence　of　anything　in　it　approximate　to　the　present

occasionwas　beginning　to　affect　Harkutt　with　a　vague　uneasiness。

Providentially　a　resumed　onslaught　of　wind　and　rain　against　the

panes　effected　a　diversion。　　〃Come；〃　he　said；　with　brisk

practicality；　〃you'd　better