smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第26节
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that some one from without had pulled away the moss…chinking between
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the logs。 He squirmed as far as his bonds would permit； then craned his
neck forward until his lips just managed to reach the crack。
〃Who is it？〃 he whispered。
〃Breck；〃 came the answer。 〃Be careful you don't make a noise。 I'm
going to pass a knife in to you。〃
〃No good；〃 Smoke said。 〃I couldn't use it。 My hands are tied
behind me and made fast to the leg of the bunk。 Besides； you couldn't
get a knife through that crack。 But something must be done。 Those
fellows are of a temper to hang me； and； of course； you know I didn't kill
that man。〃
〃It wasn't necessary to mention it； Smoke。 And if you did you had
your reasons。 Which isn't the point at all。 I want to get you out of this。
It's a tough bunch of men here。 You've seen them。 They're shut off from
the world； and they make and enforce their own lawby miner's meeting；
you know。 They handled two men already both grub…thieves。 One
they hiked from camp without an ounce of grub and no matches。 He
made about forty miles and lasted a couple of days before he froze stiff。
Two weeks ago they hiked the second man。 They gave him his choice：
no grub； or ten lashes for each day's ration。 He stood for forty lashes
before he fainted。 And now they've got you； and every last one is
convinced you killed Kinade。〃
〃The man who killed Kinade； shot at me； too。 His bullet broke the
skin on my shoulder。 Get them to delay the trial till some one goes up
and searches the bank where the murderer hid。〃
〃No use。 They take the evidence of Harding and the five Frenchmen
with him。 Besides； they haven't had a hanging yet； and they're keen for it。
You see； things have been pretty monotonous。 They haven't located
anything big； and they got tired of hunting for Surprise Lake。 They did
some stampeding the first part of the winter； but they've got over that now。
Scurvy is beginning to show up amongst them； too； and they're just ripe
for excitement。〃
〃And it looks like I'll furnish it；〃 was Smoke's comment。 〃Say； Breck；
how did you ever fall in with such a God…forsaken bunch？〃
〃After I got the claims at Squaw Creek opened up and some men to
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Smoke Bellew
working； I came up here by way of the Stewart； hunting for Two Cabins。
They'd beaten me to it； so I've been higher up the Stewart。 Just got back
yesterday out of grub。〃
〃Find anything？〃
〃Nothing much。 But I think I've got a hydraulic proposition that'll
work big when the country's opened up。 It's that； or a gold… dredger。〃
〃Hold on；〃 Smoke interrupted。 〃Wait a minute。 Let me think。〃
He was very much aware of the snores of the sleepers as he pursued
the idea that had flashed into his mind。
〃Say； Breck； have they opened up the meat…packs my dogs carried？〃
〃A couple。 I was watching。 They put them in Harding's cache。〃
〃Did they find anything？〃
〃Meat。〃
〃Good。 You've got to get into the brown canvas pack that's patched
with moosehide。 You'll find a few pounds of lumpy gold。 You've never
seen gold like it in the country； nor has anybody else。 Here's what you've
got to do。 Listen。〃
A quarter of an hour later； fully instructed and complaining that his
toes were freezing； Breck went away。 Smoke； his own nose and one
cheek frosted by proximity to the chink； rubbed them against the blankets
for half an hour before the blaze and bite of the returning blood assured
him of the safety of his flesh。
VI。
〃My mind's made up right now。 There ain't no doubt but what he
killed Kinade。 We heard the whole thing last night。 What's the good of
goin' over it again？ I vote guilty。〃
In such fashion； Smoke's trial began。 The speaker； a loose…jointed；
hard…rock man from Colorado； manifested irritation and disgust when
Harding set his suggestion aside； demanded the proceedings should be
regular； and nominated one； Shunk Wilson； for judge and chairman of the
meeting。 The population of Two Cabins constituted the jury； though；
after some discussion； the woman； Lucy； was denied the right to vote on
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Smoke Bellew
Smoke's guilt or innocence。
While this was going on； Smoke； jammed into a corner on a bunk；
overheard a whispered conversation between Breck and a miner。
〃You haven't fifty pounds of flour you'll sell？〃 Breck queried。
〃You ain't got the dust to pay the price I'm askin'；〃 was the reply。
〃I'll give you two hundred。〃
The man shook his head。
〃Three hundred。 Three…fifty。〃
At four hundred； the man nodded； and said： 〃Come on over to my
cabin an' weigh out the dust。〃
The two squeezed their way to the door； and slipped out。 After a few
minutes Breck returned alone。
Harding was testifying； when Smoke saw the door shoved open
slightly； and in the crack appear the face of the man who had sold the flour。
He was grimacing and beckoning emphatically to one inside； who arose
from near the stove and started to work toward the door。
〃Where are you goin'； Sam？〃 Shunk Wilson demanded。
〃I'll be back in a jiffy；〃 Sam explained。 〃I jes' got to go。〃
Smoke was permitted to question the witnesses； and he was in the
middle of the cross…examination of Harding； when from without came the
whining of dogs in harness； and the grind and churn of sled… runners。
Somebody near the door peeped out。
〃It's Sam an' his pardner an' a dog…team hell…bent down the trail for
Stewart River；〃 the man reported。
Nobody spoke for a long half…minute； but men glanced significantly at
one another； and a general restlessness pervaded the packed room。 Out of
the corner of his eye； Smoke caught a glimpse of Breck； Lucy； and her
husband whispering together。
〃Come on； you；〃 Shunk Wilson said gruffly to Smoke。 〃Cut this
questionin' short。 We know what you're tryin' to provethat the other
bank wasn't searched。 The witness admits it。 We admit it。 It wasn't
necessary。 No tracks led to that bank。 The snow wasn't broke。〃
〃There was a man on the other bank just the same；〃 Smoke insisted。
〃That's too thin for skatin'； young man。 There ain't many of us on the
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McQuestion； an' we got every man accounted for。〃
〃Who was the man you hiked out of camp two weeks ago？〃 Smoke
asked。
〃Alonzo Miramar。 He was a Mexican。 What's that grub…thief got to
do with it？〃
〃Nothing； except that you haven't accounted for HIM； Mr Judge。〃
〃He went down the river； not up。〃
〃How do you know where he went？〃
〃Saw him start。〃
〃And that's all you know of what became of him？〃
〃No； it ain't； young man。 I know； we all know； he had four day's grub
an' no gun to shoot meat with。 If he didn't make the settlement on the
Yukon he'd croaked long before this。〃
〃I suppose you've got all the guns in this part of the country accounted
for； too；〃 Smoke observed pointedly。
Shunk Wilson was angry。
〃You'd think I was the prisoner the way you slam questions into me。
Come on with the next witness。 Where's French Louis？〃
While French Louis was shoving forward； Lucy opened the door。
〃Where you goin'？〃 Shunk Wilson shouted。
〃I reckon I don't have to stay；〃 she answered defiantly。 〃I ain't got no
vote； an' besides my cabin's so jammed up I can't breathe。〃
In a few minutes her husband followed。
