the outlet-第22节

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ting　any　sign　of　animate　life。　》From　our　elevation；　the　plain　dipped　away　in　every　direction。　Far　to　the　east；　the　depression　seemed　as　real　as　a　trough　in　the　ocean　when　seen　from　the　deck　of　a　ship。　The　meanderings　of　this　divide　were　as　crooked　as　a　river；　and　as　we　surveyed　its　course　one　of　Bob's　men　sighted　with　the　naked　eye　two　specks　fully　five　miles　distant　to　the　northwest；　and　evidently　in　the　vicinity　of　the　old　trail。　The　wagon　was　in　plain　view；　and　leaving　three　of　my　boys　to　drift　the　cattle　forward；　we　rode　away　with　ravenous　appetites　to　interview　the　cook。　Parent　maintained　his　reputation　as　host；　and　with　a　lofty　conversation　reviewed　the　legal　aspect　of　the　situation　confronting　us。　A　hasty　breakfast　over；　my　brother　asked　for　mounts　for　himself　and　men；　and　as　we　were　corralling　our　remuda；　one　of　the　three　lads　on　herd　signaled　to　us　from　the　mesa's　summit。　Catching　the　nearest　horses　at　hand；　and　taking　our　wrangler　with　us；　we　cantered　up　the　slope　to　our　waiting　sentinel。

〃You　can't　see　them　now；〃　said　Burl　Van　Vedder；　our　outlook；　〃but　wait　a　few　minutes　and　they'll　come　up　on　higher　ground。　Here；　here；　you　are　looking　a　mile　too　far　to　the　rightthey're　not　following　the　cattle；　but　the　wagon's　trail。　Keep　your　eyes　to　the　left　of　that　shale　outcropping；　and　on　a　line　with　that　lone　tree　on　the　Saw　Log。　Hold　your　horses　a　minute；　I've　been　watching　them　for　half　an　hour　before　I　called　you；　be　patient；　and　they'll　rise　like　a　trout。　There！　there　comes　one　on　a　gray　horse。　See　those　two　others　just　behind　him。　Now；　there　come　the　otherssix　all　told。〃　Sure　enough；　there　came　the　sleuths　of　deputy　sheriffs；　trailing　up　our　wagon。　They　were　not　over　three　miles　away；　and　after　patiently　waiting　nearly　an　hour；　we　rode　to　the　brink　of　the　slope；　and　I　ordered　one　of　the　boys　to　fire　his　pistol　to　attract　their　attention。　On　hearing　the　report；　they　halted；　and　taking　off　my　hat　I　waved　them　forward。　Feeling　that　we　were　on　safe　territory；　I　was　determined　to　get　in　the　first　bluff；　and　as　they　rode　up；　I　saluted　the　leader　and　said：

〃Good…morning；　Mr。　Sheriff。　What　are　you　fooling　along　on　our　wagon　track　for；　when　you　could　have　trailed　the　herd　in　a　long　lope？　Here　we've　wasted　a　whole　hour　waiting　for　you　to　come　up；　just　because　the　sheriff's　office　of　Ford　County　employs　as　deputies　'nesters'　instead　of　plainsmen。　But　now　since　you　are　here；　let　us　proceed　to　business；　or　would　you　like　to　breakfast　first？　Our　wagon　is　just　over　the　other　slope；　and　you…all　look　pale　around　the　gills　this　morning　after　your　long　ride　and　sleepless　night。　Which　shall　it　be；　business　or　breakfast？〃

Haughtily　ignoring　my　irony；　the　leader　of　the　posse　drew　from　his　pocket　several　papers；　and　first　clearing　his　throat；　said　in　an　imperious　tone；　〃I　have　a　warrant　here　for　the　arrest　of　Tom　Quirk；　alias　McIndoo；　and　a　distress　warrant　for　a　herd　of　'Open　A'〃

〃Old　sport；　you're　in　the　right　church；　but　the　wrong　pew；〃　I　interrupted。　〃This　may　be　the　state　of　Kansas；　but　at　present　we　are　outside　the　bailiwick　of　Ford　County；　and　those　papers　of　yours　are　useless。　Let　me　take　those　warrants　and　I'll　indorse　them　for　you；　so　as　to　dazzle　your　superiors　on　their　return　without　the　man　or　property。　I　was　deputized　once　by　a　constable　in　Texas　to　assist　in　recovering　some　cattle；　but　just　like　the　present　case　they　got　out　of　our　jurisdiction　before　we　overtook　them。　The　constable　was　a　lofty；　arrogant　fellow　like　yourself；　but　had　sense　enough　to　keep　within　his　rights。　But　when　it　came　to　indorsing　the　warrant　for　return；　we　were　all　up　a　stump；　and　rode　twenty　miles　out　of　our　way　so　as　to　pass　Squire　Little's　ranch　and　get　his　advice　on　the　matter。　The　squire　had　been　a　justice　in　Tennessee　before　coming　to　our　state；　and　knew　just　what　to　say。　Now　let　me　take　those　papers；　and　I'll　indorse　them　'Non　est　inventus；'　which　is　Latin　for　SCOOTED；　BY　GOSH！　Ain't　you　going　to　let　me　have　them？〃

〃Now；　look　here；　young　man；〃　scornfully　replied　the　chief　deputy；　〃I'll〃

〃No；　you　won't；〃　I　again　interrupted。　〃Let　me　read　you　a　warrant　from　a　higher　court。　In　the　name　of　law；　you　are　willing　to　prostitute　your　office　to　assist　a　gang　of　thieves　who　have　taken　advantage　of　an　opportunity　to　ruin　my　employer；　an　honest　trail　drover。　The　warrant　I'm　serving　was　issued　by　Judge　Colt；　and　it　says　he　is　supreme　in　unorganized　territory；　that　your　official　authority　ceases　the　moment　you　step　outside　your　jurisdiction；　and　you　know　the　Ford　County　line　is　behind　us。　Now；　as　a　citizen；　I'll　treat　you　right；　but　as　an　official；　I　won't　even　listen　to　you。　And　what's　more；　you　can't　arrest　me　or　any　man　in　my　outfit；　not　that　your　hair's　the　wrong　color；　but　because　you　lack　authority。　I'm　the　man　you're　looking　for；　and　these　are　Don　Lovell's　cattle；　but　you　can't　touch　a　hoof　of　them；　not　even　a　stray。　Now；　if　you　want　to　dispute　the　authority　which　I've　sighted；　all　you　need　to　do　is　pull　your　guns　and　open　your　game。〃

〃Mr。　Quirk；〃　said　the　deputy；　〃you　are　a　fugitive　from　justice；　and　I　can　legally　take　you　wherever　I　find　you。　If　you　resist　arrest；　all　the　worse；　as　it　classes　you　an　outlaw。　Now；　my　advice　is〃

But　the　sentence　was　never　finished；　for　coming　down　the　divide　like　a　hurricane　was　a　band　of　horsemen；　who；　on　sighting　us；　raised　the　long　yell；　and　the　next　minute　Dave　Sponsilier　and　seven　of　his　men　dashed　up。　The　boys　opened　out　to　avoid　the　momentum　of　the　onslaught；　but　the　deputies　a　sat　firm；　and　as　Sponsilier　and　his　lads　threw　their　horses　back　on　their　haunches　in　halting；　Dave　stood　in　his　stirrups；　and　waving　his　hat　shouted；　〃Hurrah　for　Don　Lovell；　and　to　hell　with　the　sheriff　and　deputies　of　Ford　County！〃　Sponsilier　and　I　were　great　friends；　as　were　likewise　our　outfits；　and　we　nearly　unhorsed　each　other　in　our　rough　but　hearty　greetings。　When　quiet　was　once　more　restored；　Dave　continued：　〃I　was　in　Dodge　last　night；　and　Bob　Wright　put　me　next　that　the　sheriff　was　going　to　take　possession　of　two　of　old　man　Don's　herds　this　morning。　You　can　bet　your　moccasins　that　the　grass　didn't　grow　very　much　while　I　was　getting　back　to　camp。　Flood　and　The　Rebel　took　fifteen　men　and　went　to　Quince's　support；　and　I　have　been　scouting　since　dawn　trying　to　locate　you。　Yes；　the　sheriff　himself　and　five　deputies　passed　up　the　trail　before　daybreak　to　arrest　Forrest　and　take　possession　of　his　herdI　don't　think。　I　suppose　these　strangers　are　deputy　sheriffs？　If　it　was　me；　do　you　know　what　I'd　do　with　them？〃

The　query　was　half　a　command。　It　required　no　order；　for　in　an　instant　the　deputies　were　surrounded；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　cool　judgment　of　Bob　Quirk；　violence　would　have　resulted。　The　primitive　mind　is　slow　to　resent　an　affront；　and　while　the　chief　deputy　had　couched　his　last　remarks　in　well…chosen　language；　his　intimation　that　I　was　a　fugitive　from　justice；　and　an　outlaw　in　resisting　arrest；　was　tinder　to　stubble。　Knowing　the　metal　of　my　outfit；　I　curbed　the　tempest　within　me；　and　relying　on　a　brother　whom　I　would　gladly　follow　to　death　if　need　be；　I　waved　hands　off　to　my　boys。　〃Now；　men；〃　said　Bob　to　the　deputies；　〃the　easiest　way　out　of　this　matter　is　the　best。　No　one　here　has　committed　any　crime　subjecting　him　to　arrest；　neither　can　you　take　possession　of　any　cattle　belonging　to　Don　Lovell。　I'll　renew　the　invitation　for　you　to　go　down　to　the　wagon　and　breakfast；　or　I'll　give　you　the　best　directions　at　my　command　to　reach　Dodge。　Instead　of　trying　to　attempt　to　accomplish　your　object　you　had　better　go　back　to　the　chaparralyou're　spelled　down。　Take　your　choice；　men。〃

Bob's　words　had　a　soothing　effect。　He　was　thirty…three　years　old　and　a　natural　born　leader　among　rough　men。　His　advice　carried　the　steely　ring　of　sincerity；　and　for　the　first　time　since　the　meeting；　the　deputies　wilted。　The　chief　one　called　his　men　aside；　and　after'　a　brief　consultation　my　brother　was　invited　to　join　them；　which　he　did。　I　afterwards　learned　that　Bob　went　into　detail　in　defining　our　position　in　the　premises；　and　the　posse；　once　they　heard　the　other　side　of　the　question；　took　an　entirely　different　view　of　the　matter。　While　the　consultation　was　in　progress；　we　all　dismounted；　cigarettes　were　rolled；　and　while　the　smoke　arose　in　clouds；　we　reviewed　the　interim　since　we　parted　in　March　in　old　Medina。　The　sheriff's　posse　accompanied　my　brother　to　the　wagon；　and　after　refreshing　themselves；　remounted　their　horses。　Bob　escorted　them　back　across　the　summit　of　the　mesa；　and　the　olive　branch　waved　in　peace　on　the　divide。

The　morning　was　not　far　advanced。　After　a　brief　consultation；　the　two　older　foremen　urged　that　we　ride　to　the　relief　of　Forrest。　A　hint　was　sufficient；　and　including　five　of　my　best…mounted　men；　a　posse　of　twenty　of　us　rode　away。　We　held　the　divide　for　some　distance　on　our　course；　and　before　we　left　it；　a　dust…cloud；　indicating　the　presence　of　Bob's　herd；　was　sighted　on　the　southern　slope；　while　on　the　opposite　one　my　cattle　were　beginning　to　move　forward。　Sponsilier　knew　the　probable　whereabouts　of　Forrest；　and　under　his　lead　we　swung　into　a　free　gallop　as　we　dropped　down　the　northern　slope　from　the　mesa。　The　pace　was　carrying　us　across　country　at　a　rate　of　ten　miles　an　hour；　scarcely　a　word　being　spoken；　as　we　shook　out