the three partners-第42节
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Marshall's brain he had but one blind thought before himto escape
at once！ That his revenge and compensation would come later he
never doubted。 He limped and crept； rolled and fell； from bush to
bush through the sloping thickets； until he saw the red road a few
feet below him。
If he only had a horse he could put miles between him and any
present pursuit！ Why should he not have one？ The road was
frequented by solitary horsemenminers and Mexicans。 He had his
revolver with him； what mattered the life of another man if he
escaped from the consequences of the one he had just taken？ He
heard the clatter of hoofs； two priests on mules rode slowly by； he
ground his teeth with disappointment。 But they had scarcely passed
before another and more rapid clatter came from their rear。 It was
a lad on horseback。 He started。 It was his own son！
He remembered in a flash how the boy had said he was coming to meet
the padre at the station on that day。 His first impulse was to
hide himself； his wound； and his defeat from the lad； but the blind
idea of escape was still paramount。 He leaned over the bank and
called to him。 The astonished lad cantered eagerly to his side。
〃Give me your horse； Eddy；〃 said the father； 〃I'm in bad luck； and
must get。〃
The boy glanced at his father's face； at his tattered garments and
bandaged leg； and read the whole story。 It was a familiar page to
him。 He paled first and then flushed； and then； with an odd
glitter in his eyes； said； 〃Take me with you； father。 Do！ You
always did before。 I'll bring you luck。〃
Desperation is superstitious。 Why not take him？ They had been
lucky before； and the two together might confound any description
of their identity to the pursuers。 〃Help me up； Eddy； and then get
up before me。〃
〃BEHIND； you mean；〃 said the boy； with a laugh； as he helped his
father into the saddle。
〃No；〃 said Steptoe harshly。 〃BEFORE me；do you hear？ And if
anything happens BEHIND you； don't look！ If I drop off； don't
stop！ Don't get down； but go on and leave me。 Do you understand？〃
he repeated almost savagely。
〃Yes；〃 said the boy tremulously。
〃All right；〃 said the father； with a softer voice； as he passed his
one arm round the boy's body and lifted the reins。 〃Hold tight
when we come to the cross…roads； for we'll take the first turn； for
old luck's sake； to the Mission。〃
They were the last words exchanged between them； for as they
wheeled rapidly to the left at the cross…roads； Jack Hamlin and
Demorest swung as quickly out of another road to the right
immediately behind them。 Jack's challenge to 〃Halt！〃 was only
answered by Steptoe's horse springing forward under the sharp lash
of the riata。
〃Hold up！〃 said Jack suddenly； laying his hand upon the rifle which
Demorest had lifted to his shoulder。 〃He's carrying some one；a
wounded comrade； I reckon。 We don't want HIM。 Swing out and go
for the horse； well forward； in the neck or shoulder。〃
Demorest swung far out to the right of the road and raised his
rifle。 As it cracked Steptoe's horse seemed to have suddenly
struck some obstacle ahead of him rather than to have been hit
himself； for his head went down with his fore feet under him； and
he turned a half…somersault on the road； flinging his two riders a
dozen feet away。
Steptoe scrambled to his knees； revolver in hand； but the other
figure never moved。 〃Hands up！〃 said Jack； sighting his own
weapon。 The reports seemed simultaneous； but Jack's bullet had
pierced Steptoe's brain even before the outlaw's pistol exploded
harmlessly in the air。
The two men dismounted； but by a common instinct they both ran to
the prostrate figure that had never moved。
〃By God！ it's a boy！〃 said Jack； leaning over the body and lifting
the shoulders from which the head hung loosely。 〃Neck broken and
dead as his pal。〃 Suddenly he started； and； to Demorest's
astonishment； began hurriedly pulling off the glove from the boy's
limp right hand。
〃What are you doing？〃 demanded Demorest in creeping horror。
〃Look！〃 said Jack； as he laid bare the small white hand。 The first
two fingers were merely unsightly stumps that had been hidden in
the padded glove。
〃Good God！ Van Loo's brother！〃 said Demorest； recoiling。
〃No！〃 said Jack； with a grim face； 〃it's what I have long
suspected；it's Steptoe's son！〃
〃His son？〃 repeated Demorest。
〃Yes；〃 said Jack； and he added； after looking at the two bodies
with a long…drawn whistle of concern； 〃and I wouldn't； if I were
you； say anything of this to Barker。〃
〃Why？〃 said Demorest。
〃Well；〃 returned Jack； 〃when our scrimmage was over down there； and
they brought the news to Barker that his wife and her diamonds were
burnt up at the hotel； you remember that they said that Mrs。
Horncastle had saved his boy。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Demorest； 〃but what has that to do with it？〃
〃Nothing； I reckon；〃 said Jack； with a slight shrug of his
shoulders； 〃only Mrs。 Horncastle was the mother of the boy that's
lying there。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。
Two years later as Demorest and Stacy sat before the fire in the
old cabin on Marshall's claimnow legally their ownthey looked
from the door beyond the great bulk of Black Spur to the pallid
snow…line of the Sierras； still as remote and unchanged to them as
when they had gazed upon it from Heavy Tree Hill。 And； for the
matter of that； they themselves seemed to have been left so
unchanged that even now； as in the old days； it was Barker's voice
as he greeted them from the darkening trail that alone broke their
reverie。
〃Well；〃 said Demorest cheerfully； 〃your usual luck； Barker boy！〃
for they already saw in his face the happy light they had once seen
there on an eventful night seven years ago。
〃I'm to be married to Mrs。 Horncastle next month；〃 he said
breathlessly； 〃and little Sta loves her already as if she was his
own mother。 Wish me joy。〃
A slight shadow passed over Stacy's face； but his hand was the
first to grasp Barker's； and his voice the first to say 〃Amen！〃
End
