to the last man-第11节

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said　Guy；　complacently。

〃Listen；　son；〃　spoke　up　the　rancher。　　〃You　want　to　have　some　hunches
before　you　figure　on　our　troubles。　　There's　two　or　three　packs　of
lofers；　an'　in　winter　time　they　are　hell　to　deal　with。　　Lions　thick
as　bees；　an'　shore　bad　when　the　snow's　on。　　Bears　will　kill　a　cow　now
an'　then。　　An'　whenever　an'　old　silvertip　comes　mozyin'　across　from
the　Mazatzals　he　kills　stock。　　I'm　in　with　half　a　dozen　cattlemen。
We　all　work　together；　an'　the　whole　outfit　cain't　keep　these　vermints
down。　　Then　two　years　ago　the　Hash　Knife　Gang　come　into　the　Tonto。〃

〃Hash　Knife　Gang？　　What　a　pretty　name！〃　replied　Jean。　　〃Who're　they？〃

〃Rustlers；　son。　　An'　shore　the　real　old　Texas　brand。　　The　old　Lone
Star　State　got　too　hot　for　them；　an'　they　followed　the　trail　of　a
lot　of　other　Texans　who　needed　a　healthier　climate。　　Some　two　hundred
Texans　around　heah；　Jean；　an'　maybe　a　matter　of　three　hundred　inhabitants
in　the　Tonto　all　told；　good　an'　bad。　　Reckon　it's　aboot　half　an'　half。〃

A　cheery　call　from　the　kitchen　interrupted　the　conversation　of　the　men。

〃You　come　to　breakfast。〃

During　the　meal　the　old　rancher　talked　to　Bill　and　Guy　about　the　day's
order　of　work；　and　from　this　Jean　gathered　an　idea　of　what　a　big　cattle
business　his　father　conducted。　　After　breakfast　Jean's　brothers
manifested　keen　interest　in　the　new　rifles。　　These　were　unwrapped
and　cleaned　and　taken　out　for　testing。　　The　three　rifles　were　forty…four
calibre　Winchesters；　the　kind　of　gun　Jean　had　found　most　effective。
He　tried　them　out　first；　and　the　shots　he　made　were　satisfactory　to
him　and　amazing　to　the　others。　　Bill　had　used　an　old　Henry　rifle。
Guy　did　not　favor　any　particular　rifle。　　The　rancher　pinned　his　faith
to　the　famous　old　single…shot　buffalo　gun；　mostly　called　needle　gun。
〃Wal；　reckon　I'd　better　stick　to　mine。　　Shore　you　cain't　teach　an　old
dog　new　tricks。　　But　you　boys　may　do　well　with　the　forty…fours。
Pack　'em　on　your　saddles　an'　practice　when　you　see　a　coyote。〃

Jean　found　it　difficult to　convince　himself　that　this　interest　in
guns　and　marksmanship　had　any　sinister　propulsion　back　of　it。　　His
father　and　brothers　had　always　been　this　way。　　Rifles　were　as　important
to　pioneers　as　plows；　and　their　skillful　use　was　an　achievement　every
frontiersman　tried　to　attain。　　Friendly　rivalry　had　always　existed
among　the　members　of　the　Isbel　family：　even　Ann　Isbel　was　a　good　shot。
But　such　proficiency　in　the　use　of　firearmsand　life　in　the　open
that　was　correlative　with　ithad　not　dominated　them　as　it　had　Jean。
Bill　and　Guy　Isbel　were　born　cattlemenchips　of　the　old　block。
Jean　began　to　hope　that　his　father's　letter　was　an　exaggeration；
and　particularly　that　the　fatalistic　speech　of　last　night；　〃they　are
goin'　to　kill　me；〃　was　just　a　moody　inclination　to　see　the　worst　side。
Still；　even　as　Jean　tried　to　persuade　himself　of　this　more　hopeful　view；
he　recalled　many　references　to　the　peculiar　reputation　of　Texans　for
gun…throwing；　for　feuds；　for　never…ending　hatreds。　　In　Oregon　the
Isbels　had　lived　among　industrious　and　peaceful　pioneers　from　all
over　the　States；　to　be　sure；　the　life　had　been　rough　and　primitive；
and　there　had　been　fights　on　occasions；　though　no　Isbel　had　ever
killed　a　man。　　But　now　they　had　become　fixed　in　a　wilder　and　sparsely
settled　country　among　men　of　their　own　breed。　　Jean　was　afraid　his
hopes　had　only　sentiment　to　foster　them。　　Nevertheless；　be　forced　back
a　strange；　brooding；　mental　state　and　resolutely　held　up　the　brighter
side。　　Whatever　the　evil　conditions　existing　in　Grass　Valley；　they
could　be　met　with　intelligence　and　courage；　with　an　absolute　certainty
that　it　was　inevitable　they　must　pass　away。　　Jean　refused　to　consider
the　old；　fatal　law　that　at　certain　wild　times　and　wild　places　in　the
West　certain　men　had　to　pass　away　to　change　evil　conditions。

〃Wal；　Jean；　ride　around　the　range　with　the　boys；〃　said　the　rancher。
〃Meet　some　of　my　neighbors；　Jim　Blaisdell；　in　particular。　　Take　a
look　at　the　cattle。　　An'　pick　out　some　hosses　for　yourself。〃

〃I've　seen　one　already；〃　declared　Jean；　quickly。　　A　black　with　white
face。　　I'll　take　him。〃

〃Shore　you　know　a　hoss。　　To　my　eye　he's　my　pick。　　But　the　boys　don't
agree。　　Bill　'specially　has　degenerated　into　a　fancier　of　pitchin'
hosses。　　Ann　can　ride　that　black。　　You　try　him　this　mawnin'。　。　。　。
An'；　son；　enjoy　yourself。〃

True　to　his　first　impression；　Jean　named　the　black　horse　Whiteface
and　fell　in　love　with　him　before　ever　he　swung　a　leg　over　him。
Whiteface　appeared　spirited；　yet　gentle。　　He　had　been　trained
instead　of　being　broken。　　Of　hard　hits　and　quirts　and　spurs　he　had
no　experience。　　He　liked　to　do　what　his　rider　wanted　him　to　do。

A　hundred　or　more　horses　grazed　in　the　grassy　meadow；　and　as　Jean
rode　on　among　them　it　was　a　pleasure　to　see　stallions　throw　heads
and　ears　up　and　whistle　or　snort。　　Whole　troops　of　colts　and
two…year…olds　raced　with　flying　tails　and　manes。

Beyond　these　pastures　stretched　the　range；　and　Jean　saw　the　gray…green
expanse　speckled　by　thousands　of　cattle。　　The　scene　was　inspiring。
Jean's　brothers　led　him　all　around；　meeting　some　of　the　herders　and
riders　employed　on　the　ranch；　one　of　whom　was　a　burly；　grizzled　man
with　eyes　reddened　and　narrowed　by　much　riding　in　wind　and　sun　and　dust。
His　name　was　Evans　and　he　was　father　of　the　lad　whom　Jean　had　met　near
the　village。　　Everts　was　busily　skinning　the　calf　that　had　been　killed
by　the　wolves。　　〃See　heah；　y'u　Jean　Isbel；〃　said　Everts；　〃it　shore　was
aboot　time　y'u　come　home。　　We…all　heahs　y'u　hev　an　eye　fer　tracks。
Wal；　mebbe　y'u　can　kill　Old　Gray；　the　lofer　thet　did　this　job。　　He's
pulled　down　nine　calves　as'　yearlin's　this　last　two　months　thet　I　know
of。　　An'　we've　not　hed　the　spring　round…up。〃

Grass　Valley　widened　to　the　southeast。　　Jean　would　have　been　backward
about　estimating　the　square　miles　in　it。　　Yet　it　was　not　vast　acreage
so　much　as　rich　pasture　that　made　it　such　a　wonderful　range。　　Several
ranches　lay　along　the　western　slope　of　this　section。　　Jean　was　informed
that　open　parks　and　swales；　and　little　valleys　nestling　among　the
foothills；　wherever　there　was　water　and　grass；　had　been　settled　by
ranchers。　　Every　summer　a　few　new　families　ventured　in。

Blaisdell　struck　Jean　as　being　a　lionlike　type　of　Texan；　both　in　his
broad；　bold　face；　his　huge　head　with　its　upstanding　tawny　hair　like
a　mane；　and　in　the　speech　and　force　that　betokened　the　nature　of　his
heart。　　He　was　not　as　old　as　Jean's　father。　　He　had　a　rolling　voice；
with　the　same　drawling　intonation　characteristic　of　all　Texans；　and
blue　eyes　that　still　held　the　fire　of　youth。　　Quite　a　marked　contrast
he　presented　to　the　lean；　rangy；　hard…jawed；　intent…eyed　men　Jean　had
begun　to　accept　as　Texans。

Blaisdell　took　time　for　a　curious　scrutiny　and　study　of　Jean；　that；
frank　and　kindly　as　it　was；　and　evidently　the　adjustment　of　impressions
gotten　from　hearsay；　yet　bespoke　the　attention　of　one　used　to　judging
men　for　himself；　and　in　this　particular　case　having　reasons　of　his　own
for　so　doing。

〃Wal；　you're　like　your　sister　Ann；〃　said　Blaisdell。　　〃Which　you　may
take　as　a　compliment；　young　man。　　Both　of　you　favor　your　mother。
But　you're　an　Isbel。　　Back　in　Texas　there　are　men　who　never　wear
a　glove　on　their　right　hands；　an'　shore　I　reckon　if　one　of　them　met
up　with　you　sudden　he'd　think　some　graves　had　opened　an'　he'd　go　for
his　gun。〃

Blaisdell's　laugh　pealed　out　with　deep；　pleasant　roll。　　Thus　he
planted　in　Jean's　sensitive　mind　a　significant　thought…provoking
idea　about　the　past…and…gone　Isbels。

His　further　remarks；　likewise；　were　exceedingly　interesting　to　Jean。
The　settling　of　the　Tonto　Basin　by　Texans　was　a　subject　often　in
dispute。　　His　own　father　had　been　in　the　first　party　of　adventurous
pioneers　who　had　traveled　up　from　the　south　to　cross　over　the　Reno
Pass　of　the　Mazatzals　into　the　Basin。　　〃Newcomers　from　outside　get
impressions　of　the　Tonto　accordin'　to　the　first　settlers　they　meet；〃
declared　Blaisdell。　　〃An'　shore　it's　my　belief　these　first　impressions
never　change。　just　so　strong　they　are！　　Wal；　I've　heard　my　father　say
there　were　men　in　his　wagon　train　that　got　run　out　of　Texas；　but　he
swore　he　wasn't　one　of　them。　　So　I　reckon　that　sort　of　talk　held　good
for　twenty　years；　an'　for　all　the　Texans　who　emigrated；　except；　of
course；　such　notorious　rustlers　as　Daggs　an'　men　of　his　ilk。　　Shore
we've　got　some　bad　men　heah。　　There's　no　law。　　Possession　used　to
mean　more　than　it　does　now。　　Daggs　an'　his　Hash　Knife　Gang　have　begun
to　hold　forth　with　a　high　hand。　　No　small　rancher　can　keep　enough
stock　to　pay　for　his　labor。〃

At　the　time　of　which　Blaisdell　spoke　there　were　not　many　sheepmen
and　cattlemen　in　the　Tonto；　considering　its　vast　area。　　But　these；
on　account　of　the　extreme　wildness　of　the　broken　country；　were　limited
to　the　comparatively　open　Grass　Valley　and　its　adjacent　environs。
Naturally；　as　the　inhabitants　increased　and　stock　raising　grew　in
proportion　the　grazing　and　water　rights　became　matters　of　extreme
importance。　　Sheepmen　ran　their　flocks　up　on　the　Rim　in　summer　time
and　down　into　the　Basin　in　winter　time。　　A　sheepman　could　throw　a　few
thousand　sheep　round　a　cattleman's　ranch　and　ruin　him。　　The　ra