to the last man-第19节

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a　leetle　friendly　toward　the　sheepmen？

Ellen　felt　a　sudden　vibrating　shock。　　The　blood　rushed　to　her　temples。
Trembling　all　over；　she　rose。

〃Uncle　John！〃　she　cried。

〃Now；　girl；　you　needn't　fire　up　thet　way。　　Set　down　an'　don't〃

〃Dare　y'u　insinuate　my　father　has〃

〃Ellen；　I　ain't　insinuatin'　nothin'；　〃　interrupted　the　old　man。　　〃I'm
jest　askin'　you　to　think。　　Thet's　all。　　You're　；most　grown　into　a　young
woman　now。　　An'　you've　got　sense。　　Thar's　bad　times　ahead；　Ellen。
An'　I　hate　to　see　you　mix　in　them。〃

〃Oh；　y'u　do　make　me　think；〃　replied　Ellen；　with　smarting　tears　in　her
eyes。　　〃Y'u　make　me　unhappy。　　Oh；　I　know　my　dad　is　not　liked　in　this
cattle　country。　　But　it's　unjust。　　He　happened　to　go　in　for　sheep
raising。　　I　wish　he　hadn't。　　It　was　a　mistake。　　Dad　always　was　a
cattleman　till　we　came　heah。　　He　made　enemieswhowho　ruined　him。
And　everywhere　misfortune　crossed　his　trail。　。　。　。　But；　oh；　Uncle　John；
my　dad　is　an　honest　man。〃

〃Wal；　child；　II　didn't　mean　toto　make　you　cry；〃　said　the　old　man；
feelingly；　and　he　averted　his　troubled　gaze。　　〃Never　mind　what　I　said。
I'm　an　old　meddler。　　I　reckon　nothin'　I　could　do　or　say　would　ever
change　what's　goin'　to　happen。　　If　only　you　wasn't　a　girl！　。　。　。
Thar　I　go　ag'in。　　Ellen；　face　your　future　an'　fight　your　way。　　All
youngsters　hev　to　do　thet。　　An'　it's　the　right　kind　of　fight　thet
makes　the　right　kind　of　man　or　woman。　　Only　you　must　be　sure　to　find
yourself。　　An'　by　thet　I　mean　to　find　the　real；　true；　honest…to…God
best　in　you　an'　stick　to　it　an'　die　fightin'　for　it。　　You're　a　young
woman；　almost；　an'　a　blamed　handsome　one。　　Which　means　you'll　hev　more
trouble　an'　a　harder　fight。　　This　country　ain't　easy　on　a　woman　when
once　slander　has　marked　her。

〃What　do　I　care　for　the　talk　down　in　that　Basin？〃　returned　Ellen。
〃I　know　they　think　I'm　a　hussy。　　I've　let　them　think　it。
I've　helped　them　to。〃

〃You're　wrong；　child；〃　said　Sprague；　earnestly。　　〃Pride　an；　temper！
You　must　never　let　anyone　think　bad　of　you；　much　less　help　them　to。〃

〃I　hate　everybody　down　there；〃　cried　Ellen；　passionately。　　〃I　hate
them　so　I'd　glory　in　their　thinkin'　me　bad。　。　。　。　My　mother　belonged
to　the　best　blood　in　Texas。　　I　am　her　daughter。　　I　know　WHO　AND　WHAT
I　AM。　　That　uplifts　me　whenever　I　meet　the　sneaky；　sly　suspicions　of
these　Basin　people。　　It　shows　me　the　difference　between　them　and　me。
That's　what　I　glory　in。〃

〃Ellen；　you're　a　wild；　headstrong　child；〃　rejoined　the　old　man；　in
severe　tones。　　〃Word　has　been　passed　ag'in'　your　good　nameyour　honor。
。　。　。　An'　hevn't　you　given　cause　fer　thet？〃

Ellen　felt　her　face　blanch　and　all　her　blood　rush　back　to　her　heart
in　sickening　force。　　The　shock　of　his　words　was　like　a　stab　from　a
cold　blade。　　If　their　meaning　and　the　stem；　just　light　of　the　old
man's　glance　did　not　kill　her　pride　and　vanity　they　surely　killed
her　girlishness。　　She　stood　mute；　staring　at　him；　with　her　brown；
trembling　hands　stealing　up　toward　her　bosom；　as　if　to　ward　off
another　and　a　mortal　blow。

〃Ellen！〃　burst　out　Sprague；　hoarsely。　　〃You　mistook　me。　　Aw；　I　didn't
meanwhat　you　think；　I　swear。　。　。　。　Ellen；　I'm　old　an'　blunt。　　I　ain't
used　to　wimmen。　　But　I've　love　for　you；　child；　an'　respect；　jest　the
same　as　if　you　was　my　own。　。　。　。　An'　I　KNOW　you're　good。　。　。　。
Forgive　me。　。　。　。　I　meant　only　hevn't　you　been；　say；　sort　of
careless？〃

〃Care…less？〃　queried　Ellen；　bitterly　and　low。

〃An'　powerful　thoughtless　an'an'　blindlettin'　men　kiss　you　an'
fondle　youwhen　you're　really　a　growed…up　woman　now？〃

〃YesI　have；〃　whispered　Ellen。

〃Wal；　then；　why　did　you　let　them？

〃II　don't　know。　。　。　。　I　didn't　think。　　The　men　never　let　me　alone
nevernever！　　I　got　tired　everlastingly　pushin'　them　away。　　And
sometimeswhen　they　were　kindand　I　was　lonely　for　something　II
didn't　mind　if　one　or　another　fooled　round　me。　　I　never　thought。
It　never　looked　as　y'u　have　made　it　look。　。　。　。　Thenthose　few
times　ridin'　the　trail　to　Grass　Valleywhen　people　saw　methen　I
guess　I　encouraged　such　attentions。　。　。　。　Oh；　I　must　beI　am　a
shameless　little　hussy！　〃　

〃Hush　thet　kind　of　talk；〃　said　the　old　man；　as　he　took　her　hand。
〃Ellen；　you're　only　young　an'　lonely　an'　bitter。　　No　motherno
friendsno　one　but　a　lot　of　rough　men！　　It's　a　wonder　you　hev
kept　yourself　good。　　But　now　your　eyes　are　open；　Ellen。　　They're
brave　an'　beautiful　eyes；　girl；　an'　if　you　stand　by　the　light　in
them　you　will　come　through　any　trouble。　　An'　you'll　be　happy。　　Don't
ever　forgit　that。　　Life　is　hard　enough；　God　knows；　but　it's　unfailin'
true　in　the　end　to　the　man　or　woman　who　finds　the　best　in　them　an'
stands　by　it。〃

〃Uncle　John；　y'u　talk　soso　kindly。　　Yu　make　me　have　hope。　　There
seemed　really　so　little　for　me　to　live　forhope　for。　。　。　。　But　I'll
never　be　a　coward　againnor　a　thoughtless　fool。　　I'll　find　some　good
in　meor　make　someand　never　fail　it；　come　what　will。　　I'll　remember
your　words。　　I'll　believe　the　future　holds　wonderful　things　for　me。　。　。　。
I'm　only　eighteen。　　Shore　all　my　life　won't　be　lived　heah。　　Perhaps
this　threatened　fight　over　sheep　and　cattle　will　blow　over。　。　。　。
Somewhere　there　must　be　some　nice　girl　to　be　a　frienda　sister　to
me。　。　。　。　And　maybe　some　man　who'd　believe；　in　spite　of　all　they
saythat　I'm　not　a　hussy。〃

〃Wal；　Ellen；　you　remind　me　of　what　I　was　wantin'　to　tell　you　when
you　just　got　here。　。　。　。　Yestiddy　I　heerd　you　called　thet　name　in　a
barroom。　　An'　thar　was　a　fellar　thar　who　raised　hell。　　He　near　killed
one　man　an'　made　another　plumb　eat　his　words。　　An'　he　scared　thet
crowd　stiff。〃

Old　John　Sprague　shook　his　grizzled　head　and　laughed；　beaming　upon
Ellen　as　if　the　memory　of　what　he　had　seen　had　warmed　his　heart。

〃Was　ity'u？〃　asked　Ellen；　tremulously。

〃Me？　　Aw；　I　wasn't　nowhere。　　Ellen；　this　fellar　was　quick　as　a　cat
in　his　actions　an'　his　words　was　like　lightnin'。'　

〃Who？　she　whispered。

〃Wal；　no　one　else　but　a　stranger　jest　come　to　these　partsan　Isbel；
too。　　Jean　Isbel。〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Ellen；　faintly。

〃In　a　barroom　full　of　menalmost　all　of　them　in　sympathy　with　the
sheep　crowdmost　of　them　on　the　Jorth　sidethis　Jean　Isbel　resented
an　insult　to　Ellen　Jorth。　〃

〃No！〃　cried　Ellen。　　Something　terrible　was　happening　to　her　mind　or
her　heart。

〃Wal；　he　sure　did；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃an；　it's　goin'　to　be　good
fer　you　to　hear　all　about　it。〃



CHAPTER　V

Old　John　Sprague　launched　into　his　narrative　with　evident　zest。

〃I　hung　round　Greaves'　store　most　of　two　days。　　An'　I　heerd　a　heap。
Some　of　it　was　jest　plain　ole　men's　gab；　but　I　reckon　I　got　the　drift
of　things　concernin'　Grass　Valley。　　Yestiddy　mornin'　I　was　packin'　my
burros　in　Greaves'　back　yard；　takin'　my　time　carryin'　out　supplies　from
the　store。　　An'　as　last　when　I　went　in　I　seen　a　strange　fellar　was　thar。
Strappin'　young　mannot　so　young；　eitheran'　he　had　on　buckskin。　　Hair
black　as　my　burros；　dark　face；　sharp　eyesyou'd　took　him　fer　an　Injun。　
He　carried　a　rifleone　of　them　new　forty…foursan'　also　somethin'
wrapped　in　paper　thet　he　seemed　partickler　careful　about。　　He　wore　a
belt　round　his　middle　an'　thar　was　a　bowie…knife　in　it；　carried　like
I've　seen　scouts　an'　Injun　fighters　hev　on　the　frontier　in　the
'seventies。　　That　looked　queer　to　me；　an'　I　reckon　to　the　rest　of
the　crowd　thar。　　No　one　overlooked　the　big　six…shooter　he　packed
Texas　fashion。　　Wal；　I　didn't　hev　no　idee　this　fellar　was　an　Isbel
until　I　heard　Greaves　call　him　thet。

〃'Isbel；'　said　Greaves；　'reckon　your　money's　counterfeit　hyar。
I　cain't　sell　you　anythin'。'

〃'Counterfeit？　　Not　much；'　spoke　up　the　young　fellar；　an'　he　flipped
some　gold　twenties　on　the　bar；　where　they　rung　like　bells。　　'Why　not？
Ain't　this　a　store？　　I　want　a　cinch　strap。'

〃Greaves　looked　particular　sour　thet　mornin'。　　I'd　been　watchin'　him
fer　two　days。　　He　hedn't　hed　much　sleep；　fer　I　hed　my　bed　back　of　the
store；　an'　I　heerd　men　come　in　the　night　an'　hev　long　confabs　with　him。
Whatever　was　in　the　wind　hedn't　pleased　him　none。　　An'　I　calkilated
thet　young　Isbel　wasn't　a　sight　good　fer　Greaves'　sore　eyes；　anyway。
But　he　paid　no　more　attention　to　Isbel。　　Acted　jest　as　if　he　hedn't
heerd　Isbel　say　he　wanted　a　cinch　strap。

〃I　stayed　inside　the　store　then。　　Thar　was　a　lot　of　fellars　I'd　seen；
an'　some　I　knowed。　　Couple　of　card　games　goin'；　an'　drinkin'；　of　course。
I　soon　gathered　thet　the　general　atmosphere　wasn't　friendly　to　Jean
Isbel。　　He　seen　thet　quick　enough；　but　he　didn't　leave。　　Between　you
an'　me　I　sort　of　took　a　likin'　to　him。　　An'　I　sure　watched　him　as　close
as　I　could；　not　seemin'　to；　you　know。　　Reckon　they　all　did　the　same；
only　you　couldn't　see　it。　　It　got　jest　about　the　same　as　if　Isbel　hedn't
been　in　thar；　only　you　knowed　it　wasn't　really　the　same。　　Thet　was　how
I　got　the　hunch　the　crowd　was　all　sheepmen　or　their　friends。　　The　day
before　I'd　heerd　a　lot　of　talk　about　this　young　Isbel；　an'　what　he'd
come　to　Grass　Valley　fer；　an'　what　a　bad　hombre　he　was。　　An'　when　I
seen　him　I　was　bound　to　admit　he　looked　his　reputation。

〃Wal；　pretty　soon　in　come　two　more　fellars；　an'　I　knowed　both　of　them。
You　know　them；　too；　I'm　sorry　to　say。　　Fer　I'm　comin'　to　facts　now　thet
will　shake　you。　　The　first　fellar　was　your　father's　Mexican　foreman；
Lorenzo；　and　t