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第23节

to the last man-第23节

小说: to the last man 字数: 每页4000字

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Gaston Isbel always was a maverick rustler。  He's gettin' old now an'
rich; so he wants to cover his tracks。  He aims to blame this cattle
rustlin' an' horse stealin' on to us sheepmen; an' run us out of the
country。〃

Gravely Ellen Jorth studied her father's face; and the newly found
truth…seeing power of her eyes did not fail her。  In part; perhaps
in all; he was telling lies。  She shuddered a little; loyally battling
against the insidious convictions being brought to fruition。  Perhaps
in his brooding over his failures and troubles he leaned toward false
judgments。  Ellen could not attach dishonor to her father's motives or
speeches。  For long; however; something about him had troubled her;
perplexed her。  Fearfully she believed she was coming to some
revelation; and; despite her keen determination to know; she
found herself shrinking。

〃Dad; mother told me before she died that the Isbels had ruined you;〃
said Ellen; very low。  It hurt her so to see her father cover his
face that she could hardly go on。  〃If they ruined you they ruined
all of us。  I know what we had oncewhat we lost again and againand
I see what we are come to now。  Mother hated the Isbels。  She taught me
to hate the very name。  But I never knew how they ruined youor why
or when。  And I want to know now。〃

Then it was not the face of a liar that Jorth disclosed。  The present
was forgotten。  He lived in the past。  He even seemed younger 'in the
revivifying flash of hate that made his face radiant。  The lines burned
out。  Hate gave him back the spirit of his youth。

〃Gaston Isbel an' I were boys together in Weston; Texas;〃 began Jorth;
in swift; passionate voice。  〃We went to school together。  We loved
the same girlyour mother。  When the war broke out she was engaged
to Isbel。  His family was rich。  They influenced her people。  But she
loved me。  When Isbel went to war she married me。  He came back an'
faced us。  God!  I'll never forget that。  Your mother confessed her
unfaithfulnessby Heaven!  She taunted him with it。  Isbel accused
me of winnin' her by lies。  But she took the sting out of that。

Isbel never forgave her an' he hounded me to ruin。  He made me out
a card…sharp; cheatin' my best friends。  I was disgraced。  Later he
tangled me in the courtshe beat me out of propertyan' last by
convictin' me of rustlin' cattle he run me out of Texas。〃

Black and distorted now; Jorth's face was a spectacle to make Ellen
sick with a terrible passion of despair and hate。  The truth of her
father's ruin and her own were enough。  What mattered all else?
Jorth beat the table with fluttering; nerveless hands that seemed
all the more significant for their lack of physical force。

〃An' so help me God; it's got to be wiped out in blood!〃 he hissed。

That was his answer to the wavering and nobility of Ellen。  And she
in her turn had no answer to make。  She crept away into the corner
behind the curtain; and there on her couch in the semidarkness she
lay with strained heart; and a resurging; unconquerable tumult in her
mind。  And she lay there from the middle of that afternoon until the
next morning。

When she awakened she expected to be unable to riseshe hoped she
could notbut life seemed multiplied in her; and inaction was
impossible。  Something young and sweet and hopeful that had been
in her did not greet the sun this morning。  In their place was a
woman's passion to learn for herself; to watch events; to meet what
must come; to survive。

After breakfast; at which she sat alone; she decided to put Isbel's
package out of the way; so that it would not be subjecting her to
continual annoyance。  The moment she picked it up the old curiosity
assailed her。

〃Shore I'll see what it is; anyway;〃 she muttered; and with swift
hands she opened the package。  The action disclosed two pairs of fine;
soft shoes; of a style she had never seen; and four pairs of stockings;
two of strong; serviceable wool; and the others of a finer texture。
Ellen looked at them in amaze。  Of all things in the world; these would
have been the last she expected to see。  And; strangely; they were what
she wanted and needed most。  Naturally; then; Ellen made the mistake of
taking them in her hands to feel their softness and warmth。

〃Shore!  He saw my bare legs!  And he brought me these presents he'd
intended for his sister。 。 。 。 He was ashamed for mesorry for me。
 。 。 And I thought he looked at me bold…like; as I'm used to be looked
at heah! Isbel or not; he's shore。 。 。〃

But Ellen Jorth could not utter aloud the conviction her intelligence
tried to force upon her。

〃It'd be a pity to burn them;〃 she mused。  〃I cain't do it。
Sometime I might send them to Ann Isbel。〃

Whereupon she wrapped them up again and hid them in the bottom of the
old trunk; and slowly; as she lowered the lid; looking darkly; blankly
at the wall; she whispered: 〃Jean Isbel! 。 。 。 I hate him!〃

Later when Ellen went outdoors she carried her rifle; which was unusual
for her; unless she intended to go into the woods。

The morning was sunny and warm。  A group of shirt…sleeved men lounged
in the hall and before the porch of the double cabin。  Her father was
pacing up and down; talking forcibly。  Ellen heard his hoarse voice。
As she approached he ceased talking and his listeners relaxed their
attention。  Ellen's glance ran over them swiftlyDaggs; with his
superb head; like that of a hawk; uncovered to the sun; Colter with
his lowered; secretive looks; his sand…gray lean face; Jackson Jorth;
her uncle; huge; gaunt; hulking; with white in his black beard and hair;
and the fire of a ghoul in his hollow eyes; Tad Jorth; another brother
of her father's; younger; red of eye and nose; a weak…chinned drinker
of rum。  Three other limber…legged Texans lounged there; partners of
Daggs; and they were sun…browned; light…haired; blue…eyed men singularly
alike in appearance; from their dusty high…heeled boots to their broad
black sombreros。  They claimed to be sheepmen。  All Ellen could be sure
of was that Rock Wells spent most of his time there; doing nothing but
look for a chance to waylay her; Springer was a gambler; and the third;
who answered to the strange name of Queen; was a silent; lazy;
watchful…eyed man who never wore a glove on his right hand and who
never was seen without a gun within easy reach of that hand。

〃Howdy; Ellen。  Shore you ain't goin' to say good mawnin' to this
heah bad lot?〃 drawled Daggs; with good…natured sarcasm。

〃Why; shore!  Good morning; y'u hard…working industrious MANANA sheep
raisers;〃 replied Ellen; coolly。

Daggs stared。  The others appeared taken back by a greeting so foreign
from any to which they were accustomed from her。  Jackson Jorth let out
a gruff haw…haw。  Some of them doffed their sombreros; and Rock Wells
managed a lazy; polite good morning。  Ellen's father seemed most
significantly struck by her greeting; and the least amused。

〃Ellen; I'm not likin' your talk; 〃 he said; with a frown。

〃Dad; when y'u play cards don't y'u call a spade a spade?〃

〃Why; shore I do。〃

〃Well; I'm calling spades spades。〃

〃Ahuh!〃 grunted Jorth; furtively dropping his eyes。  〃Where you goin'
with your gun?  I'd rather you hung round heah now。〃

〃Reckon I might as well get used to packing my gun all the time;〃
replied Ellen。  〃Reckon I'll be treated more like a man。〃

Then the event Ellen had been expecting all morning took place。
Simm Bruce and Lorenzo rode around the slope of the Knoll and
trotted toward the cabin。  Interest in Ellen was relegated to
the background。

〃Shore they're bustin' with news;〃 declared Daggs。

〃They been ridin' some; you bet;〃 remarked another。

〃Huh!〃 exclaimed Jorth。  〃Bruce shore looks queer to me。〃

〃Red liquor;〃 said Tad Jorth; sententiously。  〃You…all know the
brand Greaves hands out。〃

〃Naw; Simm ain't drunk;〃 said Jackson Jorth。  〃Look at his bloody shirt。〃

The cool; indolent interest of the crowd vanished at the red color
pointed out by Jackson Jorth。  Daggs rose in a single springy motion
to his lofty height。  The face Bruce turned to Jorth was swollen and
bruised; with unhealed cuts。  Where his right eye should have been
showed a puffed dark purple bulge。  His other eye; however; gleamed
with hard and sullen light。  He stretched a big shaking hand toward Jorth。

Thet Nez Perce Isbel beat me half to death;〃 he bellowed。

Jorth stared hard at the tragic; almost grotesque figure; at the
battered face。  But speech failed him。  It was Daggs who answered Bruce。

〃Wal; Simm; I'll be damned if you don't look it。〃

〃Beat you!  What with?〃 burst out Jorth; explosively。

〃I thought he was swingin' an ax; but Greaves swore it was his fists;〃
bawled Bruce; in misery and fury。

〃Where was your gun?〃 queried Jorth; sharply。

〃Gun? Hell!〃 exclaimed Bruce; flinging wide his arms。  〃Ask Lorenzo。
He had a gun。  An' he got a biff in the jaw before my turn come。
Ask him?〃

Attention thus directed to the Mexican showed a heavy discolored
swelling upon the side of his olive…skinned face。  Lorenzo looked
only serious。

〃Hah!  Speak up;〃 shouted Jorth; impatiently。

〃Senor Isbel heet me ver quick;〃 replied Lorenzo; with expressive
gesture。

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