to the last man-第24节

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

〃Senor　Isbel　heet　me　ver　quick；〃　replied　Lorenzo；　with　expressive
gesture。　　〃I　see　thousand　starsthen　moocho　blackall　like　night。〃

At　that　some　of　Daggs's　men　lolled　back　with　dry　crisp　laughter。
Daggs's　hard　face　rippled　with　a　smile。　　But　there　was　no　humor
in　anything　for　Colonel　Jorth。

〃Tell　us　what　come　off。　　Quick！〃　he　ordered。　　〃Where　did　it　happen？
Why？　　Who　saw　it？　　What　did　you　do？　〃

Bruce　lapsed　into　a　sullen　impressiveness。　　〃Wal；　I　happened　in
Greaves's　store　an'　run　into　Jean　Isbel。　　Shore　was　lookin'　fer　him。
I　had　my　mind　made　up　what　to　do；　but　I　got　to　shootin'　off　my　gab
instead　of　my　gun。　　I　called　him　Nez　Percean'　I　throwed　all　thet
talk　in　his　face　about　old　Gass　Isbel　sendin'　fer　him…an'　I　told
him　he'd　git　run　out　of　the　Tonto。　　Reckon　I　was　jest　warmin'　up。
。　。　。　But　then　it　all　happened。　　He　slugged　Lorenzo　jest　one。　　An'
Lorenzo　slid　peaceful…like　to　bed　behind　the　counter。　　I　hadn't　time
to　think　of　throwin'　a　gun　before　he　whaled　into　me。　　He　knocked　out
two　of　my　teeth。　　An'　I　swallered　one　of　them。〃

Ellen　stood　in　the　background　behind　three　of　the　men　and　in　the
shadow。　　She　did　not　join　in　the　laugh　that　followed　Bruce's　remarks。
She　had　known　that　he　would　lie。　　Uncertain　yet　of　her　reaction　to　this；
but　more　bitter　and　furious　as　he　revealed　his　utter　baseness；　she
waited　for　more　to　be　said。

〃Wal；　I'll　be　doggoned；〃　drawled　Daggs。

〃What　do　you　make　of　this　kind　of　fightin'？〃　queried　Jorth；

〃Darn　if　I　know；〃　replied　Daggs　in　perplexity。　　〃Shore　an'　sartin
it's　not　the　way　of　a　Texan。　　Mebbe　this　young　Isbel　really　is　what
old　Gass　swears　he　is。　　Shore　Bruce　ain't　nothin'　to　give　an　edge　to
a　real　gun　fighter。　　Looks　to　me　like　Isbel　bluffed　Greaves　an'　his
gang　an'　licked　your　men　without　throwin'　a　gun。〃

〃Maybe　Isbel　doesn't　want　the　name　of　drawin'　first　blood；〃
suggested　Jorth。

〃That　'd　be　like　Gass；〃　spoke　up　Rock　Wells；　quietly。　　I　onct　rode
fer　Gass　in　Texas。〃

〃Say；　Bruce；〃　said　Daggs；　〃was　this　heah　palaverin'　of　yours　an'
Jean　Isbel's　aboot　the　old　stock　dispute？　　Aboot　his　father's　range
an'　water？　　An'　partickler　aboot；　sheep？〃

〃WalII　yelled　a　heap；〃　declared　Bruce；　haltingly；　〃but　I　don't
recollect　all　I　saidI　was　riled。　。　。　。　Shore；　though　it　was　the　same
old　argyment　thet's　been　fetchin'　us　closer　an'　closer　to　trouble。〃

Daggs　removed　his　keen　hawklike　gaze　from　Bruce。　　Wal；　Jorth；　all　I'll
say　is　this。　　If　Bruce　is　tellin'　the　truth　we　ain't　got　a　hell　of　a
lot　to　fear　from　this　young　Isbel。　　I've　known　a　heap　of　gun　fighters
in　my　day。　　An'　Jean　Isbel　don't　ran　true　to　class。　　Shore　there　never
was　a　gunman　who'd　risk　cripplin'　his　right　hand　by　sluggin'　anybody。〃

〃Wal；〃　broke　in　Bruce；　sullenly。　　〃You…all　can　take　it　daid　straight
or　not。　　I　don't　give　a　damn。　　But　you've　shore　got　my　hunch　thet　Nez
Perce　Isbel　is　liable　to　handle　any　of　you　fellars　jest　as　he　did　me；
an'　jest　as　easy。　　What's　more；　he's　got　Greaves　figgered。　　An'　you…all
know　thet　Greaves　is　as　deep　in〃

〃Shut　up　that　kind　of　gab；〃　demanded　Jorth；　stridently。　　〃An'　answer　me。
Was　the　row　in　Greaves's　barroom　aboot　sheep？〃

〃Aw；　hell！　　I　said　so；　didn't　I？〃　shouted　Bruce；　with　a　fierce　uplift
of　his　distorted　face。

Ellen　strode　out　from　the　shadow　of　the　tall　men　who　had　obscured　her。

〃Bruce；　y'u're　a　liar；〃　she　said；　bitingly。

The　surprise　of　her　sudden　appearance　seemed　to　root　Bruce　to　the　spot。
All　but　the　discolored　places　on　his　face　turned　white。　　He　held　his
breath　a　moment；　then　expelled　it　hard。　　His　effort　to　recover　from
the　shock　was　painfully　obvious。　　He　stammered　incoherently。

〃Shore　y'u're　more　than　a　liar；　too；〃　cried　Ellen；　facing　him　with
blazing　eyes。　　And　the　rifle；　gripped　in　both　hands；　seemed　to　declare
her　intent　of　menace。　　〃That　row　was　not　about　sheep。　。　。　。　Jean　Isbel
didn't　beat　y'u　for　anythin'　about　sheep。　。　。　。　Old　John　Sprague　was　in
Greaves's　store。　　He　heard　y'u。　　He　saw　Jean　Isbel　beat　y'u　as　y'u
deserved。　。　。　。　An'　he　told　ME！〃

Ellen　saw　Bruce　shrink　in　fear　of　his　life；　and　despite　her　fury　she
was　filled　with　disgust　that　he　could　imagine　she　would　have　his　blood
on　her　hands。　　Then　she　divined　that　Bruce　saw　more　in　the　gathering
storm　in　her　father's　eyes　than　he　had　to　fear　from　her。

〃Girl；　what　the　hell　are　y'u　sayin'？〃　hoarsely　called　Jorth；　in　dark　amaze。

〃Dad；　y'u　leave　this　to　me；〃　she　retorted。

Daggs　stepped　beside　Jorth；　significantly　on　his　right　side。　　〃Let　her
alone　Lee；〃　he　advised；　coolly。　　〃She's　shore　got　a　hunch　on　Bruce。〃

〃Simm　Bruce；　y'u　cast　a　dirty　slur　on　my　name；〃　cried　Ellen；　passionately。

It　was　then　that　Daggs　grasped　Jorth's　right　arm　and　held　it　tight；
〃Jest　what　I　thought；〃　he　said。　　〃Stand　still；　Lee。　　Let's　see　the
kid　make　him　showdown。〃

〃That's　what　jean　Isbel　beat　y'u　for；〃　went　on　Ellen。　　〃For　slandering
a　girl　who　wasn't　there。　。　。　。　Me！　　Y'u　rotten　liar！〃

〃But；　Ellen；　it　wasn't　all　lies；〃　said　Bruce；　huskily。　　〃I　was　half
drunkan'　horrible　jealous。　。　。　。　You　know　Lorenzo　seen　Isbel　kissin'
you。　　I　can　prove　thet。〃

Ellen　threw　up　her　head　and　a　scarlet　wave　of　shame　and　wrath　flooded
her　face。

〃Yes；〃　she　cried；　ringingly。　　〃He　saw　Jean　Isbel　kiss　me。　Once！　。　。　。
An'　it　was　the　only　decent　kiss　I've　had　in　years。　　He　meant　no　insult。
I　didn't　know　who　be　was。　　An'　through　his　kiss　I　learned　a　difference
between　men。　。　。　。　Y'u　made　Lorenzo　lie。　　An'　if　I　had　a　shred　of　good
name　left　in　Grass　Valley　you　dishonored　it。　。　。　。　Y'u　made　him　think　
I　was　your　girl！　　Damn　y'u！　　I　ought　to　kill　y'u。　。　。　。　Eat　your　words
nowtake　them　backor　I'll　cripple　y'u　for　life！〃

Ellen　lowered　the　cocked　rifle　toward　his　feet。

〃Shore；　Ellen；　I　take　backall　I　said；〃　gulped　Bruce。　　He　gazed　at
the　quivering　rifle　barrel　and　then　into　the　face　of　Ellen's　father。
Instinct　told　him　where　his　real　peril　lay。

Here　the　cool　and　tactful　Daggs　showed　himself　master　of　the　situation。

〃Heah；　listen！〃　he　called。　　〃Ellen；　I　reckon　Bruce　was　drunk　an'　out
of　his　haid。　　He's　shore　ate　his　words。　　Now；　we　don't　want　any　cripples
in　this　camp。　　Let　him　alone。　　Your　dad　got　me　heah　to　lead　the　Jorths；
an'　that's　my　say　to　you。　。　。　。　Simm；　you're　shore　a　low…down　lyin'
rascal。　　Keep　away　from　Ellen　after　this　or　I'll　bore　you　myself。　。　。　。
Jorth；　it　won't　be　a　bad　idee　for　you　to　forget　you're　a　Texan　till
you　cool　off。　　Let　Bruce　stop　some　Isbel　lead。　　Shore　the　Jorth…Isbel
war　is　aboot　on；　an'　I　reckon　we'd　be　smart　to　believe　old　Gass's　talk
aboot　his　Nez　Perce　son。〃



CHAPTER　VI

》From　this　hour　Ellen　Jorth　bent　all　of　her　lately　awakened　intelligence
and　will　to　the　only　end　that　seemed　to　hold　possible　salvation　for　her。
In　the　crisis　sure　to　come　she　did　not　want　to　be　blind　or　weak。
Dreaming　and　indolence；　habits　born　in　her　which　were　often　a　comfort
to　one　as　lonely　as　she；　would　ill　fit　her　for　the　hard　test　she　divined
and　dreaded。　　In　the　matter　of　her　father's　fight　she　must　stand　by　him
whatever　the　issue　or　the　outcome；　in　what　pertained　to　her　own　principles；
her　womanhood；　and　her　soul　she　stood　absolutely　alone。

Therefore；　Ellen　put　dreams　aside；　and　indolence　of　mind　and　body
behind　her。　　Many　tasks　she　found；　and　when　these　were　done　for　a
day　she　kept　active　in　other　ways；　thus　earning　the　poise　and　peace
of　labor。

Jorth　rode　off　every　day；　sometimes　with　one　or　two　of　the　men；　often
with　a　larger　number。　　If　he　spoke　of　such　trips　to　Ellen　it　was　to
give　an　impression　of　visiting　the　ranches　of　his　neighbors　or　the
various　sheep　camps。　　Often　he　did　not　return　the　day　he　left。　　When
he　did　get　back　he　smelled　of　rum　and　appeared　heavy　from　need　of　sleep。
His　horses　were　always　dust　and　sweat　covered。　　During　his　absences
Ellen　fell　victim　to　anxious　dread　until　he　returned。　　Daily　he　grew
darker　and　more　haggard　of　face；　more　obsessed　by　some　impending　fate。
Often　he　stayed　up　late；　haranguing　with　the　men　in　the　dim…lit　cabin；
where　they　drank　and　smoked；　but　seldom　gambled　any　more。　　When　the　men
did　not　gamble　something　immediate　and　perturbing　was　on　their　minds。
Ellen　had　not　yet　lowered　herself　to　the　deceit　and　suspicion　of
eavesdropping；　but　she　realized　that　there　was　a　climax　approaching
in　which　she　would　deliberately　do　so。

In　those　closing　May　days　Ellen　learned　the　significance　of　many　things
that　previously　she　had　taken　as　a　matter　of　course。　　Her　father　did
not　run　a　ranch。　　There　was　absolutely　no　ranching　done；　and　little　work。
Often　Ellen　had　to　chop　wood　herself。　　Jorth　did　not　possess　a　plow。
Ellen　was　bound　to　confess　that　the　evidence　of　this　lack　dumfounded　her。
Even　old　John　Sprague　raised　some　hay；　beets；　turnips。　Jorth's　cattle
and　horses　fared　ill　during　the　winter。　　Ellen　remembered　how　they　used
to　clean　up　four…inch　oak　saplings　and　aspens。　　Many　of　them　died　in
the　snow。　　The　flocks　of　sheep；　however；　were　driven　down　into　the　Basin
in　the　fall；　and　across　the　Reno　Pass　to　Phoenix　and　Maricopa。

Ellen　could　not　discover　a　fence　post　on　the　ranch。　nor　a　piece　of
salt　for　the　horses　and　cattle；　nor　a　wagon；　nor　any　sign　of　a
sheep…shearing　outfit。　　She　had　never　seen　an