to the last man-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　her　disgrace；　not　with　the　baffling　presence　of　Jean　Isbel；　but
with　the　mysteries　of　her　own　soul。　　Wonder　of　all　wonders　was　it　that
such　love　had　been　born　for　her。　Shame　worse　than　all　other　shame　was
it　that　she　should　kill　it　by　a　poisoned　lie。　　By　what　monstrous　motive
had　she　done　that？　　To　sting　Isbel　as　he　had　stung　her！　　But　that　had
been　base。　　Never　could　she　have　stopped　so　low　except　in　a　moment　of
tremendous　tumult。　　If　she　had　done　sore　injury　to　Isbel　what　bad　she
done　to　herself？　　How　strange；　how　tenacious　had　been　his　faith　in　her
honor！　　Could　she　ever　forget？　　She　must　forget　it。　　But　she　could　never
forget　the　way　he　had　scorned　those　vile　men　in　Greaves's　storethe
way　he　had　beaten　Bruce　for　defiling　her　namethe　way　he　had　stubbornly
denied　her　own　insinuations。　　She　was　a　woman　now。　　She　had　learned
something　of　the　complexity　of　a　woman's　heart。　　She　could　not　change
nature。　　And　all　her　passionate　being　thrilled　to　the　manhood　of　her
defender。　　But　even　while　she　thrilled　she　acknowledged　her　hate。
It　was　the　contention　between　the　two　that　caused　the　pang　in　her
breast。　　〃An'　now　what's　left　for　me？〃　murmured　Ellen。　　She　did　not
analyze　the　significance　of　what　had　prompted　that　query。　　The　most
incalculable　of　the　day's　disclosures　was　the　wrong　she　had　done
herself。　　〃Shore　I'm　done　for；　one　way　or　another。　。　。　。　I　must
stick　to　Dad。　。　。　。　or　kill　myself？〃

Ellen　rode　Spades　back　to　the　ranch。　　She　rode　like　the　wind。　　When　she
swung　out　of　the　trail　into　the　open　meadow　in　plain　sight　of　the　ranch
her　appearance　created　a　commotion　among　the　loungers　before　the　cabin。
She　rode　Spades　at　a　full　run。

〃Who's　after　you？〃　yelled　her　father；　as　she　pulled　the　black　to　a　halt。
Jorth　held　a　rifle。　　Daggs；　Colter；　the　other　Jorths　were　there；
likewise　armed；　and　all　watchful；　strung　with　expectancy。

〃Shore　nobody's　after　me；〃　replied　Ellen。　　〃Cain't　I　run　a　horse　round
heah　without　being　chased？〃

Jorth　appeared　both　incensed　and　relieved。

〃Hah！　。　。　。　What　you　mean；　girl；　runnin'　like　a　streak　right　down
on　us？　　You're　actin'　queer　these　days；　an'　you　look　queer。
I'm　not　likin'　it。〃

〃Reckon　these　are　queer　timesfor　the　Jorths；〃　replied　Ellen；
sarcastically。

〃Daggs　found　strange　horse　tracks　crossin'　the　meadow；〃　said　her　father。
〃An'　that　worried　us。　　Some　one's　been　snoopin'　round　the　ranch。　　An'
when　we　seen　you　runnin'　so　wild　we　shore　thought　you　was　bein'　chased。〃

〃No。　　I　was　only　trying　out　Spades　to　see　how　fast　he　could　run；〃
returned　Ellen。　　〃Reckon　when　we　do　get　chased　it'll　take　some
running　to　catch　me。〃

〃Haw！　Haw！〃　roared　Daggs。　　〃It　shore　will；　Ellen。〃

〃Girl；　it's　not　only　your　runnin'　an'　your　looks　that's　queer；〃
declared　Jorth；　in　dark　perplexity。　　〃You　talk　queer。〃

〃Shore；　dad；　y'u're　not　used　to　hearing　spades　called　spades；〃
said　Ellen；　as　she　dismounted。

〃Humph！〃　ejaculated　her　father；　as　if　convinced　of　the　uselessness
of　trying　to　understand　a　woman。　　〃Say；　did　you　see　any　strange
horse　tracks？〃　〃

〃I　reckon　I　did。　　And　I　know　who　made　them。〃

Jorth　stiffened。　　All　the　men　behind　him　showed　a　sudden　intensity　of
suspense。

〃Who？〃　demanded　Jorth。

〃Shore　it　was　Jean　Isbel；〃　replied　Ellen；　coolly。　　〃He　came　up　heah
tracking　his　black　horse。〃

〃JeanIsbeltrackin'hisblack　horse；　〃　repeated　her　father。

〃Yes。　　He's　not　overrated　as　a　tracker；　that's　shore。〃

Blank　silence　ensued。　　Ellen　cast　a　slow　glance　over　her　father　and
the　others；　then　she　began　to　loosen　the　cinches　of　her　saddle。
Presently　Jorth　burst　the　silence　with　a　curse；　and　Daggs　followed
with　one　of　his　sardonic　laughs。

〃Wal；　boss；　what　did　I　tell　you？〃　he　drawled。

Jorth　strode　to　Ellen；　and；　whirling　her　around　with　a　strong　hand；
he　held　her　facing　him。

〃Did　y'u　see　Isbel？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Ellen；　just　as　sharply　as　her　father　had　asked。

〃Did　y'u　talk　to　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　he　want　up　heah？〃

〃I　told　y'u。　　He　was　tracking　the　black　horse　y'u　stole。〃

Jorth's　hand　and　arm　dropped　limply。　　His　sallow　face　turned　a　livid　hue。
Amaze　merged　into　discomfiture　and　that　gave　place　to　rage。　　He　raised
a　hand　as　if　to　strike　Ellen。　　And　suddenly　Daggs's　long　arm　shot　out
to　clutch　Jorth's　wrist。　　Wrestling　to　free　himself；　Jorth　cursed　under
his　breath。　　〃Let　go；　Daggs；〃　he　shouted；　stridently。　　〃Am　I　drunk　that
you　grab　me？　〃

〃Wal；　y'u　ain't　drunk；　I　reckon；〃　replied　the　rustler；　with　sarcasm。
〃But　y'u're　shore　some　things　I'll　reserve　for　your　private　ear。〃

Jorth　gained　a　semblance　of　composure。　　But　it　was　evident　that　he
labored　under　a　shock。

〃Ellen；　did　Jean　Isbel　see　this　black　horse？〃

〃Yes。　　He　asked　me　how　I　got　Spades　an'　I　told　him。〃

〃Did　he　say　Spades　belonged　to　him？〃

〃Shore　I　reckon　he；　proved　it。　　Y'u　can　always　tell　a　horse　that　loves
its　master。〃

〃Did　y'u　offer　to　give　Spades　back？〃

〃Yes。　　But　Isbel　wouldn't　take　him。〃

〃Hah！　。　。　。　An'　why　not？〃

〃He　said　he'd　rather　I　kept　him。　　He　was　about　to　engage　in　a　dirty；
blood…spilling　deal；　an'　he　reckoned　he'd　not　be　able　to　care　for　a
fine　horse。　。　。　。　I　didn't　want　Spades。　　I　tried　to　make　Isbel　take　him。
But　he　rode　off。　。　。　。　And　that's　all　there　is　to　that。〃

〃Maybe　it's　not；〃　replied　Jorth；　chewing　his　mustache　and　eying　Ellen
with　dark；　intent　gaze。　　〃Y'u've　met　this　Isbel　twice。〃

〃It　wasn't　any　fault　of　mine；〃　retorted　Ellen。

〃I　heah　he's　sweet　on　y'u。　　How　aboot　that？〃

Ellen　smarted　under　the　blaze　of　blood　that　swept　to　neck　and　cheek
and　temple。　　But　it　was　only　memory　which　fired　this　shame。　　What　her
father　and　his　crowd　might　think　were　matters　of　supreme　indifference。
Yet　she　met　his　suspicious　gaze　with　truthful　blazing　eyes。

〃I　heah　talk　from　Bruce　an'　Lorenzo；〃　went　on　her　father。　　〃An'　Daggs　heah〃

〃Daggs　nothin'！〃　interrupted　that　worthy。　　〃Don't　fetch　me　in。　　I　said
nothin'　an'　I　think　nothin'。〃

〃Yes；　Jean　Isbel　was　sweet　on　me；　dad　。　。　。　but　he　will　never　be　again；〃
returned　Ellen；　in　low　tones。　　With　that　she　pulled　her　saddle　off
Spades　and；　throwing　it　over　her　shoulder；　she　walked　off　to　her　cabin。

Hardly　had　she　gotten　indoors　when　her　father　entered。

〃Ellen；　I　didn't　know　that　horse　belonged　to　Isbel；〃　he　began；　in　the
swift；　hoarse；　persuasive　voice　so　familiar　to　Ellen。　　〃I　swear　I　didn't。
I　bought　himtraded　with　Slater　for　him。　。　。　。　Honest　to　God；　I　never
had　any　idea　he　was　stolen！　。　。　。　Why；　when　y'u　said　'that　horse　y'u
stole；'　　I　felt　as　if　y'u'd　knifed　me。　。　。　。〃

Ellen　sat　at　the　table　and　listened　while　her　father　paced　to　and　fro
and；　by　his　restless　action　and　passionate　speech；　worked　himself　into
a　frenzy。　　He　talked　incessantly；　as　if　her　silence　was　condemnatory
and　as　if　eloquence　alone　could　convince　her　of　his　honesty。　　It
seemed　that　Ellen　saw　and　heard　with　keener　faculties　than　ever　before。
He　had　a　terrible　thirst　for　her　respect。　　Not　so　much　for　her　love；
she　divined；　but　that　she　would　not　see　how　he　had　fallen！

She　pitied　him　with　all　her　heart。　　She　was　all　he　had；　as　he　was　all
the　world　to　her。　　And　so；　as　she　gave　ear　to　his　long；　illogical
rigmarole　of　argument　and　defense；　she　slowly　found　that　her　pity
and　her　love　were　making　vital　decisions　for　her。　　As　of　old；　in
poignant　moments；　her　father　lapsed　at　last　into　a　denunciation　of
the　Isbels　and　what　they　had　brought　him　to。　　His　sufferings　were　real；
at　least；　in　Ellen's　presence。　　She　was　the　only　link　that　bound　him
to　long…past　happier　times。　　She　was　her　mother　over　againthe　woman
who　had　betrayed　another　man　for　him　and　gone　with　him　to　her　ruin
and　death。

〃Dad；　don't　go　on　so；〃　said　Ellen；　breaking　in　upon　her　father's　rant。
〃I　will　be　true　to　y'uas　my　mother　was。　。　。　。　I　am　a　Jorth。　　Your
place　is　my　placeyour　fight　is　my　fight。　。　。　。　Never　speak　of　the
past　to　me　again。　　If　God　spares　us　through　this　feud　we　will　go　away
and　begin　all　over　again；　far　off　where　no　one　ever　heard　of　a　Jorth。
。　。　。　If　we're　not　spared　we'll　at　least　have　had　our　whack　at　these
damned　Isbels。〃



CHAPTER　VII

During　June　Jean　Isbel　did　not　ride　far　away　from　Grass　Valley。

Another　attempt　had　been　made　upon　Gaston　Isbel's　life。　　Another
cowardly　shot　had　been　fired　from　ambush；　this　time　from　a　pine
thicket　bordering　the　trail　that　led　to　Blaisdell's　ranch。　　Blaisdell
heard　this　shot；　so　near　his　home　was　it　fired。　　No　trace　of　the　hidden
foe　could　be　found。　　The　'ground　all　around　that　vicinity　bore　a　carpet　
of　pine　needles　which　showed　no　trace　of　footprints。　　The　supposition
was　that　this　cowardly　attempt　had　been　perpetrated；　or　certainly
instigated；　by　the　Jorths。　　But　there　was　no　proof。　　And　Gaston　Isbel
had　other　enemies　in　the　Tonto　Basin　besides　the　sheep　clan。　　The　old
man　raged　like　a　lion　about　this　sneaking　attack　on　him。　　And　his　friend
Blaisdell　urged　an　immediate　gathering　of　their　kin　and　friends。　　〃Let's　
quit　ranchin'　till　this　trouble's　settled；〃　he　declared。　　〃Let's　arm　an'
ride　the　trails　an'　meet　these　men　half…way。　。　。　。　It　won't　help　our
side　any　to　wait　till　you're　shot　in　the　back。〃　　More　than　one　of
Isbel's　supporters　offered　the　same　advice。

〃No；　we'll　wait　till　we　know　for　shore；〃　was　the　stubborn　cat