to the last man-第37节

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〃Nothin'　would　tickle　me　any　more　than　to　get　a　shot　at　every　damn
one　of　the　Jorths。〃

That　established　Colmor's　status　in　regard　to　the　Jorth…Isbel　feud。
Jean　had　no　more　to　say。　　He　respected　Ann's　friend　and　felt　poignant
sorrow　for　Ann。

Gaston　Isbel　called　for　meat　and　drink　to　be　set　on　the　table　for　his
guests。　　When　his　wishes　had　been　complied　with　the　women　took　the
children　into　the　adjoining　cabin　and　shut　the　door。

〃Hah！　　Wal；　we　can　eat　an'　talk　now。〃

First　the　newcomers　wanted　to　hear　particulars　of　what　had　happened。
Blaisdell　had　told　all　he　knew　and　had　seen；　but　that　was　not
sufficient。　　They　plied　Gaston　Isbel　with　questions。　　Laboriously
and　ponderously　he　rehearsed　the　experiences　of　the　fight　at　the
ranch；　according　to　his　impressions。　　Bill　Isbel　was　exhorted　to　
talk；　but　he　had　of　late　manifested　a　sullen　and　taciturn　disposition。
In　spite　of　Jean's　vigilance　Bill　had　continued　to　imbibe　red　liquor。
Then　Jean　was　called　upon　to　relate　all　he　had　seen　and　done。　　It　had
been　Jean's　intention　to　keep　his　mouth　shut；　first　for　his　own　sake
and；　secondly；　because　he　did　not　like　to　talk　of　his　deeds。　　But　when
thus　appealed　to　by　these　somber…faced；　intent…eyed　men　he　divined　that
the　more　carefully　he　described　the　cruelty　and　baseness　of　their
enemies；　and　the　more　vividly　he　presented　his　participation　in　the
first　fight　of　the　feud　the　more　strongly　he　would　bind　these　friends
to　the　Isbel　cause。　　So　he　talked　for　an　hour；　beginning　with　his
meeting　with　Colter　up　on　the　Rim　and　ending　with　an　account　of　his
killing　Greaves。　　His　listeners　sat　through　this　long　narrative　with
unabated　interest　and　at　the　close　they　were　leaning　forward；　breathless
and　tense。

〃Ah！　　So　Greaves　got　his　desserts　at　last；〃　exclaimed　Gordon。

All　the　men　around　the　table　made　comments；　and　the　last；　from　Blue；
was　the　one　that　struck　Jean　forcibly。

〃Shore　thet　was　a　strange　an'　a　hell　of　a　way　to　kill　Greaves。
Why'd　you　do　thet；　Jean？〃

〃I　told　you。　　I　wanted　to　avoid　noise　an'　I　hoped　to　get　more　of　them。〃

Blue　nodded　his　lean；　eagle…like　head　and　sat　thoughtfully；　as　if　not
convinced　of　anything　save　Jean's　prowess。　　After　a　moment　Blue　spoke
again。

〃Then；　goin'　back　to　Jean's　tellin'　aboot　trackin'　rustled　Cattle；
I've　got　this　to　say。　　I've　long　suspected　thet　somebody　livin'　right
heah　in　the　valley　has　been　drivin'　off　cattle　an'　dealin'　with
rustlers。　　An'　now　I'm　shore　of　it。〃

This　speech　did　not　elicit　the　amaze　from　Gaston　Isbel　that　Jean
expected　it　would。

〃You　mean　Greaves　or　some　of　his　friends？〃

〃No。　　They　wasn't　none　of　them　in　the　cattle　business；　like　we　are。
Shore　we　all　knowed　Greaves　was　crooked。　　But　what　I'm　figgerin'　is
thet　some　so…called　honest　man　in　our　settlement　has　been　makin'
crooked　deals。

Blue　was　a　man　of　deeds　rather　than　words；　and　so　much　strong　speech
from　him；　whom　everybody　knew　to　be　remarkably　reliable　and　keen；
made　a　profound　impression　upon　most　of　the　Isbel　faction。　　But；
to　Jean's　surprise；　his　father　did　not　rave。　　It　was　Blaisdell　who
supplied　the　rage　and　invective。　　Bill　Isbel；　also；　was　strangely
indifferent　to　this　new　element　in　the　condition　of　cattle　dealing。
Suddenly　Jean　caught　a　vague　flash　of　thought；　as　if　he　had　intercepted
the　thought　of　another's　mind；　and　he　wonderedcould　his　brother　Bill
know　anything　about　this　crooked　work　alluded　to　by　Blue？　　Dismissing
the　conjecture；　Jean　listened　earnestly。

〃An'　if　it's　true　it　shore　makes　this　differencewe　cain't　blame　all
the　rustlin'　on　to　Jorth；〃　concluded　Blue。

〃Wal；　it's　not　true；〃　declared　Gaston　Isbel；　roughly。　　〃Jorth　an'　his
Hash　Knife　Gang　are　at　the　bottom　of　all　the　rustlin'　in　the　valley
for　years　back。　　An'　they've　got　to　be　wiped　out！〃

〃Isbel；　I　reckon　we'd　all　feel　better　if　we　talk　straight；　replied　Blue；
coolly。　　〃I'm　heah　to　stand　by　the　Isbels。　　An'　y'u　know　what　thet　means。
But　I'm　not　heah　to　fight　Jorth　because　he　may　be　a　rustler。　　The　others
may　have　their　own　reasons；　but　mine　is　thisyou　once　stood　by　me　in
Texas　when　I　was　needin'　friends。　　Wal；　I'm　standin'　by　y'u　now。
Jorth　is　your　enemy；　an'　so　he　is　mine。〃

Gaston　Isbel　bowed　to　this　ultimatum；　scarcely　less　agitated　than　when
Esther　Isbel　had　denounced　him。　　His　rabid　and　morbid　hate　of　Jorth　had
eaten　into　his　heart　to　take　possession　there；　like　the　parasite　that
battened　upon　the　life　of　its　victim。　　Blue's　steely　voice；　his　cold；
gray　eyes；　showed　the　unbiased　truth　of　the　man；　as　well　as　his　fidelity
to　his　creed。　　Here　again；　but　in　a　different　manner；　　Gaston　Isbel
had　the　fact　flung　at　him　that　other　men　must　suffer；　perhaps　die；
for　his　hate。　　And　the　very　soul　of　the　old　rancher　apparently　rose
in　Passionate　revolt　against　the　blind；　headlong；　elemental　strength
of　his　nature。　　So　it　seemed　to　Jean；　who；　in　love　and　pity　that　hourly
grew；　saw　through　his　father。　　Was　it　too　late？　Alas！　Gaston　Isbel
could　never　be　turned　back！　　Yet　something　was　altering　his　brooding；
fixed　mind。

〃Wal；〃　said　Blaisdell；　gruffly；　〃let's　get　down　to　business。　。　。　。
I'm　for　havin'　Blue　be　foreman　of　this　heah　outfit；　an'　all　of　us　to
do　as　he　says。〃

Gaston　Isbel　opposed　this　selection　and　indeed　resented　it。
He　intended　to　lead　the　Isbel　faction。

〃All　right；　then。　　Give　us　a　hunch　what　we're　goin'　to　do；〃
replied　Blaisdell。

〃We're　goin'　to　ride　off　on　Jorth's　trailan'　one　way　or　another
kill　himKILL　HIM！　。　。　。　I　reckon　that'll　end　the　fight。〃

What　did　old　Isbel　have　in　his　mind？　　His　listeners　shook　their　heads。

〃No；〃　asserted　Blaisdell。　　〃Killin'　Jorth　might　be　the　end　of　your
desires；　Isbel；　but　it　'd　never　end　our　fight。　　We'll　have　gone　too　far。
。　。　。　If　we　take　Jorth's　trail　from　heah　it　means　we've　got　to　wipe　out
that　rustier　gang；　or　stay　to　the　last　man。〃

〃Yes；　by　God！〃　exclaimed　Fredericks。

〃Let's　drink　to　thet！〃　said　Blue。　　Strangely　they　turned　to　this　Texas
gunman；　instinctively　recognizing　in　him　the　brain　and　heart；　and　the
past　deeds；　that　fitted　him　for　the　leadership　of　such　a　clan。　　Blue
had　all　in　life　to　lose；　and　nothing　to　gain。　　Yet　his　spirit　was　such
that　he　could　not　lean　to　all　the　possible　gain　of　the　future；　and
leave　a　debt　unpaid。　　Then　his　voice；　his　look；　his　influence　were
those　of　a　fighter。　　They　all　drank　with　him；　even　Jean；　who　hated
liquor。　　And　this　act　of　drinking　seemed　the　climax　of　the　council。
Preparations　were　at　once　begun　for　their　departure　on　Jorth's　trail。

Jean　took　but　little　time　for　his　own　needs。　　A　horse；　a　blanket；
a　knapsack　of　meat　and　bread；　a　canteen；　and　his　weapons；　with　all
the　ammunition　he　could　pack；　made　up　his　outfit。　　He　wore　his　buckskin
suit；　leggings；　and　moccasins。　　Very　soon　the　cavalcade　was　ready　to
depart。　　Jean　tried　not　to　watch　Bill　Isbel　say　good…by　to　his　children；
but　it　was　impossible　not　to。　　Whatever　Bill　was；　as　a　man；　he　was
father　of　those　children；　and　he　loved　them。　　How　strange　that　the
little　ones　seemed　to　realize　the　meaning　of　this　good…by？　　They　were
grave；　somber…eyed；　pale　up　to　the　last　moment；　then　they　broke　down
and　wept。　　Did　they　sense　that　their　father　would　never　come　back？
Jean　caught　that　dark；　fatalistic　presentiment。　　Bill　Isbel's　convulsed
face　showed　that　he　also　caught　it。　　Jean　did　not　see　Bill　say　good…by
to　his　wife。　　But　he　heard　her。　　Old　Gaston　Isbel　forgot　to　speak　to
the　children；　or　else　could　not。　　He　never　looked　at　them。　　And　his
good…by　to　Ann　was　as　if　he　were　only　riding　to　the　village　for　a　day。
Jean　saw　woman's　love；　woman's　intuition；　woman's　grief　in　her　eyes。
He　could　not　escape　her。　　〃Oh；　Jean！　oh；　brother！〃　she　whispered　as
she　enfolded　him。　　〃It's　awful！　　It's　wrong！　　Wrong！　　Wrong！　。　。　。　
Good…by！　。　。　。　If　killing　MUST　besee　that　y'u　kill　the　Jorths！
。　。　。　Good…by！〃

Even　in　Ann；　gentle　and　mild；　the　Isbel　blood　spoke　at　the　last。
Jean　gave　Ann　over　to　the　pale…faced　Colmor；　who　took　her　in　his　arms。
Then　Jean　fled　out　to　his　horse。　　This　cold…blooded　devastation　of　a
home　was　almost　more　than　he　could　bear。　　There　was　love　here。
What　would　be　left？

Colmor　was　the　last　one　to　come　out　to　the　horses。　　He　did　not　walk
erect；　nor　as　one　whose　sight　was　clear。　　Then；　as　the　silent；　tense；
grim　men　mounted　their　horses；　　Bill　Isbel's　eldest　child；　the　boy；
appeared　in　the　door。　　His　little　form　seemed　instinct　with　a　force
vastly　different　from　grief。　　His　face　was　the　face　of　an　Isbel。

〃Daddykill　'em　all！〃　he　shouted；　with　a　passion　all　the　fiercer
for　its　incongruity　to　the　treble　voice。

So　the　poison　had　spread　from　father　to　son。



CHAPTER　IX

Half　a　mile　from　the　Isbel　ranch　the　cavalcade　passed　the　log　cabin
of　Evarts；　father　of　the　boy　who　had　tended　sheep　with　Bernardino。

It　suited　Gaston　Isbel　to　halt　here。　　No　need　to　call！　　Evarts　and
his　son　appeared　so　quickly　as　to　convince　observers　that　they　had
been　watching。

〃Howdy；　Jake！〃　said　Isbel。　　〃I'm　wantin'　a　word　with　y'u　alone。〃

〃Shore；　boss；　git　down　an'　come　in；〃　replied　Evarts。

Isbel　led　him　aside；　and　said　something　forcible　that　Jean　divined
from　the　very　gesture　which　accompanied　it。　　His　father　was　telling
Evarts　that　he　was　not　to　join　in　the　Is