to the last man-第39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！


An'　keep　hid。〃

With　that　Jean　strode　off；　going　around　the　barn；　straight　out　the
orchard　lane　to　the　open　flat；　and　then　climbing　a　fence　to　the　north
of　the　village。　　Presently　he　reached　a　line　of　sheds　and　corrals；　to
which　he　held　until　he　arrived　at　the　road。　　This　point　was　about　a
quarter　of　a　mile　from　Greaves's　store；　and　around　the　bend。　　Jean
sighted　no　one。　　The　road；　the　fields；　the　yards；　the　backs　of　the
cabins　all　looked　deserted。　　A　blight　had　settled　down　upon　the　peaceful
activities　of　Grass　Valley。　　Crossing　the　road；　Jean　began　to　circle
until　he　came　close　to　several　cabins；　around　which　he　made　a　wide
detour。　　This　took　him　to　the　edge　of　the　slope；　where　brush　and
thickets　afforded　him　a　safe　passage　to　a　line　directly　back　of
Greaves's　store。　　Then　he　turned　toward　it。　　Soon　he　was　again
approaching　a　cabin　of　that　side；　and　some　of　its　inmates　descried　him；
Their　actions　attested　to　their　alarm。　　Jean　half　expected　a　shot　from
this　quarter；　such　were　his　growing　doubts；　but　he　was　mistaken。　　A　man；
unknown　to　Jean；　closely　watched　his　guarded　movements　and　then　waved　a
hand；　as　if　to　signify　to　Jean　that　he　had　nothing　to　fear。　　After　this
act　he　disappeared。　　Jean　believed　that　he　had　been　recognized　by　some
one　not　antagonistic　to　the　Isbels。　　Therefore　he　passed　the　cabin　and；
coming　to　a　thick　scrub…oak　tree　that　offered　shelter；　he　hid　there　to
watch。　　From　this　spot　he　could　see　the　back　of　Greaves's　store；　at　a
distance　probably　too　far　for　a　rifle　bullet　to　reach。　　Before　him；
as　far　as　the　store；　and　on　each　side；　extended　the　village　common。
In　front　of　the　store　ran　the　road。　　Jean's　position　was　such　that　he
could　not　command　sight　of　this　road　down　toward　Meeker's　house；　a　fact
that　disturbed　him。　　Not　satisfied　with　this　stand；　he　studied　his
surroundings　in　the　hope　of　espying　a　better。　　And　he　discovered　what
he　thought　would　be　a　more　favorable　position；　although　he　could　not
see　much　farther　down　the　road。　　Jean　went　back　around　the　cabin　and；
coming　out　into　the　open　to　the　right；　he　got　the　corner　of　Greaves's
barn　between　him　and　the　window　of　the　store。　　Then　he　boldly　hurried
into　the　open；　and　soon　reached　an　old　wagon；　from　behind　which　he
proposed　to　watch。　　He　could　not　see　either　window　or　door　of　the　store；
but　if　any　of　the　Jorth　contingent　came　out　the　back　way　they　would　be
within　reach　of　his　rifle。　　Jean　took　the　risk　of　being　shot　at　from
either　side。

So　sharp　and　roving　was　his　sight　that　he　soon　espied　Colmor　slipping
along　behind　the　trees　some　hundred　yards　to　the　left。　　All　his　efforts
to　catch　a　glimpse　of　Bill；　however；　were　fruitless。　　And　this　appeared
strange　to　Jean；　for　there　were　several　good　places　on　the　right　from
which　Bill　could　have　commanded　the　front　of　Greaves's　store　and　the
whole　west　side。

Colmor　disappeared　among　some　shrubbery；　and　Jean　seemed　left　alone　to
watch　a　deserted；　silent　village。　　Watching　and　listening；　he　felt　that
the　time　dragged。　　Yet　the　shadows　cast　by　the　sun　showed　him　that；
no　matter　how　tense　he　felt　and　how　the　moments　seemed　hours；　they　were
really　flying。

Suddenly　Jean's　ears　rang　with　the　vibrant　shock　of　a　rifle　report。
He　jerked　up；　strung　and　thrilling。　　It　came　from　in　front　of　the　store。
It　was　followed　by　revolver　shots；　heavy；　booming。　　Three　he　counted；
and　the　rest　were　too　close　together　to　enumerate。　　A　single　hoarse
yell　pealed　out；　somehow　trenchant　and　triumphant。　　Other　yells；
not　so　wild　and　strange；　muffled　the　first　one。　　Then　silence　clapped
down　on　the　store　and　the；　open　square。

Jean　was　deadly　certain　that　some　of　the　Jorth　clan　would　show
themselves。　　He　strained　to　still　the　trembling　those　sudden　shots
and　that　significant　yell　had　caused　him。　　No　man　appeared。　　No　more
sounds　caught　Jean's　ears。　　The　suspense；　then；　grew　unbearable。
It　was　not　that　he　could　not　wait　for　an　enemy　to　appear；　but　that　he
could　not　wait　to　learn　what　had　happened。　　Every　moment　that　he　stayed
there；　with　hands　like　steel　on　his　rifle；　with　eyes　of　a　falcon；　but
added　to　a　dreadful；　dark　certainty　of　disaster。　　A　rifle　shot　swiftly
followed　by　revolver　shots！　　What　could；　they　mean？　　Revolver　shots　of
different　caliber；　surely　fired　by　different　men！　　What　could　they　mean？
It　was　not　these　shots　that　accounted　for　Jean's　dread；　but　the　yell
which　had　followed。　　All　his　intelligence　and　all　his　nerve　were　not
sufficient　to　fight　down　the　feeling　of　calamity。　　And　at　last；　yielding
to　it；　he　left　his　post；　and　ran　like　a　deer　across　the　open；　through
the　cabin　yard；　and　around　the　edge　of　the　slope　to　the　road。　　Here　his
caution　brought　him　to　a　halt。　　Not　a　living　thing　crossed　his　vision。
Breaking　into　a　run；　he　soon　reached　the　back　of　Meeker's　place　and
entered；　to　hurry　forward　to　the　cabin。

Colmor　was　there　in　the　yard；　breathing　hard；　his　face　working；　and　in
front　of　him　crouched　several　of　the　men　with　rifles　ready。　　The　road；
to　Jean's　flashing　glance；　was　apparently　deserted。　　Blue　sat　on　the
doorstep；　lighting　a　cigarette。　　Then　on　the　moment　Blaisdell　strode
to　the　door　of　the　cabin。　　Jean　had　never　seen　him　look　like　that。

〃Jeanlookdown　the　road；〃　he　said；　brokenly；　and　with　big　hand
shaking　he　pointed　down　toward　Greaves's　store。

Like　lightning　Jean's　glance　shot　downdowndownuntil　it　stopped
to　fix　upon　the　prostrate　form　of　a　man；　lying　in　the　middle　of　the　road。
A　man　of　lengthy　build；　shirt…sleeved　arms　flung　wide；　white　head　in　the
dustdead！　　Jean's　recognition　was　as　swift　as　his　sight。　　His　father！
They　had　killed　him！　　The　Jorths！　　It　was　done。　　His　father's　premonition
of　death　had　not　been　false。　　And　then；　after　these　flashing　thoughts；
came　a　sense　of　blankness；　momentarily　almost　oblivion；　that　gave　place
to　a　rending　of　the　heart。　　That　pain　Jean　had　known　only　at　the　death
of　his　mother。　　It　passed；　this　agonizing　pang；　and　its　icy　pressure
yielded　to　a　rushing　gust　of　blood；　fiery　as　hell。

〃Whodid　it？〃　whispered　Jean。

〃Jorth！〃　replied　Blaisdell；　huskily。　　〃Son；　we　couldn't　hold　your　dad　back。
。　。　。　We　couldn't。　　He　was　like　a　lion。　。　。　。　An'　he　throwed　his　life　away！
Oh；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　that　it　'd　not　be　so　awful。　　Shore；　we　come
heah　to　shoot　an'　be　shot。　　But　not　like　that。　。　。　。　By　God；　it　was
murdermurder！〃

Jean's　mute　lips　framed　a　query　easily　read。

〃Tell　him；　Blue。　　I　cain't；〃　　continued　Blaisdell；　and　he　tramped
back　into　the　cabin。

〃Set　down；　Jean；　an'　take　things　easy；〃　said　Blue；　calmly。　　〃You　know
we　all　reckoned　we'd　git　plugged　one　way　or　another　in　this　deal。
An'　shore　it　doesn't　matter　much　how　a　fellar　gits　it。　　All　thet
ought　to　bother　us　is　to　make　shore　the　other　outfit　bites　the　dust
same　as　your　dad　had　to。〃

Under　this　man's　tranquil　presence；　all　the　more　quieting　because　it
seemed　to　be　so　deadly　sure　and　cool；　Jean　felt　the　uplift　of　his　dark
spirit；　the　acceptance　of　fatality；　the　mounting　control　of　faculties
that　must　wait。　　The　little　gunman　seemed　to　have　about　his　inert
presence　something　that　suggested　a　rattlesnake's　inherent　knowledge
of　its　destructiveness。　　Jean　sat　down　and　wiped　his　clammy　face。

〃Jean；　your　dad　reckoned　to　square　accounts　with　Jorth；　an'　save　us　all；〃
began　Blue；　puffing　out　a　cloud　of　smoke。　　〃But　he　reckoned　too　late。
Mebbe　years；　agoor　even　not　long　agoif　he'd　called　Jorth　out　man
to　man　there'd　never　been　any　Jorth…Isbel　war。　　Gaston　Isbel's
conscience　woke　too　late。　　That's　how　I　figger　it。〃

〃Hurry！　　Tell　mehow　ithappen；〃　panted　Jean。

〃Wal；　a　little　while　after　y'u　left　I　seen　your　dad　writin'　on　a　leaf
he　tore　out　of　a　bookMeeker's　Bible；　as　yu　can　see。　　I　thought　thet
was　funny。　　An'　Blaisdell　gave　me　a　hunch。　　Pretty　soon　along　comes
young　Evarts。　　The　old　man　calls　him　out　of　our　hearin'　an'　talks　to　him。
Then　I　seen　him　give　the　boy　somethin'；　which　I　afterward　figgered　was
what　he　wrote　on　the　leaf　out　of　the　Bible。　　Me　an'　Blaisdell　both　tried
to　git　out　of　him　what　thet　meant。　　But　not　a　word。　　I　kept　watchin'　an'
after　a　while　I　seen　young　Evarts　slip　out　the　back　way。　　Mebbe　half　an
hour　I　seen　a　bare…legged　kid　cross；　the　road　an'　go　into　Greaves's
store。　。　。　。　Then　shore　I　tumbled　to　your　dad。　　He'd　sent　a　note　to
Jorth　to　come　out　an'　meet　him　face　to　face；　man　to　man！　。　。　。
Shore　it　was　like　readin'　what　your　dad　had　wrote。　　But　I　didn't　say
nothin'　to　Blaisdell。　　I　jest　watched。〃

Blue　drawled　these　last　words；　as　if　he　enjoyed　remembrance　of　his　keen
reasoning。　　A　smile　wreathed　his　thin　lips。　　He　drew　twice　on　the
cigarette　and　emitted　another　cloud　of　smoke。　　　Quite　suddenly　then
he　changed。　　He　made　a　rapid　gesturethe　whip　of　a　hand；　significant
and　passionate。　　And　swift　words　followed：

〃Colonel　Lee　Jorth　stalked　out　of　the　storeout　into　the　roadmebbe
a　hundred　steps。　　Then　he　halted。　　He　wore　his　long　black　coat　an'　his
wide　black　hat；　an'　he　stood　like　a　stone。

〃'What　the　hell！'　burst　out　Blaisdell；　comin'　out　of　his　trance。

〃The　rest　of　us　jest　looked。　　I'd　forgot　your　dad；　for　the　minnit。
So　had　all　of　us。　　But　we　remembered　soon　enough　when　we　seen　him
stalk　out。　　Everybody　had　a　hunch　then。　　I　called　him。　　Blaisdell
begged　hi