to the last man-第43节

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when　the　earth　trembled　and　the　heavens　seemed　to　burst　asunder；
afforded　her　strange　relief。

The　summer　days　became　weeks；　and　farther　and　farther　they　carried　Ellen
on　the　wings　of　solitude　and　loneliness　until　she　seemed　to　look　back
years　at　the　self　she　had　hated。　　And　always；　when　the　dark　memory
impinged　upon　peace；　she　fought　and　fought　until　she　seemed　to　be
fighting　hatred　itself。　　Scorn　of　scorn　and　hate　of　hate！　　Yet　even
her　battles　grew　to　be　dreams。　　For　when　the　inevitable　retrospect
brought　back　Jean　Isbel　and　his　love　and　her　cowardly　falsehood　she
would　shudder　a　little　and　put　an　unconscious　hand　to　her　breast　and
utterly　fail　in　her　fight　and　drift　off　down　to　vague　and　wistful　dreams。
The　clean　and　healing　forest；　with　its　whispering　wind　and　imperious
solitude；　had　come　between　Ellen　and　the　meaning　of　the　squalid　sheep
ranch；　with　its　travesty　of　home；　its　tragic　owner。　　And　it　was　coming
between　her　two　selves；　the　one　that　she　had　been　forced　to　be　and　the
other　that　she　did　not　knowthe　thinker；　the　dreamer；　the　romancer；
the　one　who　lived　in　fancy　the　life　she　loved。

The　summer　morning　dawned　that　brought　Ellen　strange　tidings。　　They
must　have　been　created　in　her　sleep；　and　now　were　realized　in　the
glorious　burst　of　golden　sun；　in　the　sweep　of　creamy　clouds　across
the　blue；　in　the　solemn　music　of　the　wind　in　the　pines；　in　the　wild　
screech　of　the　blue　jays　and　the　noble　bugle　of　a　stag。　　These　heralded
the　day　as　no　ordinary　day。　　Something　was　going　to　happen　to　her。
She　divined　it。　　She　felt　it。　　And　she　trembled。　　Nothing　beautiful；
hopeful；　wonderful　could　ever　happen　to　Ellen　Jorth。　　She　had　been　born
to　disaster；　to　suffer；　to　be　forgotten；　and　die　alone。　　Yet　all　nature
about　her　seemed　a　magnificent　rebuke　to　her　morbidness。　　The　same　spirit
that　came　out　there　with　the　thick；　amber　light　was　in　her。　　She　lived；
and　something　in　her　was　stronger　than　mind。

Ellen　went　to　the　door　of　her　cabin；　where　she　flung　out　her　arms；
driven　to　embrace　this　nameless　purport　of　the　morning。　　And　a
well…known　voice　broke　in　upon　her　rapture。

〃Wal；　lass；　I　like　to　see　you　happy　an'　I　hate　myself　fer　comin'。
Because　I've　been　to　Grass　Valley　fer　two　days　an'　I've　got　news。〃

Old　John　Sprague　stood　there；　with　a　smile　that　did　not　hide　a
troubled　look。

〃Oh！　　Uncle　John！　　You　startled　me；〃　exclaimed　Ellen；　shocked　back
to　reality。　　And　slowly　she　added：　〃Grass　Valley！　　News？〃

She　put　out　an　appealing　hand；　which　Sprague　quickly　took　in　his　own；
as　if　to　reassure　her。

〃Yes；　an'　not　bad　so　far　as　you　Jorths　are　concerned；〃　he　replied。
〃The　first　Jorth…Isbel　fight　has　come　off。　。　。　。　Reckon　you　remember
makin'　me　promise　to　tell　you　if　I　heerd　anythin'。　　Wal；　I　didn't
wait　fer　you　to　come　up。〃

〃So　Ellen　heard　her　voice　calmly　saying。　　What　was　this　lying　calm
when　there　seemed　to　be　a　stone　hammer　at　her　heart？　　The　first　fight
not　so　bad　for　the　Jorths！　　Then　it　had　been　bad　for　the　Isbels。
A　sudden；　cold　stillness　fell　upon　her　senses。

〃Let's　sit　downoutdoors；〃　Sprague　was　saying。　　〃Nice　an'　sunny　this
mornin'。　　I　declareI'm　out　of　breath。　　Not　used　to　walkin'。　　An'
besides；　I　left　Grass　Valley；　in　the　nightan'　I'm　tired。　　But　excoose
me　from　hangin'　round　thet　village　last　night！　　There　was　shore〃

〃Whowho　was　killed？〃　interrupted　Ellen；　her　voice　breaking　low　and　deep。

〃Guy　Isbel　an'　Bill　Jacobs　on　the　Isbel　side；　an'　Daggs；　Craig；　an'
Greaves　on　your　father's　side；〃　stated　Sprague；　with　something　of
awed　haste。

〃Ah！〃　breathed　Ellen；　and　she　relaxed　to　sink　back　against　the　cabin　wall。

Sprague　seated　himself　on　the　log　beside　her；　turning　to　face　her；
and　he　seemed　burdened　with　grave　and　important　matters。

〃I　heerd　a　good　many　conflictin'　stories；〃　he　said；　earnestly。　　〃The
village　folks　is　all　skeered　an'　there's　no　believin'　their　gossip。
But　I　got　what　happened　straight　from　Jake　Evarts。　　The　fight　come
off　day　before　yestiddy。　　Your　father's　gang　rode　down　to　Isbel's　ranch。
Daggs　was　seen　to　be　wantin'　some　of　the　Isbel　hosses；　so　Evarts　says。
An'　Guy　Isbel　an'　Jacobs　ran　out　in　the　pasture。　　Daggs　an'　some　others
shot　them　down

〃Killed　themthat　way？〃　put　in　Ellen；　sharply。

〃So　Evarts　says。　　He　was　on　the　ridge　an'　swears　he　seen　it　all。　　They
killed　Guy　an'　Jacobs　in　cold　blood。　　No　chance　fer　their　livesnot
even　to　fight！　。　。　。　Wall；　hen　they　surrounded　the　Isbel　cabin。　　The
fight　last　all　thet　day　an'　all　night　an'　the　next　day。　　Evarts　says
Guy　an'　Jacobs　laid　out　thar　all　this　time。　　An'　a　herd　of　hogs　broke　
in　the　pasture　an'　was　eatin'　the　dead　bodies　。　。　。〃

〃My　God！〃　burst　out　Ellen。　　〃Uncle　John；　y'u　shore　cain't　mean　my
father　wouldn't　stop　fightin'　long　enough　to　drive　the　hogs　off　an'
bury　those　daid　men？〃

〃Evarts　says　they　stopped　fightin'；　all　right；　but　it　was　to　watch
the　hogs；〃　declared　Sprague。　　〃An'　then；　what　d'　ye　think？　　The
wimminfolks　come　outthe　　red…headed　one；　Guy's　wife；　an'　Jacobs's
wifethey　drove　the　hogs　away　an'　buried　their　husbands　right　there
in　the　pasture。　　Evarts　says　he　seen　the　graves。〃

〃It　is　the　women　who　can　teach　these　bloody　Texans　a　lesson；〃
declared　Ellen；　forcibly。

〃Wal；　Daggs　was　drunk；　an'　he　got　up　from　behind　where　the　gang　was
hidin'；　an'　dared　the　Isbels　to　come　out。　　They　shot　him　to　pieces。
An'　thet　night　some　one　of　the　Isbels　shot　Craig；　who　was　alone　on　guard。
。　。　。　An'　lastthis　here's　what　I　come　to　tell　youJean　Isbel　slipped　
up　in　the　dark　on　Greaves　an'　knifed　him。〃

〃Why　did　y'u　want　to　tell　me　that　particularly？〃　asked　Ellen；　slowly。

〃Because　I　reckon　the　facts　in　the　case　are　queeran'　because；　Ellen；
your　name　was　mentioned；〃　announced　Sprague；　positively。

〃My　namementioned？〃　echoed　Ellen。　　Her　horror　and　disgust　gave　way　to
a　quickening　process　of　thought；　a　mounting　astonishment。　　〃By　whom？〃

〃Jean　Isbel；〃　replied　Sprague；　as　if　the　name　and　the　fact　were　momentous。

Ellen　sat　still　as　a　stone；　her　hands　between　her　knees。　　Slowly　she
felt　the　blood　recede　from　her　face；　prickling　her　kin　down　below　her
neck。　　That　name　locked　her　thought。

〃Ellen；　it's　a　mighty　queer　storytoo　queer　to　be　a　lie；〃　went　on
Sprague。　　〃Now　you　listen！　　Evarts　got　this　from　Ted　Meeker。　　An'　Ted
Meeker　heerd　it　from　Greaves；　who　didn't　die　till　the　next　day　after
Jean　Isbel　knifed　him。　　An'　your　dad　shot　Ted　fer　tellin'　what　he　heerd。
。　。　。　No；　Greaves　wasn't　killed　outright。　　He　was　cut　somethin'　turrible
in　two　places。　　They　wrapped　him　all　up　an'　next　day　packed　him　in　a
wagon　back　to　Grass　Valley。　　Evarts　says　Ted　Meeker　was　friendly　with
Greaves　an'　went　to　see　him　as　he　was　layin'　in　his　room　next　to　the
store。　　Wal；　accordin'　to　Meeker's　story；　Greaves　came　to　an'　talked。
He　said　he　was　sittin'　there　in　the　dark；　shootin'　occasionally　at
Isbel's　cabin；　when　he　heerd　a　rustle　behind　him　in　the　grass。　　He
knowed　some　one　was　crawlin'　on　him。　　But　before　he　could　get　his　gun
around　he　was　jumped　by　what　he　thought　was　a　grizzly　bear。　　But　it　was
a　man。　　He　shut　off　Greaves's　wind　an'　dragged　him　back　in　the　ditch。
An'　he　said：　'Greaves；　it's　the　half…breed。　　An'　he's　goin'　to　cut　you
FIRST　FOR　ELLEN　JORTH！　an'　then　for　Gaston　Isbel！'　。　。　。　Greaves　said
Jean　ripped　him　with　a　bowie　knife。　。　。　。　An'　thet　was　all　Greaves
remembered。　　He　died　soon　after　tellin'　this　story。　　He　must　hev　fought　
awful　hard。　　Thet　second　cut　Isbel　gave　him　went　clear　through　him。　。　。　。
Some　of　the　gang　was　thar　when　Greaves　talked；　an'　naturally　they
wondered　why　Jean　Isbel　had　said　'first　for　Ellen　Jorth。'　。　。　。　Somebody
remembered　thet　Greaves　had　cast　a　slur　on　your　good　name；　Ellen。　　An'
then　they　had　Jean　Isbel's　reason　fer　sayin'　thet　to　Greaves。　　It　caused
a　lot　of　talk。　　An'　when　Simm　Bruce　busted　in　some　of　the　gang　haw…hawed
him　an'　said　as　how　he'd　get　the　third　cut　from　Jean　Isbel's　bowie。
Bruce　was　half　drunk　an'　he　began　to　cuss　an'　rave　about　Jean　Isbel
bein'　in　love　with　his　girl。　。　。　。　As　bad　luck　would　have　it；　a　couple
of　more　fellars　come　in　an'　asked　Meeker　questions。　　He　jest　got　to
thet　part；　'Greaves；　it's　the　half…breed；　an'　he's　goin'　to　cut　you
FIRST　FOR　ELLEN　JORTH；'　when　in　walked　your　father！　。　。　。　Then　it　all
had　to　come　outwhat　Jean　Isbel　had　said　an'　donean'　why。
How　Greaves　had　backed　Simm　Bruce　in　slurrin'　you！〃

Sprague　paused　to　look　hard　at　Ellen。

〃Oh！　　Thenwhat　did　dad　do？〃　whispered　Ellen。

〃He　said；　'By　God！　half…breed　or　not；　there's　one　Isbel　who's　a　man！'
An'　he　killed　Bruce　on　the　spot　an'　gave　Meeker　a　nasty　wound。
Somebody　grabbed　him　before　he　could　shoot　Meeker　again。　　They　threw
Meeker　out　an'　he　crawled　to　a　neighbor's　house；　where　he　was　when
Evarts　seen　him。〃

Ellen　felt　Sprague's　rough　but　kindly　hand　shaking　her。　　〃An'　now　what
do　you　think　of　Jean　Isbel？〃　he　queried。

A　great；　unsurmountable　wall　seemed　to　obstruct　Ellen's　thought。
It　seemed　gray　in　color。　　It　moved　toward　her。　　It　was　inside　her　brain。

〃I　tell　you；　Ellen　Jorth；〃　declared　the　old　man；　〃thet　Jean　Isbel　loves
you…loves　you　turriblyan'　he　believes　you're　good。〃

〃Oh　nohe　doesn't！〃　faltered　Ellen。

〃Wal；　he　jest　does。〃

〃Oh；　Uncle　John；　he　cain't　believe　that！〃　she　cried。