to the last man-第47节

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apparently　inclosed；　and　as　lonely　and　isolated　a　place　as　even　pursued
rustlers　could　desire。　　Hidden　by　jutting　wall　and　thicket　of　spruce
were　two　old　log　cabins　joined　together　by　roof　and　attic　floor；　the
same　as　the　double　cabin　at　the　Jorth　ranch。

Ellen　smelled　wood　smoke；　and　presently；　on　going　round　the　cabins；
saw　a　bright　fire。　　One　man　stood　beside　it　gazing　at　Colter's　party；
which　evidently　he　had　heard　approaching。

〃Hullo；　Queen！〃　said　Colter。　　How's　Tad？〃

〃He's　holdin'　on　fine；〃　replied　Queen；　bending　over　the　fire；
where　he　turned　pieces　of　meat。

〃Where's　father？〃　suddenly　asked　Ellen；　addressing　Colter。

As　if　he　had　not　heard　her；　he　went　on　wearily　loosening　a　pack。

Queen　looked　at　her。　　The　light　of　the　fire　only　partially　shone　on
his　face。　　Ellen　could　not　see　its　expression。　　But　from　the　fact　that
Queen　did　not　answer　her　question　she　got　further　intimation　of　an
impending　catastrophe。　　The　long；　wild　ride　had　helped　prepare　her　for
the　secrecy　and　taciturnity　of　men　who　had　resorted　to　flight。　　Perhaps
her　father　had　been　delayed　or　was　still　off　on　the　deadly　mission　that
had　obsessed　him；　or　there　might；　and　probably　was；　darker　reason　for
his　absence。　　Ellen　shut　her　teeth　and　turned　to　the　needs　of　her　horse。
And　presently。　returning　to　the　fire；　she　thought　of　her　uncle。

〃Queen；　is　my　uncle　Tad　heah？〃　she　asked。

〃Shore。　　He's　in　there；〃　replied　Queen；　pointing　at　the　nearer　cabin。

Ellen　hurried　toward　the　dark　doorway。　　She　could　see　how　the　logs　of
the　cabin　had　moved　awry　and　what　a　big；　dilapidated　hovel　it　was。
As　she　looked　in；　Colter　loomed　over　herplaced　a　familiar　and　somehow
masterful　hand　upon　her。　　Ellen　let　it　rest　on　her　shoulder　a　moment。
Must　she　forever　be　repulsing　these　rude　men　among　whom　her　lot　was　cast？
Did　Colter　mean　what　Daggs　had　always　meant？　　Ellen　felt　herself　weary；
weak　in　body；　and　her　spent　spirit　had　not　rallied。　　Yet；　whatever　Colter
meant　by　his　familiarity；　she　could　not　bear　it。　　So　she　slipped　out
from　under　his　hand。

〃Uncle　Tad；　are　y'u　heah？〃　she　called　into　the　blackness。　　She　heard
the　mice　scamper　and　rustle　and　she　smelled　the　musty；　old；　woody　odor
of　a　long…unused　cabin。

〃Hello；　Ellen！〃　came　a　voice　she　recognized　as　her　uncle's；　yet　it
was　strange。　　〃Yes。　　I'm　heahbad　luck　to　me！　。　。　。　How　're　y'u
buckin'　up；　girl？〃

〃I'm　all　right；　Uncle　Tadonly　tired　an'　worried。　　I〃

〃Tad；　how's　your　hurt？〃　interrupted　Colter。

〃Reckon　I'm　easier；〃　replied　Jorth；　wearily；　〃but　shore　I'm　in　bad　shape。
I'm　still　spittin'　blood。　　I　keep　tellin'　Queen　that　bullet　lodged　in　my
lungs…but　he　says　it　went　through。〃

〃Wal；　hang　on；　Tad！〃　replied　Colter；　with　a　cheerfulness　Ellen　sensed
was　really　indifferent。

〃Oh；　what　the　hell's　the　use！〃　exclaimed　Jorth。　〃It's　allup
with　usColter！〃

〃Wal；　shut　up；　then；〃　tersely　returned　Colter。　　〃It　ain't　doin'
y'u　or　us　any　good　to　holler。〃

Tad　Jorth　did　not　reply　to　this。　　Ellen　heard　his　breathing　and　it　did
not　seem　natural。　　It　rasped　a　littlecame　hurriedlythen　caught　in
his　throat。　　Then　he　spat。　　Ellen　shrunk　back　against　the　door。
He　was　breathing　through　blood。

〃Uncle；　are　y'u　in　pain？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　Ellenit　burns　like　hell；〃　he　said。

〃Oh！　I'm　sorry。　。　。　。　Isn't　there　something　I　can　do？〃

〃I　reckon　not。　　Queen　did　all　anybody　could　do　for　menow
unless　it's　pray。〃

Colter　laughed　at　thisthe　slow；　easy；　drawling　laugh　of　a　Texan。
But　Ellen　felt　pity　for　this　wounded　uncle。　　She　had　always　hated　him。
He　had　been　a　drunkard；　a　gambler；　a　waster　of　her　father's　property；
and　now　he　was　a　rustler　and　a　fugitive；　lying　in　pain；　perhaps
mortally　hurt。

〃Yes；　uncleI　will　pray　for　y'u；〃　she　said；　softly。

The　change　in　his　voice　held　a　note　of　sadness　that　she　had　been
quick　to　catch。

〃Ellen；　y'u're　the　only　good　Jorthin　the　whole　damned　lot；〃　he　said。
〃God！　　I　see　it　all　now。　。　。　。　We've　dragged　y'u　to　hell！〃

〃Yes；　Uncle　Tad；　I've　shore　been　dragged　somebut　not　yetto　hell；〃
she　responded；　with　a　break　in　her　voice。

〃Y'u　will　beEllenunless〃

〃Aw；　shut　up　that　kind　of　gab；　will　y'u？〃　broke　in　Colter；　harshly。

It　amazed　Ellen　that　Colter　should　dominate　her　uncle；　even　though　he
was　wounded。　　Tad　Jorth　had　been　the　last　man　to　take　orders　from　anyone；
much　less　a　rustler　of　the　Hash　Knife　Gang。　　This　Colter　began　to　loom
up　in　Ellen's　estimate　as　he　loomed　physically　over　her；　a　lofty　figure；
dark　motionless；　somehow　menacing。

〃Ellen；　has　Colter　told　y'u　yetabootaboot　Lee　an'　Jackson？〃
inquired　the　wounded　man。

The　pitch…black　darkness　of　the　cabin　seemed　to　help　fortify　Ellen
to　bear　further　trouble。

〃Colter　told　me　dad　an'　Uncle　Jackson　would　meet　us　heah；〃　she　rejoined；
hurriedly。

Jorth　could　be　heard　breathing　in　difficulty；　and　he　coughed　and
spat　again；　and　seemed　to　hiss。

〃Ellen；　he　lied　to　y'u。　　They'll　never　meet　usheah！〃

〃Why　not？〃　whispered　Ellen。

〃BecauseEllen　〃　he　replied；　in　husky　pants；　〃your　dad　an'uncle
Jacksonare　daidan'　buried！〃

If　Ellen　suffered　a　terrible　shock　it　was　a　blankness；　a　deadness；
and　a　slow；　creeping　failure　of　sense　in　her　knees。　　They　gave　way
under　her　and　she　sank　on　the　grass　against　the　cabin　wall。　　She　did
not　faint　nor　grow　dizzy　nor　lose　her　sight；　but　for　a　while　there　was
no　process　of　thought　in　her　mind。　　Suddenly　then　it　was　therethe
quick；　spiritual　rending　of　her　heartfollowed　by　a　profound　emotion
of　intimate　and　irretrievable　lossand　after　that　grief　and　bitter
realization。

An　hour　later　Ellen　found　strength　to　go　to　the　fire　and　partake　of
the　food　and　drink　her　body　sorely　needed。

Colter　and　the　men　waited　on　her　solicitously；　and　in　silence；　now　and
then　stealing　furtive　glances　at　her　from　under　the　shadow　of　their
black　sombreros。　　The　dark　night　settled　down　like　a　blanket。　　There
were　no　stars。　　The　wind　moaned　fitfully　among　the　pines；　and　all　about
that　lonely；　hidden　recess　was　in　harmony　with　Ellen's　thoughts。

〃Girl；　y'u're　shore　game；〃　said　Colter；　admiringly。　　〃An'　I　reckon
y'u　never　got　it　from　the　Jorths。〃

〃Tad　in　therehe's　game；〃　said　Queen；　in　mild　protest。

〃Not　to　my　notion；〃　replied　Colter。　　〃Any　man　can　be　game　when　he's
croakin'；　with　somebody　around。　。　。　。　But　Lee　Jorth　an'　Jacksonthey
always　was　yellow　clear　to　their　gizzards。　　They　was　born　in　Louisiana
not　Texas。　。　。　。　Shore　they're　no　more　Texans　than　I　am。　　Ellen　heah；
she　must　have　got　another　strain　in　her　blood。

To　Ellen　their　words　had　no　meaning。　　She　rose　and　asked；
〃Where　can　I　sleep？〃

〃I'll　fetch　a　light　presently　an'　y'u　can　make　your　bed　in　there　by
Tad；〃　replied　Colter。

〃Yes；　I'd　like　that。〃

〃Wal；　if　y'u　reckon　y'u　can　coax　him　to　talk　you're　shore　wrong；
〃declared　Colter；　with　that　cold　timbre　of　voice　that　struck　like
steel　on　Ellen's　nerves。　　〃I　cussed　him　good　an'　told　him　he'd　keep
his　mouth　shut。　　Talkin'　makes　him　cough　an'　that　fetches　up　the　blood。
　。　。　Besides；　I　reckon　I'm　the　one　to　tell　y'u　how　your　dad　an'　uncle
got　killed。　　Tad　didn't　see　it　done；　an'　he　was　bad　hurt　when　it
happened。　　Shore　all　the　fellars　left　have　their　idee　aboot　it。
But　I've　got　it　straight。〃

〃Coltertell　me　now；〃　cried　Ellen。

〃Wal；　all　right。　　Come　over　heah；　〃he　replied；　and　drew　her　away　from
the　camp　fire；　out　in　the　shadow　of　gloom。　　〃Poor　kid！　　I　shore　feel
bad　aboot　it。〃　　He　put　a　long　arm　around　her　waist　and　drew　her　against
him。　　Ellen　felt　it；　yet　did　not　offer　any　resistance。　　All　her　faculties　
seemed　absorbed　in　a　morbid　and　sad　anticipation。

〃Ellen；　y'u　shore　know　I　always　loved　y'unow　don't　y　'u？〃　he　asked；
with　suppressed　breath。

〃No；　Colter。　　It's　news　to　mean'　not　what　I　want　to　heah。〃

〃Wal；　y'u　may　as　well　heah　it　right　now；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　true。
An'　what's　moreyour　dad　gave　y'u　to　me　before　he　died。〃

〃What！　Colter；　y'u　must　be　a　liar。〃

〃Ellen；　I　swear　I'm　not　lyin'；〃　he　returned；　in　eager　passion。　　〃I　was
with　your　dad　last　an'　heard　him　last。　　He　shore　knew　I'd　loved　y'u　for
years。　　An'　he　said　he'd　rather　y'u　be　left　in　my　care　than　anybody's。〃

〃My　father　gave　me　to　y'u　in　marriage！〃　ejaculated　Ellen；　in　bewilderment。

Colter's　ready　assurance　did　not　carry　him　over　this　point。　　It　was
evident　that　her　words　somewhat　surprised　and　disconcerted　him　for
the　moment。

〃To　let　me　marry　a　rustlerone　of　the　Hash　Knife　Gang！〃　exclaimed　Ellen；
with　weary　incredulity。

〃Wal；　your　dad　belonged　to　Daggs's　gang；　same　as　I　do；〃　replied　Colter；
recovering　his　cool　ardor。

〃No！〃　cried　Ellen。

〃Yes；　he　shore　did；　for　years；〃　declared　Colter；　positively。
〃Back　in　Texas。　　An'　it　was　your　dad　that　got　Daggs　to　come　to　Arizona。〃

Ellen　tried　to　fling　herself　away。　　But　her　strength　and　her　spirit
were　ebbing；　and　Colter　increased　the　pressure　of　his　arm。　　All　at
once　she　sank　limp。　　Could　she　escape　her　fate？　　Nothing　seemed　left
to　fight　with　or　for。

〃All　rightdon't　hold　meso　tight；〃　she　panted。　　〃Now　tell　me　how
dad　was　killed　。　。　。　an'　whowho〃

Colter　bent　over　so　he　could　peer　into　her　face。　　In　the　darkness　Ellen
just　caught　the　gleam　of　his　eyes。　　She　felt　the　virile　force　of　the
man　in　the　strain　of　his　body　as　he　pressed　her　close。　　It　all　seemed
u