to the last man-第58节

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ten　minnits。　　Because　I　tell　y'u　I　can　find　him。　　It'd　been　easybut；
Jim；　I　reckon　I　was　afraid。〃

〃Leave　your　hoss　for　me　an'　go　ahaid；〃　the　rustler　then　said；　brusquely。
〃I've　a　job　in　the　cabin　heah。〃

〃Haw…haw！　。　。　。　Wal；　Jim；　I'll　rustle　a　bit　down　the　trail　an'　wait。
No　huntin'　Jean　Isbel　alonenot　fer　me。　　I've　had　a　queer　feelin'
about　thet　knife　he　used　on　Greaves。　　An'　I　reckon　y'u'd　oughter　let
thet　Jorth　hussy　alone　long　enough　to〃

〃Springer；　I　reckon　I've　got　to　hawg…tie　her〃　　His　voice　became
indistinguishable；　and　footfalls　attested　to　a　slow　moving　away　of
the　men。

Jean　had　listened　with　ears　acutely　strung　to　catch　every　syllable　while
his　gaze　rested　upon　Ellen　who　stood　beside　the　door。　　Every　line　of　her
body　denoted　a　listening　intensity。　　Her　back　was　toward　Jean；　so　that　he
could　not　see　her　face。　　And　he　did　not　want　to　see；　but　could　not　help
seeing　her　naked　shoulders。　　She　put　her　head　out　of　the　door。　　Suddenly
she　drew　it　in　quickly　and　half　turned　her　face；　slowly　raising　her　white
arm。　　This　was　the　left　one　and　bore　the　marks　of　Colter's　hard　fingers。

She　gave　a　little　gasp。　　Her　eyes　became　large　and　staring。　　They　were
bent　on　the　hand　that　she　had　removed　from　a　step　on　the　ladder。　　On　hand
and　wrist　showed　a　bright…red　smear　of　blood。

Jean；　with　a　convulsive　leap　of　his　heart；　realized　that　he　had　left　his
bloody　tracks　on　the　ladder　as　he　had　climbed。　　That　moment　seemed　the
supremely　terrible　one　of　his　life。

Ellen　Jorth's　face　blanched　and　her　eyes　darkened　and　dilated　with
exceeding　amaze　and　flashing　thought　to　become　fixed　with　horror。
That　instant　was　the　one　in　which　her　reason　connected　the　blood
on　the　ladder　with　the　escape　of　Jean　Isbel。

One　moment　she　leaned　there；　still　as　a　stone　except　for　her　heaving
breast；　and　then　her　fixed　gaze　changed　to　a　swift；　dark　blaze；
comprehending；　yet　inscrutable；　as　she　flashed　it　up　the　ladder　to
the　loft。　　She　could　see　nothing；　yet　she　knew　and　Jean　knew　that
she　knew　he　was　there。　　A　marvelous　transformation　passed　over　her
features　and　even　over　her　form。　　Jean　choked　with　the　ache　in　his　throat。
Slowly　she　put　the　bloody　hand　behind　her　while　with　the　other　she　still
held　the　torn　blouse　to　her　breast。

Colter's　slouching；　musical　step　sounded　outside。　　And　it　might　have
been　a　strange　breath　of　infinitely　vitalizing　and　passionate　life
blown　into　the　well…springs　of　Ellen　Jorth's　being。　　Isbel　had　no　name
for　her　then。　　The　spirit　of　a　woman　had　been　to　him　a　thing　unknown。

She　swayed　back　from　the　door　against　the　wall　in　singular；　softened
poise；　as　if　all　the　steel　had　melted　out　of　her　body。　　And　as　Colter's
tall　shadow　fell　across　the　threshold　Jean　Isbel　felt　himself　staring
with　eyeballs　that　achedstraining　incredulous　sight　at　this　woman　who
in　a　few　seconds　had　bewildered　his　senses　with　her　transfiguration。
He　saw　but　could　not　comprehend。

〃JimI　heardall　Springer　told　y'u；〃　she　said。　　The　look　of　her
dumfounded　Colter　and　her　voice　seemed　to　shake　him　visibly。

〃Suppose　y'u　did。　　What　then？〃　he　demanded；　harshly；　as　he　halted　with
one　booted　foot　over　the　threshold。　　Malignant　and　forceful；　he　eyed
her　darkly；　doubtfully。

〃I'm　afraid；〃　she　whispered。

〃What　of？　Me？〃

〃No。　Ofof　Jean　Isbel。　　He　might　kill　y'u　andthen　where　would　I　be？〃

〃Wal；　I'm　damned！〃　ejaculated　the　rustler。　　〃What's　got　into　y'u？〃
He　moved　to　enter；　but　a　sort　of　fascination　bound　him。

〃Jim；　I　hated　y'u　a　moment　ago；〃　she　burst　out。　　〃But　nowwith　that
Jean　Isbel　somewhere　nearhidin'watchin'　to　kill　y'uan'　maybe　me；
tooII　don't　hate　y'u　any　more。　。　。　。　Take　me　away。〃

〃Girl；　have　y'u　lost　your　nerve？〃　he　demanded。

〃My　God！　Coltercain't　y'u　see？〃　she　implored。　　〃Won't　y'u　take　me　away？〃

〃I　shore　willpresently；〃　he　replied；　grimly。　　〃But　y'u'll　wait　till
I've　shot　the　lights　out　of　this　Isbel。〃

〃No！〃　she　cried。　　〃Take　me　away　now。　。　。　。　An'　I'll　give　inI'll　be
what　y'uwant。　。　。　。　Y'u　can　do　with　meas　y'u　like。〃

Colter's　lofty　frame　leaped　as　if　at　the　release　of　bursting　blood。
With　a　lunge　he　cleared　the　threshold　to　loom　over　her。

〃Am　I　out　of　my　haid；　or　are　y'u？〃　he　asked；　in　low；　hoarse　voice。
His　darkly　corded　face　expressed　extremest　amaze。

〃Jim；　I　mean　it；〃　she　whispered；　edging　an　inch　nearer　him；　her　white
face　uplifted；　her　dark　eyes　unreadable　in　their　eloquence　and　mystery。
〃I've　no　friend　but　y'u。　　I'll　beyours。　。　。　。　I'm　lost。　。　。　。　What　does
it　matter？　　If　y'u　want　metake　me　NOWbefore　I　kill　myself。〃

〃Ellen　Jorth；　there's　somethin'　wrong　aboot　y'u；〃　he　responded。
〃Did　y'u　tell　the　truthwhen　y'u　denied　ever　bein'　a　sweetheart
of　Simm　Bruce？〃

〃Yes；　I　told　y'u　the　truth。〃

〃Ahuh！　　An'　how　do　y'u　account　for　layin'　me　out　with　every　dirty　name
y'u　could　give　tongue　to？〃

〃Oh；　it　was　temper。　I　wanted　to　be　let　alone。〃

〃Temper！　　Wal；　I　reckon　y'u've　got　one；〃　he　retorted；　grimly。　　An'　I'm
not　shore　y'u're　not　crazy　or　lyin'。　　An　hour　ago　I　couldn't　touch　y'u。〃

〃Y'u　may　nowif　y'u　promise　to　take　me　awayat　once。　　This　place　has
got　on　my　nerves。　　I　couldn't　sleep　heah　with　that　Isbel　hidin'　around。
Could　y'u？〃

〃Wal；　I　reckon　I'd　not　sleep　very　deep。〃

〃Then　let　us　go。〃

He　shook　his　lean；　eagle…like　head　in　slow；　doubtful　vehemence；
and　his　piercing　gaze　studied　her　distrustfully。　　Yet　all　the　while
there　was　manifest　in　his　strung　frame　an　almost　irrepressible　violence；
held　in　abeyance　to　his　will。

〃That　aboot　your　bein'　so　good？〃　he　inquired；　with　a　return　of　the
mocking　drawl。

〃Never　mind　what's　past；〃　she　flashed；　with　passion　dark　as　his。
〃I've　made　my　offer。〃

〃Shore　there's　a　lie　aboot　y'u　somewhere；〃　he　muttered；　thickly。

〃Man；　could　I　do　more？〃　she　demanded；　in　scorn。

〃No。　　But　it's　a　lie；〃　he　returned。　　〃Y'u'll　get　me　to　take　y'u　away
an'　then　fool　merun　offGod　knows　what。　　Women　are　all　liars。〃

Manifestly　he　could　not　believe　in　her　strange　transformation。　　Memory
of　her　wild　and　passionate　denunciation　of　him　and　his　kind　must　have
seared　even　his　calloused　soul。　　But　the　ruthless　nature　of　him　had
not　weakened　nor　softened　in　the　least　as　to　his　intentions。　　This
weather…vane　veering　of　hers　bewildered　him；　obsessed　him　with　its
possibilities。　　He　had　the　look　of　a　man　who　was　divided　between　love
of　her　and　hate；　whose　love　demanded　a　return；　but　whose　hate　required
a　proof　of　her　abasement。　　Not　proof　of　surrender；　but　proof　of　her　shame！
The　ignominy　of　him　thirsted　for　its　like。　　He　could　grind　her　beauty
under　his　heel；　but　he　could　not　soften　to　this　feminine　inscrutableness。

And　whatever　was　the　truth　of　Ellen　Jorth　in　this　moment；　beyond
Colter's　gloomy　and　stunted　intelligence；　beyond　even　the　love　of
Jean　Isbel；　it　was　something　that　held　the　balance　of　mastery。　　She　read
Colter's　mind。　　She　dropped　the　torn　blouse　from　her　hand　and　stood　there；　
unashamed；　with　the　wave　of　her　white　breast　pulsing；　eyes　black　as　night
and　full　of　hell；　her　face　white；　tragic；　terrible；　yet　strangely　lovely。

〃Take　me　away；〃　she　whispered；　stretching　one　white　arm　toward　him；
then　the　other。

Colter；　even　as　she　moved；　had　leaped　with　inarticulate　cry　and　radiant
face　to　meet　her　embrace。　　But　it　seemed；　just　as　her　left　arm　flashed
up　toward　his　neck；　that　he　saw　her　bloody　hand　and　wrist。　　Strange　how
that　checked　his　ardorthrew　up　his　lean　head　like　that　striking　bird
of　prey。

〃Blood！　　What　the　hell！〃　he　ejaculated；　and　in　one　sweep　he　grasped　her。
〃How'd　yu　do　that？　　Are　y'u　cut？　。　。　。　Hold　still。〃

Ellen　could　not　release　her　hand。

〃I　scratched　myself；〃　she　said。

〃Where？。　。　。　All　that　blood！〃　　And　suddenly　he　flung　her　hand　back　with
fierce　gesture；　and　the　gleams　of　his　yellow　eyes　were　like　the　points
of　leaping　flames。　　They　pierced　herread　the　secret　falsity　of　her。
Slowly　he　stepped　backward；　guardedly　his　hand　moved　to　his　gun；　and
his　glance　circled　and　swept　the　interior　of　the　cabin。　　As　if　he　had
the　nose　of　a　hound　and　sight　to　follow　scent；　his　eyes　bent　to　the　dust
of　the　ground　before　the　door。　　He　quivered；　grew　rigid　as　stone；　and
then　moved　his　head　with　exceeding　slowness　as　if　searching　through　a
microscope　in　the　dustfarther　to　the　leftto　the　foot　of　the　ladder
and　up　one　stepanothera　thirdall　the　way　up　to　the　loft。
Then　he　whipped　out　his　gun　and　wheeled　to　face　the　girl。

〃Ellen；　y'u've　got　your　half…breed　heah！〃　he　said；　with　a　terrible　smile。

She　neither　moved　nor　spoke。　　There　was　a　suggestion　of　collapse；　but
it　was　only　a　change　where　the　alluring　softness　of　her　hardened　into
a　strange；　rapt　glow。　　And　in　it　seemed　the　same　mastery　that　had
characterized　her　former　aspect。　　Herein　the　treachery　of　her　was　
revealed。　　She　had　known　what　she　meant　to　do　in　any　case。

Colter；　standing　at　the　door；　reached　a　long　arm　toward　the　ladder；
where　he　laid　his　hand　on　a　rung。　　Taking　it　away　he　held　it　palm
outward　for　her　to　see　the　dark　splotch　of　blood。

〃See？〃

〃Yes；　I　see；〃　she　said；　ringingly。

Passion　wrenched　him；　transformed　him。　　〃All　thataboot　leavin'　heah
with　meaboot　givin'　inwas　a　lie！〃

〃No；　Colter。　It　was　the　truth。　I'll　goyetnowif　y'u'll　spareHIM！〃
She　whispered　the　last　word　and　made　a　s