wildfire-第39节

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drowned　it　downsmothered　it　with　passion。　Then　the　ghost　of　it　remained；
hauntingly。

After　dinner　Bostil　with　the　men　went　down　to　Brackton's；　where　Slone　and　the
winners　of　the　day　received　their　prizes。

〃Why；　it's　more　money　than　I　ever　had　in　my　whole　life！〃　exclaimed　Slone；
gazing　incredulously　at　the　gold。

Bostil　was　amused　and　pleased；　and　back　of　both　amusement　and　pleasure　was　the
old　inventive；　driving　passion　to　gain　his　own　ends。

Bostil　was　abnormally　generous　in　many　ways；　monstrously　selfish　in　one　way。

〃Slone；　I　seen　you　didn't　drink　none；〃　he　said；　curiously。

〃No；　I　don't　like　liquor。〃

〃Do　you　gamble？〃

〃I　like　a　little　beton　a　race；〃　replied　Slone；　frankly。

〃Wal；　thet　ain't　gamblin'。　These　fool　riders　of　mine　will　bet　on　the　switchin'
of　a　hoss's　tail。〃　He　drew　Slone　a　little　aside　from　the　others；　who　were
interested　in　Brackton's　delivery　of　the　different　prizes。　〃Slone；　how'd　you
like　to　ride　for　me？〃

Slone　appeared　surprised。　〃Why；　I　never　rode　for　any　one；〃　he　replied；　slowly。
〃I　can't　stand　to　be　tied　down。　I'm　a　horse…hunter；　you　know。〃

Bostil　eyed　the　young　man；　wondering　what　he　knew　about　the　difficulties　of
the　job　offered。　It　was　no　news　to　Bostil　that　he　was　at　once　the　best　and　the
worst　man　to　ride　for　in　all　the　uplands。

〃Sure；　I　know。　But　thet　doesn't　make　no　difference；〃　went　on　Bostil；
persuasively。　〃If　we　got　alongwal；　you'd　save　some　of　thet　yellow　coin
you're　jinglin'。　A　roamin'　rider　never　builds　no　corral！〃

〃Thank　you；　Bostil；〃　replied　Slone；　earnestly。　〃I'll　think　it　over。　It　would
seem　kind　of　tame　now　to　go　back　to　wild…horse　wranglin'；　after　I've　caught
Wildfire。　I'll　think　it　over。　Maybe　I'll　do　it；　if　you're　sure　I'm　good　enough
with　rope　an'　horse。〃

〃Wal；　by　Gawd！〃　blurted　out　Bostil。　〃Holley　says　he'd　rather　you　throwed　a　gun
on　him　than　a　rope！　So　would　I。　An'　as　for　your　handlin'　a　hoss；　I　never　seen
no　better。〃

Slone　appeared　embarrassed　and　kept　studying　the　gold　coins　in　his　palm。　Some
one　touched　Bostil；　who；　turning；　saw　Brackton　at　his　elbow。　The　other　men
were　now　bantering　with　the　Indians。

〃Come　now　while　I've　got　a　minnit；〃　said　Brackton；　taking　up　a　lantern。　〃I've
somethin'　to　show　you。〃　

Bostil　followed　Brackton；　and　Slone　came　along。　The　old　man　opened　a　door　into
a　small　room；　half　full　of　stores　and　track。　The　lantern　only　dimly　lighted
the　place。

〃Look　thar！〃　And　Brackton　flashed　the　light　upon　a　man　lying　prostrate。

Bostil　recognized　the　pale　face　of　Joel　Creech。　〃Brack！　。　。　。　What's　this？　Is
he　dead？〃　Bostil　sustained　a　strange；　incomprehensible　shock。　Sight　of　a　dead
man　had　never　before　shocked　him。

〃Nope；　he　ain't　dead；　which　if　he　was　might　be　good　for　this　community；〃
replied　Brackton。　〃He's　only　fallen　in　a　fit。　Fust　off　I　reckoned　he　was
drunk。　But　it　ain't　thet。〃

〃Wal；　what　do　you　want　to　show　him　to　me　for？〃　demanded　Bostil；　gruffly。

〃I　reckoned　you　oughter　see　him。〃

〃An'　why；　Brackton？〃

Brackton　set　down　the　lantern　and；　pushing　Slone　outside；　said：　〃Jest　a
minnit；　son；〃　and　then　he　closed　the　door。　〃Joel's　been　on　my　hands　since　the
flood　cut　him　off　from　home；〃　said　Brackton。　〃An'　he's　been　some　trial。　But
nobody　else　would　have　done　nothin'　for　him；　so　I　had　to。　I　reckon　I　felt
sorry　for　him。　He　cried　like　a　baby　thet　had　lost　its　mother。　Then　he　gets
wild…lookin'　an'　raved　around。　When　I　wasn't　busy　I　kept　an　eye　on　him。　But
some　of　the　time　I　couldn't；　an'　he　stole　drinks；　which　made　him　wuss。　An'
when　I　seen　he　was　tryin'　to　sneak　one　of　my　guns；　I　up　an'　gets　suspicious。
Once　he　said；　'My　dad's　hosses　are　goin'　to　starve；　an'　I'm　goin'　to　kill
somebody！'　He　was　out　of　his　head　an'　dangerous。　Wal；　I　was　worried　some；　but
all　I　could　do　was　lock　up　my　guns。　Last　night　I　caught　him　confabin'　with
some　men　out　in　the　dark；　behind　the　store。　They　all　skedaddled　except　Joel；
but　I　recognized　Cordts。　I　didn't　like　this；　nuther。　Joel　was　surly　an'　ugly。
An'　when　one　of　the　riders　called　him　he　said：　'Thet　boat　NEVER　DRIFTED　OFF。
Fer　the　night　of　the　flood　I　went　down　there　myself　an'　tied　the　ropes。　They
never　come　untied。　Somebody　cut　themjest　before　the　floodto　make　sure　my
dad's　hosses　couldn't　be　crossed。　Somebody　figgered　the　river　an'　the　flood。
An'　if　my　dad's　hosses　starve　I'm　goin'　to　kill　somebody！'〃

Brackton　took　up　the　lantern　and　placed　a　hand　on　the　door　ready　to　go　out。

〃Then　a　rider　punched　JoelI　never　seen　whoan'　Joel　had　a　fit。　I　dragged
him　in　here。　An'　as　you　see；　he　ain't　come　to　yet。〃

〃Wal；　Brackton；　the　boy's　crazy；〃　said　Bostil。

〃So　I　reckon。　An'　I'm　afeared　he'll　burn　us　outhe's　crazy　on　fires；
anywayor　do　somethin'　like。〃

〃He's　sure　a　problem。　Wal；　we'll　see；〃　replied　Bostil；　soberly。

And　they　went　out　to　find　Slone　waiting。　Then　Bostil　called　his　guests；　and
with　Slone　also　accompanying　him；　went　home。

Bostil　threw　off　the　recurring　gloom；　and　he　was　good…natured　when　Lucy　came
to　his　room　to　say　good　night。　He　knew　she　had　come　to　say　more　than　that。

〃Hello；　daughter！〃　he　said。　〃Aren't　you　ashamed　to　come　facin'　your　poor　old
dad？〃

Lucy　eyed　him　dubiously。　〃No；　I'm　not　ashamed。　But　I'm　still　a
littleafraid。〃

〃I'm　harmless；　child。　I'm　a　broken　man。　When　you　put　Sage　King　out　of　the　race
you　broke　me。〃

〃Dad；　that　isn't　funny。　You　make　me　anangry　when　you　hint　I　did　something
underhand。〃

〃Wal；　you　didn't　consult　ME。〃

〃I　thought　it　would　be　fun　to　surprise　you　all。　Why；　you're　always　delighted
with　a　surprise　in　a　race；　unless　it　beats　you。　。　。　。　Then；　it　was　my　great
and　only　chance　to　get　out　in　front　of　the　King。　Oh；　how　grand　it'd　have　been！
Dad；　I'd　have　run　away　from　him　the　same　as　the　others！〃

〃No；　you　wouldn't；〃　declared　Bostil。

〃Dad；　Wildfire　can　beat　the　King！〃

〃Never；　girl！　Knockin'　a　good…tempered　hoss　off　his　pins　ain't　beatin'　him　in
a　runnin'…race。〃

Then　father　and　daughter　fought　over　the　old　score；　the　one　doggedly；
imperturbably；　the　other　spiritedly；　with　flashing　eyes。　It　was　different　this
time；　however；　for　it　ended　in　Lucy　saying　Bostil　would　never　risk　another
race。　That　stung　Bostil；　and　it　cost　him　an　effort　to　control　his　temper。

〃Let　thet　go　now。　Tell　me　all　about　how　you　saved　Wildfire；　an'　Slone；　too。〃

Lucy　readily　began　the　narrative；　and　she　had　scarcely　started　before　Bostil
found　himself　intensely　interested。　Soon　he　became　absorbed。　That　was　the　most
thrilling　and　moving　kind　of　romance　to　him；　like　his　rider's　dreams。

〃Lucy；　you're　sure　a　game　kid；〃　he　said；　fervidly；　when　she　had　ended。　〃I
reckon　I　don't　blame　Slone　for　fallin'　in　love　with　you。〃

〃Who　said　THAT！〃　inquired　Lucy。

〃Nobody。　But　it's　trueain't　it？〃

She　looked　up　with　eyes　as　true　as　ever　they　were；　yet　a　little　sad；　he
thought；　a　little　wistful　and　wondering；　as　if　a　strange　and　grave　thing
confronted　her。

〃Yes；　Dadit'sit's　true；〃　she　answered；　haltingly。

〃Wal；　you　didn't　need　to　tell　me；　but　I'm　glad　you　did。〃

Bostil　meant　to　ask　her　then　if　she　in　any　sense　returned　the　rider's　love；
but　unaccountably　he　could　not　put　the　question。　The　girl　was　as　true　as
everas　good　as　gold。　Bostil　feared　a　secret　that　might　hurt　him。　just　as
sure　as　life　was　there　and　death　but　a　step　away；　some　rider；　sooner　or　later；
would　win　this　girl's　love。　Bostil　knew　that；　hated　it；　feared　it。　Yet　he
would　never　give　his　girl　to　a　beggarly　rider。　Such　a　man　as　Wetherby　ought　to
win　Lucy's　hand。　And　Bostil　did　not　want　to　know　too　much　at　present；　he　did
not　want　his　swift…mounting　animosity　roused　so　soon。　Still　he　was　curious；
and；　wanting　to　get　the　drift　of　Lucy's　mind；　he　took　to　his　old　habit　of
teasing。

〃Another　moonstruck　rider！〃　he　said。　〃Your　eyes　are　sure　full　moons；　Lucy。　I'd
be　ashamed　to　trifle　with　these　poor　fellers。〃

〃Dad！〃

〃You're　a　heartless　flirtsame　as　your　mother　was　before　she　met　ME。〃

〃I'm　not。　And　I　don't　believe　mother　was；　either；〃　replied　Lucy。　It　was　easy
to　strike　fire　from　her。

〃Wal；　you　did　dead　wrong　to　ride　out　there　day　after　day　meetin'　Slone；
becauseyoung　womanif　he　ever　has　the　nerve　to　ask　me　for　you　I'll　beat　him
up　bad。〃

〃Then　you'd　be　a　brute！〃　retorted　Lucy。

〃Wal；　mebbe；〃　returned　Bostil；　secretly　delighted　and　surprised　at　Lucy's
failure　to　see　through　him。　But　she　was　looking　inward。　He　wondered　what　hid
there　deep　in　her。　〃But　I　can't　stand　for　the　nerve　of　thet。〃

〃Hehe　means　toto　ask　you。〃

〃The　h…。　。　。　。　A…huh！〃

Lucy　did　not　catch　the　slip　of　tongue。　She　was　flushing　now。　〃He　said　he'd
never　have　let　me　meet　him　out　there　aloneunless　hehe　loved　meand　as
our　neighbors　and　the　riders　would　learn　of　itand　talkhe　wanted　you　and
them　to　know　he'd　asked　toto　marry　me。〃

〃Wal；　he's　a　square　young　man！〃　ejaculated　Bostil；　involuntarily。　It　was　hard
for　Bostil　to　hide　his　sincerity　and　impulsiveness；　much　harder　than　to　hide
unworthy　attributes。　Then　he　got　back　on　the　other　track。　〃That'll　make　me
treat　him　decent；　so　when　he　rides　up　to　ask　for　you　I'll　let　him　off　with；
'No！〃

Lucy　dropped　her　head。　Bostil　would　have　given　all　he　had；　except　his　horses；
to　feel　sure　she　did　not　care　for　Slone。

〃DadI　said'No'for　myself；〃　she　murmured。

This　time　Bostil　di