the man of the forest-第62节

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that　disarmed　his　speech。

The　outlaws　guffawed。

〃Git　out；　Jim；　you're　breakin'　up　the　game；〃　said　Moze；　who
appeared　loser。

〃Wal；　thet　gurl　would　starve　if　it　wasn't　fer　me；〃　replied
Wilson；　genially；　and　he　walked　over　toward　her；　beginning
to　address　her；　quite　loudly；　as　he　approached。　　〃Wal；　miss；
I'm　elected　cook　an'　I'd　shore　like　to　heah　what　you　fancy
fer　dinner。〃

The　outlaws　heard；　for　they　guffawed　again。　　〃Haw！　　Haw！　　if
Jim　ain't　funny！〃　exclaimed　Anson。

The　girl　looked　up　amazed。　　Wilson　was　winking　at　her；　and
when　he　got　near　he　began　to　speak　rapidly　and　low。

〃I　jest　met　Dale　down　in　the　woods　with　his　pet　cougar。　　He's
after　you。　　I'm　goin'　to　help　him　git　you　safe　away。　　Now　you
do　your　part。　　I　want　you　to　pretend　you've　gone　crazy。
Savvy？　　Act　out　of　your　head！　　Shore　I　don't　care　what　you　do
or　say；　only　act　crazy。　　An'　don't　be　scared。　　We're　goin'　to
scare　the　gang　so　I'll　hev　a　chance　to　sneak　you　away。
To…night　or　to…morrow　　shore。〃

Before　he　began　to　speak　she　was　pale；　sad；　dull　of　eye。
Swiftly；　with　his　words；　she　was　transformed；　and　when　he
had　ended　she　did　not　appear　the　same　girl。　　She　gave　him　one
blazing　flash　of　comprehension　and　nodded　her　head　rapidly。

〃Yes；　I　understand。　　I'll　do　it！〃　she　whispered。

The　outlaw　turned　slowly　away　with　the　most　abstract　air；
confounded　amid　his　shrewd　acting；　and　he　did　not　collect
himself　until　half…way　back　to　his　comrades。　　Then；　beginning
to　hum　an　old　darky　tune；　he　stirred　up　and　replenished　the
fire；　and　set　about　preparation　for　the　midday　meal。　　But　he
did　not　miss　anything　going　on　around　him。　　He　saw　the　girl
go　into　her　shelter　and　come　out　with　her　hair　all　down　over
her　face。　　Wilson；　back　to　his　comrades；　grinned　his　glee；
and　he　wagged　his　head　as　if　he　thought　the　situation　was
developing。

The　gambling　outlaws；　however；　did　not　at　once　see　the　girl
preening　herself　and　smoothing　her　long　hair　in　a　way
calculated　to　startle。

〃Busted！〃　ejaculated　Anson；　with　a　curse；　as　he　slammed　down
his　cards。　　〃If　I　ain't　hoodooed　I'm　a　two…bit　of　a　gambler！〃

〃Sartin　you're　hoodooed；〃　said　Shady　Jones；　in　scorn。　　〃Is
thet　jest　dawnin'　on　you？〃

〃Boss；　you　play　like　a　cow　stuck　in　the　mud；〃　remarked　Moze；
laconically。

〃Fellars；　it　ain't　funny；〃　declared　Anson；　with　pathetic
gravity。　　〃I'm　jest　gittin'　on　to　myself。　　Somethin's　wrong。
Since　'way　last　fall　no　luck　　nothin'　but　the　wust　end　of
everythin'。　　I　ain't　blamin'　anybody。　　I'm　the　boss。　　It's　me
thet's　off。〃

〃Snake；　shore　it　was　the　gurl　deal　you　made；〃　rejoined
Wilson；　who　had　listened。　　〃I　told　you。　　Our　troubles　hev　only
begun。　　An'　I　can　see　the　wind…up。　　Look！〃

Wilson　pointed　to　where　the　girl　stood；　her　hair　flying
wildly　all　over　her　face　and　shoulders。　　She　was　making　most
elaborate　bows　to　an　old　stump；　sweeping　the　ground　with　her
tresses　in　her　obeisance。

Anson　started。　　He　grew　utterly　astounded。　　His　amaze　was
ludicrous。　　And　the　other　two　men　looked　to　stare；　to　equal
their　leader's　bewilderment。

〃What　'n　hell's　come　over　her？〃　asked　Anson；　dubiously。
〃Must　hev　perked　up。　。　。　。　　But　she　ain't　feelin'　thet　gay！〃

Wilson　tapped　his　forehead　with　a　significant　finger。

〃Shore　I　was　scared　of　her　this　mawnin'；〃　he　whispered。

〃Naw！〃　exclaimed　Anson；　incredulously。

〃If　she　hain't　queer　I　never　seen　no　queer　wimmin；〃
vouchsafed　Shady　Jones；　and　it　would　have　been　judged；　by
the　way　he　wagged　his　head；　that　he　had　been　all　his　days
familiar　with　women。

Moze　looked　beyond　words；　and　quite　alarmed。

〃I　seen　it　comin'；〃　declared　Wilson；　very　much　excited。　　〃But
I　was　scared　to　say　so。　　You…all　made　fun　of　me　aboot　her。
Now　I　shore　wish　I　had　spoken　up。〃

Anson　nodded　solemnly。　　He　did　not　believe　the　evidence　of
his　sight；　but　the　facts　seemed　stunning。　　As　if　the　girl
were　a　dangerous　and　incomprehensible　thing；　he　approached
her　step　by　step。　　Wilson　followed；　and　the　others　appeared
drawn　irresistibly。

〃Hey　thar　　kid！〃　called　Anson；　hoarsely。

The　girl　drew　her　slight　form　up　haughtily。　　Through　her
spreading　tresses　her　eyes　gleamed　unnaturally　upon　the
outlaw　leader。　　But　she　deigned　not　to　reply。

〃Hey　thar　　you　Rayner　girl！〃　added　Anson；　lamely。　　〃What's
ailin'　you？〃

〃My　lord！　　did　you　address　me？〃　she　asked；　loftily。

Shady　Jones　got　over　his　consternation　and　evidently
extracted　some　humor　from　the　situation；　as　his　dark　face
began　to　break　its　strain。

〃Aww！〃　breathed　Anson；　heavily。

〃Ophelia　awaits　your　command；　my　lord。　　I've　been　gathering
flowers；〃　she　said；　sweetly；　holding　up　her　empty　hands　as
if　they　contained　a　bouquet。

Shady　Jones　exploded　in　convulsed　laughter。　　But　his
merriment　was　not　shared。　　And　suddenly　it　brought　disaster
upon　him。　　The　girl　flew　at　him。

〃Why　do　you　croak；　you　toad？　　I　will　have　you　whipped　and　put
in　irons；　you　scullion！〃　she　cried；　passionately。

Shady　underwent　a　remarkable　change；　and　stumbled　in　his
backward　retreat。　　Then　she　snapped　her　fingers　in　Moze's
face。

〃You　black　devil！　　Get　hence！　　Avaunt！〃

Anson　plucked　up　courage　enough　to　touch　her。

〃Aww！　　Now；　Ophelyar　〃

Probably　he　meant　to　try　to　humor　her；　but　she　screamed；　and
he　jumped　back　as　if　she　might　burn　him。　　She　screamed
shrilly；　in　wild；　staccato　notes。

〃You！　　You！〃　she　pointed　her　finger　at　the　outlaw　leader。
〃You　brute　to　women！　　You　ran　off　from　your　wife！〃

Anson　turned　plum…color　and　then　slowly　white。　　The　girl　must
have　sent　a　random　shot　home。

〃And　now　the　devil's　turned　you　into　a　snake。　　A　long；　scaly
snake　with　green　eyes！　　Uugh！　　You'll　crawl　on　your　belly　soon
　when　my　cowboy　finds　you。　　And　he'll　tramp　you　in　the
dust。〃

She　floated　away　from　them　and　began　to　whirl　gracefully；
arms　spread　and　hair　flying；　and　then；　apparently　oblivious
of　the　staring　men；　she　broke　into　a　low；　sweet　song。　　Next
she　danced　around　a　pine；　then　danced　into　her　little　green
inclosure。　　From　which　presently　she　sent　out　the　most
doleful　moans。

〃Aww！　　What　a　shame！〃　burst　out　Anson。　　〃Thet　fine；　healthy；
nervy　kid！　　Clean　gone！　　Daffy！　　Crazy　'n　a　bedbug！〃

〃Shore　it's　a　shame；〃　protested　Wilson。〃　But　it's　wuss　for
us。　　Lord！　　if　we　was　hoodooed　before；　what　will　we　be　now？
Didn't　I　tell　you；　Snake　Anson？　　You　was　warned。　　Ask　Shady
an'　Moze　　they　see　what's　up。〃

〃No　luck　'll　ever　come　our　way　ag'in；〃　predicted　Shady；
mournfully。

〃It　beats　me；　boss；　it　beats　me；〃　muttered　Moze。

〃A　crazy　woman　on　my　hands！　　If　thet　ain't　the　last　straw！〃
broke　out　Anson；　tragically；　as　he　turned　away。　　Ignorant；
superstitious；　worked　upon　by　things　as　they　seemed；　the
outlaw　imagined　himself　at　last　beset　by　malign　forces。　　When
he　flung　himself　down　upon　one　of　the　packs　his　big
red…haired　hands　shook。　　Shady　and　Moze　resembled　two　other
men　at　the　end　of　their　ropes。

Wilson's　tense　face　twitched；　and　he　averted　it；　as
apparently　he　fought　off　a　paroxysm　of　some　nature。　　Just
then　Anson　swore　a　thundering　oath。

〃Crazy　or　not；　I'll　git　gold　out　of　thet　kid！〃　he　roared。

〃But；　man；　talk　sense。　　Are　you　gittin'　daffy；　too？　　I　declare
this　outfit's　been　eatin'　loco。　　You　can't　git　gold　fer　her！〃
said　Wilson；　deliberately。

〃Why　can't　I？〃

〃'Cause　we're　tracked。　　We　can't　make　no　dickers。　　Why；　in
another　day　or　so　we'll　be　dodgin'　lead。〃

〃Tracked！　　Whar　'd　you　git　thet　idee？　　As　soon　as　this？〃
queried　Anson；　lifting　his　head　like　a　striking　snake。　　His
men；　likewise；　betrayed　sudden　interest。

〃Shore　it's　no　idee。　　I　'ain't　seen　any　one。　　But　I　feel　it　in
my　senses。　　I　hear　somebody　comin'　　a　step　on　our　trail　
all　the　time　　night　in　particular。　　Reckon　there's　a　big
posse　after　us。〃

〃Wal；　if　I　see　or　hear　anythin'　I'll　knock　the　girl　on　the
head　an'　we'll　dig　out　of　hyar；〃　replied　Anson；　sullenly。

Wilson　executed　a　swift　forward　motion；　violent　and
passionate；　so　utterly　unlike　what　might　have　been　looked
for　from　him；　that　the　three　outlaws　gaped。

〃Then　you'll　shore　hev　to　knock　Jim　Wilson　on　the　haid
first；〃　he　said；　in　voice　as　strange　as　his　action。

〃Jim！　　You　wouldn't　go　back　on　me！〃　implored　Anson；　with
uplifted　hands；　in　a　dignity　of　pathos。

〃I'm　losin'　my　haid；　too；　an'　you　shore　might　as　well　knock
it　in；　an'　you'll　hev　to　before　I'll　stand　you　murderin'
thet　pore　little　gurl　you've　drove　crazy。〃

〃Jim；　I　was　only　mad；〃　replied　Anson。　　〃Fer　thet　matter；　I'm
growin'　daffy　myself。　　Aw！　　we　all　need　a　good　stiff　drink　of
whisky。〃

So　he　tried　to　throw　off　gloom　and　apprehension；　but　he
failed。　　His　comrades　did　not　rally　to　his　help。　　Wilson
walked　away；　nodding　his　head。

〃Boss；　let　Jim　alone；〃　whispered　Shady。　　〃It's　orful　the　way
you　buck　ag'in'　him　　when　you　seen　he's　stirred　up。　　Jim's
true　blue。　　But　you　gotta　be　careful。〃

Moze　corroborated　this　statement　by　gloomy　nods。

When　the　card…playing　was　resumed；　Anson　did　not　join　the
game；　and　both　Moze　and　Shady　evinced　little　of　that
whole…hearted　obsession　which　usually　attended　their
gambling。　　Anson　lay　at　length；　his　head　in　a　saddle；
scowling　at　the　little　shelter　where　the　captive　girl　kept
herself　out　of　sight。　　At　times　a　faint　song　or　laugh；　very
unnatural；　was　wafted　acros