black rock-第19节

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garnished　with　acrobatic　feats；　the　committee　interfered。　　There
were　cries　of　'Put　him　out！'　and　'Let　him　alone！　　Go　on；　Nixon！'
And　Nixon　hurled　back　into　the　crowd　two　of　the　committee　who　had
laid　remonstrating　hands　upon　him；　and；　standing　in　the　open
centre；　cried　out　scornfully

'Put　me　out！　　Put　me　out！　　Certainly！　　Help　yourselves！　　Don't　mind
me！'　　Then　grinding　his　teeth；　so　that　I　heard　them　across　the
room；　he　added　with　savage　deliberation；　'If　any　man　lays　a　finger
on　me；　I'llI'll　eat　his　liver　cold。'

He　stood　for　a　few　moments　glaring　round　upon　the　company；　and　then
strode　toward　the　bar；　followed　by　the　crowd　wildly　yelling。　　The
ball　was　forthwith　broken　up。　　I　looked　around　for　Billy；　but　he
was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　Graeme　touched　my　arm

'There's　going　to　be　something　of　a　time；　so　just　keep　your　eyes
skinned。'

'What　are　you　going　to　do？'　I　asked。

'Do？　　Keep　myself　beautifully　out　of　trouble；'　he　replied。

In　a　few　moments　the　crowd　came　surging　back　headed　by　Nixon；　who
was　waving　a　whisky…bottle　over　his　head　and　yelling　as　one
possessed。

'Hello！'　exclaimed　Graeme　softly；　'I　begin　to　see。　　Look　there！'

'What's　up？'　I　asked。

'You　see　Idaho　and　Slavin　and　their　pets；'　he　replied。

'They've　got　poor　Nixon　in　tow。　　Idaho　is　rather　nasty；'　he　added；
'but　I　think　I'll　take　a　hand　in　this　game；　I've　seen　some　of
Idaho's　work　before。'

The　scene　was　one　quite　strange　to　me；　and　was　wild　beyond
description。　　A　hundred　men　filled　the　room。　　Bottles　were　passed
from　hand　to　hand；　and　men　drank　their　fill。　　Behind　the
refreshment…tables　stood　the　hotelman　and　his　barkeeper　with　their
coats　off　and　sleeves　rolled　up　to　the　shoulder；　passing　out
bottles；　and　drawing　beer　and　whisky　from　two　kegs　hoisted　up　for
that　purpose。　　Nixon　was　in　his　glory。　　It　was　his　night。　　Every
man　was　to　get　drunk　at　his　expense；　he　proclaimed；　flinging　down
bills　upon　the　table。　　Near　him　were　some　League　men　he　was
treating　liberally；　and　never　far　away　were　Idaho　and　Slavin
passing　bottles；　but　evidently　drinking　little。

I　followed　Graeme；　not　feeling　too　comfortable；　for　this　sort　of
thing　was　new　to　me；　but　admiring　the　cool　assurance　with　which　he
made　his　way　through　the　crowd　that　swayed　and　yelled　and　swore　and
laughed　in　a　most　disconcerting　manner。

'Hello！'　shouted　Nixon　as　he　caught　sight　of　Graeme。　　'Here　you
are！'　passing　him　a　bottle。　　'You're　a　knocker；　a　double…handed
front　door　knocker。　　You　polished　off　old　whisky…soak　here；　old
demijohn；'　pointing　to　Slavin；　'and　I'll　lay　five　to　one　we　can
lick　any　blankety　blank　thieves　in　the　crowd；'　and　he　held　up　a
roll　of　bills。

But　Graeme　proposed　that　he　should　give　the　hornpipe　again；　and　the
floor　was　cleared　at　once；　for　Nixon's　hornpipe　was　very　popular；
and　tonight；　of　course；　was　in　high　favour。　　In　the　midst　of　his
dance　Nixon　stopped　short；　his　arms　dropped　to　his　side；　his　face
had　a　look　of　fear；　of　horror。

There；　before　him；　in　his　riding…cloak　and　boots；　with　his　whip　in
his　hand　as　he　had　come　from　his　ride；　stood　Mr。　Craig。　　His　face
was　pallid；　and　his　dark　eyes　were　blazing　with　fierce　light。　　As
Nixon　stopped；　Craig　stepped　forward　to　him；　and　sweeping　his　eyes
round　upon　the　circle　he　said　in　tones　intense　with　scorn

'You　cowards！　　You　get　a　man　where　he's　weak！　　Cowards！　you'd　damn
his　soul　for　his　money！'

There　was　dead　silence；　and　Craig；　lifting　his　hat；　said　solemnly

'May　God　forgive　you　this　night's　work！'

Then；　turning　to　Nixon；　and　throwing　his　arm　over　his　shoulder；　he
said　in　a　voice　broken　and　husky

'Come　on；　Nixon！　we'll　go！'

Idaho　made　a　motion　as　if　to　stop　him；　but　Graeme　stepped　quickly
foreword　and　said　sharply；　'Make　way　there；　can't　you？'　and　the
crowd　fell　back　and　we　four　passed　through；　Nixon　walking　as　in　a
dream；　with　Craig's　arm　about　him。　　Down　the　street　we　went　in
silence；　and　on　to　Craig's　shack；　where　we　found　old　man　Nelson；
with　the　fire　blazing；　and　strong　coffee　steaming　on　the　stove。　　It
was　he　that　had　told　Craig；　on　his　arrival　from　the　Landing；　of
Nixon's　fall。

There　was　nothing　of　reproach；　but　only　gentlest　pity；　in　tone　and
touch　as　Craig　placed　the　half…drunk；　dazed　man　in　his　easy…chair；
took　off　his　boots；　brought　him　his　own　slippers；　and　gave　him
coffee。　　Then；　as　his　stupor　began　to　overcome　him；　Craig　put　him
in　his　own　bed；　and　came　forth　with　a　face　written　over　with　grief。

'Don't　mind；　old　chap；'　said　Graeme　kindly。

But　Craig　looked　at　him　without　a　word；　and；　throwing　himself　into
a　chair；　put　his　face　in　his　hands。　　As　we　sat　there　in　silence　the
door　was　suddenly　pushed　open　and　in　walked　Abe　Baker　with　the
words；　'Where　is　Nixon？'　and　we　told　him　where　he　was。　　We　were
still　talking　when　again　a　tap　came　to　the　door；　and　Shaw　came　in
looking　much　disturbed。

'Did　you　hear　about　Nixon？'　he　asked。　　We　told　him　what　we　knew。

'But　did　you　hear　how　they　got　him？'　he　asked；　excitedly。

As　he　told　us　the　tale；　the　men　stood　listening；　with　faces　growing
hard。

It　appeared　that　after　the　making　of　the　League　the　Black　Rock
Hotel　man　had　bet　Idaho　one　hundred　to　fifty　that　Nixon　could　not
be　got　to　drink　before　Easter。　　All　Idaho's　schemes　had　failed；　and
now　he　had　only　three　days　in　which　to　win　his　money；　and　the　ball
was　his　last　chance。　　Here　again　he　was　balked；　for　Nixon；
resisting　all　entreaties；　barred　his　shack　door　and　went　to　bed
before　nightfall；　according　to　his　invariable　custom　on　pay…days。
At　midnight　some　of　Idaho's　men　came　battering　at　the　door　for
admission；　which　Nixon　reluctantly　granted。　　For　half　an　hour　they
used　every　art　of　persuasion　to　induce　him　to　go　down　to　the　ball；
the　glorious　success　of　which　was　glowingly　depicted；　but　Nixon
remained　immovable；　and　they　took　their　departure；　baffled　and
cursing。　　In　two　hours　they　returned　drunk　enough　to　be　dangerous；
kicked　at　the　door　in　vain；　finally　gained　entrance　through　the
window；　hauled　Nixon　out　of　bed；　and；　holding　a　glass　of　whisky　to
his　lips；　bade　him　drink。　　But　he　knocked　the　glass　sway；　spilling
the　liquor　over　himself　and　the　bed。

It　was　drink　or　fight；　and　Nixon　was　ready　to　fight；　but　after
parley　they　had　a　drink　all　round；　and　fell　to　persuasion　again。
The　night　was　cold；　and　poor　Nixon　sat　shivering　on　the　edge　of　his
bed。　　If　he　would　take　one　drink　they　would　leave　him　alone。　　He
need　not　show　himself　so　stiff。　　The　whisky　fumes　filled　his
nostrils。　　If　one　drink　would　get　them　off；　surely　that　was　better
than　fighting　and　killing　some　one　or　getting　killed。　　He
hesitated；　yielded；　drank　his　glass。　　They　sat　about　him　amiably
drinking；　and　lauding　him　as　a　fine　fellow　after　all。　　One　more
glass　before　they　left。　　Then　Nixon　rose；　dressed　himself；　drank
all　that　was　left　of　the　bottle；　put　his　money　in　his　pocket；　and
came　down　to　the　dance；　wild　with　his　old…time　madness；　reckless　of
faith　and　pledge；　forgetful　of　home；　wife；　babies；　his　whole　being
absorbed　in　one　great　passionto　drink　and　drink　and　drink　till　he
could　drink　no　more。

Before　Shaw　had　finished　his　tale；　Craig's　eyes　were　streaming　with
tears；　and　groans　of　rage　and　pity　broke　alternately　from　him。　　Abe
remained　speechless　for　a　time；　not　trusting　himself；　but　as　he
heard　Craig　groan；　'Oh；　the　beasts！　the　fiends！'　he　seemed
encouraged　to　let　himself　loose；　and　he　began　swearing　with　the
coolest　and　most　blood…curdling　deliberation。　　Craig　listened　with
evident　approval；　apparently　finding　complete　satisfaction　in　Abe's
performance；　when　suddenly　he　seemed　to　waken　up；　caught　Abe　by　the
arm；　and　said　in　a　horror…stricken　voice

'Stop！　stop！　　God　forgive　us！　we　must　not　swear　like　this。'

Abe　stopped　at　once；　and　in　a　surprised　and　slightly　grieved　voice
said

'Why！　what's　the　matter　with　that？　　Ain't　that　what　you　wanted？'

'Yes！　yes！　　God　forgive　me！　　I　am　afraid　it　was；'　he　answered
hurriedly；　'but　I　must　not。'

'Oh；　don't　you　worry；'　went　on　Abe　cheerfully；　'I'll　look　after
that　part；　and　anyway；　ain't　they　the　blankest　blankety　blank'
going　off　again　into　a　roll　of　curses；　till　Craig；　in　an　agony　of
entreaty；　succeeded　in　arresting　the　flow　of　profanity　possible　to
no　one　but　a　mountain　stage…driver。　　Abe　paused　looking　hurt；　and
asked　if　they　did　not　deserve　everything　he　was　calling　down　upon
them。

'Yes；　yes；'　urged　Craig；　'but　that　is　not　our　business。'

'Well！　so　I　reckoned；'　replied　Abe；　recognising　the　limitations　of
the　cloth；　'you　ain't　used　to　it；　and　you　can't　be　expected　to　do
it；　but　it　just　makes　me　feel　goodlet　out　o'　school　liketo
properly　do　'em　up；　the　blank；　blank；'　and　off　he　went　again。　　It
was　only　under　the　pressure　of　Mr。　Craig's　prayers　and　commands
that　he　finally　agreed　'to　hold　in；　though　it　was　tough。'

'What's　to　be　done？'　asked　Shaw。

'Nothing；'　answered　Craig　bitterly。　　He　was　exhausted　with　his　long
ride　from　the　Landing；　and　broken　with　bitter　disappointment　over
the　ruin　of　all　that　he　had　laboured　so　long　to　accomplish。

'Nonsense；'　said　Graeme；　'there's　a　good　deal　to　do。'

It　was　agreed　that　Craig　should　remain　with　Nixon　while　the　others
of　us　should　gather　up　what　fragments　we　could　find　of　the　broken
League