black rock-第20节

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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。　　We　had　just　opened　the　door；　when　we　met　a　man　striding　up
at　a　great　pace。　　It　was　Geordie　Crawford。

'Hae　ye　seen　the　lad？'　was　his　salutation。　　No　one　replied。　　So　I
told　Geordie　of　my　last　sight　of　Billy　in　the　orchestra。

'An'　did　ye　no'　gang　aifter　him？'　he　asked　in　indignant　surprise；
adding　with　some　contempt；　'Man！　but　ye're　a　feckless　buddie。'

'Billy　gone　too！'　said　Shaw。　　'They　might　have　let　Billy　alone。'

Poor　Craig　stood　in　a　dumb　agony。　　Billy's　fall　seemed　more　than　he
could　bear。　　We　went　out；　leaving　him　heart…broken　amid　the　ruins
of　his　League。


CHAPTER　IX

THE　LEAGUE'S　REVENGE


As　we　stood　outside　of　Craig's　shack　in　the　dim　starlight；　we　could
not　hide　from　ourselves　that　we　were　beaten。　　It　was　not　so　much
grief　as　a　blind　fury　that　filled　my　heart；　and　looking　at　the
faces　of　the　men　about　me　I　read　the　same　feeling　there。　　But　what
could　we　do？　　The　yells　of　carousing　miners　down　at　Slavin's　told
us　that　nothing　could　be　done　with　them　that　night。　　To　be　so
utterly　beaten；　and　unfairly；　and　with　no　chance　of　revenge；　was
maddening。

'I'd　like　to　get　back　at　'em；'　said　Abe；　carefully　repressing
himself。

'I've　got　it；　men；'　said　Graeme　suddenly。　　'This　town　does　not
require　all　the　whisky　there　is　in　it'；　and　he　unfolded　his　plan。
It　was　to　gain　possession　of　Slavin's　saloon　and　the　bar　of　the
Black　Rock　Hotel；　and　clear　out　all　the　liquor　to　be　found　in　both
these　places。　　I　did　not　much　like　the　idea；　and　Geordie　said；　'I'm
ga'en　aifter　the　lad；　I'll　hae　naethin'　tae　dae　wi'　yon。　　It's'　no'
that　easy；　an'　it's　a　sinfu'　waste。'

But　Abe　was　wild　to　try　it；　and　Shaw　was　quite　willing；　while　old
Nelson　sternly　approved。

'Nelson；　you　and　Shaw　get　a　couple　of　our　men　and　attend　to　the
saloon。　　Slavin　and　the　whole　gang　are　up　at　the　Black　Rock；　so　you
won't　have　much　trouble；　but　come　to　us　as　soon　as　you　can。'

And　so　we　went　our　ways。

Then　followed　a　scene　the　like　of　which　I　can　never　hope　to　see
again；　and　it　was　worth　a　man's　seeing。　　But　there　were　times　that
night　when　I　wished　I　had　not　agreed　to　follow　Graeme　in　his　plot。
As　we　went　up　to　the　hotel；　I　asked　Graeme；　'What　about　the　law　of
this？'

'Law！'　he　replied　indignantly。　　'They　haven't　troubled　much　about
law　in　the　whisky　business　here。　　They　get　a　keg　of　high　wines　and
some　drugs　and　begin　operations。　　No！'　he　went　on；　'if　we　can　get
the　crowd　out；　and　ourselves　in；　we'll　make　them　break　the　law　in
getting　us　out。　　The　law　won't　trouble　us　over　smuggled　whisky。
It　will　be　a　great　lark；　and　they　won't　crow　too　loud　over　the
League。'

I　did　not　like　the　undertaking　at　first；　but　as　I　thought　of　the
whole　wretched　illegal　business　flourishing　upon　the　weakness　of
the　men　in　the　mines　and　camps；　whom　I　had　learned　to　regard　as
brothers；　and　especially　as　I　thought　of　the　cowards　that　did　for
Nixon；　I　let　my　scruples　go；　and　determined；　with　Abe；　'to　get　back
at　'em。'

We　had　no　difficulty　getting　them　out。　　Abe　began　to　yell。　　Some
men　rushed　out　to　learn　the　cause。　　He　seized　the　foremost　man；
making　a　hideous　uproar　all　the　while；　and　in　three　minutes　had
every　man　out　of　the　hotel　and　a　lively　row　going　on。

In　two　minutes　more　Graeme　and　I　had　the　door　to　the　ball…room
locked　and　barricaded　with　empty　casks。　　We　then　closed　the　door　of
the　bar…room　leading　to　the　outside。　　The　bar…room　was　a　strongly
built　log…shack；　with　a　heavy　door　secured；　after　the　manner　of　the
early　cabins；　with　two　strong　oak　bars；　so　that　we　felt　safe　from
attack　from　that　quarter。

The　ball…room　we　could　not　hold　long；　for　the　door　was　slight　and
entrance　was　possible　through　the　windows。　　But　as　only　a　few　casks
of　liquor　were　left　there；　our　main　work　would　be　in　the　bar；　so
that　the　fight　would　be　to　hold　the　passage…way。　　This　we
barricaded　with　casks　and　tables。　　But　by　this　time　the　crowd　had
begun　to　realise　what　had　happened；　and　were　wildly　yelling　at　door
and　windows。　　With　an　axe　which　Graeme　had　brought　with　him　the
casks　were　soon　stove　in；　and　left　to　empty　themselves。

As　I　was　about　to　empty　the　last　cask；　Graeme　stopped　me；　saying；
'Let　that　stand　here。　　It　will　help　us。'　　And　so　it　did。　　'Now　skip
for　the　barricade；'　yelled　Graeme；　as　a　man　came　crashing　through
the　window。　　Before　he　could　regain　his　feet；　however；　Graeme　had
seized　him　and　flung　him　out　upon　the　heads　of　the　crowd　outside。
But　through　the　other　windows　men　were　coming　in；　and　Graeme　rushed
for　the　barricade；　followed　by　two　of　the　enemy；　the　foremost　of
whom　I　received　at　the　top　and　hurled　back　upon　the　others。

'Now；　be　quick！'　said　Graeme；　'I'll　hold　this。　　Don't　break　any
bottles　on　the　floorthrow　them　out　there；'　pointing　to　a　little
window　high　up　in　the　wall。

I　made　all　haste。　　The　casks　did　not　take　much　time；　and　soon　the
whisky　and　beer　were　flowing　over　the　floor。　　It　made　me　think　of
Geordie's　regret　over　the　'sinfu'　waste。'　　The　bottles　took　longer；
and　glancing　up　now　and　then　I　saw　that　Graeme　was　being　hard
pressed。　　Men　would　leap；　two　and　three　at　a　time；　upon　the
barricade；　and　Graeme's　arms　would　shoot　out；　and　over　they　would
topple　upon　the　heads　of　those　nearest。　　It　was　a　great　sight　to
see　him　standing　alone　with　a　smile　on　his　face　and　the　light　of
battle　in　his　eye；　coolly　meeting　his　assailants　with　those
terrific；　lightning…like　blows。　　In　fifteen　minutes　my　work　was
done。

'What　next？'　I　asked。　　'How　do　we　get　out？'

'How　is　the　door？'　he　replied。

I　looked　through　the　port…hole　and　said；　'A　crowd　of　men　waiting。'

'We'll　have　to　make　a　dash　for　it；　I　fancy；'　he　replied　cheerfully；
though　his　face　was　covered　with　blood　and　his　breath　was　coming　in
short　gasps。

'Get　down　the　bars　and　be　ready。'　　But　even　as　he　spoke　a　chair
hurled　from　below　caught　him　on　the　arm；　and　before　he　could
recover；　a　man　had　cleared　the　barricade　and　was　upon　him　like　a
tiger。　　It　was　Idaho　Jack。

'Hold　the　barricade；'　Graeme　called　out；　as　they　both　went　down。

I　sprang　to　his　place；　but　I　had　not　much　hope　of　holding　it　long。
I　had　the　heavy　oak　bar　of　the　door　in　my　hands；　and　swinging　it
round　my　head　I　made　the　crowd　give　back　for　a　few　moments。

Meantime　Graeme　had　shaken　off　his　enemy；　who　was　circling　about
him　upon　his　tip…toes；　with　a　long　knife　in　his　hand；　waiting　for　a
chance　to　spring。

'I　have　been　waiting　for　this　for　some　time；　Mr。　Graeme；'　he　said
smiling。

'Yes；'　replied　Graeme；　'ever　since　I　spoiled　your　cut…throat　game
in　'Frisco。　　How　is　the　little　one？'　he　added　sarcastically。

Idaho's　face　lost　its　smile　and　became　distorted　with　fury　as　he
replied；　spitting　out　his　words；　'Sheiswhere　you　will　be　before
I　am　done　with　you。'

'Ah！　you　murdered　her　too！　　You'll　hang　some　beautiful　day；　Idaho；'
said　Graeme；　as　Idaho　sprang　upon　him。

Graeme　dodged　his　blow　and　caught　his　forearm　with　his　left　hand
and　held　up　high　the　murderous　knife。　　Back　and　forward　they　swayed
over　the　floor；　slippery　with　whisky；　the　knife　held　high　in　the
air。　　I　wondered　why　Graeme　did　not　strike；　and　then　I　saw　his
right　hand　hung　limp　from　the　wrist。　　The　men　were　crowding　upon
the　barricade。　　I　was　in　despair。　　Graeme's　strength　was　going
fast。　　With　a　yell　of　exultant　fury　Idaho　threw　himself　with　all
his　weight　upon　Graeme；　who　could　only　cling　to　him。　　They　swayed
together　towards　me；　but　as　they　fell　I　brought　down　my　bar　upon
the　upraised　hand　and　sent　the　knife　flying　across　the　room。
Idaho's　howl　of　rage　and　pain　was　mingled　with　a　shout　from　below；
and　there；　dashing　the　crowd　right　and　left；　came　old　Nelson；
followed　by　Abe；　Sandy；　Baptiste；　Shaw；　and　others。　　As　they
reached　the　barricade　it　crashed　down　and；　carrying　me　with　it；
pinned　me　fast。

Looking　out　between　the　barrels；　I　saw　what　froze　my　heart　with
horror。　　In　the　fall　Graeme　had　wound　his　arms　about　his　enemy　and
held　him　in　a　grip　so　deadly　that　he　could　not　strike；　but　Graeme's
strength　was　failing；　and　when　I　looked　I　saw　that　Idaho　was　slowly
dragging　both　across　the　slippery　floor　to　where　the　knife　lay。
Nearer　and　nearer　his　outstretched　fingers　came　to　the　knife。　　In
vain　I　yelled　and　struggled。　　My　voice　was　lost　in　the　awful　din；
and　the　barricade　held　me　fast。　　Above　me；　standing　on　a　barrel…
head；　was　Baptiste；　yelling　like　a　demon。　　In　vain　I　called　to　him。
My　fingers　could　just　reach　his　foot；　and　he　heeded　not　at　all　my
touch。　　Slowly　Idaho　was　dragging　his　almost　unconscious　victim
toward　the　knife。　　His　fingers　were　touching　the　blade　point；　when；
under　a　sudden　inspiration；　I　pulled　out　my　penknife；　opened　it
with　my　teeth；　and　drove　the　blade　into　Baptiste's　foot。　　With　a
blood…curdling　yell　he　sprang　down　and　began　dancing　round　in　his
rage；　peering　among　the　barrels。

'Look！　look！'　I　was　calling　in　agony；　and　pointing；　'for　heaven's
sake；　look！　Baptiste！'

The　fingers　had　closed　upon　the　knife；　the　knife　was　already　high
in　the　air；　when；　with　a　shriek；　Baptiste　cleared　the　room　at　a
bound；　and；　before　the　knife　could　fall；　the　little　Frenchman's
boot　ha