smoke bellew-第20节

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〃You　might　ask　me　how　I　came　to　fire　that　shot；〃　Smoke　interrupted。

〃An'　I　might　knock　your　teeth　into　your　gullet　if　you　butt　in　again。　You　can　answer　them　questions　later　on。　　Now；　boys；　we're　decent　an'　law…abidin'；　an'　we　got　to　handle　this　right　an'　regular。　　How　far　do　you　reckon　we've　come；　Pierre？〃

〃Twenty　mile　I　t'ink　for　sure。〃

〃All　right。　　We'll　cache　the　outfit　an'　run　him　an'　poor　Joe　back　to　Two　Cabins。　　I　reckon　we've　seen　an'　can　testify　to　what'll　stretch　his　neck。〃



IV。

It　was　three　hours　after　dark　when　the　dead　man；　Smoke；　and　his　captors　arrived　at　Two　Cabins。　　By　the　starlight；　Smoke　could　make　out　a　dozen　or　more　recently　built　cabins　snuggling　about　a　larger　and　older　cabin　on　a　flat　by　the　river　bank。　　Thrust　inside　this　older　cabin；　he　found　it　tenanted　by　a　young　giant　of　a　man；　his　wife；　and　an　old　blind　man。　　The　woman；　whom　her　husband　called　'Lucy；'　was　herself　a　strapping　creature　of　the　frontier　type。　　The　old　man；　as　Smoke　learned　afterwards；　had　been　a　trapper　on　the　Stewart　for　years；　and　had　gone　finally　blind　the　winter　before。　The　camp　of　Two　Cabins；　he　was　also　to　learn；　had　been　made　the　previous　fall　by　a　dozen　men　who　arrived　in　half　as　many　poling…　boats　loaded　with　provisions。　　Here　they　had　found　the　blind　trapper；　on　the　site　of　Two　Cabins；　and　about　his　cabin　they　had　built　their　own。　　Later　arrivals；　mushing　up　the　ice　with　dog…teams；　had　tripled　the　population。　　There　was　plenty　of　meat　in　camp；　and　good　low…pay　dirt　had　been　discovered　and　was　being　worked。

In　five　minutes；　all　the　men　of　Two　cabins　were　jammed　into　the　room。　　Smoke；　shoved　off　into　a　corner；　ignored　and　scowled　at；　his　hands　and　feet　tied　with　thongs　of　moosehide；　looked　on。　　Thirty…　eight　men　he　counted；　a　wild　and　husky　crew；　all　frontiersmen　of　the　States　or　voyageurs　from　Upper　Canada。　　His　captors　told　the　tale　over　and　over；　each　the　centre　of　an　excited　and　wrathful　group。　There　were　mutterings　of　〃Lynch　him　nowwhy　wait？〃　　And；　once；　a　big　Irishman　was　restrained　only　by　force　from　rushing　upon　the　helpless　prisoner　and　giving　him　a　beating。

It　was　while　counting　the　men　that　Smoke　caught　sight　of　a　familiar　face。　　It　was　Breck；　the　man　whose　boat　Smoke　had　run　through　the　rapids。　　He　wondered　why　the　other　did　not　come　and　speak　to　him；　but　himself　gave　no　sign　of　recognition。　　Later；　when　with　shielded　face　Breck　passed　him　a　significant　wink；　Smoke　understood。

Blackbeard；　whom　Smoke　heard　called　Eli　Harding；　ended　the　discussion　as　to　whether　or　not　the　prisoner　should　be　immediately　lynched。

〃Hold　on；〃　Harding　roared。　　〃Keep　your　shirts　on。　　That　man　belongs　to　me。　　I　caught　him　an'　I　brought　him　here。　　D'ye　think　I　brought　him　all　the　way　here　to　be　lynched？　　Not　on　your　life。　　I　could　a…　done　that　myself　when　I　found　him。　　I　brought　him　here　for　a　fair　an'　impartial　trial；　an'　by　God；　a　fair　an'　impartial　trial　he's　goin'　to　get。　　He's　tied　up　safe　an'　sound。　　Chuck　him　in　a　bunk　till　morning；　an'　we'll　hold　the　trial　right　here。〃



V。

Smoke　woke　up。　　A　draught；　that　possessed　all　the　rigidity　of　an　icicle；　was　boring　into　the　front　of　his　shoulder　as　he　lay　on　his　side　facing　the　wall。　　When　he　had　been　tied　into　the　bunk　there　had　been　no　such　draught；　and　now　the　outside　air；　driving　into　the　heated　atmosphere　of　the　cabin　with　the　pressure　of　fifty　below　zero；　was　sufficient　advertizement　that　some　one　from　without　had　pulled　away　the　moss…chinking　between　the　logs。　　He　squirmed　as　far　as　his　bonds　would　permit；　then　craned　his　neck　forward　until　his　lips　just　managed　to　reach　the　crack。

〃Who　is　it？〃　he　whispered。

〃Breck；〃　came　the　answer。　　〃Be　careful　you　don't　make　a　noise。　　I'm　going　to　pass　a　knife　in　to　you。〃

〃No　good；〃　Smoke　said。　　〃I　couldn't　use　it。　　My　hands　are　tied　behind　me　and　made　fast　to　the　leg　of　the　bunk。　　Besides；　you　couldn't　get　a　knife　through　that　crack。　　But　something　must　be　done。　　Those　fellows　are　of　a　temper　to　hang　me；　and；　of　course；　you　know　I　didn't　kill　that　man。〃

〃It　wasn't　necessary　to　mention　it；　Smoke。　　And　if　you　did　you　had　your　reasons。　　Which　isn't　the　point　at　all。　　I　want　to　get　you　out　of　this。　　It's　a　tough　bunch　of　men　here。　　You've　seen　them。　They're　shut　off　from　the　world；　and　they　make　and　enforce　their　own　lawby　miner's　meeting；　you　know。　　They　handled　two　men　already　both　grub…thieves。　　One　they　hiked　from　camp　without　an　ounce　of　grub　and　no　matches。　　He　made　about　forty　miles　and　lasted　a　couple　of　days　before　he　froze　stiff。　　Two　weeks　ago　they　hiked　the　second　man。　　They　gave　him　his　choice：　　no　grub；　or　ten　lashes　for　each　day's　ration。　　He　stood　for　forty　lashes　before　he　fainted。　　And　now　they've　got　you；　and　every　last　one　is　convinced　you　killed　Kinade。〃

〃The　man　who　killed　Kinade；　shot　at　me；　too。　　His　bullet　broke　the　skin　on　my　shoulder。　　Get　them　to　delay　the　trial　till　some　one　goes　up　and　searches　the　bank　where　the　murderer　hid。〃

〃No　use。　　They　take　the　evidence　of　Harding　and　the　five　Frenchmen　with　him。　　Besides；　they　haven't　had　a　hanging　yet；　and　they're　keen　for　it。　　You　see；　things　have　been　pretty　monotonous。　　They　haven't　located　anything　big；　and　they　got　tired　of　hunting　for　Surprise　Lake。　　They　did　some　stampeding　the　first　part　of　the　winter；　but　they've　got　over　that　now。　　Scurvy　is　beginning　to　show　up　amongst　them；　too；　and　they're　just　ripe　for　excitement。〃

〃And　it　looks　like　I'll　furnish　it；〃　was　Smoke's　comment。　　〃Say；　Breck；　how　did　you　ever　fall　in　with　such　a　God…forsaken　bunch？〃

〃After　I　got　the　claims　at　Squaw　Creek　opened　up　and　some　men　to　working；　I　came　up　here　by　way　of　the　Stewart；　hunting　for　Two　Cabins。　　They'd　beaten　me　to　it；　so　I've　been　higher　up　the　Stewart。　Just　got　back　yesterday　out　of　grub。〃

〃Find　anything？〃

〃Nothing　much。　　But　I　think　I've　got　a　hydraulic　proposition　that'll　work　big　when　the　country's　opened　up。　　It's　that；　or　a　gold…　dredger。〃

〃Hold　on；〃　Smoke　interrupted。　　〃Wait　a　minute。　　Let　me　think。〃

He　was　very　much　aware　of　the　snores　of　the　sleepers　as　he　pursued　the　idea　that　had　flashed　into　his　mind。

〃Say；　Breck；　have　they　opened　up　the　meat…packs　my　dogs　carried？〃

〃A　couple。　　I　was　watching。　　They　put　them　in　Harding's　cache。〃

〃Did　they　find　anything？〃

〃Meat。〃

〃Good。　　You've　got　to　get　into　the　brown　canvas　pack　that's　patched　with　moosehide。　　You'll　find　a　few　pounds　of　lumpy　gold。　　You've　never　seen　gold　like　it　in　the　country；　nor　has　anybody　else。　Here's　what　you've　got　to　do。　　Listen。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　fully　instructed　and　complaining　that　his　toes　were　freezing；　Breck　went　away。　　Smoke；　his　own　nose　and　one　cheek　frosted　by　proximity　to　the　chink；　rubbed　them　against　the　blankets　for　half　an　hour　before　the　blaze　and　bite　of　the　returning　blood　assured　him　of　the　safety　of　his　flesh。



VI。

〃My　mind's　made　up　right　now。　　There　ain't　no　doubt　but　what　he　killed　Kinade。　　We　heard　the　whole　thing　last　night。　　What's　the　good　of　goin'　over　it　again？　　I　vote　guilty。〃

In　such　fashion；　Smoke's　trial　began。　　The　speaker；　a　loose…jointed；　hard…rock　man　from　Colorado；　manifested　irritation　and　disgust　when　Harding　set　his　suggestion　aside；　demanded　the　proceedings　should　be　regular；　and　nominated　one；　Shunk　Wilson；　for　judge　and　chairman　of　the　meeting。　　The　population　of　Two　Cabins　constituted　the　jury；　though；　after　some　discussion；　the　woman；　Lucy；　was　denied　the　right　to　vote　on　Smoke's　guilt　or　innocence。

While　this　was　going　on；　Smoke；　jammed　into　a　corner　on　a　bunk；　overheard　a　whispered　conversation　between　Breck　and　a　miner。

〃You　haven't　fifty　pounds　of　flour　you'll　sell？〃　Breck　queried。

〃You　ain't　got　the　dust　to　pay　the　price　I'm　askin'；〃　was　the　reply。

〃I'll　give　you　two　hundred。〃

The　man　shook　his　head。

〃Three　hundred。　　Three…fifty。〃

At　four　hundred；　the　man　nodded；　and　said：　　〃Come　on　over　to　my　cabin　an'　weigh　out　the　dust。〃

The　two　squeezed　their　way　to　the　door；　and　slipped　out。　　After　a　few　minutes　Breck　returned　alone。

Harding　was　testifying；　when　Smoke　saw　the　door　shoved　open　slightly；　and　in　the　crack　appear　the　face　of　the　man　who　had　sold　the　flour。　　He　was　grimacing　and　beckoning　emphatically　to　one　inside；　who　arose　from　near　the　stove　and　started　to　work　toward　the　door。

〃Where　are　you　goin'；　Sam？〃　Shunk　Wilson　demanded。

〃I'll　be　back　in　a　jiffy；〃　Sam　explained。　　〃I　jes'　got　to　go。〃

Smoke　was　permitted　to　question　the　witnesses；　and　he　was　in　the　middle　of　the　cross…examination　of　Harding；　when　from　without　came　the　whining　of　dogs　in　harness；　and　the　grind　and　churn　of　sled…　runners。　　Somebody　near　the　door　peeped　out。

〃It's　Sam　an'　his　pardner　an'　a　dog…team　hell…bent　down　the　trail　for　Stewart　River；〃　the　man　reported。

Nobody　spoke　for　a　long　half…minute；　but　men　glanced　significantly　at　one　another；　and　a　general　restlessness　pervaded　the　packed　room。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Smoke　caught　a　glimpse　of　Breck；　Lucy；　and　her　husband　whispering　together。

〃Come　on；　you；〃　Shunk　Wilson　said　gruffly　to　Smoke。　　〃Cut　this　questionin'　short。　　We　know　what　you're　tryin'　to　provethat　the　other　bank　wasn't　searched。　　The　witness　admits　it。　　We　admit　it。　It　wasn't　necessary。　　No　tracks　led　to　that　bank。　　The　s