smoke bellew-第21节

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sary。　　No　tracks　led　to　that　bank。　　The　snow　wasn't　broke。〃

〃There　was　a　man　on　the　other　bank　just　the　same；〃　Smoke　insisted。

〃That's　too　thin　for　skatin'；　young　man。　　There　ain't　many　of　us　on　the　McQuestion；　an'　we　got　every　man　accounted　for。〃

〃Who　was　the　man　you　hiked　out　of　camp　two　weeks　ago？〃　Smoke　asked。

〃Alonzo　Miramar。　　He　was　a　Mexican。　　What's　that　grub…thief　got　to　do　with　it？〃

〃Nothing；　except　that　you　haven't　accounted　for　HIM；　Mr　Judge。〃

〃He　went　down　the　river；　not　up。〃

〃How　do　you　know　where　he　went？〃

〃Saw　him　start。〃

〃And　that's　all　you　know　of　what　became　of　him？〃

〃No；　it　ain't；　young　man。　　I　know；　we　all　know；　he　had　four　day's　grub　an'　no　gun　to　shoot　meat　with。　　If　he　didn't　make　the　settlement　on　the　Yukon　he'd　croaked　long　before　this。〃

〃I　suppose　you've　got　all　the　guns　in　this　part　of　the　country　accounted　for；　too；〃　Smoke　observed　pointedly。

Shunk　Wilson　was　angry。

〃You'd　think　I　was　the　prisoner　the　way　you　slam　questions　into　me。　Come　on　with　the　next　witness。　　Where's　French　Louis？〃

While　French　Louis　was　shoving　forward；　Lucy　opened　the　door。

〃Where　you　goin'？〃　Shunk　Wilson　shouted。

〃I　reckon　I　don't　have　to　stay；〃　she　answered　defiantly。　　〃I　ain't　got　no　vote；　an'　besides　my　cabin's　so　jammed　up　I　can't　breathe。〃

In　a　few　minutes　her　husband　followed。　　The　closing　of　the　door　was　the　first　warning　the　judge　received　of　it。

〃Who　was　that？〃　he　interrupted　Pierre's　narrative　to　ask。

〃Bill　Peabody；〃　somebody　spoke　up。　　〃Said　he　wanted　to　ask　his　wife　something　and　was　coming　right　back。〃

Instead　of　Bill；　it　was　Lucy　who　re…entered；　took　off　her　furs；　and　resumed　her　place　by　the　stove。

〃I　reckon　we　don't　need　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　witnesses；〃　was　Shunk　Wilson's　decision；　when　Pierre　had　finished。　　〃We　know　they　only　can　testify　to　the　same　facts　we've　already　heard。　　Say；　Sorensen；　you　go　an'　bring　Bill　Peabody　back。　　We'll　be　votin'　a　verdict　pretty　short。　　Now；　Stranger；　you　can　get　up　an'　say　your　say　concernin'　what　happened。　　In　the　meantime　we'll　just　be　savin'　delay　by　passin'　around　the　two　rifles；　the　ammunition；　an'　the　bullets　that　done　the　killin'。〃

Midway　in　his　story　of　how　he　had　arrived　in　that　part　of　the　country；　and　at　the　point　in　his　narrative　where　he　described　his　own　ambush　and　how　he　had　fled　to　the　bank；　Smoke　was　interrupted　by　the　indignant　Shunk　Wilson。

〃Young　man；　what　sense　is　there　in　you　testifyin'　that　way？　　You're　just　takin'　up　valuable　time。　　Of　course　you　got　the　right　to　lie　to　save　your　neck；　but　we　ain't　goin'　to　stand　for　such　foolishness。　The　rifle；　the　ammunition；　the　bullet　that　killed　Joe　Kinade　is　against　youWhat's　that？　　Open　the　door；　somebody！〃

The　frost　rushed　in；　taking　form　and　substance　in　the　heat　of　the　room；　while　through　the　open　door　came　the　whining　of　dogs　that　decreased　rapidly　with　distance。

〃It's　Sorensen　an'　Peabody；〃　some　one　cried；　〃a…throwin'　the　whip　into　the　dawgs　an'　headin'　down　river！〃

〃Now；　what　the　hell！〃　　Shunk　Wilson　paused；　with　dropped　jaw；　and　glared　at　Lucy。　　〃I　reckon　you　can　explain；　Mrs　Peabody。〃

She　tossed　her　head　and　compressed　her　lips；　and　Shunk　Wilson's　wrathful　and　suspicious　gaze　passed　on　and　rested　on　Breck。

〃An'　I　reckon　that　new…comer　you've　ben　chinning　with　could　explain　if　HE　had　a　mind　to。〃

Breck；　now　very　uncomfortable；　found　all　eyes　centred　on　him。

〃Sam　was　chewing　the　rag　with　him；　too；　before　he　hit　out；〃　some　one　said。

〃Look　here；　Mr　Breck；〃　Shunk　Wilson　continued。　　〃You've　ben　interruptin'　proceedings；　and　you　got　to　explain　the　meanin'　of　it。　What　was　you　chinnin'　about？〃

Breck　cleared　his　throat　timidly　and　replied。　　〃I　was　just　trying　to　buy　some　grub。〃

〃What　with？〃

〃Dust；　of　course。〃

〃Where'd　you　get　it？〃

Breck　did　not　answer。

〃He's　ben　snoopin'　around　up　the　Stewart；〃　a　man　volunteered。　　〃I　run　across　his　camp　a　week　ago　when　I　was　huntin'。　　An'　I　want　to　tell　you　he　was　almighty　secretious　about　it。〃

〃The　dust　didn't　come　from　there；〃　Breck　said。　　〃That's　only　a　low…　grade　hydraulic　proposition。〃

〃Bring　your　poke　here　an'　let's　see　your　dust；〃　Wilson　commanded。

〃I　tell　you　it　didn't　come　from　there。〃

〃Let's　see　it　just　the　same。〃

Breck　made　as　if　to　refuse；　but　all　about　him　were　menacing　faces。　Reluctantly；　he　fumbled　in　his　coat　pocket。　　In　the　act　of　drawing　forth　a　pepper　can；　it　rattled　against　what　was　evidently　a　hard　object。

〃Fetch　it　all　out！〃　Shunk　Wilson　thundered。

And　out　came　the　big　nugget；　first…size；　yellow　as　no　gold　any　onlooker　had　ever　seen。　　Shunk　Wilson　gasped。　　Half　a　dozen；　catching　one　glimpse；　made　a　break　for　the　door。　　They　reached　it　at　the　same　moment；　and；　with　cursing　and　scuffling；　jammed　and　pivoted　through。　　The　judge　emptied　the　contents　of　the　pepper　can　on　the　table；　and　the　sight　of　the　rough　lump…gold　sent　half　a　dozen　more　toward　the　door。

〃Where　are　you　goin'？〃　Eli　Harding　asked；　as　Shunk　started　to　follow。

〃For　my　dogs；　of　course。〃

〃Ain't　you　goin'　to　hang　him？〃

〃It'd　take　too　much　time　right　now。　　He'll　keep　till　we　get　back；　so　I　reckon　this　court　is　adjourned。　　This　ain't　no　place　for　lingerin'。〃

Harding　hesitated。　　He　glanced　savagely　at　Smoke；　saw　Pierre　beckoning　to　Louis　from　the　doorway；　took　one　last　look　at　the　lump…　gold　on　the　table；　and　decided。

〃No　use　you　tryin'　to　get　away；〃　he　flung　back　over　his　shoulder。　〃Besides；　I'm　goin'　to　borrow　your　dogs。〃

〃What　is　itanother　one　of　them　blamed　stampedes？〃　the　old　blind　trapper　asked　in　a　queer　and　petulant　falsetto；　as　the　cries　of　men　and　dogs　and　the　grind　of　the　sleds　swept　the　silence　of　the　room。

〃It　sure　is；〃　Lucy　answered。　　〃An'　I　never　seen　gold　like　it。　　Feel　that；　old　man。〃

She　put　the　big　nugget　in　his　hand。　　He　was　but　slightly　interested。

〃It　was　a　good　fur…country；〃　he　complained；　〃before　them　danged　miners　come　in　an'　scared　back　the　game。〃

The　door　opened；　and　Breck　entered。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃we　four　are　all　that　are　left　in　camp。　　It's　forty　miles　to　the　Stewart　by　the　cut…off　I　broke；　and　the　fastest　of　them　can't　make　the　round　trip　in　less　than　five　or　six　days。　　But　it's　time　you　pulled　out；　Smoke；　just　the　same。〃

Breck　drew　his　hunting　knife　across　the　other's　bonds；　and　glanced　at　the　woman。

〃I　hope　you　don't　object？〃　he　said；　with　significant　politeness。

〃If　there's　goin'　to　be　any　shootin'；〃　the　blind　man　broke　out；　〃I　wish　somebody'd　take　me　to　another　cabin　first。〃

〃Go　on；　an'　don't　mind　me；〃　Lucy　answered。　　〃If　I　ain't　good　enough　to　hang　a　man；　I　ain't　good　enough　to　hold　him。〃

Smoke　stood　up；　rubbing　his　wrists　where　the　thongs　had　impeded　the　circulation。

〃I've　got　a　pack　all　ready　for　you；〃　Breck　said。　　〃Ten　days'　grub；　blankets；　matches；　tobacco；　an　axe；　and　a　rifle。〃

〃Go　to　it；〃　Lucy　encouraged。　　〃Hit　the　high　places；　Stranger。　　Beat　it　as　fast　as　God'll　let　you。〃

〃I'm　going　to　have　a　square　meal　before　I　start；〃　Smoke　said。　　〃And　when　I　start　it　will　be　up　the　McQuestion；　not　down。　　I　want　you　to　go　along　with　me；　Breck。　　We're　going　to　search　that　other　bank　for　the　man　that　really　did　the　killing。〃

〃If　you'll　listen　to　me；　you'll　head　down　for　the　Stewart　and　the　Yukon；〃　Breck　objected。　　〃When　this　gang　gets　back　from　my　low…grade　hydraulic　proposition；　it　will　be　seeing　red。〃

Smoke　laughed　and　shook　his　head。

〃I　can't　jump　this　country；　Breck。　　I've　got　interests　here。　　I've　got　to　stay　and　make　good。　　I　don't　care　whether　you　believe　me　or　not；　but　I've　found　Surprise　Lake。　　That's　where　that　gold　came　from。　　Besides；　they　took　my　dogs；　and　I've　got　to　wait　to　get　them　back。　　Also；　I　know　what　I'm　about。　　There　was　a　man　hidden　on　that　bank。　　He　came　pretty　close　to　emptying　his　magazine　at　me。〃

Half　an　hour　afterward；　with　a　big　plate　of　moose…steak　before　him　and　a　big　mug　of　coffee　at　his　lips；　Smoke　half…started　up　from　his　seat。　　He　had　heard　the　sounds　first。　　Lucy　threw　open　the　door。

〃Hello；　Spike；　hello；　Methody；〃　she　greeted　the　two　frost…rimed　men　who　were　bending　over　the　burden　on　their　sled。

〃We　just　come　down　from　Upper　Camp；〃　one　said；　as　the　pair　staggered　into　the　room　with　a　fur…wrapped　object　which　they　handled　with　exceeding　gentleness。　　〃An'　this　is　what　we　found　by　the　way。　　He's　all　in；　I　guess。〃

〃Put　him　in　the　near　bunk　there；〃　Lucy　said。　　She　bent　over　and　pulled　back　the　furs；　disclosing　a　face　composed　principally　of　large；　staring；　black　eyes；　and　of　skin；　dark　and　scabbed　by　repeated　frost…bite；　tightly　stretched　across　the　bones。

〃If　it　ain't　Alonzo！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　pore；　starved　devil！〃

〃That's　the　man　on　the　other　bank；〃　Smoke　said　in　an　undertone　to　Breck。

〃We　found　it　raidin'　a　cache　that　Harding　must　a…made；〃　one　of　the　men　was　explaining。　　〃He　was　eatin'　raw　flour　an'　frozen　bacon；　an'　when　we　got　'm　he　was　cryin'　an'　squealin'　like　a　hawk。　　Look　at　him！　　He's　all　starved；　an'　most　of　him　frozen。　　He'll　kick　at　any　moment。〃

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Half　an　hour　later；　when　the　furs　had　been　drawn　over　the　face　of　the　still　form　in　the　bunk；　Smoke　turned　to　Lucy。

〃If　you　don't　mind；　Mrs　Peabody；　I'll　have　another　whack　at　that　steak。　　Make　it　thick　and　not　so　we