arizona nights-第22节

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〃I've　been　robbed；〃　he　cried。



〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃what　did　you　expect　would　happen　to　you　lying

around　Yuma　after　midnight　with　a　hole　in　your　head？〃



〃Where's　my　coat？〃　he　asked。



〃You　had　no　coat　when　I　picked　you　up；〃　I　replied。



He　looked　at　me　mighty　suspicious；　but　didn't　say　anything　more

he　wouldn't　even　answer　when　I　spoke　to　him。　　After　he'd　eaten　a

fair　meal　he　fell　asleep。　　When　I　came　back　that　evening　the　bunk

was　empty　and　he　was　gone。

　　　

I　didn't　see　him　again　for　two　days。　　Then　I　caught　sight　of　him

quite　a　ways　off。　　He　nodded　at　me　very　sour；　and　dodged　around

the　corner　of　the　store。



〃Guess　he　suspicions　I　stole　that　old　coat　of　his；〃　thinks　I；　and

afterwards　I　found　that　my　surmise　had　been　correct。



However；　he　didn't　stay　long　in　that　frame　of　mind。　　It　was　along

towards　evening；　and　I　was　walking　on　the　banks　looking　down　over

the　muddy　old　Colorado；　as　I　always　liked　to　do。　　The　sun　had

just　set；　and　the　mountains　had　turned　hard　and　stiff；　as　they　do

after　the　glow；　and　the　sky　above　them　was　a　thousand　million

miles　deep　of　pale　green…gold　light。　　A　pair　of　Greasers　were

ahead　of　me；　but　I　could　see　only　their　outlines；　and　they　didn't

seem　to　interfere　any　with　the　scenery。　　Suddenly　a　black　figure

seemed　to　rise　up　out　of　the　ground；　the　Mexican　man　went　down　as

though　he'd　been　jerked　with　a　string；　and　the　woman　screeched。

　　　

I　ran　up；　pulling　my　gun。　　The　Mex　was　flat　on　his　face；　his　arms

stretched　out。　　On　the　middle　of　his　back　knelt　my　one…armed

friend。　　And　that　sharp　hook　was　caught　neatly　under　the　point　of

the　Mexican's　jaw。　　You　bet　he　lay　still。

　　　

I　really　think　I　was　just　in　time　to　save　the　man's　life。

According　to　my　belief　another　minute　would　have　buried　the　hook

in　the　Mexican's　neck。　　Anyway；　I　thrust　the　muzzle　of　my　Colt's

into　the　sailor's　face。

　　　

〃What's　this？〃　I　asked。



The　sailor　looked　up　at　me　without　changing　his　position。　　He　was

not　the　least　bit　afraid。

　　　

〃This　man　has　my　coat；〃　he　explained。

　　

〃Where'd　you　get　the　coat？〃　I　asked　the　Mex。

　　

〃I　ween　heem　at　monte　off　Antonio　Curvez；〃　said　he。

　　

〃Maybe；〃　growled　the　sailor。

　　　

He　still　held　the　hook　under　the　man's　jaw；　but　with　the　other

hand　he　ran　rapidly　under　and　over　the　Mexican's　left　shoulder。　

In　the　half　light　I　could　see　his　face　change。　　The　gleam　died

from　his　eye；　the　snarl　left　his　lips。　　Without　further　delay　he

arose　to　his　feet。

　　

〃Get　up　and　give　it　here！〃　he　demanded。

　　　

The　Mexican　was　only　too　glad　to　get　off　so　easy。　　I　don't　know

whether　he'd　really　won　the　coat　at　monte　or　not。　　In　any　case；

he　flew　poco　pronto；　leaving　me　and　my　friend　together。

　　　

The　man　with　the　hook　felt　the　left　shoulder　of　the　coat　again；

looked　up；　met　my　eye；　muttered　something　intended　to　be

pleasant；　and　walked　away。

　　　

This　was　in　December。

　　　

During　the　next　two　months　he　was　a　good　deal　about　town；　mostly

doing　odd　jobs。　　I　saw　him　off　and　on。　　He　always　spoke　to　me　as

pleasantly　as　he　knew　how；　and　once　made　some　sort　of　a　bluff

about　paying　me　back　for　my　trouble　in　bringing　him　around。　

However；　I　didn't　pay　much　attention　to　that；　being　at　the　time

almighty　busy　holding　down　my　card　games。

　　　

The　last　day　of　February　I　was　sitting　in　my　shack　smoking　a　pipe

after　supper；　when　my　one…armed　friend　opened　the　door　a　foot；

slipped　in；　and　shut　it　immediately。　　By　the　time　he　looked

towards　me　I　knew　where　my　six…shooter　was。

　　

〃That's　all　right；〃　said　I；　〃but　you　better　stay　right　there。〃

　　　

I　intended　to　take　no　more　chances　with　that　hook。

　　　

He　stood　there　looking　straight　at　me　without　winking　or　offering

to　move。

　　

〃What　do　you　want？〃　I　asked。

　　

〃I　want　to　make　up　to　you　for　your　trouble；〃　said　he。　　〃I've　got

a　good　thing；　and　I　want　to　let　you　in　on　it。〃

　　

〃What　kind　of　a　good　thing？〃　I　asked。

　　

〃Treasure；〃　said　he。

　　

〃H'm；〃　said　I。



I　examined　him　closely。　　He　looked　all　right　enough；　neither

drunk　nor　loco。　　　



〃Sit　down；〃　said　I〃over　there；　the　other　side　the　table。〃　　He

did　so。　　〃Now；　fire　away；〃　said　I。

　　　

He　told　me　his　name　was　Solomon　Anderson；　but　that　he　was

generally　known　as　Handy　Solomon；　on　account　of　his　hook；　that　he

had　always　followed　the　sea；　that　lately　he　had　coasted　the　west

shores　of　Mexico；　that　at　Guaymas　he　had　fallen　in　with　Spanish

friends；　in　company　with　whom　he　had　visited　the　mines　in　the

Sierra　Madre；　that　on　this　expedition　the　party　had　been　attacked

by　Yaquis　and　wiped　out；　he　alone　surviving；　that　his

blanket…mate　before　expiring　had　told　him　of　gold　buried　in　a

cove　of　Lower　California　by　the　man's　grandfather；　that　the　man

had　given　him　a　chart　showing　the　location　of　the　treasure；　that

he　had　sewn　this　chart　in　the　shoulder　of　his　coat；　whence　his

suspicion　of　me　and　his　being　so　loco　about　getting　it　back。

　　　

〃And　it's　a　big　thing；〃　said　Handy　Solomon　to　me；　〃for　they's　not

only　gold；　but　altar　jewels　and　diamonds。　　It　will　make　us　rich；

and　a　dozen　like　us；　and　you　can　kiss　the　Book　on　that。〃



〃That　may　all　be　true；〃　said　I；　〃but　why　do　you　tell　me？　　Why

don't　you　get　your　treasure　without　the　need　of　dividing　it？〃



〃Why；　mate；〃　he　answered；　〃it's　just　plain　gratitude。　　Didn't　you

save　my　life；　and　nuss　me；　and　take　care　of　me　when　I　was　nigh

killed？〃

　　　

〃Look　here；　Anderson；　or　Handy　Solomon；　or　whatever　you　please　to

call　yourself；〃　I　rejoined　to　this；　〃if　you're　going　to　do

business　with　meand　I　do　not　understand　yet　just　what　it　is　you

want　of　meyou'll　have　to　talk　straight。　　It's　all　very　well　to

say　gratitude；　but　that　don't　go　with　me。　　You've　been　around

here　three　months；　and　barring　a　half…dozen　civil　words　and　twice

as　many　of　the　other　kind；　I've　failed　to　see　any　indications　of

your　gratitude　before。　　It's　a　quality　with　a　hell　of　a　hang…fire

to　it。〃

　　　　

He　looked　at　me　sideways；　spat；　and　looked　at　me　sideways　again。　

Then　he　burst　into　a　laugh。

　　　

〃The　devil's　a　preacher；　if　you　ain't　lost　your　pinfeathers；〃'

said　he。　　〃Well；　it's　this　then：　　I　got　to　have　a　boat　to　get

there；　and　she　must　be　stocked。　　And　I　got　to　have　help　with　the

treasure；　if　it's　like　this　fellow　said　it　was。　　And　the　Yaquis

and　cannibals　from　Tiburon　is　through　the　country。　　It's　money　I

got　to　have；　and　it's　money　I　haven't　got；　and　can't　get　unless　I

let　somebody　in　as　pardner。〃

　　

〃Why　me？〃　I　asked。

　　

〃Why　not？〃　he　retorted。　〃I　ain't　see　anybody　I　like　better。〃

　　　

We　talked　the　matter　over　at　length。　　I　had　to　force　him　to　each

point；　for　suspicion　was　strong　in　him。　　I　stood　out　for　a　larger

party。　　He　strongly　opposed　this　as　depreciating　the　shares；　but

I　had　no　intention　of　going　alone　into　what　was　then　considered　a

wild　and　dangerous　country。　　Finally　we　compromised。　　A　third　of

the　treasure　was　to　go　to　him；　a　third　to　me；　and　the　rest　was　to

be　divided　among　the　men　whom　I　should　select。　　This　scheme　did

not　appeal　to　him。

　　

〃How　do　I　know　you　plays　fair？〃　he　complained。　　〃They'll　be　four

of　you　to　one　of　me；　and　I　don't　like　it；　and　you　can　kiss　the

Book　on　that。〃

　

〃If　you　don't　like　it；　leave　it；〃　said　I；　〃and　get　out；　and　be

damned　to　you。〃

　　　

Finally　he　agreed；　but　he　refused　me　a　look　at　the　chart；　saying

that　he　had　left　it　in　a　safe　place。　　I　believe　in　reality　he

wanted　to　be　surer　of　me；　and　for　that　I　can　hardly　blame　him。







CHAPTER　TWELVE

THE　MURDER　ON　THE　BEACH

　

At　this　moment　the　cook　stuck　his　head　in　at　the　open　door。

　　

〃Say；　you　fellows；〃　he　complained；　〃I　got　to　be　up　at　three

o'clock。　　Ain't　you　never　going　to　turn　in？〃

　　

〃Shut　up；　Doctor！〃　　〃Somebody　kill　him！〃　　〃Here；　sit　down　and

listen　to　this　yarn！〃　yelled　a　savage　chorus。

　　　

There　ensued　a　slight　scuffle；　a　few　objections。　　Then　silence；

and　the　stranger　took　up　his　story。





I　had　a　chum　named　Billy　Simpson；　and　I　rung　him　in　for

friendship。　　Then　there　was　a　solemn；　tall　Texas　young　fellow；

strong　as　a　bull；　straight　and　tough；　brought　up　fighting　Injins。　

He　never　said　much；　but　I　knew　he'd　be　right　there　when　the　gong

struck。　　For　fourth　man　I　picked　out　a　German　named　Schwartz。　　He

and　Simpson　had　just　come　back　from　the　mines　together。　　I　took

him　because　he　was　a　friend　of　Billy's；　and　besides　was　young　and

strong；　and　was　the　only　man　in　town　excepting　the　sailor；

Anderson；　who　knew　anything　about　running　a　boat。　　I　forgot　to

say　that　the　Texas　fellow　was　named　Denton。

　　　　

Handy　Solomon　had　his　boat　all　picked　out。　　It　belonged　to　some

Basques　who　had　sailed　her　around　from　California。　　I　must　say

when　I　saw　her　I　felt　inclined　to　renig；　for　she　wasn't　more'n

about　twenty…five　feet　long；　was　open　except　for　a　little　sort　of

cubbyhole　up　in　the　front　of　her；　had　one　mast；　and　was　pointed

at　both　ends。　　However；　Schwartz　said　she　was