arizona nights-第30节

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hushed　silence。

　　

〃Pride；〃　replied　the　stranger　solemnly。　〃Haughtiness　of　spirit。〃

　　

〃How　so？〃　urged　Charley；　after　a　pause。

　

〃Them　chickens；〃　continued　the　stranger；　after　a　moment；　〃stood

around　listenin'　to　me　a…braggin'　of　what　superior　fowls　they　was

until　they　got　all　puffed　up。　　They　wouldn't　have　nothin'

whatever　to　do　with　the　ordinary　chickens　we　brought　in　for

eatin'　purposes；　but　stood　around　lookin'　bored　when　there　wasn't

no　sport　doin'。　　They　got　to　be　just　like　that　Four　Hundred　you

read　about　in　the　papers。　　It　was　one　continual　round　of

grasshopper　balls；　race　meets；　and　afternoon　hen…parties。　　They

got　idle　and　haughty；　just　like　folks。　　Then　come　race　suicide。　

They　got　to　feelin'　so　aristocratic　the　hens　wouldn't　have　no

eggs。〃

　　

Nobody　dared　say　a　word。



〃Windy　Bill's　snake〃　began　the　narrator　genially。

　

〃Stranger；〃　broke　in　Windy　Bill；　with　great　emphasis；　〃as　to

that　snake；　I　want　you　to　understand　this：　　yereafter　in　my

estimation　that　snake　is　nothin'　but　an　ornery　angleworm！〃







PART　II　

THE　TWO　GUN　MAN





CHAPTER　ONE

THE　CATTLE　RUSTLERS



Buck　Johnson　was　American　born；　but　with　a　black　beard　and　a

dignity　of　manner　that　had　earned　him　the　title　of　Senor。　　He　had

drifted　into　southeastern　Arizona　in　the　days　of　Cochise　and

Victorio　and　Geronimo。　　He　had　persisted；　and　so　in　time　had　come

to　control　the　waterand　hence　the　grazingof　nearly　all　the

Soda　Springs　Valley。　　His　troubles　were　many；　and　his

difficulties　great。　　There　were　the　ordinary　problems　of　lean　and

dry　years。　　There　were　also　the　extraordinary　problems　of

devastating　Apaches；　rivals　for　early　and　ill…defined　range

rightsand　cattle　rustlers。

　　　　　　　　

Senor　Buck　Johnson　was　a　man　of　capacity；　courage；　directness　of

method；　and　perseverance。　　Especially　the　latter。　　Therefore　he

had　survived　to　see　the　Apaches　subdued；　the　range　rights

adjusted；　his　cattle　increased　to　thousands；　grazing　the　area　of

a　principality。　　Now；　all　the　energy　and　fire　of　his

frontiersman's　nature　he　had　turned　to　wiping　out　the　third

uncertainty　of　an　uncertain　business。　　He　found　it　a　task　of　some

magnitude。

　　　

For　Senor　Buck　Johnson　lived　just　north　of　that　terra　incognita

filled　with　the　mystery　of　a　double　chance　of　death　from　man　or

the　flaming　desert　known　as　the　Mexican　border。　　There；　by

natural　gravitation；　gathered　all　the　desperate　characters　of

three　States　and　two　republics。　　He　who　rode　into　it　took　good

care　that　no　one　should　ride　behind　him；　lived　warily；　slept

light；　and　breathed　deep　when　once　he　had　again　sighted　the

familiar　peaks　of　Cochise's　Stronghold。　　No　one　professed

knowledge　of　those　who　dwelt　therein。　　They　moved；　mysterious　as

the　desert　illusions　that　compassed　them　about。　　As　you　rode；　the

ranges　of　mountains　visibly　changed　form；　the　monstrous；　snaky；

sea…like　growths　of　the　cactus　clutched　at　your　stirrup；　mock

lakes　sparkled　and　dissolved　in　the　middle　distance；　the　sun　beat

hot　and　merciless；　the　powdered　dry　alkali　beat　hotly　and

mercilessly　backand　strange；　grim　men；　swarthy；　bearded；

heavily　armed；　with　red…rimmed　unshifting　eyes；　rode　silently　out

of　the　mists　of　illusion　to　look　on　you　steadily；　and　then　to

ride　silently　back　into　the　desert　haze。　　They　might　be　only　the

herders　of　the　gaunt　cattle；　or　again　they　might　belong　to　the

Lost　Legion　that　peopled　the　country。　　All　you　could　know　was

that　of　the　men　who　entered　in；　but　few　returned。

　　　

Directly　north　of　this　unknown　land　you　encountered　parallel

fences　running　across　the　country。　　They　enclosed　nothing；　but

offered　a　check　to　the　cattle　drifting　toward　the　clutch　of　the

renegades；　and　an　obstacle　to　swift；　dashing　forays。

　　　

Of　cattle…rustling　there　are　various　forms。　　The　boldest　consists

quite　simply　of　running　off　a　bunch　of　stock；　hustling　it　over

the　Mexican　line；　and　there　selling　it　to　some　of　the　big　Sonora

ranch　owners。　　Generally　this　sort　means　war。　　Also　are　there

subtler　means；　grading　in　skill　from　the　re…branding　through　a

wet　blanket；　through　the　crafty　refashioning　of　a　brand　to　the

various　methods　of　separating　the　cow　from　her　unbranded　calf。　

In　the　course　of　his　task　Senor　Buck　Johnson　would　have　to　do

with　them　all；　but　at　present　he　existed　in　a　state　of　warfare；

fighting　an　enemy　who　stole　as　the　Indians　used　to　steal。



Already　be　had　fought　two　pitched　battles　and　had　won　them　both。　

His　cattle　increased；　and　he　became　rich。　　Nevertheless　he　knew

that　constantly　his　resources　were　being　drained。　　Time　and　again

he　and　his　new　Texas　foreman；　Jed　Parker；　had　followed　the　trail

of　a　stampeded　bunch　of　twenty　or　thirty；　followed　them　on　down

through　the　Soda　Springs　Valley　to　the　cut　drift　fences；　there　to

abandon　them。　　For；　as　yet；　an　armed　force　would　be　needed　to

penetrate　the　borderland。　　Once　he　and　his　men　bad　experienced

the　glory　of　a　night　pursuit。　　Then；　at　the　drift　fences；　he　had

fought　one　of　his　battles。　　But　it　was　impossible　adequately　to

patrol　all　parts　of　a　range　bigger　than　some　Eastern　States。

　　　

Buck　Johnson　did　his　best；　but　it　was　like　stepping　with　sand　the

innumerable　little　leaks　of　a　dam。　　Did　his　riders　watch　toward

the　Chiricahuas；　then　a　score　of　beef　steers　disappeared　from

Grant's　Pass　forty　miles　away。　　Pursuit　here　meant　leaving　cattle

unguarded　there。　　It　was　useless；　and　the　Senor　soon　perceived

that　sooner　or　later　he　must　strike　in　offence。

　　　

For　this　purpose　he　began　slowly　to　strengthen　the　forces　of　his

riders。　　Men　were　coming　in　from　Texas。　　They　were　good　men；

addicted　to　the　grass…rope；　the　double　cinch；　and　the　ox…bow

stirrup。　　Senor　Johnson　wanted　men　who　could　shoot；　and　he　got

them。

　　

〃Jed；〃　said　Senor　Johnson　to　his　foreman；　〃the　next　son　of　a　gun

that　rustles　any　of　our　cows　is　sure　loading　himself　full　of

trouble。　　We'll　hit　his　trail　and　will　stay　with　it；　and　we'll

reach　his　cattle…rustling　conscience　with　a　rope。〃



So　it　came　about　that　a　little　army　crossed　the　drift　fences　and

entered　the　border　country。　　Two　days　later　it　came　out；　and

mighty　pleased　to　be　able　to　do　so。　　The　rope　had　not　been　used。

　　　　

The　reason　for　the　defeat　was　quite　simple。　　The　thief　had　run

his　cattle　through　the　lava　beds　where　the　trail　at　once　became

difficult　to　follow。　　This　delayed　the　pursuing　party；　they　ran

out　of　water；　and；　as　there　was　among　them　not　one　man　well

enough　acquainted　with　the　country　to　know　where　to　find　more；

they　had　to　return。



〃No　use；　Buck；〃　said　Jed。　　〃We'd　any　of　us　come　in　on　a　gun　play；

but　we　can't　buck　the　desert。　　We'll　have　to　get　someone　who

knows　the　country。〃

　　　

〃That's　all　rightbut　where？〃　queried　Johnson。



〃There's　Pereza；〃　suggested　Parker。　〃It's　the　only　town　down

near　that　country。〃

　　

〃Might　get　someone　there；〃　agreed　the　Senor。

　　　

Next　day　he　rode　away　in　search　of　a　guide。　　The　third　evening　he

was　back　again；　much　discouraged。



〃The　country's　no　good；〃　he　explained。　〃The　regular　inhabitants

're　a　set　of　Mexican　bums　and　old　soaks。　　The　cowmen's　all　from

north　and　don't　know　nothing　more　than　we　do。　　I　found　lots　who

claimed　to　know　that　country；　but　when　I　told　'em　what　I　wanted

they　shied　like　a　colt。　　I　couldn't　hire'em；　for　no　money；　to　go

down　in　that　country。　　They　ain't　got　the　nerve。　　I　took　two　days

to　her；　too；　and　rode　out　to　a　ranch　where　they　said　a　man　lived

who　knew　all　about　it　down　there。　　Nary　riffle。　　Man　looked　all

right；　but　his　tail　went　down　like　the　rest　when　I　told　him　what

we　wanted。　　Seemed　plumb　scairt　to　death。　　Says　he　lives　too

close　to　the　gang。　　Says　they'd　wipe　him　out　sure　if　he　done　it。　

Seemed　　plumb　SCAIRT。〃　　Buck　Johnson　grinned。　〃I　told　him　so　and

he　got　hosstyle　right　off。　　Didn't　seem　no　ways　scairt　of　me。　　I

don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　that　outfit　down　there。　

They're　plumb　terrorised。〃



That　night　a　bunch　of　steers　was　stolen　from　the　very　corrals　of

the　home　ranch。　　The　home　ranch　was　far　north；　near　Fort　Sherman

itself；　and　so　had　always　been　considered　immune　from　attack。

Consequently　these　steers　were　very　fine　ones。

　　　

For　the　first　time　Buck　Johnson　lost　his　head　and　his　dignity。　

He　ordered　the　horses。

　　

〃I'm　going　to　follow　that　　　into　Sonora；〃　he　shouted　to　Jed

Parker。　　〃This　thing's　got　to　stop！〃



〃You　can't　make　her；　Buck；〃　objected　the　foreman。　〃You'll　get

held　up　by　the　desert；　and；　if　that　don't　finish　you；　they'll

tangle　you　up　in　all　those　little　mountains　down　there；　and

ambush　you；　and　massacre　you。　　You　know　it　damn　well。〃



〃I　don't　give　a　〃　exploded　Senor　Johnson；　〃if　they　do。　No　man

can　slap　my　face　and　not　get　a　run　for　it。〃

　　　

Jed　Parker　communed　with　himself。



〃Senor；〃　said　he；　at　last；〃it's　no　good；　you　can't　do　it。　　You

got　to　have　a　guide。　　You　wait　three　days　and　I'll　get　you　one。〃



〃You　can't　do　it；〃　insisted　the　Senor。