arizona nights-第32节

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phantasmagoria。　　At　evening　the　desert　stars　shone　steady　and

unwinking；　like　the　flames　of　candles。　　By　moonrise　they　came　to

the　home　ranch。



The　buildings　and　corrals　lay　dark　and　silent　against　the

moonlight　that　made　of　the　plain　a　sea　of　mist。　　The　two　men

unsaddled　their　horses　and　turned　them　loose　in　the　wire…fenced

〃pasture；〃　the　necessary　noises　of　their　movements　sounding　　　　　

sharp　and　clear　against　the　velvet　hush　of　the　night。　　After　a

moment　they　walked　stiffly　past　the　sheds　and　cook　shanty；　past

the　men's　bunk　houses；　and　the　tall　windmill　silhouetted　against

the　sky；　to　the　main　building　of　the　home　ranch　under　its　great

cottonwoods。　　There　a　light　still　burned；　for　this　was　the　third

day；　and　Buck　Johnson　awaited　his　foreman。

　　　　　　　　

Jed　Parker　pushed　in　without　ceremony。



〃Here's　your　man；　Buck；〃　said　he。



The　stranger　had　stepped　inside　and　carefully　closed　the　door

behind　him。　　The　lamplight　threw　into　relief　the　bold；　free　lines

of　his　face；　the　details　of　his　costume　powdered　thick　with

alkali；　the　shiny　butts　of　the　two　guns　in　their　open　holsters

tied　at　the　bottom。　　Equally　it　defined　the　resolute　countenance

of　Buck　Johnson　turned　up　in　inquiry。　　The　two　men　examined　each

otherand　liked　each　other　at　once。

　　

〃How　are　you；〃　greeted　the　cattleman。



〃Good…evening；〃　responded　the　stranger。

　　

〃Sit　down；〃invited　Buck　Johnson。

　　　

The　stranger　perched　gingerly　on　the　edge　of　a　chair；　with　an

appearance　less　of　embarrassment　than　of　habitual　alertness。



〃You'll　take　the　job？〃　inquired　the　Senor。



〃I　haven't　heard　what　it　is；〃　replied　the　stranger。



〃Parker　here？〃



〃Said　you'd　explain。〃

　　　　　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Buck　Johnson。　　He　paused　a　moment；　collecting

his　thoughts。　〃There's　too　much　cattle…rustling　here。　　I'm　going

to　stop　it。　　I've　got　good　men　here　ready　to　take　the　job；　but　no

one　who　knows　the　country　south。　　Three　days　ago　I　had　a　bunch　of

cattle　stolen　right　here　from　the　home…ranch　corrals；　and　by　one

man；　at　that。　　It　wasn't　much　of　a　bunchabout　twenty　headbut

I'm　going　to　make　a　starter　right　here；　and　now。　　I'm　going　to

get　that　bunch　back；　and　the　man　who　stole　them；　if　I　have　to　go

to　hell　to　do　it。　　And　I'm　going　to　do　the　same　with　every　case

of　rustling　that　comes　up　from　now　on。　　I　don't　care　if　it's　only

one　cow；　I'm　going　to　get　it　backevery　trip。　　Now；　I　want　to

know　if　you'll　lead　a　posse　down　into　the　south　country　and　bring

out　that　last　bunch；　and　the　man　who　rustled　them？〃

　　　　　

〃I　don't　know〃　hesitated　the　stranger。

　　　　　

〃I　offer　you　five　thousand　dollars　in　gold　if　you'll　bring　back

those　cows　and　the　man　who　stole　'em；〃　repeated　Buck　Johnson。　　



〃And　I'll　give　you　all　the　horses　and　men　you　think　you　need。〃

　　

〃I'll　do　it；〃replied　the　two…gun　man　promptly。

　　

〃Good！〃　cried　Buck　Johnson；　〃and　you　better　start　to…morrow。〃

　　

〃I　shall　start　to…nightright　now。〃



〃Better　yet。　　How　many　men　do　you　want；　and　grub　for　how　long？〃

　　

〃I'll　play　her　a　lone　hand。〃

　　

〃Alone！〃　exclaimed　Johnson；　his　confidence　visibly　cooling。　



〃Alone！　　Do　you　think　you　can　make　her？〃



〃I'll　be　back　with　those　cattle　in　not　more　than　ten　days。〃

　　　　　

〃And　the　man；〃　supplemented　the　Senor。

　　　　　

〃And　the　man。　　What's　more；　I　want　that　money　here　when　I　come

in。　　I　don't　aim　to　stay　in　this　country　over　night。〃

　　　

A　grin　overspread　Buck　Johnson's　countenance。　　He　understood。

　　

〃Climate　not　healthy　for　you？〃　he　hazarded。　　〃I　guess　you'd　be

safe　enough　all　right　with　us。　　But　suit　yourself。　　The　money

will　be　here。〃

　　

〃That's　agreed？〃　insisted　the　two…gun　man。

　　

〃Sure。〃

　　

〃I　want　a　fresh　horseI'll　leave　minehe's　a　good　one。　　I　want

a　little　grub。〃



〃All　right。　　Parker'll　fit　you　out。〃

　　　

The　stranger　rose。

　　

〃I'll　see　you　in　about　ten　days。〃

　　

〃Good　luck；〃　Senor　Buck　Johnson　wished　him。







CHAPTER　FOUR

THE　ACCOMPLISHMENT



The　next　morning　Buck　Johnson　took　a　trip　down　into　the　〃pasture〃

of　five　hundred　wire…fenced　acres。

　　

〃He　means　business；〃　he　confided　to　Jed　Parker；　on　his　return。　

〃That　cavallo　of　his　is　a　heap　sight　better　than　the　Shorty　horse

we　let　him　take。　　Jed；　you　found　your　man　with　nerve；　all　right。　

How　did　you　do　it？〃

　　　

The　two　settled　down　to　wait；　if　not　with　confidence；　at　least

with　interest。　　Sometimes；　remembering　the　desperate　character　of

the　outlaws；　their　fierce　distrust　of　any　intruder；　the　wildness

of　the　country；　Buck　Johnson　and　his　foreman　inclined　to　the

belief　that　the　stranger　had　undertaken　a　task　beyond　the　powers

of　any　one　man。　　Again；　remembering　the　stranger's　cool　grey　eye；

the　poise　of　his　demeanour；　the　quickness　of　his　movements；　and

the　two　guns　with　tied　holsters　to　permit　of　easy　withdrawal；

they　were　almost　persuaded　that　he　might　win。

　　

〃He's　one　of　those　long…chance　fellows；〃　surmised　Jed。　〃He　likes

excitement。　　I　see　that　by　the　way　he　takes　up　with　my　knife

play。　　He'd　rather　leave　his　hide　on　the　fence　than　stay　in　the

corral。〃

　　

〃Well；　he's　all　right；〃　replied　Senor　Buck　Johnson；〃and　if　he

ever　gets　back；　which　same　I'm　some　doubtful　of；　his　dinero'll　be

here　for　him。〃

　　　

In　pursuance　of　this　he　rode　in　to　Willets；　where　shortly　the

overland　train　brought　him　from　Tucson　the　five　thousand　dollars

in　double　eagles。

　　　

In　the　meantime　the　regular　life　of　the　ranch　went　on。　　Each

morning　Sang；　the　Chinese　cook；　rang　the　great　bell；　summoning

the　men。　　They　ate；　and　then　caught　up　the　saddle　horses　for　the

day；　turning　those　not　wanted　from　the　corral　into　the　pasture。　

Shortly　they　jingled　away　in　different　directions；　two　by　two；　on

the　slow　Spanish　trot　of　the　cow…puncher。　　All　day　long　thus　they

would　ride；　without　food　or　water　for　man　or　beast；　looking　the

range；　identifying　the　stock；　branding　the　young　calves；

examining　generally　into　the　state　of　affairs；　gazing　always　with

grave　eyes　on　the　magnificent；　flaming；　changing；　beautiful；

dreadful　desert　of　the　Arizona　plains。　　At　evening　when　the

coloured　atmosphere；　catching　the　last　glow；　threw　across　the

Chiricahuas　its　veil　of　mystery；　they　jingled　in　again；　two　by

two；　untired；　unhasting；　the　glory　of　the　desert　in　their

deep…set；　steady　eyes。

　　　

And　all　the　day　long；　while　they　were　absent；　the　cattle；　too；

made　their　pilgrimage；　straggling　in　singly；　in　pairs；　in

bunches；　in　long　files；　leisurely；　ruminantly；　without　haste。　

There；　at　the　long　troughs　filled　by　the　windmill　of　the

blindfolded　pump　mule；　they　drank；　then　filed　away　again　into　the

mists　of　the　desert。　　And　Senor　Buck　Johnson；　or　his　foreman；

Parker；　examined　them　for　their　condition；　noting　the　increase；

remarking　the　strays　from　another　range。　　Later；　perhaps；　they；

too；　rode　abroad。　　The　same　thing　happened　at　nine　other　ranches

from　five　to　ten　miles　apart；　where　dwelt　other　fierce；　silent

men　all　under　the　authority　of　Buck　Johnson。

　　　

And　when　night　fell；　and　the　topaz　and　violet　and　saffron　and

amethyst　and　mauve　and　lilac　had　faded　suddenly　from　the

Chiricahuas；　like　a　veil　that　has　been　rent；　and　the　ramparts　had

become　slate…grey　and　then　blackthe　soft…breathed　night

wandered　here　and　there　over　the　desert；　and　the　land　fell　under

an　enchantment　even　stranger　than　the　day's。

　　　

So　the　days　went　by；　wonderful；　fashioning　the　ways　and　the

characters　of　men。　　Seven　passed。　　Buck　　Johnson　and　his　foreman

began　to　look　for　the　stranger。　　Eight；　they　began　to　speculate。　

Nine；　they　doubted。　　On　the　tenth　they　gave　him　upand　he　came。

　　　

They　knew　him　first　by　the　soft　lowing　of　cattle。　　Jed　Parker；

dazzled　by　the　lamp；　peered　out　from　the　door；　and　made　him　out

dimly　turning　the　animals　into　the　corral。　　A　moment　later　his

pony's　hoofs　impacted　softly　on　the　baked　earth；　he　dropped　from

the　saddle　and　entered　the　room。

　　

〃I'm　late；〃　said　he　briefly；　glancing　at　the　clock；　which

indicated　ten；　〃but　I'm　here。〃



His　manner　was　quick　and　sharp；　almost　breathless；　as　though　he

had　been　running。

　　

〃Your　cattle　are　in　the　corral：　all　of　them。　　Have　you　the

money？〃

　　

〃I　have　the　money　here；〃　replied　Buck　Johnson；　laying　his　hand

against　a　drawer；　〃and　it's　ready　for　you　when　you've　earned　it。　

I　don't　care　so　much　for　the　cattle。　　What　I　wanted　is　the　man

who　stole　them。　　Did　you　bring　him？〃



〃Yes；　I　brought　him；〃　said　the　stranger。　〃Let's　see　that　money。〃

　　　

Buck　Johnson　threw　open　the　drawer；　and　drew　from　it　the　heavy

canvas　sack。

　　

〃It's　here。　　Now　bring　in　your　prisoner。〃

　　　

The　two…gun　man　seemed　suddenly　to　loom　large　in　the　doorway。　

The　muzzles　of　his　revolvers　covered　the　two　before　him。　　His

speech　came　short　and　sharp。

　　

〃I　told　you　I'd　bring　back　the　cows　and　the　one　who　rustled

them；〃　he　snapped。　　〃I've　never　lied　to　a　man　yet。　　Your　stock　is

in　the　corral。　　I'll　troubl