arizona nights-第4节
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generally long before they hit the Springs their tongues was
hangin' out a foot。 You see； for all their plumb nerve in comin'
so far； the most of them didn't know sic'em。 They were plumb
innocent in regard to savin' their water； and Injins； and such；
and the long…haired buckskin fakes they picked up at Santa Fe for
guides wasn't much better。
That was where Texas Pete made his killing。
Texas Pete was a tough citizen from the Lone Star。 He was about
as broad as he was long； and wore all sorts of big whiskers and
black eyebrows。 His heart was very bad。 You never COULD tell
where Texas Pete was goin' to jump next。 He was a side…winder
and a diamond…back and a little black rattlesnake all rolled
into one。 I believe that Texas Pete person cared about as little
for killin' a man as for takin' a drinkand he shorely drank
without an effort。 Peaceable citizens just spoke soft and minded
their own business； onpeaceable citizens Texas Pete used to plant
out in the sagebrush。
Now this Texas Pete happened to discover a water hole right out
in the plumb middle of the desert。 He promptly annexed said
water hole； digs her out； timbers her up； and lays for emigrants。
He charged two bits a headman or beastand nobody got a
mouthful till he paid up in hard coin。
Think of the wads he raked in！ I used to figure it up； just for
the joy of envyin' him； I reckon。 An average twenty…wagon
outfit； first and last； would bring him in somewheres about fifty
dollarsand besides he had forty…rod at four bits a glass。 And
outfits at that time were thicker'n spatter。
We used all to go down sometimes to watch them come in。 When
they see that little canvas shack and that well； they begun to
cheer up and move fast。 And when they see that sign； 〃Water； two
bits a head；〃 their eyes stuck out like two raw oysters。
Then come the kicks。 What a howl they did raise； shorely。 But
it didn't do no manner of good。 Texas Pete didn't do nothin' but
sit there and smoke； with a kind of sulky gleam in one corner of
his eye。 He didn't even take the trouble to answer； but his
Winchester lay across his lap。 There wasn't no humour in the
situation for him。
〃How much is your water for humans？〃 asks one emigrant。
〃Can't you read that sign？〃 Texas Pete asks him。
〃But you don't mean two bits a head for HUMANS！〃 yells the man。
〃Why； you can get whisky for that！〃
〃You can read the sign； can't you？〃 insists Texas Pete。
〃I can read it all right？〃 says the man； tryin' a new deal； 〃but
they tell me not to believe more'n half I read。〃
But that don't go； and Mr。 Emigrant shells out with the rest。
I didn't blame them for raisin' their howl。 Why； at that time
the regular water holes was chargin' five cents a head from the
government freighters； and the motto was always 〃Hold up Uncle
Sam；〃 at that。 Once in a while some outfit would get mad and go
chargin' off dry； but it was a long； long way to the Springs； and
mighty hot and dusty。 Texas Pete and his one lonesome water hole
shorely did a big business。
Late one afternoon me and Gentleman Tim was joggin' along above
Texas Pete's place。 It was a tur'ble hot dayyou had to prime
yourself to spitand we was just gettin' back from drivin' some
beef up to the troops at Fort Huachuca。 We was due to cross the
Emigrant Trailshe's wore in tur'ble deepyou can see the ruts
to…day。 When we topped the rise we see a little old outfit just
makin' out to drag along。
It was one little schooner all by herself； drug along by two poor
old cavallos that couldn't have pulled my hat off。 Their tongues
was out； and every once in a while they'd stick in a chuck…hole。
Then a man would get down and put his shoulder to the wheel； and
everybody'd take a heave； and up they'd come； all a…trembling and
weak。
Tim and I rode down just to take a look at the curiosity。
A thin…lookin' man was drivin'； all humped up。
〃Hullo； stranger；〃 says I； 〃ain't you 'fraid of Injins？〃
〃Yes；〃 says he。
〃Then why are you travellin' through an Injin country all alone？〃
〃Couldn't keep up；〃 says he。 〃Can I get water here？〃
〃I reckon；〃 I answers。
He drove up to the water trough there at Texas Pete's； me and
Gentleman Tim followin' along because our trail led that way。
But he hadn't more'n stopped before Texas Pete was out。
〃Cost you four bits to water them hosses；〃 says he。
The man looked up kind of bewildered。
〃I'm sorry；〃 says he； 〃I ain't got no four bits。 I got my roll
lifted off'n me。〃
〃No water； then；〃 growls Texas Pete back at him。
The man looked about him helpless。
〃How far is it to the next water？〃 he asks me。
〃Twenty mile；〃 I tells him。
〃My God！〃 he says； to himself…like。
Then he shrugged his shoulders very tired。
〃All right。 It's gettin' the cool of the evenin'； we'll make
it。〃 He turns into the inside of that old schooner。
〃Gi' me the cup； Sue。〃
A white…faced woman who looked mighty good to us alkalis opened
the flaps and gave out a tin cup； which the man pointed out to
fill。
〃How many of you is they？〃 asks Texas Pete。
〃Three；〃 replies the man； wondering。
〃Well； six bits； then；〃 says Texas Pete； 〃cash down。〃
At that the man straightens up a little。
〃I ain't askin' for no water for my stock；〃 says he； 〃but my wife
and baby has been out in this sun all day without a drop of
water。 Our cask slipped a hoop and bust just this side of Dos
Cabesas。 The poor kid is plumb dry。〃
〃Two bits a head；〃 says Texas Pete。
At that the woman comes out； a little bit of a baby in her arms。
The kid had fuzzy yellow hair； and its face was flushed red and
shiny。
〃Shorely you won't refuse a sick child a drink of water； sir；〃
says she。
But Texas Pete had some sort of a special grouch； I guess he was
just beginning to get his snowshoes off after a fight with his
own forty…rod。
〃What the hell are you…all doin' on the trail without no money at
all？〃 he growls； 〃and how do you expect to get along？ Such plumb
tenderfeet drive me weary。〃
〃Well；〃 says the man； still reasonable； 〃I ain't got no money；
but I'll give you six bits' worth of flour or trade or an'thin' I
got。〃
〃I don't run no truck…store；〃 snaps Texas Pete； and turns square
on his heel and goes back to his chair。
〃Got six bits about you？〃 whispers Gentleman Tim to me。
〃Not a red；〃 I answers。
Gentleman Tim turns to Texas Pete。
〃Let 'em have a drink； Pete。 I'll pay you next time I come
down。〃
〃Cash down；〃 growls Pete。
〃You're the meanest man I ever see；〃 observes Tim。 〃I wouldn't
speak to you if I met you in hell carryin' a lump of ice in your
hand。〃
〃You're the softest _I_ ever see；〃 sneers Pete。 〃Don't they have
any genooine Texans down your way？〃
〃Not enough to make it disagreeable；〃 says Tim。
〃That lets you out；〃 growls Pete； gettin' hostile and handlin' of
his rifle。
Which the man had been standin' there bewildered； the cup hangin'
from his finger。 At last； lookin' pretty desperate； he stooped
down to dig up a little of the wet from an overflow puddle lyin'
at his feet。 At the same time the hosses； left sort of to
themselves and bein' drier than a covered bridge； drug forward
and stuck their noses in the trough。
Gentleman Tim and me was sittin' there on our hosses； a little to
one side。 We saw Texas Pete jump up from his chair； take a quick
aim； and cut loose with his rifle。 It was plumb unexpected to
us。 We hadn't thought of any shootin'； and our six…shooters was
tied in； 'count of the jumpy country we'd been drivin' the steers
over。 But Gentleman Tim； who had unslung his rope； aimin' to
help the hosses out of the chuckhole； snatched her off the horn；
and with one of the prettiest twenty…foot flip throws I ever see
done he snaked old Texas Pete right out of his wicky…up； gun and
all。 The old renegade did his best to twist around for a shot at
us； but it was no go； and I never enjoyed hog…tying a critter
more in my life than I enjoyed hog…tying Texas Pete。 Then we
turned to see what damage had been done。
We were some relieved to find the family all right； but Texas
Pete had bored one of them poor old crow…bait hosses plumb
through the head。
〃It's lucky for you you don't get the old man；〃 says Gentleman
Tim very quiet and polite。
Which Gentleman Tim was an Irishman； and I'd been on the range
long enough with him to know that when he got quiet and polite it
was time to dodge behind something。
〃I hope； sir〃 says he to the stranger； 〃that you will give your
wife and baby a satisfying drink。 As for your hoss； pray do not
be under any apprehension。 Our friend； Mr。 Texas Pete； here； has
kindly consented to make good any deficiencies from his own
