sally dows-第30节

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seemed　to　be　no　reason　for　Miss　Mendez　to　enforce　her　rules。　　It
was　said　that　once；　when　Thompson　of　Angels　was　a　little　too　noisy；
he　had　been　quietly　conducted　by　his　friends　from　the　tienda
without　the　intervention　of　Jose。　　The　frequenters　of　the　saloon
became　its　police。

Yet　the　eventlong　protractedcame　at　last！　　It　was　a　dry；
feverish；　breezeless　afternoon；　when　the　short；　echoless　explosion
of　a　revolver　puffed　out　on　the　river；　followed　by　another；
delivered　so　rapidly　that　they　seemed　rolled　into　one。　　There　was
no　mistaking　that　significant　repetition。　　ONE　shot　might　have　been
an　accident；　TWO　meant　intention。　　The　men　dropped　their　picks　and
shovels　and　ranran　as　they　never　before　ran　in　Buckeyeran
mechanically；　blindly　groping　at　their　belts　and　pockets　for　the
weapons　that　hung　there　no　longer；　ran　aimlessly；　as　to　purpose；
but　following　instinctively　with　hurried　breath　and　quivering
nostrils　the　cruel　scent　of　powder　and　blood。　　Ran　until；　reaching
the　tienda；　the　foremost　stumbled　over　the　body　of　Shuttleworth；
came　upon　the　half…sitting；　half…leaning　figure　of　Saunders　against
its　adobe　wall！　　The　doors　were　barred　and　closed；　and　even　as　the
crowd　charged　furiously　forward；　a　window　was　sharply　shut　above；
in　their　very　face。

〃Stand　back；　gentlemen！　　Lift　him　up。　　What's　the　row？　　What　is　it；
Saunders？　　Who　did　it？　　Speak；　man！〃

But　Saunders；　who　was　still　supporting　himself　against　the　wall；
only　looked　at　them　with　a　singular　and　half…apologetic　smile；　and
then　leaned　forward　as　if　to　catch　the　eye　of　Shuttleworth；　who　was
recovering　consciousness　in　the　uplifted　arms　of　his　companions。
But　neither　spoke。

〃It's　some　dd　Greaser　inside！〃　said　Thompson；　with　sudden
ferocity。　　〃Some　of　her　cursed　crew！　　Break　down　the　doors；　boys！〃

〃Stop！〃

It　was　the　voice　of　Shuttleworth；　speaking　with　an　effort。　　He　was
hard　hit；　somewhere　in　the　groin；　pain　and　blood　were　coming　with
consciousness　and　movement；　and　his　face　was　ghastly。　　Yet　there
was　the　same　singular　smile　of　embarrassment　which　Saunders　had
worn；　and　a　touch　of　invincible　disgust　in　his　voice　as　he
stammered　quickly；　〃Don't　be　dd　fools！　　It's　no　one　in　THERE。
It's　only　me　and　HIM！　　He'll　tell　you　that。　　Won't　you；　Saunders？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Saunders；　leaning　anxiously　forward；　with　a　brightening
face。　　〃Dn　it　allcan't　you　see？　　It's　onlyonly　us。〃

〃You　and　me；　that's　all；〃　repeated　Shuttleworth；　with　a　feverish
laugh。　　〃Only　our　dd　foolishness！　　Think　of　it；　boys！　　He　gave
me　the　lie；　and　I　drew！〃

〃Both　of　us　full；　you　knowreg'lar　beasts；〃　said　Saunders；　sinking
back　against　the　wall。　　〃Kick　me；　somebody；　and　finish　me　off。〃

〃I　don't　see　any　weapons　here；〃　said　Brace　gravely；　examining　the
ground。

〃They're　inside；〃　said　Shuttleworth　with　tremulous　haste。　　〃We
began　it　in　therejust　like　hogs；　you　know！　　Didn't　we；　Saunders？〃
bitterly。

〃You　bet；〃　said　Saunders　faintly。　　〃Reg'lar　swine。〃

Parks　looked　graver　still；　and　as　he　passed　a　handkerchief　around
the　wounded　man's　thigh；　said：　〃But　I　don't　see　where　you　got　your
pistols；　and　how　you　got　out　here。〃

〃Clinched；　you　know；　sorter　rolled　over　out　hereandandoh；
dn　itdon't　talk！〃

〃He　means；〃　said　Shuttleworth　still　feebly；　〃that　wewegrabbed
ANOTHER　MAN'S　six…shooter　andandhe　that　isand　theyhehe
and　me　grabbed　each　other；　anddon't　you　see？〃　but　here；
becoming　more　involved　and　much　weaker；　he　discreetly　fainted　away。

And　that　was　all　Buckeye　ever　knew　of　the　affair！　　For　they　refused
to　speak　of　it　again；　and　Dr。　Duchesne　gravely　forbade　any　further
interrogation。　　Both　men's　revolvers　were　found　undischarged　in
their　holsters；　hanging　in　their　respective　cabins。　　The　balls
which　were　afterwards　extracted　from　the　two　men　singularly
disappeared；　Dr。　Duchesne　asserting　with　a　grim　smile　that　they　had
swallowed　them。*


*　It　was　a　frontier　superstition　that　the　ball　extracted　from　a
gunshot　wound；　if　swallowed　by　the　wounded　man；　prevented
inflammation　or　any　supervening　complications。


Nothing　could　be　ascertained　of　the　facts　at　the　tienda；　which　at
that　hour　of　the　day　appeared　to　have　been　empty　of　customers；　and
was　occupied　only　by　Miss　Mendez　and　her　retainers。　　All　surmises
as　to　the　real　cause　of　the　quarrel　and　the　reason　for　the
reticence　of　the　two　belligerents　were　suddenly　and　unexpectedly
stopped　by　their　departure　from　Buckeye　as　soon　as　their　condition
permitted；　on　the　alleged　opinion　of　Dr。　Duchesne　that　the　air　of
the　river　was　dangerous　to　their　convalescence。　　The　momentary
indignation　against　the　tienda　which　the　two　combatants　had
checked；　eventually　subsided　altogether。　　After　all；　the　fight　had
taken　place　OUTSIDE；　it　was　not　even　proven　that　the　provocation
had　been　given　AT　the　tienda！　　Its　popularity　was　undiminished。


PART　III。


It　was　the　end　of　the　rainy　season；　and　a　wet　night。　　Brace　and
Parks　were　looking　from　the　window　over　the　swollen　river；　with
faces　quite　as　troubled　as　the　stream　below。　　Nor　was　the　prospect
any　longer　the　same。　　In　the　past　two　years　Buckeye　had　grown　into
a　city。　　They　could　now　count　a　half　dozen　church　spires　from　the
window　of　the　three…storied　brick　building　which　had　taken　the
place　of　the　old　wooden　Emporium；　but　they　could　also　count　the
brilliantly　lit　windows　of　an　equal　number　of　saloons　and　gambling…
houses　which　glittered　through　the　rain；　or；　to　use　the　words　of　a
local　critic；　〃Shone　seven　nights　in　the　week　to　the　Gospel　shops'
ONE！〃　　A　difficulty　had　arisen　which　the　two　men　had　never　dreamed
of；　and　a　struggle　had　taken　place　between　the　two　rival　powers；
which　was　developing　a　degree　of　virulence　and　intolerance　on　both
sides　that　boded　no　good　to　Buckeye。　　The　disease　which　its　infancy
had　escaped　had　attacked　its　adult　growth　with　greater　violence。
The　new　American　saloons　which　competed　with　Jovita　Mendez'　Spanish
venture　had　substituted　a　brutal　masculine　sincerity　for　her　veiled
feminine　methods。　　There　was　higher　play；　deeper　drinking；　darker
passion。　　Yet　the　opposition；　after　the　fashion　of　most　reformers；
were　casting　back　to　the　origin　of　the　trouble　in　Jovita；　and　were
confounding　principles　and　growth。　　〃If　it　had　not　been　for　her　the
rule　would　never　have　been　broken。〃　　〃If　there　was　to　be　a　cleaning
out　of　the　gambling　houses；　she　must　go　first！〃

The　sounds　of　a　harp　and　a　violin　played　in　the　nearest　saloon
struggled　up　to　them　with　the　opening　and　shutting　of　its　swinging
baize　inner　doors。　　There　was　boisterous　chanting　from　certain
belated　revelers　in　the　next　street　which　had　no　such　remission。
The　brawling　of　the　stream　below　seemed　to　be　echoed　in　the　uneasy
streets；　the　quiet　of　the　old　days　had　departed　with　the　sedate；
encompassing　woods　that　no　longer　fringed　the　river　bank；　the
restful　calm　of　Nature　had　receded　before　the　dusty　outskirts　of
the　town。

〃It's　mighty　unfortunate；　too；〃　said　Brace　moodily；　〃that
Shuttleworth　and　Saunders；　who　haven't　been　in　the　place　since
their　row；　have　come　over　from　Fiddletown　to…day；　and　are　banging
around　town。　　They　haven't　said　anything　that　I　know　of；　but　their
PRESENCE　is　quite　enough　to　revive　the　old　feeling　against　her
shop。　　The　Committee；〃　he　added　bitterly；　〃will　be　sure　to　say　that
not　only　the　first　gambling；　but　the　first　shooting　in　Buckeye　took
place　there。　　If　they　get　up　that　story　againno　matter　how　quiet
SHE　has　become　sinceno　matter　what　YOU　may　say　as　mayorit　will
go　hard　with　her。　　What's　that　now？〃

They　listened　breathlessly。　　Above　the　brawling　of　the　river；　the
twanging　of　the　harp…player；　and　the　receding　shouts　of　the
revelers；　they　could　hear　the　hollow　wooden　sidewalks　resounding
with　the　dull；　monotonous　trampling　of　closely　following　feet。
Parks　rose　with　a　white　face。

〃Brace！〃

〃Yes！〃

〃Will　you　stand　by　meand　HER？〃

〃Stand　by　YOU　AND　HER？　　Eh？　　What？　　Good　God！　　Parks！you　don't
mean　to　say　youit's　gone　as　far　as　THAT？〃

〃Will　you　or　won't　you？〃

The　sound　of　the　trampling　had　changed　to　a　shuffling　on　the
pavement　below；　and　then　footsteps　began　to　ascend　the　stairs。

Brace　held　out　his　hand　quickly　and　grasped　that　of　Parks　as
the　door　opened　to　half　a　dozen　men。　　They　were　evidently　the
ringleaders　of　the　crowd　below。　　There　was　no　hesitation　or
doubt　in　their　manner；　the　unswerving　directness　which　always
characterized　those　illegal　demonstrations　lent　it　something　of
dignity。　　Nevertheless；　Carpenter；　the　spokesman；　flushed　slightly
before　Parks'　white；　determined　face。

〃Come；　Parks；　you　know　what　we're　after；〃　he　said　bluntly。　　〃We
didn't　come　here　to　parley。　　We　knew　YOUR　sentiments　and　what　YOU
think　is　your　duty。　　We　know　what　we　consider　OURSand　so　do　you。
But　we're　here　to　give　you　a　chance；　either　as　mayor；　or；　if　you
prefer　it；　as　the　oldest　citizen　here；　to　take　a　hand　in　our
business　to…night。　　We're　not　ashamed　of　what　we're　going　to　do；
and　we're　willing　to　abide　by　it；　so　there's　no　reason　why　we
shouldn't　speak　aboveboard　of　it　to　you。　　We　even　invite　you　to
take　part　in　our　last　'call'　tonight　at　the　Hall。〃

〃Go！〃　whispered　Brace　quickly；　〃YOU'LL　GAIN　TIME！〃

Parks'　face　changed；　and　he　turned　to　Carpenter。　　〃Enough；〃　he　said