desert gold-第14节

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t　her。　　She　sleeps　likelike　death。　　She's　so　white。　　Oh；　I　hope　she　won't　be　ill。〃

〃Shore　she's　only　played　out；〃　said　Laddy。　　〃　But　she　had　spunk　while　it　lasted。。。。I　was　just　arguin'　with　Jim　an'　Tom　about　Miss　Castaneda。〃

〃Gracious！　　Why；　she's　beautiful。　　I　never　saw　any　one　so　beautiful。。。。How　strange　and　sad；　that　about　her！　　Tell　me　more；　Laddy。　　You　promised。　　I'm　dying　to　know。　　I　never　hear　anything　in　this　awful　place。　　Didn't　you　say　the　Senorita　had　a　sweetheart？〃

〃Shore　I　did。〃

〃And　he's　a　cavalryman？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Is　he　the　young　man　who　came　with　you？〃

〃Nope。　　That　fellow's　the　one　who　saved　the　girl　from　Rojas。〃

〃Ah！　　Where　is　he；　Laddy？〃

〃He's　in　there　asleep。〃

〃Is　he　hurt？〃

〃I　reckon　not。　　He　walked　about　fifteen　miles。〃

〃Is　henice；　Laddy？〃

〃Shore。〃

〃What　is　he　like？〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　long　acquainted；　never　say　him　by　day；　but　I　was　some　tolerable　took　with　him。　　An'　Jim　here；　Jim　says　the　young　man　can　have　his　gun　an'　his　hoss。〃

〃Wonderful！　　Laddy；　what　on　earth　did　this　stranger　do　to　win　you　cowboys　in　just　one　night？〃

〃I'll　shore　have　to　tell　you。　　Me　an'　Jim　were　watchin'　a　game　of　cards　in　the　Del　Sol　saloon　in　Casita。　　That's　across　the　line。　We　had　acquaintancesfour　fellows　from　the　Cross　Bar　outfit；　where　we　worked　a　while　back。　　This　Del　Sol　is　a　billiard　hall；　saloon；　restaurant；　an'　the　like。　　An'　it　was　full　of　Greasers。　Some　of　Camp's　rebels　were　there　drinkin'　an'　playin'　games。　Then　pretty　soon　in　come　Rojas　with　some　of　his　outfit。　They　were　packin'　guns　an'　kept　to　themselves　off　to　one　side。　I　didn't　give　them　a　second　look　till　Jim　said　he　reckoned　there　was　somethin'　in　the　wind。　　Then；　careless…like；　I　began　to　peek　at　Rojas。　　They　call　Rojas　the　'dandy　rebel；'　an'　he　shore　looked　the　part。　　It　made　me　sick　to　see　him　in　all　that　lace　an'　glitter；　knowin'　him　to　be　the　cutthroat　robber　he　is。　It's　no　oncommon　sight　to　see　excited　Greasers。　　They're　all　crazy。　But　this　bandit　was　shore　some　agitated。　　He　kept　his　men　in　a　tight　bunch　round　a　table。　　He　talked　an'　waved　his　hands。　　He　was　actually　shakin'。　　His　eyes　had　a　wild　glare。　　Now　I　figgered　that　trouble　was　brewin'；　most　likely　for　the　little　Casita　garrison。　People　seemed　to　think　Campo　an'　Rojas　would　join　forces　to　oust　the　federals。　　Jim　thought　Rojas's　excitement　was　at　the　hatchin'　of　some　plot。　　Anyway；　we　didn't　join　no　card　games；　an'　without　pretendin'　to；　we　was　some　watchful。

〃A　little　while　afterward　I　seen　a　fellow　standin'　in　the　restaurant　door。　　He　was　a　young　American　dressed　in　corduroys　and　boots；　like　a　prospector。　　You　know　it's　no　onusual　fact　to　see　prospectors　in　these　parts。　　What　made　me　think　twice　about　this　one　was　how　big　he　seemed；　how　he　filled　up　that　door。　　He　looked　round　the　saloon；　an'　when　he　spotted　Rojas　he　sorta　jerked　up。　　Then　he　pulled　his　slouch　hat　lopsided　an'　began　to　stagger　down；　down　the　steps。　　First　off　I　mad　shore　he　was　drunk。　　But　I　remembered　he　didn't　seem　drunk　before。　　It　was　some　queer。　　So　I　watched　that　young　man。

〃He　reeled　around　the　room　like　a　fellow　who　was　drunker'n　a　lord。　Nobody　but　me　seemed　to　notice　him。　　Then　he　began　to　stumble　over　pool…players　an'　get　his　fact　tangled　up　in　chairs　an'　bump　against　tables。　He　got　some　pretty　hard　looks。　　He　came　round　our　way；　an'　all　of　a　sudden　he　seen　us　cowboys。　　He　gave　another　start；　like　the　one　when　he　first　seen　Rojas；　then　he　made　for　us。　　I　tipped　Jim　off　that　somethin'　was　doin'。

〃When　he　got　close　he　straightened　up；　put　back　his　slouch　hat；　an'　looked　at　us。　　Then　I　saw　his　face。　　It　sorta　electrified　yours　truly。　　It　was　white；　with　veins　standin'　out　an'　eyes　flamin'a　face　of　fury。　　I　was　plumb　amazed；　didn't　know　what　to　think。　Then　this　queer　young　man　shot　some　cool；　polite　words　at　me　an'　Jim。

〃He　was　only　bluffin'　at　bein'　drunkhe　meant　to　rush　Rojas；　to　start　a　rough　house。　　Then　bandit　was　after　a　girl。　　This　girl　was　in　the　hotel；　an'　she　was　the　sweetheart　of　a　soldier；　the　young　fellow's　friend。　　The　hotel　was　watched　by　Rojas's　guards；　an'　the　plan　was　to　make　a　fuss　an'　get　the　girl　away　in　the　excitement。　Well；　Jim　an'　me　got　a　hint　of　our　bein'　Americansthat　cowboys　generally　had　a　name　for　loyalty　to　women。　　Then　this　amazin'　chapyou　can't　imagine　how　scornfulsaid　for　me　an'　Jim　to　watch　him。

〃Before　I　could　catch　my　breath　an'　figger　out　what　he　meant　by　'rush'　an'　'rough　house'　he　had　knocked　over　a　table　an'　crowded　some　Greaser　half　off　the　map。　　One　little　funny　man　leaped　up　like　a　wild　monkey　an'　began　to　screech。　　An'　in　another　second　he　was　in　the　air　upside　down。　　When　he　lit；　he　laid　there。　　Then；　quicker'n　I　can　tell　you；　the　young　man　dove　at　Rojas。　　Like　a　mad　steer　on　the　rampage　he　charged　Rojas　an'　his　men。　　The　whole　outfit　went　downsmash！　　I　figgered　then　what　'rush'　meant。　　The　young　fellow　came　up　out　of　the　pile　with　Rojas；　an'　just　like　I'd　sling　an　empty　sack　along　the　floor　he　sent　the　bandit。　　But　swift　as　that　went　he　was　on　top　of　Rojas　before　the　chairs　an'　tables　had　stopped　rollin'。

〃I　woke　up　then；　an'　made　for　the　center　of　the　room。

Jim　with　me。　　I　began　to　shoot　out　the　lamps。　　Jim　throwed　his　guns　on　the　crazy　rebels；　an'　I　was　afraid　there'd　be　blood　spilled　before　I　could　get　the　room　dark。　　Bein's　shore　busy；　I　lost　sight　of　the　young　fellow　for　a　second　or　so；　an'　when　I　got　an　eye　free　for　him　I　seen　a　Greaser　about　to　knife　him。　　Think　I　was　some　considerate　of　the　Greaser　by　only　shootin'　his　arm　off。　　Then　I　cracked　the　last　lamp；　an'　in　the　hullabaloo　me　an'　Jim　vamoosed。

〃We　made　tracks　for　our　hosses　an'　packs；　an'　was　hittin'　the　San　Felipe　road　when　we　run　right　plumb　into　the　young　man。　　Well；　he　said　his　name　was　GaleDick　Gale。　　The　girl　was　with　him　safe　an'　well；　but　her　sweetheart；　the　soldier；　bein'　away　without　leave；　had　to　go　back　sudden。　　There　shore　was　some　trouble；　for　Jim　an'　me　heard　shootin'。　　Gale　said　he　had　no　money；　no　friends；　was　a　stranger　in　a　desert　country；　an'　he　was　distracted　to　know　how　to　help　the　girl。　　So　me　an'　Jim　started　off　with　them　for　San　Felipe；　got　switched；　and'　then　we　headed　for　the　Rio　Forlorn。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　he　was　perfectly　splendid！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。

〃Shore　he　was。　　Only；　Nell；　you　can't　lay　no　claim　to　bein'　the　original　discoverer　of　that　fact。〃

〃But；　Laddy；　you　haven't　told　me　what　he　looks　like。〃

At　this　juncture　Dick　Gale　felt　is　absolutely　impossible　for　him　to　play　the　eavesdropper　any　longer。　　Quietly　he　rolled　out　of　bed。　The　voices　still　sounded　close　outside；　and　it　was　only　by　effort　that　he　kept　from　further　listening。　　Belding's　kindly　interest；　Laddy's　blunt　and　sincere　cowboy　eulogy；　the　girl's　sweet　eagerness　and　praisethese　warmed　Gale's　heart。　　He　had　fallen　among　simple　people；　into　whose　lives　the　advent　of　an　unknown　man　was　welcome。　He　found　himself　in　a　singularly　agitated　mood。　　The　excitement；　the　thrill；　the　difference　felt　in　himself；　experienced　the　preceding　night；　had　extended　on　into　his　present。　　And　the　possibilities　suggested　by　the　conversation　he　had　unwittingly　overheard　added　sufficiently　to　the　other　feelings　to　put　him　into　a　peculiarly　receptive　state　of　mind。　　He　was　wild　to　be　one　of　the　Beldings　rangers。　　The　idea　of　riding　a　horse　in　the　open　desert；　with　a　dangerous　duty　to　perform；　seemed　to　strike　him　with　an　appealing　force。　　Something　within　him　went　out　to　the　cowboys；　to　this　blunt　and　kind　Belding。　He　was　afraid　to　meet　the　girl。　　If　every　man　who　came　along　fell　in　love　with　this　sweet…voiced　Nell；　then　what　hope　had　he　to　escapenow；　when　his　whole　inner　awakening　betokened　a　change　of　spirit；　hope；　a　finding　of　real　worth；　real　good；　real　power　in　himself？　　He　did　not　understand　wholly；　yet　he　felt　ready　to　ride；　to　fight；　to　love　the　desert；　to　love　these　outdoor　men；　to　love　a　woman。　　That　beautiful　Spanish　girl　had　spoken　to　something　dead　in　him　and　it　had　quickened　to　life。　　The　sweet　voice　of　an　audacious；　unseen　girl　warned　him　that　presently　a　still　more　wonderful　thing　would　happen　to　him。

Gale　imagined　he　made　noise　enough　as　he　clumsily　pulled　on　his　boots；　yet　the　voices；　split　by　a　merry　laugh；　kept　on　murmuring　outside　the　door。　　It　was　awkward　for　him；　having　only　one　hand　available　to　lace　up　his　boots。　　He　looked　out　of　the　window。　Evidently　this　was　at　the　end　of　the　house。　　There　was　a　flagstone　walk；　beside　which　ran　a　ditch　full　of　swift；　muddy　water。　　It　made　a　pleasant　sound。　　There　were　trees　strange　of　form　and　color　to　to　him。　　He　heard　bees；　birds；　chickens；　saw　the　red　of　roses　and　green　of　grass。　　Then　he　saw；　close　to　the　wall；　a　tub　full　of　water；　and　a　bench　upon　which　lay　basin；　soap；　towel；　comb；　and　brush。　　The　window　was　also　a　door；　for　under　it　there　was　a　step。

Gale　hesitated　a　moment；　then　went　out。　　He　stepped　naturally；　hoping　and　expecting　that　the　cowboys　would　hear　him。　　But　nobody　came。　　Awkwardly；　with　left　hand；　he　washed　his　face。　　Upon　a　nail　in　the　wall　hung　a　little　mirror；　by　the　aid　of　which　Dick　combed　and　brushed　his　hair。　　He　imagined　he　looked　a　most　haggard　wretch。　　With　that　he　faced　forward；　meaning　to　go　round　the　corner　of　the　house　to　greet　the　cowboys　and　these　new…found　friends。

Dick　had　taken