whirligigs-第26节

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Miss　Puffkin　and　the　janitor　mixed。　　I　guess　it's　all　right；

though。〃



And　then　Slayton　looked　closer　and　saw　on　the　cover

of　his　manuscript；　under　the　title　〃Love　Is　All；〃　the

janitor's　comment　scribbled　with　a　piece　of　charcoal：



〃The　　you　say！〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ROADS　WE　TAKE



TWIENTY　miles　West　of　Tucson；　the　〃Sunset　Express〃

stopped　at　a　tank　to　take　on　water。　　Besides　the　aqueous；

addition　the　engine　of　that　famous　flyer　acquired　some

other　things　that　were　not　good　for　it。



While　the　fireman　was　lowering　the　feeding　hose；

Bob　Tidball；　〃Shark〃　Dodson　and　a　quarter…bred　Creek

Indian　called　John　Big　Dog　climbed　on　the　engine　and

showed　the　engineer　three　round　orifices　in　pieces　of

ordnance　that　the　carried。　　These　orifices　so　impressed

the　engineer　with　their　possibilities　that　he　raised　both

hands　in　a　gesture　such　as　accompanies　the　ejaculation

〃Do　tell！〃



At　the　crisp　command　of　Shark　Dodson；　who　was

leader　of　the　attacking　force　the　engineer　descended

to　the　ground　and　uncoupled　the　engine　and　tender。

Then　John　Big　Dog；　perched　upon　the　coal；　sportively

held　two　guns　upon　the　engine　driver　and　the　fireman；

and　suggested　that　they　run　the　engine　fifty　yards　away

and　there　await　further　orders。



Shark　Dodson　and　Bob　Tidball；　scorning　to　put

such　low…grade　ore　as　the　passengers　through　the　mill；

struck　out　for　the　rich　pocket　of　the　express　car。　　They

found　the　messenger　serene　in　the　belief　that　the　〃Sunset

Express〃　was　taking　on　nothing　more　stimulating　and

dangerous　than　aqua　pura。　　While　Bob　was　knocking

this　idea　out　of　his　head　with　the　butt…end　of　his　six…shooter

Shark　Dodson　was　already　dosing　the　express…car

safe　with　dynamite。



The　safe　exploded　to　the　tune　of　30；000；　all　gold　and

currency。　　The　passengers　thrust　their　heads　casually

out　of　the　windows　to　look　for　the　thunder…cloud。　　The

conductor　jerked　at　the　bell…rope；　which　sagged　down

loose　and　unresisting；　at　his　tug。　　Shark　Dodson

and　Bob　Tidball；　with　their　booty　in　a　stout　canvas　bag；

tumbled　out　of　the　express　car　and　ran　awkwardly　in　their

high…heeled　boots　to　the　engine。



The　engineer；　sullenly　angry　but　wise；　ran　the　engine；

according　to　orders；　rapidly　away　from　the　inert　train。

But　before　this　was　accomplished　the　express　messenger；

recovered　from　Bob　Tidball's　persuader　to　neutrality；

jumped　out　of　his　car　with　a　Winchester　rifle　and　took

a　trick　in　the　game。　　Mr。　John　Big　Dog；　sitting　on　the

coal　tender；　unwittingly　made　a　wrong　lead　by　giving　an

imitation　of　a　target；　and　the　messenger　trumped　him。

With　a　ball　exactly　between　his　shoulder　blades　the

Creek　chevalier　of　industry　rolled　off　to　the　ground；

thus　increasing　the　share　of　his　comrades　in　the　loot　by

one…sixth　each。



Two　miles　from　the　tank　the　engineer　was　ordered

to　stop。



The　robbers　waved　a　defiant　adieu　and　plunged　down

the　steep　slope　into　the　thick　woods　that　lined　the　track。

Five　minutes　of　crashing　through　a　thicket　of　chapparal

brought　them　to　open　woods；　where　three　horses　were

tied　to　low…hanging　branches。　　One　was　waiting　for　John

Big　Dog；　who　would　never　ride　by　night　or　day　again。

This　animal　the　robbers　divested　of　saddle　and　bridle

and　set　free。　　They　mounted　the　other　two　with　the

bag　across　one　pommel；　and　rode　fast　and　with　discre…

tion　through　the　forest　and　up　a　primeval；　lonely　gorge。

Here　the　animal　that　bore　Bob　Tidball　slipped　on　a　mossy

boulder　and　broke　a　foreleg。　　They　shot　him　through

the　head　at　once　and　sat　down　to　hold　a　council　of　flight。

Made　secure　for　the　present　by　the　tortuous　trail　they…

had　travelled；　the　question　of　time　was　no　longer　so　big。

Many　miles　and　hours　lay　between　them　and　the　spryest

posse　that　could　follow。　　Shark　Dodson's　horse；　with

trailing　rope　and　dropped　bridle；　panted　and　cropped

thankfully　of　the　grass　along　the　stream　in　the　gorge。

Bob　Tidball　opened　the　sack；　drew　out　double　handfuls

of　the　neat　packages　of　currency　and　the　one　sack　of

gold　and　chuckled　with　the　glee　of　a　child。



〃Say；　you　old　double…decked　pirate；〃　he　called　joyfully

to　Dodson；　〃you　said　we　could　do　it　　you　got　a　head　for

financing　that　knocks　the　horns　off　of　anything　in　Arizona。〃



〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　a　hoss　for　you；　Bob？

We　ain't　got　long　to　wait　here。　　They'll　be　on　our　trail

before　daylight　in　the　mornin'。〃



〃Oh；　I　guess　that　cayuse　of　yourn'll　carry　double　for

a　while；〃　answered　the　sanguine　Bob。　　〃We'll　annex

the　first　animal　we　come　across。　　By　jingoes；　we　made　a

haul；　didn't　we？　　Accordin'　to　the　marks　on　this　money

there's　30；000　　15；000　apiece！〃



〃It's　short　of　what　I　expected；〃　said　Shark　Dodson；

kicking　softly　at　the　packages　with　the　toe　of　his　boot

and　then　he　looked　pensively　at　the　wet　sides　of　his　tired

horse。



〃Old　Bolivar's　mighty　nigh　played　out；〃　he　said；

slowly。　　〃I　wish　that　sorrel　of　yours　hadn't　got　hurt。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Bob；　heartily；　〃but　it　can't　be　helped。

Bolivar's　got　plenty　of　bottom　　he'll　get　us　both　far

enough　to　get　fresh　mounts。　　Dang　it；　Shark；　I　can't

belp　thinkin'　how　funny　it　is　that　an　Easterner　like　you

can　come　out　here　and　give　us　Western　fellows　cards

and　spades　in　the　desperado　business。　　What　part　of　the

East　was　you　from；　anyway？〃



〃New　York　State；〃　said　Shark　Dodson；　sitting

down　on　a　boulder　and　chewing　a　twig。　　〃I　was　born

on　a　farm　in　Ulster　County。　　I　ran　away　from　home

when　I　was　seventeen。　　It　was　an　accident　my　coming

West。　　I　was　walkin'　along　the　road　with　my　clothes　in

a　bundle；　makin'　for　New　York　City。　　I　had　an　idea　of

goin'　there　and　makin'　lots　of　money。　　I　always　felt　like

I　could　do　it。　　I　came　to　a　place　one　evenin'　where　the

road　forked　and　I　didn't　know　which　fork　to　take。　　I

studied　about　it　for　half　an　hour；　and　then　I　took　the　left…

hand。　　That　night　I　run　into　the　camp　of　a　Wild　West

show　that　was　travellin'　among　the　little　towns；　and

I　went　West　with　it。　　I've　often　wondered　if　I

wouldn't　have　turned　out　different　if　I'd　took　the　other

road。〃



〃Oh；　I　reckon　you'd　have　ended　up　about　the　same；〃

said　Bob　Tidball；　cheerfully　philosophical。　　〃It　ain't

the　roads　we　take；　it's　what's　inside　of　us　that　makes　us

turn　out　the　way　we　do。〃



Shark　Dodson　got　up　and　leaned　against　a　tree。



〃I'd　a　good　deal　rather　that　sorrel　of　yourn　hadn't

hurt　himself；　Bob；〃　he　said　again；　almost　pathetically。



〃Same　here；〃　agreed　Bob；　〃he　was　sure　a　first…rate

kind　of　a　crowbait。　　But　Bolivar；　he'll　pull　us　through

all　right。　　Reckon　we'd　better　be　movin'　on；　hadn't

we；　Shark？　　I'll　bag　this　boodle　ag'in　and　we'll　hit　the

trail　for　higher　timber。〃



Bob　Tidball　replaced　the　spoil　in　the　bag　and　tied　the

mouth　of　it　tightly　with　a　cord。　　When　he　looked　up　the

most　prominent　object　that　he　saw　was　the　muzzle　of

Shark　Dodson's　。45　held　upon　him　without　a　waver。



〃Stop　your　funnin'；〃　said　Bob；　with　a　grin。　　〃We　got

to　be　hittin'　the　breeze。〃



〃Set　still；〃　said　Shark。　　〃You　ain't　goin'　to　hit

no　breeze；　Bob。　　I　hate　to　tell　you；　but　there　ain't　any

chance　for　but　one　of　us。　　Bolivar；　he's　plenty　tired；

and　he　can't　carry　double。〃



〃We　been　pards；　me　and　you；　Shark　Dodson；　for　three

year；〃　Bob　said　quietly。　　〃We've　risked　our　lives　together

time　and　again。　　I've　always　give　you　a　square　deal；

and　I　thought　you　was　a　man。　　I've　heard　some　queer

stories　about　you　shootin'　one　or　two　men　in　a　peculiar

way；　but　I　never　believed　'em。　　Now　if　you're　just　havin'

a　little　fun　with　me；　Shark；　put　your　gun　up；　and　we'll

get　on　Bolivar　and　vamose。　　If　you　mean　to　shoot　

shoot；　you　blackhearted　son　of　a　tarantula！〃



Shark　Dodson's　face　bore　a　deeply　sorrowful　look。

〃You　don't　know　how　bad　I　feel；〃　he　sighed；　〃about

that　sorrel　of　yourn　breakin'　his　leg；　Bob。〃



The　expression　on　Dodson's　face　changed　in　an　instant

to　one　of　cold　ferocity　mingled　with　inexorable　cupidity。

The　soul　of　the　man　showed　itself　for　a　moment　like　an

evil　face　in　the　window　of　a　reputable　house。



Truly　Bob　Tidball　was　never　to　〃hit　the　breeze〃　again。

The　deadly　。45　of　the　false　friend　cracked　and　filled　the

gorge　with　a　roar　that　the　walls　hurled　back　with　indignant

echoes。　　And　Bolivar；　unconscious　accomplice；　swiftly

bore　away　the　last　of　the　holders…up　of　the　〃Sunset

Express；〃　not　put　to　the　stress　of　〃carrying　double。〃



But　as　〃Shark〃　Dodson　galloped　away　the　woods

seemed　to　fade　from　his　view；　the　revolver　in　his　right　hand

turned　to　the　curved　arm　of　a　mahogany　chair；　his　saddle

was　strangely　upholstered；　and　he　opened　his　eyes　and

saw　his　feet；　not　in　stirrups；　but　resting　quietly　on　the　edge

of　a　quartered…oak　desk。



I　am　telling　you　that　Dodson；　of　the　firm　of　Dodson

&　Decker；　Wall　Street　brokers；　opened　his　eyes。　　Peabody；

the　confidential　clerk；　was　standing　by　his　chair；　hesitating

to　speak。　　There　was　a　confused　hum　of　wheels　bel