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第26节

whirligigs-第26节

小说: whirligigs 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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