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第33节

whirligigs-第33节

小说: whirligigs 字数: 每页4000字

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seems to be her honey; all right; there's a lot of stuff in

her talk about love and such things that you don't want to

hear。〃



It was an old story to the district attorney。



〃Tell her;〃 said he; 〃that I can do nothing。  The case

comes up in the morning; and he will have to make his

fight before the court。〃



Nancy Derwent was not so hardened。  She was look…

ing with sympathetic interest at Joya Trevi馻s and at

Littlefield alternately。  The deputy repeated the dis…

trict attorney's words to the girl。  She spoke a sentence

or two in a low voice; pulled her shawl closely about her

face; and left the room。



〃What did she say then?〃  asked the district attorney。



〃Nothing special;〃 said the deputy。  〃She said: 'If

the life of the one'  let's see how it went  'Si la vida

de ella a quien tu amas  if the life of the girl you love is

ever in danger; remember Rafael Ortiz。'〃



Kilpatrick strolled out through the corridor in the

direction of the marshal's office。



〃Can't you do anything for them; Bob?〃  asked Nancy。

〃It's such a little thing  just one counterfeit dollar 

to ruin the happiness of two lives!  She was in danger

of death; and he did it to save her。  Doesn't the law know

the feeling of pity?〃



〃It hasn't a place in jurisprudence; Nan;〃 said Little…

field; 〃especially in re the district attorney's duty。  I'll

promise you that the prosecution will not be vindictive;

but the man is as good as convicted when the case is called。

Witnesses will swear to his passing the bad dollar which

I have in my pocket at this moment as 'Exhibit A。' There

are no Mexicans on the jury; and it will vote Mr。 Greaser

guilty without leaving the box。〃



The plover…shooting was fine that afternoon; and in

the excitement of the sport the case of Rafael and the

grief of Joya Trevi馻s was forgotten。  The district attor…

ney and Nancy Derwent drove out from the town three

miles along a smooth; grassy road; and then struck across

a rolling prairie toward a heavy line of timber on Piedra

Creek。  Beyond this creek lay Long Prairie; the favourite

haunt of the plover。  As they were nearing the creek

they heard the galloping of a horse to their right; and

saw a man with black hair and a swarthy face riding

toward the woods at a tangent; as if he had come up

behind them。



〃I've seen that fellow somewhere;〃 said Littlefield; who

had a memory for faces; 〃but I can't exactly place him。

Some ranchman; I suppose; taking a short cut home。〃



They spent an hour on Long Prairie; shooting from

the buckboard。  Nancy Derwent; an active; outdoor

Western girl; was pleased with her twelve…bore。  She

had bagged within two brace of her companion's score。



They started homeward at a gentle trot。  When within

a hundred yards of Piedra Creek a man rode out of the

timber directly toward them。



〃It looks like the man we saw coming over;〃 remarked

Miss Derwent。



As the distance between them lessened; the district

attorney suddenly pulled up his team sharply; with his

eyes fixed upon the advancing horseman。  That individ…

ual had drawn a Winchester from its scabbard on his

saddle and thrown it over his arm。



〃Now I know you; Mexico Sam!〃  muttered Littlefield

to himself。  〃It was you who shook your rattles in that

gentle epistle。〃



Mexico Sam did not leave things long in doubt。  He

had a nice eye in all matters relating to firearms; so when

he was within good rifle range; but outside of danger

from No。 8 shot; he threw up his Winchester and opened

fire upon the occupants of the buckboard。



The first shot cracked the back of the seat within the

two…inch space between the shoulders of Littlefield and

Miss Derwent。  The next went through the dashboard

and Littlefield's trouser leg。



The district attorney hustled Nancy out of the buck…

board to the ground。  She was a little pale; but asked no

questions。  She had the frontier instinct that accepts

conditions in an emergency without superfluous argument。

They kept their guns in hand; and Littlefield hastily

gathered some handfuls of cartridges from the pasteboard

box on the seat and crowded them into his pockets



〃Keep behind the horses; Nan;〃 he commanded。

〃That fellow is a ruffian I sent to prison once。  He's

trying to get even。  He knows our shot won't hurt him

at that distance。〃



〃All right; Bob;〃 said Nancy steadily。  〃I'm not

afraid。  But you come close; too。  Whoa; Bess; stand

still; now!〃



She stroked Bess's mane。  Littlefield stood with his

gun ready; praying that the desperado would come within

range。



But Mexico Sam was playing his vendetta along safe

lines。  He was a bird of different feather from the plover。

His accurate eye drew an imaginary line of circumference

around the area of danger from bird…shot; and upon this

line lie rode。  His horse wheeled to the right; and as his

victims rounded to the safe side of their equine breast…

work he sent a ball through the district attorney's hat。

Once he miscalculated in making a d閠our; and over…

stepped Ms margin。  Littlefield's gun flashed; and

Mexico Sam ducked his head to the harmless patter of the

shot。  A few of them stung his horse; which pranced

promptly back to the safety line。



The desperado fired again。  A little cry came from

Nancy Derwent。  Littlefield whirled; with blazing eyes;

and saw the blood trickling down her cheek。



〃I'm not hurt; Bob  only a splinter struck me。  I

think he hit one of the wheel…spokes。〃



〃Lord!〃  groaned Littlefield。  〃If I only had a charge

of buckshot!〃



The ruffian got his horse still; and took careful aim。

Fly gave a snort and fell in the harness; struck in the

neck。  Bess; now disabused of the idea that plover were

being fired at; broke her traces and galloped wildly

away  Mexican Sam sent a ball neatly through the

fulness of Nancy Derwent's shooting jacket。



〃Lie down  lie down!〃  snapped Littlefield。  〃close

to the horse  flat on the ground  so。〃  He almost

threw her upon the grass against the back of the recum…

bent Fly。  Oddly enough; at that moment the words of

the Mexican girl returned to his mind:



〃If the life of the girl you love is ever in danger; remem…

ber Rafael Ortiz。〃



Littlefield uttered an exclamation。



〃Open fire on him; Nan; across the horse's back。

Fire as fast as you can!  You can't hurt him; but keep

him dodging shot for one minute while I try to work a

little scheme。〃



Nancy gave a quick glance at Littlefield; and saw him

take out his pocket…knife and open it。  Then she turned

her face to obey orders; keeping up a rapid fire at the

enemy。



Mexico Sam waited patiently until this innocuous

fusillade ceased。  He had plenty of time; and he did not

care to risk the chance of a bird…shot in his eye when

could be avoided by a little caution。  He pulled his

heavy Stetson low down over his face until the shots ceased。



Then he drew a little nearer; and fired with careful aim

at what he could see of his victims above the fallen horse。

Neither of them moved。  He urged his horse a few

steps nearer。  He saw the district attorney rise to one

knee and deliberately level his shotgun。  He pulled his

hat down and awaited the harmless rattle of the tiny

pellets。



The shotgun blazed with a heavy report。  Mexico

Sam sighed; turned limp all over; and slowly fell from

his horse  a dead rattlesnake。



At ten o'clock the next morning court opened; and the

case of the United States versus Rafael Ortiz was called。

The district attorney; with his arm in a sling; rose and

addressed the court。



〃May it please your honour;〃 he said; 〃I desire to

enter a nolle pros。 in this case。  Even though the defend…

ant should be guilty; there is not sufficient evidence in the

hands of the government to secure a conviction。  The

piece of counterfeit coin upon the identity of which the

case was built is not now available as evidence。  I ask;

therefore; that the case be stricken off。〃



At the noon recess Kilpatrick strolled into the district

attorney's office。



〃I've just been down to take a squint at old Mexico

Sam;〃 said the deputy。  〃They've got him laid out。

Old Mexico was a tough outfit; I reckon。  The boys

was wonderin' down there what you shot him with。  Some

said it must have been nails。  I never see a gun carry

anything to make holes like he had。〃



〃I shot him;〃 said the district attorney; 〃with Exhibit

A of your counterfeiting case。  Lucky thing for me 

and somebody else  that it was as bad money as it was!

It sliced up into slugs very nicely。  Say; Kil; can't you

go down to the jacals and find where that Mexican girl

lives?  Miss Derwent wants to know。〃







              A NEWSPAPER STORY



AT 8 A。 M。 it lay on Giuseppi's news…stand; still damp

from the presses。  Giuseppi; with the cunning of his ilk;

philandered on the opposite co

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