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第36节

whirligigs-第36节

小说: whirligigs 字数: 每页4000字

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don't have so many limitations。  I make a turn now and

then。〃



〃Yes; but you must take them;〃 said Tommy; loading

his arms with the bundles。



〃Bless you; young master!〃  recited the burglar;

obedient。  〃Second…Story Saul will never forget you。

And now hurry and let me out; kid。  Our 2;000 words

must be nearly up。〃



Tommy led the way through the hall toward the front

door。  Suddenly the burglar stopped and called to him

softly: 〃Ain't there a cop out there in front somewhere

sparking the girl?〃



〃Yes;〃 said Tommy; 〃but what  〃



〃I'm afraid he'll catch me;〃 said the burglar。  〃You

mustn't forget that this is fiction。〃



〃Great head!〃  said Tommy; turning。  〃Come out

by the back door。〃







           A CHAPARRAL CHRISTMAS GIFT



The original cause of the trouble was about twenty

years in growing。



At the end of that time it was worth it。



Had you lived anywhere within fifty miles of Sun…

down Ranch you would have heard of it。  It possessed

a quantity of jet…black hair; a pair of extremely frank;

deep…brown eyes and a laugh that rippled across the

prairie like the sound of a hidden brook。  The name of

it was Rosita McMullen; and she was the daughter of

old man McMullen of the Sundown Sheep Ranch。



There came riding on red roan steeds  or; to be more

explicit; on a paint and a flea…bitten sorrel  two wooers。

One was Madison Lane; and the other was the Frio Kid;

But at that time they did not call him the Frio Kid; for

he had not earned the honours of special nomenclature…

His name was simply Johnny McRoy。



It must not be supposed that these two were the sum

of the agreeable Rosita's admirers。  The bronchos of a

dozen others champed their bits at the long hitching

rack of the Sundown Ranch。  Many were the sheeps'…

eves that were cast in those savannas that did not belong。

to the flocks of Dan McMullen。  But of all the cavaliers;

Madison Lane and Johnny MeRoy galloped far ahead;

wherefore they are to be chronicled。



Madison Lane; a young cattleman from the Nueces

country; won the race。  He and Rosita were married one

Christmas day。  Armed; hilarious; vociferous; mag…

nanimous; the cowmen and the sheepmen; laying aside

their hereditary hatred; joined forces to celebrate the

occasion。



Sundown Ranch was sonorous with the cracking of

jokes and sixshooters; the shine of buckles and bright

eyes; the outspoken congratulations of the herders of kine。



But while the wedding feast was at its liveliest there

descended upon it Johnny MeRoy; bitten by jealousy;

like one possessed。



〃I'll give you a Christmas present;〃 he yelled; shrilly;

at the door; with his 。45 in his hand。  Even then he had

some reputation as an offhand shot。



His first bullet cut a neat underbit in Madison Lane's

right ear。  The barrel of his gun moved an inch。  The

next shot would have been the bride's had not Carson; a

sheepman; possessed a mind with triggers somewhat well

oiled and in repair。  The guns of the wedding party

had been hung; in their belts; upon nails in the wall when

they sat at table; as a concession to good taste。  But

Carson; with great promptness; hurled his plate of roast

venison and frijoles at McRoy; spoiling his aim。  The

second bullet; then; only shattered the white petals of a

Spanish dagger flower suspended two feet above Rosita's

head。



The guests spurned their chairs and jumped for their

weapons。  It was considered an improper act to shoot

the bride and groom at a wedding。  In about six seconds

there were twenty or so bullets due to be whizzing in the

direction of Mr。 McRoy。



〃I'll shoot better next time;〃 yelled Johnny; 〃and

there'll be a next time。〃  He backed rapidly out the

door。



Carson; the sheepman; spurred on to attempt further

exploits by the success of his plate…throwing; was first to

reach the door。  McRoy's bullet from the darkness laid

him low。



The cattlemen then swept out upon him; calling for

vengeance; for; while the slaughter of a sheepman has

not always lacked condonement; it was a decided mis…

demeanour in this instance。  Carson was innocent; he

was no accomplice at the matrimonial proceedings; nor

had any one heard him quote the line 〃Christmas comes

but once a year〃 to the guests。



But the sortie failed in its vengeance。  McRoy was on

his horse and away; shouting back curses and threats as

he galloped into the concealing chaparral。



That night was the birthnight of the Frio Kid。  He

became the 〃bad man〃 of that portion of the State。

The rejection of his suit by Miss McMullen turned him

to a dangerous man。  When officers went after him for

the shooting of Carson; he killed two of them; and entered

upon the life of an outlaw。  He became a marvellous shot

with either hand。  He would turn up in towns and

settlements; raise a quarrel at the slightest opportunity;

pick off his man and laugh at the officers of the law。  He

was so cool; so deadly; so rapid; so inhumanly blood…

thirsty that none but faint attempts were ever made to

capture him。  When he was at last shot and killed by a

little one…armed Mexican who was nearly dead himself

from fright; the Frio Kid had the deaths of eighteen men

on his head。  About half of these were killed in fair duels

depending upon the quickness of the draw。  The other

half were men whom be assassinated from absolute

wantonness and cruelty。



Many tales are told along the border of his impudent

courage and daring。  But he was not one of the breed of

desperadoes who have seasons of generosity and even of

softness。  They say he never had mercy on the object

of his anger。  Yet at this and every Christmastide it is

well to give each one credit; if it can be done; for what…

ever speck of good he may have possessed。  If the Frio

Kid ever did a kindly act or felt a throb of generosity in his

heart it was once at such a time and season; and this is

the way it happened。



One who has been crossed in love should never breathe

the odour from the blossoms of the ratama tree。  It stirs

the memory to a dangerous degree。



One December in the Frio country there was a ratama

tree in full bloom; for the winter had been as warm as

springtime。  That way rode the Frio Kid and his satellite

aW co…murderer; Mexican Frank。  The kid reined in

his mustang; and sat in his saddle; thoughtful and grim;

with dangerously narrowing eyes。  The rich; sweet scent

touched him somewhere beneath his ice and iron。



〃I don't know what I've been thinking about; Mex;〃  

he remarked in his usual mild drawl; 〃to have forgot all

about a Christmas present I got to give。  I'm going to

ride over to…morrow night and shoot Madison Lane in

his own house。  He got my girl  Rosita would have

had me if he hadn't cut into the game。  I wonder why I

happened to overlook it up to now?〃



〃Ah; shucks; Kid;〃 said Mexican; 〃don't talk foolish…

ness。  You know you can't get within a mile of Mad

Lane's house to…morrow night。  I see old man Allen

day before yesterday; and he says Mad is going to

have Christmas doings at his house。  You remember

how you shot up the festivities when Mad was married;

and about the threats you made?  Don't you suppose

Mad Lane'll kind of keep his eye open for a certain

Mr。 Kid?  You plumb make me tired; Kid; with such

remarks。〃



〃I'm going;〃 repeated the Frio Kid; without heat;

〃to go to Madison Lane's Christmas doings; and kill

him。  I ought to have done it a long time ago。  Why;

Mex; just two weeks ago I dreamed me and Rosita was

married instead of her and him; and we was living in a

house; and I could see her smiling at me; and  oh!  hl;

Mex; he got her; and I'll get him  yes; sir; on Christmas

Eve he got her; and then's when I'll get him。〃



〃There's other ways of committing suicide;〃 advised

Mexican。  〃Why don't you go and surrender to the

sheriff?〃



〃I'll get him;〃 said the Kid。



Christmas Eve fell as balmy as April。  Perhaps there

was a hint of far…away frostiness in the air; but it tingles

like seltzer; perfumed faintly with late prairie blossoms

and the mesquite grass。



When night came the five or six rooms of the ranch…

house were brightly lit。  In one room was a Christmas

tree; for the Lanes had a boy of three; and a dozen or

more guests were expected from the nearer ranches。



At nightfall Madison Lane called aside Jim Belcher

and three other cowboys employed on his ranch。



〃Now; boys;〃 said Lane; 〃keep your eyes open。  Walk

around the house and watch the road well。  All of you

know the 'Frio Kid;' as they call him now; and if you

see him; open fire on him without asking any questions。

I'm not afraid of his coming around; but Rosita is。  She's

been afraid he'd come in on us every Christmas since we

were married。〃



The guests had arrived in buckboards and on

horseback; and were making themselves comfortable

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