a waif of the plains-第11节

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〃why；　they're　huntin'　USdash　it！〃

Indeed；　there　was　no　doubt　that　their　frenzied　horses　were　flying
before　the　equally　frenzied　herd　behind　them。　　They　gained　a
momentary　advantage　by　riding　into　one　of　the　fissures；　and　out
again　on　the　other　side；　while　their　pursuers　were　obliged　to　make
a　detour。　　But　in　a　few　minutes　they　were　overtaken　by　that　part　of
the　herd　who　had　taken　the　other　and　nearer　side　of　the　lagoon；　and
were　now　fairly　in　the　midst　of　them。　　The　ground　shook　with　their
trampling　hoofs；　their　steaming　breath；　mingling　with　the　stinging
dust　that　filled　the　air；　half　choked　and　blinded　Clarence。　　He　was
dimly　conscious　that　Jim　had　wildly　thrown　his　hatchet　at　a　cow
buffalo　pressing　close　upon　his　flanks。　　As　they　swept　down　into
another　gully　he　saw　him　raise　his　fateful　gun　with　utter
desperation。　　Clarence　crouched　low　on　his　horse's　outstretched
neck。　　There　was　a　blinding　flash；　a　single　stunning　report　of　both
barrels；　Jim　reeled　in　one　way　half　out　of　the　saddle；　while　the
smoking　gun　seemed　to　leap　in　another　over　his　head；　and　then　rider
and　horse　vanished　in　a　choking　cloud　of　dust　and　gunpowder。　　A
moment　after　Clarence's　horse　stopped　with　a　sudden　check；　and　the
boy　felt　himself　hurled　over　its　head　into　the　gully；　alighting　on
something　that　seemed　to　be　a　bounding　cushion　of　curled　and
twisted　hair。　　It　was　the　shaggy　shoulder　of　an　enormous　buffalo！
For　Jim's　desperate　random　shot　and　double　charge　had　taken　effect
on　the　near　hind　leg　of　a　preceding　bull；　tearing　away　the　flesh
and　ham…stringing　the　animal；　who　had　dropped　in　the　gully　just　in
front　of　Clarence's　horse。

Dazed　but　unhurt；　the　boy　rolled　from　the　lifted　fore　quarters　of
the　struggling　brute　to　the　ground。　　When　he　staggered　to　his　feet
again；　not　only　his　horse　was　gone　but　the　whole　herd　of　buffaloes
seemed　to　have　passed　too；　and　he　could　hear　the　shouts　of　unseen
hunters　now　ahead　of　him。　　They　had　evidently　overlooked　his　fall；
and　the　gully　had　concealed　him。　　The　sides　before　him　were　too
steep　for　his　aching　limbs　to　climb；　the　slope　by　which　he　and　the
bull　had　descended　when　the　collision　occurred　was　behind　the
wounded　animal。　　Clarence　was　staggering　towards　it　when　the　bull；
by　a　supreme　effort；　lifted　itself　on　three　legs；　half　turned；　and
faced　him。

These　events　had　passed　too　quickly　for　the　inexperienced　boy　to
have　felt　any　active　fear；　or　indeed　anything　but　wild　excitement
and　confusion。　　But　the　spectacle　of　that　shaggy　and　enormous
front；　that　seemed　to　fill　the　whole　gully；　rising　with　awful
deliberation　between　him　and　escape；　sent　a　thrill　of　terror
through　his　frame。　　The　great；　dull；　bloodshot　eyes　glared　at　him
with　a　dumb；　wondering　fury；　the　large　wet　nostrils　were　so　near
that　their　first　snort　of　inarticulate　rage　made　him　reel　backwards
as　from　a　blow。　　The　gully　was　only　a　narrow　and　short　fissure　or
subsidence　of　the　plain；　a　few　paces　more　of　retreat　and　he　would
be　at　its　end；　against　an　almost　perpendicular　bank　fifteen　feet
high。　　If　he　attempted　to　climb　its　crumbling　sides　and　fell；　there
would　be　those　short　but　terrible　horns　waiting　to　impale　him！　　It
seemed　too　terrible；　too　cruel！　　He　was　so　small　beside　this
overgrown　monster。　　It　wasn't　fair！　　The　tears　started　to　his　eyes；
and　then；　in　a　rage　at　the　injustice　of　Fate；　he　stood　doggedly
still　with　clenched　fists。　　He　fixed　his　gaze　with　half…hysterical；
childish　fury　on　those　lurid　eyes；　he　did　not　know　that；　owing　to
the　strange　magnifying　power　of　the　bull's　convex　pupils；　he；
Clarence；　appeared　much　bigger　than　he　really　was　to　the　brute's
heavy　consciousness；　the　distance　from　him　most　deceptive；　and　that
it　was　to　this　fact　that　hunters　so　often　owed　their　escape。　　He
only　thought　of　some　desperate　means　of　attack。　　Ah！　the　six…
shooter。　　It　was　still　in　his　pocket。　　He　drew　it　nervously；
hopelesslyit　looked　so　small　compared　with　his　large　enemy！

He　presented　it　with　flashing　eyes；　and　pulled　the　trigger。　　A
feeble　click　followed；　another；　and　again！　　Even　THIS　had　mocked
him。　　He　pulled　the　trigger　once　more；　wildly；　there　was　a　sudden
explosion；　and　another。　　He　stepped　back；　the　balls　had　apparently
flattened　themselves　harmlessly　on　the　bull's　forehead。　　He　pulled
again；　hopelessly；　there　was　another　report；　a　sudden　furious
bellow；　and　the　enormous　brute　threw　his　head　savagely　to　one　side；
burying　his　left　horn　deep　in　the　crumbling　bank　beside　him。　　Again
and　again　he　charged　the　bank；　driving　his　left　horn　home；　and
bringing　down　the　stones　and　earth　in　showers。　　It　was　some　seconds
before　Clarence　saw　in　a　single　glimpse　of　that　wildly　tossing
crest　the　reason　of　this　fury。　　The　blood　was　pouring　from　his　left
eye；　penetrated　by　the　last　bullet；　the　bull　was　blinded！　　A
terrible　revulsion　of　feeling；　a　sudden　sense　of　remorse　that　was
for　the　moment　more　awful　than　even　his　previous　fear；　overcame
him。　　HE　had　done　THAT　THING！　　As　much　to　fly　from　the　dreadful
spectacle　as　any　instinct　of　self…preservation；　he　took　advantage
of　the　next　mad　paroxysms　of　pain　and　blindness；　that　always
impelled　the　suffering　beast　towards　the　left；　to　slip　past　him　on
the　right；　reach　the　incline；　and　scramble　wildly　up　to　the　plain
again。　　Here　he　ran　confusedly　forward；　not　knowing　whitheronly
caring　to　escape　that　agonized　bellowing；　to　shut　out　forever　the
accusing　look　of　that　huge　blood…weltering　eye。

Suddenly　he　heard　a　distant　angry　shout。　　To　his　first　hurried
glance　the　plain　had　seemed　empty；　but；　looking　up；　he　saw　two
horsemen　rapidly　advancing　with　a　led　horse　behind　themhis　own。
With　the　blessed　sense　of　relief　that　overtook　him　now　came　the
fevered　desire　for　sympathy　and　to　tell　them　all。　　But　as　they　came
nearer　he　saw　that　they　were　Gildersleeve；　the　scout；　and　Henry
Benham；　and　that；　far　from　sharing　any　delight　in　his　deliverance；
their　faces　only　exhibited　irascible　impatience。　　Overcome　by　this
new　defeat；　the　boy　stopped；　again　dumb　and　dogged。

〃Now；　then；　blank　it　all；　WILL　you　get　up　and　come　along；　or　do　you
reckon　to　keep　the　train　waiting　another　hour　over　your　blanked
foolishness？〃　said　Gildersleeve　savagely。

The　boy　hesitated；　and　then　mounted　mechanically；　without　a　word。

〃'Twould　have　served　'em　right　to　have　gone　and　left　'em；〃　muttered
Benham　vindictively。

For　one　wild　instant　Clarence　thought　of　throwing　himself　from　his
horse　and　bidding　them　go　on　and　leave　him。　　But　before　he　could
put　his　thought　into　action　the　two　men　were　galloping　forward；
with　his　horse　led　by　a　lariat　fastened　to　the　horn　of
Gildersleeve's　saddle。

In　two　hours　more　they　had　overtaken　the　train；　already　on　the
march；　and　were　in　the　midst　of　the　group　of　outriders。　　Judge
Peyton's　face；　albeit　a　trifle　perplexed；　turned　towards　Clarence
with　a　kindly；　half…tolerant　look　of　welcome。　　The　boy's　heart
instantly　melted　with　forgiveness。

〃Well；　my　boy；　let's　hear　YOUR　story。　　What　happened？〃

Clarence　cast　a　hurried　glance　around；　and　saw　Jim；　with　face
averted；　riding　gloomily　behind。　　Then　nervously　and　hurriedly　he
told　how　he　had　been　thrown　into　the　gully　on　the　back　of　the
wounded　buffalo；　and　the　manner　of　his　escape。　　An　audible　titter
ran　through　the　cavalcade。　　Mr。　Peyton　regarded　him　gravely。　　〃But
how　did　the　buffalo　get　so　conveniently　into　the　gully？〃　he　asked。

〃Jim　Hooker　lamed　him　with　a　shotgun；　and　he　fell　over；〃　said
Clarence　timidly。

A　roar　of　Homeric　laughter　went　up　from　the　party。　　Clarence　looked
up；　stung　and　startled；　but　caught　a　single　glimpse　of　Jim　Hooker's
face　that　made　him　forget　his　own　mortification。　　In　its　hopeless；
heart…sick；　and　utterly　beaten　dejectionthe　first　and　only　real
expression　he　had　seen　on　ithe　read　the　dreadful　truth。　　Jim's
REPUTATION　had　ruined　him！　　The　one　genuine　and　striking　episode　of
his　life；　the　one　trustworthy　account　he　had　given　of　it；　had　been
unanimously　accepted　as　the　biggest　and　most　consummate　lie　of　his
record！


CHAPTER　VII


With　this　incident　of　the　hunt　closed；　to　Clarence；　the　last
remembered　episode　of　his　journey。　　But　he　did　not　know　until　long
after　that　it　had　also　closed　to　him　what　might　have　been　the
opening　of　a　new　career。　　For　it　had　been　Judge　Peyton's　intention
in　adopting　Susy　to　include　a　certain　guardianship　and　protection
of　the　boy；　provided　he　could　get　the　consent　of　that　vague
relation　to　whom　he　was　consigned。　　But　it　had　been　pointed　out　by
Mrs。　Peyton　and　her　brother　that　Clarence's　association　with　Jim
Hooker　had　made　him　a　doubtful　companion　for　Susy；　and　even　the
Judge　himself　was　forced　to　admit　that　the　boy's　apparent　taste　for
evil　company　was　inconsistent　with　his　alleged　birth　and　breeding。
Unfortunately；　Clarence；　in　the　conviction　of　being　hopelessly
misunderstood；　and　that　dogged　acquiescence　to　fate　which　was　one
of　his　characteristics；　was　too　proud　to　correct　the　impression　by
any　of　the　hypocracies　of　childhood。　　He　had　also　a　cloudy　instinct
of　loyalty　to　Jim　in　his　disgrace；　without；　however；　experiencing
either　the　sympathy　of　an　equal　or　the　zeal　of　a　partisan；　but
ratherif　it　could　be　said　of　a　boy　of　his　yearswith　the
patronage　and　protection　o