roads of destiny-第23节
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re than respectable diamond shone on his finger as he rolled a shuck cigarette。
〃What's doing？〃 asked Thacker。
〃Nothing much；〃 said the Kid calmly。 〃I eat my first iguana steak to…day。 They're them big lizards； you /sabe/？ I reckon； though； that frijoles and side bacon would do me about as well。 Do you care for iguanas； Thacker？〃
〃No； nor for some other kinds of reptiles；〃 said Thacker。
It was three in the afternoon； and in another hour he would be in his state of beatitude。
〃It's time you were making good； sonny；〃 he went on； with an ugly look on his reddened face。 〃You're not playing up to me square。 You've been the prodigal son for four weeks now； and you could have had veal for every meal on a gold dish if you'd wanted it。 Now； Mr。 Kid； do you think it's right to leave me out so long on a husk diet？ What's the trouble？ Don't you get your filial eyes on anything that looks like cash in the Casa Blanca？ Don't tell me you don't。 Everybody knows where old Urique keeps his stuff。 It's U。S。 currency； too； he don't accept anything else。 What's doing？ Don't say 'nothing' this time。〃
〃Why； sure；〃 said the Kid； admiring his diamond； 〃there's plenty of money up there。 I'm no judge of collateral in bunches； but I will undertake for to say that I've seen the rise of 50；000 at a time in that tin grub box that my adopted father calls his safe。 And he lets me carry the key sometimes just to show me that he knows I'm the real Francisco that strayed from the herd a long time ago。〃
〃Well； what are you waiting for？〃 asked Thacker； angrily。 〃Don't you forget that I can upset your apple…cart any day I want to。 If old Urique knew you were an imposter； what sort of things would happen to you？ Oh； you don't know this country； Mr。 Texas Kid。 The laws here have got mustard spread between 'em。 These people here'd stretch you out like a frog that had been stepped on； and give you about fifty sticks at every corner of the plaza。 And they'd wear every stick out； too。 What was left of you they'd feed to alligators。〃
〃I might just as well tell you now； pardner；〃 said the Kid； sliding down low on his steamer chair； 〃that things are going to stay just as they are。 They're about right now。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Thacker； rattling the bottom of his glass on his desk。
〃The scheme's off；〃 said the Kid。 〃And whenever you have the pleasure of speaking to me address me as Don Francisco Urique。 I'll guarantee I'll answer to it。 We'll let Colonel Urique keep his money。 His little tin safe is as good as the time…locker in the First National Bank of Laredo as far as you and me are concerned。〃
〃You're going to throw me down； then； are you？〃 said the consul。
〃Sure；〃 said the Kid cheerfully。 〃Throw you down。 That's it。 And now I'll tell you why。 The first night I was up at the colonel's house they introduced me to a bedroom。 No blankets on the floora real room； with a bed and things in it。 And before I was asleep； in comes this artificial mother and tucks in the covers。 'Panchito；' she says； 'my little lost one； God has brought you back to me。 I bless His name forever。' It was that； or some truck like that； she said。 And down comes a drop or two of rain and hits me on the nose。 And all that stuck by me； Mr。 Thacker。 And it's been that way ever since。 And it's got to stay that way。 Don't you think that it's for what's in it for me； either； that I say so。 If you have any such ideas； keep 'em to yourself。 I haven't had much truck with women in my life； and no mothers to speak of； but here's a lady that we've got to keep fooled。 Once she stood it； twice she won't。 I'm a low…down wolf； and the devil may have sent me on this trail instead of God； but I'll travel it to the end。 And now； don't forget that I'm Don Francisco Urique whenever you happen to mention my name。〃
〃I'll expose you to…day； youyou double…dyed traitor；〃 stammered Thacker。
The Kid arose and； without violence； took Thacker by the throat with a hand of steel； and shoved him slowly into a corner。 Then he drew from under his left arm his pearl…handled 。45 and poked the cold muzzle of it against the consul's mouth。
〃I told you why I come here；〃 he said； with his old freezing smile。 〃If I leave here； you'll be the reason。 Never forget it； pardner。 Now； what is my name？〃
〃ErDon Francisco Urique；〃 gasped Thacker。
From outside came a sound of wheels； and the shouting of some one； and the sharp thwacks of a wooden whipstock upon the backs of fat horses。
The Kid put up his gun； and walked toward the door。 But he turned again and came back to the trembling Thacker； and held up his left hand with its back toward the consul。
〃There's one more reason；〃 he said slowly； 〃why things have got to stand as they are。 The fellow I killed in Laredo had one of them same pictures on his left hand。〃
Outside； the ancient landau of Don Santos Urique rattled to the door。 The coachman ceased his bellowing。 Senora Urique； in a voluminous gay gown of white lace and flying ribbons； leaned forward with a happy look in her great soft eyes。
〃Are you within； dear son？〃 she called； in the rippling Castilian。
〃/Madre mia； yo vengo/ ＇mother； I come＇；〃 answered the young Don Francisco Urique。
IX
THE PASSING OF BLACK EAGLE
For some months of a certain year a grim bandit infested the Texas border along the Rio Grande。 Peculiarly striking to the optic nerve was this notorious marauder。 His personality secured him the title of 〃Black Eagle； the Terror of the Border。〃 Many fearsome tales are on record concerning the doings of him and his followers。 Suddenly； in the space of a single minute； Black Eagle vanished from earth。 He was never heard of again。 His own band never even guessed the mystery of his disappearance。 The border ranches and settlements feared he would come again to ride and ravage the mesquite flats。 He never will。 It is to disclose the fate of Black Eagle that this narrative is written。
The initial movement of the story is furnished by the foot of a bartender in St。 Louis。 His discerning eye fell upon the form of Chicken Ruggles as he pecked with avidity at the free lunch。 Chicken was a 〃hobo。〃 He had a long nose like the bill of a fowl； an inordinate appetite for poultry； and a habit of gratifying it without expense； which accounts for the name given him by his fellow vagrants。
Physicians agree that the partaking of liquids at meal times is not a healthy practice。 The hygiene of the saloon promulgates the opposite。 Chicken had neglected to purchase a drink to accompany his meal。 The bartender rounded the counter； caught the injudicious diner by the ear with a lemon squeezer； led him to the door and kicked him into the street。
Thus the mind of Chicken was brought to realize the signs of coming winter。 The night was cold； the stars shone with unkindly brilliancy； people were hurrying along the streets in two egotistic； jostling streams。 Men had donned their overcoats； and Chicken knew to an exact percentage the increased difficulty of coaxing dimes from those buttoned…in vest pockets。 The time had come for his annual exodus to the south。
A little boy； five or six years old； stood looking with covetous eyes in a confectioner's window。 In one small hand he held an empty two… ounce vial； in the other he grasped tightly something flat and round； with a shining milled edge。 The scene presented a field of operations commensurate to Chicken's talents and daring。 After sweeping the horizon to make sure that no official tug was cruising near； he insidiously accosted his prey。 The boy； having been early taught by his household to regard altruistic advances with extreme suspicion； received the overtures coldly。
Then Chicken knew that he must make one of those desperate； nerve… shattering plunges into speculation that fortune sometimes requires of those who would win her favour。 Five cents was his capital； and this he must risk against the chance of winning what lay within the close grasp of the youngster's chubby hand。 It was a fearful lottery； Chicken knew。 But he must accomplish his end by strategy； since he had a wholesome terror of plundering infants by force。 Once； in a park； driven by hunger； he had committed an onslaught upon a bottle of peptonized infant's food in the possession of an occupant of a baby carriage。 The outraged infant had so promptly opened its mouth and pressed the button that communicated with the welkin that help arrived； and Chicken did his thirty days in a snug coop。 Wherefore he was； as he said； 〃leary of kids。〃
Beginning artfully to question the boy concerning his choice of sweets； he gradually drew out the information he wanted。 Mamma said he was to ask the drug store man for ten cents' worth of paregoric in the bottle； he was to keep his hand shut tight over the dollar； he must not stop to talk to anyone in the street； he must ask the drug…store man to wrap up the change and put it in the pocket of his trousers。 Indeed； they had pocketstwo of them！ And he liked chocolate creams best。
Chicken went into the store and turned plunger。 He invested his entire capital in C。A。N。D。Y。 stocks； simply to pave the way to the greater risk following。
He gave the sweets to the youngster； and had the satisfaction of perceiving that confidence
