roads of destiny-第32节

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　was　about　6；500　in　cash　in　the　bag。　On　Saturday　morning　I　went　to　the　office　as　usual。　The　safe　was　locked；　and　Bob　was　writing　at　his　desk。　I　opened　the　safe；　and　the　money　was　gone。　I　called　Bob；　and　roused　everybody　in　the　court…house　to　announce　the　robbery。　It　struck　me　that　Bob　took　it　pretty　quiet；　considering　how　much　it　reflected　upon　both　him　and　me。

〃Two　days　went　by　and　we　never　got　a　clew。　It　couldn't　have　been　burglars；　for　the　safe　had　been　opened　by　the　combination　in　the　proper　way。　People　must　have　begun　to　talk；　for　one　afternoon　in　comes　Alicethat's　my　wifeand　the　boy　and　girl；　and　Alice　stamps　her　foot；　and　her　eyes　flash；　and　she　cries　out；　'The　lying　wretchesTom；　Tom！'　and　I　catch　her　in　a　faint；　and　bring　her　'round　little　by　little；　and　she　lays　her　head　down　and　cries　and　cries　for　the　first　time　since　she　took　Tom　Kingman's　name　and　fortunes。　And　Jack　and　Zillathe　youngstersthey　were　always　wild　as　tiger　cubs　to　rush　over　Bob　and　climb　all　over　him　whenever　they　were　allowed　to　come　to　the　court…housethey　stood　and　kicked　their　little　shoes；　and　herded　together　like　scared　partridges。　They　were　having　their　first　trip　down　into　the　shadows　of　life。　Bob　was　working　at　his　desk；　and　he　got　up　and　went　out　without　a　word。　The　grand　jury　was　in　session　then；　and　the　next　morning　Bob　went　before　them　and　confessed　that　he　stole　the　money。　He　said　he　lost　it　in　a　poker　game。　In　fifteen　minutes　they　had　found　a　true　bill　and　sent　me　the　warrant　to　arrest　the　man　with　whom　I'd　been　closer　than　a　thousand　brothers　for　many　a　year。

〃I　did　it；　and　then　I　said　to　Bob；　pointing：　'There's　my　house；　and　here's　my　office；　and　up　there's　Maine；　and　out　that　way　is　California；　and　over　there　is　Floridaand　that's　your　range　'til　court　meets。　You're　in　my　charge；　and　I　take　the　responsibility。　You　be　here　when　you're　wanted。'

〃'Thanks；　Tom；'　he　said；　kind　of　carelessly；　'I　was　sort　of　hoping　you　wouldn't　lock　me　up。　Court　meets　next　Monday；　so；　if　you　don't　object；　I'll　just　loaf　around　the　office　until　then。　I've　got　one　favour　to　ask；　if　it　isn't　too　much。　If　you'd　let　the　kids　come　out　in　the　yard　once　in　a　while　and　have　a　romp　I'd　like　it。'

〃'Why　not？'　I　answered　him。　'They're　welcome；　and　so　are　you。　And　come　to　my　house；　the　same　as　ever。'　You　see；　Mr。　Nettlewick；　you　can't　make　a　friend　of　a　thief；　but　neither　can　you　make　a　thief　of　a　friend；　all　at　once。〃

The　examiner　made　no　answer。　At　that　moment　was　heard　the　shrill　whistle　of　a　locomotive　pulling　into　the　depot。　That　was　the　train　on　the　little；　narrow…gauge　road　that　struck　into　San　Rosario　from　the　south。　The　major　cocked　his　ear　and　listened　for　a　moment；　and　looked　at　his　watch。　The　narrow…gauge　was　in　on　time10。35。　The　major　continued：

〃So　Bob　hung　around　the　office；　reading　the　papers　and　smoking。　I　put　another　deputy　to　work　in　his　place；　and　after　a　while；　the　first　excitement　of　the　case　wore　off。

〃One　day　when　we　were　alone　in　the　office　Bob　came　over　to　where　I　was　sitting。　He　looked　sort　of　grim　and　bluethe　same　look　he　used　to　get　when　he'd　been　up　watching　for　Indians　all　night　or　herd…riding。

〃'Tom；'　says　he；　'it's　harder　than　standing　off　redskins；　it's　harder　than　lying　in　the　lava　desert　forty　miles　from　water；　but　I'm　going　to　stick　it　out　to　the　end。　You　know　that's　been　my　style。　But　if　you'd　tip　me　the　smallest　kind　of　a　signif　you'd　just　say；　〃Bob　I　understand；〃　why；　it　would　make　it　lots　easier。'

〃I　was　surprised。　'I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　Bob；'　I　said。　'Of　course；　you　know　that　I'd　do　anything　under　the　sun　to　help　you　that　I　could。　But　you've　got　me　guessing。'

〃'All　right；　Tom；'　was　all　he　said；　and　he　went　back　to　his　newspaper　and　lit　another　cigar。

〃It　was　the　night　before　court　met　when　I　found　out　what　he　meant。　I　went　to　bed　that　night　with　that　same　old；　light…headed；　nervous　feeling　come　back　upon　me。　I　dropped　off　to　sleep　about　midnight。　When　I　awoke　I　was　standing　half　dressed　in　one　of　the　court…house　corridors。　Bob　was　holding　one　of　my　arms；　our　family　doctor　the　other；　and　Alice　was　shaking　me　and　half　crying。　She　had　sent　for　the　doctor　without　my　knowing　it；　and　when　he　came　they　had　found　me　out　of　bed　and　missing；　and　had　begun　a　search。

〃'Sleep…walking；'　said　the　doctor。

〃All　of　us　went　back　to　the　house；　and　the　doctor　told　us　some　remarkable　stories　about　the　strange　things　people　had　done　while　in　that　condition。　I　was　feeling　rather　chilly　after　my　trip　out；　and；　as　my　wife　was　out　of　the　room　at　the　time；　I　pulled　open　the　door　of　an　old　wardrobe　that　stood　in　the　room　and　dragged　out　a　big　quilt　I　had　seen　in　there。　With　it　tumbled　out　the　bag　of　money　for　stealing　which　Bob　was　to　be　triedand　convictedin　the　morning。

〃'How　the　jumping　rattlesnakes　did　that　get　there？'　I　yelled；　and　all　hands　must　have　seen　how　surprised　I　was。　Bob　knew　in　a　flash。

〃'You　darned　old　snoozer；'　he　said；　with　the　old…time　look　on　his　face；　'I　saw　you　put　it　there。　I　watched　you　open　the　safe　and　take　it　out；　and　I　followed　you。　I　looked　through　the　window　and　saw　you　hide　it　in　that　wardrobe。'

〃'Then；　you　blankety…blank；　flop…eared；　sheep…headed　coyote；　what　did　you　say　you　took　it；　for？'

〃'Because；'　said　Bob；　simply；　'I　didn't　know　you　were　asleep。'

〃I　saw　him　glance　toward　the　door　of　the　room　where　Jack　and　Zilla　were；　and　I　knew　then　what　it　meant　to　be　a　man's　friend　from　Bob's　point　of　view。〃

Major　Tom　paused；　and　again　directed　his　glance　out　of　the　window。　He　saw　some　one　in　the　Stockmen's　National　Bank　reach　and　draw　a　yellow　shade　down　the　whole　length　of　its　plate…glass；　big　front　window；　although　the　position　of　the　sun　did　not　seem　to　warrant　such　a　defensive　movement　against　its　rays。

Nettlewick　sat　up　straight　in　his　chair。　He　had　listened　patiently；　but　without　consuming　interest；　to　the　major's　story。　It　had　impressed　him　as　irrelevant　to　the　situation；　and　it　could　certainly　have　no　effect　upon　the　consequences。　Those　Western　people；　he　thought；　had　an　exaggerated　sentimentality。　They　were　not　business…like。　They　needed　to　be　protected　from　their　friends。　Evidently　the　major　had　concluded。　And　what　he　had　said　amounted　to　nothing。

〃May　I　ask；〃　said　the　examiner；　〃if　you　have　anything　further　to　say　that　bears　directly　upon　the　question　of　those　abstracted　securities？〃

〃Abstracted　securities；　sir！〃　Major　Tom　turned　suddenly　in　his　chair；　his　blue　eyes　flashing　upon　the　examiner。　〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃

He　drew　from　his　coat　pocket　a　batch　of　folded　papers　held　together　by　a　rubber　band；　tossed　them　into　Nettlewick's　hands；　and　rose　to　his　feet。

〃You'll　find　those　securities　there；　sir；　every　stock；　bond；　and　share　of　'em。　I　took　them　from　the　notes　while　you　were　counting　the　cash。　Examine　and　compare　them　for　yourself。〃

The　major　led　the　way　back　into　the　banking　room。　The　examiner；　astounded；　perplexed；　nettled；　at　sea；　followed。　He　felt　that　he　had　been　made　the　victim　of　something　that　was　not　exactly　a　hoax；　but　that　left　him　in　the　shoes　of　one　who　had　been　played　upon；　used；　and　then　discarded；　without　even　an　inkling　of　the　game。　Perhaps；　also；　his　official　position　had　been　irreverently　juggled　with。　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　take　hold　of。　An　official　report　of　the　matter　would　be　an　absurdity。　And；　somehow；　he　felt　that　he　would　never　know　anything　more　about　the　matter　than　he　did　then。

Frigidly；　mechanically；　Nettlewick　examined　the　securities；　found　them　to　tally　with　the　notes；　gathered　his　black　wallet；　and　rose　to　depart。

〃I　will　say；〃　he　protested；　turning　the　indignant　glare　of　his　glasses　upon　Major　Kingman；　〃that　your　statementsyour　misleading　statements；　which　you　have　not　condescended　to　explaindo　not　appear　to　be　quite　the　thing；　regarded　either　as　business　or　humour。　I　do　not　understand　such　motives　or　actions。〃

Major　Tom　looked　down　at　him　serenely　and　not　unkindly。

〃Son；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　plenty　of　things　in　the　chaparral；　and　on　the　prairies；　and　up　the　canyons　that　you　don't　understand。　But　I　want　to　thank　you　for　listening　to　a　garrulous　old　man's　prosy　story。　We　old　Texans　love　to　talk　about　our　adventures　and　our　old　comrades；　and　the　home　folks　have　long　ago　learned　to　run　when　we　begin　with　'Once　upon　a　time；'　so　we　have　to　spin　our　yarns　to　the　stranger　within　our　gates。〃

The　major　smiled；　but　the　examiner　only　bowed　coldly；　and　abruptly　quitted　the　bank。　They　saw　him　travel　diagonally　across　the　street　in　a　straight　line　and　enter　the　Stockmen's　National　Bank。

Major　Tom　sat　down　at　his　desk；　and　drew　from　his　vest　pocket　the　note　Roy　had　given　him。　He　had　read　it　once；　but　hurriedly；　and　now；　with　something　like　a　twinkle　in　his　eyes；　he　read　it　again。　These　were　the　words　he　read：

　　Dear　Tom：

　　I　hear　there's　one　of　Uncle　Sam's　grayhounds　going　through　you；　　　and　that　means　that　we'll　catch　him　inside　of　a　couple　of　hours；　　　maybe。　Now；　I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me。　We've　got　just　　　2；200　in　the　bank；　and　the　law　requires　that　we　have　20；000。　I　　　let　Ross　and　Fisher　have　18；000　late　yesterday　afternoon　to　buy　　　up　that　Gibson　bunch　of　cattle。　They'll　realise　40；000　in　less　　　than　thirty　days　on　the　transaction；　but　that　won't　make　my　cash　　　on　hand　look　any　prettier