roads of destiny-第60节

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　engage　in　rucuses；　but　I　got　to　be　home　by　seven。　You　lock　the　door　after　me；　Buck。　And　don't　you　forgetI　won　three　out　of　them　five　games。　I'd　play　longer；　but　Mariana'

〃'Hush　up；　you　old　locoed　road　runner；'　I　interrupts。　'Did　you　ever　notice　your　Uncle　Buck　locking　doors　against　trouble？　I'm　not　married；'　says　I；　'but　I'm　as　big　a　dn　fool　as　any　Mormon。　One　from　four　leaves　three；'　says　I；　and　I　gathers　out　another　leg　of　the　table。　'We'll　get　home　by　seven；'　says　I；　'whether　it's　the　heavenly　one　or　the　other。　May　I　see　you　home？'　says　I；　'you　sarsaparilla…　drinking；　checker…playing　glutton　for　death　and　destruction。'

〃We　opened　the　door　easy；　and　then　stampeded　for　the　front。　Part　of　the　gang　was　lined　up　at　the　bar；　part　of　'em　was　passing　over　the　drinks；　and　two　or　three　was　peeping　out　the　door　and　window　and　taking　shots　at　the　marshal's　crowd。　The　room　was　so　full　of　smoke　we　got　half…way　to　the　front　door　before　they　noticed　us。　Then　I　heard　Berry　Trimble's　voice　somewhere　yell　out：

〃'How'd　that　Buck　Caperton　get　in　here？'　and　he　skinned　the　side　of　my　neck　with　a　bullet。　I　reckon　he　felt　bad　over　that　miss；　for　Berry's　the　best　shot　south　of　the　Southern　Pacific　Railroad。　But　the　smoke　in　the　saloon　was　some　too　thick　for　good　shooting。

〃Me　and　Perry　smashed　over　two　of　the　gang　with　our　table　legs；　which　didn't　miss　like　the　guns　did；　and　as　we　run　out　the　door　I　grabbed　a　Winchester　from　a　fellow　who　was　watching　the　outside；　and　I　turned　and　regulated　the　account　of　Mr。　Berry。

〃Me　and　Perry　got　out　and　around　the　corner　all　right。　I　never　much　expected　to　get　out；　but　I　wasn't　going　to　be　intimidated　by　that　married　man。　According　to　Perry's　idea；　checkers　was　the　event　of　the　day；　but　if　I　am　any　judge　of　gentle　recreations　that　little　table…leg　parade　through　the　Gray　Mule　saloon　deserved　the　head…lines　in　the　bill　of　particulars。

〃'Walk　fast；'　says　Perry；　'it's　two　minutes　to　seven；　and　I　got　to　be　home　by'

〃'Oh；　shut　up；'　says　I。　'I　had　an　appointment　as　chief　performer　at　an　inquest　at　seven；　and　I'm　not　kicking　about　not　keeping　it。'

〃I　had　to　pass　by　Perry's　little　house。　His　Mariana　was　standing　at　the　gate。　We　got　there　at　five　minutes　past　seven。　She　had　on　a　blue　wrapper；　and　her　hair　was　pulled　back　smooth　like　little　girls　do　when　they　want　to　look　grown…folksy。　She　didn't　see　us　till　we　got　close；　for　she　was　gazing　up　the　other　way。　Then　she　backed　around；　and　saw　Perry；　and　a　kind　of　a　look　scooted　around　over　her　facedanged　if　I　can　describe　it。　I　heard　her　breathe　long；　just　like　a　cow　when　you　turn　her　calf　in　the　lot；　and　she　says：　'You're　late；　Perry。'

〃'Five　minutes；'　says　Perry；　cheerful。　'Me　and　old　Buck　was　having　a　game　of　checkers。'

〃Perry　introduces　me　to　Mariana；　and　they　ask　me　to　come　in。　No；　sir…ee。　I'd　had　enough　truck　with　married　folks　for　that　day。　I　says　I'll　be　going　along；　and　that　I've　spent　a　very　pleasant　afternoon　with　my　old　partner'especially；'　says　I；　just　to　jostle　Perry；　'during　that　game　when　the　table　legs　came　all　loose。'　But　I'd　promised　him　not　to　let　her　know　anything。

〃I've　been　worrying　over　that　business　ever　since　it　happened；〃　continued　Buck。　〃There's　one　thing　about　it　that's　got　me　all　twisted　up；　and　I　can't　figure　it　out。〃

〃What　was　that？〃　I　asked；　as　I　rolled　and　handed　Buck　the　last　cigarette。

〃Why；　I'll　tell　you：　When　I　saw　the　look　that　little　woman　gave　Perry　when　she　turned　round　and　saw　him　coming　back　to　the　ranch　safewhy　was　it　I　got　the　idea　all　in　a　minute　that　that　look　of　hers　was　worth　more　than　the　whole　caboodle　of　ussarsaparilla；　checkers；　and　all；　and　that　the　dn　fool　in　the　game　wasn't　named　Perry　Rountree　at　all？〃





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