lla.theburninghills-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Below　him　the　stream　gulped　and　fussed　among　the　rocks；　a　bird　fluttered　his　plumage。　Then　far　up　the　canyon；　a　hoof　struck　stone。
　Trace　Jordan　came　soundlessly　to　his　feet　and　took　up　his　rifle。　He　crossed　the　rocks　to　a　position　where　he　could　see　the　trail。　And　then　for　a　long　time　the　night　was　still。
　Vicente　was　at　the　table　when　Maria　Cristina　came　from　her　room。　Surprised　to　find　him　around　so　early；　she　went　past　him　to　the　fire。　Coffee　water　was　on　and　she　added　coffee。
　Vicente　looked　up　from　the　table。　〃Do　not　take　the　sheep　out。〃
　She　turned　to　look　at　him。　His　face　seemed　older　in　the　morning　light；　quieter　than　she　had　ever　remembered　it
　〃I　will　take　them；〃　he　said。
　〃You？〃　She　was　astonished。
　〃They　must　be　saved。〃
　She　stood　up　then　and　faced　him。　The　sun　was　not　yet　up　and　the　two　were　alone　in　the　room。　For　the　first　time　she　saw　the　rifle　by　his　chair　and　he　wore　an　extra　cartridge　belt　。。。　it　had　been　her　father's　belt。
　〃You　think　they　will　e　here？〃
　〃They　will　e；〃　he　said。　She　turned　from　him　and　broke　an　egg　into　the　pan；　trying　to　order　her　thoughts。　Vicente　was　different。　He　was　a　man。　She　looked　at　him；　puzzled　by　this　change　in　a　brother　she　now　felt　she　had　never　understood。
　〃I　will　take　the　sheep　to　the　Notch；〃　he　said。　〃They　will　not　look　for　them　there。〃
　This；　then；　was　what　Vicente　had　sought　to　avoid。　Now　that　it　had　e　he　was　no　longer　afraid。　Shame　filled　her。　Shame　that　she　had　doubted　him；　shame　that　hers　had　been　the　fault
　There　was　quiet　resolution　in　his　narrow　face　and　she　realized　at　last　that　he　had　never　been　afraid；　only　he　had　sought　to　avoid　an　issue　that　could　only　result　in　defeat　and　destruction　for　the　Chaveros。
　〃Vicente　。。。〃　It　was　as　near　as　she　ever　came　to　a　plea　for　understanding。　〃He　is　a　good　man。　I　could　not　let　him　die。〃
　He　took　the　eggs　from　the　pan；　a　tortilla　from　the　warm　pile　on　the　plate。　〃It　is　enough　that　you　have　a　man。〃
　She　returned　to　the　fire；　humbled　by　his　quiet　dignity。　He　would　take　die　sheep　to　the　Notch。　It　was；　of　course；　the　best　place　for　them。　The　Sutton　riders　did　not　like　sheep　but　out　of　sight　might　also　be　out　of　mind。　The　Chaveros　could　build　another　house　but　the　sheep　were　all　they　had。
　〃Take　the　others　with　you；〃　she　said。
　〃And　you？〃
　〃It　is　I　they　will　want。　If　I　am　not　here　they　will　follow。〃
　〃You　are　my　sister。　I　will　stay。〃
　〃Go　。。。　I　can　handle　them。〃
　Vicente　hesitated。　The　others　would　need　him。　Juanito　was　too　young　and　without　Maria　Cristina　or　himself　his　mother　would　be　helpless。　And　his　wife；　Rosa　。。。　she　was　a　fine　girl　but　she　did　not　plan。
　Maria　Cristina　had　handled　men　before。　This　time　she　might　succeed　where　his　presence　might　precipitate　violence。
　The　sun　was　not　yet　up　when　she　saw　them　go。　Juanito　started　ahead　with　the　sheep；　then　her　mother　and　Rosa　with　the　burros；　loaded　with　some　useful；　some　foolish　things。　Vicente　held　his　rifle　in　the　hollow　of　his　arm　and　this　morning　for　the　first　time　he　had　tied　down　his　holster。　He　stood　very　straight　this　morning　and　his　eyes　were　proud。　Yet　he　was　quiet　at　the　end。　〃When　you　can　。。。　e。〃
　〃I　will；　Vicente。〃
　Dry…eyed；　they　stared　at　each　other；　this　brother　whom　she　had　despised　and　loved；　now　no　longer　to　be　despised。　There　had　never　been　emotion　between　them；　there　could　be　none　now。
　〃Vicente　。。。　go　with　God。〃
　He　turned　his　back　abruptly　and　caught　the　pommel。　An　instant　he　remained　so；　his　back　full　upon　her；　then　he　swung　to　the　saddle；　an　easy　grace　in　his　movements　she　had　not　noticed　before。
　He　turned　when　seated。　〃You　。。。　do　you　e　to　us　or　go　to　him？〃
　〃He　is　gone。〃　Within　her　the　words　created　a　strange　emptiness　where　none　had　been　before。　〃He　is　gone。〃
　〃He　will　e　back。　Is　he　a　fool　to　ride　away　from　such　a　woman？〃
　She　watched　him　ride　away：　his　vest　was　patched；　his　boots　were　shabby　and　old；　yet　he　was　a　man；　this　one。　Her　father　would　have　been　proud。
　She　stood　very　still　in　the　empty　yard；　watching　them　out　of　sight　At　last；　as　he　crossed　the　ridge；　Vicente　lifted　a　hand。　Then　the　shaggy　pony　went　over　the　hill　and　out　of　sight
　Inside；　the　house　looked　empty　and　forlorn。　She　took　the　broom　and　began　to　sweep。　Not　to　think　。。。　that　was　the　thing　now。　There　was　nothing　to　think　about　There　was　only　to　wait。
　What　had　she　done？　Ruined　their　lives　for　a　strange　gringo？　A　man　who　meant　nothing　to　her　and　whom　she　had　scarcely　seen？　She　remembered　the　hard　strength　of　his　arms；　his　sudden　strange　gentleness　。。。　she　was　a　fool。
　He　was　a　drifting　man；　a　man　from　the　malpais；　a　gun　fighter。　And　what　had　he　told　her？　That　she　should　join　him　or　he　would　e　back。　But　to　join　him　would　be　to　lead　them　to　his　hiding　place　and　how　could　he　e　to　her　when　it　would　mean　his　death？　No　matter。　What　she　had　done　she　had　done。　It　was　enough。
　She　was　washing　dishes　left　from　breakfast　when　she　heard　them　ing。　She　went　to　meet　them；　drying　her　hands　on　her　apron。
　There　were　nine　of　them；　sour　and　dirty　with　sleeping　in　their　clothes；　wearied　from　long　hours　in　the　saddle。　Mort　Bayless　was　there　。。。　she　had　heard　stories　about　him　。。。　Joe　Sutton；　Jack　Button　。。。　no　friendly　face　among　them。
　Jack　Sutton's　face　was　ragged　from　lack　of　sleep。　He　looked　drawn　and　mean。　Beside　him　Ben　Hindeman　…　as　always　…stolid；　indomitable。　A　man　who　might　have　been　cast　from　iron；　before　whom　other　men　must　bend　or　break。
　〃Where'd　he　go？〃　Hindeman　asked　the　question；　taking　out　the　makings　to　build　a　cigarette。
　〃I　don'　know。〃
　She　made　no　attempt　to　evade　the　issue。　If　she　could　not　defeat　them　she　could　at　least　face　them　with　pride。
　〃He　in'　back？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃Back？。。。　Why　he　e　back？〃
　Joe　Sutton　spoke　into　the　momentary　silence。　〃The　sheep're　gone；　Ben。　I　think　they've　pulled　out。〃
　Ben　Hindeman　put　the　cigarette　between　his　chapped　lips。　By　God；　this　was　a　woman！　The　way　she　stood　there　。。。　no　fear　in　her。
　He　considered　it；　taking　his　time。　Ben　Hindeman　was　a　careful　man　and；　outside　his　own　family；　a　ruthless　and　cold…blooded　man　who　lived　for　the　brand。　Old　Bob　Sutton　had　been　the　boss　but　now　the　mantle　had　fallen　to　Ben's　shoulders　as　Old　Bob　had　always　expected。
　Jack　Sutton　did　not　like　that　but　there　was　little　he　could　do。　Among　the　sixty　cowhands　who　rode　for　SB；　not　more　than　eight　or　nine　would　follow　him；　and　none　would　risk　a　showdown　with　Hindeman。　Direct；　relentless　and　powerful；　Hindeman　wasted　no　effort。　He　destroyed　what　got　in　his　way；　smashing　it　down　without　malice　or　cruelty；　simply　because　it　was　in　the　way。
　There　was　something　here　that　bothered　Ben。　There　was　in　this　Mexican　girl　something　fierce；　something　tigerish　and　dangerous。　She　was　not　like　his　wife；　who　had　the　strength　to　yield　and　to　endure；　but　this　was　a　woman　with　an　aggressive　strength；　she　had　a　brain。　That　was　something　Jack　would　never　understand。
　It　was　because　of　this　quality　that　Hindeman；　who　believed　in　no　wasted　effort；　had　left　the　Chaveros　alone。　They　were　better　off　in　the　canyons　making　their　small　living　harmlessly　from　their　sheep　than　hiding　in　the　hills　and　living　off　SB　stock。
　What　Jack　did　not　realize　was　that　this　girl　would　fight　and　mat　not　too　many　miles　south　there　were　Mexicans　she　could　enlist　to　help　her。　And　the　best　SB　range　lay　on　the　south　side　of　the　border。　It　lay　within　the　power　of　this　girl　to　wreck　the　SB　if　she　were　hurt　or　angry　and　if　she　realized　that　she　could。　At　the　same　time　Hindeman　knew　the　danger　that　could　e　from　successful　defiance　of　SB　by　Trace　Jordan。　Jordan　must　be　found。　He　must　be　killed。
　〃Why　did　you　stay？〃　he　asked　finally。
　〃Why　should　I　go？　This　is　my　home。〃　There　was　a　fine　insolence　in　her　tone　when　she　looked　boldly　at　him　and　asked；　〃Do　you　fight　women　now？〃
　Mort　Bayless'　dry　voice　cut　across　the　stillness。　〃Give　me　ten　minutes　with　a　quirt　and　spur。　She'll　talk。〃
　Ben　Hindeman　looked　at　the　tip　of　his　cigarette；　impatient　with　such　talk。　Mort　was　always　bloody　with　women。　Beat　his　own　wife　until　she　ran　off　and　never　came　back。　Mort　had　followed　her　。。。　maybe　that　was　why　she　hadn't　e　back。　But　any　fool　should　know　this　woman　would　not　talk　unless　she　chose。
　〃Ben？〃　It　was　Jacob　Lantz。　The　old　tracker　ha