lla.theburninghills-第13章

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　〃Ben？〃　It　was　Jacob　Lantz。　The　old　tracker　had　squatted　beside　the　house。　〃He'll　e　back；　Ben。〃
　Hindeman　caught　the　look　of　something　like　fear　that　came　to　her　face　suddenly　and　was　gone。　Ben　Hindeman　was　smart　in　his　way。　He　was　a　one…woman　man　and　that　woman　was　his　wife；　on　their　ranch　near　Tokewanna；　but　he　knew　a　woman　when　he　saw　one。　I'd　e　back；　he　told　himself；　by　the　Lord　Harry；　I'd　e　back。　〃That's　it；〃　Ben　said。　〃We'll　wait。〃
　Mort's　face　twisted　with　anger。　〃What？〃　He　shoved　his　horse　forward；　almost　knocking　over　Jacob　Lantz。　〃I'll　not　wait！　By　the　…　！〃
　〃Mort。〃
　The　chill　voice　arrested　his　movement；　brought　sanity　to　replace　his　sudden　fury。　Hindeman's　shotgun　was　across　his　saddlebows　and　the　twin　muzzles　had　him　in　their　eyes。　〃I'll　give　the　orders　here。〃
　Mort　hesitated；　feeling　something　cold　and　ugly　within　him。　Yet　there　was　no　room　for　argument　with　Ben　Hindeman；　The　shotgun　was　no　casual　threat。　〃You　wait；　then；〃　he　said　finally。　〃I'm　going　into　town。〃
　Maria　Cristina　walked　into　the　house　and　sat　down；　her　legs　too　weak　to　stand。　Yet　she　had　seen　other　things。　There　was　a　man　with　a　bandaged　face；　like　he　had　been　shot　through　the　cheeks。　And　Dave　Godfrey　was　no　longer　with　them。　Trace　Jordan　was　piling　up　a　score。
　Joe　Sutton　brought　food　into　the　house；　piling　it　on　the　table。　He　faced　her；　hat　in　hand。　〃Will　you　cook？　None　of　us　are　much　at　finding　grub。〃
　His　manner　was　diffident；　yet　she　was　about　to　say　no　when　she　realized　that　well…fed　men　might　relax　and　grow　sleepy。　〃I'll　cook；〃　she　said。
　It　was　something　to　do　and　it　would　keep　her　from　thinking。　They　believed　Trace　Jordan　would　e　back　…　but　would　he？　Because　of　her？
　Six　of　them　stayed；　the　others　riding　away　after　fresh　horses。　Hindeman；　Jack　and　Joe　Sutton；　Lantz；　Buck　Bayless；　and　a　dour…faced　man　she　knew　as　Wes　Parker　stayed。　Godfrey；　she　heard　later；　had　been　knocked　over　a　cliff　by　falling　rocks。　He　was　dead。
　She　did　not　want　Jordan　to　e　back；　yet　she　remembered　the　feel　of　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　the　strange　weakness　that　came　over　her　when　he　touched　her　body。　It　was　a　feeling　she　had　not　known　before　and　it　frightened　her。
　She　did　not　want　to　give　so　much　to　any　man。　To　love　was　to　give　。。。　to　put　herself　in　the　hands　of　a　man　and　to　one　strange　to　her　and　to　her　ways。　She　would　think　no　more　of　him。　He　was　gone。
　It　had　been　enough　and　more　than　enough　that　other　time。　She　had　not　been　in　love　but　was　desperate　for　some　wider　life　than　that　in　their　little　corner　of　desert　and　mountains。　With　her　father　gone　she　was　one　more　mouth　to　feed；　so　she　had　married　Bud　Hayes。　She　had　never　loved　him　but　he　had　loved　her　and　he　had　been　a　good　man　until　he　began　to　drink。　But　he　was　a　weak　man。
　This　man　was　different。　There　was　something　in　him　that　made　her　believe　even　when　she　told　herself　she　was　a　fool　to　listen。　Men　were　liars。　All　of　them。
　She　remembered　how　she　had　first　seen　him；　lying　across　his　half…opened　blanket　roll；　his　face　ghastly；　blood　seeping　from　the　broken　wound　in　his　side。　He　had　seemed　dead　。。。　and　then　she　saw　him　breathe。
　He　was　gone　now。　He　had　gotten　away。　He　would　not　e　back。　And　if　he　did　these　men　were　waiting　to　kill　him。
　Buck　Bayless　pushed　back　from　the　table　and　looked　at　Maria　Cristina　with　grudging　admiration。　〃You　can　cook；　Mex。　I'll　give　you　that。〃
　She　flashed　him　a　sullen　look　and　turned　away。　Behind　her　Joe　Sutton　got　to　his　feet；　saying　a　little　self…consciously；　〃Thanks；　Ma'am。〃
　Wes　Parker　glanced　at　him　scornfully　but　Hindeman　added　his　thanks　and　Joe　felt　better。　Only　Jack　Sutton　loitered　at　the　table。　The　food　had　been　good　but　Jack　loitered　because　he　could　not　convince　himself　that　any　mere　Mexican　girl　could　be　cold　to　him。　He　stalled　over　his　coffee；　wanting　to　be　alone　with　her。
　Ben　Hindeman　came　to　the　door　after　several　minutes　and　said；　with　heavy　sarcasm；　〃If　you're　going　to　stay　in　there；　Jack；　get　away　from　the　window。　If　Jordan　sees　you　he'll　never　e　in。〃
　Irritably；　Sutton　moved。
　Maria　Cristina　was　thinking　that　tonight　Jordan　would　not　e　back。　Tonight　he　would　wait　for　her。　Tomorrow？　He　would　wait　tomorrow　too。　After　that　she　must　get　away。
　She　came　to　herself　with　a　start。　She　believed　him！　She　was　no　foolish　girl　to　listen　to　the　talk　of　any　cowpuncher。　Yet　it　could　not　be　that　she　was　in　love　with　this　man。　She　could　never　truly　love　a　gringo。　Yet　he　had　moved　her　as　no　man　had　and　his　hands　upon　her　。。。　she　hurriedly　dismissed　the　thought　and　returned　to　cleaning　up。
　Behind　her；　Jack　Sutton　sat　with　his　hands　shoved　down　behind　his　belt　He　watched　her　move　about　the　room；　the　flattening　of　her　dress　against　her　thighs；　the　way　she　moved　her　shoulders。
　〃You；〃　he　said；　〃in'　it　high　an'　mighty；　an'　up　there　with　him！〃
　She　turned　her　back　to　the　sideboard；　her　eyes　taunting　him。　〃You　don't　like　that；　do　you？　You　think　you　big　man！　You　think　I　should　like　you！　Bah！　You　nothing！　You　animal！　What　woman　want　you？　All　you　know　is　steal　an'　…　〃
　He　came　off　his　chair　with　a　lunge　and　slapped　her　across　the　mouth。　The　sound　was　like　a　pistol　shot。　Then　he　swung　with　the　other　palm　and　she　grabbed　behind　her　for　a　kitchen　knife。
　Before　she　could　use　it；　Ben　Hindeman　sprang　iuto　the　door。　〃Stop　it！〃　he　roared。　〃Damn　you；　Jack！　Leave　that　girl　alone！〃
　Sutton　stopped；　his　face　white　with　fury。　He　turned　on　Hindeman；　his　fingers　spread；　his　face　hungry　with　the　lust　to　kill。　〃Don't　talk　to　me　like　that　Ben！　Some　day　I'll　kill　you！〃
　〃All　right。〃　Ben　Hindeman　rolled　his　tobacco　in　his　jaws。　〃You　call　it；　Jack。　Just　any　time。〃　He　jerked　his　thumb　toward　the　door。　〃Right　now　you　get　out　an'　leave　her　alone。　We　ain't　got　time　to　let　you　mess　things　up　by　grabbing　at　her　skirt。　We're　huntin　Trace。〃
　Jack　Sutton　waited　while　a　man　might　have　counted　a　slow　twenty；　then　he　walked　by　Hindeman　and　out　the　door。　Something　about　Ben　was　too　much　for　him。　He　had　looked　Jack　right　in　the　eye　and　never　missed　chewing　his　tobacco。　He　looked　just　the　same　when　he　watched　a　branding　or　bought　a　barrel　of　flour。
　〃Forget　it；　Ben。　Only　she　gets　under　my　skin。〃
　Hindeman　looked　at　the　knife　Maria　Cristina　gripped。　〃Yeah；〃　he　said　dryly；　〃I　can　see　where　she　might。〃
　Hindeman　left　and　Sutton　turned　in　the　door。　〃No　matter　what　happens　to　Jordan；　you're　still　here。　After　we're　through　with　him　nobody　will　care　what　happens　to　you。　And　when　I　get　through　with　you　there　won't　be　anything　left　for　anybody。〃
　Maria　Cristina　put　down　the　knife。　〃I'll　kill　you；〃　she　said；　utterly　calm。　〃I'll　kill　you　first。〃
　The　day　drew　on　。。。　the　waiting　men　watched　the　hills　through　the　heat　waves；　watched　a　soaring　buzzard。　There　was　no　other　sound；　no　movement。　Heat　gathered　in　the　canyon；　sultry　and　thick。　Jack　Sutton　swore　bitterly　and　mopped　his　neck。
　Buck　Bayless　sat　in　the　shade　near　the　lean…to　barn　and　tossed　pebbles　at　a　panting　lizard　whose　sides　worked　desperately　at　the　hot；　heavy　air。　〃It'll　rain；〃　Lantz　said。　〃This'll　bring　rain。〃　They　stayed　in　the　shade　and　out　of　sight。　There　was　no　telling　when　Jordan　might　decide　to　return。　Buck　Bayless　thought　of　what　Lantz　had　said；　that　when　Jordan　came　back　they　could　have　him。　Bayless　was　remembering　what　had　happened　when　they　caught　up　with　Jordan　the　first　time。
　There　was　something　about　Trace　Jordan　that　was　not　good　to　contemplate。　He　was　a　tough　savage　fighting　man　who　would　fight　like　a　cornered　wolf。
　Joe　Sutton　moved　over　beside　him。　〃They　had　no　business；〃　he　whispered　to　Bayless；　〃pullin'　that　stunt。　Just　like　Jack　an'　Mort。〃
　Buck　Bayless　had　been　thinking　the　same　thing　but　he　wasn't　going　to　say　it。　Let　Ben　handle　Jack。　He　wanted　no　part　of　him。　But　he　was　sure　now　that　bunch　of　horses　had　been　stolen；　like　Jordan　claimed。　〃They　sure　tackled　the　wrong　man；〃　he　said。
　Bayless　did　not　like　this　riding　over　the　hot　bitter　hills；　over　these　rocks　shaped　like　flame。　A　cloud　left　a　momentary　shadow。　It　might　rain；　at　that。　It　was　overdue。　〃I'd　like　a　beer；〃　he　said　irritably。　〃I'm　gettin'　fed　up。〃
　Jack　Sutton　said　nothing。　He　overheard　the　last　remark　and　the　sooner　they　all　felt　that　way；　the　better。　He　wanted　to　be　alone　with　that　Mexican　girl。　He　would　show　h