hr.thecarpetbaggers-第17章

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　It　was　done　quickly　and　he　knelt　over　her；　his　knife　poised　at　her　throat。　He　looked　back　up　toward　Sam。　〃The　gold？〃　he　asked。
　Sam　shook　his　head。　He　could　not　speak　any　more。
　〃My　God；〃　the　youngest　man　said　in　a　wondering　voice。　〃I'm　gittin'　a　hard　on。〃
　〃That's　an　idee；〃　the　man　with　the　knife　said。　He　looked　up　at　Sam。　〃I'm　shoah　the　man　wouldn'　min'　if'n　we　used　his　squaw　a　little　bit　before　we　skinned　her。　Injuns　are　downright　hospitable　that　way。〃
　He　got　to　his　feet。　He　put　the　knife　on　the　table　and　unbuckled　his　gun　belt。
　Kaneha　drew　back　her　legs　and　kicked　at　him。
　He　swore　softly。　〃Hold　her　laigs；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　go　first〃
　
　It　was　almost　seven　o'clock　when　Max　rode　up　to　the　cabin　on　the　bay　horse　that　Olsen　lent　him。　The　cabin　was　still　and　there　was　no　smoke　ing　from　the　chimney。　That　was　strange。　Usually；　his　mother　would　be　cooking　when　he　got　home。
　He　swung　down　off　the　horse　and　started　for　the　cabin。　He　stopped　suddenly；　staring　at　it。　The　door　was　open　and　moved　lazily　in　the　thin　breeze。　An　inexplicable　fear　came　into　him　and　he　broke　into　a　run。
　He　burst　through　the　door　and　came　to　a　stop　in　surprised　shock；　his　eyes　widening　in　horror。　His　father　hung　tied　to　the　center　post；　his　mouth　and　eyes　open　in　death；　the　back　of　his　head　blown　away　by　the　。45　that　had　been　placed　in　his　mouth　and　fired。
　Slowly　Max's　eyes　went　down　to　the　floor。　There　was　a　shapeless　mass　lying　in　a　pool　of　blood；　which　bore　the　outline　of　what　once　had　been　his　mother。
　The　paralysis　left　him　at　the　same　moment　he　started　to　scream；　but　the　vomit　that　rose　in　his　throat　choked　off　the　sound。　Again　and　again　he　gagged　until　there　was　no　more　inside　him。　He　clung　weakly　to　the　side　of　the　door；　the　sour　stench　from　his　stomach　all　around。
　He　turned　and　staggered　blindly　out　of　the　cabin。　He　sank　to　the　ground　outside　and　began　to　cry。　After　a　while；　his　tears　were　gone。　He　rose　to　his　feet　wearily　and　walked　around　to　the　back　of　the　house　to　the　watering　trough。　
　He　plunged　his　head　in　and　washed　the　vomit　from　his　face　and　clothing。　Then；　still　dripping；　he　straightened　up　and　looked　around。
　His　father's　horse　was　gone　but　the　six　mules　were　browsing　unconcernedly　in　the　corral　and　the　wagon　was　still　under　the　lean…to　in　back　of　the　cabin。　The　four　sheep　and　the　chickens　of　which　his　mother　had　been　so　proud　were　still　in　the　pen。
　He　wiped　his　arms　across　his　eyes。　He　had　to　do　something；　he　thought　vaguely。　But　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　bury　what　was　in　the　cabin。　They　weren't　his　mother　and　father；　his　parents　could　never　look　like　that。　There　was　only　one　thing　to　do。
　He　walked　over　to　the　stack　of　firewood　and　gathered　up　an　armful。　Then　he　walked　back　into　the　house　and　put　it　down　on　the　floor。　It　took　him　almost　a　half　hour　until　firewood　lay　covering　the　floor　like　a　blanket；　three　layers　thick。　He　looked　at　it　thoughtfully　for　a　moment　then　turned　and　went　outside　again。
　He　took　the　harness　down　from　the　lean…to　wall　and　hitched　the　mules　up　to　the　wagon。　He　picked　up　a　crate　and　went　through　the　pen；　throwing　all　the　chickens　into　it。　He　placed　the　crate　in　the　wagon。　Then　one　by　one；　he　lifted　the　sheep　into　the　wagon　and　tied　them　to　the　floor　rings。
　He　led　the　team　of　mules　and　the　wagon　around　to　the　front　of　the　cabin　and　tied　the　bay　horse's　lead　to　the　back　of　the　wagon。　Then　he　walked　them　all　to　the　road　about　two　hundred　yards　from　the　house　and　tethered　the　team　to　a　small　scrub　tree　and　went　back　to　the　house。
　He　picked　up　the　pitch　bucket　and　went　inside。　Slowly　he　smeared　the　pitch　over　the　firewood　that　lay　on　the　floor。　He　kept　his　eyes　down　and　away　from　the　bodies　of　his　parents。　He　stopped　at　the　door　and　smeared　the　last　of　the　pitch　on　that。
　He　hesitated　a　moment；　then　remembering　something；　he　went　back　into　the　cabin。　He　reached　up　on　the　shelf　where　his　father　had　kept　his　rifle　and　pistol　but　they　were　not　there。　He　pushed　his　hand　farther　along　the　shelf　and　felt　something　soft。　He　took　it　down。
　It　was　a　new　buckskin　shirt　and　breeches　his　mother　had　made　for　him。　It　was　bright　and　soft　and　clean…chamois　colored。　Again　his　eyes　filled　with　sudden　tears。　He　rolled　it　up　under　his　arm　and　went　back　to　the　door。
　He　held　a　match　to　the　pitch　stick　until　it　was　blazing　brightly。　After　holding　it　for　a　second　more　to　make　sure；　he　threw　it　into　the　cabin　and　stepped　back　from　the　open　door。
　He　looked　up　at　the　sky　in　sudden　surprise。　The　sun　had　just　gone　down　and　night　had　fallen　in　quick　anger。　The　stars　stared　balefully　down　on　him。
　A　cloud　of　heavy；　billowing　smoke　poured　out　of　the　doorway。　Suddenly；　there　was　a　crack　like　thunder　and　a　flame　leaped　through　the　doorway　as　the　tinder…dry　wood　caught　fire。
　He　walked　down　to　the　road　and　got　up　on　the　wagon　and　began　to　drive　to　town。　He　did　not　look　back　until　three　miles　later；　when　he　reached　the　top　of　a　small　rise。
　There　was　a　bright…orange　flame　reaching　high　into　the　sky　where　his　home　had　been。
　
　5
　
　HE　DROVE　THE　WAGON　INTO　THE　YARD　BEHIND　Olsen's　Livery　Stable。　Then　he　got　down　and　walked　across　to　the　house　that　stood　next　to　it。　He　climbed　up　the　back　steps　and　knocked　at　the　door。　
　〃Mister　Olsen；〃　he　called　out。
　A　shadow　darkened　the　light　of　the　window。　The　door　opened　and　Olsen　stood　there。　〃Max！〃　he　said。　〃What　you　doin'　back　here？〃
　Max　stared　up　into　Olsen's　face。　〃They　killed　my　ma　and　pa；〃　he　said。
　〃Killed？〃　Olsen　exclaimed　in　surprise。　'〃Who　killed？〃　
　Attracted　by　the　sound　of　her　husband's　voice；　Mrs。　Olsen　appeared　in　the　doorway　behind　him。
　〃The　three　men；〃　Max　said。　〃They　asked　me　an'　I　gave　them　the　directions　to　my　house。　An'　they　killed　'em。〃　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　his　voice　almost　broke。　〃An'　they　stole　Pa's　hoss　an'　took　his　rifle　an'　pistol；　too。〃
　Mrs。　Olsen　saw　into　the　shock　that　lay　behind　the　boy's　fa？ade　of　calm。　She　pushed　her　husband　out　of　the　way　and　reached　out　to　Max。　〃You　e　inside　an'　let　me　fix　you　somethin'　hot　to　drink；〃　she　said。
　He　looked　into　her　eyes。　〃They　ain't　time；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃I　got　to　be　gettin'　after　them。〃　He　turned　to　Olsen。　〃I　got　the　mules　an'　the　wagon　an'　four　sheep　an'　sixteen　chickens　outside　in　the　yard。　Would　you　give　me　a　hundred　dollars　an'　the　pinto　for　'em？〃
　Olsen　nodded。　〃Why；　sure；　boy；〃　he　said。　The　mules　and　the　wagon　alone　were　worth　three　times　that。　〃I'll　even　give　you　the　big　bay　if　you　want。　He's　a　better　hoss。　An'　I'll　throw　in　a　saddle；　too。〃
　Max　shook　his　head。　〃No；　thank　you；　Mr。　Olsen。　I　want　a　pony　I　can　ride　without　a　saddle　an'　one　that's　used　to　the　plains。　He　won't　have　as　much　to　tote　an'　I'll　move　faster　that　way。〃
　〃All　right；　if　that's　the　way　you　want　it。〃
　〃Can　I　have　the　money　now？〃　Max　asked。
　〃Sure；　boy；〃　Olsen　answered。　He　turned　back　into　the　room。
　Mrs。　Olsen's　voice　stopped　him。　〃Oh；　no；　you're　not；〃　she　said。　She　drew　Max　into　the　house　firmly。　〃First；　he's　goin'　to　eat　something。　Then　he's　goin'　to　sleep。　Time　enough　in　the　morning　for　him　to　start。〃
　〃But　they'll　be　further　away　by　then；〃　Max　protested。　
　〃No　they　won't；〃　she　said　with　woman's　logic。　〃They　got　to　stop　to　sleep；　too。　They　won't　be　any　further　ahead　of　you　then　than　they　are　right　now。〃
　She　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　led　him　over　to　the　table。　She　pushed　him　into　a　chair　and　placed　a　plate　of　soup　in　front　of　him。　Automatically　he　began　to　eat。　
　〃I'll　go　outside　an'　unhitch　the　team；〃　Mr。　Olsen　said。　
　When　he　came　back　into　the　house；　Max　was　sleeping；　his　head　resting　in　his　crossed　arms　on　the　table。
　Mrs。　Olsen　gestured　her　husband　to　silence。　〃You　just　can't　let　him　go　after　those　men　by　himself；〃　she　whispered。　
　〃I　got　to　go；　ma'am。〃　Max's　voice　came　over　her　shoulder。　
　She　turned　around　and　looked　at　him。　〃You　can't；〃　she　cried　out。　〃They're　grown　men　an'　they'll　hurt　you。　Why；　you're　just　a　boy！〃
　He　looked　up　into　her　face　and　she　was　aware　for　the　first　time　of　the　pride　that　glowed　deep　in　those　dark…blue　eyes。　〃They　hurt　me　all　they're　goin'　to；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　'bout　sixteen；　an'　with　my　mother's　people；　a　boy　ain't　a　boy　no　more　once　he's　sixteen。　He's　a　man。〃
　On　his　second　day　out　of　Dodge；　he　slowed　hi