rh.conanthewarrior-第47章

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a　small　party。　Some　that　couldn't　wait　to　take　the　fort。　They've　gone　ahead　to　butcher　the　settlers　in　their　beds！　e　on！〃
　　Ahead　of　them　presently　they　saw　a　small　blaze　through　the　trees；　and；　heard　a　wild　and　ferocious　chanting。　The　trail　bent　there；　and　leaving　it；　they　cut　across　the　bend；　through　the　thickets。　A　few　moments　later　they　were　looking　on　a　hideous　sight。　An　ox…wain　stood　in　the　road　piled　with　meager　household　furnishings；　it　was　burning；　the　oxen　lay　near　with　their　throats　cut。　A　man　and　a　woman　lay　in　the　road；　stripped　and　mutilated。　Five　Picts　were　dancing　about　them　with　fantastic　leaps　and　bounds；　waving　bloody　axes；　one　of　them　brandished　the　woman's　red…smeared　gown。
　　At　the　sight　a　red　haze　swam　before　Balthus。　Lifting　his　bow　he　lined　the　prancing　figure；　black　against　the　fire；　and　loosed。　The　slayer　leaped　convulsively　and　fell　dead　with　the　arrow　through　his　heart。　Then　the　two　white　men　and　the　dog　were　upon　the　startled　survivors。　Conan　was　animated　merely　by　his　fighting　spirit　and　an　old；　old　racial　hate；　but　Balthus　was　afire　with　wrath。
　　He　met　the　first　Pict　to　oppose　him　with　a　ferocious　swipe　that　split　the　painted　skull；　and　sprang　over　his　failing　body　to　grapple　with　the　others。　But　Conan　had　already　killed　one　of　the　two　he　had　chosen；　and　the　leap　of　the　Aquilonian　was　a　second　late。　The　warrior　was　down　with　the　long　sword　through　him　even　as　Balthus'　ax　was　lifted。　Turning　toward　the　remaining　Pict；　Balthus　saw　Slasher　rise　from　his　victim；　his　great　jaws　dripping　blood。
　　Balthus　said　nothing　as　he　looked　down　at　the　pitiful　forms　in　the　road　beside　the　burning　wain。　Both　were　young；　the　woman　little　more　than　a　girl。　By　some　whim　of　chance　the　Picts　had　left　her　face　unmarred；　and　even　in　the　agonies　of　an　awful　death　it　was　beautiful。　But　her　soft　young　body　had　been　hideously　slashed　with　many　knives…a　mist　clouded　Balthus'　eyes　and　he　swallowed　chokingly。　The　tragedy　momentarily　overcame　him。　He　felt　like　falling　upon　the　ground　and　weeping　and　biting　the　earth。
　　〃Some　young　couple　just　hitting　out　on　their　own；〃　Conan　was　saying　as　he　wiped　his　sword　unemotionally。　〃On　their　way　to　the　fort　when　the　Picts　met　them。　Maybe　the　boy　was　going　to　enter　the　service；　maybe　take　up　land　on　the　river。　Well；　that's　what　will　happen　to　every　man；　woman；　and　child　this　side　of　Thunder　River　if　we　don't　get　them　into　Velitrium　in　a　hurry。〃
　　Balthus'　knees　trembled　as　he　followed　Conan。　But　there　was　no　hint　of　weakness　in　the　long　easy　stride　of　the　Cimmerian。　There　was　a　kinship　between　him　and　the　great　gaunt　brute　that　glided　beside　him。　Slasher　no　longer　growled　with　his　head　to　the　trail。　The　way　was　clear　before　them。　The　yelling　on　the　river　came　faintly　to　them；　but　Balthus　believed　the　fort　was　still　holding。　Conan　halted　suddenly；　with　an　oath。
　　He　showed　Balthus　a　trail　that　led　north　from　the　road。　It　was　an　old　trail；　partly　grown　with　new　young　growth；　and　this　growth　had　recently　been　broken　down。　Balthus　realized　this　fact　more　by　feel　than　sight；　though　Conan　seemed　to　see　like　a　cat　in　the　dark。　The　Cimmerian　showed　him　where　broad　wagon　tracks　turned　off　the　main　trail；　deeply　indented　in　the　forest　mold。
　　〃Settlers　going　to　the　licks　after　salt；〃　he　grunted。　〃They're　at　the　edges　of　the　marsh；　about　nine　miles　from　here。　Blast　it！　They'll　be　cut　off　and　butchered　to　a　man！　Listen！　One　man　can　warn　the　people　on　the　road。　Go　ahead　and　wake　them　up　and　herd　them　into　Velitrium。　I'll　go　and　get　the　men　gathering　the　salt。　They'll　be　camped　by　the　licks。　We　won't　e　back　to　the　road。　We'll　head　straight　through　the　woods。〃
　　With　no　further　ment　Conan　turned　off　the　trail　and　hurried　down　the　dim　path；　and　Balthus；　after　staring　after　him　for　a　few　moments；　set　out　along　the　road。　The　dog　had　remained　with　him；　and　glided　softly　at　his　heels。　When　Balthus　had　gone　a　few　rods　he　heard　the　animal　growl。　Whirling；　he　glared　back　the　way　he　had　e；　and　was　startled　to　see　a　vague　ghostly　glow　vanishing　into　the　forest　in　the　direction　Conan　had　taken。　Slasher　rumbled　deep　in　his　throat；　his　hackles　stiff　and　his　eyes　balls　of　green　fire。　Balthus　remembered　the　grim　apparition　that　had　taken　the　head　of　the　merchant　Tiberias　not　far　from　that　spot；　and　he　hesitated。　The　thing　must　be　following　Conan。　But　the　giant　Cimmerian　had　repeatedly　demonstrated　his　ability　to　take　care　of　himself；　and　Balthus　felt　his　duty　lay　toward　the　helpless　settlers　who　slumbered　in　the　path　of　the　red　hurricane。　The　horror　of　the　fiery　phantom　was　overshadowed　by　the　horror　of　those　limp；　violated　bodies　beside　the　burning　ox…wain。
　　He　hurried　down　the　road；　crossed　Scalp　Creek　and　came　in　sight　of　the　first　settler's　cabin…a；　long；　low　structure　of　ax…hewn　logs。　In　an　instant　he　was　pounding　on　the　door。　A　sleepy　voice　inquired　his　pleasure。
　　〃Get　up！　The　Picts　are　over　the　river！〃
　　That　brought　instant　response。　A　low　cry　echoed　his　words　and　then　the　door　was　thrown　open　by　a　woman　in　a　scanty　shift。　Her　hair　hung　over　her　bare　shoulders　in　disorder；　she　held　a　candle　in　one　hand　and　an　ax　in　the　other。　Her　face　was　colorless；　her　eyes　wide　with　terror。
　　〃e　in！〃　she　begged。　〃We'll　hold　the　cabin。〃
　　〃No。　We　must　make　for　Velitrium。　The　fort　can't　hold　them　back。　It　may　have　fallen　already。　Don't　stop　to　dress。　Get　your　children　and　e　on。〃
　　〃But　my　man's　gone　with　the　others　after　salt！〃　she　wailed；　wringing　her　hands。　Behind　her　peered　three　tousled　youngsters；　blinking　and　bewildered。
　　〃Conan's　gone　after　them。　He'll　fetch　them　through　safe。　We　must　hurry　up　the　road　to　warn　the　other　cabins。〃
　　Relief　flooded　her　countenance。
　　〃Mitra　be　thanked！〃　she　cried。　〃If　the　Cimmerian's　gone　after　them；　they're　safe　if　mortal　man　can　save　them！〃
　　In　a　whirlwind　of　activity　she　snatched　up　the　smallest　child　and　herded　the　others　through　the　door　ahead　of　her。　Balthus　took　the　candle　and　ground　it　out　under　his　heel。　He　listened　an　instant。　No　sound　came　up　the　dark　road。
　　〃Have　you　got　a　horse？〃
　　〃In　the　stable；〃　she　groaned。　〃Oh；　hurry！〃
　　He　pushed　her　aside　as　she　fumbled　with　shaking　hands　at　the　bars。　He　led　the　horse　out　and　lifted　the　children　on　its　back；　telling　them　to　hold　to　its　mane　and　to　one　another。　They　stared　at　him　seriously；　making　no　outcry。　The　woman　took　the　horse's　halter　and　set　out　up　the　road。　She　still　gripped　her　ax　and　Balthus　knew　that　if　cornered　she　would　fight　with　the　desperate　courage　of　a　she…panther。
　　He　held　behind；　listening。　He　was　oppressed　by　the　belief　that　the　fort　had　been　stormed　and　taken；　that　the　dark…skinned　hordes　were　already　streaming　up　the　road　toward　Velitrium；　drunken　on　slaughter　and　mad　for　blood。　They　would　e　with　the　speed　of　starving　wolves。
　　Presently　they　saw　another　cabin　looming　ahead。　The　woman　started　to　shriek　a　warning；　but　Balthus　stopped　her。　He　hurried　to　the　door　and　knocked。　A　woman's　voice　answered　him。　He　repeated　his　warning；　and　soon　the　cabin　disgorged　its　occupants…an　old　woman；　two　young　women；　and　four　children。　Like　the　other　woman's　husband；　their　men　had　gone　to　the　salt　licks　the　day　before；　unsuspecting　of　any　danger。　One　of　the　young　women　seemed　dazed；　the　other　prone　to　hysteria。　But　the　old　woman；　a　stern　old　veteran　of　the　frontier；　quieted　them　harshly；　she　helped　Balthus　get　out　the　two　horses　that　were　stabled　in　a　pen　behind　the　cabin　and　put　the　children　on　them。　Balthus　urged　that　she　herself　mount　with　them；　but　she　shook　her　head　and　made　one　of　the　younger　women　ride。
　　〃She's　with　child；〃　grunted　the　old　woman。　〃I　can　walk…and　fight；　too；　if　it　es　to　that。〃
　　As　they　set　out；　one　of　the　young　women　said：　〃A　young　couple　passed　along　the　road　about　dusk；　we　advised　them　to　spend　the　night　at　our　cabin；　but　they　were　anxious　to　make　the　fort　tonight。　Did…did…〃
　　〃They　met　the　Picts；〃　answered　Balthus　briefly；　and　the　woman　sobbed　in　horror。
　　They　were　scarcely　out　of　sight　of　the　cabin　when　some　distance　behind　them　quavered　a　long　high…pitched　yell。
　　〃A　wolf！〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　women。
　　〃A　painted　wolf　with　an　ax　in　his　hand；〃　muttered　Balthus。　〃Go！　Rouse　the　other　settlers　along　the　road　and　take