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第65章

the man of the forest-第65章

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helpless girl!〃 she replied; in withering scorn of
disappointment。

Jim Wilson dropped his head。  If any one there suspected a
serious turn to Wilson's attitude toward that situation it
was the keen outlaw leader。

〃Beasley; you're courtin' death;〃 he broke in。

〃You bet you are!〃 added Bo; with a passion that made her
listeners quiver。  〃You've put me at the mercy of a gang of
outlaws!  You may force my sister out of her home!  But your
day will come。' Tom Carmichael will KILL you。〃

Beasley mounted his horse。  Sullen; livid; furious; he sat
shaking in the saddle; to glare down at the outlaw leader。

〃Snake; thet's no fault of mine the deal's miscarried。  I was
square。  I made my offer for the workin' out of my plan。  It
'ain't been done。  Now there's hell to pay an' I'm through。〃

〃Beasley; I reckon I couldn't hold you to anythin';〃 replied
Anson; slowly。  〃But if you was square you ain't square now。
We've hung around an' tried hard。  My men are all sore。  An'
we're broke; with no outfit to speak of。  Me an' you never
fell out before。  But I reckon we might。〃

〃Do I owe you any money  accordin' to the deal?〃 demanded
Beasley。

〃No; you don't;〃 responded Anson; sharply。

〃Then thet's square。  I wash my hands of the whole deal。  Make
Riggs pay up。  He's got money an' he's got plans。  Go in with
him。〃

With that Beasley spurred his horse; wheeled and rode away。
The outlaws gazed after him until he disappeared in the
cedars。

〃What'd you expect from a greaser?〃 queried Shady Jones。

〃Anson; didn't I say so?〃 added Burt。

The black…visaged Moze rolled his eyes like a mad bull and
Jim Wilson studiously examined a stick he held in his hands。
Riggs showed immense relief。

〃Anson; stake me to some of your outfit an' I'll ride off
with the girl;〃 he said; eagerly。

〃Where'd you go now?〃 queried Anson; curiously。

Riggs appeared at a loss for a quick answer; his wits were
no more equal to this predicament than his nerve。

〃You're no woodsman。  An' onless you're plumb locoed you'd
never risk goin' near Pine or Show Down。  There'll be real
trackers huntin' your trail。〃

The listening girl suddenly appealed to Wilson。

〃Don't let him take me off  alone  in the woods!〃 she
faltered。  That was the first indication of her weakening。

Jim Wilson broke into gruff reply。  〃I'm not bossin' this
gang。〃

〃But you're a man!〃 she importuned。

〃Riggs; you fetch along your precious firebrand an' come
with us;〃 said Anson; craftily。  〃I'm particular curious to
see her brand you。〃

〃Snake; lemme take the girl back to Pine;〃 said Jim Wilson。

Anson swore his amaze。

〃It's sense;〃 continued Wilson。  〃We've shore got our own
troubles; an' keepin' her 'll only add to them。  I've a
hunch。  Now you know I ain't often givin' to buckin' your
say…so。  But this deal ain't tastin' good to me。  Thet girl
ought to be sent home。〃

〃But mebbe there's somethin' in it for us。  Her sister 'd pay
to git her back。〃

〃Wal; I shore hope you'll recollect I offered  thet's
all;〃 concluded Wilson。

〃Jim; if we wanted to git rid of her we'd let Riggs take her
off;〃 remonstrated the outlaw leader。  He was perturbed and
undecided。  Wilson worried him。

The long Texan veered around full faced。  What subtle
transformation in him!

〃Like hell we would!〃 he said。

It could not have been the tone that caused Anson to quail。
He might have been leader here; but he was not the greater
man。  His face clouded。

〃Break camp;〃 he ordered。

Riggs had probably not heard that last exchange between
Anson and Wilson; for he had walked a few rods aside to get
his horse。

In a few moments when they started off; Burt; Jones; and
Moze were in the lead driving the pack…horses; Anson rode
next; the girl came between him and Riggs; and
significantly; it seemed; Jim Wilson brought up the rear。

This start was made a little after the noon hour。  They
zigzagged up the slope; took to a deep ravine; and followed
it up to where it headed in the level forest。  From there
travel was rapid; the pack…horses being driven at a jogtrot。
Once when a troop of deer burst out of a thicket into a
glade; to stand with ears high; young Burt halted the
cavalcade。  His well…aimed shot brought down a deer。  Then the
men rode on; leaving him behind to dress and pack the meat。
The only other halt made was at the crossing of the first
water; a clear; swift brook; where both horses and men drank
thirstily。  Here Burt caught up with his comrades。

They traversed glade and park; and wended a crooked trail
through the deepening forest; and climbed; bench after
bench; to higher ground; while the sun sloped to the
westward; lower and redder。  Sunset had gone; and twilight
was momentarily brightening to the afterglow when Anson;
breaking his silence of the afternoon; ordered a halt。

The place was wild; dismal; a shallow vale between dark
slopes of spruce。  Grass; fire…wood; and water were there in
abundance。  All the men were off; throwing saddles and packs;
before the tired girl made an effort to get down。  Riggs;
observing her; made a not ungentle move to pull her off。  She
gave him a sounding slap with her gloved hand。

〃Keep your paws to yourself;〃 she said。  No evidence of
exhaustion was there in her spirit。

Wilson had observed this by…play; but Anson had not。

〃What come off?〃 he asked。

〃Wal; the Honorable Gunman Riggs jest got caressed by the
lady  as he was doin' the elegant;〃 replied Moze; who
stood nearest。

〃Jim; was you watchin'?〃 queried Anson。  His curiosity had
held through the afternoon。

〃He tried to yank her off an' she biffed him;〃 replied
Wilson。

〃That Riggs is jest daffy or plain locoed;〃 said Snake; in
an aside to Moze。

〃Boss; you mean plain cussed。  Mark my words; he'll hoodoo
this outfit。  Jim was figgerin' correct。〃

〃Hoodoo 〃 cursed Anson; under his breath。

Many hands made quick work。  In a few moments a fire was
burning brightly; water was boiling; pots were steaming; the
odor of venison permeated the cool air。  The girl had at last
slipped off her saddle to the ground; where she sat while
Riggs led the horse away。  She sat there apparently
forgotten; a pathetic droop to her head。

Wilson had taken an ax and was vigorously wielding it among
the spruces。  One by one they fell with swish and soft crash。
Then the sliding ring of the ax told how he was slicing off
the branches with long sweeps。  Presently he appeared in the
semi…darkness; dragging half…trimmed spruces behind him。  He
made several trips; the last of which was to stagger under a
huge burden of spruce boughs。  These he spread under a low;
projecting branch of an aspen。  Then he leaned the bushy
spruces slantingly against this branch on both sides;
quickly improvising a V…shaped shelter with narrow aperture
in front。  Next from one of the packs he took a blanket and
threw that inside the shelter。  Then; touching the girl on
the shoulder; he whispered:

〃When you're ready; slip in there。  An' don't lose no sleep
by worryin'; fer I'll be layin' right here。〃

He made a motion to indicate his length across the front of
the narrow aperture。

〃Oh; thank you!  Maybe you really are a Texan;〃 she whispered
back。

〃Mebbe;〃 was his gloomy reply。



CHAPTER XXI

The girl refused to take food proffered her by Riggs; but
she ate and drank a little that Wilson brought her; then she
disappeared in the spruce lean…to。

Whatever loquacity and companionship had previously existed
in Snake Anson's gang were not manifest in this camp。  Each
man seemed preoccupied; as if pondering the dawn in his mind
of an ill omen not clear to him yet and not yet dreamed of
by his fellows。  They all smoked。  Then Moze and Shady played
cards awhile by the light of the fire; but it was a dull
game; in which either seldom spoke。  Riggs sought his blanket
first; and the fact was significant that he lay down some
distance from the spruce shelter which contained Bo Rayner。
Presently young Burt went off grumbling to his bed。  And not
long afterward the card…players did likewise。

Snake Anson and Jim Wilson were left brooding in silence
beside the dying camp…fire。

The night was da

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