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