sally dows-第34章
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the wounded man's thigh； said： 〃But I don't see where you got your
pistols； and how you got out here。〃
〃Clinched； you know； sorter rolled over out hereandandoh；
dn itdon't talk！〃
〃He means；〃 said Shuttleworth still feebly； 〃that wewegrabbed
ANOTHER MAN'S six…shooter andandhe that isand theyhehe
and me grabbed each other； anddon't you see？〃 but here；
becoming more involved and much weaker； he discreetly fainted away。
And that was all Buckeye ever knew of the affair！ For they refused
to speak of it again； and Dr。 Duchesne gravely forbade any further
interrogation。 Both men's revolvers were found undischarged in
their holsters； hanging in their respective cabins。 The balls
which were afterwards extracted from the two men singularly
disappeared； Dr。 Duchesne asserting with a grim smile that they had
swallowed them。*
* It was a frontier superstition that the ball extracted from a
gunshot wound； if swallowed by the wounded man； prevented
inflammation or any supervening complications。
Nothing could be ascertained of the facts at the tienda； which at
that hour of the day appeared to have been empty of customers； and
was occupied only by Miss Mendez and her retainers。 All surmises
as to the real cause of the quarrel and the reason for the
reticence of the two belligerents were suddenly and unexpectedly
stopped by their departure from Buckeye as soon as their condition
permitted； on the alleged opinion of Dr。 Duchesne that the air of
the river was dangerous to their convalescence。 The momentary
indignation against the tienda which the two combatants had
checked； eventually subsided altogether。 After all； the fight had
taken place OUTSIDE； it was not even proven that the provocation
had been given AT the tienda！ Its popularity was undiminished。
PART III。
It was the end of the rainy season； and a wet night。 Brace and
Parks were looking from the window over the swollen river； with
faces quite as troubled as the stream below。 Nor was the prospect
any longer the same。 In the past two years Buckeye had grown into
a city。 They could now count a half dozen church spires from the
window of the three…storied brick building which had taken the
place of the old wooden Emporium； but they could also count the
brilliantly lit windows of an equal number of saloons and gambling…
houses which glittered through the rain； or； to use the words of a
local critic； 〃Shone seven nights in the week to the Gospel shops'
ONE！〃 A difficulty had arisen which the two men had never dreamed
of； and a struggle had taken place between the two rival powers；
which was developing a degree of virulence and intolerance on both
sides that boded no good to Buckeye。 The disease which its infancy
had escaped had attacked its adult growth with greater violence。
The new American saloons which competed with Jovita Mendez' Spanish
venture had substituted a brutal masculine sincerity for her veiled
feminine methods。 There was higher play； deeper drinking； darker
passion。 Yet the opposition； after the fashion of most reformers；
were casting back to the origin of the trouble in Jovita； and were
confounding principles and growth。 〃If it had not been for her the
rule would never have been broken。〃 〃If there was to be a cleaning
out of the gambling houses； she must go first！〃
The sounds of a harp and a violin played in the nearest saloon
struggled up to them with the opening and shutting of its swinging
baize inner doors。 There was boisterous chanting from certain
belated revelers in the next street which had no such remission。
The brawling of the stream below seemed to be echoed in the uneasy
streets； the quiet of the old days had departed with the sedate；
encompassing woods that no longer fringed the river bank； the
restful calm of Nature had receded before the dusty outskirts of
the town。
〃It's mighty unfortunate； too；〃 said Brace moodily； 〃that
Shuttleworth and Saunders； who haven't been in the place since
their row； have come over from Fiddletown to…day； and are banging
around town。 They haven't said anything that I know of； but their
PRESENCE is quite enough to revive the old feeling against her
shop。 The Committee；〃 he added bitterly； 〃will be sure to say that
not only the first gambling； but the first shooting in Buckeye took
place there。 If they get up that story againno matter how quiet
SHE has become sinceno matter what YOU may say as mayorit will
go hard with her。 What's that now？〃
They listened breathlessly。 Above the brawling of the river； the
twanging of the harp…player； and the receding shouts of the
revelers； they could hear the hollow wooden sidewalks resounding
with the dull； monotonous trampling of closely following feet。
Parks rose with a white face。
〃Brace！〃
〃Yes！〃
〃Will you stand by meand HER？〃
〃Stand by YOU AND HER？ Eh？ What？ Good God！ Parks！you don't
mean to say youit's gone as far as THAT？〃
〃Will you or won't you？〃
The sound of the trampling had changed to a shuffling on the
pavement below； and then footsteps began to ascend the stairs。
Brace held out his hand quickly and grasped that of Parks as
the door opened to half a dozen men。 They were evidently the
ringleaders of the crowd below。 There was no hesitation or
doubt in their manner； the unswerving directness which always
characterized those illegal demonstrations lent it something of
dignity。 Nevertheless； Carpenter； the spokesman； flushed slightly
before Parks' white； determined face。
〃Come； Parks； you know what we're after；〃 he said bluntly。 〃We
didn't come here to parley。 We knew YOUR sentiments and what YOU
think is your duty。 We know what we consider OURSand so do you。
But we're here to give you a chance； either as mayor； or； if you
prefer it； as the oldest citizen here； to take a hand in our
business to…night。 We're not ashamed of what we're going to do；
and we're willing to abide by it； so there's no reason why we
shouldn't speak aboveboard of it to you。 We even invite you to
take part in our last 'call' tonight at the Hall。〃
〃Go！〃 whispered Brace quickly； 〃YOU'LL GAIN TIME！〃
Parks' face changed； and he turned to Carpenter。 〃Enough；〃 he said
gravely。 〃I reserve what I have to say of these proceedings till I
join you there。〃 He stopped； whispered a few words to Brace； and
then disappeared as the men descended the stairs； and； joining the
crowd on the pavement； proceeded silently towards the Town Hall。
There was nothing in the appearance of that decorous procession to
indicate its unlawful character or the recklessness with which it
was charged。
There were thirty or forty men already seated in the Hall。 The
meeting was brief and to the point。 The gambling saloons were to
be 〃cleaned out〃 that night； the tables and appliances thrown into
the street and burnt； the doors closed； and the gamblers were to be
conducted to the outskirts of the town and forbidden to enter it
again on pain of death。
〃Does this yer refer to Jovita Mendez' saloon？〃 asked a voice。
To their surprise the voice was not Parks' but Shuttleworth's。 It
was also a matter to be noted that he stood a little forward of the
crowd； and that there was a corresponding movement of a dozen or
more men from Fiddletown who apparently were part of the meeting。
The chairman （No。 10） said there was to be no exception； and
certainly not for the originator of disorder in Buckeye！ He was
surprised that the question should be asked by No。 72； who was an
old resident of Buckeye； and who； with No。 73； had suffered from
the character of that woman's saloon。
〃That's jest it；〃 said Shuttleworth； 〃and ez I reckon that SAUNDERS
AND ME did all the disorder there was； and had to turn ourselves
out o' town on account of it； I don't see jest where SHE could come
into this affair。 Only；〃 he turned and looked around him； 〃in one
way！ And that way； gentlemen； would be for her to come here and
boot one half o' this kempany out o' town； and shoot the other
half！ You hear me！that's so！〃 He stopped； tugged a moment at
his cravat and loosened his shirt…collar as if it impeded his
utterance； and went on。 〃I've got to say suthin' to you gentlemen
abou
