to the last man-第12章

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so　as　to　see　the　place　by　light　of　day。　　His　father　had　built　for
permanence；　and　evidently　there　had　been　three　constructive　periods
in　the　history　of　that　long；　substantial；　picturesque　log　house。
But　few　nails　and　little　sawed　lumber　and　no　glass　had　been　used。
Strong　and　skillful　hands；　axes　and　a　crosscut　saw；　had　been　the
prime　factors　in　erecting　this　habitation　of　the　Isbels。

〃Good　mawnin'；　son；〃　called　a　cheery　voice　from　the　porch。　　〃Shore
we…all　heard　you　shoot；　an'　the　crack　of　that　forty…four　was　as
welcome　as　May　flowers。〃

Bill　Isbel　looked　up　from　a　task　over　a　saddle　girth　and　inquired
pleasantly　if　Jean　ever　slept　of　nights。　　Guy　Isbel　laughed　and
there　was　warm　regard　in　the　gaze　he　bent　on　Jean。

〃You　old　Indian！〃　he　drawled；　slowly。　　〃Did　you　get　a　bead　on　anythin'？〃

〃No。　　I　shot　to　scare　away　what　I　found　to　be　some　of　your　lofers；〃
replied　Jean。　　〃I　heard　them　pullin'　down　a　calf。　　An'　I　found　tracks
of　two　whoppin'　big　wolves。　　I　found　the　dead　calf；　too。　　Reckon　the
meat　can　be　saved。　　Dad；　you　must　lose　a　lot　of　stock　here。〃

〃Wal；　son；　you　shore　hit　the　nail　on　the　haid；〃　replied　the　rancher。
〃What　with　lions　an'　bears　an'　lofersan'　two…footed　lofers　of　another
breedI've　lost　five　thousand　dollars　in　stock　this　last　year。〃

〃Dad！　　You　don't　mean　it！〃　exclaimed　Jean；　in　astonishment。
To　him　that　sum　represented　a　small　fortune。

〃I　shore　do；〃　answered　his　father。

Jean　shook　his　head　as　if　he　could　not　understand　such　an　enormous
loss　where　there　were　keen　able…bodied　men　about。〃　　But　that's　awful；
dad。　　How　could　it　happen？　　Where　were　your　herders　an'　cowboys？
An'　Bill　an'　Guy？〃

Bill　Isbel　shook　a　vehement　fist　at　Jean　and　retorted　in　earnest；
having　manifestly　been　hit　in　a　sore　spot。　　〃Where　was　me　an'　Guy；
huh？　　Wal；　my　Oregon　brother；　we　was　heah；　all　year；　sleepin'　more
or　less　aboot　three　hours　out　of　every　twenty…fourridin'　our　boots
offan'　we　couldn't　keep　down　that　loss。〃

〃Jean；　you…all　have　a　mighty　tumble　comin'　to　you　out　heah；〃
said　Guy；　complacently。

〃Listen；　son；〃　spoke　up　the　rancher。　　〃You　want　to　have　some　hunches
before　you　figure　on　our　troubles。　　There's　two　or　three　packs　of
lofers；　an'　in　winter　time　they　are　hell　to　deal　with。　　Lions　thick
as　bees；　an'　shore　bad　when　the　snow's　on。　　Bears　will　kill　a　cow　now
an'　then。　　An'　whenever　an'　old　silvertip　comes　mozyin'　across　from
the　Mazatzals　he　kills　stock。　　I'm　in　with　half　a　dozen　cattlemen。
We　all　work　together；　an'　the　whole　outfit　cain't　keep　these　vermints
down。　　Then　two　years　ago　the　Hash　Knife　Gang　come　into　the　Tonto。〃

〃Hash　Knife　Gang？　　What　a　pretty　name！〃　replied　Jean。　　〃Who're　they？〃

〃Rustlers；　son。　　An'　shore　the　real　old　Texas　brand。　　The　old　Lone
Star　State　got　too　hot　for　them；　an'　they　followed　the　trail　of　a
lot　of　other　Texans　who　needed　a　healthier　climate。　　Some　two　hundred
Texans　around　heah；　Jean；　an'　maybe　a　matter　of　three　hundred　inhabitants
in　the　Tonto　all　told；　good　an'　bad。　　Reckon　it's　aboot　half　an'　half。〃

A　cheery　call　from　the　kitchen　interrupted　the　conversation　of　the　men。

〃You　come　to　breakfast。〃

During　the　meal　the　old　rancher　talked　to　Bill　and　Guy　about　the　day's
order　of　work；　and　from　this　Jean　gathered　an　idea　of　what　a　big　cattle
business　his　father　conducted。　　After　breakfast　Jean's　brothers
manifested　keen　interest　in　the　new　rifles。　　These　were　unwrapped
and　cleaned　and　taken　out　for　testing。　　The　three　rifles　were　forty…four
calibre　Winchesters；　the　kind　of　gun　Jean　had　found　most　effective。
He　tried　them　out　first；　and　the　shots　he　made　were　satisfactory　to
him　and　amazing　to　the　others。　　Bill　had　used　an　old　Henry　rifle。
Guy　did　not　favor　any　particular　rifle。　　The　rancher　pinned　his　faith
to　the　famous　old　single…shot　buffalo　gun；　mostly　called　needle　gun。
〃Wal；　reckon　I'd　better　stick　to　mine。　　Shore　you　cain't　teach　an　old
dog　new　tricks。　　But　you　boys　may　do　well　with　the　forty…fours。
Pack　'em　on　your　saddles　an'　practice　when　you　see　a　coyote。〃

Jean　found　it　difficult to　convince　himself　that　this　interest　in
guns　and　marksmanship　had　any　sinister　propulsion　back　of　it。　　His
father　and　brothers　had　always　been　this　way。　　Rifles　were　as　important
to　pioneers　as　plows；　and　their　skillful　use　was　an　achievement　every
frontiersman　tried　to　attain。　　Friendly　rivalry　had　always　existed
among　the　members　of　the　Isbel　family：　even　Ann　Isbel　was　a　good　shot。
But　such　proficiency　in　the　use　of　firearmsand　life　in　the　open
that　was　correlative　with　ithad　not　dominated　them　as　it　had　Jean。
Bill　and　Guy　Isbel　were　born　cattlemenchips　of　the　old　block。
Jean　began　to　hope　that　his　father's　letter　was　an　exaggeration；
and　particularly　that　the　fatalistic　speech　of　last　night；　〃they　are
goin'　to　kill　me；〃　was　just　a　moody　inclination　to　see　the　worst　side。
Still；　even　as　Jean　tried　to　persuade　himself　of　this　more　hopeful　view；
he　recalled　many　references　to　the　peculiar　reputation　of　Texans　for
gun…throwing；　for　feuds；　for　never…ending　hatreds。　　In　Oregon　the
Isbels　had　lived　among　industrious　and　peaceful　pioneers　from　all
over　the　States；　to　be　sure；　the　life　had　been　rough　and　primitive；
and　there　had　been　fights　on　occasions；　though　no　Isbel　had　ever
killed　a　man。　　But　now　they　had　become　fixed　in　a　wilder　and　sparsely
settled　country　among　men　of　their　own　breed。　　Jean　was　afraid　his
hopes　had　only　sentiment　to　foster　them。　　Nevertheless；　be　forced　back
a　strange；　brooding；　mental　state　and　resolutely　held　up　the　brighter
side。　　Whatever　the　evil　conditions　existing　in　Grass　Valley；　they
could　be　met　with　intelligence　and　courage；　with　an　absolute　certainty
that　it　was　inevitable　they　must　pass　away。　　Jean　refused　to　consider
the　old；　fatal　law　that　at　certain　wild　times　and　wild　places　in　the
West　certain　men　had　to　pass　away　to　change　evil　conditions。

〃Wal；　Jean；　ride　around　the　range　with　the　boys；〃　said　the　rancher。
〃Meet　some　of　my　neighbors；　Jim　Blaisdell；　in　particular。　　Take　a
look　at　the　cattle。　　An'　pick　out　some　hosses　for　yourself。〃

〃I've　seen　one　already；〃　declared　Jean；　quickly。　　A　black　with　white
face。　　I'll　take　him。〃

〃Shore　you　know　a　hoss。　　To　my　eye　he's　my　pick。　　But　the　boys　don't
agree。　　Bill　'specially　has　degenerated　into　a　fancier　of　pitchin'
hosses。　　Ann　can　ride　that　black。　　You　try　him　this　mawnin'。　。　。　。
An'；　son；　enjoy　yourself。〃

True　to　his　first　impression；　Jean　named　the　black　horse　Whiteface
and　fell　in　love　with　him　before　ever　he　swung　a　leg　over　him。
Whiteface　appeared　spirited；　yet　gentle。　　He　had　been　trained
instead　of　being　broken。　　Of　hard　hits　and　quirts　and　spurs　he　had
no　experience。　　He　liked　to　do　what　his　rider　wanted　him　to　do。

A　hundred　or　more　horses　grazed　in　the　grassy　meadow；　and　as　Jean
rode　on　among　them　it　was　a　pleasure　to　see　stallions　throw　heads
and　ears　up　and　whistle　or　snort。　　Whole　troops　of　colts　and
two…year…olds　raced　with　flying　tails　and　manes。

Beyond　these　pastures　stretched　the　range；　and　Jean　saw　the　gray…green
expanse　speckled　by　thousands　of　cattle。　　The　scene　was　inspiring。
Jean's　brothers　led　him　all　around；　meeting　some　of　the　herders　and
riders　employed　on　the　ranch；　one　of　whom　was　a　burly；　grizzled　man
with　eyes　reddened　and　narrowed　by　much　riding　in　wind　and　sun　and　dust。
His　name　was　Evans　and　he　was　father　of　the　lad　whom　Jean　had　met　near
the　village。　　Everts　was　busily　skinning　the　calf　that　had　been　killed
by　the　wolves。　　〃See　heah；　y'u　Jean　Isbel；〃　said　Everts；　〃it　shore　was
aboot　time　y'u　come　home。　　We…all　heahs　y'u　hev　an　eye　fer　tracks。
Wal；　mebbe　y'u　can　kill　Old　Gray；　the　lofer　thet　did　this　job。　　He's
pulled　down　nine　calves　as'　yearlin's　this　last　two　months　thet　I　know
of。　　An'　we've　not　hed　the　spring　round…up。〃

Grass　Valley　widened　to　the　southeast。　　Jean　would　have　been　backward
about　estimating　the　square　miles　in　it。　　Yet　it　was　not　vast　acreage
so　much　as　rich　pasture　that　made　it　such　a　wonderful　range。　　Several
ranches　lay　along　the　western　slope　of　this　section。　　Jean　was　informed
that　open　parks　and　swales；　and　little　valleys　nestling　among　the
foothills；　wherever　there　was　water　and　grass；　had　been　settled　by
ranchers。