to the last man-第26章

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me　of　winnin'　her　by　lies。　　But　she　took　the　sting　out　of　that。

Isbel　never　forgave　her　an'　he　hounded　me　to　ruin。　　He　made　me　out
a　card…sharp；　cheatin'　my　best　friends。　　I　was　disgraced。　　Later　he
tangled　me　in　the　courtshe　beat　me　out　of　propertyan'　last　by
convictin'　me　of　rustlin'　cattle　he　run　me　out　of　Texas。〃

Black　and　distorted　now；　Jorth's　face　was　a　spectacle　to　make　Ellen
sick　with　a　terrible　passion　of　despair　and　hate。　　The　truth　of　her
father's　ruin　and　her　own　were　enough。　　What　mattered　all　else？
Jorth　beat　the　table　with　fluttering；　nerveless　hands　that　seemed
all　the　more　significant　for　their　lack　of　physical　force。

〃An'　so　help　me　God；　it's　got　to　be　wiped　out　in　blood！〃　he　hissed。

That　was　his　answer　to　the　wavering　and　nobility　of　Ellen。　　And　she
in　her　turn　had　no　answer　to　make。　　She　crept　away　into　the　corner
behind　the　curtain；　and　there　on　her　couch　in　the　semidarkness　she
lay　with　strained　heart；　and　a　resurging；　unconquerable　tumult　in　her
mind。　　And　she　lay　there　from　the　middle　of　that　afternoon　until　the
next　morning。

When　she　awakened　she　expected　to　be　unable　to　riseshe　hoped　she
could　notbut　life　seemed　multiplied　in　her；　and　inaction　was
impossible。　　Something　young　and　sweet　and　hopeful　that　had　been
in　her　did　not　greet　the　sun　this　morning。　　In　their　place　was　a
woman's　passion　to　learn　for　herself；　to　watch　events；　to　meet　what
must　come；　to　survive。

After　breakfast；　at　which　she　sat　alone；　she　decided　to　put　Isbel's
package　out　of　the　way；　so　that　it　would　not　be　subjecting　her　to
continual　annoyance。　　The　moment　she　picked　it　up　the　old　curiosity
assailed　her。

〃Shore　I'll　see　what　it　is；　anyway；〃　she　muttered；　and　with　swift
hands　she　opened　the　package。　　The　action　disclosed　two　pairs　of　fine；
soft　shoes；　of　a　style　she　had　never　seen；　and　four　pairs　of　stockings；
two　of　strong；　serviceable　wool；　and　the　others　of　a　finer　texture。
Ellen　looked　at　them　in　amaze。　　Of　all　things　in　the　world；　these　would
have　been　the　last　she　expected　to　see。　　And；　strangely；　they　were　what
she　wanted　and　needed　most。　　Naturally；　then；　Ellen　made　the　mistake　of
taking　them　in　her　hands　to　feel　their　softness　and　warmth。

〃Shore！　　He　saw　my　bare　legs！　　And　he　brought　me　these　presents　he'd
intended　for　his　sister。　。　。　。　He　was　ashamed　for　mesorry　for　me。
　。　。　And　I　thought　he　looked　at　me　bold…like；　as　I'm　used　to　be　looked
at　heah！　Isbel　or　not；　he's　shore。　。　。〃

But　Ellen　Jorth　could　not　utter　aloud　the　conviction　her　intelligence
tried　to　force　upon　her。

〃It'd　be　a　pity　to　burn　them；〃　she　mused。　　〃I　cain't　do　it。
Sometime　I　might　send　them　to　Ann　Isbel。〃

Whereupon　she　wrapped　them　up　again　and　hid　them　in　the　bottom　of　the
old　trunk；　and　slowly；　as　she　lowered　the　lid；　looking　darkly；　blankly
at　the　wall；　she　whispered：　〃Jean　Isbel！　。　。　。　I　hate　him！〃

Later　when　Ellen　went　outdoors　she　carried　her　rifle；　which　was　unusual
for　her；　unless　she　intended　to　go　into　the　woods。

The　morning　was　sunny　and　warm。　　A　group　of　shirt…sleeved　men　lounged
in　the　hall　and　before　the　porch　of　the　double　cabin。　　Her　father　was
pacing　up　and　down；　talking　forcibly。　　Ellen　heard　his　hoarse　voice。
As　she　approached　he　ceased　talking　and　his　listeners　relaxed　their
attention。　　Ellen's　glance　ran　over　them　swiftlyDaggs；　with　his
superb　head；　like　that　of　a　hawk；　uncovered　to　the　sun；　Colter　with
his　lowered；　secretive　looks；　his　sand…gray　lean　face；　Jackson　Jorth；
her　uncle；　huge；　gaunt；　hulking；　with　white　in　his　black　beard　and　hair；
and　the　fire　of　a　ghoul　in　his　hollow　eyes；　Tad　Jorth；　another　brother
of　her　father's；　younger；　red　of　eye　and　nose；　a　weak…chinned　drinker
of　rum。　　Three　other　limber…legged　Texans　lounged　there；　partners　of
Daggs；　and　they　were　sun…browned；　light…haired；　blue…eyed　men　singularly
alike　in　appearance；　from　their　dusty　high…heeled　boots　to　their　broad
black　sombreros。　　They　claimed　to　be　sheepmen。　　All　Ellen　could　be　sure
of　was　that　Rock　Wells　spent　most　of　his　time　there；　doing　nothing　but
look　for　a　chance　to　waylay　her；　Springer　was　a　gambler；　and　the　third；
who　answered　to　the　strange　name　of　Queen；　was　a　silent；　lazy；
watchful…eyed　man　who　never　wore　a　glove　on　his　right　hand　and　who
never　was　seen　without　a　gun　within　easy　reach　of　that　hand。

〃Howdy；　Ellen。　　Shore　you　ain't　goin'　to　say　good　mawnin'　to　this
heah　bad　lot？〃　drawled　Daggs；　with　good…natured　sarcasm。

〃Why；　shore！　　Good　morning；　y'u　hard…working　industrious　MANANA　sheep
raisers；〃　replied　Ellen；　coolly。

Daggs　stared。　　The　others　appeared　taken　back　by　a　greeting　so　foreign
from　any　to　which　they　were　accustomed　from　her。　　Jackson　Jorth　let　out
a　gruff　haw…haw。　　Some　of　them　doffed　their　sombreros；　and　Rock　Wells
managed　a　lazy；　polite　good　morning。　　Ellen's　father　seemed　most
significantly　struck　by　her　greeting；　and　the　least　amused。

〃Ellen；　I'm　not　likin'　your　talk；　〃　he　said；　with　a　frown。

〃Dad；　when　y'u　play　cards　don't　y'u　call　a　spade　a　spade？〃

〃Why；　shore　I　do。〃

〃Well；　I'm　calling　spades　spades。〃

〃Ahuh！〃　grunted　Jorth；　furtively　dropping　his　eyes。　　〃Where　you　goin'
with　your　gun？　　I'd　rather　you　hung　round　heah　now。〃

〃Reckon　I　might　as　well　get　used　to　packing　my　gun　all　the　time；〃
replied　Ellen。　　〃Reckon　I'll　be　treated　more　like　a　man。〃

Then　the　event　Ellen　had　been　expecting　all　morning　took　place。
Simm　Bruce　and　Lorenzo　rode　around　the　slope　of　the　Knoll　and
trotted　toward　the　cabin。　　Interest　in　Ellen　was　relegated　to
the　background。

〃Shore　they're　bustin'　with　news；〃　declared　Daggs。

〃They　been　ridin'　some；　you　bet；〃　remarked　another。

〃Huh！〃　exclaimed　Jorth。　　〃Bruce　shore　looks　queer　to　me。〃

〃Red　liquor；〃　said　Tad　Jorth；　sententiously。　　〃You…all　know　the
brand　Greaves　hands　out。〃

〃Naw；　Simm　ain't　drunk；〃　said　Jackson　Jorth。　　〃Look　at　his　bloody　shirt。〃

The　cool；　indolent　interest　of　the　crowd　vanished　at　the　red　color
pointed　out　by　Jackson　Jorth。　　Daggs　rose　in　a　single　springy　motion
to　his　lofty　height。　　The　face　Bruce　turned　to　Jorth　was　swollen　and
bruised；　with　unhealed　cuts。　　Where　his　right　eye　should　have　been
showed　a　puffed　dark　purple　bulge。　　His　other　eye；　however；　gleamed
with　hard　and　sullen　light。　　He　stretched　a　big　shaking　hand　toward　Jorth。

Thet　Nez　Perce　Isbel　beat　me　half　to　death；〃　he　bellowed。

Jorth　stared　hard　at　the　tragic；　almost　grotesque　figure；　at　the
battered　face。　　But　speech　failed　him。　　It　was　Daggs　who　answered　Bruce。

〃Wal；　Simm；　I'll　be　damned　if　you　don't　look　it。〃

〃Beat　you！　　What　with？〃　burst　out　Jorth；　explosively。

〃I　thought　he　was　swingin'　an　ax；　but　Greaves　swore　it　was　his　fists；〃
bawled　Bruce；　in　misery　and　fury。

〃Where　was　your　gun？〃　queried　Jorth；　sharply。

〃Gun？　Hell！〃　exclaimed　Bruce；　flinging　wide　his　arms。　　〃Ask　Lorenzo。
He　had　a　gun。　　An'　he　got　a　biff　in　the　jaw　before　my　turn　come。
Ask　him？〃

Attention　thus　directed　to　the　Mexican　showed　a　heavy　discolored
swelling　upon　the　side　of　his　olive…skinned　face。　　Lorenzo　looked
only　serious。

〃Hah！　　Speak　up；〃　shouted　Jorth；　impatiently。

〃Senor　Isbel　heet　me　ver　quick；〃　replied　Lorenzo；　with　expressive
gesture。　　〃I　see　thousand　starsthen　moocho　blackall　like　night。〃

At　that　some　of　Daggs's　men　lolled　back　with　dry　crisp　laughter。
Daggs's　hard　face　rippled　with　a　smile。　　But　there　was　no　humor
in　anything　for　Colonel　Jorth。

〃Tell　us　what　come　off。　　Quick！〃　he　ordered。　　〃Where　did　it　happen？
Why？　　Who　saw　it？　　What　did　you　do？　〃

Bruce　lapsed　into　a　sullen　impressiveness。　　〃Wal；　I　happened　in
Greaves's　store　an'　run　into　Jean　Isbel。　　Shore　was　lookin'　fer　him。
I　had　my　mind　made　up　what　to　do；　but　I　got　to　shootin'　off　my　gab
instead　of　my　gun。　　I　called　him　Nez　Percean'　I　throwed　all　thet
talk　in　his　face　about　old　Gass　Isbel　sendin'　fer　him…an'　I　told
him　he'd　git　run　out　of　the　Tonto。　　Reckon　I　was　jest　warmin'　up。
。　。　。　But　then　it　all　happened。　　He　slugged　Lorenzo　jest　one。　　An'
Lorenzo　slid　peaceful…like　to　bed　behind　the　counter。　　I　hadn't　time
to　think　of　throwin'　a　gun　before　he　whaled　into　me。　　He　knocked　out
two　of　my　teeth。　　An'　I　swallered　one　of　them。〃

Ellen　stood　in　the　background　behind　three　of　the　men