to the last man-第34章
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this tragic realization in his lined face。
〃Wal； boys； I'll tell the women；〃 he said。 〃Shore you needn't worry
none aboot them。 They'll be game。〃
Jean rode away to an open knoll a short distance from the house；
and here he stationed himself to watch all points。 The cedared
ridge back of the ranch was the one approach by which Jorth's gang
might come close without being detected； but even so； Jean could see
them and ride to the house in time to prevent a surprise。 The moments
dragged by； and at the end of an hour Jean was in hopes that Blaisdell
would soon come。 These hopes were well founded。 Presently he heard a
clatter of hoofs on hard ground to the south； and upon wheeling to look
he saw the friendly neighbor coming fast along the road； riding a big
white horse。 Blaisdell carried a rifle in his hand； and the sight of
him gave Jean a glow of warmth。 He was one of the Texans who would
stand by the Isbels to the last man。 Jean watched him ride to the
housewatched the meeting between him and his lifelong friend。
There floated out to Jean old Blaisdell's roar of rage。
Then out on the green of Grass Valley； where a long； swelling plain
swept away toward the village； there appeared a moving dark patch。
A bunch of horses！ Jean's body gave a slight startthe shock of
sudden propulsion of blood through all his veins。 Those horses bore
riders。 They were coming straight down the open valley； on the wagon
road to Isbel's ranch。 No subterfuge nor secrecy nor sneaking in that
advance！ A hot thrill ran over Jean。
〃By Heaven！ They mean business！〃 he muttered。 Up to the last moment
he had unconsciously hoped Jorth's gang would not come boldly like that。
The verifications of all a Texan's inherited instincts left no doubts；
no hopes； no illusionsonly a grim certainty that this was not
conjecture nor probability； but fact。 For a moment longer Jean
watched the slowly moving dark patch of horsemen against the green
background； then he hurried back to the ranch。 His father saw him
comingstrode out as before。
〃DadJorth is comin'；〃 said Jean； huskily。 How he hated to be forced
to tell his father that！ The boyish love of old had flashed up。
〃Whar？〃 demanded the old man； his eagle gaze sweeping the horizon。
〃Down the road from Grass Valley。 You can't see from here。〃
〃Wal； come in an' let's get ready。〃
Isbel's house had not been constructed with the idea of repelling an
attack from a band of Apaches。 The long living room of the main cabin
was the one selected for defense and protection。 This room had two
windows and a door facing the lane； and a door at each end； one of
which opened into the kitchen and the other into an adjoining and
later…built cabin。 The logs of this main cabin were of large size；
and the doors and window coverings were heavy； affording safer
protection from bullets than the other cabins。
When Jean went in he seemed to see a host of white faces lifted to him。
His sister Ann； his two sisters…in…law； the children； all mutely watched
him with eyes that would haunt him。
〃Wal； Blaisdell； Jean says Jorth an' his precious gang of rustlers are
on the way heah；〃 announced the rancher。
〃Damn me if it's not a bad day fer Lee Jorth！ 〃 declared Blaisdell。
〃Clear off that table；〃 ordered Isbel； 〃an' fetch out all the guns
an' shells we got。〃
Once laid upon the table these presented a formidable arsenal； which
consisted of the three new 。44 Winchesters that Jean had brought with
him from the coast； the enormous buffalo； or so…called 〃needle〃 gun；
that Gaston Isbel had used for years； a Henry rifle which Blaisdell
had brought； and half a dozen six…shooters。 Piles and packages of
ammunition littered the table。
〃Sort out these heah shells；〃 said Isbel。 〃Everybody wants to get
hold of his own。〃
Jacobs； the neighbor who was present； was a thick…set； bearded man；
rather jovial among those lean…jawed Texans。 He carried a 。44 rifle
of an old pattern。 〃Wal； boys； if I'd knowed we was in fer some fun
I'd hev fetched more shells。 Only got one magazine full。 Mebbe them
new 。44's will fit my gun。〃
It was discovered that the ammunition Jean had brought in quantity
fitted Jacob's rifle； a fact which afforded peculiar satisfaction
to all the men present。
〃Wal； shore we're lucky；〃 declared Gaston Isbel。
The women sat apart； in the comer toward the kitchen； and there seemed
to be a strange fascination for them in the talk and action of the men。
The wife of Jacobs was a little woman； with homely face and very bright
eyes。 Jean thought she would be a help in that household during the
next doubtful hours。
Every moment Jean would go to the window and peer out down the road。
His companions evidently relied upon him； for no one else looked out。
Now that the suspense of days and weeks was over； these Texans faced
the issue with talk and act not noticeably different from those of
ordinary moments。
At last Jean espied the dark mass of horsemen out in the valley road。
They were close together； walking their mounts； and evidently in earnest
conversation。 After several ineffectual attempts Jean counted eleven
horses； every one of which he was sure bore a rider。
〃Dad； look out！〃 called Jean。
Gaston Isbel strode to the door and stood looking； without a word。
The other men crowded to the windows。 Blaisdell cursed under his
breath。 Jacobs said： 〃By Golly！ Come to pay us a call！〃 The women
sat motionless； with dark； strained eyes。 The children ceased their
play and looked fearfully to their mother。
When just out of rifle shot of the cabins the band of horsemen halted
and lined up in a half circle； all facing the ranch。 They were close
enough for Jean to see their gestures； but he could not recognize any
of their faces。 It struck him singularly that not one of them wore
a mask。
〃Jean； do you know any of them？〃 asked his father
〃No； not yet。 They're too far off。〃
〃Dad； I'll get your old telescope；〃 said Guy Isbel； and he ran out
toward the adjoining cabin。
Blaisdell shook his big； hoary head and rumbled out of his bull…like
neck； 〃Wal； now you're heah； you sheep fellars； what are you goin'
to do aboot it？ 〃
Guy Isbel returned with a yard…long telescope； which he passed to his
father。 The old man took it with shaking hands and leveled it。
Suddenly it was as if he had been transfixed； then he lowered the
glass； shaking violently； and his face grew gray with an exceeding
bitter wrath。
〃Jorth！〃 he swore； harshly。
Jean had only to look at his father to know that recognition had been
like a mortal shock。 It passed。 Again the rancher leveled the glass。
〃Wal； Blaisdell； there's our old Texas friend； Daggs；〃 he drawled； dryly。
〃An' Greaves； our honest storekeeper of Grass Valley。 An' there's
Stonewall Jackson Jorth。 An' Tad Jorth； with the same old red nose！
。 。 。 An'； say； damn if one of that gang isn't Queen； as bad a gun
fighter as Texas ever bred。 Shore I thought he'd been killed in the
Big Bend country。 So I heard。 。 。 。 An' there's Craig； another
respectable sheepman of Grass Valley。 Haw…haw！ An'； wal； I don't
recognize any more of them。〃
Jean forthwith took the glass and moved it slowly across the faces of
that group of horsemen。 〃Simm Bruce；〃 he said； instantly。 〃I see
Colter。 And； yes； Greaves is there。 I've seen the man next to him
face like a ham。 。 。 。〃
〃Shore that is Craig；〃 interrupted his father。
Jean knew the dark face of Lee Jorth by the resemblance it bore to
Ellen's； and the recognition brought a twinge。 He thought； too；
that he could tell the other Jorths。 He asked his father to describe
Daggs and then Queen。 It was not likely that Jean would fail to know
these several men in the future。 Then Blaisdell asked for the telescope
and； when he got through looking and cursing； he passed it on to others；
who； one by one； took a long look； until finally it came back to the
old rancher。
〃Wal； Daggs is wavin' his hand heah an' there； like a general aboot
to send out scouts。 Haw…haw！ 。 。 。 An' 'pears to me he's not overlookin'
our hosses。 Wal； that's natural for a rustler。 He'd have to steal a
hoss or a steer before goin' into a
