to the last man-第39章

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〃Yes；　I'm　back；〃　replied　Jean。

〃Areyouall　right？〃

〃Yes。　　I　think　I've　got　a　bullet　crease　on　my　leg。　　I　didn't　know　I
had　it　till　now。　。　。　。　It's　bleedin'　a　little。　　But　it's　nothin'。〃

Jean　heard　soft　steps　and　some　one　reached　shaking　hands　for　him。
They　belonged　to　his　sister　Ann。　　She　embraced　him。　　Jean　felt　the
heave　and　throb　of　her　breast。

〃Why；　Ann；　I'm　not　hurt；〃　he　said；　and　held　her　close。　　〃Now　you
lie　down　an'　try　to　sleep。〃

In　the　black　darkness　of　the　cabin　Jean　led　her　back　to　the　corner
and　his　heart　was　full。　　Speech　was　difficult；　because　the　very　touch
of　Ann's　hands　had　made　him　divine　that　the　success　of　his　venture　in
no　wise　changed　the　plight　of　the　women。

〃Wal；　what　happened　out　there？〃　demanded　Blaisdell。

〃I　got　two　of　them；〃　replied　Jean。　　〃That　fellow　who　was　shootin'
from　the　ridge　west。　　An'　the　other　was　Greaves。〃

〃Hah！〃　exclaimed　his　father。

〃Shore　then　it　was　Greaves　yellin'；〃　declared　Blaisdell。　　〃By　God；
I　never　heard　such　yells！　　Whad　'd　you　do；　Jean？〃

〃I　knifed　him。　　You　see；　I'd　planned　to　slip　up　on　one　after　another。
An'　I　didn't　want　to　make　noise。　　But　I　didn't　get　any　farther　than
Greaves。〃

〃Wal；　I　reckon　that　'll　end　their　shootin'　in　the　dark；〃　muttered
Gaston　Isbel。　　〃We've　got　to　be　on　the　lookout　for　somethin'　else
fire；　most　likely。〃

The　old　rancher's　surmise　proved　to　be　partially　correct。　　Jorth's
faction　ceased　the　shooting。　　Nothing　further　was　seen　or　heard　from
them。　　But　this　silence　and　apparent　break　in　the　siege　were　harder
to　bear　than　deliberate　hostility。　　The　long；　dark　hours　dragged　by。
The　men　took　turns　watching　and　resting；　but　none　of　them　slept。
At　last　the　blackness　paled　and　gray　dawn　stole　out　of　the　east。
The　sky　turned　rose　over　the　distant　range　and　daylight　came。

The　children　awoke　hungry　and　noisy；　having　slept　away　their　fears。
The　women　took　advantage　of　the　quiet　morning　hour　to　get　a　hot　breakfast。

〃Maybe　they've　gone　away；〃　suggested　Guy　Isbel's　wife；　peering　out　of
the　window。　　She　had　done　that　several　times　since　daybreak。　　Jean　saw
her　somber　gaze　search　the　pasture　until　it　rested　upon　the　dark；　prone
shape　of　her　dead　husband；　lying　face　down　in　the　grass。　　Her　look
worried　Jean。

〃No；　Esther；　they've　not　gone　yet；〃　replied　Jean。　　〃I've　seen　some　of
them　out　there　at　the　edge　of　the　brush。〃

Blaisdell　was　optimistic。　　He　said　Jean's　night　work　would　have　its
effect　and　that　the　Jorth　contingent　would　not　renew　the　siege　very
determinedly。　　It　turned　out；　however；　that　Blaisdell　was　wrong。
Directly　after　sunrise　they　began　to　pour　volleys　from　four　sides
and　from　closer　range。　　During　the　night　Jorth's　gang　had　thrown　
earth　banks　and　constructed　log　breastworks；　from　behind　which　they
were　now　firing。　　Jean　and　his　comrades　could　see　the　flashes　of　fire
and　streaks　of　smoke　to　such　good　advantage　that　they　began　to　return
the　volleys。

In　half　an　hour　the　cabin　was　so　full　of　smoke　that　Jean　could　not　see
the　womenfolk　in　their　corner。　　The　fierce　attack　then　abated　somewhat；
and　the　firing　became　more　intermittent；　and　therefore　more　carefully
aimed。　　A　glancing　bullet　cut　a　furrow　in　Blaisdell's　hoary　head；
making　a　painful；　though　not　serious　wound。　　It　was　Esther　Isbel　who
stopped　the　flow　of　blood　and　bound　Blaisdell's　head；　a　task　which
she　performed　skillfully　and　without　a　tremor。　　The　old　Texan　could
not　sit　still　during　this　operation。　　Sight　of　the　blood　on　his　hands；
which　he　tried　to　rub　off；　appeared　to　inflame　him　to　a　great　degree。

〃Isbel；　we　got　to　go　out　thar；〃　he　kept　repeating；　〃an'　kill　them　all。〃

〃No；　we're　goin'　to　stay　heah；〃　replied　Gaston　Isbel。　　〃Shore　I'm
lookin'　for　Blue　an'　Fredericks　an'　Gordon　to　open　up　out　there。
They　ought　to　be　heah；　an'　if　they　are　y'u　shore　can　bet　they've
got　the　fight　sized　up。　〃

Isbel's　hopes　did　not　materialize。　　The　shooting　continued　without
any　lull　until　about　midday。　　Then　the　Jorth　faction　stopped。

〃Wal；　now　what's　up？〃　queried　Isbel。　　〃Boys；　hold　your　fire　an'
let's　wait。〃

Gradually　the　smoke　wafted　out　of　the　windows　and　doors；　until　the
room　was　once　more　clear。　　And　at　this　juncture　Esther　Isbel　came
over　to　take　another　gaze　out　upon　the　meadows。　　Jean　saw　her　suddenly
start　violently；　then　stiffen；　with　a　trembling　hand　outstretched。

〃Look！〃　she　cried。

〃Esther；　get　back；〃　ordered　the　old　rancher。　　〃Keep　away　from　that
window。〃

〃What　the　hell！〃　muttered　Blaisdell。　　〃She　sees　somethin'；　or　she's
gone　dotty。〃

Esther　seemed　turned　to　stone。　　〃Look！　　The　hogs　have　broken　into
the　pasture！　。　。　。　They'll　eat　Guy's　body！〃

Everyone　was　frozen　with　horror　at　Esther's　statement。　　Jean　took　a
swift　survey　of　the　pasture。　　A　bunch　of　big　black　hogs　had　indeed
appeared　on　the　scene　and　were　rooting　around　in　the　grass　not　far
from　where　lay　the　bodies　of　Guy　Isbel　and　Jacobs。　　This　herd　of　hogs
belonged　to　the　rancher　and　was　allowed　to　run　wild。

〃Jane；　those　hogs〃　stammered　Esther　Isbel；　to　the　wife　of　Jacobs。
〃Come！　　Look！　。　。　。　Do　y'u　know　anythin'　about　hogs？〃

The　woman　ran　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　　She　stiffened　as　had　Esther。

〃Dad；　will　those　hogseat　human　flesh？　〃　queried　Jean；　breathlessly。

The　old　man　stared　out　of　the　window。　　Surprise　seemed　to　hold　him。
A　completely　unexpected　situation　had　staggered　him。

〃Jeancan　youcan　you　shoot　that　far？〃　he　asked；　huskily。

〃To　those　hogs？　　No；　it's　out　of　range。〃

Then；　by　God；　we've　got　to　stay　trapped　in　heah　an'　watch　an　awful
sight；〃　ejaculated　the　old　man；　completely　unnerved。　　〃See　that　break
in　the　fence！　　。　。　Jorth's　done　that。　。　。　。　To　let　in　the　hogs！〃

〃Aw；　Isbel；　it's　not　so　bad　as　all　that；〃　remonstrated　Blaisdell；
wagging　his　bloody　head。　　〃Jorth　wouldn't　do　such　a　hell…bent　trick。〃

〃It's　shore　done。〃

〃Wal；　mebbe　the　hogs　won't　find　Guy　an'　Jacobs；〃　returned　Blaisdell；
weakly。　　Plain　it　was　that　he　only　hoped　for　such　a　contingency　and
certainly　doubted　it。

〃Look！〃　cried　Esther　Isbel；　piercingly。　　They're　workin'　straight　up
the　pasture！〃

Indeed；　to　Jean　it　appeared　to　be　the　fatal　truth。　　He　looked　blankly；
feeling　a　little　sick。　　Ann　Isbel　came　to　peer　out　of　the　window　and
she　uttered　a　cry。　　Jacobs's　wife　stood　mute；　as　if　dazed。

Blaisdell　swore　a　mighty　oath。 〃　　！　　Isbel；　we　cain't　stand
heah　an'　watch　them　hogs　eat　our　people！〃

〃Wal；　we'll　have　to。　　What　else　on　earth　can　we　do？〃

Esther　turned　to　the　men。　　She　was　white　and　cold；　except　her　eyes；
which　resembled　gray　flames。

〃Somebody　can　run　out　there　an'　bury　our　dead　men；〃　she　said。

〃Why；　child；　it'd　be　shore　death。　　Y'u　saw　what　happened　to　Guy　an'
Jacobs。　。　。　。　We've　jest　got　to　bear　it。　　Shore　nobody　needn't　look
outan'　see。〃

Jean　wondered　if　it　would　be　possible　to　keep　from　watching。　　The
thing　had　a　horrible　fascination。　　The　big　hogs　were　rooting　and
tearing　in　the　grass；　some　of　them　lazy；　others　nimble；　and　all　were
gradually　working　closer　and　closer　to　the　bodies。　　The　leader；　a　huge；
gaunt　boar；　that　had　fared　ill　all　his　life　in　this　barren　country；　was
scarcely　fifty　feet　away　from　where　Guy　Isbel　lay。

〃Ann；　get　me　some　of　your　clothes；　an'　a　sunbonnetquick；〃　said　Jean；
forced　out　of　his　lethargy。　　〃I'll　run　out　there　disguised。　　Maybe　I
can　go　through　with　it。〃

〃No！〃　ordered　his　father；　positively；　and　with　dark　face　flaming。
〃Guy　an'　Jacobs　are　dead。　　We　cain't　help　them　now。〃

〃But；　dad〃　pleaded　Jean。　　He　had　been　wrought　to　a　pitch　by　Esther's
blaze　of　passion；　by　the　agony　in　the　face　of　the　other　woman。

〃I　tell　y'u　no！〃　thundered　Gaston　Isbel；　flinging　his　arms　wide。

〃I　WILL　GO！〃　cried　Esther；　her　voice　ringing。

〃You　won't　go　alone！〃　instantly　answered　the　wife　of　Jacobs；　repeating
unconsciously　the　words　her　husband　had　spoken。

〃You　stay　right　heah；〃　shouted　Gaston　Isbel；　hoarsely。

〃I'm　goin'；〃　replied　Esther。　　〃You've　no　hold　over　me。　　My　husband　is
dead。　　No　one　can　stop　me。　　I'm　goin'　out　there　to　drive　those　hogs
away　an'　bury　him。〃

〃Esther；　for　Heaven's　sake；　listen；〃　replied　Isbel。　　〃If　y'u　show
yourself　outside；　Jorth　an'　his　gang　will　kin　y'u。〃　

〃They　may　be　mean；　but　no　white　men　could　be　so　low