to the last man-第40章
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yourself outside； Jorth an' his gang will kin y'u。〃
〃They may be mean； but no white men could be so low as that。〃
Then they pleaded with her to give up her purpose。 But in vain！
She pushed them back and ran out through the kitchen with Jacobs's
wife following her。 Jean turned to the window in time to see both
women run out into the lane。 Jean looked fearfully； and listened
for shots。 But only a loud； 〃Haw！ Haw！〃 came from the watchers
outside。 That coarse laugh relieved the tension in Jean's breast。
Possibly the Jorths were not as black as his father painted them。
The two women entered an open shed and came forth with a shovel
and spade。
〃Shore they've got to hurry；〃 burst out Gaston Isbel。
Shifting his gaze； Jean understood the import of his father's speech。
The leader of the hogs had no doubt scented the bodies。 Suddenly he
espied them and broke into a trot。
〃Run； Esther； run！〃 yelled Jean； with all his might。
That urged the women to flight。 Jean began to shoot。 The hog reached
the body of Guy。 Jean's shots did not reach nor frighten the beast。
All the hogs now had caught a scent and went ambling toward their
leader。 Esther and her companion passed swiftly out of sight behind
a corral。 Loud and piercingly； with some awful note； rang out their
screams。 The hogs appeared frightened。 The leader lifted his long
snout； looked； and turned away。 The others had halted。 Then they；
too； wheeled and ran off。
All was silent then in the cabin and also outside wherever the Jorth
faction lay concealed。 All eyes manifestly were fixed upon the brave
wives。 They spaded up the sod and dug a grave for Guy Isbel。 For a
shroud Esther wrapped him in her shawl。 Then they buried him。 Next
they hurried to the side of Jacobs； who lay some yards away。 They
dug a grave for him。 Mrs。 Jacobs took off her outer skirt to wrap
round him。 Then the two women labored hard to lift him and lower him。
Jacobs was a heavy man。 When he had been covered his widow knelt
beside his grave。 Esther went back to the other。 But she remained
standing and did not look as if she prayed。 Her aspect was tragic
that of a woman who had lost father； mother； sisters； brother； and now
her husband； in this bloody Arizona land。
The deed and the demeanor of these wives of the murdered men surely
must have shamed Jorth and his followers。 They did not fire a shot
during the ordeal nor give any sign of their presence。
Inside the cabin all were silent； too。 Jean's eyes blurred so that he
continually had to wipe them。 Old Isbel made no effort to hide his
tears。 Blaisdell nodded his shaggy head and swallowed hard。 The
women sat staring into space。 The children； in round…eyed dismay；
gazed from one to the other of their elders。
〃Wal； they're comin' back；〃 declared Isbel； in immense relief。
〃An' so help meJorth let them bury their daid！〃
The fact seemed to have been monstrously strange to Gaston Isbel。
When the women entered the old man said； brokenly： 〃I'm shore glad。
。 。 。 An' I reckon I was wrong to oppose you 。 。 。 an' wrong to say
what I did aboot Jorth。〃
No one had any chance to reply to Isbel； for the Jorth gang； as if
to make up for lost time and surcharged feelings of shame； renewed
the attack with such a persistent and furious volleying that the
defenders did not risk a return shot。 They all had to lie flat next
to the lowest log in order to keep from being hit。 Bullets rained in
through the window。 And all the clay between the logs low down was
shot away。 This fusillade lasted for more than an hour； then gradually
the fire diminished on one side and then on the other until it became
desultory and finally ceased。
〃Ahuh！ Shore they've shot their bolt；〃 declared Gaston Isbel。
〃Wal； I doon't know aboot that；〃 returned Blaisdell； 〃but they've shot
a hell of a lot of shells。〃
〃Listen；〃 suddenly called Jean。 〃Somebody's yellin'。〃
〃Hey； Isbel！〃 came in loud； hoarse voice。 〃Let your women fight
for you。〃
Gaston Isbel sat up with a start and his face turned livid。 Jean
needed no more to prove that the derisive voice from outside had
belonged to Jorth。 The old rancher lunged up to his full height
and with reckless disregard of life he rushed to the window。
〃Jorth；〃 he roared； 〃I dare you to meet meman to man！〃
This elicited no answer。 Jean dragged his father away from the window。
After that a waiting silence ensued； gradually less fraught with
suspense。 Blaisdell started conversation by saying he believed the
fight was over for that particular time。 No one disputed him。
Evidently Gaston Isbel was loath to believe it。 Jean； however；
watching at the back of the kitchen； eventually discovered that the
Jorth gang had lifted the siege。 Jean saw them congregate at the edge
of the brush； somewhat lower down than they had been the day before。
A team of mules； drawing a wagon； appeared on the road； and turned
toward the slope。 Saddled horses were led down out of the junipers。
Jean saw bodies； evidently of dead men； lifted into the wagon； to be
hauled away toward the village。 Seven mounted men； leading four
riderless horses； rode out into the valley and followed the wagon。
〃Dad； they've gone；〃 declared Jean。 〃We had the best of this fight。
。 。 。 If only Guy an' Jacobs had listened！〃
The old man nodded moodily。 He had aged considerably during these two
trying days。 His hair was grayer。 Now that the blaze and glow of the
fight had passed he showed a subtle change； a fixed and morbid sadness；
a resignation to a fate he had accepted。
The ordinary routine of ranch life did not return for the Isbels。
Blaisdell returned home to settle matters there； so that he could
devote all his time to this feud。 Gaston Isbel sat down to wait for
the members of his clan。
The male members of the family kept guard in turn over the ranch that
night。 And another day dawned。 It brought word from Blaisdell that
Blue； Fredericks； Gordon； and Colmor were all at his house； on the way
to join the Isbels。 This news appeared greatly to rejuvenate Gaston
Isbel。 But his enthusiasm did not last long。 Impatient and moody by
turns； he paced or moped around the cabin； always looking out； sometimes
toward Blaisdell's ranch； but mostly toward Grass Valley。
It struck Jean as singular that neither Esther Isbel nor Mrs。 Jacobs
suggested a reburial of their husbands。 The two bereaved women did not
ask for assistance； but repaired to the pasture； and there spent several
hours working over the graves。 They raised mounds； which they sodded；
and then placed stones at the heads and feet。 Lastly； they fenced in
the graves。
〃I reckon I'll hitch up an' drive back home；〃 said Mrs。 Jacobs； when
she returned to the cabin。 〃I've much to do an' plan。 Probably I'll
go to my mother's home。 She's old an' will be glad to have me。〃
〃If I had any place to go to I'd sure go；〃 declared Esther Isbel；
bitterly。
Gaston Isbel heard this remark。 He raised his face from his hands；
evidently both nettled and hurt。
〃Esther； shore that's not kind；〃 he said。
The red…haired womanfor she did not appear to be a girl any more
halted before his chair and gazed down at him； with a terrible flare
of scorn in her gray eyes。
〃Gaston Isbel； all I've got to say to you is this；〃 she retorted； with
the voice of a man。 〃Seein' that you an' Lee Jorth hate each other；
why couldn't you act like men？ 。 。 。 You damned Texans； with your bloody
feuds； draggin' in every relation； every friend to murder each other！
That's not the way of Arizona men。 。 。 。 We've all got to sufferan'
we women be ruined for lifebecause YOU had differences with Jorth。
If you were half a man you'd go out an' kill him yourself； an' not leave
a lot of widows an' orphaned children！〃
Jean himself writhed under the lash of her scorn。 Gaston Isbel turned
a dead white。 He could not。 answer her。 He seemed stricken with
merciless truth。 Slowly dropping his head； he remained motionless；
a pathetic and tragic figure； and he did not stir until the rapid beat
of hoofs denoted the approach of horsemen。 Blaisdell appeared on his
white charger； leading a pack animal。 And behind rode a grou
