to the last man-第41章
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white charger； leading a pack animal。 And behind rode a group of men；
all heavily armed； and likewise with packs。
〃Get down an' come in；〃 was Isbel's greeting。 〃Billyou look after
their packs。 Better leave the hosses saddled。〃
The booted and spurred riders trooped in； and their demeanor fitted
their errand。 Jean was acquainted with all of them。 Fredericks was
a lanky Texan； the color of dust； and he had yellow； clear eyes； like
those of a hawk。 His mother had been an Isbel。 Gordon； too； was
related to Jean's family； though distantly。 He resembled an industrious
miner more than a prosperous cattleman。 Blue was the most striking of
the visitors； as he was the most noted。 A little； shrunken gray…eyed
man； with years of cowboy written all over him； he looked the quiet；
easy； cool； and deadly Texan he was reputed to be。 Blue's Texas record
was shady； and was seldom alluded to； as unfavorable comment had turned
out to be hazardous。 He was the only one of the group who did not carry
a rifle。 But he packed two guns； a habit not often noted in Texans； and
almost never in Arizonians。
Colmor； Ann Isbel's fiance； was the youngest member of the clan； and
the one closest to Jean。 His meeting with Ann affected Jean powerfully；
and brought to a climax an idea that had been developing in Jean's mind。
His sister devotedly loved this lean…faced； keen…eyed Arizonian； and it
took no great insight to discover that Colmor reciprocated her affection。
They were young。 They had long life before them。 It seemed to Jean a
pity that Colmor should be drawn into this war。 Jean watched them； as
they conversed apart； and he saw Ann's hands creep up to Colmor's breast；
and he saw her dark eyes； eloquent； hungry； fearful； lifted with queries
her lips did not speak。 Jean stepped beside them； and laid an arm over
both their shoulders。
〃Colmor； for Ann's sake you'd better back out of this Jorth…Isbel fight；〃
he whispered。
Colmor looked insulted。 〃But； Jean； it's Ann's father；〃 he said。
〃I'm almost one of the family。〃
〃You're Ann's sweetheart； an'； by Heaven； I say you oughtn't to go
with us！〃 whispered Jean。
〃Gowithyou；〃 faltered Ann。
〃Yes。 Dad is goin' straight after Jorth。 Can't you tell that？ An'
there 'll be one hell of a fight。〃
Ann looked up into Colmor's face with all her soul in her eyes； but she
did not speak。 Her look was noble。 She yearned to guide him right；
yet her lips were sealed。 And Colmor betrayed the trouble of his soul。
The code of men held him bound； and he could not break from it； though
he divined in that moment how truly it was wrong。
〃Jean； your dad started me in the cattle business；〃 said Colmor；
earnestly。 〃An' I'm doin' well now。 An' when I asked him for Ann
he said he'd be glad to have me in the family。 。 。 。 Well； when this
talk of fight come up； I asked your dad to let me go in on his side。
He wouldn't hear of it。 But after a while； as the time passed an' he
made more enemies； he finally consented。 I reckon he needs me now。
An' I can't back out； not even for Ann。〃
〃I would if I were you；〃 replied jean； and knew that he lied。
〃Jean； I'm gamblin' to come out of the fight；〃 said Colmor； with a smile。
He had no morbid fears nor presentiments； such as troubled jean。
〃Why； sureyou stand as good a chance as anyone；〃 rejoined Jean。
〃It wasn't that I was worryin' about so much。〃
〃What was it； then？〃 asked Ann； steadily。
〃If Andrew DOES come through alive he'll have blood on his hands；〃
returned Jean； with passion。 〃He can't come through without it。 。 。 。
I've begun to feel what it means to have killed my fellow men。 。 。 。
An' I'd rather your husband an' the father of your children never
felt that。〃
Colmor did not take Jean as subtly as Ann did。 She shrunk a little。
Her dark eyes dilated。 But Colmor showed nothing of her spiritual
reaction。 He was young。 He had wild blood。 He was loyal to the Isbels。
〃Jean； never worry about my conscience；〃 he said； with a keen look。
〃Nothin' would tickle me any more than to get a shot at every damn
one of the Jorths。〃
That established Colmor's status in regard to the Jorth…Isbel feud。
Jean had no more to say。 He respected Ann's friend and felt poignant
sorrow for Ann。
Gaston Isbel called for meat and drink to be set on the table for his
guests。 When his wishes had been complied with the women took the
children into the adjoining cabin and shut the door。
〃Hah！ Wal； we can eat an' talk now。〃
First the newcomers wanted to hear particulars of what had happened。
Blaisdell had told all he knew and had seen； but that was not
sufficient。 They plied Gaston Isbel with questions。 Laboriously
and ponderously he rehearsed the experiences of the fight at the
ranch； according to his impressions。 Bill Isbel was exhorted to
talk； but he had of late manifested a sullen and taciturn disposition。
In spite of Jean's vigilance Bill had continued to imbibe red liquor。
Then Jean was called upon to relate all he had seen and done。 It had
been Jean's intention to keep his mouth shut； first for his own sake
and； secondly； because he did not like to talk of his deeds。 But when
thus appealed to by these somber…faced； intent…eyed men he divined that
the more carefully he described the cruelty and baseness of their
enemies； and the more vividly he presented his participation in the
first fight of the feud the more strongly he would bind these friends
to the Isbel cause。 So he talked for an hour； beginning with his
meeting with Colter up on the Rim and ending with an account of his
killing Greaves。 His listeners sat through this long narrative with
unabated interest and at the close they were leaning forward； breathless
and tense。
〃Ah！ So Greaves got his desserts at last；〃 exclaimed Gordon。
All the men around the table made comments； and the last； from Blue；
was the one that struck Jean forcibly。
〃Shore thet was a strange an' a hell of a way to kill Greaves。
Why'd you do thet； Jean？〃
〃I told you。 I wanted to avoid noise an' I hoped to get more of them。〃
Blue nodded his lean； eagle…like head and sat thoughtfully； as if not
convinced of anything save Jean's prowess。 After a moment Blue spoke
again。
〃Then； goin' back to Jean's tellin' aboot trackin' rustled Cattle；
I've got this to say。 I've long suspected thet somebody livin' right
heah in the valley has been drivin' off cattle an' dealin' with
rustlers。 An' now I'm shore of it。〃
This speech did not elicit the amaze from Gaston Isbel that Jean
expected it would。
〃You mean Greaves or some of his friends？〃
〃No。 They wasn't none of them in the cattle business； like we are。
Shore we all knowed Greaves was crooked。 But what I'm figgerin' is
thet some so…called honest man in our settlement has been makin'
crooked deals。
Blue was a man of deeds rather than words； and so much strong speech
from him； whom everybody knew to be remarkably reliable and keen；
made a profound impression upon most of the Isbel faction。 But；
to Jean's surprise； his father did not rave。 It was Blaisdell who
supplied the rage and invective。 Bill Isbel； also； was strangely
indifferent to this new element in the condition of cattle dealing。
Suddenly Jean caught a vague flash of thought； as if he had intercepted
the thought of another's mind； and he wonderedcould his brother Bill
know anything about this crooked work alluded to by Blue？ Dismissing
the conjecture； Jean listened earnestly。
〃An' if it's true it shore makes this differencewe cain't blame all
the rustlin' on to Jorth；〃 concluded Blue。
〃Wal； it's not true；〃 declared Gaston Isbel； roughly。 〃Jorth an' his
Hash Knife Gang are at the bottom of all the rustlin' in the valley
for years back。 An' they've got to be wiped out！〃
〃Isbel； I reckon we'd all feel better if we talk straight； replied Blue；
coolly。 〃I'm heah to stand by the Isbels。 An' y'u know what thet means。
But I'm not heah to fight Jorth because he may be a rustler。 The others
may have their own reasons； but mine is thisyou once stood by me in
Texas when I was needin' friends。 Wal； I'm standin' by y'u now。
Jorth is your enemy； an' so he is mine。〃
Gaston Isbel b
