to the last man-第42章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 bowed to this ultimatum； scarcely less agitated than when
Esther Isbel had denounced him。 His rabid and morbid hate of Jorth had
eaten into his heart to take possession there； like the parasite that
battened upon the life of its victim。 Blue's steely voice； his cold；
gray eyes； showed the unbiased truth of the man； as well as his fidelity
to his creed。 Here again； but in a different manner； Gaston Isbel
had the fact flung at him that other men must suffer； perhaps die；
for his hate。 And the very soul of the old rancher apparently rose
in Passionate revolt against the blind； headlong； elemental strength
of his nature。 So it seemed to Jean； who； in love and pity that hourly
grew； saw through his father。 Was it too late？ Alas！ Gaston Isbel
could never be turned back！ Yet something was altering his brooding；
fixed mind。
〃Wal；〃 said Blaisdell； gruffly； 〃let's get down to business。 。 。 。
I'm for havin' Blue be foreman of this heah outfit； an' all of us to
do as he says。〃
Gaston Isbel opposed this selection and indeed resented it。
He intended to lead the Isbel faction。
〃All right； then。 Give us a hunch what we're goin' to do；〃
replied Blaisdell。
〃We're goin' to ride off on Jorth's trailan' one way or another
kill himKILL HIM！ 。 。 。 I reckon that'll end the fight。〃
What did old Isbel have in his mind？ His listeners shook their heads。
〃No；〃 asserted Blaisdell。 〃Killin' Jorth might be the end of your
desires； Isbel； but it 'd never end our fight。 We'll have gone too far。
。 。 。 If we take Jorth's trail from heah it means we've got to wipe out
that rustier gang； or stay to the last man。〃
〃Yes； by God！〃 exclaimed Fredericks。
〃Let's drink to thet！〃 said Blue。 Strangely they turned to this Texas
gunman； instinctively recognizing in him the brain and heart； and the
past deeds； that fitted him for the leadership of such a clan。 Blue
had all in life to lose； and nothing to gain。 Yet his spirit was such
that he could not lean to all the possible gain of the future； and
leave a debt unpaid。 Then his voice； his look； his influence were
those of a fighter。 They all drank with him； even Jean； who hated
liquor。 And this act of drinking seemed the climax of the council。
Preparations were at once begun for their departure on Jorth's trail。
Jean took but little time for his own needs。 A horse； a blanket；
a knapsack of meat and bread； a canteen； and his weapons； with all
the ammunition he could pack； made up his outfit。 He wore his buckskin
suit； leggings； and moccasins。 Very soon the cavalcade was ready to
depart。 Jean tried not to watch Bill Isbel say good…by to his children；
but it was impossible not to。 Whatever Bill was； as a man； he was
father of those children； and he loved them。 How strange that the
little ones seemed to realize the meaning of this good…by？ They were
grave； somber…eyed； pale up to the last moment； then they broke down
and wept。 Did they sense that their father would never come back？
Jean caught that dark； fatalistic presentiment。 Bill Isbel's convulsed
face showed that he also caught it。 Jean did not see Bill say good…by
to his wife。 But he heard her。 Old Gaston Isbel forgot to speak to
the children； or else could not。 He never looked at them。 And his
good…by to Ann was as if he were only riding to the village for a day。
Jean saw woman's love； woman's intuition； woman's grief in her eyes。
He could not escape her。 〃Oh； Jean！ oh； brother！〃 she whispered as
she enfolded him。 〃It's awful！ It's wrong！ Wrong！ Wrong！ 。 。 。
Good…by！ 。 。 。 If killing MUST besee that y'u kill the Jorths！
。 。 。 Good…by！〃
Even in Ann； gentle and mild； the Isbel blood spoke at the last。
Jean gave Ann over to the pale…faced Colmor； who took her in his arms。
Then Jean fled out to his horse。 This cold…blooded devastation of a
home was almost more than he could bear。 There was love here。
What would be left？
Colmor was the last one to come out to the horses。 He did not walk
erect； nor as one whose sight was clear。 Then； as the silent； tense；
grim men mounted their horses； Bill Isbel's eldest child； the boy；
appeared in the door。 His little form seemed instinct with a force
vastly different from grief。 His face was the face of an Isbel。
〃Daddykill 'em all！〃 he shouted； with a passion all the fiercer
for its incongruity to the treble voice。
So the poison had spread from father to son。
CHAPTER IX
Half a mile from the Isbel ranch the cavalcade passed the log cabin
of Evarts； father of the boy who had tended sheep with Bernardino。
It suited Gaston Isbel to halt here。 No need to call！ Evarts and
his son appeared so quickly as to convince observers that they had
been watching。
〃Howdy； Jake！〃 said Isbel。 〃I'm wantin' a word with y'u alone。〃
〃Shore； boss； git down an' come in；〃 replied Evarts。
Isbel led him aside； and said something forcible that Jean divined
from the very gesture which accompanied it。 His father was telling
Evarts that he was not to join in the Isbel…Jorth war。 Evarts had
worked for the Isbels a long time； and his faithfulness； along with
something stronger and darker； showed in his rugged face as he
stubbornly opposed Isbel。 The old man raised his voice： 〃No； I tell
you。 An' that settles it。〃
They returned to the horses； and； before mounting； Isbel； as if he
remembered something； directed his somber gaze on young Evarts。
〃Son； did you bury Bernardino？〃
〃Dad an' me went over yestiddy；〃 replied the lad。 〃I shore was glad
the coyotes hadn't been round。〃
〃How aboot the sheep？〃
〃I left them there。 I was goin' to stay； but bein' all aloneI got
skeered。 。 。 。 The sheep was doin' fine。 Good water an' some grass。
An' this ain't time fer varmints to hang round。〃
〃Jake； keep your eye on that flock；〃 returned Isbel。 〃An' if I
shouldn't happen to come back y'u can call them sheep yours。 。 。 。
I'd like your boy to ride up to the village。 Not with us； so anybody
would see him。 But afterward。 We'll be at Abel Meeker's。〃
Again Jean was confronted with an uneasy premonition as to some idea
or plan his father had not shared with his followers。 When the
cavalcade started on again Jean rode to his father's side and asked
him why he had wanted the Evarts boy to come to Grass Valley。 And the
old man replied that； as the boy could run to and fro in the village
without danger； he might be useful in reporting what was going on at
Greaves's store； where undoubtedly the Jorth gang would hold forth。
This appeared reasonable enough； therefore Jean smothered the objection
he had meant to make。
The valley road was deserted。 When； a mile farther on； the riders
passed a group of cabins； just on the outskirts of the village；
Jean's quick eye caught sight of curious and evidently frightened
people trying to see while they avoided being seen。 No doubt the
whole settlement was in a state of suspense and terror。 Not unlikely
this dark； closely grouped band of horsemen appeared to them as Jorth's
gang had looked to Jean。 It was an orderly； trotting march that
manifested neither hurry nor excitement。 But any Western eye could
have caught the singular aspect of such a group； as if the intent of
the riders was a visible thing。
Soon they reached the outskirts of the village。 Here their approach
bad been watched for or had been already reported。 Jean saw men； women；
children peeping from behind cabins and from half…opened doors。 Farther
on Jean espied the dark figures of men； slipping out the back way
through orchards and gardens and running north； toward the center of
the village。 Could these be friends of the Jorth crowd； on the way
with warnings of the approach of the Isbels？ Jean felt convinced of it。
He was learning that his father had not been absolutely correct in his
estimation of the way Jorth and his followers were regarded by their
neighbors。 Not improbably there were really many villagers who； being
more interested in sheep raising than in cattle； had an honest leaning
toward the Jorths。 Some； too； no doubt； had lean
