to the last man-第66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！
then the other。
Colter； even as she moved； had leaped with inarticulate cry and radiant
face to meet her embrace。 But it seemed； just as her left arm flashed
up toward his neck； that he saw her bloody hand and wrist。 Strange how
that checked his ardorthrew up his lean head like that striking bird
of prey。
〃Blood！ What the hell！〃 he ejaculated； and in one sweep he grasped her。
〃How'd yu do that？ Are y'u cut？ 。 。 。 Hold still。〃
Ellen could not release her hand。
〃I scratched myself；〃 she said。
〃Where？。 。 。 All that blood！〃 And suddenly he flung her hand back with
fierce gesture； and the gleams of his yellow eyes were like the points
of leaping flames。 They pierced herread the secret falsity of her。
Slowly he stepped backward； guardedly his hand moved to his gun； and
his glance circled and swept the interior of the cabin。 As if he had
the nose of a hound and sight to follow scent； his eyes bent to the dust
of the ground before the door。 He quivered； grew rigid as stone； and
then moved his head with exceeding slowness as if searching through a
microscope in the dustfarther to the leftto the foot of the ladder
and up one stepanothera thirdall the way up to the loft。
Then he whipped out his gun and wheeled to face the girl。
〃Ellen； y'u've got your half…breed heah！〃 he said； with a terrible smile。
She neither moved nor spoke。 There was a suggestion of collapse； but
it was only a change where the alluring softness of her hardened into
a strange； rapt glow。 And in it seemed the same mastery that had
characterized her former aspect。 Herein the treachery of her was
revealed。 She had known what she meant to do in any case。
Colter； standing at the door； reached a long arm toward the ladder；
where he laid his hand on a rung。 Taking it away he held it palm
outward for her to see the dark splotch of blood。
〃See？〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 she said； ringingly。
Passion wrenched him； transformed him。 〃All thataboot leavin' heah
with meaboot givin' inwas a lie！〃
〃No； Colter。 It was the truth。 I'll goyetnowif y'u'll spareHIM！〃
She whispered the last word and made a slight movement of her hand
toward the loft。 〃Girl！〃 he exploded； incredulously。 〃Y'u love this
half…breedthis ISBEL！ 。 。 。 Y'u LOVE him！〃
〃With all my heart！ 。 。 。 Thank God！ It has been my glory。 。 。 。
It might have been my salvation。 。 。 。 But now I'll go to hell with
y'uif y'u'll spare him。〃
〃Damn my soul！〃 rasped out the rustler； as if something of respect was
wrung from that sordid deep of him。 〃Y'uy'u woman！ 。 。 。 Jorth will
turn over in his grave。 He'd rise out of his grave if this Isbel got y'u；〃
〃Hurry！ Hurry！〃 implored Ellen。 〃Springer may come back。
I think I heard a call。〃
〃Wal； Ellen Jorth； I'll not spare Isbelnor y'u；〃 he returned；
with dark and meaning leer； as he turned to ascend the ladder。
Jean Isbel； too； had reached the climax of his suspense。 Gathering
all his muscles in a knot he prepared to leap upon Colter as he mounted
the ladder。 But； Ellen Jorth screamed piercingly and snatched her rifle
from its resting place and； cocking it； she held it forward and low。
〃COLTER！〃
Her scream and his uttered name stiffened him。
〃Y'u will spare Jean Isbel！〃 she rang out。 〃Drop that gun…drop it！〃
〃Shore； Ellen。 。 。 。 Easy now。 Remember your temper。 。 。 。 I'll let
Isbel off；〃 he panted； huskily； and all his body sank quiveringly to
a crouch。
〃Drop your gun！ Don't turn round。 。 。 。 Colter！I'LL KILL Y'U！〃
But even then he failed to divine the meaning and the spirit of her。
〃Aw； now； Ellen；〃 he entreated； in louder； huskier tones； and as if
dragged by fatal doubt of her still； he began to turn。
Crash！ The rifle emptied its contents in Colter's breast。 All his
body sprang up。 He dropped the gun。 Both hands fluttered toward her。
And an awful surprise flashed over his face。
〃SohelpmeGod！ he whispered； with blood thick in his voice。
Then darkly； as one groping； he reached for her with shaking hands。
〃Y'uy'u white…throated hussy！。 。 。 I'll 。 。 。〃
He grasped the quivering rifle barrel。 Crash！ She shot him again。
As he swayed over her and fell she had to leap aside； and his clutching
hand tore the rifle from her grasp。 Then in convulsion he writhed；
to heave on his back； and stretch outa ghastly spectacle。 Ellen
backed away from it； her white arms wide； a slow horror blotting out
the passion of her face。
Then from without came a shrill call and the sound of rapid footsteps。
Ellen leaned against the wall； staring still at Colter。 〃Hey； Jim
what's the shootin'？〃 called Springer； breathlessly。
As his form darkened the doorway Jean once again gathered all his
muscular force for a tremendous spring。
Springer saw the girl first and he appeared thunderstruck。 His jaw
dropped。 He needed not the white gleam of her person to transfix him。
Her eyes did that and they were riveted in unutterable horror upon
something on the ground。 Thus instinctively directed； Springer espied
Colter。
〃Y'uy'u shot him！〃 he shrieked。 〃What fory'u hussy？ 。 。 。
Ellen Jorth； if y'u've killed him； I'll。 。 。〃
He strode toward where Colter lay。
Then Jean； rising silently； took a step and like a tiger he launched
himself into the air； down upon the rustler。 Even as he leaped Springer
gave a quick； upward look。 And be cried out。 Jean's moccasined feet
struck him squarely and sent him staggering into the wall； where his
head hit hard。 Jean fell； but bounded up as the half…stunned Springer
drew his gun。 Then Jean lunged forward with a single sweep of his arm
and looked no more。
Ellen ran swaying out of the door； and； once clear of the threshold；
she tottered out on the grass； to sink to her knees。 The bright；
golden sunlight gleamed upon her white shoulders and arms。 Jean had
one foot out of the door when he saw her and he whirled back to get her
blouse。 But Springer had fallen upon it。 Snatching up a blanket； Jean
ran out。
〃Ellen！ Ellen！ Ellen！〃 he cried。 〃It's over！ And reaching her；
he tried to wrap her in the blanket。
She wildly clutched his knees。 Jean was conscious only of her white；
agonized face and the dark eyes with their look of terrible strain。
〃Did y'udid y'u 。 。 。 〃 she whispered。
〃Yesit's over；〃 he said； gravely。 〃Ellen； the Isbel…Jorth feud
is ended。〃
〃Oh； thankGod！〃 she cried； in breaking voice。 〃Jeany'u are wounded
。 。 the blood on the step！〃
〃My arm。 See。 It's not bad。 。 。 。 Ellen； let me wrap this round you。〃
Folding the blanket around her shoulders； he held it there and entreated
her to get up。 But she only clung the closer。 She hid her face on his
knees。 Long shudders rippled over her； shaking the blanket； shaking
Jean's hands。 Distraught； he did not know what to do。 And his own
heart was bursting。
〃Ellen； you must not kneeltherethat way；〃 he implored。
〃Jean！ Jean！〃 she moaned； and clung the tighter。
He tried to lift her up； but she was a dead weight； and with that
hold on him seemed anchored at his feet。
〃I killed Colter；〃 she gasped。 〃I HAD tokill him！ 。 。 。 I offered
to fling myself away。 。 。 。〃
〃For me！〃 he cried； poignantly。 〃Oh； Ellen！ Ellen！ the world has come
to an end！ 。 。 。 Hush！ don't keep sayin' that。 Of course you killed him。
You saved my life。 For I'd never have let you go off with him 。 。 。 。
Yes； you killed him。 。 。 。 You're a Jorth an' I'm an Isbel 。 。 。
We've blood on our handsboth of usI for you an' you for me！〃
His voice of entreaty and sadness strengthened her and she raised her
white face； loosening her clasp to lean back and look up。 Tragic；
sweet； despairing； the loveliless of herthe significance of her
there on her kneesthrilled him to his soul。
〃Blood on my hands！〃 she whispered。 〃Yes。 It was awfulkilling him。
。 。 Butall I care for in this world is for your forgivenessand
your faith that saved my soul！ 〃
〃Child； there's nothin' to forgive；〃 he responded。 〃Nothin'。 。 。
Please； Ellen。 。 。〃
〃I lied to y'u！〃 she cried。 〃I lied to y'u！〃
〃Ellen； listendarlin'。〃 And the tender epithet brought her head and
arms back close…pressed to him。 〃I knownow；〃 he faltered on。 〃I found
out to…day what I beli
