to the last man-第9章
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her family。 Then next to greet Jean were the little children； all shy；
yet all manifestly impressed by the occasion。 A warmth and intimacy
of forgotten home emotions flooded over Jean。 Sweet it was to get
home to these relatives who loved him and welcomed him with quiet
gladness。 But there seemed more。 Jean was quick to see the shadow
in the eyes of the women in that household and to sense a strange
reliance which his presence brought。
〃Son； this heah Tonto is a land of milk an' honey；〃 said his father；
as Jean gazed spellbound at the bounteous supper。
Jean certainly performed gastronomic feats on this occasion； to the
delight of Aunt Mary and the wonder of the children。 〃Oh； he's
starv…ved to death；〃 whispered one of the little boys to his sister。
They had begun to warm to this stranger uncle。 Jean had no chance
to talk； even had he been able to； for the meal…time showed a relaxation
of restraint and they all tried to tell him things at once。 In the
bright lamplight his father looked easier and happier as he beamed
upon Jean。
After supper the men went into an adjoining room that appeared most
comfortable and attractive。 It was long； and the width of the house；
with a huge stone fireplace； low ceiling of hewn timbers and walls of
the same； small windows with inside shutters of wood； and home…made
table and chairs and rugs。
〃Wal； Jean； do you recollect them shootin'…irons？〃 inquired the rancher；
pointing above the fireplace。 Two guns hung on the spreading deer
antlers there。 One was a musket Jean's father had used in the war
of the rebellion and the other was a long； heavy； muzzle…loading
flintlock Kentucky； rifle with which Jean had learned to shoot。
〃Reckon I do； dad；〃 replied Jean； and with reverent hands and a rush
of memory he took the old gun down。
〃Jean； you shore handle thet old arm some clumsy；〃 said Guy Isbel；
dryly。 And Bill added a remark to the effect that perhaps Jean had
been leading a luxurious and tame life back there in Oregon； and then
added； 〃But I reckon he's packin' that six…shooter like a Texan。〃
〃Say； I fetched a gun or two along with me；〃 replied Jean； jocularly。
〃Reckon I near broke my poor mule's back with the load of shells an'
guns。 Dad； what was the idea askin' me to pack out an arsenal？〃
〃Son； shore all shootin' arms an' such are at a premium in the Tonto；〃
replied his father。 〃An' I was givin' you a hunch to come loaded。〃
His cool； drawling voice seemed to put a damper upon the pleasantries。
Right there Jean sensed the charged atmosphere。 His brothers were
bursting with utterance about to break forth； and his father suddenly
wore a look that recalled to Jean critical times of days long past。
But the entrance of the children and the women folk put an end to
confidences。 Evidently the youngsters were laboring under subdued
excitement。 They preceded their mother； the smallest boy in the lead。
For him this must have been both a dreadful and a wonderful experience；
for he seemed to be pushed forward by his sister and brother and
mother； and driven by yearnings of his own。 〃There now； Lee。 Say；
'Uncle Jean； what did you fetch us？' The lad hesitated for a shy；
frightened look at Jean； and then； gaining something from his scrutiny
of his uncle； he toddled forward and bravely delivered the question
of tremendous importance。
〃What did I fetch you； hey？〃 cried Jean； in delight； as he took the
lad up on his knee。 〃Wouldn't you like to know？ I didn't forget； Lee。
I remembered you all。 Oh！ the job I had packin' your bundle of presents。
。 。 。 Now； Lee； make a guess。〃
〃I dess you fetched a dun；〃 replied Lee。
〃A dun！I'll bet you mean a gun；〃 laughed Jean。 〃Well； you four…year…old
Texas gunman！ Make another guess。〃
That appeared too momentous and entrancing for the other two youngsters；
and； adding their shrill and joyous voices to Lee's； they besieged Jean。
〃Dad； where's my pack？ 〃 cried Jean。 〃These young Apaches are after
my scalp。〃
〃Reckon the boys fetched it onto the porch；〃 replied the rancher。
Guy Isbel opened the door and went out。 〃By golly！ heah's three
packs；〃 he called。 〃Which one do you want； Jean？〃
〃It's a long； heavy bundle； all tied up；〃 replied Jean。
Guy came staggering in under a burden that brought a whoop from
the youngsters and bright gleams to the eyes of the women。 Jean
lost nothing of this。 How glad he was that he had tarried in
San Francisco because of a mental picture of this very reception
in far…off wild Arizona。
When Guy deposited the bundle on the floor it jarred the room。
It gave forth metallic and rattling and crackling sounds。
〃Everybody stand back an' give me elbow room；〃 ordered Jean；
majestically。 〃My good folks； I want you all to know this is
somethin' that doesn't happen often。 The bundle you see here
weighed about a hundred pounds when I packed it on my shoulder
down Market Street in Frisco。 It was stolen from me on shipboard。
I got it back in San Diego an' licked the thief。 It rode on a burro
from San Diego to Yuma an' once I thought the burro was lost for keeps。
It came up the Colorado River from Yuma to Ehrenberg an' there went
on top of a stage。 We got chased by bandits an' once when the horses
were gallopin' hard it near rolled off。 Then it went on the back of
a pack horse an' helped wear him out。 An' I reckon it would be
somewhere else now if I hadn't fallen in with a freighter goin' north
from Phoenix to the Santa Fe Trail。 The last lap when it sagged the
back of a mule was the riskiest an' full of the narrowest escapes。
Twice my mule bucked off his pack an' left my outfit scattered。
Worst of all； my precious bundle made the mule top heavy comin' down
that place back here where the trail seems to drop off the earth。
There I was hard put to keep sight of my pack。 Sometimes it was
on top an' other times the mule。 But it got here at last。 。 。 。
An' now I'll open it。〃
After this long and impressive harangue； which at least augmented
the suspense of the women and worked the children into a frenzy；
Jean leisurely untied the many knots round the bundle and unrolled it。
He had packed that bundle for just such travel as it had sustained。
Three cloth…bound rifles he laid aside； and with them a long； very
heavy package tied between two thin wide boards。 From this came the；
metallic clink。 〃Oo； I know what dem is！〃 cried Lee； breaking the
silence of suspense。 Then Jean； tearing open a long flat parcel；
spread before the mute； rapt…eyed youngsters such magnificent things；
as they had never dreamed ofpicture books； mouth…harps； dolls；
a toy gun and a toy pistol； a wonderful whistle and a fox horn；
and last of all a box of candy。 Before these treasures on the floor；
too magical to be touched at first； the two little boys and their
sister simply knelt。 That was a sweet； full moment for Jean； yet
even that was clouded by the something which shadowed these innocent
children fatefully born in a wild place at a wild time。 Next Jean
gave to his sister the presents he had brought herbeautiful cloth
for a dress； ribbons and a bit of lace； handkerchiefs and buttons and
yards of linen； a sewing case and a whole box of spools of thread；
a comb and brush and mirror； and lastly a Spanish brooch inlaid with
garnets。 〃There； Ann；〃 said Jean； 〃I confess I asked a girl friend
in Oregon to tell me some things my sister might like。〃 Manifestly
there was not much difference in girls。 Ann seemed stunned by this
munificence； and then awakening； she hugged Jean in a way that took
his breath。 She was not a child any more； that was certain。 Aunt Mary
turned knowing eyes upon Jean。 〃Reckon you couldn't have pleased Ann
more。 She's engaged； Jean； an' where girls are in that state these
things mean a heap。 。 。 。 Ann； you'll be married in that！〃 And she
pointed to the beautiful folds of material that Ann had spread out。
〃What's this？〃 demanded Jean。 His sister's blushes were enough to
convict her； and they were mightily becoming； too。
〃Here； Aunt Mary；〃 went on Jean； 〃here's yours； an' here's somethin'
for each of my new sisters。〃 This distribution left the women as happy
and occupied； almost；
