black rock-第23章

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and　glancing　up　now　and　then　I　saw　that　Graeme　was　being　hard
pressed。　　Men　would　leap；　two　and　three　at　a　time；　upon　the
barricade；　and　Graeme's　arms　would　shoot　out；　and　over　they　would
topple　upon　the　heads　of　those　nearest。　　It　was　a　great　sight　to
see　him　standing　alone　with　a　smile　on　his　face　and　the　light　of
battle　in　his　eye；　coolly　meeting　his　assailants　with　those
terrific；　lightning…like　blows。　　In　fifteen　minutes　my　work　was
done。

'What　next？'　I　asked。　　'How　do　we　get　out？'

'How　is　the　door？'　he　replied。

I　looked　through　the　port…hole　and　said；　'A　crowd　of　men　waiting。'

'We'll　have　to　make　a　dash　for　it；　I　fancy；'　he　replied　cheerfully；
though　his　face　was　covered　with　blood　and　his　breath　was　coming　in
short　gasps。

'Get　down　the　bars　and　be　ready。'　　But　even　as　he　spoke　a　chair
hurled　from　below　caught　him　on　the　arm；　and　before　he　could
recover；　a　man　had　cleared　the　barricade　and　was　upon　him　like　a
tiger。　　It　was　Idaho　Jack。

'Hold　the　barricade；'　Graeme　called　out；　as　they　both　went　down。

I　sprang　to　his　place；　but　I　had　not　much　hope　of　holding　it　long。
I　had　the　heavy　oak　bar　of　the　door　in　my　hands；　and　swinging　it
round　my　head　I　made　the　crowd　give　back　for　a　few　moments。

Meantime　Graeme　had　shaken　off　his　enemy；　who　was　circling　about
him　upon　his　tip…toes；　with　a　long　knife　in　his　hand；　waiting　for　a
chance　to　spring。

'I　have　been　waiting　for　this　for　some　time；　Mr。　Graeme；'　he　said
smiling。

'Yes；'　replied　Graeme；　'ever　since　I　spoiled　your　cut…throat　game
in　'Frisco。　　How　is　the　little　one？'　he　added　sarcastically。

Idaho's　face　lost　its　smile　and　became　distorted　with　fury　as　he
replied；　spitting　out　his　words；　'Sheiswhere　you　will　be　before
I　am　done　with　you。'

'Ah！　you　murdered　her　too！　　You'll　hang　some　beautiful　day；　Idaho；'
said　Graeme；　as　Idaho　sprang　upon　him。

Graeme　dodged　his　blow　and　caught　his　forearm　with　his　left　hand
and　held　up　high　the　murderous　knife。　　Back　and　forward　they　swayed
over　the　floor；　slippery　with　whisky；　the　knife　held　high　in　the
air。　　I　wondered　why　Graeme　did　not　strike；　and　then　I　saw　his
right　hand　hung　limp　from　the　wrist。　　The　men　were　crowding　upon
the　barricade。　　I　was　in　despair。　　Graeme's　strength　was　going
fast。　　With　a　yell　of　exultant　fury　Idaho　threw　himself　with　all
his　weight　upon　Graeme；　who　could　only　cling　to　him。　　They　swayed
together　towards　me；　but　as　they　fell　I　brought　down　my　bar　upon
the　upraised　hand　and　sent　the　knife　flying　across　the　room。
Idaho's　howl　of　rage　and　pain　was　mingled　with　a　shout　from　below；
and　there；　dashing　the　crowd　right　and　left；　came　old　Nelson；
followed　by　Abe；　Sandy；　Baptiste；　Shaw；　and　others。　　As　they
reached　the　barricade　it　crashed　down　and；　carrying　me　with　it；
pinned　me　fast。

Looking　out　between　the　barrels；　I　saw　what　froze　my　heart　with
horror。　　In　the　fall　Graeme　had　wound　his　arms　about　his　enemy　and
held　him　in　a　grip　so　deadly　that　he　could　not　strike；　but　Graeme's
strength　was　failing；　and　when　I　looked　I　saw　that　Idaho　was　slowly
dragging　both　across　the　slippery　floor　to　where　the　knife　lay。
Nearer　and　nearer　his　outstretched　fingers　came　to　the　knife。　　In
vain　I　yelled　and　struggled。　　My　voice　was　lost　in　the　awful　din；
and　the　barricade　held　me　fast。　　Above　me；　standing　on　a　barrel…
head；　was　Baptiste；　yelling　like　a　demon。　　In　vain　I　called　to　him。
My　fingers　could　just　reach　his　foot；　and　he　heeded　not　at　all　my
touch。　　Slowly　Idaho　was　dragging　his　almost　unconscious　victim
toward　the　knife。　　His　fingers　were　touching　the　blade　point；　when；
under　a　sudden　inspiration；　I　pulled　out　my　penknife；　opened　it
with　my　teeth；　and　drove　the　blade　into　Baptiste's　foot。　　With　a
blood…curdling　yell　he　sprang　down　and　began　dancing　round　in　his
rage；　peering　among　the　barrels。

'Look！　look！'　I　was　calling　in　agony；　and　pointing；　'for　heaven's
sake；　look！　Baptiste！'

The　fingers　had　closed　upon　the　knife；　the　knife　was　already　high
in　the　air；　when；　with　a　shriek；　Baptiste　cleared　the　room　at　a
bound；　and；　before　the　knife　could　fall；　the　little　Frenchman's
boot　had　caught　the　uplifted　wrist；　and　sent　the　knife　flying　to
the　wall。

Then　there　was　a　great　rushing　sound　as　of　wind　through　the　forest；
and　the　lights　went　out。　　When　I　awoke；　I　found　myself　lying　with
my　head　on　Graeme's　knees；　and　Baptiste　sprinkling　snow　on　my　face。
As　I　looked　up　Graeme　leaned　over　me；　and；　smiling　down　into　my
eyes；　he　said

'Good　boy！　　It　was　a　great　fight；　and　we　put　it　up　well'；　and　then
he　whispered；　'I　owe　you　my　life；　my　boy。'

His　words　thrilled　my　heart　through　and　through；　for　I　loved　him　as
only　men　can　love　men；　but　I　only　answered

'I　could　not　keep　them　back。'

'It　was　well　done；'　he　said；　and　I　felt　proud。　　I　confess　I　was
thankful　to　be　so　well　out　of　it；　for　Graeme　got　off　with　a　bone　in
his　wrist　broken；　and　I　with　a　couple　of　ribs　cracked；　but　had　it
not　been　for　the　open　barrel　of　whisky　which　kept　them　occupied　for
a　time；　offering　too　good　a　chance　to　be　lost；　and　for　the　timely
arrival　of　Nelson；　neither　of　us　had　ever　seen　the　light　again。

We　found　Craig　sound　asleep　upon　his　couch。　　His　consternation　on
waking　to　see　us　torn；　bruised；　and　bloody　was　laughable；　but　he
hastened　to　find　us　warm　water　and　bandages；　and　we　soon　felt
comfortable。

Baptiste　was　radiant　with　pride　and　light　over　the　fight；　and
hovered　about　Graeme　and　me　giving　vent　to　his　feelings　in　admiring
French　and　English　expletives。　　But　Abe　was　disgusted　because　of
the　failure　at　Slavin's；　for　when　Nelson　looked　in；　he　saw　Slavin's
French…Canadian　wife　in　charge；　with　her　baby　on　her　lap；　and　he
came　back　to　Shaw　and　said；　'Come　away；　we　can't　touch　this'；　and
Shaw；　after　looking　in；　agreed　that　nothing　could　be　done。　　A　baby
held　the　fort。

As　Craig　listened　to　the　account　of　the　fight；　he　tried　hard　not　to
approve；　but　he　could　not　keep　the　gleam　out　of　his　eyes；　and　as　I
pictured　Graeme　dashing　back　the　crowd　thronging　the　barricade　till
he　was　brought　down　by　the　chair；　Craig　laughed　gently；　and　put　his
hand　on　Graeme's　knee。　　And　as　I　went　on　to　describe　my　agony　while
Idaho's　fingers　were　gradually　nearing　the　knife；　his　face　grew
pale　and　his　eyes　grew　wide　with　horror。

'Baptiste　here　did　the　business；'　I　said；　and　the　little　Frenchman
nodded　complacently　and　said

'Dat's　me　for　sure。'

'By　the　way；　how　is　your　foot？'　asked　Graeme。

'He's　fuss…rate。　　Dat's　what　you　callone　bite　ofofdat　leel
bees；　he's　dere；　you　put　your　finger　dere；　he's　not　dere！what　you
call　him？'

'Flea！'　I　suggested。

'Oui！'　cried　Baptiste。　　'Dat's　one　bite　of　flea。'

'I　was　thankful　I　was　under　the　barrels；'　I　replied；　smiling。

'Oui！　　Dat's　mak'　me　ver　mad。　　I　jump　an'　swear　mos'　awful　bad。
Dat's　pardon　me；　M'sieu　Craig；　heh？'

But　Craig　only　smiled　at　him　rather　sadly。　　'It　was　awfully　risky；'
he　said　to　Graeme；　'and　it　was　hardly　worth　it。　　They'll　get　more
whisky；　and　anyway　the　League　is　gone。'

'Well；'　said　Graeme　with　a　sigh　of　satisfaction；　'it　is　not　quite
such　a　one…sided　affair　as　it　was。'

And　we　could　say　nothing　in　reply；　for　we　could　hear　Nixon　snoring
in　the　next　room；　and　no　one　had　heard　of　Billy；　and　there　were
others　of　the　League　that　we　knew　were　even　now　down　at　Slavin's。
It　was　thought　best　that　all　should　remain　in　Mr。　Craig's　shack；　not
knowing　what　might　happen；　and　so　we　lay　where　we　could　and　we
needed　none　to　sing　us　to　sleep。

When　I　awoke；　stiff　and　sore；　it　was　to　find　breakfast　ready　and
old　man　Nelson　in　charge。　　As　we　were　seated；　Craig　came　in；　and　I
saw　that　he　was　not　the　man　of　the　night　before。　　His　courage　had
come　back；　his　face　was　quiet　and　his　eye　clear；　he　was　his　own　man
again。

'Geordie　has　been　out　all　night；　but　has　failed　to　find　Billy；'　he
announced　quietly。

We　did　not　talk　much；　Graeme　and　I　worried　with　our　broken　bones；
and　the　others　suffered　from　a　general　morning　depression。　　But；
after　breakfast；　as　the　men　were　beginning　to　move；　Craig　took　down
his　Bible；　and　saying

'Wait　a　few　minutes；　men！'　he　read　slowly；　in　his　beautiful　clear
voice；　that　psalm　for　all　fighters


　　　　　'God　is　our　refuge　and　strength；'