a cumberland vendetta-第14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！


　word　fer　it。〃　He　turned　his　face；　and　the　Lewallen；　knowing　it　from　the　sound　of　his　voice；　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃Oh…！〃

A　wild　curse　burst　from　Rome's　lips；　and　both　leaped　for　the　guns。　The　Lewallen　had　the　start　of　a　few　feet；　and　Rome；　lamed　in　the　fight；　stumbled　and　fell。　　Before　he　could　rise　Jasper　had　whirled；　with　one　of　the　Winchesters　above　his　head　and　his　face　aflame　with　fury。　Asking　no　mercy；　Rome　hid　his　face　with　one　arm　and　waited；　stricken　faint　all　at　once；　and　numb。　One　report　struck　his　ears；　muffled；　whip…like。　　A　dull　wonder　came　to　him　that　the　Lewallen　could　have　missed　at　such　close　range；　and　he　waited　for　another。　Some　one　shouted…a　shrill　hallo。　A　loud　laugh　followed；　a　light　seemed　breaking　before　Rome's　eyes；　and　he　lifted　his　head。　Jasper　was　on　his　face　again；　motionless；　and　Steve　Marcum's　tall　figure　was　climbing　over　a　bowlder　toward　him。

〃That　was　the　best　fight　I've　seed　in　my　time；　by　God；〃　he　said；　coolly；　〃　'n'；　Rome；　y'u　air　the　biggest　fool　this　side　o'　the　settlements；　I　reckon。　I　had　dead　aim　on　him；　'n'　I　was　jest　a…thinkin'　hit　was　a　purty　good　thing　fer　you　that　old　long…nosed　Jim　Stover　chased　me　up　hyeh；　when；　damn　me；　ef　that　boy　up　thar　didn't　let　his　ole　gun　loose。　　I'd　a…got　Jas　myself　ef　he　hadn't　been　so　all…fired　quick　o'　trigger。〃

Up　at　the　root　of　the　pine…tree　Isom　stood　motionless；　with　his　long　rifle　in　one　hand　and　a　little　cloud　of　smoke　breaking　above　his　white　face。　When　Rome　looked　up　he　started　down　without　a　word。　Steve　swung　himself　over　the　ledge。

〃I　heerd　the　shootin'；〃　said　the　boy；　〃　up　thar　at　the　cave；　'n'　I　couldn't　stay　thar。　I　knowed　ye　could　whoop　him；　Rome；　'n'　I　seed　Steve；　too；　but　I　was　afeard…〃　　Then　he　saw　the　body。　His　tongue　stopped；　his　face　shrivelled；　and　Steve；　hanging　with　one　hand　to　the　ledge；　watched　him　curiously。

〃　Rome；〃　said　the　boy；　in　a　quick　whisper；　〃is　he　daid？

〃　Come　on！　〃　said　Steve；　roughly。　〃They'll　be　up　hyeh　atter　us　in　a　minute。　　Leave　Jas's　gun　thar；　'n'　send　that　boy　back　home。〃

That　day　the　troops　came…young　Blue　Grass　Kentuckians。　　That　night；　within　the　circle　of　their　camp…fires；　a　last　defiance　was　cast　in　the　teeth　of　law　and　order。　　Flames　rose　within　the　old　court…　house；　and　before　midnight　the　moonlight　fell　on　four　black　walls。　That　night；　too；　the　news　of　young　Jasper's　fate　was　carried　to　the　death…bed　of　Rome's　mother；　and　before　day　the　old　woman　passed　in　peace。　That　day　Stetsons　and　Lewallens　disbanded。　The　Lewallens　had　no　leader；　the　Stetsons；　no　enemies　to　fight。　Some　hid；　some　left　the　mountains；　some　gave　themselves　up　for　trial。　　Upon　Rome　Stetson　the　burden　fell。　Against　him　the　law　was　set。　A　price　was　put　on　his　head；　his　house　was　burned…a　last　act　of　Lewallen　hate…and　Rome　was　homeless；　the　last　of　his　race；　and　an　outlaw。

XIII

WITH　the　start　of　a　few　hours　and　the　sympathy　of　his　people　one　mountaineer　can　defy　the　army　of　the　United　States；　and　the　mountaineers　usually　laugh　when　they　hear　troops　are　coming。　For　the　time　they　stop　fighting　and　hide　in　the　woods；　and　when　the　soldiers　are　gone；　they　come　out　again；　and　begin　anew　their　little　pleasantries。　　But　the　soldiers　can　protect　the　judge　on　his　bench　and　the　county…seat　in　time　of　court；　and　for　these　purposes　they　serve　well。

The　search　for　Rome　Stetson；　then；　was　useless。　　His　friends　would　aid　him；　his　enemies　feared　to　betray　him。　　So　the　soldiers　marched　away　one　morning；　and　took　their　prisoners　for　safe…　keeping　in　the　Blue　Grass；　until　court　should　open　at　Hazlan。

Meantime；　spring　came　and　deepened…the　mountain　spring。　The　berries　of　the　wintergreen　grew　scarce；　and　Rome　Stetson；　〃　hiding　out；〃　as　the　phrase　is；　had　to　seek　them　on　thc　northem　face　of　the　mountains。　　The　moss　on　the　naked　winter　trees　brightened　in　color；　and　along　the　river；　where　willows　drooped；　ran　faint　lines　of　green。　The　trailing　arbutus　gave　out　delicate　pink　blossoms；　and　the　south　wind　blew　apart　the　petals　of　the　anemone。　Soon　violets　unfolded　above　the　dead　leaves；　azaleas　swung　their　yellow　trumpets　through　the　undergrowth；　over…head；　the　dogwood　tossed　its　snow…flakes　in　gusts　through　the　green　and　gold　of　new　leaves　and　sunlight；　and　higher　still　waved　the　poplar　blooms；　with　honey　ready　on　every　crimson　heart　for　the　bees。　Down　in　the　valley　Rome　Stetson　could　see　about　every　little　cabin　pink　clouds　and　white　clouds　of　peach　and　of　apple　blossoms。　Amid　the　ferns　about　him　shade…loving　trilliums　showed　their　many…hued　faces；　and　every　opening　was　thickly　peopled　with　larkspur　seeking　the　sun。　The　giant　magnolia　and　the　umbrella…tree　spread　their　great　creamy　flowers；　the　laurel　shook　out　myriads　of　pink　and　white　bells；　and　the　queen　of　mountain　flowers　was　stirring　from　sleep　in　the　buds　of　the　rhododendron。

With　the　spring　new　forces　pulsed　the　mountain　air。　　The　spirit　of　the　times　reached　even　Hazlan。　　A　railroad　was　coming　up　the　river；　so　the　rumor　was。　When　winter　broke；　surveyors　had　appeared；　after　them；　mining　experts　and　purchasers　of　land。　　New　ways　of　bread…making　were　open　to　all；　and　the　feudsman　began　to　see　that　he　could　make　food　and　clothes　more　easily　and　with　less　danger　than　by　sleeping　with　his　rifle　in　the　woods；　and　by　fighting　men　who　had　done　him　no　harm。　　Many　were　tired　of　fighting；　many；　forced　into　the　feud；　had　fought　unwillingly。　Others　had　sold　their　farms　and　wild　lands；　and　were　moving　toward　the　Blue　Grass　or　westward。　　The　desperadoes　of　each　faction　had　fled　the　law　or　were　in　its　clutches。　The　last　Lewallen　was　dead；　the　last　Stetson　was　hidden　away　in　the　mountains。　There　were　left　Mareums　and　Braytons；　but　only　those　who　felt　safest　from　indictment；　in　these　a　spirit　of　hostility　would　live　for　years；　and；　roused　by　passion　or　by　drink；　would　do　murder　now　on　one　side　of　the　Cumberland　and　now　on　the　other；　but　the　Stetson…Lewallen　feud；　old　Gabe　believed；　was　at　an　end　at　last。

All　these　things　the　miller　told　Rome　Stetson；　who　well　knew　what　they　meant。　He　was　safe　enough　from　the　law　while　the　people　took　no　part　in　his　capture；　but　he　grew　apprehensive　when　he　learned　of　the　changes　going　on　in　the　valley。　None　but　old　Gabe　knew　where　he　was；　to　be　sure；　but　with　his　own　enemies　to　guide　the　soldiers　he　could　not　hope　to　remain　hidden　long。　Still；　with　that　love　of　the　mountains　characteristic　of　all　races　born　among　them；　he　clung　to　his　own　land。　　He　would　rather　stay　where　he　was　the　space　of　a　year　and　die；　he　told　old　Gabe　passionately；　than　live　to　old　age　in　another　State。

But　there　was　another　motive；　and　he　did　not　hide　it。　　On　the　other　side　he　had　one　enemy　left…the　last；　too；　of　her　race…who　was　more　to　him　than　his　own　dead　kindred；　who　hated　him；　who　placed　at　his　door　all　her　sorrows。　For　her　he　was　living　like　a　wolf　in　a　cave；　and　old　Gabe　knew　it。　　Her…he　would　not　leave。

〃I　tell　ye；　Rome；　you've　got　to　go。　　Thar's　no　use　talkin'。　　Court　comes　the　fust　Monday　in　June。　The　soldiers　ull　be　hyeh。　Hit　won't　be　safe。　Thar's　some　that　s'picions　I　know　whar　ye　air　now；　'n'　they'll　be　spyin'；　'n'　mebbe　hit'll　git　me　into　trouble；　too；　aidin'　'n'　abettin'　a　man　to　git　away　who　air　boun'　to　the　law。〃

The　two　were　sitting　on　the　earthen　floor　of　the　cave　before　a　little　fire；　and　Rome；　with　his　hands　about　his　knees　and　his　brows　knitted；　was　staring　into　the　yellow　blaze。　His　unshorn　hair　fell　to　his　shoulders；　his　face　was　pale　from　insufficient　food　and　exercise；　and　tense　with　a　look　that　was　at　once　caged　and　defiant。

〃Uncle　Gabe；〃　he　asked；　quietly；　for　the　old　man's　tone　was　a　little　querulous；　〃　air　ye　sorry　ye　holped　me？　Do　ye　blame　me　fer　whut　I've　done？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　old　miller；　answering　both　questions；　〃I　don't。　I　believe　whut　ye　tol'　me。　Though；　even　ef　ye　had　'a'　done　it；　I　don't　know　as　I'd　blame　ye；　seem'　that　it　was　a　fa'r　fight。　I　don't　doubt　he　was　doin'　his　best　to　kill　you。〃

Rome　turned　quickly；　his　face　puzzled　and　darkening。

Uncle　Gabe；　whut　air　you　drivin'　at？　〃　The　old　man　spat　into　the　fire；　and　shifted　his　position　uneasily；　as　Rome's　hand　caught　his　knee。

Well；　ef　I　have　to　tell　ye；　I　s'pose　I　must。　Thar's　been　nothin'　pertickler　ag'in　ye　so　fer；　'cept　fer　breakin'　that　confederatin'　statute　'bout