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！
form and retreated to his bunk again。 But sleep to him was impossible； for often throughout the night he was brought to his feet with horrid dreams； to be driven shivering again to his bunk with the more horrid realities of his surroundings。
At length as day began to dawn he fell into a dead； dreamless slumber； waking； when it was broad day； to find Mackenzie sitting at the table eating breakfast； and with a bottle beside him。 French was not to be seen； but Kalman could hear his heavy breathing from the inner room。 To Kalman it seemed as if he were still in the grip of some ghastly nightmare。 He rubbed his eyes and looked again at Mackenzie in stupid amazement。
〃What are you glowering at yonder； Callum； man？〃 said Mackenzie； pleasantly ignoring the events of the previous day。 〃Your breakfast iss ready for you。 You will be hungry after your day's work。 Oh； yes； I haf been seeing it； and it iss well done； Callum； mannie。〃
Somehow his smiling face and his kindly tone filled Kalman with rage。 He sprang out of his bunk and ran out of the house。 He hated the sight of the smiling； pleasant…voiced Mackenzie。 But his boy's hunger drove him in to breakfast。
〃Well； Callum； man；〃 began Mackenzie in pleasant salutation。
〃My name is Kalman；〃 snapped the boy。
〃Never mind； it iss a good name； whatefer。 But I am saying we will be getting into the pitaties after breakfast。 Can ye drop pitaties？〃
〃Show me how；〃 said Kalman shortly。
〃And that I will；〃 said Mackenzie affably； helping himself to the bottle。
〃How many bottles of that stuff are there left？〃 asked Kalman disgustedly。
〃And why would you be wanting to know？〃 enquired Mackenzie cautiously。 〃You would not be taking any of the whiskey yourself？〃 he added in grave reproof。
〃Oh； go on！ you old fool！〃 replied the boy angrily。 〃You will never be any good till it is all done； I know。〃
Kalman spoke out of full and varied experience of the ways of men with the lust of drink in them。
〃Well； well； maybe so。 But the more there iss for me； the less there iss for him；〃 said Mackenzie； jerking his head toward the inner door。
〃Why not empty it out？〃 said Kalman in an eager undertone。
〃Hoot！ toot！ man； and would you be guilty of sinful waste like yon？ No； no； never with Malcolm Mackenzie's consent。 And you would not be doing such a deed yourself？〃 Mackenzie enquired somewhat anxiously。
Kalman shook his head。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃he might be angry。 But；〃 continued the boy； 〃those potatoes must be finished today。 I heard him speaking about them yesterday。〃
〃And that iss true enough。 They are two weeks late now。〃
〃Come on； then；〃 cried Kalman； as Mackenzie reached for the bottle。 〃Come and show me how。〃
〃There iss no hurry；〃 said the deliberate Mackenzie； drinking his glass with slow relish。 〃But first the pitaties are to be got over from Garneau's。〃
Again and again； and with increasing rage； Kalman sought to drag Mackenzie away from his bottle and to his work。 By the time the bottle was done Mackenzie was once more helpless。
Three days later French came forth from his room； haggard and trembling； to find every bottle empty； Mackenzie making ineffective attempts to prepare a meal； and Kalman nowhere to be seen。
〃Where is the boy？〃 he enquired of Mackenzie in an uncertain voice。
〃I know not；〃 said Mackenzie。
〃Go and look for him； then； you idiot！〃
In a short time French was summoned by Mackenzie's voice。
〃Come here； will you？〃 he was crying。 〃Come here and see this thing。〃
With a dread of some nameless horror in his heart； French hurried toward the little knoll upon which Mackenzie stood。 From this vantage ground could be seen far off in the potato field the figure of the boy with two or three women； all busy with the potatoes。
〃What do you make that out to be？〃 enquired French。 〃Who in the mischief are they？ Go and see。〃
It was not long before Mackenzie stood before his master with Kalman by his side。
〃As sure as death；〃 said Mackenzie； 〃he has a tribe of Galician women yonder； and the pitaties iss all in。〃
〃What do you say？〃 stammered French。
〃It iss what I am telling you。 The pitaties iss all in； and this lad iss bossing the job； and the Galician women working like naygurs。〃
〃What does this mean？〃 said French； turning his eyes slowly upon Kalman。 The boy looked older by years。 He was worn and haggard。
〃I saw a woman passing； she was a Galician； she brought the others； and the potatoes are done。 They have come here two days。 But；〃 said the boy slowly； 〃there is nothing to eat。〃
With a mighty oath French sprang to his feet。
〃Do you tell me you are hungry； boy？〃 he roared。
〃I could not find much；〃 said Kalman； his lip trembling in spite of himself。
〃What are you standing there for； Mackenzie？〃 roared French。 〃Confound you for a drunken dog！ Confound us both for two drunken fools！ Get something to eat！〃
There was something so terrible in his look and in his voice that Mackenzie fairly ran to obey his order。 Kalman stood before his master pale and shaking。 He was weak from lack of food； but more from anxiety and grief。
〃I did the best I could；〃 he said； struggling manfully to keep his voice steady； 〃andI amawful gladyou'rebetter。〃 His command was all gone。 He threw himself upon the grass while sobs shook his frame。
French stood a moment looking down upon him； his face revealing thoughts and feelings none too pleasant。
〃Kalman； you're a good sort；〃 he said in a hoarse voice。 〃You're a man； by Jove！ and；〃 in an undertone； 〃I'm hanged； if I don't think you'll make a man of me yet。〃 Then kneeling by his side； he raised him in his arms。 〃Kalman；〃 he said； 〃you are a brick and a gentleman。 I have been a brute and a cad。〃
〃Oh； no； no； no！〃 sobbed the boy。 〃You are a good man。 But I wishyou wouldleaveit alone。〃
〃In God's name；〃 said French bitterly； 〃I wish it too。〃
CHAPTER XIII
BROWN
Two weeks of life in the open； roaming the prairie alone with the wolf hounds； or with French after the cattle； did much to obliterate the mark which those five days left upon Kalman's body and soul。 From the very first the boy had no difficulty in mastering the art of sticking on a broncho's back； partly because he was entirely without fear； but largely because he had an ear and an eye for rhythm in sound and in motion。 He conceived clearly the idea by watching French as he loped along on his big iron grey； and after that it was merely a matter of translating the idea into action。 Every successful rider must first conceive himself as a rider。 In two weeks' time Kalman could sit the buckskin and send him across the prairie； swinging him by the neck guide around badger holes and gopher holes； up and down the steep sides of the Night Hawk ravine； without ever touching leather。 The fearless ease he displayed in mastering the equestrian art did more than anything else to win him his place in the old half…breed Mackenzie's affection。
The pride of the ranch was Black Joe； a Percheron stallion that French a year before had purchased； with the idea of improving his horse stock to anticipate the market for heavy horses； which he foresaw the building of railroad