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！
〃Al； now how could you know somethin' I don't？ Be
reasonable； now。 Let's don't fall out about this again。 I'll
pay back the sheep。 Work it out 〃
〃Milt Dale； you'll come down here an' work out that fifty
head of sheep！〃 ejaculated the old rancher； incredulously。
〃Sure。〃
〃Wal； I'll be damned！〃 He sat back and gazed with shrewd
eyes at Dale。 〃What's got into you； Milt？ Hev you heard
about my niece thet's comin'； an' think you'll shine up to
her？〃
〃Yes； Al； her comin' has a good deal to do with my deal；〃
replied Dale； soberly。 〃But I never thought to shine up to
her； as you hint。〃
〃Haw！ Haw！ You're just like all the other colts hereabouts。
Reckon it's a good sign； too。 It'll take a woman to fetch
you out of the woods。 But； boy； this niece of mine； Helen
Rayner； will stand you on your head。 I never seen her。 They
say she's jest like her mother。 An' Nell Auchincloss what
a girl she was！〃
Dale felt his face grow red。 Indeed； this was strange
conversation for him。
〃Honest； Al 〃 he began。
〃Son； don't lie to an old man。〃
〃Lie！ I wouldn't lie to any one。 Al； it's only men who live
in towns an' are always makin' deals。 I live in the forest；
where there's nothin' to make me lie。〃
〃Wal； no offense meant； I'm sure；〃 responded Auchincloss。
〃An' mebbe there's somethin' in what you say 。 。 。 We was
talkin' about them sheep your big cat killed。 Wal； Milt； I
can't prove it； that's sure。 An' mebbe you'll think me
doddery when I tell you my reason。 It wasn't what them
greaser herders said about seein' a cougar in the herd。〃
〃What was it； then？〃 queried Dale； much interested。
〃Wal； thet day a year ago I seen your pet。 He was lyin' in
front of the store an' you was inside tradin'； fer supplies；
I reckon。 It was like meetin' an enemy face to face。
Because； damn me if I didn't know that cougar was guilty
when he looked in my eyes！ There！〃
The old rancher expected to be laughed at。 But Dale was
grave。
〃Al； I know how you felt；〃 he replied； as if they were
discussing an action of a human being。 〃Sure I'd hate to
doubt old Tom。 But he's a cougar。 An' the ways of animals
are strange 。 。 。 Anyway； Al； I'll make good the loss of
your sheep。〃
〃No； you won't；〃 rejoined Auchincloss； quickly。 〃We'll call
it off 。 I'm takin' it square of you to make the offer。
Thet's enough。 So forget your worry about work； if you had
any。〃
〃There's somethin' else； Al； I wanted to say；〃 began Dale；
with hesitation。 〃An' it's about Beasley。〃
Auchincloss started violently； and a flame of red shot into
his face。 Then he raised a big hand that shook。 Dale saw in
a flash how the old man's nerves had gone。
〃Don't mention thet thet greaser to me！〃 burst out
the rancher。 〃It makes me see red。 。 。 。 Dale； I ain't
overlookin' that you spoke up fer me to…day stood fer my
side。 Lem Harden told me。 I was glad。 An' thet's why
to…day I forgot our old quarrel。 。 。 。 But not a word
about thet sheep…thief or I'll drive you off the place！〃
〃But； Al be reasonable；〃 remonstrated Dale。 〃It's
necessary thet I speak of of Beasley。〃
〃It ain't。 Not to me。 I won't listen。〃
〃Reckon you'll have to； Al；〃 returned Dale。 〃Beasley's after
your property。 He's made a deal 〃
〃By Heaven！ I know that！〃 shouted Auchincloss； tottering up；
with his face now black…red。 〃Do you think thet's new to me？
Shut up； Dale！ I can't stand it。〃
〃But Al there's worse；〃 went on Dale； hurriedly。 〃Worse！
Your life's threatened an' your niece； Helen she's to
be 〃
〃Shut up an' clear out！〃 roared Auchincloss； waving his
huge fists。
He seemed on the verge of a collapse as； shaking all over；
he backed into the door。 A few seconds of rage had
transformed him into a pitiful old man。
〃But； Al I'm your friend 〃 began Dale； appealingly。
〃Friend； hey？〃 returned the rancher； with grim； bitter
passion。 〃Then you're the only one。 。 。 。 Milt Dale； I'm
rich an' I'm a dyin' man。 I trust nobody 。 。 。 But； you wild
hunter if you're my friend prove it！ 。 。 。 Go kill
thet greaser sheep…thief！ DO somethin' an' then come talk
to me！〃
With that he lurched； half falling； into the house； and
slammed the door。
Dale stood there for a blank moment； and then； taking up his
rifle； he strode away。
Toward sunset Dale located the camp of his four Mormon
friends； and reached it in time for supper。
John； Roy； Joe； and Hal Beeman were sons of a pioneer Mormon
who had settled the little community of Snowdrop。 They were
young men in years； but hard labor and hard life in the open
had made them look matured。 Only a year's difference in age
stood between John and Roy； and between Roy and Joe； and
likewise Joe and Hal。 When it came to appearance they were
difficult to distinguish from one another。 Horsemen；
sheep…herders； cattle…raisers； hunters they all possessed
long； wiry； powerful frames； lean； bronzed； still faces； and
the quiet； keen eyes of men used to the open。
Their camp was situated beside a spring in a cove surrounded
by aspens； some three miles from Pine； and； though working
for Beasley； near the village； they had ridden to and fro
from camp； after the habit of seclusion peculiar to their
kind。
Dale and the brothers had much in common； and a warm regard
had sprang up。 But their exchange of confidences had wholly
concerned things pertaining to the forest。 Dale ate supper
with them； and talked as usual when he met them； without
giving any hint of the purpose forming in his mind。 After
the meal he helped Joe round up the horses； hobble them for
the night； and drive them into a grassy glade among the
pines。 Later； when the shadows stole through the forest on
the cool wind； and the camp…fire glowed comfortably； Dale
broached the subject that possessed him。
〃An' so you're working for Beasley？〃 he queried； by way of
starting conversation。
〃We was；〃 drawled John。 〃But to…day； bein' the end of our
month； we got our pay an' quit。 Beasley sure was sore。〃
〃Why'd you knock off？〃
John essayed no reply； and his brothers all had that quiet；
suppressed look of knowledge under restraint。
〃Listen to what I come to tell you； then you'll talk；〃 went
on Dale。 And hurriedly he told of Beasley's plot to abduct
Al Auchincloss's niece and claim the dying man's property。
When Dale ended； rather breathlessly； the Mormon boys sat
without any show of surprise or feeling。 John； the eldest；
took up a stick and slowly poked the red embers of the fire；
making the white sparks fly。
〃Now； Milt； why'd you tell us thet？〃 he asked； guardedly。
〃You're the only friends I've got；〃 replied Dale。 〃It didn't
seem safe for me to talk down in the village。 I thought of
you boys right off。 I ain't goin' to let Snake Anson get
that girl。 An' I need help； so I come to you。〃
〃Beasley's strong around Pine； an' old Al's weakenin'。
Beasley will git the property； girl or no girl；〃 said John。
〃Things don't always turn out as they look。 But no matter
about that。 The girl deal is what riled me。 。 。 。 She's to
arrive at Magdalena on the sixteenth； an' take stage for
Snowdrop。 。 。 。 Now what to do？ If she tra