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！
CHAPTER XXIII
〃Listen！〃
Anson whispered tensely。 His poise was motionless； his eyes
roved everywhere。 He held up a shaking； bludgy finger； to
command silence。
A third and stranger sound accompanied the low； weird moan
of the wind； and the hollow mockery of the brook and it
seemed a barely perceptible； exquisitely delicate wail or
whine。 It filled in the lulls between the other sounds。
〃If thet's some varmint he's close；〃 whispered Anson。
〃But shore； it's far off；〃 said Wilson。
Shady Jones and Moze divided their opinions in the same way。
All breathed freer when the wail ceased； relaxing to their
former lounging positions around the fire。 An impenetrable
wall of blackness circled the pale space lighted by the
camp…fire； and this circle contained the dark； somber group
of men in the center； the dying camp…fire； and a few
spectral trunks of pines and the tethered horses on the
outer edge。 The horses scarcely moved from their tracks； and
their erect； alert heads attested to their sensitiveness to
the peculiarities of the night。
Then； at an unusually quiet lull the strange sound gradually
arose to a wailing whine。
〃It's thet crazy wench cryin'；〃 declared the outlaw leader。
Apparently his allies accepted that statement with as much
relief as they had expressed for the termination of the
sound。
〃Shore； thet must be it；〃 agreed Jim Wilson； gravely。
〃We'll git a lot of sleep with thet gurl whinin' all night；〃
growled Shady Jones。
〃She gives me the creeps；〃 said Moze。
Wilson got up to resume his pondering walk； head bent； hands
behind his back； a grim； realistic figure of perturbation。
〃Jim set down。 You make me nervous；〃 said Anson；
irritably。
Wilson actually laughed； but low； as if to keep his strange
mirth well confined。
〃Snake； I'll bet you my hoss an' my gun ag'in' a biscuit
thet in aboot six seconds more or less I'll be stampedin
like them hosses。〃
Anson's lean jaw dropped。 The other two outlaws stared with
round eyes。 Wilson was not drunk； they evidently knew； but
what he really was appeared a mystery。
〃Jim Wilson； are you showin' yellow？〃 queried Anson；
hoarsely。
〃Mebbe。 The Lord only knows。 But listen heah。 。 。 。 Snake；
you've seen an' heard people croak？〃
〃You mean cash in die？〃
〃Shore。〃
〃Wal； yes a couple or so；〃 replied Anson； grimly。
〃But you never seen no one die of shock of an orful
scare？〃
〃No； I reckon I never did。〃
〃I have。 An' thet's what's ailin' Jim Wilson；〃 and he
resumed his dogged steps。
Anson and his two comrades exchanged bewildered glances with
one another。
〃A…huh！ Say； what's thet got to do with us hyar？ asked
Anson； presently。
〃Thet gurl is dyin'！〃 retorted Wilson； in a voice cracking
like a whip。
The three outlaws stiffened in their seats； incredulous； yet
irresistibly swayed by emotions that stirred to this dark；
lonely； ill…omened hour。
Wilson trudged to the edge of the lighted circle； muttering
to himself； and came back again； then he trudged farther；
this time almost out of sight； but only to return； the third
time he vanished in the impenetrable wall of light。 The
three men scarcely moved a muscle as they watched the place
where he had disappeared。 In a few moments he came stumbling
back。
〃Shore she's almost gone；〃 he said； dismally。 〃It took my
nerve； but I felt of her face。 。 。 。 Thet orful wail is her
breath chokin' in her throat。 。 。 。 Like a death…rattle；
only long instead of short。〃
〃Wal； if she's gotta croak it's good she gits it over
quick；〃 replied Anson。 〃I 'ain't hed sleep fer three nights。
。 。 。 An' what I need is whisky。〃
〃Snake； thet's gospel you're spoutin'；〃 remarked Shady
Jones； morosely。
The direction of sound in the glen was difficult to be
assured of； but any man not stirred to a high pitch of
excitement could have told that the difference in volume of
this strange wail must have been caused by different
distances and positions。 Also； when it was loudest； it was
most like a whine。 But these outlaws heard with their
consciences。
At last it ceased abruptly。
Wilson again left the group to be swallowed up by the night。
His absence was longer than usual； but he returned
hurriedly。
〃She's daid！〃 he exclaimed； solemnly。 〃Thet innocent kid
who never harmed no one an' who'd make any man better fer
seein' her she's daid！ 。 。 。 Anson； you've shore a heap
to answer fer when your time comes。〃
〃What's eatin' you？〃 demanded the leader； angrily。 〃Her
blood ain't on my hands。〃
〃It shore is；〃 shouted Wilson； shaking his hand at Anson。
〃An' you'll hev to take your medicine。 I felt thet comin'
all along。 An' I feel some more。〃
〃Aw！ She's jest gone to sleep；〃 declared Anson； shaking his
long frame as he rose。 〃Gimme a light。〃
〃Boss； you're plumb off to go near a dead gurl thet's jest
died crazy；〃 protested Shady Jones。
〃Off！ Haw！ Haw！ Who ain't off in this outfit； I'd like to
know？〃 Anson possessed himself of a stick blazing at one
and； and with this he stalked off toward the lean…to where
the girl was supposed to be dead。 His gaunt figure； lighted
by the torch； certainly fitted the weird； black
surroundings。 And it was seen that once near the girl's
shelter he proceeded more slowly； until he halted。 He bent
to peer inside。
〃SHE'S GONE！〃 he yelled； in harsh； shaken accents。
Than the torch burned out； leaving only a red glow。 He
whirled it about； but the blaze did not rekindle。 His
comrades； peering intently； lost sight of his tall form and
the end of the red…ended stick。 Darkness like pitch
swallowed him。 For a moment no sound intervened。 Again the
moan of wind； the strange little mocking hollow roar；
dominated the place。 Then there came a rush of something；
perhaps of air； like the soft swishing of spruce branches
swinging aside。 Dull； thudding footsteps followed it。 Anson
came running back to the fire。 His aspect was wild； his face
pale； his eyes were fierce and starting from their sockets。
He had drawn his gun。
〃Did ye see er hear anythin'？〃 he panted； peering
back； then all around； and at last at his man。
〃No。 An' I shore was lookin' an' listenin'；〃 replied Wilson。
〃Boss； there wasn't nothin'；〃 declared Moze。
〃I ain't so sartin；〃 said Shady Jones； with doubtful；
staring eyes。 〃I believe I heerd a rustlin'。〃
〃She wasn't there！〃 ejaculated Anson； in wondering awe。
〃She's gone！ 。 。 。 My torch went out。 I couldn't see。 An'
jest then I felt somethin' was passin'。 Fast！ I jerked
'round。 All was black； an' yet if I didn't see a big gray
streak I'm crazier 'n thet gurl。 But I couldn't swear to
anythin' but a rushin' of wind。 I felt thet。〃
〃Gone！〃 exclaimed Wilson； in great alarm。 〃Fellars； if
thet's so； then mebbe she wasn't daid an' she wandered off。
。 。 。 But she was daid！ Her heart hed quit beatin'。 I'll
swear to thet。〃
〃I move to break camp；〃 said Shady Jones； gruffly； and he
stood up。 Moze seconded that move by an expressive flash of
his black visage。
〃Jim； if she's dead an' gone what 'n hell's come off？〃
huskily asked Anson。 〃It； only seems thet way。 We're all
worked up。 。 。 。