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！
huskily asked Anson。 〃It； only seems thet way。 We're all
worked up。 。 。 。 Let's talk sense。〃
〃Anson； shore there's a heap you an' me don't know；〃 replied
Wilson。 〃The world come to an end once。 Wal； it can come to
another end。 。 。 。 I tell you I ain't surprised 〃
〃THAR！〃 cried Anson； whirling； with his gun leaping out。
Something huge； shadowy； gray against the black rushed
behind the men and trees； and following it came a
perceptible acceleration of the air。
〃Shore； Snake； there wasn't nothin'；〃 said Wilson；
presently。〃
〃I heerd；〃 whispered Shady Jones。
〃It was only a breeze blowin' thet smoke；〃 rejoined Moze。
〃I'd bet my soul somethin' went back of me；〃 declared Anson；
glaring into the void。
〃Listen an' let's make shore；〃 suggested Wilson。
The guilty； agitated faces of the outlaws showed plain
enough in the flickering light for each to see a convicting
dread in his fellow。 Like statues they stood； watching and
listening。
Few sounds stirred in the strange silence。 Now and then the
horses heaved heavily； but stood still； a dismal； dreary
note of the wind in the pines vied with a hollow laugh of
the brook。 And these low sounds only fastened attention upon
the quality of the silence。 A breathing； lonely spirit of
solitude permeated the black dell。 Like a pit of unplumbed
depths the dark night yawned。 An evil conscience； listening
there； could have heard the most peaceful； beautiful； and
mournful sounds of nature only as strains of a calling hell。
Suddenly the silent； oppressive； surcharged air split to a
short； piercing scream。
Anson's big horse stood up straight； pawing the air； and
came down with a crash。 The other horses shook with terror。
〃Wasn't thet a cougar？〃 whispered Anson； thickly。
〃Thet was a woman's scream；〃 replied Wilson； and he appeared
to be shaking like a leaf in the wind。
〃Then I figgered right the kid's alive wonderin'
around an' she let out thet orful scream；〃 said Anson。
〃Wonderin' 'round； yes but she's daid！〃
〃My Gawd！ it ain't possible！〃
〃Wal； if she ain't wonderin' round daid she's almost daid；〃
replied Wilson。 And he began to whisper to himself。
〃If I'd only knowed what thet deal meant I'd hev plugged
Beasley instead of listenin'。 。 。 。 An' I ought to hev
knocked thet kid on the head an' made sartin she'd croaked。
If she goes screamin' 'round thet way 〃
His voice failed as there rose a thin； splitting；
high…pointed shriek； somewhat resembling the first scream；
only less wild。 It came apparently from the cliff。
From another point in the pitch…black glen rose the wailing；
terrible cry of a woman in agony。 Wild； haunting； mournful
wail！
Anson's horse； loosing the halter； plunged back； almost
falling over a slight depression in the rocky ground。 The
outlaw caught him and dragged him nearer the fire。 The other
horses stood shaking and straining。 Moze ran between them
and held them。 Shady Jones threw green brush on the fire。
With sputter and crackle a blaze started； showing Wilson
standing tragically； his arms out； facing the black shadows。
The strange； live shriek was not repeated。 But the cry； like
that of a woman in her death…throes； pierced the silence
again。 It left a quivering ring that softly died away。 Then
the stillness clamped down once more and the darkness seemed
to thicken。 The men waited； and when they had begun to relax
the cry burst out appallingly close； right behind the trees。
It was human the personification of pain and terror
the tremendous struggle of precious life against horrible
death。 So pure； so exquisite； so wonderful was the cry that
the listeners writhed as if they saw an innocent； tender；
beautiful girl torn frightfully before their eyes。 It was
full of suspense； it thrilled for death； its marvelous
potency was the wild note that beautiful and ghastly note
of self…preservation。
In sheer desperation the outlaw leader fired his gun at the
black wall whence the cry came。 Then he had to fight his
horse to keep him from plunging away。 Following the shot was
an interval of silence； the horses became tractable； the men
gathered closer to the fire； with the halters still held
firmly。
〃If it was a cougar thet 'd scare him off；〃 said Anson。
〃Shore； but it ain't a cougar；〃 replied Wilson。 〃Wait an'
see！〃
They all waited； listening with ears turned to different
points； eyes roving everywhere； afraid of their very
shadows。 Once more the moan of wind； the mockery of brook；
deep gurgle； laugh and babble； dominated the silence of the
glen。
〃Boss； let's shake this spooky hole；〃 whispered Moze。
The suggestion attracted Anson； and he pondered it while
slowly shaking his head。
〃We've only three hosses。 An' mine 'll take ridin' after
them squalls；〃 replied the leader。 〃We've got packs； too。
An' hell 'ain't nothin' on this place fer bein' dark。〃
〃No matter。 Let's go。 I'll walk an' lead the way；〃 said
Moze； eagerly。 〃I got sharp eyes。 You fellars can ride an'
carry a pack。 We'll git out of here an' come back in
daylight fer the rest of the outfit。〃
〃Anson； I'm keen fer thet myself；〃 declared Shady Jones。
〃Jim； what d'ye say to thet？〃 queried Anson。 〃Rustlin' out
of this black hole？〃
〃Shore it's a grand idee；〃 agreed Wilson。
〃Thet was a cougar；〃 avowed Anson； gathering courage as the
silence remained unbroken。 〃But jest the same it was as
tough on me as if it hed been a woman screamin' over a blade
twistin' in her gizzards。〃
〃Snake； shore you seen a woman heah lately？〃 deliberately
asked Wilson。
〃Reckon I did。 Thet kid；〃 replied Anson； dubiously。
〃Wal； you seen her go crazy； didn't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃'An' she wasn't heah when you went huntin' fer her？〃
〃Correct。〃
〃Wal； if thet's so； what do you want to blab about cougars
for？〃
Wilson's argument seemed incontestable。 Shady and Moze
nodded gloomily and shifted restlessly from foot to foot。
Anson dropped his head。
〃No matter if we only don't hear 〃 he began； suddenly
to grow mute。
Right upon them； from some place； just out the circle of
light； rose a scream； by reason of its proximity the most
piercing and agonizing yet heard； simply petrifying the
group until the peal passed。 Anson's huge horse reared； and
with a snort of terror lunged in tremendous leap； straight
out。 He struck Anson with thudding impact； knocking him over
the rocks into the depression back of the camp…fire； and
plunging after him。 Wilson had made a flying leap just in
time to avoid being struck； and he turned to see Anson go
down。 There came a crash； a groan； and then the strike and
pound of hoofs as the horse struggled up。 Apparently he had
rolled over his master。
〃Help； fellars！〃 yelled Wilson； quick to leap down over the
little bank； and in the dim light to grasp the halter。 The
three men dragged the horse out and securely tied him close
to a tree。 That done； they peered down into the depression。
Anson's form could just barely be distinguished in the
gloom。 He lay stretched out。 Another groan escaped him。
〃Shore I'm scared he's hurt；〃 said Wilson。
〃Hoss rolled right on top of him。 An' thet hoss's hea