roads of destiny-第21部分

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〃I　might　just　as　well　tell　you　now；　pardner；〃　said　the　Kid；　sliding　down　low　on　his　steamer　chair；　〃that　things　are　going　to　stay　just　as　they　are。　They're　about　right　now。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Thacker；　rattling　the　bottom　of　his　glass　on　his　desk。

〃The　scheme's　off；〃　said　the　Kid。　〃And　whenever　you　have　the　pleasure　of　speaking　to　me　address　me　as　Don　Francisco　Urique。　I'll　guarantee　I'll　answer　to　it。　We'll　let　Colonel　Urique　keep　his　money。　His　little　tin　safe　is　as　good　as　the　time…locker　in　the　First　National　Bank　of　Laredo　as　far　as　you　and　me　are　concerned。〃

〃You're　going　to　throw　me　down；　then；　are　you？〃　said　the　consul。

〃Sure；〃　said　the　Kid　cheerfully。　〃Throw　you　down。　That's　it。　And　now　I'll　tell　you　why。　The　first　night　I　was　up　at　the　colonel's　house　they　introduced　me　to　a　bedroom。　No　blankets　on　the　floora　real　room；　with　a　bed　and　things　in　it。　And　before　I　was　asleep；　in　comes　this　artificial　mother　and　tucks　in　the　covers。　'Panchito；'　she　says；　'my　little　lost　one；　God　has　brought　you　back　to　me。　I　bless　His　name　forever。'　It　was　that；　or　some　truck　like　that；　she　said。　And　down　comes　a　drop　or　two　of　rain　and　hits　me　on　the　nose。　And　all　that　stuck　by　me；　Mr。　Thacker。　And　it's　been　that　way　ever　since。　And　it's　got　to　stay　that　way。　Don't　you　think　that　it's　for　what's　in　it　for　me；　either；　that　I　say　so。　If　you　have　any　such　ideas；　keep　'em　to　yourself。　I　haven't　had　much　truck　with　women　in　my　life；　and　no　mothers　to　speak　of；　but　here's　a　lady　that　we've　got　to　keep　fooled。　Once　she　stood　it；　twice　she　won't。　I'm　a　low…down　wolf；　and　the　devil　may　have　sent　me　on　this　trail　instead　of　God；　but　I'll　travel　it　to　the　end。　And　now；　don't　forget　that　I'm　Don　Francisco　Urique　whenever　you　happen　to　mention　my　name。〃

〃I'll　expose　you　to…day；　youyou　double…dyed　traitor；〃　stammered　Thacker。

The　Kid　arose　and；　without　violence；　took　Thacker　by　the　throat　with　a　hand　of　steel；　and　shoved　him　slowly　into　a　corner。　Then　he　drew　from　under　his　left　arm　his　pearl…handled　。45　and　poked　the　cold　muzzle　of　it　against　the　consul's　mouth。

〃I　told　you　why　I　come　here；〃　he　said；　with　his　old　freezing　smile。　〃If　I　leave　here；　you'll　be　the　reason。　Never　forget　it；　pardner。　Now；　what　is　my　name？〃

〃ErDon　Francisco　Urique；〃　gasped　Thacker。

From　outside　came　a　sound　of　wheels；　and　the　shouting　of　some　one；　and　the　sharp　thwacks　of　a　wooden　whipstock　upon　the　backs　of　fat　horses。

The　Kid　put　up　his　gun；　and　walked　toward　the　door。　But　he　turned　again　and　came　back　to　the　trembling　Thacker；　and　held　up　his　left　hand　with　its　back　toward　the　consul。

〃There's　one　more　reason；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃why　things　have　got　to　stand　as　they　are。　The　fellow　I　killed　in　Laredo　had　one　of　them　same　pictures　on　his　left　hand。〃

Outside；　the　ancient　landau　of　Don　Santos　Urique　rattled　to　the　door。　The　coachman　ceased　his　bellowing。　Senora　Urique；　in　a　voluminous　gay　gown　of　white　lace　and　flying　ribbons；　leaned　forward　with　a　happy　look　in　her　great　soft　eyes。

〃Are　you　within；　dear　son？〃　she　called；　in　the　rippling　Castilian。

〃/Madre　mia；　yo　vengo/　＇mother；　I　come＇；〃　answered　the　young　Don　Francisco　Urique。



IX

THE　PASSING　OF　BLACK　EAGLE

For　some　months　of　a　certain　year　a　grim　bandit　infested　the　Texas　border　along　the　Rio　Grande。　Peculiarly　striking　to　the　optic　nerve　was　this　notorious　marauder。　His　personality　secured　him　the　title　of　〃Black　Eagle；　the　Terror　of　the　Border。〃　Many　fearsome　tales　are　on　record　concerning　the　doings　of　him　and　his　followers。　Suddenly；　in　the　space　of　a　single　minute；　Black　Eagle　vanished　from　earth。　He　was　never　heard　of　again。　His　own　band　never　even　guessed　the　mystery　of　his　disappearance。　The　border　ranches　and　settlements　feared　he　would　come　again　to　ride　and　ravage　the　mesquite　flats。　He　never　will。　It　is　to　disclose　the　fate　of　Black　Eagle　that　this　narrative　is　written。

The　initial　movement　of　the　story　is　furnished　by　the　foot　of　a　bartender　in　St。　Louis。　His　discerning　eye　fell　upon　the　form　of　Chicken　Ruggles　as　he　pecked　with　avidity　at　the　free　lunch。　Chicken　was　a　〃hobo。〃　He　had　a　long　nose　like　the　bill　of　a　fowl；　an　inordinate　appetite　for　poultry；　and　a　habit　of　gratifying　it　without　expense；　which　accounts　for　the　name　given　him　by　his　fellow　vagrants。

Physicians　agree　that　the　partaking　of　liquids　at　meal　times　is　not　a　healthy　practice。　The　hygiene　of　the　saloon　promulgates　the　opposite。　Chicken　had　neglected　to　purchase　a　drink　to　accompany　his　meal。　The　bartender　rounded　the　counter；　caught　the　injudicious　diner　by　the　ear　with　a　lemon　squeezer；　led　him　to　the　door　and　kicked　him　into　the　street。

Thus　the　mind　of　Chicken　was　brought　to　realize　the　signs　of　coming　winter。　The　night　was　cold；　the　stars　shone　with　unkindly　brilliancy；　people　were　hurrying　along　the　streets　in　two　egotistic；　jostling　streams。　Men　had　donned　their　overcoats；　and　Chicken　knew　to　an　exact　percentage　the　increased　difficulty　of　coaxing　dimes　from　those　buttoned…in　vest　pockets。　The　time　had　come　for　his　annual　exodus　to　the　south。

A　little　boy；　five　or　six　years　old；　stood　looking　with　covetous　eyes　in　a　confectioner's　window。　In　one　small　hand　he　held　an　empty　two…　ounce　vial；　in　the　other　he　grasped　tightly　something　flat　and　round；　with　a　shining　milled　edge。　The　scene　presented　a　field　of　operations　commensurate　to　Chicken's　talents　and　daring。　After　sweeping　the　horizon　to　make　sure　that　no　official　tug　was　cruising　near；　he　insidiously　accosted　his　prey。　The　boy；　having　been　early　taught　by　his　household　to　regard　altruistic　advances　with　extreme　suspicion；　received　the　overtures　coldly。

Then　Chicken　knew　that　he　must　make　one　of　those　desperate；　nerve…　shattering　plunges　into　speculation　that　fortune　sometimes　requires　of　those　who　would　win　her　favour。　Five　cents　was　his　capital；　and　this　he　must　risk　against　the　chance　of　winning　what　lay　within　the　close　grasp　of　the　youngster's　chubby　hand。　It　was　a　fearful　lottery；　Chicken　knew。　But　he　must　accomplish　his　end　by　strategy；　since　he　had　a　wholesome　terror　of　plundering　infants　by　force。　Once；　in　a　park；　driven　by　hunger；　he　had　committed　an　onslaught　upon　a　bottle　of　peptonized　infant's　food　in　the　possession　of　an　occupant　of　a　baby　carriage。　The　outraged　infant　had　so　promptly　opened　its　mouth　and　pressed　the　button　that　communicated　with　the　welkin　that　help　arrived；　and　Chicken　did　his　thirty　days　in　a　snug　coop。　Wherefore　he　was；　as　he　said；　〃leary　of　kids。〃

Beginning　artfully　to　question　the　boy　concerning　his　choice　of　sweets；　he　gradually　drew　out　the　information　he　wanted。　Mamma　said　he　was　to　ask　the　drug　store　man　for　ten　cents'　worth　of　paregoric　in　the　bottle；　he　was　to　keep　his　hand　shut　tight　over　the　dollar；　he　must　not　stop　to　talk　to　anyone　in　the　street；　he　must　ask　the　drug…store　man　to　wrap　up　the　change　and　put　it　in　the　pocket　of　his　trousers。　Indeed；　they　had　pocketstwo　of　them！　And　he　liked　chocolate　creams　best。

Chicken　went　into　the　store　and　turned　plunger。　He　invested　his　entire　capital　in　C。A。N。D。Y。　stocks；　simply　to　pave　the　way　to　the　greater　risk　following。

He　gave　the　sweets　to　the　youngster；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　perceiving　that　confidence　was　established。　After　that　it　was　easy　to　obtain　leadership　of　the　expedition；　to　take　the　investment　by　the　hand　and　lead　it　to　a　nice　drug　store　he　knew　of　in　the　same　block。　There　Chicken；　with　a　parental　air；　passed　over　the　dollar　and　called　for　the　medicine；　while　the　boy　crunched　his　candy；　glad　to　be　relieved　of　the　responsibility　of　the　purchase。　And　then　the　successful　investor；　searching　his　pockets；　found　an　overcoat　button　the　extent　of　his　winter　trousseauand；　wrapping　it　carefully；　placed　the　ostensible　change　in　the　pocket　of　confiding　juvenility。　Setting　the　youngster's　face　homeward；　and　patting　him　benevolently　on　the　backfor　Chicken's　heart　was　as　soft　as　those　of　his　feathered　namesakesthe　speculator　quit　the　market　with　a　profit　of　1；700　per　cent。　on　his　invested　capital。

Two　hours　later　an　Iron　Mountain　freight　engine　pulled　out　of　the　railroad　yards；　Texas　bound；　with　a　string　of　empties。　In　one　of　the　cattle　cars；　half　buried　in　excelsior；　Chicken　lay　at　ease。　Beside　him　in　his　nest　was　a　quart　bottle　of　very　poor　whisky　and　a　paper　bag　of　bread　and　cheese。　Mr。　Ruggles；　in　his　private　car；　was　on　his　trip　south　for　the　winter　season。

For　a　week　that　car　was　trundled　southward；　shifted；　laid　over；　and　manipulated　after　the　manner　of　rolling　stock；　but　Chicken　stuck　to　it；　leaving　it　only　at　necessary　times　to　satisfy　his　hunger　and　thirst。　He　knew　it　must　go　down　to　the　cattle　country；　and　San　Antonio；　in　the　heart　of　it；　was　his　goal。　There　the　air　was　salubrious　and　mild；　the　people　indulgent　and　long…suffering。　The　bartenders　there　would　not　kick　him。　If　he　should　eat　too　long　or　too　often　at　one　place　they　would　swear　at　him　as　if　by　rote　and　without　heat。　They　swore　so　drawlingly；　and　they　rarely　paused　short　of　their　full　vocabulary；　which　was　copious；　so　that　Chicken　had　often　gulped　a　good　meal　during　the　process　of　the　vituperative　prohibition。　The　season　there　was　always　spring…like；　the　plazas　were　pleasant　at　night；　with　music　and　gaiety；　except　during　the　slight　and　infrequent　cold　snaps　one　could　sleep　comfortably　out　of　doors　in　case　the　interiors　should　develop　inhospitability。

At　Texarkana　his　car　was　switched　to　the　I。　and　G。N。　Then　still　southward　it　trailed　until；　at　length；　it　crawled　across　the　Colorado　bridge　at　Austin；　and　lined　out；　straight　as　an　arrow；　for　the　run　to　San　Antonio。

When　the　freight　halted　at　that　town　Chicken　was　fast　asleep。　In　ten　minutes　the　train　was　off　again　for　Laredo；　the　end　of　the　road。　Those　empty　cattle　cars　were　for　distribution　along　the　line　at　points　from　which　the　ranches　shipped　their　stock。

When　Chicken　awoke　his　car　was　stationary。　Looking　out　between　the　slats　he　saw　it　was　a　bright；　moonlit　night。　Scrambling　out；　he　saw　his　car　with　three　others　abandoned　on　a　little　siding　in　a　wild　and　lonesome　country。　A　cattle　pen　and　chute　stood　on　one　side　of　the　track。　The　railroad　bisected　a　vast；　dim　ocean　of　prairie；　in　the　midst　of　which　Chicken；　with　his　futile　rolling　stock；　was　as　completely　stranded　as　was　Robinson