roads of destiny-第22部分

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　midst　of　which　Chicken；　with　his　futile　rolling　stock；　was　as　completely　stranded　as　was　Robinson　with　his　land…locked　boat。

A　white　post　stood　near　the　rails。　Going　up　to　it；　Chicken　read　the　letters　at　the　top；　S。　A。　90。　Laredo　was　nearly　as　far　to　the　south。　He　was　almost　a　hundred　miles　from　any　town。　Coyotes　began　to　yelp　in　the　mysterious　sea　around　him。　Chicken　felt　lonesome。　He　had　lived　in　Boston　without　an　education；　in　Chicago　without　nerve；　in　Philadelphia　without　a　sleeping　place；　in　New　York　without　a　pull；　and　in　Pittsburg　sober；　and　yet　he　had　never　felt　so　lonely　as　now。

Suddenly　through　the　intense　silence；　he　heard　the　whicker　of　a　horse。　The　sound　came　from　the　side　of　the　track　toward　the　east；　and　Chicken　began　to　explore　timorously　in　that　direction。　He　stepped　high　along　the　mat　of　curly　mesquit　grass；　for　he　was　afraid　of　everything　there　might　be　in　this　wildernesssnakes；　rats；　brigands；　centipedes；　mirages；　cowboys；　fandangoes；　tarantulas；　tamaleshe　had　read　of　them　in　the　story　papers。　Rounding　a　clump　of　prickly　pear　that　reared　high　its　fantastic　and　menacing　array　of　rounded　heads；　he　was　struck　to　shivering　terror　by　a　snort　and　a　thunderous　plunge；　as　the　horse；　himself　startled；　bounded　away　some　fifty　yards；　and　then　resumed　his　grazing。　But　here　was　the　one　thing　in　the　desert　that　Chicken　did　not　fear。　He　had　been　reared　on　a　farm；　he　had　handled　horses；　understood　them；　and　could　ride。

Approaching　slowly　and　speaking　soothingly；　he　followed　the　animal；　which；　after　its　first　flight；　seemed　gentle　enough；　and　secured　the　end　of　the　twenty…foot　lariat　that　dragged　after　him　in　the　grass。　It　required　him　but　a　few　moments　to　contrive　the　rope　into　an　ingenious　nose…bridle；　after　the　style　of　the　Mexican　/borsal/。　In　another　he　was　upon　the　horse's　back　and　off　at　a　splendid　lope；　giving　the　animal　free　choice　of　direction。　〃He　will　take　me　somewhere；〃　said　Chicken　to　himself。

It　would　have　been　a　thing　of　joy；　that　untrammelled　gallop　over　the　moonlit　prairie；　even　to　Chicken；　who　loathed　exertion；　but　that　his　mood　was　not　for　it。　His　head　ached；　a　growing　thirst　was　upon　him；　the　〃somewhere〃　whither　his　lucky　mount　might　convey　him　was　full　of　dismal　peradventure。

And　now　he　noted　that　the　horse　moved　to　a　definite　goal。　Where　the　prairie　lay　smooth　he　kept　his　course　straight　as　an　arrow's　toward　the　east。　Deflected　by　hill　or　arroyo　or　impractical　spinous　brakes；　he　quickly　flowed　again　into　the　current；　charted　by　his　unerring　instinct。　At　last；　upon　the　side　of　a　gentle　rise；　he　suddenly　subsided　to　a　complacent　walk。　A　stone's　cast　away　stood　a　little　mott　of　coma　trees；　beneath　it　a　/jacal/　such　as　the　Mexicans　erecta　one…　room　house　of　upright　poles　daubed　with　clay　and　roofed　with　grass　or　tule　reeds。　An　experienced　eye　would　have　estimated　the　spot　as　the　headquarters　of　a　small　sheep　ranch。　In　the　moonlight　the　ground　in　the　nearby　corral　showed　pulverized　to　a　level　smoothness　by　the　hoofs　of　the　sheep。　Everywhere　was　carelessly　distributed　the　paraphernalia　of　the　placeropes；　bridles；　saddles；　sheep　pelts；　wool　sacks；　feed　troughs；　and　camp　litter。　The　barrel　of　drinking　water　stood　in　the　end　of　the　two…horse　wagon　near　the　door。　The　harness　was　piled；　promiscuous；　upon　the　wagon　tongue；　soaking　up　the　dew。

Chicken　slipped　to　earth；　and　tied　the　horse　to　a　tree。　He　halloed　again　and　again；　but　the　house　remained　quiet。　The　door　stood　open；　and　he　entered　cautiously。　The　light　was　sufficient　for　him　to　see　that　no　one　was　at　home。　The　room　was　that　of　a　bachelor　ranchman　who　was　content　with　the　necessaries　of　life。　Chicken　rummaged　intelligently　until　he　found　what　he　had　hardly　dared　hope　fora　small；　brown　jug　that　still　contained　something　near　a　quart　of　his　desire。

Half　an　hour　later；　Chickennow　a　gamecock　of　hostile　aspectemerged　from　the　house　with　unsteady　steps。　He　had　drawn　upon　the　absent　ranchman's　equipment　to　replace　his　own　ragged　attire。　He　wore　a　suit　of　coarse　brown　ducking；　the　coat　being　a　sort　of　rakish　bolero；　jaunty　to　a　degree。　Boots　he　had　donned；　and　spurs　that　whirred　with　every　lurching　step。　Buckled　around　him　was　a　belt　full　of　cartridges　with　a　big　six…shooter　in　each　of　its　two　holsters。

Prowling　about；　he　found　blankets；　a　saddle　and　bridle　with　which　he　caparisoned　his　steed。　Again　mounting；　he　rode　swiftly　away；　singing　a　loud　and　tuneless　song。

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Bud　King's　band　of　desperadoes；　outlaws　and　horse　and　cattle　thieves　were　in　camp　at　a　secluded　spot　on　the　bank　of　the　Frio。　Their　depredations　in　the　Rio　Grande　country；　while　no　bolder　than　usual；　had　been　advertised　more　extensively；　and　Captain　Kinney's　company　of　rangers　had　been　ordered　down　to　look　after　them。　Consequently；　Bud　King；　who　was　a　wise　general；　instead　of　cutting　out　a　hot　trail　for　the　upholders　of　the　law；　as　his　men　wished　to　do；　retired　for　the　time　to　the　prickly　fastnesses　of　the　Frio　valley。

Though　the　move　was　a　prudent　one；　and　not　incompatible　with　Bud's　well…known　courage；　it　raised　dissension　among　the　members　of　the　band。　In　fact；　while　they　thus　lay　ingloriously　/perdu/　in　the　brush；　the　question　of　Bud　King's　fitness　for　the　leadership　was　argued；　with　closed　doors；　as　it　were；　by　his　followers。　Never　before　had　Bud's　skill　or　efficiency　been　brought　to　criticism；　but　his　glory　was　wandering　（and　such　is　glory's　fate）　in　the　light　of　a　newer　star。　The　sentiment　of　the　band　was　crystallizing　into　the　opinion　that　Black　Eagle　could　lead　them　with　more　lustre；　profit；　and　distinction。

This　Black　Eaglesub…titled　the　〃Terror　of　the　Border〃had　been　a　member　of　the　gang　about　three　months。

One　night　while　they　were　in　camp　on　the　San　Miguel　water…hole　a　solitary　horseman　on　the　regulation　fiery　steed　dashed　in　among　them。　The　newcomer　was　of　a　portentous　and　devastating　aspect。　A　beak…like　nose　with　a　predatory　curve　projected　above　a　mass　of　bristling；　blue…　black　whiskers。　His　eye　was　cavernous　and　fierce。　He　was　spurred；　sombreroed；　booted；　garnished　with　revolvers；　abundantly　drunk；　and　very　much　unafraid。　Few　people　in　the　country　drained　by　the　Rio　Bravo　would　have　cared　thus　to　invade　alone　the　camp　of　Bud　King。　But　this　fell　bird　swooped　fearlessly　upon　them　and　demanded　to　be　fed。

Hospitality　in　the　prairie　country　is　not　limited。　Even　if　your　enemy　pass　your　way　you　must　feed　him　before　you　shoot　him。　You　must　empty　your　larder　into　him　before　you　empty　your　lead。　So　the　stranger　of　undeclared　intentions　was　set　down　to　a　mighty　feast。

A　talkative　bird　he　was；　full　of　most　marvellous　loud　tales　and　exploits；　and　speaking　a　language　at　times　obscure　but　never　colourless。　He　was　a　new　sensation　to　Bud　King's　men；　who　rarely　encountered　new　types。　They　hung；　delighted；　upon　his　vainglorious　boasting；　the　spicy　strangeness　of　his　lingo；　his　contemptuous　familiarity　with　life；　the　world；　and　remote　places；　and　the　extravagant　frankness　with　which　he　conveyed　his　sentiments。

To　their　guest　the　band　of　outlaws　seemed　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　congregation　of　country　bumpkins　whom　he　was　〃stringing　for　grub〃　just　as　he　would　have　told　his　stories　at　the　back　door　of　a　farmhouse　to　wheedle　a　meal。　And；　indeed；　his　ignorance　was　not　without　excuse；　for　the　〃bad　man〃　of　the　Southwest　does　not　run　to　extremes。　Those　brigands　might　justly　have　been　taken　for　a　little　party　of　peaceable　rustics　assembled　for　a　fish…fry　or　pecan　gathering。　Gentle　of　manner；　slouching　of　gait；　soft…voiced；　unpicturesquely　clothed；　not　one　of　them　presented　to　the　eye　any　witness　of　the　desperate　records　they　had　earned。

For　two　days　the　glittering　stranger　within　the　camp　was　feasted。　Then；　by　common　consent；　he　was　invited　to　become　a　member　of　the　band。　He　consented；　presenting　for　enrollment　the　prodigious　name　of　〃Captain　Montressor。〃　This　name　was　immediately　overruled　by　the　band；　and　〃Piggy〃　substituted　as　a　compliment　to　the　awful　and　insatiate　appetite　of　its　owner。

Thus　did　the　Texas　border　receive　the　most　spectacular　brigand　that　ever　rode　its　chaparral。

For　the　next　three　months　Bud　King　conducted　business　as　usual；　escaping　encounters　with　law　officers　and　being　content　with　reasonable　profits。　The　band　ran　off　some　very　good　companies　of　horses　from　the　ranges；　and　a　few　bunches　of　fine　cattle　which　they　got　safely　across　the　Rio　Grande　and　disposed　of　to　fair　advantage。　Often　the　band　would　ride　into　the　little　villages　and　Mexican　settlements；　terrorizing　the　inhabitants　and　plundering　for　the　provisions　and　ammunition　they　needed。　It　was　during　these　bloodless　raids　that　Piggy's　ferocious　aspect　and　frightful　voice　gained　him　a　renown　more　widespread　and　glorious　than　those　other　gentle…voiced　and　sad…faced　desperadoes　could　have　acquired　in　a　lifetime。

The　Mexicans；　most　apt　in　nomenclature；　first　called　him　The　Black　Eagle；　and　used　to　frighten　the　babes　by　threatening　them　with　tales　of　the　dreadful　robber　who　carried　off　little　children　in　his　great　beak。　Soon　the　name　extended；　and　Black　Eagle；　the　Terror　of　the　Border；　became　a　recognized　factor　in　exaggerated　newspaper　reports　and　ranch　gossip。

The　country　from　the　Nueces　to　the　Rio　Grande　was　a　wild　but　fertile　stretch；　given　over　to　the　sheep　and　cattle　ranches。　Range　was　free；　the　inhabitants　were　few；　the　law　was　mainly　a　letter；　and　the　pirates　met　with　little　opposition　until　the　flaunting　and　garish　Piggy　gave　the　band　undue　advertisement。　Then　McKinney's　ranger　company　headed　for　those　precincts；　and　Bud　King　knew　that　it　meant　grim　and　sudden　war　or　else　temporary　retirement。　Regarding　the　risk　to　be　unnecessary；　he　drew　off　his　band　to　an　almost　inaccessible　spot　on　the　bank　of　the　Frio。　Wherefore；　as　has　been　said；　dissatisfaction　arose　among　the　members；　and　impeachment　proceedings　against　Bud　were　premeditated；　with　Black　Eagle　in　high　favour　for　the　succession。　Bud　King　was　not　unaware　of　the　sentiment；　and　he　called　aside　Cactus　Taylor；　his　trusted　lieutenant；　to　discuss　it。

〃If　the　boys；〃　said　Bud；　〃ain't　satisfied　with　me；　I'm　willing　to　step　out。　They're　buckin'　against　my　way　of　handlin'　'em。　And　'specially　because　I　concludes　to　hit　the　brush　while　Sam　Kinney　is　ridin'　the　line。　I　saves　'em　from　bein'　shot　or　sent　up　on　a　state　contract；　and　t