the seventh man-第15部分

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y；　for　they　seemed　to　be　lighted　from　within　coldly；　and　his　glance　went　down　to　the　very　bottom　of　Vic's　soul；　probing。　It　was　only　an　instant；　a　thing　of　which　Gregg　could　not　make　sure；　and　then　Dan　slipped　back　into　his　place　among　the　shadows　by　the　wall。　But　a　chill　sense　of　guilt；　a　premonition　of　danger；　stayed　in　Gregg。　The　palms　of　his　hands　grew　moist。



Chapter　XV。　Seven　For　One

Dangerous　men　were　no　novelty　for　Gregg。　He　had　lived　with　them；　worked　with　them；　as　hard…fisted　himself　as　any；　and　as　ready　for　trouble；　but　the　man　of　the　mountain…desert　has　a　peculiar　dread　for　the　practiced；　known　gun…fighter。　In　the　days　of　the　rapier　when　the　art　of　fence　grew　so　complicated　that　half　a　life　was　needed　for　its　mastery；　men　would　as　soon　commit　suicide　as　ruffle　it　with　an　assured　duellist；　and　the　man　of　the　mountain…desert　has　a　similar　respect　for　those　who　are　born；　it　might　be　said；　gun　in　hand。　There　was　ample　reason　for　the　prickling　in　his　scalp；　Vic　felt；　for　here　he　sat　on　an　errand　of　consummate　danger　with　three　of　these　deadly　fighters。　Two　of　them　he　knew　by　name　and　repute；　however　dimly；　and　as　for　Buck　Daniels；　unless　all　signs　failed　the　dark；　sharp…eyed　fellow　was　hardly　less　grim　than　the　others。　Vic　gauged　the　three　one　by　one。　Daniels　might　be　dreaded　for　an　outburst　of　wild　temper　and　in　that　moment　he　could　be　as　terrible　as　any。　Lee　Haines　would　fight　coolly；　his　blue　eyes　never　clouded　by　passion；　for　that　was　his　repute　as　the　right　hand　man　of　Jim　Silent；　in　the　days　when　Jim　had　been　a　terrible；　half…legendary　figure。　One　felt　that　same　quiet　strength　as　the　tawny　haired　man　talked　to　Barry　now；　his　voice　was　a　smooth；　deep　current。　But　as　for　Barry　himself；　Gregg　could　not　compute　the　factors　which　entered　into　the　man。　By　all　outward　seeming　that　slender；　half…timid　figure　was　not　a　tithe　of　the　force　which　either　of　the　others　represented；　but　out　of　the　past　Gregg's　memory　gathered　more　and　more　details；　clear　and　clearer；　of　the　wolf…dog；　the　black　stallion；　and　the　whistling　man　who　tracked　down　Silent〃Whistling　Dan〃　Barry；　that　was　what　they　called　him；　sometimes。　Nothing　was　definite　in　the　mind　of　Gregg。　The　stories　consisted　of　patched　details；　heard　here　and　there　at　third　or　fourth　hand；　but　he　remembered　one　epic　incident　in　which　Barry　had　ridden；　so　rumor　told；　into　the　very　heart　of　Elkhead；　taken　from　the　jail　this　very　man；　this　Lee　Haines；　and　carried　him　through　the　cordon　of　every　armed　man　in　Elkhead。　And　there　was　another　picture；　dimmer　still；　which　an　eye　witness　had　painted：　of　how；　at　an　appointed　hour；　Barry　met　Jim　Silent　and　killed　him。

Out　of　these　thoughts　he　glanced　again　at　the　man　in　the　shadow；　half　expecting　to　find　his　host　swollen　to　giant　size。　Instead；　he　found　the　same　meager　form；　the　same　old　suggestion　of　youth　which　would　not　age；　the　same　pale　hands；　of　almost　feminine　litheness。　Lee　Haines　talked　onabout　a　porphyry　dyke　somewhere　to　the　northa　ledge　to　be　found　in　the　space　of　ten　thousand　square　milesa　list　of　vague　cluesan　appeal　for　Barry　to　help　them　find　itand　Barry　was　held　listening　though　ever　seeming　to　drift；　or　about　to　drift；　towards　the　door。　Black　Bart　lay　facing　his　master；　and　his　snaky　head　followed　every　movement。　Kate　sat　where　the　firelight　barely　touched　on　her；　and　in　her　arms　she　held　Joan；　whose　face　and　great　bright　eyes　were　turned　towards　Daddy　Dan。　All　things　in　the　room　centered　on　the　place　where　the　man　sat　by　the　wall；　and　the　sense　of　something　impending　swept　over　Gregg；　then　a　wild　feardid　they　know　the　danger　outside？　He　must　make　conversation；　he　turned　to　Kate；　but　at　the　same　moment　the　voice　of　Buck　Daniels　beside　him；　close。

〃I　know　how　you　feel；　old　man。　I　remember　an　old　bay　hoss　of　mine；　a　Morgan　hoss；　and　when　he　died　I　grieved　for　near　onto　a　year；　mostly。　He　wasn't　much　of　a　hoss　to　look　at；　too　long　coupled；　you'd　say；　and　his　legs　was　short；　but　he　got　about　like　a　coyote　and　when　he　sat　down　on　a　rope　you　couldn't　budge　him　with　a　team　of　Percherons。　That's　how　good　he　was！　When　he　was　a　four　year　old　I　was　cutting　out　yearlin's　with　him；　and　how〃

The　loud；　cheerful　tone　fell　away　to　a　confidential　murmur；　Daniels　leaned　closer；　with　a　smile　of　prospective　humor；　but　the　words　which　came　to　Gregg　were：　〃Partner；　if　I　was　you　I'd　get　up　and　git　and　I　wouldn't　stop　till　I　put　a　hell　of　a　long　ways　between　me　and　this　cabin！〃

It　spoke　well　of　Vic's　nerve　that　no　start　betrayed　him。　He　bowed　his　head　a　little；　as　though　to　catch　the　trend　of　the　jolly　story　better；　nodding。

〃What's　wrong？〃　he　muttered　back。

〃Barry's　watchin'　you　out　of　the　shadow。〃

Then：　〃You　fool；　don't　look！〃

But　there　was　method　in　Vic's　raising　his　head。　He　threw　it　back　and　broke　into　laughter；　but　while　he　laughed　he　searched　the　shadow　by　the　wall　where　Dan　sat；　and　he　felt　glimmering　eyes　fixed　steadily　upon　him。　He　dropped　his　head　again；　as　if　to　hear　more。

〃What's　it　mean；　Daniels？〃

〃You　ought　to　know。　I　don't。　But　he　don't　mean　you　no　good。　He's　lookin'　at　you　too　steady。　If　I　was　you〃

Through　the　whisper　of　Buck；　through　the　loud；　steady　talk　of　Lee　Haines；　cut　the　voice　of　Barry。

〃Vic！〃

The　latter　looked　up　and　found　that　Barry　was　standing　just　within　the　glow　of　the　hearth…light　and　something　about　him　made　Gregg's　heart　shrink。

〃Vic；　how　much　did　they　pay　you？〃

He　tried　to　answer；　he　would　have　given　ten　years　of　life　to　have　his　voice　under　control　for　an　instant；　but　his　tongue　froze。　He　knew　that　every　one　had　turned　toward　him　and　he　tried　to　smile；　look　unconcerned；　but　in　spite　of　himself　his　eyes　were　wide；　fixed；　and　he　felt　that　they　could　stare　into　the　bottom　of　his　soul　and　see　the　guilt。

〃How　much？〃

Then　his　voice　came；　but　he　could　have　groaned　when　he　heard　its　crazily　shaken；　shrill　sound。

〃What　d'you　mean；　Dan？〃

The　other　smiled　and　Gregg　added　hastily：　〃If　you　want　me　to　be　movin'　along；　Dan；　of　course　you're　the　doctor。〃

〃How　much　did　they　pay？〃　repeated　the　quiet；　inexorable　voice。

He　could　have　stood　that；　even　without　much　fear；　for　no　matter　how　terrible　the　man　might　be　in　action　his　hands　were　tied　in　his　own　house；　but　now　Kate　spoke：　〃Vic；　what　have　you　done？〃

Then　it　came；　in　a　flood。　Hot　shame　rolled　through　him　and　the　words　burst　out：

〃I'm　a　yaller　houn'…dog；　a　sneakin'　no…good　cur！　Dan；　you're　right。　I've　sold　you。　They're　out　there；　all　of　'em；　waitin'　in　the　rocks。　For　God's　sake　take　my　gun　and　pump　me　full　of　lead！〃

He　threw　his　arms　out；　clear　of　his　holster　and　turned　that　Barry　might　draw　his　revolver。　Vaguely　he　knew　that　Haines　and　Buck　had　drawn　swiftly　close　to　him　from　either　side；　vaguely　he　heard　the　cry　of　Kate；　but　all　that　he　clearly　understood　was　the　merciless；　unmoved　face　of　Barry。　It　was　pretense；　with　all　his　being　he　wanted　to　die；　but　when　Barry　made　no　move　to　strike　he　turned　desperately　to　the　others。

〃Do　the　job　for　him。　He　saved　my　life　and　then　I　used　it　to　sell　him。　Daniels；　Haines；　I　got　no　use　for　livin'。〃

〃Vic；〃　he　said；　〃takethis！and　march　to　your　friends　outside；　and　when　you　get　through　them；　plant　a　forty…five　slug　in　your　own　dirty　heart　and　then　rot。〃　Haines　held　out　his　gun　with　a　gesture　of　contempt。

But　Kate　slipped　in　front　of　him；　white　and　anguish。

〃It　was　the　girl　you　told　me　about；　Vic？〃　she　said。　〃You　did　it　to　get　back　to　her？〃

He　dropped　his　head。

〃Dan；　let　him　go！〃

〃I　got　no　thought　of　usin'　him。〃

〃Why　not？〃　cried　Vic　suddenly。　〃I'll　do　the　way　Haines　said。　Or　else　let　me　stay　here　and　fight　'em　off　with　you。　Dan；　for　God's　sake　give　me　one　chance　to　make　good。〃

It　was　like　talking　to　a　face　of　stone。

〃The　door's　open　for　you；　and　waitin'。　One　thing　before　you　go。　That's　the　same　gang　you　told　me　about　before？　Ronicky　Joe；　Harry　Fisher；　Gus　Reeve；　Mat　Henshaw；　Sliver　Waldron　and　Pete　Glass？〃

〃Harry　Fisher's　dead；　Dan；　if　you'll　give　me　one　fightin'　chance　to　play　square　now〃

〃Tell　'em　that　I　know　'em。　Tell　'em　one　thing　more。　I　thought　Grey　Molly　was　worth　only　one　man。　But　I　was　wrong。　They've　done　me　dirt　and　played　crooked。　They　come　huntin'　mewith　a　decoy。　Now　tell　'em　from　me　that　Grey　Molly　is　worth　seven　men；　and　she's　goin'　to　be　paid　for　in　full。〃

He　stepped　to　the　wall　and　took　down　the　bridle　which　Vic　had　hung　there。

〃I　guess　you'll　be　needin'　this？〃

It　ended　all　talk；　it　even　seemed　to　Gregg　that　as　soon　as　he　received　the　bridle　from　the　hand　of　Barry　the　truce　ended　with　a　sudden　period　and　war　began。　He　turned　slowly　away。



Chapter　XVI。　Man…Hunting

As　Vic　Gregg　left　the　house；　the　new　moon　peered　at　him　over　a　black　mountain…top；　a　sickle　of　white　with　a　half　imaginary　line　rounding　the　rest　of　the　circle；　and　to　the　shaken　mind　of　Vic　it　seemed　as　if　a　ghostly　spectator　had　come　out　to　watch　the　tragedy　among　the　peaks。　At　the　line　of　the　rocks　the　sheriff　spoke。

〃Gregg；　you've　busted　your　contract。　You　didn't　bring　him　out。〃

Vic　threw　his　revolver　on　the　ground。

〃I　bust　the　rest　of　it　here　and　now。　I'm　through。　Put　on　your　irons　and　take　me　back。　Hang　me　and　be　damned　to　you；　but　I'll　do　no　more　to　double…cross　him。〃

Sliver　Waldron　drew　from　his　pocket　something　which　jangled　faintly；　but　the　sheriff　stopped　him　with　a　word。　He　sat　up　behind　his　rock。

〃I　got　an　idea；　Gregg；　that　you've　finished　up　your　job　and　double…crossed　us！　Does　he　know　that　I'm　out　here？　Sit　down　there　out　of　sight。〃

〃I'll　do　that；〃　said　Gregg；　obeying；　〃because　you　got　the　right　to　make　me；　but　you　ain't　got　the　right　to　make　me　talk；　and　nothin'　this　side　of　hell　can　pry　a　word　out　of　me！〃

The　sheriff　drew　down　his　brows　until　his　eyes　were　merely　cavities　of　blackness。　Very　tenderly　he　fondled　the　rifle…butt　which　lay　across　his　knees；　and　never　in　the　mountain…desert　had　there　been　a　more　humbly　unpretentious　figure　of　a　man。

He　said：　〃Vic；　I　been　thinkin'　that　you　had　the　man…sized　makin's　of　a　skunk；　but　I'm　considerable　glad　to　see　I've　judged　you　wrong。　Sit　quiet　here。　I　ain't　goin'　to　put　no　irons　on　you　if　you　give　me　your　parole。〃

〃I'll　see　you　in　hell　before　I　give　you　nothin'。　I　was　a　man；　or　a　partways　man；　till　I　met　up　with　you　tonight；　and　now　I'm　a　houn'…dog　that's　done　my　partn