the seventh man-第22部分

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〃Gents；　we　may　be　alone　now；　but　we　ain't　goin'　to　be　alone　long。　Get　your　bosses　and　ride　like　hell。　Barry　is　in　town！〃

〃Vic；　you're　drunk。〃

〃I　tell　you；　he's　been　seen〃

〃Then　by　God；〃　growled　Sliver　Waldron；　〃lead　me　to　him。　I　need　to　have　a　little　talk　with　that　gent。〃

〃Lead　you　to　him？〃　echoed　Vic　Gregg。　〃Sliver；　are　you　hungerin'　to　push　daisies？〃

〃Look　here；　Bud；〃　answered　the　older　man；　and　he　laid　a　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　Vic。　〃You　been　with　this　Barry；　gent；　and　you've　lived　in　his　house。　D'you　mean　to　say　you're　one　of　the　lot　that　talks　about　him　like　he　was　a　ghost　bullets　couldn't　harm？　I　tell　you；　son；　they's　been　so　much　chatter　about　him　that　folks　forget　he's　human。　I'm　goin'　to　remind　'em　of　that　little　fact。〃

Vic　Gregg　groaned。　Even　while　he　talked　he　was　glancing　over　his　shoulder　as　if　he　feared　the　shadows　under　the　moon。　His　voice　was　half　gasp；　half　whisper。

〃SliverRonickydon't　ask　me　how　I　knowjest　believe　me　when　I　say　Dan　Barry'll　never　die　by　the　hand　of　any　man。　I　tell　youhe　can　see　in　the　dark！〃

A　soft　oath　from　Gus　Reeve；　a　twitching　of　Ronicky's　head　told　that　this　last　had　taken　effect。　Sliver　Waldron　suddenly　altered　his　manner。

〃All　right；　Vic。　Trot　back　into　town；　or　come　with　us。　We're　going　to　move　out。〃

〃The　wisest　thing　you　ever　done；　Sliver。〃

〃I'm　feelin'　the　same　way；〃　breathed　Gus　Reeve。

〃S'long；〃　whispered　Vic　Gregg；　and　faded　into　the　night；　running。

The　others；　without　a　word　among　themselves；　gathered　their　horses　and　struck　down　the　valley　out　of　Alder。　The　padding　and　swish　of　the　sand　about　the　feet　of　their　mounts；　the　very　creaking　of　the　saddle　leather　seemed　to　alarm　them；　and　they　were　continually　turning　and　looking　back。　That　is；　Gus　Reeve　and　Ronicky　Joe　manifested　these　signs　of　trouble；　but　Sliver　Waldron；　riding　in　the　center　of　the　trio；　never　moved　his　head。　They　were　hardly　well　out　of　the　town　when　a　swift　rush　of　hoof　beats　swept　up　from　behind；　and　a　horseman　darted　into　the　pale　mist　of　the　valley　bending　low　over　his　pommel　to　cut　the　wind　of　his　riding。

〃Who　is　it？〃

〃Vic　Gregg！〃　muttered　Gus　Reeve。　〃Stir；　along；　Sliver。　Vic　ain't　lingerin'　any！〃

But　Sliver　Waldron　drew　rein；　and　let　his　horse　go　on　at　a　walk。

〃Hearin'　you　talk；　Ronicky；〃　he　said；　〃you'd　think　you　was　really　scared　of　Dan　Barry。〃

Ronicky　Joe　stiffened　in　his　saddle　and　peered　through　the　uncertain　light　to　make　out　if　Sliver　were　jesting。　But　the　latter　seemed　perfectly　grave。

〃A　gent　would　almost　think；〃　went　on　Sliver；　〃that　we　three　was　runnin'　away　from　Barry；　instead　of　goin'　out　to　set　a　trap　for　him；〃

There　was　something　nearly　akin　to　a　grunt　from　Gus　Reeve；　but　Ronicky　merely　continued　to　stare　at　the　leader。

〃'S　a　matter　of　fact；〃　said　Sliver；　〃when　Vic　was　talkin'　I　sort　of　felt　the　chills　go　up　my　back。　How　about　you；　Ronicky？〃

〃I'll　tell　a　man；〃　sighed　Ronicky。　〃While　Vic　was　talkin'　I　seen　that　devil　comin'　on　his　hoss　like　he　done　when　he　broke　out　of　the　cabin　that　night。　I'll　tell　you　straight；　Sliver。　I　had　my　gun　drilled　on　him。　I　couldn't　of　missed；　but　after　I　fired　he　kept　straight　on。　It　was　like　puncturin'　a　shadow！〃

〃Sure；〃　nodded　Sliver。　〃Shootin'　by　night　ain't　ever　a　sure　thing。〃

Ronicky　wiped　his　heated　brow。

〃So　I　sent　Vic　away　before　he　had　a　chance　to　get　real　nervous。　But　when　he　comes　backwell；　boys；　it'll　be　kind　of　amusin'　to　watch　Vic's　face　when　he　saunters　into　town　tomorrow　and　sees　Dan　Barrymaybe　dead；　maybe　in　the　irons。　Eh？〃

Only　a　deep　silence　answered　him；　but　in　the　interest　which　his　words　excited　the　terror　seemed　to　have　left　Ronicky　and　Gus。　They　rode　close；　their　heads　toward　Sliver　alone。

〃There　goes　Vic；〃　mused　Sliver。　〃There　he　goesgo　on。　Mac；　you　old　fool！　scared　to　death；　ridin'　for　his　life。　And　why？　Because　he　believes　some　ghost　stories　he's　heard　about　Dan　Barry！〃

〃Ghost　stories？〃　echoed　Reeve。　〃Some　of　'em　ain't　fairy　tales；　Sliver。〃

〃Jest　name　one　that　ain't！〃

〃Well；　the　way　he　trailed　Jim　Silent。　We've　all　heard　of　Silent；　and　Barry…　…was　too　good　for　him。〃

〃Bah；〃　sneered　Sliver。　〃Too　good　for　Silent？　Ye　lied　readily　enough：　booze　done　for　Silent　long　before　Barry　come　along。〃

〃That　right？〃

〃I'll　tell　a　man　it　is。　Mind　you；　I　don't　say　Barry　ain't　handy　with　his　gun；　but　he's　done　a　little　and　the　gents　have　furnished　the　trimmin's。　Look　here；　if　Barry　is　the　man…eater　they　say；　why　did　he　pick　a　time　for　comin'　down　when　the　sheriff　was　out　of　town？〃

〃By　God！〃　exclaimed　Ronicky。　〃I　never　thought　of　that！〃

〃Sure　you　didn't；〃　chuckled　Sliver。　〃But　this　sucker　figures　that　you　and　Gus　and　me　will　be　easy　pickin's。　He　figures　we'll　do　what　Vic　didhit　for　the　tall　pines。　Then　he'll　blow　around　how　he　ran　the　four　of　us　out　of　Alder。　Be　pleasant　comin'　back　to　talk　like　that；　eh？〃

There　was　a　volley　of　rapid　curses　from　the　other　two。

〃We'll　get　this　cheap　skate；　Sliver；〃　suggested　Ronicky。　〃We'll　get　this　ghost　and　tie　him　up　and　take　him　back　to　Alder　and　make　a　show　of　him。〃

〃We　will；〃　nodded　Sliver。　〃Have　you　figured　how？〃

〃Lie　out　here　in　the　bush。　He'll　hunt　around　Alder　all　night　and　when　the　mornin'　comes　he'll　leave　and　he'll　come　out　this　way。　We'll　be　ready　for　him　where　the　valley's　narrow　down　there。　They　say　his　hoss　and　his　dog　is　as　bad　as　any　two　ordinary　men。　Well；　that's　three　of　them　and　here's　three　of　us。　It's　an　even　break；　eh？〃

〃Ronicky；〃　murmured　Sliver；　〃I　always　knowed　you　had　the　brains。　We'll　take　this　gent　and　tame　him；　and　run　him　back　to　Alder　on　the　end　of　a　rope。〃

Gus　Reeve　whooped　and　waved　his　hat　at　the　thought。

So　the　three　reached　the　point　where　the　shadowy　walls　of　the　valley　narrowed；　drew　almost　together。　There　they　placed　the　horses　in　a　hollow　near　the　southern　cliff；　and　they　returned　to　take　post。　There　was　only　one　bridle　path　which　wound　through　the　gulch　here；　and　the　three　concealed　themselves　behind　a　thicket　of　sagebrush　to　wait。

They　laid　their　plan　carefully。　Each　man　was　to　have　his　peculiar　duty：　Gus　Reeve；　an　adept　with　the　rope；　would　wait　until　the　black　stallion　was　cantering　past　and　then　toss　his　noose　and　throw　the　horse。　At　the　same　instant；　Ronicky　Joe　would　shoot　the　wolf…dog；　and　Sliver　Waldron　would　perforate　Dan　Barry　while　the　latter　rolled　in　the　dust；　unless；　indeed；　he　was　pinioned　by　the　fall　of　his　horse；　in　which　case　they　would　have　the　added　glory　of　taking　him　alive。

By　the　time　all　these　details　were　settled　the　pale　moonlight　was　shot　through　with　the　rose　of　dawn。　Then；　rapidly；　the　mountains　lifted　into　view；　range　beyond　range；　all　their　gullies　deep　blue　and　purple；　and　here　and　there　sharp　triangles　of　snow。　There　was　not　a　cloud；　not　a　trace　of　mist；　and　through　the　crisp；　thin　air　the　vision　carried　as　if　through　a　telescope。　They　could　count　the　trees　on　the　upper　ridges；　and　that　while　the　floor　of　the　valley　was　still　in　shadow。　This　in　turn　grew　brilliant；　and　everywhere　the　sage　brush　glittered　like　foliage　carved　in　gray…green　quartz。

It　was　then　that　they　saw　Dan　Barry；　while　the　dawn　was　still　around　them；　and　before　the　sun　pushed　up　in　the　east　above　the　mountains。　He　came　winding　down　the　bridle　path　with　the　dawn　glittering　on　the　side　of　Satan；　and　a　dark；　swift　form　spiriting　on　ahead。

〃Look　at　him！〃　muttered　Sliver　Waldron。　〃The　damned　wolf　is　a　scout。　See　him　nose　around　that　hummock？　Watch　him　smell　behind　that　bush。　The　black　devil！〃

Bart；　in　fact；　wove　a　loose　course　before　his　master；　running　here　and　there　to　all　points　of　vantage；　as　if　he　knew　that　danger　lurked　ahead；　but　where　he　came　close；　with　only　the　narrow　passage　between　the　cliffs；　he　seemed　to　make　up　his　animal　brain　that　there　could　be　no　trouble　in　so　constricted　a　place；　and　darted　straight　ahead。

〃They're　ours；〃　whispered　Waldron。　〃Steady；　boys。　Gus；　get　your　rope；　get　ready！〃

Gus　tossed　the　noose　a　little　wider；　and　gathered　himself　for　the　throw；　but　it　seemed　as　if　the　wolf　saw　or　heard　the　movement。　He　stopped　suddenly　and　stood　with　his　head　high；　behind　him　the　rider　checked　the　black　horse；　all　three　waited。

〃He's　tryin'　to　get　the　wind；〃　chuckled　Waldron；　〃but　the　wind　is　ag'in'　our　faces！〃

It　was　only　a　slight　breeze；　but　it　came　directly　against　the　lurking　three；　and　moreover　the　scent　of　the　sage　was　particularly　keen　at　this　time　of　the　day；　and　quite　sufficient　to　blur　the　scent　of　man　even　in　the　keen　nostrils　of　Black　Bart。　Only　for　a　second　or　so　he　stood　there　sniffing　the　wind；　a　huge　animal；　larger　than　any　wolf　the　three　had　ever　seen；　his　face　wise　in　a　certain　bear…like　fashion　from　the　three　gray　marks　in　the　center　of　his　forehead。　Now　he　trotted　ahead；　and　the　stallion　broke　into　a　gallop　behind。

〃My　God；〃　whispered　Sliver　to　Gus；　〃don't　spoil　that　hoss　when　you　daub　the　rope　on　him！　Look　at　that　action；　like　runnin'　water！〃

They　came　more　rapidly。　As　if　the　rider　knew　that　a　point　of　danger　was　there　to　be　passed；　he　spoke　to　his　mount；　and　Satan　lengthened　into　a　racing　gait　that　blew　the　brim　of　the　rider's　hat　straight　up。　On　they　came。　The　wolf…dog　darted　past。　Then　as　the　horse　swept　by；　Gus　Reeve　rose　from　behind　his　bush　and　the　rope　darted　snakelike　from　his　hand。　The　forefeet　of　Satan　landed　in　the　noose；　and　the　next　instant　the　back…flung　weight　of　Gus　tightened　the　rope；　and　Satan　shot　over　upon　his　side；　flinging　the　master　clear　of　the　saddle。

It　sent　him　rolling　over　and　over　in　the　dust；　and　Sliver　Waldron　was　on　his　feet　with　both　guns　in　action；　sending　bullet　after　bullet　towards　the　tumbling　body。　Gus　Reeve　was　running　towards　the　stallion；　his　rope　in　action　to　entangle　one　of　the　hindfeet　and　make　sure　of　his　prey；　Ronicky　Joe　had　leaped　up　with　a　yell　and　blazed　away　at　Black　Bart。

It　was　no　easy　mark　to　strike；　for　the　moment　the　rope　shot　out　from　the　hand　of　Gus；　the　wolf…dog　whirled　in　his　tracks　and　darted　straight　for　the　scene　of　action。　It　was　that；　perhaps；　which　troubled　the　aim　of　Ronicky　more　than　anything　else；　for　wild　animals　do　not　whirl　in　this　fashion　and　run　for　an　assailant。　He　had　expected　to　find　himself　plugging　away　at　a　flying　target　in　the　distance；　instead；　the　black　monster　was　rushing　straight　for　him；　silently。　Indeed；　all　that　foll