the seventh man-第26部分

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The　stallion　whinnied　softly；　and　Joan　smiled。

〃With　Satan　and　Black　Bart〃the　wolf…dog　had　glided　near；　and　now　stood　watching〃and　with　Daddy　Dan；　you　just　come　to　me。　But　if　you　want　to　go　toto　Munner；　you　just　go。〃　On　his　face　the　struggle　showedthe　struggle　to　be　perfectly　just。　〃If　you　stay　here；　maybe　it'll　be　cold；　sometimes　when　the　wind　blows；　and　maybe　it'll　be　hard　other　ways。　And　if　you　go　to　munner；　she　always　be　takin'　care　of　you；　and　no　harm'll　ever　come　to　you　and　you'll　sleep　soft　between　sheets；　and　if　you　wake　up　in　the　night　she'll　be　there　to　talk　to　you。　And　you'll　have　pretty　little　dresses　with　all　kinds　of　colors　on　'em；　most　like。　Joan；　do　you　want　to　go　to　munner；　or　stay　here　with　me？〃

Perhaps　the　speech　was　rather　long　for　Joan　to　follow；　but　the　conclusion　was　plain　enough；　and　there　was　Kate；　she　also　upon　one　knee　and　her　arms　stretched　out。

〃Joan；　my　baby；　my　darling！〃

〃Munner！〃　whispered　the　child　and　ran　towards　her。

A　growl　came　up　in　the　throat　of　Black　Bart　and　then　sank　away　into　a　whine；　Joan　stopped　short；　and　turned　her　head。

〃Joan！〃　cried　Kate。

Anguish　made　her　voice　loud；　and　from　the　loudness　Joan　shrank；　for　there　was　never　a　harsh　sound　in　the　cave　except　the　growl　of　Bart　warning　away　danger。　She　turned　quite　around　and　there　stood　Daddy　Dan；　perfectly　erect；　quite　indifferent；　to　all　seeming；　as　to　her　choice。　She　went　to　him　with　a　rush　and　caught　at　his　hands。

〃Oh；　Daddy　Dan；　I　don't　want　to　go。　Don't　you　want　Joan？〃

He　laid　a　hand　upon　her　head；　and　she　felt　the　tremor　of　his　fingers；　the　wolf…dog　lay　down　at　her　feet　and　looked　up　in　her　face；　Satan；　from　the　shadows　beyond；　whinnied　again。

After　that　there　was　not　a　word　spoken；　for　Kate　looked　at　the　picture　of　the　three；　saw　the　pity　in　the　eyes　of　Whistling　Dan；　saw　the　wonder　in　the　eyes　of　Joan；　saw　the　truth　of　all　she　had　lost。　She　turned　towards　the　entrance　and　went　out；　her　head　bowed；　stumbling　over　the　pebbles。



Chapter　XXVI。　The　Test

The　most　that　could　be　said　of　Rickett　was　that　it　had　a　courthouse　and　plenty　of　quiet　so　perfect　that　the　minds　of　the　office　holders　could　turn　and　turn　and　hear　no　sound　saving　their　own　turning。　There　were；　of　course；　more　buildings　than　the　courthouse；　but　not　so　many　that　they　could　not　be　grouped　conveniently　along　one　street。　The　hush　which　rested　over　Rickett　was　never　broken　except　in　the　periods　immediately　after　the　spring　and　fall　round…ups　when　the　saloons　and　gaming　tables　were　suddenly　flooded　with　business。　Otherwise　it　was　a　rare　event　indeed　which　injected　excitement　into　the　village。

Such　an　event　was　the　gathering　of　Sheriff　Pete　Glass'　posse。

There　had　been　other　occasions　when　Pete　and　officers　before　his　time　had　combed　the　county　to　get　the　cream　of　the　fighting　men；　but　the　gathering　of　the　new　posse　became　different　in　many　ways。　In　the　first　place　the　call　for　members　was　not　confined　to　the　county；　for　though　it　stretched　as　large　as　many　a　minor　European　kingdom；　it　had　not　the　population　of　a　respectable　manufacturing　town；　and　Pete　Glass　went　far　beyond　its　bounds　to　get　his　trailers。　Everywhere　he　had　the　posters　set　up　and　on　the　posters　appeared　the　bait。　The　state　began　the　game　with　a　reward　of　three　thousand　dollars；　the　county　plastered　two　thousand　dollars　on　top　of　that　to　make　it　an　even　five：　then　the　town　of　Alder　dug　into　its　deep　pockets　and　produced　twenty…five　hundred；　while　disinterested　parties　added　contributions　which　swelled　the　total　to　a　round　ten　thousand。　Ten　thousand　dollars　reward　for　the　man　described　below；　dead　or　alive。　Ten　thousand　dollars　which　might　be　earned　by　the　investment　of　a　single　bullet　and　the　pressure　on　trigger；　and　above　this　the　fame　which　such　a　deed　would　bringno　wonder　that　the　mountain…desert　hummed　through　all　its　peaks　and　plains；　and　stirred　to　life。　Moreover；　the　news　had　gone　abroad；　the　tale　of　the　Killing　of　Alder　and　everything　that　went　before。　It　went　West；　it　appeared　in　newspapers；　it　cropped　up　at　firesides；　it　gave　a　spark　of　terror　to　a　myriad　conversations；　and　every　one　in　Rickett　felt　that　the　eye　of　the　nation　was　upon　it；　every　one　in　Rickett　dreamed　nightly　of　the　man　described：　〃Daniel　Barry；　called　Whistling　Dan；　about　five　feet　nine　or　ten；　slender；　black　hair；　brown　eyes；　age　about　thirty　years。〃

Secretly；　Rickett　felt　perfectly　convinced　that　Sheriff　Pete　Glass　alone　could　handle　this　fellow　and　trim　his　claws　for　they　knew　how　many　a　〃bad　man〃　had　built　a　reputation　high　as　Babel　and　baffled　posses　and　murdered　right　and　left；　until　the　little　dusty　man　on　the　little　dusty　roan　went　out　alone　and　came　back　alone；　and　another　fierce　name　went　from　history　into　legend。　However；　there　were　doubters；　since　this　affair　had　new　earmarks。　It　had　been　buzzed　abroad　that　Whistling　Dan　was　not　only　the　hunted；　but　also　the　hunter；　and　that　he　had　pledged　himself　to　strike　down　all　the　seven　who　first　took　his　trail。　Five　of　these　were　already　gone；　two　remained；　and　of　these　two　one　was　Vic　Gregg；　no　despicable　fighter　himself；　and　the　other　was　no　less　than　the　invincible　little　sheriff　himself。　To　imagine　the　sheriff　beaten　in　the　speed　of　his　draw　or　the　accuracy　of　his　shot　was　to　imagine　the　First　Cause；　Infinity；　or　whatever　else　is　inconceivable；　nevertheless；　there　were　such　possibilities　as　bullets　fired　at　night　through　the　window；　and　attacks　from　the　rear。　So　Rickett　waited；　and　held　its　breath　and　kept　his　eyes　rather　more　behind　than　in　front。

In　the　meantime；　there　was　no　lack　of　amusement；　for　from　the　four　corners；　blown　by　the　four　winds；　men　rode　out　of　the　mountain…desert　and　drifted　into　Rickett　to　seek　for　a　place　on　that　posse。　Twenty　men；　that　was　the　goal　the　sheriff　had　set。　Twenty　men　trained　to　a　hair。　Beside　the　courthouse　was　a　shooting　gallery　not　overmuch　used　except　during　the　two　annual　seasons　of　prosperity　and　reckless　spending；　and　Pete　Glass　secured　this　place　to　test　out　applicants。　After；　they　passed　this　trial　they　were　mustered　into　his　presence；　and　he　gave　them　an　examination　for　himself。　Just　what　he　asked　them　or　what　he　could　never　be　known；　but　some　men　came　from　his　presence　very　red；　and　others　extremely　pale；　and　some　men　blustered；　and　some　men　swore；　and　some　men　rode　hastily　out　of　town　and　spoke　not　a　word；　but　few；　very　few；　were　those　who　came　out　wearing　a　little　badge　on　their　vest　with　the　pride　of　a　Knight　of　the　Garter。　At　first　the　hordes　rode　in；　young　and　old；　youths　keen　for　a　taste　of　adventure；　rusty　fellows　who　had　once　been　noted　warriors；　but　these　early　levies　soon　discovered　that　courage　and　willingness　was　not　so　much　valued　as　accuracy；　and　the　old…timers　learned；　also；　that　accuracy　must　be　accompanied　by　speed；　and　even　when　a　man　possessed　both　these　qualities　of　hand　and　eye　the　gentle；　inscrutable　little　man　in　his　office　might　still　reject　them　for　reasons　they　could　not　guess。

This　one　thing　was　certain：　the　next　time　Pete　Glass　ran　for　office　he　would　be　beaten　even　by　a　greaser。　He　made　enemies　at　the　rate　of　a　hundred　a　day　during　that　period　of　selection。

Still　the　twenty　was　not　recruited　to　the　full。　Thirteen；　fourteen；　fifteen　were　gathered　into　the　fold；　but　still　five　men　were　lacking　to　complete　the　toll。　Most　men　would　have　started　their　man…hunt　with　that　formidable　force；　but　Pete　Glass　was　methodical。　In　his　own　heart　of　hearts　he　would　have　given　his　hope　of　heaven　to　meet　Barry　face　to　face　and　hand　to　hand；　and　see　which　was　the　better　man；　but　Pete　Glass　owed　a　duty　to　his　state　before　he　owed　a　duty　to　himself。　He　stuck　by　his　first　plan。　And　every　day　the　inhabitants　of　Rickett　gathered　at　the　shooting　gallery　to　watch　the　tests　and　wonder　at　the　successes　and　smile　at　the　failures。

It　was　a　very　hard　test　which　the　sheriff　had　imposed。　A　man　stood　to　one　side　of　the　iron…plate　back　wall　which　served　as　the　target。　He　stood　entirely　out　of　sight　and　through　an　aperture　in　the　side　wall；　at　a　signal；　he　tossed　a　round　ball　of　clay；　painted　white。　The　marksman　stood　a　good　ten　paces　off；　and　he　must　strike　that　clay　ball　as　it　passed　across　the　target。　The　balls　were　so　small　that　even　to　strike　them　when　they　were　stationary　was　a　difficult　task；　and　to　hit　them　in　motion　was　enough　to　task　the　quickest　eye　and　the　cunningest　hand。

It　was　old　Pop　Giersberg　who　stood　with　his　ancient　forty…five　behind　the　counter；　with　his　feet　braced；　on　this　bright　morning；　and　behind　him　half　of　Rickett　was　gathered。

〃D'you　give　me　warnin'；　son？〃　he　inquired　of　the　man　at　the　counter。

〃Nary　a　warnin'；〃　grinned　the　other；　who　was　one　of　the　chosen　fifteen。

He　wished　Pop　well。　So　did　they　all；　but　they　had　seen　every　man　fail　for　two　days　at　that　target　and　one　and　all　they　had　their　doubts。　Pop　had　been　a　formidable　man　in　his　day；　but　now　his　hand　was　stiff　and　his　hair　gray。　He　was　at　least　twenty　years　older　than　he　felt。

He　had　hardly　finished　asking　his　question　when　a　white　ball　was　tossed　across　the　target。　Up　came　the　gun　of　Pop　Giersberg；　exploded；　and　the　bullet　clanged　on　the　iron；　the　white　ball　floated　idly　on　across　the　wall　and　disappeared　on　the　other　side。

〃Gimme　another　chance！〃　pleaded　Pop；　with　a　quaver　in　his　voice。　〃That　was　just　a　try　to　get　my　eye　in　shape。〃

〃Sure；〃　chuckled　the　deputy。　〃Everybody　gets　three　tries。　It　ain't　hardly　nacheral　to　hit　that　ball　the　first　crack。　Leastways；　nobody　ain't　done　it　yet。　You　jest　keep　your　eye　peeled；　Pop；　and　that　ball　will　come　out　ag'in。〃

And　Pop　literally　kept　his　eye　peeled。

He　had　double　reason　to　pray　for　success；　for　his　〃old　woman〃　had　smiled　and　shook　her　head　when　he　allowed　that　he　would　try　out　for　a　place　on　that　posse。　All　his　nerves　grew　taut　and　keen。　He　waited。

Once　more　the　white　streak　appeared　and　surely　he　who　threw　the　ball　had　every　wish　to　see　Pop　succeed；　for　he　tossed　it　high　and　easily。　Again　the　gun　barked　from　Giersberg's　hand；　and　again　the　ball　dropped　almost　slowly　out　of　sight。

〃It's　a　trick！〃　gasped　Pop。　〃It's　something　damned　queer。〃

〃They's　a　considerable　pile　of　gents；　that　think　the　same　way　you　do；〃　admitted　the　deputy　sheriff；　dryly。

Pop　glared　at　him　and　gritted　his　teeth。

〃Lead　the　damn　thing　on　ag'in；〃　he　s