the seventh man-第32部分

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boy；　and　go　soft！〃

The　stallion　cut　his　gallop　into　a　slinking　trot；　his　head　lowered；　even　his　ears　flat　back；　and　glided　up　the　hillside。　Barry　swung　to　the　ground　and　crawled　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　What　he　saw　was　a　dozen　mounted　men　swinging　down　into　the　low；　broad　scoop　of　ground　beyond　the　hill。　They　raced　with　their　hatbrims　standing　stiff　up　in　the　wind。

〃They've　been　watchin'　us　with　glasses！〃　whispered　Dan　to　Bart；　and　the　wolf…dog　snarled　savagely；　his　neck…fur　ruffling　up。

The　dozen　directly　in　front　were　not　all；　for　to　the　right；　bearing　straight　across　his　original　course；　came　another　group　almost　as　strong；　and　to　the　left　eight　more　riders　spurred　at　top　speed。

〃We　almost　walked　into　'em；〃　said　Barry；　〃but　they　ain't　got　us　yet。　Back；　boy！〃

The　wolf　dog　slunk　down　the　hill　until　it　was　out　of　sight　from　the　farther　side　of　the　slope；　and　the　master　imitated　these　tactics　until　he　was　close　to　Satan。　Once　in　the　saddle　he　made　up　his　mind　quickly。　Someone　in　Rickett　had　guessed　his　intention　to　double　back　toward　Tucker　Creek；　and　they　had　cut　him　off　cleverly　enough　and　in　overwhelming　force。　However；　no　one　in　Rickett　could　guess　that　another　way　out　remained　for　him　in　the　fords　below　Caswell　City；　and　even　if　they　knew；　their　knowledge　would　do　them　no　good。　They　could　not　wing　a　message　to　that　place　to　head　him　off；　it　was　not　humanly　possible。　For　Dan　knew　nothing　of　the　telephone　lines　which　brought　Caswell　City　itself　within　speaking　distance　of　far　away　Rickett。　Caswell　City；　then；　was　his　goal；　but　to　get　toward　it　he　must　circle　far　back　toward　the　Morgan　Hills；　back　almost　into　the　teeth　of　the　posse　in　order　to　skirt　around　the　right　wing　of　these　new　enemies。　Even　then；　to　double　that　flank；　he　must　send　Satan　ahead　at　full　speed。　As　he　swung　around；　the　eight　men　of　that　end　party　crashed　over　the　hill　five　hundred　yards　away；　and　their　yell　at　the　view　of　the　quarry　went　echoing　up　the　shallow　valley。

The　slayer　of　Pete　Glass；　he　who　had　done　the　notorious　Killing　at　Alder；　was　almost　in　touch　of　their　revolversand　their　horses　were　fresh。　Not　one　of　that　eight　but　would　have　given　odds　on　his　chances　of　sharing　the　capture　money。　There　were　no　spurs　on　the　heels　of　Barry　to　urge　Satan；　and　no　quirt　in　his　hand；　but　a　single　word　sent　the　black　streaking　down　the　hill。

Going　into　the　Morgan　Hills　he　had　gone　like　the　wind；　but　now　he　rushed　like　a　thoroughbred　standing　a　challenge　in　the　homestretch。　His　nose；　and　his　flying　tail　were　a　straight　line　and　the　flash　of　his　legs　was　a　tangle　which　no　eye　could　follow　as　he　shot　east　on　the　back　trail；　straight　toward　the　posse。　For　a　mile　or　more　that　speed　did　not　slacken；　and　at　the　end　of　that　distance　he　began　to　edge　to　the　right。

The　men　behind　him　knew　well　enough　what　the　plan　of　the　fugitive　was；　and　they　angled　farther　toward　the　north；　there　in　the　distance　came　the　posse；　the　cloud　of　dust　breaking　up　now　into　the　dark　figures　of　the　fifteen；　and　if　the　men　from　St。　Vincent　could　hold　the　pace　a　little　longer　they　would　drive　Barry　between　two　fires。　They　flattened　themselves　along　their　horses'　necks　at　infinite　risk　to　their　necks　in　case　of　a　stumble；　and　every　spur　in　the　crowd　was　dripping　red；　horseflesh　could　do　no　more；　and　still　the　black　drew　ahead　inches　and　inches　with　every　stride。

If　they　could　not　turn　him　with　their　speed　another　way　remained；　and　by　swift　agreement　the　four　best　horses　were　sent　ahead　at　full　speed　while　the　other　riders　caught　their　reins　over　the　pommels　and　jerked　out　their　rifles；　a　quartet　of　bullets　went　screaming　after　the　black　horse。

Indeed；　there　was　little　enough　chance　that　a　placed　shot　would　go　home；　but　their　magazines　were　full；　and　a　chance　hit　would　do　the　work　and　kill　both　man　and　horse　at　that　rate　of　speed。　Dan　Barry　knew　it；　and　when　the　bullets　sang　he　whirled　in　the　saddle　and　swept　out　his　rifle　from　its　case　in　the　same　movement。　That　yellow　devil　of　anger　flared　in　his　eyes　as　he　pitched　the　butt　to　his　shoulder　and　straight　into　the　circle　of　the　sight　rode　Johnny　Gasney　of　St。　Vincent。　Another　volley　whistled　about　him　and　his　finger　trembled　on　the　trigger。　No　chance　work　with　Barry；　for　he　knew　the　gait　of　Satan　as　a　practized　naval　gunner　knows　the　swing　of　his　ship　in　a　smooth　sea；　and　that　circle　of　doom　wavered　over　Johnny　Gasney　for　a　dozen　strides　before　Dan　turned　with　a　faint　moan　and　jammed　the　rifle　back　in　its　case。　Once　again　he　was　balancing　in　his　stirrups；　leaning　close　to　cut　the　wind　with　his　shoulders。

〃I　can't　do　it；　Satan。　I　got　nothin'　agin　them。　They　think　they're　playin'　square。　I　can't　do　it。　Stretch　out；　old　boy。　Stretch　out！〃　It　seemed　impossible　that　the　stallion　could　increase　his　exertions；　but　with　that　low　voice　at　his　ear　he　did　literally　stretch　along　the　ground　and　jerked　himself　away　from　the　pursuit　like　a　tall　ship　when　a　new　sail　spreads　in　a　gale。

The　men　from　St。　Vincent　saw　that　the　game　was　lost。　Every　one　of　the　eight　had　his　rifle　at　the　shoulder　and　the　bullets　hissed　everywhere　about　him。　Right　into　his　face；　but　a　greater　distance　away；　rode　the　posse　from　Rickett；　the　fifteen　tried　men　and　true；　and　having　caught　the　scheme　of　the　trap　they　were　killing　their　horses　with　a　last　effort。

It　failed　through　no　fault　of　theirs。　Just　as　the　jaws　of　the　trap　were　about　to　close　the　black　stallion　whisked　out　from　danger；　lunged　over　a　swell　of　ground；　and　was　out　of　view。　When　they　reached　that　point；　yelling；　Barry　raced　his　black　out　of　range　of　all　except　the　wildest　chance　shot。　The　eight　from　St。　Vincent　drove　their　weapons　sullenly　into　the　holsters；　for　the　last　five　minutes　they　had　been　silently　dividing　ten　thousand　dollars　by　eight；　and　the　awakening　left　a　taste　of　ashes。

They　could　only　follow　him　now　at　a　moderate　pace　in　the　hope　of　wearing　him　down；　and　since　a　slight　pause　made　little　difference　in　the　resultit　would　even　be　an　advantage　to　breathe　their　horses　after　that　burst；they　drew　rein　and　cursed　in　chorus。



Chapter　XXXII。　Relays

The　horses　from　St。　Vincent　already　wheezed　from　the　run；　but　the　mounts　of　the　posse　were　staggering　completely　blown。　Ever　since　they　left　Rickett　they　had　been　going　at　close　to　top　speed　and　the　last　rush　finished　them；　at　least　seven　of　that　chosen　fifteen　would　never　be　worth　their　salt　again；　and　they　stood　with　hanging　heads；　bloody　foam　upon　their　breasts　and　dripping　from　their　mouths；　their　sides　laboring；　and　breathing　with　that　rattle　which　the　rider　dreads。　The　posse；　to　a　man；　swung　sullenly　to　the　ground。

〃Who's　boss；　boys？〃　called　Johnny　Gasney；　puffing　in　his　saddle　as　he　rode　up。　〃By　God；　we'll　get　him　yet！　They's　a　devil　in　that　black　hoss！　Who's　boss？〃

〃I　ain't　exactly　boss；〃　answered　Mark　Retherton；　whom　not　even　fear　of　death　could　hurry　in　his　ways　of　speech；　〃but　maybe　I　can　talk　for　the　boys。　What　you　want；　Johnny？〃

〃You　gents'll　be　needin'　new　hosses？〃

〃We'll　be　needin'　graves　for　the　ones　we　got；〃　growled　Mark；　and　he　stared　gloomily　at　the　dull　eye　of　his　pinto。　〃The　best　cuttin'　out　hoss　I　ever　throwed　a　leg　over；　and　nowlook　at　him！〃

〃Here's　your　relay！〃　cut　in　Johnny　Gasney。　〃Old　Billy　'phoned　down。〃　Five　men　came　leading　three　spare　horses　apiece。　〃He　phoned　down　and　asked　me　to　get　fifteen　hosses　ready。　He　must　of　guessed　where　Barry　would　head。　And　here　they　arethe　best　ponies　in　St。　Vincentbut　for　God's　sake　use　'em　better'n　you　did　that　set！〃

The　other　members　of　the　posse　set　to　work　silently　changing　their　saddles　to　the　new　relay；　and　Mark　Retherton　tossed　his　answer　over　his　shoulder　to　Johnny　Gasney　while　he　drew　his　cinch　brutally　tight。

〃They's　a　pile　of　hoss…flesh　in　these　parts；　but　they　ain't　more'n　one　Barry。　You　gents　can　say　good…bye　to　your　hosses　unless　we　nail　him　before　they're　run　down；〃

Johnny　Gasney　rubbed　his　red；　fat　forehead；　perplexed。

〃It's　all　right；〃　he　decided；　〃because　it　ain't　possible　the　black　hoss　can　outlast　these。　Buthe　sure　seemed　full　of　runnin！　One　thing　more；　Mark。　You　don't　need　to　fear　pressin'　Barry；　because　he　won't　shoot。　He　had　his　gun　out；　but　I　guess　he　don't　want　to　run　up　his　score　any　higher'n　it　is。　He　put　it　back　without　firin'　a　shot。　Go　on；　boys；　and　go　like　hell。　Billy　has　lined　up　a　new　relay　for　you　at　Wago。〃

They　made　no　pause　to　start　in　a　group；　but　each　sent　home　the　spurs　as　soon　as　he　was　in　the　saddle。　They　had　ridden　for　the　blood　of　Pete　Glass　before；　but　now　at　least　seven　of　them　rode　for　the　sake　of　the　horses　they　had　ruined；　and　to　a　cow…puncher　a　favorite　mount　is　as　dear　as　a　friend。

They　expected　to　find　the　black　out　of　sight；　but　it　was　a　welcome　surprise　to　see　him　not　half　a　mile　away　wading　across　St。　Vincent　Creek；　for　Barry　quite　accurately　guessed　that　there　would　be　a　pause　in　the　pursuit　after　that　hair…breadth　escape；　and　at　the　creek　he　stopped　to　let　Satan　get　his　wind。　He　would　not　trust　the　stallion　to　drink；　but　gave　him　a　bare　mouthful　from　his　hat　and　loosened　the　cinches　for　an　instant。

Not　that　this　was　absolutely　necessary；　for　Satan　was　neither　blown　nor　leg…weary。　He　stood　dripping　with　sweat；　indeed；　but　poised　lightly；　his　head　high；　his　ears　pricked；　his　nostrils　distended　to　transparency　as　he　drew　in　great　breaths。　Even　that　interval　Barry　used；　for　he　set　to　work　vigorously　massaging　the　muscles　of　shoulders　and　hips　and　whipping　off　the　sweat　from　neck　and　flank。　It　was　several　moments；　and　already　Satan's　breath　came　easily；　when　Black　Bart　shot　down　from　his　watch…post　and　warned　them　on　with　a　snarl；　but　still；　before　he　tightened　the　cinches　again　and　climbed　to　the　saddle　Barry　took　the　fine　head　of　the　stallion　between　his　hands。

〃Between　you　and　me；　Satan；〃　he　murmured；　〃our　day's　work　is　jest　beginnin'。　Are　you　feelin'　fit？〃

Satan　nuzzled　the　shoulder　of　the　master　and　snorted　his　answer；　Black　Bart　had　given　the　warning；　and　the　stallion　was　eager　to　be　off。

They　crossed　the　creek　at　a　place　where　the　stones　came　almost　to　the　surface；　since　nothing　is　more　detrimental　to　the　speed　of　a　horse　than　a　plunge　in　cold　water；　and　with　the　hoofbeats　of　the　posse　growing　up　behind　they　cantered　off　again　a　little　cast　of　north；　straight　for　Caswell　City。

Th