the seventh man-第38部分

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kid？〃

If　she　did　not　altogether　trust　Ben　Swann；　at　least　she　preferred　him　to　the　other　unshaven；　work…thinned　faces　which　leered　at　her　around　the　table。

〃Daddy　Dan；〃　she　said　softly。　〃Joan　wants　to　go　to　Daddy　Dan。〃

〃Daddy　DanDan　Barry；〃　translated　Ben　Swann；　and　he　drew　a　bit　away　from　her。　〃Boys；　that　mankillin'　devil　must　be　around　here；　and　that's　what　them　up　to　the　house　was　runnin'　fromBarry！〃

It　scattered　the　others　to　the　windows；　to　the　door。

〃What　d'you　see？〃

〃Nothin'。〃

〃Swann；　if　Barry　is　comin'　to　these　parts；　I'm　goin'　to　pack　my　war…bag。〃

〃Me　too；　Ben。　Them　that　get　ten　thousand'll　earn　it。　I　heard　about　the　Killin'　at　Alder。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　gents；〃　observed　Ben　Swann。　If　Barry　is　comin'　here　we　ain't　none　of　us　goin'　to　stay；　but　don't　start　jumpin'　out　from　under　till　I　get　the　straight　of　it。　I'm　goin'　to　take　the　kid　up　to　the　house　right　now　and　find　out。〃

So　he　wrapped　up　Joan　in　an　old　blanket；　for　she　was　shivering　in　the　cold　of　the　early　morning；　and　carried　her　up　to　the　ranchhouse。　The　alarm　had　already　been　given。　He　saw　Buck　Daniels　gallop　toward　the　front　of　the　place　leading　two　saddled　horses；　he　saw　Haines　and　Kate　run　down　the　steps　to　meet　them；　and　then　they　caught　sight　of　the　foreman　coming　with　Joan　on　his　shoulder。

The　joy　of　that　meeting；　it　seemed　to　Ben　Swann；　was　decidedly　one…sided。　Kate　ran　to　Joan　with　a　little　wailing　cry　of　happiness　and　gathered　her　close；　but　neither　big　Lee　Haines　nor　ugly　Buck　Daniels　seemed　overcome　with　happiness　at　the　regaining　of　Joan；　and　the　child　herself　merely　endured　the　caresses　of　her　mother。　Ben　Swann　made　them　a　speech。

He　told　them　that　anybody　with　half　an　eye　could　tell　they　were　bothered　by　something；　that　they　acted　as　if　they　were　running　away。　Now；　running　in　itself　was　perfectly　all　right　and　quite　in　order　when　it　was　impossible　to　outface　or　outbluff　a　danger。　He　himself；　Ben　Swann；　believed　in　such　tactics。　He　wasn't　a　soldier；　he　was　a　cowpuncher。　So　were　the　rest　of　the　boys　out　yonder；　and　though　they'd　stay　by　their　work　in　ordinary　times；　and　they'd　face　ordinary　trouble；　they　were　not　minded　to　abide　the　coming　of　Dan　Barry。

〃So；〃　concluded　Swann；　〃I　want　to　ask　you　straight。　Is　him　they　call　Whistlin'　Dan　comin'　this　way？　Are　you　runnin'　from　him？　And　did　you　steal　the　kid　from　him？〃

Lee　Haines　took　upon　his　competent　shoulders　the　duty　of　answering。

〃You　look　like　a　sensible　man；　Swann；〃　he　said　severely。　〃I'm　surprised　at　you。　In　the　first　place；　two　men　don't　run　away　from　one。〃

A　fleeting　smile　appeared　and　disappeared　on　the　lips　of　Ben　Swann。　Haines　hastily　went　on：　〃As　for　stealing　the　baby　from　Dan　Barry；　good　heavens；　man；　don't　you　think　a　mother　has　a　right　to　her　own　child？　Now　go　back　to　that　scared　bunch　and　tell　them　that　Dan　Barry　is　back　in　the　Grizzly　Peaks。〃

For　several　reasons　this　did　not　completely　satisfy　the　foreman；　but　he　postponed　his　decision。　Lee　Haines　spoke　like　one　in　the　habit　of　giving　orders；　and　Swann　walked　slowly　back　to　the　cookhouse。



Chapter　XXXVIII。　The　New　Alliance

〃And　so；〃　said　Lee　Haines；　when　he　joined　Buck　Daniels　in　the　living…room；　〃there　goes　our　reinforcements。　That　whole　crew　will　scatter　like　dead　leaves　when　Barry　breezes　in。　It　looks　to　me〃

〃Shut　up！〃　cut　in　Daniels。　〃Shut　up！〃

His　dark；　homely　face　turned　to　the　larger　man　with　a　singular　expression　of　awe。　He　whispered：　〃D'you　hear？　She's　in　the　next　room　whippin'　Joan　for　runnin'　away；　and　never　a　yap　out　of　the　kid！〃

He　held　up　a　lean　finger　for　caution　and　then　Haines　heard　the　sound　of　the　willow　switch。　It　stopped。

〃If　you　run　away　again；〃　warned　Kate；　her　voice　pitched　high　and　trembling；　〃munner　will　whip　harder；　and　put　you　in　a　dark　place　for　a　long；　long　time。〃

Still　there　was　not　a　sound　of　the　child's　voice；　not　even　the　pulse　of　stifled　weeping。　Presently　the　door　opened　and　Kate　stood　there。

〃Go　out　in　the　kitchen　and　tell　Li　to　give　you　breakfast。　Naughty　girls　can't　eat　with　munner。〃

Through　the　door　came　Joan；　her　little　round　face　perfectly　white；　perfectly　expressionless。　She　did　not　cringe；　passing　her　mother；　she　walked　steadily　across　the　room；　rose　on　tip…toe　to　open　the　kitchen　door；　and　disappeared　through　it。　Kate　dropped　into　a　chair；　shaking。

〃Out！〃　whispered　Buck　to　Lee　Haines。　〃Beat　it。　I　got　to　talk　alone。〃　And　as　soon　as　Haines　obeyed；　Buck　sat　down　close　to　the　girl。　She　was　twisting　and　untangling　her　fingers　in　a　dumb　agony。

〃What　has　he　done　to　her；　Buck？　What　has　he　done？〃

It　was　a　maxim　with　Buck　that　talk　is　to　woman　what　swearing　is　to　man；　it　is　a　safety　valve；　and　therefore　he　waited　in　silence　until　the　first　rush　of　her　grief　had　passed。

〃She　only　looked　at　me　when　I　whipped　her。　My　heart　turned　in　me。　She　didn't　cry；　she　wasn't　even　angry。　She　just　stood　theremy　baby！and　looked　at　me！〃

She　threw　herself　back　in　the　chair　with　her　eyes　closed；　and　he　saw　where　the　trouble　had　marked　her　face。　He　wanted　to　lean　over　and　take　her　in　his　arms。

〃I'm　going　mad；　Buck。　I　can't　stand　it。　How　could　he　have　changed　her　to　this？〃

〃Listen　to　me；　Kate。　Joan　ain't　been　changed。　She's　only　showin'　what　she　is。〃

The　mother　stared　wildly　at　him。

〃Don't　look　like　I　was　a　murderer。　God　knows　I'm　sorry；　Kate；　but　if　they's　Dan's　blood　in　your　little　girl　it　ain't　my　fault。　It　ain't　anything　he's　taught　her。　It's　just　that　bein'　alone　with　him　has　brought　out　what　she　really　is。〃

〃I　won't　believe　you；　Buck。　I　don't　dare　listen　to　you！〃

〃You　got　to　listen；　Kate；　because　you　know　I'm　right。　D'you　think　that　any　kind　of　teachin'　could　make　her　learn　how　to　stand　and　keep　from　cryin'　when　she　was　whipped？〃

〃I　know。〃

She　spoke　softly；　as　if　some　terrible　power　might　overhear　them　talk；　and　Buck　lowered　his　voice　in　turn。

〃She's　wild；　Kate；　I　knew　it　when　I　seen　the　way　she　handled　Bart。　She's　wild！〃

〃Then　I'll　have　her　tame　again。〃

〃You　tried　that　once　and　failed。〃

〃Dan　was　a　man　when　I　tried；　and　his　nature　was　formed。　Joan　is　only　a　babymy　baby。　She's　half　mine。　She　has　my　hair　and　my　eyes。〃

〃I　don't　care　what　the　color　of　her　eyes　is；　I　know　what's　behind　them。　Look　at　'em；　and　then　tell　me　who　she　takes　after。〃

〃Buck；　why　do　you　talk　like　this？　What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃A　hard　thing。　Send　Joan　back　to　Dan。〃

〃Never！〃

〃He'll　never　give　her　up；　I　tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　God　help　me。　What　shall　I　do？　I'll　keep　her！　I'll　make　her　tame。〃

〃But　you'll　never　keep　her　that　way。　Think　of　Dan。　Think　of　the　yaller　in　his　eyes；　Kate。〃

〃Until　I　die；〃　she　said　with　sudden　quiet；　〃I'll　fight　to　keep　her。〃

And　he　answered　with　equal　solemnity：　〃Until　Dan　dies　he'll　fight　to　have　her。　And　he's　never　been　beat　yet。〃

Through　a　breathing　space　he　stared　at　her　and　she　at　him；　and　the　eyes　of　Buck　Daniels　were　the　first　to　turn。　Everything　that　was　womanly　and　gentle　had　died　from　her　face；　and　in　its　stead　was　something　which　made　Buck　rise　and　wander　from　the　room。

He　found　Lee　Haines　and　told　him　briefly　all　that　had　passed。　The　great　battle；　they　decided；　had　begun　between　Kate　and　Barry　for　the　sake　of　the　child；　and　that　battle　would　go　on　until　one　of　them　was　dead　or　the　prize　for　which　they　struggled　lost。　Barry　would　come　on　the　trail　and　find　them　at　the　ranch；　and　then　he　would　strike　for　Joan。　And　they　had　no　help　for　the　struggle　against　him。　The　cowpunchers　would　scatter　at　the　first　sign　of　Barry；　at　the　first　shrill　of　his　ill…omened　whistling。　They　might　ride　for　Elkhead　and　raise　a　posse　from　among　the　citizens；　but　it　would　take　two　days　to　do　that　and　gather　a　number　of　effective　fighters　for　the　crisis；　and　in　the　meantime　the　chances　were　large　that　Barry　would　strike　the　ranch　while　the　messenger　was　away。　There　was　really　nothing　to　do　but　sit　patiently　and　wait。　They　were　both　brave　men；　very；　and　they　were　both　not　unpracticed　fighters；　but　they　began　to　wait　for　the　coming　of　Barry　as　the　prisoner　waits　for　the　day　of　his　execution。

It　spoke　well　for　the　quality　of　their　nerves　that　they　would　not　speak　to　Kate　of　the　time　to　come；　they　sat　back　like　spectators　at　a　play　and　watched　the　maneuvers　of　the　mother　to　win　back　Joan。

There　was　not　an　idle　moment　from　breakfast　to　dark。　They　went　out　to　gather　wildflowers　on　the　western　hill　from　the　house；　they　sat　on　the　veranda　where　Kate　told　Joan　stories　of　the　ranch　and　pointed　out　the　distant　mountains　which　were　its　boundaries；　and　explained　that　all　between　them　would　one　day　be　her　own　land；　that　the　men　who　rode　yonder　were　doing　her　work；　that　the　cattle　who　ranged　the　hills　were　marked　with　her　brand。　She　said　it　all　in　small　words　so　that　Joan　could　understand；　but　as　far　as　Buck　and　Lee　could　make　out；　there　was　never　a　flicker　of　intelligence　or　interest　in　the　eyes　of　the　child。

It　was　a　hard　battle　every　hour；　and　after　supper　Kate　sat　in　a　big　chair　by　the　fire　with　her　eyes　half　closed；　admitting　defeat；　perhaps。　For　Joan　was　curled　up　on　the　couch　at　the　farthest；　dimmest　end　of　the　room；　and　with　her　chin　propped　in　both　small　hands　she　stared　in　silence　through　the　window　and　over　the　darkening　hills。　Buck　and　Lee　were　there；　never　speaking；　but　now　and　then　their　eyes　sought　each　other　with　a　vague　hope。　For　Kate　might　see　that　her　task　was　impossible；　send　Joan　back；　and　that　would　free　them　of　the　danger。

But　where　Kate　left　off；　chance　took　up　the　battle　and　turned　the　scales。　Old　Li；　the　Chinese　cook；　had　not　seen　Kate　for　six　long　years；　and　now　he　celebrated　the　return　by　hanging　about　her　on　a　thousand　pretexts。　It　was　just　after　he　had　brought　in　some　delicacy　from　the　kitchen；　leaving　the　door　a　little　ajar；　when　a　small　ball　of　gray　fur　nosed　its　way　through　the　aperture　and　came　straight　for　the　glare　of　the　fire　on　the　hearth。　It　was　a　small　shepherd　puppy；　and　having　observed　the　faces　of　the　men　with　bright；　unafraid　eyes；　it　went　wobbling　on　to　the　very　hearth；　sniffling。　Even　at　that　age　it　knew　enough　to　keep　away　from　the　bright　coals　of　wood；　but　how　could　it　know　that　the　dark；　cold…looking　andirons　had　been　heated　to　the　danger　point　by　the　fire？　It　thrust　out　a　tentative　nose；　touched　the　iron；　and　then　its　shrill　yelp　of　pain　went　startlingly　throu