the seventh man-第40部分

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ard　the　door。

〃He's　clear　of　Joan　now；　Kate；〃　whispered　Buck。　〃Let　me　shoot！〃

〃No；　no！　Don't　even　look　at　him。〃

Then；　with　a　scratching　of　sudden　claws；　Bart　whirled　at　the　door　and　was　gone　like　a　bolt　down　the　hall。　Afterwards　for　a　time　there　was　no　sound　in　the　room　except　the　murmurings　of　Joan　to　her　puppy；　and　then　they　heard　that　most　mournful　of　sounds　on　the　mountain…desert；　the　long　howl　of　a　wolf　which　has　missed　its　kill；　and　hunts　hungry　on　a　new　trail。



Chapter　XL。　The　Failure

When　Black　Bart　returned　without　Joan；　without　even　a　note　of　answer　about　his　neck；　the　master　made　ready　to　take　by　force。　First　he　went　over　his　new　outfit　of　saddle　and　guns；　looking　to　every　strap　of　the　former；　and　the　latter；　revolvers　and　rifle；　he　weighed　and　balanced　with　a　meditative　look；　as　if　he　were　memorizing　their　qualities　against　a　time　of　need。　With　Satan　saddled　and　Bart　on　guard　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　he　gathered　up　all　the　accumulation　of　odds　and　ends；　provisions；　skins；　and　made　a　stirring　bonfire　in　the　middle　of　the　gravel　floor。　It　was　like　burning　his　bridges　before　starting　out　to　the　battle；　he　turned　his　back　to　the　cave　and　started　on　his　journey。

He　had　to　travel　in　a　loose　semicircle；　for　there　were　two　points　which　he　must　reach　on　the　ride；　the　town　of　Alder；　where　lived　the　seventh　man　who　must　die　for　Grey　Molly；　and　the　Cumberland　ranch；　last　of　all；　where　he　would　take　Joan。　Very　early　after　his　start　he　reached　the　plateau　where　he　had　lived　all　those　years　with　Kate；　and　he　found　it　already　sinking　back　to　ruin；　with　nothing　in　the　corrals；　and　the　front　door　swinging　to　and　fro　idly　in　the　wind；　just　as　Joan　had　often　played　with　it。　Inside；　he　knew；　the　rooms　were　empty；　a　current　of　air　down　the　chimney　had　scattered　the　ashes　from　the　hearth　all　about　the　living　room。　Here　must　be　a　chair　overturned；　and　there　the　sand　had　drifted　through　the　open　door。　All　this　he　saw　clearly　enough　with　his　mind's　eye；　and　urged　Satan　forward。　For　a　chill　like　the　falling　of　sudden　night　had　swept　over　him；　and　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　with　relief　when　he　swept　past　the　house。　Yet　when　he　came　to　the　long　down…slope　which　pitched　into　the　valley　so　far　below　him；　he　called　Satan　to　a　halt　again；　and　swung　to　look　at　the　house。　He　could　hear　the　clatter　of　the　front　door　as　it　swung；　it　seemed　to　be　waving　a　farewell　to　him。

It　was　all　the　work　of　a　moment；　to　ride　back；　gather　a　quantity　of　paper　and　readily　inflammable　materials；　soak　them　in　oil；　and　scratch　a　match。　The　flames　swept　up　the　sides　of　the　logs　and　caught　on　the　ceiling　first　of　all；　and　Dan　Barry　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room　until　the　terrified　whining　of　Black　Bart　and　the　teeth　of　the　wolf…dog　at　his　trousers　made　him　turn　and　leave　the　house。　Outside；　he　found　Satan　trembling　between　two　temptations；　the　first　to　run　as　far　and　as　fast　as　he　could　from　that　most　terrible　thingfire；　and　the　second　to　gallop　straight　into　the　blaze。　The　voice　of　the　master；　a　touch　quieted　him；　and　Black　Bart　lay　down　at　the　feet　of　the　master　and　looked　up　into　his　face。

By　this　time　the　fire　had　licked　away　a　passage　through　the　roof　and　through　this　it　sent　up　a　yellow　hand　that　flicked　up　and　down　like　a　signal；　or　a　beckoning；　and　then　shot　up　a　tall；　steady；　growing；　roaring　column　of　red。　No　man　could　say　what　went　through　the　mind　of　Dan　Barry　as　he　stood　there　watching　the　house　of　his　building　burn；　but　now　he　turned　and　threw　his　arms　over　the　neck　and　back　of　Satan；　and　dropped　his　forehead　against　the　withers　of　the　black。　It　troubled　the　stallion。　He　turned　his　head；　and　nosed　the　shoulder　of　the　master　gently；　and　Black　Bart；　in　an　agony　of　anxiety；　reared　up　beside　Dan　and　brought　his　head　almost　up　to　the　head　of　the　man；　there　he　whined　pleadingly　for　never　before　had　he　seen　the　master　hide　his　face。

A　deep；　short　report　made　the　master　stand　away　from　Satan。　The　fire　had　reached　a　small　stock　of　powder；　and　the　shock　of　the　explosion　was　followed　by　a　great　crashing　and　rending　as　an　inner　wall　went　down。　That　fall　washed　a　solid　mass　of　yellow　flame　across　the　front　door；　but　the　fire　fell　back；　and　then　Dan　saw　the　doll　which　he　himself　had　made　for　Joan；　it　had　been　thrown　by　the　smashing　of　the　wall　squarely　in　front　of　the　door；　and　now　the　fire　reached　after　itlong　arms　across　the　floor。　It　was　an　odd　contrivance；　singularly　made　of　carved　wood　and　with　arms　and　legs　fastened　on　by　means　of　bits　of　strong　sinew；　and　Joan　prized　it　above　all　the　rosy　faced　dolls　which　Kate　had　bought　for　her。　For　an　instant　Dan　stood　watching　the　progress　of　the　fire；　then　he　leaped　through　the　door；　swerved　back　as　an　arm　of　fire　shot　out　at　him；　ran　forward　again；　caught　up　the　doll　and　was　outside　rubbing　away　the　singed　portions　of　brows　and　lashes。

He　did　not　wait　until　the　house　was　consumed；　but　when　the　flames　stood　towering　above　the　roof；　shaking　out　to　one　side　with　a　roar　when　the　wind　struck　them；　he　mounted　Satan　once　more；　and　made　for　the　valley。

He　wanted　to　reach　Alder　at　dark；　and　he　gauged　the　time　of　his　ride　so　accurately　that　when　he　pulled　out　of　the　mouth　of　Murphy's　Pass；　the　last　light　of　the　day　was　still　on　the　mountains　and　in　the　pass；　but　it　was　already　dark　in　the　village；　and　a　score　of　lights　twinkled　up　at　him　like　eyes。

He　left　Satan　and　Bart　well　outside　the　town；　for　even　in　the　dark　they　might　easily　be　recognized；　and　then　walked　straight　down　the　street　of　Alder。　It　was　a　bold　thing　to　do；　but　he　knew　that　the　first　thing　which　is　seen　and　suspected　is　the　skulker　who　approaches　from　covert　to　covert。　They　knew　he　had　ridden　into　Alder　before　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　they　might　suspect　the　danger　of　such　another　attack；　but　they　surely　would　not　have　fear　of　a　solitary　pedestrian　unless　a　telltale　light　were　thrown　upon　his　face。

He　passed　Captain　Lorrimer's　saloon。　Even　in　this　short　interval　it　had　fallen　into　ill…repute　after　the　killing　at　Alder。　And　a　shanty　farther　down　the　street　now　did　the　liquor　business　of　the　town；　Captain　Lorrimer's　was　closed；　and　the　window　nailed　across　with　slats。　He　went　on。　Partly　by　instinct；　and　partly　because　it　was　aflame　with　lights；　he　moved　straight　to　the　house　at　which　he　had　learned　tidings　of　three　men　he　sought　on　his　last　visit　to　Alder。　Now　there　were　more　lights　showing　from　the　windows　of　that　place　than　there　were　in　all　the　rest　of　Alder；　at　the　hitching　racks　in　front；　horses　stood　tethered　in　long　double　rows；　and　a　noise　of　voices　rolled　out　and　up　and　down　the　street。　Undoubtedly；　there　was　a　festival　there；　and　all　Alder　would　turn　out　to　such　an　affair。　All　Alder；　including　Vic　Gregg；　the　seventh　man。　A　group　came　down　the　street　for　the　widow's　house；　they　were　laughing　and　shouting；　and　they　carried　lanterns；　away　from　them　Barry　slipped　like　a　ghost　and　stood　in　the　shadow　of　the　house。

There　might　be　other　such　crowds；　and　they　were　dangerous　to　Barry；　so　now　he　hunted　for　a　means　of　breaking　into　the　house　of　the　widow　unseen。　The　windows；　as　he　went　down　the　side　of　the　building；　he　noted　to　be　high；　but　not　too　high　to　be　reached　by　a　skillful；　noiseless　climber。　In　the　back　of　the　house　he　saw　the　kitchen　door；　illumined　indeed；　but　the　room；　as　far　as　he　could　see；　empty。

Then　very　suddenly　a　wave　of　silence　began　somewhere　in　a　side　of　the　house　and　swept　across　it；　dying　to　a　murmur　at　the　edges。　Barry　waited　for　no　more　maneuvers；　but　walked　boldly　up　the　back　stairs　and　entered　the　house；　hat　in　hand。

The　moment　he　passed　the　door　he　was　alert；　balanced。　He　could　have　swung　to　either　side；　or　whirled　and　shot　behind　him　with　the　precision　of　a　leisurely　marksman；　and　as　he　walked　he　smiled；　happily　with　his　head　held　high。　He　seemed　so　young；　then；　that　one　would　have　said　he　had　just　come　in　gaily　from　some　game　with　the　other　youths　of　Alder。

Out　of　the　kitchen　he　passed　into　the　hall；　and　there　he　understood　the　meaning　of　the　silence；　for　both　the　doors　to　the　front　room　were　open；　and　through　the　doors　he　heard　a　single　voice；　deep　and　solemn；　and　through　the　doors　he　saw　the　crowd　standing　motionless。　Their　heads　did　not　stir；　heads　on　which　the　hair　was　plastered　smoothly　downand　when　some　one　raised　a　hand　to　touch　an　itching　ear；　or　nose；　he　moved　his　arm　with　such　caution　that　it　seemed　he　feared　to　set　a　magazine　of　powder　on　fire。　All　their　backs　were　towards　Barry；　where　he　stood　in　the　hall；　and　as　he　glided　toward　them；　he　heard　the　deep　voice　stop；　and　then　the　trembling　voice　of　a　girl　speak　in　reply。

At　the　first　entrance　he　paused；　for　the　whole　scene　unrolled　before　him。　It　was　a　wedding。　Just　in　front　of　him；　on　chairs　and　even　on　benches；　sat　the　majority　of　adult　Alder；facing　these　stood　the　wedding　pair　with　the　minister　just　in　front　of　them。　He　could　see　the　girl　to　one　side　of　the　minister's　back；　and　she　was　very　pretty；　very　femininely　appealing；　now；　in　a　dress　which　was　a　cloudy　effect　of　white；　but　Barry　gave　her　only　one　sharp　glance。　His　attention　was　for　the　men　of　the　crowd。　And　although　there　were　only　backs　of　heads；　and　side　glimpses　of　faces　he　hunted　swiftly　for　Vic　Gregg。

But　Gregg　was　not　there。　He　surveyed　the　assembly　twice；　incredulous；　for　surely　the　tall　man　should　be　here；　but　when　he　was　on　the　very　point　of　turning　on　his　heel　and　slinking　down　the　hall　to　pursue　his　hunt　in　other　quarters；　the　voice　of　the　minister　stopped；　and　the　deep　tone　of　Vic　himself　rolled　through　the　room。

It　startled　Barry　like　a　voice　out　of　the　sky；　he　stared　about；　bewildered；　and　then　as　the　minister　shifted　his　position　a　little　he　saw　that　it　was　Gregg　who　stood　there　beside　the　girl　in　white；it　was　Gregg　being　married。　And　at　the　same　moment；　the　eyes　of　Vic　lifted；　wandered；　fell　upon　the　face　which　stood　there　framed　in　the　dark　of　the　doorway。　Dan　saw　the　flush　die　out；　saw　the　narrow；　single…purposed　face　of　Gregg　turn　white；　saw　his　eyes　widen；　and　his　own　hand　closed　on　his　gun。　Another　instant；　the　minister　turned　his　head；　seemed　to　be　waiting；　and　then　Gregg　spoke　in　answer：　〃I　will！〃

A　thousand　pictures　rushed　through　the　mind　of　Barry；　and　he　remembered　first　and　last　the　wounded　man　on　the　gray　horse　who　he　had　saved；　and　the　lon