arizona nights-第5部分
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to on your own property。 But if I ever hear of your layin' claim
to this other hole； I'll shore make you hard to catch。〃
Then we rode off home。 You see； when Gentleman Tim inspected
that grave； he noted indications of water； and it struck him that
runnin' the old renegade out of business was a neater way of
gettin' even than merely killin' him。
Somebody threw a fresh mesquite on the fire。 The flames leaped
up again； showing a thin trickle of water running down the other
side of the cave。 The steady downpour again made itself
prominent through the re…established silence。
〃What did Texas Pete do after that？〃 asked the Cattleman。
〃Texas Pete？〃 chuckled Windy Bill。 〃Well； he put in a heap of
his spare time lettin' Tim alone。〃
CHAPTER THREE
THE REMITTANCE MAN
After Windy Bill had finished his story we began to think it time
to turn in。 Uncle Jim and Charley slid and slipped down the
chute…like passage leading from the cave and disappeared in the
direction of the overhang beneath which they had spread their
bed。 After a moment we tore off long bundles of the nigger…head
blades； lit the resinous ends at our fire； and with these torches
started to make our way along the base of the cliff to the other
cave。
Once without the influence of the fire our impromptu links cast
an adequate light。 The sheets of rain became suddenly visible as
they entered the circle of illumination。 By careful scrutiny of
the footing I gained the entrance to our cave without mishap。 I
looked back。 Here and there irregularly gleamed and spluttered
my companions' torches。 Across each slanted the rain。 All else
was of inky blackness except where； between them and me； a faint
red reflection shone on the wet rocks。 Then I turned inside。
Now； to judge from the crumbling powder of the footing； that
cave had been dry since Noah。 In fact； its roof was nearly a
thousand feet thick。 But since we had spread our blankets； the
persistent waters had soaked down and through。 The thousand…foot
roof had a sprung a leak。 Three separate and distinct streams of
water ran as from spigots。 I lowered my torch。 The canvas
tarpaulin shone with wet； and in its exact centre glimmered a
pool of water three inches deep and at least two feet in
diameter。
〃Well； I'll be；〃 I began。 Then I remembered those three wending
their way along a wet and disagreeable trail； happy and peaceful
in anticipation of warm blankets and a level floor。 I chuckled
and sat on my heels out of the drip。
First came Jed Parker； his head bent to protect the fire in his
pipe。 He gained the very centre of the cave before he looked up。
Then he cast one glance at each bed； and one at me。 His grave；
hawk…like features relaxed。 A faint grin appeared under his long
moustache。 Without a word he squatted down beside me。
Next the Cattleman。 He looked about him with a comical
expression of dismay； and burst into a hearty laugh。
〃I believe I said I was sorry for those other fellows；〃 he
remarked。
Windy Bill was the last。 He stooped his head to enter；
straightened his lank figure； and took in the situation without
expression。
〃Well； this is handy；〃 said he； 〃I was gettin' tur'ble dry； and
was thinkin' I would have to climb way down to the creek in all
this rain。〃
He stooped to the pool in the centre of the tarpaulin and drank。
But now our torches began to run low。 A small dry bush grew near
the entrance。 We ignited it； and while it blazed we hastily
sorted a blanket apiece and tumbled the rest out of the drip。
Our return without torches along the base of that butte was
something to remember。 The night was so thick you could feel the
darkness pressing on you； the mountain dropped abruptly to the
left； and was strewn with boulders and blocks of stone。
Collisions and stumbles were frequent。 Once I stepped off a
little ledge five or six feetnothing worse than a barked shin。
And all the while the rain； pelting us unmercifully； searched out
what poor little remnants of dryness we had been able to retain。
At last we opened out the gleam of fire in our cave； and a
minute later were engaged in struggling desperately up the slant
that brought us to our ledge and the slope on which our fire
burned。
〃My Lord！〃 panted Windy Bill； 〃a man had ought to have hooks on
his eyebrows to climb up here！〃
We renewed the fireand blessed the back…load of mesquite we had
packed up earlier in the evening。 Our blankets we wrapped around
our shoulders； our feet we hung over the ledge toward the blaze；
our backs we leaned against the hollow slant of the cave's
wall。 We were not uncomfortable。 The beat of the rain sprang up
in the darkness； growing louder and louder； like horsemen passing
on a hard road。 Gradually we dozed off。
For a time everything was pleasant。 Dreams came fused with
realities； the firelight faded from consciousness or returned
fantastic to our half…awakening； a delicious numbness overspread
our tired bodies。 The shadows leaped； became solid； monstrous。
We fell asleep。
After a time the fact obtruded itself dimly through our stupor
that the constant pressure of the hard rock had impeded our
circulation。 We stirred uneasily； shifting to a better position。
That was the beginning of awakening。 The new position did not
suit。 A slight shivering seized us； which the drawing closer of
the blanket failed to end。 Finally I threw aside my hat and
looked out。 Jed Parker； a vivid patch…work comforter wrapped
about his shoulders； stood upright and silent by the fire。 I
kept still； fearing to awaken the others。 In a short time I
became aware that the others were doing identically the same
thing。 We laughed； threw off our blankets； stretched； and fed
the fire。
A thick acrid smoke filled the air。 The Cattleman； rising； left
a trail of incandescent footprints。 We investigated hastily； and
discovered that the supposed earth on the slant of the cave was
nothing more than bat guano； tons of it。 The fire； eating its
way beneath； had rendered untenable its immediate vicinity。 We
felt as though we were living over a volcano。 How soon our
ledge； of the same material； might be attacked； we had no means
of knowing。 Overcome with drowsiness； we again disposed our
blankets； resolved to get as many naps as possible before even
these constrained quarters were taken from us。
This happened sooner and in a manner otherwise than we had
expected。 Windy Bill brought us to consciousness by a wild yell。
Consciousness reported to us a strange； hurried sound like the
long roll on a drum。 Investigation showed us that this cave；
too； had sprung a leak； not with any premonitory drip； but all at
once； as though someone had turned on a faucet。 In ten seconds a
very competent streamlet six inches wide had eroded a course down
through the guano； past the fire and to the outer slope。 And by
the irony of fate that oneand only oneleak in all the roof
expanse of a big cave was directly over one end of our tiny
ledge。 The Cattleman laughed。
〃Reminds me of the old farmer and his kind friend；〃 said he。
〃Kind friend hunts up the old farmer in the village。
〃'John；' says he； 'I've bad news for you。 Your barn has burned
up。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your cow was burned； too。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your horses were burned。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But； that ain't the worst。 The barn set fire to the house； and
it was burnedtotal loss。'
〃'My Lord！' groans the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your wife and child were killed；
too。'
〃'At that the farmer began to roar with laughter。
〃'Good heavens； man！' cries his friend； astonished； 'what in
the world do you find to laugh at in that？'
〃'Don't you see？' answers the farmer。 'Why； it's so darn
COMPLETE！'
〃Well；〃 finished the Cattleman； 〃that's what strikes me about
our case； it's so darn complete！〃
〃What time is it？〃 asked Windy Bill。
〃Midnight；〃 I announced。
〃Lord！ Six hours to day！〃 groaned Windy Bill。 〃How'd you like to
be doin' a nice quiet job at gardenin' in the East where you
could belly up to the bar reg'lar every evenin'； and drink a
pussy cafe and smoke tailor…made cigareets？〃
〃You wouldn't like it a bit；〃 put in the Cattleman with decision；
whereupon in proof he told us the following story：
Windy has mentioned Gentleman Tim； and that reminded me of the
first time I ever saw him。 He was an Irishman all right； but he
had been educated in England； and except for his accent he was
more an Englishman than anything else。 A freight outfit brought
him into Tucson from Santa Fe and dumped him down on the plaza；
where at once every idler in town gathered to quiz him。
Certainly he was one of the greenest specimens I ever saw in this
country。 He had on a pair of balloon pants and a Norfolk jacket；
and was surrounded by a half…dozen baby trunks。 His face was
red…cheeked and aggressively clean； and his eye limpid as a
child's。 Most of those present thought that indicated
childishness； but I could see that it was only utter
self…unconsciousness。
It seemed that he was out for big game； and intended to go after
silver…tips somewhere in these very mountains。 Of course he was
offered plenty of advice； and would probably have made
engagements much to be regretted had I not taken a strong fancy
to him。
〃My friend；〃 said I； drawing him aside； 〃I don't want to be
inquisitive； but what might you do when you're home？〃
〃I'm a younger son；〃 said he。 I was green myself in those days；
and knew nothing of primogeniture。
〃That is a very interesting piece of family history；〃 said I；
