whirligigs-第30部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a rolling prairie toward a heavy line of timber on Piedra
Creek。 Beyond this creek lay Long Prairie； the favourite
haunt of the plover。 As they were nearing the creek
they heard the galloping of a horse to their right； and
saw a man with black hair and a swarthy face riding
toward the woods at a tangent； as if he had come up
behind them。
〃I've seen that fellow somewhere；〃 said Littlefield； who
had a memory for faces； 〃but I can't exactly place him。
Some ranchman； I suppose； taking a short cut home。〃
They spent an hour on Long Prairie； shooting from
the buckboard。 Nancy Derwent； an active； outdoor
Western girl； was pleased with her twelve…bore。 She
had bagged within two brace of her companion's score。
They started homeward at a gentle trot。 When within
a hundred yards of Piedra Creek a man rode out of the
timber directly toward them。
〃It looks like the man we saw coming over；〃 remarked
Miss Derwent。
As the distance between them lessened； the district
attorney suddenly pulled up his team sharply； with his
eyes fixed upon the advancing horseman。 That individ…
ual had drawn a Winchester from its scabbard on his
saddle and thrown it over his arm。
〃Now I know you； Mexico Sam！〃 muttered Littlefield
to himself。 〃It was you who shook your rattles in that
gentle epistle。〃
Mexico Sam did not leave things long in doubt。 He
had a nice eye in all matters relating to firearms； so when
he was within good rifle range； but outside of danger
from No。 8 shot； he threw up his Winchester and opened
fire upon the occupants of the buckboard。
The first shot cracked the back of the seat within the
two…inch space between the shoulders of Littlefield and
Miss Derwent。 The next went through the dashboard
and Littlefield's trouser leg。
The district attorney hustled Nancy out of the buck…
board to the ground。 She was a little pale； but asked no
questions。 She had the frontier instinct that accepts
conditions in an emergency without superfluous argument。
They kept their guns in hand； and Littlefield hastily
gathered some handfuls of cartridges from the pasteboard
box on the seat and crowded them into his pockets
〃Keep behind the horses； Nan；〃 he commanded。
〃That fellow is a ruffian I sent to prison once。 He's
trying to get even。 He knows our shot won't hurt him
at that distance。〃
〃All right； Bob；〃 said Nancy steadily。 〃I'm not
afraid。 But you come close； too。 Whoa； Bess； stand
still； now！〃
She stroked Bess's mane。 Littlefield stood with his
gun ready； praying that the desperado would come within
range。
But Mexico Sam was playing his vendetta along safe
lines。 He was a bird of different feather from the plover。
His accurate eye drew an imaginary line of circumference
around the area of danger from bird…shot； and upon this
line lie rode。 His horse wheeled to the right； and as his
victims rounded to the safe side of their equine breast…
work he sent a ball through the district attorney's hat。
Once he miscalculated in making a d閠our； and over…
stepped Ms margin。 Littlefield's gun flashed； and
Mexico Sam ducked his head to the harmless patter of the
shot。 A few of them stung his horse； which pranced
promptly back to the safety line。
The desperado fired again。 A little cry came from
Nancy Derwent。 Littlefield whirled； with blazing eyes；
and saw the blood trickling down her cheek。
〃I'm not hurt； Bob only a splinter struck me。 I
think he hit one of the wheel…spokes。〃
〃Lord！〃 groaned Littlefield。 〃If I only had a charge
of buckshot！〃
The ruffian got his horse still； and took careful aim。
Fly gave a snort and fell in the harness； struck in the
neck。 Bess； now disabused of the idea that plover were
being fired at； broke her traces and galloped wildly
away Mexican Sam sent a ball neatly through the
fulness of Nancy Derwent's shooting jacket。
〃Lie down lie down！〃 snapped Littlefield。 〃close
to the horse flat on the ground so。〃 He almost
threw her upon the grass against the back of the recum…
bent Fly。 Oddly enough； at that moment the words of
the Mexican girl returned to his mind：
〃If the life of the girl you love is ever in danger； remem…
ber Rafael Ortiz。〃
Littlefield uttered an exclamation。
〃Open fire on him； Nan； across the horse's back。
Fire as fast as you can！ You can't hurt him； but keep
him dodging shot for one minute while I try to work a
little scheme。〃
Nancy gave a quick glance at Littlefield； and saw him
take out his pocket…knife and open it。 Then she turned
her face to obey orders； keeping up a rapid fire at the
enemy。
Mexico Sam waited patiently until this innocuous
fusillade ceased。 He had plenty of time； and he did not
care to risk the chance of a bird…shot in his eye when
could be avoided by a little caution。 He pulled his
heavy Stetson low down over his face until the shots ceased。
Then he drew a little nearer； and fired with careful aim
at what he could see of his victims above the fallen horse。
Neither of them moved。 He urged his horse a few
steps nearer。 He saw the district attorney rise to one
knee and deliberately level his shotgun。 He pulled his
hat down and awaited the harmless rattle of the tiny
pellets。
The shotgun blazed with a heavy report。 Mexico
Sam sighed； turned limp all over； and slowly fell from
his horse a dead rattlesnake。
At ten o'clock the next morning court opened； and the
case of the United States versus Rafael Ortiz was called。
The district attorney； with his arm in a sling； rose and
addressed the court。
〃May it please your honour；〃 he said； 〃I desire to
enter a nolle pros。 in this case。 Even though the defend…
ant should be guilty； there is not sufficient evidence in the
hands of the government to secure a conviction。 The
piece of counterfeit coin upon the identity of which the
case was built is not now available as evidence。 I ask；
therefore； that the case be stricken off。〃
At the noon recess Kilpatrick strolled into the district
attorney's office。
〃I've just been down to take a squint at old Mexico
Sam；〃 said the deputy。 〃They've got him laid out。
Old Mexico was a tough outfit； I reckon。 The boys
was wonderin' down there what you shot him with。 Some
said it must have been nails。 I never see a gun carry
anything to make holes like he had。〃
〃I shot him；〃 said the district attorney； 〃with Exhibit
A of your counterfeiting case。 Lucky thing for me
and somebody else that it was as bad money as it was！
It sliced up into slugs very nicely。 Say； Kil； can't you
go down to the jacals and find where that Mexican girl
lives？ Miss Derwent wants to know。〃
A NEWSPAPER STORY
AT 8 A。 M。 it lay on Giuseppi's news…stand； still damp
from the presses。 Giuseppi； with the cunning of his ilk；
philandered on the opposite comer； leaving his patrons
to help themselves； no doubt on a theory related to the
hypothesis of the watched pot。
This particular newspaper was； according to its custom
and design； an educator； a guide； a monitor； a champion
and a household counsellor and vade mecum。
From its many excellencies might be selected three
editorials。 One was in simple and chaste but illuminat…
ing language directed to parents and teachers； depreca…
ting corporal punishment for children。
Another was an accusive and significant warning
addressed to a notorious labour leader who was on the
point of instigating his clients to a troublesome strike。
The third was an eloquent demand that the police
force be sustained and aided in everything that tended
to increase its efficiency as public guardians and servants。
Besides these more important chidings and requisitions
upon the store of good citizenship was a wise prescription
or form of procedure laid out by the editor of the heart…
to…heart column in the specific case of a young man who
had complained of the obduracy of his lady love； teaching
him how he might win her。
Again； there was； on the beauty page； a complete
answer to a young lady inquirer who desired admonition
toward the securing of bright eyes； rosy cheeks and a
beautiful countenance。
One other item requiring special cognizance was a
brief 〃personal；〃 running thus：
DEAR JACK： Forgive me。 You were right。 Meet me
comer Madison and …th at 8。30 this morning。 We
leave at noon。
PENITENT。
At 8 o'clock a young man with a haggard look and the
feverish gleam of unrest in his eye dropped a penny and
picked up the top paper as he passed Giuseppi's stand。
A sleepless night had left him a late riser。 There was
an office to be reached by nine； and a shave and a hasty
cup of coffee to be crowded into the interval。
He visited his barber shop and then hurried on his
way。 He pocketed his paper； meditating a belated
perusal of it at the luncheon hour。 At the next corner
it fell from his pocket； carrying with it his pair of new
gloves。 Three blocks he walked； missed the gloves and
turned back fuming。
Just on the half…hour he reached the corner where
lay the gloves and the paper。 But he strangely ignored
that which he had come to seek。 He was holding
two little hands as tightly as ever he could and looking
into two penitent brown eyes； while joy rioted in his
heart。
〃Dear Jack；〃 she said； 〃I knew you would be here
on time。〃
〃I wonder what she means by that；〃 he was saying
to himself； 〃but it's all right； it's all right。〃
A big wind puffed out of the west； picked up the paper
from the sidewalk； opened it out and sent it flying and
whirling down a side street。 Up that street was driving
a skittish bay to a spider…wheel buggy； the young man
who had written to the heart…to…heart editor for a recipe
that he m
