whirligigs-第32部分
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〃Not on your coloured crayon drawings by B。 Cory
Kilvert；〃 said the burglar。 〃It's always a Bessie that
I have at home； artlessly prattling to the pale…checked
burglar's bride。 As I was saying； your father opens the
front door just as I am departing with admonitions and
sandwiches that you have wrapped up for me。 Upon
recognizing me as an old Harvard classmate he starts
back in 〃
〃Not in surprise？〃 interrupted Tommy； with wide；
open eyes。
〃He starts back in the doorway；〃 continued the burglar。
And then he rose to his feet and began to shout 〃Rah；
rah； rah！ rah； rah； rah！ rah； rah； rah！〃
〃Well；〃 said Tommy； wonderingly； 〃that's； the first
time I ever knew a burglar to give a college yell when he
was burglarizing a house； even in a story。〃
〃That's one on you；〃 said the burglar； with a laugh。
〃I was practising the dramatization。 If this is put on
the stage that college touch is about the only thing that
will make it go。〃
Tommy looked his admiration。
〃You're on； all right；〃 he said。
〃And there's another mistalze you've made；〃 said the
burglar。 〃You should have gone some time ago and
brought me the 9 gold piece your mother gave you on
your birthday to take to Bessie。〃
〃But she didn't give it to me to take to Bessie；〃 said
Tommy； pouting。
〃Come； come！〃 said the burglar； sternly。 〃It's not
nice of you to take advantage because the story contains
an ambiguous sentence。 You know what I mean。 It's
mighty little I get out of these fictional jobs； anyhow。 I
lose all the loot； and I have to reform every time； and all
the swag I'm allowed is the blamed little fol…de…rols and
luck…pieces that you kids hand over。 Why； in one story；
all I got was a kiss from a little girl who came in on me
when I was opening a safe。 And it tasted of molasses
candy； too。 I've a good notion to tie this table cover
over your head and keep on into the silver…closet。〃
〃Oh； no； you haven't；〃 said Tommy； wrapping his
arms around his knees。 〃Because if you did no editor
would buy the story。 You know you've got to preserve
the unities。〃
〃So've you；〃 said the burglar； rather glumly。
〃Instead of sitting here talking impudence and taking the
bread out of a poor man's mouth； what you'd like to be
doing is hiding under the bed and screeching at the top
of your voice。〃
〃You're right； old man；〃 said Tommy； heartily。 〃I
wonder what they make us do it for？ I think the
S。 P。 C。 C。 ought to interfere。 I'm sure it's neither
agreeable nor usual for a kid of my age to butt in when a
full…grown burglar is at work and offer him a red sled and
a pair of skates not to awaken his sick mother。 And look
how they make the burglars act！ You'd think editors
would know but what's the use？〃
The burglar wiped his hands on the tablecloth and
arose with a yawn。
〃Well； let's get through with it；〃 he said。 〃God
bless you； my little boy！ you have saved a man from
committing a crime this night。 Bessie shall pray for you
as soon as I get home and give her her orders。 I shall
never burglarize another house at least not until the
June magazines are out。 It'll be your little sister's turn
then to run in on me while I am abstracting the U。 S。 4
per cent。 from the tea urn and buy me off with her coral
necklace and a falsetto kiss。〃
〃You haven't got all the kicks coming to you；〃 sighed
Tommy； crawling out of his chair。 〃Think of the sleep
I'm losing。 But it's tough on both of us； old man。 I wish
you could get out of the story and really rob somebody。
Maybe you'll have the chance if they dramatize us。〃
〃Never！〃 said the burglar； gloomily。 〃Between the
box office and my better impulses that your leading juven…
iles are supposed to awaken and the magazines that pay
on publication； I guess I'll always be broke。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Tommy； sympathetically。 〃But I
can't help myself any more than you can。 It's one of the
canons of household fiction that no burglar shall be suc…
cessful。 The burglar must be foiled by a kid like me； or…
by a young lady heroine； or at the last moment by his old
pal； Red Mike； who recognizes the house as one in which
he used to be the coachman。 You have got the worst
end of it in any kind of a story。〃
〃Well； I suppose I must be clearing out now；〃 said
the burglar； taking up his lantern and bracebit。
〃You have to take the rest of this chicken and the
bottle of wine with you for Bessie and her mother；〃 said
Tommy； calmly。
〃But confound it；〃 exclaimed the burglar； in an annoyed
tone； 〃they don't want it。 I've got five cases of Chateau
de Beychsvelle at home that was bottled in 1853。 That
claret of yours is corked。 And you couldn't get either
of them to look at a chicken unless it was stewed in
champagne。 You know； after I get out of the story I
don't have so many limitations。 I make a turn now and
then。〃
〃Yes； but you must take them；〃 said Tommy； loading
his arms with the bundles。
〃Bless you； young master！〃 recited the burglar；
obedient。 〃Second…Story Saul will never forget you。
And now hurry and let me out； kid。 Our 2；000 words
must be nearly up。〃
Tommy led the way through the hall toward the front
door。 Suddenly the burglar stopped and called to him
softly： 〃Ain't there a cop out there in front somewhere
sparking the girl？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Tommy； 〃but what 〃
〃I'm afraid he'll catch me；〃 said the burglar。 〃You
mustn't forget that this is fiction。〃
〃Great head！〃 said Tommy； turning。 〃Come out
by the back door。〃
A CHAPARRAL CHRISTMAS GIFT
The original cause of the trouble was about twenty
years in growing。
At the end of that time it was worth it。
Had you lived anywhere within fifty miles of Sun…
down Ranch you would have heard of it。 It possessed
a quantity of jet…black hair； a pair of extremely frank；
deep…brown eyes and a laugh that rippled across the
prairie like the sound of a hidden brook。 The name of
it was Rosita McMullen； and she was the daughter of
old man McMullen of the Sundown Sheep Ranch。
There came riding on red roan steeds or； to be more
explicit； on a paint and a flea…bitten sorrel two wooers。
One was Madison Lane； and the other was the Frio Kid；
But at that time they did not call him the Frio Kid； for
he had not earned the honours of special nomenclature…
His name was simply Johnny McRoy。
It must not be supposed that these two were the sum
of the agreeable Rosita's admirers。 The bronchos of a
dozen others champed their bits at the long hitching
rack of the Sundown Ranch。 Many were the sheeps'…
eves that were cast in those savannas that did not belong。
to the flocks of Dan McMullen。 But of all the cavaliers；
Madison Lane and Johnny MeRoy galloped far ahead；
wherefore they are to be chronicled。
Madison Lane； a young cattleman from the Nueces
country； won the race。 He and Rosita were married one
Christmas day。 Armed； hilarious； vociferous； mag…
nanimous； the cowmen and the sheepmen； laying aside
their hereditary hatred； joined forces to celebrate the
occasion。
Sundown Ranch was sonorous with the cracking of
jokes and sixshooters； the shine of buckles and bright
eyes； the outspoken congratulations of the herders of kine。
But while the wedding feast was at its liveliest there
descended upon it Johnny MeRoy； bitten by jealousy；
like one possessed。
〃I'll give you a Christmas present；〃 he yelled； shrilly；
at the door； with his 。45 in his hand。 Even then he had
some reputation as an offhand shot。
His first bullet cut a neat underbit in Madison Lane's
right ear。 The barrel of his gun moved an inch。 The
next shot would have been the bride's had not Carson； a
sheepman； possessed a mind with triggers somewhat well
oiled and in repair。 The guns of the wedding party
had been hung； in their belts； upon nails in the wall when
they sat at table； as a concession to good taste。 But
Carson； with great promptness； hurled his plate of roast
venison and frijoles at McRoy； spoiling his aim。 The
second bullet； then； only shattered the white petals of a
Spanish dagger flower suspended two feet above Rosita's
head。
The guests spurned their chairs and jumped for their
weapons。 It was considered an improper act to shoot
the bride and groom at a wedding。 In about six seconds
there were twenty or so bullets due to be whizzing in the
direction of Mr。 McRoy。
〃I'll shoot better next time；〃 yelled Johnny； 〃and
there'll be a next time。〃 He backed rapidly out the
door。
Carson； the sheepman； spurred on to attempt further
exploits by the success of his plate…throwing； was first to
reach the door。 McRoy's bullet from the darkness laid
him low。
The cattlemen then swept out upon him； calling for
vengeance； for； while the slaughter of a sheepman has
not always lacked condonement； it was a decided mis…
demeanour in this instance。 Carson was innocent； he
was no accomplice at the matrimonial proceedings； nor
had any one heard him quote the line 〃Christmas comes
but once a year〃 to the guests。
But the sortie failed in its vengeance。 McRoy was on
his horse and away； shouting back curses and threats as
he galloped into the concealing chaparral。
That night was the birthnight of the Frio Kid。 He
became the 〃bad man〃 of that portion of the State。
The rejection of his suit by Miss McMullen turned him
to a dangerous man。 When officers went after him for
the shooting of Carson； he killed two of them； and entered
upon the life of an outlaw。 He became a marvellous shot
with either hand。 He would turn up in towns and
settlements； raise a quarrel at the slightest opportunity；
pick off his man and laugh at the officers of the law。 He
was so cool； so deadly； so rapid； so inhumanly blood…
thirsty that none b
