章节正文
light. I'll meet them at the door. You can trust me. Wait till
all quiets down, if we have to wait till morning. Then you can
slip out."
"I oughtn't to stay. I don't want to--I won't," Duane replied,
perplexed and stubborn.
"But you must. It's the only safe way. They won't come here."
"Suppose they should? It's an even chance Longstreth'll search
every room and corner in this old house. If they found me here
I couldn't start a fight. You might be hurt. Then--the fact of
my being here--"
Duane did not finish what he meant, but instead made a step
toward the door. White of face and dark of eye, she took hold
of him to detain him. She was as strong and supple as a
panther. But she need not have been either resolute or strong,
for the clasp of her hand was enough to make Duane weak.
"Up yet, Ray?" came Longstreth's clear voice, too strained, too
eager to be natural.
"No. I'm in bed reading. Good night," instantly" target="_blank" title="ad.立即，立刻">instantly replied Miss
Longstreth, so calmly and naturally that Duane marveled at the
difference between man and woman. Then she motioned for Duane
to hide in the closet. He slipped in, but the door would not
close altogether.
"Are you alone?" went on Longstreth's penetrating voice.
"Yes," she replied. "Ruth went to bed."
The door swung inward with a swift scrape and jar. Longstreth
half entered, haggard, flaming-eyed. Behind him Duane saw
Lawson, and indistinctly another man.
Longstreth barred Lawson from entering, which action showed
control as well as distrust. He wanted to see into the room.
When he had glanced around he went out and closed the door.
Then what seemed a long interval ensued. The house grew silent
once more. Duane could not see Miss Longstreth, but he heard
her quick breathing. How long did she mean to let him stay
hidden there? Hard and perilous as his life had been, this was
a new kind of adventure. He had divined the strange softness of
his feeling as something due to the magnetism of this beautiful
woman. It hardly seemed possible that he, who had been outside
the pale for so many years, could have fallen in love. Yet that
must be the secret of his agitation.
Presently he pushed open the closet door and stepped forth.
Miss Longstreth had her head lowered upon her arms and appeared
to be in distress. At his touch she raised a quivering face.
"I think I can go now--safely," he whispered.
"Go then, if you must, but you may stay till you're safe," she
replied.
"I--I couldn't thank you enough. It's been hard on me--this
finding out--and you his daughter. I feel strange. I don't
understand myself well. But I want you to know--if I were not
an outlaw--a ranger--I'd lay my life at your feet."
"Oh! You have seen so--so little of me," she faltered.
"All the same it's true. And that makes me feel more the
trouble my coming caused you."
"You will not fight my father?"
"Not if I can help it. I'm trying to get out of his way.'
"But you spied upon him."
"I am a ranger, Miss Longstreth."
"And oh! I am a rustler's daughter," she cried. "That's so much
more terrible than I'd suspected. It was tricky cattle deals I
imagined he was engaged in. But only to-night I had strong
suspicions aroused."
"How? Tell me."
"I overheard Floyd say that men were coming to-night to arrange
a meeting for my father at a rendezvous near Ord. Father did
not want to go. Floyd taunted him with a name."
"What name?" queried Duane.
"It was Cheseldine."
"CHESELDINE! My God! Miss Longstreth, why did you tell me
that?"
"What difference does that make?"
"Your father and Cheseldine are one and the same," whispered
Duane, hoarsely.
"I gathered so much myself," she replied, miserably. "But
Longstreth is father's real name."
Duane felt so stunned he could not speak at once. It was the
girl's part in this tragedy that weakened him. The instant she
betrayed the secret Duane realized perfectly that he did love
her. The emotion was like a great flood.
"Miss Longstreth, all this seems so unbelievable," he
whispered. "Cheseldine is the rustler chief I've come out here
to get. He's only a name. Your father is the real man. I've
sworn to get him. I'm bound by more than law or oaths. I can't
break what binds me. And I must disgrace you--wreck your lifer
Why, Miss Longstreth, I believe I--I love you. It's all come in
a rush. I'd die for you if I could. How fatal--terrible--this
is! How things work out!"
She slipped to her knees, with her hands on his.
"You won't kill him?" she implored. "If you care for me--you
won't kill him?"
"No. That I promise you."
With a low moan she dropped her head upon the bed.
Duane opened the door and stealthily stole out through the
corridor to the court.
When Duane got out into the dark, where his hot face cooled in
the wind, his relief equaled his other feelings.
The night was dark, windy, stormy, yet there was no rain. Duane
hoped as soon as he got clear of the ranch to lose something of
the pain he felt. But long after he had tramped out into the
open there was a lump in his throat and an ache in his breast.
All his thought centered around Ray Longstreth. What a woman
she had turned out to be! He seemed to have a vague, hopeless
hope that there might be, there must be, some way he could save
her.
CHAPTER XXI
Before going to sleep that night Duane had decided to go to Ord
and try to find the rendezvous where Longstreth was to meet his
men. These men Duane wanted even more than their leader. If
Longstreth, or Cheseldine, was the brains of that gang, Poggin
was the executor. It was Poggin who needed to be found and
stopped. Poggin and his right-hand men! Duane experienced a
strange, tigerish thrill. It was thought of Poggin more than
thought of success for MacNelly's plan. Duane felt dubious over
this emotion.
Next day he set out for Bradford. He was glad to get away from
Fairdale for a while. But the hours and the miles in no wise
changed the new pain in his heart. The only way he could forget
Miss Longstreth was to let his mind dwell upon Poggin, and even
this was not always effective.
He avoided Sanderson, and at the end of the day and a half he
arrived at Bradford.
The night of the day before he reached Bradford, No. 6, the
mail and express train going east, was held up by
train-robbers, the Wells-Fargo messenger killed over his safe,
the mail-clerk wounded, the bags carried away. The engine of
No. 6 came into town minus even a tender, and engineer and
fireman told conflicting stories. A posse of railroad men and
citizens, led by a sheriff Duane suspected was crooked, was
made up before the engine steamed back to pick up the rest of
the train. Duane had the sudden inspiration that he had been
cudgeling his mind to find; and, acting upon it, he mounted his
horse again and left Bradford unobserved. As he rode out into
the night, over a dark trail in the direction of Ord, he
uttered a short, grim, sardonic laugh at the hope that he might
be taken for a train-robber.
He rode at an easy trot most of the night, and when the black
peak of Ord Mountain loomed up against the stars he halted,
tied his horse, and slept until dawn. He had brought a small
pack, and now he took his time cooking breakfast. When the sun
was well up he saddled Bullet, and, leaving the trail where his
tracks showed plain in the ground, he put his horse to the
rocks and brush. He selected an exceedingly rough, roundabout,
and difficult course to Ord, hid his tracks with the skill of a
long-hunted fugitive, and arrived there with his horse winded
and covered with lather. It added considerable to his arrival
that the man Duane remembered as Fletcher and several others
saw him come in the back way through the lots and jump a fence
into the road.
Duane led Bullet up to the porch where Fletcher stood wiping
his beard. He was hatless, vestless, and evidently had just
enjoyed a morning drink.
"Howdy, Dodge," said Fletcher, laconically.
Duane replied, and the other man returned the greeting with
interest.
"Jim, my hoss 's done up. I want to hide him from any chance
tourists as might happen to ride up curious-like."
"Haw! haw! haw!"
Duane gathered encouragement from that chorus of coarse
laughter.
"Wal, if them tourists ain't too durned snooky the hoss'll be
safe in the 'dobe shack back of Bill's here. Feed thar, too,
but you'll hev to rustle water."
Duane led Bullet to the place indicated, had care of his
welfare, and left him there. Upon returning to the tavern porch
Duane saw the group of men had been added to by others, some of
whom he had seen before. Without comment Duane walked along the
edge of the road, and wherever one of the tracks of his horse
showed he carefully obliterated it. This procedure was
attentively watched by Fletcher and his companions.
"Wal, Dodge," remarked Fletcher, as Duane returned, "thet's
safer 'n prayin' fer rain."
Duanes reply was a remark as loquacious as Fletcher's, to the
effect that a long, slow, monotonous ride was conducive to
thirst. They all joined him, unmistakably friendly. But Knell
was not there, and most assuredly not Poggin. Fletcher was no
common outlaw, but, whatever his ability, it probably lay in
execution of orders. Apparently at that time these men had
nothing to do but drink and lounge around the tavern. Evidently
they were poorly supplied with money, though Duane observed
they could borrow a peso occasionally from the bartender. Duane
set out to make himself agreeable and succeeded. There was
card-playing for small stakes, idle jests of coarse nature,
much bantering among the younger fellows, and occasionally a
mild quarrel. All morning men came and went, until, all told,
Duane calculated he had seen at least fifty. Toward the middle
of the afternoon a young fellow burst into the saloon and
yelled one word:
"Posse!"
From the scramble to get outdoors Duane judged that word and
the ensuing action was rare in Ord.
"What the hell!" muttered Fletcher, as he gazed down the road
at a dark, compact bunch of horses and riders. "Fust time I
ever seen thet in Ord! We're gettin' popular like them camps
out of Valentine. Wish Phil was here or Poggy. Now all you
gents keep quiet. I'll do the talkin'."
The posse entered the town, trotted up on dusty horses, and
halted in a bunch before the tavern. The party consisted of
about twenty men, all heavily armed, and evidently in charge of
a clean-cut, lean-limbed cowboy. Duane experiencedconsiderable
satisfaction at the absence of the sheriff who he had
understood was to lead the posse. Perhaps he was out in another
direction with a different force.
"Hello, Jim Fletcher," called the cowboy.
all quiets down, if we have to wait till morning. Then you can
slip out."
"I oughtn't to stay. I don't want to--I won't," Duane replied,
perplexed and stubborn.
"But you must. It's the only safe way. They won't come here."
"Suppose they should? It's an even chance Longstreth'll search
every room and corner in this old house. If they found me here
I couldn't start a fight. You might be hurt. Then--the fact of
my being here--"
Duane did not finish what he meant, but instead made a step
toward the door. White of face and dark of eye, she took hold
of him to detain him. She was as strong and supple as a
panther. But she need not have been either resolute or strong,
for the clasp of her hand was enough to make Duane weak.
"Up yet, Ray?" came Longstreth's clear voice, too strained, too
eager to be natural.
"No. I'm in bed reading. Good night," instantly" target="_blank" title="ad.立即，立刻">instantly replied Miss
Longstreth, so calmly and naturally that Duane marveled at the
difference between man and woman. Then she motioned for Duane
to hide in the closet. He slipped in, but the door would not
close altogether.
"Are you alone?" went on Longstreth's penetrating voice.
"Yes," she replied. "Ruth went to bed."
The door swung inward with a swift scrape and jar. Longstreth
half entered, haggard, flaming-eyed. Behind him Duane saw
Lawson, and indistinctly another man.
Longstreth barred Lawson from entering, which action showed
control as well as distrust. He wanted to see into the room.
When he had glanced around he went out and closed the door.
Then what seemed a long interval ensued. The house grew silent
once more. Duane could not see Miss Longstreth, but he heard
her quick breathing. How long did she mean to let him stay
hidden there? Hard and perilous as his life had been, this was
a new kind of adventure. He had divined the strange softness of
his feeling as something due to the magnetism of this beautiful
woman. It hardly seemed possible that he, who had been outside
the pale for so many years, could have fallen in love. Yet that
must be the secret of his agitation.
Presently he pushed open the closet door and stepped forth.
Miss Longstreth had her head lowered upon her arms and appeared
to be in distress. At his touch she raised a quivering face.
"I think I can go now--safely," he whispered.
"Go then, if you must, but you may stay till you're safe," she
replied.
"I--I couldn't thank you enough. It's been hard on me--this
finding out--and you his daughter. I feel strange. I don't
understand myself well. But I want you to know--if I were not
an outlaw--a ranger--I'd lay my life at your feet."
"Oh! You have seen so--so little of me," she faltered.
"All the same it's true. And that makes me feel more the
trouble my coming caused you."
"You will not fight my father?"
"Not if I can help it. I'm trying to get out of his way.'
"But you spied upon him."
"I am a ranger, Miss Longstreth."
"And oh! I am a rustler's daughter," she cried. "That's so much
more terrible than I'd suspected. It was tricky cattle deals I
imagined he was engaged in. But only to-night I had strong
suspicions aroused."
"How? Tell me."
"I overheard Floyd say that men were coming to-night to arrange
a meeting for my father at a rendezvous near Ord. Father did
not want to go. Floyd taunted him with a name."
"What name?" queried Duane.
"It was Cheseldine."
"CHESELDINE! My God! Miss Longstreth, why did you tell me
that?"
"What difference does that make?"
"Your father and Cheseldine are one and the same," whispered
Duane, hoarsely.
"I gathered so much myself," she replied, miserably. "But
Longstreth is father's real name."
Duane felt so stunned he could not speak at once. It was the
girl's part in this tragedy that weakened him. The instant she
betrayed the secret Duane realized perfectly that he did love
her. The emotion was like a great flood.
"Miss Longstreth, all this seems so unbelievable," he
whispered. "Cheseldine is the rustler chief I've come out here
to get. He's only a name. Your father is the real man. I've
sworn to get him. I'm bound by more than law or oaths. I can't
break what binds me. And I must disgrace you--wreck your lifer
Why, Miss Longstreth, I believe I--I love you. It's all come in
a rush. I'd die for you if I could. How fatal--terrible--this
is! How things work out!"
She slipped to her knees, with her hands on his.
"You won't kill him?" she implored. "If you care for me--you
won't kill him?"
"No. That I promise you."
With a low moan she dropped her head upon the bed.
Duane opened the door and stealthily stole out through the
corridor to the court.
When Duane got out into the dark, where his hot face cooled in
the wind, his relief equaled his other feelings.
The night was dark, windy, stormy, yet there was no rain. Duane
hoped as soon as he got clear of the ranch to lose something of
the pain he felt. But long after he had tramped out into the
open there was a lump in his throat and an ache in his breast.
All his thought centered around Ray Longstreth. What a woman
she had turned out to be! He seemed to have a vague, hopeless
hope that there might be, there must be, some way he could save
her.
CHAPTER XXI
Before going to sleep that night Duane had decided to go to Ord
and try to find the rendezvous where Longstreth was to meet his
men. These men Duane wanted even more than their leader. If
Longstreth, or Cheseldine, was the brains of that gang, Poggin
was the executor. It was Poggin who needed to be found and
stopped. Poggin and his right-hand men! Duane experienced a
strange, tigerish thrill. It was thought of Poggin more than
thought of success for MacNelly's plan. Duane felt dubious over
this emotion.
Next day he set out for Bradford. He was glad to get away from
Fairdale for a while. But the hours and the miles in no wise
changed the new pain in his heart. The only way he could forget
Miss Longstreth was to let his mind dwell upon Poggin, and even
this was not always effective.
He avoided Sanderson, and at the end of the day and a half he
arrived at Bradford.
The night of the day before he reached Bradford, No. 6, the
mail and express train going east, was held up by
train-robbers, the Wells-Fargo messenger killed over his safe,
the mail-clerk wounded, the bags carried away. The engine of
No. 6 came into town minus even a tender, and engineer and
fireman told conflicting stories. A posse of railroad men and
citizens, led by a sheriff Duane suspected was crooked, was
made up before the engine steamed back to pick up the rest of
the train. Duane had the sudden inspiration that he had been
cudgeling his mind to find; and, acting upon it, he mounted his
horse again and left Bradford unobserved. As he rode out into
the night, over a dark trail in the direction of Ord, he
uttered a short, grim, sardonic laugh at the hope that he might
be taken for a train-robber.
He rode at an easy trot most of the night, and when the black
peak of Ord Mountain loomed up against the stars he halted,
tied his horse, and slept until dawn. He had brought a small
pack, and now he took his time cooking breakfast. When the sun
was well up he saddled Bullet, and, leaving the trail where his
tracks showed plain in the ground, he put his horse to the
rocks and brush. He selected an exceedingly rough, roundabout,
and difficult course to Ord, hid his tracks with the skill of a
long-hunted fugitive, and arrived there with his horse winded
and covered with lather. It added considerable to his arrival
that the man Duane remembered as Fletcher and several others
saw him come in the back way through the lots and jump a fence
into the road.
Duane led Bullet up to the porch where Fletcher stood wiping
his beard. He was hatless, vestless, and evidently had just
enjoyed a morning drink.
"Howdy, Dodge," said Fletcher, laconically.
Duane replied, and the other man returned the greeting with
interest.
"Jim, my hoss 's done up. I want to hide him from any chance
tourists as might happen to ride up curious-like."
"Haw! haw! haw!"
Duane gathered encouragement from that chorus of coarse
laughter.
"Wal, if them tourists ain't too durned snooky the hoss'll be
safe in the 'dobe shack back of Bill's here. Feed thar, too,
but you'll hev to rustle water."
Duane led Bullet to the place indicated, had care of his
welfare, and left him there. Upon returning to the tavern porch
Duane saw the group of men had been added to by others, some of
whom he had seen before. Without comment Duane walked along the
edge of the road, and wherever one of the tracks of his horse
showed he carefully obliterated it. This procedure was
attentively watched by Fletcher and his companions.
"Wal, Dodge," remarked Fletcher, as Duane returned, "thet's
safer 'n prayin' fer rain."
Duanes reply was a remark as loquacious as Fletcher's, to the
effect that a long, slow, monotonous ride was conducive to
thirst. They all joined him, unmistakably friendly. But Knell
was not there, and most assuredly not Poggin. Fletcher was no
common outlaw, but, whatever his ability, it probably lay in
execution of orders. Apparently at that time these men had
nothing to do but drink and lounge around the tavern. Evidently
they were poorly supplied with money, though Duane observed
they could borrow a peso occasionally from the bartender. Duane
set out to make himself agreeable and succeeded. There was
card-playing for small stakes, idle jests of coarse nature,
much bantering among the younger fellows, and occasionally a
mild quarrel. All morning men came and went, until, all told,
Duane calculated he had seen at least fifty. Toward the middle
of the afternoon a young fellow burst into the saloon and
yelled one word:
"Posse!"
From the scramble to get outdoors Duane judged that word and
the ensuing action was rare in Ord.
"What the hell!" muttered Fletcher, as he gazed down the road
at a dark, compact bunch of horses and riders. "Fust time I
ever seen thet in Ord! We're gettin' popular like them camps
out of Valentine. Wish Phil was here or Poggy. Now all you
gents keep quiet. I'll do the talkin'."
The posse entered the town, trotted up on dusty horses, and
halted in a bunch before the tavern. The party consisted of
about twenty men, all heavily armed, and evidently in charge of
a clean-cut, lean-limbed cowboy. Duane experiencedconsiderable
satisfaction at the absence of the sheriff who he had
understood was to lead the posse. Perhaps he was out in another
direction with a different force.
"Hello, Jim Fletcher," called the cowboy.
- reading [´ri:diŋ]
n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词) - instantly [´instəntli] ad.立即，立刻 (初中英语单词)
- calmly [´kɑ:mli] ad.平静地；无风浪地 (初中英语单词)
- closet [´klɔzit] n.橱；私室；盥洗室 (初中英语单词)
- interval [´intəvəl] n.间隙；(工间)休息 (初中英语单词)
- distress [di´stres] n.痛苦 vt.使苦恼 (初中英语单词)
- tragedy [´trædʒidi] n.悲剧；惨案；灾难 (初中英语单词)
- instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)
- emotion [i´məuʃən] n.感情；情绪；激动 (初中英语单词)
- disgrace [dis´greis] n.耻辱 vt.玷辱；贬黜 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)
- thrill [θril] v.震惊；激动；刺激 (初中英语单词)
- messenger [´mesindʒə] n.使者；送信人 (初中英语单词)
- sheriff [´ʃerif] n.郡长；行政长官 (初中英语单词)
- acting [´æktiŋ] a.代理的 n.演戏 (初中英语单词)
- bullet [´bulit] n.子弹 (初中英语单词)
- considerable [kən´sidərəbəl] a.重要的；值得重视 (初中英语单词)
- evidently [´evidəntli] ad.明显地 (初中英语单词)
- chorus [´kɔ:rəs] n.合唱；齐声 v.合唱 (初中英语单词)
- rustle [´rʌsl] v.&n.(使)沙沙作响 (初中英语单词)
- comment [´kɔment] n.&v.评论；评注；注意 (初中英语单词)
- wherever [weər´evə] conj.无论在哪里 (初中英语单词)
- whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)
- ability [ə´biliti] n.(办事)能力；才干 (初中英语单词)
- occasionally [ə´keiʒənəli] ad.偶然地；非经常地 (初中英语单词)
- agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)
- coarse [kɔ:s] a.粗(糙)的；粗鲁的 (初中英语单词)
- charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)
- absence [´æbsəns] n.不在，缺席；缺乏 (初中英语单词)
- detain [di´tein] vt.留住；拘留 (高中英语单词)
- inward [´inwəd] a.向内的；心灵上的 (高中英语单词)
- distrust [dis´trʌst] n.&vt.不信任，怀疑 (高中英语单词)
- perilous [´periləs] a.危险的；冒险的 (高中英语单词)
- perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- crooked [´krukid] a.弯曲的；畸形的 (高中英语单词)
- inspiration [,inspi´reiʃən] n.鼓舞；灵感；启发 (高中英语单词)
- exceedingly [ik´si:diŋli] ad.非常地，极度地 (高中英语单词)
- fugitive [´fju:dʒitiv] n.逃亡者，亡命者 (高中英语单词)
- encouragement [in´kʌridʒmənt] n.鼓励；赞助；引诱 (高中英语单词)
- tavern [´tævən] n.小酒馆；客栈 (高中英语单词)
- procedure [prə´si:dʒə] n.过程；手续；方法 (高中英语单词)
- apparently [ə´pærəntli] ad.显然，表面上地 (高中英语单词)
- saloon [sə´lu:n] n.大厅；餐车 (高中英语单词)
- scramble [´skræmbəl] v.&n.爬；争夺；炒(蛋) (高中英语单词)
- compact [´kɔmpækt] n.契约 a.挤满的 (高中英语单词)
- resolute [´rezəlu:t] a.坚决的；不屈不挠的 (英语四级单词)
- scrape [skreip] v.&n.刮，削，擦；搔 (英语四级单词)
- haggard [´hægəd] a.憔悴的 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- right-hand [´rait´hænd] a.右手的，右边的 (英语四级单词)
- experienced [ik´spiəriənst] a.有经验的；熟练的 (英语四级单词)
- monotonous [mə´nɔtənəs] a.单(音)调的 (英语四级单词)
- assuredly [ə´ʃuəridli] ad.确实地；确信地 (英语四级单词)
- outlaw [´autlɔ:] n.歹徒 vt.将...放逐 (英语四级单词)
- lounge [laundʒ] n.懒洋洋的姿势；闲逛 (英语四级单词)
- poorly [´puəli] a.不舒服的 ad.贫穷地 (英语四级单词)
- valentine [´væləntain] n.情人 (英语四级单词)
- softness [´sɔftnis] n.柔软；柔和；温柔 (英语六级单词)
- magnetism [´mægnitizəm] n.磁性，磁力，吸引力 (英语六级单词)
- miserably [´mizərəbli] ad.悲惨地；糟糕地 (英语六级单词)
- stealthily [´stelθili] ad.偷偷地，隐秘地 (英语六级单词)
- executor [ig´zekjutə] n.遗嘱执行人 (英语六级单词)
- dubious [´dju:biəs] a.怀疑的；可疑的 (英语六级单词)
- unobserved [´ʌnəb´sə:vd] a.没有观察到 (英语六级单词)
- cowboy [´kaubɔi] n.牧童；牛仔 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
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