酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

The Lone Star Ranger-Part30_Zane Gray(1872-1939)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页


but unconscious. How many years had passed since he had seen a

girl like her! Thereafter he kept his eyes upon his plate, yet



he seemed to be aware that he had aroused the interest of both

girls.



After supper the guests assembled in a big sitting-room where

an open fire place with blazing mesquite sticks gave out warmth



and cheery glow. Duane took a seat by a table in the corner,

and, finding a paper, began to read. Presently when he glanced



up he saw two dark-faced men, strangers who had not appeared

before, and were peering in from a doorway. When they saw Duane



had observed them they stepped back out of sight.

It flashed over Duane that the strangers acted suspiciously. In



Texas in the seventies it was always bad policy to let

strangers go unheeded. Duane pondered a moment. Then he went



out to look over these two men. The doorway opened into a

patio, and across that was a little dingy, dim-lighted



bar-room. Here Duane found the innkeeper dispensing drinks to

the two strangers. They glanced up when he entered, and one of



them whispered. He imagined he had seen one of them before. In

Texas, where outdoor men were so rough, bronzed, bold, and



sometimes grim of aspect, it was no easy task to pick out the

crooked ones. But Duane's years on the border had augmented a



natural instinct or gift to read character, or at least to

sense the evil in men; and he knew at once that these strangers



were dishonest.

"Hey somethin'?" one of them asked, leering. Both looked Duane



up and down.

"No thanks, I don't drink," Duane replied, and returned their



scrutiny with interest. "How's tricks in the Big Bend?"

Both men stared. It had taken only a close glance for Duane to



recognize a type of ruffian most frequently met along the

river. These strangers had that stamp, and their surprise



proved he was right. Here the innkeeper showed signs of

uneasiness, and seconded the surprise of his customers. No more



was said at the instant, and the two rather hurriedly went out.

"Say, boss, do you know those fellows?" Duane asked the



innkeeper.

"Nope."



"Which way did they come?"

"Now I think of it, them fellers rid in from both corners



today," he replied, and he put both hands on the bar and looked

at Duane. "They nooned heah, comin' from Bradford, they said,



an' trailed in after the stage."

When Duane returned to the sitting-room Colonel Longstreth was



absent, also several of the other passengers. Miss Ruth sat in

the chair he had vacated, and across the table from her sat



Miss Longstreth. Duane went directly to them.

"Excuse me," said Duane, addressing them. "I want to tell you



there are a couple of rough-looking men here. I've just seen

them. They mean evil. Tell your father to be careful. Lock your



doors--bar your windows to-night."

"Oh!" cried Ruth, very low. "Ray, do you hear?"



"Thank you; we'll be careful," said Miss Longstreth,

gracefully. The rich color had faded in her cheek. "I saw those



men watching you from that door. They had such bright black

eyes. Is there really danger--here?"



"I think so," was Duane's reply.

Soft swift steps behind him preceded a harsh voice: "Hands up!"



No man quicker than Duane to recognize the intent in those

words! His hands shot up. Miss Ruth uttered a little frightened



cry and sank into her chair. Miss Longstreth turned white, her

eyes dilated. Both girls were staring at some one behind Duane.



"Turn around!" ordered the harsh voice.

The big, dark stranger, the bearded one who had whispered to



his comrade in the bar-room and asked Duane to drink, had him

covered with a cocked gun. He strode forward, his eyes



gleaming, pressed the gun against him, and with his other hand

dove into his inside coat pocket and tore out his roll of



bills. Then he reached low at Duane's hip, felt his gun, and

took it. Then he slapped the other hip, evidently in search of



another weapon. That done, he backed away, wearing an

expression of fiendish satisfaction that made Duane think he



was only a common thief, a novice at this kind of game.

His comrade stood in the door with a gun leveled at two other



men, who stood there frightened, speechless.




文章总共2页
文章标签:名著  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号