八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > wyoming(怀俄明) >

第3部分

wyoming(怀俄明)-第3部分

小说: wyoming(怀俄明) 字数: 每页4000字

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!




     〃You're quite a lawyer; ma'am;〃 he evaded。 



                                              9 


… Page 10…

                     WYOMING:A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST 



     〃I find you a very slippery witness; then。〃 

     〃Ask anything y'u like and I'll tell you。〃 

     〃Very   well。   Who   were   those   men;   and   why   were   they   trying   to   kill 

you?〃 

     〃They  turned   their   wolf   loose   on   me   because   I   shot   up   one   of   them 

yesterday。〃 

     〃Dear   me!   Is   it   your   business   to   go   around   shooting   people?   That's 

three I happen to know that you have shot。 How many more?〃 

     〃No more; ma'amnot recently。〃 

     〃Well;   three is quite   enoughrecently;〃   she   mimicked。   〃You   seem  to 

me a good deal of a desperado。〃 

     〃Yes; ma'am。〃 

     〃Don't   say   'Yes;   ma'am;'   like   that;   as   if   it   didn't   matter   in   the   least 

whether you are or not;〃 she ordered。 

     〃No; ma'am。〃 

     〃Oh!〃 She broke off with a gesture of impatience at his burlesque of 

obedience。 〃You know what I meanthat you ought to deny it; ought to be 

furious at me for suggesting it。〃 

     〃Ought I?〃 

     〃Of course you ought。〃 

     〃There's   a   heap   of   ways   I   ain't   up   to   specifications;〃   he   admitted; 

cheerfully。 

     〃And who are theythe men that were attacking you?〃 

     There was a gleam of irrepressible humor in the bold eyes。 〃Your cow… 

punchers; ma'am。〃 

     〃My cow…punchers?〃 

     〃They ce'tainly belong to the Lazy D outfit。〃 

     〃And you say that you shot one of my men yesterday?〃 He could see 

her getting ready for a declaration of war。 

     〃Down by Willow Creek Yes; ma'am;〃 he answered; comfortably。 

     〃And why; may I ask?〃 she flamed 

     〃That's a long story; Miss Messiter。 It wouldn't be square for me to get 

my   version   in   before   your   boys。 Y'u   ask   them。〃   He   permitted   himself   a 

genial smile; somewhat ironic。  〃I shouldn't wonder but what they'll   give 



                                             10 


… Page 11…

                      WYOMING:A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST 



me a giltedged testimonial as an unhanged horse thief。〃 

     〃Isn't there such a thing as law in Wyoming?〃 the girl demanded。 

     〃Lots of it。 Y'u can buy just as good law right here as in Kalamazoo。〃 

     〃I wish I knew where to find it。〃 

     〃Like to put me in the calaboose?〃 

     〃In the penitentiary。 Yes; sir!〃 A moment later the question that was in 

her   thoughts   leaped   hotly   from   her   lips。   〃Who   are   you;   sir;   that   dare   to 

commit murder and boast of it?〃 

     She had flicked him on the raw at last。 Something that was near to pain 

rested   for   a   second   in   his   eyes。   〃Murder   is   a   hard   name;   ma'am。 And   I 

didn't say he was daid; or any of the three;〃 came his gentle answer。 

     〃You MEANT to kill them; anyhow。〃 

     〃Did I?〃 There was the ghost of a sad smile about his eyes。 

     〃The   way  you   act;  a   person   might think   you   one   of   Ned   Bannister's 

men;〃 she told him; scornfully。 

     〃I expect you're right。〃 

     She repented her a little at a charge so unjust。 〃If you are not ashamed 

of your name why are you so loath to part with it?〃 

     〃Y'u didn't ask me my name;〃 he said; a dark flush sweeping his face。 

     〃I ask it now。〃 

     Like the light from a snuffed candle the boyish recklessness had gone 

out   of   his   face。   His   jaws   were   set   like   a   vise   and   he   looked   hard   as 

hammered steel。 

     〃My name is Bannister;〃 he said; coldly。 

     〃Ned Bannister; the outlaw;〃 she let slip; and was aware of a strange 

sinking of the heart。 

     It   seemed   to   her   that   something   sinister   came   to   the   surface   in   his 

handsome face。 〃I reckon we might as well let it go at that;〃 he returned; 

with bitter briefness。 



                                              11 


… Page 12…

                     WYOMING:A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST 



      CHAPTER 2。 THE KING OF THE 

                BIG HORN COUNTRY 



     Two     months     before   this  time   Helen    Messiter    had   been    serenely 

teaching   a   second   grade   at   Kalamazoo;   Michigan;   notwithstanding   the 

earnest   efforts   of   several   youths   of   that   city   to   induce   her   to   retire   to 

domesticity 〃What's the use of being a schoolmarm?〃 had been the burden 

of their plaint。 〃Any spinster can teach kids C…A…T; Cat; but only one in 

several thousand can be the prettiest bride in Kalamazoo。〃 None of them; 

however;   had   been   able   to   drive   the   point   sufficiently   home;   and   it   is 

probable     that   she  would    have    continued    to  devote    herself   to  Young 

America if an uncle she had never seen had not died without a will and left 

her a ranch in Wyoming yclept the Lazy D。 

     When her lawyer proposed to put the ranch on the market Miss Helen 

had a word to say。 

     〃I think not。 I'll go out and see it first; anyhow;〃 she said。 

     〃But really; my dear young lady; it isn't at all necessary。 Fact is; I've 

already had an offer of a hundred thousand dollars for it。 Now; I should 

judge that a fair price 〃 

     〃Very likely;〃 his client interrupted; quietly。 〃But; you see; I don't care 

to sell。〃 

     〃Then what in the world are you going to do with it?〃 

     〃Run it。〃 

     〃But; my dear Miss Messiter; it isn't an automobile or any other kind 

of toy。 You must remember that it takes a business head and a great deal of 

experience to make such an investment pay。 I really think〃 

     〃My school ends on the fourteenth of June。 I'll get a substitute for the 

last two months。 I shall start for Wyoming on the eighteenth of April。〃 

     The man of law gasped; explained the difficulties again carefully as to 

a child; found that he was wasting his breath; and wisely gave it up。 

     Miss    Messiter    had   started  on   the  eighteenth    of  April;   as  she   had 

announced。 When she reached Gimlet Butte; the nearest railroad point to 

the   Lazy   D;   she   found   a  group    of  curious;   weatherbeaten      individuals 



                                            12 


… Page 13…

                      WYOMING:A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST 



gathered round a machine foreign to their experience。 It was on a flat car; 

and the general opinion ran the gamut from a newfangled sewing machine 

to a thresher。 Into this guessing contest came its owner with so brisk and 

businesslike an energy that inside of two hours she was testing it up and 

down   the   wide   street   of   Gimlet   Butte;   to   the   wonder   and   delight   of   an 

audience      to  which     each   one    of  the   eleven    saloons    of  the   city  had 

contributed its admiring quota。 

     Meanwhile   the   young   woman   attended   strictly   to   business。   She   had 

disappeared for half an hour with a suit case into the Elk House; and when 

she returned in a short…skirted corduroy suit; leggings and wide…brimmed 

gray Stetson hat; all Gimlet Butte took an absorbing interest in the details 

of this delightful adventure that had happened to the town。 The population 

was out _en masse_ to watch her slip down the road on a trial trip。 

     Presently     〃Soapy〃     Sothern;    drifting    in  on   his  buckskin     from    the 

Hoodoo Peak country; where for private reasons of his own he had been 

for the past month a sojourner; reported that he had seen the prettiest sight 

in the State climbing under a gasoline bronc with a monkey…wrench in her 

hand。   Where?   Right   over   the   hill   on   the   edge   of   town。   The   immediate 

stampede   for   the   cow   ponies   was   averted   by   a   warning   chug…chug   that 

sounded down the road; followed by the appearance of a flashing whir that 

made the ponies dance on their hind legs。 

     〃The     gasoline    bronc   lady   sure   makes     a  hit  with   me;〃    announced 

〃Texas;〃 gravely。 〃I allow I'll rustle a job with the Lazy D outfit。〃 

     〃She ce'tainly rides herd on that machine like a champeen;〃 admitted 

Soapy。 〃I reckon I'll drift over to the Lazy D with you to look after yore 

remains; Tex; when the lightning hits you。〃 

     Miss Messiter swung the automobile round in a swift circle; came to 

an   abrupt   halt   in   front   of   the   hotel;   and   alighted   without   delay。 As   she 

passed in through the half score of admirers she had won; her dark eyes 

swept smilingly over assembled Cattleland。 She had already met most of 

them at the launching of the machine from the flat car; and had directed 

their   perspiring   energies   as   they   labored   to   follow   her   orders。   Now   she 

nodded a recognition with a little ripple of gay laughter。 

     〃I'm delighted to be able to contribute to the entertainment of Gimlet 



                                              13 


… Page 14…

                      WYOMING:A STORY OF THE OUTDOOR WEST 



Butte;〃 she said; as she swept in。 For this young woman was possessed of 

Western      adaptation。    It  gave  her   no   conscientious     qualms    to  exchange 

conversation fraternal with these genial savages。 

     The     Elk   House     did   not   rejoice   in  a   private   dining    room;    and 

competition strenuous ensued as to who should have the pleasure of sitting 

beside the guest of honor。 To avoid ill feeling; the matter was determined 

by a game of freeze…out; in which Texas and a mature gentleman named; 

from     his  complexion;      〃Beet〃    Collins;    were    the  lucky    victors。   Texas 

immediately   repaired   to      the   general   store;   where   he   purchased   a    new 

scarlet bandanna for the occasion; also a cake of soap with which to rout 

the alkali dust that had f

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的