the oakdale affair-第3部分

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　to　swing　if　any　of　de　bunch　gets　gabby　in　front　of　dis　phoney　punk？〃

The　two　sat　silent　for　a　while；　The　General　puffing　on　a　short　briar；　Dopey　Charlie　inhaling　deep　draughts　from　a　cigarette；　and　both　glaring　through　narrowed　lids　at　the　boy　warming　himself　beside　the　fire　where　the　others　were　attempting　to　draw　him　out　the　while　they　strove　desperately　but　unavailingly　to　keep　their　eyes　from　the　two　bulging　sidepockets　of　their　guest's　coat。

Soup　Face；　who　had　been　assiduously　communing　with　a　pint　flask；　leaned　close　to　Columbus　Blackie；　plac…　ing　his　whiskers　within　an　inch　or　so　of　the　other's　nose　as　was　his　habit　when　addressing　another；　and　whis…　pered；　relative　to　the　pearl　necklace：　〃Not　a　cent　less　'n　fifty　thou；　bo！〃

〃Fertheluvomike！〃　ejaculated　Blackie；　drawing　back　and　wiping　a　palm　quickly　across　his　lips。　　〃Get　a　plum…　ber　first　if　you　want　to　kiss　meyou　leak。〃

〃He　thinks　you　need　a　shower　bath；〃　said　Dirty　Ed…　die；　laughing。

〃The　trouble　with　Soup　Face；〃　explained　The　Sky　Pi…　lot；　〃is　that　he's　got　a　idea　he's　a　human　atomizer　an'　that　the　rest　of　us　has　colds。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　want　no　atomizer　loaded　with　rot…gut　and　garlic　shot　in　my　mug；〃　growled　Blackie。　　〃What　Soup　Face　needs　is　to　be　learned　ettyket；　an'　if　he　comes　that　on　me　again　I'm　goin'　to　push　his　mush　through　the　back　of　his　bean。〃

An　ugly　light　came　into　the　blear　eyes　of　Soup　Face。　　　Once　again　he　leaned　close　to　Columbus　Blackie。　　　〃Not　a　cent　less　'n　fifty　thou；　you　tinhorn！〃　he　bellowed；　belligerent　and　sprayful。

Blackie　leaped　to　his　feet；　with　an　oatha　frightful；　hideous　oathand　as　he　rose　he　swung　a　heavy　fist　to　Soup　Face's　purple　nose。　　The　latter　rolled　over　back…　ward；　but　was　upon　his　feet　again　much　quicker　than　one　would　have　expected　in　so　gross　a　bulk；　and　as　he　came　to　his　feet　a　knife　flashed　in　his　hand。　　With　a　sound　that　was　more　bestial　than　human　he　ran　toward　Blackie；　but　there　was　another　there　who　had　anticipated　his　in…　tentions。　　As　the　blow　was　struck　The　Sky　Pilot　had　risen；　and　now　he　sprang　forward；　for　all　his　age　and　bulk　as　nimble　as　a　cat；　and　seized　Soup　Face　by　the　wrist。　　A　quick　wrench　brought　a　howl　of　pain　to　the　would…be　assassin；　and　the　knife　fell　to　the　floor。

〃You　gotta　cut　that　if　you　travel　with　this　bunch；〃　said　The　Sky　Pilot　in　a　voice　that　was　new　to　The　Os…　kaloosa　Kid；　and　you；　too；　Blackie；〃　he　continued。　　〃The　rough　stuff　don't　go　with　me；　see？〃　He　hurled　Soup　Face　to　the　floor　and　resumed　his　seat　by　the　fire。

The　youth　was　astonished　at　the　physical　strength　of　this　old　man；　seemingly　so　softened　by　dissipation；　but　it　showed　him　the　source　of　The　Sky　Pilot's　authority　and　its　scope；　for　Columbus　Blackie　and　Soup　Face　quitted　their　quarrel　immediately。

Dirty　Eddie　rose；　yawned　and　stretched。　　〃Me　fer　the　hay；〃　he　announced；　and　lay　down　again　with　his　feet　toward　the　fire。　　Some　of　the　others　followed　his　example。　　〃You'll　find　some　hay　in　the　loft　there；〃　said　The　Sky　Pilot　to　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　〃Bring　it　down　an'　make　your　bed　here　by　me；　there's　plenty　room。〃

A　half　hour　later　all　were　stretched　out　upon　the　hard　dirt　floor　upon　improvised　beds　of　rotted　hay；　but　not　all　slept。　　The　Oskaloosa　Kid；　though　tired；　found　him…　self　wider　awake　than　he　ever　before　had　been。　　Appar…　ently　sleep　could　never　again　come　to　those　heavy　eyes。　　　There　passed　before　his　mental　vision　a　panorama　of　the　events　of　the　night。　　He　smiled　as　he　inaudibly　voiced　the　name　they　had　given　him；　the　right　to　which　he　had　not　seen　fit　to　deny。　　〃The　Oskaloosa　Kid。〃　The　boy　smiled　again　as　be　felt　the　'swag'　hard　and　lumpy　in　his　pockets。　　It　had　given　him　prestige　here　that　he　could　not　have　gained　by　any　other　means；　but　he　mistook　the　nature　of　the　interest　which　his　display　of　stolen　wealth　had　aroused。　　He　thought　that　the　men　now　looked　upon　him　as　a　fellow　criminal　to　be　accepted　into　the　fraternity　through　achievement；　whereas　they　suf…　fered　him　to　remain　solely　in　the　hope　of　transferring　his　loot　to　their　own　pockets。

It　is　true　that　he　puzzled　them。　　Even　The　Sky　Pilot；　the　most　astute　and　intelligent　of　them　all；　was　at　a　loss　to　fathom　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　Innocence　and　unsophisti…　cation　flaunted　their　banners　in　almost　every　act　and　speech　of　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　The　youth　reminded　him　in　some　ways　of　members　of　a　Sunday　school　which　had　flourished　in　the　dim　vistas　of　his　past　when；　as　an　or…　dained　minister　of　the　Gospel；　he　had　earned　the　so…　briquet　which　now　identified　him。　　But　the　concrete　evidence　of　the　valuable　loot　comported　not　with　The　Sky　Pilot's　idea　of　a　Sunday　school　boy's　lark。　　The　young　fellow　was；　unquestionably；　a　thief；　but　that　he　had　ever　before　consorted　with　thieves　his　speech　and　manners　belied。

〃He's　got　me；〃　murmured　The　Sky　Pilot；　〃but　he's　got　the　stuff　on　him；　too；　and　all　I　want　is　to　get　it　off　of　him　without　a　painful　operation。　　Tomorrow'll　do；〃　and　he　shifted　his　position　and　fell　asleep。

Dopey　Charlie　and　The　General　did　not；　however；　follow　the　example　of　their　chief。　　They　remained　very　wide　awake；　a　little　apart　from　the　others；　where　their　low　whispers　could　not　be　overheard。

〃You　better　do　it；〃　urged　The　General；　in　a　soft；　in…　sinuating　voice。　　〃You're　pretty　slick　with　the　toad　stab…　ber；　an'　any　way　one　more　or　less　won't　count。〃

〃We　can　go　to　Sout'　America　on　dat　stuff　an'　live　like　gents；〃　muttered　Dopey　Charlie。　　〃I'm　goin'　to　cut　out　de　Hop　an'　buy　a　farm　an'　a　ottymobeel　and〃

〃Come　out　of　it；〃　admonished　The　General。　　〃If　we're　lucky　we'll　get　as　far　as　Cincinnati；　get　a　stew　on　and　get　pinched。　　Den　one　of　us'll　hang　an'　de　other　get　stir　fer　life。〃

The　General　was　a　weasel　faced　person　of　almost　any　age　between　thirty…five　and　sixty。　　Sometimes　he　could　have　passed　for　a　hundred　and　ten。　　He　had　won　his　military　title　as　a　boy　in　the　famous　march　of　Coxey's　army　on　Washington；　or；　rather；　the　title　had　been　con…　ferred　upon　him　in　later　years　as　a　merited　reward　of　service。　　The　General；　profiting　by　the　precepts　of　his　erstwhile　companions　in　arms；　had　never　soiled　his　mil…　itary　escutcheon　by　labor；　nor　had　he　ever　risen　to　the　higher　planes　of　criminality。　　Rather　as　a　mediocre　pick…　pocket　and　a　timorous　confidence　man　had　he　eked　out　a　meager　existence；　amply　punctuated　by　seasons　of　straight　bumming　and　intervals　spent　as　the　guest　of　various　inhospitably　hospitable　states。　　Now；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　The　General　faced　the　possibility　of　a　serious　charge；　and　his　terror　made　him　what　he　never　before　had　been；　a　dangerous　criminal。

〃You're　a　cheerful　guy；〃　commented　Dopey　Charlie；　〃but　you　may　be　right　at　dat。　　Dey　can't　hang　a　guy　any　higher　fer　two　'an　they　can　fer　one　an'　dat's　no　pipe；　so　wots　de　use。　　Wait　till　I　take　a　shotit'll　be　easier；〃　and　he　drew　a　small；　worn　case　from　an　inside　pocket；　bared　his　arm　to　the　elbow　and　injected　enough　mor…　phine　to　have　killed　a　dozen　normal　men。

From　a　pile　of　mouldy　hay　across　the　barn　the　youth；　heavy　eyed　but　sleepless；　watched　the　two　through　half　closed　lids。　　A　qualm　of　disgust　sent　a　sudden　shudder　through　his　slight　frame。　　For　the　first　time　he　almost　re…　gretted　having　embarked　upon　a　life　of　crime。　　He　had　seen　that　the　two　men　were　conversing　together　earn…　estly；　though　he　could　over…hear　nothing　they　said；　and　that　he　had　been　the　subject　of　their　nocturnal　colloquy；　for　several　times　a　glance　or　a　nod　in　his　direction　as…　sured　him　of　this。　　And　so　he　lay　watching　themnot　that　he　was　afraid；　he　kept　reassuring　himself；　but　through　curiosity。　　Why　should　he　be　afraid？　Was　it　not　a　well　known　truth　that　there　was　honor　among　thieves？

But　the　longer　he　watched　the　heavier　grew　his　lids。　Several　times　they　closed　to　be　dragged　open　again　only　by　painful　effort。　　Finally　came　a　time　that　they　remained　closed　and　the　young　chest　rose　and　fell　in　the　regular　breathing　of　slumber。

The　two　ragged；　rat…hearted　creatures　rose　silently　and　picked　their　way；　half…crouched；　among　the　sleepers　sprawled　between　them　and　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　In　the　hand　of　Dopey　Charlie　gleamed　a　bit　of　shiny　steel　and　in　his　heart　were　fear　and　greed。　　The　fear　was　engend…　ered　by　the　belief　that　the　youth　might　be　an　amateur　detective。　　Dopey　Charlie　had　had　one　experience　of　such　and　he　knew　that　it　was　easily　possible　for　them　to　blunder　upon　evidence　which　the　most　experienced　of　operatives　might　pass　over　unnoticed；　and　the　loot　bulg…　ing　pockets　furnished　a　sufficient　greed　motive　in　them…　selves。

Beside　the　boy　kneeled　the　man　with　the　knife。　　He　did　not　raise　his　hand　and　strike　a　sudden；　haphazard　blow。　　Instead　he　placed　the　point　carefully；　though　lightly；　above　the　victim's　heart；　and　then；　suddenly；　bore　his　weight　upon　the　blade。

Abigail　Prim　always　had　been　a　thorn　in　the　flesh　of　her　stepmothera　well…meaning；　unimaginative；　ambitious；　and　rather　common　woman。　　Coming　into　the　Prim　home　as　house…keeper　shortly　after　the　death　of　Abigail's　mother；　the　second　Mrs。　Prim　had　from　the　first　looked　upon　Abigail　principally　as　an　obstacle　to　be　overcome。　　　She　had　tried　to　'do　right　by　her'；　but　she　had　never　given　the　child　what　a　child　most　needs　and　most　craveslove　and　understanding。　　Not　loving　Abigail；　the　house…keeper　could；　naturally；　not　give　her　love；　and　as　for　understanding　her　one　might　as　reasonably　have　ex…　pected　an　adding　machine　to　understand　higher　mathe…　matics。

Jonas　Prim　loved　his　daughter。　　There　was　nothing；　within　reason；　that　money　could　buy　which　he　would　not　have　given　her　for　the　asking；　but　Jonas　Prim's　love；　as　his　life；　was　expressed　in　dollar　signs；　while　the　love　which　Abigail　craved　is　better　expressed　by　any　other　means　at　the　command　of　man。

Being　misunderstood　and；　to　all　outward　appearances　of　sentiment　and　affection；　unloved　had　not　in　any　way　embittered　Abigail's　remarkably　joyous　temperament。　made　up　for　it　in　some　measure　by　getting　all　the　fun　and　excitement　out　of　life　which　she　could　discover　therein；　or　invent　through　the　medium　of　her　own　re…　sourceful　imagination。

But　recently　the　first　real　sorrow　had　been　thrust　into　her　young　life　since　the　half…forgotten　mother　had　been　taken　from　her。　　The　second　Mrs。　Prim　had　decided　that　it　was　her　'duty'　to　see　that　Abigail；　having　finish