the trail of the white mule-第19部分

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！



〃So　you　'n'　me　is　pardners　till　I　say　when。　　We'll　clean　up　some
real　jack　together。　　Minin'　ain't　in　it；　no　more；　with　hootch
runnin'if　yuh　play　it　right。　　The　good　old　White　Mule　goes
under　the　wire；　old…timer；　an'　takes　the　money。　　Burros　is
extinct。〃

〃Burros　ain't　any　extincter　than　what　you'll　be　when　I　git
through　with　yuh；〃　gritted　Casey　savagely；　shutting　off　the　gas。　
〃Bill　Masters　can　like　it　or　notI'm　goin'　to　lick　the　livin'
tar　outa　you　here　an'　now。　　When　I'm　through　with　yuh；　if　you're
able　to　wiggle　the　wheel；　yuh　can　take　your　load　uh　hootch　an'　go
tahell！　I'll　hoof　it　down　here　to　the　next　station　on　the
railroad　an'　ketch　a　ride　back　to　L。　A。〃

Kenner　laughed。　　〃An'　what　would　I　be　doin'；　you　poor　nut？　　Set
here　meek　till　yuh　tell　me　to　git　out　an'　take　a　lickin'？　　Yuh
feel　that　gun　proddin'　yuh　in　the　ribs；　don't　yuh？　　I　can't　help
wonderin'　how　your　wife　would　feel　towards　you　if　you　was　found
with　a　hole　drilled　through　your　middle；　an'　a　carload　uh　booze。　
That'd　jar　the　faith　of　the　most　believin'　woman　on　earth。　　You
take　this　cut…off　road　up　here　an'　drive　till　I　tell　yuh　t'　stop。　
As　you　may　know；　a　man　can't　be　chickenhearted　and　peddle
hootchan'　I'm　called　an　expert。　　So　you　think　that　over；
Caseyan'　drive　purty；　see？〃

Casey　drove　as　〃purty〃　as　was　possible　with　a　six…shooter　pressed
irritatingly　against　his　lowest　floating　rib；　but　he　did　not
dwell　upon　the　spectacle　of　himself　found　dead　with　a　carload　of
booze。　He　wished　to　heaven　he　hadn't　let　the　Little　Woman　talk
him　out　of　packing　a　gun；　and　waited　for　his　chance。

Young　Kenner　was　thoughtful；　brooding　through　the　hours　of
darkness　with　his　head　slightly　bent　and　his　eyes；　so　far　as
Casey　could　determine；　fixed　steadily　on　the　uneven　trail　where
the　headlights　revealed　every　rut；　every　stone；　every　chuck…hole。　
But　Casey　was　not　deceived　by　that　quiescence。　　The　revolver
barrel　never　once　ceased　its　pressure　against　his　side；　and　he
knew　that　young　Kenner　never　for　an　instant　forgot　that　he　was
riding　with　Casey　Ryan　at　the　wheel；　waiting　for　a　chance　to　kill
him。

By　daylight；　such　was　Casey's　driving；　they　were　well　down　the
highway　which　leads　to　Needles　and　on　through　Arizona。　Casey　was
just　thinking　that　they　would　soon　run　out　of　gas；　and　that　he
would　then　have　a　fighting　chance；　when　he　was　startled　almost
into　believing　that　he　had　spoken　his　plan。

〃I　told　you　there's　a　twenty…gallon　tank　on　this　car；　well；　it
holds　twenty…five。　　I've　got　a　special　carburetor　that　gives　an
actual　mileage　of　twenty…two　miles　to　the　gallon　on　ordinary
desert　roads。　I　filled　'er　till　she　run　over　at　Victorvilleand
I　notice　you're　easy　on　the　gas　with　your　drivin'。　　Figure　it
yourself；　Casey；　and　don't　be　countin'　on　a　stop　till　I'm　ready
t'　stop。〃

Casey　grunted；　more　crestfallen　than　he　would　ever　admit。　But　he
hadn't　given　up；　the　give…up　quality　had　been　completely
forgotten　when　Casey's　personality　was　being　put　together。　　He
drove　on；　around　the　rubbly　base　of　a　blackened　volcano　long
since　cold　and　bleak；　and　bored　his　way　through　the　sandy　stretch
that　leads　through　Patmos。

Patmos　was　a　place　of　unhappy　memories；　but　he　drove　through　the
little　hamlet　so　fast　that　he　scarcely　thought　of　his　unpleasant
sojourn　there　the　summer　before。　　Young　Kenner　had　fallen　silent
again　and　they　drove　the　sixty　miles　or　so　to　Goffs　with　not　a
word　spoken　between　them。

Casey　spent　most　of　that　time　in　mentally　cursing　the　Ford　for
its　efficiency。　　He　had　prayed　for　blowouts；　a　fouled　timer；　for
something　or　anything　or　everything　to　happen　that　could　possibly
befall　a　Ford。　　He　couldn't　even　make　the　radiator　boil。　　Worst
and　most　persistent　of　his　discomforts　was　the　hard　pressure　of
that　six…shooter　against　his　side。　　Casey　was　positive　that　the
imprint　of　it　would　be　worn　as　a　permanent　brand　upon　his　person
for　the　rest　of　his　life。　　Young　Kenner's　voice　speaking　to　him
came　so　abruptly　that　Casey　jumped。

〃I've　been　thinking　over　your　case；〃　Kenner　said　cheerfully。
〃Stop　right　here　while　we　talk　it　over。〃

Casey　stopped　right　there。

〃I've　changed　my　mind　about　havin'　you　for　a　pardner；〃　young
Kenner　went　on。　　〃You'd　be　a　valuable　man　all　right；　but　when　a
harp　like　you　gets　stubborn…bitter；　my　hunch　tells　me　to　break
away　clean。　You're　a　mickan'　micks　is　all　alike　when　they　git　a
grudge。　I　can't　be　bothered　keepin'　yuh　under　my　eye　all　the
time；　and　the　way　I've　felt　yuh　oozin'　venom　all　this　while　shows
me　I'd　have　to。　An'　bumpin'　yuh　off　would　be　neither　pleasant　ner
safe。

〃Now；　the　way　I've　doped　this　out；　　I'm　goin'　to　sell　yuh　the
outfit　fer　just　what　jack　yuh　got　in　your　clothes。　　Fork　it　over；
an'　I'll　give　yuh　the　layout　just　as　she　stands。〃

〃Yuh　better　wait　till　Casey　says　he　wants　t'　buy！〃　　Swallowing
resentment　all　night　had　made　his　voice　husky；　and　it　was　bitter
indeed　to　sit　still　and　hear　himself　called　a　harp　and　a　mick。

〃Why　wait？　　Hand　over　the　roll；　and　that　closes　the　deal。　I
didn't　ask　yuh　would　yuh　buyI'm　givin'　yuh　somethin'　fer　your
money；　is　all。　　I　could　take　it　off　yuh　after　yuh　quit　kickin'
and　drive　your　remains　in　to　this　little　burg；　with　a　tale　of　how
I'd　caught　a　bootlegger　that　resisted　arrest。　　So　fork　over　the
jack；　old…timer。　I　want　to　catch　that　train　over　there　that's
about　ready　to　pull　out。〃　He　prodded　sharply　with　the　gun；　and
Casey　heard　a　click　which　needed　no　explanation。

Casey　fumbled　for　a　minute　inside　his　vest　and　glumly　〃forked
over。〃　Young　Kenner　inspected　the　folded　bank　notes；　smiled　and
slipped　the　flat　bundle　inside　his　shirt。

〃You're　stronger　on　the　bank　roll　than　what　yuh　let　on；〃　he
remarked　contentedly。　　〃I　don't　stand　to　lose　so　much；　after　all。
Sixteen　hundred；　I　make　it。　　What's　in　your　pants　pockets？〃

Casey；　still　balefully　silent；　emptied　first　one　pocket　and　then
the　other　into　Kenner's　cupped　palm。　　With　heavy　sarcasm　he　felt
in　his　watch　pocket　and　produced　a　nickel　slipped　there　after
paying　street…car　fare。　　He　held　it　out　to　young　Kenner　between
his　finger　and　thumb；　still　gazing　straight　before　him。

Young　Kenner　took　it　and　grinned。　　〃Oh；　wellyou're　rich！　　Drive
on　now；　and　when　you　get　about　even　with　that　caboose；　slow　to
twelve　miles　whilst　I　hop　off；　and　then　hit　'er　up　again　an'　keep
'er　goin'。　　If　yuh　don't；　I'll　grab　yuh　fer　a　bootlegger；　sure。
And　I'd　have　the　hull　train　crew　to　help　me　wrassle　yuh　down。
They'd　be　willin'　to　sample　the　evidence；　I　guess；　an'　be
witnesses　against　yuh。　　An'　bear　in　mind；　Casey；　that　yuh　got　a
darned　good　Ford　and　all　its　valuable　contents　for　sixteen
hundred　and　some　odd　bucks。　　If　you　meet　up　with　the　law；　you　can
treat　'em　white　an'　still　break　even　on　the　deal　yuh　just
consummated　with　me。〃

〃Like　hell　I　consummated　the　deal！〃　Casey　was　goaded　into
muttering。

He　drove　abreast　of　the　caboose；　and　at　a　final　prod　in　the　ribs
Casey　slowed　down。　　Young　Kenner　dropped　off　the　running　board；
alighted　running　with　his　body　slanted　backwards　and　his　lips
smiling　friendly…wise。

〃Don't　take　any　bad　moneyan'　don't　let　'em　catch　yuh！〃　he　cried
mockingly；　as　he　headed　for　the　caboose。

At　a　crossing；　two　miles　farther　on；　Casey　came　larruping　out　of
the　sand　hills　and　was　forced　to　wait　while　the　freight　train
went　rattling　past；　headed　east　on　a　downhill　grade。

Young　Kenner；　up　in　the　cupola；　leaned　far　out　and　waved　his　hat
as　the　caboose　flicked　by。



CHAPTER　TWELVE

The　highway　north　from　the　Santa　Fe　Railroad　just　west　of　Needles
climbs　an　imperceptible　grade　across　barren　land　to　where　the
mesa　changes　and　becomes　potentially　fertile。　　Up　this　road；
going　north；　a　cloud　of　yellow　dust　rolled　swiftly。　　See　at　close
range；　the　nose　of　a　dingy　Ford　protruded　slightly　in　front　of
the　enveloping　cloud　and　behind　it　Casey　Ryan；　hard…eyed　and
with　his　jaw　set　to　the　fighting　mood；　gripped　the　wheel　and
drove　as　if　he　had　a　grudge　against　the　road。

At　the　first　signpost　Casey　canted　a　malevolent　eye　upward　and
went　lurching　by　at　top　speed。　　The　car　bulked　black　for　a
moment；　dimmed；　and　merged　into　the　fleeing　cloud　that　presently
seemed　no　more　than　a　dust…devil　whirling　across　the　mesa。　　At
the　second　signpost　Casey　slowed；　his　eyes　dwelling　speculatively
upon　the　legend：

〃JUNIPER　WELLS　3　M〃

The　arrow　pointed　to　the　right　where　a　narrow；　little…used　trail
angled　crookedly　away　through　the　greasewood。　　Casey　gave　a
deciding　twist　to　the　steering　wheel　and　turned　into　the　trail。

Juniper　Wells　is　not　nearly　so　nice　a　place　as　it　sounds。　　But　it
is　the　first　water　north　of　the　Santa　Fe；　and　now　and　then　a
wayfarer　of　the　desert　leaves　the　main　highway　and　turns　that
way；　driven　by　necessity。　　It　is　a　secluded　spot；　too
unattractive　to　tempt　people　to　linger；　because　of　its　very
seclusion　it　therefore　tempted　Casey　Ryan。

When　a　man　has　driven　a　Ford　fifteen　hours　without　once　leaving
the　wheel　or　taking　a　drink　of　water　or　a　mouthful　of　food；
however　great　his　trouble　or　his　haste；　his　first　thought　will　be
of　water；　food　and　rest。　　Even　Casey's　deadly　rage　at　the
diabolical　trick　played　upon　him　could　not　hold　his　thoughts　from
dwelling　upon　bacon　and　coffee　and　a　good　sleep　afterwards。

Wind　and　rain　and　more　wind；　buffeting　that　trail　since　the　last
car　had　passed；　made　〃heavy　going。〃　　The　Ford　labored　up　small
hills　and　across　gullies；　dipping　downward　at　last　to　Juniper
Wells；　there　Casey　stopped　close　beside　the　blackened　embers　left
by　some　forgotten　traveler　of　the　wild。　　He　slid　stiffly　from
behind　the　wheel　to　the　vacant　seat　beside　him；　and　climbed　out
like　the　old　man　he　had　last　night　determined　never　to　become。　
He　walked　away　a　few　paces；　turned　and　stood　glaring　back　at　the
car　as　if　familiarizing　himself　with　an　object　little　known　and
hated　much。

Fate；　he　felt；　had　played　a　shabby　trick　upon　an　honest　man。　
Here　he　stood；　a　criminal　in　the　eyes　of　the　law；　a　liar　in　the
eyes　of　the　missus。　　An　honest　man　and　a　truthful；　here　he
washe；　Casey　Ryanactually　afraid　to　face　his　fellow　men。

〃HE　wasn't　no　friend　of　Bill　Masters；　the　divil　himself　wouldn'ta
owned　him　fer　a　friend！〃　snarled　Casey；　thinking　of　Kenner。　
〃Me　CASEY　RYAN！with