the trail of the white mule-第25部分

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midnight。　Take　no　unnecessary　risk；　this　is　more　important　than
you　know。〃

Nolan's　crisp　tone　of　authority　remained　with　Casey　mile　upon
mile。　And　such　was　the　Casey　Ryan　driving　that　midnight　found　him
coasting　into　Bill　Masters'　garage　in　Lund　with　the　motor　shut
off　and　a　grin　on　the　Casey　Ryan　face。



CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN

Mack　Nolan　had　just　crawled　into　his　bunk　on　Wednesday　night　when
he　thought　he　heard　a　car　laboring　up　the　gulch。　　He　sat　up　in
bed　to　listen　and　then　got　hurriedly　into　his　clothes。　　He　was
standing　just　around　the　corner　of　the　dugout　where　the
headlights　could　not　reach　him；　when　Casey　killed　the　engine　and
stopped　before　the　door。　Steam　was　rising　in　a　small　cloud　from
the　radiator　cap；　and　the　sound　of　boiling　water　was　distinctly
audible　some　distance　away。

Mack　Nolan　waited　until　Casey　had　climbed　out　from　behind　the
wheel　and　headed　for　the　door。　　Then　he　stepped　out　and　hailed
him。　　Casey　started　perceptibly；　whirling　as　if　to　face　an　enemy。　
When　he　saw　that　it　was　Nolan　he　apparently　lost　his　desire　to
enter　the　cabin。　Instead　he　came　close　to　Nolan　and　spoke　in　a
hoarse　whisper。

〃We　better　run　'er　under　the　shed；　Mr。　Nolan；　and　drain　the
darned　radiator。　　I　dunno　am　I　follered　or　not；　but　I　was　awhile
back。　But　the　man　that　catches　Casey　Ryan　when　he's　on　the　trail
an'　travelin；　has　yet　t'　be　born。　　An'　you　can　ask　anybody　if
that　ain't　so。〃

Mack　Nolan's　eyes　narrowed。　　〃And　who　followed　you　then？〃　he
asked　quietly。　〃Did　you　bring　any　hootch？〃

〃Did　yuh　send　Casey　Ryan　after　hootch；　or　was　it　mebby　spuds　er
somethin'？〃　　Casey　retorted　with　heavy　dignity。　　〃Will　yuh　pack
it　in；　Mr。　Nolan；　whilst　I　back　the　car　in　the　shed；　or　shall　I
bring　it　when　I　come？　　It　ain't　so　much；〃　he　added　drily；　　〃but
it　cost　the　trouble　of　a　trainload。〃

〃I'll　take　it　in；〃　said　Nolan。　　〃If　any　one　does　come　we　want　no
evidence　in　reach。〃

Casey　turned　to　the　car；　clawed　at　his　camp　outfit　and　lifted　out
a　demijohn　which　he　grimly　handed　to　Nolan。　　〃Fer　many　a　mile　it
rode　on　the　seat　with　me　so　I　could　drink　'er　down　if　they　got　me
cornered；〃　he　grinned。　　〃One　good　swaller　is　about　the　size　of
it；　Mr。　Nolan。〃

Nolan　grinned　in　sympathy　and　turned　into　the　cabin；　bearing　the
three…gallon；　wicker…covered　glass　bottle　in　his　arms。　　Presently
he　returned　to　the　doorway　and　stood　there　listening　down　the
gulch　until　Casey　came　up；　walking　from　the　shed。

〃'Tis　a　good　thing　yuh　left　this　other　car　standin'　here　cold　an'
peaceful；　Mr。　Nolan；〃　Casey；　observed；　after　he　also　had　stood
for　a　minute　listening。　　〃If　they're　follerin'　they'll　be　here
darn'　soon。　If　they　ain't　I've　ditched　'em。　　Let's　git　t'　bed　an'
I'll　tell　yuh　my　tale　uh　woe。〃

Without　a　word　Nolan　led　the　way　into　the　cabin。　　In　the　dark
they　undressed　and　got　into　the　bed　which　was　luckily　wide　enough
for　two。

〃Had　your　supper？〃　　Nolan　asked　belatedly　when　they　were　settled。

〃I　did　not；〃　Casey　grunted。　　〃I　will　say；　Mr。　Nolan；　there's　few
times　in　my　life　when　you'd　see　Casey　Ryan　missin'　'is　supper
whilst　layin'　tracks　away　from　a　fight。　　But　if　it　was　light
enough　you　could　gaze　upon　'im　now。　　And　I　must　hand　it　t'　the
Gallopin'　Gussie　yuh　give　me　the　loan　of　fer　the　trip。　　She　brung
me　home　ahead　of　the　sheriffand　you　can　ask　anybody　if　Casey
Ryan　himself　can't　be　proud　uh　that！〃

〃The　sheriff？〃　Nolan's　voice　was　puzzled。　　He　seemed　to　be　
considering　something　for　a　minute；　before　he　spoke　again。　　〃You
could　have　explained　to　the　sheriff；　couldn't　you；　your　reason
for　having　booze　in　the　car？〃

Casey　raised　to　one　elbow。　　〃When　yuh　told　Casey　Ryan　'twas　not
many　men　you'd　trust；　and　that　you　trusted　me　an'　the　business
was　t'　be　secretMr。　Nolan；　you　'was　talkin'　t'　CASEY　RYAN！〃　He
lay　down　again　as　if　that　precluded　further　argument。

〃Good！　I　thought　I　hadn't　made　a　mistake　in　my　man；〃　Nolan
approved；　in　a　tone　that　gave　Casey　an　inner　glow　of　pride　in
himself。　　〃Let's　have　the　story；　old　man。　　Did　you　see　Bill
Masters？〃

〃Bill　Masters；〃　said　Casey　grimly；　〃was　not　in　Lund。　　His　garage
is　sold　an；　Bill's　in　Denverwhich　is　a　long　drive　for　a　Ford　t'
git　there　an；　back　before　Friday　midnight。　　Yuh　put　a　time　limit
me；　Mr。　Nolan；　an'　nobody　had　Bill's　address。　　I　didn't　foller
Bill　t'　Denver。　　I　asked　some　others　in　Lund　if　they　knowed　a　man
named　Kenner；　and　they　did　not。　　So　then　I　went　huntin'　booze
that　I　could　git　without　the　hull　of　Nevada　knowin'　it　in　fifteen
minutes。　　An'　Casey's　got　this　t'　say：　When　yuh　WANT　hootch。　it's
hard　t'　find　as　free　gold　in　granite。　　When　yuh　DON'T　want　it；
it's　forced　on　yuh　at　the　point　of　a　gun。　　This　jug　I
stoleseein'　your　business　is　private；　Mr。　Nolan。

〃I　grabbed　it　off　some　fellers　I　knowed　in　Lund　an'　never　had　no
use　for；　anyway。　　They're　mean　enough　when　they're　sober；　an'
when　they're　jagged　they're　not　t'　be　mentioned　on　a　Sunday。　　I
mighta　paid　'em　for　it；　but　money's　no　good　t'　them　fellers　an'
there's　no　call　t'　waste　it。　　So　they　made　a　holler　and　I　sets
the　jug　down　an'　licks　them　both；　an'　comes　along　home　mindin'　my
own　business。

〃So　I　guess　they　'phoned　the　sheriff　in　Vegas　that　here　comes　a
bootlegger　and　land　'im　quick。　　Anyway；　I　was　goin'　t'　stop　there
an'　take　on　a　beefsteak　an'　a　few　cups　uh　coffee；　but　I　never
done　it。　　I　was　slowin'　down　in　front　uh　Sam's　Place　when　a
friend　uh　mine　gives　me　the　high　sign　t'　put　'er　in　high　an'　keep
'er　goin'。　Which　I　done。

〃Down　by　Ladd's；　Casey　looks　back　an'　here　comes　the　sheriff's
car　hell　bent　fer　'lection　（anyway　it　looked　like　the　sheriff's
car）。　An'　I　wanta　say　right　here；　Mr。　Nolan；　that's　a　darn'　good
Ford　yuh　got！　　I　was　follered；　and　'I　was　follered　hard。　　But　I'm
here　an'　they'　ain'tan'　you　can　ask　anybody　if　that　didn't　take
some　going'！〃

In　the　darkness　of　the　cabin　Casey　turned　over　and　heaved　a　great
sigh。　　On　the　heels　of　that　came　a　chuckle。

〃I　got　t'　hand　it　t'　the　L。　A。　traffic　cops；　Mr。　Nolan。　　They
shore　learned　me　a　lot　about　dodgin'。　　So　now　yuh　got　the　hull
story。　If　it　was　the　sheriff　behind　me　an'　if　he　trails　me　here；
they　got　no　evidence　an'　you　can　mebby　square　it　with　'im。　　You'd
know　what　t'　tell　'imwhich　is　more'n　what　Casey　Ryan　can　say。〃

Casey　fell　asleep　immediately　afterward；　but　Mack　Nolan　lay　for　a
long　while　with　his　eyes　wide　open　and　his　ears　alert　for　strange
sounds　in　the　gulch。　　He　was　a　new　man　in　this　district；　working
independently　of　sheriff's　offices。　　Casey　Ryan　was　the　first　man
he　had　confided　in；　all　others　were　fair　game　for　Nolan　to　prove
honest　or　dishonest　with　the　government。　　The　very　nature　of　his
business　made　it　so。　　For　when　whisky　runners　drove　openly　in
broad　daylight　through　the　country　with　their　unlawful　loads；
somewhere　along　the　line　officers　of　the　law　were　sharing　the
profits。　Nolan　knew　none　of　them；by　sight。　　If　he　carried　the
records　of　some　safely　memorized　and　pigeonholed　for　future　use；
that　was　his　own　business。　Mack　Nolan's　thoughts　were　his　own　and
he　guarded　them　jealously　and　slept　with　his　lips　tightly　closed。　
He　wanted　no　sheriff　coming　to　him　for　explanation　of　his
movements。　　Wherefore　he　listened　long；　and　when　he　slept　his
slumber　was　light。

At　daylight　he　was　up　and　abroad。　　Two　hours　after　sunrise　Casey
awoke　with　the　smell　of　breakfast　in　his　nostrils。　　He　rolled
over　and　blinked　at　Mack　Nolan　standing　with　his　hat　on　the　back
of　his　head　and　a　cigarette　between　his　lips；　calmly　turning
three　hot…cakes　with　a　kitchen　knife。　　Casey　grinned
condescendingly。　　He　himself　turned　his　cakes　by　the　simple
process　of　tossing　them　in　the　air　a　certain　kind　of　flip；　and
catching　them　dexterously　as　they　came　down。　　Right　there　he
decided　that　Mack　Nolan　was　not　after　all　a　real　outdoors　man。

〃Well；　the　sheriff　didn't　arrive　last　night；〃　Nolan　observed
cheerfully；　when　he　saw　that　Casey　was　awake。　　〃I　don't　much　look
for　him；　either。　　Your　driving　on　past　the　turn　to　Juniper　Wells
and　coming　up　that　other　old　road　very　likely　threw　him　off　the
track。　　You　must　have　been　close　to　the　State　line　then　and　he
gave　you　up　as　a　bad　job。〃

〃It　was　a　GOOD　job！〃　　Casey　maintained　reaching　for　his　clothes。
〃I　made　'em　think　I　was　headed　clean　outa　the　country。　　If　they
knowed　who　it　was　at　all；　they'd　know　I　belong　in　L。　A。；　and　I
figured　they'd　guess　I　was　headed　there。　　They　stopped　for
something　this　side　of　Searchlight　an'　so　I　pulls　away　from　'em　a
couple　of　miles。　　They　never　seen　where　I　went　to。〃

While　he　washed　for　breakfast；　Casey　began　to　take　stock　of
certain　minor　injuries。

〃That　darned　Pete　Gibson　has　got　tushes　in　his　mouth　like　a　wild
hawg；　the　kind　that　sticks　out；〃　he　grumbled；　touching　certain
skinned　places　on　his　knuckles。　　〃Every　time　I　landed　on　'im
yesterday　I　run　against　them　tushes　uh　his'n。〃　　But　he　added　with
a　grin；　〃They　ain't　so　solid　as　they　was　when　I　met　up　with　'im。　
I　felt　one　of　'em　give　'fore　I　got　through。〃

〃Brings　the　price　of　moonshine　up　a　bit；　doesn't　it？〃　　Nolan
suggested　drily。　　〃I　rather　think　you　might　better　have　paid　the
men　their　price。　A　fight　is　well　enough　in　its　wayI'm　Irish
myself。　　But　as　my　agent；　Ryan；　the　main　idea　is　to　let　the　law
fight　for　you。　　Our　work　is　merely　to　give　the　law　a　chance。　　I
like　your　not　wanting　to　explain　to　the　sheriff。　　Prohibition
officers　do　not　explain；　as　a　rule。　The　law　behind　them　does
that。　

〃And　since　the　price　seems　to　be　rather　hard　on　the　knuckles〃
He　glanced　down　at　Casey's　hands　and　grinned〃I　think　it　may
come　cheaper　to　make　the　stuff　ourselves。　　Licking　two　men　for
three　gallons；　and　getting　the　officers　at　your　tail　light　into
the　bargain；　is　all　right　as　an　experiment；　but　I　don't　believe；
Ryan；　we　ought　to　adopt　that　as　a　habit。

Casey　cocked　an　eye　up　at　him。　　〃Did　yuh　ever　make　White　Mule；
Mr。　Nolan？　he　asked　grimly。

Nolan　laughed　his　easy　little　chuckle。　〃Why；　no；　Ryan；　I　never
did。　Did　you？〃

〃Naw。　　I　seen　some　made　once；　but　I　had　too　much　of　it　inside　me
at　the　time　to　learn　the　receipt　for　it。　　I'd　rather　steal　it；　if
it's　all　the　same　to　you；　Mr。　Nolan。〃　　His　hand　went　up　to　the
back　of　his　head　and　moved　forward；　although　there　was　no　hat　to
push。　〃I've　lived　honest