the outlet-第34部分

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drift　at　will。　The　recent　shooting　on　the　North　Platte　had　been　witnessed　by　nearly　every　one　present；　and　was　suggestive　of　other　scenes。

〃I　have　always　contended；〃　said　Dorg　Seay；　〃that　the　man　who　can　control　his　temper　always　shoots　the　truest。　You　take　one　of　these　fellows　that　can　smile　and　shoot　at　the　same　timethey　are　the　boys　that　I　want　to　stand　in　with。　But　speaking　of　losing　the　temper；　did　any　of　you　ever　see　a　woman　real　angry；not　merely　cross；　but　the　tigress　in　her　raging　and　thirsting　to　tear　you　limb　from　limb？　I　did　only　once；　but　I　have　never　forgotten　the　occasion。　In　supreme　anger　the　only　superior　to　this　woman　I　ever　witnessed　was　Captain　Cartwright　when　he　shot　the　slayer　of　his　only　son。　He　was　as　cool　as　a　cucumber；　as　his　only　shot　proved；　but　years　afterward　when　he　told　me　of　the　incident；　he　lost　all　control　of　himself；　and　fire　flashed　from　his　eyes　like　from　the　muzzle　of　a　sixshooter。'Dorg；'　said　he；　unconsciously　shaking　me　like　a　terrier　does　a　rat；　his　blazing　eyes　not　a　foot　from　my　face；'dorg；　when　I　shot　that　cowardly　；　I　didn't　miss　the　centre　of　his　forehead　the　width　of　my　thumb　nail。'

〃But　this　woman　defied　a　throng　of　men。　Quite　a　few　of　the　crowd　had　assisted　the　night　before　in　lynching　her　husband；　and　this　meeting　occurred　at　the　burying…ground　the　next　afternoon。　The　woman's　husband　was　a　well…known　horse…thief；　a　dissolute；　dangerous　character；　and　had　been　warned　to　leave　the　community。　He　lived　in　a　little　village；　and　after　darkness　the　evening　before；　had　crept　up　to　a　window　and　shot　a　man　sitting　at　the　supper…table　with　his　family。　The　murderer　had　harbored　a　grudge　against　his　victim；　had　made　threats；　and　before　he　could　escape；　was　caught　red…handed　with　the　freshly　fired　pistol　in　his　hand。　The　evidence　of　guilt　was　beyond　question；　and　a　vigilance　committee　didn't　waste　any　time　in　hanging　him　to　the　nearest　tree。

〃The　burying　took　place　the　next　afternoon。　The　murdered　man　was　a　popular　citizen；　and　the　village　and　country　turned　out　to　pay　their　last　respects。　But　when　the　services　were　over；　a　number　of　us　lingered　behind；　as　it　was　understood　that　the　slayer　as　well　as　his　victim　would　be　interred　in　the　same　grounds。　A　second　grave　had　been　prepared；　and　within　an　hour　a　wagon　containing　a　woman；　three　small　children；　and　several　Mexicans　drove　up　to　the　rear　side　of　the　inelosure。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　party；　the　coffin　was　carried　in　to　the　open　grave；　when　every　one　present　went　over　to　offer　friendly　services。　But　as　we　neared　the　little　group　the　woman　picked　up　a　shovel　and　charged　on　us　like　a　tigress。　I　never　saw　such　an　expression　of　mingled　anger　and　anguish　in　a　human　countenance　as　was　pictured　in　that　woman　s　face。　We　shrank　from　her　as　if　she　had　been　a　lioness；　and　when　at　last　she　found　her　tongue；　every　word　cut　like　a　lash。　Livid　with　rage；　the　spittle　frothing　from　her　mouth；　she　drove　us　away；　saying：　〃Oh；　you　fiends　of　hell；　when　did　I　ask　your　help？　Like　the　curs　you　are；　you　would　lick　up　the　blood　of　your　victim！　Had　you　been　friends　to　me　or　mine；　why　did　you　not　raise　your　voice　in　protest　when　they　were　strangling　the　life　out　of　the　father　of　my　children？　Away；　you　cowardly　hounds！　I've　hired　a　few　Mexicans　to　help　me；　and　I　want　none　of　your　sympathy　in　this　hour。　Was　it　your　hand　that　cut　him　down　from　the　tree　this　morning；　and　if　it　was　not；　why　do　I　need　you　now？　Is　my　shame　not　enough　in　your　eyes　but　that　you　must　taunt　me　further？　Do　my　innocent　children　want　to　look　upon　the　faces　of　those　who　robbed　them　of　a　father？　If　there　is　a　spark　of　manhood　left　in　one　of　you；　show　it　by　leaving　me　alone！　And　you　other　scum；　never　fear　but　that　you　will　clutter　hell　in　reward　for　last　night's　work。　Begone；　and　leave　me　with　my　dead！

The　circus　had　ended。　The　lateness　of　the　hour　was　unobserved　by　any　one　until　John　Levering　asked　me　if　he　should　bring　in　my　horse。　It　lacked　less　than　half　an　hour　until　the　guards　should　change；　and　it　was　high　time　our　outfit　was　riding　for　camp。　The　innate　modesty　of　my　wrangler；　in　calling　attention　to　the　time；　was　not　forgotten；　but　instead　of　permitting　him　to　turn　servant；　I　asked　him　to　help　our　cook　look　after　his　utensils。　On　my　return　to　the　wagon；　Parent　was　trying　to　quiet　a　nervous　horse　so　as　to　allow　him　to　carry　the　Dutch　oven　returning。　But　as　Levering　was　in　the　act　of　handing　up　the　heavy　oven；　one　of　Forrest's　men；　hoping　to　make　the　animal　buck；　attempted　to　place　a　briar　stem　under　the　horse's　tail。　Sponsilier　detected　the　movement　in　time　to　stop　it；　and　turning　to　the　culprit；　said：　〃None　of　that；　my　bully　boy。　I　have　no　objection　to　killing　a　cheap　cow…hand；　but　these　cooks　have　won　me；　hands　down。　If　ever　I　run　across　a　girl　who　can　make　as　good　pies　as　we　had　for　supper；　she　can　win　the　affections　of　my　young　and　trusting　heart。〃



CHAPTER　XVII。　WATER…BOUND

Our　route　was　carrying　us　to　the　eastward　of　the　Black　Hills。　The　regular　trail　to　the　Yellowstone　and　Montana　points　was　by　the　way　of　the　Powder　River；　through　Wyoming；　but　as　we　were　only　grazing　across　to　our　destination；　the　most　direct　route　was　adopted。　The　first　week　after　leaving　the　Niobrara　was　without　incident；　except　the　meeting　with　a　band　of　Indians；　who　were　gathering　and　drying　the　wild　fruit　in　which　the　country　abounded。　At　first　sighting　their　camp　we　were　uneasy；　holding　the　herd　close　together；　but　as　they　proved　friendly；　we　relaxed　and　shared　our　tobacco　with　the　men。　The　women　were　nearly　all　of　one　stature；　short；　heavy；　and　repulsive　in　appearance；　while　the　men　were　tall；　splendid　specimens　of　the　aborigines；　and　as　uniform　in　a　dozen　respects　as　the　cattle　we　were　driving。　Communication　was　impossible；　except　by　signs；　but　the　chief　had　a　letter　of　permission　from　the　agent　at　Pine　Ridge；　allowing　himself　and　band　a　month's　absence　from　the　reservation　on　a　berrying　expedition。　The　bucks　rode　with　us　for　hours；　silently　absorbed　in　the　beeves；　and　towards　evening　turned　and　galloped　away　for　their　encampment。

It　must　have　been　the　latter　part　of　July　when　we　reached　the　South　Fork　of　the　Big　Cheyenne　River。　The　lead　was　first　held　by　oiie　and　then　the　other　herd；　but　on　reaching　that　watercourse；　we　all　found　it　more　formidable　than　we　expected。　The　stage　of　water　was　not　only　swimming；　but　where　we　struck　it；　the　river　had　an　abrupt　cut…bank　on　one　side　or　the　other。　Sponsilier　happened　to　be　in　the　lead；　and　Forrest　and　myself　held　back　to　await　the　decision　of　the　veteran　foreman。　The　river　ran　on　a　northwest　angle　where　we　encountered　it；　and　Dave　followed　down　it　some　distance　looking　for　a　crossing。　The　herds　were　only　three　or　four　miles　apart；　and　assistance　could　have　been　rendered　each　other；　but　it　was　hardly　to　be　expected　that　an　older　foreman　would　ask　either　advice　or　help　from　younger　ones。　Hence　Quince　and　myself　were　in　no　hurry；　nor　did　we　intrude　ourselves　on　David　the　pathfinder；　but　sought　out　a　crossing　up　the　river　and　on　our　course。　A　convenient　riffle　was　soon　found　in　the　river　which　would　admit　the　passage　of　the　wagons　without　rafting；　if　a　cut…hank　on　the　south　side　could　be　overcome。　There　was　an　abrupt　drop　of　about　ten　feet　to　the　water　level；　and　I　argued　that　a　wagon…way　could　be　easily　cut　in　the　hank　and　the　commissaries　lowered　to　the　river's　edge　with　a　rope　to　the　rear　axle。　Forrest　also　favored　the　idea；　and　I　was　authorized　to　cross　the　wagons　in　case　a　suitable　ford　could　be　found　for　the　cattle。　My　aversion　to　manual　labor　was　quite　pronounced；　yet　John　Q。　Forrest　wheedled　me　into　accepting　the　task　of　making　a　wagon…road。　About　a　mile　above　the　riffle；　a　dry　wash　cut　a　gash　in　the　bluff　bank　on　the　opposite　side；　which　promised　the　necessary　passageway　for　the　herds　out　of　the　river。　The　slope　on　the　south　side　was　gradual；　affording　an　easy　inlet　to　the　water；　the　only　danger　being　on　the　other　bank；　the　dry　wash　not　being　over　thirty　feet　wide。　But　we　both　agreed　that　by　putting　the　cattle　in　well　above　the　passageway；　even　if　the　current　was　swift；　an　easy　and　successful　ford　would　result。　Forrest　volunteered　to　cross　the　cattle；　and　together　we　returned　to　the　herds　for　dinner。

Quince　allowed　me　one　of　his　men　besides　the　cook；　and　detailed　Clay　Zilligan　to　assist　with　the　wagons。　We　took　my　remuda；　the　spades　and　axes；　and　started　for　the　riffle。　The　commissaries　had　orders　to　follow　up；　and　Forrest　rode　away　with　a　supercilious　air；　as　if　the　crossing　of　wagons　was　beneath　the　attention　of　a　foreman　of　his　standing。　Several　hours　of　hard　work　were　spent　with　the　implements　at　hand　in　cutting　the　wagon…way　through　the　bank；　after　which　my　saddle　horses　were　driven　up　and　down；　and　when　it　was　pronounced　finished；　it　looked　more　like　a　beaver…slide　than　a　roadway。　But　a　strong　stake　was　cut　and　driven　into　the　ground；　and　a　corral…rope　taken　from　the　axle　to　it；　without　detaching　the　teams；　the　wagons　were　eased　down　the　incline　and　crossed　in　safety；　the　water　not　being　over　three　feet　deep　in　the　shallows。　I　was　elated　over　the　ease　and　success　of　my　task；　when　Zilligan　called　attention　to　the　fact　that　the　first　herd　had　not　yet　crossed。　The　chosen　ford　was　out　of　sight；　but　had　the　cattle　been　crossing；　we　could　have　easily　seen　them　on　the　mesa　opposite。　〃Well；〃　said　Clay；　〃the　wagons　are　over；　and　what's　more；　all　the　mules　in　the　three　outfits　couldn't　bring　one　of　them　back　up　that　cliff。〃

We　mounted　our　horses；　paying　no　attention　to　Zilligan's　note　of　warning；　and　started　up　the　river。　But　before　we　came　in　view　of　the　ford；　a　great　shouting　reached　our　cars；　and　giving　our　horses　the　rowel；　we　rounded　a　bend；　only　to　be　confronted　with　the　river　full　of　cattle　which　had　missed　the　passageway　out　on　the　farther　side。　A　glance　at　the　situation　revealed　a　dangerous　predicament；　as　the　swift　water　and　the　contour　of　the　river　held　the　animals　on　the　farther　side　or　under　the　cut…bank。　In　numerous　places　there　was　footing　on　the　narrow　ledges　to　which　the　beeves　clung　like　shipwrecked　sailors；　constantly　crowding　each　other　off　into　the　current　and　being　carried　downstream　hundreds　of　yards　before　again　catching　a　foothold。　Above　and　below　the　chosen　ford；　the　river　made　a　long　gradual　bend；　the　current　and　deepest　wat