hr.thecarpetbaggers-第14部分

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　He　plunged　his　head　in　and　washed　the　vomit　from　his　face　and　clothing。　Then；　still　dripping；　he　straightened　up　and　looked　around。
　His　father's　horse　was　gone　but　the　six　mules　were　browsing　unconcernedly　in　the　corral　and　the　wagon　was　still　under　the　lean…to　in　back　of　the　cabin。　The　four　sheep　and　the　chickens　of　which　his　mother　had　been　so　proud　were　still　in　the　pen。
　He　wiped　his　arms　across　his　eyes。　He　had　to　do　something；　he　thought　vaguely。　But　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　bury　what　was　in　the　cabin。　They　weren't　his　mother　and　father；　his　parents　could　never　look　like　that。　There　was　only　one　thing　to　do。
　He　walked　over　to　the　stack　of　firewood　and　gathered　up　an　armful。　Then　he　walked　back　into　the　house　and　put　it　down　on　the　floor。　It　took　him　almost　a　half　hour　until　firewood　lay　covering　the　floor　like　a　blanket；　three　layers　thick。　He　looked　at　it　thoughtfully　for　a　moment　then　turned　and　went　outside　again。
　He　took　the　harness　down　from　the　lean…to　wall　and　hitched　the　mules　up　to　the　wagon。　He　picked　up　a　crate　and　went　through　the　pen；　throwing　all　the　chickens　into　it。　He　placed　the　crate　in　the　wagon。　Then　one　by　one；　he　lifted　the　sheep　into　the　wagon　and　tied　them　to　the　floor　rings。
　He　led　the　team　of　mules　and　the　wagon　around　to　the　front　of　the　cabin　and　tied　the　bay　horse's　lead　to　the　back　of　the　wagon。　Then　he　walked　them　all　to　the　road　about　two　hundred　yards　from　the　house　and　tethered　the　team　to　a　small　scrub　tree　and　went　back　to　the　house。
　He　picked　up　the　pitch　bucket　and　went　inside。　Slowly　he　smeared　the　pitch　over　the　firewood　that　lay　on　the　floor。　He　kept　his　eyes　down　and　away　from　the　bodies　of　his　parents。　He　stopped　at　the　door　and　smeared　the　last　of　the　pitch　on　that。
　He　hesitated　a　moment；　then　remembering　something；　he　went　back　into　the　cabin。　He　reached　up　on　the　shelf　where　his　father　had　kept　his　rifle　and　pistol　but　they　were　not　there。　He　pushed　his　hand　farther　along　the　shelf　and　felt　something　soft。　He　took　it　down。
　It　was　a　new　buckskin　shirt　and　breeches　his　mother　had　made　for　him。　It　was　bright　and　soft　and　clean…chamois　colored。　Again　his　eyes　filled　with　sudden　tears。　He　rolled　it　up　under　his　arm　and　went　back　to　the　door。
　He　held　a　match　to　the　pitch　stick　until　it　was　blazing　brightly。　After　holding　it　for　a　second　more　to　make　sure；　he　threw　it　into　the　cabin　and　stepped　back　from　the　open　door。
　He　looked　up　at　the　sky　in　sudden　surprise。　The　sun　had　just　gone　down　and　night　had　fallen　in　quick　anger。　The　stars　stared　balefully　down　on　him。
　A　cloud　of　heavy；　billowing　smoke　poured　out　of　the　doorway。　Suddenly；　there　was　a　crack　like　thunder　and　a　flame　leaped　through　the　doorway　as　the　tinder…dry　wood　caught　fire。
　He　walked　down　to　the　road　and　got　up　on　the　wagon　and　began　to　drive　to　town。　He　did　not　look　back　until　three　miles　later；　when　he　reached　the　top　of　a　small　rise。
　There　was　a　bright…orange　flame　reaching　high　into　the　sky　where　his　home　had　been。
　
　5
　
　HE　DROVE　THE　WAGON　INTO　THE　YARD　BEHIND　Olsen's　Livery　Stable。　Then　he　got　down　and　walked　across　to　the　house　that　stood　next　to　it。　He　climbed　up　the　back　steps　and　knocked　at　the　door。　
　〃Mister　Olsen；〃　he　called　out。
　A　shadow　darkened　the　light　of　the　window。　The　door　opened　and　Olsen　stood　there。　〃Max！〃　he　said。　〃What　you　doin'　back　here？〃
　Max　stared　up　into　Olsen's　face。　〃They　killed　my　ma　and　pa；〃　he　said。
　〃Killed？〃　Olsen　exclaimed　in　surprise。　'〃Who　killed？〃　
　Attracted　by　the　sound　of　her　husband's　voice；　Mrs。　Olsen　appeared　in　the　doorway　behind　him。
　〃The　three　men；〃　Max　said。　〃They　asked　me　an'　I　gave　them　the　directions　to　my　house。　An'　they　killed　'em。〃　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　his　voice　almost　broke。　〃An'　they　stole　Pa's　hoss　an'　took　his　rifle　an'　pistol；　too。〃
　Mrs。　Olsen　saw　into　the　shock　that　lay　behind　the　boy's　fa？ade　of　calm。　She　pushed　her　husband　out　of　the　way　and　reached　out　to　Max。　〃You　e　inside　an'　let　me　fix　you　somethin'　hot　to　drink；〃　she　said。
　He　looked　into　her　eyes。　〃They　ain't　time；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃I　got　to　be　gettin'　after　them。〃　He　turned　to　Olsen。　〃I　got　the　mules　an'　the　wagon　an'　four　sheep　an'　sixteen　chickens　outside　in　the　yard。　Would　you　give　me　a　hundred　dollars　an'　the　pinto　for　'em？〃
　Olsen　nodded。　〃Why；　sure；　boy；〃　he　said。　The　mules　and　the　wagon　alone　were　worth　three　times　that。　〃I'll　even　give　you　the　big　bay　if　you　want。　He's　a　better　hoss。　An'　I'll　throw　in　a　saddle；　too。〃
　Max　shook　his　head。　〃No；　thank　you；　Mr。　Olsen。　I　want　a　pony　I　can　ride　without　a　saddle　an'　one　that's　used　to　the　plains。　He　won't　have　as　much　to　tote　an'　I'll　move　faster　that　way。〃
　〃All　right；　if　that's　the　way　you　want　it。〃
　〃Can　I　have　the　money　now？〃　Max　asked。
　〃Sure；　boy；〃　Olsen　answered。　He　turned　back　into　the　room。
　Mrs。　Olsen's　voice　stopped　him。　〃Oh；　no；　you're　not；〃　she　said。　She　drew　Max　into　the　house　firmly。　〃First；　he's　goin'　to　eat　something。　Then　he's　goin'　to　sleep。　Time　enough　in　the　morning　for　him　to　start。〃
　〃But　they'll　be　further　away　by　then；〃　Max　protested。　
　〃No　they　won't；〃　she　said　with　woman's　logic。　〃They　got　to　stop　to　sleep；　too。　They　won't　be　any　further　ahead　of　you　then　than　they　are　right　now。〃
　She　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　led　him　over　to　the　table。　She　pushed　him　into　a　chair　and　placed　a　plate　of　soup　in　front　of　him。　Automatically　he　began　to　eat。　
　〃I'll　go　outside　an'　unhitch　the　team；〃　Mr。　Olsen　said。　
　When　he　came　back　into　the　house；　Max　was　sleeping；　his　head　resting　in　his　crossed　arms　on　the　table。
　Mrs。　Olsen　gestured　her　husband　to　silence。　〃You　just　can't　let　him　go　after　those　men　by　himself；〃　she　whispered。　
　〃I　got　to　go；　ma'am。〃　Max's　voice　came　over　her　shoulder。　
　She　turned　around　and　looked　at　him。　〃You　can't；〃　she　cried　out。　〃They're　grown　men　an'　they'll　hurt　you。　Why；　you're　just　a　boy！〃
　He　looked　up　into　her　face　and　she　was　aware　for　the　first　time　of　the　pride　that　glowed　deep　in　those　dark…blue　eyes。　〃They　hurt　me　all　they're　goin'　to；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　'bout　sixteen；　an'　with　my　mother's　people；　a　boy　ain't　a　boy　no　more　once　he's　sixteen。　He's　a　man。〃
　On　his　second　day　out　of　Dodge；　he　slowed　his　pinto　to　a　walk　and　studied　the　side　of　the　road　carefully。　After　a　few　minutes；　he　stopped　and　dismounted。　He　looked　along　the　edge　of　the　road　carefully。
　The　four　horses　had　stopped　here。　They　had　milled　around　for　a　little　while　and　then　two　of　them　had　gone　back　onto　the　road　toward　Virginia　City。　The　other　two　had　gone　eastward　across　the　plains。
　He　remounted　and　rode　along　the　plains；　his　eyes　searching　out　the　trail　until　he　found　what　he　was　looking　for。　One　of　the　horses　had　been　his　father's。　He　recognized　the　shoe　marking　in　the　soft　earth。　It　was　lighter　than　the　other　marking；　which　meant　he　was　not　being　ridden；　but　led。　It　also　meant　that　the　man　up　ahead　must　have　been　the　leader；　otherwise　they　wouldn't　have　let　him　take　the　horse；　which　was　the　most　valuable　thing　they　had　stolen。
　A　few　miles　farther　along　the　trail；　he　saw　some　horse　droppings。　He　stopped　his　horse　and　jumped　down。　He　kicked　at　the　dung　with　his　foot。　It　was　not　more　than　seven　hours　old。　They　had　wasted　more　time　along　the　trail　than　he'd　thought　they　would。　He　got　back　on　the　pinto　and　pushed　on。
　He　rode　most　of　that　night；　following　the　trail　in　the　bright　moonlight。　By　the　evening　of　the　next　day；　he　was　less　than　an　hour　behind　his　quarry。
　He　looked　up　at　the　sky。　It　was　about　seven　o'clock　and　would　be　dark　soon。　The　man　would　be　stopping　to　make　camp　if　he　hadn't　already。　Max　got　off　his　horse　and　waited　for　night　to　fall。
　While　he　sat　there；　he　cut　a　forked　branch　from　a　scrub　tree　and　fitted　a　round　stone　onto　it。　Then　he　bound　the　stone　to　the　crotch　with　thin　strips　of　leather；　winding　them　down　the　branch　to　make　a　handle。　When　he　was　finished；　he　had　a　war　club　as　good　as　any　he'd　learned　to　make　the　summer　he　spent　with　the　Kiowa。
　It　was　dark　then　and　he　got　to　his　feet；　fastening　the　club　to　his　belt。　He　took　the　horse　by　the　halter　and　started　forward　cautiously　on　foot。
　He　walked　slowly；　his　ears　alert　for　any　strange　sound；　his　nostrils　sniffing　at　the　breeze　for　the　scent　of　a　campfire。
　He　was　in　luck；　for　he　caught　the　scent　of　the　campfire　from　about　a　quarter　mile　away。　He　tied　the　pinto　to　a　bush　and　pulled　the　rifle　from　the　pack　on　the　horse's　back。　Silently　he　moved　forward。
　The　whinny　of　a　horse　came　to　his　ears　and　he　dropped　to　the　ground　and　peered　forward。　He　figured　the　horses　were　tied　about　three　hundred　yards　ahead　of　him。　He　looked　for　the　campfire　but　couldn't　find　it。
　Cautiously　he　made　his　way　downwind　from　the　horses　in　a　wide　circle。　The　smell　of　the　campfire　was　strong　in　his　nostrils　now。　He　raised　his　head　from　the　tall　plain　grass。　The　campfire　was　about　two　hundred　yards　in　front　of　him。　He　could　see　the　man；　sitting　hunched　over　it；　eating　from　a　frying　pan。　The　man　was　no　fool。　He　had　picked　a　camp　site　between　two　rocks。　That　way；　he　could　be　approached　only　from　in　front。
　Max　sank　back　into　the　grass。　He　would　have　to　wait　until　the　man　was　asleep。　He　stretched　out　and　looked　up　at　the　sky。　When　the　moon　was　up；　a　few　hours　from　now；　it　would　be　time　for　him　to　move。　Until　then；　it　would　do　no　harm　for　him　to　rest。　He　closed　his　eyes。　In　a　moment；　he　was　sleeping　soundly。
　His　eyes　opened　suddenly　and　he　stared　straight　up　at　the　moon。　It　hung　white　and　high　in　the　sky　over　him。　He　sat　up　slowly　and　peered　over　the　grass。
　The　campfire　was　glowing　faintly　now；　dying　slowly。　He　could　see　the　shadow　of　the　man　lying　near　the　rocks。　He　started　to　inch　forward。　The　man　snored　lightly　and　turned　in　his　sleep。　Max　froze　for　a　moment；　then　the　figure　was　still　again　and　Max　inched　forward　a　little　farther。　He　could　see　the　man's　outstretched　hand；　a　gun　at　the　tip　of　the　fingers。
　He　crawled　around　behind　and　picked　up　a　small　pebble　from　the　ground　beside　him。　Silently　he　took　the　war　club　from　his　belt　and　got　up　into　a　half　crouch。　Holding　his　breath　in　tightly；　he　threw　the　stone　near　the　man's　feet。
　With　a　muttered　curse；　he　sat　up；　looking　forward；　his　gun　in　his　hand。　He　never　knew　what　hit　him　as　Max　brought　the　war　club　down