lla.thelonelymen-第27部分

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h　up　on　my　sleep；　and　at　least　I　could　eat。　And　right　about　that　time　I　was　hungry　enough　to　eat　an　old　saddle；　stirrups　and　all。
　Captain　Lewiston　was　my　first　visitor。　He　came　early　in　the　morning；　and　brought　a　chair　into　the　cell　with　him。　He　also　brought　the　pany　clerk。
　〃Sackett；〃　he　began；　〃I　want　you　to　give　me　the　whole　story；　in　your　own　words。　I　want　to　help　you　if　I　can。　Right　now　the　people　are　divided。　Some　want　to　hang　you　for　killing　Billy　Higgins；　and　some　want　to　give　you　a　medal　for　saving　those　youngsters。〃
　So　I　gave　it　to　him。　How　the　bunch　of　us；　unknown　to　each　other　until　then；　had　banded　together　to　ride　to　Tucson。
　The　story　of　our　fight　with　Kahtenny's　Apaches　I　repeated　for　him；　as　I'd　told　him　the　whole　story　before；　except　the　part　about　me　killing　Billy　Higgins；　which　I　didn't　like　to　think　on。　Then　I　told　him　about　my　meeting　with　Laura　Sackett；　and　her　story　of　the　lost　boy。
　〃This　much　I　have　learned　since　your　departure；〃　Lewiston　said。　〃Laura　Sackett　was　divorced　from　your　brother；　and　your　brothers　and　her　father　had　been　deadly　enemies。〃
　〃If　I　ever　heard　of　that；　I'd　forgotten。　We　Sacketts　were　never　much　on　talking　of　troubles　when　we　were　together。　It　never　does　any　good　to　go　worrying　your　thoughts　about　things　gone　by。〃
　〃I　approached　her　last　night　about　your　story；〃　Captain　Lewiston　said。　〃She　denies　ever　mentioning　a　child　to　you；　or　giving　you　any　cause　to　ride　into　Mexico。〃
　I　just　looked　at　him。　It　was　no　use　to　say　she　was　lying；　although　she　surely　was。
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　says　you　ran　away　to　Mexico　for　fear　somebody　would　discover　you　had　taken　advantage　of　an　Apache　attack　to　kill　Higgins。〃
　〃Those　boys　I　was　with　knew　better。　Why　else　would　they　e　with　me？〃
　〃I　am　afraid　that　won't　help　you　at　all。　I　believe　you　told　me　that　they　are　dead。〃
　〃I　buried　Rocca　with　my　own　hands。　Spanish　Murphy　was　finished　off　by　the　Haddens。　By　their　own　say…so。　John　J。。。。　well；　I　guess　he　never　made　it　that　far。〃
　〃You　have　no　witnesses　then？〃
　〃No；　sir。　Nary　a　one。　You　see；　Cap'n；　none　of　those　men　saw　it　anyway。　When　I　shot　Billy　Higgins　there　was　just　him　and　me。　Nobody　was　close　enough　to　hear　what　was　said。〃
　Well；　we　talked　a　while；　and　he　asked　a　sight　of　questions；　but　after　that　neither　of　us　had　much　hope。　That　feud　was　ten　years　out　of　my　mind　when　I　met　those　men　in　Yuma；　and　the　name　Higgins　meant　nothing　at　all　to　me。
　So　here　I　was　in　jail；　and　Laura　Sackett；　who'd　been　the　cause　of　the　deaths　of　at　least　three　good　men；　was　walking　free。
　After　the　captain　left　I　sat　on　my　cot　and　stared　at　the　blank　wall；　trying　to　see　my　way　clear；　but　nothing　came　to　me；　so　finally；　tired　as　I　still　was；　I　rolled　over　on　the　cot　and　went　to　sleep。
　When　I　opened　my　eyes　again　it　was　nigh　on　to　sundown　and　the　jailer　was　at　the　door。　〃Lady　to　see　you；〃　he　said。
　〃All　right。〃　I　got　up；　staggering　with　sleep　and　trying　to　get　my　bearings。　This　would　be　Dorset；　I　figured。　Only　it　wasn't。　It　was　the　last　person　in　the　world　I　expected　…　Laura　Sackett。
　She　turned　to　the　jailer。　〃May　I　talk　with　my　brother…in…law　alone？〃
　When　the　jailer　had　gone；　she　turned　those　big　blue　eyes　on　me。
　〃I　never　expected　you　to　get　back；〃　she　told　me　coolly；　〃but　I　am　glad　you　did。　Now　I　can　see　you　hang；　with　my　own　eyes。〃
　〃Now　that　isn't　what　you'd　call　neighborly；〃　I　said；　determined　not　to　let　her　get　any　more　satisfaction　than　I　could　help。
　〃I　only　wish　Orrin　could　be　here　to　see　you　hang；〃　she　said；　staring　at　me。　〃And　Tyrel　。。。　I　hated　him　the　most。〃
　〃Maybe　that's　because　you　couldn't　fool　him；〃　I　said。　〃But　ma'am；　do　you　really　want　to　see　me　hang　that　much？　I　never　did　you　any　harm。　Never　even　saw　you　until　I　came　up　the　trail　from　Yuma。〃
　〃I　want　to　see　you　hang；　and　I　will。　I　only　wish　I　could　see　Orrin's　face　when　he　gets　the　news。〃
　〃Maybe　you　will　see　him；〃　I　said。　〃Orrin's　a　right　good　lawyer。　If　he　can　be　free　of　his　duties　that　long；　I'll　maybe　get　him　to　defend　me　in　court。〃
　She　did　not　like　that。　Orrin　was　a　mighty　impressive　figure　of　a　man；　and　he　could　talk。　He　had　the　Welsh　gift　for　talking；　and　she　knew　how　persuasive　he　could　be。
　〃He'll　never　get　here。　If　you　send　for　him　I'll　get　Arch　Hadden　to　kill　him。〃
　〃Arch？　So　that's　why　he　was　in　Mexico；　a…hunting　me？　I　wondered　how　he　knew　we'd　be　there；　when　we　were　so　all…fired　careful　that　nobody　knew。〃
　〃Yes；　I　sent　them　after　you。　And　I'll　send　Arch　after　Orrin；　if　he　es　here。〃
　〃So　Arch　is　in　town；　is　he？〃　That　was　something　to　consider；　and　of　a　sudden　those　prison　walls　began　to　seem　as　if　they　were　crowding　in　on　me。　Arch　Hadden　would　know　I　was　in　jail；　and　he　would　e　for　me。　I　glanced　at　that　high…up　window；　and　was　suddenly　glad　it　was　so　small　and　so　high　up。
　〃Send　for　Orrin。　I　would　like　that。　I　will　have　him　killed。〃　As　she　spoke　it　seemed　to　me　there　was　something　in　those　blue　eyes　that　looked　mighty　like　insanity。
　〃You　mistake　Orrin。　He　won't　kill　easy；　and　Arch　Hadden　never　saw　the　day　he　could　draw　with　Orrin。〃
　I　was　talking　to　the　wind。　She　didn't　hear　me　and　would　have　paid　it　no　mind　if　she　had；　for　I　knew　she　had　no　such　idea　as　them　drawing　against　each　other。　She　meant　a　rifle　from　a　hilltop　at　some　stage　stop；　or　something　of　that　kind。
　After　she　had　gone　I　studied　about　it　a　mite；　and　then　called　the　jailer。
　〃You　get　word　to　Cap'n　Lewiston；　will　you？　I　got　to　see　him。〃
　〃Sure。〃　The　jailer　eyed　me　thoughtfully。　〃Did　you　really　shoot　that　Higgins　feller？〃
　〃If　you　were　lying　out　in　the　glare　of　the　sun；　and　you　were　gut…shot　and　dying　and　the　Apaches　were　shooting　flaming　slivers　of　pitch　into　your　hide；　wouldn't　you　ask　to　be　shot？〃
　〃That　the　way　it　was？　I　heerd　he　was　an　enemy　of　yourn。〃
　So　I　explained　about　the　old　Higgjns…Sackett　feud。　And　I　said　again；　〃But　I　haven't　given　thought　to　that　fight　in　ten　years；　Besides；　when　a　man's　hunkered　down　on　a　ridge　alone；　and　the　Apaches　are　around　him；　do　you　think　he'd　waste　a　shot　to　kill　a　man　the　Indians　were　sure　to　get？〃
　〃No；　sir；　I　surely　don't；〃　he　said。
　He　went　away　then；　and　I　was　alone　until　the　door　opened　and　Dorset　came　in。　She　was　carrying　a　plate　all　covered　over。　〃The　lady　over　at　the　Shoo…Fly　sent　this；〃　she　said。　She　lifted　her　chin　defensively。　〃I　didn't　have　any　money　or　I'd　have　brought　something　for　you。〃
　〃You've　done　enough。　How　about　you　and　your　sister？　Have　you　got　a　place　to　stay？〃
　〃With　the　Creeds。　They'll　be　ing　to　thank　you。　Dan　Creed　said　he'd　bust　you　out　of　here　if　you　wanted。〃
　〃I'll　stay。　Maybe　I'm　a　fool；　but　no　Sackett　aside　from　Nolan　ever　rode　in　flight　from　the　law。〃
　We　talked　for　a　spell；　and　then　she　left。　The　jailer　returned；　but　he'd　not　seen　hide　nor　hair　of　Captain　Lewiston。　Lieutenant　Davis　had　been　walking　out　with　Laura　Sackett；　so　he　had　avoided　them。
　Alone　again；　I　did　some　right　serious　thinking。　Tampico　Rocca　and　Spanish　Murphy　were　dead。　Battles　probably　was；　but　even　had　they　been　alive　there　was　nothing　any　of　them　could　tell　that　would　speak　for　me；　because　when　I　shot　Higgins　I　was　alone。　I'd　been　a　fool　to　mention　it　to　Laura；　but　it　lay　heavy　on　my　mind；　and　at　the　time　I　figured　her　for　family。
　What　really　stood　against　me　was　that　I'd　shot　a　man　who　carried　the　name　of　a　family　against　which　my　family　had　feuded。　The　man　had　been　wounded　several　times　before；　but　there　was　only　my　say…so　that　the　Indians　had　done　it。　The　pitch…pine　slivers　was　Apache　work；　nobody　denied　that。　But　the　way　the　talk　was　going　made　it　seem　as　if　I'd　taken　advantage　of　Apache　trouble　to　kill　an　old　enemy；　and　a　thing　like　that　is　hard　to　down。
　Billy　Higgins　had　a　sight　of　friends　around　Tucson；　and　nobody　there　knew　me　except　by　name。　A　good　part　of　the　talk　going　around　was　carried　on　by　Lieutenant　Davis；　who　believed　whatever　Laura　told　him。
　Two　days　passed　slowly；　and　I　just　sat　on　my　cot；　and　played　checkers　with　the　jailer。　One　thing　had　changed。　That　jailer　never　went　off　and　left　me　alone　any　more；　and　he　kept　the　door　to　the　street　locked。
　The　sheriff　was　out　of　town；　and　wasn't　due　back　for　a　week；　and　I　began　to　get　the　feeling　that　the　quicker　they　tried　me　the　better。　If　they　didn't　hurry；　some　of　those　boys　outside　might　be　figuring　on　a　necktie　party。　I　began　to　wish　for　the　high…up　country　away　out　yonder；　where　nobody　goes　but　eagles　and　mountain　sheep。　By　the　wall　outside　the　cell　I　could　see　my　own　outfit　…　my　saddle；　bridle；　and　saddlebags；　my　rifle　and　pistol　belt。　I　wanted　a　horse　between　my　knees；　and　a　Winchester。
　Dan　Creed　came　to　see　me。　The　jailer　knew　him　and　admitted　him　without　hesitation。　〃You'd　better　let　me　get　you　a　gun；〃　Creed　said　when　the　jailer　had　gone　back　to　the　office。　〃They're　surely　figuring　on　stringing　you　up。　I've　talked　until　I'm　blue　in　the　face；　but　they　pay　me　no　mind。　They　say；　'Sure；　he　brought　your　youngsters　out　of　Mexico。　You'd　speak　for　him　no　matter　what　kind　of　a　coyote　he　is。'　〃
　〃What　else　are　they　saying？〃
　〃Well；　they　say　they've　only　your　word　for　it　that　the　Apaches　were　still　there　when　you　shot　Higgins。　They　say　when　the　Injuns　pulled　out　you　just　figured　to　be　rid　of　another　Higgins。〃
　Lewiston；　who　seemed　to　have　been　my　friend；　was　gone。　Even　if　I　could　get　word　to　Orrin　and　Tyrel；　they　were　too　far　away　to　do　much　good。　It　began　to　look　to　me　as　if　my　number　was　really　up。
　In　matters　such　as　lynching　there's　always　toughs　who　are　ready　for　it；　and　there　are　always　people　who　don't　want　to　be　involved。　There　are　men　who　would　stop　such　things；　but　it　takes　a　strong　man　who　will　make　the　attempt。　I'd　never　expected　to　be　on　the　end　of　the　rope　myself；　although　anybody　who　packs　a　gun　runs　that　risk。
　Again　night　came；　and　outside　I　could　hear　the　mutter　of　voices；　and　angry　talk。　There　was　no　telling　if　it　would　e　to　more　than　talk；　but　lying　on　that　prison　cot　in　the　darkness　I　wasn't　willing　to　bet　on　it。
　Suddenly；　from　out　of　the　darkness　outside　my　window；　a　voice　spoke。　〃We're　going　to　get　you；　Sackett。　We're　going　to　see　you　hang！〃　My　feet　swung　to　the　floor；　and　I　was　mad　clear　through。　〃e　an'　get　me；　Yellow　Belly；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　know　your　voice　when　I　hear　it。　You　just　e　asking；　and　you'll　get　it！〃
　There　was　a　grate　of　boots