lla.thelonelymen-第3部分

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ers。
　Laura　Pritts　had　married　Orrin　Sackett　with　one　thought　in　mind　…　to　further　her　father's　schemes。　Orrin；　big；　handsome；　and　genial；　and　fresh　from　the　Tennessee　hills；　had　never　seen　a　girl　like　Laura。　She　seemed　everything　he　had　ever　dreamed　of。　Tyrel　had　seen　through　her　at　once；　and　through　her　father　as　well；　but　Orrin　would　not　listen。　He　was　seeing　what　he　wished　to　see　…　a　great　lady；　a　princess　almost　…　graceful；　alluring；　a　girl　of　character　and　refinement。　But　in　the　end　he　saw　her；　and　her　father；　for　what　they　were；　and　he　had　left　her。　And　now　Laura　Pritts　Sackett　was　returning；　without　a　plan；　without　anything　but　the　desire　to　destroy　those　who　had　destroyed　her　father。
　As　if　by　magic；　on　the　stage　to　Tucson；　the　pieces　began　to　fall　into　place。　At　the　first　stage　stop　east　of　Yuma　she　overheard　the　driver　talking　to　the　station　tender。
　〃Saw　him　in　Yuma；〃　the　driver　was　saying。　〃I'd　have　known　him　anywhere。　Those　Sackett　boys　all　look　alike。〃
　〃Sackett？　The　gunfighter？〃
　〃They're　all　good　with　their　guns。　This　one　is　Tell　Sackett。　He's　been　out　California　way。〃
　The　idea　came　to　her　that　night。　She　had　been　trying　to　think　of　some　way　to　hurt　the　Sacketts；　to　get　even　with　them。　Now　here　was　Tell　Sackett；　the　older　brother；　the　one　she　had　never　met。　It　was　unlikely　that　he　knew　of　her　difficulties　with　Orrin。　The　Sacketts　wrote　few　letters；　and　from　what　she　remembered　Orrin　had　not　seen　his　brother　in　years。　Of　course；　he　might　have　seen　him　since　she　left；　but　there　was　a　chance；　and　she　resolved　to　take　it。
　The　means　was　supplied　to　her　also　by　way　of　a　conversation　overheard。　She　had　heard　many　such　conversations　without　thinking　of　how　they　might　be　used。　The　men　were　talking　of　the　Apaches；　of　some　children　stolen　by　them；　perhaps　killed。　〃Two　of　them　were　Dan　Creed's　boys。　I　don't　know　who　the　other　one　was。〃
　The　young　Army　lieutenant　on　the　stage　had　made　tentative　efforts　at　a　conversation　with　Laura；　all　of　which　she　had　studiously　avoided。　At　his　next　attempt　she　surprised　him　by　turning　with　a　faint；　somewhat　remote　smile。
　〃Is　it　true；　Lieutenant；　that　there　are　Apaches　about？　Tell　me　about　them。〃
　Lieutenant　Jack　Davis　leaned　forward　eagerly。　He　was　a　very　young　man；　and　Laura　Sackett　was　a　beautiful　young　woman。　It　was　true　he　had　himself　been　on　only　two　scouts　into　Apache　country；　but　he　had　served　with　older；　more　experienced　men　who　had　talked　freely；　and　he　had　listened　well。
　〃Yes；　there　are　Apaches；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　is　true　we　might　encounter　them　at　any　time；　but　the　men　on　this　coach　are　all　armed；　and　are　experienced　fighting　men。　You　will　not　need　to　worry。〃
　〃I　was　not　worried　about　them；　Lieutenant；　merely　curious。　Is　it　true　that　when　attacked　they　retreat　into　Mexico？　Into　the　Sierra　Madre？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　yes。　And　the　Mexicans　are　not　helpful。　They　refuse　to　allow　any　of　our　armed　forces　to　cross　the　border　in　pursuit；　although　I　believe　there　are　some　indications　the　two　governments　may　work　together　against　the　Apaches。〃
　〃So　it　seems　likely　that　if　a　prisoner　were　taken　over　the　border　into　Mexico　you　would　not　have　much　chance　of　recovering　him；　would　you？〃
　〃Almost　none。　A　few　times　exchanges　have　been　arranged。　In　a　few　cases　individuals　have　traded　goods　or　horses　for　a　prisoner；　but　if　the　Apaches　are　pursued；　they　usually　kill　their　prisoners。〃
　Laura　Pritts　Sackett　was　thoughtful；　and　at　the　next　stage　stop　she　wrote　her　note　to　William　Tell　Sackett。　Unless　she　was　pletely　mistaken；　he　would　e　to　Tucson　at　once；　and　unless　she　was　equally　mistaken；　he　would　start　at　once　for　the　Sierra　Madres。　The　rest　would　be　up　to　the　Apaches。
　What　the　Apaches　failed　to　do；　if　they　failed；　might　be　done　by　other　means　。。。　for　which　the　Apaches　would　receive　due　credit。
　Skillfully；　she　drew　out　the　young　lieutenant；　and　his　ments　were　added　to　from　time　to　time　by　one　or　another　of　the　coach　passengers。　By　the　time　the　stage　arrived　in　Tucson；　Laura　was　well　posted　on　the　activities　of　the　Apaches　in　Arizona　Territory；　as　well　as　on　the　many　times　they　had　killed　or　kidnapped　children；　from　the　Oatman　Massacre　to　the　moment　of　her　stage　trip。
　〃Supposing　one　man　or　several　men　…　not　soldiers　…　were　to　try　to　go　into　the　Sierra　Madres？〃　she　asked　Lieutenant　Davis。
　〃They　would　never　return　alive。〃　The　lieutenant　was　positive。　〃They　wouldn't　have　a　chance。〃
　One　of　the　passengers；　a　bleak；　hard…faced　man　in　rough　frontier　garb；　looked　around　at　him　briefly。　〃Depend　on　the　man；〃　he　said　after　a　moment；　but　if　he　was　heard　his　ment　was　not　acknowledged。
　That　night；　seated　before　her　mirror；　Laura　Sackett　knew　she　had　found　what　she　wanted。　To　trap　his　beloved　brother　would　be　just　as　satisfying　as　to　trap　Orrin　himself；　or　Tyrel；　whom　she　blamed　even　more。
　She　wished　only　for　one　thing：　to　see　their　faces　when　they　realized　how　their　brother　had　been　duped。
　When　that　man　at　the　stage　station　in　Yuma　told　me　there　was　a　letter　for　me　I　thought　he　was　surely　mistaken。　Why；　I　couldn't　recall　getting　more　than　three　or　four　letters　in　my　whole　life；　and　nobody　knew　I　was　in　Yuma　…　nobody　at　all。
　None　of　us　folks　had　been　much　hand　to　write。　Orrin　and　Tyrel　had　learned　to　write；　but　with　me　writing　was　an　almighty　slow　affair；　and　not　one　to　be　undertaken　lightly。　And　we　were　never　much　on　just　exchanging　letters　unless　there　was　something　all…fired　important。　But　sure　enough；　this　letter　was　for　me；　William　Tell　Sackett。　It　read：
　Dear　Tell：
　Our　son；　Orrin's　and　mine；　has　been　taken　by　the　Apaches。　Orrin　is　in　Washington；　D。C。　Tyrel　is　laid　up。
　Can　you　help　me？
　Laura　Sackett
　So　old　Orrin　had　him　a　boy！　Now；　nobody　had　seen　fit　to　tell　me；　but　drifting　place　to　place　the　way　I'd　been；　it　was　no　wonder。　And　no　need　for　me　to　know；　when　it　came　to　that。
　None　of　the　family　knew　where　I　was；　but　that　need　cut　no　ice　now。　When　I'd　needed　help　the　whole　lot　of　them　had　e　a…running；　and　if　the　Apaches　had　Orrin's　boy　I'd　have　to　move　fast　before　they　killed　him　。。。　if　they　hadn't　already。
　A　body　never　knew　what　the　Apaches　would　do。　They　might　kill　a　child　right　off；　or　they　might　cotton　to　the　youngster　and　raise　him　like　one　of　their　own　sons；　and　with　just　as　much　affection　and　care。　A　lot　depended　on　how　old　the　boy　was；　on　how　he　reacted；　and　on　how　fast　the　Apaches　had　to　move。
　The　Apaches；　I　knew；　had　respect　for　the　brave。　They　had　no　use　for　weakness　or　cowardice；　and　you'd　get　nothing　but　contempt　by　asking　for　mercy。
　An　Apache　admired　the　virtues　he　himself　needed　in　the　life　he　led。　Bravery；　fortitude；　endurance；　and　the　skills　of　the　hunter　and　the　hunted　…　these　were　important　to　him；　these　he　understood。
　Tucson　lay　still　under　a　hot　noonday　sun　when　we　dusted　our　hocks　down　the　main　drag；　eyes　open　for　a　saloon　or　an　eating　house　where　there'd　be　shade；　something　to　wet　our　whistles；　and　the　trail　gossip　we　were　eager　to　hear。
　We　rode　into　town　with　care；　for　we　were　all　men　with　enemies。　We　rode　with　our　guns　loose　in　the　holsters；　ready　to　run　or　fight；　as　the　case　might　be；　but　the　street　was　empty；　heavy　with　heat。
　The　temperature　was　over　a　hundred　in　the　shade。
　〃All　this　town　needs；〃　John　J。　Battles　said；　〃is　more　water　and　a　better　class　of　people。〃
　〃That's　all　hell　needs；〃　Spanish　replied。　〃Let's　get　into　the　shade。〃
　We　were　hard　and　lonely　men　who　rode　a　hard　and　lonely　way。　We　had　known　nothing　of　each　other　until　this　ride　began　in　Yuma；　and　even　now　we　knew　scarcely　more。　But　we　had　sweated　and　thirsted　together；　we　had　hungered　and　fought；　and　eaten　trail　dust　together；　so　now　we　rode　as　brothers　ride。
　We　were　men　with　sorrows　behind　us；　and　battles　too；　men　with　regrets　behind　us　of　which　we　did　not　speak；　nor　too　often　think。　With　none　to　share　our　sorrows　or　regrets；　we　kept　them　to　ourselves；　and　our　faces　were　impassive。　Men　with　no　one　to　share　their　feelings　learn　to　conceal　those　feelings。　We　often　spoke　lightly　of　things　which　we　took　very　seriously　indeed。
　We　were　sentimental　men；　but　that　was　our　secret；　for　an　enemy　who　knows　your　feelings　is　an　enemy　who　has　a　hold　on　you。　Not　all　poker　is　played　over　a　card　table。
　Although　we　spoke　so　lightly　of　Tucson　we　all　liked　the　town；　and　were　glad　to　be　there。
　Me；　I　was　nothing　but　a　tall　boy　from　the　high…up　Tennessee　hills　who　tried　to　live　the　way　he'd　been　taught。　Ma　hadn't　much　book　learning；　but　she　had　straight…out　ideas　on　what　was　fair　and　decent；　and　there　was　no　nonsense　about　her　and　Pa　when　it　came　to　dealing　with　enemies；　or　those　who　were　evil。
　Pa　stood　by　the　same　principles　Ma　did；　but　Pa　taught　us　other　things　too：　how　to　stand　up　for　what　he　believed　was　right；　and　to　back　down　for　no　man　when　it　came　to　fighting　time。　He　taught　us　how　to　fight；　how　to　find　our　way　through　rough　country；　and　how　to　handle　cards　better　than　most　gamblers；　although　he　didn't　hold　with　gambling。
　〃If　you　go　among　the　Philistines；〃　he　used　to　say；　〃it　is　better　to　go　armed。〃
　So　he　taught　us　how　to　recognize　a　bottom　deal；　and　to　read　marked　cards；　and　how　the　sharpers　operated。　The　four　of　us　split　up　on　the　street　in　Tucson。　Rocca　had　some　friends　in　the　Mexican　town；　and　Spanish　Murphy　went　with　him。　John　J。　Battles　had　plans　of　his　own；　and　so　had　I。
　With　me　there　was　no　choice；　and　little　time。　I　met　an　idea　head…on；　and　this　time　I　had　to　do　whatever　might　be　done　for　that　boy　of　Orrin's。　I'd　get　cleaned　up；　get　a　bite　to　eat；　and　then　I'd　find　this　Laura　Sackett。　I'd　never　met　Orrin's　wife；　but　any　woman　Orrin　would　cotton　to　would　be　all　right　with　me。　I'd　been　away　from　the　other　boys　and　knew　little　of　their　affairs。　Tyrel　had　married　a　girl　of　Spanish　blood；　and　had　done　well。　Orrin　had　run　for　office　and　been　elected；　and　I　did　recall　some　talk　of　his　marrying；　but　none　of　the　details。　Nor　had　I　any　idea　why　she　was　in　Tucson；　and　him　in　Washington。　Folks'　affairs　are　their　own　business；　and　I　never　was　one　for　asking　questions。　What　folks　wanted　me　to　know　they　would　tell　me；　and　I　had　enough　to　keep　me　busy。
　The　Shoo…Fly　Restaurant　was　a　long；　narrow　room　with　a　white　muslin　ceiling　and　a　floor　of　rammed　earth。　There　were　a　few　windows；　a　dozen　or　so　tables　of　pine　boards；　and　some　cha