lla.thelonelymen-第6部分

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e　at　the　name。
　〃Glad　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Hadden；〃　I　said　gently。　〃I'll　carve　the　slab　myself。〃
　He　kind　of　flushed　up；　and　I　could　see　he　was　off　his　step；　somehow。　He'd　e　walking　up　to　fight；　and　my　talk　had　put　him　off。　Also；　that　name　meant　nothing　to　me；　and　I　never　was　one　to　put　much　stock　in　reputatations；　anyway。
　Rocca　had　let　me　talk；　he　just　sat　quiet；　but　I'd　e　up　the　trail　from　Yuma　with　Tampico　Rocca；　and　knew　he　was　no　man　to　buy　trouble　with。　Arch　Hadden　had　lost　step；　and　he　tried　to　get　back　again。
　〃I　came　to　kill　this　greaser；　an'　I　aim　to　do　it。〃　Rocca　came　to　his　feet　in　one　smooth；　easy　movement。　〃Then　why　not　get　started？〃
　The　man　with　the　walrus　mustache　had　had　more　to　drink；　and　he　wasn't　being　bluffed。　He　went　for　his　gun；　and　I　straightened　my　leg　with　a　snap。　The　chair　slammed　into　his　legs　and　he　fell　against　Hadden；　and　I　shot　the　man　on　the　end　while　they　were　falling。　I　heard　another　gun　boom　and　then　Rocca　and　me　were　standing　there　looking　down　at　Hadden　and　his　brother；　one　of　them　in　a　half…crouch　but　off　balance；　the　other　on　one　knee。
　〃You　boys　brought　it　to　us；〃　I　said。　〃We　didn't　ask　for　it。　You　brought　it；　and　now　two　of　you　are　dead。〃
　They　hadn't　looked　at　their　panions　until　then；　and　when　they　did　I　saw　they　were　suddenly　cold　sober。
　〃Arch；〃　I　said；　〃you　may　be　a　tough　man　where　you　e　from；　but　you're　a　long　way　from　home。　You　take　my　advice　and　go　back。〃
　Rocca　was　holding　a　gun　on　them；　as　I　was。　He　reached　around　with　his　other　hand　and　picked　up　his　beer；　and　drank　it；　watching　them。
　Foster　was　standing　across　the　room；　his　back　to　the　bar。　〃Why　don't　you　boys　pack　it　up　before　the　law　gets　here？〃　he　suggested。　〃I　don't　want　any　more　shooting　in　here。　It's　bad　for　business。〃
　〃Sure；〃　I　said；　and　holstered　my　gun。　Deliberately　I　started　for　the　door。
　Tampico　Rocca　had　been　called　a　greaser；　so　he　took　his　time。　He　put　his　glass　down　gently　and　he　smiled　at　them。　〃Keep　your　guns；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　to　meet　you　again；　se？ores。〃
　Outside　in　the　street　we　ducked　into　an　alley　and　stood　listening　for　footsteps；　but　hearing　none；　we　walked　away。
　At　the　corral　we　stopped　and　leaned　on　the　bars；　and　Rocca　built　a　cigarette。　〃Gracias；　amigo；〃he　said。　And　then　he　added；　〃You　are　quick；　amigo。　You　are　very　quick。〃
　
　Chapter　4
　
　e　daybreak；　and　worry　was　upon　me。　It　was　a　real；　old…fashioned　attack　of　the　dismals。
　The　shooting　of　the　night　before　was　bad　enough；　although　I　never　gave　much　time　to　worry　over　those　who　came　asking　for　trouble。　When　a　man　packed　a　gun　he　was　supposed　to　give　some　thought　to　his　actions　and　his　manner　of　speech；　for　folks　weren't　much　inclined　to　set　back　and　let　a　body　run　over　them。
　It　was　that　youngster　who　was　worrying　me。　There　was　a　small　boy；　a　prisoner　of　the　Apaches；　or　maybe　already　killed　by　them。　And　he　was　my　blood　kin。
　Nobody　knew　better　than　me　the　distance　I'd　have　to　cover　and　the　way　I'd　have　to　live　for　the　next　month　or　more。　It　was　a　hard　country；　almost　empty　of　people；　scarce　of　food；　and　rare　of　water　that　was　fit　to　drink。　The　fact　that　Tampico　Rocca　was　ing　along　sort　of　made　it　better。　Two　men　can't　move　as　quiet　as　one；　except　when　one　of　them　is　Rocca。　But　his　ing　also　made　it　worse；　because　if　anything　happened　to　him　it　would　be　because　of　me。
　Now　the　first　thing　I　needed　was　a　horse；　and　I　could　find　none　for　sale。　Meantime　I　sort　of　sauntered　around　and　let　folks　know　I　needed　a　saddle；　and　finally　bought　a　beat…up　old　Spanish　single…rig　saddle　with　a　mochila；　or　housing；　to　throw　over　it；　and　oxbow　stirrups。　It　was　almighty　old；　but　in　good　shape；　and　a　lot　of　hard　use　had　worn　fort　into　it。　That　saddle　set　me　back　eighteen　dollars；　and　I　picked　up　some　old　saddlebags　for　three　dollars　more。　An　old　Army　canteen　cost　me　twenty…five　cents。　Little　by　little　I　put　an　outfit　together；　and　by　the　time　I'd　bought　a　spare　cartridge　belt；　a　bridle；　and　a　few　other　odds　and　ends　I'd　spent　more　than　fifty　dollars　of　what　little　I　had。　And　still　no　horse。　Whilst　I　went　around　the　town　of　Tucson　I　kept　a　careful　eye　open　for　Arch　and　Wolf　Madden。　It　turned　out　that　one　of　those　boys　shot　the　night　before　wasn't　dead。　He'd　been　hit　hard；　but　he　was　going　to　pull　through。　They　planted　the　other　one；　wrapped　in　his　blankets；　out　on　Boot　Hill。
　By　noontime　I　had　most　of　what　I　would　need；　but　was　still　shy　a　horse。　Dropping　in　at　the　Shoo…Fly　I　figured　to　have　myself　a　bite　of　grub；　and　maybe　I　could　find　somebody　with　a　horse　to　spare。
　So　I　shaved　myself　with　a　broken　triangle　of　glass　for　a　mirror；　stuck　in　the　fork　of　a　mesquite　tree；　while　Rocca　slept　with　his　head　on　his　saddle　close　by。　We　were　a　mite　out　of　town　among　some　rocks　and　mesquite；　and　we'd　been　there　a　while　when　I　heard　somebody　singing　〃Oh；　Bury　Me　Not　on　the　Lone　Prairie；〃　and　Rocca　pushed　his　hat　back　off　his　eyes。　〃Don't　shoot；〃　he　said；　grinning　at　me。　〃That's　John　J。〃
　And　it　was。　Battles　came　up　through　the　brush　and　looked　us　over；　and　we　told　him　what　the　score　was。
　〃Where's　Spanish？〃　he　wanted　to　know；　and　Rocca　told　him。
　〃He　found　himself　a　gal　down　yonder。　Her　name　is　Conchita；　and　if　she　gets　mad　at　him　the　Apaches　will　be　a　relief。　But　don't　you　worry　none　about　Spanish。　When　the　time　es　he'll　fork　his　saddle　and　e　with　us。〃
　When　I'd　shaved　we　talked　things　over　a　mite　and　Rocca　headed　for　Mexican　town　to　roust　out　Spanish　Murphy；　whilst　Battles　went　back　into　the　brush　to　keep　out　of　sight。　Somehow　or　other；　neither　of　us　thought　to　tell　him　about　the　Hadden　outfit。
　The　Shoo…Fly　was　crowded　when　I　came　in；　but　I　tamed　some　heads。　I　don't　know　if　it　was　the　gun　battle　the　night　before　or　the　whiskey　I'd　used　for　shave　lotion；　but　they　looked　me　over　some。　I'd　been　sort　of　sidestepping　the　marshal；　not　wanting　to　be　ordered　out　of　town　yet；　and　not　wanting　trouble；　if　he　was　so　inclined。　When　it　came　to　eating；　I　was　always　a　good　feeder　and　always　ready　to　set　up　and　partake。　Likely　this　would　be　the　last　woman…cooked　food　I'd　have　for　a　while；　and　even　any　hot　meals　I'd　cook　myself　would　be　almighty　scarce　on　that　trek　down　into　Sonora　and　over　into　Chihuahua。　When　a　man　is　fighting　shy　of　Apaches　he　doesn't　go　around　sending　up　smoke。
　Sitting　there　in　the　Shoo…Fly；　which　was　not　exactly　elegant；　though　the　best　there　was　around；　a　body　might　have　an　idea　folks　would　step　aside　for　a　body　who'd　killed　his　man　in　a　gun　battle。　No　such　thing。
　Right　there　in　that　room　there　were　men　like　William　S。　Oury；　who　had　fought　through　the　Texas　war　for　independence；　had　been　a　Texas　Ranger；　and　had　engaged　in　many　a　bloody　duel　with　Apaches　and　border　characters。　Most　of　the　men　sitting　around　in　their　broadcloth　suits　were　men　who　had　engaged　in　their　share　of　Indian　fights；　or　wars　of　one　kind　or　another。　And　they　were　good　citizens　…　lawyers；　mining　men；　storekeepers　and　the　like。
　No　sooner　had　I　begun　to　eat　than　the　door　opened　and　Laura　came　in。　She　was　in　white；　and　she　looked　pale　and　frail。　She　wore　the　kind　of　gloves　with　no　fingers　in　them　that　made　no　sense　to　me。　And　she　carried　a　parasol；　as　most　women　did。
　She　stood　a　moment；　letting　her　eyes　grow　accustomed　to　the　glare；　and　then　crossed　to　my　table。　I　got　up　and　seated　her；　then　sat　down。
　Folks　turned　to　look　at　her；　they　were　almighty　curious；　her　being　such　a　pretty　woman　and　all；　and　not　many　of　them　knowing　we　were　kin。
　〃Tell；〃　she　said；　〃I　heard　you　were　looking　for　a　horse。　Is　that　true？〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am；　it　is。　Mine　was　killed　out　yonder。　I've　got　to　find　a　saddle　horse　and　at　least　one　pack　horse。　Seems　Apache　raids　have　cut　down　the　supply；　and　the　Army　has　been　buying　saddle　stock；　too。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me？　I　can　get　you　some　horses。　In　fact；　I　have　just　the　horse　for　you。〃
　〃It　would　help；〃　I　admitted。　〃I've　got　my　outfit　together。〃
　She　took　the　coffee　Mrs。　Wallen　brought　to　the　table；　and　then　said；　〃I　hear　you　had　some　trouble。〃
　〃It　wasn't　my　trouble。　They　were　hunting　a　man　I　know；　and　when　they　couldn't　find　him　they　chose　me　…　that　is；　me　and　Rocca；　one　of　the　men　I　rode　to　town　with。〃
　She　said　no　more　about　it；　and　I　wasn't　anxious　to　talk　of　it。　We　talked　a　while　about　the　trip；　and　then　she　told　me　where　to　go　to　see　the　horses。　〃The　one　I　want　you　to　ride；〃　she　suggested；　〃is　the　big　black　with　the　diamond　blaze　on　his　hip。〃
　Now；　one　horse　I　was　not　hunting　was　a　big　black　with　a　diamond　on　his　hip。　Any　kind　of　horse　would　help；　but　a　black　horse　was　almost　as　bad　as　a　white　one　in　that　country。　What　I　preferred　was　a　roan；　a　buckskin；　or　a　dun　or　grulla。　I　wanted　a　horse　whose　color　would　fade　into　the　country；　not　one　that　would　stand　out　like　a　red　nose　at　a　teetotal　picnic。　Of　course；　there　were　patches　of　black　rock；　shadows；　and　the　like；　and　a　black　horse　was　some　better　than　a　white　one　which　would　catch　the　sun　and　could　be　seen　for　miles。　However；　this　was　no　time　to　argue。
　〃All　right；〃　I　said；　and　then　I　added；　〃If　we　get　the　horses　I　can　leave　tomorrow。〃
　She　talked　of　Tucson　and　its　disforts；　and　how　she　wished　to　be　back　in　Santa　Fe　…　or　in　Washington；　she　added。
　〃I　like　Washington；〃　I　said。
　She　seemed　surprised；　and　said；　〃You　have　been　there？〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　I　was　in　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　for　a　while。　I　was　around　Washington　quite　a　bit。〃
　That　was　a　long　time　ago；　and　I'd　been　a　boy　then；　freshly　joined　up　with　the　Union　army。
　When　she　was　gone　I　lingered　over　coffee；　thinking　out　that　trail　to　the　south；　trying　to　foresee　the　problems　that　might　arise。　It　wasn't　in　me　to　go　into　things　blind；　and　there　was　a　whole　lot　about　this　that　made　me　kind　of　uneasy；　but　there　was　nothing　I　could　pin　down。
　Mrs。　Wallen　came　over。　〃Are　you　related　to　Laura　Sackett？〃
　〃She's　my　sister…in…law。〃
　〃I　wondered　。。。　your　names　being　the　same；　and　all。〃　She　still　hesitated；　then　sat　down　opposite　me。　〃We　don't　see　many　women　traveling　alone　in　this　country。〃
　〃Her　father　died　。。。　out　in　California；〃　I　said。　〃He　was　all　alone　out　there；　and　nobody　to　see　to　him。　Orrin　…　he's　my　brother　…　had　to　stay　in　Washington。〃
　She　sat　there　a　while　without　saying　any　more；　and　then　got　up　and　left。　I　couldn't　figure　out　why　she　sat　down　to　talk　to　me。　It　seemed　as　if　she　was