lla.thelonelymen-第18部分

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　I　called　softly　to　Murphy；　who　was　closest　and　knelt　by　one　of　the　openings　left　in　the　wall　for　a　firing　position。　But　I　was　sure　right　from　the　start。　As　they　drew　nearer　I　could　see　them　clear　enough。
　Standing　up　on　the　tower　I　called　out；　〃Dorset！　Dorset　Binny！　e　on　in！〃
　
　Chapter　10
　
　Laura　Pritts　Sackett　was　immaculate。　She　was　cool；　aloof；　yet　she　managed　to　convey　the　idea　that　beneath　that　still　surface　there　was　turmoil；　waiting　to　be　exploited。　A　cold；　emotionless　young　woman；　she　had　learned　very　early　that　the　appearance　of　deep　emotion　and　passion　beneath　the　quiet　exterior　was　a　tool　and　a　weapon　to　be　used；　and　so　she　had　used　it
　Her　adoration　for　her　father　had　resulted　in　hatred　for　all　who　in　any　way　thwarted　or　opposed　him。
　As　the　days　passed　into　weeks　and　she　heard　nothing　from　Mexico；　she　grew　worried。　Suppose；　after　all；　Tell　Sackett　was　not　killed　by　the　Apaches？　Suppose　he　did　return；　and　her　falsehood　was　exposed？　She　was　less　worried；　however；　about　being　exposed　…　she　had　no　intention　of　remaining　in　Tucson　anyway　…　than　about　Sackett　not　being　killed。
　She　knew　enough　about　the　Sacketts　to　know　they　had　a　way　of　getting　out　of　corners。　Suddenly；　she　made　up　her　mind。
　She　would　leave　Tucson。　She　would　go　back　east　without　waiting　any　longer。　She　might　never　hear　what　happened　in　Sonora；　and　there　was　no　sense　in　staying　on　here；　in　this　heat；　and　merely　waiting。　Her　father　had　a　little　property　in　the　East；　and　it　was　time　she　returned　to　settle　the　estate。　But　first　she　would　make　one　final　effort
　She　was　seated　in　the　Shoo…Fly　when　she　reached　that　decision。　She　knew；　as　did　everyone；　about　the　gun　battle　in　the　Quartz　Rock　Saloon；　and　she　had　seen　the　Hadden　boys　around　town。　She　knew　also　that　the　Maddens　had　been　doing　some　talking　about　what　would　happen　when　they　met　Tell　Sackett　and　Tampico　Rocca　again。
　Suddenly　the　door　opened　and　Captain　Lewiston　came　in；　acpanied　by　Lieutenant　Jack　Davis；　whom　she　remembered　from　the　stage　ride　to　Tucson。
　They　came　to　her　table。　〃Mrs。　Sackett；〃　Davis　said；　〃I　want　to　present　Captain　Lewiston。〃
　She　turned　her　wide　blue　eyes　on　the　Captain　and　sensed　a　coolness；　a　reserve。　This　one　would　not　be　so　easy　as　Davis　to　wind　around　her　finger。　〃How　do　you　do；　Captain；〃　she　said。　〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃
　The　men　seated　themselves　and　ordered　coffee。　〃I　hope　you　will　forgive　the　intrusion；　Mrs。　Sackett；〃　Captain　Lewiston　said；　〃but　we　were　wondering　if　you　could　tell　us　anything　about　the　present　location　of　Tell　Sackett。　I　believe　he　is　a　relative　of　yours。〃
　〃He　is　my　brother…in…law；〃　she　said；　〃although　I　had　never　met　him　until　a　few　weeks　ago。　Right　here　in　this　room；　in　fact。　He　was　with　some　other　men。　I　don't　know　where　they　went。　Is　he　in　trouble？〃
　Lewiston　hesitated。　〃Yes　and　no；〃　he　said　finally。　〃If　he　rode　into　Apache　country；　as　we　have　heard　that　he　did；　he　may　be　in　very　serious　trouble　indeed。〃
　She　allowed　her　lip　to　tremble。　〃He　。。。　he　hasn't　been　killed；　has　he？　The　Sacketts　are　reckless；　daring　men；　and　。。。〃　She　let　her　words　trail　away。
　〃We　have　heard　nothing；〃　Lewiston　said。　〃We　are　planning　a　strike　against　the　Apaches　that　will　take　us　deep　into　Mexico。　We　would　not　want　them　stirred　up　by　some　unauthorized　foray　into　their　country。〃
　〃I　。。。　I　did　not　know。　If　anything　should　happen　to　Mr。　Sackett　my　husband　would　be　very　upset。　They　are　very　close。〃
　〃Mrs。　Sackett；　I　understand　you　provided　Mr。　Sackett　with　a　horse？　Is　that　true？〃
　〃Of　course。　His　own　had　been　killed　and　he　was　unable　to　purchase　one。　I　merely　helped。〃　She　smiled。　〃What　else　could　I　do？〃
　Lewiston　was　not　satisfied；　yet　there　was　certainly　nothing　wrong　with　her　story；　nor　had　he　any　reason　to　suspect　she　knew　Tell　Sackett's　whereabouts；　except　the　fact　that　they　were　relatives；　and　had　talked　together。　He　could　not　have　given　any　reason　for　his　dissatisfaction；　but　he　felt　it。　Moreover；　he　had　liked　Tell；　and　he　was　worried　about　him。
　Later　he　said　as　much　to　Davis。　〃Oh；　e　now；　Captain！〃　Davis　said。　〃If　Laura　Sackett　knew　anything　about　Sackett　she　would　tell　you。　What　possible　reason　would　she　have　for　lying？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　why　is　she　staying　on　in　Tucson？　She　has　no　relatives　here；　no　friends；　and　this　is　no　time　of　year　to　be　here　if　you　can　be　anywhere　else。　I　mean；　I　like　the　place；　but　not　many　eastern　women　such　as　Laura　Sackett　are　inclined　to　want　to　stay　here。〃
　Davis　had　done　some　wondering　about　that　himself。　Tucson　was　a　hot；　dusty　little　desert　town；　and　not　a　likely　place　for　a　lady　of　aristocratic　background　such　as　Laura　had　implied　in　a　few　carefully　casual　references。　A　stopover　to　recover　from　the　rigors　of　a　stage　trip　from　California　would　be　natural；　but　the　days　had　stretched　on；　and　still　she　remained。　Had　she　been　known　in　the　area　or　had　friends　there；　her　presence　would　have　been　no　cause　for　ment；　but　she　kept　very　much　to　herself　and　indicated　no　desire　to　make　acquaintances。
　Laura　was　unconcerned　as　to　what　anyone　thought。　She　detested　Tucson　and　its　people；　and　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　to　go　on　to　El　Paso　and　thence　to　New　Orleans　and　the　East。　If　she　could　only　be　sure　Tell　Sackett　was　dead　she　would　leave。
　She　knew　what　she　must　do。　Tell　Sackett　had　now　been　gone　for　three　weeks；　and　while　it　seemed　likely　that　he　was　dead；　he　might　even　now　be　ing　north　over　the　trails　through　Sonora。　So　she　had　one　more　thing　to　do。　She　had　to　make　sure　that；　if　he　had　lived　through　the　journey　into　the　Apache　stronghold；　he　would　die　before　getting　back　to　Tucson。　Somehow　she　must　manage　to　talk　with　Arch　or　Wolf　Hadden。
　They　came　rarely　to　the　Shoo…Fly。　There　were　other　places　to　eat　among　their　own　land；　and　she　had　seen　them　on　the　streets　with　other　toughs　of　ugly　reputation。　By　listening　to　talk　she　heard　around　her；　she　learned　that　the　Haddens　were；　among　other　things；　bronc　riders　and　wild…horse　hunters。　They　had　e　into　town　with　several　horses　for　sale　or　trade。
　She　spoke　to　Mrs。　Wallen　quite　casually。　〃There　is　a　man　about　town；〃　she　said；　〃a　rough…looking　man　named　Hadden；　who　has　a　sorrel　gelding　for　sale。　I　would　like　to　talk　to　him。〃
　Mrs。　Wallen　hesitated；　putting　her　hands　on　her　hips。　〃Ma'am；　those　Haddens　are　not　fit　men　for　a　lady　to　know。　I　will　have　Mr。　Wallen　talk　to　them。〃
　〃If　you　please；〃　Laura　Sackett　answered　coolly；　〃I　would　prefer　to　talk　to　them　myself。　I　have　dealt　with　many　rough　men　whom　my　father　employed。　I　have　also　had　some　experience　in　buying　horses。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Mrs。　Wallen　replied　stiffly；　〃have　it　your　own　way。〃
　Laura　was　amused。　Mrs。　Wallen　did　not　like　her；　she　knew；　and　Laura　cared　not　at　all；　but　it　made　her　feel　good　to　put　her　in　her　place；　if　ever　so　gently。
　She　finished　her　tea　and；　getting　to　her　feet；　she　gathered　her　skirt　in　one　dainty　gloved　hand　and　went　out　on　the　boardwalk。　The　heat　struck　her　face　like　heat　from　the　open　door　of　a　furnace。　She　stood　an　instant；　looking　up　and　down　the　street；　and　then　she　went　on　to　her　rooming　house。
　Arch　Hadden　was　seated　on　the　steps。　He　got　to　his　feet　as　she　approached。　〃Wallen　said　you　wanted　to　see　me　about　a　horse。〃
　She　studied　him　for　a　moment。　〃About　a　horse；〃　she　said；　〃and　some　other　matters。　If　you　will　saddle　that　sorrel　you　have　and　bring　him　around　in　the　morning　I　shall　ride　out　with　you。　If　the　horse　is　satisfactory；　I　will　buy　him。〃　The　next　morning　in　the　early　coolness　they　rode　out　beyond　the　mission。　The　little　sorrel　moved　well；　but　Laura　was　not　interested　in　the　horse。　In　a　thick　grove　of　cactus　and　brush；　she　drew　up　and　Arch　Hadden　rode　up　close　beside　her。
　He　looked　at　her　with　a　knowing　leer。　〃Ma'am；　I　reckon　you　e　to　the　right　man。　Now　I'll　just　get　down　an'　help　you　off　that　horse　。。。〃
　In　her　hand　she　held　a　two…barreled　derringer。　〃Stay　right　where　you　are；　Hadden；〃　she　said。　〃I　brought　you　out　here　to　talk　to　you。　Do　you　know　what　my　name　is？〃
　He　stared　at　her；　puzzled　but　wary。　〃Can't　say　as　I　do。　At　the　livery　stable　Wallen　just　told　me　to　e　and　see　the　blonde　lady　at　that　roomin'　house。　I　reckon　evertrody　in　town　has　seen　you；　ma'am。〃
　〃I　am　Laura　Pritts　Sackett。〃
　His　face　sharpened　suddenly　as　if　the　skin　had　drawn　t