lla.thelonelymen-第35部分

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　They'd　e　without　a　light；　and　it　was　dark　as　a　pit　in　there。　They　hadn't　figured　they'd　need　a　light　to　take　me　out　of　the　cell；　and　they　didn't　want　to　draw　any　more　attention　than　need　be。　I　was　only　one　man　and　they　were　twenty。
　〃Look　who's　givin'　orders！〃　somebody　said。　〃Get　that　lock　open　and　let's　get　him　out　of　here！〃
　Now；　there's　a　time　for　talk　and　a　time　for　action；　and　I　never　was　much　gifted　with　oratory。　I　picked　up　the　long　pipe；　and　when　I　heard　them　trying　to　get　the　key　into　the　lock　I　gripped　that　pipe　with　both　hands　shoulder　high　and；　holding　it　tight；　I　jammed　it　between　the　bars。　At　close　quarters　and　in　the　dark　it　was　a　terrible　weapon。　The　passage　outside　the　cells　was　narrow　and　they　were　packed　in　tight。
　With　all　the　power　that　was　in　me；　I　jammed　that　pipe　into　the　crowd　beyond　the　bars。　I　heard　the　crunch；　then　a　horrible；　choking　scream。
　〃What　was　it？　What　happened？〃　somebody　yelled；　and　there　was　panic　in　the　voice。
　Drawing　back　on　the　pipe；　I　held　it　waist　high　and　jammed　it　through　again；　further　into　them。
　Another　scream；　then　a　cry；　〃Back！　For　God's　sake；　let　us　out　of　here！〃
　Somebody　else　yelled；　〃What's　the　matter？　You　gone　crazy？　Let's　get　him！〃
　Jerking　the　pipe　back；　I　smashed　hard　at　the　voice　and　heard　a　scream。　Then　came　a　shout；　〃Get　out！　Get　out！〃
　Men　were　fighting　and　struggling　to　get　out　of　the　narrow　passageway。　Thrusting　my　pipe　through　the　bars　this　tune　at　ankle　height；　I　heard　several　of　them　go　sprawling。　Somebody　jerked　a　gun　and　fired　blindly　through　the　bars；　the　shot　missing　me　by　several　feet。　I　drove　my　bar　at　the　flash　and　heard　a　grunt；　then　anguished　cries　of　pain；　and　stampeding　feet。　Suddenly　the　passage　was　empty　except　for　somebody　who　lay　groaning　on　the　floor。
　〃Serves　you　right；〃　I　said　calmly。　〃Whoever　you　are；　you　got　what　you　had　ing。〃
　〃Help！　For　God's　sake；　help　me！〃
　〃How　am　I　going　to　do　that？〃　I　said。　〃I'm　behind　bars。　You　just　crawl　outside　and　get　some　of　those　murdering　friends　of　yours　to　help。〃
　There　was　another　shuddering　groan　and　I　heard　the　sound　of　dragging。　I　stood　my　pipe　against　the　cell　wall；　and　waited。　If　they　came　again　it　would　be　to　shoot；　but　I　had　a　hunch　they　wouldn't　e。
　Now　I　heard　angry　questions　outside　in　the　street；　and　then　the　outer　door　opened。　A　match　scratched　and　somebody　lit　the　lamp。　Men　appeared　in　the　passageway。　One　of　them　was　Oury；　whom　I　knew　to　be　a　reputable　man。
　〃What's　happened？　What's　going　on　here？〃　he　said。
　A　man　was　lying　on　the　floor；　and　a　trail　of　blood　showed　where　another　had　dragged　himself。　A　loose　coil　of　rope　and　a　six…shooter　lay　just　outside　the　cell。
　〃Seems　I　had　visitors；〃　I　said；　leaning　on　the　bars。　〃They　wanted　me　for　a　necktie　party。　Only　I　didn't　think　it　ought　to　go　on　without　some　sort　of　official　plannin'；　so　those　folks；　they　taken　off。〃
　Oury's　face　was　grim。　〃I　am　sorry；　young　man。　Those　were　a　bunch　of　drunken　teamsters　and　drifters；　not　citizens　of　Tucson。〃
　〃I　figured　as　much；〃　I　said。　〃Mr。　Oury；　do　you　reckon　you　could　get　somebody　to　bring　me　a　pot　of　coffee　from　the　Shoo…Fly；　and　something　to　eat？　I'm　getting　almighty　hungry。〃
　〃I　will　do　more　than　that。　Jim〃　…　he　turned　to　one　of　the　others　…　〃get　me　the　keys。　I　am　taking　this　young　man　to　dinner。〃
　He　looked　around　again。　The　man　lying　on　the　floor　was　being　examined。　The　doctor　looked　up。　〃This　man　has　three　broken　ribs　and　a　punctured　lung；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃That's　his　problem；〃　I　said　harshly。　〃Anybody　who　fools　around　with　the　bandwagon　is　likely　to　get　hit　with　a　horn。〃
　〃Those　are　my　sentiments；〃　Oury　said　crisply。　The　keys　jangled；　the　door　swung　wide。　〃e；　Mr。　Sackett；　you　are　my　guest。〃
　〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　warn　you；　I'm　an　eating　man；　just　getting　my　appetite　back。〃
　The　Shoo…Fly　was　almost　empty　when　we　went　in；　but　a　few　minutes　afterward　it　was　crowded　to　the　doors。
　When　I'd　eaten；　I　sat　back　in　my　chair。　One　of　the　Tucson　citizens　came　in　with　my　Winchester　and　gun　belt。　〃If　you're　staying　in　town；〃　he　said；　〃you'd　better　go　armed。〃
　〃I　am　staying；〃　I　replied；　〃until　this　matter　is　cleared　up。　I　did　nothing　wrong　out　there。　I　killed　a　good　man；　a　tough　man。　He　might　have　lived　for　hours　in　that　boiling　hot　sun　with　those　slivers　burning　into　him。　He　was　not　a　man　to　die　easy。〃
　〃I　might　have　asked　for　the　same　thing；〃　somebody　said。
　I　was　quiet　after　that。　I'd　eaten　well；　and　I　had　my　guns　on　again；　and　all　I　wanted　was　to　get　this　affair　cleared　up　and　pull　out　for　Tyrel's　outfit　in　New　Mexico。　As　for　this　town；　it　was　no　place　for　me　until　my　enemies　had　drifted；　and　being　drifters；　I　knew　they'd　soon　be　gone。
　The　doctor　came　in　and　gave　me　a　hard　look。　〃I'll　say　this　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃you're　a　bad　man　to　corner。　You've　put　four　men　in　bed。　One　of　them　has　a　smashed　cheekbone；　his　face　is　ripped　open；　and　he's　lost　nine　teeth。　One　has　a　torn　shoulder　muscle；　another　has　a　dent　in　his　skull　and　his　scalp　is　ripped　right　across　the　top；　laid　open　for　five　inches。　The　one　with　the　punctured　lung　will　live　if　he's　lucky。　All　said　and　done；　you　put　four　men　out　of　action；　and　injured　six　or　seven　more。〃
　〃They　came　after　me；〃　I　said。　The　outer　door　opened　then　and　two　men　came　in。　One　was　Captain　Lewiston；　the　other　was　Toclani；　the　Apache　scout。　They　looked　around　until　their　eyes　spotted　me；　and　they　came　over　to　my　table。
　〃Sackett；〃　Lewiston　said；　〃Toclani　has　talked　to　Kahtenny。　They　verify　your　story。　Kahtenny　told　us　in　detail；　as　did　several　other　Apaches；　what　was　happening　out　there　during　the　attack　when　you　shot　Higgins。〃
　〃You　talked　to　Kahtenny？〃　I　asked　Toclani。
　〃He；　too。〃　He　indicated　Lewiston。　〃We　ride　together　to　Apache　camp。〃
　I　looked　at　Lewiston。　〃You　taken　a　long　chance；　man。〃
　〃It　was　simple　justice。　I　knew　that　the　people　who　would　surely　know　what　happened　were　the　Apaches。　I　did　not　know　they　would　talk；　but　Toclani　came　with　me；　and　Kahtenny　had　much　to　say　of　you；　Sackett。　He　said　you　were　a　brave　man；　a　strong　man；　and　a　warrior。〃
　〃Did　he　get　his　squaw　back？〃
　〃Yes；　and　he　thanks　you。〃　Lewiston　looked　at　me。　〃He　may　e　in。　All　because　of　that；　he　may　e　in。〃
　〃I　hope　he　does；〃　I　said。　〃He's　a　good　Indian。〃
　And　so　it　was　over。　Nobody　wanted　me　back　in　jail　any　longer；　but　I　figured　to　stay　around　until　the　sheriff　came　back　so　as　there'd　be　no　argument。　Around　town　folks　stopped　to　speak　to　me　on　the　street；　and　several　thanked　me　for　bringing　the　youngsters　back。
　But　I　saw　nothing　of　Laura　。。。　had　she　left　town？　Or　was　she　still　there；　waiting；　planning？
　My　mind　kept　turning　to　Dorset　Although　it　was　in　my　thoughts；　I'd　no　right　to　go　a…courting；　for　I'd　no　money　and　no　prospects　worth　counting　on。　Mr。　Rockfellow；　who　had　a　herd　he　wanted　pushed　over　into　the　Sulphur　Springs　Valley；　hired　me　and　some　other　hands；　but　it　was　a　short　job；　and　left　me　with　nothing　more　than　eating　money。
　The　sheriff　came　back　to　town；　and　after　hearing　what　had　happened　he　gave　me　a　clean　bill　on　the　charges　against　me；　so　I　figured　to　saddle　up　and　show　some　dust；　only　I　hadn't　enough　cash　to　lay　in　supplies　to　take　me　anywhere。
　Then　at　the　Shoo…Fly　I　heard　that　Pete　Kitchen　had　located　himself　a　mining　claim　down　in　the　Pajaritos；　so　I　rode　down。　When　he　found　out　I　was　a　hand　with　a　pick　and　shovel；　as　well　as　with　a　cutting　horse　and　a　rope；　he　hired　me　for　the　job。
　When　he　was　laying　out　the　grub　for　me　to　take　along　he　put　in　a　couple　of　hundred　rounds　of　。44's。　〃With　your　kind　of　luck；　and　that　being　Injun　country；　you're　liable　to　need　them。〃
　Well；　I　almost　backed　out。　I'd　had　my　fill　of　Apache　fighting；　and　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　a　spell　of　setting　and　contemplating。
　The　Pajaritos　are　not　much　when　it　es　to　mountains。　They　are　named　for　an　odd　birdlike　formation　on　the　butte。　I　rode　down　there；　leading　a　jack　mule；　and　I　found　the　mining　claim。
　There　was　a　wash　where　run…off　water　had　cut　down　among　the　rocks　and　laid　bare　some　ore。　It　wasn't　of　much　account；　but　gave　promise　of　growing　richer　as　it　went　deeper。
　On　the　back　side　of　a　knoll；　partly　screened　by　brush　and　boulders；　I　made　me　a　camp。　On　some　rough　grass　nearby　I　picketed　my　stock。　Then　I　s