smoke bellew-第23章

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ven't　located　anything　big；　and　they　got　tired　of　hunting　for　Surprise　Lake。　　They　did　some　stampeding　the　first　part　of　the　winter；　but　they've　got　over　that　now。　　Scurvy　is　beginning　to　show　up　amongst　them；　too；　and　they're　just　ripe　for　excitement。〃

〃And　it　looks　like　I'll　furnish　it；〃　was　Smoke's　comment。　　〃Say；　Breck；　how　did　you　ever　fall　in　with　such　a　God…forsaken　bunch？〃

〃After　I　got　the　claims　at　Squaw　Creek　opened　up　and　some　men　to　working；　I　came　up　here　by　way　of　the　Stewart；　hunting　for　Two　Cabins。　　They'd　beaten　me　to　it；　so　I've　been　higher　up　the　Stewart。　Just　got　back　yesterday　out　of　grub。〃

〃Find　anything？〃

〃Nothing　much。　　But　I　think　I've　got　a　hydraulic　proposition　that'll　work　big　when　the　country's　opened　up。　　It's　that；　or　a　gold…　dredger。〃

〃Hold　on；〃　Smoke　interrupted。　　〃Wait　a　minute。　　Let　me　think。〃

He　was　very　much　aware　of　the　snores　of　the　sleepers　as　he　pursued　the　idea　that　had　flashed　into　his　mind。

〃Say；　Breck；　have　they　opened　up　the　meat…packs　my　dogs　carried？〃

〃A　couple。　　I　was　watching。　　They　put　them　in　Harding's　cache。〃

〃Did　they　find　anything？〃

〃Meat。〃

〃Good。　　You've　got　to　get　into　the　brown　canvas　pack　that's　patched　with　moosehide。　　You'll　find　a　few　pounds　of　lumpy　gold。　　You've　never　seen　gold　like　it　in　the　country；　nor　has　anybody　else。　Here's　what　you've　got　to　do。　　Listen。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　fully　instructed　and　complaining　that　his　toes　were　freezing；　Breck　went　away。　　Smoke；　his　own　nose　and　one　cheek　frosted　by　proximity　to　the　chink；　rubbed　them　against　the　blankets　for　half　an　hour　before　the　blaze　and　bite　of　the　returning　blood　assured　him　of　the　safety　of　his　flesh。



VI。

〃My　mind's　made　up　right　now。　　There　ain't　no　doubt　but　what　he　killed　Kinade。　　We　heard　the　whole　thing　last　night。　　What's　the　good　of　goin'　over　it　again？　　I　vote　guilty。〃

In　such　fashion；　Smoke's　trial　began。　　The　speaker；　a　loose…jointed；　hard…rock　man　from　Colorado；　manifested　irritation　and　disgust　when　Harding　set　his　suggestion　aside；　demanded　the　proceedings　should　be　regular；　and　nominated　one；　Shunk　Wilson；　for　judge　and　chairman　of　the　meeting。　　The　population　of　Two　Cabins　constituted　the　jury；　though；　after　some　discussion；　the　woman；　Lucy；　was　denied　the　right　to　vote　on　Smoke's　guilt　or　innocence。

While　this　was　going　on；　Smoke；　jammed　into　a　corner　on　a　bunk；　overheard　a　whispered　conversation　between　Breck　and　a　miner。

〃You　haven't　fifty　pounds　of　flour　you'll　sell？〃　Breck　queried。

〃You　ain't　got　the　dust　to　pay　the　price　I'm　askin'；〃　was　the　reply。

〃I'll　give　you　two　hundred。〃

The　man　shook　his　head。

〃Three　hundred。　　Three…fifty。〃

At　four　hundred；　the　man　nodded；　and　said：　　〃Come　on　over　to　my　cabin　an'　weigh　out　the　dust。〃

The　two　squeezed　their　way　to　the　door；　and　slipped　out。　　After　a　few　minutes　Breck　returned　alone。

Harding　was　testifying；　when　Smoke　saw　the　door　shoved　open　slightly；　and　in　the　crack　appear　the　face　of　the　man　who　had　sold　the　flour。　　He　was　grimacing　and　beckoning　emphatically　to　one　inside；　who　arose　from　near　the　stove　and　started　to　work　toward　the　door。

〃Where　are　you　goin'；　Sam？〃　Shunk　Wilson　demanded。

〃I'll　be　back　in　a　jiffy；〃　Sam　explained。　　〃I　jes'　got　to　go。〃

Smoke　was　permitted　to　question　the　witnesses；　and　he　was　in　the　middle　of　the　cross…examination　of　Harding；　when　from　without　came　the　whining　of　dogs　in　harness；　and　the　grind　and　churn　of　sled…　runners。　　Somebody　near　the　door　peeped　out。

〃It's　Sam　an'　his　pardner　an'　a　dog…team　hell…bent　down　the　trail　for　Stewart　River；〃　the　man　reported。

Nobody　spoke　for　a　long　half…minute；　but　men　glanced　significantly　at　one　another；　and　a　general　restlessness　pervaded　the　packed　room。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Smoke　caught　a　glimpse　of　Breck；　Lucy；　and　her　husband　whispering　together。

〃Come　on；　you；〃　Shunk　Wilson　said　gruffly　to　Smoke。　　〃Cut　this　questionin'　short。　　We　know　what　you're　tryin'　to　provethat　the　other　bank　wasn't　searched。　　The　witness　admits　it。　　We　admit　it。　It　wasn't　necessary。　　No　tracks　led　to　that　bank。　　The　snow　wasn't　broke。〃

〃There　was　a　man　on　the　other　bank　just　the　same；〃　Smoke　insisted。

〃That's　too　thin　for　skatin'；　young　man。　　There　ain't　many　of　us　on　the　McQuestion；　an'　we　got　every　man　accounted　for。〃

〃Who　was　the　man　you　hiked　out　of　camp　two　weeks　ago？〃　Smoke　asked。

〃Alonzo　Miramar。　　He　was　a　Mexican。　　What's　that　grub…thief　got　to　do　with　it？〃

〃Nothing；　except　that　you　haven't　accounted　for　HIM；　Mr　Judge。〃

〃He　went　down　the　river；　not　up。〃

〃How　do　you　know　where　he　went？〃

〃Saw　him　start。〃

〃And　that's　all　you　know　of　what　became　of　him？〃

〃No；　it　ain't；　young　man。　　I　know；　we　all　know；　he　had　four　day's　grub　an'　no　gun　to　shoot　meat　with。　　If　he　didn't　make　the　settlement　on　the　Yukon　he'd　croaked　long　before　this。〃

〃I　suppose　you've　got　all　the　guns　in　this　part　of　the　country　accounted　for；　too；〃　Smoke　observed　pointedly。

Shunk　Wilson　was　angry。

〃You'd　think　I　was　the　prisoner　the　way　you　slam　questions　into　me。　Come　on　with　the　next　witness。　　Where's　French　Louis？〃

While　French　Louis　was　shoving　forward；　Lucy　opened　the　door。

〃Where　you　goin'？〃　Shunk　Wilson　shouted。

〃I　reckon　I　don't　have　to　stay；〃　she　answered　defiantly。　　〃I　ain't　got　no　vote；　an'　besides　my　cabin's　so　jammed　up　I　can't　breathe。〃

In　a　few　minutes　her　husband　followed。　　The　closing　of　the　door　was　the　first　warning　the　judge　received　of　it。

〃Who　was　that？〃　he　interrupted　Pierre's　narrative　to　ask。

〃Bill　Peabody；〃　somebody　spoke　up。　　〃Said　he　wanted　to　ask　his　wife　something　and　was　coming　right　back。〃

Instead　of　Bill；　it　was　Lucy　who　re…entered；　took　off　her　furs；　and　resumed　her　place　by　the　stove。

〃I　reckon　we　don't　need　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　witnesses；〃　was　Shunk　Wilson's　decision；　when　Pierre　had　finished。　　〃We　know　they　only　can　testify　to　the　same　facts　we've　already　heard。　　Say；　Sorensen；　you　go　an'　bring　Bill　Peabody　back。　　We'll　be　votin'　a　verdict　pretty　short。　　Now；　Stranger；　you　can　get　up　an'　say　your　say　concernin'　what　happened。　　In　the　meantime　we'll　just　be　savin'　delay　by　passin'　around　the　two　rifles；　the　ammunition；　an'　the　bullets　that　done　the　killin'。〃

Midway　in　his　story　of　how　he　had　arrived　in　that　part　of　the　country；　and　at　the　point　in　his　narrative　where　he　described　his　own　ambush　and　how　he　had　fled　to　the　bank；　Smoke　was　interrupted　by　the　indignant　Shunk　Wilson。

〃Young　man；　what　sense　is　there　in　you　testifyin'　that　way？　　You're　just　takin'　up　valuable　time。　　Of　course　you　got　the　right　to　lie　to　save　your　neck；　but　we　ain't　goin'　to　stand　for　such　foolishness。　The　rifle；　the　ammunition；　the　bullet　that　killed　Joe　Kinade　is　against　youWhat's　that？　　Open　the　door；　somebody！〃

The　frost　rushed　in；　taking　form　and　substance　in　the　heat　of　the　room；　while　through　the　open　door　came　the　whining　of　dogs　that　decreased　rapidly　with　distance。

〃It's　Sorensen　an'　Peabody；〃　some　one　cried；　〃a…throwin'　the　whip　into　the　dawgs　an'　headin'　down　river！〃

〃Now；　what　the　hell！〃　　Shunk　Wilson　paused；　with　dropped　jaw；　and　glared　at　Lucy。　　〃I　reckon　you　can　explain；　Mrs　Peabody。〃

She　tossed　her　head　and　compressed　her　lips；　and　Shunk　Wilson's　wrathful　and　suspicious　gaze　passed　on　and　rested　on　Breck。

〃An'　I　reckon　that　new…comer　you've　ben　chinning　with　could　explain　if　HE　had　a　mind　to。〃

Breck；　now　very　uncomfortable；　found　all　eyes　centred　on　him。

〃Sam　was　chewing　the　rag　with　him；　too；　before　he　hit　out；〃　some　one　said。

〃Look　here；　Mr　Breck；〃　Shunk　Wilson　continued。　　〃You've　ben　interruptin'　proceedings；　and　you　got　to　explain　the　meanin'　of　it。　What　was　you　chinnin'　about？〃

Breck　cleared　his　throat　timidly　and　replied。　　〃I　was　just　trying　to　buy　some　grub。〃

〃What　with？〃

〃Dust；　of　course。〃

〃Where'd　you　get　it？〃

Breck　did　not　answer。

〃He's　ben　snoopin'　around　up　the　Stewart；〃　a　man　volunteered。　　〃I　run　across　his　camp　a　week　ago　when　I　was　huntin'。　　An'　I　want　to　tell　you　he　was　almighty　secretious　about　it。〃

〃The　dust　didn't　come　from　there；〃　Breck　said。　　〃That's　only　a　low…　grade　hydraulic　proposition。〃

〃Bring　your　poke　here　an'　let's　see　your　dust；〃　Wilson　commanded。