on the frontier-第32章

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of　a　blast；　he　deftly　evaded　the　point。　　〃I　ain't　saying　the　Old

Man's　head　ain't　level　on　some　things；　he　wants　a　little　more　sabe

of　the　world。　　He's　improved　a　good　deal　in　euchre　lately；　and　in

pokerwell！　he's　got　that　sorter　dreamy；　listenin'…to…the…angels

kind　o'　way　that　you　can't　exactly　tell　whether　he's　bluffin'　or

has　got　a　full　hand。　　Hasn't　he？〃　he　asked；　appealing　to　Union

Mills。



But　that　gentleman；　who　had　been　watching　the　dark　face　of　the

Right　Bower；　preferred　to　take　what　he　believed　to　be　his　cue　from

him。　　〃That　ain't　the　question；〃　he　said　virtuously；　〃we　ain't

takin'　this　step　to　make　a　card　sharp　out　of　him。　　We're　not　doin'

Chinamen's　work　in　this　race　to…day　for　that。　　No；　sir！　　We're

teachin'　him　to　paddle　his　own　canoe。〃　　Not　finding　the　sympathetic

response　he　looked　for　in　the　Right　Bower's　face；　he　turned　to　the

Left。



〃I　reckon　we　were　teachin'　him　our　canoe　was　too　full；〃　was　the

Left　Bower's　unexpected　reply。　　〃That's　about　the　size　of　it。〃



The　Right　Bower　shot　a　rapid　glance　under　his　brows　at　his　brother。

The　latter；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　stared　unconsciously　at

the　rushing　waters；　and　then　quietly　turned　away。　　The　Right　Bower

followed　him。　　〃Are　you　goin'　back　on　us？〃　he　asked。



〃Are　you？〃　responded　the　other。



〃No！〃



〃NO；　then　it　is；〃　returned　the　Left　Bower　quietly。　　The　elder

brother　hesitated　in　half…angry　embarrassment。



〃Then　what　did　you　mean　by　saying　we　reckoned　our　canoe　was　too

full？〃



〃Wasn't　that　our　idea？〃　returned　the　Left　Bower；　indifferently。

Confounded　by　this　practical　expression　of　his　own　unformulated

good　intentions；　the　Right　Bower　was　staggered。



〃Speakin'　of　the　Old　Man；〃　broke　in　the　Judge；　with　characteristic

infelicity；　〃I　reckon　he'll　sort　o'　miss　us；　times　like　these。　　We

were　allers　runnin'　him　and　bedevilin'　him；　after　work；　just　to　get

him　excited　and　amusin'；　and　he'll　kinder　miss　that　sort　o'

stimulatin'。　　I　reckon　we'll　miss　it　too；　somewhat。　　Don't　you

remember；　boys；　the　night　we　put　up　that　little　sell　on　him　and

made　him　believe　we'd　struck　it　rich　in　the　bank　of　the　creek；　and

got　him　so　conceited；　he　wanted　to　go　off　and　settle　all　our　debts

at　once？〃



〃And　how　I　came　bustin'　into　the　cabin　with　a　pan　full　of　iron

pyrites　and　black　sand；〃　chuckled　Union　Mills；　continuing　the

reminiscences；　〃and　how　them　big　gray　eyes　of　his　nearly　bulged　out

of　his　head。　　Well；　it's　some　satisfaction　to　know　we　did　our　duty

by　the　young　fellow　even　in　those　little　things。〃　　He　turned　for

confirmation　of　their　general　disinterestedness　to　the　Right　Bower；

but　he　was　already　striding　away；　uneasily　conscious　of　the　lazy

following　of　the　Left　Bower；　like　a　laggard　conscience　at　his　back。

This　movement　again　threw　Union　Mills　and　the　Judge　into　feeble

complicity　in　the　rear；　as　the　procession　slowly　straggled　homeward

from　the　creek。



Night　had　fallen。　　Their　way　lay　through　the　shadow　of　Lone　Star

Mountain；　deepened　here　and　there　by　the　slight；　bosky　ridges　that；

starting　from　its　base；　crept　across　the　plain　like　vast　roots　of

its　swelling　trunk。　　The　shadows　were　growing　blacker　as　the　moon

began　to　assert　itself　over　the　rest　of　the　valley；　when　the　Right

Bower　halted　suddenly　on　one　of　these　ridges。　　The　Left　Bower

lounged　up　to　him；　and　stopped　also；　while　the　two　others　came　up

and　completed　the　group。



〃There's　no　light　in　the　shanty；〃　said　the　Right　Bower　in　a　low

voice；　half　to　himself　and；　half　in　answer　to　their　inquiring

attitude。　　The　men　followed　the　direction　of　his　finger。　　In　the

distance　the　black　outline　of　the　Lone　Star　cabin　stood　out

distinctly　in　the　illumined　space。　　There　was　the　blank；　sightless；

external　glitter　of　moonlight　on　its　two　windows　that　seemed　to

reflect　its　dim　vacancy；　empty　alike　of　light；　and　warmth；　and

motion。



〃That's　sing'lar；〃　said　the　Judge　in　an　awed　whisper。



The　Left　Bower；　by　simply　altering　the　position　of　his　hands　in　his

trousers'　pockets；　managed　to　suggest　that　he　knew　perfectly　the

meaning　of　it；　had　always　known　it；　but　that　being　now；　so　to

speak；　in　the　hands　of　Fate；　he　was　callous　to　it。　　This　much；　at

least；　the　elder　brother　read　in　his　attitude。　　But　anxiety　at　that

moment　was　the　controlling　impulse　of　the　Right　Bower；　as　a　certain

superstitious　remorse　was　the　instinct　of　the　two　others；　and

without　heeding　the　cynic；　the　three　started　at　a　rapid　pace　for

the　cabin。



They　reached　it　silently；　as　the　moon；　now　riding　high　in　the

heavens；　seemed　to　touch　it　with　the　tender　grace　and　hushed　repose

of　a　tomb。　　It　was　with　something　of　this　feeling　that　the　Right

Bower　softly　pushed　open　the　door；　it　was　with　something　of　this

dread　that　the　two　others　lingered　on　the　threshold；　until　the

Right　Bower；　after　vainly　trying　to　stir　the　dead　embers　on　the

hearth　into　life　with　his　foot；　struck　a　match　and　lit　their

solitary　candle。　　Its　flickering　light　revealed　the　familiar

interior　unchanged　in　aught　but　one　thing。　　The　bunk　that　the　Old

Man　had　occupied　was　stripped　of　its　blankets；　the　few　cheap

ornaments　and　photographs　were　gone；　the　rude　poverty　of　the　bare

boards　and　scant　pallet　looked　up　at　them　unrelieved　by　the　bright

face　and　gracious　youth　that　had　once　made　them　tolerable。　　In　the

grim　irony　of　that　exposure；　their　own　penury　was　doubly　conscious。

The　little　knapsack；　the　teacup　and　coffee…pot　that　had　hung　near

his　bed；　were　gone　also。　　The　most　indignant　protest；　the　most

pathetic　of　the　letters　he　had　composed　and　rejected；　whose　torn

fragments　still　littered　the　floor；　could　never　have　spoken　with

the　eloquence　of　this　empty　space！　　The　men　exchanged　no　words：　the

solitude　of　the　cabin；　instead　of　drawing　them　together；　seemed　to

isolate　each　one　in　selfish　distrust　of　the　others。　　Even　the

unthinking　garrulity　of　Union　Mills　and　the　Judge　was　checked。　　A

moment　later；　when　the　Left　Bower　entered　the　cabin；　his　presence

was　scarcely　noticed。



The　silence　was　broken　by　a　joyous　exclamation　from　the　Judge。　　He

had　discovered　the　Old　Man's　rifle　in　the　corner；　where　it　had　been

at　first　overlooked。　　〃He　ain't　gone　yet；　gentlemenfor　yer's　his

rifle；〃　he　broke　in；　with　a　feverish　return　of　volubility；　and　a

high　excited　falsetto。　　〃He　wouldn't　have　left　this　behind。　　No！　　I

knowed　it　from　the　first。　　He's　just　outside　a　bit；　foraging　for

wood　and　water。　　No；　sir！　　Coming　along　here　I　said　to　Union　Mills

didn't　I？'Bet　your　life　the　Old　Man's　not　far　off；　even　if　he

ain't　in　the　cabin。'　　Why；　the　moment　I　stepped　foot〃



〃And　I　said　coming　along；〃　interrupted　Union　Mills；　with　equally

reviving　mendacity；　'Like　as　not　he's　hangin'　round　yer　and　lyin'

low　just　to　give　us　a　surprise。'　　He！　ho！〃



〃He's　gone　for　good；　and　he　left　that　rifle　here　on　purpose；〃　said

the　Left　Bower　in　a　low　voice；　taking　the　weapon　almost　tenderly　in

his　hands。



〃Drop　it；　then！〃　said　the　Right　Bower。　　The　voice　was　that　of　his

brother；　but　suddenly　changed　with　passion。　　The　two　other　partners

instinctively　drew　back　in　alarm。



〃I'll　not　leave　it　here　for　the　first　comer；〃　said　the　Left　Bower；

calmly；　〃because　we've　been　fools　and　he　too。　　It's　too　good　a

weapon　for　that。〃



〃Drop　it；　I　say！〃　said　the　Right　Bower；　with　a　savage　stride

towards　him。



The　younger　brother　brought　the　rifle　to　a　half　charge　with　a　white

face　but　a　steady　eye。



〃Stop　where　you　are！〃　he　said　collectedly。　　〃Don't　row　with　ME；

because　you　haven't　either　the　grit　to　stick　to　your　ideas　or　the

heart　to　confess　them　wrong。　　We've　followed　your　lead；　andhere

we　are！　　The　camp's　broken　upthe　Old　Man's　goneand　we're　going。

And　as　for　the　dd　rifle〃



〃Drop　it；　do　you　hear！〃　shouted　the　Right　Bower；　clinging　to　that

one　idea　with　the　blind　pertinacity　of　rage　and　a　losing　cause。

〃Drop　it！〃



The　Left　Bower　drew　back；　but　his　brother　had　seized　the　barrel

with　both　hands。　　There　was　a　mo