wyoming(怀俄明)-第32节
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〃We have an appointment with Miss Messiter and Nora for to…morrow
morning。 We'll have to leave word we can't keep it。〃
〃Sure。 Denver and Missou are playing the wheel down at the Silver
Dollar。 I reckon we better make those boys jump and run errands for us
while we lie low。 I'll drop in casual and give them the word。 Meet y'u here
in ten minutes。 Whatever y'u do； keep that mask on your face。〃
〃Better meet farther from the scene of trouble。 Suppose we say the
north gate of the grand stand？〃
〃Good enough。 So…long。〃
The first faint streaks of day were beginning to show on the horizon
when Bannister reached the grand stand。 He knew that inside of another
half…hour the little frontier town would be blinking in the early morning
sunlight that falls so brilliantly through the limpid atmosphere。 If they
were going to leave without fighting their way out there was no time to
lose。
Ten minutes slowly ticked away。
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He glanced at his watch。 〃Five minutes after four。 I wish I had gone
with Mac。 He may have been recognized。〃
But even as the thought flitted through his mind； the semi…darkness
opened to let a figure out of it。
〃All quiet along the Potomac； seh？〃 asked the foreman's blithe voice。
〃Good。 I found the boys and got them started。〃 He flung down a Mexican
vaquero's gaily trimmed costume。 〃Get into these； seh。 Denver shucked
them for me。 That coyote must have noticed what we wore before he slid
out。 Y'u can bet the orders are to watch for us as we were dressed then。〃
〃What are y u going to do？〃
〃Me？ I'm scheduled to be Aaron Burr； seh。 Missou swaps with me
when he gets back here。 They're going to rustle us some white men's
clothes； too； but we cayn't wear them till we get out of town on account of
showing our handsome faces。〃
〃What about horses？〃
〃Denver is rustling some for us。 Y'u better be scribbling your billy…doo
to the girl y'u leave behind y'u； seh。〃
〃Haven't y'u got one to scribble？〃 Bannister retorted。 〃Seems to me y'u
better get busy； too。〃
So it happened that when Missou arrived a few minutes later he found
this pair of gentlemen； who were about to flee for their lives； busily
inditing what McWilliams had termed facetiously billets…doux。 Each of
them was trying to make his letter a little warmer than friendship allowed
without committing himself to any chance of a rebuff。 Mac got as far as
Nora Darling； absentmindedly inserted a comma between the words； and
there stuck hopelessly。 He looked enviously across at Bannister； whose
pencil was traveling rapidly down his note…book。
〃My； what a swift trail your pencil leaves on that paper。 That's going
some。 Mine's bogged down before it got started。 I wisht y'u would start me
off。〃
〃Well； if you ain't up and started a business college already。 I had
ought to have brought a typewriter along with me；〃 murmured Missou
ironically。
〃How are things stacking？ Our friends the enemy getting busy yet？〃
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asked Bannister； folding and addressing his note。
〃That's what。 Orders gone out to guard every road so as not to let you
pass。 What's the matter with me rustling up the boys and us holding down
a corner of this town ourselves？〃
The sheepman shook his head。 〃We're not going to start a little private
war of our own。 We couldn't do that without spilling a lot of blood。 No；
we'll make a run for it。〃
〃That y'u； Denver？〃 the foreman called softly； as the sound of
approaching horses reached him。
〃Bet your life。 Got your own broncs； too。 Sheriff Burns called up
Daniels not to let any horses go out from his corral to anybody without his
O。K。 I happened to be cinching at the time the 'phone message came； so I
concluded that order wasn't for me； and lit out kinder unceremonious。〃
Hastily the fugitives donned the new costumes and dominos； turned
their notes over to Denver； and swung to their saddles。
〃Good luck！〃 the punchers called after them； and Denver added an
ironical promise that the foreman had no doubt he would keep。 〃I'll look
out for NoraDarling。〃 There was a drawling pause between the first and
second names。 〃I'll ce'tainly see that she don't have any time to worry
about y'u； Mac。〃
〃Y'u go to Halifax；〃 returned Mac genially over his shoulder as he
loped away。
〃I doubt if we can get out by the roads。 Soon as we reach the end of
the street we better cut across that hayfield；〃 suggested Ned。
〃That's whatever。 Then we'll slip past the sentries without being seen。
I'd hate to spoil any of them if we can help it。 We're liable to get ourselves
disliked if our guns spatter too much。〃
They rode through the main street； still noisy with the shouts of late
revelers returning to their quarters。 Masked men were yet in evidence
occasionally； so that their habits caused neither remark nor suspicion。 A
good many of the punchers； unable to stay longer； were slipping out of
town after having made a night of it。 In the general exodus the two friends
hoped to escape unobserved。
They dropped into a side street； galloped down it for two hundred
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yards； and dismounted at a barb…wire fence which ran parallel with the
road。 The foreman's wire…clippers severed the strands one by one； and they
led their horses through the gap。 They crossed an alfalfa…field； jumped an
irrigation ditch； used the clippers again； and found themselves in a large
pasture。 It was getting lighter every moment； and while they were still in
the pasture a voice hailed them from the road in an unmistakable
command to halt。
They bent low over the backs of their ponies and gave them the spur。
The shot they had expected rang out； passing harmlessly over them。
Another followed； and still another。
〃That's right。 Shoot up the scenery。 Y'u don't hurt us none；〃 the
foreman said； apostrophizing the man behind the gun。
The next clipped fence brought them to the open country。 For half an
hour they rode swiftly without halt。 Then McWilliams drew up。
〃Where are we making for？〃
〃How about the Wind River country？〃
〃Won't do。 First off； they'll strike right down that way after us。 What's
the matter with running up Sweetwater Creek and lying out in the bad
lands around the Roubideaux？〃
〃Good。 I have a sheep…camp up that way。 I can arrange to have grub
sent there for us by a man I can trust。〃
〃All right。 The Roubideaux goes。〃
While they were nooning at a cow…spring； Bannister； lying on his back；
with his face to the turquoise sky； became aware that a vagrant impulse
had crystallized to a fixed determination。 He broached it at once to his
companion。
〃One thing is a cinch； Mac。 Neither y'u nor I will be safe in this
country now until we have broken up the gang of desperadoes that is
terrorizing this country。 If we don't get them they will get us。 There isn't
any doubt about that。 I'm not willing to lie down before these miscreants。
What do y'u say？〃
〃I'm with y'u； old man。 But put a name to it。 What are y'u proposing？〃
〃I'm proposing that y'u and I make it our business not to have any
other business until we clean out this nest of wolves。 Let's go right after
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them； and see if we can't wipe out the Shoshone…Teton outfit。〃
〃How？ They own the law； don't they？〃
〃They don't own the United States Government。 When they held up a
mail…train they did a fool thing； for they bucked up against Uncle Sam。
What I propose is that we get hold of one of the gang and make him
weaken。 Then； after we have got h
