roughing it-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


One　of　these　cases　was　that　of　a　Frenchman　who　had　offended　Slade。
To　the　surprise　of　everybody　Slade　did　not　kill　him　on　the　spot；　but　let
him　alone　for　a　considerable　time。　　Finally；　however；　he　went　to　the
Frenchman's　house　very　late　one　night；　knocked；　and　when　his　enemy　opened
the　door；　shot　him　deadpushed　the　corpse　inside　the　door　with　his　foot；
set　the　house　on　fire　and　burned　up　the　dead　man；　his　widow　and　three
children！　　I　heard　this　story　from　several　different　people；　and　they
evidently　believed　what　they　were　saying。　　It　may　be　true；　and　it　may
not。　　〃Give　a　dog　a　bad　name；〃　etc。

Slade　was　captured；　once；　by　a　party　of　men　who　intended　to　lynch　him。
They　disarmed　him；　and　shut　him　up　in　a　strong　log…house；　and　placed　a
guard　over　him。　　He　prevailed　on　his　captors　to　send　for　his　wife；　so
that　he　might　have　a　last　interview　with　her。　　She　was　a　brave；　loving；
spirited　woman。　　She　jumped　on　a　horse　and　rode　for　life　and　death。
When　she　arrived　they　let　her　in　without　searching　her；　and　before　the
door　could　be　closed　she　whipped　out　a　couple　of　revolvers；　and　she　and
her　lord　marched　forth　defying　the　party。　　And　then；　under　a　brisk　fire；
they　mounted　double　and　galloped　away　unharmed！

In　the　fulness　of　time　Slade's　myrmidons　captured　his　ancient　enemy
Jules；　whom　they　found　in　a　well…chosen　hiding…place　in　the　remote
fastnesses　of　the　mountains；　gaining　a　precarious　livelihood　with　his
rifle。　　They　brought　him　to　Rocky　Ridge；　bound　hand　and　foot；　and
deposited　him　in　the　middle　of　the　cattle…yard　with　his　back　against　a
post。　　It　is　said　that　the　pleasure　that　lit　Slade's　face　when　he　heard
of　it　was　something　fearful　to　contemplate。　　He　examined　his　enemy　to　see
that　he　was　securely　tied；　and　then　went　to　bed；　content　to　wait　till
morning　before　enjoying　the　luxury　of　killing　him。　　Jules　spent　the　night
in　the　cattle…yard；　and　it　is　a　region　where　warm　nights　are　never　known。
In　the　morning　Slade　practised　on　him　with　his　revolver；　nipping　the
flesh　here　and　there；　and　occasionally　clipping　off　a　finger；　while　Jules
begged　him　to　kill　him　outright　and　put　him　out　of　his　misery。　　Finally
Slade　reloaded；　and　walking　up　close　to　his　victim；　made　some
characteristic　remarks　and　then　dispatched　him。　　The　body　lay　there　half
a　day；　nobody　venturing　to　touch　it　without　orders；　and　then　Slade
detailed　a　party　and　assisted　at　the　burial　himself。　　But　he　first　cut
off　the　dead　man's　ears　and　put　them　in　his　vest　pocket；　where　he　carried
them　for　some　time　with　great　satisfaction。　　That　is　the　story　as　I　have
frequently　heard　it　told　and　seen　it　in　print　in　California　newspapers。
It　is　doubtless　correct　in　all　essential　particulars。

In　due　time　we　rattled　up　to　a　stage…station；　and　sat　down　to　breakfast
with　a　half…savage；　half…civilized　company　of　armed　and　bearded
mountaineers；　ranchmen　and　station　employees。　　The　most　gentlemanly…
appearing；　quiet　and　affable　officer　we　had　yet　found　along　the　road　in
the　Overland　Company's　service　was　the　person　who　sat　at　the　head　of　the
table；　at　my　elbow。　　Never　youth　stared　and　shivered　as　I　did　when　I
heard　them　call　him　SLADE！

Here　was　romance；　and　I　sitting　face　to　face　with　it！looking　upon　it
touching　ithobnobbing　with　it；　as　it　were！　　Here；　right　by　my　side；　was
the　actual　ogre　who；　in　fights　and　brawls　and　various　ways；　had　taken　the
lives　of　twenty…six　human　beings；　or　all　men　lied　about　him！　　I　suppose　I
was　the　proudest　stripling　that　ever　traveled　to　see　strange　lands　and
wonderful　people。

He　was　so　friendly　and　so　gentle…spoken　that　I　warmed　to　him　in　spite　of
his　awful　history。　　It　was　hardly　possible　to　realize　that　this　pleasant
person　was　the　pitiless　scourge　of　the　outlaws；　the　raw…head…and…bloody…
bones　the　nursing　mothers　of　the　mountains　terrified　their　children　with。
And　to　this　day　I　can　remember　nothing　remarkable　about　Slade　except　that
his　face　was　rather　broad　across　the　cheek　bones；　and　that　the　cheek
bones　were　low　and　the　lips　peculiarly　thin　and　straight。　　But　that　was
enough　to　leave　something　of　an　effect　upon　me；　for　since　then　I　seldom
see　a　face　possessing　those　characteristics　without　fancying　that　the
owner　of　it　is　a　dangerous　man。

The　coffee　ran　out。　　At　least　it　was　reduced　to　one　tin…cupful；　and　Slade
was　about　to　take　it　when　he　saw　that　my　cup　was　empty。

He　politely　offered　to　fill　it；　but　although　I　wanted　it；　I　politely
declined。　　I　was　afraid　he　had　not　killed　anybody　that　morning；　and　might
be　needing　diversion。　　But　still　with　firm　politeness　he　insisted　on
filling　my　cup；　and　said　I　had　traveled　all　night　and　better　deserved　it
than　heand　while　he　talked　he　placidly　poured　the　fluid；　to　the　last
drop。　　I　thanked　him　and　drank　it；　but　it　gave　me　no　comfort；　for　I　could
not　feel　sure　that　he　would　not　be　sorry；　presently；　that　he　had　given　it
away；　and　proceed　to　kill　me　to　distract　his　thoughts　from　the　loss。
But　nothing　of　the　kind　occurred。　　We　left　him　with　only　twenty…six　dead
people　to　account　for；　and　I　felt　a　tranquil　satisfaction　in　the　thought
that　in　so　judiciously　taking　care　of　No。　1　at　that　breakfast…table　I　had
pleasantly　escaped　being　No。　27。　　Slade　came　out　to　the　coach　and　saw　us
off；　first　ordering　certain　rearrangements　of　the　mail…bags　for　our
comfort；　and　then　we　took　leave　of　him；　satisfied　that　we　should　hear　of
him　again；　some　day；　and　wondering　in　what　connection。




CHAPTER　XI。

And　sure　enough；　two　or　three　years　afterward；　we　did　hear　him　again。
News　came　to　the　Pacific　coast　that　the　Vigilance　Committee　in　Montana
（whither　Slade　had　removed　from　Rocky　Ridge）　had　hanged　him。　　I　find　an
account　of　the　affair　in　the　thrilling　little　book　I　quoted　a　paragraph
from　in　the　last　chapter〃The　Vigilantes　of　Montana；　being　a　Reliable
Account　of　the　Capture；　Trial　and　Execution　of　Henry　Plummer's　Notorious
Road　Agent　Band：　By　Prof。　Thos。　J。　Dimsdale；　Virginia　City；　M。T。〃
Mr。　Dimsdale's　chapter　is　well　worth　reading；　as　a　specimen　of　how　the
people　of　the　frontier　deal　with　criminals　when　the　courts　of　law　prove
inefficient。　　Mr。　Dimsdale　makes　two　remarks　about　Slade；　both　of　which
are　accurately　descriptive；　and　one　of　which　is　exceedingly　picturesque：
〃Those　who　saw　him　in　his　natural　state　only；　would　pronounce　him　to　be　a
kind　husband；　a　most　hospitable　host　and　a　courteous　gentleman；　on　the
contrary；　those　who　met　him　when　maddened　with　liquor　and　surrounded　by　a
gang　of　armed　roughs；　would　pronounce　him　a　fiend　incarnate。〃　　And　this：
〃From　Fort　Kearney；　west；　he　was　feared　a　great　deal　more　than　the
almighty。〃　　For　compactness；　simplicity　and　vigor　of　expression；　I　will
〃back〃　that　sentence　against　anything　in　literature。　　Mr。　Dimsdale's
narrative　is　as　follows。　　In　all　places　where　italics　occur；　they　are
mine：

　　　　　　After　the　execution　of　the　five　men　on　the　14th　of　January；　the
　　　　　　Vigilantes　considered　that　their　work　was　nearly　ended。　　They　had
　　　　　　freed　the　country　of　highwaymen　and　murderers　to　a　great　extent；　and
　　　　　　they　determined　that　in　the　absence　of　the　regular　civil　authority
　　　　　　they　would　establish　a　People's　Court　where　all　offenders　should　be
　　　　　　tried　by　judge　and　jury。　　This　was　the　nearest　approach　to　social
　　　　　　order　that　the　circumstances　permitted；　and；　though　strict　legal
　　　　　　authority　was　wanting；　yet　the　people　were　firmly　determined　to
　　　　　　maintain　its　efficiency；　and　to　enforce　its　decrees。　　It　may　here　be
　　　　　　mentioned　that　the　overt　act　which　was　the　last　round　on　the　fatal
　　　　　　ladder　leading　to　the　scaffold　on　which　Slade　perished；　was　the
　　　　　　tearing　in　pieces　and　stamping　upon　a　writ　of　this　court；　followed
　　　　　　by　his　arrest　of　the　Judge　Alex。　Davis；　by　authority　of　a　presented
　　　　　　Derringer；　and　with　his　own　hands。

　　　　　　J。　A。　Slade　was　himself；　we　have　been　informed；　a　Vigilante；　he
　　　　　　openly　boasted　of　it；　and　said　he　knew　all　that　they　knew。　　He　was
　　　　　　never　accused；　or　even　suspected；　of　either　murder　or　robbery；
　　　　　　committed　in　this　Territory　（the　latter　crime　was　never　laid　to　his
　　　　　　charge；　in　any　place）；　but　that　he　had　killed　several　men　in　other
　　　　　　localities　was　notorious；　and　his　bad　reputation　in　this　respect　was
　　　　　　a　most　powerful　argument　in　determining　his　fate；　when　he　was
　　　　　　finally　arrested　for　the　offence　above　mentioned。　　On　returning　from
　　　　　　Milk　River　he　became　more　and　more　addicted　to　drinking；　until　at
　　　　　　last　it　was　a　common　feat　for　him　and　his　friends　to　〃take　the
　　　　　　town。〃　　He　and　a　couple　of　his　dependents　might　often　be　seen　on　one
　　　　　　horse；　galloping　through　the　streets；　shouting　and　yelling；　firing
　　　　　　revolvers；　etc。　　On　many　occasions　he　would　ride　his　horse　into
　　　　　　stores；　break　up　bars；　toss　the　scales　out　of　doors　and　use　most
　　　　　　insulting　language　to　parties　present。　　Just　previous　to　the　day　of
　　　　　　his　arrest；　he　had　given　a　fearful　beating　to　one　of　his　followers；
　　　　　　but　such　was　his　influence　over　them　that　the　man　wept　bitterly　at
　　　　　　the　gallows；　and　begged　for　his　life　with　all　his　power。　　It　had
　　　　　　become　quite　common；　when　Slade　was　on　a　spree；　for　the　shop…keepers
　　　　　　and　citizens　to　close　the　stores　and　put　ou