arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第2节
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Then that fuse gave another sputter and one of the Apaches said 〃Un
dah。〃 That means 〃white man。〃 It was harder to turn my head than if
I'd had a stiff neck； but I managed to do it； and I see that my ore dump
wasn't more than ten foot away。 I mighty near overjumped it； and the
next I knew I was on one side of it and those Apaches on the other。
Probably I flew； leastways I don't seem to remember jumping。
That didn't seem to do me much good。 The renegades were grinning
and laughing to think how easy a thing they had； and I couldn't rightly
think up any arguments against that notionat least from their standpoint。
They were chattering away to each other in Mexican for the benefit of
Maria。 Oh； they had me all distributed； down to my suspender buttons！
And me squatting behind that ore dump about as formidable as a brush
rabbit！ Then； all at once； one of my shots went off down in the shaft。
〃Boom！〃 says she； plenty big； and a slather of rock； and stones come
out of the mouth； and began to dump down promiscuous on the scenery。
I got one little one in the shoulder…blade； and found time to wish my ore
dump had a roof。 But those renegades caught it square in the thick of
trouble。 One got knocked out entirely for a minute； by a nice piece of
country rock in the head。
〃Otra vez！〃 yells I； which means 〃again。〃
〃Boom！〃 goes the Ole Virginia prompt as an answer。
I put in my time dodging； but when I gets a chance to look； the
Apaches has all got to cover； and is looking scared。
〃Otra vez！〃 yells I again。
〃Boom！〃 says the Ole Virginia。
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This was the biggest shot of the lot； and she surely cut loose。 I ought
to have been half…way up the bill watching things from a safe distance； but
I wasn't。 Lucky for me the shaft was a little on the drift； so she didn't
quite shoot my way。 But she distributed about a ton over those renegades。
They sort of half got to their feet uncertain。
〃Otra vez！〃 yells I once more； as bold as if I could keep her shooting
all day。
It was just a cold； raw blazer； and if it didn't go through I could see me
as an Apache parlour ornament。 But it did。 Those Chiricahuas give one
yell and skipped。 It was surely a funny sight； after they got aboard their
war ponies； to see them trying to dig out on horses too tired to trot。
I didn't stop to get all the laughs； though。 In fact； I give one jump off
that ledge； and I lit a…running。 A quarter…hoss couldn't have beat me to
that shack。 There I grabbed old Meat…in…the…pot and made a climb for the
tall country； aiming to wait around until dark； and then to pull out for
Benson。 Johnny Hooper wasn't expected till next day； which was lucky。
From where I lay I could see the Apaches camped out beyond my draw；
and I didn't doubt they'd visited the place。 Along about sunset they all
left their camp； and went into the draw； so there； I thinks； I sees a good
chance to make a start before dark。 I dropped down from the mesa；
skirted the butte； and angled down across the country。 After I'd gone a
half mile from the cliffs； I ran across Johnny Hooper's fresh trail headed
towards camp！
My heart jumped right up into my mouth at that。 Here was poor old
Johnny； a day too early； with a pack…mule of grub； walking innocent as a
yearling； right into the bands of those hostiles。 The trail looked pretty
fresh； and Benson's a good long day with a pack animal； so I thought
perhaps I might catch him before he runs into trouble。 So I ran back on
the trail as fast as I could make it。 The sun was down by now； and it was
getting dusk。
I didn't overtake him； and when I got to the top of the canon I crawled
along very cautious and took a look。 Of course； I expected to see
everything up in smoke； but I nearly got up and yelled when I see
everything all right； and old Sukey； the pack…mule； and Johnny's hoss
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hitched up as peaceful as babies to the corral。
〃THAT'S all right！〃 thinks I； 〃they're back in their camp； and haven't
discovered Johnny yet。 I'll snail him out of there。〃
So I ran down the hill and into the shack。 Johnny sat in his chair
what there was of him。 He must have got in about two hours before
sundown； for they'd had lots of time to put in on him。 That's the reason
they'd stayed so long up the draw。 Poor old Johnny！ I was glad it was
night； and he was dead。 Apaches are the worst Injuns there is for tortures。
They cut off the bottoms of old man Wilkins's feet； and stood him on an
ant…hill。
In a minute or so； though； my wits gets to work。
〃Why ain't the shack burned？〃 I asks myself； 〃and why is the hoss and
the mule tied all so peaceful to the corral？〃
It didn't take long for a man who knows Injins to answer THOSE
conundrums。 The whole thing was a trapfor meand I'd walked into it；
chuckle…headed as a prairie…dog！
With that I makes a run outsideby now it was darkand listens。 Sure
enough； I hears hosses。 So I makes a rapid sneak back over the trail。
Everything seemed all right till I got up to the rim…rock。 Then I heard
more hossesahead of me。 And when I looked back I could see some
Injuns already at the shack； and starting to build a fire outside。
In a tight fix； a man is pretty apt to get scared till all hope is gone。
Then he is pretty apt to get cool and calm。 That was my case。 I couldn't
go aheadthere was those hosses coming along the trail。 I couldn't go
backthere was those Injins building the fire。 So I skirmished around till
I got a bright star right over the trail head； and I trained old Meat…in…the…
pot to bear on that star； and I made up my mind that when the star was
darkened I'd turn loose。 So I lay there a while listening。 By and by the
star was blotted out； and I cut loose； and old Meat…in…the…pot missed fire
she never did it before nor since； I think that cartridge
Well； I don't know where the Injins came from； but it seemed as if the
hammer had hardly clicked before three or four of them bad piled on me。
I put up the best fight I could； for I wasn't figuring to be caught alive； and
this miss…fire deal had fooled me all along the line。 They surely had a
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lively time。 I expected every minute to feel a knife in my back； but when
I didn't get it then I knew they wanted to bring me in alive； and that made
me fight harder。 First and last； we rolled and plunged all the way from
the rim…rock down to the canon…bed。 Then one of the Injins sung out：
〃Maria！〃
And I thought of that renegade Mexican； and what I'd heard bout him；
and that made me fight harder yet。
But after we'd fought down to the canon…bed； and had lost most of our
skin； a half…dozen more fell on me； and in less than no time they had me
tied。 Then they picked me up and carried me over to where they'd built a
big fire by the corral。〃
Uncle Jim stopped with an air of finality； and began lazily to refill his
pipe。 From the open mud fireplace he picked a coal。 Outside； the rain；
faithful to the prophecy of the wide…ringed sun； beat fitfully against the
roof。
〃That was the closest call I ever had；〃 said he at last。
〃But； Uncle Jim；〃 we cried in a confused chorus； 〃how did you get
away？ What did the Indians do to you？ Who rescued you？〃
Uncle Jim chuckled。
〃The first man I saw sitting at that fire；〃 said he； 〃was Lieutenant Price
of the United States Army； and by him was Tom Horn。〃
〃'What's this？' he asks； and Horn talks to the Injins in Apache。
〃'They say they've caught Maria；' translates Horn back again。
〃'Maria…nothing！' says Lie
