a cumberland vendetta-第10节

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As　the　night　deepened　without　attack　the　Stetsons　drank　more；　and　grew　reckless。　　A　dance　was　started。　　Music　and　〃moonshine〃　were　given　to　every　man　who　bore　a　Winchester。　The　night　was　broken　with　drunken　yells；　the　random　discharge　of　fire…arms；　and　the　mono…tone　of　heavy　feet。　The　two　leaders　were　helpless；　and　the　inaction　of　the　Lewallens　puzzled　them。　　Chafed　with　anxiety；　they　kept　their　eyes　on　the　court…house　or　on　the　thicket　of　gloom　where　their　enemies　lay。　　But　the　woods　were　as　quiet　as　the　pall　of　shadows　over　them。　Once　Rome；　making　his　rounds；　saw　a　figure　crawling　through　a　field　of　corn。　　It　looked　like　Crump's；　but　before　he　could　fire　the　man　rolled　like　a　ball　down　the　bushy　bank　to　the　river。　An　instant　later　some　object　went　swiftly　past　a　side　street…somebody　on　horseback…and　a　picket　fired　an　alarm。　The　horse　kept　on；　and　Rome　threw　his　rifle　on　a　patch　of　moonlight；　but　when　the　object　flashed　through；　his　finger　was　numbed　at　the　trigger。　　In　the　moonlight　the　horse　looked　gray；　and　the　rider　was　seated　sidewise。　A　bullet　from　the　court…house　clipped　his　hat…brim　as　he　ran　recklessly　across　the　street　to　where　Steve　Marcum　stood　in　the　dark　behind　old　Sam's　cabin。

〃Jim　Hale　'll　　git　him　as　he　goes　up　the　road；〃　said　Steve；　calmly…and　then　with　hot　impatience；　〃Why　the　hell　don't　he　shoot？

Rome　started　forward　in　the　moonlight；　and　Steve　caught　his　arm。　Two　bullets　hissed　from　the　court…house；　and　he　fell　back。

A　shot　sounded　from　the　bushes　far　away　from　the　road。　The　horse　kept　on；　and　splashed　into　Troubled　Fork；　and　Steve　swore　bitterly。

〃Hit　hain't　Jim。　　Hit's　that　mis'able　Bud　Vickers；　he's　been　a…stan　din'　guard　out'n　the　bushes　'stid　o'　the　road。　That　was　a　spy；　I　tell　ye；　'n'　the　coward　let　him　in　and　let　him　out。　They'll　know　now　we're　all　drunk！　Whut's　the　matter？

Rome's　mouth　was　half　open。　　He　looked　white　and　sick；　and　Steve　thought　he　had　been　hit；　but　he　took　off　his　hat。　〃　Purty　close！　〃　he　said；　with　a　laugh；　pointing　at　the　bullet…hole　through　the　brim。

Steve；　unsuspicious；　went　on：　〃Hit　was　a　spy；　I　tell　ye。　　Bud　was　afeard　to　stan'　in　the　road；　'n'　I'm　goin'　out　thar　'n'　twist　his　damned　neck。　We've　got　'em；　Rome！　　I　tell　ye；　we've　got　'em！　Ef　we　kin　git　through　this　night；　and　git　the　boys　sober　in　the　morning；　we've　got　'em　shore！〃

The　night　did　pass　in　safety；　darkness　wore　away　without　attack；　and　morning　broke　on　the　town　in　its　drunken　stupor。　　Then　the　curious　silence　of　the　Lewallens　was　explained。　　The　rumor　came　that　old　Jasper　was　dead；　and　it　went　broadcast。　　Later；　friends　coming　to　the　edge　of　the　town　for　the　bodies　of　the　dead　Lewallens　confirmed　it。　A　random　ball　had　passed　through　old　Lewallen's　body　in　the　wild　　flight　for　the　woods；　and　during　the　night　he　had　spent　his　last　breath　in　a　curse　against　the　man　who　fired　it。

Then　each　Stetson；　waked　from　his　drunken　sleep；　drank　again　when　he　heard　of　the　death。　The　day　bade　fair　to　be　like　the　night；　and　again　the　anxiety　of　the　leaders　was　edged　with　fear。　Old　Jasper　dead　and　young　Jasper　a　prisoner；　the　chance　was　near　to　end　the　feud；　or　there　would　be　no　Lewallen　left　to　lead　their　enemies。　But；　again；　they　were　wellnigh　helpless。　　Already　they　had　barely　enough　men　to　guard　their　prisoners。　　Of　the　Marcums；　Steve　alone　was　able　to　handle　a　Winchester；　and　outside　the　sounds　of　the　carousal　were　in　the　air　and　growing　louder。　　In　a　little　while；　if　the　Lewallens　but　knew　it；　escape　would　be　easy　and　the　Stetsons　could　be　driven　from　the　town。

Oh；　they　know　it；〃　said　Steve。　　〃They'll　be　a…whoopin'　down　out　O'　them　woods　purty　soon；　'n'　we　re　goin　to　ketch　hell。　　I'd　like　to　know　mighty　well　who　that　spy　was　last　night。　That　cussed　Bud　Vickers　says　it　was　a　ha'nt；　on　a　white　hoss；　with　long　hair　flyin'　in　the　wind；　'n'　that　he　shot　plumb　through　it。　　I　jus'　wish　I'd　a　had　a　chance　at　it。〃

Still；　noon　came　again　without　trouble；　and　the　imprisoned　Lewallens　had　been　twenty…four　hours　without　food。　Their　ammunition　was　getting　scarce。　　The　firing　was　less　frequent；　though　the　watch　was　as　close　as　ever；　and　twice　a　Winchester　had　sounded　a　signal　of　distress。　All　knew　that　a　response　must　come　soon；　and　come　it　did。　A　picket；　watching　the　river　road；　saw　young　Jasper's　horse　coming　along　the　dark　bushes　far　up　the　river；　and　brought　the　news　to　the　group　standing　behind　old　Sam's　cabin。　The　gray　galloped　into　sight；　and；　skirting　the　woods；　came　straight　for　the　town…with　a　woman　on　his　back。　　The　stirrup　of　a　man's　saddle　dangled　on　one　side；　and　the　woman's　bonnet　had　fallen　from　her　head。　　Some　one　challenged　her。

Stop；　I　tell　ye！　Don't　ye　go　near　that　courthouse！　Stop；　I　tell　ye！　I'll　shoot！　Stop！〃

Rome　ran　from　the　cabin　with　a　revolver　in　each　hand。　A　drunken　mountaineer　was　raising　a　Winchester　to　his　shoulder；　and；　springing　from　the　back　of　the　gray　at　the　court…house　steps；　was　Martha　Lewallen。

〃I'll　kill　the　fust　man　that　lifts　his　finger　to　hurt　the　gal；〃　Rome　said；　knocking　the　drunken　man's　gun　in　the　air。　　〃We　hain't　fightin'　women！〃

It　was　too　late　to　oppose　her；　and　the　crowd　stood　helplessly　watching。　　No　one　dared　approach；　so；　shielding　with　her　body　the　space　of　the　opening　door；　she　threw　the　sack　of　food　within。　Then　she　stood　a　moment　talking　and；　turning；　climbed　to　her　saddle。　The　gray　was　spotted　with　foam；　and　showed　the　red　of　his　nostrils　with　every　breath　as；　with　face　flushed　and　eyes　straight　before　her；　she　rode　slowly　toward　the　crowd。　　What　was　she　about？　Rome　stood　rigid；　his　forgotten　pistols　hanging　at　each　side；　the　mouth　of　the　drunken　mountaineer　was　open　with　stupid　wonder；　the　rest　fell　apart　as　she　came　around　the　corner　of　the　cabin　and；　through　the　space　given；　rode　slowly；　her　skirt　almost　brushing　Rome；　looking　neither　to　the　right　nor　to　the　left；　and　when　she　had　gone　quite　through　them　all；　she　wheeled　and　rode；　still　slowly；　through　the　open　fields　toward　the　woods　which　sheltered　the　Lewallens；　while　the　crowd　stood　in　bewildered　silence　looking　after　her。　Yells　of　laughter　came　from　the　old　court…house。　　Some　of　the　Stetsons　laughed；　too；　some　swore；　a　few　grumbled；　but　there　was　not　one　who　was　not　stirred　by　the　superb　daring　of　the　girl；　though　she　had　used　it　only　to　show　her　contempt。

〃　Rome；　you're　a　fool；　though；　fer　a　fac'；　we　can't　shoot　a　woman；　'n'　anyways　I　ruther　shoot　her　than　the　hoss。　But　lemme　tell　ye；　thar　was　more'n　sump'n　to　eat　in　that　bag！　They　air　up　to　some　dodge。〃

Rufe　Stetson　had　watched　the　incident　through　a　port…hole　of　the　cabin；　and　his　tone　was　at　once　jesting　and　anxious。

〃That　grub　won't　last　more'n　one　day；　I　reckon；〃　said　the　drunken　mountaineer。　　We'll　watch　out　fer　the　gal　nex'　time。　　We're　boun'　to　git　'em　one　time　or　t'other。〃

〃She　rid　through　us　to　find　out　how　many　of　us　wasn't　dead　drunk；〃　said　Steve　Marcum；　still　watching　the　girl　as　she　rode　on；　toward　the　woods；　〃'n'　I'm　a…thinkin'　they'll　be　down　on　us　purty　soon　now；　'n'　I　reckon　we'll　have　to　run　fer　it。　Look　thar　boys！〃

The　girl　had　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　woods；　facing　the　town；　she　waved　her　bonnet　high　above　her　head。

〃Well；　whut　in　the！　〃he　said；　with　slow　emphasis；　and　then　he　leaped　from　the　door　with　a　yell。　The　bonnet　was　a　signal　to　the　beleaguered　Lewallens。　　The　rear　door　of　the　courthouse　had　been　quietly　opened；　and　the　prisoners　were　out　in　a　body　and　scrambling　over　the　fence　before　the　pickets　could　give　an　alarm。　The　sudden　yells；　the　crack　of　Winchesters；　startled　even　the　revellers　and　all　who　could；　headed　by　Rome　and　Steve　Marcum；　sprang　into　the　square；　and　started　in　pursuit。　　But　the　Lewallens　had　got　far　ahead；　and　were　running　in　zigzag　lines　to　dodge　the　balls　flying　after　them。　Half…way　to　the　woods　was　a　gully　of　red　clay；　and　into　this　the　fleetest　leaped；　and　turned　instantly　to　cover　their　comrades。　The　Winchesters　began　to　rattle　from　the　woods；　and　the　bullets　came　like　rain　from　everywhere。

〃T…h…up！　　T…h…up！　　T…h…up！　〃　there　were　three　of　them…the　peculiar　soft；　dull　messages　of　hot　lead　to　living　flesh。　A　Stetson　went　down；　another　stumbled；　Rufe　Stetson；　climbing　the　fence；　caught　at　his　breast　with　an　oath；　and　fell　back。　Rome　and　Steve　dropped　for　safety　to　the　ground。　Every　other　Stetson　turned　in　a　panic；　and　every　Lewallen　in　the　gully　leaped　from　it；　and　ran　under　the　Lewallen　fire　for　shelter　in　the　woods。　The　escape　was　over。

〃That　was　a　purty　neat　trick；〃　said　Steve；　wiping　a　red　streak　from　his　cheek。　　〃　Nex'　time　she　tries　that；　she'll　git　herself　into　trouble。〃

At　nightfall　the　wounded　leader　and　the　dead　one　were　carried　up　the　mountain；　each　to　his　home；　and　there　was　mourning　far　into　the　night　on　one　bank　of　the　Cumberland；　and；　serious　though　Rufe　Stetson's　wound　was；　exultation　on　the　other。　But　in　it　Rome　could　take　but　little　part。　There　had　been　no　fault　to　find　with　him　in　the　fight。　But　a　reaction　had　set　in　when　he　saw　the　girl　flash　in　the　moonlight　past　the　sights　of　his　Winchester；　and　her　face　that　day　had　again　loosed　within　him　a　flood　of　feeling　that　drove　the　lust　for　revenge　from　his　veins。　Even　now；　while　he　sat　in　his　own　cabin；　his　thoughts　were　across　the　river　where　Martha；　broken　at　last；　sat　at　her　death　vigils。　He　knew　w