the three partners-第6章

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not　incapable　of　handling　them；〃　said　Demorest　coolly；　as　he　passed

by　them　and　again　fell　into　the　rear　of　the　muleteer。



But　Barker　had　thought　the　incident　very　funny；　and　laughed

effusively　at　Whiskey　Dick。　　〃I　didn't　know　that　Steptoe　was　up　to

that　kind　of　fun；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　suppose　we　DID　look　rather　rough

with　these　guns　as　we　ran　on　ahead　of　the　mule。　　But　then　you　know

that　when　you　called　to　me　I　really　thought　you　were　in　for　a

shindy。　　All　the　same；　Whiskey　Dick　did　that　'hands　up'　to

perfection：　how　he　managed　it　I　don't　know；　but　his　knees　seemed　to

knock　together　as　if　he　was　in　a　real　funk。〃



Demorest　had　thought　so　too；　but　he　made　no　reply。　　How　far　that

miserable　drunkard　was　a　forced　or　willing　accomplice　of　the　events

of　last　night　was　part　of　a　question　that　had　become　more　and　more

repugnant　to　him　as　he　was　leaving　the　scene　of　it　forever。　　It　had

come　upon　him；　desecrating　the　dream　he　had　dreamt　that　last　night

and　turning　its　hopeful　climax　to　bitterness。　　Small　wonder　that

Barker；　walking　by　his　side；　had　his　quick　sympathies　aroused；　and

as　he　saw　that　shadow；　which　they　were　all　familiar　with；　but　had

never　sought　to　penetrate；　fall　upon　his　companion's　handsome　face；

even　his　youthful　spirits　yielded　to　it。　　They　were　both　relieved

when　the　clatter　of　hoofs　behind　them；　as　they　reached　the　valley；

announced　the　approach　of　Stacy。　　〃I　started　with　the　second　mule

and　the　last　load　soon　after　you　left；〃　he　explained；　〃and　have

just　passed　them。　　I　thought　it　better　to　join　you　and　let　the

other　load　follow。　　Nobody　will　interfere　with　THAT。〃



〃Then　you　are　satisfied？〃　said　Demorest；　regarding　him　steadfastly。



〃You　bet！　　Look！〃



He　turned　in　his　saddle　and　pointed　to　the　crest　of　the　hill　they

had　just　descended。　　Above　the　pines　circling　the　lower　slope　above

the　bare　ledges　of　rock　and　outcrop；　a　column　of　thick　black　smoke

was　rising　straight　as　a　spire　in　the　windless　air。



〃That's　the　old　shanty　passing　away；〃　said　Stacy　complacently。　　〃I

reckon　there　won't　be　much　left　of　it　before　we　get　to　Boomville。〃



Demorest　and　Barker　stared。　　〃You　fired　it？〃　said　Barker；　trembling

with　excitement。



〃Yes；〃　said　Stacy。　　〃I　couldn't　bear　to　leave　the　old　rookery　for

coyotes　and　wild…cats　to　gather　in；　so　I　touched　her　off　before　I

left。〃



〃But〃said　Barker。



〃But；〃　repeated　Stacy　composedly。　　〃Hallo！　what's　the　matter　with

that　new　plan　of　'The　Rest'　that　you're　going　to　build；　eh？　　You

don't　want　them　BOTH。〃



〃And　you　did　this　rather　than　leave　the　dear　old　cabin　to

strangers？〃　said　Barker；　with　kindling　eyes。　　〃Stacy；　I　didn't

think　you　had　that　poetry　in　you！〃



〃There's　heaps　in　me；　Barker　boy；　that　you　don't　know；　and　I　don't

exactly　sabe　myself。〃



〃Only；〃　continued　the　young　fellow　eagerly；　〃we　ought　to　have　ALL

been　there！　　We　ought　to　have　made　a　solemn　rite　of　it；　you　know；

a　kind　of　sacrifice。　　We　ought　to　have　poured　a　kind　of　libation　on

the　ground！〃



〃I　did　sprinkle　a　little　kerosene　over　it；　I　think；〃　returned

Stacy；　〃just　to　help　things　along。　　But　if　you　want　to　see　her

flaming；　Barker；　you　just　run　back　to　that　last　corner　on　the　road

beyond　the　big　red　wood。　　That's　the　spot　for　a　view。〃



As　Barkeralways　devoted　to　a　spectacleswiftly　disappeared　the

two　men　faced　each　other。　　〃Well；　what　does　it　all　mean？〃　said

Demorest　gravely。



〃It　means；　old　man；〃　said　Stacy　suddenly；　〃that　if　we　hadn't　had

nigger　luck；　the　same　blind　luck　that　sent　us　that　strike；　you　and

I　and　that　Barker　over　there　would　have　been　swirling　in　that　smoke

up　to　the　sky　about　two　hours　ago！〃　　He　stopped　and　added　in　a

lower；　but　earnest　voice；　〃Look　here；　Phil！　　When　I　went　out　to

fetch　water　this　morning　I　smelt　something　queer。　　I　went　round　to

the　back　of　the　cabin　and　found　a　hole　dug　under　the　floor；　and

piled　against　the　corner　wall　a　lot　of　brush…wood　and　a　can　of

kerosene。　　Some　of　the　kerosene　had　been　already　poured　on　the

brush。　　Everything　was　ready　to　light；　and　only　my　coming　out　an

hour　earlier　had　frightened　the　devils　away。　　The　idea　was　to　set

the　place　on　fire；　suffocate　us　in　the　smoke　of　the　kerosene　poured

into　the　hole；　and　then　to　rush　in　and　grab　the　treasure。　　It　was　a

systematic　plan！〃



〃No！〃　said　Demorest　quietly。



〃No？〃　repeated　Stacy。　　〃I　told　you　I　saw　the　whole　thing　and　took

away　the　kerosene；　which　I　hid；　and　after　you　had　gone　used　it　to

fire　the　cabin　with；　to　see　if　the　ones　I　suspected　would　gather　to

watch　their　work。〃



〃It　was　no　part　of　their　FIRST　plan〃'　said　Demorest；　〃which　was

only　robbery。　　Listen！〃　　He　hurriedly　recounted　his　experience　of

the　preceding　night　to　the　astonished　Stacy。　　〃No；　the　fire　was　an

afterthought　and　revenge；〃　he　added　sternly。



〃But　you　say　you　cut　the　robber　in　the　hand；　there　would　be　no

difficulty　in　identifying　him　by　that。〃



〃I　wounded　only　a　HAND；〃　said　Demorest。　　〃But　there　was　a　HEAD　in

that　attempt　that　I　never　saw。〃　　He　then　revealed　his　own　half…

suspicions；　but　how　they　were　apparently　refuted　by　the　bravado　of

Steptoe　and　Whiskey　Dick。



〃Then　that　was　the　reason　THEY　didn't　gather　at　the　fire；〃　said

Stacy　quickly。



〃Ah！〃　said　Demorest；　〃then　YOU　too　suspected　them？〃



Stacy　hesitated；　and　then　said　abruptly；　〃Yes。〃



Demorest　was　silent　for　a　moment。



〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　this　morning？〃　he　said　gently。



Stacy　pointed　to　the　distant　Barker。　　〃I　didn't　want　you　to　tell

him。　　I　thought　it　better　for　one　partner　to　keep　a　secret　from　two

than　for　the　two　to　keep　it　from　one。　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　of

your　experience　last　night？〃



〃I　am　afraid　it　was　for　the　same　reason；〃　said　Demorest；　with　a

faint　smile。　　〃And　it　sometimes　seems　to　me；　Jim；　that　we　ought　to

imitate　Barker's　frankness。　　In　our　dread　of　tainting　him　with　our

own　knowledge　of　evil　we　are　sending　him　out　into　the　world　very

poorly　equipped；　for　all　his　three　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃



〃I　reckon　you're　right；〃　said　Stacy　briefly；　extending　his　hand。

〃Shake　on　that！〃



The　two　men　grasped　each　other's　hands。



〃And　he's　no　fool；　either；〃　continued　Demorest。　　〃When　we　met

Steptoe　on　the　road；　without　a　word　from　me；　he　closed　up

alongside；　with　his　hand　on　the　lock　of　his　rifle。　　And　I　hadn't

the　heart　to　praise　him　or　laugh　it　off。〃



Nevertheless　they　were　both　silent　as　the　object　of　their　criticism

bounded　down　the　trail　towards　them。　　He　had　seen　the　funeral　pyre。

It　was　awfully　sad；　it　was　awfully　lovely；　but　there　was　something

grand　in　it！　　Who　could　have　thought　Stacy　could　be　so　poetic？　　But

he　wanted　to　tell　them　something　else　that　was　mighty　pretty。



〃What　was　it？〃　said　Demorest。



〃Well；〃　said　Barker；　〃don't　laugh！　　But　you　know　that　Jack　Hamlin？

Well；　boys；　he's　been　hovering　around　us　on　his　mustang；　keeping　us

and　that　pack…mule　in　sight　ever　since　we　left。　　Sometimes　he's　on

a　side　trail　off　to　the　right；　sometimes　off　to　the　left；　but

always　at　the　same　distance。　　I　didn't　like　to　tell　you；　boys；　for

I　thought　you'd　laugh　at　me；　but　I　think；　you　know；　he's　taken　a

sort　of　shine　to　us　since　he　dropped　in　last　night。　　And　I　fancy；

you　see；　he's　sort　of　hanging　round　to　see　that　we　get　along　all

right。　　I'd　have　pointed　him　out　before　only　I　reckoned　you　and

Stacy　would　say　he　was　making　up　to　us　for　our　money。〃



〃And　we'd　have　been　wrong；　Barker　boy；〃　said　Stacy；　with　a

heartiness　that　surprised　Demorest；　〃for　I　reckon　your　instinct's

the　right　one。〃



〃There　he　is　now；〃　said　the　gratified　Barker；　〃just　abreast　of　us

on　the　cut…off。　　He　started　just　after　we　did；　and　he's　got　a　horse

that　could　have　brought　him　into　Boomville　hours　ago。　　It's　just

his　kindness。〃



He　pointed　to　a　distant　fringe　of　buckeye　from　which　Jack　Hamlin

had　just　emerged。　　Although　evidently　holding　in　a　powerful

mustang；　nothing　could　be　more　unconscious　and　utterly　indifferent

than　his　attitude。　　He　did　not　seem　to　know　of　the　proximity　of　any

other　traveler；　and　to　care　less。　　His　handsome　head　was　slightly

thrown　back；　as　if　he　was　caroling　after　his　usual　fashion；　but　the

distance　was　too　great　to　make　his　melody　audible　to　them；　or　to

allow　Barker's　shout　of　invitation　to　reach　him。　　Suddenly　he

lowered　his　tightened　rein；　the　mustang　sprang　forward；　and　with　a

flash　of　silver　spurs　and　bridle　fripperies　he　had　disappeared。

But　as　the　trail　he　was　pursuing　crossed　theirs　a　mile　beyond；　it

seemed　quite　possible　that　they　should　again　meet　him。



They　were　now　fairly　into　the　Boomville　valley；　and　were　entering　a

narrow　arroyo　bordered　with　dusky　willows　which　effectually

excluded　the　view　on　either　side。　　It　was　the　bed　of　a　mountain

torrent　that　in　winter　descended　the　hillside　over　the　trail　by

which　they　had　just　come；　but　was　now　sunk　into　the　thirsty　plain

between　banks　that　varied　from　two　to　five　feet　in　height。　　The

muleteer　had　advanced　into　the　narrow　channel　when　he　suddenly　cast

a　hurried　glance　behind　him；　uttered　a　〃Madre　de　Dios！〃　and　backed

his　mule　and　his　precious　freight　against　the　bank。　　The　sound　of

hoofs　on　the　trail　in　their　rear　had　caught　his　quicker　ear；　and　as

the　three　partners　turned　they　beheld　three　horsemen　thundering

down　the　hill　towards　them。　　They　were　apparently　Mexican　vaqueros

of　the　usual　common　swarthy　type；　their　faces　made　still　darker　by

the　black　silk　handkerchief　tied　round　their　heads　under　their

stiff　sombreros。　　Either　they　were　unable　or　unwilling　to　restrain

their　horses　in　their　headlong　speed；　and　a　collision　in　that

narrow　passage　was　imminent；　but　suddenly；　before　reaching　its

entrance；　they　diverged　with　a　volley　of　oaths；　and　dashing　along

the　left　bank　of　the　arroyo；　disappeared　in　the　intervening

willows。　　Divided　between　relief　at　their　escape　and　indignation　at

what　seemed　to　be　a　drunken；　feast…day　freak　of　these　roystering

vaqueros；　the　little　party　re…formed；　when　a　cry　from　Barker

arrested　them。　　He　had　just　perceived　a　horseman　motionless　in　the

arroyo　who；　although　unnoticed　by　them；　had　evidently　been　seen　by

the　Mexicans。　　He　had　apparently　leaped　into　it　from　the　bank；　and

had　halted　as　if　to　witness　this　singular　incident。　　As　the　clatter

of　the　vaqueros'　hoofs　died　away　he　lightly　leaped　the　bank　again

and　disappeared。　　But　in　that　single　glimpse　of　him　they　recognized

Jack　Hamlin。　　When　they　reached　the　spot　where　he　had　halted；　they

could　see　that　he　must　have　approached　it　from　the　trail　where　they

had　previously　seen　him；　but　which　they　now　found　crossed　it　at

right　angles。　　Barker　was　right。　　He　had　really　kept　them　at　easy

distance　the　whole　length　of　the　journey。



But　they　were　now　reaching　its　end。　　When　they　issued　at　last　from

the　arroyo　they　came　upon　the　outskirts　of　Boomville　and　the　great

stage…road。　　Indeed；　the　six　horses　of　the　Pioneer　coach　were　just

panting　along　t