cressy-第29章

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Johnny　instantly　recognized　it　to　be　none　other　than　Seth　Davis。

The　manifest　inconsistency　of　his　appearance　as　Mr。　Ford's　second

with　what　Johnny　knew　of　his　relations　to　the　master　was　the　one

thing　that　firmly　fixed　the　incident　in　the　boy's　memory。



The　men　were　already　in　position。　　Harrison　stepped　forward　to　give

the　word。　　Johnny's　down…hanging　legs　tingled　with　cramp　and

excitement。　　Why　didn't　they　begin？　　What　were　they　waiting　for？

What　if　it　were　interrupted；　orterrible　thoughtmade　up　at　the

last　moment？　　Would　they　〃holler〃　out　when　they　were　hit；　or

stagger　round　convulsively　as　they　did　at　the　〃cirkiss〃？　　Would

they　all　run　away　afterwards　and　leave　Johnny　alone　to　tell　the

tale？　　Andhorrible　thought！would　any　body　believe　him？　　Would

Rupert？　　Rupert；　had　he　〃on'y　knowed　this；〃　he　wouldn't　have　gone

away。



〃One〃



With　a　child's　perfect　faith　in　the　invulnerable　superiority　of　his

friends；　he　had　not　even　looked　at　the　master；　but　only　at　his

destined　victim。　　Yet　as　the　word　〃two〃　rang　out　Johnny's　attention

was　suddenly　attracted　to　the　surprising　fact　that　the　master's

second；　Seth　Davis；　had　also　drawn　a　pistol；　and　from　behind　his

tree　was　deliberately　and　stealthily　aiming　at　McKinstry！　　He

understood　it　all　nowhe　was　a　friend　of　the　master's。　　Bully　for

Seth！



〃Three！〃



Crack！　　Z…i…i…p！　　Crackle！　　What　a　funny　noise！　　And　yet　he　was

obliged　to　throw　himself　flat　upon　the　bough　to　keep　from　falling。

It　seemed　to　have　snapped　beneath　him　and　benumbed　his　right　leg。

He　did　not　know　that　the　master's　bullet；　fired　in　the　air；　had

ranged　along　the　bough；　stripping　the　bark　throughout　its　length；

and　glancing　with　half…spent　force　to　inflict　a　slight　flesh　wound

on　his　leg！



He　was　giddy　and　a　little　frightened。　　And　he　had　seen　nobody　hit；

nor　nothin'。　　It　was　all　a　humbug！　　Seth　had　disappeared。　　So　had

the　others。　　There　was　a　faint　sound　of　voices　and　something　like　a

group　in　the　distancethat　was　all。　　It　was　getting　dark；　too；　and

his　leg　was　still　asleep；　but　warm　and　wet。　　He　would　get　down。

This　was　very　difficult；　for　his　leg　would　not　wake　up；　and　but　for

the　occasional　support　he　got　by　striking　his　hatchet　in　the　tree

he　would　have　fallen　in　descending。　　When　he　reached　the　ground　his

leg　began　to　pain；　and　looking　down　he　saw　that　his　stocking　and

shoe　were　soaked　with　blood。



His　small　and　dirty　handkerchief；　a　hard　wad　in　his　pocket；　was

insufficient　to　staunch　the　flow。　　With　a　vague　recollection　of　a

certain　poultice　applied　to　a　boil　on　his　father's　neck；　he

collected　a　quantity　of　soft　moss　and　dried　yerba　buena　leaves；　and

with　the　aid　of　his　check　apron　and　of　one　of　his　torn　suspenders

tightly　wound　round　the　whole　mass；　achieved　a　bandage　of　such

elephantine　proportions　that　he　could　scarcely　move　with　it。　　In

fact；　like　most　imaginative　children；　he　became　slightly　terrified

at　his　own　alarming　precautions。　　Nevertheless；　although　a　word　or

an　outcry　from　him　would　have　at　that　moment　brought　the　distant

group　to　his　assistance；　a　certain　respect　to　himself　and　his

brother　kept　him　from　uttering　even　a　whimper　of　weakness。



Yet　he　found　refuge；　oddly　enough；　in　a　suppressed　but　bitter

denunciation　of　the　other　boys　of　his　acquaintance。　　What　was　Cal。

Harrison　doing；　while　he；　Johnny；　was　alone　in　the　woods；　wounded

in　a　grown…up　duelfor　nothing　would　convince　this　doughty　infant

that　he　had　not　been　an　active　participant？　　Where　was　Jimmy　Snyder

that　he　didn't　come　to　his　assistance　with　the　other　fellers？

Cowards　all；　they　were　afraid。　　Ho；　ho！　　And　he；　Johnny；　wasn't

afraid！　hohe　didn't　mind　it！　　Nevertheless　he　had　to　repeat　the

phrase　two　or　three　times　until；　after　repeated　struggles　to　move

forward　through　the　brush；　he　at　last　sank　down　exhausted。　　By　this

time　the　distant　group　had　slowly　moved　away；　carrying　something

between　them；　and　leaving　Johnny　alone　in　the　fast　coming　darkness。

Yet　even　this　desertion　did　not　affect　him　as　strongly　as　his

implicit　belief　in　the　cowardly　treachery　of　his　old　associates。



It　grew　darker　and　darker；　until　the　open　theatre　of　the　late

conflict　appeared　enclosed　in　funereal　walls；　a　cool　searching

breath　of　air　that　seemed　to　have　crept　through　the　bracken　and

undergrowth　like　a　stealthy　animal；　lifted　the　curls　on　his　hot

forehead。　　He　grasped　his　hatchet　firmly　as　against　possible　wild

beasts；　and　as　a　medicinal　and　remedial　precaution；　took　another

turn　with　his　suspender　around　his　bandage。　　It　occurred　to　him

then　that　he　would　probably　die。　　They　would　all　feel　exceedingly

sorry　and　alarmed；　and　regret　having　made　him　wash　himself　on

Saturday　night。　　They　would　attend　his　funeral　in　large　numbers　in

the　little　graveyard；　where　a　white　tombstone　inscribed　to　〃John

Filgee；　fell　in　a　duel　at　the　age　of　seven；〃　would　be　awaiting　him。

He　would　forgive　his　brother；　his　father；　and　Mr。　Ford。　　Yet　even

then　he　vaguely　resented　a　few　leaves　and　twigs　dropped　by　a

woodpecker　in　the　tree　above　him；　with　a　shake　of　his　weak　fist　and

an　incoherent　declaration　that　they　couldn't　〃play　no　babes　in　the

wood　on　HIM。〃　　And　then　having　composed　himself　he　once　more　turned

on　his　side　to　die；　as　became　the　scion　of　a　heroic　race！　　The　free

woods；　touched　by　an　upspringing　wind；　waved　their　dark　arms　above

him；　and　higher　yet　a　few　patient　stars　silently　ranged　themselves

around　his　pillow。



But　with　the　rising　wind　and　stars　came　the　swift　trampling　of

horses'　hoofs　and　the　flashing　of　lanterns；　and　Doctor　Duchesne　and

the　master　swept　down　into　the　opening。



〃It　was　here；〃　said　the　master　quickly；　〃but　they　must　have　taken

him　on　to　his　own　home。　　Let　us　follow。〃



〃Hold　on　a　moment；〃　said　the　doctor；　who　had　halted　before　the

tree。　　〃What's　all　this？　　Why；　it's　baby　Filgeeby　thunder！〃



In　another　moment　they　had　both　dismounted　and　were　leaning　over

the　half　conscious　child。　　Johnny　turned　his　feverishly　bright　eyes

from　the　lantern　to　the　master　and　back　again。



〃What　is　it；　Johnny　boy？〃　asked　the　master　tenderly。　　〃Were　you

lost？〃



With　a　gleam　of　feverish　exaltation；　Johnny　rose；　albeit

wanderingly；　to　the　occasion！



〃Hit！〃　he　lisped　feebly；　〃Hit　in　a　doell！　at　the　age　of　theven。〃



〃What！〃　asked　the　bewildered　master。



But　Doctor　Duchesne；　after　a　single　swift　scrutiny　of　the　boy's

face；　had　unearthed　him　from　his　nest　of　leaves；　laid　him　in　his

lap；　and　deftly　ripped　away　the　preposterous　bandage。　　〃Hold　the

light　here。　　By　Jove！　he　tells　the　truth。　　Who　did　it；　Johnny？〃



But　Johnny　was　silent。　　In　an　interval　of　feverish　consciousness

and　pain；　his　perception　and　memory　had　been　quickened；　a　suspicion

of　the　real　cause　of　his　disaster　had　dawned　upon　himbut　his

childish　lips　were　heroically　sealed。　　The　master　glanced

appealingly　at　the　Doctor。



〃Take　him　before　you　in　the　saddle　to　McKinstry's；〃　said　the　latter

promptly。　　〃I　can　attend　to　both。〃



The　master　lifted　the　boy　tenderly　in　his　arms。　　Johnny；　stimulated

by　the　prospect　of　a　free　ride；　became　feebly　interested　in　his

fellow　sufferer。



〃Did　Theth　hit　him　bad？〃　he　asked。



〃Seth？〃　echoed　the　master；　wildly。



〃Yeth。　　I　theed　him　when　he　took　aim。〃



The　master　did　not　reply；　but　the　next　moment　Johnny　felt　himself

clasped　in　his　arms　in　the　saddle　before　him；　borne　like　a

whirlwind　in　the　direction　of　the　McKinstry　ranch。





CHAPTER　XIV。





They　found　the　wounded　man　lying　in　the　front　room　upon　a　rudely

extemporized　couch　of　bear…skins；　he　having　sternly　declined　the

effeminacy　of　his　wife's　bedroom。　　In　the　possibility　of　a　fatal

termination　to　his　wound；　and　in　obedience　to　a　grim　frontier

tradition；　he　had　also　refused　to　have　his　boots　removed　in　order

that　he　might　〃die　with　them　on；〃　as　became　his　ancestral　custom。

Johnny　was　therefore　speedily　made　comfortable　in　the　McKinstry

bed；　while　Dr。　Duchesne　gave　his　whole　attention　to　his　more

serious　patient。　　The　master　glanced　hurriedly　around　for　Mrs。

McKinstry。　　She　was　not　only　absent　from　the　room；　but　there　seemed

to　be　no　suggestion　of　her　presence　in　the　house。　　To　his　greater

surprise　the　hurried　inquiry　that　rose　to　his　lips　was　checked　by　a

significant　warning　from　the　attendant。　　He　sat　down　beside　the　now

sleeping　boy；　and　awaited　the　doctor's　return　with　his　mind

wandering　between　the　condition　of　the　little　sufferer　and　the

singular　revelation　that　had　momentarily　escaped　his　childish　lips。

If　Johnny　had　actually　seen　Seth　fire　at　McKinstry；　the　latter's

mysterious　wound　was　accounted　forbut　not　Seth's　motive。　　The　act

was　so　utterly　incomprehensible　and　inconsistent　with　Seth's　avowed

hatred　of　the　master　that　the　boy　must　have　been　delirious。



He　was　roused　by　the　entrance　of　the　surgeon。　　〃It's　not　so　bad　as

I　thought；〃　he　said；　with　a　reassuring　nod。　　〃It　was　a　mighty　close

shave　between　a　shattered　bone　and　a　severed　artery；　but　we've　got

the　ball；　and　he'll　pull　through　in　a　week。　　By　Jove！　thoughthe

old　fire…eater　was　more　concerned　about　finding　the　ball　than

living　or　dying！　　Go　in　therehe　wants　to　see　you。　　Don't　let　him

talk　too　much。　　He's　called　in　a　lot　of　his　friends　for　some　reason

or　otherand　there's　a　regular　mass…meeting　in　there。　　Go　in；　and

get　rid　of　'em。　　I'll　look　after　baby　Filgeethough　the　little

chap　will　be　all　right　again　after　another　dressing。〃



The　master　cast　a　hurried　look　of　relief　at　the　surgeon；　and　re…

entered　the　front　room。　　It　was　filled　with　men　whom　the　master

instinctively　recognized　as　his　former　adversaries。　　But　they　gave

way　before　him　with　a　certain　rude　respect　and　half　abashed

sympathy　as　McKinstry　called　him　to　his　side。　　The　wounded　man

grasped　his　hand。　　〃Lift　me　up　a　bit；〃　he　whispered。　　The　master

assisted　him　with　difficulty　to　his　elbow。



〃Gentlemen！〃　said　McKinstry；　with　a　characteristic　wave　of　his

crippled　hand　towards　the　crowd　as　he　laid　the　other　on　the

master's　shoulder。　　〃Ye　heerd　me　talkin'　a　minit　ago；　ye　heer　me

now。　　This　yer　young　man　as　we've　slipped　up　on　and　meskalkilated

has　told　the　truthevery　time！　　Ye　ken　tie　to　him　whenever　and

wherever　ye　want　to。　　Ye　ain't　expected　to　feel　ez　I　feel；　in

course；　but　the　man　ez　goes　back　on　HIMquo'lls　with　me。　　That's

alland　thanks　for　inquiring　friends。　　Ye'll　git　now；　boys；　and

leave　him　a　minit　with　me。〃



The　men　filed　slowly　out；　a　few　lingering　long　enough　to　shake　the

master's　hand　with　grave　earnestness；　or　half　smiling；　half　abashed

embarrassment。　　The　master　received　the　proffered　reconciliation　of

these　men；　who　but　a　few　hours　before　would　have　lynched　him　with

equal　sincerity；　with　cold　bewilderment。　　As　the　door　closed　on　the

last　of　the　party　he　turned　to　McKinstry。　　The　wounded　man　had　sunk

down　again；　but　was　regarding　with　drowsy　satisfaction　a　leaden

bullet　he　was　holding　between　his　finger　and　th