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！
drifting battle。 After that they hung up on a split current； and
the canoe passed on one side of an island； the poling boat on the
other。 That was the last of the canoe； and he came on into
Sunrise。 Yes； from the way the Indian in the canoe jumped； he was
sure he had potted him。 That was all。 This explanation was not
deemed adequate。 They gave him ten hours' grace while the Lizzie
steamed down to investigate。 Ten hours later she came wheezing
back to Sunrise。 There had been nothing to investigate。 No
evidence had been found to back up his statements。 They told him
to make his will； for he possessed a fifty…thousand dollar Sunrise
claim； and they were a law…abiding as well as a law…giving breed。
Leclere shrugged his shoulders。 〃Bot one t'ing；〃 he said； 〃a
leetle； w'at you call； favoura leetle favour； dat is eet。 I gif
my feefty t'ousan' dollair to de church。 I gif my husky dog；
Batard； to de devil。 De leetle favour？ Firs' you hang heem； an'
den you hang me。 Eet is good； eh？〃
Good it was； they agreed； that Hell's Spawn should break trail for
his master across the last divide； and the court was adjourned down
to the river bank； where a big spruce tree stood by itself。
Slackwater Charley put a hangman's knot in the end of a hauling…
line； and the noose was slipped over Leclere's head and pulled
tight around his neck。 His hands were tied behind his back； and he
was assisted to the top of a cracker box。 Then the running end of
the line was passed over an over…hanging branch； drawn taut； and
made fast。 To kick the box out from under would leave him dancing
on the air。
〃Now for the dog；〃 said Webster Shaw； sometime mining engineer。
〃You'll have to rope him； Slackwater。〃
Leclere grinned。 Slackwater took a chew of tobacco； rove a running
noose； and proceeded leisurely to coil a few turns in his hand。 He
paused once or twice to brush particularly offensive mosquitoes
from off his face。 Everybody was brushing mosquitoes； except
Leclere； about whose head a small cloud was visible。 Even Batard；
lying full…stretched on the ground with his fore paws rubbed the
pests away from eyes and mouth。
But while Slackwater waited for Batard to lift his head； a faint
call came from the quiet air； and a man was seen waving his arms
and running across the flat from Sunrise。 It was the store…keeper。
〃C…call 'er off； boys；〃 he panted； as he came in among them。
〃Little Sandy and Bernadotte's jes' got in；〃 he explained with
returning breath。 〃Landed down below an' come up by the short cut。
Got the Beaver with 'm。 Picked 'm up in his canoe； stuck in a back
channel； with a couple of bullet…holes in 'm。 Other buck was Klok
Kutz； the one that knocked spots out of his squaw and dusted。〃
〃Eh？ W'at Ah say？ Eh？〃 Leclere cried exultantly。 〃Dat de one fo'
sure！ Ah know。 Ah spik true。〃
〃The thing to do is to teach these damned Siwashes a little
manners；〃 spoke Webster Shaw。 〃They're getting fat and sassy； and
we'll have to bring them down a peg。 Round in all the bucks and
string up the Beaver for an object lesson。 That's the programme。
Come on and let's see what he's got to say for himself。〃
〃Heh； M'sieu！〃 Leclere called； as the crowd began to melt away
through the twilight in the direction of Sunrise。 〃Ah lak ver'
moch to see de fon。〃
〃Oh； we'll turn you loose when we come back；〃 Webster Shaw shouted
over his shoulder。 〃In the meantime meditate on your sins and the
ways of Providence。 It will do you good； so be grateful。〃
As is the way with men who are accustomed to great hazards； whose
nerves are healthy and trained in patience； so it was with Leclere
who settled himself to the long waitwhich is to say that he
reconciled his mind to it。 There was no settling of the body； for
the taut rope forced him to stand rigidly erect。 The least
relaxation of the leg muscles pressed the rough…fibred noose into
his neck； while the upright position caused him much pain in his
wounded shoulder。 He projected his under lip and expelled his
breath upwards along his face to blow the mosquitoes away from his
eyes。 But the situation had its compensation。 To be snatched from
the maw of death was well worth a little bodily suffering； only it
was unfortunate that he should miss the hanging of the Beaver。
And so he mused； till his eyes chanced to fall upon Batard； head
between fore paws and stretched on the ground asleep。 And their
Leclere ceased to muse。 He studied the animal closely； striving to
sense if the sleep were real or feigned。 Batard's sides were
heaving regularly； but Leclere felt that the breath came and went a
shade too quickly； also he felt that there was a vigilance or
alertness to every hair that belied unshackling sleep。 He would
have given his Sunrise claim to be assured that the dog was not
awake； and once； when one of his joints cracked； he looked quickly
and guiltily at Batard to see if he roused。 He did not rouse then
but a few minutes later he got up slowly and lazily； stretched； and
looked carefully about him。
〃Sacredam；〃 said Leclere under his breath。
Assured that no one was in sight or hearing； Batard sat down；
curled his upper lip almost into a smile； looked up at Leclere； and
licked his chops。
〃Ah see my feenish；〃 the man said； and laughed sardonically aloud。
Batard came nearer； the useless ear wabbling； the good ear cocked
forward with devilish comprehension。 He thrust his head on one
side quizzically； and advanced with mincing； playful steps。 He
rubbed his body gently against the box till it shook and shook
again。 Leclere teetered carefully to maintain his equilibrium。
〃Batard；〃 he said calmly； 〃look out。 Ah keel you。〃
Batard snarled at the word and shook the box with greater force。
Then he upreared； and with his fore paws threw his weight against
it higher up。 Leclere kicked out with one foot； but the rope bit
into his neck and checked so abruptly as nearly to overbalance him。
〃Hi； ya！ Chook！ Mush…on！〃 he screamed。
Batard retreated； for twenty feet or so； with a fiendish levity in
his bearing that Leclere could not mistake。 He remembered the dog
often breaking the scum of ice on the water hole by lifting up and
throwing his weight upon it； and remembering； he understood what he
now had in mind。 Batard faced about and paused。 He showed his
white teeth in a grin； which Leclere answered； and then hurled his
body through the air； in full charge； straight for the box。
Fifteen minutes later； Slackwater Charley and Webster Shaw
returning； caught a glimpse of a ghostly pendulum swinging back and
forth in the dim light。 As they hurriedly drew in closer； they
made out the man's inert body； and a live thing that clung to it；
and shook and worried； and gave to it the swaying motion。
〃Hi； ya！ Chook！ you Spawn of Hell！〃 yelled Webster Shaw。
But Batard glared at him； and snarled threateningly； without
loosing his jaws。
Slackwater Charley got out his revolver； but his hand was shaking；
as with a chill； and he fumbled。
〃Here you take it；〃 he said； passing the weapon over。
Webster Shaw laughed shortly； drew a sight between the gleaming
eyes； and pressed the trigger。 Batard's body twitched with the
shock； threshed the ground spasmodically for a moment； and went
suddenly limp。 But his teeth still held fast locked。
THE STORY OF JEES' UCK
There have been renunciations and renunciations。 But； in its
essence； renunciation is ever the same。 And the paradox of it is；
that men and women forego the dearest thing in the world for
something dearer。 It was never otherwise。 Thus it was when Abel
brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof。 The
firstlings and the fat thereof were to him the dearest things in
the world； yet he gave them over that he might be on good terms
with God。 So it was with Abraham when he pr