登陆注册
18902000000034

第34章

"I expect t' go some," retorted the man. "A fellow with three sheriff's posses campin' on his trail ain't apt t' loiter none.""Oh!" Beatrice sat down and stared. "Then you must be--""Yep," the fellow laughed recklessly. "You ca, tell your maw yuh met up with Kelly, the darin' train-robber. I wouldn't be s'prised if she close herded yuh fer a spell till her scare wears off. Bu I've hung around these parts long enough. I fooled them sheriffs a-plenty, stayin' here.

Gee! you'r' swift--I don't think!" This last sentence was directed at Keith, who was putting a snail to shame, and making it appear he was in a hurry.

"Git a move on!" commanded Kelly, threatening with his eyes.

Keith wisely made no reply--nor did he show any symptoms of haste, despite the menacing tone Slowly he pulled his saddle off Redcloud, and carefully he placed it upon the ground. When a fellow lives in his saddle, almost, he comes to think a great deal of it, and he is reluctant under any circumstances, to surrender it to another; to have a man deliberately confiscate it with the authority which lies in a lump of lead the size of a child thumb is not pleasant.

Through Keith's brain flashed a dozen impracticable plans, and one that offered a slender--very slender--chance of success. If he could get a little closer! He moved over beside Rex an unbuckling the cinch of Beatrice's saddle, pulled it sullenly off.

"Now, put your saddle on that there Rex horse, and cinch it tight!"Keith picked up the saddle--his saddle, and threw it across Rex's back, raging inwardly at his helplessness. To lose his saddle worse, to let Beatrice lose her horse. Lord! a pretty figure he must cut in her eyes!

"Dry weather we're havin'," Kelly remarked politely to Beatrice;without, however, looking in her direction. "Prairie fires are gittin'

t' be the regular thing, I notice."

Beatrice studied his face, and found no ulterior purpose for the words.

"Yes," she agreed, as pleasantly as she could, in view of the disquieting circumstances. "I helped fight a prairie-fire last week over this way. We were out all night.""Prairie-fires is mean things t' handle, oncet they git started. Ialways hate t' see 'em git hold of the grass. What fire was that you mention?"Beatrice glanced toward Keith, and was thankful his back was turned to her. But a quick suspicion had come to her, and she went steadily on with the subject.

"It was the Pine Ridge country. It started very mysteriously""It wasn't no mystery t' me." Kelly laughed grimly. "I started that there blaze myself accidentally. I throwed a cigarette down, thinkin' it had gone out. After a while I seen a blaze where I'd jest left, but Ididn't have no license t' go back an' put it out--my orders was to git out uh that. I seen the sky all lit up that night. Kid, are yuh goin' t'

sleep?"

Keith started. He had been listening, and thanking his lucky star that Beatrice was listening also. If she had suspected him of setting the range afire, she knew better now. A weight lifted off Keith's shoulders, and he stood a bit straighter; those chance words meant a great deal to him, and he felt that he would not grudge his saddle in payment. But Rex--that was another matter. Beatrice should not lose him if he could prevent it; still, what could he do?

He might turn and spring upon Kelly, but in the meantime Kelly would not be idle; he would probably be pumping bullets out of the rifle into Keith's body--and he would still have the horse. He stole a glance at Beatrice, and went hot all over at what he thought he read in her eyes.

For once he was not glad to be near his Heart's Desire; he wished her elsewhere--anywhere but sitting on that rock, over there, with her little, gloved hands folded quietly in her lap, and that adorable, demure look on her face--the look which would have put her mother instantly upon the defensive--and a gleam in her eyes Keith read for scorn.

Surely he might do something! Barely six feet now separated him from Kelly. If one of those lumps of rock that strewed the ground was in his hand--he stooped to reach under Rex's body for the cinch, and could almost feel Kelly's eyes boring into his back. A false move--well, Keith had heard of Kelly a good many times; if this fellow was really the man he claimed to be, Keith did not need to guess what would follow a suspicious move; he knew. He looked stealthily toward him, and Kelly's eyes met his with a gleam sinister.

Kelly grinned. "I wouldn't, kid," he said softly.

Keith swore in a whisper, and his fingers closed upon the cinch. It was no use to fight the devil with cunning, he thought, bitterly.

Just then Beatrice gave an unearthly screech, that made the horses'

knees bend under them. When Keith whirled to see what it was, she was standing upon the rock, with her skirts held tightly around her, like the pictures of women when a mouse gets into the room.

"Oh, Mr. Cameron! A sn-a-a-ke!"

同类推荐
  • 俗说

    俗说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Political Arithmetick

    Political Arithmetick

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华山南庙

    华山南庙

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 何一自禅师语录

    何一自禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说摩诃迦叶度贫母经

    佛说摩诃迦叶度贫母经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 无量门破魔陀罗尼经

    无量门破魔陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 半缘修道半修君

    半缘修道半修君

    你说害怕世人眼光,我铸起九天高翅为你遮挡;你又说害怕天道无情,斩草除根,我在心中为你留下一房,护你一生周全;你说怕再也寻不到我的音信,可我却更怕找不到你这个人。“来,本尊带你离开......”鲜血染红了天际,这世上再也没了那个人。
  • 水滴的无限旅程

    水滴的无限旅程

    “唔,怎么有人从楼上扔砖头?哎!那边那个戴眼镜的小弟弟你滑板滑那么快容易摔倒!小心啊!哎~现在的年轻人。”随手扔掉手里的铅块走向毛利侦探事务所。“喵帕斯!”小女孩高高伸出右手打招呼。“喵,喵帕斯。”怎么回事?!乱入?!左拂尘右飞剑,八荣八耻记心间,三观正,六识全,山居道士抱枕眠,离尘世,话机缘,何不抿心问道源,千年修得此道机,不窥天道莫伦长辞于世间。道不在肉胎五形,四肢百骸,何处求之?呜呼哀哉,你且看!
  • 中国音乐故事

    中国音乐故事

    《青少年艺术欣赏讲堂:中国音乐故事》主要内容包括:伶伦制律、最早的情歌、夔是人还是兽、姜子牙歌动西伯侯、孔子闻《韶》、孔子学琴、宁戚敲牛角歌动齐桓公、伯牙学琴、囚车里的歌声、师旷奏乐、师旷以琴撞晋平公、师文学琴、百里奚听歌认妻等。
  • 重生九十年代之七岁那年

    重生九十年代之七岁那年

    丁苗苗35岁刚买上自己的房,才搬进去住的第一天就重生了自己7岁那年,住的小隔间。凭借前世记忆,拯救了弟弟的命运,挽救了邻居的悲剧,促成了小伙伴青梅竹马的爱情……弥补前世遗憾。新的一生里,也遭遇了全新的爱情,偶遇了前世的老公,在感情世界里涂抹上更绚丽的色彩,但是仍然不忘初衷,始终坚守本心~有一点点小玄幻色彩,但是异能比例很小,保证身体素质优秀~男女主感情稳定,没有可恶的女配男配插足……双处甜宠是描绘成长在90年代的80后脚踏实地成长的一篇文。
  • 韩娱之明星经纪人

    韩娱之明星经纪人

    什么是明星经纪人?明星的经纪人?是明星又是经纪人?还是明星一样的经纪人?唉,谁也不知道,这也许就是一本没有主线的韩娱小说。韩娱作品,非喜莫入,小说虚构,切勿较真,群号:183677795!
  • 淑慈传

    淑慈传

    她只是一个卑微的六品官员之女,自从五岁来到这个时代只想安稳地过日子。可皇后的一场算计,让她嫁于不学无术行事荒诞的三皇子为嫡妃。婆婆的百般挑剔,旁人的轻视不屑。就连自己的夫君在大婚当日都在青楼过夜。但那又如何,既然卷入这张纷争,那最后的赢家就只能是她!若来人挡路,必除之!她只相信,我命由我,不由天!
  • 养护肌肤

    养护肌肤

    聪明的女性应懂得该如何打理和呵护自己,使自己能游刃有余地从容在美丽之间,备受大家的关注和称赞。为帮助女性更好地养护自己的肌肤,编者从11个部分详细阐述了如何护肤,介绍了肌肤护理细节,护肤产品的选购技巧,自然保养肌肤的方法,紧肤、亮肤、补水技巧,保持肌肤光洁、让肌肤白嫩的技巧,控油、清痘、祛皱的方法,帮助您从容打造属于自己的美丽!本书适合广大女性朋友阅读参考。
  • 此山乃我开

    此山乃我开

    穿越成罪臣之女,全家男丁被砍了头,已流放十六年的五个寡妇长辈,给余淼淼定下择偶标准:有钱、有权、有势、命短。这男人最好是等她生两儿子,过继一个给余家继承香火,就死去。还真给这几个女人找到了——因造反被流放的病王爷。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 灰鱼

    灰鱼

    十年生涯,两个世界,岁月已久,幻化不真,唯世间情爱未变。《灰鱼》前半部分弥漫着酱菜的味道、鲷鱼汤的热气、孕妇的汗珠、少年的跳跃、鲜血的流出;后半部分则由美丽的面具、灰鱼的油污、养生的呢喃、无耻的交易和酒席上的扭打构成。前半部分的叙述者是少年,后半部分的讲述者是“无知的大人”。