None understood better than he that the individual who held that Winchester levelled would press the trigger on the first provocation5. He was the one that had sent the warning, and the other was the one that had received it. The twenty-four hours' truce6 had been ended by the words and action of Cadmus himself, and his chief wonder, now that Fred Whitney was with him, was that Monteith Sterry should show any mercy to his persecutor7; had the situations been reversed, the course also would have been different.
But the ruffian was on the alert. He noticed the guarded movement of Spark Holly8 at the moment Whitney entered his home, and he needed no one to tell him what it meant.
He had slipped off to bring help and it would not take him long to do it, though Cadmus might well feel uneasy over what would take place when Sterry should learn the trick played on him.
It may be that a person's senses are keener in situations of grave peril9 than at other times, for, calculating as clearly as he could the period it would take his comrade to reach the horsemen, only a short way back on the prairie, Cadmus heard sounds which indicated their approach, though they must remain invisible for several minutes.
"Wal," said he, in his off-hand manner, directly after Whitney had whisked into the house, "now that you're together, how long do you mean to keep this thing up?"
"We're through," was the response.
"What do you mean?" asked the surprised fellow.
"You can go away as soon as you please. Mont Sterry doesn't care anything more about you, but I'll keep you covered as long as you are in sight, and if you or any of your men try any deception10 you'll take the consequences."
With a moment's hesitation11, doubtless caused by distrust of his master, Cadmus began edging to one side. A few steps were enough to take him out of range of that dreaded12 weapon, and then his demeanour changed.
"That was a good trick of yours, Mont Sterry, but it won't do you a bit of good."
"Why not?"
"Here come the rest of the boys, and if you think you can hold them up, why try it."
At that moment the horsemen assumed form in the gloom and approached the house in a diagonal direction. Encouraged by their presence, Larch Cadmus once more moved toward the open door and resumed the position of leader.
"Now, my fine fellow, we summon you to surrender," he called in his brusquest voice and manner.
The reply was striking. A young man stepped from the door and advanced to meet the horsemen. There was an instant when Cadmus believed his victim had come forth13 to give himself up as commanded, but one glance showed that it was Fred Whitney. He calmly awaited the coming of the mounted men, saluted14 them, and said:
"You have come for Mont Sterry, and Cadmus there assures me that if I give him my word that he is not in my house he will accept the statement; do you agree to it?"
"How's that, Larch?" asked Ira Inman, turning toward him.
"Them was my words, but—"
"Well, then, I have to say that Mont Sterry is not in my house; the only persons there are my mother and sister."
"But I seen him, and he got the drop on me—how's that?"
"Yes," replied Whitney, enjoying his triumph, "he was there a few minutes ago, and he did get the drop on you and the rest of your fellows; but I took his place; he went out of the back door, mounted his mare15, and if there's any of you that think you can overhaul16 him, you can't start a moment too soon."
No man who heard these words doubted their truth. They told such a straightforward17 tale that they could not be questioned. They would have been zanies had they believed that, with the back door at command and the certain approach of his enemies, Sterry had waited for them to attack him.
True, he and his friend would have held a strong position, in which they could have made it warm for the others, but the ultimate advantage must have been on the side of the assailants.
The laugh was on Cadmus, and those were the men who, in their chagrin2, vented18 their feelings upon him. The worst of it was, he was as angry as they; but he might well ask how he could have helped himself, and whether any one of them would have done any better.
The foxy Holly, at a whispered word from Inman, darted19 around the end of the building and entered the stables. A brief examination showed that no animals, all being known to him, except those belonging to Whitney, were there.
Had any doubt remained, it was removed by his sense of hearing. Without the intervention20 of the dwelling21 to obstruct22 the sound, he caught the faint, rhythmic23 beating of the earth, barely audible and gradually growing fainter in the distance. It was just such a sound as is made by a horse going at a leisurely24, sweeping25 gallop26, and that was the explanation he gave it.
Mont Sterry was safe beyond pursuit, for there was no horse in the company that could overtake him. Spark Holly returned to the party in front and made his report.
It may be said the report was accepted and placed on file for future reference.
It was characteristic of those men, too, that they did not delay their own actions, now that their business may be said to have been finished.
"Well," said Inman, "that isn't the first time that fellow gave us the slip to-night. The way he did it before was mighty27 clever, but I don't see that he deserves any credit for fooling Cadmus, for any one would have known enough to do that. But remember that Mr. Mont Sterry is still in Wyoming, and we are not through with him yet."
"And there ain't any twenty-four hours' truce," added Cadmus.
"After what has taken place, there's little fear of Sterry making any mistake on that point," said Whitney, who was so pleased over the outcome of matters that he could speak in gentler terms than he would have used had the circumstances been different.
It would seem strange that these men, who but a brief time before were so hostile to the single person now in their power, should converse28 without the least offensive action; but most, if not all, of the doings of the men concerned in the late troubles in that section were in hot blood, and would not have occurred had time been taken for thought and consideration.
Inman and his brother rustlers wheeled about and rode off in the direction whence they came. Their movements indicated that they had no intention of following Sterry, since the course taken by him was almost directly the opposite; but Whitney was not fully29 satisfied. He remained in front of his home, listening in the stillness of the night to the sounds made by the hoofs30 of the galloping31 horses.
Gradually they grew fainter, until, had there been any air stirring, or had the tension of hearing been less, he would have heard nothing; but, when the noises were hovering32 close to inaudibility, they continued thus. They neither increased nor diminished, but remaining the same, steadily33 shifted the direction whence they came.
Instead of keeping to the westward34, as they had been for a long time, they worked around to the north and east. Then the decrease in distinctness of sound was so rapid that it was quickly lost.
The truth was evident: the rustlers had started in pursuit of Sterry, though why they should have taken so much pains to conceal35 the fact from Fred Whitney was more than he could understand.
"They may overtake him," thought the young man as he turned to enter the house, "but it will not be right away."
A light foot-fall sounded in the darkness of the room.
"Is that you, Jennie?" he asked in a guarded undertone.
"Yes, brother; have they gone?"
"Some time ago. Is mother asleep?"
"She was asleep before they came, utterly36 worn out. I am glad she knows nothing of the cause of their visit. And what of Monteith?"
"He is many miles away, and still riding hard."
"Will they pursue him?"
"Let them do so if they wish, they will have a fine time overtaking him," was the light reply of the brother, who, leaning over in the gloom, affectionately kissed his sister good-night.
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1
larch
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| n.落叶松 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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philosophically
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| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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persecutor
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| n. 迫害者 | |
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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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overhaul
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| v./n.大修，仔细检查 | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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intervention
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| n.介入，干涉，干预 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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obstruct
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| v.阻隔，阻塞(道路、通道等)；n.阻碍物，障碍物 | |
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rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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