But Monteith Sterry had noted1 a fact which escaped the captain, though he was an observant man. The horseman was not approaching the camp at the moment the couple reached the crest2 of the elevation3 and began scrutinizing4 the surrounding country; he was going at right angles to it, but (as it afterward5 proved) he carried a glass, with which, at that moment, he was also scanning the horizon for something he was very anxious to find.
Fortunately he caught sight of the couple, and though he could not be assured of their identity at so great a distance, the suspicion of the truth as to Capt. Asbury caused him to put his animal to his best speed.
In a brief time he rode up. While some rods away he recognized the captain and saluted6 him. A little nearer approach and he identified Sterry, who was astonished beyond measure to discover that he was his old friend, Dick Hawkridge, toward whose ranch7 he had ridden on the preceding evening.
"You're out early, Dick," was the salutation of Sterry, as his old friend reined8 up beside him and extended his hand.
"And are riding hard," added Capt. Asbury, who liked the young man.
"I ride hard," replied Hawkridge, gravely, "because there is need of it; I was looking for you."
"And why looking for me?" inquired the captain.
"Because you and your men are in great peril9."
"Ah. What might be its nature?"
"From the rustlers."
"I was trying to persuade myself that it was they who were in peril from us, but you put it differently."
"It might be as you wish if you had twenty-five or fifty men; but with less than a dozen, and more than twice that number looking for you, discretion10 is the better part of valor11."
"Tell me, Hawkridge, how all this interesting information came to you," continued Capt. Asbury.
"My ranch is not far to the northward12, my cattle are ranging among the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, and all my hands are with them. I sat up late last night, going over my accounts and trying to get them into shape, and it was past midnight when two rustlers rode up. I supposed they meant to stay all night and invited them in. I have never had any trouble with them, and they had two purposes in calling. One was to give me a little advice, and the other to secure information."
"Their advice, I suppose, was that you cast in your fortunes with them, and take up the business of branding mavericks13 and altering other brands."
"Hardly that, but it was that I should keep out of the trouble, for there are going to be ugly times. Now you know that, however much I may wish to let things proceed smoothly14, I will never identify myself with the law-breakers. I gave my callers to understand that, and I think they respect my position.
"It seems to me," added Hawkridge, thoughtfully, "that there have been some woeful mistakes made. The Cattle Association have organized an expedition to rid Johnson, Natroma and Converse15 Counties of cattle-thieves, as they call them. They have imported twenty-five picked men from Texas, every one of whom is a fighter and dead shot, with Capt. Smith, an ex-U.S. marshal, as their leader. One of the party may be taken as a type of the rest. He is Scott Davis, once a guard on the Deadwood coach, and he carries a gun with twenty notches16 on the stock, each representing the death of a road-agent or other outlaw17.
"The expedition left Cheyenne some days ago and is somewhere in this section. Strong as it is, it is doomed18 to defeat, for I don't care how brave and skilful19 those fellows are, they are no more so than the rustlers, who far outnumber them.
"However, it isn't that which concerns you and me just now, though it may do so later. The rustlers have learned that you are out with a small party, and they are after you."
Capt. Asbury was a brave man, and he did not start on hearing this announcement, for he had been expecting it from the first; but he was prudent20 as well as daring, and he knew his young friend did not underestimate the danger of himself and companions.
"Have they learned anything about last night's doings?" asked Sterry.
"That's what started me off after you in such a hurry. My callers stayed more than two hours, and were about leaving when who should ride up but Duke Vesey, with his story of the killing21 of his comrade, Jack22 Perkins, by you and your men."
"I suppose he called it a murder," remarked Capt. Asbury, sarcastically23.
"Yes, the worst kind, too. I knew he was drawing a long bow, but he will tell it to others, and it will spread like wildfire. He was looking for Ira Inman, Larch24 Cadmus and his party. There are more of them than you and others are aware of, riding up and down the country, ripe for any mischief25. From what I know, Inman and a dozen of the most desperate rustlers are in the neighborhood, and as the two fellows who were at my ranch volunteered to help Vesey find them they will do it pretty soon, if they have not already done so. Vesey declared it as his belief that you would be discovered not far from his burned home, so as soon as they left I mounted my best horse and started to give you warning."
"I appreciate your kindness, Hawkridge; how did you know the right direction?"
"I knew the course to Vesey's ranch, and was speeding that way when I caught sight of you and Sterry on the top of this hill. I took a squint26 through my glass, was pretty sure who it was, and then came like mad. I didn't suspect it was you though, Mont, until I almost ran against you."
"Did Vesey say anything about me?" asked Sterry, with a meaning glance at the captain.
"He said you had acted like a white man in some dispute, but he didn't give the particulars and I didn't question him. He is intensely bitter against the captain and his party, and declares that not one of them shall get out of the country alive; and, captain, Duke Vesey is a man of his word."
"Then I suppose I may consider myself disposed of," replied Asbury, with a laugh.
"Not as bad as that, but it depends upon yourself."
"What do you advise?"
"Start southward at once with your men; if you meet the Texans and their friends, join them if you choose; it will make their strength so much the greater, and they need it all. If you fail to meet them, keep on till you cross the Platte and strike Fort Fetterman. In other words, captain, you have no business to be where you are."
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1
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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3
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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4
scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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6
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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7
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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8
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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9
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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10
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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11
valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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12
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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13
mavericks
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| 未烙印的牲畜( maverick的名词复数 )； 标新立异的人，不合常规的人 | |
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14
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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15
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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16
notches
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| n.（边缘或表面上的）V型痕迹( notch的名词复数 )；刻痕；水平；等级 | |
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17
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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18
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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19
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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22
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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24
larch
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| n.落叶松 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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26
squint
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| v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的 | |
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