It was the gap where the screen of bush broke off, leaving the barren shoulder overlooking the valley. It was where the hard-beaten, converging1 cattle-paths hurled2 themselves over the brink3 to the wide depths below.
The stillness that prevailed was unbroken by a single night sound. Even the insect life seemed wrapped in a deep hush4 of somnolence5. As yet the night scavengers had not emerged from their hidings to bay the silvery radiance of a moonlit night. The deep hush beneath the myriad6 of eyes of night was as beautiful as it was treacherous7, for it only cloaked hot, stirring passions ready in a moment to break out into warring chaos8.
Crouching9 low under the shelter of the screening bush three figures huddled10 closely. They were peering across the wide gulf11, searching with eyes that only half read what lay before them in the starlight. Their gaze rested upon one definite spot whose shadowy outline was indicated by the outstretched arm of one of the party. It was a deep woodland bluff12, leaning, as it seemed, for support against the far wall of the valley's western slope.
After some tense moments the straining eyes beheld13 the faintest glimmer14 of artificial light flickering16 in the depths of its silent heart. So faint was it, at the distance, that, for a while, doubt prevailed. Then conviction supervened as each of the watchers recorded his observation and a sigh of certitude made itself heard. The point of light was held by all. It was dwelt upon. It was the verification needed to convey absolute faith in the woman's tale miraculous17.
Perhaps it was the light in some window of a secret abode18. Perhaps it was the steady flicker15 of an unscreened camp-fire. Perhaps, even, it was the beam of some lantern carelessly set down and left alight. Whatever it was it was certainly of human agency, and human agency in these regions had only one interpretation19 for the minds of those who were watching from the high eastern wall of the valley.
Presently a woman's voice spoke20 in the hush of suppressed excitement. Her tone was full of an eagerness that hurled her words swiftly upon the still night air.
"That's where I marked them down," she whispered. "There--just there. Right where that light's shining. Somewhere in the heart of that bluff. There was a herd21 grazing out in front, with three mounted men guarding it. There's no mistake. It's a bee-line right across. And the men who fired up this way came out of those trees. It's steep down these paths. They sort of zigzag22 their way, but it's a path any horse can make without danger. It just needs care. Once in the valley it's a stretch of sweet-grass without a bluff or a break of any sort. There's no slough23 either. It's just grass. One big flat of sweet-grass."
There was no reply from her companions. They were engrossed24 with the object of their straining scrutiny25. Presently the woman went on again.
"This is where my work quits," she said. Then she withdrew her gaze and looked up at the dim outline of the big man nearest her. There was just a shade of eagerness in her manner now. "That's Lightfoot's camp, Mr. McFarlane," she assured. "I've done all that's needed. You see, I'm a woman, and I don't guess you need anything more from me. Shall I stop right here, or--get back to home?"
Bob Whitstone was watching his wife closely as she addressed herself to the rancher. He noted26 her tone, her evident anxiety now, and he understood. A curious repulsion surged through him. In the brief two years of his married life no such sensation had ever possessed27 him. But he recognized it. It was the breaking point. Effie no longer held place in his affections. He glanced up at McFarlane as his deep tones whispered in the silence.
"Yes, ma'am, get right back to home. There's no need for you to get mussed up with what's goin' to happen. It's man's work, not a woman's. Your husband's got my word. You'll find we aren't forgetful."
Then he drew back under cover, and moved away to where, scattered28 along the path, well sheltered from view, a large party of dismounted horsemen were awaiting his orders.
Effie turned to her husband.
"You're coming back with me, Bob?" she said, almost pleadingly. "It's a long way to home."
Bob's eyes gazed straight into hers. Even in the darkness Effie felt something of the coldness of his regard.
"Are you scared?" he demanded.
Effie shook her head.
"There's nothing to be scared at. But you've nothing to do with--the rest of it."
"Haven't I?"
"You're not going down there with them?"
There was a curious sharpness in the woman's whispering voice. Bob's cold regard remained unwavering.
"I'm leaving nothing to chance. You've got to get your wages. I'm going to see you get them. Yes, I'm going--down there."
A sudden fierce passion swept through the woman's heart. Hot words in retort surged to her lips. But they remained unuttered. A strong effort of restraint checked them. She turned away coldly, her eyes focussing once more upon the tiny point of light across the hollow.
"Guess you must do as you think," she said, with a shrug29. And she remained with her back turned upon the man she was destined30 never to address again.
Bob moved away and joined the rest of the Vigilantes. They were already in the saddle. Dug McFarlane had given his final orders. In a moment Bob surveyed the scene in the dim light. Then he turned away to his own horse and sprang into the saddle.
McFarlane saw him and rode up.
"Sure."
"Good boy." Then he drew a deep breath. "Maybe there'll be an empty saddle or two before we've done. But I don't guess that'll need to worry us any. The man who 'passes in' to-night won't have any kick comin'. It's better that way--with your duty done."
"Yes."
The simple monosyllable was strangely expressive33, but Dug McFarlane had no understanding of the thought that prompted it. It would have been difficult indeed, even with understanding, to have probed the depths of feeling prompting it. But Whitstone was incapable34 of seeing the broader aspect of anything pertaining35 to himself. He saw only as his feelings dictated36, without logic37 or reason of any sort. He was of that nature which leans for support upon prejudices absorbed in early youth. Principles inculcated through early environment and teaching. He was incapable of testing or questioning their verity38. Robbed of them he was left floundering. And Effie, the woman whom he had married only out of hot, youthful human regard, had so robbed him.
Effie drew back. She pressed herself close into the bush as the cavalcade39 sought the path at the edge of the valley. She watched the burly leader vanish over the brink. Then, one by one, twenty-five others passed her in review, and were swallowed up by the depths below. She knew none of them personally, but she knew they were all ranchers and ranchmen of varying degree. She knew that each individual had at some time suffered at the hands of the rustlers. That deep in each heart was the craving40 for a vengeance41 which possessed small enough thought of justice in it. These men were Vigilantes. They were so called not from any desire to enforce law and order, but purely42 for their own self-defense, the defending of self-interests.
They impressed her not from any justice of motive43, but from the merciless purpose upon which they were bent44.
The last to pass over the brink was her husband, a slight figure, almost puny45, amongst these hard prairie folk. Just for one weak moment she was on the point of raising a protesting voice. Just for one moment a womanly softening46 held her yielding. He was her husband, and memories crowded. But almost as they were born they died. Their place was once more taken by the recollection of the life she had been forced to endure for the sake of her first youthful passion. Her heart hardened. No impulse had driven her to her present actions. They were the result of a craving she was powerless to resist. Her husband must go his way. He must act as he saw fit. For herself she would not forego one tithe47 of the reward which she believed would help her to that comfort in life for which her soul yearned48.
With the passing of the Vigilantes she moved clear of the bush. She would see this out. Home? She had no desire for her home. The night had no terrors for her. Nothing had terror for her, except the failure of these men.
She flung herself upon the ground and lay with wide eyes searching the remoteness of the valley beyond. Her impatience49 had developed into something almost feverish50. She wanted a sign. She wanted assurance. But the world seemed so still, so entirely51 peaceful.
The moments pursued for her a sluggish52 course. The jeweled sky was an added regret. She desired light, light that she might witness the whole drama she hoped--yes, hoped--would be played out down there in the valley. A sort of dementia had taken possession of her. She had no thought of the blood to be poured out at her bidding. She thought nothing of the strong lives to be given up in sacrifice for her well-being53. She thought only of herself, and all that the success of that night's affairs would mean to her.
But the dragging minutes extending upward of half an hour wore her fever down. And slowly depression replaced her more tense emotions. It all seemed so long in happening that failure began to loom54, and to become a certainty.
It was too good to hope. Ten thousand dollars! The amount bulked in her mind. It grew greater and greater in its significance as delay thrust hope further and further from her thought. Again impatience grew, hot, angry impatience, and drove depression out. What were they doing down there? Why did they not surround the bluff? There were enough of them. Look! The light was still shining. It was the camp. Where that light shone the men lay in hiding. Well--it was simple. To her mind there was no need for----
The sound of a rifle shot split the air with significant abruptness55. The sound banished56 the last of her half-angry causing. The moment had come. She raised herself up for no other reason than tense drawn57 suspense58.
A second shot. Then a rattle59 of musketry which suggested general conflict. She drew a deep breath. Far away in the distance it seemed she heard a sharp cry. It was the final shriek60 of a human creature in the agony of a mortal wound. Then followed the sound of hoarse61 voices shouting.
For some moments nothing in the scene changed. The speck62 of light shone out twinkling and gleaming like some evil eye. For the rest--there remained the deep twilight63 marked by the myriads64 of summer stars.
But the cries of men, the trampling65 of speeding hoofs66 held her. The breathlessness of the whole thing was upon her now, making it impossible to detach her regard from the main features.
The rattle of rifles had become almost incessant67. And a few moments later a blaze of light shot up from the far side of the bluff. It grew, licking up the great, sun-dried, resinous68 pine wood with paralyzing rapidity. Another great sheet of flame soared upward further away to the right. Then another to the south. A fire trap had been set at the far side of the great bluff, and only the hither side remained open to those seeking shelter within it.
Effie's gaze was fascinated beyond her control. The Vigilantes had planned their coup69 deliberately70 and well. The air she was breathing began to reek71 with the pungent72 smell of burning. A light smoke haze73 began to flood the picture. Now she beheld moving figures in the lurid74 glow which backed the scene. They were horsemen. But whether or not they were the Vigilantes she could not be certain. They were racing75 across the open, and the crack of their rifles mingled76 with the spluttering crackle of the conflagration77 beyond.
Never for one moment did the woman withdraw her gaze. The spell of it all was almost painful. She knew that life and death were at grips down there in that cauldron of conflict. And though at moments shudders79 passed through her body, they were neither shudders of weakness nor womanish horror. Her only emotion was excitement, and her nerves were ready to respond in physical expression to every vision her eyes communicated to them.
An hour passed thus. The bluff was a furnace, roaring, booming. It lit the valley seemingly from end to end. The night shadows had been swept aside, and the scene lay spread out before her eyes. She saw dismounted riders moving about. She beheld one group; a number of men huddled together, held as though they were prisoners.
At last firing altogether ceased and the straggling horsemen began to reassemble in the vicinity of the chief group. Then, as the raging fire ate its way through to the hither side of the bluff, and turned the final barrier into a wall of fire, the whole party moved away down the valley with obvious signs of haste.
Effie gazed after them with widening eyes while the hot breath of the conflagration fanned her cheeks. She was wondering, speculating, and slowly the significance of their movements began to take hold of her.
At first she had thought that the movement was inspired by the overpowering heat of the forest fire. She had warned herself of the danger. The grass down there. The flying sparks. But almost in the same breath she realized that there was more, far more in that movement. The grass was far too green in the valley to form any real danger and the bluff was sufficiently80 isolated81. No, there was more in it than the danger of fire.
She shivered, although the night air now possessed something of the temperature of a summer noon. All her excitement had passed. She had even forgotten for the time all that the doings of that night meant to her. She was thinking of the deliberate administration of justice as these men understood it. It was crude, deadly, and full of a painful horror, and now, now, in saner82 moments, she beheld the dawn of emotions which had come all too late. Whither were those men riding? Whither? And then? Ah--she shuddered83, and her shudder78 was full of realization84. For well she knew that the men she had seen grouped were living prisoners. Living prisoners. How long would they remain so? What would be their end?
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1
converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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2
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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3
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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4
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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5
somnolence
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| n.想睡，梦幻；欲寐；嗜睡；嗜眠 | |
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6
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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7
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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8
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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9
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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10
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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11
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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12
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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13
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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14
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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15
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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16
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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17
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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18
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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20
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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21
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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22
zigzag
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| n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行 | |
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23
slough
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| v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃 | |
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24
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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25
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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27
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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28
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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29
shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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30
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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31
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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32
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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33
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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34
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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35
pertaining
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| 与…有关系的，附属…的，为…固有的(to) | |
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36
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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37
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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38
verity
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| n.真实性 | |
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39
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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40
craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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41
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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42
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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43
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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44
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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45
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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46
softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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47
tithe
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| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
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48
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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50
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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51
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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52
sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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53
well-being
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| n.安康，安乐，幸福 | |
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54
loom
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| n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近 | |
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55
abruptness
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| n. 突然，唐突 | |
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56
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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58
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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59
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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60
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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61
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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62
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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63
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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64
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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65
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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66
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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67
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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68
resinous
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| adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的 | |
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69
coup
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| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
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70
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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71
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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72
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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73
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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74
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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75
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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76
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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77
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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78
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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79
shudders
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| n.颤动，打颤，战栗( shudder的名词复数 )v.战栗( shudder的第三人称单数 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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80
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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81
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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82
saner
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| adj.心智健全的( sane的比较级 )；神志正常的；明智的；稳健的 | |
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83
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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84
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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