They stood and watched them go.
"Oh, the great man! Oh, the great man!" murmured the writer, fascinated.
The grandeur1 of the sacrifice had struck them dumb. They did not understand the motives2 beneath it all; but the fact was patent. Big Junko broke down and sobbed4.
After a time the stream of logs through the gap slackened. In a moment more, save for the inevitably5 stranded6 few, the booms were empty. A deep sigh went up from the attentive7 multitude.
"She's GONE!" said one man, with the emphasis of a novel discovery; and groaned8.
Then the awe9 broke from about their minds, and they spoke10 many opinions and speculations11. Thorpe had disappeared. They respected his emotion and did not follow him.
"It was just plain damn foolishness;--but it was great!" said Shearer12. "That no-account jackass of a Big Junko ain't worth as much per thousand feet as good white pine."
Then they noticed a group of men gathering14 about the office steps, and on it someone talking. Collins, the bookkeeper, was making a speech.
Collins was a little hatchet-faced man, with straight, lank16 hair, nearsighted eyes, a timid, order-loving disposition17, and a great suitability for his profession. He was accurate, unemotional, and valuable. All his actions were as dry as the saw-dust in the burner. No one had ever seen him excited. But he was human; and now his knowledge of the Company's affairs showed him the dramatic contrast. HE KNEW! He knew that the property of the firm had been mortgaged to the last dollar in order to assist expansion, so that not another cent could be borrowed to tide over present difficulty. He knew that the notes for sixty thousand dollars covering the loan to Wallace Carpenter came due in three months; he knew from the long table of statistics which he was eternally preparing and comparing that the season's cut should have netted a profit of two hundred thousand dollars--enough to pay the interest on the mortgages, to take up the notes, and to furnish a working capital for the ensuing year. These things he knew in the strange concrete arithmetical manner of the routine bookkeeper. Other men saw a desperate phase of firm rivalry18; he saw a struggle to the uttermost. Other men cheered a rescue: he thrilled over the magnificent gesture of the Gambler scattering19 his stake in largesse20 to Death.
It was the simple turning of the hand from full breathed prosperity to lifeless failure.
His view was the inverse21 of his master's. To Thorpe it had suddenly become a very little thing in contrast to the great, sweet elemental truth that the dream girl had enunciated22. To Collins the affair was miles vaster than the widest scope of his own narrow life.
The firm could not take up its notes when they came due; it could not pay the interest on the mortgages, which would now be foreclosed; it could not even pay in full the men who had worked for it--that would come under a court's adjudication.
He had therefore watched Thorpe's desperate sally to mend the weakened chain, in all the suspense23 of a man whose entire universe is in the keeping of the chance moment. It must be remembered that at bottom, below the outer consciousness, Thorpe's final decision had already grown to maturity24. On the other hand, no other thought than that of accomplishment25 had even entered the little bookkeeper's head. The rescue and all that it had meant had hit him like a stroke of apoplexy, and his thin emotions had curdled26 to hysteria. Full of the idea he appeared before the men.
With rapid, almost incoherent speech he poured it out to them. Professional caution and secrecy27 were forgotten. Wallace Carpenter attempted to push through the ring for the purpose of stopping him. A gigantic riverman kindly28 but firmly held him back.
"I guess it's just as well we hears this," said the latter.
It all came out--the loan to Carpenter, with a hint at the motive3: the machinations of the rival firm on the Board of Trade; the notes, the mortgages, the necessity of a big season's cut; the reasons the rival firm had for wishing to prevent that cut from arriving at the market; the desperate and varied29 means they had employed. The men listened silent. Hamilton, his eyes glowing like coals, drank in every word. Here was the master motive he had sought; here was the story great to his hand!
"That's what we ought to get," cried Collins, almost weeping, "and now we've gone and bust30, just because that infernal river-hog had to fall off a boom. By God, it's a shame! Those scalawags have done us after all!"
Out from the shadows of the woods stole Injin Charley. The whole bearing and aspect of the man had changed. His eye gleamed with a distant farseeing fire of its own, which took no account of anything but some remote vision. He stole along almost furtively31, but with a proud upright carriage of his neck, a backward tilt32 of his fine head, a distention of his nostrils33 that lent to his appearance a panther-like pride and stealthiness. No one saw him. Suddenly he broke through the group and mounted the steps beside Collins.
"The enemy of my brother is gone," said he simply in his native tongue, and with a sudden gesture held out before them--a scalp.
The medieval barbarity of the thing appalled34 them for a moment. The days of scalping were long since past, had been closed away between the pages of forgotten histories, and yet here again before them was the thing in all its living horror. Then a growl35 arose. The human animal had tasted blood.
All at once like wine their wrongs mounted to their heads. They remembered their dead comrades. They remembered the heart-breaking days and nights of toil36 they had endured on account of this man and his associates. They remembered the words of Collins, the little bookkeeper. They hated. They shook their fists across the skies. They turned and with one accord struck back for the railroad right-of-way which led to Shingleville, the town controlled by Morrison & Daly.
The railroad lay for a mile straight through a thick tamarack swamp, then over a nearly treeless cranberry37 plain. The tamarack was a screen between the two towns. When half-way through the swamp, Red Jacket stopped, removed his coat, ripped the lining38 from it, and began to fashion a rude mask.
"Just as well they don't recognize us," said he.
"Somebody in town will give us away," suggested Shorty, the chore-boy.
"No, they won't; they're all here," assured Kerlie.
It was true. Except for the women and children, who were not yet about, the entire village had assembled. Even old Vanderhoof, the fire-watcher of the yard, hobbled along breathlessly on his rheumatic legs. In a moment the masks were fitted. In a moment more the little band had emerged from the shelter of the swamp, and so came into full view of its objective point.
Shingleville consisted of a big mill; the yards, now nearly empty of lumber39; the large frame boarding-house; the office; the stable; a store; two saloons; and a dozen dwellings40. The party at once fixed41 its eyes on this collection of buildings, and trudged42 on down the right-of-way with unhastening grimness.
Their approach was not unobserved. Daly saw them; and Baker43, his foreman, saw them. The two at once went forth44 to organize opposition45. When the attacking party reached the mill-yard, it found the boss and the foreman standing46 alone on the saw-dust, revolvers drawn47.
Daly traced a line with his toe.
"The first man that crosses that line gets it," said he.
They knew he meant what he said. An instant's pause ensued, while the big man and the little faced a mob. Daly's rivermen were still on drive. He knew the mill men too well to depend on them. Truth to tell, the possibility of such a raid as this had not occurred to him; for the simple reason that he did not anticipate the discovery of his complicity with the forces of nature. Skillfully carried out, the plan was a good one. No one need know of the weakened link, and it was the most natural thing in the world that Sadler & Smith's drive should go out with the increase of water.
The men grouped swiftly and silently on the other side of the sawdust line. The pause did not mean that Daly's defense48 was good. I have known of a crew of striking mill men being so bluffed49 down, but not such men as these.
"Do you know what's going to happen to you?" said a voice from the group. The speaker was Radway, but the contractor50 kept himself well in the background. "We're going to burn your mill; we're going to burn your yards; we're going to burn your whole shooting match, you low-lived whelp!"
"Yes, and we're going to string you to your own trestle!" growled51 another voice harshly.
"Dyer!" said Injin Charley, simply, shaking the wet scalp arm's length towards the lumbermen.
At this grim interruption a silence fell. The owner paled slightly; his foreman chewed a nonchalant straw. Down the still and deserted52 street crossed and recrossed the subtle occult influences of a half-hundred concealed53 watchers. Daly and his subordinate were very much alone, and very much in danger. Their last hour had come; and they knew it.
With the recognition of the fact, they immediately raised their weapons in the resolve to do as much damage as possible before being overpowered.
Then suddenly, full in the back, a heavy stream of water knocked them completely off their feet, rolled them over and over on the wet sawdust, and finally jammed them both against the trestle, where it held them, kicking and gasping54 for breath, in a choking cataract55 of water. The pistols flew harmlessly into the air. For an instant the Fighting Forty stared in paralyzed astonishment56. Then a tremendous roar of laughter saluted57 this easy vanquishment of a formidable enemy.
Daly and Baker were pounced58 upon and captured. There was no resistance. They were too nearly strangled for that. Little Solly and old Vanderhoof turned off the water in the fire hydrant and disconnected the hose they had so effectively employed.
"There, damn you!" said Rollway Charley, jerking the millman to his feet. "How do YOU like too much water? hey?"
The unexpected comedy changed the party's mood.
It was no longer a question of killing59. A number broke into the store, and shortly emerged, bearing pails of kerosene60 with which they deluged61 the slabs62 on the windward side of the mill. The flames caught the structure instantly. A thousand sparks, borne by the off-shore breeze, fastened like so many stinging insects on the lumber in the yard.
It burned as dried balsam thrown on a camp fire. The heat of it drove the onlookers63 far back in the village, where in silence they watched the destruction. From behind locked doors the inhabitants watched with them.
The billow of white smoke filled the northern sky. A whirl of gray wood ashes, light as air, floated on and ever on over Superior. The site of the mill, the squares where the piles of lumber had stood, glowed incandescence64 over which already a white film was forming.
Daly and his man were slapped and cuffed65 hither and thither66 at the men's will. Their faces bled, their bodies ached as one bruise67.
"That squares us," said the men. "If we can't cut this year, neither kin15 you. It's up to you now!"
Then, like a destroying horde68 of locusts69, they gutted70 the office and the store, smashing what they could not carry to the fire. The dwellings and saloons they did not disturb. Finally, about noon, they kicked their two prisoners into the river, and took their way stragglingly back along the right-of-way.
"I surmise71 we took that town apart SOME!" remarked Shorty with satisfaction.
"I should rise to remark," replied Kerlie. Big Junko said nothing, but his cavernous little animal eyes glowed with satisfaction. He had been the first to lay hands on Daly; he had helped to carry the petroleum72; he had struck the first match; he had even administered the final kick.
At the boarding-house they found Wallace Carpenter and Hamilton seated on the veranda73. It was now afternoon. The wind had abated74 somewhat, and the sun was struggling with the still flying scuds75.
"Hello, boys," said Wallace, "been for a little walk in the woods?"
"Yes, sir," replied Jack13 Hyland, "we--"
"I'd rather not hear," interrupted Wallace. "There's quite a fire over east. I suppose you haven't noticed it."
Hyland looked gravely eastward76.
"Sure 'nough!" said he.
"Better get some grub," suggested Wallace.
After the men had gone in, he turned to the journalist.
"Hamilton," he began, "write all you know about the drive, and the break, and the rescue, but as to the burning of the mill--"
The other held out his hand.
"Good," said Wallace offering his own.
And that was as far as the famous Shingleville raid ever got. Daly did his best to collect even circumstantial evidence against the participants, but in vain. He could not even get anyone to say that a single member of the village of Carpenter had absented himself from town that morning. This might have been from loyalty77, or it might have been from fear of the vengeance78 the Fighting Forty would surely visit on a traitor79. Probably it was a combination of both. The fact remains80, however, that Daly never knew surely of but one man implicated81 in the destruction of his plant. That man was Injin Charley, but Injin Charley promptly82 disappeared.
After an interval83, Tim Shearer, Radway and Kerlie came out again.
"Where's the boss?" asked Shearer.
"I don't know, Tim," replied Wallace seriously.
"I've looked everywhere. He's gone. He must have been all cut up. I think he went out in the woods to get over it. I am not worrying. Harry84 has lots of sense. He'll come in about dark."
"Sure!" said Tim.
"How about the boy's stakes?" queried85 Radway. "I hear this is a bad smash for the firm."
"We'll see that the men get their wages all right," replied Carpenter, a little disappointed that such a question should be asked at such a time.
"All right," rejoined the contractor. "We're all going to need our money this summer."
收听单词发音 |
1
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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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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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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shearer
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| n.剪羊毛的人；剪切机 | |
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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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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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largesse
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| n.慷慨援助，施舍 | |
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inverse
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| adj.相反的，倒转的，反转的；n.相反之物；v.倒转 | |
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enunciated
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| v.（清晰地）发音( enunciate的过去式和过去分词 )；确切地说明 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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curdled
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| v.（使）凝结( curdle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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tilt
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| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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cranberry
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| n.梅果 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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bluffed
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| 以假象欺骗，吹牛( bluff的过去式和过去分词 )； 以虚张声势找出或达成 | |
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contractor
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| n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌 | |
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51
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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cataract
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| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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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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pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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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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kerosene
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| n.(kerosine)煤油，火油 | |
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deluged
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| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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incandescence
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| n.白热，炽热；白炽 | |
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cuffed
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| v.掌打，拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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locusts
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| n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树 | |
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gutted
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| adj.容易消化的v.毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的过去式和过去分词 )；取出…的内脏 | |
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surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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petroleum
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| n.原油，石油 | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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74
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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75
scuds
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| v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的第三人称单数 ) | |
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76
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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79
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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80
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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81
implicated
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| adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的 | |
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82
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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83
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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