Rickard understood what Eph meant when he spoke3 of the trouble about arranging for the payment of a greater amount. Young Watrous had a credit to the extent named with Banker Lord of San Antonio, and to secure more he would have to consult with his parents in New York.
This meant delay, which he was anxious[303] above everything to avoid, since it involved personal danger to him. As it was, he dreaded4 presenting himself to so well-known a resident as the banker, but was thinking of turning over the draft to some trustworthy friend when Eph, recalling what Herbert had told him to say, added that the young man would give him a letter to Mr. Lord that would prevent the very trouble he feared.
This closed negotiations5. Rickard accepted the terms and did a neat piece of diplomacy6 by saying:
“No matter how this is fixed I’ve got to trust you folks, so I will do it clear through; I’ll send the boy back with you, and you can tell your friends to arrange it with the banker so that I’ll get the money whenever I call or send someone, and no questions will be asked.”
“I’ll guarantee that that’ll be done,” was the emphatic7 pledge of the trapper, who not only meant every word, but knew there would be no withdrawal8 or deception9 on the part of his friends.
“But,” added Rickard, who, strangely[304] enough, had overlooked one momentous10 fact, “what about the Apaches? Old Kimmaho and his gang are out there, and there’s no saying when they’ll go.”
This was the most serious phase of the business. Old Eph had been speculating over it from the moment he left his companions on the elevation11.
Now that the terms were agreed upon with the captors of Nick Ribsam, and they were ready to turn him over to his friends, how was he to be escorted back to them?
“Didn’t you have trouble in getting here?” asked the criminal of the trapper.
“I had a little brush, and dropped one of the varmints.”
“That, then, was your pistol that I heard?”
“I shouldn’t wonder, bein’ as I fired off a pistol while tryin’ to make a call on you.”
“If you had such trouble in slipping by the Apaches, you are sure to have a good deal more when the boy is with you. You know old Kimmaho, Eph?”
“I rather think so; he’s as bad as Geronimo.”
[305]
“Then when he has learned of what took place, he and his warriors12 will be more watchful13 than before.”
“Thar can be no doubt of that,” replied the trapper, with an impressive nod of his head; “I wouldn’t be afeard to try it alone if thar war twice as many, but I won’t be able to manage it with the younker.”
“What shall be done?”
“You may shoot me if I know; I’ve been figgerin’ over the bus’ness for the last hour and can’t make nothin’ of it.”
But Rickard had a proposition to make. It was a singular one, but he was in earnest and would have kept his part as faithfully as he knew the other parties would keep their pledge.
“You can get back to Strubell and Lattin if you try it alone; do that, and then all of you come in here with me. I will be on the lookout14 so that you can dash right through the door as soon as you reach it.”
The curious feature about this proposition is that while it was the most feasible that could be thought of, it displayed a certain chivalry[306] on the part of the horse thieves, which would have struck anyone as inconsistent with the character of the one making it.
“It’s the idea,” said old Eph, after thinking it over for a few seconds; “now, if you’ll fetch the younker so that I can have a few words with him, I’ll be ready to start back; I’d like to be able to tell his friends that I seen him again and spoke to him.”
“Of course,” said Rickard, turning to Slidham and saying something in so low a tone that the sharp-eared trapper could not catch the words. The fellow, who had simply held his peace, smoked and listened, nodded his head, rose, and passed through the open door into the courtyard. Eph heard his footsteps on the adobe15 pavement, which had been trod and seasoned during the past century into a hardness like that of the walls themselves.
When the sounds died out the trapper threw a ponderous16 leg over the other, puffed17 at his pipe, and, looking across in the face of one of the most famous horse thieves in Western Texas, asked in his off-hand fashion:
“How’s business, Bell?”
[307]
“Mighty18 bad,” was the reply, accompanied by a shake of the head.
“How’s that?”
“There are too many at it, and the officers are after us too sharp. You remember Zip Cooley?”
“I’ve knowed Zip for twenty years, but have lost track of him for the past two or three seasons. How is he?”
“He’s at rest at last,” replied Rickard, with another sigh. “The vigilantes down in Nacogdoches country got the drop on him—used him mighty mean—made him dance on nothing, with his chin among the limbs of a tree. Poor Zip was one of the best men I ever had, but he’s crossed the big divide.”
“That was bad for Zip,” said Eph grimly, “but I don’t reckon the folks down in Nacogdoches will rear a monument reachin’ to the clouds to keep his mem’ry green.”
“Then,” added Rickard, “Waxhurst and Doffgo wanted to branch out, so they crossed over into Arkansas, made a good haul, and started through the Indian Nation.”
“How did they make out?”
[308]
“Well, they ‘branched out’ the same as poor Zip; you see, our gang has been cut down pretty low, and when the rangers19 gather one in, there isn’t enough at hand to rally, shoot the officers, and rescue him.”
“What a blamed pity,” growled20 the trapper, leisurely21 puffing22 his pipe, “that thar warn’t enough of you just to clean things out atween El Paso and Santone.”
“No; I wouldn’t want it as good as that; but we ought to have enough to make it interesting, and give a fellow a chance to make an honest living. I had a pretty close call myself a couple of months ago.”
“How was that?”
“It was over in the Panhandle; Slidham and me were alone, and they run us hot, but we tumbled the leader out of his saddle, hit the man next to him, and before they could get things in shape, slipped off in the moonlight.”
“Isn’t Slidham a long time bringin’ that younker?” asked Eph, looking impatiently at the door.
“Yes—ah, here he is!”
[309]
The man appeared at that moment, his face showing that he was agitated23 over something. He gave Rickard an anxious look, and, without speaking, nodded his head in a way which signified something important.
“Eph, you’ll excuse me for a few minutes,” said the leader, hastily rising to his feet and moving to the door; “I won’t keep you waiting long.”
The couple passed out together and the trapper found himself for the first time entirely24 alone. He cared nothing for that, however, but continued slowly puffing his pipe, and wondering what the action of the others could mean.
Several times he heard them moving about the court, and when he was on the point of going to them, with a demand for an explanation, Rickard returned, hastily stepped within the apartment, and without sitting down looked earnestly at his visitor.
“Eph,” said he, “don’t you believe I’m playing square with you?”
“What put that ar silly question in your head? Of course I do.”
[310]
“We agreed on the terms, didn’t we?”
“That’s just what we done.”
“Well, the deal is off.”
“What do you mean by such stuff?” demanded the trapper, unable to repress his astonishment25. “Aint you satisfied with the tarms?”
“Of course, but I can’t carry out my part; I can’t deliver the goods.”
“WHAT!”
“Nick Ribsam isn’t in the building; he has escaped!”
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收听单词发音
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1
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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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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3
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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4
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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5
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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6
diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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7
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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8
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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9
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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10
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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11
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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12
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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13
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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14
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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15
adobe
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| n.泥砖，土坯，美国Adobe公司 | |
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16
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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17
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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18
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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19
rangers
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| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
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20
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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21
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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22
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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23
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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24
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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