It was hot work. Even the steel-wire muscles of Black Bart were weakening under the tremendous labors4 of that day, and as he scouted5 ahead his head was low and his red tongue lolled, and surest sign of all, the bushy tail drooped6; yet it was time to make a new call upon both wolf-dog and horse, for the posse was racing7 after him as before, giving even the fresh, willing mounts the urge of spurs and quirts. He ran his hand down the dripping neck and shoulder of Satan; he called to him; and with a snort the stallion responded. He felt the quiver as the muscles tightened8 for the work; he felt the settling as Satan lengthened9 to racing speed.
Through the Wago Hills, then, with Bart picking the way as before, and never a falter10 in the sweep of Satan's running. If his head was a little lower, if his ears lay flat, only the master knew the meaning, and still, when he spoke11, the glistening12 ears pricked13 up, and they bounded on to a greater speed than before. The flight of a gull14 on unstirring wings when the wind buoys15 it, the glide16 of water over the descent of smooth rock, with never a ripple17, like all things effortless, swift, and free, such was the gait of Satan as he fled. Let them spur the fresh horses from Caswell City till their flanks dripped red, they would never gain on him.
On through the hills, and now the heave of his great breaths told of the strain, down like an arrow into the rolling ground, and now they galloped18 beside the Asper banks. The master looked darkly upon that water.
Ten days before, when the snows had not yet reached the climax19 of melting, ten days later when that climax was overpassed, the Asper would have been fordable, but now a brown flood stormed along the gully, ate away the banks, undermined the willows20 here and there, and rolled stones larger than a man could lift. It went with an angry shouting as if it defied the fugitive21. It was narrow, maddeningly narrow, almost small enough to attempt a leap across to the safety of the thickets22 on the farther side, but the force of the water alone was enough to warn the bravest swimmer away, and here and there, like teeth in the mouth of the shark, jagged stones cut the surface with white foam23 streaking24 out below them; as if to prove its power, even while Dan turned South along the bank a dead trunk shot down the stream and split on one of the Asper's teeth.
Even then he felt the temptation. There lay the forest on the farther side, a forest which would shelter him, and above the forest, hardly a mile back, began the Grizzly25 Peaks. They lunged straight up to snowy summits, and all along their sides blue shadows of the afternoon drifted through a network of ravines—a promise of peace, a surety of safety if he could reach that labyrinth26.
He was almost glad when he left the mockery of the river's noise to turn aside for Ganton. There it lay in a bend of the Asper in the low-lands, and every town where men lived was an enemy. He could see them now gathered just outside the village, twenty men, perhaps and fifteen spare horses, the best they had, for the posse.
On past Ganton, and again a call upon Satan to meet the first spurt27 of the posse on its new horses. There was something in the stallion to answer, some incredible reserve of nerve strength and courage. There was a slight labor3, now, and something of the same heave and pitch which comes in the gait of a common horse; also, when he put Satan up the first slope beyond Ganton he noted28 a faltering29, a deeper lowering of the head. When his hoofs30 struck a loose rock he no longer had the easy recoil31 of the morning. He staggered like a graceful32 yacht chopped by a cross-current. Now down the slope, now back to the roar of the Asper once more, for there the going was most level, but always the strides were shortening, shortening, and the head of the stallion nodded at his work.
All that was seen by Mark Retherton through his glasses, though they were almost close enough now to see details through the naked eye. He turned in the saddle to the posse, grim faces, sweat and dust clotted33 in their moustaches, their faces drawn34 and gray with streaks35 over the nose and under the eyes where perspiration36 ran. They rode crookedly37, now, for seventy miles at full speed had racked them, twisted them, cramped38 their muscles. Scotty kept his head tilted39 far back, for his spinal40 column seemed about to snap. Walsh leaned to his right side which a tormenting41 pain drew at every stride, and Hendricks cursed in gasps42 through a wry43 mouth. It had been an hour since Mark Retherton last spoke, and when he attempted it now his voice was as hoarse44 as a croaking45 frog.
“Boys, buck46 up! He's done! D'ye see the black laborin'. D'ye see it? Hey, Lew, Garry, we've got the best hosses among us three. Now's the time for a spurt, and by God, we'll run him down. I'm startin!”
He made his word good with an Indian yell and a wave of his hat that sent his buckskin leaping straight into the air, to land with stiff legs, “swallowing its head,” but then it straightened out in earnest. That buckskin had a name from Bly Falls to Caswell City between speed and courage, and it lived up to the record in the time of need. Close behind it came Lew and Garry ponies47 scarcely slower than the buckskin, and they closed rapidly on Satan. The plan of Retherton was plain: now that the black was running on its nerve a spurt might bring them within striking distance and if they could check the flight for an instant by opening advance guard fire, they might drive the fugitive into a corner by the river and hold him there until the main body the posse came up. The three of them running alone the lead could do five yards for every four of the slow horses, and the effect showed at once.
Going up a slope the trot48 of the stallion maintained or even increased his lead, but when they reached the easier ground beyond they drew rapidly upon him. They saw Barry bend low; they saw the stallion increase its pace.
“By God,” shouted Retherton in involuntary admonition, “I'd rather have that hoss than the ten thousand. But feed 'em the spurs, boys, and he'll come back to us inside a mile.”
And Retherton was right. Before that mile was over the black slipped back inch by inch, until at length Retherton called: “Now grab your guns boys and see if you can salt him down with lead. Give your hosses their heads and turn loose!”
They pulled their guns to their shoulders and sent a volley at the outlaw49. One bullet clipped a spark from the rocks just behind the stallion's feet; the other two must have gone wide. Once more Barry flinched50 closer over the neck of Satan and once again the horse answered with a fresh burst of speed, but in a few moments he came back to them. Flesh could not stand that pace after seventy-five miles of running.
They saw the rider straighten and look back; then the sun flashed on his rifle.
“Feed 'em the spur!” shouted Retherton. “If we can't hit him shooting ahead, he ain't got a chance to hit us shootin' backwards51.” For it is notoriously hard to turn in the saddle and accomplish anything with a rifle. One is moving away from the target instead of toward it, and every condition of ordinary shooting is reversed; above all, the moment a man turns his head he is completely out of touch with his horse. Apparently52 the fugitive knew this and made no attempt to place his shots. He merely jerked his gun to the shoulder and blazed away as soon as it was in place; half a dozen yards in front of Retherton the bullet kicked up the dust.
“I told you,” he shouted. “He can't do nothin' that way. Close in, boys. Close in for God's sake!”
He himself was flailing53 with his quirt, and the buckskin grunted54 at every strike. Once more the rifle pitched to the outlaw's shoulder, and this time the bullet clicked on a rock not ten feet from Retherton, and again on a straight line for him.
“Damned if that ain't shootin'!” called Garry, and Retherton, alarmed, swung the buckskin out to one side to throw the marksman out of line. He had turned again in the saddle, and as though the episode were at an end, restored his rifle to its case, but when they poured in another volley about him, he swung sharply roundabout again, gun in hand. Once more the rifle went to his shoulder, and this time the bullet knocked a puff55 of dust into the very nostrils56 of the buckskin. Retherton reined57 in with an oath.
“He's been warn in' me, boys,” he called. “That devil has the range like he was sitting in a rockin' chair shooting at a tin-can. He's warnin' us back to the rest of the gang. And damned if we ain't goin'!”
It was quite patent that he was right, for three bullets sent on a line for one horse, and each of them closer, could mean only one thing. They checked their horses, and in a moment the rest of the posse was clattering58 around them.
“It don't make no difference,” called Retherton, “savin' in time. Maybe he'll last to Wilsonville, but he can't stay in three miles when we hang onto him with fresh hosses. The black is runnin' on nothin' but guts59 right now.”
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1
omnipotent
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| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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scouted
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| 寻找，侦察( scout的过去式和过去分词 )； 物色（优秀运动员、演员、音乐家等） | |
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drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
falter
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| vi.(嗓音)颤抖，结巴地说；犹豫；蹒跚 | |
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11
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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12
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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13
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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14
gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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15
buoys
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| n.浮标( buoy的名词复数 )；航标；救生圈；救生衣v.使浮起( buoy的第三人称单数 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神 | |
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glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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18
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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19
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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streaking
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| n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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25
grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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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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31
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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32
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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clotted
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| adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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35
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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36
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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37
crookedly
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| adv. 弯曲地，不诚实地 | |
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38
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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40
spinal
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| adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的 | |
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41
tormenting
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| 使痛苦的，使苦恼的 | |
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42
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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43
wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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44
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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45
croaking
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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46
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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47
ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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48
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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49
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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50
flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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52
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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53
flailing
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| v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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54
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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55
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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56
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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57
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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58
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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59
guts
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| v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠 | |
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