He was long in getting his answer. The hours dragged on slowly for Kate and the doctor, for if Joe Cumberland could hold Dan it was everything to the girl, and if Barry left at once there might be some root for the hope which was growing stronger and stronger every day in the heart of Randall Byrne. Before evening a not unwelcome diversion broke the suspense1 somewhat.
It was the arrival of no less a person than Marshal Jeff Calkins. His shoulders were humped and his short legs bowed from continual riding, and his head was slung2 far forward on a gaunt neck; so that when he turned his head from one to another in speaking it was with a peculiar3 pendulum4 motion. The marshal had a reputation which was strong over three hundred miles and more of a mountain-desert. This was strange, for the marshal was a very talkative man, and talkative men are not popular on the desert; but it has been discovered that on occasion his six-gun could speak as rapidly and much more accurately5 than his tongue. So Marshal Calkins waxed in favour.
He set the household at ease upon his arrival by announcing that "they hadn't nothin' for him there." All he wanted was a place to bunk6 in, some chow, and a feed for the horse. His trail led past the Cumberland Ranch7 many and many a dreary8 mile.
The marshal was a politic9 man, and he had early in life discovered that the best way to get along with any man was to meet him on his own ground. His opening blast of words at Doctor Byrne was a sample of his art.
"So you're a doc, hey? Well, sir, when I was a kid I had a colt that stuck its foreleg in a hole and busted10 it short and when that colt had to be shot they wasn't no holdin' me. No, sir, I could of cleaned up on the whole family. And ever since then I've had a hankerin' to be a doc. Something about the idea of cuttin' into a man that always sort of tickled11 me. They's only one main thing that holds me back—I don't like the idea of knifin' a feller when he ain't got a chance to fight back! That's me!"
To this Doctor Randall Byrne bowed, rather dazed, but returned no answer.
"And how's your patient, doc?" pursued the irresistible12 marshal. "How's old Joe Cumberland? I remember when me and Joe used to trot13 about the range together. I was sort of a kid then; but think of old Joe bein' down in bed—sick! Why, I ain't never been sick a day in my life. Sick? I'd laugh myse'f plumb14 to death if anybody ever wanted me to go to bed. What's the matter with him, anyway?"
"His nerves are a bit shaken about," responded the doctor. "To which I might add that there is superimposed an arterial condition——"
"Cut it short, Doc," cried the marshal goodnaturedly. "I ain't got a dictionary handy. Nerves bad, eh? Well, I don't wonder about that. The old man's had enough trouble lately to make anybody nervous. I wouldn't like to go through it myself. No, sir! What with that Dan Barry—I ain't steppin' on any corns, Kate, am I?"
"They was a time not so long ago when folks said that you was kind of sweet on Dan. Glad to hear they ain't nothin' in it. 'S a matter of fact——"
But here Kate interrupted with a raised hand. She said: "I think that was the supper gong. Yes, there it is. We'll go in now, if you wish."
"They's only one sound in the world that's better to me than a dinner gong," said the profuse17 marshal, as they seated themselves around the big dining table, "and that was the sound of my wife's voice when she said 'I will.' Queer thing, too. Maria ain't got a very soft voice, most generally speakin', but when she busted up in front of that preacher and says 'I will,' why, God A'mighty—askin' your pardon, Kate—they was a change come in her voice that was like a bell chimin' down in her throat—a bell ringin' away off far, you know, so's you only kind of guess at it! But comin' back to you and Dan, Kate——"
It was in vain she plied18 the marshal with edibles19. His tongue wagged upon roller-bearings and knew no stopping. Moreover, the marshal had spent some portion of his life in a boarding house and had mastered the boarding-house art of talking while he ate.
"Comin' back to you and Dan, we was all of us sayin' that you and Dan kind of had an eye for each other. I s'pose we was all wrong. You see, that was back in the days before Dan busted loose. When he was about the range most usually he was the quietest man I ever sat opposite to barrin' one—and that was a feller that went west with a bum20 heart at the chuck table! Ha, ha, ha!" The marshal's laughter boomed through the big room as he recalled this delightful21 anecdote22. He went on: "But after that Jim Silent play we all changed our minds, some. D'you know, doc, I was in Elkhead the night that Dan got our Lee Haines?"
"I've never heard of the episode," murmured the doctor.
"You ain't? Well, I be damned!—askin' your pardon, Kate——But you sure ain't lived in these parts long! Which you wouldn't think one man could ride into a whole town, go to the jail, knock out two guards that was proved men, take the keys, unlock the irons off'n the man he wanted, saddle a hoss, and ride through a whole town—full of folks that was shootin' at him. Now, would you think that was possible?"
"Certainly not."
"And it ain't possible, I'm here to state. But they was something different about Dan Barry. D'you ever notice it, Kate?"
She was far past speech.
"No, I guess you never would have noticed it. You was livin' too close to him all the time to see how different he was from other fellers. Anyway, he done it. They say he got plugged while he was ridin' through the lines and he bled all the way home, and he got there unconscious. Is that right, Kate?"
He waited an instant and then accepted the silence as an affirmative.
"Funny thing about that, too. The place where he come to was Buck23 Daniels' house. Well, Buck was one of Jim Silent's men, and they say Buck had tried to plug Dan before that. But Dan let him go that time, and when Buck seen Dan ride in all covered with blood he remembered that favour and he kept Dan safe from Jim Silent and safe from the law until Dan was well. I seen Buck this morning over to Rafferty's place, and——"
Here the marshal noted24 a singular look in the eyes of Kate Cumberland, a look so singular that he turned in his chair to follow it. He saw Dan Barry in the act of closing the door behind him, and Marshal Calkins turned a deep and violent red, varied25 instantly by a blotchy26 yellow which in turn faded to something as near white as his tan permitted.
"Dan Barry!" gasped27 the marshal, rising, and he reached automatically towards his hip28 before he remembered that he had laid his belt and guns aside before he entered the dining-room, as etiquette29 is in the mountain-desert. For it is held that shooting at the table disturbs the appetite.
"Good evenin'," said Dan quietly. "Was it Buck Daniels that you seen at
Rafferty's place, Marshal Calkins?"
And then he sank into his chair, silent for the first time. His eyes followed Barry as though hypnotized.
"I'm kind of glad to know where I can find him," said Barry, and took his place at the table.
The silence continued for a while, with all eyes focused on the new-comer. It was the doctor who had to speak first.
"You've talked things over with Mr. Cumberland?" he asked.
"We had a long talk," nodded Dan. "You was wrong about him, doc. He thinks he can do without me."
"What?" cried Kate.
"He thinks he can do without me," said Dan Barry. "We talked it all over."
The silence fell again. Kate Cumberland was staring blankly down at her plate, seeing nothing; and Doctor Byrne looked straight before him and felt the pulse drumming in his throat. His chance, then, was to come. By this time the marshal had recovered his breath.
He said to Dan: "Seems like you been away some time, Dan. Where you been hangin' out?"
"I been ridin' about," answered Dan vaguely.
"Well," chuckled31 the marshal, "I'm glad they ain't no more Jim Silents about these parts—not while you're here and while I'm here. You kept things kind of busy for Glasgow, Dan."
He turned to Kate, who had pushed back her chair.
"What's the matter, Kate?" he boomed. "You ain't lookin' any too tip-top. Sick?"
"I may be back in a moment," said the girl, "but don't delay supper for me."
She went out of the room with a step poised32 well enough, but the moment the door closed behind her she fairly staggered to the nearest chair and sank into it, her head fallen back, her eyes dim, and all the strength gone from her body and her will. Several minutes passed before she roused herself, and then it was to drag herself slowly up the stairs to the door of her father's room. She opened it without knocking, and then closed it and stood with her back against it, in the shadow.
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1
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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pendulum
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| n.摆，钟摆 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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busted
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| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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13
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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14
plumb
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| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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dissent
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| n./v.不同意，持异议 | |
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profuse
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| adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的 | |
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plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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edibles
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| 可以吃的，可食用的( edible的名词复数 )； 食物 | |
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bum
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| n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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blotchy
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| adj.有斑点的，有污渍的；斑污 | |
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27
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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28
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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