按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
On the other hand； Leclere acknowledged their facts； but challenged their
conclusion； and gave his own explanation。 Twenty miles out of Sunrise
he and Timothy Brown were poling the boat along the rocky shore。 From
that shore two rifle… shots rang out。 Timothy Brown pitched out of the
boat and went down bubbling red； and that was the last of Timothy Brown。
He； Leclere； pitched into the bottom of the boat with a stinging shoulder。
He lay very quiet； peeping at the shore。 After a time two Indians stuck
up their heads and came out to the water's edge； carrying between them a
birch…bark canoe。 As they launched it； Leclere let fly。 He potted one；
who went over the side after the manner of Timothy Brown。 The other
100
… Page 101…
The Faith of Men
dropped into the bottom of the canoe； and then canoe and poling boat went
down the stream in a drifting battle。 After that they hung up on a split
current； and the canoe passed on one side of an island； the poling boat on
the other。 That was the last of the canoe； and he came on into Sunrise。
Yes； from the way the Indian in the canoe jumped； he was sure he had
potted him。 That was all。 This explanation was not deemed adequate。
They gave him ten hours' grace while the Lizzie steamed down to
investigate。 Ten hours later she came wheezing back to Sunrise。 There
had been nothing to investigate。 No evidence had been found to back up
his statements。 They told him to make his will； for he possessed a fifty…
thousand dollar Sunrise claim； and they were a law…abiding as well as a
law…giving breed。
Leclere shrugged his shoulders。 〃Bot one t'ing；〃 he said； 〃a leetle；
w'at you call； favoura leetle favour； dat is eet。 I gif my feefty t'ousan'
dollair to de church。 I gif my husky dog； Batard； to de devil。 De leetle
favour？ Firs' you hang heem； an' den you hang me。 Eet is good； eh？〃
Good it was； they agreed； that Hell's Spawn should break trail for his
master across the last divide； and the court was adjourned down to the
river bank； where a big spruce tree stood by itself。 Slackwater Charley put
a hangman's knot in the end of a hauling… line； and the noose was slipped
over Leclere's head and pulled tight around his neck。 His hands were
tied behind his back； and he was assisted to the top of a cracker box。
Then the running end of the line was passed over an over…hanging branch；
drawn taut； and made fast。 To kick the box out from under would leave
him dancing on the air。
〃Now for the dog；〃 said Webster Shaw； sometime mining engineer。
〃You'll have to rope him； Slackwater。〃
Leclere grinned。 Slackwater took a chew of tobacco； rove a running
noose； and proceeded leisurely to coil a few turns in his hand。 He paused
once or twice to brush particularly offensive mosquitoes from off his face。
Everybody was brushing mosquitoes； except Leclere； about whose head a
small cloud was visible。 Even Batard； lying full…stretched on the ground
with his fore paws rubbed the pests away from eyes and mouth。
101
… Page 102…
The Faith of Men
But while Slackwater waited for Batard to lift his head； a faint call
came from the quiet air； and a man was seen waving his arms and running
across the flat from Sunrise。 It was the store…keeper。
〃C…call 'er off； boys；〃 he panted； as he came in among them。
〃Little Sandy and Bernadotte's jes' got in；〃 he explained with returning
breath。 〃Landed down below an' come up by the short cut。 Got the
Beaver with 'm。 Picked 'm up in his canoe； stuck in a back channel； with
a couple of bullet…holes in 'm。 Other buck was Klok Kutz； the one that
knocked spots out of his squaw and dusted。〃
〃Eh？ W'at Ah say？ Eh？〃 Leclere cried exultantly。 〃Dat de one fo'
sure！ Ah know。 Ah spik true。〃
〃The thing to do is to teach these damned Siwashes a little manners；〃
spoke Webster Shaw。 〃They're getting fat and sassy； and we'll have to
bring them down a peg。 Round in all the bucks and string up the Beaver
for an object lesson。 That's the programme。 Come on and let's see what
he's got to say for himself。〃
〃Heh； M'sieu！〃 Leclere called； as the crowd began to melt away
through the twilight in the direction of Sunrise。 〃Ah lak ver' moch to see
de fon。〃
〃Oh； we'll turn you loose when we come back；〃 Webster Shaw shouted
over his shoulder。 〃In the meantime meditate on your sins and the ways
of Providence。 It will do you good； so be grateful。〃
As is the way with men who are accustomed to great hazards； whose
nerves are healthy and trained in patience； so it was with Leclere who
settled himself to the long waitwhich is to say that he reconciled his
mind to it。 There was no settling of the body； for the taut rope forced him
to stand rigidly erect。 The least relaxation of the leg muscles pressed the
rough…fibred noose into his neck； while the upright position caused him
much pain in his wounded shoulder。 He projected his under lip and
expelled his breath upwards along his face to blow the mosquitoes away
from his eyes。 But the situation had its compensation。 To be snatched
from the maw of death was well worth a little bodily suffering； only it was
unfortunate that he should miss the hanging of the Beaver。
102
… Page 103…
The Faith of Men
And so he mused； till his eyes chanced to fall upon Batard； head
between fore paws and stretched on the ground asleep。 And their Leclere
ceased to muse。 He studied the animal closely； striving to sense if the
sleep were real or feigned。 Batard's sides were heaving regularly； but
Leclere felt that the breath came and went a shade too quickly； also he felt
that there was a vigilance or alertness to every hair that belied unshackling
sleep。 He would have given his Sunrise claim to be assured that the dog
was not awake； and once； when one of his joints cracked； he looked
quickly and guiltily at Batard to see if he roused。 He did not rouse then
but a few minutes later he got up slowly and lazily； stretched； and looked
carefully about him。
〃Sacredam；〃 said Leclere under his breath。
Assured that no one was in sight or hearing； Batard sat down； curled
his upper lip almost into a smile； looked up at Leclere； and licked his
chops。
〃Ah see my feenish；〃 the man said； and laughed sardonically aloud。
Batard came nearer； the useless ear wabbling； the good ear cocked
forward with devilish comprehension。 He thrust his head on one side
quizzically； and advanced with mincing； playful steps。 He rubbed his
body gently against the box till it shook and shook again。 Leclere
teetered carefully to maintain his equilibrium。
〃Batard；〃 he said calmly； 〃look out。 Ah keel you。〃
Batard snarled at the word and shook the box with greater force。 Then
he upreared； and with his fore paws threw his weight against it higher up。
Leclere kicked out with one foot； but the rope bit into his neck and
checked so abruptly as nearly to overbalance him。
〃Hi； ya！ Chook！ Mush…on！〃 he screamed。
Batard retreated； for twenty feet or so； with a fiendish levity in his
bearing that Leclere could not mistake。 He remembered the dog often
breaking the scum of ice on the water hole by lifting up and throwing his
weight upon it； and remembering； he understood what he now had in mind。
Batard faced about and paused。 He showed his white teeth in a grin；
which Leclere answered； and then hurled his body through the air； in full
103
… Page 104…