lla.thelonelymen-第2部分

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e　right　in　the　eye。
　Then　they　came；　the　two　of　them。　The　one　with　the　bloody　but　unbroken　leg；　and　the　third　one　shooting　as　he　came。　I　dropped　my　rifle　and；　with　my　eyes　full　of　water　from　the　smart　of　rock　fragments；　grabbed　my　bowie　knife。
　Now；　I'm　a　pretty　big　man；　standing　six　foot　three　in　my　socks；　and　although　on　the　lean　side　what　beef　I　had　was　packed　into　my　arms　and　shoulders。　That　bowie　knife　was　a　heavy　blade；　razor…sharp；　and　when　those　two　Apaches　jumped　into　the　hollow　with　me　I　took　a　wicked　swipe　at　where　they　figured　to　be。　Somebody　screamed；　and　I　felt　a　body　smash　against　me。　Upping　my　knee；　I　threw　him　off　and　fell　back；　just　missing　a　slashing　blow　that　would　have　taken　my　head　off。
　One　Apache　was　down　but　not　out。　I　could　see　a　little　now；　and　when　I　started　to　e　up　he　grabbed　at　my　rifle　which　was　lying　there　and　I　threw　myself　at　him；　knocking　the　barrel　aside　with　one　hand　and　ripping　up　with　that　blade　with　the　other。
　He　threw　me　off　and　I　fell；　all　sprawled　out；　and　they　both　came　up　and　at　me。　One　had　a　wounded　leg；　one　had　a　slash　across　the　chest　and　biceps；　but　they　were　tigers；　believe　me。　It　was　like　being　in　a　mess　of　wildcats；　and　for　the　next　thirty　or　forty　seconds　I　never　knew　which　end　was　up；　until　of　a　sudden　the　fight　was　over　and　I　was　lying　there　on　the　ground；　gasping　for　breath；　with　tearing　gasps。
　Finally　I　pushed　myself　up　from　the　sand　and　turned　over　into　a　sitting　position。
　One　Apache　was　dead；　my　bowie　knife　still　in　his　chest。　I　reached　over　and　pulled　it　loose；　watching　the　other　one。　He　was　lying　there　on　his　back　and　he　had　a　bullet　hole　in　his　thigh　that　was　oozing　blood　and　he　had　at　least　three　knife　cuts；　one　of　them　low　down　on　his　right　side　that　looked　mean。
　Reaching　over；　I　took　up　my　rifle　and　jacked　a　shell　into　the　chamber。
　That　Apache　just　kept　a…staring　at　me；　he　seemed　to　be　paralyzed；　almost；　for　he　made　no　move。　The　other　two　were　dead。
　Jerking　a　cartridge　belt　from　one　of　the　dead　ones　I　looped　it　around　my　middle；　still　keeping　an　eye　on　the　living　one。　Then　I　picked　up　my　bowie　knife　from　the　ground　and；　leaning　over　to　the　living　one　I　wiped　off　the　blood　on　him；　then　stuck　the　knife　into　the　scabbard。
　One　by　one　I　collected　their　rifles　and　emptied　the　shells；　then　threw　them　wide。
　〃You're　too　good　a　fightin'　man　to　kill；〃　I　told　him。　〃You're　on　your　own。〃
　I　walked　down　to　where　my　canteen　lay　and　picked　it　up。　Sure　enough；　there　was　maybe　a　cup　of　water　that　had　not　drained　out；　and　I　drank　it；　watching　the　rim　of　the　hollow　all　the　while。
　By　now　it　was　ing　on　to　sundown　and　there　were　other　Indians　about。　I　took　one　more　look　into　the　hollow　and　that　one　was　still　lying　there；　although　he'd　tried　to　move。　I　could　see　a　big　rock　back　of　his　neck　that　maybe　he'd　hit　across　when　he　fell。
　Taking　a　careful　look　around；　I　went　down　into　the　shallow　gully　left　by　the　run…off　water　and　started　away。
　About　that　time　I　found　myself　going　lame。　My　hip　and　leg　were　mighty　sore；　and　when　I　looked　down　to　size　the　situation　up　I　saw　that　a　bullet　had　hit　my　cartridge　belt；　fusing　two　of　my　。44's　together；　and　a　fragment　had　gone　up　and　hit　my　side；　just　a　scratch；　but　it　was　bloody。　That　bullet　that　hit　my　belt　where　it　crossed　the　hip　had　bruised　me　mighty　bad；　by　the　feel　of　it。
　Shadows　were　creeping　out　from　the　rocks；　and　of　a　sudden　it　was　cool　and　dark。
　A　voice　spoke　out。　〃You　want　to　live　long　in　this　country　you　better　get　shut　of　them　spurs。〃
　It　was　Spanish　Murphy。　He　came　up　from　behind　some　brush　with　Rocca　and　John　J。　Battles。　Taylor　was　dead。
　Murphy　had　lost　the　lobe　of　his　left　ear；　and　Rocca　had　been　burned　a　couple　of　times；　but　no　more。
　〃You　get　any？〃　Battles　asked。　〃Four；〃　I　said；　knowing　that　was　more　Apaches　than　many　an　Indian　fighter　got　in　a　lifetime。　〃Three；　and　a　possible；〃　I　corrected。　And　then　I　added；　〃They　got　Billy。〃
　〃We'd　best　light　out；〃　Spanish　suggested；　and　we　walked　single　file　to　where　their　horses　were。　They　had　two　horses；　so　we　figured　to　switch　off　and　on。
　Spanish　was　tall　as　me；　but　twenty　pounds　lighter　than　my　one…ninety。　He　was　a　reading　man；　always　a…reading。　Books；　newspapers；　even　the　labels　on　tin　cans　。。。　anything　and　everything。
　We　set　out　then。　After　a　while　I　rode　Tampico　Rocca's　horse　and　he　walked。　By　daybreak　both　horses　were　tired　out　and　so　were　we；　but　we　had　sixteen　miles　behind　us　and　a　stage　station　down　on　the　flat　before　us。　We　were　still　several　hundred　yards　off　when　a　man　walked　from　the　door　with　a　rifle　in　his　hands；　and　we　were　almighty　sure　there　was　another　one　behind　a　window　from　the　way　he　kept　out　of　line　with　it。
　When　we　came　up　to　the　yard　he　looked　at　Murphy；　then　at　the　rest　of　us；　and　back　at　Murphy。　〃Hello；　Spanish。　What　was　it？　Apaches？〃
　〃Have　you　got　a　couple　of　horses？〃　I　asked　him。　〃I'll　buy　or　borrow。〃
　〃e　on　inside。〃
　It　was　cool　and　still。　Me；　I　dropped　into　the　first　chair　I　saw　and　put　my　Winchester　on　the　table。
　A　second　man　left　the　window　where　he　had　been　keeping　watch　and；　carrying　his　rifle；　he　went　back　toward　the　kitchen；　where　he　began　rattling　pots　and　pans。　The　first　man　went　over　to　a　table　and　carried　the　wooden　bucket　and　the　gourd　dipper　to　us。　〃I'd　go　easy；　there　at　first；〃　he　suggested。　And　that　we　did。　The　station　tender　leaned　on　the　bar。　〃Haven't　seen　you　in　years；　Spanish。　Figured　they'd　have　stretched　your　neck　before　now。〃
　〃Give　'em　time；〃　John　J。　Battles　said。　Setting　there　in　the　chair；　taking　occasional　swallows　of　cool　water　from　the　bucket；　I　began　to　feel　myself　getting　back　to　normal。
　Spanish；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　looked　over　his　cup　at　the　station　tender。　〃Case；　how　long　you　been　with　the　pany？〃
　〃Two　。。。　maybe　two　and　a　half　years。　My　wife　left　me。　Said　this　western　country　was　no　place　for　a　woman。　She　went　back　to　her　folks　in　Boston。　I　send　her　money；　time　to　time。　Afraid　if　I　don't　she'll　e　back　on　me。〃
　〃Ain't　never　married；　myself；〃　Spanish　said。　He　looked　over　at　me。　〃How　about　you；　Tell？〃
　For　a　moment　there　I　hadn't　anything　to　say。　I　kept　thinking　of　Ange；　the　last　times　I　saw　her；　and　of　the　first　times；　high　in　those　Colorado　mountains。
　〃My　wife　is　dead；〃　I　told　him。　〃She　was　a　rarely　fine　girl　。。。　rarely　fine。〃
　〃Tough；〃　Spanish　said。　〃You；　Rocca？〃
　〃No；　se？or。　I　am　not　a　married　man。　There　was　a　girl　。。。　but　that　is　far　away　and　long　ago；　amigos。　Her　father　had　many　cows；　many　horses　。。。　me；　I　had　nothing。　And　I　was　an　Indio　。。。　my　mother　was　an　Apache；〃　he　added。
　My　eyes　were　on　the　floor；　tracing　the　cracks　in　the　rough　boards；　often　scrubbed。　My　hungry　flesh　was　soaking　up　the　lost　moisture　and　I　felt　sleepy　and　quiet；　liking　the　square　of　sunlight　that　lay　inside　the　door；　even　the　drone　of　the　flies　。。。　I　was　alive。
　The　blood　of　Apaches　was　still　on　my　hands。　There　had　been　no　water　in　which　to　wash　until　now；　but　soon　I　would　。。。　soon。
　The　room　was　like　many　of　its　kind；　differing　only　in　the　plank　floor。　Most　floors　were　of　stamped　earth。　There　were　several　rough　board　tables；　some　chairs　and　benches。　The　room　was　low…raftered；　the　walls　were　of　adobe；　the　roof　of　poles　and　earth。　I　could　smell　bacon　frying　in　the　kitchen；　and　coffee。
　Spanish　Murphy　hitched　around　in　his　chair。　'Tell；　we　make　a　team；　the　four　of　us；　why　don't　we　stick　together？〃
　The　man　came　in　from　the　kitchen　with　tin　plates　and　a　frying　pan　filled　with　bacon。　He　dumped　the　plates　on　the　table；　then　forked　bacon　onto　them。　He　went　out　and　returned　with　the　coffeepot　and　a　plate　of　tortillas。　Still　another　trip　and　he　brought　a　big　bowl　of　frijoles　…　those　big　Mexican　brown　beans　…　and　a　dried…apple　pie　cut　into　four　pieces。
　〃We'll　need　a　couple　of　horses；〃　I　said；　looking　around　at　Case。
　〃You'll　get　'em；〃　Case　replied。　〃I　think　the　p'ny　would　like　to　get　them　to　a　safer　place。　We've　been　expectin'　an　attack　almost　any　time。〃
　He　gestured　toward　the　bacon。　〃You　got　to　thank　Pete　Kitchen　for　the　bacon。　He　raises　hogs　down　to　his　place；　calls　'em　his　'Pache　pincushions；　they're　so　shot　full　of　arrows。〃
　John　J。　Battles；　a　solid　chunk　of　a　man；　glanced　across　the　table　at　me。　〃Sackett　。。。　that's　a　familiar　name。〃
　〃I'm　familiar；〃　I　agreed；　〃once　you　know　me。〃　It　wasn't　in　me　to　get　him　paring　notes；　figuring　out　who　I　was。　Once　he　did；　he'd　bring　up　the　fight　in　the　Mogollon　country；　and　how　Ange　was　murdered。　It　was　something　I　was　wishful　of　forgetting。
　〃I　still　figure；〃　Spanish　said；　〃that　we'd　make　a　team。〃
　〃If　you　want　to　risk　hanging。〃　John　J。　Battles　grinned　at　us。　〃You　all　heard　what　Case　said。〃
　〃Me；〃　Rocca　said；　〃I　wasn't　going　nowhere；　anyhow。〃
　〃Later；〃　I　said；　〃it　will　have　to　be　later。　I've　got　a　trip　to　take。〃
　They　looked　at　me；　all　of　them。　〃My　brother's　kid。　I　hear　tell　he's　been　taken　by　the　Apaches。　I've　got　to　go　into　the　Sierra　Madres　after　him。〃
　They　thought　I　was　crazy；　and　I　was　thinking　so　myself。　Rocca　was　the　first：　one　to　speak。　〃Alone？　Se？or；　an　army　could　not　do　it。　That　is　the　Apache　hideout　where　no　white　man　goes。〃
　〃It's　got　to　be　done；〃　I　said。
　Case；　he　just　looked　at　me。　〃You're　crazy。　You're　scrambled　in　the　head。〃
　〃He's　just　a　little　boy；〃　I　said；　〃and　he's　alone　down