登陆注册
15679600000041

第41章 THE ROADS WE TAKE(2)

"Same here," agreed Bob; "he was sure a first-rate kind of a crowbait.But Bolivar, he'll pull us through all right.Reckon we'd better be movin' on, hadn't we, Shark? I'll bag this boodle ag'in and we'll hit the trail for higher timber."Bob Tidball replaced the spoil in the bag and tied the mouth of it tightly with a cord.When he looked up the most prominent object that he saw was the muzzle of Shark Dodson's.45 held upon him without a waver.

"Stop your funnin'," said Bob, with a grin."We got to be hittin' the breeze.""Set still," said Shark."You ain't goin' to hit no breeze, Bob.I hate to tell you, but there ain't any chance for but one of us.Bolivar, he's plenty tired, and he can't carry double.""We been pards, me and you, Shark Dodson, for three year," Bob said quietly."We've risked our lives together time and again.I've always give you a square deal, and I thought you was a man.I've heard some queer stories about you shootin' one or two men in a peculiar way, but I never believed 'em.Now if you're just havin'

a little fun with me, Shark, put your gun up, and we'll get on Bolivar and vamose.If you mean to shoot --shoot, you blackhearted son of a tarantula!"Shark Dodson's face bore a deeply sorrowful look.

"You don't know how bad I feel," he sighed, "about that sorrel of yourn breakin' his leg, Bob."The expression on Dodson's face changed in an instant to one of cold ferocity mingled with inexorable cupidity.

The soul of the man showed itself for a moment like an evil face in the window of a reputable house.

Truly Bob Tidball was never to "hit the breeze" again.

The deadly.45 of the false friend cracked and filled the gorge with a roar that the walls hurled back with indignant echoes.And Bolivar, unconscious accomplice, swiftly bore away the last of the holders-up of the "Sunset Express," not put to the stress of "carrying double."But as "Shark" Dodson galloped away the woods seemed to fade from his view; the revolver in his right hand turned to the curved arm of a mahogany chair; his saddle was strangely upholstered, and he opened his eyes and saw his feet, not in stirrups, but resting quietly on the edge of a quartered-oak desk.

I am telling you that Dodson, of the firm of Dodson & Decker, Wall Street brokers, opened his eyes.Peabody, the confidential clerk, was standing by his chair, hesitating to speak.There was a confused hum of wheels below, and the sedative buzz of an electric fan.

"Ahem! Peabody," said Dodson, blinking."I must have fallen asleep.I had a most remarkable dream.

What is it, Peabody?"

"Mr.Williams, sir, of Tracy & Williams, is outside.

He has come to settle his deal in X.Y.Z.The market caught him short, sir, if you remember.""Yes, I remember.What is X.Y.Z.quoted at to-day, Peabody?""One eighty-five, sir."

"Then that's his price."

"Excuse me," said Peabody, rather nervously "for speaking of it, but I've been talking to Williams.He's an old friend of yours, Mr.Dodson, and you practically have a corner in X.Y.Z.I thought you might -- that is, I thought you might not remember that he sold you the stock at 98.If he settles at the market price it will take every cent he has in the world and his home too to deliver the shares."The expression on Dodson's face changed in an instant to one of cold ferocity mingled with inexorable cupidity.

The soul of the man showed itself for a moment like an evil face in the window of a reputable house.

"He will settle at one eighty-five," said Dodson.

"Bolivar cannot carry double."

A BLACKJACK BARGAINER

The most disreputable thing in Yancey Goree's law office was Goree himself, sprawled in his creakv old arm-chair.The rickety little office, built of red brick, was set flush with the street -- the main street of the town of Bethel.

Bethel rested upon the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge.

Above it the mountains were piled to the sky.Far below it the turbid Catawba gleamed yellow along its disconsolate valley.

The June day was at its sultriest hour.Bethel dozed in the tepid shade.Trade was not.It was so still that Goree, reclining in his chair, distinctly heard the clicking of the chips in the grand-jury room, where the "court-house gang" was playing poker.From the open back door of the office a well-worn path meandered across the grassy lot to the court-house.The treading out of that path had cost Goree all he ever had -- first inheritance of a few thousand dollars, next the old family home, and, latterly the last shreds of his self-respect and manhood.

The "gang" had cleaned him out.The broken gambler had turned drunkard and parasite; he had lived to see this day come when the men who had stripped him denied him a seat at the game.His word was no longer to be taken.The daily bouts at cards had arranged itself accordingly, and to him was assigned the ignoble part of the onlooker.The sheriff, the county clerk, a sportive deputy, a gay attorney, and a chalk-faced man hailing "from the valley," sat at table, and the sheared one was thus tacitly advised to go and grow more wool.

Soon wearying of his ostracism, Goree had departed for his office, muttering to himself as he unsteadily tra-versed the unlucky pathway.After a drink of corn whiskey from a demijohn under the table, he had flung himself into the chair, staring, in a sort of maudlin apathy, out at the mountains immersed in the summer haze.

The little white patch he saw away up on the side of Blackjack was Laurel, the village near which he had been born and bred.There, also, was the birthplace of the feud between the Gorees and the Coltranes.Now no direct heir of the Gorees survived except this plucked and singed bird of misfortune.To the Coltranes, also, but one male supporter was left -- Colonel Abner Col-trane, a man of substance and standing, a member of the State Legislature, and a contemporary with Goree's father.The feud had been a typical one of the region;it had left a red record of hate, wrong and slaughter.

同类推荐
  • 少仪

    少仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 金刚般若经

    金刚般若经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 龙虎中丹诀

    龙虎中丹诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 累害篇

    累害篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 招杨之罘

    招杨之罘

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 收天

    收天

    生死两茫茫,阴阳黑白霜一身轻白衣,腰挂酒葫芦背挂灭天剑,惹尽众人追一时疯魔杀,一时众人仰一把灭天剑让他无法自拔,让他杀!让他哭.天道?仙?神?魔?妖?我要让这天地都因为我颤抖!灭天?不!我要遮了世间万物!我就是魔!我就是神!天道我说了算!
  • 胡适说:文学与历史

    胡适说:文学与历史

    大半个世纪,胡适一直饱受争议,但不妨碍他大师的地位。他是中国现代思想史承前启后的第一人,是倡导文学改良的第一人,是中国近代第一个真正的自由主义者。本书精心编选了胡适在当时即引起很大反响的散文随笔精要,也最易于大家把握的篇章,阅读本书。不但能让您能窥见胡适先生思想宝库中闪烁的数不清的珍宝,也彰显其治学、为人、处世的大师风范。
  • 邪修武神

    邪修武神

    你见过陪美女睡觉,成为绝世强者的吗?你见过给美女揉肩,感悟至高绝学的吗?修邪道,掌乾坤,长剑高举,漫天皆寒,大刀一挥,神鬼震惊。叶尘一路横行,专治不服,吊打各种天才!
  • 铸灵传

    铸灵传

    万千年前,灵斗大陆,有一位天才横空出世,掌时空,灭轮回,自创灵力一途,世人称他为,铸灵师。自那之后,这片大陆走向了繁荣昌盛,世人纷纷效仿,千百年来,灵斗大陆强者辈出,在后续年间,不断争锋,却是无一人达到铸灵境,众多强者只能隐世默默探索;最终势力分散在五大洲,北玄洲,南炎洲,西流洲,东蓬莱。然而经过千百年,始终无人能达到铸灵境,众生便只好放弃,这个境界也渐渐的被众生所遗忘;直到出现了一个拿着锤子的铸器师,在中洲以一种所向披靡的姿态击败了当世掌控时空的一位霸主,一切的故事,从这里开始。
  • 轩辕脉

    轩辕脉

    东方华夏,内忧外患;神秘邪教,兴风作浪;四大家族,危在旦夕;境外势力,虎视眈眈。最后的希望,是踏上天门,进入轩辕界的遗孤……待我血脉觉醒,轩辕问世,尔等杂碎,皆为草芥!待我踏破虚空,拔剑凯旋,灭门血仇,再谈清算!犯我华夏者,虽远必诛!
  • 《天地间》

    《天地间》

    堂堂男儿立于天地,处于人世,问心无愧,昂首仰天。一个关于长生的传说,关于兄弟手足的情感,关于爱恨不休的缠绵,关于热血轻狂纵横挥斥的快感,尽在天地间。
  • 刘邦发迹史

    刘邦发迹史

    一个一无是处的小混混,是如何在秦末的乱世中崛起并登上皇帝宝座的?他如何能打败包括项羽在内的各路豪杰,成为最后的赢家?如果你问刘邦,刘邦可能这么回答:“我没能耐,我游手好闲,但我运气好啊,我凡事看得开,我会招徕人才,能采纳别人的意见”;如果是项羽问刘邦,刘邦会说:“打仗,你行,我不行;用人,我行,你不行!畅销书作家姚尧将为读者揭秘史上最牛混混刘邦的发迹之路。
  • 五校峰都

    五校峰都

    何为仙?何为神?又何为魔?笼统的世界已经结束,新的时代已经来临,这是一个修真的时代,一个修仙的时代,也是一个修神的时代,更是一个科技文明,迎来力量爆发的科幻时代。新的时代将迎来新的传说,新的制度,以及新的宿命故事。这是一个充满幻妙的新世界,也是一个追寻宿命根源的新世界,在这个世界里,将为你重诉那些沉沦于历史的传奇,也将为你开创通向未来的新传说......
  • 五行霸者

    五行霸者

    巴克大陆,是一个崇尚武技的大陆,人们属性为金,木,水,火,土五行。而我们的主角陆云不含任何一种属性,被称为万年废材,看万年废材如何雄起。。。
  • 时空之树

    时空之树

    这是一本武侠小说?不是这是一本仙侠小说?也不是那这是一本玄幻小说?还不是难不成这是本都市现代小说?肯定不是了,好吧告诉你们,听好了:我可以十分明确的说,这是一本正儿八经的科幻小说。