登陆注册
15464200000117

第117章 CHAPTER XXV(3)

The last visit he made into Turner's saloon he found no one there. Savagely he pounded on the bar with his gun. He got no response. Then the long-pent-up rage burst. With wild whoops he pulled another gun and shot at the mirror, the lamps. He shot the neck off a bottle and drank till be choked, his neck corded, bulging, and purple. His only slow and deliberate action was the reloading of his gun. Then he crashed through the doors, and with a wild yell leaped sheer into the saddle, hauling his horse up high and goading him to plunge away.

Men running to the door and windows of the store saw a streak of dust flying down the road. And then they trooped out to see it disappear. The hour of suspense ended for them. Las Vegas had lived up to the code of the West, had dared his man out, had waited far longer than needful to prove that man a coward. Whatever the issue now, Beasley was branded forever. That moment saw the decline of whatever power he had wielded. He and his men might kill the cowboy who had ridden out alone to face him, but that would not change the brand.

The preceding night Beasley bad been finishing a late supper at his newly acquired ranch, when Buck Weaver, one of his men, burst in upon him with news of the death of Mulvey and Pedro.

"Who's in the outfit? How many?" he had questioned, quickly.

"It's a one-man outfit, boss," replied Weaver.

Beasley appeared astounded. He and his men had prepared to meet the friends of the girl whose property he had taken over, and because of the superiority of his own force he had anticipated no bloody or extended feud. This amazing circumstance put the case in very much more difficult form.

"One man!" he ejaculated.

"Yep. Thet cowboy Las Vegas. An,' boss, he turns out to be a gun-slinger from Texas. I was in Turner's. Hed jest happened to step in the other room when Las Vegas come bustin' in on his boss an' jumped off. . . . Fust thing he called Jeff an' Pedro. They both showed yaller. An' then, damn if thet cowboy didn't turn his back on them an' went to the bar fer a drink. But he was lookin' in the mirror an' when Jeff an'

Pedro went fer their guns why he whirled quick as lightnin' an' bored them both. . . . I sneaked out an --""Why didn't you bore him?" roared Beasley.

Buck Weaver steadily eyed his boss before he replied. "Iain't takin' shots at any fellar from behind doors. An' as fer meetin' Las Vegas -- excoose me, boss! I've still a hankerin' fer sunshine an' red liquor. Besides, I 'ain't got nothin' ag'in' Las Vegas. If he's rustled over here at the head of a crowd to put us off I'd fight, jest as we'd all fight. But you see we figgered wrong. It's between you an' Las Vegas! . . . You oughter seen him throw thet hunter Dale out of Turner's.""Dale! Did he come?" queried Beasley.

"He got there just after the cowboy plugged Jeff. An' thet big-eyed girl, she came runnin' in, too. An' she keeled over in Dale's arms. Las Vegas shoved him out -- cussed him so hard we all heerd. . . . So, Beasley, there ain't no fight comin, off as we figgered on."Beasley thus heard the West speak out of the mouth of his own man. And grim, sardonic, almost scornful, indeed, were the words of Buck Weaver. This rider had once worked for Al Auchincloss and had deserted to Beasley under Mulvey's leadership. Mulvey was dead and the situation was vastly changed.

Beasley gave Weaver a dark, lowering glance, and waved him away. From the door Weaver sent back a doubtful, scrutinizing gaze, then slouched out. That gaze Beasley had not encountered before.

It meant, as Weaver's cronies meant, as Beasley's long-faithful riders, and the people of the range, and as the spirit of the West meant, that Beasley was expected to march down into the village to face his single foe.

But Beasley did not go. Instead he paced to and fro the length of Helen Rayner's long sitting-room with the nervous energy of a man who could not rest. Many times he hesitated, and at others he made sudden movements toward the door, only to halt. Long after midnight he went to bed, but not to sleep. He tossed and rolled all night, and at dawn arose, gloomy and irritable.

He cursed the Mexican serving-women who showed their displeasure at his authority. And to his amaze and rage not one of his men came to the house. He waited and waited. Then he stalked off to the corrals and stables carrying a rifle with him. The men were there, in a group that dispersed somewhat at his advent. Not a Mexican was in sight.

Beasley ordered the horses to be saddled and all hands to go down into the village with him. That order was disobeyed.

同类推荐
  • 还山遗稿

    还山遗稿

    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。
  • 大休珠禅师语录

    大休珠禅师语录

    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。
  • 祸虚篇

    祸虚篇

    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。
  • 曲海总目提要

    曲海总目提要

    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。
  • 净土生无生论会集

    净土生无生论会集

    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
  • 民间烧尸怪谈

    民间烧尸怪谈

    爷爷说我是在鬼门关捡回来的,断我要和死人打一辈子交道。后来我进入火葬场,成为一名职业烧尸人。入行这些年,我经历过各种离奇诡异的案件,这些生人勿进的恐怖诡事,我都记录在一本从来不敢公开的笔记里。请记住:阴间离你有多远,就离我有多近。一个鬼门关的烧尸人,一本恐怖灵异笔记,一段生人勿进的诡事,尽在《民间烧尸怪谈》。
  • 《跨世纪的交响乐》

    《跨世纪的交响乐》

    在世纪之交,华夏国发生了,太多的历史的转折,一场不得不打的战争,把一个英雄的后代,卷进了历史的潮流。从此,生命的音符,犹如千人合奏的交响乐,不停的跳动着,跳动着。大牛(董天雄)离奇的身世,给了我们太多的遐想,他从一个征战沙场的武将,到服从组织的安排,转型成为一个,为了天下苍生的幸福,而努力奋斗终生的牛人,以至于后来深深的影响到了他的儿子~董汉魂,这对官场父子兵,勤政为民,创造了一个个奇迹,令后人世世难忘!
  • 猛鬼总裁

    猛鬼总裁

    白天,我被日理万机的大总裁刁难。夜晚,我被修炼成精的猛鬼僵尸纠缠。“总裁大人,我能请你放过我么?”“等天黑。”“僵尸大大,求放过!”“等太阳!”结果我等到的是……
  • 仙界轮回

    仙界轮回

    少年莫凡,身具大五行混沌灵体,为寻长生,坚定的踏上漫漫修仙之路。虽极有慧根,无奈进级困难,那就学炼丹,学制符...让一切不可能变为可能。修仙路上有热血的兄弟,有冷酷的敌人,有险死还生的奇遇,也有红颜知己的绕指柔情。莫凡以大毅力,大气运冲破天地桎梏,破险境,斗异族,九劫飞升,终成神话。这是一部描写细致修仙的书,是一个玄幻爱好者的童话。
  • 王爷,妃要上天!

    王爷,妃要上天!

    某女一夜遭袭,潇洒重生,实力震慑天下,眼光也是一等一的好!直到某天某夜某王爷夜袭寝房……某女哀嚎:遇到没事撒娇推倒的呆萌王爷怎么办?急急急,在线等!
  • 妖战神

    妖战神

    正道之下是图腾,图腾之下是众生,这是一个山村少年成为妖战神的故事。妖战神,以众生之血铺路,以图腾之血铺路,以正道之血铺路,一指可点破天下,一步可撼动天地,翻掌间苍穹毁灭!
  • 淡然师兄:顽皮妹

    淡然师兄:顽皮妹

    夜瑶——二十一世纪的顶级特工首领,重生于天芒国,成为丞相府任人欺凌的三小姐夜瑶。倾城倾国,看似甜美可人,实际却是个令人惊叹的超级天才,冷酷残忍。坚持人不犯我我不犯人原则,只对男主展开真心笑颜,非常护短。云轩——天芒国的皇叔,冷心冷清,一袭白衣,一笑魅倾国。他亦是梨落阁主人,拥有着一身起死回生的医术和一身神鬼莫测的用毒之术,武功出神入化,无人能敌,惊才绝艳,智谋无双。气质清冷,对女主宠溺万千,生死相随。美男多多,结局一对一。
  • 时光的祭奠

    时光的祭奠

    “何皓,你还爱我吗?”“我爱你,周以晓,这辈子我都爱你!”“爱我?真的吗?”她爱他,但她恨他。爱他的人,恨他的无能,恨他的心。恨他的背叛。她拿她十年的青春押注,赌他的回心转意。她错了。大错特错了。十年青春毁于一旦,她已经无法再挽回了。
  • 影狩

    影狩

    三十年前,地球ZF情报机构截获一道神秘电波,破译的内容令人震惊。三十年来,地球ZF一直在秘密组建军队,入选的人会被ZF彻底抹去痕迹,消失于人间,这就是传闻中的“影狩”。主人公池喧本是一名普通高中生,有一天却被告知入选“影狩”。
  • 禅国

    禅国

    这天空是禅师描绘的,他们用术施鬼,用术搏杀,后六祖定藏于至高天之庙,座下五子授术于众,觉众生体能