the last of the plainsmen- 第24部分

Lawson　had　been　dispatched　on　some　mysterious　errand　about　which　my　curiosity　was　all　in　vain。　The　order　of　the　day　was　leisurely　to　get　in　readiness；　and　pack　for　our　journey　to　the　Siwash　on　the　morrow。　I　watered　my　horse；　played　with　the　hounds；　knocked　about　the　cliffs；　returned　to　the　cabin；　and　lay　down　on　my　bed。　Jim's　hands　were　white　with　flour。　He　was　kneading　dough；　and　had　several　low；　flat　pans　on　the　table。　Wallace　and　Jones　strolled　in；　and　later　Frank；　and　they　all　took　various　positions　before　the　fire。　I　saw　Frank；　with　the　quickness　of　a　sleight…of…hand　performer；　slip　one　of　the　pans　of　dough　on　the　chair　Jones　had　placed　by　the　table。　Jim　did　not　see　the　action；　Jones's　and　Wallace's　backs　were　turned　to　Frank；　and　he　did　not　know　I　was　in　the　cabin。　The　conversation　continued　on　the　subject　of　Jones's　big　bay　horse；　which；　hobbles　and　all；　had　gotten　ten　miles　from　camp　the　night　before。

〃Better　count　his　ribs　than　his　tracks；〃　said　Frank；　and　went　on　talking　as　easily　and　naturally　as　if　he　had　not　been　expecting　a　very　entertaining　situation。

But　no　one　could　ever　foretell　Colonel　Jones's　actions。　He　showed　every　intention　of　seating　himself　in　the　chair；　then　walked　over　to　his　pack　to　begin　searching　for　something　or　other。　Wallace；　however；　promptly　took　the　seat；　and　what　began　to　be　funnier　than　strange；　he　did　not　get　up。　Not　unlikely　this　circumstance　was　owing　to　the　fact　that　several　of　the　rude　chairs　had　soft　layers　of　old　blanket　tacked　on　them。　Whatever　were　Frank's　internal　emotions；　he　presented　a　remarkably　placid　and　commonplace　exterior；　but　when　Jim　began　to　search　for　the　missing　pan　of　dough；　the　joker　slowly　sagged　in　his　chair。

〃Shore　that　beats　hell！〃　said　Jim。　〃I　had　three　pans　of　dough。　Could　the　pup　have　taken　one？〃

Wallace　rose　to　his　feet；　and　the　bread　pan　clattered　to　the　floor；　with　a　clang　and　a　clank；　evidently　protesting　against　the　indignity　it　had　suffered。　But　the　dough　stayed　with　Wallace；　a　great　white　conspicuous　splotch　on　his　corduroys。　Jim；　Frank　and　Jones　all　saw　it　at　once。

〃WhyMr。　Wallaceyou　setin　the　dough！〃　exclaimed　Frank；　in　a　queer；　strangled　voice。　Then　he　exploded；　while　Jim　fell　over　the　table。

It　seemed　that　those　two　Arizona　rangers；　matured　men　though　they　were；　would　die　of　convulsions。　I　laughed　with　them；　and　so　did　Wallace；　while　he　brought　his　one…handled　bowie　knife　into　novel　use。　Buffalo　Jones　never　cracked　a　smile；　though　he　did　remark　about　the　waste　of　good　flour。

Frank's　face　was　a　study　for　a　psychologist　when　Jim　actually　apologized　to　Wallace　for　being　so　careless　with　his　pans。　I　did　not　betray　Frank；　but　I　resolved　to　keep　a　still　closer　watch　on　him。　It　was　partially　because　of　this　uneasy　sense　of　his　trickiness　in　the　fringe　of　my　mind　that　I　made　a　discovery。　My　sleeping…bag　rested　on　a　raised　platform　in　one　corner；　and　at　a　favorable　moment　I　examined　the　bag。　It　had　not　been　tampered　with；　but　I　noticed　a　string　turning　out　through　a　chink　between　the　logs。　I　found　it　came　from　a　thick　layer　of　straw　under　my　bed；　and　had　been　tied　to　the　end　of　a　flatly　coiled　lasso。　Leaving　the　thing　as　it　was；　I　went　outside　and　carelessly　chased　the　hounds　round　the　cabin。　The　string　stretched　along　the　logs　to　another　chink；　where　it　returned　into　the　cabin　at　a　point　near　where　Frank　slept。　No　great　power　of　deduction　was　necessary　to　acquaint　me　with　full　details　of　the　plot　to　spoil　my　slumbers。　So　I　patiently　awaited　developments。

Lawson　rode　in　near　sundown　with　the　carcasses　of　two　beasts　of　some　species　hanging　over　his　saddle。　It　turned　out　that　Jones　had　planned　a　surprise　for　Wallace　and　me；　and　it　could　hardly　have　been　a　more　enjoyable　one；　considering　the　time　and　place。　We　knew　he　had　a　flock　of　Persian　sheep　on　the　south　slope　of　Buckskin；　but　had　no　idea　it　was　within　striking　distance　of　Oak。　Lawson　had　that　day　hunted　up　the　shepherd　and　his　sheep；　to　return　to　us　with　two　sixty…pound　Persian　lambs。　We　feasted　at　suppertime　on　meat　which　was　sweet；　juicy；　very　tender　and　of　as　rare　a　flavor　as　that　of　the　Rocky　Mountain　sheep。

My　state　after　supper　was　one　of　huge　enjoyment　and　with　intense　interest　I　awaited　Frank's　first　spar　for　an　opening。　It　came　presently；　in　a　lull　of　the　conversation。

〃Saw　a　big　rattler　run　under　the　cabin　to…day；〃　he　said；　as　if　he　were　speaking　of　one　of　Old　Baldy's　shoes。　〃I　tried　to　get　a　whack　at　him；　but　he　oozed　away　too　quick。〃

〃Shore　I　seen　him　often；〃　put　in　Jim。　Good；　old；　honest　Jim；　led　away　by　his　trickster　comrade！　It　was　very　plain。　So　I　was　to　be　frightened　by　snakes。

〃These　old　canyon　beds　are　ideal　dens　for　rattle　snakes；〃　chimed　in　my　scientific　California　friend。　〃I　have　found　several　dens；　but　did　not　molest　them　as　this　is　a　particularly　dangerous　time　of　the　year　to　meddle　with　the　reptiles。　Quite　likely　there's　a　den　under　the　cabin。〃

While　he　made　this　remarkable　statement；　he　had　the　grace　to　hide　his　face　in　a　huge　puff　of　smoke。　He；　too；　was　in　the　plot。　I　waited　for　Jones　to　come　out　with　some　ridiculous　theory　or　fact　concerning　the　particular　species　of　snake；　but　as　he　did　not　speak；　I　concluded　they　had　wisely　left　him　out　of　the　secret。　After　mentally　debating　a　moment；　I　decided；　as　it　was　a　very　harmless　joke；　to　help　Frank　into　the　fulfillment　of　his　enjoyment。

〃Rattlesnakes！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Heavens！　I'd　die　if　I　heard　one；　let　alone　seeing　it。　A　big　rattler　jumped　at　me　one　day；　and　I've　never　recovered　from　the　shock。〃

Plainly；　Frank　was　delighted　to　hear　of　my　antipathy　and　my　unfortunate　experience；　and　he　proceeded　to　expatiate　on　the　viciousness　of　rattlesnakes；　particularly　those　of　Arizona。　If　I　had　believed　the　succeeding　stories；　emanating　from　the　fertile　brains　of　those　three　fellows；　I　should　have　made　certain　that　Arizona　canyons　were　Brazilian　jungles。　Frank's　parting　shot；　sent　in　a　mellow；　kind　voice；　was　the　best　point　in　the　whole　trick。　〃Now；　I'd　be　nervous　if　I　had　a　sleepin'　bag　like　yours；　because　it's　just　the　place　for　a　rattler　to　ooze　into。〃

In　the　confusion　and　dim　light　of　bedtime　I　contrived　to　throw　the　end　of　my　lasso　over　the　horn　of　a　saddle　hanging　on　the　wall；　with　the　intention　of　augmenting　the　noise　I　soon　expected　to　create；　and　I　placed　my　automatic　rifle　and　。38　S。　and　W。　Special　within　easy　reach　of　my　hand。　Then　I　crawled　into　my　bag　and　composed　myself　to　listen。　Frank　soon　began　to　snore；　so　brazenly；　so　fictitiously；　that　I　wondered　at　the　man's　absorbed　intensity　in　his　joke；　and　I　was　at　great　pains　to　smother　in　my　breast　a　violent　burst　of　riotous　merriment。　Jones's　snores；　however；　were　real　enough；　and　this　made　me　enjoy　the　situation　all　the　more；　because　if　he　did　not　show　a　mild　surprise　when　the　catastrophe　fell；　I　would　greatly　miss　my　guess。　I　knew　the　three　wily　conspirators　were　wide…awake。　Suddenly　I　felt　a　movement　in　the　straw　under　me　and　a　faint　rustling。　It　was　so　soft；　so　sinuous；　that　if　I　had　not　known　it　was　the　lasso；　I　would　assuredly　have　been　frightened。　I　gave　a　little　jump；　such　as　one　will　make　quickly　in　bed。　Then　the　coil　ran　out　from　under　the　straw。　How　subtly　suggestive　of　a　snake！　I　made　a　slight　outcry；　a　big　jump；　paused　a　moment　for　effectiveness　in　which　time　Frank　forgot　to　snorethen　let　out　a　tremendous　yell；　grabbed　my　guns；　sent　twelve　thundering　shots　through　the　roof　and　pulled　my　lasso。

Crash！　the　saddle　came　down；　to　be　followed　by　sounds　not　on　Frank's　programme　and　certainly　not　calculated　upon　by　me。　But　they　were　all　the　more　effective。　I　gathered　that　Lawson；　who　was　not　in　the　secret；　and　who　was　a　nightmare　sort　of　sleeper　anyway；　had　knocked　over　Jim's　table；　with　its　array　of　pots　and　pans　and　then；　unfortunately　for　Jones　had　kicked　that　innocent　person　in　the　stomach。

As　I　lay　there　in　my　bag；　the　very　happiest　fellow　in　the　wide　world；　the　sound　of　my　mirth　was　as　the　buzz　of　the　wings　of　a　fly　to　the　mighty　storm。　Roar　on　roar　filled　the　cabin。

When　the　three　hypocrites　recovered　sufficiently　from　the　startling　climax　to　calm　Lawson；　who　swore　the　cabin　had　been　attacked　by　Indians；　when　Jones　stopped　roaring　long　enough　to　hear　it　was　only　a　harmless　snake　that　had　caused　the　trouble；　we　hushed　to　repose　once　morenot；　however；　without　hearing　some　trenchant　remarks　from　the　boiling　Colonel　anent　fun　and　fools；　and　the　indubitable　fact　that　there　was　not　a　rattlesnake　on　Buckskin　Mountain。

Long　after　this　explosion　had　died　away；　I　heard；　or　rather　felt；　a　mysterious　shudder　or　tremor　of　the　cabin；　and　I　knew　that　Frank　and　Jim　were　shaking　with　silent　laughter。　On　my　own　score；　I　determined　to　find　if　Jones；　in　his　strange　make…up；　had　any　sense　of　humor；　or　interest　in　life；　or　feeling；　or　love　that　did　not　center　and　hinge　on　four…footed　beasts。　In　view　of　the　rude　awakening　from　what；　no　doubt；　were　pleasant　dreams　of　wonderful　white　and　green　animals；　combining　the　intelligence　of　man　and　strength　of　brutesa　new　species　creditable　to　his　geniusI　was　perhaps　unjust　in　my　conviction　as　to　his　lack　of　humor。　And　as　to　the　other　question；　whether　or　not　he　had　any　real　human　feeling　for　the　creatures　built　in　his　own　image；　that　was　decided　very　soon　and　unexpectedly。

The　following　morning；　as　soon　as　Lawson　got　in　with　the　horses；　we　packed　and　started。　Rather　sorry　was　I　to　bid　good…by　to　Oak　Spring。　Taking　the　back　trail　of　the　Stewarts；　we　walked　the　horses　all　day　up　a　slowly　narrowing；　ascending　canyon。　The　hounds　crossed　coyote　and　deer　trails　continually；　but　made　no　break。　Sounder　looked　up　as　if　to　say　he　associated　painful　reminiscences　with　certain　kinds　of　tracks。　At　the　head　of　the　canyon　we　reached　timber　at　about　the　time　dusk　gathered；　and　we　located　for　the　night。　Being　once　again　nearly　nine　thousand　feet　high；　we　found　the　air　bitterly　cold；　making　a　blazing　fire　most　acceptable。

In　the　haste　to　get　supper　we　all　took　a　hand；　and　some　one　threw　upon　our　tarpaulin　tablecloth　a　tin　cup　of　butter　mixed　with　carbolic　acida　concoction　Jones　had　used　to　bathe　the　sore　feet　of　the　dogs。　Of　course　I　got　hold　of　this；　spread　a　generous　portion　on　my　hot　biscuit；　placed　some　red…hot　beans　on　that；　and　began　to　eat　like　a　hungry　hunter。　At　first　I　thought　I　was　only　burned。　Then　I　recogni