登陆注册
5233300000051

第51章 CHAPTER XIII(2)

People were running now from the street, the stores, the houses. Old men, cowboys, clerks, boys, ranchers came on the trot. The crowd grew. The increasing clamor began to attract women as well as men. A group of girls ran up, then hung back in fright and pity.

The presence of cowboys made a difference. They split up the crowd, got to Duane, and lay hold of him with rough, businesslike hands. One of them lifted his fists and roared at the frenzied mob to fall back, to stop the racket. He beat them back into a circle; but it was some little time before the hubbub quieted down so a voice could be heard.

"Shut up, will you-all?" he was yelling. "Give us a chance to hear somethin'. Easy now--soho. There ain't nobody goin' to be hurt. Thet's right; everybody quiet now. Let's see what's come off."This cowboy, evidently one of authority, or at least one of strong personality, turned to the gaunt man, who still waved Duane's gun.

"Abe, put the gun down," he said. "It might go off. Here, give it to me. Now, what's wrong? Who's this roped gent, an' what's he done?"The gaunt fellow, who appeared now about to collapse, lifted a shaking hand and pointed.

"Thet thar feller--he's Buck Duane!" he panted.

An angry murmur ran through the surrounding crowd.

"The rope! The rope! Throw it over a branch! String him up!"cried an excited villager.

"Buck Duane! Buck Duane!"

"Hang him!"

The cowboy silenced these cries.

"Abe, how do you know this fellow is Buck Duane?" he asked, sharply.

"Why--he said so," replied the man called Abe.

"What!" came the exclamation, incredulously.

"It's a tarnal fact," panted Abe, waving his hands importantly.

He was an old man and appeared to be carried away with the significance of his deed. "He like to rid' his hoss right over us-all. Then he jumped off, says he was Buck Duane, an' he wanted to see Jeff Aiken bad."This speech caused a second commotion as noisy though not so enduring as the first. When the cowboy, assisted by a couple of his mates, had restored order again some one had slipped the noose-end of Duane's rope over his head.

"Up with him!" screeched a wild-eyed youth.

The mob surged closer was shoved back by the cowboys.

"Abe, if you ain't drunk or crazy tell thet over," ordered Abe's interlocutor.

With some show of resentment and more of dignity Abe reiterated his former statement.

"If he's Buck Duane how'n hell did you get hold of his gun?"bluntly queried the cowboy.

"Why--he set down thar--an' he kind of hid his face on his hand. An' I grabbed his gun an' got the drop on him."What the cowboy thought of this was expressed in a laugh. His mates likewise grinned broadly. Then the leader turned to Duane.

"Stranger, I reckon you'd better speak up for yourself," he said.

That stilled the crowd as no command had done.

"I'm Buck Duane, all right." said Duane, quietly. "It was this way--"The big cowboy seemed to vibrate with a shock. All the ruddy warmth left his face; his jaw began to bulge; the corded veins in his neck stood out in knots. In an instant he had a hard, stern, strange look. He shot out a powerful hand that fastened in the front of Duane's blouse.

"Somethin' queer here. But if you're Duane you're sure in bad.

Any fool ought to know that. You mean it, then?""Yes."

"Rode in to shoot up the town, eh? Same old stunt of you gunfighters? Meant to kill the man who offered a reward? Wanted to see Jeff Aiken bad, huh?""No," replied Duane. "Your citizen here misrepresented things.

He seems a little off his head."

"Reckon he is. Somebody is, that's sure. You claim Buck Duane, then, an' all his doings?""I'm Duane; yes. But I won't stand for the blame of things Inever did. That's why I'm here. I saw that placard out there offering the reward. Until now I never was within half a day's ride of this town. I'm blamed for what I never did. I rode in here, told who I was, asked somebody to send for Jeff Aiken.""An' then you set down an' let this old guy throw your own gun on you?" queried the cowboy in amazement.

"I guess that's it," replied Duane.

"Well, it's powerful strange, if you're really Buck Duane."A man elbowed his way into the circle.

"It's Duane. I recognize him. I seen him in more'n one place,"he said. "Sibert, you can rely on what I tell you. I don't know if he's locoed or what. But I do know he's the genuine Buck Duane. Any one who'd ever seen him onct would never forget him.""What do you want to see Aiken for?" asked the cowboy Sibert.

"I want to face him, and tell him I never harmed his wife.""Why?"

"Because I'm innocent, that's all."

"Suppose we send for Aiken an' he hears you an' doesn't believe you; what then?""If he won't believe me--why, then my case's so bad--I'd be better off dead."A momentary silence was broken by Sibert.

"If this isn't a queer deal! Boys, reckon we'd better send for Jeff.""Somebody went fer him. He'll be comin' soon," replied a man.

Duane stood a head taller than that circle of curious faces. He gazed out above and beyond them. It was in this way that he chanced to see a number of women on the outskirts of the crowd.

Some were old, with hard faces, like the men. Some were young and comely, and most of these seemed agitated by excitement or distress. They cast fearful, pitying glances upon Duane as he stood there with that noose round his neck. Women were more human than men, Duane thought. He met eyes that dilated, seemed fascinated at his gaze, but were not averted. It was the old women who were voluble, loud in expression of their feelings.

Near the trunk of the cottonwood stood a slender woman in white. Duane's wandering glance rested upon her. Her eyes were riveted upon him. A soft-hearted woman, probably, who did not want to see him hanged!

"Thar comes Jeff Aiken now," called a man, loudly.

The crowd shifted and trampled in eagerness.

Duane saw two men coming fast, one of whom, in the lead, was of stalwart build. He had a gun in his hand, and his manner was that of fierce energy.

The cowboy Sibert thrust open the jostling circle of men.

同类推荐
  • 五教章集成记

    五教章集成记

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 竹屋痴语

    竹屋痴语

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Cowley's Essays

    Cowley's Essays

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太平天国战记

    太平天国战记

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 奉和袭美酬前进士崔

    奉和袭美酬前进士崔

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 沟通的分寸:不同情境下说出特别奏效的一句话

    沟通的分寸:不同情境下说出特别奏效的一句话

    本书从多角度入手,深入分析了人们在沟通中所遇到的各种情况,对一些生活中的沟通进行了场景再现,具有很强的针对性和实用性。阅读本书,能够帮助你有效增强沟通能力,掌握沟通技巧,拿捏好说话与做事的尺度,在面对任何人、身处任何场合时都能左右逢源,应对自如。
  • 妖怪约会名单

    妖怪约会名单

    偶然间,我捡到了一本妖名录,为了封印妖名录中妖怪的真身,我过起了与妖怪约会的生活,凤凰,九尾狐,青龙,纷纷被我攻略,混沌,白泽,金乌,统统推到在地。
  • 凡世星辰

    凡世星辰

    是一个光怪陆离的位面大杂烩,在这我们有欢笑,有泪水,有掏心挖肺的千世痴恋,也有血染青天的快意恩仇。午后闲暇,盛满一杯香茗,一边淡看书中车马,一边回味人生百态。
  • 世界最具欣赏性的优美散文(2)

    世界最具欣赏性的优美散文(2)

    我的课外第一本书——震撼心灵阅读之旅经典文库,《阅读文库》编委会编。通过各种形式的故事和语言,讲述我们在成长中需要的知识。
  • 甜妻小青梅,拐个竹马当老公

    甜妻小青梅,拐个竹马当老公

    叶子栗最大的愿望就是:娶唐宸,娶唐宸,娶唐宸,一定把唐宸娶回家做老公!只是……这个对她一向温柔的唐少爷怎么不按套路出牌!不是说好是她要把唐宸拐到手的吗?怎么一不小心反被拐,而且还被拐的心甘情愿。
  • 居卫

    居卫

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金角庄园:海桀中篇小说选

    金角庄园:海桀中篇小说选

    本书收录了作者近年来发表的五部中篇小说。《金角庄园》与《牌和一张》,不仅是好看的推理小说,而且具有别样的叙述形式。其悬念设置丝丝入扣,逻辑推理严谨缜密,疑云迷雾神奇孤绝,人物命运意味深远。《莫日根》借一个东北鄂伦春族老猎人的遭遇,描述古老民族在现代社会中面临的文化困境。《矮旋风》通过复原荒谬的真实,逼近人性的本相。《老羊皮》借小人物在生活中的追求、焦虑、失重和取舍,将生活中被忽略的精彩,通过对人物本性的挖掘和心灵的探访展示出来。
  • 农门医女:王爷,我们不约

    农门医女:王爷,我们不约

    婚前发现男友出轨,一气之下……再次睁眼却发现身处异世,从小是孤儿的九月还没享受几天父女亲情,爹就被拉走充军,遗留在家的弟弟,妹妹还要抚养,在空间里种田,在外面经商,斗极品,养弟妹,寻父亲,九月拿着父亲留下的钱发家致富……“只是,这为仁兄我们不熟”……
  • 好女人会说话

    好女人会说话

    常言道:“良言一句三冬暖。”可见,说出一句恰如其分的话能起多么大的作用。尤其对于女性而言,说话是你的风度、气质和优雅的一种重要表现。女人会说话,掌握语气表达技巧,善于沟通,会让她在恋爱中如鱼得水,在工作中建立融洽的关系,在生活中左右逢源,增添魅力、入缘与亲和力。一个会说话的女人,她的口才、语气、表情、姿态等都会体现出一种艺术的美感,她会是众人关注的焦点和亮点。可以说,女人的温柔、善良、睿智、才情,都是通过说话表现出来的。
  • 既不能反抗那就闭眼享受

    既不能反抗那就闭眼享受

    从头到尾我只是一颗棋子……我以为努力过他会懂我以为只要我付出的够多他就能多看我一眼谁曾想不论我多努力永远也比不上她。