登陆注册
5379700000021

第21章

[Two pistol shots; a confusion of voices and the trampling of many feet, as if a crowd were closing and surging together around some object;several heavy, dull blows, as with a club; a voice that said appealingly, "Don't, gentlemen, please don't--I'm a dead man!" Then a fainter groan, and another blow, and away sped the stage into the darkness, and left the grisly mystery behind us.]

What a startle it was! Eight seconds would amply cover the time it occupied--maybe even five would do it.We only had time to plunge at a curtain and unbuckle and unbutton part of it in an awkward and hindering flurry, when our whip cracked sharply overhead, and we went rumbling and thundering away, down a mountain "grade."We fed on that mystery the rest of the night--what was left of it, for it was waning fast.It had to remain a present mystery, for all we could get from the conductor in answer to our hails was something that sounded, through the clatter of the wheels, like "Tell you in the morning!"So we lit our pipes and opened the corner of a curtain for a chimney, and lay there in the dark, listening to each other's story of how he first felt and how many thousand Indians he first thought had hurled themselves upon us, and what his remembrance of the subsequent sounds was, and the order of their occurrence.And we theorized, too, but there was never a theory that would account for our driver's voice being out there, nor yet account for his Indian murderers talking such good English, if they were Indians.

So we chatted and smoked the rest of the night comfortably away, our boding anxiety being somehow marvelously dissipated by the real presence of something to be anxious about.

We never did get much satisfaction about that dark occurrence.All that we could make out of the odds and ends of the information we gathered in the morning, was that the disturbance occurred at a station; that we changed drivers there, and that the driver that got off there had been talking roughly about some of the outlaws that infested the region ("for there wasn't a man around there but had a price on his head and didn't dare show himself in the settlements," the conductor said); he had talked roughly about these characters, and ought to have "drove up there with his pistol cocked and ready on the seat alongside of him, and begun business himself, because any softy would know they would be laying for him."That was all we could gather, and we could see that neither the conductor nor the new driver were much concerned about the matter.They plainly had little respect for a man who would deliver offensive opinions of people and then be so simple as to come into their presence unprepared to "back his judgment," as they pleasantly phrased the killing of any fellow-being who did not like said opinions.And likewise they plainly had a contempt for the man's poor discretion in venturing to rouse the wrath of such utterly reckless wild beasts as those outlaws--and the conductor added:

"I tell you it's as much as Slade himself want to do!"This remark created an entire revolution in my curiosity.I cared nothing now about the Indians, and even lost interest in the murdered driver.There was such magic in that name, SLADE! Day or night, now, Istood always ready to drop any subject in hand, to listen to something new about Slade and his ghastly exploits.Even before we got to Overland City, we had begun to hear about Slade and his "division" (for he was a "division-agent") on the Overland; and from the hour we had left Overland City we had heard drivers and conductors talk about only three things--"Californy," the Nevada silver mines, and this desperado Slade.And a deal the most of the talk was about Slade.We had gradually come to have a realizing sense of the fact that Slade was a man whose heart and hands and soul were steeped in the blood of offenders against his dignity; a man who awfully avenged all injuries, affront, insults or slights, of whatever kind--on the spot if he could, years afterward if lack of earlier opportunity compelled it; a man whose hate tortured him day and night till vengeance appeased it--and not an ordinary vengeance either, but his enemy's absolute death--nothing less; a man whose face would light up with a terrible joy when he surprised a foe and had him at a disadvantage.A high and efficient servant of the Overland, an outlaw among outlaws and yet their relentless scourge, Slade was at once the most bloody, the most dangerous and the most valuable citizen that inhabited the savage fastnesses of the mountains.

同类推荐
  • 五鉴

    五鉴

    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。
  • 祭妹文

    祭妹文

    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。
  • 江汉丛谈

    江汉丛谈

    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。
  • 就正录

    就正录

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 骖鸾录

    骖鸾录

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 尘封的记忆

    尘封的记忆

    夕阳西坠,一辆黑色奔驰牌轿车缓缓驶进延州县城,旁边的行人从车身上看到自己的身影,不由得啧啧赞叹:真漂亮!奔驰牌轿车绕城一周后慢慢停在城西的西河大桥上。从副驾位置上下来一个年近六十岁的男子,绕到司机后边,打开驾驶后位车门,扶下来一位满头银发的长者,他们对着延河望了半天。长者迷茫地摇了摇头:“找不见了,应该就在这一带。”长者从随身携带的黑色手提包中,微颤地拿出两张发黄的黑白照片,一张是石油厂的大门,一张是石油厂全景。老人对照照片怎么也找不出当年的痕迹,自言自语地说:“快六十年了,这里发生了翻天覆地的变化,但这周围的山没变,还是这么高,一定就在这附近。
  • 美人如玉贱如虹

    美人如玉贱如虹

    顾念是女流氓,而且还是牛气哄哄、金光灿灿的变态版升级女流氓,这是公认的。傅如昱是骨灰级钻石王老五,优雅从容,这也是公认的。顾念路过瞥了一眼,吐出两字——放屁。这是个看似白富美实则女屌丝逆袭吃掉极品男的故事,也是个看似聪明的小白兔被腹黑大灰狼吃干抹净的故事。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 岗厦14号

    岗厦14号

    吴君,女,中国作协会员。曾获首届中国小说双年奖、广东新人新作奖。长篇小说《我们不是一个人类》被媒体评为2004年最值得记忆五部长篇之一。出版多本中篇小说集。根据其中篇小说《亲爱的深圳》改编的电影已在国内及北美地区发行放映。
  • 红军巷的老兵们

    红军巷的老兵们

    如今,红军巷部队干休所大院已失却了往昔街知巷闻的光环,渐渐被这个城市的人们淡漠了。但是,这个独特的部落,很难为外界同化,仍保持自己的运行秩序。清晨,是这个大院最闹猛的辰光。一群老娘们身披大红大绿,合着卡式录音机发出的音乐节拍在那扭秧歌,阅览室里几个喜静的老头戴着老花镜屏声敛气地在阅读报刊。晨练散步归来的老头子;老太太们又在聚会神聊。这些部队前负责人,在草地上拿着当日的报纸沭浴晨光,忧国忧民,分析时事。
  • 恶霸正妻踢娇妾

    恶霸正妻踢娇妾

    夫君丢给她一纸休书,理由是她五年无所出。小妾骄傲的挺着大肚子,扬言她的孩子应该是嫡出。婆婆大姑子将她的陪嫁搜去了大半,还嘲讽她只剩一身铜臭味。啥?她三年来日日给夫君悄悄熬药?原来不下蛋的是他?!她一个巨富长女混的连嫁妆都守不住,居然还为别人做了嫁衣?是可忍,孰不可忍!休书?看看谁休谁!*“嫂嫂,你前脚走,我后脚就去你家提亲。”小叔子弯着一双猫眼,似真似假地道。“切,你们白家的男人没一个是好东西!”“嫂嫂,我可跟哥不一样。”“还不一样,瞧你那屋里不知道藏了几个姑娘了,我看着就恶心。”她红了脸,低声骂:“油嘴滑舌……”“简墨兰!白阡陌!你们叔嫂勾搭,不知羞耻!”白思陌突然出现,脸色铁青。她一扬手中休书,“这可是你亲自画押的,别给我乱盖帽子,我现在是自由身。”*美七群:38830464努力打造不一样的加宅斗的小种田~~~~本文女主不圣母也不圣斗士,实乃有血有肉的小女子一枚。本文不是回头文!本文一对一。
  • 鬼马女神捕①:绝密卧底(上)

    鬼马女神捕①:绝密卧底(上)

    凤凰蓝翎和鸡妖姬十四生活在无忧无虑的灵界。他们的故乡叫灵谷,那里鸟语花香美不胜收。蓝翎最大的梦想是像父亲一样,成为一名威风凛凛的灵界神捕。不过,才三百多岁的她连报名参加捕快选拔的资格都没有。原本以为梦想离自己很远,可是蓝翎最近发现,梦想近在咫尺——她没有经过任何测试,直接当上了见习捕快。并且很快接到了一项特殊任务——化身人类少女,潜伏在人界的樱宁学校,找出并封印从灵界逃到人界的的许愿妖星夜姬。鸡妖姬十四因觊觎蓝翎的第一次涅槃之火,被烧掉了羽毛,所以誓死跟在蓝翎身后,直到她还回自己的羽毛。作为附属“物品”,姬十四被蓝翎带到了人界,一只灵兽和一只小妖开启了他们笑料不断、状况百出的人界卧底之旅。
  • 傻鸟满大街

    傻鸟满大街

    我这本书全是拿开车说事,全是拿我的朋友们说事。借了握笔在手的便利,我举贤不避亲,趁机大曝朋友们的糗事,大占兄弟们的便宜。举凡大江南北的朋友,基本上都着了我的道儿,尽入我的毂中,被我三下五除二地调理成佐餐开胃小菜捧出来,为的是逗得众读者轻松一笑,好让他们慷慨解囊,痛痛快快地掏钱购阅,这就有些卖友求荣或者是卖友求利的嫌疑了。书中列举了我所认识的朋友们开车的种种丑态烂招,实在是有些不敬。但一来事实俱在不容抹杀,二来也好为后来者戒,三来毕竟只是开车也算不得多大的隐私。倘有得罪,在下我这里先告个不是了。其实我这都是千金难求的经验之谈。积我潜心开车十多年的研究心得,以我如椽之笔,坦承相告无私相授。读我此书,初学开车者肯定获益匪浅,江湖老手们也将受用无穷。就是不开车的人,细读之下,也会“笑一笑,十年少”的。当然说开车只是一方面,由开车进而论世事,也是我的一点小小初衷。
  • 重生之至尊女枭医

    重生之至尊女枭医

    (爽文+强文+极宠+一对一,无人敢挖墙)初见面,她是采花大盗,他是绝色妖娆,她冷,他热,她轻薄了他。携手并肩,天下为重,她强,他弱,她将他压下。锋芒毕露,睨视四海,她狂,他雅,他说过来,本王给你压!旧案重翻,阴谋浮现,她是罪臣之后,他龙皇之尊,她逃,他追,他说,换本王来压。古医继承人凤青鸾,一手黑暗医术行走天下,一柄手术刀,刀刀催魂,一颗焚骨散,毁尸灭迹。一朝穿越,家族覆灭,身负血仇,她说,欠她钱债,百分之两百的利息还来,欠她情债,三生三世来还,欠她血债,惕骨割肉来还。人生的每一步路,要稳,面对敌人的刀剑,要狠,她如是说,如是做。
  • 嫡女王妃惹不得

    嫡女王妃惹不得

    【已完结】【新书《重生后我每天都想搞事情》已发,请大家多多支持!】睁眼发现在古代,娘亲没有,爹爹少爱。面对狠毒的姨娘,嚣张的庶姐庶妹,某女双眼微眯:渣渣们,放马过来吧!【搜索书名或者萌不萌,即可查看所有书籍,已有多本完结书,坑品保证,请放心入坑。】
  • 憨妃好有种:王,给本宫跪下

    憨妃好有种:王,给本宫跪下

    老天,她是有多倒霉,竟然被来自古代的前世女鬼缠身,要她穿越回去改命重生?只是,为嘛让她一穿越就惹来了大麻烦,居然压坏了太子的命根子!皇上大发雷霆的要斩了她,皇后好心求情,结果却是要她带着那个病怏怏的太子四处求医问药,直到太子身体复原,能够肩负起传宗接代的责任,否则她就等着上刀山下油锅!好吧好吧,好死不如赖活着,反正她一个弱女子插翅难飞皇后的掌心,只是皇后你也不用背后放冷箭吧…等等,太子,你干嘛呢?就算你要试试看你那方面的能力恢复了没有,也不用半夜三更爬上我的床,拿我开刀吧!停停停,再动手,别怪姐不客气,直接让你当太监!什么,什么,你说你不怕!汗,亲亲大叔,救命!太子要吃人了……