登陆注册
5590000000005

第5章 CONCERNING LITE AND A FEW FOOTPRINTS(1)

"Lucky you was with me all day,up to four o'clock,Lite,"Jim said."That lets you out slick and clean,seeing the doctor claims he'd been dead six hours when he seen him last night.Crofty--why,Crofty was laying in there dead when I was talking about him to you!Kinda gives a man the creeps to think of it.Who do you reckon done it,Lite?""How'n hell do _I_know?"Lite retorted irritably.

"I didn't see it done."

Jim studied awhile,an ear cocked for the signal that the coroner was ready to begin the inquest."Say,"he leaned over and whispered in Lite's ear,"where was Aleck at,all day yesterday?""Riding over in the bend,looking for black-leg signs,"said Lite promptly."Packed a lunch,same as I did."The answer seemed to satisfy Jim and to eliminate from his mind any slight suspicion he may have held,but Lite had a sudden impulse to improve upon his statement.

"I saw Aleck ride into the ranch as I was coming home,"he said.As he spoke,his face lightened as with a weight lifted from his mind.

Later,when the coroner questioned him about his movements and the movements of Aleck,Lite repeated the lie as casually as possible.It might have carried more weight with the jury if Aleck Douglas himself had not testified,just before then,that he had returned about three o'clock to the ranch and pottered around the corral with the mare and colt,and unsaddled his horse before going into the house at all.It was only when he had discovered Johnny Croft's horse at the haystack,he said,that he began to wonder where the rider could be.He had gone to the house--and found him on the kitchen floor.

Lite had not heard this statement,for the simple reason that,being a closely interested person,he had been invited to remain outside while Aleck Douglas testified.He wondered why the jury,--men whom he knew and had known for years,most of them,--looked at one another so queerly when he declared that he had seen Aleck ride home.The coroner also had given him a queer look,but he had not made any comment.

Aleck,too,had turned his head and stared at Lite in a way which Lite preferred to think he had not understood.

Beyond that one statement which had produced such a curious effect,Lite did not have anything to say that shed the faintest light upon the matter.He told where he had been,and that he had discovered the body just before Jean arrived,and that he had immediately started with her to town.The coroner did not cross-question him.Counting from four o'clock,which Jim had already named as the time of their separation,Lite would have had just about time to do the things he testified to doing.The only thing he claimed to have done and could not possibly have done,was to see Aleck Douglas riding into the coulee.Aleck himself had branded that a lie before Lite had ever uttered it.

The result was just what was to be expected.Aleck Douglas was placed under arrest,and as a prisoner he rode back to town alongside the sheriff,--an old friend of his,by the way,--to where Jean waited impatiently for news.

It was Lite who told her."It'll come out all right,"he said,in his calm way that might hide a good deal of emotion beneath it."It's just to have something to work from,--don't mean anything in particular.It's a funny way the law has got,"he explained,"of arresting the last man that saw a fellow alive,or the first one that sees him dead."Jean studied this explanation dolefully."They ought to find out the last one that saw him alive,"she said resentfully,"and arrest him,then,--and leave dad out of it.There's no sense in the law,if that's the way it works.""Well,I didn't make the law,"Lite observed,in a tone that made Jean look up curiously into his face.

"Why don't they find out who saw him last?"she repeated."Somebody did.Somebody must have gone there with him.Lite,do you know that Art Osgood came into town with his horse all in a lather of sweat,and took the afternoon train yesterday?I saw him.I met him square in the middle of the street,and he didn't even look at me.He was in a frightful hurry,and he looked all upset.If I was the law,I'd leave dad alone and get after Art Osgood.He acted to me,"she added viciously,"exactly as if he were running away!""He wasn't,though.Jim told me Art was going to leave yesterday;that was in the forenoon.He's going to Alaska,--been planning it all spring.And Carl said he was with Art till Art left to catch the train.

Somebody else from town here had seen him take the train,and asked about him.No,it wasn't Art.""Well,who was it,then?"

Never before had Lite failed to tell Jean just what she wanted to know.He failed now,and he went away as though he was glad to put distance between them.

He did not know what to think.He did not want to think.Certainly he did not want to talk,to Jean especially.For lies never came easily to the tongue of Lite Avery.It was all very well to tell Jean that he didn't know who it was;he did tell her so,and made his escape before she could read in his face the fear that he did know.It was not so easy to guard his fear from the keen eyes of his fellows,with whom he must mingle and discuss the murder,or else pay the penalty of having them suspect that he knew a great deal more about it than he admitted.

Several men tried to stop him and talk about it,but he put them off.He was due at the ranch,he said,to look after the stock.He didn't know a thing about it,anyway.

Lazy A coulee,when he rode into it,seemed to wear already an air of depression,foretaste of what was to come.The trail was filled with hoofprints,and cut deep with the wagon that had borne the dead man to town and to an unwept burial.At the gate he met Carl Douglas,riding with his head sunk deep on his chest.Lite would have avoided that meeting if he could have done so unobtrusively,but as it was,he pulled up and waited while Carl opened the wire gate and dragged it to one side.From the look of his face,Carl also would have avoided the meeting,if he could have done so.He glanced up as Lite passed through.

同类推荐
  • 临安集

    临安集

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 新菩萨经

    新菩萨经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE

    THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE

    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。
  • 佛说地藏菩萨陀罗尼经

    佛说地藏菩萨陀罗尼经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 早秋送台院杨侍御归

    早秋送台院杨侍御归

    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
  • 贤愚经

    贤愚经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 人鼠之间

    人鼠之间

    莱尼身高两米,力气大得吓人,但心智像个孩子。乔治从小和他一起长大,是他最好的朋友。乔治带着莱尼到处打零工糊口。莱尼单纯善良,可常常闯下大祸。莱尼每次闯祸,乔治就必须带着他逃亡,永无休止地流浪。乔治和莱尼有一个卑微的梦,希望有一天可以存够钱买一小块地。他们可以在属于自己的小天地里种种菜,养鸡养猪,养莱尼最心爱的兔子。他们可以不必再流浪。他们又流浪到一座农场。这一次,永无休止的流浪终于到了尽头,梦想也到了尽头。乔治终于帮莱尼找到一个地方。在那里,莱尼永远不会再闯祸,永远不会再受伤害,永远不需要再逃亡……
  • 霸少的午夜新娘:38°C妻

    霸少的午夜新娘:38°C妻

    为着白马王子只有三个月的生命,她甘愿做他的午夜新娘,忍受他的肆虐,安慰他的痛苦,三个月后,她才知道,生病是假的,爱她是假的,邪少和她都只是一场报复游戏中的棋子。
  • 悲伤逆流何人伤

    悲伤逆流何人伤

    一些故事,一些文字。愿能给予一些感觉。也许是摘抄,也许是实情,只为那一丝丝心动。
  • 在网游世界入戏了

    在网游世界入戏了

    古世奇总是遇到不正常的事,以致整个人一直都很不正常……本来还默默无闻着,直到进入那个荒诞的幻想世界……
  • 名门眷宠:娇妻养成

    名门眷宠:娇妻养成

    他是墨城翻手为云覆手为雨的商业帝国沈氏董事长。看似优雅,实则无情。初遇时,他将奄奄一息的她抱在怀里,用身体给她取暖。朝夕相处里,他把她捧在手心,给了她无限宠溺。直到有一天,她鼓起勇气把他压在身下。“沈铭溪,我喜欢你,我想睡你!”“你还小,不懂得什么叫真正的喜欢。”然而,不久后的一天,她再次将他压在身下。“沈铭溪,是不是我长大了,你就会喜欢?”未等他回答,她便扯掉纤细的肩带儿,挺着胸脯儿向他证明自己真得已经长大。从谨小慎微,到胆大妄为,从无知卑微,到独立傲娇。沈铭溪用无限宠溺养成娇妻。
  • 首席情话师付少的心尖宠

    首席情话师付少的心尖宠

    那一次的意外悄然埋下了一颗种子,她不顾家人反对,毅然离开了R国。四年后,她带着萌娃闪耀归来,而他却一反平时的高冷形象,疯狂对她示爱,宠她入骨。“爹地,妈咪不要你了”,“没关系,我要她就行了”。(全文一对一超甜)
  • “一带一路”:全球发展的中国逻辑

    “一带一路”:全球发展的中国逻辑

    “一带一路”战略是习近平主席提出的中央重大举措,建设“丝绸之路经济带”和“21世纪海上丝绸之路”,能够为中国营造良好的周边政治、国防、民族环境,能够推进区域之间的互联互通,并有利于推进“以开放促中国西部大开发”战略。本书利用大量的历史资料,从国内和国际的角度全面阐述了历史上的丝路和当今的丝路对中国的意义,揭示了实施丝路战略所面临的问题和阻碍,分析了目前丝路战略实施的现状,并提出中国追求和平发展的理念和决心。
  • 带子五年

    带子五年

    怀孕五年,五年前,她不过是来走亲戚,看望自己的姑姑。何奈碰上这个成年后举行初拥之礼的蝙蝠,被抢占了身。事后,他却走得干净。那年她十五岁…五年后,奉家族之命,她这个本代最优秀的魔灵师必须嫁给他这只臭蝙蝠!相亲第一日她便认出了他,谁知他却把自己忘得干净。大婚之日竟然也是离婚之时,她因为肚子里莫名冒出的胎儿成为不守妇道的贱人。前脚刚成婚后脚却成为弃妇,她沦为两个家族最大的笑柄。拿着一纸协议,她从头到尾并未说一句话,只是在离开城堡之时才转身让他看见自己眼中无尽愤恨的绝情。他不以为然,已然埋好陷阱等待她,她独自离开两个家族的地盘销声匿迹。那年她二十岁…再次相遇又是五年后,她如女王般华丽归来,闪烁着耀眼的万丈光芒。男人心虚的看向她身边那精致小娃,内心大为震惊,竟然还有些窃喜?当他知道自己的心意时,竟发现她是如此炙手可热,不禁下定决心与自己儿子并肩作战,和他们斗智斗勇!什么?该死的!这臭小鬼竟敢不认我?那可不行!不给你点厉害看看,你不知道给你精子的人是谁!◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇宝宝版简介。某宝日记。——————X年X月X日今天不知道从哪里冒出一坨(据说是这样)自称是我老爸的男人,他很song(原谅宝宝太小,字认的不多。),这样难看的男人,连同样身为男人的我都为他的song样感到羞愧。并且我不知道他到底看着小爷哪里长得像他。老子玉树临风、可爱无敌(以下省略三千字),怎么会有这么挫的老爸。于是,我送了他两根中指。莫牙叔叔说,看谁不顺眼便可以送这个给他。于是老子看他不顺眼了。——————X年X月X日那小子又来了,让我帮他追我老妈。我靠!我老妈我都拿不下,更何况是他?鄙视之,所以老子假意答应他,骗了他一顿大餐,然而拍屁股走人了。恩…今天的生鱼片很好吃,下次再继续骗。——————X年X月X日我和那小子被困在地牢里,等老妈来救。那小子真笨,不知道在身上藏点食物。小爷我看他可怜,便把我那猩红猩红,香喷喷的西瓜汁分了他一口。这臭小子不知好歹将老子的西瓜汁给喷掉了,擦!不喜欢吃西瓜汁,干嘛还对我的西瓜汁咽口水?擦!——————X年X月X日这小子依然对我老妈想入非非,于是小爷我今天让这小子默写四草原则,擦!这小子竟然不知道‘兔子不吃窝边草、老牛禁止吃嫩草、好马不吃回头草、天涯何处无芳草。’。
  • 破碎的星球三部曲

    破碎的星球三部曲

    在静寂的安宁洲中,一条巨大的红色裂隙将大陆从中心撕裂,残酷可怕的“第五季”到来。桑泽帝国的心脏尤迈尼斯城面临崩溃。伊松隐姓埋名在雷诺镇上,她的平静生活一夕之间不复存在,命运走向不可逆转的另一个极端。一座城市变成废墟,一个帝国陷入恐惧。人类文明进入冰冷永夜,毁灭季越来越黑暗。