Shoe-Bar Stratton - Chapter 25
时间：2021-02-24 02:48:44
（单词翻译:单击）
A direct question from the eccentric individual was so novel that Buck2 paused in buckling3 on his cartridge-belt, and stared at him in frank surprise.
"I sure wasn't. I didn't budge5 after my head hit the mattress6. What gave yuh the notion, old-timer?"
Gabby made no answer, but his expression, as he went silently about his work, failed to show conviction.
"Ain't he a scream?" inquired Bud an hour later, when they had saddled up and were on their way. "I don't wonder Tenny can't get nobody to stay in camp with him. It would be about as cheerful as a morgue."
"Must have got soured in his youth," remarked Stratton. "I had to put up a regular fight to get him to look after the pack-horse till somebody can take it back to the ranch-house. Where do we hit this trail you were telling me about?"
"About a mile and a half further on. It ain't much to boast of, but chances are we won't meet up with a soul till we run into the main road a mile or so this side of Perilla."
Bud's prediction proved accurate. They encountered no one throughout the entire length of the twisting, narrow, little-used trail, and even when they reached the main road early in the afternoon there was very little passing.
"Reckon they're all taking their siesta," commented. Bud. "Perilla's a great place for greasers, yuh know, bein' so near the border. There's a heap sight more of 'em than whites."
Presently they began to pass small, detached adobe10 huts, some of them the merest hovels. A few dark-faced children were in sight here and there, but the older persons were all evidently comfortably indoors, slumbering11 through the noonday heat.
Further on the houses were closer together, and at length Bud announced that they were nearing the main street, one end of which crossed the road they were on at right angles.
"That rickety old shack12 there is just on the corner," he explained. "It's a Mexican eating-house, as I remember. Most of the stores an' decent places are up further."
"Wonder where Hardenberg hangs out?" remarked Stratton.
"Yuh got me. I never had no professional use for him before. Reckon most anybody can tell us, though. That looks like a cow-man over there. Let's ask him."
A moment or two later they stopped before the dingy13, weather-beaten building on the corner. Two horses fretted14 at the hitching-rack, and on the steps lounged a man in regulation cow-boy garb15. A cigarette dangled16 from one corner of his mouth, and as the two halted he glanced up from the newspaper he was reading.
"Hardenberg?" he repeated in answer to the question. "Yuh mean the sheriff? Why, he's inside there."
Bud looked surprised and somewhat incredulous. "What the devil's he doin' in that greaser eatin'-house?"
The stranger squinted17 one eye as the cigarette smoke curled up into his face. "Oh, he ain't patronizin' the joint," he explained with a touch of dry amusement. "He's after old José Maria for sellin' licker, I reckon. Him an' one of his deputies rode up about five minutes ago."
After a momentary18 hesitation19 Stratton and Jessup dismounted and tied their horses to the rack. Buck realized that the sheriff might not care to be interrupted while on business of this sort, but their own case was so urgent that he decided20 to take a chance. At least he could find out when Hardenberg would be at leisure.
Pushing through the swinging door, they found themselves in a single, long room, excessively dingy and rather dark, the only light coming from two unshuttered windows on the north side. To Buck's surprise at least a score of Mexicans were seated around five or six bare wooden tables eating and drinking. Certainly if a raid was on they were taking it very calmly. The next moment he was struck by two things; the sudden hush21 which greeted their appearance, and the absence of any one who could possibly be the man they sought.
"Looks like that fellow must have given us the wrong tip," he said, glancing at Jessup. "I don't see any one here who--"
He paused as a wizened22, middle-aged23 Mexican got up from the other end of the room and came toward them.
"We don't want anything to eat," interrupted Stratton. "I understand Sheriff Hardenberg is here. Could I see him a minute?"
"Oh, zee shereef!" shrugged the Mexican, with a characteristic gesture of his hands. "He in zee back room with José Maria. Yo' please come zis way."
He turned and walked toward a door at the further end of the long room, the two men following him between the tables. But Buck had not taken more than half a dozen steps before he stopped abruptly24. That curious silence seemed to him too long continued to be natural; there was a hint of tension, of suspense25 in it. And something about the attitude of the seated Mexicans--a vague sense of watchful26, stealthy scrutiny27, of tense, quivering muscles--confirmed his sudden suspicion.
"Hold up, Bud!" he warned impulsively28. "There's something wrong here."
As if the words were a signal, the crowd about them surged up suddenly, with the harsh scrape of many chair-legs and an odd, sibilant sound, caused by a multitude of quick-drawn breaths. Like a flash Buck pulled his gun and leveled it on the nearest greaser.
"Get out of the way," he ordered, taking a step toward the outer door.
The fellow shrank back instinctively29, but to Buck's surprise--the average Mexican is not noted30 for daredevil bravery--several others behind pushed themselves forward. Suddenly Jessup's voice rose in shrill31 warning.
"Look out, Buck! Behind yuh--quick! That guy's got a knife."
Stratton whirled swiftly to catch a flashing vision of a tall Mexican creeping toward him, a long, slim knife glittering in his upraised hand. The fellow was so close that another step would bring him within striking distance, and without hesitation Buck's finger pressed the trigger.
The hammer fell with an ominous32, metallic33 click. Amazed, Buck hastily pulled the trigger twice again without results. As he realized that in some mysterious manner the weapon had been tampered34 with, his teeth grated, but with no perceptible pause in the swiftness of his action he drew back his arm and hurled36 the pistol straight into the greaser's face.
His aim was deadly. The heavy Colt struck the fellow square on the mouth, and with a smothered37 cry he dropped the knife and staggered back, flinging up both hands to his face. But others leaped forward to take his place, a dozen knives flashing in as many hands. The ring closed swiftly, and from behind him Stratton heard Bud cry out with an oath that his gun was useless.
There was no time for conscious planning. It was instinct alone--that primitive38 instinct of every man sore pressed to get his back against something solid--that made Buck lunge forward suddenly, seize a Mexican around the waist, and hurl35 him bodily at one side of the closing circle.
This parted abruptly and two men went sprawling39. One of them Buck kicked out of the way, feeling a savage40 satisfaction at the impact of his boot against soft flesh and at the yell of pain that followed. Catching41 Jessup by an arm he swept him toward one of the tables, snatched up a chair, and with his back against the heavy piece of furniture he faced the mob. His hat was gone, and as he stood there, big body braced42, mouth set, and hair crested43 above his smoldering44 eyes, he made a splendid picture of force and strength which seemed for an instant to awe45 the Mexicans into inactivity.
But the pause was momentary. Urged on by a voice in the rear, they surged forward again, two of the foremost hurling46 their knives with deadly aim. One Stratton avoided by a swift duck of his head; the other he caught dexterously47 on the chair-bottom. Then, over the heads of the crowd, another chair came hurtling with unexpected force and precision. It struck Buck's crude weapon squarely, splintering the legs and leaving him only the back and precariously48 wobbling seat.
He flung this at one of the advancing men and floored him. But another, slipping agilely49 in from the side, rushed at him with upraised knife. He was the same greaser who, weeks before, had played that trick about the letter; and Buck's lips twitched50 grimly as he recognized him.
As the knife flashed downward, Stratton squirmed his body sidewise so that the blade merely grazed one shoulder. Grasping the slim wrist, he twisted it with brutal51 force, and the weapon clattered52 to the floor. An instant later he had gripped the fellow about the body and, exerting all his strength, hurled him across the table and straight through the near-by window.
The sound of a shrill scream and the crash of shattered glass came simultaneously53. In the momentary, dead silence that followed, one could have almost heard a pin drop.
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1
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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buckling
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| 扣住 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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budge
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| v.移动一点儿；改变立场 | |
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mattress
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| n.床垫，床褥 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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con
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| n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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adobe
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| n.泥砖，土坯，美国Adobe公司 | |
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slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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17
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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wizened
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| adj.凋谢的；枯槁的 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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34
tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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35
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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37
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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40
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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41
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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42
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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43
crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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44
smoldering
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| v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 ) | |
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45
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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46
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
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precariously
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| adv.不安全地；危险地；碰机会地；不稳定地 | |
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49
agilely
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| adv.敏捷地 | |
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50
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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51
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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52
clattered
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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53
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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