the red acorn-第42部分

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icular　for　a　hundred　feet　or　more　to　where　a　creek　ran　at　the　bottom　of　a　cliff。　　To　her　left　the　hill　rose　up　steeply　to　a　great　height。　　Fortner　and　the　others　saw　Aunt　Debby　galloping　back；　waving　the　red　handkerchief　which　was　her　signal　of　the　approach　of　a　wagon。　　After　her　galloped　a　Rebel　Sergeant；　with　revolver　drawn　shouting　to　her　to　stop　or　he　would　fire。　　Abe　Bolton　stepped　forward　impulsively　to　shoot　the　Rebel；　missed　his　footing；　and　slid　down　the　hill；　landing　in　the　orad　with　such　force　as　to　jar　into　unintelligibiliy　a　bitter　imprecation　he　had　constructed　for　the　emergency。　　He　struck　in　front　of　the　Sergeant；　who　instantly　fired　at　Aunt　Debby's　mare；　sending　a　bullet　through　the　faithful　animal；　which　sank　to　her　knees；　and　threw　her　rider　to　the　ground。　　Without　waiting　to　rise；　and　he　was　not　certain　that　he　could；　Abe　fired　his　musket；　but　missed　both　man　and　horse。　　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；　and　ran　furiously　at　the　Rebel　with　raised　gun。　　The　Sergeant　fired　wildly　at　him；　when　Bolton　struck　the　animal　a　violent　blow　across　the　head。　　It　recoiled；　slipped；　and　in　another　instant　had　fallen　over　the　side　of　the　road；　and　crushed　his　rider　on　the　rocks　below。　　Five　of　the　wagon…guard　who　were　riding　ahead　of　the　wagon　galloped　forward　at　the　sound　of　the　shots。　　Fortner；　Edwards　and　Harry　Glen　fired　into　these；　and　three　saddles　were　emptied。　　The　remaining　two　men　whirled　their　horses　around；　fired　wildly　into　the　air；　and　dashed　back　upon　the　plunging　team；　with　which　the　driver　was　vainly　struggling。　　The　ground　quivered　as　the　frightened　animals　struck　together；　they　were　crushed　back　upon　their　haunches；　and　beat　one　another　cruelly　with　their　mighty　hoofs。　　Wagon；　horses　and　men　reeled　on　the　brink　an　agonizing　instant；　the　white…faced　driver　dropped　the　lines　and　sprang　to　the　secure　ground；　the　riders　strained　with　the　energy　of　deadly　fear　to　tear　themselves　loose　from　their　steeds；　but　in　vain。　　Then　the　frantic　mess　crashed　down　the　jagged　rocks；　tearing　up　the　stunted　cedars　as　if　they　were　weeds；　and　fell　with　a　sounding　splash　on　the　limestone　bed　of　the　shallow　creek。

Fortner；　Glen　and　Edwards　came　down　as　quickly　as　possible；　the　latter　spraining　his　ankle　badly　by　making　a　venturesome　leap　to　reach　the　road　first。　　They　found　a　man　that　Fortner　had　shot　at　stone　dead；　with　a　bullet　through　his　temple。　　The　other　two　had　been　struck　in　the　body。　　Their　horses　stood　near；　looking　wonderingly　at　their　prostrate　masters。

Bolton　was　rubbing　his　bruises　and　abrasions；　and　vituperating　everything；　from　the　conduct　of　the　war　to　the　steepness　of　Kentucky　mountains。　　Aunt　Debby　had　partially　recovered　from　the　stunning　of　her　fall；　and　limped　slowly　up；　with　her　long　riding…skirt　raised　by　one　hand。　　Her　lips　were　compressed；　an　her　great　gray　eyes　blazed　with　excitement。

They　all　went　to　the　side　of　the　road；　and　looked　down　at　the　crushed　and　bleeding　mass　in　the　creek。

〃My　God！　that's　awful；〃　said　Henry；　with　a　rising　sickness　about　his　heart；　as　the　excitement　began　subsiding。

〃Plenty　good　enuf　fur　scoundrels　who　rob　poor　men　of　all　they　hev；〃　said　Fortner　fiercely；　as　he　re…loaded　his　rifle。　　〃Hit's　not　bad　enuf　fur　thieves　an'　robbers。〃

〃Hit's　God's　judgement　on　the　wicked　an'　the　opporessor；〃　said　Aunt　Debby；　with　solemn　pitilessness。

〃Hadn't　we　better　try　to　get　down　there；　and　help　those　men　out？〃　suggested　Harry。　　〃Perhaps　they　are　not　dead　yet。〃

〃Aunt　Debby；　thet　thar　hoss　thet's　rain'　his　head　an'　whinnyin'；〃　said　Fortner；　with　sudden　interest；　〃is　Joel　Sprigg's　roan　geldin'；　sho's　yore　bo'n；　honey。〃　　He　pointed　to　where　a　shapely　head　was　raised；　and　almost　human　agony　looked　out　of　great　liquid　eyes。　〃Thet　wuz　the　finest　hoss　in　Laurel　County；　an'　they've　stole　'im　from　Joel。　　Hit'll　'bout　break　his　heart；　fur　he　set　a　powerful　sight　o'store　on　thet　there　beast。　　Pore　critter！　hit　makes　me　sick　ter　see　'im　suffer　thet…a…way！　　I've　a　mind　ter　put　'im　outen　his　misery；　but　I'm　afeered　I　can't　shoot　'im；　so　long　ez　he　looks　at　me　with　them　big　pitiful　eyes　o'　his'n。　　They　go　right　ter　my　heart。〃

〃You'd　better　shoot　him；〃　urged　Aunt　Debby。　　〃Hit's　a　si　ter　let　an　innocent　critter　suffer　thet…a…way。〃

Fortner　raised　his　rifle；　and　sent　a　bullet　through　the　mangled　brute's　brain。

Aunt　Debby's　eyes　became　fixed　on　a　point　where；　a　mile　away　down　the　mountain；　a　bend　in　the　road　was　visible　through　an　opening　in　the　trees。

〃Look　out；〃　she　said；　as　the　echoes　of　the　shot　died　away；　〃thar　comes　a　hull　lot　on　'em。〃

They　looked　and　saw　plainly　a　large　squad　of　cavalry；　with　a　wagon　behind。

〃We　must　get　outen　heah；　an'　thet　quick；〃　said　Fortner　decisively。　He　caught　one　of　the　horses　and　shortened　a　stirrup　to　make　the　sadle　answer　for　a　side…saddle。　　〃Heah；　Aunt　Debby；　let　me　help　ye　up；　honey。　　Now　Bolton　and　Edwards；　I'll　help　ye　on　these　ere　other　critters。　　Now　skeet　out　ez　fast　ez　the　hosse's　legs　will　tote　ye。　　Don't　spar　'em　a　mite。　　Them　fellers'll　gin　ye　to　the　devil's　own　chase　ez　soon　ez　they　get　heah；　an'　see　what's　bin　done。　　Glen　and　me'll　go　acrost　the　mounting；　an'　head　'em　off　on　t'other　side。　　Don't　come　back　ef　ye　heah　shootin'；　but　keep　straight　on；　fur　we　kin　take　keer　o'　this　crowd　without　enny　help。　　glen；　you　sasshay　up　the　mounting　thar　ez　fast　ez　the　Lord'll　let　ye。　I'll　be　arter　ye　right　spry。〃

All　sped　away　as　directed。　　Fortner　had　been　loading　his　gun　while　speaking。　　He　now　rammed　the　bullet　home；　and　withdrawing　his　rammer　walked　over　to　the　cliff　beside　which　the　teamster　was　cowering。

〃O；　Mister　Fortner；　don't　kill　meplease　don't！〃　whined　the　luckless　man；　getting　awkwardly　upon　his　knees　and　raising　his　hands　imploringly。　　〃I　swar　ter　God　I'll　never　raise　a　hand　agin　a　Union　man　agin　ef　ye'll　only　spar　my　life。〃

〃Kill　ye；　Pete　Hoskins！〃　said　Fortner　with　unfathomable　contempt。　〃What　consete　ye　hev　ter　think　yer　wuth　the　powder　an'　lead。　　I　hain't　no　bullets　ter　waste　on　carr'on。〃

He　struck　the　abject　fellow　a　couple　of　stinging　blows　on　the　face　with　the　ramrod；　replaced　it　in　the　thimbles；　and　sprang　up　the　rocks　just　as　the　head　of　the　cavalry　appeared　around　the　bend　of　the　road　a　few　rods　away。

Overtaking　Harry　shortly；　he　heard　about　the　same　time　the　Rebels　on　the　road　below　strike　into　a　trot。

〃They　know　hit　all　now；〃　he　said；　〃an'　hev　started　in　chase。　　Let's　jog　on　lively；　an'　get　ter　whar　we　kin　head　'em　off。〃

Night　had　fallen　in　the　meantime；　but　the　full　moon　had　risen　immediately；　making　it　almost　as　light　as　day。

After　half　an　hour's　fast　walking；　the　two　Unionists　had　cut　across　the　long　horseshoe　around　which　the　Rebels　were　traveling；　and　had　come　down　much　ahead　of　them　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountain；　and　just　where　the　road　led　up　the　steep　ascent　of　another　mountain。

There　was　a　loneliness　about　the　spot　that　was　terrible。　　Over　it　hung　the　〃thought　and　deadly　feel　of　solitude。〃　　The　only　break　for　miles　in　the　primeval　forest　was　that　made　for　the　narrow　road。　House　or　cabin　there　was　none　in　all　the　gloomy　reaches　of　rocks　and　gnarled　trees。　　It　was　too　inhospitable　a　region　to　tempt　even　the　wildest　squatter。

The　flood　of　moonlight　made　the　desolation　more　oppresive　th