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to make the trip," he said, "and we can pay." Barker glanced at the sign on
the vans and his voice changed subtly. "Oh? You're Tom Healy? Of the Healy
Shows?" Healy had paid for the drinks with a gold piece. "If you're serious,"
Barker told him, "I can furnish the drivers." Nobody else offered any comment.
One rough-hewn old man got abruptly to his feet and, after a quick, hard stare
at Barker, walked out. Barker knew the country and Barker could get the men.
Out of insecurity and doubt came resolution, and the plans went forward.
Barker would handle everything. "Just leave it to me," he told them. Two
drivers appeared. "Reliable," Barker said. "They worked for me before."
Wycoff was a stolid Pole with a heavy-featured, stupidlooking face. He had
big, coarse hands and a hard jaw. He was heavy-shouldered and powerful. Art
Boyle was a slender man with quick, prying eyes that seemed always to hold
some secret, cynical amusement of their own. Neither man impressed Healy, but
Barker assured him he need not worry. Getting teamsters for a northern trip in
winter was difficult, and these were good men. Healy hesitated to ask
questions, fearing to show his own ignorance, and equally afraid he would hear
something that would make it impossible for him to delude himself any longer.
Alder Gulch was the only way out. And why should Barker say it could be done
if it was impossible? He knew the country and was willing to go. Nonetheless,
a rankling doubt remained. He stared gloomily at the snow-covered window and
listened to the rising wind. In the outer room there was boisterous laughter.
He listened, feeling doubt uneasy within him. Only the quiet courage of the
girl at his side gave him strength. For the first time he began to appreciate
his helplessness here, so far from the familiar lights and sounds of cities.
He had never seen a map of Wyoming. He had only the vaguest idea of the
location of Alder Gulch. He was a fool-a simple-minded, utterly
ridiculous... "I wish he was going with us." He knew to whom she referred,
and the same thought had occurred to him. "Barker doesn't like him." "I know.
He's a killer. Maybe an outlaw." Wind whined under the eaves. Healy got to his
feet and walked to the window. "He wouldn't come, anyway." "No, I guess not.
And trouble follows men like that." Janice came to him. "Don't worry, Tom.
We'll make it." Williams appeared in the door, drying his hands on a bar
towel. "Some of the boys.. was he began. Then he stopped. "Well, we were
wondering if you folks would put on a show. We're all snowed in, like. The
boys would pay. Take up a collection." Healy hesitated Why not? They could not
leave before morning, anyway. "We'd pay," Williams insisted. "They suggested
it." "You'll have to clear one end of the room," Healy said. He started for
the door, glancing back at Janice. She was looking out the window, and looking
past her, he could see a man crunching over the snow toward the barn. It was
King Mabry. Tom Healy looked at Janice's expression and then at Mabry. He had
reached the barn and was opening the door, a big, powerful man who knew this
discountry and who walked strongly down a way he chose. Healy felt a pang of
jealousy. He pulled up short, considering that. Him? Jealous? With a
curiously empty feeling in his stomach he stared at the glowing'stove in the
next room. He was in love. He was in love with Janice Ryan. HE STOOD ALONE
on the outer edge of the crowd that watched the show, a tall, straight man
with just a little slope to his shoulders from riding the long trails. He
wore no gun in sight, but his thumbs were hooked in his belt and Janice had
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the feeling that the butt of a gun was just behind his hand. It would always
be there. The light from the coal-oil lamp on the wall touched his face,
turning his cheeks into hollows of darkness and his eyes into shadows. He
still wore his hat, shoved back from his face. He looked what he was, hard,
tough... and lonely. The thought came unbidden. He would always know
loneliness. The mark of it was on him. He was a man of violence. No sort of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]