下载辰思小说免费APP
“Smokingissnug，too，“saidI。Andwemarkedourpointsforanhour，withnowordssaveaboutthecards。
“I’llbeprettyneargladwhenwegetoutofthesemountains，“
saidtheVirginian。“They’remosttoobig。“
Thepineshadaltogetherceased；buttheirsilencewasastremendousastheirroarhadbeen。
“Idon’tknow，though，“heresumed。“There’stimeswhentheplainscanbeawfulbig，too。“
Presentlywefinishedahand，andhesaid，“Letmeseethatpaper。“
Hesatreadin，itapparentlythrough，whileIarrangedmyblanketstomakeawarmbed。Then，sincethepapercontinuedtoabsorbhim，Igotmyselfready，andslidbetweenmyblanketsforthenight。“You’llneedanothercandlesooninthatlantern，“
saidI。
Heputthepaperdown。“Iwoulddoitalloveragain，“hebegan。
“Thewholethingjustthesame。Heknowedthecustomsofthecountry，andheplayedthegame。Nocalltoblamemeforthecustomsofthecountry。Youleaveotherfolks’cattlealone，oryoutaketheconsequences，anditwasallknowntoStevefromthestart。WouldhehavemetaketheJudge’swagesandgivehimthewink？HemusthavechangedaheapfromtheSteveIknewifheexpectedthat。Idon’tbelieveheexpectedthat。Heknewwellenoughtheonlythingthatwouldhavelethimoffwouldhavebeenaregularjury。ForthethieveshavegotholdofthejuriesinJohnsonCounty。Iwoulddoitallover，justthesame。“
Theexpiringflameleapedinthelantern，andfellblue。Hebrokeoffinhiswordsasiftoarrangethelight，butdidnot，sittingsilentinstead，justvisible，andseemingtowatchthedeathstruggleoftheflame。Icouldfindnothingtosaytohim，andI
believedhewasnowwinninghiswaybacktoserenitybyhimself。
HekepthisoutwardmansonearlynaturalthatIforgotaboutthatcoldtouchofhishand，andneverguessedhowfaroutfromreasonthetideofemotionwasevennowwhirlinghim。“IrememberatCheyenneonced，“heresumed。AndhetoldmeofaThanksgivingvisittotownthathehadmadewithSteve。“Wewasjustcoltsthen，“hesaid。Hedweltontheircoltishdoings，theiradventuressoughtandwroughtintheperfectfellowshipofyouth。
“ForSteveandmemostalwayshuntedincouplesbackinthemgamesomeyears，“heexplained。Andhefellintotheelementaltalkofsex，suchtalkaswouldbeanelk’sortiger’s；andspokensobyhim，simplyandnaturally，aswespeakoftheseasons，orofdeath，orofanyactuality，itwaswithoutoffense。ItwouldbeoffenseshouldIrepeatit。Then，abruptlyendingthesememoriesofhimselfandSteve，hewentoutofthetent，andIheardhimdraggingalogtothefire。Whenithadblazedup，thereonthetentwallwashisshadowandthatofthelogwherehesatwithhishalf-brokenheart。AndallthewhileI
supposedhewasmasterofhimself，andself-justifiedagainstSteve’somissiontobidhimgood-by。
Imusthavefallenasleepbeforehereturned，forIremembernothingexceptwakingandfindinghiminhisblanketsbesideme。
Thefireshadowwasgone，andgray，coldlightwasdimlyonthetent。Hesleptrestlessly，andhisforeheadwasploughedbylinesofpain。WhileIlookedathimhebegantomutter，andsuddenlystartedupwithviolence。“No！“hecriedout；“no！Justthesame！“andthuswakenedhimself，staring。“What’sthematter？“hedemanded。Hewasslowingettingbacktowherewewere；andfullconsciousnessfoundhimsittingupwithhiseyesfixedonmine。
Theyweremorehauntedthantheyhadbeenatall，andhisnextspeechcamestraightfromhisdream。“Maybeyou’dbetterquitme。
Thisain’tyourtrouble。“
Ilaughed。“Why，whatisthetrouble？“
Hiseyesstillintentlyfixedonmine。“Doyouthinkifwechangedourtrailwecouldlosethemfromus？“
IwasframingajocosereplyaboutOuncesbeingagoodwalker，whenthesoundofhoofsrushinginthedistancestoppedme，andheranoutofthetentwithhisrifle。WhenIfollowedwithminehewasupthebank，andallhispowersalert。Butnothingcameoutofthedimnesssaveourthreestampededhorses
