登陆注册
15327500000042

第42章

Mrs.Brady and myself will be most happy to have you visit us for a few weeks, till you find quarters.I have, unfortunately, an engagement that will keep me late in town to-night, else I should insist on your accompanying me at once--an engagement which I cannot well break.In short, this is our annual spring meeting of the Turf Association, and there is in connection with it some sort of social function to wind the thing up to-night, and Mrs.Brady, being one of the patronesses, and I myself being more or less interested--the president of the Association, indeed--we cannot avoid putting in an appearance.And indeed, we enjoy it, sir.We thoroughly enjoy it.It brings to our present crude and somewhat limited life a little bit of the past.But to-morrow I shall be glad to ride down for you, sir, and bring you up to my little place."The cordial kindness of this stranger, upon whom he had no claim, touched Shock greatly.

"Thank you again," he said."I cannot tell you how much I feel your kindness.But if you will allow me, I would rather accept your invitation later.I feel I must get settled to my work at once.Ihave been long on the way, and my work is waiting me." Then, after a pause, he added simply, "But your kindness makes me think of a word I have read, 'I was a stranger, and ye took me in.'"The General bowed in silence, and seeing that Shock was not to be persuaded, shook hands with him once more."Come when you will, sir, and stay as long as you can.The sooner you come and the longer you stay, the better we shall be pleased." And with another courteous bow the General rode off to attend to his duties as President of the Turf Association.

As Shock turned back to his buckboard he found Ike waiting him.Ike had been an interested witness of all that had taken place, and while his sympathy had gone completely with Shock and against Macfarren, he had not been quite able to shake off the feeling of humiliation under which he suffered.

"Say, stranger," he said, touching Shock on the shoulder, and speaking in a low and almost respectful tone, "there aint a man in the Territories has ever put the dust onto Ike Iveson's pants.

Here's twenty-five dollars," diving deep into his hip pocket and pulling out a plug of tobacco, a knife, and a roll of bills, "which is a standin' offer to any man who can circumvent that there trick.

And I want to say," he continued, with a subdued eagerness in his tone, "I'll make it fifty if you do it agin."Ike's tone was persuasive.There was nothing of resentment in it.It was the tone of a man who had come upon an interesting and puzzling experience, and was anxious to investigate.

"No," said Shock, backing away from Ike, "I cannot take that.

Besides, it was not a fair throw."

"Well," said Ike, much mollified, "that's so, that's so.And Iconsider it something handsome in you sayin' so.But that offer stands.""All right," said Shock, smiling a little more broadly."I'll remember.And when I want fifty dollars very badly I may come to you.But," he added, looking Ike up and down, "I'll have to be pretty hard pushed before I try.""It's a bargain, stranger," said Ikey, offering a languid hand.

Shock grasped it warmly.A slight tremour ran over Ike's lanky frame as Shock's hand closed on his.

"Je--roo--sa--lem!" he ejaculated, drawing in his breath, as Shock turned away."I'll be ready fer you next time.I prefer a grizzly myself." He looked down at his finger nails."Didn't expect to see 'em on," he observed."And say, boys," turning to the crowd, "Isurmise he's a preacher, a blank fire-escape."At once Ike became the object of various comments."--A preacher, Ike? Say, you'll have to change your ways and go to meetin'.""What's Ikey's church, anyway?"

"Don't know as I ever heard."

"Oh, Ikey aint mean, he treats 'em all the same.""Well, I guess Ikey'll have to dust toward the skyline."Ike listened for a time unmoved, and then drawled out quietly, "What I want to remark to you jay birds is, that if ever you have any misunderstandin' with that there ascension ladder, he'll make you say more prayers in a minute than you've said for the last ten years of your mortal life.And if ever he gits after you the only thing that'll save you will be your dust."So saying Ike slouched off down the street, keeping his eye on Shock's buckboard.He watched him go into the Royal and in a few minutes come out again, followed him to the International, and soon after to the Ranchers' Roost.

"Guess he's purty nigh tangled up now," said Ikey, with considerable satisfaction.He had a scheme of his own in mind."There aint a six-foot hole in this hull town, and he'd take purty nigh seven.Now, what's his next move?"Shock appeared undecided.There was evidently no place for him in the town.He had a deepening sense of being not wanted.The town was humming with life, but in that life there was no place for him.

Awakening a strange sense of fellowship the word came to him, "He was rejected of men."

同类推荐
  • The Game

    The Game

    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。
  • 霍渭厓家训

    霍渭厓家训

    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。
  • Essays on Paul Bourget

    Essays on Paul Bourget

    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。
  • The Grand Canyon of Arizona

    The Grand Canyon of Arizona

    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。
  • 所闻录

    所闻录

    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。
热门推荐
  • 术家

    术家

    莫问因为被老板辞退后在一个偶然的情况下捡到一本书从此开启了他不一样的人生
  • 创世之天河卷

    创世之天河卷

    一场翠雨之战,掀开了主人公传奇的一生,从血河平原到极地峡谷,从沉沦之海到翠雨森林,他闯绝地,修大道,为寻找真相,九死一生,为世间法则,诛天灭地。万世精彩,尽待展开
  • 狼骑传说

    狼骑传说

    雷克斯是天际最大的刺客组织暗黑兄弟会新晋的精英。一次他在荆棘之城执行营救白马城皇子的任务时不幸被捕,关进了黑牢,当雷克斯要被执行砍头时,远古魔龙死亡之翼奥杜因的闯入,打断了行刑。雷克斯到底命运如何,且看小说分解。
  • 把人生折叠51次

    把人生折叠51次

    人生需要折叠,不仅只是需要折叠而已,还需要踏踏实实地把它折叠51次,成功的人生来自每一天的踏实工作。本书讲述了获得成功的人生哲学。
  • 剑历凡尘

    剑历凡尘

    剑神大陆,武者专修剑术,千年以来,在也没有剑神出世,破空飞升,几经都成了传说。修真界剑修秦炎,抱着趁火打劫的心思,观望两位渡劫大能决斗,最后两位渡劫大能一起自爆,将他送到了剑神大陆。且看,秦炎如何,打破剑神的传说,如何冲破这个牢笼,破空飞升而去!
  • 倾世挚爱

    倾世挚爱

    她曾是一名火遍四海的演员一枚,却被自己的妹妹毒害,一朝穿越,她成为高高在上的相府千金;她短短一句话便可让两国烽烟四起,小小一支舞却又让烽火平息?她还有什么是不敢做的!他一国皇子,一张比女人还要美上三分妩媚上七分的脸不知成了京城多少官家女子的梦中情人!却对任何异性避之躲之,他那与生俱来的气质好似不识人间烟火般,可自从遇到她,却失了分寸?她截官银他就抢官道;她踹公主入水他就拍手叫好。他翻手为云,覆手为雨!他颠覆命格,扭转乾坤!他说:我要这天,再遮不住我的眼!我要这地,再埋不住我的心!
  • 独家星劫,男神偷吻99次

    独家星劫,男神偷吻99次

    当蠢萌的慕清歌在自己家中看到垂涎已久的大明星时,这世界玄幻了……当大明星突然成了继母的儿子,她会为了美色而舍弃节操认下这个哥哥吗?答案是肯定的!不会!可是,有谁知道这个狗皮膏药缠着她的人是谁?学校迎新晚会男人突然空降,抽中她上台合唱《最浪漫的事》篮球场上大四告别赛,他当众牵走她的手,被全校女生当作公敌被男人骗去混个女二号,结果当众丢了初吻从此之后,一发而不可收拾,车上被偷吻,回家被偷吻,上课被偷吻,蠢萌的慕清歌美眸一瞪:“慕辰熙,你怎么可以吻我?”慕辰熙:“专心点,对戏呢。”还是那个高高在上不可侵犯的慕辰熙吗?
  • 异世绝帝

    异世绝帝

    万古苍穹,破殇成军;阡陌红尘,繁花似锦!域玄大陆,强者于王势的争锋!看似废材三少爷崛起称霸,实则是一个来自异世的“少年”,狂拽酷炫吊炸天,女扮男装,独傲江湖。南氏家族直系“废材三少爷”,因为这个异世杀手的到来彻底改变!看世间万事,品人情冷暖;少年的落寞,乃前世杀手生涯所赐;少年的天赋,乃前世艰苦历练所得!一场强者与强者之间的竞争,一代圣帝天才的成长,现在展开……
  • 散修平民

    散修平民

    一次偶然的迷路,换来一身诡异的法术。当原本平凡的人,被加持了不凡的能力之后,又将给这个社会带来怎样的不同呢?
  • 梦域剑圣

    梦域剑圣

    梦域之中,杀人案是家常便饭。然而,有这么一个大小姐,手里有一把梦域神剑,办着梦域里的疑难杂案。