the foreigner- 第23部分

〃Now；〃　said　Rosenblatt；　dragging　the　half…insensible　boy　around　to　the　back　of　the　house；　〃the　time　is　come。　　The　chance　is　too　good。　You　try　to　kill　me；　but　there　will　be　one　less　Kalmar　in　the　world　to…night。　　There　will　be　a　little　pay　back　of　my　debt　to　your　cursed　father。　　Take　thatand　that。〃　　As　he　spoke　the　words；　he　struck　the　boy　hard　upon　the　head　and　face；　and　then　flinging　him　down　in　the　snow；　proceeded　deliberately　to　kick　him　to　death。

But　even　as　he　threw　the　boy　down；　a　shrill　screaming　pierced　through　the　quiet　of　the　night；　and　from　the　back　of　the　house　a　little　girl　ran　shrieking。　　〃He　is　killing　him！　　He　is　killing　him！〃

It　was　little　Elizabeth　Ketzel；　who　had　been　let　in　through　the　back　window　to　hear　Kalman　sing；　and　who；　at　the　first　appearance　of　trouble；　had　fled　by　the　way　she　had　entered；　meeting　Rosenblatt　as　he　appeared　dragging　the　insensible　boy　through　the　snow。　　Her　shrieks　arrested　the　man　in　his　murderous　purpose。　　He　turned　and　fled；　leaving　the　boy　bleeding　and　insensible　in　the　snow。

As　Rosenblatt　disappeared；　a　cutter　drove　rapidly　up。

〃What's　the　row；　kiddie？〃　said　a　man；　springing　out。　　It　was　Dr。　Wright；　returning　from　a　midnight　trip　to　one　of　his　patients　in　the　foreign　colony。　　〃Who's　killing　who？〃

〃It　is　Kalman！〃　cried　Elizabeth；　〃and　he　is　dead！　　Oh；　he　is　dead！〃

The　doctor　knelt　beside　the　boy。　　〃Great　Caesar！　　It　surely　is　my　friend　Kalman；　and　in　a　bad　way。　　Some　more　vendetta　business；　I　have　no　doubt。　　Now　what　in　thunder　is　that；　do　you　suppose？〃　　From　the　house　came　a　continuous　shrieking。　　〃Some　more　killing；　I　guess。　　Here；　throw　this　robe　about　the　boy　while　I　see　about　this。〃

He　ran　to　the　door　and　kicked　it　open。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　whole　company　of　twenty　or　thirty　men　were　every　man　fighting。　　As　the　doctor　paused　to　get　his　bearings；　he　saw　across　the　room　in　the　farthest　corner；　Irma　screaming　as　she　struggled　in　the　grasp　of　Samuel　Sprink；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　room　Paulina　fighting　like　a　demon　and　uttering　strange　weird　cries。　　She　was　trying　to　force　her　way　to　the　door。

As　she　caught　sight　of　the　doctor；　she　threw　out　her　hands　toward　him　with　a　loud　cry。　　〃Kalmankilling！　　Kalmankilling！〃　was　all　she　could　say。

The　doctor　thrust　himself　forward　through　the　struggling　men；　crying　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Here；　you；　let　that　woman　go！　　And　you　there；　let　that　girl　alone！〃

Most　of　the　men　knew　him；　and　at　his　words　they　immediately　ceased　fighting。

〃What　the　deuce　are　you　at；　anyway；　you　men？〃　he　continued；　as　Paulina　and　the　girl　sprang　past　him　and　out　of　the　door。　　〃Do　you　fight　with　women？〃

〃No；〃　said　one　of　the　men。　　〃Dis　man；〃　pointing　to　Sprink；　〃he　mak　fun　wit　de　girl。〃

〃Mighty　poor　fun；〃　said　the　doctor；　turning　toward　Sprink。　　〃And　who　has　been　killing　that　boy　outside？〃

〃It　is　that　young　devil　Kalman；　who　has　been　trying　to　kill　Mr。　Rosenblatt；〃　replied　Sprink。

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　what　was　the　gentle　Mr。　Rosenblatt　doing　meantime？〃

〃Rosenblatt？〃　cried　Jacob　Wassyl；　coming　forward　excitedly。　　〃He　mak　for　hurt　dat　boy。　　Dis　man；〃　pointing　to　Sprink；　〃he　try　for　kiss　dat　girl。　　Boy　he　say　stop。　　Rosenblatt　he　trow　boy　back。　　Boy　he　fight。〃

〃Look　here；　Jacob；〃　said　Dr。　Wright；　〃you　get　these　men's　names　this　man；〃　pointing　to　Sprink；　〃and　a　dozen　moreand　we'll　make　this　interesting　for　Rosenblatt　in　the　police　court　to…morrow　morning。〃

Outside　the　house　the　doctor　found　Paulina　sitting　in　the　snow　with　Kalman's　head　in　her　lap；　swaying　to　and　fro　muttering　and　groaning。　　Beside　her　stood　Irma　and　Elizabeth　Ketzel　weeping　wildly。　　The　doctor　raised　the　boy　gently。

〃Get　into　the　cutter；〃　he　said　to　Paulina。　　Irma　translated。　　The　woman　ran　without　a　word；　seated　herself　in　the　cutter　and　held　out　her　arms　for　the　boy。

〃That　will　do；〃　said　the　doctor；　laying　Kalman　in　her　arms。　　〃Now　get　some　shawls；　quilts　or　something　for　your　mother　and　yourself；　or　you'll　freeze　to　death；　and　come　along。〃

The　girl　rushed　away　and　returned　in　a　few　moments　with　a　bundle　of　shawls。

〃Get　in；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　be　quick。〃

The　men　were　crowding　about。

〃Now；　Jacob；〃　said　the　doctor；　turning　to　Wassyl；　who　stood　near；　〃you　get　me　those　names　and　we'll　get　after　that　man；　you　bet！　or　I'm　a　Turk。　　This　boy　is　going　to　die；　sure。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　sprang　into　his　cutter　and　sent　his　horse　off　at　a　gallop；　for　by　the　boy's　breathing　he　felt　that　the　chances　of　life　were　slipping　swiftly　away。



CHAPTER　X

JACK　FRENCH　OF　THE　NIGHT　HAWK　RANCH


A　map　of　Western　Canada　showing　the　physical　features　of　the　country　lying　between　the　mountains　on　the　one　side　and　the　Bay　and　the　Lakes　on　the　other；　presents　the　appearance　of　a　vast　rolling　plain　scarred　and　seamed　and　pitted　like　an　ancient　face。　　These　scars　and　seams　and　pits　are　great　lazy　rivers；　meandering　streams；　lakes；　sleughs　and　marshes　which　form　one　vast　system　of　waters　that　wind　and　curve　through　the　rolls　of　the　prairie　and　nestle　in　its　sunlit　hollows；　laying；　draining；　blessing　where　they　go　and　where　they　stay。

By　these；　the　countless　herds　of　buffalo　and　deer　quenched　their　thirst　in　the　days　when　they；　with　their　rival　claimants　for　the　land；　the　Black　Feet　and　the　Crees；　roamed　undisturbed　over　these　mighty　plains。　　These　waterways　in　later　days　when　The　Honourable　the　Hudson's　Bay　Company　ruled　the　West；　formed　the　great　highways　of　barter。　　By　these　teeming　lakes　and　sleughs　and　marshes　hunted　and　trapped　Indians　and　half…breeds。　　Down　these　streams　and　rivers　floated　the　great　fur　brigades　in　canoe　and　Hudson's　Bay　pointer　with　priceless　bales　of　pelts　to　the　Bay　in　the　north　or　the　Lakes　in　the　south；　on　their　way　to　that　centre　of　the　world's　trade；　old　London。　　And　up　these　streams　and　rivers　went　the　great　loads　of　supplies　and　merchandise　for　the　faraway　posts　that　were　at　once　the　seats　of　government　and　the　emporiums　of　trade　in　this　wide　land。

Following　the　canoe　and　Hudson's　Bay　boat；　came　the　river　barge　and　side…wheeler；　and　with　these；　competing　for　trade；　the　overland　freighter　with　ox　train　and　pack　pony；　with　Red　River　cart　and　shagginappi。

Still　later；　up　these　same　waterways　and　along　these　trails　came　settlers　singly　or　in　groups；　the　daring　vanguard　of　an　advancing　civilization；　and　planted　themselves　as　pleased　their　fancy　in　choice　spots；　in　sunny　nooks　sheltered　by　bluffs；　by　gemlike　lakes　or　flowing　streams；　but　mostly　on　the　banks　of　the　great　rivers；　the　highways　for　their　trade；　the　shining　links　that　held　them　to　their　kind。　　Some　there　were　among　those　hardy　souls　who；　severing　all　bonds　behind　them；　sought　only　escape　from　their　fellow　men　and　from　their　past。　　These　left　the　great　riverways　and　freighting　trails；　and　pressing　up　the　streams　to　distant　head　waters；　there　pitched　their　camp　and　there；　in　lonely；　lordly　independence；　took　rich　toll　of　prairie；　lake　and　stream　as　they　needed　for　their　living。

Such　a　man　was　Jack　French；　and　such　a　spot　was　Night　Hawk　Lake；　whose　shining　waters　found　a　tortuous　escape　four　miles　away　by　Night　Hawk　Creek　into　the　South　Saskatchewan；　king　of　rivers。

The　two　brothers；　Jack　and　Herbert　French；　of　good　old　English　stock；　finding　life　in　the　trim　downs　of　Devon　too　confined　and　wearisome　for　their　adventurous　spirits；　fell　to　walking　seaward　over　the　high　head　lands；　and　to　listening　and　gazing；　the　soft　spray　dashing　wet　upon　their　faces；　till　they　found　eyes　and　ears　filled　with　the　sights　and　sounds　of　far；　wide　plains　across　the　sea　that　called　and　beckoned；　till　in　the　middle　seventies；　with　their　mother's　kiss　trembling　on　their　brows　and　on　their　lips；　and　their　father's　almost　stern　benediction　stiffening　their　backs；　they　fared　forth　to　the　far　West；　and　found　themselves　on　the　black　trail　that　wound　up　the　Red　River　of　the　North　and　reached　the　straggling　hamlet　of　Winnipeg。

There；　in　one　of　Winnipeg's　homes；　they　found　generous　welcome　and　a　maiden；　guarded　by　a　stern　old　timer　for　a　father　and　four　stalwart　plain…riding　brothers；　but　guarded　all　in　vain；　for　laughing　at　all　such　guarding；　the　two　brothers　with　the　hot　selfishness　of　young　love；　each　unaware　of　the　other's　intent；　sought　to　rifle　that　house　of　its　chief　treasure。

To　Herbert；　the　younger；　that　ardent　pirate　of　her　heart；　the　maiden　struck　her　flaming　flag；　and　on　the　same　night；　with　fearful　dismay；　she　sought　pardon　of　the　elder　brother　that　she　could　not　yield　him　like　surrender。　　With　pale　appealing　face　and　kind　blue　eyes；　she　sought　forgiveness　for　her　poverty。

〃Oh；　Mr。　French；〃　she　cried；　〃if　I　only　could！　　But　I　cannot　give　you　what　is　Herbert's　now。〃

〃Herbert！〃　gasped　Jack　with　parched　lips。

〃And　oh；　Jack；〃　she　cried　again　with　sweet　selfishness；　〃you　will　love　Herbert　still；　and　me？〃

And　Jack；　having　had　a　moment　in　which　to　summon　up　the　reserves　of　his　courage　and　his　command；　smiled　into　her　appealing　eyes；　kissed　her　pale　face；　and　still　smiling；　took　his　way；　unseeing　and　unheeding　all　but　those　appealing；　tearful　eyes　and　that　pleading　voice　asking　with　sweet　selfishness　only　his　life。

Three　months　he　roamed　the　plains　alone；　finding　at　length　one　sunny　day；　Night　Hawk　Lake；　whose　fair　and　lonely　wildness　seemed　to　suit　his　mood；　and　there　he　pitched　his　camp。　　Thence　back　to　Winnipeg　a　month　later　to　his　brother's　wedding；　and　that　over；　still　smiling；　to　take　his　way　again　to　Night　Hawk　Lake；　where　ever　since　he　spent　his　life。

He　passed　his　days　at　first　in　building　house　and　stables　from　the　poplar　bluffs　at　hand；　and　later　in　growing　with　little　toil　from　the　rich　black　land　and　taking　from　prairie；　lake　and　creek　with　rifle　and　with　net；　what　was　necessary　for　himself　and　his　man；　the　Scotch　half…breed　Mackenzie；　all　the　while　forgetting　till　he　could　forget　no　longer；　and　then　with　Mackenzie　drinking　deep　and　long　till　remembering　and　forgetting　were　the　same。

After　five　years　he　returned　to　Winnipeg　to　stand　by　her　side　whose　image　lived　ever　in　his　heart；　while　they　closed　down　the　coffin　lid　upon　the　face　dearest　to　her；　dearest　but　one　to　him　of　all　faces　in　the　world。　　Then　when　he　had　comforted　her　with　what　comfort　he　had　to　give；　he　set　face　again　toward　Night　Hawk　Lake；　leaving　her；　because　she　so　desired　it；　a