第 7 节
作者:连过十一人      更新:2021-02-27 02:16      字数:9320
  blocks from here。〃
  Before ten minutes had sped the captain with a
  dozen men stole with their guide into the hallway of
  a dark and virtuous…looking building in which many
  businesses were conducted by day。
  〃Third floor; rear;〃 said the Kid; softly。  〃I'll
  lead the way。〃
  Two axemen faced the door that he pointed out to
  them。
  〃It seems all quiet;〃 said the captain; doubtfully。
  〃Are you sure your tip is straight?〃
  〃Cut away!〃 said the Kid。  〃It's on me if it
  ain't。〃
  The axes crashed through the as yet unprotected
  door。  A blaze of light from within poured through
  the smashed panels。  The door fell; and the raiders
  rang into the room with their guns handy。
  The big room was furnished with the gaudy mag…
  nificence dear to Denver Dick's western ideas。  Vari…
  ous well…patronized games were in progress。  About
  fifty men who were in the room rushed upon the police
  in a grand break for personal liberty。  The plain…
  clothes men had to do a little club…swinging。  More
  than half the patrons escaped。
  Denver Dick had graced his game with his own
  presence that night。  He led the rush that was in…
  tended to sweep away the smaller body of raiders;
  But when be saw the Kid his manner became personal。
  Being in the heavyweight class be cast himself joy…
  fully upon his slighter enemy; and they rolled down
  a flight of stairs in each others arms。  On the land…
  ing they separated and arose; and then the Kid was
  able to use some of his professional tactics; which had
  been useless to him while in the excited clutch of a
  200…pound sporting gentleman who was about to lose
  20;000 worth of paraphernalia。
  After vanquishing his adversary the Kid hurried
  upstairs and through the gambling…room into a
  smaller apartment connecting by an arched doorway。
  Here was a long table set with choicest chinaware
  and silver; and lavishly furnished with food of that
  expensive and spectacular sort of which the devotees
  of sport are supposed to be fond。  Here again was to
  be perceived the liberal and florid taste of the gen…
  tleman with the urban cognomenal prefix。
  A No。 10 patent leather shoe protruded a few of
  its inches outside the tablecloth along the floor。  The
  Kid seized this and plucked forth a black man in a
  white tie and the garb of a servitor。
  〃Get up!〃 commanded the Kid。  〃Are you in
  charge of this free lunch?〃
  〃Yes; sah; I was。  Has they done pinched us ag'in;
  boss?〃
  〃Looks that way。  Listen to me。  Are there any
  peaches in this layout?  If there ain't I'll have to
  throw up the sponge。〃
  〃There was three dozen; sah; when the game
  opened this evenin'; but I reckon the gentlemen done
  eat 'em all up。  If you'd like to eat a fust…rate
  orange; sah; I kin find you some。〃
  〃Get busy;〃 ordered the Kid; sternly; and move
  whatever peach crop you've got quick or there'll be
  trouble。  If anybody oranges me again to…night; I'll
  knock his face off。〃
  The raid on Denver Dick's high…priced and prodi…
  gal luncheon revealed one lone; last peach that had
  escaped the epicurean jaws of the followers of
  chance。  Into the Kid's pocket it went; and that in…
  defatigable forager departed immediately with his
  prize。  With scarcely a glance at the scene on the
  sidewalk below; where the officers were loading their
  prisoners into the patrol wagons; be moved homeward
  with long; swift strides。
  His heart was light as be went。  So rode the
  knights back to Camelot after perils and high deeds
  done for their ladies fair。  The Kid's lady had com…
  manded him and be had obeyed。  True; it was but a
  peach that she had craved; but it had been no small
  deed to glean a peach at midnight from that wintry
  city where yet the February snows lay like iron。
  She had asked for a peach; she was his bride; in his
  pocket the peach was warming in his band that held it
  for fear that it might fall out and be lost。
  On the way the Kid turned in at an all…night drug
  store and said to the spectacled clerk:
  〃Say; sport; I wish you'd size up this rib of mine
  and see if it's broke。  I was in a little scrap and
  bumped down a flight or two of stairs。〃
  The druggist made an examination。
  〃It isn't broken;〃 was his diagnosis; 〃but you have
  a bruise there that looks like you'd fallen off the
  Flatiron twice。〃
  〃That's all right;〃 said the Kid。 〃Let's have
  your clothesbrush; please。〃
  The bride waited in the rosy glow of the pink lamp
  shade。  The miracles were not all passed away。  By
  breathing a desire for some slight thing … a flower;
  a pomegranate; a … oh; yes; a peach … she could
  send forth her man into the night; into the world
  which could not withstand him; and he would do her
  bidding。
  And now be stood by her chair and laid the peach
  in her band。
  〃Naughty boy!〃 she said; fondly。  〃Did I say a
  peach?  I think I would much rather have had an
  orange。〃
  Blest be the bride。
  THE HARBINGER
  Long before the springtide is felt in the dull bosom
  of the yokel does the city man know that the grass…
  green goddess is upon her throne。  He sits at his
  breakfast eggs and toast; begirt by stone walls; opens
  his morning paper and sees journalism leave vernal…
  ism at the post。
  For; whereas; spring's couriers were once the evi…
  dence of our finer senses; now the Associated Press
  does the trick。
  The warble of the first robin in Hackensack; the
  stirring of the maple sap in Bennington; the bud…
  ding of the pussy willows along Main Street in Syra…
  cuse; the first chirp of the bluebird; the swan song
  of the Blue Point; the annual tornado in St。 Louis;
  the plaint of the peach pessimist from Pompton; N。
  J。; the regular visit of the tame wild goose with a
  broken leg to the pond near Bilgewater Junction;
  the base attempt of the Drug Trust to boost the
  price of quinine foiled in the House by Congressman
  Jinks; the first tall poplar struck by lightning and
  the usual stunned picknickers who had taken refuge;
  the first crack of the ice jam in the Allegheny River;
  the finding of a violet in its mossy bed by
  the correspondent at Round Corners … these are the
  advance signs of the burgeoning season that are wired
  into the wise city; while the farmer sees nothing but
  winter upon his dreary fields。
  But these be mere externals。  The true harbinger
  is the heart。  When Strephon seeks his Chloe and
  Mike his Maggie; then only is spring arrived and the
  newspaper report of the five…foot rattler killed in
  Squire Pettigrew's pasture confirmed。
  Ere the first violet blew; Mr。 Peters; Mr。 Ragsdale
  and Mr。 Kidd sat together on a bench in Union
  Square and conspired。  Mr。 Peters was the D'Artag…
  nan of the loafers there。  He was the dingiest; the
  laziest; the sorriest brown blot against the green back…
  ground of any bench in the park。  But just then he
  was the most important of the trio。
  Mr。 Peters had a wife。  This had not heretofore
  affected his standing with Ragsy and Kidd。  But to…
  day it invested him with a peculiar interest。  His
  friends; having escaped matrimony; had shown a
  disposition to deride Mr。 Peters for his venture on
  that troubled sea。  But at last they had been forced
  to acknowledge that either he had been gifted with
  a large foresight or that he was one of Fortune's
  lucky sons。
  For; Mrs。 Peters had a dollar。  A whole dollar bill;
  good and receivable by the Government for customs;
  taxes and all public dues。  How to get possession of
  that dollar was the question up for discussion by the
  three musty musketeers。
  〃How do you know it was a dollar?〃 asked Ragsy;
  the immensity of the sum inclining him to scepticism。
  〃The coalman seen her have it;〃 said Mr。 Peters。
  〃She went out and done some washing yesterday。
  And look what she give me for breakfast … the heel
  of a loaf and a cup of coffee; and her with a dollar!〃
  〃It's fierce;〃 said Ragsy。
  〃Say we go up and punch 'er and stick a towel
  in 'er mouth and cop the coin〃 suggested Kidd;
  Viciously。 〃Y' ain't afraid of a woman; are you?〃
  〃She might holler and have us pinched;〃 demurred
  Ragsy。  〃I don't believe in slugging no woman in a
  houseful of people。〃
  〃Gent'men;〃 said Mr。 Peters; severely; through
  his russet stubble; 〃remember that you are speaking
  of my wife。 A man who would lift his hand to a
  lady except in the way of  〃
  〃Maguire;〃 said Ragsy; pointedly; 〃has got his
  bock beer sign out。  If we had a dollar we could  〃
  〃Hush up!〃 said Mr。 Peters; licking his lips。
  〃We got to get that case note somehow; boys。  Ain't
  what's a man's wife's his?  Leave it to me。  I'll go
  over to the house and get it。  Wait here for me。〃
  〃I've seen 'em give up quick; and tell you where
  it's hid if you kick 'em in the ribs;〃 said Kidd。
  〃No man would kick a woman;〃 said Peters; vir…
  tuously。  〃A little choking … just a touch on