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16 - Bransford Of Rainbow Range by Eugene Manlove Rhodes · Bransford Of Rainbow Range

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen. Good Bye. They have ridden the low moon
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: out of the sky. Their hoofs drum up the dawn.
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Two strong men, Kipling. I'm not speaking to her now,
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: and I'm not going to, protested Gibson in a changed stone.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: I'll promise my horse is failing. Jeff. I rode hard
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: and fast from Escondido. Your horse carried nothing much but
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: a saddle. That pack was mostly bluff, you know, And
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: those Fellow's horses have come twenty miles less than either
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: of ours. No answer. I don't believe we're going to
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  Speaker 1: make it, Jeff. There was a forlorn little quaver in
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  Speaker 1: Charley's voice. Jeff grunted, Ah, maybe not griffithel be real. Pleased,
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  Speaker 1: Gibson rode closer. Can't we turn off the road and
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: hide till daylight, said Jeff. Then they'll get us no
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: way out of this desert except across the edges. Somewhere
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  Speaker 1: you go if you want to, they won't bother to
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  Speaker 1: hunt for you. Maybe if they kept me. You know,
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: it's my fault. Oh, I'll see it out. I'm sorry, Jeff,
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: but it was so funny here. Rather to Jeff's surprise,
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  Speaker 1: Charley's dejection gave place to laughter. They rode up a
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  Speaker 1: sandy slope where mesquites grew black. Along the road, blown
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  Speaker 1: sand had lodged two hummocks in their thick and matted growth.
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  Speaker 1: The road was a sunken way. How far is it
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  Speaker 1: from here, Jeff? Ten miles? Maybe only eight to the river.
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  Speaker 1: We're in Texas now, have been for an hour. Think
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  Speaker 1: we can make it, kin, sabe Gibson A drew rein.
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  Speaker 1: You go on. Your horse isn't so tired? Oh? I
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: guess not, said Jeff. Come on, the sound of pursuit
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  Speaker 1: came clear through the quiet night. There was silence for
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: a while. Will you do, Jeff? Fight? I can't, said Jeff,
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  Speaker 1: hurt those boys. I couldn't fight the way it is
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  Speaker 1: hardly even if twas the sheriff. I'll just hang I reckon.
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: They reached the top of the little slopepe and turned
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: down the other side. I don't altogether like this hangin idea,
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  Speaker 1: said Gibson. I got you into this, Jeff, so I'll
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  Speaker 1: just get you out again, like the man in our
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  Speaker 1: town who was so wondrous wise going to use bramble
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  Speaker 1: bushes too volatile? Gibson in distress of danger had forgotten
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  Speaker 1: his wrath. He was light hearted, happy, frivolously gay. Give
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  Speaker 1: me your rope and your gun, Jeff quick, now, now,
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  Speaker 1: I won't mention your girl. Not. What's hurry? What are
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: you gonna do? Asked Jeff, thoroughly mystified, ever read the
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  Speaker 1: fool's errand Charlie chuckled. No, well, I have jump off
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  Speaker 1: and tie the end of your rope to that mesquite root. Quick.
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  Speaker 1: He sprang down, snatched one end of the coil from
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  Speaker 1: Jeff's hand and stretched it taut across the road a
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  Speaker 1: foot from the ground. Now your gun, quick. He snatched
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  Speaker 1: the gun, tied an end of his own saddle rope
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  Speaker 1: to the stretched one near the middle, plunged through the
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  Speaker 1: mesquite over a hummuck, paying out his rope as he went,
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  Speaker 1: wedged the gun firmly in the springing crotch of a
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  Speaker 1: mesquite tree, cocked it and tied the loose end of
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  Speaker 1: the trailing rope to the trigger. He ran back and
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  Speaker 1: sprang on his horse. Now ride, it's our last chance, kid,
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  Speaker 1: You're a wonder, said Jeff. You'll do to take along.
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  Speaker 1: They'll lope off when they turn down that slope. Hit
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  Speaker 1: that rope and pile in the heap, and my rope
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  Speaker 1: will fire the gun off, shrilled, joyous Charlie. They'll think
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  Speaker 1: it's us and an ad buscade. They'll take to the
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  Speaker 1: sand hills Jeff broke in. They'll shoot into the bushes.
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  Speaker 1: They'll think it's us, fire and back. Half the time.
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  Speaker 1: They'll scatter out and surround that lonesome, harmless mot and
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  Speaker 1: watch it till daylight. You bet they won't go projecting
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  Speaker 1: round it any till daylight either. He looked up at
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  Speaker 1: the sky. There's the morning star. See it. They have
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: ridden the low moon out of the sky. Only there
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  Speaker 1: isn't any moon. Their hoofs drum up the dawn. Then
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  Speaker 1: they'll find our track. And if I only could see
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  Speaker 1: the captain's face, oh my threshings and the corn of
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  Speaker 1: my floor, and by then that we'll be in Mexico
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  Speaker 1: and asleep. When Griffith finds that gun, oh he'll never
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  Speaker 1: show his head in Arcadia again, Say Charley, I hope
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  Speaker 1: none of em get hurt when they strike your skip rope. Ah,
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  Speaker 1: it's sandy a heap. You cared about me getting hurt
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  Speaker 1: when you dragged me from my horse, said Gibson rather snappishly.
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  Speaker 1: You did hurt me too. You nearly broke my neck,
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  Speaker 1: and you cut my arms, and I got full of
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  Speaker 1: mesquite torns when I set that gun. You don't care.
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  Speaker 1: I'm only the man that came to save your neck.
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  Speaker 1: That's the thanks I get. But the men that are
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  Speaker 1: trying to hang you, that's different. You'd better go back.
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  Speaker 1: They might get hurt. You'll be sorry sometime for the
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  Speaker 1: way you've treated me. There, it's too late now. A
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  Speaker 1: shot rang behind them. There was a brief silence, then
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: came a sharp fusillade, followed by scattering shots to to
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  Speaker 1: longer intervals. Jeff clung to a saddle horn. I guess
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  Speaker 1: they ain't hurt much, he laughed. Wish I could see
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  Speaker 1: him when they find out. No down, kid, We've got
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  Speaker 1: lots of time now, we haven't protested, Charlie. Keep moving.
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  Speaker 1: It's hard on the horses, but they'll have a lifetime
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  Speaker 1: to rest in. They've telegraphed all over the country. You
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  Speaker 1: want to cross the river before daylight. It will be
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  Speaker 1: too bad for you to be caught. Now. Is there
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  Speaker 1: any ford? Do you know? Not? This time of year,
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  Speaker 1: river's up crossing a boat. Then guess sweet better, that
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  Speaker 1: horse of yours is pretty well used up. Don't believe
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  Speaker 1: he could swim it. Oh, I'm not going over. I'll
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  Speaker 1: get up to El Paso. I've got friends there. He
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  Speaker 1: will get caught. No, I won't. I'm not going across,
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  Speaker 1: I tell you, And that's all there is to it.
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  Speaker 1: I guess I'll have something to say about things. I'm
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  Speaker 1: going to see you safely over, and that's the last
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  Speaker 1: you'll ever see of Charlie Gibson. Oh well, Jeff reflected
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  Speaker 1: a little. If you're you won't come along, I'd rather swim.
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  Speaker 1: My horse is strong, yet, you see, it takes time
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  Speaker 1: to find the boat, and the boat means a house
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  Speaker 1: and dogs, and I'll need my horse on the other side.
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  Speaker 1: How will you get to Alpasso? Griffith will likely come
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  Speaker 1: down here about an hour by sun cross lots a cryin'.
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  Speaker 1: I'll manage that, said Gibson, curtly enough, you tend to
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  Speaker 1: your own affair. Oh all right, Jeff rode ahead. He whistled,
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  Speaker 1: and then he chanted his war song, said the little opus.
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  Speaker 1: I'm gonna be a horse, and on my middle finger
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  Speaker 1: nails to run my earthly course. The Coriophagan was horrified
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  Speaker 1: that in a Charras was shocked and the chase young
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  Speaker 1: Eela hippus, but he skipped away and mocked, said they
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  Speaker 1: you always were as small and mean as now we see.
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  Speaker 1: And that's conclusive evidence that you're always going to be
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  Speaker 1: what be a great, tall, handsome beast with hoofs to
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  Speaker 1: gallop on? Why you'll have to change your nature, said
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: the lock's loofondodo on Jeff. Well, Jeff turned his head.
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  Speaker 1: Charlie was drooping visibly. Stop that foolish song, Jeff rode
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  Speaker 1: on in silence. This was a variable person, Gibson. They
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  Speaker 1: were dropping down from the Mesa into the valley of
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  Speaker 1: the Rio Grande. Jeff. Jeff fell back beside Charlie. Tire partner, Jeff,
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  Speaker 1: I'm terribly tired. I'm not used to riding so far,
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  Speaker 1: and I'm sleepy, so sleepy. All right, partner, we'll go slower,
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  Speaker 1: we'll walk most there. Now there's the railroad. Keep on trotting.
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  Speaker 1: I can stand it. We must get to the river
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  Speaker 1: before daylight. Is it far? Charlie's voice was weary. The
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  Speaker 1: Broadsombrero drooped sympathetically two miles to the river El Paso,
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  Speaker 1: seven or eight miles up the line. Brace up, old man,
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  Speaker 1: you've done fine and dandy. It's just because the excitement
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  Speaker 1: is all over. Why should you go any farther? Anyhow,
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  Speaker 1: there's Isletta up the track a bit. Follow the road
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  Speaker 1: up there and flag the first train. That'll be best. No, no,
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  Speaker 1: I'll go all the way. I'll make out. Charley straightened
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  Speaker 1: himself with an effort. They crossed a S B track
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  Speaker 1: and came to a lane between cultivated fields. Jeff, I'd
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  Speaker 1: like to say something. It won't be breaking my promise. Really,
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  Speaker 1: I didn't mean what I said about Uh. You know,
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  Speaker 1: I was only teasing. She's a good enough girl, I
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  Speaker 1: guess as girls go. Jeff nodded. I did not need
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  Speaker 1: to be told that. And you left her in a
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  Speaker 1: cruel position when you jumped out of the window. She
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  Speaker 1: can't tell now, so long as there's any other way.
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  Speaker 1: What a foolish thing to do if you just said
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  Speaker 1: at first that you were in the garden. Oh why
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  Speaker 1: didn't you? But after the chances you took, rather than
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  Speaker 1: to tell why, Jeff, it would be terrible for her.
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  Speaker 1: Now I know that too, said Jeff. I suppose I
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  Speaker 1: was a fool, but I didn't want her to get
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  Speaker 1: mixed up with it. And at the same time I
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  Speaker 1: cared less without hanging than any time I can remember.
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  Speaker 1: You See, I didn't know till the last minute that
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  Speaker 1: the garden was going to cut any figure. And do
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  Speaker 1: you suppose I'd have that court house full of fools
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  Speaker 1: buzzing and whispering at her? Not much? Maybe it was foolish,
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  Speaker 1: but I'm glad I did it. I'm glad of it too.
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  Speaker 1: If you had to be a fool, said Charley, I'm
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  Speaker 1: glad you were that kind of fool. Are you still
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  Speaker 1: mad at me? Since Charlie had recanted, and more especially
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  Speaker 1: since he had taken considerate thought for the girl's compulsory silence,
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  Speaker 1: Jeff's anger had evaporated. Oh that's all right, partner. Only
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  Speaker 1: you oughtn't never to talk that way about a girl,
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  Speaker 1: even for a joke. That's no good kind of a joke. Men,
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  Speaker 1: Now that's different. See here, I'll give you an order
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  Speaker 1: to a fellow in El Paso, Hibbler to pay for
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  Speaker 1: your horses and your gun. Here's your belt too. Charley
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  Speaker 1: shook his head impatiently. I don't want any money, settle
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  Speaker 1: with Pappy for the horses. I won't take this one back.
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  Speaker 1: Keep the belt. You may want it to beat me
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  Speaker 1: with some time. What are you gonna do, Jeff? Aren't
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  Speaker 1: you ever coming back? Jur I'll come back, if only
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: to see Griffith again. I'll write to John Wesley Pringle,
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  Speaker 1: he's my mainest side partner, and sick him on to
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: find out who robbed that bank. To prove it rather,
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: I just about almost nearly know who it was. Old
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: Wessels straightened things out of Flyin'. I'll be back in
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  Speaker 1: no time. I gotta come back, Charlie. The river was
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  Speaker 1: in sight, the stars were fading. There was a flush
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  Speaker 1: in the east, a smell of dawn in the air. Jeff,
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  Speaker 1: I wish you'd do something for me, Sure, Charlie, what
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  Speaker 1: is it? I wish you'd give me that little turquoise
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  Speaker 1: horse to remember you by. Jeff was silent for a while.
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  Speaker 1: He had framed out another plan for the little e opus,
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  Speaker 1: namely to give him to Miss Eleanor. He sighed, but
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: he owed a good deal to Charlie. All right, Charley,
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  Speaker 1: take good care of him. He's a lucky little horse.
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  Speaker 1: I think a heap of him here we are. The
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: trees were distinct, and the growing light. Jeff rode into
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  Speaker 1: the river. The muddy river swirled about his horse's knees.
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  Speaker 1: He halted for parting. Gibson rode in beside him. Jeff
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  Speaker 1: took the precious alice book from his bosom, put it
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  Speaker 1: in the crown of his miner's cap, and jam the
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  Speaker 1: cap tightly on his head. Better change of mind, Charley.
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  Speaker 1: Come along, we'll root somebody out and find a dish
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  Speaker 1: of s twoed eggs. There is another shore, you know,
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  Speaker 1: upon the other side, the farther off from England. The
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  Speaker 1: nearer tis to France. Then turn not, pale, beloved snail,
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: But come and join the dance, will you? Won't you? No,
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: I won't I told you, once, snapped the beloved snail.
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: Here's the lily Opu's horse. Then as Charlie took it,
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: Jeff wrung his hand. By George, I've got to change
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  Speaker 1: my notion of our katy of people. If there's many
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: like you and Griffith, our katy is going to crowd
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: the map well, so long it looks awful wide. Jeff, Oh,
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  Speaker 1: I'll be all right, swim it myself. If the horse
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  Speaker 1: plays out, and if I don't have no cramps as
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: ama course after this ride, well here goes nothing. Take
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: care the little horse. I hope he brings you good luck.
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: Well so long then Bransford rode into the muddy waters.
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  Speaker 1: They came to the horse's breast his neck. He plunged
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: in sank rose and was borne away down the swift current,
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: breasting the flood stoutly, and so went quartering across to
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  Speaker 1: the farther bank. It took a long time. It was
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: quite light. When the horse, found footing on a sandbar
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: half a mile below, rested and splashed whitely through the
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: shallows to the bank. Gibson swung his sombrero, Jeff waved
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: his hand, rode to the fringing bushes and was gone.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter fifteen.