Міжзірковий мандрівник
Chapter 13
Supposin’Iamkilled?”
“Willyougivemeyourscalps?”
“Yourma’llsmackyouifshecatchesyoua-wearin’them,”hetemporized.
“Idon’thavetowearthemwhenshe’saround.Nowifyougotkilled,Laban,somebody’dhavetogetthemscalps.Whynotme?”
“Whynot?”herepeated.“That’scorrect,andwhynotyou?Allright,Jesse.Ilikeyou,andyourpa.TheminuteI’mkilledthescalpsisyourn,andthescalpin’knife,too.Andthere’sTimothyGrantforwitness.Didyouhear,Timothy?”
Timothysaidhehadheard,andIlaytherespeechlessinthestiflingtrench,tooovercomebymygreatnessofgoodfortunetobeabletoutterawordofgratitude.
Iwasrewardedformyforesightingoingtothetrench.Anothergeneralattackwasmadeatsundown,andthousandsofshotswerefiredintous.Nobodyonoursidewasscratched.Ontheotherhand,althoughwefiredbarelythirtyshots,IsawLabanandTimothyGranteachgetanIndian.LabantoldmethatfromthefirstonlytheIndianshaddonetheshooting.Hewascertainthatnowhitehadfiredashot.Allofwhichsorelypuzzledhim.Thewhitesneitherofferedusaidnorattackedus,andallthewhilewereonvisitingtermswiththeIndianswhowereattackingus.
