to go outside after dark； not in loper country。〃
〃Lots of lopers； eh？〃 …
〃Not as many as there used to be。 Did you see any dragons as you came through the valley？〃
〃Saw a lot of bones。 Looked like a plague had hit the dragons hereabouts。〃 …
〃Something of the sort；〃 Lazarus agreed。 〃Lady！ Heel！〃 He added； 〃Monty； tell Darby that it's not safe to kick at that dog； she'll attack。 She's a watchdog； in charge of this house； and she knows it。〃 …
〃You heard what the man said； Darby。 Leave the dog alone。〃
〃Then she had better not e snifllng around me！ I don't like dogs。 She growled at me。〃
Lazarus said directly to the older son； 〃She growled because you kicked at her when she sniffed you。 Which was her duty。 If I had not been present； she would have taken your throat out。 Leave her alone and she'll leave you alone。〃
Montgomery said； 〃Bill； you had better put her outside while we eat。〃 Phrased as a suggestion； it was made to sound like an order。 … …
〃Gentlemen； supper is served。〃 …
〃ing； deai。 Lady。 High sentry。〃 The bitch glanced at Darby but immediately trotted up the ladder to the roof； using the rungs without hesitation。 There she made a careful fullcircle scan before sitting down where she could watch both outside and the supper party below her。
The supper party was more successful as a supper than as a party。 Conversation was limited mostly to small talk between the two older men。 Darby and Dan simply ate。 Dora answered briefly sallies that Montgomery made at her and failed to hear any that she regarded as too personal。 The sons seemed surprised to find their plates set each with knife。； fork； chop tongs； and spoon； then relied mostly on knife and fin…
gem； their father made some effort to use each eating tool； getting quite a bit of food into his beard。
Dora had 'piled the table with hot fried chicken； cold sliced ham； mashed potatoes and chicken gravy； hot corn pone and cold whole wheat bread with bacon drippings； 'a mug of goat's milk at each place； lettuce…and…tomato salad with grated goat'scheese…and…onion dressing； boiled beets； fresh radishes； fresh strawberries with goat's milk。 As promised； the Montgomerys ate for six； and Dora was pleased that she had provided a plenty。
At last Montgomery pushed ~back his stool and belched appreciatively。 〃My； that hit the spot！ Miz Smith； you can cook for us all the time。 Right； Dan？〃 …
〃Right； Pop！〃…
〃I'm pleased that you enjoyed it； gentlemen。〃 She stood up and started to clear the table。 Laze。rus …； stood and started to help her。
Montgomery said； 〃Oh； sit down； Bill。 Want to ask you some questions。〃
〃Go ahead and ask；〃 Lazarus said； continuing to stack plates。 …
〃You said there was no one else in th~ valley。〃
第43节
〃That is correct。〃…
〃Then I think we'll stay right here。 Miz Smith is a very good cook。〃 …
〃You're wele to camp here overnight。 Then you'll find excellent farmland farther down the river。 As I told you； I've homesteaded all of this。〃
〃Been meaning to talk to you 'about that。 Doesn't seem right for one man to grab all the best land。〃
〃It isn't the best land； Monty； there are thousands of beetares just as good。 The only difference is that I've plowed and cultivated this part。〃 ' …
〃Well； we won't argue about it。 We outvote you。 Four voting； I mean； and us three all voting the same way。 Right； Darby？〃 …
〃Right； Pop。〃
…〃It's not subject to vote； Monty。〃
〃Oh； e now！ The majority is always right。 But we won't argue。 Been a nice feed； now for some entertainment。 Do~ you like to rassle？〃
〃Not especially。〃
…〃Don't be a spoilsport。 Dan； do you think you can throw him？〃
〃Sure； Pop。〃…
〃Good。 Bill； first you rassle Dan…out here in the middle a~d I'll referee； keep everything fair and square。〃
〃Monty； I'm not going to wrestle。〃
〃Oh； sure you are。 Miz Smith！ Better e out here； you won't want to miss this。〃
〃I'm busy now；〃 Dora called out。 〃I'll be out shortly。〃
〃Better hurry。 Then you rassle Darby； Bill…then you rassle
…me。〃 …
〃No wrestling； Monty。 Time for you folks to get into your wagon。〃 …
〃But you want to rassle； young fellow~ I didn't tell you what the prize is。 The winner sleeps with Miz Smith。〃 His second gun appeared as he said it。 〃Fooled you； didn't I？〃
From the kitchen Dora shot the gun out of his hand just as a knife suddenly grew in Dan's neck。 Lazarus 'shot Montgomery carefully in the leg； then even more carefully shot Darby
…as Lady Macbeth was at his throat。 The fight had lasted under two seconds。
〃Lady。 Heel。 Nice shooting； Dorable。〃 He patted Lady Macbeth。 〃Good Lady； good dog。〃 …
〃Thank you； darling。 Shall I finish off Monty？〃 …
〃Wait a moment。〃 Lazarus stepped over and' looked down at the wounded man。 〃Got anything to say； Montgomery？〃
〃You bastards！ Never gave us a chance。〃 …
〃Gave you lots of chance。 You wouldn't take it。 Dora？ Do you want to？ Your privilege。〃
〃Not especially。〃 '…
〃All right。〃 Lazarus picked up Montgomery's second gun； noted that it was indeed a museum piece but did not seem to be hurt。 He used it to finish off its owner。 …' …
Dora was peeling off her dress。 〃Half a moment； dear； while I get this off； I don't want to get blood on it。〃 With the dress out of the way； her pregnant condition showed a little。 She also showed several other weapons a~well as a gun belt riding low on her hips。
Lazarus was getting out of his kilt and other finery。 〃You don't need to help； sweetheart； you've done a full day's work
…and a fine one！ Just toss me my oldest overalls。〃
〃But I want to help。 What are going to do with them？〃
〃Put them into their wagon； take them far enough downriver that lopers will dispose of them； drive back。〃 He glanced at the Sun。 〃An hour and more of daylight left。 Time
enough。〃… …
〃Lazarus； I don't want you away from me！ Not now。〃
〃Upset by it； my durable one？〃
〃Some。 Nbt much。 Uh 。 。 made horny by it； I'm ashamed to say。 Perverted； huh？〃
〃Rangy Lii； anything makes you horny。 Yes； it's somewhat perverse 。 。 but a surprisingly mon reaction to one's first encounter with death。 Nothing to be ashamed of as long as you don't get hooked by it； it's just a reflex。 On second thought never mind the overalls； I can scrub blood off my hide easier than getting it out of cloth。〃 He removed the bar and opened the 。gate as he talked。
〃I've seen death before。 I was much more upset when Aunt Helen died 。 。 and not a bit horny。〃
〃Violent death； I should have said。 Dear； I want to get these bodies outside the wall before any more blood soaks into the ground。 We can discuss it later。〃
〃You'll need help loading them。 And I don't want to be away from you； truly I don't。〃
Lazarus stopped and looked at her。 〃You're more upset than you let on。 That's mon； too…steady in the clutch； then a reaction afterwards。 So let's work it out。 I don't fancy leaving the kids alone that long； nor do I want them in a wagon loaded with all that bad meat。 Suppose I drive just a short distance tonight…say three…hundred meters or so…while you start a kettle of water？ I'm going to want another bath after this job even if I manage not to get a drop of blood on me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Dora； you don't sound happy。〃
〃I'll do it your way。 But I could wake Zaccur and have him baby…sit。 He's used to it。〃
〃Very well； dear。 But first we load them。 You can hold up their feet while I drag them。 If you throw up； I'll assume that you'll baby…sit while I finish this chore。〃
〃I won't throw up。 I ate very little。〃
〃I didn't eat much either。〃 They got on with the grisly task； Lazarus continued to talk。 〃Dora； you did a perfect job。〃
〃I caught your signal。 You gave me plenty of time。〃
〃I wasn't sure he was going to push it to a ahowdown even when I signa~ed。〃
…〃Really； dear？ I knew what they meant to do…kill you and rape ？e…before they ever sat down to eat。 Couldn't you feel it？ So I made sure that they ate plenty…to slow them down。〃
〃Dora； you really do sense emotions…don't you？〃
〃Mind his head； dear。 When they're as strong as that； I do。 But I wasn't sure how you would handle it。 I made up my mind to be raped all night if that was what it took for you to set up a safe chance。〃 ' …
Her husband answered soberly； 〃Dora； I will allow you to be raped only if that is the only possible way to save your
… life。 Tonight it was not necessary。 Thank goodness！ But Montgomery had me worried at the gate。 Three guns out… in the open and mine still under my kilt… Could have been a problem。 Since he meant to take me anyhow； he should have done it then。 Durable； three…fourths of any fight lies in not hesitating when the time es。 Which is why I'm so proud of you。〃
〃But you set it up； Lazarus。 You signaled me to get into position； you stayed on your feet when he told you to sit down； you went around to the end of the table and pulled their eyes with you…and stayed out of my line of fire。 Thank you。 All I had to do was shoot when he got out his gun。〃
〃Of course I stayed out of your line of fire； dear； this isn't
…my first time by too many。 But it was your straight shooting that gave me time； to put my knife into Dan instead of having ；to settle his father first。 And Lady did me the same favot with Darby。 You two girls saved me from having to be three places at once。 Which I've always found difficult。〃 …
〃You trained both of us。〃
〃Mmm； yes。 Which detracts not at all from the admirable fact that you held your fire until he mitted himself…then lost not a split second in taking him。 As if you were a veteran of a hundred gun battles rather than none。 You might go around and s