roughing it-第13部分

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among　outlaws　and　yet　their　relentless　scourge；　Slade　was　at　once　the
most　bloody；　the　most　dangerous　and　the　most　valuable　citizen　that
inhabited　the　savage　fastnesses　of　the　mountains。




CHAPTER　X。

Really　and　truly；　two　thirds　of　the　talk　of　drivers　and　conductors　had
been　about　this　man　Slade；　ever　since　the　day　before　we　reached
Julesburg。　　In　order　that　the　eastern　reader　may　have　a　clear　conception
of　what　a　Rocky　Mountain　desperado　is；　in　his　highest　state　of
development；　I　will　reduce　all　this　mass　of　overland　gossip　to　one
straightforward　narrative；　and　present　it　in　the　following　shape：

Slade　was　born　in　Illinois；　of　good　parentage。　　At　about　twenty…six　years
of　age　he　killed　a　man　in　a　quarrel　and　fled　the　country。　　At　St。　Joseph；
Missouri；　he　joined　one　of　the　early　California…bound　emigrant　trains；
and　was　given　the　post　of　train…master。　　One　day　on　the　plains　he　had　an
angry　dispute　with　one　of　his　wagon…drivers；　and　both　drew　their
revolvers。　　But　the　driver　was　the　quicker　artist；　and　had　his　weapon
cocked　first。　　So　Slade　said　it　was　a　pity　to　waste　life　on　so　small　a
matter；　and　proposed　that　the　pistols　be　thrown　on　the　ground　and　the
quarrel　settled　by　a　fist…fight。　　The　unsuspecting　driver　agreed；　and
threw　down　his　pistolwhereupon　Slade　laughed　at　his　simplicity；　and
shot　him　dead！

He　made　his　escape；　and　lived　a　wild　life　for　awhile；　dividing　his　time
between　fighting　Indians　and　avoiding　an　Illinois　sheriff；　who　had　been
sent　to　arrest　him　for　his　first　murder。　　It　is　said　that　in　one　Indian
battle　he　killed　three　savages　with　his　own　hand；　and　afterward　cut　their
ears　off　and　sent　them；　with　his　compliments；　to　the　chief　of　the　tribe。

Slade　soon　gained　a　name　for　fearless　resolution；　and　this　was　sufficient
merit　to　procure　for　him　the　important　post　of　overland　division…agent　at
Julesburg；　in　place　of　Mr。　Jules；　removed。　　For　some　time　previously；　the
company's　horses　had　been　frequently　stolen；　and　the　coaches　delayed；　by
gangs　of　outlaws；　who　were　wont　to　laugh　at　the　idea　of　any　man's　having
the　temerity　to　resent　such　outrages。　　Slade　resented　them　promptly。

The　outlaws　soon　found　that　the　new　agent　was　a　man　who　did　not　fear
anything　that　breathed　the　breath　of　life。　　He　made　short　work　of　all
offenders。　　The　result　was　that　delays　ceased；　the　company's　property　was
let　alone；　and　no　matter　what　happened　or　who　suffered；　Slade's　coaches
went　through；　every　time！　　True；　in　order　to　bring　about　this　wholesome
change；　Slade　had　to　kill　several　mensome　say　three；　others　say　four；
and　others　sixbut　the　world　was　the　richer　for　their　loss。　　The　first
prominent　difficulty　he　had　was　with　the　ex…agent　Jules；　who　bore　the
reputation　of　being　a　reckless　and　desperate　man　himself。　　Jules　hated
Slade　for　supplanting　him；　and　a　good　fair　occasion　for　a　fight　was　all
he　was　waiting　for。　　By　and　by　Slade　dared　to　employ　a　man　whom　Jules　had
once　discharged。　　Next；　Slade　seized　a　team　of　stage…horses　which　he
accused　Jules　of　having　driven　off　and　hidden　somewhere　for　his　own　use。
War　was　declared；　and　for　a　day　or　two　the　two　men　walked　warily　about
the　streets；　seeking　each　other；　Jules　armed　with　a　double…barreled　shot
gun；　and　Slade　with　his　history…creating　revolver。　　Finally；　as　Slade
stepped　into　a　store　Jules　poured　the　contents　of　his　gun　into　him　from
behind　the　door。　　Slade　was　plucky；　and　Jules　got　several　bad　pistol
wounds　in　return。

Then　both　men　fell；　and　were　carried　to　their　respective　lodgings；　both
swearing　that　better　aim　should　do　deadlier　work　next　time。　　Both　were
bedridden　a　long　time；　but　Jules　got　to　his　feet　first；　and　gathering　his
possessions　together；　packed　them　on　a　couple　of　mules；　and　fled　to　the
Rocky　Mountains　to　gather　strength　in　safety　against　the　day　of
reckoning。　　For　many　months　he　was　not　seen　or　heard　of；　and　was
gradually　dropped　out　of　the　remembrance　of　all　save　Slade　himself。　　But
Slade　was　not　the　man　to　forget　him。　　On　the　contrary；　common　report　said
that　Slade　kept　a　reward　standing　for　his　capture；　dead　or　alive！

After　awhile；　seeing　that　Slade's　energetic　administration　had　restored
peace　and　order　to　one　of　the　worst　divisions　of　the　road；　the　overland
stage　company　transferred　him　to　the　Rocky　Ridge　division　in　the　Rocky
Mountains；　to　see　if　he　could　perform　a　like　miracle　there。　　It　was　the
very　paradise　of　outlaws　and　desperadoes。　　There　was　absolutely　no
semblance　of　law　there。　　Violence　was　the　rule。　　Force　was　the　only
recognized　authority。　　The　commonest　misunderstandings　were　settled　on
the　spot　with　the　revolver　or　the　knife。　　Murders　were　done　in　open　day；
and　with　sparkling　frequency；　and　nobody　thought　of　inquiring　into　them。
It　was　considered　that　the　parties　who　did　the　killing　had　their　private
reasons　for　it；　for　other　people　to　meddle　would　have　been　looked　upon　as
indelicate。　　After　a　murder；　all　that　Rocky　Mountain　etiquette　required
of　a　spectator　was；　that　he　should　help　the　gentleman　bury　his　game
otherwise　his　churlishness　would　surely　be　remembered　against　him　the
first　time　he　killed　a　man　himself　and　needed　a　neighborly　turn　in
interring　him。

Slade　took　up　his　residence　sweetly　and　peacefully　in　the　midst　of　this
hive　of　horse…thieves　and　assassins；　and　the　very　first　time　one　of　them
aired　his　insolent　swaggerings　in　his　presence　he　shot　him　dead！　　He
began　a　raid　on　the　outlaws；　and　in　a　singularly　short　space　of　time　he
had　completely　stopped　their　depredations　on　the　stage　stock；　recovered　a
large　number　of　stolen　horses；　killed　several　of　the　worst　desperadoes　of
the　district；　and　gained　such　a　dread　ascendancy　over　the　rest　that　they
respected　him；　admired　him；　feared　him；　obeyed　him！　　He　wrought　the　same
marvelous　change　in　the　ways　of　the　community　that　had　marked　his
administration　at　Overland　City。　　He　captured　two　men　who　had　stolen
overland　stock；　and　with　his　own　hands　he　hanged　them。　　He　was　supreme
judge　in　his　district；　and　he　was　jury　and　executioner　likewiseand　not
only　in　the　case　of　offences　against　his　employers；　but　against　passing
emigrants　as　well。　　On　one　occasion　some　emigrants　had　their　stock　lost
or　stolen；　and　told　Slade；　who　chanced　to　visit　their　camp。　　With　a
single　companion　he　rode　to　a　ranch；　the　owners　of　which　he　suspected；
and　opening　the　door；　commenced　firing；　killing　three；　and　wounding　the
fourth。

From　a　bloodthirstily　interesting　little　Montana　book。　〃The　Vigilantes
of　Montana；〃　by　Prof。　　Thos。　　J。　　Dimsdale。＇　I　take　this　paragraph：

　　　　　　〃While　on　the　road；　Slade　held　absolute　sway。　　He　would　ride　down　to
　　　　　　a　station；　get　into　a　quarrel；　turn　the　house　out　of　windows；　and
　　　　　　maltreat　the　occupants　most　cruelly。　　The　unfortunates　had　no　means
　　　　　　of　redress；　and　were　compelled　to　recuperate　as　best　they　could。

On　one　of　these　occasions；　it　is　said　he　killed　the　father　of　the　fine
little　half…breed　boy　Jemmy；　whom　he　adopted；　and　who　lived　with　his
widow　after　his　execution。　　Stories　of　Slade's　hanging　men；　and　of
innumerable　assaults；　shootings；　stabbings　and　beatings；　in　which　he　was
a　principal　actor；　form　part　of　the　legends　of　the　stage　line。　　As　for
minor　quarrels　and　shootings；　it　is　absolutely　certain　that　a　minute
history　of　Slade's　life　would　be　one　long　record　of　such　practices。

Slade　was　a　matchless　marksman　with　a　navy　revolver。　　The　legends　say
that　one　morning　at　Rocky　Ridge；　when　he　was　feeling　comfortable；　he　saw
a　man　approaching　who　had　offended　him　some　days　beforeobserve　the　fine
memory　he　had　for　matters　like　thatand；　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Slade；
drawing；　〃it　is　a　good　twenty…yard　shotI'll　clip　the　third　button　on
his　coat！〃　　Which　he　did。　　The　bystanders　all　admired　it。　　And　they　all
attended　the　funeral；　too。

On　one　occasion　a　man　who　kept　a　little　whisky…shelf　at　the　station　did
something　which　angered　Sladeand　went　and　made　his　will。　　A　day　or　two
afterward　Slade　came　in　and　called　for　some　brandy。　　The　man　reached
under　the　counter　（ostensibly　to　get　a　bottlepossibly　to　get　something
else）；　but　Slade　smiled　upon　him　that　peculiarly　bland　and　satisfied
smile　of　his　which　the　neighbors　had　long　ago　learned　to　recognize　as　a
death…warrant　in　disguise；　and　told　him　to　〃none　of　that！pass　out　the
high…priced　article。〃　　So　the　poor　bar…keeper　had　to　turn　his　back　and
get　the　high…priced　brandy　from　the　shelf；　and　when　he　faced　around　again
he　was　looking　into　the　muzzle　of　Slade's　pistol。　　〃And　the　next
instant；〃　added　my　informant；　impressively；　〃he　was　one　of　the　deadest
men　that　ever　lived。〃

The　stage…drivers　and　conductors　told　us　that　sometimes　Slade　would　leave
a　hated　enemy　wholly　unmolested；　unnoticed　and　unmentioned；　for　weeks
togetherhad　done　it　once　or　twice　at　any　rate。　　And　some　said　they
believed　he　did　it　in　order　to　lull　the　victims　into　unwatchfulness；　so
that　he　could　get　the　advantage　of　them；　and　others　said　they　believed　he
saved　up　an　enemy　that　way；　just　as　a　schoolboy　saves　up　a　cake；　and　made
the　pleasure　go　as　far　as　it　would　by　gloating　over　the　anticipation。
One　of　these　cases　was　that　of　a　Frenchman　who　had　offended　Slade。
To　the　surprise　of　everybody　Slade　did　not　kill　him　on　the　spot