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The Night Horseman by Max Brand, CHAPTER VIII. THE GIFT-HORSE

CHAPTER VIII. THE GIFT-HORSE

"Your dog is your own dog," remarked Jerry Strann, still to the back of the card-laying stranger, "but this ain't your back-yard. Keep your eye on him, or I'll fix him so he won't need watching!" So saying he made another step forward, and it brought a snarl from the dog; not one of those high-whining noises, but a deep guttural that sounded like indrawn breath. The gun of Jerry Strann leaped into his hand.

"Bart," said the gentle-voiced stranger, "lie down and don't talk." And he turned in his chair, pulled his hat straight, and looked mildly upon the gunman. An artist would have made much of that picture, for there was in this man, as in Strann, a singular portion of beauty. It was not, however, free from objection, for he had not the open manliness of the larger of the two. Indeed, a feminine grace and softness marked him; his wrists were as round as a girl's, and his hands as slender and as delicately finished. Whether it be the white-hot sun of summer or the hurricane snows of winter, the climate of the mountain-desert roughens the skin, and it cuts away spare flesh, hewing out the face in angles; but with this man there were no rough edges, but all was smoothed over and rounded with painful care; as if nature had concentrated in that birth to show what she could do. Such fine workmanship, perhaps, would be appreciated more by women than by men; for men like a certain weight and bulk of bone and muscle—whereas this fellow seemed as light of body as he was of hand. He sat now watching Strann with the utmost gravity. He had very large brown eyes of a puzzling quality; perhaps that was because there seemed to be no thought behind them and one caught the mystery and the wistfulness of some animals from a glance at him.

The effect of that glance on Strann was to make him grin again, and he at once banished the frown from his forehead and put away his gun; the big dog had slunk deeper into the shadow and closer to his master.

"I'm Strann. Maybe you've heard of me." "My name is Barry," said the other. "I'm sorry that I haven't heard of you before." And the sound of his voice made Jerry Strann grin again; it was such a low, soft voice with the velvet of a young girl's tone in it; moreover, the brown eyes seemed to apologise for the ignorance concerning Strann's name. "You got a hoss out in front." A nod of agreement.

"What's your price?" "None." "No price? Look here," argued Strann, "everything's got a price, and I got to have that hoss, understand? Got to! I ain't bargaining. I won't try to beat you down. You just set a figger and I'll cover it. I guess that's square!" "He ain't a gentle hoss," said Barry. "Maybe you wouldn't like him." "Oh, that's all right about being gentle," chuckled Strann. Then he checked his mirth and stared piercingly at the other to make out if there were a secret mockery. It could not, however, be possible. The eyes were as gravely apologetic as ever. He continued: "I seen the hell-fire in him. That's what stopped me like a bullet. I like 'em that way. Much rather have 'em with a fight. Well, let's have your price. Hey, O'Brien, trot out your red-eye; I'm going to do some business here!" O'Brien came hastily, with drinks, and while they waited Strann queried politely: "Belong around these parts?" "No," answered the other softly. "No?

CHAPTER VIII. THE GIFT-HORSE CAPITOLO VIII. IL CAVALLO REGALO

"Your dog is your own dog," remarked Jerry Strann, still to the back of the card-laying stranger, "but this ain't your back-yard. "Seu cachorro é seu próprio cachorro", comentou Jerry Strann, ainda atrás do estranho que jogava cartas, "mas este não é o seu quintal. Keep your eye on him, or I'll fix him so he won't need watching!" Fique de olho nele, ou eu vou consertá-lo para que ele não precise ser vigiado!" So saying he made another step forward, and it brought a snarl from the dog; not one of those high-whining noises, but a deep guttural that sounded like indrawn breath. Assim dizendo, ele deu outro passo à frente, e isso provocou um rosnado do cachorro; não um daqueles ruídos agudos, mas um gutural profundo que soava como uma respiração ofegante. The gun of Jerry Strann leaped into his hand. A arma de Jerry Strann saltou em sua mão.

"Bart," said the gentle-voiced stranger, "lie down and don't talk." "Bart", disse o estranho de voz suave, "deite-se e não fale." And he turned in his chair, pulled his hat straight, and looked mildly upon the gunman. E ele se virou na cadeira, endireitou o chapéu e olhou com calma para o atirador. An artist would have made much of that picture, for there was in this man, as in Strann, a singular portion of beauty. Um artista teria dado muito valor a esse quadro, pois havia nesse homem, como em Strann, uma porção singular de beleza. It was not, however, free from objection, for he had not the open manliness of the larger of the two. No entanto, não estava livre de objeções, pois ele não tinha a masculinidade aberta do maior dos dois. Indeed, a feminine grace and softness marked him; his wrists were as round as a girl's, and his hands as slender and as delicately finished. De fato, uma graça e suavidade femininas o marcavam; seus pulsos eram redondos como os de uma garota, e suas mãos tão finas e delicadamente acabadas. Whether it be the white-hot sun of summer or the hurricane snows of winter, the climate of the mountain-desert roughens the skin, and it cuts away spare flesh, hewing out the face in angles; but with this man there were no rough edges, but all was smoothed over and rounded with painful care; as if nature had concentrated in that birth to show what she could do. Seja o sol escaldante do verão ou as neves do furacão do inverno, o clima do deserto montanhoso torna a pele áspera e corta a carne sobressalente, cortando o rosto em ângulos; mas com este homem não havia arestas, mas tudo foi alisado e arredondado com cuidado doloroso; como se a natureza tivesse se concentrado naquele nascimento para mostrar o que ela podia fazer. Such fine workmanship, perhaps, would be appreciated more by women than by men; for men like a certain weight and bulk of bone and muscle—whereas this fellow seemed as light of body as he was of hand. Tal fino acabamento, talvez, seria mais apreciado pelas mulheres do que pelos homens; para os homens como um certo peso e volume de ossos e músculos - enquanto esse sujeito parecia tão leve de corpo quanto de mão. He sat now watching Strann with the utmost gravity. Ele agora estava sentado observando Strann com a maior gravidade. He had very large brown eyes of a puzzling quality; perhaps that was because there seemed to be no thought behind them and one caught the mystery and the wistfulness of some animals from a glance at him. Ele tinha grandes olhos castanhos de uma qualidade intrigante; talvez fosse porque parecia não haver nenhum pensamento por trás deles e se captava o mistério e a melancolia de alguns animais com um olhar para ele.

The effect of that glance on Strann was to make him grin again, and he at once banished the frown from his forehead and put away his gun; the big dog had slunk deeper into the shadow and closer to his master. O efeito daquele olhar sobre Strann foi fazê-lo sorrir novamente, e ele imediatamente baniu a carranca de sua testa e guardou a arma; o grande cão tinha se esgueirado mais fundo na sombra e mais perto de seu mestre.

"I'm Strann. Maybe you've heard of me." "My name is Barry," said the other. "I'm sorry that I haven't heard of you before." And the sound of his voice made Jerry Strann grin again; it was such a low, soft voice with the velvet of a young girl's tone in it; moreover, the brown eyes seemed to apologise for the ignorance concerning Strann's name. E o som de sua voz fez Jerry Strann sorrir novamente; era uma voz tão baixa e suave com o tom aveludado de uma jovem; além disso, os olhos castanhos pareciam se desculpar pela ignorância sobre o nome de Strann. "You got a hoss out in front." "Você tem um hoss na frente." A nod of agreement. Um aceno de concordância.

"What's your price?" "None." "No price? Look here," argued Strann, "everything's got a price, and I got to have that hoss, understand? Olhe aqui", argumentou Strann, "tudo tem um preço, e eu tenho que ter aquela vadia, entendeu? Got to! Ter que! I ain't bargaining. Eu não estou negociando. I won't try to beat you down. Eu não vou tentar te derrubar. You just set a figger and I'll cover it. Você acabou de definir um figger e eu vou cobri-lo. I guess that's square!" Acho que é quadrado!" "He ain't a gentle hoss," said Barry. "Maybe you wouldn't like him." "Talvez você não gostasse dele." "Oh, that's all right about being gentle," chuckled Strann. "Ah, tudo bem ser gentil", riu Strann. Then he checked his mirth and stared piercingly at the other to make out if there were a secret mockery. Então ele conferiu sua alegria e olhou penetrantemente para o outro para ver se havia uma zombaria secreta. It could not, however, be possible. Não poderia, no entanto, ser possível. The eyes were as gravely apologetic as ever. Os olhos estavam tão gravemente apologéticos como sempre. He continued: "I seen the hell-fire in him. Ele continuou: "Eu vi o fogo do inferno nele. That's what stopped me like a bullet. Foi isso que me parou como uma bala. I like 'em that way. Eu gosto deles assim. Much rather have 'em with a fight. Muito melhor tê-los com uma luta. Well, let's have your price. Bem, vamos ter o seu preço. Hey, O'Brien, trot out your red-eye; I'm going to do some business here!" Ei, O'Brien, tire seu olho vermelho; Vou fazer alguns negócios aqui!" O'Brien came hastily, with drinks, and while they waited Strann queried politely: "Belong around these parts?" O'Brien veio apressadamente, com bebidas, e enquanto eles esperavam Strann perguntou educadamente: "Pertencem a estas bandas?" "No," answered the other softly. "No?