Read Online How the West Was Won (1963) by Louis L'amour - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Louis L'amour
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There was a little they could add to their own supplies-some food, some ammunition, extra bullet molds, and weapons. With Zeke to help, he began slowly sorting things out. All, or most of it, had been stolen. The owners might now be dead-dead or gone on west. Sometimes it amounted to the same thing. Linus Rawlings piled his own furs on the small landing. He had seen his canoe on the bottom of the cove, only a few feet under the water, and was hopeful it might be repaired. He recovered his rifle, and added to his store some of the stock of powder and lead.
Eve and her mother had made a bed for Sam that was shaded, and Linus helped Zebulon move the wounded man.
Only when all his furs were on the landing did he wade into the cove and remove the stones from the canoe. Brutus Harvey helped him beach it on the slanting shore, and Linus checked it for repairs. It needed only two sections of birch bark, for Marty's efforts to destroy the canoe had been halfhearted at best. Linus swore softly as he went to work. It seemed all he was doing these days was patching canoes. This one was large, and other than the damaged areas it was in good shape and comparatively new. The beat-up old canoe he had found in the brush near the cave was too small for his load of furs, but it had been swift and easily handled.
Footsteps sounded on the path behind him ... he cringed inwardly. Yet even as he did so he felt an odd warmth, a very real pleasure. It irritated him that he should be so confused about himself. After all, what did he want to do? She walked up beside him and stopped, looking down at the damaged canoe. It'll be a job, Linus said, but I can patch her up as good as new. Linus ... ?
Eve, let's talk no more about it.
Linus, I'm telling you. You don't know your own mind. Maybe so, maybe not. I ain't denyin' you been in my thoughts, but I still went to see the varmint with that pirate gal. I'll always be goin' to see the varmint, Eve-I just ain't cut out to be either a farmer or a husband. Linus, I'm not going to bring the matter up again, whether I ever see you again or not.
That's best, and I wish you Godspeed, Eve, and it's been a long time since I said the like to anybody.
Fighting tears, she turned swiftly away toward the path. Linus straightened up and for an instant he was about to call after her. Then, grimly, he closed his mouth.
To himself, he said, You ain't no marryin' man. No sooner'd you squat on some land than you'd start to thinkin' how the wind blows over South Pass, or the way that water ripples on that lake at the foot of the Tetons. All the time you were plowing a furrow you'd be rememberin' the long winds in the pines atop the Mogollon Rim in Arizona, or the slap of a beaver's tail on the water of a pool some place up the Green. No, sir. You ain't no marryin' man, Linus, not by a long shot.
He cut a patch of bark from a birch tree and settled down to remove the damaged square and replace it with the fresh piece, but the girl's face remained in his mind, interfering with his work. He swore softly, scowling as he stitched the patch in its place.
It was time he set off for Pittsburgh ... and the sooner the better. This was no time to be thinkin' soft about any chance pilgrim girl.
Chapter 6
Although it was midday, darkness lay upon the river. The black, swollen waters ran swiftly, warned by lowering black clouds that hung low above. Thunder rumbled down far-off halls, and there was the sound of rain upon the water. A quarter of a mile ahead the Harvey raft raced through the water, seen through the steel veil of the rain. That would be Brutus at the oar ... he was the stalwart one, the stable one. Never excited, never disturbed, when trouble or danger came he simply bowed his head and pushed on, as his sort will always push on, to their last day.
When others panic or shout, when they wail and shed bitter tears, decrying the changing times, there are those like Brutus who simply go on. Changing times, anger,
Eve and her mother had made a bed for Sam that was shaded, and Linus helped Zebulon move the wounded man.
Only when all his furs were on the landing did he wade into the cove and remove the stones from the canoe. Brutus Harvey helped him beach it on the slanting shore, and Linus checked it for repairs. It needed only two sections of birch bark, for Marty's efforts to destroy the canoe had been halfhearted at best. Linus swore softly as he went to work. It seemed all he was doing these days was patching canoes. This one was large, and other than the damaged areas it was in good shape and comparatively new. The beat-up old canoe he had found in the brush near the cave was too small for his load of furs, but it had been swift and easily handled.
Footsteps sounded on the path behind him ... he cringed inwardly. Yet even as he did so he felt an odd warmth, a very real pleasure. It irritated him that he should be so confused about himself. After all, what did he want to do? She walked up beside him and stopped, looking down at the damaged canoe. It'll be a job, Linus said, but I can patch her up as good as new. Linus ... ?
Eve, let's talk no more about it.
Linus, I'm telling you. You don't know your own mind. Maybe so, maybe not. I ain't denyin' you been in my thoughts, but I still went to see the varmint with that pirate gal. I'll always be goin' to see the varmint, Eve-I just ain't cut out to be either a farmer or a husband. Linus, I'm not going to bring the matter up again, whether I ever see you again or not.
That's best, and I wish you Godspeed, Eve, and it's been a long time since I said the like to anybody.
Fighting tears, she turned swiftly away toward the path. Linus straightened up and for an instant he was about to call after her. Then, grimly, he closed his mouth.
To himself, he said, You ain't no marryin' man. No sooner'd you squat on some land than you'd start to thinkin' how the wind blows over South Pass, or the way that water ripples on that lake at the foot of the Tetons. All the time you were plowing a furrow you'd be rememberin' the long winds in the pines atop the Mogollon Rim in Arizona, or the slap of a beaver's tail on the water of a pool some place up the Green. No, sir. You ain't no marryin' man, Linus, not by a long shot.
He cut a patch of bark from a birch tree and settled down to remove the damaged square and replace it with the fresh piece, but the girl's face remained in his mind, interfering with his work. He swore softly, scowling as he stitched the patch in its place.
It was time he set off for Pittsburgh ... and the sooner the better. This was no time to be thinkin' soft about any chance pilgrim girl.
Chapter 6
Although it was midday, darkness lay upon the river. The black, swollen waters ran swiftly, warned by lowering black clouds that hung low above. Thunder rumbled down far-off halls, and there was the sound of rain upon the water. A quarter of a mile ahead the Harvey raft raced through the water, seen through the steel veil of the rain. That would be Brutus at the oar ... he was the stalwart one, the stable one. Never excited, never disturbed, when trouble or danger came he simply bowed his head and pushed on, as his sort will always push on, to their last day.
When others panic or shout, when they wail and shed bitter tears, decrying the changing times, there are those like Brutus who simply go on. Changing times, anger,
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