large/9571/shortstoryvol059_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory059_17_firsthate_64kb_7
large/9571/shortstoryvol059_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory059_17_firsthate_64kb
English
9571
"He fell like an ox, his face splashing in the stream. I shoved the body out. I saw it sucked beneath the log jam instantly. It disappeared. There could be no inquest on him, I reflected comfortably. Hazel was gone—gone from this earth, from my life, our mutual hatred over at last." HE FELL LIKE AN OX HIS FACE SPLASHING IN THE STREAM I SHOVED THE BODY OUT I SAW IT SUCKED BENEATH THE LOG JAM INSTANTLY IT DISAPPEARED THERE COULD BE NO INQUEST ON HIM I REFLECTED COMFORTABLY HAZEL WAS GONE GONE FROM THIS EARTH FROM MY LIFE OUR MUTUAL HATRED OVER AT LAST
 the Siwash turned to look. Neither of them had seen me yet. There was a big log-jam below them. The roar of the water in their ears concealed my footsteps. I was, perhaps, twenty paces from them when Hazel, with a jerk of his whole body, abruptly turned clean round and faced me. We stared into each other’s eyes. “The amazement on his face changed instantly to hatred and resolve. He acted with incredible rapidity. I think the unexpected suddenness of his turn made me lose a precious second or two. Anyhow he was ahead of me. He flung his rifle to his shoulder. ‘You devil!’ I heard his voice. ‘I’ve got you at last!’ His rifle cracked, for he let drive the same instant. The hair stirred just above my ear. “He had missed! “Before he could draw back his bolt for another shot I had acted. “‘You’re not fit to live!’ I shouted, as my bullet[85] crashed into his temple. I had the satisfaction, too, of knowing that he heard my words. I saw the swift expression of frustrated loathing in his eyes.  HE MISJUDGED HE POINTED DOWN STREAM AND THE SIGH WASH TURNED TO LOOK NEITHER OF THEM HAD SEEN ME YET THERE WAS A BIG LOG JAMB BELOW THEM THE ROAR OF THE WATER IN THEIR EARS CONCEALED MY FOOTSTEPS I WAS PERHAPS TWENTY PACES FROM THEM WHEN HAZEL WITH A JERK OF HIS WHOLE BODY ABRUPTLY TURNED CLEAN ROUND AND FACED ME WE STARED INTO EACH OTHER'S EYES THE AMAZEMENT ON HIS FACE CHANGED INSTANTLY TO HATRED AND RESOLVE HE ACTED WITH INCREDIBLE RAPIDITY I THINK THE UNEXPECTED SUDDENNESS OF HIS TURN MADE ME LOSE A PRECIOUS SECOND OR TWO ANYHOW HE WAS AHEAD OF ME HE FLUNG HIS RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER YOU DEVIL I HEARD HIS VOICE I'VE GOT YOU AT LAST HIS RIFLE CRACKED FOR HE LET DRIVE THE SAME INSTANT THE HAIR STIRRED JUST ABOVE MY EAR HE HAD MISSED BEFORE HE COULD DRAW BACK HIS BOLT FOR ANOTHER SHOT I HAD ACTED YOU'RE NOT FIT TO LIVE I SHOUTED AS MY BULLET CRASHED INTO HIS TEMPLE I HAD THE SATISFACTION TOO OF KNOWING THAT HE HEARD MY WORDS I SAW THE SWIFT EXPRESSION OF FRUSTRATED LOATHING IN HIS EYES
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