cressy-第22节

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all？〃　she　asked　after　a　pause。



〃Wellthere's　that　solemn　school…master；　who　cut　me　out　of　the

waltz　with　youthat　Mr。　Ford。〃



Had　he　been　a　perfectly　cool　and　impartial　observer　he　would　have

seen　the　slight　tremor　cross　Cressy's　soft　eyelids　even　in　profile；

followed　by　that　momentary　arrest　of　her　whole　face；　mouth；

dimples；　and　eyes；　which　had　overtaken　it　the　night　the　master

entered　the　ball…room。　　But　he　was　neither；　and　it　passed　quickly

and　unnoticed。　　Her　usual　lithe　but　languid　play　of　expression　and

color　came　back；　and　she　turned　her　head　lazily　towards　the

speaker。　　〃There's　Paw　coming。　　I　suppose　you　wouldn't　mind　giving

me　a　sample　of　your　style　of　arbitrating　with　him；　before　you　try

it　on　me？〃



〃Certainly　not；〃　said　Stacey；　by　no　means　displeased　at　the

prospect　of　having　so　pretty　and　intelligent　a　witness　in　the

daughter　of　what　he　believed　would　form　an　attractive　display　of

his　diplomatic　skill　and　graciousness　to　the　father。　　〃Don't　go

away。　　I've　got　nothing　to　say　Miss　Cressy　could　not　understand　and

answer。〃



The　jingling　of　spurs；　and　the　shadow　of　McKinstry　and　his　shot…gun

falling　at　this　moment　between　the　speaker　and　Cressy；　spared　her

the　necessity　of　a　reply。　　McKinstry　cast　an　uneasy　glance　around

the　apartment；　and　not　seeing　Mrs。　McKinstry　looked　relieved；　and

even　the　deep　traces　of　the　loss　of　a　valuable　steer　that　morning

partly　faded　from　his　Indian…red　complexion。　　He　placed　his　shot…

gun　carefully　in　the　corner；　took　his　soft　felt　hat　from　his　head；

folded　it　and　put　it　in　one　of　the　capacious　pockets　of　his　jacket；

turned　to　his　daughter；　and　laying　his　maimed　hand　familiarly　on

her　shoulder；　said　gravely；　without　looking　at　Stacey；　〃What　might

the　stranger　be　wantin'；　Cress？〃



〃Perhaps　I'd　better　answer　that　myself；〃　said　Stacey　briskly。　　〃I'm

acting　for　Benham　and　Co。；　of　San　Francisco；　who　have　bought　the

Spanish　title　to　part　of　this　property。　　I〃



〃Stop　there！〃　said　McKinstry；　in　a　voice　dull　but　distinct。　　He

took　his　hat　from　his　pocket；　put　it　on；　walked　to　the　corner　and

took　up　his　gun；　looked　at　Stacey　for　the　first　time　with　narcotic

eyes　that　seemed　to　drowsily　absorb　his　slight　figure；　then　put　the

gun　back　half　contemptuously；　and　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　towards

the　door；　said：　〃We'll　settle　this　yer　outside。　　Cress；　you　stop　in

here。　　There's　man's　talk　goin'　on。〃



〃But；　Paw；〃　said　Cressy；　laying　her　hand　languidly　on　her　father's

sleeve　without　the　least　change　of　color　or　amused　expression。

〃This　gentleman　has　come　over　here　on　a　compromise。〃



〃On　aWHICH？〃　said　McKinstry；　glancing　scornfully　out　of　the　door

for　some　rare　species　of　mustang　vaguely　suggested　to　him　in　that

unfamiliar　word。



〃To　see　if　we　couldn't　come　to　some　fair　settlement；〃　said　Stacey。

〃I've　no　objection　to　going　outside　with　you；　but　I　think　we　can

discuss　this　matter　here　just　as　well。〃　　His　fine　feathers　had　not

made　him　a　coward；　although　his　heart　had　beaten　a　little　faster　at

this　sudden　recollection　of　the　dangerous　reputation　of　his　host。



〃Go　on；〃　said　McKinstry。



〃The　plain　facts　of　the　case　are　these；〃　continued　Stacey；　with

more　confidence。　　〃We　have　sold　a　strip　of　this　property　covering

the　land　in　dispute　between　you　and　Harrison。　　We　are　bound　to　put

our　purchaser　in　peaceable　possession。　　Now　to　save　time　we　are

willing　to　buy　that　possession　of　any　man　who　can　give　it。　　We　are

told　that　you　can。〃



〃Well；　considerin'　that　for　the　last　four　years　I've　been　fightin'

night　and　day　agin　them　low…down　Harrisons　for　it；　I　reckon　you've

been　lied　to；〃　said　McKinstry　deliberately。　　〃Whyexcept　the

clearing　on　the　north　side；　whar　I　put　up　a　barn；　thar　ain't　an

acre　of　it　as　hasn't　been　shifted　first　this　side　and　then　that　as

fast　ez　I　druv　boundary　stakes　and　fences；　and　the　Harrisons　pulled

'em　up　agin。　　Thar　ain't　more　than　fifty　acres　ez　I've　hed　a　clear

hold　on；　and　I　wouldn't　hev　had　that　ef　it　hadn't　bin　for　the　barn；

the　raisin'　alone　o'　which　cost　me　a　man；　two　horses；　and　this　yer

little　finger。〃



〃Put　us　in　possession　of　even　that　fifty　acres；　and　WE'LL　undertake

to　hold　the　rest　and　eject　those　Harrisons　from　it；〃　returned

Stacey　complacently。　　〃You　understand　that　the　moment　we've　made　a

peaceable　entrance　to　even　a　foothold　on　your　side；　the　Harrisons

are　only　trespassers；　and　with　the　title　to　back　us　we　can　call　on

the　whole　sheriff's　posse　to　put　them　off。　　That's　the　law。〃



〃That　ar　the　law？〃　repeated　McKinstry　meditatively。



〃Yes；〃　said　Stacey。　　〃So；〃　he　continued；　with　a　self…satisfied

smile　to　Cressy；　〃far　from　being　hard　on　you；　Mr。　McKinstry；　we're

rather　inclined　to　put　you　on　velvet。　　We　offer　you　a　fair　price

for　the　only　thing　you　can　give　usactual　possession；　and　we　help

you　with　your　old　grudge　against　the　Harrisons。　　We　not　only　clear

them　out；　but　we　pay　YOU　for　even　the　part　they　held　adversely　to

you。〃



Mr。　McKinstry　passed　his　three　whole　fingers　over　his　forehead　and

eyes　as　if　troubled　by　a　drowsy　aching。　　〃Then　you　don't　reckon　to

hev　anythin'　to　say　to　them　Harrisons？〃



〃We　don't　propose　to　recognize　them　in　the　matter　at　all；〃　returned

Stacey。



〃Nor　allow　'em　anythin'？〃



〃Not　a　cent！　　So　you　see；　Mr。　McKinstry；〃　he　continued　magnanimously；

yet　with　a　mischievous　smile　to　Cressy；　〃there　is　nothing　in　this

amicable　discussion　that　requires　to　be　settled　outside。〃



〃Ain't　there？〃　said　McKinstry；　in　a　dull；　deliberate　voice；　raising

his　eyes　for　the　second　time　to　Stacey。　　They　were　bloodshot；　with

a　heavy；　hanging　furtiveness；　not　unlike　one　of　his　own　hunted

steers。　　〃But　I　ain't　kam　enuff　in　yer。〃　　He　moved　to　the　door　with

a　beckoning　of　his　fateful　hand。　　〃Outside　a　minitEF　you　please。〃



Stacey　started；　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　half　defiantly　stepped

beyond　the　threshold。　　Cressy；　unchanged　in　color　or　expression；

lazily　followed　to　the　door。



〃Wot；〃　said　McKinstry；　slowly　facing　Stacey；　〃wot　ef　I　refoose？

Wot　ef　I　say　I　don't　allow　any　man；　or　any　bank；　or　any　compromise；

to　take　up　my　quo'r'lls？　　Wot　ef　I　say　that　low…down　and　mean　as

them　Harrisons　is；　they　don't　begin　to　be　ez　mean；　ez　low…down；　ez

underhanded；　ez　sneakin'　ez　that　yer　compromise？　　Wot　ef　I　say　that

ef　that's　the　kind　o'　hogwash　that　law　and　snivelization　offers　me

for　peace　and　quietness；　I'll　take　the　fightin'；　and　the　law…

breakin'；　and　the　sheriff；　and　all　h…ll　for　his　posse　instead？　　Wot

ef　I　say　that？〃



〃It　will　only　be　my　duty　to　repeat　it；〃　said　Stacey；　with　an

affected　carelessness　which；　however；　did　not　conceal　his　surprise

and　his　discomfiture。　　〃It's　no　affair　of　mine。〃



〃Unless；〃　said　Cressy；　assuming　her　old　position　against　the　lintel

of　the　door；　and　smoothing　the　worn　bear…skin　that　served　as　a　mat

with　the　toe　of　her　slipper；　〃unless　you've　mixed　it　up　with　your

other　arbitration；　you　know。〃



〃Wot　other　arbitration？〃　asked　McKinstry　suddenly；　with　murky　eyes。



Stacey　cast　a　rapid；　half　indignant　glance　at　the　young　girl；　who

received　it　with　her　hands　tucked　behind　her　back；　her　lovely　head

bent　submissively　forward；　and　a　prolonged　little　laugh。



〃Oh　nothing；　Paw；〃　she　said；　〃only　a　little　private　foolishness

betwixt　me　and　the　gentleman。　　You'd　admire　to　hear　him　talk；　Paw

about　other　things　than　business。　　He's　just　that　chipper　and　gay。〃



Nevertheless；　as　with　a　muttered　〃Good…morning〃　the　young　fellow

turned　away；　she　quietly　brushed　past　her　father；　and　followed　him

with　her　hands　still　penitently　behind　her；　and　the　rosy　palms

turned　upwardas　far　as　the　gate。　　Her　single　long　Marguerite

braid　of　hair　trailing　down　her　back　nearly　to　the　hem　of　her

skirt；　appeared　to　accent　her　demure　reserve。　　At　the　gate　she

shaded　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　glanced　upward。



〃It　don't　seem　to　be　a　good　day　for　arbitrating。　　A　trifle　early　in

the　season；　ain't　it？〃



〃Good…morning；　Miss　McKinstry。〃



She　held　out　her　hand。　　He　took　it　with　an　affected　ease　but

cautiously；　as　if　it　had　been　the　velvet　paw　of　a　young　panther　who

had　scratched　him。　　After　all；　what　was　she　but　the　cub　of　the

untamed　beast；　McKinstry？　　He　was　well　out　of　it！　　He　was　not

revengefulbut　business　was　business；　and　he　had　given　them　the

first　chance。



As　his　figure　disappeared　behind　the　buckeyes　of　the　lane；　Cressy

cast　a　glance　at　the　declining　sun。　　She　re…entered　the　house；　and

went　directly　to　her　room。　　As　she　passed　the　window；　she　could　see

her　father　already　remounted　galloping　towards　the　tules；　as　if　in

search　of　that　riparian　〃kam〃　his　late　interview　had　disturbed。　　A

few　straggling　bits　of　color　in　the　sloping　meadows　were　the

children　coming　home　from　school。　　She　hastily　tied　a　girlish　sun…

bonnet　under　her　chin；　and　slipping　out　of　the　back　door；　swept

like　a　lissom　shadow　along　the　line　of　fence　until　she　seemed　to

melt　into　the　umbrage　of　the　woods　that　fringed　t