cressy-第26节

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〃But　who'll　settle　THIS？〃　clamored　the　voice　of　the　older　Harrison

from　behind　the　barn　where　he　had　stumbled　in　crossing　the　fallen

hay。　　〃Yer's　Seth　Davis　lyin'　in　the　hay　with　the　top　of　his　head

busted。　　Who's　to　pay　for　that？〃



There　was　a　rush　to　the　spot；　and　a　quick　cry　of　reaction。



〃Whose　work　is　this？〃　demanded　the　sheriff's　voice；　with　official

severity。



The　master　uttered　an　instinctive　exclamation　of　defiance；　and

dropping　quickly　to　the　barn　floor；　would　the　next　moment　have

opened　the　door　and　declared　himself；　but　Mrs。　McKinstry；　after　a

single　glance　at　his　determined　face；　suddenly　threw　herself　before

him　with　an　imperious　gesture　of　silence。　　Then　her　voice　rang

clearly　from　the　barn：



〃Well；　if　it's　the　hound　that　tried　to　force　his　way　in　yer；　I

reckon　ye　kin　put　that　down　to　ME！〃





CHAPTER　X。





It　was　known　to　Indian　Spring；　the　next　day；　amid　great　excitement；

that　a　serious　fracas　had　been　prevented　on　the　ill…fated　boundary

by　the　dramatic　appearance　of　Uncle　Ben　Dabney；　not　only　as　a

peacemaker；　but　as　Mr。　Daubigny　the　bona　fide　purchaser　and　owner

of　the　land。　　It　was　known　and　accepted　with　great　hilarity　that

〃old　marm　McKinstry〃　had　defended　the　barn　alone　and　unaided；　with

as　variously　stateda　pitchfork；　an　old　stable…broom；　and　a　pail

of　dirty　water；　against　Harrison；　his　party；　and　the　entire　able

posse　of　the　Sheriff　of　Tuolumne　County；　with　no　further　damage

than　a　scalp　wound　which　the　head　of　Seth　Davis　received　while

falling　from　the　loft　of　the　barn　from　which　he　had　been　dislodged

by　Mrs。　McKinstry　and　the　broom　aforesaid。　　It　was　known　with

unanimous　approbation　that　the　acquisition　of　the　land…title　by　a

hitherto　humble　citizen　of　Indian　Spring　was　a　triumph　of　the

settlement　over　foreign　interference。　　But　it　was　not　known　that

the　school…master　was　a　participant　in　the　fight；　or　even　present

on　the　spot。　　At　Mrs。　McKinstry's　suggestion　he　had　remained

concealed　in　the　loft　until　after　the　withdrawal　of　both　parties

and　the　still　unconscious　Seth。　　When　Ford　had　remonstrated；　with

the　remark　that　Seth　would　be　sure　to　declare　the　truth　when　he

recovered　his　senses；　Mrs。　McKinstry　smiled　grimly：　〃I　reckon　when

he　comes　to　know　I　was　with　ye　all　the　time；　he'd　rather　hev　it

allowed　that　I　licked　him　than　YOU。　　I　don't　say　he'll　let　it　pass

ez　far　ez　you're　concerned　or　won't　try　to　get　even　with　ye；　but　he

won't　go　round　tellin'　WHY。　　However；〃　she　added　still　more　grimly；

〃if　you　think　you're　ekul　to　tellin'　the　hull　storyhow　ye　kem　to

be　yer　and　that　Seth　wasn't　lyin'　arter　all　when　he　blurted　it　out

afore　'emwhy　I　sha'n't　hinder　ye。〃　　The　master　said　no　more。　　And

indeed　for　a　day　or　two　nothing　transpired　to　show　that　Seth　was

not　equally　reticent。



Nevertheless　Mr。　Ford　was　far　from　being　satisfied　with　the　issue

of　his　adventure。　　His　relations　with　Cressy　were　known　to　the

mother；　and　although　she　had　not　again　alluded　to　them；　she　would

probably　inform　her　husband。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　noticing；　with

a　mingling　of　unreasoning　relief　and　equally　unreasoning　distrust；

that　she　exhibited　a　scornful　unconcern　in　the　matter；　apart　from

the　singular　use　to　which　she　had　put　it。　　He　could　hardly　count

upon　McKinstry；　with　his　heavy；　blind　devotion　to　Cressy；　being　as

indifferent。　　On　the　contrary；　he　had　acquired　the　impression；

without　caring　to　examine　it　closely；　that　her　father　would　not　be

displeased　at　his　marrying　Cressy；　for　it　would　really　amount　to

that。　　But　here　again　he　was　forced　to　contemplate　what　he　had

always　avoided；　the　possible　meaning　and　result　of　their　intimacy。

In　the　reckless；　thoughtless；　extravagantyet　thus　far　innocent

indulgence　of　their　mutual　passion；　he　had　never　spoken　of

marriage；　norand　it　struck　him　now　with　the　same　incongruous

mingling　of　relief　and　uneasinesshad　SHE！　　Perhaps　this　might

have　arisen　from　some　superstitious　or　sensitive　recollection　on

her　part　of　her　previous　engagement　to　Seth；　but　he　remembered　now

that　they　had　not　even　exchanged　the　usual　vows　of　eternal

constancy。　　It　may　seem　strange　that；　in　the　half…dozen　stolen　and

rapturous　interviews　which　had　taken　place　between　these　young

lovers；　there　had　been　no　suggestion　of　the　future；　nor　any　of

those　glowing　projects　for　a　united　destiny　peculiar　to　their　years

and　inexperience。　　They　had　lived　entirely　in　a　blissful　present；

with　no　plans　beyond　their　next　rendezvous。　　In　that　mysterious　and

sudden　absorption　of　each　other；　not　only　the　past；　but　the　future

seemed　to　have　been　forgotten。



These　thoughts　were　passing　through　his　mind　the　next　afternoon　to

the　prejudice　of　that　calm　and　studious　repose　which　the　deserted

school…house　usually　superinduced；　and　which　had　been　so　fondly

noted　by　McKinstry　and　Uncle　Ben。　　The　latter　had　not　arrived　for

his　usual　lesson；　it　was　possible　that　undue　attention　had　been

attracted　to　his　movements　now　that　his　good　fortune　was　known；　and

the　master　was　alone　save　for　the　occasional　swooping　incursion　of

a　depredatory　jay　in　search　of　crumbs　from　the　children's

luncheons；　who　added　apparently　querulous　insult　to　the　larcenous

act。　　He　regretted　Uncle　Ben's　absence；　as　he　wanted　to　know　more

about　his　connection　with　the　Harrison　attack　and　his　eventual

intentions。　　Ever　since　the　master　emerged　from　the　barn　and

regained　his　hotel　under　cover　of　the　darkness；　he　had　heard　only

the　vaguest　rumors；　and　he　purposely　avoided　direct　inquiry。



He　had　been　quite　prepared　for　Cressy's　absence　from　school　that

morningindeed　in　his　present　vacillating　mood　he　had　felt　that

her　presence　would　have　been　irksome　and　embarrassing；　but　it

struck　him　suddenly　and　unpleasantly　that　her　easy　desertion　of　him

at　that　critical　moment　in　the　barn　had　not　since　been　followed　by

the　least　sign　of　anxiety　to　know　the　result　of　her　mother's

interference。　　What　did　she　imagine　had　transpired　between　Mrs。

McKinstry　and　himself？　　Had　she　confidently　expected　her　mother's

prompt　acceptance　of　the　situation　and　a　reconciliation？　　Was　that

the　reason　why　she　had　treated　that　interruption　as　lightly　as　if

she　were　already　his　recognized　betrothed？　　Had　she　even　calculated

upon　it？　had　she？　　He　stopped；　his　cheek　glowing　from　irritation

under　the　suspicion；　and　shame　at　the　disloyalty　of　entertaining　it。



Opening　his　desk；　he　began　to　arrange　his　papers　mechanically；　when

he　discovered；　with　a　slight　feeling　of　annoyance；　that　he　had

placed　Cressy's　bouquetnow　dried　and　witheredin　the　same

pigeon…hole　with　the　mysterious　letters　with　which　he　had　so　often

communed　in　former　days。　　He　at　once　separated　them　with　a　half

bitter　smile；　yet　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　and　with　his　old

sense　of　attempting　to　revive　a　forgotten　association；　he　tried　to

re…peruse　them。　　But　they　did　not　even　restrain　his　straying

thoughts；　nor　prevent　him　from　detecting　a　singular　occurrence。

The　nearly　level　sun　was；　after　its　old　fashion；　already　hanging

the　shadowed　tassels　of　the　pine　boughs　like　a　garland　on　the　wall。

But　the　shadow　seemed　to　have　suddenly　grown　larger　and　more

compact；　and　he　turned；　with　a　quick　consciousness　of　some

interposing　figure　at　the　pane。　　Nothing　however　was　to　be　seen。

Yet　so　impressed　had　he　been　that　he　walked　to　the　door　and　stepped

from　the　porch　to　discover　the　intruder。　　The　clearing　was

deserted；　there　was　a　slight　rustling　in　the　adjacent　laurels；　but

no　human　being　was　visible。　　Nevertheless　the　old　feeling　of

security　and　isolation　which　had　never　been　quite　the　same　since

Mr。　McKinstry's　confession；　seemed　now　to　have　fled　the　sylvan

school…house　altogether；　and　he　somewhat　angrily　closed　his　desk；

locked　it；　and　determined　to　go　home。



His　way　lay　through　the　first　belt　of　pines　towards　the　mining…

flat；　but　to…day　from　some　vague　impulse　he　turned　and　followed　the

ridge。　　He　had　not　proceeded　far　when　he　perceived　Rupert　Filgee

lounging　before　him　on　the　trail；　and　at　a　little　distance　further

on　his　brother　Johnny。　　At　the　sight　of　these　two　favorite　pupils

Mr。　Ford's　heart　smote　him　with　a　consciousness　that　he　had　of　late

neglected　them；　possibly　because　Rupert's　lofty　scorn　of　the

〃silly〃　sex　was　not　as　amusing　to　him　as　formerly；　and　possibly

because　Johnny's　curiosity　had　been　at　times　obtrusive。　　He　however

quickened　his　pace　and　joined　Rupert；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　as

of　old　on　his　shoulder。　　To　his　surprise　the　boy　received　his

advances　with　some　constraint　and　awkwardness；　glancing　uneasily　in

the　direction　of　Johnny。　　A　sudden　idea　crossed　Mr。　Ford's　mind。



〃Were　you　looking　for　me　at　the　schoolroom　just　now？〃



〃No；　sir。〃



〃You　didn't　look　in　at　the　window　to　see　if　I　was　there？〃　continued

the　master。



〃No；　sir。〃



The　master　glanced　at　Rupert。　　Truth…telling　was　a　part　of　Rupert's

truculent　temper；　although；　as　the　boy　had　often　bitterly　remarked；

it　had　alwa