the drums of jeopardy-第54节

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had　not　stirred　from　the　far　side　of　the　tea　cart；　and　he　had　not
opened　his　arms。　　She　had　given　herself　with　magnificent　abandon；
for　the　present　that　satisfied　her　instincts。　　As　for　him；　he　was
not　quite　sure　this　miracle　might　not　be　a　dream；　and　one　false　move
might　cause　her　to　vanish。

〃Johnny；　who　is　Olga？〃　The　question　was　irrepressible。　　Perhaps　it
was　the　last　shred　of　caution　binding　her。　　All　of　him　or　none　of
him。　　There　must　be　no　other　woman　intervening。

Hawksley　stiffened　in　his　chair。　　His　hands　closed　convulsively　and
his　eyes　lost　their　brightness。　　〃Johnny？〃　　Kitty　ran　round　the　tea
cart。　　〃What　is　it？〃　　She　knelt　beside　the　chair；　alarmed；　for　the
horror　had　returned　to　his　face。　　〃What　did　they　do　to　you　back
there？〃　　She　clasped　one　of　his　hands　tensely　in　hers。

〃In　my　dreams　at　night！〃　he　said；　staring　into　space。　　〃I　could　run
away　from　my　pursuers；　but　I　could　not　run　away　from　my　dreams！
Torches　and　hobnailed　boots！　。。。　　They　trampled　on　her；　and　I；　up
there　in　the　gallery　with　those　damned　emeralds　in　my　hands！　　Ah；
if　I　hadn't　gone　for　them；　if　I　hadn't　thought　of　the　extra　comforts
their　sale　would　bring！　　There　would　have　been　time　then；　Kitty。
I　had　all　the　other　jewels　in　the　pouch。　　Horses　were　ready　for　us
to　flee　on；　loyal　servants　ready　to　help　us；　but　I　thought　of　the
drums。　　A　few　more　worldly　comforts　…　with　hell　forcing　in　the
doors！

〃I　didn't　tell　her　where　I　was　going。　　When　I　came　back　it　was　to
see　her　die！　　They　saw　me；　and　yelled。　　I　ran　away。　　I　hadn't　the
courage　to　go　down　there　and　die　with　her！　　She　thought　I　was　in
that　hell　pit。　　She　went　down　there　to　die　with　me　and　died
horribly；　alone！　　Ah；　if　I　could　only　shut　it　out；　forget！　　Olga；
my　tender　young　sister；　Kitty；　the　last　one　of　my　race　I　could　love。
And　I　ran　away　like　a　yellow　dog；　like　a　yellow　dog！　　I　don't　know
where　her　grave　is；　and　I　could　not　seek　it　if　I　did！　　I　dared　not
write　Stefani；　tell　him　I　had　seen　Olga　go　down　under　Karlov's
heels；　and　then　ran　away！　。。。　　Day　by　day　to　feel　those　stones
against　my
heart！〃

Nothing　is　more　terrible　to　a　woman　than　the　sight　of　a　brave　man
weeping。　　For　she　knew　that　he　was　brave。　　The　sudden　recollection
of　the　emeralds；　a　little　more　comfort　for　himself　and　sister　if
they　were　permitted　to　escape。　　Not　a　cowardly　instinct；　not　even
a　greedy　one；　a　normal　desire　to　fortify　them　additionally　against
an　unknown　future；　and　he　had　surrendered　to　it　impulsively；　without
explaining　to　Olga　where　he　was　going。

〃Johnny；　Johnny；　you　mustn't！〃　　She　sprang　up；　seizing　his　head　and
wildly　kissing　him。　　〃You　mustn't！　　God　understands；　and　Olga。　　Oh；
you　mustn't　sob　like　that！　　You　are　tearing　my　heart　to　pieces！〃

〃I　ran　away　like　a　yellow　dog！　　I　didn't　go　down　there　and　die　with
her！〃

〃You　didn't　run　away　to…night　when　you　offered　your　life　for　my
liberty。　　Johnny；　you　mustn't！〃

Under　her　tender　ministrations　the　sobs　began　to　die　away　and　soon
resolved　into　little　catching　gasps。　　He　was　weak　and　spent　from
his　injuries；　otherwise　he　would　not　have　given　way　like　this；
discovered　to　her　what　she　had　not　known　before；　that　in　every
man；　however　strong　and　valiant　he　may　be；　there　is　a　little　child。

〃It　has　been　burning　me　up；　Kitty。〃

〃I　know；　I　know！　　It　is　because　you　have　a　soul　full　of　beautiful
things；　Johnny。　　God　held　you　back　from　dying　with　Olga　because
He　knew　I　needed　you。〃

〃You　will　marry　me；　knowing　that　I　did　this　thing？〃

Marry　him！　　A　door　to　some　blinding　radiance　opened；　and　she　could
not　see　for　a　little　while。　　Marry　him！　　What　a　miserable　wretch
she　was　to　think　that　he　would　want　her　otherwise！　　Johnny
Two…Hawks；　fiddling　in　front　of　the　Metropolitan　Opera　House；　to
fill　a　poor　blind　man's　cup！

〃Yes；　Johnny。　　Now；　yesterdays　never　were。　　For　us　there　is　nothing
but　to…morrows。　　Out　there；　in　the　great　country　…　where　souls　as
well　as　bodies　may　stretch　themselves　…　we'll　start　all　over　again。
You　will　be　the　cowman　and　I'll　be　the　kitchen　wench。　　As　in　the
beginning；　so　it　will　always　be　hereafter；　I'll　cook　your　bacon　and
eggs。〃

She　pulled　his　chair　round　and　pushed　it　toward　a　window；　dropped
beside　it　and　laid　her　cheek　against　his　hand。

〃Let　us　look　at　the　stars；　Johnny。　　They　know。〃　　Kuroki；　having
arrived　with　coffee　and　sandwiches；　paused　on　the　threshold；　gazed；
wheeled　right　about　face；　and　returned　to　the　kitchen。

By　and　by　Kitty　looked　up　into　Hawksley's　face。　　He　was　asleep。
She　got　up　carefully；　lightly　kissed　the　top　of　his　head　…　the
old　wound　…　and　crossed　to　Cutty's　door。　　She　must　tell　dear　old
Cutty　of　the　wonderful　happiness　that　was　going　to　be　hers。　　She
opened　the　study　door；　but　did　not　enter　at　once。　　Asleep　on　his
arms。　　Why；　he　hadn't　even　opened　that　Ali　Baba's　bag！　　Tired　out
　…　done　in；　as　Johnny　Two…Hawks　called　it　in　his　English　fashion。
She　waited；　but　as　he　did　not　stir　she　approached　with　noiseless
step。　　The　light　poured　full　upon　his　head。　　How　gray　he　was！　　A
boundless　pity　surged　over　her　that　this　tender；　valiant　knight
should　have　missed　what　first　her　mother　had　known　…　now　she
herself　…　requited　love。　　To　have　everything　in　the　world　without
that　was　to　have　nothing。　　She　would　not　wake　him；　she　would　let
him　sleep　until　Captain　Harrison　came。　　Lightly　she　touched　the
gray　head　with　her　lips　and　stole　from　the　study。

〃Oh；　Molly；　Molly！〃　Cutty　whispered　into　his　rigid　fingers。

And　so　they　were　married；　in　the　apartment；　at　the　top　of　the　world；
on　a　May　night　thick　with　stars。　　It　was　not　a　wedding；　it　was　a
marriage。　　The　world　never　knew　because　it　was　none　of　the　world's
business。　　Who　was　Kitty　Conover？　　A　nobody。　　Who　was　John　Hawksley？
Something　to　be。

Out　of　the　storm　into　the　calm；　which　is　something　of　a　reversal。
Generally　in　love　affairs　happiness　is　found　in　the　approach　to
the　marriage　contract；　the　disillusions　come　afterward。　　It　was
therefore　logical　that　Kitty　and　her　lover　should　be　happy；　as　they
had　run　the　gamut　of　test　and　fire　beforehand。

The　young　people　were　to　leave　for　the　West　soon　after　the　supper
for　three。　　At　midnight　Cutty's　ship　would　be　boring　down　the　bay。
Did　Kitty　regret；　even　a　little；　the　rice　and　old　shoes；　the
bridesmaids　and　cake；　so　dear　to　the　female　of　the　species？　　She
did　not。　　Did　she　think　occasionally　of　the　splendour　of　the　title
that　was　hers？　　She　did。　　To　her　mind　Mrs。　John　Hawksley　was
incomparably　above　and　beyond　anything　in　that　Bible　of　autocracy
　…　the　Almanach　de　Gotha。

After　supper　Cutty　brought　in　the　old　Amati。

〃Play；〃　he　said；　lighting　his　pipe。

So　Hawksley　played　…　played　as　he　never　had　played　before　and
perhaps　as　he　would　never　play　again。　　We　reach　zenith　sometimes；
but　we　never　stay　there。　　But　he　was　not　playing　to　Cutty。
Slate…blue　eyes；　two　books　with　endless　pages；　the　soul　of　this
wife　of　his。　　He　had　come　through。　　The　miracle　had　been
accomplished。　　Love。

Kitty　smiled　and　smiled；　the　doors　of　her　soul　thrown　wide　to
absorb　this　magic　message。　　Love。

Cutty　smoked　on；　with　his　eyes　closed。　　He　heard　it；　too。　　Love。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　sighing；　〃I　see　innovations　out　there　in　Montana。
The　round…up　will　be　different。　　The　Pied　Fiddler　of　Bar…K　will
stand　in　the　corral　and　fiddle；　and　the　bossies　will　come　galloping
in；　two　by　two　…　and　a　few　jackrabbits！〃　　He　laughed。　　〃John；　the
Amati　is　yours　conditionally。　　If　after　one　year　it　is　not　reclaimed
it　becomes　yours　automatically。　　My　wedding　present。　　Remember；　next
winter；　if　God　wills；　you'll　come　and　visit　me。〃

〃As　if　we　could　forget！〃　cried　Kitty；　embracing　Cutty；　who　accepted
the　embrace　stoically。　　〃I'll　be　needing　clothes；　and　Johnny　will
have　to　have　his　hair　cut。　　Oh；　Cutty；　I'm　so　foolishly　happy！〃

〃Time　we　started　for　the　choo…choo。　　Time…tables　have　no　souls。　　But；
Lord；　what　a　racket　we've　had！〃

〃Well；　rather！〃　…　from　Hawksley。

〃Bo；　listen　to　me。　　Out　there　you　must　remember　that　'bally'　and
'ripping'　and　'rather'　are　premeditated　insults。　　Gee…whiz！　　but
I'd　like　a　look…see　when　you　say　to　your　rough…and…readies：　'Bally
rotten　weather。　　What？'　They'll　shoot　you　up。〃

More　banter；　which　fooled　none　of　the　three；　as　each　understood　the
other　perfectly。　　The　hour　of　separation　was　at　hand；　and　they
were　fortifying　their　courage。

〃Funny　old　top；〃　was　Hawksley's　comment　as　they　stood　before　the
train　gate。　　〃Three　months　gone　we　were　strangers。〃

〃And　now　…　〃　began　Cutty。

〃With　hoops　of　steel！〃　interrupted　Kitty。　　〃You　must　write；　Cutty；
and　Johnny　and　I　will　be　prompt。〃

〃You'll　get　one　from　the　Azores。〃

〃Train　going　west！〃

〃Good　luck；　children！〃　Cutty　pressed　Hawksley's　hand　and　pecked　at
Kitty's　cheek。　　〃Shan't　go　through　with　you　to　the　car。　　Kuroki　is
waiting。　　Good…bye！〃

The　redcaps　seized　the　luggage；　and　Hawksley　and　his　bride　followed
them　through　the　gate。　　Because　he　was　tall　Cutty　could　see　them
until　they　reached　the　bumper。　　Funny　old　world；　for　a　fact。　　Next
time　they　met　the　wounds　would　be　healed　…　Hawksley's　head　and　old
Cutty's　heart。　　Queer　how　he　felt　his　fifty…two。　　He　began　to
recognize　one　of　the　truths　that　had　passed　by：　One　did　not　sense
age　if　one