the call of the canyon-第21节

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　He　means　more　to　me　than　just　one　man。　He's　American。　You're　American；　too；　Lee；　and　you　trained　to　be　a　soldier；　and　you　would　have　made　a　grand　oneif　I　know　old　Arizona。　But　you　were　not　called　to　France。　。　。　。　Glenn　Kilbourne　went。　God　only　knows　what　that　means。　But　he　went。　And　there's　the　difference。　I　saw　the　wreck　of　him。　I　did　a　little　to　save　his　life　and　his　mind。　I　wouldn't　be　an　American　girl　if　I　didn't　love　him。　。　。　。　Oh；　Lee；　can't　you　understand？〃

〃I　reckon　so。　I'm　not　begrudging　Glenn　whatwhat　you　care。　I'm　only　afraid　I'll　lose　you。〃

〃I　never　promised　to　marry　you；　did　I？〃

〃Not　in　words。　But　kisses　ought　to？〃

〃Yes；　kisses　mean　a　lot；〃　she　replied。　〃And　so　far　I　stand　committed。　I　suppose　I'll　marry　you　some　day　and　be　blamed　lucky。　I'll　be　happy；　too　don't　you　overlook　that　hunch。　。　。　。　You　needn't　worry。　Glenn　is　in　love　with　Carley。　She's　beautiful；　richand　of　his　class。　How　could　he　ever　see　me？〃

〃Flo；　you　can　never　tell；〃　replied　Stanton；　thoughtfully。　〃I　didn't　like　her　at　first。　But　I'm　comin'　round。　The　thing　is；　Flo；　does　she　love　him　as　you　love　him？〃

〃Oh；　I　think　soI　hope　so；〃　answered　Flo；　as　if　in　distress。

〃I'm　not　so　shore。　But　then　I　can't　savvy　her。　Lord　knows　I　hope　so；　too。　If　she　doesn'tif　she　goes　back　East　an'　leaves　him　hereI　reckon　my　case〃

〃Hush！　I　know　she's　out　here　to　take　him　back。　Let's　go　downstairs　now。〃

〃Aw；　waitFlo；〃　he　begged。　〃What's　your　hurry？　。　。　。　Come…give　me〃

〃There！　That's　all　you　get；　birthday　or　no　birthday；〃　replied　Flo；　gayly。

Carley　heard　the　soft　kiss　and　Stanton's　deep　breath；　and　then　footsteps　as　they　walked　away　in　the　gloom　toward　the　stairway。　Carley　leaned　against　the　log　wall。　She　felt　the　rough　woodsmelled　the　rusty　pine　rosin。　Her　other　hand　pressed　her　bosom　where　her　heart　beat　with　unwonted　vigor。　Footsteps　and　voices　sounded　beneath　her。　Twilight　had　deepened　into　night。　The　low　murmur　of　the　waterfall　and　the　babble　of　the　brook　floated　to　her　strained　ears。

Listeners　never　heard　good　of　themselves。　But　Stanton's　subtle　doubt　of　any　depth　to　her；　though　it　hurt；　was　not　so　conflicting　as　the　ringing　truth　of　Flo　Hutter's　love　for　Glenn。　This　unsought　knowledge　powerfully　affected　Carley。　She　was　forewarned　and　forearmed　now。　It　saddened　her；　yet　did　not　lessen　her　confidence　in　her　hold　on　Glenn。　But　it　stirred　to　perplexing　pitch　her　curiosity　in　regard　to　the　mystery　that　seemed　to　cling　round　Glenn's　transformation　of　character。　This　Western　girl　really　knew　more　about　Glenn　than　his　fiancee　knew。　Carley　suffered　a　humiliating　shock　when　she　realized　that　she　had　been　thinking　of　herself；　of　her　love；　her　life；　her　needs；　her　wants　instead　of　Glenn's。　It　took　no　keen　intelligence　or　insight　into　human　nature　to　see　that　Glenn　needed　her　more　than　she　needed　him。

Thus　unwontedly　stirred　and　upset　and　flung　back　upon　pride　of　herself；　Carley　went　downstairs　to　meet　the　assembled　company。　And　never　had　she　shown　to　greater　contrast；　never　had　circumstance　and　state　of　mind　contrived　to　make　her　so　radiant　and　gay　and　unbending。　She　heard　many　remarks　not　intended　for　her　far…reaching　ears。　An　old　grizzled　Westerner　remarked　to　Hutter：　〃Wall；　she's　shore　an　unbroke　filly。〃　Another　of　the　companya　womanremarked：　〃Sweet　an'　pretty　as　a　columbine。　But　I'd　like　her　better　if　she　was　dressed　decent。〃　And　a　gaunt　range　rider；　who　stood　with　others　at　the　porch　door；　looking　on；　asked　a　comrade：　〃Do　you　reckon　that's　style　back　East？〃　To　which　the　other　replied：　〃Mebbe；　but　I'd　gamble　they're　short　on　silk　back　East　an'　likewise　sheriffs。〃

Carley　received　some　meed　of　gratification　out　of　the　sensation　she　created；　but　she　did　not　carry　her　craving　for　it　to　the　point　of　overshadowing　Flo。　On　the　contrary；　she　contrived　to　have　Flo　share　the　attention　she　received。　She　taught　Flo　to　dance　the　fox…trot　and　got　Glenn　to　dance　with　her。　Then　she　taught　it　to　Lee　Stanton。　And　when　Lee　danced　with　Flo；　to　the　infinite　wonder　and　delight　of　the　onlookers；　Carley　experienced　her　first　sincere　enjoyment　of　the　evening。

Her　moment　came　when　she　danced　with　Glenn。　It　reminded　her　of　days　long　past　and　which　she　wanted　to　return　again。　Despite　war　tramping　and　Western　labors　Glenn　retained　something　of　his　old　grace　and　lightness。　But　just　to　dance　with　him　was　enough　to　swell　her　heart；　and　for　once　she　grew　oblivious　to　the　spectators。

〃Glenn；　would　you　like　to　go　to　the　Plaza　with　me　again；　and　dance　between　dinner　courses；　as　we　used　to？〃　she　whispered　up　to　him。

〃Sure　I　wouldunless　Morrison　knew　you　were　to　be　there；〃　he　replied。

〃Glenn！　。　。　。　I　would　not　even　see　him。〃

〃Any　old　time　you　wouldn't　see　Morrison！〃　he　exclaimed；　half　mockingly。

His　doubt；　his　tone　grated　upon　her。　Pressing　closer　to　him；　she　said；　〃Come　back　and　I'll　prove　it。〃

But　he　laughed　and　had　no　answer　for　her。　At　her　own　daring　words　Carley's　heart　had　leaped　to　her　lips。　If　he　had　responded；　even　teasingly；　she　could　have　burst　out　with　her　longing　to　take　him　back。　But　silence　inhibited　her；　and　the　moment　passed。

At　the　end　of　that　dance　Hutter　claimed　Glenn　in　the　interest　of　neighboring　sheep　men。　And　Carley；　crossing　the　big　living　room　alone；　passed　close　to　one　of　the　porch　doors。　Some　one；　indistinct　in　the　shadow；　spoke　to　her　in　low　voice：　〃Hello；　pretty　eyes！〃

Carley　felt　a　little　cold　shock　go　tingling　through　her。　But　she　gave　no　sign　that　she　had　heard。　She　recognized　the　voice　and　also　the　epithet。　Passing　to　the　other　side　of　the　room　and　joining　the　company　there；　Carley　presently　took　a　casual　glance　at　the　door。　Several　men　were　lounging　there。　One　of　them　was　the　sheep　dipper；　Haze　Ruff。　His　bold　eyes　were　on　her　now；　and　his　coarse　face　wore　a　slight；　meaning　smile；　as　if　he　understood　something　about　her　that　was　a　secret　to　others。　Carley　dropped　her　eyes。　But　she　could　not　shake　off　the　feeling　that　wherever　she　moved　this　man's　gaze　followed　her。　The　unpleasantness　of　this　incident　would　have　been　nothing　to　Carley　had　she　at　once　forgotten　it。　Most　unaccountably；　however；　she　could　not　make　herself　unaware　of　this　ruffian's　attention。　It　did　no　good　for　her　to　argue　that　she　was　merely　the　cynosure　of　all　eyes。　This　Ruff's　tone　and　look　possessed　something　heretofore　unknown　to　Carley。　Once　she　was　tempted　to　tell　Glenn。　But　that　would　only　cause　a　fight；　so　she　kept　her　counsel。　She　danced　again；　and　helped　Flo　entertain　her　guests；　and　passed　that　door　often；　and　once　stood　before　it；　deliberately；　with　all　the　strange　and　contrary　impulse　so　inscrutable　in　a　woman；　and　never　for　a　moment　wholly　lost　the　sense　of　the　man's　boldness。　It　dawned　upon　her；　at　length；　that　the　singular　thing　about　this　boldness　was　its　difference　from　any；　which　had　ever　before　affronted　her。　The　fool's　smile　meant　that　he　thought　she　saw　his　attention；　and；　understanding　it　perfectly；　had　secret　delight　in　it。　Many　and　various　had　been　the　masculine　egotisms　which　had　come　under　her　observation。　But　quite　beyond　Carley　was　this　brawny　sheep　dipper；　Haze　Ruff。　Once　the　party　broke　up　and　the　guests　had　departed；　she　instantly　forgot　both　man　and　incident。

Next　day；　late　in　the　afternoon；　when　Carley　came　out　on　the　porch；　she　was　hailed　by　Flo；　who　had　just　ridden　in　from　down　the　canyon。

〃Hey　Carley；　come　down。　I　shore　have　something　to　tell　you；〃　she　called。

Carley　did　not　use　any　time　pattering　down　that　rude　porch　stairway。　Flo　was　dusty　and　hot；　and　her　chaps　carried　the　unmistakable　scent　of　sheep…dip。

〃Been　over　to　Ryan's　camp　an'　shore　rode　hard　to　beat　Glenn　home；〃　drawled　Flo。

〃Why？〃　queried　Carley；　eagerly。

〃Reckon　I　wanted　to　tell　you　something　Glenn　swore　he　wouldn't　let　me　tell。　。　。　。　He　makes　me　tired。　He　thinks　you　can't　stand　things。〃

〃Oh！　Has　he　beenhurt？〃

〃He's　skinned　an'　bruised　up　some；　but　I　reckon　he's　not　hurt。〃

〃Flowhat　happened？〃　demanded　Carley；　anxiously。

〃Carley；　do　you　know　Glenn　can　fight　like　the　devil？〃　asked　Flo。

〃No；　I　don't。　But　I　remember　he　used　to　be　athletic。　Flo；　you　make　me　nervous。　Did　Glenn　fight？〃

〃I　reckon　he　did；〃　drawled　Flo。

〃With　whom？〃

〃Nobody　else　but　that　big　hombre；　Haze　Ruff。〃

〃Oh！〃　gasped　Carley；　with　a　violent　start。　〃Thatthat　ruffian！　Flo；　did　you　seewere　you　there？〃

〃I　shore　was；　an'　next　to　a　horse　race　I　like　a　fight；〃　replied　the　Western　girl。　〃Carley；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　Haze　Ruff　insulted　you　last　night？〃

〃Why；　Flohe　only　said；　'Hello；　pretty　eyes；'　and　I　let　it　pass！〃　said　Carley；　lamely。

〃You　never　want　to　let　anything　pass；　out　West。　Because　next　time　you'll　get　worse。　This　turn　your　other　cheek　doesn't　go　in　Arizona。　But　we　shore　thought　Ruff　said　worse　than　that。　Though　from　him　that's　aplenty。〃

〃How　did　you　know？〃

〃Well；　Charley　told　it。　He　was　standing　out　here　by　the　door　last　night　an'　he　heard　Ruff　speak　to　you。　Charley　thinks　a　heap　of　you　an'　I　reckon　he　hates　Ruff。　Besides；　Charley　stretches　things。　He　shore　riled　Glenn；　an'　I　want　to　say；　my　dear；　you　missed　the　best　thing　that's　happened　since　you　got　here。〃

〃Hurrytell　me；〃　begged　Carley；　feeling　the　blood　come　to　her　face。

〃I　rode　over　to　Ryan's　place　for　dad；　an'　when　I　got　there　I　knew　nothing　about　what　Ruff　said　to　you；〃　be