tales of trail and town-第25节

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go　and　get　the　things；〃　she　added；　turning　away；　〃before　he　gets

back。〃



〃Who's　HE？〃　asked　the　man。



She　was　about　to　reply；　〃My　husband；〃　but　without　knowing　why

stopped　and　said；　〃Mr。　Beasley；〃　and　then　ran　off　quickly　to　the

house。



She　found　the　vaquero's　clothes；　took　some　provisions；　filled　a

flask　of　whiskey　in　the　cupboard；　and　ran　back　with　them；　her　mouth

expanded　to　a　vague　smile；　and　pulsating　like　a　schoolgirl。　　She

even　repressed　with　difficulty　the　ejaculation　〃There！〃　as　she

handed　them　to　him。　　He　thanked　her；　but　with　eyes　fixed　and

fascinated　by　the　provisions。　　She　understood　it　with　a　new　sense

of　delicacy；　and　saying；　〃I'll　come　again　when　he　gets　back；〃　ran

off　and　returned　to　the　house；　leaving　him　alone　to　his　repast。



Meantime　her　husband；　lounging　lazily　along　the　high　road；　had

precipitated　the　catastrophe　he　wished　to　avoid。　　For　his　slouching

figure；　silhouetted　against　the　horizon　on　that　monotonous　level；

had　been　the　only　one　detected　by　the　deputy　sheriff　and　the

constable；　his　companion；　and　they　had　charged　down　within　fifty

yards　of　him　before　they　discovered　their　mistake。　　They　were　not

slow　in　making　this　an　excuse　for　abandoning　their　quest　as　far　as

Lowville：　in　fact；　after　quitting　the　distraction　of　Mrs。　Beasley's

presence　they　had；　without　in　the　least　suspecting　the　actual

truth；　become　doubtful　if　the　fugitive　had　proceeded　so　far。　　He

might　at　that　moment　be　snugly　ensconced　behind　some　low　wire…grass

ridge；　watching　their　own　clearly　defined　figures；　and　waiting　only

for　the　night　to　evade　them。　　The　Beasley　house　seemed　a　proper

place　of　operation　in　beating　up　the　field。　　Ira's　cold　reception

of　the　suggestion　was　duly　disposed　of　by　the　deputy。　　〃I　have　the

RIGHT；　ye　know；〃　he　said；　with　a　grim　pleasantry；　〃to　summon　ye　as

my　posse　to　aid　and　assist　me　in　carrying　out　the　law；　but　I　ain't

the　man　to　be　rough　on　my　friends；　and　I　reckon　it　will　do　jest　as

well　if　I　'requisition'　your　house。〃　　The　dreadful　recollection

that　the　deputy　had　the　power　to　detail　him　and　the　constable　to

scour　the　plain　while　he　remained　behind　in　company　with　Sue

stopped　Ira's　further　objections。　　Yet；　if　he　could　only　get　rid　of

her　while　the　deputy　was　in　the　house；but　then　his　nearest

neighbor　was　five　miles　away！　　There　was　nothing　left　for　him　to　do

but　to　return　with　the　men　and　watch　his　wife　keenly。　　Strange　to

say；　there　was　a　certain　stimulus　in　this　which　stirred　his

monotonous　pulses　and　was　not　without　a　vague　pleasure。　　There　is　a

revelation　to　some　natures　in　newly　awakened　jealousy　that　is　a

reincarnation　of　love。



As　they　came　into　the　house　a　slight　circumstance；　which　an　hour

ago　would　have　scarcely　touched　his　sluggish　sensibilities；　now

appeared　to　corroborate　his　fear。　　His　wife　had　changed　her　cuffs

and　collar；　taken　off　her　rough　apron；　and　evidently　redressed　her

hair。　　This；　with　the　enhanced　brightness　of　her　eyes；　which　he　had

before　noticed；　convinced　him　that　it　was　due　to　the　visit　of　the

deputy。　　There　was　no　doubt　that　the　official　was　equally　attracted

and　fascinated　by　her　prettiness；　and　although　her　acceptance　of

his　return　was　certainly　not　a　cordial　one；　there　was　a　kind　of

demure　restraint　and　over…consciousness　in　her　manner　that　might　be

coquetry。　　Ira　had　vaguely　observed　this　quality　in　other　young

women；　but　had　never　experienced　it　in　his　brief　courtship。　　There

had　been　no　rivalry；　no　sexual　diplomacy　nor　insincerity　in　his

capture　of　the　motherless　girl　who　had　leaped　from　the　tail…board

of　her　father's　wagon　almost　into　his　arms；　and　no　man　had　since

come　between　them。　　The　idea　that　Sue　should　care　for　any　other

than　himself　had　been　simply　inconceivable　to　his　placid；　matter…

of…fact　nature。　　That　their　sacrament　was　final　he　had　never

doubted。　　If　his　two　cows；　bought　with　his　own　money　or　reared　by

him；　should　suddenly　have　developed　an　inclination　to　give　milk　to

a　neighbor；　he　would　not　have　been　more　astonished。　　But　THEY　could

have　been　brought　back　with　a　rope；　and　without　a　heart　throb。



Passion　of　this　kind；　which　in　a　less　sincere　society　restricts　its

expression　to　innuendo　or　forced　politeness；　left　the　rustic　Ira

only　dumb　and　lethargic。　　He　moved　slowly　and　abstractedly　around

the　room；　accenting　his　slight　lameness　more　than　ever；　or　dropped

helplessly　into　a　chair；　where　he　sat；　inanely　conscious　of　the

contiguity　of　his　wife　and　the　deputy；　and　stupidly　expectant　of

he　knew　not　what。　　The　atmosphere　of　the　little　house　seemed　to　him

charged　with　some　unwholesome　electricity。　　It　kindled　his　wife's

eyes；　stimulating　the　deputy　and　his　follower　to　coarse

playfulness；　enthralled　his　own　limbs　to　the　convulsive　tightening

of　his　fingers　around　the　rungs　of　his　chair。　　Yet　he　managed　to

cling　to　his　idea　of　keeping　his　wife　occupied；　and　of　preventing

any　eyeshot　between　her　and　her　guests；　or　the　indulgence　of

dangerously　flippant　conversation；　by　ordering　her　to　bring　some

refreshment。　　〃What's　gone　o'　the　whiskey　bottle？〃　he　said；　after

fumbling　in　the　cupboard。



Mrs。　Beasley　did　not　blench。　　She　only　gave　her　head　a　slight　toss。

〃Ef　you　men　can't　get　along　with　the　coffee　and　flapjacks　I'm　going

to　give　ye；　made　with　my　own　hands；　ye　kin　just　toddle　right　along

to　the　first　bar；　and　order　your　tangle…foot　there。　　Ef　it's　a

barkeeper　you're　looking　for；　and　not　a　lady；　say　so！〃



The　novel　audacity　of　this　speech；　and　the　fact　that　it　suggested

that　preoccupation　he　hoped　for；　relieved　Ira　for　a　moment；　while

it　enchanted　the　guests　as　a　stroke　of　coquettish　fascination。

Mrs。　Beasley　triumphantly　disappeared　in　the　kitchen；　slipped　off

her　cuffs　and　set　to　work；　and　in　a　few　moments　emerged　with　a　tray

bearing　the　cakes　and　steaming　coffee。　　As　neither　she　nor　her

husband　ate　anything　（possibly　owing　to　an　equal　preoccupation）　the

guests　were　obliged　to　confine　their　attentions　to　the　repast

before　them。　　The　sun；　too；　was　already　nearing　the　horizon；　and

although　its　nearly　level　beams　acted　like　a　powerful　search…light

over　the　stretching　plain；　twilight　would　soon　put　an　end　to　the

quest。　　Yet　they　lingered。　　Ira　now　foresaw　a　new　difficulty：　the

cows　were　to　be　brought　up　and　fodder　taken　from　the　barn；　to　do

this　he　would　be　obliged　to　leave　his　wife　and　the　deputy　together。

I　do　not　know　if　Mrs。　Beasley　divined　his　perplexity；　but　she

carelessly　offered　to　perform　that　evening　function　herself。　　Ira's

heart　leaped　and　sank　again　as　the　deputy　gallantly　proposed　to

assist　her。　　But　here　rustic　simplicity　seemed　to　be　equal　to　the

occasion。　　〃Ef　I　propose　to　do　Ira's　work；〃　said　Mrs。　Beasley；　with

provocative　archness；　〃it's　because　I　reckon　he'll　do　more　good

helpin'　you　catch　your　man　than　you'll　do　helpin'　ME！　　So　clear

out；　both　of　ye！〃　　A　feminine　audacity　that　recalled　the　deputy　to

himself；　and　left　him　no　choice　but　to　accept　Ira's　aid。　　I　do　not

know　whether　Mrs。　Beasley　felt　a　pang　of　conscience　as　her　husband

arose　gratefully　and　limped　after　the　deputy；　I　only　know　that　she

stood　looking　at　them　from　the　door；　smiling　and　triumphant。



Then　she　slipped　out　of　the　back　door　again；　and　ran　swiftly　to　the

barn；　fastening　on　her　clean　cuffs　and　collar　as　she　ran。　　The

fugitive　was　anxiously　awaiting　her；　with　a　slight　touch　of

brusqueness　in　his　eagerness。



〃Thought　you　were　never　coming！〃　he　said。



She　breathlessly　explained；　and　showed　him　through　the　half…opened

door　the　figures　of　the　three　men　slowly　spreading　and　diverging

over　the　plain；　like　the　nearly　level　sun…rays　they　were　following。

The　sunlight　fell　also　on　her　panting　bosom；　her　electrified　sandy

hair；　her　red；　half…opened　mouth；　and　short　and　freckled　upper　lip。

The　relieved　fugitive　turned　from　the　three　remoter　figures　to　the

one　beside　him；　and　saw；　for　the　first　time；　that　it　was　fair。　　At

which　he　smiled；　and　her　face　flushed　and　was　irradiated。



Then　they　fell　to　talk；he　grateful；　boastful；as　the　distant

figures　grew　dim；　she　quickly　assenting；　but　following　his

expression　rather　than　his　words；　with　her　own　girlish　face　and

brightening　eyes。　　But　what　he　said；　or　how　he　explained　his

position；　with　what　speciousness　he　dwelt　upon　himself；　his　wrongs；

and　his　manifold　manly　virtues；　is　not　necessary　for　us　to　know；

nor　was　it；　indeed；　for　her　to　understand。　　Enough　for　her　that　she

felt　she　had　found　the　one　man　of　all　the　world；　and　that　she　was

at　that　moment　protecting　him　against　all　the　world！　　He　was　the

unexpected；　spontaneous　gift　to　her；　the　companion　her　childhood

had　never　known；　the　lover　she　had　never　dreamed　of；　even　the　child

of　her　unsatisfied　maternal　yearnings。　　If　she　could　not　comprehend

all　his　selfish　incoherences；　she　felt　it　was　her　own　fault；　if　she

could　not　follow　his　ignorant　assumptions；　she　knew　it　was　SHE　who

was　deficient；　if　she　could　not　translate　his　coarse　speech；　it　was

because