tales of trail and town-第27节

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arms　and　laughing　eyes；　all　so　new；　so　fresh　to　him！　　He　tried　to

listen　to　the　slow　ticking　of　the　clock；　the　occasional　stirring　of

air　through　the　house；　and　the　movement；　like　a　deep　sigh；　which

was　the　regular；　inarticulate　speech　of　the　lonely　plain　beyond；

and　quite　distinct　from　the　evening　breeze。　　He　had　heard　it　often；

but；　like　so　many　things　he　had　learned　that　day；　he　never　seemed

to　have　caught　its　meaning　before。　　Then；　perhaps；　it　was　his

supine　position；　perhaps　some　cumulative　effect　of　the　whiskey　he

had　taken；　but　all　this　presently　became　confused　and　whirling。

Out　of　its　gyrations　he　tried　to　grasp　something；　to　hear　voices

that　called　him　to　〃wake；〃　and　in　the　midst　of　it　he　fell　into　a

profound　sleep。



The　clock　ticked；　the　wind　sighed；　the　woman　at　his　side　lay

motionless　for　many　minutes。



Then　the　deputy　on　the　kitchen　floor　rolled　over　with　an　appalling

snort；　struggled；　stretched　himself；　and　awoke。　　A　healthy　animal；

he　had　shaken　off　the　fumes　of　liquor　with　a　dry　tongue　and　a

thirst　for　water　and　fresh　air。　　He　raised　his　knees　and　rubbed　his

eyes。　　The　water　bucket　was　missing　from　the　corner。　　Well；　he　knew

where　the　spring　was；　and　a　turn　out　of　the　close　and　stifling

kitchen　would　do　him　good。　　He　yawned；　put　on　his　boots　softly；

opened　the　back　door；　and　stepped　out。　　Everything　was　dark；　but

above　and　around　him；　to　the　very　level　of　his　feet；　all　apparently

pricked　with　bright　stars。　　The　bulk　of　the　barn　rose　dimly　before

him　on　the　right；　to　the　left　was　the　spring。　　He　reached　it；

drank；　dipped　his　head　and　hands　in　it；　and　arose　refreshed。　　The

dry；　wholesome　breath　that　blew　over　this　flat　disk　around　him；

rimmed　with　stars；　did　the　rest。　　He　began　to　saunter　slowly　back；

the　only　reminiscence　of　his　evening's　potations　being　the　figure

he　recalled　of　his　pretty　hostess；　with　bare　arms　and　lifted

glasses；　imitating　the　barkeeper。　　A　complacent　smile　straightened

his　yellow　mustache。　　How　she　kept　glancing　at　him　and　watching

him；　the　little　witch！　　Ha！　no　wonder！　　What　could　she　find　in　the

surly；　slinking；　stupid　brute　yonder？　　（The　gentleman　here　alluded

to　was　his　host。）　　But　the　deputy　had　not　been　without　a　certain

provincial　success　with　the　fair。　　He　was　true　to　most　men；　and

fearless　to　all。　　One　may　not　be　too　hard　upon　him　at　this　moment

of　his　life。



For　as　he　was　passing　the　house　he　stopped　suddenly。　　Above　the

dry；　dusty；　herbal　odors　of　the　plain；　above　the　scent　of　the　new…

mown　hay　within　the　barn；　there　was　distinctly　another　fragrance；

the　smell　of　a　pipe。　　But　where？　　Was　it　his　host　who　had　risen　to

take　the　outer　air？　　Then　it　suddenly　flashed　upon　him　that　Beasley

did　NOT　smoke；　nor　the　constable　either。　　The　smell　seemed　to　come

from　the　barn。　　Had　he　followed　out　the　train　of　ideas　thus

awakened；　all　might　have　been　well；　but　at　this　moment　his

attention　was　arrested　by　a　far　more　exciting　incident　to　him；the

draped　and　hooded　figure　of　Mrs。　Beasley　was　just　emerging　from　the

house。　　He　halted　instantly　in　the　shadow；　and　held　his　breath　as

she　glided　quickly　across　the　intervening　space　and　disappeared　in

the　half…opened　door　of　the　barn。　　Did　she　know　he　was　there？　　A

keen　thrill　passed　over　him；　his　mouth　broadened　into　a　breathless

smile。　　It　was　his　last！　for；　as　he　glided　forward　to　the　door；　the

starry　heavens　broke　into　a　thousand　brilliant　fragments　around

him；　the　earth　gave　way　beneath　his　feet；　and　he　fell　forward　with

half　his　skull　shot　away。



Where　he　fell　there　he　lay　without　an　outcry；　with　only　one

movement；the　curved　and　grasping　fingers　of　the　fighter's　hand

towards　his　guarded　hip。　　Where　he　fell　there　he　lay　dead；　his　face

downwards；　his　good　right　arm　still　curved　around　across　his　back。

Nothing　of　him　moved　but　his　blood；broadening　slowly　round　him　in

vivid　color；　and　then　sluggishly　thickening　and　darkening　until　it

stopped　too；　and　sank　into　the　earth；　a　dull　brown　stain。　　For　an

instant　the　stillness　of　death　followed　the　echoless　report；　then

there　was　a　quick　and　feverish　rustling　within　the　barn；　the

hurried　opening　of　a　window　in　the　loft；　scurrying　footsteps；

another　interval　of　silence；　and　then　out　of　the　farther　darkness

the　sounds　of　horse…hoofs　in　the　muffled　dust　of　the　road。　　But　not

a　sound　or　movement　in　the　sleeping　house　beyond。





The　stars　at　last　paled　slowly；　the　horizon　lines　came　back；a

thin　streak　of　opal　fire。　　A　solitary　bird　twittered　in　the　bush

beside　the　spring。　　Then　the　back　door　of　the　house　opened；　and　the

constable　came　forth；　half…awakened　and　apologetic；　and　with　the

bewildered　haste　of　a　belated　man。　　His　eyes　were　level；　looking

for　his　missing　leader　as　he　went　on；　until　at　last　he　stumbled　and

fell　over　the　now　cold　and　rigid　body。　　He　scrambled　to　his　feet

again；　cast　a　hurried　glance　around　him；at　the　half…opened　door

of　the　barn；　at　the　floor　littered　with　trampled　hay。　　In　one

corner　lay　the　ragged　blouse　and　trousers　of　the　fugitive；　which

the　constable　instantly　recognized。　　He　went　back　to　the　house；　and

reappeared　in　a　few　moments　with　Ira；　white；　stupefied；　and

hopelessly　bewildered；　clear　only　in　his　statement　that　his　wife

had　just　fainted　at　the　news　of　the　catastrophe；　and　was　equally

helpless　in　her　own　room。　　The　constablea　man　of　narrow　ideas　but

quick　actionsaw　it　all。　　The　mystery　was　plain　without　further

evidence。　　The　deputy　had　been　awakened　by　the　prowling　of　the

fugitive　around　the　house　in　search　of　a　horse。　　Sallying　out；　they

had　met；　and　Ira's　gun；　which　stood　in　the　kitchen；　and　which　the

deputy　had　seized；　had　been　wrested　from　him　and　used　with　fatal

effect　at　arm's　length；　and　the　now　double　assassin　had　escaped　on

the　sheriff's　horse；　which　was　missing。　　Turning　the　body　over　to

the　trembling　Ira；　he　saddled　his　horse　and　galloped　to　Lowville

for　assistance。



These　facts　were　fully　established　at　the　hurried　inquest　which　met

that　day。　　There　was　no　need　to　go　behind　the　evidence　of　the

constable；　the　only　companion　of　the　murdered　man　and　first

discoverer　of　the　body。　　The　fact　that　he；　on　the　ground　floor；　had

slept　through　the　struggle　and　the　report；　made　the　obliviousness

of　the　couple　in　the　room　above　a　rational　sequence。　　The　dazed　Ira

was　set　aside；　after　half　a　dozen　contemptuous　questions；　the

chivalry　of　a　Californian　jury　excused　the　attendance　of　a

frightened　and　hysterical　woman　confined　to　her　room。　　By　noon　they

had　departed　with　the　body；　and　the　long　afternoon　shadows　settled

over　the　lonely　plain　and　silent　house。　　At　nightfall　Ira　appeared

at　the　door；　and　stood　for　some　moments　scanning　the　plain；　he　was

seen　later　by　two　packers；　who　had　glanced　furtively　at　the　scene

of　the　late　tragedy；　sitting　outside　his　doorway；　a　mere　shadow　in

the　darkness；　and　a　mounted　patrol　later　in　the　night　saw　a　light

in　the　bedroom　window　where　the　invalid　Mrs。　Beasley　was　confined。

But　no　one　saw　her　afterwards。　　Later；　Ira　explained　that　she　had

gone　to　visit　a　relative　until　her　health　was　restored。　　Having　few

friends　and　fewer　neighbors；　she　was　not　missed；　and　even　the

constable；　the　sole　surviving　guest　who　had　enjoyed　her　brief

eminence　of　archness　and　beauty　that　fatal　night；　had　quite

forgotten　her　in　his　vengeful　quest　of　the　murderer。　　So　that

people　became　accustomed　to　see　this　lonely　man　working　in　the

fields　by　day；　or　at　nightfall　gazing　fixedly　from　his　doorway。　　At

the　end　of　three　months　he　was　known　as　the　recluse　or　〃hermit〃　of

Bolinas　Plain；　in　the　rapid　history…making　of　that　epoch　it　was

forgotten　that　he　had　ever　been　anything　else。



But　Justice；　which　in　those　days　was　apt　to　nod　over　the　affairs　of

the　average　citizen；　was　keenly　awake　to　offenses　against　its　own

officers；　and　it　chanced　that　the　constable；　one　day　walking

through　the　streets　of　Marysville；　recognized　the　murderer　and

apprehended　him。　　He　was　removed　to　Lowville。　　Here；　probably

through　some　modest　doubt　of　the　ability　of　the　County　Court；　which

the　constable　represented；　to　deal　with　purely　circumstantial

evidence；　he　was　not　above　dropping　a　hint　to　the　local　Vigilance

Committee；　who；　singularly　enough；　in　spite　of　his　resistance；　got

possession　of　the　prisoner。　　It　was　the　rainy　season；　and　business

was　slack；　the　citizens　of　Lowville　were　thus　enabled　to　give　so

notorious　a　case　their　fullest　consideration；　and　to　assist

cheerfully　at　the　ultimate　hanging　of　the　prisoner；　which　seemed　to

be　a　foregone　conclusion。



But　herein　they　were　mistaken。　　For　when　the　constable　had　given

his　evidence；　already　known　to　the　county；　there　was　a　disturbance

in　the　fringe　of　humanity　that　lined　the　walls　of　the　assembly　room

where　the　committee　was　sitting；　and　the　hermit　of　Bolinas　Plain

limped　painfully　into　the　room。　　He　had　evidently　walked　there：　he

was　soaked　with　rain　and　plastered　with　mud；　he　was　exhausted　and

inarticulate。　　But　as　he　s