to the last man-第27节

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〃Shore；　I'd　have　been　plumb　fond　of　havin'　y'u　make　up　to　me；〃　she
drawled。　　It　possessed　her　now　with　irresistible　power；　this　fact　of
the　love　he　could　not　help。　　Some　fiendish　woman's　satisfaction　dwelt
in　her　consciousness　of　her　power　to　kill　the　noble；　the　faithful；
the　good　in　him。

〃Ellen　Jorth；　you　lie！〃　he　burst　out；　hoarsely。

〃Jean；　shore　I'd　been　a　toy　and　a　rag　for　these　rustlers　long　enough。
I　was　tired　of　them。　。　。　。　I　wanted　a　new　lover。　。　。　。　And　if　y'u
hadn't　give　yourself　away〃

Isbel　moved　so　swiftly　that　she　did　not　realize　his　intention　until
his　hard　hand　smote　her　mouth。　　Instantly　she　tasted　the　hot；　salty
blood　from　a　cut　lip。

〃Shut　up；　you　hussy！〃　he　ordered；　roughly。　　〃Have　you　no　shame？　。　。　。
My　sister　Ann　spoke　well　of　you。　　She　made　excusesshe　pitied　you。〃

That　for　Ellen　seemed　the　culminating　blow　under　which　she　almost　sank。
But　one　moment　longer　could　she　maintain　this　unnatural　and　terrible　poise。

〃Jean　Isbelgo　along　with　y'u；〃　she　said；　impatiently。　　〃I'm　waiting
heah　for　Simm　Bruce！〃

At　last　it　was　as　if　she　struck　his　heart。　　Because　of　doubt　of　himself
and　a　stubborn　faith　in　her；　his　passion　and　jealousy　were　not　proof
against　this　last　stab。　　Instinctive　subtlety　inherent　in　Ellen　had
prompted　the　speech　that　tortured　Isbel。　　How　the　shock　to　him　rebounded
on　her！　　She　gasped　as　he　lunged　for　her；　too　swift　for　her　to　move　a
hand。　　One　arm　crushed　round　her　like　a　steel　band；　the　other；　hard
across　her　breast　and　neck；　forced　her　head　back。　　Then　she　tried　to
wrestle　away。　　But　she　was　utterly　powerless。　　His　dark　face　bent　down
closer　and　closer。　　Suddenly　Ellen　ceased　trying　to　struggle。　　She　was
like　a　stricken　creature　paralyzed　by　the　piercing；　hypnotic　eyes　of　a
snake。　　Yet　in　spite　of　her　terror；　if　he　meant　death　by　her；　she
welcomed　it。

〃Ellen　Jorth；　I'm　thinkin'　yetyou　lie！〃　he　said；　low　and　tense
between　his　teeth。

〃No！　　No！〃　she　screamed；　wildly。　　Her　nerve　broke　there。　　She　could　no
longer　meet　those　terrible　black　eyes。　　Her　passionate　denial　was　not
only　the　last　of　her　shameful　deceit；　it　was　the　woman　of　her；　repudiating
herself　and　him；　and　all　this　sickening；　miserable　situation。

Isbel　took　her　literally。　　She　had　convinced　him。　　And　the　instant
held　blank　horror　for　Ellen。

〃By　Godthen　I'll　have　somethin'of　you　anyway！〃　muttered　Isbel；　thickly。

Ellen　saw　the　blood　bulge　in　his　powerful　neck。　　She　saw　his　dark；　hard
face；　strange　now；　fearful　to　behold；　come　lower　and　lower；　till　it
blurred　and　obstructed　her　gaze。　　She　felt　the　swell　and　ripple　and
stretchthen　the　bind　of　his　muscles；　like　huge　coils　of　elastic　rope。
Then　with　savage　rude　force　his　mouth　closed　on　hers。　　All　Ellen's
senses　reeled；　as　if　she　were　swooning。　　She　was　suffocating。　　The
spasm　passed；　and　a　bursting　spurt　of　blood　revived　her　to　acute　and
terrible　consciousness。　　For　the　endless　period　of　one　moment　he　held
her　so　that　her　breast　seemed　crushed。　　His　kisses　burned　and　braised
her　lips。　　And　then；　shifting　violently　to　her　neck；　they　pressed　so
hard　that　she　choked　under　them。　　It　was　as　if　a　huge　bat　had　fastened
upon　her　throat。

Suddenly　the　remorseless　binding　embracesthe　hot　and　savage　kisses
fell　away　from　her。　　Isbel　had　let　go。　　She　saw　him　throw　up　his　hands；
and　stagger　back　a　little；　all　the　while　with　his　piercing　gaze　on　her。
His　face　had　been　dark　purple：　now　it　was　white。

〃NoEllen　Jorth；〃　he　panted；　〃I　don'twant　any　of　youthat　way。〃
And　suddenly　he　sank　on　the　log　and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。
〃What　I　loved　in　youwas　what　I　thoughtyou　were。〃

Like　a　wildcat　Ellen　sprang　upon　him；　beating　him　with　her　fists；
tearing　at　his　hair；　scratching　his　face；　in　a　blind　fury。　　Isbel
made　no　move　to　stop　her；　and　her　violence　spent　itself　with　her
strength。　　She　swayed　back　from　him；　shaking　so　that　she　could
scarcely　stand。

〃Y'udamnedIsbel！〃　she　gasped；　with　hoarse　passion。　　〃Y'u　insulted　me！〃

〃Insulted　you？。　。　。〃laughed　Isbel；　in　bitter　scorn。　　〃It　couldn't　be　done。〃

〃Oh！　。　。　。　I'll　KILL　y'u！〃　she　hissed。

Isbel　stood　up　and　wiped　the　red　scratches　on　his　face。　　〃Go　ahead。
There's　my　gun；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　his　saddle　sheath。〃　　Somebody's
got　to　begin　this　Jorth…Isbel　feud。　　It'll　be　a　dirty　business。　　I'm
sick　of　it　already。　。　。　。　Kill　me！　。　。　。　First　blood　for　Ellen　Jorth！〃

Suddenly　the　dark　grim　tide　that　had　seemed　to　engulf　Ellen's　very　soul
cooled　and　receded；　leaving　her　without　its　false　　strength。　　She　began
to　sag。　　She　stared　at　Isbel's　gun。　　〃Kill　him；〃　whispered　the　retreating
voices　of　her　hate。　　But　she　was　as　powerless　as　if　she　were　still　held
in　Jean　Isbel's　giant　embrace。

〃II　want　tokill　y'u；〃　she　whispered；　〃but　I　cain't。　。　。　。
Leave　me。〃

〃You're　no　Jorththe　same　as　I'm　no　Isbel。　　We　oughtn't　be　mixed　in
this　deal；〃　he　said；　somberly。　　〃I'm　sorrier　for　you　than　I　am　for
myself。　。　。　。　You're　a　girl。　。　。　。　You　once　had　a　good　mothera　decent
home。　　And　this　life　you've　led　heremean　as　it's　beenis　nothin'　to
what　you'll　face　now。　　Damn　the　men　that　brought　you　to　this！　　I'm　goin'
to　kill　some　of　them。〃

With　that　he　mounted　and　turned　away。　　Ellen　called　out　for　him　to　take
his　horse。　　He　did　not　stop　nor　look　back。　　She　called　again；　but　her
voice　was　fainter；　and　Isbel　was　now　leaving　at　a　trot。　　Slowly　she
sagged　against　the　tree；　lower　and　lower。　　He　headed　into　the　trail
leading　up　the　canyon。　　How　strange　a　relief　Ellen　felt！　　She　watched
him　ride　into　the　aspens　and　start　up　the　slope；　at　last　to　disappear
in　the　pines。　　It　seemed　at　the　moment　that　he　took　with　him　something
which　had　been　hers。　　A　pain　in　her　head　dulled　the　thoughts　that
wavered　to　and　fro。　　After　he　had　gone　she　could　not　see　so　well。
Her　eyes　were　tired。　　What　had　happened　to　her？　　There　was　blood　on
her　hands。　　Isbel's　blood！　　She　shuddered。　　Was　it　an　omen？　　Lower
she　sank　against　the　tree　and　closed　her　eyes。

Old　John　Sprague　did　not　return。　　Hours　dragged　bydark　hours　for
Ellen　Jorth　lying　prostrate　beside　the　tree；　hiding　the　blue　sky　and
golden　sunlight　from　her　eyes。　　At　length　the　lethargy　of　despair；
the　black　dull　misery　wore　away；　and　she　gradually　returned　to　a
condition　of　coherent　thought。

What　had　she　learned？　　Sight　of　the　black　horse　grazing　near　seemed
to　prompt　the　trenchant　replies。　　Spades　belonged　to　Jean　Isbel。　　He
had　been　stolen　by　her　father　or　by　one　of　her　father's　accomplices。
Isbel's　vaunted　cunning　as　a　tracker　had　been　no　idle　boast。　　Her
father　was　a　horse　thief；　a　rustler；　a　sheepman　only　as　a　blind；
a　consort　of　Daggs；　leader　of　the　Hash　Knife　Gang。　　Ellen　well
remembered　the　ill　repute　of　that　gang；　way　back　in　Texas；　years　ago。
Her　father　had　gotten　in　with　this　famous　band　of　rustlers　to　serve
his　own　endsthe　extermination　of　the　Isbels。　　It　was　all　very　plain
now　to　Ellen。

〃Daughter　of　a　horse　thief　an'　rustler！〃　she　muttered。

And　her　thoughts　sped　back　to　the　days　of　her　girlhood。　　Only　the　very
early　stage　of　that　time　had　been　happy。　　In　the　light　of　Isbel's
revelation　the　many　changes　of　residence；　the　sudden　moves　to
unsettled　parts　of　Texas；　the　periods　of　poverty　and　sudden　prosperity；
all　leading　to　the　final　journey　to　this　God…forsaken　Arizonathese
were　now　seen　in　their　true　significance。　　As　far　back　as　she　could
remember　her　father　had　been　a　crooked　man。　　And　her　mother　had　known
it。　　He　had　dragged　her　to　her　ruin。　　That　degradation　had　killed　her。
Ellen　realized　that　with　poignant　sorrow；　with　a　sudden　revolt　against
her　father。　　Had　Gaston　Isbel　truly　and　dishonestly　started　her　father
on　his　downhill　road？　　Ellen　wondered。　　She　hated　the　Isbels　with
unutterable　and　growing　hate；　yet　she　had　it　in　her　to　think；　to　ponder；
to　weigh　judgments　in　their　behalf。　　She　owed　it　to　something　in　herself
to　be　fair。　　But　what　did　it　matter　who　was　to　blame　for　the　Jorth…Isbel
feud？　　Somehow　Ellen　was　forced　to　confess　that　deep　in　her　soul　it
mattered　terribly。　　To　be　true　to　herselfthe　self　that　she　alone
knewshe　must　have　right　on　her　side。　　If　the　Jorths　were　guilty；
and　she　clung　to　them　and　their　creed；　then　she　would　be　one　of　them。

〃But　I'm　not；〃　she　mused；　aloud。　　〃My　name's　Jorth；　an'　I　reckon　I　have
bad　blood。　。　。　。　But　it　never　came　out　in　me　till　to…day。　　I've　been
honest。　　I've　been　goodyes；　GOOD；　as　my　mother　taught　me　to　bein
spite　of　all。　。　。　。　Shore　my　pride　made　me　a　fool。　。　。　。　An'　now　have
I　any　choice　to　make？　　I'm　a　Jorth。　　I　must　stick　to　my　father。

All　this　summing　up；　however；　did　not　wholly　account　for　the　pang　in
her　breast。

What　had　she　done　that　day？　　And　the　answer　beat　in　her　ears　like　a
great　throbbing　hammer…stroke。　　In　an　agony　of　shame；　in　the　throes
of　hate；　she　had　perjured　herself。　　She　had　sworn　away　her　honor。　　She
had　basely　made　herself　vile。　　She　had　struck　ruthlessly　at　the　great
heart　of　a　man　who　loved　her。　　Ah！　　That　thrust　had　rebounded　to　leave
this　dreadful　pang　in　her　breast。　　Loved　her？　　Yes；　the　strange　truth；
the　insupportable　truth！　　She　had　to　contend　now；　not　with　her　father
and　her　disgrace；　not　with　the　baffling　presence　of　Jean　Isbel；　but
with　the　mysteries　of　her　own　soul。　　Wonder　of　all　wonder