a mountain woman(山妇)-第11节
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him cry out in a madness of fright and physical pain。 In the illumination he
had seen a cabin only a few feet in front of him； and toward it he made
frantically； with an ani… mal's instinctive desire for shelter。
The door did not yield at once to his pressure； and in the panic of his
fear he threw his weight against it。 There was a cry from within； a fall； and
Henderson flung himself in the cabin and closed the door。
In the dusk of the storm he saw a woman half prostrate。 It was she
whom he had pushed from the door。 He caught the hook in its staple； and
turned to raise her。 She was not trembling as much as he； but； like himself；
she was dizzy with the shock of the lightning。 In the midst of all the
clamor Henderson heard a shrill crying； and looking toward the side of the
room； he dimly perceived three tiny forms crouched in one of the bunks。
The woman took the smallest of the children in her arms； and kissed and
soothed it； and Henderson； after he had thrown a blanket at the bottom of
the door to keep out the drifting rain； sat with his back to it； bracing it
against the wind； lest the frail staple should give way。 He managed some
way to reach out and lay hold of the other little ones； and got them in his
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A Mountain Woman
arms； a boy； so tiny he seemed hardly human； and a girl somewhat
sturdier。 They cuddled in his arms； and clutched his clothes with their
frantic little hands； and the three sat so while the earth and the heavens
seemed to be meeting in angry combat。
And back and forth； back and forth； in the dimness swayed the body of
the woman； hushing her babe。
Almost as suddenly as the darkness had fallen； it lifted。 The lightning
ceased to threaten； and almost frolicked； little way… ward flashes of
white and yellow dancing in mid…air。 The wind wailed less frequently； like
a child who sobs in its sleep。 And at last Henderson could make his voice
heard。
〃Is there anything to build a fire with？〃 he shouted。 〃The children are
shiver… ing so。〃
The woman pointed to a basket of buffalo chips in the corner； and he
wrapped his little companions up in a blanket while he made a fire in the
cooking…stove。 The baby was sleeping by this time； and the woman began
tidying the cabin； and when the fire was burning brightly； she put some
coffee on。
〃I wish I had some clothes to offer you；〃 she said； when the wind had
subsided suffi… ciently to make talking possible。 〃I'm afraid you'll have
to let them get dry on you。〃
〃Oh； that's of no consequence at all！ We're lucky to get off with our
lives。 I never saw anything so terrible。 Fancy！ half an hour ago it was
summer； now it is winter！〃
〃It seems rather sudden when you're not used to it；〃 the woman
admitted。 〃I've lived in the West six years now； you can't frighten me any
more。 We never die out here before our time comes。〃
〃You seem to know that I haven't been here long；〃 said Henderson；
with some chagrin。
〃Yes；〃 admitted the woman； 〃you have the ear…marks of a man from
the East。〃
She was a tall woman； with large blue eyes； and a remarkable quantity
of yellow hair braided on top of her head。 Her gown was of calico； of such
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A Mountain Woman
a pattern as a widow might wear。
〃I haven't been out of town a week yet；〃 she said。 〃We're not half
settled。 Not having any one to help makes it harder； and the baby is
rather fretful。〃
〃But you're not alone with all these little codgers？〃 cried Henderson；
in dismay。
The woman turned toward him with a sort of defiance。 〃Yes； I am；〃
she said； 〃and I'm as strong as a horse； and I mean to get through all right。
Here were the three children in my arms； you may say； and no way to get
in a cent。 I wasn't going to stand it just to please other folk。 I said； let them
talk if they want to； but I'm going to hold down a claim； and be
accumulating something while the children are getting up a bit。 Oh； I'm
not afraid！〃
In spite of this bold assertion of bravery； there was a sort of break in
her voice。 She was putting dishes on the table as she talked； and turned
some ham in the skillet； and got the children up before the fire； and
dropped some eggs in water； all with a rapidity that bewildered
Henderson。
〃How long have you been alone？〃 he asked； softly。
〃Three months before baby was born； and he's five months old now。 I …
… I you think I can get on here； don't you？ There was nothing else to do。〃
She was folding another blanket over the sleeping baby now； and the
action brought to her guest the recollection of a thousand tender moments
of his dimly remembered youth。
〃You'll get on if we have anything to do with it；〃 he cried； suppressing
an oath with difficulty； just from pure emotion。
And he told her about the three Johns' ranch； and found it was only
three miles distant； and that both were on the same road； only her cabin；
having been put up during the past week； had of course been unknown to
him。 So it ended in a sort of compact that they were to help each other in
such ways as they could。 Meanwhile the fire got genial； and the coffee
filled the cabin with its comfortable scent； and all of them ate together
quite merrily； Henderson cut… ting up the ham for the youngsters； and he
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A Mountain Woman
told how he chanced to come out； and she entertained him with stories of
what she thought at first when she was brought a bride to Hamilton； the
adjacent village； and convulsed him with stories of the people； whom she
saw with humorous eyes。
Henderson marvelled how she could in those few minutes have
rescued the cabin from the desolation in which the storm had plunged it。
Out of the window he could see the stricken grasses dripping cold moist…
ure； and the sky still angrily plunging for… ward like a disturbed sea。 Not a
tree or a house broke the view。 The desolation of it swept over him as it
never had before。 But within the little ones were chattering to themselves
in odd baby dialect； and the mother was laughing with them。
〃Women aren't always useless；〃 she said； at parting； 〃and you tell your
chums that when they get hungry for a slice of home… made bread they can
get it here。 And the next time they go by； I want them to stop in and look at
the children。 It'll do them good。 They may think they won't enjoy
themselves； but they will。〃
〃Oh； I'll answer for that！〃 cried he； shaking hands with her。 〃I'll tell
them we have just the right sort of a neighbor。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said she； heartily。 〃And you may tell them that her name
is Cathe… rine Ford。〃
Once at home； he told his story。
〃H'm！〃 said Gillispie； 〃I guess I'll have to go to town myself to…
morrow。〃
Henderson looked at him blackly。 〃She's a woman alone； Gillispie；〃
said he； severely； 〃trying to make her way with handicaps 〃
〃Shet up； can't ye； ye darned fool？〃 roared Gillispie。 〃What do yeh
take me fur？〃
Waite was putting on his rubber coat preparatory to going out for his
night with the cattle。 〃Guess you're makin' a mistake； my boy；〃 he said；
gently。 〃There ain't no danger of any woman bein' treated rude in these
parts。〃
〃I know it； by Jove！〃 cried Henderson； in quick contriteness。
〃All right；〃 grunted Gillispie； in tacit acceptance of this apology。 〃I
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A Mountain Woman
guess you thought you was in civilized parts。〃
Two days after this Waite came in late to his supper。 〃Well； I seen
her；〃 he announced。
〃Oh！ did you？〃 cried Henderson； know… ing perfectly well whom he
meant。 〃What was she doing？〃
〃Killin' snakes； b'gosh！ She says th' baby's c
