wildfire-第40节

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to　feel　sure　she　did　not　care　for　Slone。

〃DadI　said'No'for　myself；〃　she　murmured。

This　time　Bostil　did　not　withhold　the　profane　word　of　surprise。　〃。　。　。　So　he's
asked　you；　then？　Wal；　wal！　When？〃

〃To…dayout　there　in　the　rocks　where　he　waited　with　Wildfire　for　me。
Hehe〃

Lucy　slipped　into　her　father's　arms；　and　her　slender　form　shook。　Bostil
instinctively　felt　what　she　then　needed　was　her　mother。　Her　mother　was　dead；
and　he　was　only　a　rough；　old；　hard　rider。　He　did　not　know　what　to　doto　say。
His　heart　softened　and　he　clasped　her　close。　It　hurt　him　keenly　to　realize
that　he　might　have　been　a　better；　kinder　father　if　it　were　not　for　the　fear
that　she　would　find　him　out。　But　that　proved　he　loved　her；　craved　her　respect
and　affection。

〃Wal；　little　girl；　tell　me；〃　he　said。

〃Hehe　broke　his　word　to　me。〃

〃A…huh！　Thet's　too　bad。　An'　how　did　he？〃

〃Hehe〃　Lucy　seemed　to　catch　her　tongue。

Bostil　was　positive　she　had　meant　to　tell　him　something　and　suddenly　changed
her　mind。　Subtly　the　child　vanisheda　woman　remained。　Lucy　sat　up
self…possessed　once　more。　Some　powerfully　impelling　thought　had　transformed
her。　Bostil's　keen　sense　gathered　that　what　she　would　not　tell　was　not　hers　to
reveal。　For　herself；　she　was　the　soul　of　simplicity　and　frankness。

〃Days　ago　I　told　him　I　cared　for　him；　she　went　on。　〃But　I　forbade　him　to　speak
of　it　to　me。　He　promised。　I　wanted　to　wait　till　after　the　racetill　after　I
had　found　courage　to　confess　to　you。　He　broke　his　word。　。　。　。　Today　when　he
put　me　up　on　Wildfire　hehe　suddenly　lost　his　head。〃

The　slow　scarlet　welled　into　Lucy's　face　and　her　eyes　grew　shamed；　but　bravely
she　kept　facing　her　father。

〃Hehe　pulled　me　offhe　hugged　mehe　k…kissed　me。　。　。　。　Oh；　it　was
dreadful…shameful！　。　。　。　Then　I　gave　him　backsomesomething　he　had　given
me。　And　I　told　him　II　hated　himand　I　told　him；　'No！'〃

〃But　you　rode　his　hoss　in　the　race；〃　said　Bostil。

Lucy　bowed　her　head　at　that。　〃II　couldn't　resist！〃

Bostil　stroked　the　bright　head。　What　a　quandary　for　a　thick…skulled　old
horseman！　〃Wal；　it　seems　to　me　Slone　didn't　act　so　bad；　considerin'。　You'd
told　him　you　cared　for　him。　If　it　wasn't　for　thet！　。　。　。　I　remember　I　did　much
the　same　to　your　mother。　She　raised　the　devil；　but　I　never　seen　as　she　cared
any　less　for　me。〃

〃I'll　never　forgive　him；〃　Lucy　cried；　passionately。　〃I　hate　him。　A　man　who
breaks　his　word　in　one　thing　will　do　it　in　another。〃

Bostil　sadly　realized　that　his　little　girl　had　reached　womanhood　and　love；　and
with　them　the　sweet；　bitter　pangs　of　life。　He　realized　also　that　here　was　a
crisis　when　a　wordan　unjust　or　lying　word　from　him　would　forever　ruin　any
hope　that　might　still　exist　for　Slone。　Bostil　realized　this　acutely；　but　the
realization　was　not　even　a　temptation。

〃Wal；　listen。　I'm　bound　to　confess　your　new　rider　is　sure　swift。　An'；　Lucy；
to…day　if　he　hadn't　been　as　swift　with　a　rope　as　he　is　in　lovewal；　your　old
daddy　might　be　dead！〃

She　grew　as　white　as　her　dress。　〃Oh；　Dad！　I　KNEW　something　had　happened；〃　she
cried；　reaching　for　him。

Then　Bostil　told　her　how　Dick　Sears　had　menaced　himhow　Slone　had　foiled　the
horse…thief。　He　told　the　story　bluntly；　but　eloquently；　with　all　a　rider's
praise。　Lucy　rose　with　hands　pressed　against　her　breast。　When　had　Bostil　seen
eyes　like　thosedark；　shining；　wonderful？　Ah！　he　remembered　her　mother's
onceonly　once；　as　a　girl。

Then　Lucy　kissed　him　and　without　a　word　fled　from　the　room。

Bostil　stared　after　her。　〃Dn　me！〃　he　swore；　as　he　threw　a　boot　against　the
wall。　〃I　reckon　I'll　never　let　her　marry　Slone；　but　I　just　had　to　tell　her
what　I　think　of　him！〃



CHAPTER　XIV

Slone　lay　wide　awake　under　an　open　window；　watching　the　stars　glimmer　through
the　rustling　foliage　of　the　cottonwoods。　Somewhere　a　lonesome　hound　bayed。
Very　faintly　came　the　silvery　tinkle　of　running　water。

For　five　days　Slone　had　been　a　guest　of　Bostil's；　and　the　whole　five　days　had
been　torment。

On　the　morning　of　the　day　after　the　races　Lucy　had　confronted　him。　Would　he
ever　forget　her　eyesher　voice？　〃Bless　you　for　saving　my　dad！〃　she　had　said。
〃It　was　brave。　。　。　。　But　don't　let　dad　fool　you。　Don't　believe　in　his
kindness。　Above　all；　don't　ride　for　him！　He　only　wants　Wildfire；　and　if　he
doesn't　get　him　he'll　hate　you！〃

That　speech　of　Lucy's　had　made　the　succeeding　days　hard　for　Slone。　Bostil
loaded　him　with　gifts　and　kindnesses；　and　never　ceased　importuning　him　to
accept　his　offers。　But　for　Lucy；　Slone　would　have　accepted。　It　was　she　who
cast　the　first　doubt　of　Bostil　into　his　mind。　Lucy　averred　that　her　father　was
splendid　and　good　in　every　way　except　in　what　pertained　to　fast　horses；　there
he　was　impossible。

The　great　stallion　that　Slone　had　nearly　sacrificed　his　life　to　catch　was　like
a　thorn　in　the　rider's　flesh。　Slone　lay　there　in　the　darkness；　restless；　hot；
rolling　from　side　to　side；　or　staring　out　at　the　star…studded　skymiserably
unhappy　all　on　account　of　that　horse。　Almost　he　hated　him。　What　pride　he　had
felt　in　Wildfire！　How　he　had　gloried　in　the　gift　of　the　stallion　to　Lucy！
Then；　on　the　morning　of　the　race　had　come　that　unexpected；　incomprehensible
and　wild　act　of　which　he　had　been　guilty。　Yet　not　to　save　his　life；　his　soul；
could　he　regret　it！　Was　it　he　who　had　been　responsible；　or　an　unknown　savage
within　him？　He　had　kept　his　word　to　Lucy；　when　day　after　day　he　had　burned
with　love　until　that　fatal　moment　when　the　touch　of　her；　as　he　lifted　her　to
Wildfire's　saddle；　had　made　a　madman　out　of　him。　He　had　swept　her　into　his
arms　and　held　her　breast　to　his；　her　face　before　him；　and　he　had　kissed　the
sweet；　parting　lips　till　he　was　blind。

Then　he　had　learned　what　a　little　fury　she　was。　Then　he　learned　how　he　had
fallen；　what　he　had　forfeited。　In　his　amaze　at　himself；　in　his　humility　and
shame；　he　had　not　been　able　to　say　a　word　in　his　own　defense。　She　did　not　know
yet　that　his　act　had　been　ungovernable　and　that　he　had　not　known　what　he　was
doing　till　too　late。　And　she　had　finished　with：　〃I'll　ride　Wildfire　in　the
racebut　I　won't　have　himand　I　won't　have　YOU！　NO！〃

She　had　the　steel　and　hardness　of　her　father。

For　Slone；　the　watching　of　that　race　was　a　blend　of　rapture　and　despair。　He
lived　over　in　mind　all　the　time　between　the　race　and　this　hour　when　he　lay
there　sleepless　and　full　of　remorse。　His　mind　was　like　a　racecourse　with　many
races；　and　predominating　in　it　was　that　swift；　strange；　stinging　race　of　his
memory　of　Lucy　Bostil's　looks　and　actions。

What　an　utter　fool　he　was　to　believe　she　had　meant　those　tender　words　when；
out　there　under　the　looming　monuments；　she　had　accepted　Wildfire！　She　had　been
an　impulsive　child。　Her　scorn　and　fury　that　morning　of　the　race　had　left
nothing　for　him　except　footless　fancies。　She　had　mistaken　love　of　Wildfire　for
love　of　him。　No；　his　case　was　hopeless　with　Lucy；　and　if　it　had　not　been　so
Bostil　would　have　made　it　hopeless。　Yet　there　were　things　Slone　could　not
fathomthe　wilful；　contradictory；　proud　and　cold　and　unaccountably　sweet
looks　and　actions　of　the　girl。　They　haunted　Slone。　They　made　him　conscious　he
had　a　mind　and　tortured　him　with　his　development。　But　he　had　no　experience
with　girls　to　compare　with　what　was　happening　now。　It　seemed　that　accepted
fact　and　remembered　scorn　and　cold　certainty　were　somehow　at　variance　with
hitherto　unknown　intuitions　and　instincts。　Lucy　avoided　him；　if　by　chance　she
encountered　him　alone。　When　Bostil　or　Aunt　Jane　or　any　one　else　was　present
Lucy　was　kind；　pleasant；　agreeable。　What　made　her　flush　red　at　sight　of　him
and　then；　pale？　Why　did　she　often　at　table　or　in　the　big　living…room　softly
brush　against　him　when　it　seemed　she　could　have　avoided　that？　Many　times　he
had　felt　some　inconceivable　drawing　power；　and　looked　up　to　find　her　eyes　upon
him；　strange　eyes　full　of　mystery；　that　were　suddenly　averted。　Was　there　any
meaning　attachable　to　the　fact　that　his　room　was　kept　so　tidy　and　neat；　that
every　day　something　was　added　to　its　comfort　or　color；　that　he　found　fresh
flowers　whenever　he　returned；　or　a　book；　or　fruit；　or　a　dainty　morsel　to　eat；
and　once　a　bunch　of　Indian　paint…brush；　wild　flowers　of　the　desert　that　Lucy
knew　he　loved？　Most　of　all；　it　was　Lucy's　eyes　which　haunted　Sloneeyes　that
had　changed；　darkened；　lost　their　audacious　flash；　and　yet　seemed　all　the
sweeter。　The　glances　he　caught；　which　he　fancied　were　stolen　and　then
derided　his　fancythrilled　him　to　his　heart。　Thus　Slone　had　spent　waking
hours　by　day　and　night；　mad　with　love　and　remorse；　tormented　one　hour　by
imagined　grounds　for　hope　and　resigned　to　despair　the　next。

Upon　the　sixth　morning　of　his　stay　at　Bostil's　Slone　rose　with　something　of
his　former　will　reasserting　itself。　He　could　not　remain　in　Bostil's　home　any
longer　unless　he　accepted　Bostil's　offer；　and　this　was　not　to　be　thought　of。
With　a　wrench　Slone　threw　off　the　softening　indecision　and　hurried　out　to　find
Bostil　while　the　determination　was　hot。

Bostil　was　in　the　corral　with　Wildfire。　This　was　the　second　time　Slone　had
found　him　there。　Wildfire　appeared　to　regard　Bostil　with　a　much　better　favor
than　he　did　his　master。　As　Slone　noted　this　a　little　heat　stole　along　his
veins。　That　was　gall　to　a　rider。

〃I　like　y