on the frontier-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　dog…like；　unreasoning　affection　of　Patterson；　nor　could　he

entirely　refrain　from　slightly　posing　his　affliction　before　that

sympathetic　but　melancholy　man。　　Suddenly　he　raised　his　head；　drew

back；　and　thrust　his　hand　into　his　bosom　with　a　theatrical　gesture。



〃What's　to　keep　me　from　killing　Poindexter　in　his　tracks？〃　he　said

wildly。



〃Nothin'　but　HIS　shooting　first；〃　returned　Patterson；　with　dismal

practicality。　　〃He's　mighty　quick；　like　all　them　army　men。　　It's

about　even；　I　reckon；　that　he　don't　get　ME　first；〃　he　added　in　an

ominous　voice。



〃No！〃　returned　Tucker；　grasping　his　hand　again。　　〃This　is　not　your

affair；　Patterson；　leave　him　to　me　when　I　come　back。〃



〃If　he　ever　gets　the　drop　on　me；　I　reckon　he　won't　wait；〃　continued

Patterson　lugubriously。　　〃He　seems　to　object　to　my　passin'

criticism　on　your　wife；　as　if　she　was　a　queen　or　an　angel。〃



The　blood　came　to　Spencer's　cheek；　and　he　turned　uneasily　to　the

window。　　〃It's　dark　enough　now　for　a　start；〃　he　said　hurriedly；

〃and　if　I　could　get　across　the　mountain　without　lying　over　at　the

summit；　it　would　be　a　day　gained。〃



Patterson　arose　without　a　word；　filled　a　flask　of　spirit；　handed　it

to　his　friend；　and　silently　led　the　way　through　the　slowly　falling

rain　and　the　now　settled　darkness。　　The　mustang　was　quickly　secured

and　saddled；　a　heavy　poncho　afforded　Tucker　a　disguise　as　well　as　a

protection　from　the　rain。　　With　a　few　hurried；　disconnected　words；

and　an　abstracted　air；　he　once　more　shook　his　friend's　hand　and

issued　cautiously　from　the　corral。　　When　out　of　earshot　from　the

house　he　put　spurs　to　the　mustang；　and　dashed　into　a　gallop。



To　intersect　the　mountain　road　he　was　obliged　to　traverse　part　of

the　highway　his　wife　had　walked　that　afternoon；　and　to　pass　within

a　mile　of　the　casa　where　she　was。　　Long　before　he　reached　that

point　his　eyes　were　straining　the　darkness　in　that　direction　for

some　indication　of　the　house　which　was　to　him　familiar。　　Becoming

now　accustomed　to　the　even　obscurity；　less　trying　to　the　vision

than　the　alternate　light　and　shadow　of　cloud　or　the　full　glare　of

the　moonlight；　he　fancied　he　could　distinguish　its　low　walls　over

the　monotonous　level。　　One　of　those　impulses　which　had　so　often

taken　the　place　of　resolution　in　his　character　suddenly　possessed

him　to　diverge　from　his　course　and　approach　the　house。　　Why；　he

could　not　have　explained。　　It　was　not　from　any　feeling　of　jealous

suspicion　or　contemplated　revengethat　had　passed　with　the

presence　of　Patterson；　it　was　not　from　any　vague　lingering

sentiment　for　the　woman　he　had　wrongedhe　would　have　shrunk　from

meeting　her　at　that　moment。　　But　it　was　full　of　these　and　more

possibilities　by　which　he　might　or　might　not　be　guided；　and　was　at

least　a　movement　towards　some　vague　end；　and　a　distraction　from

certain　thoughts　he　dared　not　entertain　and　could　not　entirely

dismiss。　　Inconceivable　and　inexplicable　to　human　reason；　it　might

have　been　acceptable　to　the　Divine　omniscience　for　its　predestined

result。



He　left　the　road　at　a　point　where　the　marsh　encroached　upon　the

meadow；　familiar　to　him　already　as　near　the　spot　where　he　had

embarked　from　the　Chinaman's　boat　the　day　before。　　He　remembered

that　the　walls　of　the　hacienda　were　distinctly　visible　from　the

tules　where　he　had　hidden　all　day；　and　he　now　knew　that　the　figures

he　had　observed　near　the　building；　which　had　deterred　his　first

attempts　at　landing；　must　have　been　his　wife　and　his　friend。　　He

knew　that　a　long　tongue　of　the　slough　filled　by　the　rising　tide

followed　the　marsh；　and　lay　between　him　and　the　hacienda。　　The

sinking　of　his　horse's　hoofs　in　the　spongy　soil　determined　its

proximity；　and　he　made　a　detour　to　the　right　to　avoid　it。　　In　doing

so；　a　light　suddenly　rose　above　the　distant　horizon　ahead　of　him；

trembled　faintly；　and　then　burned　with　a　steady　lustre。　　It　was　a

light　at　the　hacienda。　　Guiding　his　horse　half　abstractedly　in　this

direction；　his　progress　was　presently　checked　by　the　splashing　of

the　animal's　hoofs　in　the　water。　　But　the　turf　below　was　firm；　and

a　salt　drop　that　had　spattered　to　his　lips　told　him　that　it　was

only　the　encroaching　of　the　tide　in　the　meadow。　　With　his　eyes　on

the　light；　he　again　urged　his　horse　forward。　　The　rain　lulled；　the

clouds　began　to　break；　the　landscape　alternately　lightened　and　grew

dark；　the　outlines　of　the　crumbling　hacienda　walls　that　enshrined

the　light　grew　more　visible。　　A　strange　and　dreamy　resemblance　to

the　long　blue…grass　plain　before　his　wife's　paternal　house；　as　seen

by　him　during　his　evening　rides　to　courtship；　pressed　itself　upon

him。　　He　remembered；　too；　that　she　used　to　put　a　light　in　the

window　to　indicate　her　presence。　　Following　this　retrospect；　the

moon　came　boldly　out；　sparkled　upon　the　overflow　of　silver　at　his

feet；　seemed　to　show　the　dark；　opaque　meadow　beyond　for　a　moment；

and　then　disappeared。　　It　was　dark　now；　but　the　lesser　earthly　star

still　shone　before　him　as　a　guide；　and　pushing　towards　it；　he

passed　in　the　all…embracing　shadow。





CHAPTER　IV





As　Mrs。　Tucker；　erect；　white；　and　rigid；　drove　away　from　the

tienda；　it　seemed　to　her　to　sink　again　into　the　monotonous　plain；

with　all　its　horrible　realities。　　Except　that　there　was　now　a　new

and　heart…breaking　significance　to　the　solitude　and　loneliness　of

the　landscape；　all　that　had　passed　might　have　been　a　dream。　　But　as

the　blood　came　back　to　her　cheek；　and　little　by　little　her　tingling

consciousness　returned；　it　seemed　as　if　her　life　had　been　the

dream；　and　this　last　scene　the　awakening　reality。　　With　eyes

smarting　with　the　moisture　of　shame；　the　scarlet　blood　at　times

dyeing　her　very　neck　and　temples；　she　muffled　her　lowered　crest　in

her　shawl　and　bent　over　the　reins。　　Bit　by　bit　she　recalled；　in

Poindexter's　mysterious　caution　and　strange　allusions；　the

corroboration　of　her　husband's　shame　and　her　own　disgrace。　　This

was　why　she　was　brought　hitherthe　deserted　wife；　and　abandoned

confederate！　　The　mocking　glitter　of　the　concave　vault　above　her；

scoured　by　the　incessant　wind；　the　cold　stare　of　the　shining　pools

beyond；　the　hard　outlines　of　the　Coast　Range；　and　the　jarring

accompaniment　of　her　horse's　hoofs　and　rattling　buggy　wheels

alternately　goaded　and　distracted　her。　　She　found　herself　repeating

〃No！　no！　no！〃　with　the　dogged　reiteration　of　fever。　　She　scarcely

knew　when　or　how　she　reached　the　hacienda。　　She　was　only　conscious

that　as　she　entered　the　patio　the　dusty　solitude　that　had　before

filled　her　with　unrest　now　came　to　her　like　balm。　　A　benumbing

peace　seemed　to　fall　from　the　crumbling　walls；　the　peace　of　utter

seclusion；　isolation；　oblivion；　death！　　Nevertheless；　an　hour

later；　when　the　jingle　of　spurs　and　bridle　were　again　heard　in　the

road；　she　started　to　her　feet　with　bent　brows　and　a　kindling　eye；

and　confronted　Captain　Poindexter　in　the　corridor。



〃I　would　not　have　intruded　upon　you　so　soon　again；〃　he　said

gravely；　〃but　I　thought　I　might　perhaps　spare　you　a　repetition　of

the　scene　of　this　morning。　　Hear　me　out；　please；〃　he　added；　with　a

gentle；　half…deprecating　gesture；　as　she　lifted　the　beautiful　scorn

of　her　eyes　to　his。　　〃I　have　just　heard　that　your　neighbor；　Don

Jose　Santierra；　of　Los　Gatos；　is　on　his　way　to　this　house。　　He　once

claimed　this　land；　and　hated　your　husband；　who　bought　of　the　rival

claimant；　whose　grant　was　confirmed。　　I　tell　you　this；〃　he　added；

slightly　flushing　as　Mrs。　Tucker　turned　impatiently　away；　〃only　to

show　you　that　legally　he　has　no　rights；　and　you　need　not　see　him

unless　you　choose。　　I　could　not　stop　his　coming　without　perhaps

doing　you　more　harm　than　good；　but　when　he　does　come；　my　presence

under　this　roof　as　your　legal　counsel　will　enable　you　to　refer　him

to　me。〃　　He　stopped。　　She　was　pacing　the　corridor　with　short；

impatient　steps；　her　arms　dropped；　and　her　hands　clasped　rigidly

before　her。　　〃Have　I　your　permission　to　stay？〃



She　suddenly　stopped　in　her　walk；　approached　him　rapidly；　and

fixing　her　eyes　on　his；　said；



〃Do　I　know　ALL；　noweverything？〃



He　could　only　reply　that　she　had　not　yet　told　him　what　she　had

heard。



〃Well；〃　she　said　scornfully；　〃that　my　husband　has　been　cruelly

imposed　uponimposed　upon　by　some　wretched　woman；　who　has　made　him

sacrifice　his　property；　his　friends；　his　honoreverything　but　me？〃



〃Everything　but　whom？〃　gasped　Poindexter。



〃But　ME！〃



Poindexter　gazed　at　the　sky；　the　air；　the　deserted　corridor；　the

stones　of　the　patio　itself；　and　then　at　the　inexplicable　woman

before　him。　　Then　he　said　gravely；　〃I　think　you　know　everything。〃



〃Then　if　my　husband　has　left　me　all　he　couldthis　property；〃　she

went　on　rapidly；　twisting　her　handkerchief　between　her　fingers；　〃I

can　do　with　it　what　I　like；　can't　I？〃



〃You　certainly　can。〃



〃Then　sell　it；〃　she　said；　with　passionate　vehemence。　　〃Sell　it

all！　everything！　　And　sell　these。〃　　She　darted　into　her　bedroom；

and　returned　with　the