the argonauts of north liberty-第11节

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have　seen　her　again；　he　had　been　very　foolish；　he　had　made　this
poor　woman　participate　in　his　folly；　but　he　had　never　been
dishonest　or　treacherous　in　thought　or　action。　　If　Blandford　had
lived；　even　he　would　have　admitted　it。　　Yet　he　was　guiltily
conscious　of　a　material　satisfaction　in　Blandford's　death；　without
his　wife's　religious　conviction　of　the　saving　graces　of
predestination。

They　had　been　married　quietly　when　the　two　years　of　her　widowhood
had　expired；　his　former　relations　with　her　husband　and　the
straitened　circumstances　in　which　Blandford's　death　had　left　her
having　been　deemed　sufficient　excuse　in　the　eyes　of　North　Liberty
for　her　more　worldly　union。　　They　had　come　to　California　at　her
suggestion　〃to　begin　life　anew；〃　for　she　had　not　hesitated　to　make
this　dislocation　of　all　her　antecedent　surroundings　as　a　reason　as
well　as　a　condition　of　this　marriage。　　She　wished　to　see　the　world
of　which　he　had　been　a　passing　glimpse；　to　expand　under　his
protection　beyond　the　limits　of　her　fettered　youth。　　He　had　bought
this　old　Spanish　estate；　with　its　near　vineyard　and　its　outlying
leagues　covered　with　wild　cattle；　partly　from　that　strange
contradictory　predilection　for　peaceful　husbandry　common　to　men　who
have　led　a　roving　life；　and　partly　as　a　check　to　her　growing　and
feverish　desire　for　change　and　excitement。　　He　had　at　first　enjoyed
with　an　almost　parental　affection　her　childish　unsophisticated
delight　in　that　world　he　had　already　wearied　of；　and　which　he　had
been　prepared　to　gladly　resign　for　her。　　But　as　the　months　and　even
years　had　passed　without　any　apparent　diminution　in　her　zest　for
these　pleasures；　he　tried　uneasily　to　resume　his　old　interest　in
them；　and　spent　ten　months　with　her　in　the　chaotic　freedom　of　San
Francisco　hotel　life。　　But　to　his　discomfiture　he　found　that　they
no　longer　diverted　him；　to　his　horror　he　discovered　that　those　easy
gallantries　in　which　he　had　spent　his　youth；　and　in　which　he　had
seen　no　harm；　were　intolerable　when　exhibited　to　his　wife；　and　he
trembled　between　inquietude　and　indignation　at　the　copies　of　his
former　self；　whom　he　met　in　hotel　parlors；　at　theatres；　and　in
public　conveyances。　　The　next　time　she　visited　some　friends　in　San
Francisco　he　did　not　accompany　her。　　Though　he　fondly　cherished　his
experience　of　her　power　to　resist　even　stronger　temptation；　he　was
too　practical　to　subject　himself　to　the　annoyance　of　witnessing　it。
In　her　absence　he　trusted　her　completely；　his　scant　imagination
conjured　up　no　disturbing　picture　of　possibilities　beyond　what　he
actually　knew。　　In　his　recent　questions　of　Ezekiel　he　did　not
expect　to　learn　anything　more。　　Even　his　guest's　uncomfortable
comments　added　no　sting　that　he　had　not　already　felt。

With　these　thoughts　called　up　by　the　unlooked…for　advent　of　Ezekiel
under　his　roof；　he　continued　to　gaze　moodily　into　the　garden。　　Near
the　house　were　scattered　several　uncouth　varieties　of　cacti　which
seemed　to　have　lost　all　semblance　of　vegetable　growth；　and　had
taken　rude　likeness　to　beasts　and　human　figures。　　One　high…
shouldered　specimen；　partly　hidden　in　the　shadow；　had　the
appearance　of　a　man　with　a　cloak　or　serape　thrown　over　his　left
shoulder。　　As　Demorest's　wandering　eyes　at　last　became　fixed　upon
it；　he　fancied　he　could　trace　the　faint　outlines　of　a　pale　face；
the　lower　part　of　which　was　hidden　by　the　folds　of　the　serape。
There　certainly　was　the　forehead；　the　curve　of　the　dark　eyebrows；
the　shadow　of　a　nose；　and　even　as　he　looked　more　steadily；　a
glistening　of　the　eyes　upturned　to　the　moonlight。　　A　sudden　chill
seized　him。　　It　was　a　horrible　fancy；　but　it　looked　as　might　have
looked　the　dead　face　of　Edward　Blandford！　　He　started　and　ran
quickly　down　the　steps　of　the　veranda。　　A　slight　wind　at　the　same
moment　moved　the　long　leaves　and　tendrils　of　a　vine　nearest　him　and
sent　a　faint　wave　through　the　garden。　　He　reached　the　cactus；　its
fantastic　bulk　stood　plainly　before　him；　but　nothing　more。

〃Whar　are　ye　runnin'　to？〃　said　the　inquiring　voice　of　Ezekiel　from
the　veranda。

〃I　thought　I　saw　some　one　in　the　garden；〃　returned　Demorest；
quietly；　satisfied　of　the　illusion　of　his　senses；　〃but　it　was　a
mistake。〃

〃It　mout　and　it　moutn't；〃　said　Ezekiel；　dryly。　　〃Thar's　nothin'　to
keep　any　one　out。　　It's　only　a　wonder　that　you　ain't　overrun　with
thieves　and　sich　like。〃

〃There　are　usually　servants　about　the　place；〃　said　Demorest；
carelessly。

〃Ef　they're　the　same　breed　ez　that　Manuel；　I　reckon　I'd　almost　as
leave　take　my　chances　in　the　road。　　Ef　it's　all　the　same　to　you　I
kalkilate　to　put　a　paytent　fastener　to　my　door　and　winder　to…night。
I　allus　travel　with　them。〃　　Seeing　that　Demorest　only　shrugged　his
shoulders　without　replying；　he　continued；　〃Et　ain't　far　from　here
that　some　folks　allow　is　the　headquarters　of　that　cattle…stealing
gang。　　The　driver　of　the　coach　went　ez　far　ez　to　say　that　some　of
these　high　and　mighty　Dons　hereabouts　knows　more　of　it　than　they
keer　to　tell。〃

〃That's　simply　a　yarn　for　greenhorns；〃　said　Demorest；　contemptuously。
〃I　know　all　the　ranch　proprietors　for　twenty　leagues　around；　and
they've　lost　as　many　cattle　and　horses　as　I　have。〃

〃I　wanter　know；〃　said　Ezekiel；　with　grim　interest。　　〃Then　you've
already　had　consid'ble　losses；　eh？　　I　kalkilate　them　cattle　are
vally'bleabout　wot　figger　do　you　reckon　yer　out　and　injured？〃

〃Three　or　four　thousand　dollars；　I　suppose；　altogether；〃　replied
Demorest；　shortly。

〃Then　you　don't　take　any　stock　in　them　yer　yarns　about　the　gang
being　run　and　protected　by　some　first…class　men　in　Frisco？〃　said
Ezekiel；　regretfully。

〃Not　much；〃　responded　Demorest；　dryly；　〃but　if　people　choose　to
believe　this　bluff　gotten　up　by　the　petty　thieves　themselves　to
increase　their　importance　and　secure　their　immunitythey　can。　　But
here's　Manuel　to　tell　us　supper　is　ready。〃

He　led　the　way　to　the　corridor　and　courtyard　which　Ezekiel　had　not
penetrated　on　account　of　its　obscurity　and　solitude；　but　which　now
seemed　to　be　peopled　with　peons　and　household　servants　of　both
sexes。　　At　the　end　of　a　long　low…ceilinged　room　a　table　was　spread
with　omelettes；　chupa；　cakes；　chocolate；　grapes；　and　melons；　around
which　half　a　dozen　attendants　stood　gravely　in　waiting。　　The　size
of　the　room；　which　to　Ezekiel's　eyes　looked　as　large　as　the　church
at　North　Liberty；　the　profusion　of　the　viands；　the　six　attendants
for　the　host　and　solitary　guest；　deeply　impressed　him。　　Morally
rebelling　against　this　feudal　display　and　extravagance；　he；　who　had
disdained　to　even　assist　the　Blandfords'　servant…in…waiting　at
table　and　had　always　made　his　solitary　meal　on　the　kitchen　dresser；
was　not　above　feeling　a　material　satisfaction　in　sitting　on　equal
terms　with　his　master's　friend　and　being　served　by　these　menials　he
despised。　　He　did　full　justice　to　the　victuals　of　which　Demorest
partook　in　sparing　abstraction；　and　particularly　to　the　fruit；
which　Demorest　did　not　touch　at　all。　　Observant　of　his　servants'
eyes　fixed　in　wonder　on　the　strange　guest　who　had　just　disposed　of
a　second　melon　at　supper；　Demorest　could　not　help　remarking　that　he
would　lose　credit　as　a　medico　with　the　natives　unless　he　restrained
a　public　exhibition　of　his　tastes。

〃Ez　ha'aw？〃　queried　Ezekiel。

〃They　have　a　proverb　here　that　fruit　is　gold　in　the　morning；　silver
at　noon；　and　lead　at　night。〃

〃That'll　do　for　lazy　stomicks；〃　said　the　unabashed　Ezekiel。　　〃When
they're　once　fortified　by　Jones'　bitters　and　hard　work；　they'll　be
able　to　tackle　the　Lord's　nat'ral　gifts　of　the　airth　at　any　time。〃

Declining　the　cigarettes　offered　him　by　Demorest　for　a　quid　of
tobacco；　which　he　gravely　took　from　a　tin　box　in　his　pocket；　and　to
the　astonished　eyes　of　the　servants　apparently　obliterated　any
further　remembrance　of　the　meal；　he　accompanied　his　host　to　the
veranda　again；　where；　tilting　his　chair　back　and　putting　his　feet
on　the　railing；　he　gave　himself　up　to　unwonted　and　silent　rumination。

The　silence　was　broken　at　last　by　Demorest；　who；　half…reclining　on
a　settee；　had　once　or　twice　glanced　towards　the　misshapen　cactus。

〃Was　there　any　trace　discovered　of　Blandford；　other　than　we　knew
before　we　left　the　States？〃

〃Wa'al；　no；〃　said　Ezekiel；　thoughtfully。　　〃The　last　idea　was　that
he'd　got　control　of　the　hoss　after　passin'　the　bridge；　and　had
managed　to　turn　him　back；　for　there　was　marks　of　buggy　wheels　on
the　snow　on　the　far　side；　and　that　fearin'　to　trust　the　hoss　or　the
bridge　he　tried　to　lead　him　over　when　the　bridge　gave　way；　and　he
was　caught　in　the　wreck　and　carried　off　down　stream。　　That　would
account　for　his　body　not　bein'　found；　they　do　tell　that　chunks　of
that　bridge　were　picked　up　on　the　Sound　beach　near　the　mouth　o'　the
river；　nigh　unto　sixty　miles　away。　　That's　about　the　last　idea　they
had　of　it　at　North　Liberty。〃　　He　paused　and　then　cleverly　directing
a　stream　of　tobacco　juice　at　an　accurate　curve　over　the　railing；
wiped　his　lips　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　and　added；　slowly：
〃Thar's　another　ideabut　I　reckon　it's　only　mine。　　Leastways　I
ain't　heard　it　argued　by　anybody。〃

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Demorest。

〃Wa'al；　it　ain't　exakly　complimentary　to　E。　Blandford；　Esq。；　and　it
mout　be　orkard　for　YOU。〃

〃I　don't　think　you