the argonauts of north liberty-第21节

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to　ascertain　if　he　makes　any　signal　to　show　that　his　plan　is　altered；
or　that　he　has　discovered　he　is　watched。〃　　He　turned；　and　in　his
preoccupation　laid　his　hand　for　an　instant　upon　Demorest's　shoulder
with　the　absent　familiarity　of　old　days。　　Unconscious　as　the　action
was；　it　thrilled　them　bothfrom　its　very　unconsciousnessand
impelled　them　to　throw　themselves　into　the　new　alliance　with　such
feverish　and　excited　activity　in　order　to　preclude　any　dangerous
alien　reflection；　that　when　they　rose　a　few　moments　later　and
cautiously　left　the　garden　arm…in…arm　through　the　outer　gates；　no
one　would　have　believed　they　had　ever　been　estranged；　least　of　all
the　clever　woman　who　had　separated　them。


It　was　nearly　nine　o'clock　when　the　two　friends；　accompanied　by　the
sheriff　of　the　county；　left　San　Buenaventura　turnpike　and　turned
into　a　thicket　of　alders　to　wait　the　coming　of　the　carriage　they
were　to　henceforth　follow　cautiously　and　unseen　in　a　parallel　trail
to　the　main　road。　　The　moon　had　risen；　and　with　it　the　long
withheld　wind　that　now　swept　over　the　distant　stretch　of　gleaming
road　and　partly　veiled　it　at　times　with　flying　dust　unchecked　by
any　dew　from　the　clear　cold　sky。　　Demorest　shivered　even　with　his
ready　hand　on　his　revolver。　　Suddenly　the　sheriff　uttered　an
exclamation　of　disgust。

〃Blasted　if　thar　ain't　some　one　in　the　road　between　us　and　their
ambush。〃

〃It's　one　of　their　gangscouting。　　Lie　close。〃

〃Scout　be　darned。　　Look　at　him　bucking　round　there　in　the　dust。　　He
can't　even　ride！　　It's　some　blasted　greenhorn　taking　a　pasear　on　a
hoss　for　the　first　time。　　Damnation！　he's　ruined　everything。
They'll　take　the　alarm。〃

〃I'll　push　on　and　clear　him　out；〃　said　Blandford；　excitedly。　　〃Even
if　they're　off；　I　may　yet　get　a　shot　at　the　Cherokee。〃

〃Quick　then；〃　said　Demorest；　〃for　here　comes　the　carriage。〃　　He
pointed　to　a　dark　spot　on　the　road　occasionally　emerging　from　the
driven　dust　clouds。

In　another　moment　Blandford　was　at　the　heels　of　the　awkward
horseman；　who　wheeled　clumsily　at　his　approach　and　revealed　the
lank　figure　of　Ezekiel　Corwin！

〃You　here！〃　said　Blandford；　in　stupefied　fury。

〃Wa'al；　yes；　squire；〃　said　Ezekiel　lazily；　in　spite　of　his　uneasy
seat。　　〃I　kalkilated　ef　there　was　suthin'　goin'　on；　I'd　like　to　see
it。〃

〃You　cursed　prying　fool！　you've　spoiled　all。　　There！〃　he　shouted
despairingly；　as　the　quick　clatter　of　hoofs　rang　from　the　arroyo
behind　them；　〃there　they　go！　　That's　your　work；　blockhead！　　Out　of
my　way；　or　by　God〃　but　the　sentence　was　left　unfinished　as；
joined　by　the　sheriff；　who　had　galloped　up　at　the　sound　of　the
robbers'　flight；　he　darted　past　the　unconcerned　Ezekiel。　　Demorest
would　have　followed；　but　Blandford；　with　a　warning　cry　to　him　to
remain　and　protect　the　carriage；　halted　him　at　the　side　of　Corwin
as　the　vehicle　now　rapidly　approached。

But　Ezekiel　was　before　him　even　then；　and　as　the　driver　pulled　up；
that　inquiring　man　tumbled　from　his　horse；　ran　to　the　door　and
opened　it。　　Demorest　rode　up；　glanced　into　the　carriage；　and　fell
back　in　blank　amazement。

It　was　his　wife　who　was　sitting　there　alone；　pale；　erect；　and
beautiful。　　By　some　illusion　of　the　moonlight；　her　face　and　figure；
covered　with　soft　white　wrappings　for　a　journey；　looked　as　he
remembered　to　have　seen　her　the　first　night　they　had　met　in　the
Boston　train。　　The　picture　was　completed　by　the　traveling　bag　and
rug　that　lay　on　the　seat　before　her。　　Another　terrible　foreboding
seized　him；　his　brain　reeled。　　Was　he　going　mad？

〃Joan！〃　he　stammered。　　〃You？　　What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃

Ezekiel　whom　but　for　his　dazed　condition　he　might　have　seen　violently
contorting　his　features　in　Joan's　face；　presumably　in　equal
astonishmentbroke　into　a　series　of　discordant　chuckles。

〃Wa'al；　ef　that　ain't　Deacon　Salisbury's　darter　all　over。　　Ha！　　Here
are　ye　two　men　folks　makin'　no　end　o'　fuss　to　save　that　Mexican　gal
with　pistols　and　ambushes　and　plots　and　counterplots；　and　yer's　Joan
Salisbury　shows　ye　the　way　ha'ow　to　do　it。　　And　so；　ma'am；　you
succeeded　in　fixin'　it　up　with　Dona　Rosita　to　take　her　place　and　just
sell　them　robbers　cheap！　　Wa'al；　ma'am；　yer　sold　this　yer　party；
toofor〃he　advanced　his　face　close　to　hers〃I　never　let　on　a
word；　though　I　knew　it；　and　although　they　nearly　knocked　me　off　my
hoss　in　their　fuss　and　fury。　　Ha！　ha！　　They　wanted　to　know　what　I
was　doin'　here；　he…he！　　Tell　'em；　Joan；　tell　'em。〃

Demorest　gazed　from　one　to　another　with　a　troubled　face；　yet　one　on
which　a　faint　relief　was　breaking。

〃What　does　he　mean；　Joan？　　Speak；〃　he　said；　almost　imploringly。

Joan；　whose　color　was　slightly　returning；　drew　herself　up　with　her
old　cold　Puritan　precision。

〃After　the　scene　you　made　this　morning；　Richard；　when　you　chose　to
accuse　your　wife　of　unfaithfulness　to　her　friend；　her　guest；　and
even　your　reputation；　I　resolved　to　go　myself　with　Dona　Rosita　to
Los　Osos　and　explain　the　matter　to　her　father。　　Some　rumor　of　the
ridiculous　farce　I　have　just　witnessed　reached　us　through　Ezekiel；
and　frightened　the　poor　girl　so　that　she　declinedand　properly；　too
to　face　the　hoax　which　you　and　some　nameless　impersonator　of　a
disgraced　fugitive　have　gotten　up　for　purposes　of　your　own！　　I　wish
you　joy　of　your　work！　　If　the　play　is　over　now；　I　presume　I　may　be
allowed　to　proceed　on　my　journey？〃

〃Not　yet；〃　said　Demorest　slowly；　with　a　face　over　which　the　chasing
doubts　had　at　last　settled　in　a　grayish　pallor。　　〃Believe　what　you
like；　misunderstand　me　if　you　will；　laugh　at　the　danger　you　perhaps
comprehend　better　than　I　do；　but　upon　this　road；　wherever　or　to
whatever　it　was　leading　youto…night　you　go　no　further！〃

〃Then　I　suppose　I　may　return　home；〃　she　said　coldly。　　〃Ezekiel　will
accompany　me　back　to　protect　me　fromrobbers。　　Come；　Ezekiel。
Mr。　Demorest　and　his　friends　can　be　safely　trusted　to　take　care　of
your　horse。〃

And　as　the　grinning　Ezekiel　sprang　into　the　carriage　beside　her；　she
pulled　up　the　glass　in　the　fateful　and　set　face　of　her　once　trusting
husband；　the　carriage　turned　and　drove　off；　leaving　him　like　a　statue
in　the　road。

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

The　bell　of　the　North　Liberty　Second　Presbyterian　Church　had　just
ceased　ringing。　　But　in　the　last　five　years　it　had　rung　out　the　bass
viol　and　harmonium；　and　rung　in　an　organ　and　choir；　and　the　old
austere　interior　had　been　subjected　at　the　hands　of　the　rising
generation　to　an　invasion　of　youthful　warmth　and　color。　　Nowhere　was
this　more　apparent　than　in　the　choir　itself；　where　the　bright　spring
sunshine；　piercing　a　newly…opened　stained…glass　window；　picked　out
the　new　spring　bonnet　of　Mrs。　Demorest　and　settled　upon　it　during　the
singing　of　the　hymn。　　Perhaps　that　was　the　reason　why　a　few　eyes　were
curiously　directed　in　that　direction；　and　that　even　the　minister
himself　strayed　from　the　precise　path　of　doctrine　to　allude　with
ecclesiastical　vagueness　to　certain　shining　examples　of　the　Christian
virtues　that　were　〃again　in　our　midst。〃　　The　shrewd　face　and　white
eyelashes　of　Ezekiel　Corwin；　junior　partner　in　the　firm　of　Dilworth　&
Dusenberry；　of　San　Francisco；　were　momentarily　raised　towards　the
choir；　and　then　relapsed　into　an　expression　of　fatigued　self…
righteousness。

When　the　service　was　over　a　few　worshipers　lingered　near　the　choir
staircase；　mindful　of　the　spring　bonnet。

〃It　looks　quite　nat'ral；〃　said　Deacon　Fairchild；　〃ter　see　Joan
Salisbury　attendin'　the　ministration　of　the　Word　agin。　　And　I　ain't
sorry　she　didn't　bring　that　second　husband　of　hers　with　her。　　It
kinder　looks　like　old　timesafore　Edward　Blandford　was　gathered　to
the　Lord。〃

〃That's　so；〃　replied　his　auditor　meekly；　〃and　they　do　say　ez　ha'ow
Demorest　got　more　powerful　worldly　and　unregenerate　in　that　heathen
country；　and　that　Joan　ez　a　professin'　Christian　had　to　leave　him。
I've　heerd　tell　thet　he'd　got　mixed　up；　out　thar；　with　some
half…breed　outlaw；　of　the　name　o'　Johnson；　ez　hez　a　purty；　high…
flyin'　Mexican　wife。　　It　was　fort'nit　for　Joan　that　she　found　a
friend　in　grace　in　Brother　Corwin　to　look　arter　her　share　in　the
property　and　bring　her　back　tu　hum。〃

〃She's　lookin'　peart；〃　said　Sister　Bradley；　〃though　to　my　mind　that
bonnet　savors　still　o'　heathen　vanities。〃

〃Et's　the　new　ideescrept　in　with　that　organ；〃　groaned　Deacon
Fairchild；　〃butshothar　she　comes。〃

She　shone　for　an　instanta　charming　visionout　of　the　shadow　of　the
choir　stairs；　and　then　glided　primly　into　the　street。

The　old　sexton；　still　in　waiting　with　his　hand　on　the　half…closed
door；　paused　and　looked　after　her　with　a　troubled　brow。　　A　singular
and　utterly　incomprehensible　recollection　and　resemblance　had　just
crossed　his　mind。







End