a sappho of green springs-第27节

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partly　confide　in　him　and　ask　his　advice。　　Was　she　doing　right；

after　all？　　Ought　she　not　to　have　stayed　long　enough　to　speak　her

mind　to　Mrs。　Randolph　and　demand　to　be　sent　home？　　No！　　She　had　not

only　shrunk　from　repeating　the　infamous　slander　she　had　overheard；

but　she　had　a　terrible　fear　that　if　she　had　done　so；　Mrs。　Randolph

was　capable　of　denying　it；　or　even　charging　her　of　being　still

under　the　influence　of　the　earthquake　shock　and　of　walking　in　her

sleep。　　No！　　She　could　not　trust　hershe　could　trust　no　one　there。

Had　not　even　the　major　listened　to　those　infamous　lies？　　Had　she

not　seen　that　he　was　helpless　in　the　hands　of　this　cabal　in　his　own

household？a　cabal　that　she　herself　had　thoughtlessly　joined

against　him。



They　had　reached　the　first　slight　ascent。　　Her　companion　drew　out

his　watch；　looked　at　it　with　satisfaction；　and　changed　the　position

of　his　hands　on　the　reins。　　Without　being　able　to　detect　the

difference；　she　felt　they　were　slackening　speed。　　She　turned

inquiringly　towards　him；　he　nodded　his　head；　with　a　half　smile　and

a　gesture　to　her　to　look　ahead。　　The　spires　of　San　Jose　were

already　faintly　uplifting　from　the　distant　fringe　of　oaks。



So　soon！　　In　fifteen　minutes　she　would　be　thereand　THEN！　　She

remembered　suddenly　she　had　not　yet　determined　what　to　do。　　Should

she　go　on　at　once　to　San　Francisco；　or　telegraph　to　her　father　and

await　him　at　San　Jose？　　In　either　case　a　new　fear　of　the

precipitancy　of　her　action　and　the　inadequacy　of　her　reasons　had

sprung　up　in　her　mind。　　Would　her　father　understand　her？　　Would　he

underrate　the　cause　and　be　mortified　at　the　insult　she　had　given

the　family　of　his　old　friend；　or；　more　dreadful　still；　would　he

exaggerate　her　wrongs　and　seek　a　personal　quarrel　with　the　major。

He　was　a　man　of　quick　temper；　and　had　the　Western　ideas　of　redress。

Perhaps　even　now　she　was　precipitating　a　duel　between　them。　　Her

cheeks　grew　wan　again；　her　breath　came　quickly；　tears　gathered　in

her　eyes。　　Oh；　she　was　a　dreadful　girl；　she　knew　it；　she　was　an

utterly　miserable　one；　and　she　knew　that　too！



The　reins　were　tightened。　　The　pace　lessened　and　at　last　fell　to　a

walk。　　Conscious　of　her　telltale　eyes　and　troubled　face；　she　dared

not　turn　to　her　companion　to　ask　him　why；　but　glanced　across　the

fields。



〃When　you　first　came　I　didn't　get　to　know　your　name；　Miss　Mallory；

but　I　reckon　I　know　your　father。〃



Her　father！　　What　made　him　say　that？　　She　wanted　to　speak；　but　she

felt　she　could　not。　　In　another　moment；　if　he　went　on；　she　must　do

SOMETHINGshe　would　cry！



〃I　reckon　you'll　be　wanting　to　go　to　the　hotel　first；　anyway？〃



There！she　knew　it！　　He　WOULD　keep　on！　　And　now　she　had　burst　into

tears。



The　mare　was　still　walking　slowly；　the　man　was　lazily　bending

forward　over　the　shafts　as　if　nothing　had　occurred。　　Then　suddenly；

illogically；　and　without　a　moment's　warning；　the　pride　that　had

sustained　her　crumbled　and　became　as　the　dust　of　the　road。



She　burst　out　and　told　himthis　stranger！this　man　she　had

disliked！all　and　EVERYTHING。　　How　she　had　felt；　how　she　had　been

deceived；　and　what　she　had　overheard！



〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　her　companion；　quietly；　〃and　that's　why　I

sent　for　your　father。〃



〃You　sent　for　my　father！when？where？〃　echoed　Rose；　in

astonishment。



〃Yesterday。　　He　was　to　come　to…day；　and　if　we　don't　find　him　at　the

hotel　it　will　be　because　he　has　already　started　to　come　here　by　the

upper　and　longer　road。　　But　you　leave　it　to　ME；　and　don't　you　say

anything　to　him　of　this　now。　　If　he's　at　the　hotel；　I'll　say　I

drove　you　down　there　to　show　off　the　mare。　　Sabe？　　If　he　isn't；

I'll　leave　you　there　and　come　back　here　to　find　him。　　I've　got

something　to　tell　him　that　will　set　YOU　all　right。〃　　He　smiled

grimly；　lifted　the　reins；　the　mare　started　forward　again；　and　the

vehicle　and　its　occupants　disappeared　in　a　vanishing　dust　cloud。





CHAPTER　VI





It　was　nearly　noon　when　Mr。　Dawson　finished　rubbing　down　his

sweating　mare　in　the　little　stable　shed　among　the　wheat。　　He　had

left　Rose　at　the　hotel；　for　they　found　Mr。　Mallory　had　previously

started　by　a　circuitous　route　for　the　wheat　ranch。　　He　had　resumed

not　only　his　working　clothes　but　his　working　expression。　　He　was

now　superintending　the　unloading　of　a　wain　of　stores　and　implements

when　the　light　carryall　of　the　Randolphs　rolled　into　the　field。　　It

contained　only　Mrs。　Randolph　and　the　driver。　　A　slight　look　of

intelligence　passed　between　the　latter　and　the　nearest　one　of

Dawson's　companions；　succeeded；　however；　by　a　dull　look　of　stupid

vacancy　on　the　faces　of　all　the　others；　including　Dawson。　　Mrs。

Randolph　noticed　it；　and　was　forewarned。　　She　reflected　that　no

human　beings　ever　looked　NATURALLY　as　stupid　as　that　and　were　able

to　work。　　She　smiled　sarcastically；　and　then　began　with　dry

distinctness　and　narrowing　lips。



〃Miss　Mallory；　a　young　lady　visiting　us；　went　out　for　an　early　walk

this　morning　and　has　not　returned。　　It　is　possible　she　may　have

lost　her　way　among　your　wheat。　　Have　you　seen　anything　of　her？〃



Dawson　raised　his　eyes　from　his　work　and　glanced　slowly　around　at

his　companions；　as　if　taking　the　heavy　sense　of　the　assembly。　　One

or　two　shook　their　heads　mechanically；　and　returned　to　their

suspended　labor。　　He　said；　coolly：



〃Nobody　here　seems　to。〃



She　felt　that　they　were　lying。　　She　was　only　a　woman　against　five

men。　　She　was　only　a　petty　domestic　tyrant；　she　might　have　been　a

larger　one。　　But　she　had　all　the　courage　of　that　possibility。



〃Major　Randolph　and　my　son　are　away；〃　she　went　on；　drawing　herself

erect。　　〃But　I　know　that　the　major　will　pay　liberally　if　these　men

will　search　the　field；　besides　making　it　all　right　with　your

EMPLOYERSfor　the　loss　of　time。〃



Dawson　uttered　a　single　word　in　a　low　voice　to　the　man　nearest　him；

who　apparently　communicated　it　to　the　others；　for　the　four　men

stopped　unloading；　and　moved　away　one　after　the　othereven　the

driver　joining　in　the　exodus。　　Mrs。　Randolph　smiled　sarcastically；

it　was　plain　that　these　people；　with　all　their　boasted　independence；

were　quite　amenable　to　pecuniary　considerations。　　Nevertheless；

as　Dawson　remained　looking　quietly　at　her；　she　said：



〃Then　I　suppose　they've　concluded　to　go　and　see？〃



〃No；　I've　sent　them　away　so　that　they　couldn't　HEAR。〃



〃Hear　what？〃



〃What　I've　got　to　say　to　you。〃



She　looked　at　him　suddenly。　　Then　she　said；　with　a　disdainful

glance　around　her：　〃I　see　I　am　helpless　here；　andthanks　to　your

trickeryalone。　　Have　a　care；　sir；　I　warn　you　that　you　will　have

to　answer　to　Major　Randolph　for　any　insolence。〃



〃I　reckon　you　won't　tell　Major　Randolph　what　I　have　to　say　to　you；〃

he　returned　coolly。



Her　lips　were　nearly　a　grayish　hue；　but　she　said　scornfully：　〃And

why　not？　　Do　you　know　who　you　are　talking　to？〃



The　man　came　lazily　forward　to　the　carryall；　carelessly　brushed

aside　the　slack　reins；　and　resting　his　elbows　on　the　horse's　back；

laid　his　chin　on　his　hands；　as　he　looked　up　in　the　woman's　face。



〃Yes；　I　know　who　I'm　talking　to；〃　he　said　coolly。　　〃But　as　the

major　don't；　I　reckon　you　won't　tell　him。〃



〃Stand　away　from　that　horse！〃　she　said；　her　whole　face　taking　the

grayish　color　of　her　lips；　but　her　black　eyes　growing　smaller　and

brighter。　　〃Hand　me　those　reins；　and　let　me　pass！　　What　canaille

are　you　to　stop　me？〃



〃I　thought　so；〃　returned　the　man；　without　altering　his　position；

〃you　don't　know　ME。　　You　never　saw　ME　before。　　Well；　I'm　Jim

Dawson；　the　nephew　of　L'Hommadieu；　YOUR　OLD　MASTER！〃



She　gripped　the　iron　rail　of　the　seat　as　if　to　leap　from　it；　but

checked　herself　suddenly　and　leaned　back；　with　a　set　smile　on　her

mouth　that　seemed　stamped　there。　　It　was　remarkable　that　with　that

smile　she　flung　away　her　old　affectation　of　superciliousness　for　an

older　and　ruder　audacity；　and　that　not　only　the　expression；　but　the

type　of　her　face　appeared　to　have　changed。



〃I　don't　say；〃　continued　the　man　quietly；　〃that　he　didn't　MARRY　you

before　he　died。　　But　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　the　laws　of　his

State　didn't　recognize　the　marriage　of　a　master　with　his　octoroon

slave！　　And　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　even　if　he　had　freed　you；

he　couldn't　change　your　blood。　　Why；　if　I'd　been　willing　to　stay　at

Avoyelles　to　be　a　nigger…driver　like　him；　the　plantation　of　'de

Fontanges'whose　name　you　have　takenwould　have　been　left　to　me。

If　YOU　had　stayed　there；　you　might　have　been　my　property　instead　of

YOUR　owning　a　square　man　like　Randolph。　　You　didn't　think　of　that

when　you　came　here；　did　you？〃　he　said　composedly。



〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！〃　she　said；　dropping　rapidly　into　a　different　accent；

with　her　white　teeth　and　fixed　mirthless　smile；　〃so　it　is　a　claim

for　PROPERTY；　eh？　　You're　wanting　moneyyou？　　Tres　bien；　you

forget　we　are　in　California；　where　one　does　not　own　a　slave。　　And

you　have　a　fine　story　there；　my　poor　friend。　　Very　pretty；　but　very