riders of the purple sage-第13节

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As　with　a　faint　shadow　from　a　flitting　wing　overhead；　the　marble　whiteness　of　her　face　seemed　to　change。

〃Don'ttakemebackthere！〃



CHAPTER　VI。　THE　MILL…WHEEL　OF　STEERS

Meantime；　at　the　ranch；　when　Judkins's　news　had　sent　Venters　on　the　trail　of　the　rustlers；　Jane　Withersteen　led　the　injured　man　to　her　house　and　with　skilled　fingers　dressed　the　gunshot　wound　in　his　arm。

〃Judkins；　what　do　you　think　happened　to　my　riders？〃

〃II　d　rather　not　say；〃　he　replied。

〃Tell　me。　Whatever　you'll　tell　me　I'll　keep　to　myself。　I'm　beginning　to　worry　about　more　than　the　loss　of　a　herd　of　cattle。　Venters　hinted　of　but　tell　me；　Judkins。〃

〃Well；　Miss　Withersteen；　I　think　as　Venters　thinksyour　riders　have　been　called　in。〃

〃Judkins！。。。By　whom？〃

〃You　know　who　handles　the　reins　of　your　Mormon　riders。〃

〃Do　you　dare　insinuate　that　my　churchmen　have　ordered　in　my　riders？〃

〃I　ain't　insinuatin'　nothin'；　Miss　Withersteen；〃　answered　Judkins；　with　spirit。　〃I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　I　didn't　want　to　tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　I　can't　believe　that！　I'll　not　believe　it！　Would　Tull　leave　my　herds　at　the　mercy　of　rustlers　and　wolves　just　becausebecause？　No；　no！　It's　unbelievable。〃

〃Yes；　thet　particular　thing's　onheard　of　around　Cottonwoods　But；　beggin'　pardon；　Miss　Withersteen；　there　never　was　any　other　rich　Mormon　woman　here　on　the　border；　let　alone　one　thet's　taken　the　bit　between　her　teeth。〃

That　was　a　bold　thing　for　the　reserved　Judkins　to　say；　but　it　did　not　anger　her。　This　rider's　crude　hint　of　her　spirit　gave　her　a　glimpse　of　what　others　might　think。　Humility　and　obedience　had　been　hers　always。　But　had　she　taken　the　bit　between　her　teeth？　Still　she　wavered。　And　then；　with　quick　spurt　of　warm　blood　along　her　veins；　she　thought　of　Black　Star　when　he　got　the　bit　fast　between　his　iron　jaws　and　ran　wild　in　the　sage。　If　she　ever　started　to　run！　Jane　smothered　the　glow　and　burn　within　her；　ashamed　of　a　passion　for　freedom　that　opposed　her　duty。

〃Judkins；　go　to　the　village；〃　she　said；　〃and　when　you　have　learned　anything　definite　about　my　riders　please　come　to　me　at　once。〃

When　he　had　gone　Jane　resolutely　applied　her　mind　to　a　number　of　tasks　that　of　late　had　been　neglected。　Her　father　had　trained　her　in　the　management　of　a　hundred　employees　and　the　working　of　gardens　and　fields；　and　to　keep　record　of　the　movements　of　cattle　and　riders。　And　beside　the　many　duties　she　had　added　to　this　work　was　one　of　extreme　delicacy；　such　as　required　all　her　tact　and　ingenuity。　It　was　an　unobtrusive；　almost　secret　aid　which　she　rendered　to　the　Gentile　families　of　the　village。　Though　Jane　Withersteen　never　admitted　so　to　herself；　it　amounted　to　no　less　than　a　system　of　charity。　But　for　her　invention　of　numberless　kinds　of　employment；　for　which　there　was　no　actual　need；　these　families　of　Gentiles；　who　had　failed　in　a　Mormon　community；　would　have　starved。

In　aiding　these　poor　people　Jane　thought　she　deceived　her　keen　churchmen；　but　it　was　a　kind　of　deceit　for　which　she　did　not　pray　to　be　forgiven。　Equally　as　difficult　was　the　task　of　deceiving　the　Gentiles；　for　they　were　as　proud　as　they　were　poor。　It　had　been　a　great　grief　to　her　to　discover　how　these　people　hated　her　people；　and　it　had　been　a　source　of　great　joy　that　through　her　they　had　come　to　soften　in　hatred。　At　any　time　this　work　called　for　a　clearness　of　mind　that　precluded　anxiety　and　worry；　but　under　the　present　circumstances　it　required　all　her　vigor　and　obstinate　tenacity　to　pin　her　attention　upon　her　task。

Sunset　came；　bringing　with　the　end　of　her　labor　a　patient　calmness　and　power　to　wait　that　had　not　been　hers　earlier　in　the　day。　She　expected　Judkins；　but　he　did　not　appear。　Her　house　was　always　quiet；　to…night；　however；　it　seemed　unusually　so。　At　supper　her　women　served　her　with　a　silent　assiduity；　it　spoke　what　their　sealed　lips　could　not　utterthe　sympathy　of　Mormon　women。　Jerd　came　to　her　with　the　key　of　the　great　door　of　the　stone　stable；　and　to　make　his　daily　report　about　the　horses。　One　of　his　daily　duties　was　to　give　Black　Star　and　Night　and　the　other　racers　a　ten…mile　run。　This　day　it　had　been　omitted；　and　the　boy　grew　confused　in　explanations　that　she　had　not　asked　for。　She　did　inquire　if　he　would　return　on　the　morrow；　and　Jerd；　in　mingled　surprise　and　relief；　assured　her　he　would　always　work　for　her。　Jane　missed　the　rattle　and　trot；　canter　and　gallop　of　the　incoming　riders　on　the　hard　trails。　Dusk　shaded　the　grove　where　she　walked；　the　birds　ceased　singing；　the　wind　sighed　through　the　leaves　of　the　cottonwoods；　and　the　running　water　murmured　down　its　stone…bedded　channel。　The　glimmering　of　the　first　star　was　like　the　peace　and　beauty　of　the　night。　Her　faith　welled　up　in　her　heart　and　said　that　all　would　soon　be　right　in　her　little　world。　She　pictured　Venters　about　his　lonely　camp…fire　sitting　between　his　faithful　dogs。　She　prayed　for　his　safety；　for　the　success　of　his　undertaking。

Early　the　next　morning　one　of　Jane's　women　brought　in　word　that　Judkins　wished　to　speak　to　her。　She　hurried　out；　and　in　her　surprise　to　see　him　armed　with　rifle　and　revolver；　she　forgot　her　intention　to　inquire　about　his　wound。

〃Judkins！　Those　guns？　You　never　carried　guns。〃

〃It's　high　time；　Miss　Withersteen；〃　he　replied。　〃Will　you　come　into　the　grove？　It　ain't　jest　exactly　safe　for　me　to　be　seen　here。〃

She　walked　with　him　into　the　shade　of　the　cottonwoods。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　I　went　to　my　mother's　house　last　night。　While　there；　some　one　knocked；　an'　a　man　asked　for　me。　I　went　to　the　door。　He　wore　a　mask。　He　said　I'd　better　not　ride　any　more　for　Jane　Withersteen。　His　voice　was　hoarse　an'　strange；　disguised　I　reckon；　like　his　face。　He　said　no　more；　an'　ran　off　in　the　dark。〃

〃Did　you　know　who　he　was？〃　asked　Jane；　in　a　low　voice。

Jane　did　not　ask　to　know；　she　did　not　want　to　know；　she　feared　to　know。　All　her　calmness　fled　at　a　single　thought

〃Thet's　why　I'm　packin'　guns；〃　went　on　Judkins。　〃For　I'll　never　quit　ridin'　for　you；　Miss　Withersteen；　till　you　let　me　go。〃

〃Judkins；　do　you　want　to　leave　me？〃

〃Do　I　look　thet　way？　Give　me　a　hossa　fast　hoss；　an'　send　me　out　on　the　sage。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　Judkins！　You're　more　faithful　than　my　own　people。　I　ought　not　accept　your　loyaltyyou　might　suffer　more　through　it。　But　what　in　the　world　can　I　do？　My　head　whirls。　The　wrong　to　Ventersthe　stolen　herdthese　masks；　threats；　this　coil　in　the　dark！　I　can't　understand！　But　I　feel　something　dark　and　terrible　closing　in　around　me。〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　it's　all　simple　enough；〃　said　Judkins；　earnestly。　〃Now　please　listenan'　beggin'　your　pardonjest　turn　thet　deaf　Mormon　ear　aside；　an'　let　me　talk　clear　an'　plain　in　the　other。　I　went　around　to　the　saloons　an'　the　stores　an'　the　loafin'　places　yesterday。　All　your　riders　are　in。　There's　talk　of　a　vigilance　band　organized　to　hunt　down　rustlers。　They　call　themselves　'The　Riders。'　Thet's　the　reportthet's　the　reason　given　for　your　riders　leavin'　you。　Strange　thet　only　a　few　riders　of　other　ranchers　joined　the　band！　An'　Tull's　man；　Jerry　Card　he's　the　leader。　I　seen　him　en'　his　hoss。　He　'ain't　been　to　Glaze。　I'm　not　easy　to　fool　on　the　looks　of　a　hoss　thet's　traveled　the　sage。　Tull　an'　Jerry　didn't　ride　to　Glaze！。。。Well；　I　met　Blake　en'　Dorn；　both　good　friends　of　mine；　usually；　as　far　as　their　Mormon　lights　will　let　'em　go。　But　these　fellers　couldn't　fool　me；　an'　they　didn't　try　very　hard。　I　asked　them；　straight　out　like　a　man；　why　they　left　you　like　thet。　I　didn't　forget　to　mention　how　you　nursed　Blake's　poor　old　mother　when　she　was　sick；　an'　how　good　you　was　to　Dorn's　kids。　They　looked　ashamed；　Miss　Withersteen。　An'　they　jest　froze　upthet　dark　set　look　thet　makes　them　strange　an'　different　to　me。　But　I　could　tell　the　difference　between　thet　first　natural　twinge　of　conscience　an'　the　later　look　of　some　secret　thing。　An'　the　difference　I　caught　was　thet　they　couldn't　help　themselves。　They　hadn't　no　say　in　the　matter。　They　looked　as　if　their　bein'　unfaithful　to　you　was　bein'　faithful　to　a　higher　duty。　An'　there's　the　secret。　Why　it's　as　plain　asas　sight　of　my　gun　here。〃

〃Plain！。。。My　herds　to　wander　in　the　sageto　be　stolen！　Jane　Withersteen　a　poor　woman！　Her　head　to　be　brought　low　and　her　spirit　broken！。。。Why；　Judkins；　it's　plain　enough。〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　let　me　get　what　boys　I　can　gather；　an'　hold　the　white　herd。　It's　on　the　slope　now；　not　ten　miles　outthree　thousand　head；　an'　all　steers。　They're　wild；　an'　likely　to　stampede　at　the　pop　of　a　jack…rabbit's　ears。　We'll　camp　right　with　them；　en'　try　to　hold　them。〃

〃Judkins；　I'll　reward　you　some　day　for　your　service；　unless　all　is　taken　from　me。　Get　the　boys　and　tell　Jerd　to　give　you　pick　of　my　horses；　except　Black　Star　and　Night。　Butdo　not　shed　blood　for　my　cattle　nor　heedlessly　risk　your　lives。〃

Jane　Withersteen　rushed　to　the　silence　and　seclusion　of　her　room；　and　there　could　not　longer　hold　back　the　bursting　of　her　wrath。　She　went　stone…blind　in　the　fury　of　a　passion　that　had　never　before　showed　its　power。　Lying　upon　her　bed；　sightless；　voiceless；　she　was　a　writhing；　living　flame。　And　she　tossed　there　while　her　fury　burned　and　burned；　and　finally　burned　itself　out。

Then；　weak　and　spent；　she　lay　thinking；　not　of　the　oppression　that　would　break　her；　but　of　this　new　r