riders of the purple sage-第16节
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It was then that Jane； suddenly understanding Lassiter's feat stared and gasped at the riding of this intrepid man。 His horse was fleet and tireless； but blind。 He had pushed the leaders around and around till they were about to turn in on the inner side of the end of that line of steers。 The leaders were already running in a circle； the end of the herd was still running almost straight。 But soon they would be wheeling。 Then； when Lassiter had the circle formed； how would he escape？ With Jane Withersteen prayer was as ready as praise； and she prayed for this man's safety。 A circle of dust began to collect。 Dimly； as through a yellow veil； Jane saw Lassiter press the leaders inward to close the gap in the sage。 She lost sight of him in the dust； again she thought she saw the black； riderless now； rear and drag himself and fall。 Lassiter had been thrownlost！ Then he reappeared running out of the dust into the sage。 He had escaped； and she breathed again。
Spellbound； Jane Withersteen watched this stupendous millwheel of steers。 Here was the milling of the herd。 The white running circle closed in upon the open space of sage。 And the dust circles closed above into a pall。 The ground quaked and the incessant thunder of pounding hoofs rolled on。 Jane felt deafened； yet she thrilled to a new sound。 As the circle of sage lessened the steers began to bawl； and when it closed entirely there came a great upheaval in the center； and a terrible thumping of heads and clicking of horns。 Bawling； climbing； goring； the great mass of steers on the inside wrestled in a crashing din； heaved and groaned under the pressure。 Then came a deadlock。 The inner strife ceased； and the hideous roar and crash。 Movement went on in the outer circle； and that； too； gradually stilled。 The white herd had come to a stop； and the pall of yellow dust began to drift away on the wind。
Jane Withersteen waited on the ridge with full and grateful heart。 Lassiter appeared； making his weary way toward her through the sage。 And up on the slope Judkins rode into sight with his troop of boys。 For the present； at least； the white herd would be looked after。
When Lassiter reached her and laid his hand on Black Star's mane； Jane could not find speech。
〃Killedmyhoss；〃 he panted。
〃Oh！ I'm sorry；〃 cried Jane。 〃Lassiter！ I know you can't replace him； but I'll give you any one of my racersBells； or Night； even Black Star。〃
〃I'll take a fast hoss； Jane； but not one of your favorites；〃 he replied。 〃Onlywill you let me have Black Star now an' ride him over there an' head off them fellers who stampeded the herd？〃
He pointed to several moving specks of black and puffs of dust in the purple sage。
〃I can head them off with this hoss； an' then〃
〃Then； Lassiter？〃
〃They'll never stampede no more cattle。〃
〃Oh！ No！ No！。。。Lassiter； I won't let you go！〃
But a flush of fire flamed in her cheeks； and her trembling hands shook Black Star's bridle； and her eyes fell before Lassiter's。
CHAPTER VII。 THE DAUGHTER OF WITHERSTEEN
〃Lassiter； will you be my rider？〃 Jane had asked him。
〃I reckon so；〃 he had replied。
Few as the words were； Jane knew how infinitely much they implied。 She wanted him to take charge of her cattle and horse and ranges； and save them if that were possible。 Yet； though she could not have spoken aloud all she meant； she was perfectly honest with herself。 Whatever the price to be paid； she must keep Lassiter close to her； she must shield from him the man who had led Milly Erne to Cottonwoods。 In her fear she so controlled mind that she did not whisper this Mormon's name to her own soul； she did not even think it。 Besides； beyond this thing she regarded as a sacred obligation thrust upon her； was the need of a helper； of a friend； of a champion in this critical time。 If she could rule this gun…man； as Venters had called him； if she could even keep him from shedding blood； what strategy to play his flame and his presence against the game of oppression her churchmen were waging against her？ Never would she forget the effect on Tull and his men when Venters shouted Lassiter's name。 If she could not wholly control Lassiter； then what she could do night put off the fatal day。
One of her safe racers was a dark bay； and she called him Bells because of the way he struck his iron shoes on the stones。 When Jerd led out this slender； beautifully built horse Lassiter suddenly became all eyes。 A rider's love of a thoroughbred shone in them。 Round and round Bells he walked； plainly weakening all the time in his determination not to take one of Jane's favorite racers。
〃Lassiter； you're half horse； and Bells sees it already；〃 said Jane； laughing。 〃Look at his eyes。 He likes you。 He'll love you； too。 How can you resist him？ Oh； Lassiter； but Bells can run！ It's nip and tuck between him and Wrangle； and only Black Star can beat him。 He's too spirited a horse for a woman。 Take him。 He's yours。〃
〃I jest am weak where a hoss's concerned；〃 said Lassiter。 〃I'll take him； an' I'll take your orders； ma'am。〃
〃Well； I'm glad； but never mind the ma'am。 Let it still be Jane。〃
From that hour； it seemed； Lassiter was always in the saddle； riding early and late； and coincident with his part in Jane's affairs the days assumed their old tranquillity。 Her intelligence told her this was only the lull before the storm； but her faith would not have it so。
She resumed her visits to the village； and upon one of these she encountered Tull。 He greeted her as he had before any trouble came between them； and she； responsive to peace if not quick to forget； met him halfway with manner almost cheerful。 He regretted the loss of her cattle； he assured her that the vigilantes which had been organized would soon rout the rustlers； when that had been accomplished her riders would likely return to her。
〃You've done a headstrong thing to hire this man Lassiter；〃 Tull went on； severely。 〃He came to Cottonwoods with evil intent。〃
〃I had to have somebody。 And perhaps making him my rider may turn out best in the end for the Mormons of Cottonwoods。〃
〃You mean to stay his hand？〃
〃I doif I can。〃
〃A woman like you can do anything with a man。 That would be well； and would atone in some measure for the errors you have made。〃
He bowed and passed on。 Jane resumed her walk with conflicting thoughts。 She resented Elder Tull's cold； impassive manner that looked down upon her as one who had incurred his just displeasure。 Otherwise he would have been the same calm； dark…browed； impenetrable man she had known for ten years。 In fact； except when he had revealed his passion in the matter of the seizing of Venters； she had never dreamed he could be other than the grave； reproving preacher。 He stood out now a strange； secretive man。 She would have thought better of him if he had picked up the threads of their quarrel where they had parted。 Was Tull what he appeared to be？ The question flung itself in voluntarily over Jane Withersteen's inhibitive habit of faith without question。 And she refused to answer it。 Tull could not fight in the open Venters had said； Lassiter had said； that her Elder shirked fight and worked in the dark。 Just now in this meeting Tull had ignored the fact that he had sued； exhorted； demanded that she marry him。 He made no mention of Venters。 His manner was that of the minister who had been outraged； but who overlooked the frailties of a woman。 Beyond question he seemed unutterably aloof from all knowledge of pressure being brought to bear upon her； absolutely guiltless of any connection with secret power over riders； with night journeys； with rustlers and stampedes of cattle。 And that convinced her again of unjust suspicions。 But it was convincement through an obstinate faith。 She shuddered as she accepted it； and that shudder was the nucleus of a terrible revolt。
Jane turned into one of the wide lanes leading from the main street and entered a huge； shady yard。 Here were sweet…smelling clover； alfalfa； flowers； and vegetables； all growing in happy confusion。 And like these fresh green things were the dozens of babies； tots； toddlers； noisy urchins； laughing girls； a whole multitude of children of one family。 For Collier Brandt； the father of all this numerous progeny； was a Mormon with four wives。
The big house where they lived was old； solid； picturesque the lower part built of logs； the upper of rough clapboards； with vines growing up the outside stone chimneys。 There were many wooden…shuttered windows； and one pretentious window of glass proudly curtained in white。 As this house had four mistresses； it likewise had four separate sections； not one of which communicated with another； and all had to be entered from the outside。
In the shade of a wide； low； vine…roofed porch Jane found Brandt's wives entertaining Bishop Dyer。 They were motherly women； of comparatively similar ages； and plain…featured； and just at this moment anything but grave。 The Bishop was rather tall； of stout build； with iron…gray hair and beard； and eyes of light blue。 They were merry now； but Jane had seen them when they were not； and then she feared him as she had feared her father。
The women flocked around her in welcome。
〃Daughter of Withersteen；〃 said the Bishop； gail
