riders of the purple sage-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Last　night。〃

〃While　I　was　asleep？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　woke　last　night　sometimebut　I　didn't　know。〃

Her　eyes　were　widening；　darkening　with　thought；　and　whenever　they　did　so　the　steady；　watchful；　seeing　gaze　gave　place　to　the　wistful　light。　In　the　former　she　saw　as　the　primitive　woman　without　thought；　in　the　latter　she　looked　inward；　and　her　gaze　was　the　reflection　of　a　troubled　mind。　For　long　Venters　had　not　seen　that　dark　change；　that　deepening　of　blue；　which　he　thought　was　beautiful　and　sad。　But　now　he　wanted　to　make　her　think。

〃I've　done　more　than　pack　in　that　beef；〃　he　said。　〃For　five　nights　I've　been　working　while　you　slept。　I've　got　eight　calves　corralled　near　a　ravine。　Eight　calves；　all　alive　and　doing　fine！〃

〃You　went　five　nights！〃

All　that　Venters　could　make　of　the　dilation　of　her　eyes；　her　slow　pallor；　and　her　exclamation；　was　fearfear　for　herself　or　for　him。

〃Yes。　I　didn't　tell　you；　because　I　knew　you　were　afraid　to　be　left　alone。〃

〃Alone？〃　She　echoed　his　word；　but　the　meaning　of　it　was　nothing　to　her。　She　had　not　even　thought　of　being　left　alone。　It　was　not；　then；　fear　for　herself；　but　for　him。　This　girl；　always　slow　of　speech　and　action；　now　seemed　almost　stupid。　She　put　forth　a　hand　that　might　have　indicated　the　groping　of　her　mind。　Suddenly　she　stepped　swiftly　to　him；　with　a　look　and　touch　that　drove　from　him　any　doubt　of　her　quick　intelligence　or　feeling。

〃Oldring　has　men　watch　the　herdsthey　would　kill　you。　You　must　never　go　again！〃

When　she　had　spoken；　the　strength　and　the　blaze　of　her　died；　and　she　swayed　toward　Venters。

〃Bess；　I'll　not　go　again；〃　he　said；　catching　her。

She　leaned　against　him；　and　her　body　was　limp　and　vibrated　to　a　long；　wavering　tremble。　Her　face　was　upturned　to　his。　Woman's　face；　woman's　eyes；　woman's　lipsall　acutely　and　blindly　and　sweetly　and　terribly　truthful　in　their　betrayal！　But　as　her　fear　was　instinctive；　so　was　her　clinging　to　this　one　and　only　friend。

Venters　gently　put　her　from　him　and　steadied　her　upon　her　feet；　and　all　the　while　his　blood　raced　wild；　and　a　thrilling　tingle　unsteadied　his　nerve；　and　somethingthat　he　had　seen　and　felt　in　herthat　he　could　not　understandseemed　very　close　to　him；　warm　and　rich　as　a　fragrant　breath；　sweet　as　nothing　had　ever　before　been　sweet　to　him。

With　all　his　will　Venters　strove　for　calmness　and　thought　and　judgment　unbiased　by　pity；　and　reality　unswayed　by　sentiment。　Bess's　eyes　were　still　fixed　upon　him　with　all　her　soul　bright　in　that　wistful　light。　Swiftly；　resolutely　he　put　out　of　mind　all　of　her　life　except　what　had　been　spent　with　him。　He　scorned　himself　for　the　intelligence　that　made　him　still　doubt。　He　meant　to　judge　her　as　she　had　judged　him。　He　was　face　to　face　with　the　inevitableness　of　life　itself。　He　saw　destiny　in　the　dark；　straight　path　of　her　wonderful　eyes。　Here　was　the　simplicity；　the　sweetness　of　a　girl　contending　with　new　and　strange　and　enthralling　emotions　here　the　living　truth　of　innocence；　here　the　blind　terror　of　a　woman　confronted　with　the　thought　of　death　to　her　savior　and　protector。　All　this　Venters　saw；　but；　besides；　there　was　in　Bess's　eyes　a　slow…dawning　consciousness　that　seemed　about　to　break　out　in　glorious　radiance。

〃Bess；　are　you　thinking？〃　he　asked。

〃Yesoh　yes！〃

〃Do　you　realize　we　are　here　aloneman　and　woman？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　thought　that　we　may　make　our　way　out　to　civilization；　or　we　may　have　to　stay　herealonehidden　from　the　world　all　our　lives？〃

〃I　never　thoughttill　now。〃

〃Well；　what's　your　choiceto　goor　to　stay　herealone　with　me？〃

〃Stay！〃　New…born　thought　of　self；　ringing　vibrantly　in　her　voice；　gave　her　answer　singular　power。

Venters　trembled；　and　then　swiftly　turned　his　gaze　from　her　facefrom　her　eyes。　He　knew　what　she　had　only　half　divinedthat　she　loved　him。



CHAPTER　XI。　FAITH　AND　UNFAITH

At　Jane　Withersteen's　home　the　promise　made　to　Mrs。　Larkin　to　care　for　little　Fay　had　begun　to　be　fulfilled。　Like　a　gleam　of　sunlight　through　the　cottonwoods　was　the　coming　of　the　child　to　the　gloomy　house　of　Withersteen。　The　big；　silent　halls　echoed　with　childish　laughter。　In　the　shady　court；　where　Jane　spent　many　of　the　hot　July　days；　Fay's　tiny　feet　pattered　over　the　stone　flags　and　splashed　in　the　amber　stream。　She　prattled　incessantly。　What　difference；　Jane　thought；　a　child　made　in　her　home！　It　had　never　been　a　real　home；　she　discovered。　Even　the　tidiness　and　neatness　she　had　so　observed；　and　upon　which　she　had　insisted　to　her　women；　became；　in　the　light　of　Fay's　smile；　habits　that　now　lost　their　importance。　Fay　littered　the　court　with　Jane's　books　and　papers；　and　other　toys　her　fancy　improvised；　and　many　a　strange　craft　went　floating　down　the　little　brook。

And　it　was　owing　to　Fay's　presence　that　Jane　Withersteen　came　to　see　more　of　Lassiter。　The　rider　had　for　the　most　part　kept　to　the　sage。　He　rode　for　her；　but　he　did　not　seek　her　except　on　business；　and　Jane　had　to　acknowledge　in　pique　that　her　overtures　had　been　made　in　vain。　Fay；　however；　captured　Lassiter　the　moment　he　first　laid　eyes　on　her。

Jane　was　present　at　the　meeting；　and　there　was　something　about　it　which　dimmed　her　sight　and　softened　her　toward　this　foe　of　her　people。　The　rider　had　clanked　into　the　court；　a　tired　yet　wary　man；　always　looking　for　the　attack　upon　him　that　was　inevitable　and　might　come　from　any　quarter；　and　he　had　walked　right　upon　little　Fay。　The　child　had　been　beautiful　even　in　her　rags　and　amid　the　surroundings　of　the　hovel　in　the　sage；　but　now；　in　a　pretty　white　dress；　with　her　shining　curls　brushed　and　her　face　clean　and　rosy；　she　was　lovely。　She　left　her　play　and　looked　up　at　Lassiter。

If　there　was　not　an　instinct　for　all　three　of　them　in　that　meeting；　an　unreasoning　tendency　toward　a　closer　intimacy；　then　Jane　Withersteen　believed　she　had　been　subject　to　a　queer　fancy。　She　imagined　any　child　would　have　feared　Lassiter。　And　Fay　Larkin　had　been　a　lonely；　a　solitary　elf　of　the　sage；　not　at　all　an　ordinary　child；　and　exquisitely　shy　with　strangers。　She　watched　Lassiter　with　great；　round；　grave　eyes；　but　showed　no　fear。　The　rider　gave　Jane　a　favorable　report　of　cattle　and　horses；　and　as　he　took　the　seat　to　which　she　invited　him；　little　Fay　edged　as　much　as　half　an　inch　nearer。　Jane　replied　to　his　look　of　inquiry　and　told　Fay's　story。　The　rider's　gray；　earnest　gaze　troubled　her。　Then　he　turned　to　Fay　and　smiled　in　a　way　that　made　Jane　doubt　her　sense　of　the　true　relation　of　things。　How　could　Lassiter　smile　so　at　a　child　when　he　had　made　so　many　children　fatherless？　But　he　did　smile；　and　to　the　gentleness　she　had　seen　a　few　times　he　added　something　that　was　infinitely　sad　and　sweet。　Jane's　intuition　told　her　that　Lassiter　had　never　been　a　father；　but　if　life　ever　so　blessed　him　he　would　be　a　good　one。　Fay；　also；　must　have　found　that　smile　singularly　winning。　For　she　edged　closer　and　closer；　and　then；　by　way　of　feminine　capitulation；　went　to　Jane；　from　whose　side　she　bent　a　beautiful　glance　upon　the　rider。

Lassiter　only　smiled　at　her。

Jane　watched　them；　and　realized　that　now　was　the　moment　she　should　seize；　if　she　was　ever　to　win　this　man　from　his　hatred。　But　the　step　was　not　easy　to　take。　The　more　she　saw　of　Lassiter　the　more　she　respected　him；　and　the　greater　her　respect　the　harder　it　became　to　lend　herself　to　mere　coquetry。　Yet　as　she　thought　of　her　great　motive；　of　Tull；　and　of　that　other　whose　name　she　had　schooled　herself　never　to　think　of　in　connection　with　Milly　Erne's　avenger；　she　suddenly　found　she　had　no　choice。　And　her　creed　gave　her　boldness　far　beyond　the　limit　to　which　vanity　would　have　led　her。

〃Lassiter；　I　see　so　little　of　you　now；〃　she　said；　and　was　conscious　of　heat　in　her　cheeks。

〃I've　been　riding　hard；〃　he　replied。

〃But　you　can't　live　in　the　saddle。　You　come　in　sometimes。　Won't　you　come　here　to　see　meoftener？〃

〃Is　that　an　order？〃

〃Nonsense！　I　simply　ask　you　to　come　to　see　me　when　you　find　time。〃

〃Why？〃

The　query　once　heard　was　not　so　embarrassing　to　Jane　as　she　might　have　imagined。　Moreover；　it　established　in　her　mind　a　fact　that　there　existed　actually　other　than　selfish　reasons　for　her　wanting　to　see　him。　And　as　she　had　been　bold；　so　she　determined　to　be　both　honest　and　brave。

〃I've　reasonsonly　one　of　which　I　need　mention；〃　she　answered。　〃If　it's　possible　I　want　to　change　you　toward　my　people。　And　on　the　moment　I　can　conceive　of　little　I　wouldn't　do　to　gain　that　end。〃

How　much　better　and　freer　Jane　felt　after　that　confession！　She　meant　to　show　him　that　there　was　one　Mormon　who　could　play　a　game　or　wage　a　fight　in　the　open。

〃I　reckon；〃　said　Lassiter；　and　he　laughed。

It　was　the　best　in　her；　if　the　most　irritating；　that　Lassiter　always　aroused。

〃Will　you　come？〃　She　looked　into　his　eyes；　and　for　the　life　of　her　could　not　quite　subdue　an　imperiousness　that　rose　with　her　spirit。　〃I　never　asked　so　much　of　any　manexcept　Bern　Venters。〃

〃'Pears　to　me　that　you'd　run　no　risk；　or　Venters；　either。　But　mebbe　that　doesn't　hold　good　for　me。〃

〃You　mean　it　wouldn't　be　safe　for　you　to　be　often　here？　You　look　for　ambush　in　the　cottonwoods？〃

〃Not　that　so　much。〃

At　this　juncture　little　Fay　sidled　over　to　Lassiter。

〃Has　oo　a　little　dirt？〃　she　inquired。

〃No；　lassie；〃　replied　the　rider。

Whatever　Fay　seemed　to