riders of the purple sage-第28节
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〃Has oo a little dirt？〃 she inquired。
〃No； lassie；〃 replied the rider。
Whatever Fay seemed to be searching for in Lassiter's sun…reddened face and quiet eyes she evidently found。 〃Oo tan tom to see me；〃 she added； and with that； shyness gave place to friendly curiosity。 First his sombrero with its leather band and silver ornaments commanded her attention； next his quirt； and then the clinking； silver spurs。 These held her for some time； but presently； true to childish fickleness； she left off playing with them to look for something else。 She laughed in glee as she ran her little hands down the slippery； shiny surface of Lassiter's leather chaps。 Soon she discovered one of the hanging gun sheaths； and she dragged it up and began tugging at the huge black handle of the gun。 Jane Withersteen repressed an exclamation。 What significance there was to her in the little girl's efforts to dislodge that heavy weapon！ Jane Withersteen saw Fay's play and her beauty and her love as most powerful allies to her own woman's part in a game that suddenly had acquired a strange zest and a hint of danger。 And as for the rider； he appeared to have forgotten Jane in the wonder of this lovely child playing about him。 At first he was much the shyer of the two。 Gradually her confidence overcame his backwardness； and he had the temerity to stroke her golden curls with a great hand。 Fay rewarded his boldness with a smile； and when he had gone to the extreme of closing that great hand over her little brown one； she said； simply； 〃I like oo！〃
Sight of his face then made Jane oblivious for the time to his character as a hater of Mormons。 Out of the mother longing that swelled her breast she divined the child hunger in Lassiter。
He returned the next day； and the next； and upon the following he came both at morning and at night。 Upon the evening of this fourth day Jane seemed to feel the breaking of a brooding struggle in Lassiter。 During all these visits he had scarcely a word to say； though he watched her and played absent…mindedly with Fay。 Jane had contented herself with silence。 Soon little Fay substituted for the expression of regard； 〃I like oo；〃 a warmer and more generous one； 〃I love oo。〃
Thereafter Lassiter came oftener to see Jane and her little protegee。 Daily he grew more gentle and kind； and gradually developed a quaintly merry mood。 In the morning he lifted Fay upon his horse and let her ride as he walked beside her to the edge of the sage。 In the evening he played with the child at an infinite variety of games she invented； and then； oftener than not； he accepted Jane's invitation to supper。 No other visitor came to Withersteen House during those days。 So that in spite of watchfulness he never forgot； Lassiter began to show he felt at home there。 After the meal they walked into the grove of cottonwoods or up by the lakes； and little Fay held Lassiter's hand as much as she held Jane's。 Thus a strange relationship was established； and Jane liked it。 At twilight they always returned to the house； where Fay kissed them and went in to her mother。 Lassiter and Jane were left alone。
Then； if there were anything that a good woman could do to win a man and still preserve her self…respect； it was something which escaped the natural subtlety of a woman determined to allure。 Jane's vanity； that after all was not great； was soon satisfied with Lassiter's silent admiration。 And her honest desire to lead him from his dark； blood…stained path would never have blinded her to what she owed herself。 But the driving passion of her religion； and its call to save Mormons' lives； one life in particular； bore Jane Withersteen close to an infringement of her womanhood。 In the beginning she had reasoned that her appeal to Lassiter must be through the senses。 With whatever means she possessed in the way of adornment she enhanced her beauty。 And she stooped to artifices that she knew were unworthy of her； but which she deliberately chose to employ。 She made of herself a girl in every variable mood wherein a girl might be desirable。 In those moods she was not above the methods of an inexperienced though natural flirt。 She kept close to him whenever opportunity afforded； and she was forever playfully； yet passionately underneath the surface； fighting him for possession of the great black guns。 These he would never yield to her。 And so in that manner their hands were often and long in contact。 The more of simplicity that she sensed in him the greater the advantage she took。
She had a trick of changingand it was not altogether voluntaryfrom this gay； thoughtless； girlish coquettishness to the silence and the brooding； burning mystery of a woman's mood。 The strength and passion and fire of her were in her eyes； and she so used them that Lassiter had to see this depth in her； this haunting promise more fitted to her years than to the flaunting guise of a wilful girl。
The July days flew by。 Jane reasoned that if it were possible for her to be happy during such a time； then she was happy。 Little Fay completely filled a long aching void in her heart。 In fettering the hands of this Lassiter she was accomplishing the greatest good of her life； and to do good even in a small way rendered happiness to Jane Withersteen。 She had attended the regular Sunday services of her church； otherwise she had not gone to the village for weeks。 It was unusual that none of her churchmen or friends had called upon her of late； but it was neglect for which she was glad。 Judkins and his boy riders had experienced no difficulty in driving the white herd。 So these warm July days were free of worry； and soon Jane hoped she had passed the crisis； and for her to hope was presently to trust； and then to believe。 She thought often of Venters； but in a dreamy； abstract way。 She spent hours teaching and playing with little Fay。 And the activity of her mind centered around Lassiter。 The direction she had given her will seemed to blunt any branching off of thought from that straight line。 The mood came to obsess her。
In the end； when her awakening came； she learned that she had builded better than she knew。 Lassiter； though kinder and gentler than ever； had parted with his quaint humor and his coldness and his tranquillity to become a restless and unhappy man。 Whatever the power of his deadly intent toward Mormons； that passion now had a rival； the one equally burning and consuming。 Jane Withersteen had one moment of exultation before the dawn of a strange uneasiness。 What if she had made of herself a lure； at tremendous cost to him and to her； and all in vain！
That night in the moonlit grove she summoned all her courage and； turning suddenly in the path； she faced Lassiter and leaned close to him； so that she touched him and her eyes looked up to his。
〃Lassiter！。。。Will you do anything for me？〃
In the moonlight she saw his dark； worn face change； and by that change she seemed to feel him immovable as a wall of stone。
Jane slipped her hands down to the swinging gun…sheaths； and when she had locked her fingers around the huge； cold handles of the guns； she trembled as with a chilling ripple over all her body。
〃May I take your guns？〃
〃Why？〃 he asked； and for the first time to her his voice carried a harsh note。 Jane felt his hard； strong hands close round her wrists。 It was not wholly with intent that she leaned toward him； for the look of his eyes and the feel of his hands made her weak。
〃It's no trifleno woman's whimit's deepas my heart。 Let me take them？〃
〃Why？〃
〃I want to keep you from killing more menMormons。 You must let me save you from more wickednessmore wanton bloodshed〃 Then the truth forced itself falteringly from her lips。 〃You mustlethelp me to keep my vow to Milly Erne。 I swore to heras she lay dyingthat if ever any one came here to avenge herI swore I would stay his hand。 Perhaps II alone can save thethe man whowhoOh； Lassiter！。。。I feel that I can't change youthen soon you'll be out to killand you'll kill by instinctand among the Mormons you kill will be the onewho。。。Lassiter； if you care a little for melet mefor my sakelet me take your guns！〃
As if her hands had been those of a child； he unclasped their clinging grip from the handles of his guns； and； pushing her away； he turned his gray face to her in one look of terrible realization and then strode off into the shadows of the cottonwoods。
When the first shock of her futile appeal to Lassiter had passed； Jane took his cold； silent condemnation and abrupt departure not so much as a refusal to her entreaty as a hurt and stunned bitterness for her attempt at his betrayal。 Upon further thought and slow consideration of Lassiter's past actions； she believed he would return and forgive her。 The man could not be hard to a woman； and she doubted that he could stay away from her。 But at the point where she had hoped to find him vulnerable see now began to fear he was proof against all persuasion。 The iron and stone quality that she had early suspected in him had actually cropped out as an impregnable barrier。 Nevertheless； if Lassiter remained in Cottonwoods she would never give up her hope and desire to change him。 She would change him if she had to sacrifice everything dear to her except hope of heaven。 P
