riders of the purple sage-第31节

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ed　no　laws　of　God。　Her　churchmen；　however　invested　with　the　power　and　the　glory　of　a　wonderful　creed；　however　they　sat　in　inexorable　judgment　of　her；　must　now　practice　toward　her　the　simple；　common；　Christian　virtue　they　professed　to　preach；　〃Do　unto　others　as　you　would　have　others　do　unto　you！〃

Jane　Withersteen；　waiting　in　darkness　of　mind；　remained　faithful　still。　But　it　was　darkness　that　must　soon　be　pierced　by　light。　If　her　faith　were　justified；　if　her　churchmen　were　trying　only　to　intimidate　her；　the　fact　would　soon　be　manifest；　as　would　their　failure；　and　then　she　would　redouble　her　zeal　toward　them　and　toward　what　had　been　the　best　work　of　her　lifework　for　the　welfare　and　happiness　of　those　among　whom　she　lived；　Mormon　and　Gentile　alike。　If　that　secret；　intangible　power　closed　its　toils　round　her　again；　if　that　great　invisible　hand　moved　here　and　there　and　everywhere；　slowly　paralyzing　her　with　its　mystery　and　its　inconceivable　sway　over　her　affairs；　then　she　would　know　beyond　doubt　that　it　was　not　chance；　nor　jealousy；　nor　intimidation；　nor　ministerial　wrath　at　her　revolt；　but　a　cold　and　calculating　policy　thought　out　long　before　she　was　born；　a　dark；　immutable　will　of　whose　empire　she　and　all　that　was　hers　was　but　an　atom。

Then　might　come　her　ruin。　Then　might　come　her　fall　into　black　storm。　Yet　she　would　rise　again；　and　to　the　light。　God　would　be　merciful　to　a　driven　woman　who　had　lost　her　way。

A　week　passed。　Little　Fay　played　and　prattled　and　pulled　at　Lassiter's　big　black　guns。　The　rider　came　to　Withersteen　House　oftener　than　ever。　Jane　saw　a　change　in　him；　though　it　did　not　relate　to　his　kindness　and　gentleness。　He　was　quieter　and　more　thoughtful。　While　playing　with　Fay　or　conversing　with　Jane　he　seemed　to　be　possessed　of　another　self　that　watched　with　cool；　roving　eyes；　that　listened；　listened　always　as　if　the　murmuring　amber　stream　brought　messages；　and　the　moving　leaves　whispered　something。　Lassiter　never　rode　Bells　into　the　court　any　more；　nor　did　he　come　by　the　lane　or　the　paths。　When　he　appeared　it　was　suddenly　and　noiselessly　out　of　the　dark　shadow　of　the　grove。

〃I　left　Bells　out　in　the　sage；〃　he　said；　one　day　at　the　end　of　that　week。　〃I　must　carry　water　to　him。〃

〃Why　not　let　him　drink　at　the　trough　or　here？〃　asked　Jane；　quickly。

〃I　reckon　it'll　be　safer　for　me　to　slip　through　the　grove。　I've　been　watched　when　I　rode　in　from　the　sage。〃

〃Watched？　By　whom？〃

〃By　a　man　who　thought　he　was　well　hid。　But　my　eyes　are　pretty　sharp。　An'；　Jane；〃　he　went　on；　almost　in　a　whisper；　〃I　reckon　it'd　be　a　good　idea　for　us　to　talk　low。　You're　spied　on　here　by　your　women。〃

〃Lassiter！〃　she　whispered　in　turn。　〃That's　hard　to　believe。　My　women　love　me。〃

〃What　of　that？〃　he　asked。　〃Of　course　they　love　you。　But　they're　Mormon　women。〃

Jane's　old；　rebellious　loyalty　clashed　with　her　doubt。

〃I　won't　believe　it；〃　she　replied；　stubbornly。

〃Well　then；　just　act　natural　an'　talk　natural；　an'　pretty　soongive　them　time　to　hear　uspretend　to　go　over　there　to　the　table；　en'　then　quick…like　make　a　move　for　the　door　en'　open　it。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Jane；　with　heightened　color。　Lassiter　was　right；　he　never　made　mistakes；　he　would　not　have　told　her　unless　he　positively　knew。　Yet　Jane　was　so　tenacious　of　faith　that　she　had　to　see　with　her　own　eyes；　and　so　constituted　that　to　employ　even　such　small　deceit　toward　her　women　made　her　ashamed；　and　angry　for　her　shame　as　well　as　theirs。　Then　a　singular　thought　confronted　her　that　made　her　hold　up　this　simple　ruse　which　hurt　her；　though　it　was　well　justifiedagainst　the　deceit　she　had　wittingly　and　eagerly　used　toward　Lassiter。　The　difference　was　staggering　in　its　suggestion　of　that　blindness　of　which　he　had　accused　her。　Fairness　and　justice　and　mercy；　that　she　had　imagined　were　anchor…cables　to　hold　fast　her　soul　to　righteousness　had　not　been　hers　in　the　strange；　biased　duty　that　had　so　exalted　and　confounded　her。

Presently　Jane　began　to　act　her　little　part；　to　laugh　and　play　with　Fay；　to　talk　of　horses　and　cattle　to　Lassiter。　Then　she　made　deliberate　mention　of　a　book　in　which　she　kept　records　of　all　pertaining　to　her　stock；　and　she　walked　slowly　toward　the　table；　and　when　near　the　door　she　suddenly　whirled　and　thrust　it　open。　Her　sharp　action　nearly　knocked　down　a　woman　who　had　undoubtedly　been　listening。

〃Hester；〃　said　Jane；　sternly；　〃you　may　go　home；　and　you　need　not　come　back。〃

Jane　shut　the　door　and　returned　to　Lassiter。　Standing　unsteadily；　she　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。　She　let　him　see　that　doubt　had　gone；　and　how　this　stab　of　disloyalty　pained　her。

〃Spies！　My　own　women！。。。Oh；　miserable！〃　she　cried；　with　flashing；　tearful　eyes。

〃I　hate　to　tell　you；〃　he　replied。　By　that　she　knew　he　had　long　spared　her。　〃It's　begun　againthat　work　in　the　dark。〃

〃Nay；　Lassiterit　never　stopped！〃

So　bitter　certainty　claimed　her　at　last；　and　trust　fled　Withersteen　House　and　fled　forever。　The　women　who　owed　much　to　Jane　Withersteen　changed　not　in　love　for　her；　nor　in　devotion　to　their　household　work；　but　they　poisoned　both　by　a　thousand　acts　of　stealth　and　cunning　and　duplicity。　Jane　broke　out　once　and　caught　them　in　strange；　stone…faced；　unhesitating　falsehood。　Thereafter　she　broke　out　no　more。　She　forgave　them　because　they　were　driven。　Poor；　fettered；　and　sealed　Hagars；　how　she　pitied　them！　What　terrible　thing　bound　them　and　locked　their　lips；　when　they　showed　neither　consciousness　of　guilt　toward　their　benefactress　nor　distress　at　the　slow　wearing　apart　of　long…established　and　dear　ties？

〃The　blindness　again！〃　cried　Jane　Withersteen。　〃In　my　sisters　as　in　me！。。。O　God！〃

There　came　a　time　when　no　words　passed　between　Jane　and　her　women。　Silently　they　went　about　their　household　duties；　and　secretly　they　went　about　the　underhand　work　to　which　they　had　been　bidden。　The　gloom　of　the　house　and　the　gloom　of　its　mistress；　which　darkened　even　the　bright　spirit　of　little　Fay；　did　not　pervade　these　women。　Happiness　was　not　among　them；　but　they　were　aloof　from　gloom。　They　spied　and　listened；　they　received　and　sent　secret　messengers；　and　they　stole　Jane's　books　and　records；　and　finally　the　papers　that　were　deeds　of　her　possessions。　Through　it　all　they　were　silent；　rapt　in　a　kind　of　trance。　Then　one　by　one；　without　leave　or　explanation　or　farewell；　they　left　Withersteen　House；　and　never　returned。

Coincident　with　this　disappearance　Jane's　gardeners　and　workers　in　the　alfalfa　fields　and　stable　men　quit　her；　not　even　asking　for　their　wages。　Of　all　her　Mormon　employees　about　the　great　ranch　only　Jerd　remained。　He　went　on　with　his　duty；　but　talked　no　more　of　the　change　than　if　it　had　never　occurred。

〃Jerd；〃　said　Jane；　〃what　stock　you　can't　take　care　of　turn　out　in　the　sage。　Let　your　first　thought　be　for　Black　Star　and　Night。　Keep　them　in　perfect　condition。　Run　them　every　day　and　watch　them　always。〃

Though　Jane　Withersteen　gave　them　such　liberality；　she　loved　her　possessions。　She　loved　the　rich；　green　stretches　of　alfalfa；　and　the　farms；　and　the　grove；　and　the　old　stone　house；　and　the　beautiful；　ever…faithful　amber　spring；　and　every　one　of　a　myriad　of　horses　and　colts　and　burros　and　fowls　down　to　the　smallest　rabbit　that　nipped　her　vegetables；　but　she　loved　best　her　noble　Arabian　steeds。　In　common　with　all　riders　of　the　upland　sage　Jane　cherished　two　material　thingsthe　cold；　sweet；　brown　water　that　made　life　possible　in　the　wilderness　and　the　horses　which　were　a　part　of　that　life。　When　Lassiter　asked　her　what　Lassiter　would　be　without　his　guns　he　was　assuming　that　his　horse　was　part　of　himself。　So　Jane　loved　Black　Star　and　Night　because　it　was　her　nature　to　love　all　beautiful　creaturesperhaps　all　living　things；　and　then　she　loved　them　because　she　herself　was　of　the　sage　and　in　her　had　been　born　and　bred　the　rider's　instinct　to　rely　on　his　four…footed　brother。　And　when　Jane　gave　Jerd　the　order　to　keep　her　favorites　trained　down　to　the　day　it　was　a　half…conscious　admission　that　presaged　a　time　when　she　would　need　her　fleet　horses。

Jane　had　now；　however；　no　leisure　to　brood　over　the　coils　that　were　closing　round　her。　Mrs。　Larkin　grew　weaker　as　the　August　days　began；　she　required　constant　care；　there　was　little　Fay　to　look　after；　and　such　household　work　as　was　imperative。　Lassiter　put　Bells　in　the　stable　with　the　other　racers；　and　directed　his　efforts　to　a　closer　attendance　upon　Jane。　She　welcomed　the　change。　He　was　always　at　hand　to　help；　and　it　was　her　fortune　to　learn　that　his　boast　of　being　awkward　around　women　had　its　root　in　humility　and　was　not　true。

His　great；　brown　hands　were　skilled　in　a　multiplicity　of　ways　which　a　woman　might　have　envied。　He　shared　Jane's　work；　and　was　of　especial　help　to　her　in　nursing　Mrs。　Larkin。　The　woman　suffered　most　at　night；　and　this　often　broke　Jane's　rest。　So　it　came　about　that　Lassiter　would　stay　by　Mrs。　Larkin　during　the　day；　when　she　needed　care；　and　Jane　would　make　up　the　sleep　she　lost　in　night…watches。　Mrs。　Larkin　at　once　took　kindly　to　the　gentle　Lassiter；　and；　without　ever　asking　who　or　what　he　was；　praised　him　to　Jane。　〃He's　a　good　man　and　loves　children；〃　she　said。　How　sad　to　hear　this　truth　spoken　of　a　man　whom　Jane　thought　lost　beyond　all　redemption！　Yet　ever　and　ever　Lassiter　towered　above　her；　and　behind　or　through　his　black；　sinis