desert gold-第48节

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〃Never　mind；　dear。　　I'm　an　old　bear。　　But　it　tickled　me；　I　guess。　I　sure　hope　Mr。　Radford　Chase　has　got　it　bad。。。Nell；　it's　only　the　old　story。　　The　fellows　fall　in　love　with　you。　　It's　your　good　looks；　Nell。　　What　a　price　women　like　you　and　Mercedes　have　to　pay　for　beauty！　　I'd　a　d　a　good　deal　rather　be　ugly　as　a　mud　fence。〃

〃So　would　I；　Dad；　ifif　Dick　would　still　love　me。〃

〃He　wouldn't；　you　can　gamble　on　that；　as　Laddy　says。　。。。Well；　the　first　time　I　catch　this　locoed　Romeo　sneaking　round　here　I'llI'll〃

〃Dad；　you　promised。〃

〃Confound　it；　Nell；　I　promised　not　to　pack　a　gun。　　That's　all。　I'll　only　shoo　this　fellow　off　the　place；　gently；　mind　you；　gently。　I'll　leave　the　rest　for　Dick　Gale！〃

〃Oh；　Dad！〃　cried　Nell；　and　she　clung　to　him　wistful；　frightened；　yet　something　more。

〃Don't　mistake　me；　Nell。　　You　have　your　own　way；　generally。　　You　pull　the　wool　over　mother's　eyes；　and　you　wind　me　round　your　little　finger。　　But　you　can't　do　either　with　Dick　Gale。　　You're　tender…hearted；　you　overlook　the　doings　of　this　hound；　Chase。　But　when　Dick　comes　back；　you　just　make　up　your　mind　to　a　little　hell　in　the　Chase　camp。　　Oh；　he'll　find　it　out。　　And　I　sure　want　to　be　round　when　Dick　hands　Mr。　Radford　the　same　as　he　handed　Rojas！〃

Belding　kept　a　sharp　lookout　for　young　Chase；　and　then；　a　few　days　later；　learned　that　both　son　and　father　had　gone　off　upon　one　of　their　frequent　trips　to　Casa　Grandes；　near　where　their　mines　were　situated。

April　grew　apace；　and　soon　gave　way　to　May。　　One　morning　Belding　was　called　from　some　garden　work　by　the　whirring　of　an　automobile　and　a　〃Holla！〃　　He　went　forward　to　the　front　yard　and　there　saw　a　car　he　thought　resembled　one　he　had　seen　in　Casita。　It　contained　a　familiar…looking　driver；　but　the　three　figures　in　gray　coats　and　veils　were　strange　to　him。　　By　the　time　he　had　gotten　to　the　road　he　decided　two　were　women　and　the　other　a　man。　　At　the　moment　their　faces　were　emerging　from　dusty　veils。　　Belding　saw　an　elderly；　sallow…faced；　rather　frail…appearing　man　who　was　an　entire　stranger　to　him；　a　handsome　dark…eyed　woman　whose　hair　showed　white　through　her　veil；　and　a　superbly　built　girl；　whose　face　made　Belding　at　once　think　of　Dick　Gale。

〃Is　this　Mr。　Tom　Belding；　inspector　of　immigration？〃　inquired　the　gentleman；　courteously。

〃I'm　Belding；　and　I　know　who　you　are；〃　replied　Belding　in　hearty　amaze；　as　he　stretched　forth　his　big　hand。　　〃You're　Dick　Gale's　Dadthe　Governor；　Dick　used　to　say。　　I'm　sure　glad　to　meet　you。〃

〃Thank　you。　　Yes；　I'm　Dick's　governor；　and　here；　Mr。　BeldingDick's　mother　and　his　sister　Elsie。〃

Beaming　his　pleasure；　Belding　shook　hands　with　the　ladies；　who　showed　their　agitation　clearly。

〃Mr。　Belding；　I've　come　west　to　look　up　my　lost　son；〃　said　Mr。　Gale。　〃His　sister's　letters　were　unanswered。　　We　haven't　heard　from　him　in　months。　　Is　he　still　here　with　you？〃

〃Well；　now；　sure　I'm　awful　sorry；〃　began　Belding；　his　slow　mind　at　work。　　〃Dick's　away　just　nowbeen　away　for　a　considerable　spell。　　I'm　expecting　him　back　any　day。。。。Won't　you　come　in？　　You're　all　dusty　and　hot　and　tired。　　Come　in；　and　let　mother　and　Nell　make　you　comfortable。　　Of　course　you'll　stay。　　We've　a　big　house。　　You　must　stay　till　Dick　comes　back。　　Maybe　that　'll　be　Aw；　I　guess　it　won't　be　long。。。。Let　me　handle　the　baggage；　Mr。　Gale。。。e　in。　I　sure　am　glad　to　meet　you　all。〃

Eager；　excited；　delighted；　Belding　went　on　talking　as　he　ushered　the　Gales　into　the　sitting…room；　presenting　them　in　his　hearty　way　to　the　astounded　Mrs。　Belding　and　Nell。　　For　the　space　of　a　few　moments　his　wife　and　daughter　were　bewildered。　　Belding　did　not　recollect　any　other　occasion　when　a　few　callers　had　thrown　them　off　their　balance。　　But　of　course　this　was　different。　　He　was　a　little　flustered　himselfa　circumstance　that　dawned　upon　him　with　surprise。　　When　the　Gales　had　been　shown　to　rooms；　Mrs。　Belding　gained　the　poise　momentarily　lost；　but　Nell　came　rushing　back；　wilder　than　a　deer；　in　a　state　of　excitement　strange　even　for　her。

〃Oh！　　Dick's　mother；　his　sister！〃　whispered　Nell。

Belding　observed　the　omission　of　the　father　in　Nell's　exclamation　of　mingled　delight　and　alarm。

〃His　mother！〃　went　on　Nell。　　〃Oh；　I　knew　it！　　I　always　guessed　it！　Dick's　people　are　proud；　rich；　they're　somebody。　　I　thought　I'd　faint　when　she　looked　at　me。　　She　was　just　curiouscurious；　but　so　cold　and　proud。　　She　was　wondering　about　me。　　I'm　wearing　his　ring。　　It　was　his　mother's；　he　said。　　I　won'tI　can't　take　it　off。　　And　I'm　scared。。。。But　the　sisteroh；　she's　lovely　and　sweet　proud；　too。　　I　felt　warm　all　over　when　she　looked　at　me。　　II　wanted　to　kiss　her。　　She　looks　like　Dick　when　he　first　came　to　us。　　But　he's　changed。　　They'll　hardly　recognize　him。。。。To　think　they've　come！　　And　I　had　to　be　looking　a　fright；　when　of　all　times　on　earth　I'd　want　to　look　my　best。〃

Nell；　out　of　breath；　ran　away　evidently　to　make　herself　presentable；　according　to　her　idea　of　the　exigency　of　the　case。　　Belding　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　wife's　face　as　she　went　out；　and　it　wore　a　sad；　strange；　anxious　expression。　　Then　Belding　sat　alone；　pondering　the　contracting　emotions　of　his　wife　and　daughter。　　It　was　beyond　his　understanding。　　Women　were　creatures　of　feeling。　　Belding　saw　reason　to　be　delighted　to　entertain　Dick's　family；　and　for　the　time　being　no　disturbing　thought　entered　his　mind。

Presently　the　Gales　came　back　into　the　sitting…room；　looking　very　different　without　the　long　gray　cloaks　and　veils。　　Belding　saw　distinction　and　elegance。　　Mr。　Gale　seemed　a　grave；　troubled；　kindly　person；　ill　in　body　and　mind。　　Belding　received　the　same　impression　of　power　that　Ben　Chase　had　given　him；　only　here　it　was　minus　any　harshness　or　hard　quality。　　He　gathered　that　Mr。　Gale　was　a　man　of　authority。　　Mrs。　Gale　rather　frightened　Belding；　but　he　could　not　have　told　why。　　The　girl　was　just　like　Dick　as　he　used　to　be。

Their　manner　of　speaking　also　reminded　Belding　of　Dick。　　They　talked　of　the　ride　from　Ash　Fork　down　to　the　border；　of　the　ugly　and　torn…up　Casita；　of　the　heat　and　dust　and　cactus　along　the　trail。　　Presently　Nell　came　in；　now　cool　and　sweet　in　white；　with　a　red　rose　at　her　breast。　　Belding　had　never　been　so　proud　of　her。　　He　saw　that　she　meant　to　appear　well　in　the　eyes　of　Dick's　people；　and　began　to　have　a　faint　perception　of　what　the　ordeal　was　for　her。　　Belding　imagined　the　sooner　the　Gales　were　told　that　Dick　was　to　marry　Nell　the　better　for　all　concerned；　and　especially　for　Nell。　　In　the　general　conversation　that　ensued　he　sought　for　an　opening　in　which　to　tell　this　important　news；　but　he　was　kept　so　busy　answering　questions　about　his　position　on　the　border；　the　kind　of　place　Forlorn　River　was；　the　reason　for　so　many　tents；　etc。；　that　he　was　unable　to　find　opportunity。

〃It's　very　interesting；　very　interesting；〃　said　Mr。　Gale。　　〃At　another　time　I　want　to　learn　all　you'll　tell　me　about　the　West。　It's　new　to　me。　　I'm　surprised；　amazed；　sir；　I　may　say。。。。But；　Mr。　Belding；　what　I　want　to　know　most　is　about　my　son。　　I'm　broken　in　health。　　I've　worried　myself　ill　over　him。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　sir；　that　we　quarreled。　　I　laughed　at　his　threats。　　He　went　away。　　And　I've　come　to　see　that　I　didn't　know　Richard。　　I　was　wrong　to　upbraid　him。　　For　a　year　we've　known　nothing　of　his　doings；　and　now　for　almost　six　months　we've　not　heard　from　him　at　all。　　Frankly；　Mr。　Belding；　I　weakened　first；　and　I've　come　to　hunt　him　up。　　My　fear　is　that　I　didn't　start　soon　enough。　　The　boy　will　have　a　great　position　some　dayGod　knows；　perhaps　soon！　　I　should　not　have　allowed　him　to　run　over　this　wild　country　for　so　long。　　But　I　hoped；　though　I　hardly　believed；　that　he　might　find　himself。　　Now　I'm　afraid　he's〃

Mr。　Gale　paused　and　the　white　hand　he　raised　expressively　shook　a　little。

Belding　was　not　so　thick…witted　where　men　were　concerned。　　He　saw　how　the　matter　lay　between　Dick　Gale　and　his　father。

〃Well；　Mr。　Gale；　sure　most　young　bucks　from　the　East　go　to　the　bad　out　here；〃　he　said；　bluntly。

〃I've　been　told　that；〃　replied　Mr。　Gale；　and　a　shade　overspread　his　worn　face。

〃They　blow　their　money；　then　go　punching　cows；　take　to　whiskey。〃

〃Yes；〃　rejoined　Mr。　Gale；　feebly　nodding。

〃Then　they　get　to　gambling；　lose　their　jobs；〃　went　on　Belding。

Mr。　Gale　lifted　haggard　eyes。

〃Then　it's　bumming　around；　regular　tramps；　and　to　the　bad　generally。〃　　Belding　spread　wide　his　big　arms；　and　when　one　of　them　dropped　round　Nell；　who　sat　beside　him；　she　squeezed　his　hand　tight。　　〃Sure；　it's　the　regular　thing；〃　he　concluded；　cheerfully。

He　rather　felt　a　little　glee　at　Mr。　Gale's　distress；　and　Mrs。　Gale's　crushed　I…told…you…so　woe　in　no　wise　bothered　him；　but　the　look　in　the　big；　dark　eyes　of　Dick's　sister　was　too　much　for　Belding。

He　choked　off　his　characteristic　oath　when　excited　and　blurted　out；　〃Say；　but　Dick　Gale　never　went　to　the　bad！。。。Listen！〃

Belding　had　scarcely　started　Dick　Gale's　story　when　he　perceived　that　never　in　his　life　had　he　such　an　absorbed　and　breathless　audience。　　Presently　they　were　awed；　and　at　the　conclusion　of　that　story　they　sat　white…faced；　still；　amazed　beyond　speech。　　Dick　Gale's　advent　in　Casita；　his　rescue　of　Mercedes；　his　life　as　a　border　ranger　certainly　lost　no　picturesque　or　daring　or　even　noble　detail　in　Belding's　tel