desert gold-第61节

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〃So　that's　the　trouble！　　Poor　little　girl！〃　murmured　Gale；　brokenly。　〃I　felt　something　was　wrong。　　Nell　wasn't　natural；　like　her　old　self。　　And　when　I　begged　her　to　marry　me　soon；　while　Dad　was　here；　she　couldn't　talk。　　She　could　only　cry。〃

〃It　was　hard　on　Nell；〃　said　Belding；　simply。　　〃But　it　'll　be　better　now　you're　back。　　Dick；　I　know　the　girl。　　She'll　refuse　to　marry　you　and　you'll　have　a　hard　job　to　break　her　down；　as　hard　as　the　one　you　just　rode　in　off　of。　　I　think　I　know　you；　too；　or　I　wouldn't　be　saying〃

〃Belding；　what　're　you　hinting　at？〃　demanded　Gale。　　〃Do　you　dare　insinuate　thatthatif　the　thing　were　true　it'd　make　any　difference　to　me？〃

〃Aw；　come　now；　Dick；　I　couldn't　mean　that。　　I'm　only　awkward　at　saying　things。　　And　I'm　cut　pretty　deep〃

〃For　God's　dake；　you　don't　believe　what　Chase　said？〃　queried　Gale；　in　passionate　haste。　　〃It's　a　lie。　　I　swear　it's　a　lie。　　I　know　it's　a　lie。　　And　I've　got　to　tell　Nell　this　minute。　　Come　on　in　with　me。　　I　want　you；　Belding。　　Oh；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　sooner？〃

Belding　felt　himself　dragged　by　an　iron　arm　into　the　sitting…room　out　into　the　patio；　and　across　that　to　where

Nell　sat　in　her　door。　　At　sight　of　them　she　gave　a　little　cry；　drooped　for　an　instant；　then　raised　a　pale；　still　face；　with　eyes　beginning　to　darken。

〃Dearest；　I　know　now　why　you　are　not　wearing　my　mother's　ring；〃　said　Gale；　steadily　and　low…voiced。

〃Dick；　I　am　not　worthy；〃　she　replied；　and　held　out　a　trembling　hand　with　the　ring　lying　in　the　palm。

Swift　as　light　Gale　caught　her　hand　and　slipped　the　ring　back　upon　the　third　finger。

〃Nell！　　Look　at　me。　　It　is　your　engagement　ring。。。。Listen。　　I　don't　believe　thisthis　thing　that's　been　torturing　you。　　I　know　it's　a　lie。　　I　am　absolutely　sure　your　mother　will　prove　it　a　lie。　　She　must　have　suffered　onceperhaps　there　was　a　sad　errorbut　the　thing　you　fear　is　not　true。　　But；　hear　me；　dearest；　even　if　it　was　true　it　wouldn't　make　the　slightest　difference　to　me。　　I'd　promise　you　on　my　honor　I'd　never　think　of　it　again。　　I'd　love　you　all　the　more　because　you'd　suffered。　　I　want　you　all　the　more　to　be　my　wifeto　let　me　make　you　forgetto〃

She　rose　swiftyly　with　the　passionate　abandon　of　a　woman　stirred　to　her　depths；　and　she　kissed　him。

〃Oh；　Dick；　you're　goodso　good！　　You'll　never　knowjust　what　those　words　mean　to　me。　　They've　saved　meI　think。〃

〃Then；　dearest；　it's　all　right？〃　　Dick　questioned；　eagerly。　　〃You　will　keep　your　promise？　　You　will　marry　me？〃

The　glow；　the　light　faded　out　of　her　face；　and　now　the　blue　eyes　were　almost　black。　　She　drooped　and　shook　her　head。

〃Nell！〃　exclaimed　Gale；　sharply　catching　his　breath。

〃Don't　ask　me；　Dick。　　II　won't　marry　you。〃

〃Why？〃

〃You　know。　　It's　true　that　I〃

〃It's　a　lie；〃　interrupted　Gale；　fiercely。　　〃But　even　if　it's　truewhywhy　won't　you　marry　me？　　Between　you　and　me　love　is　the　thing。　　Love；　and　nothing　else！　　Don't　you　love　me　any　more？〃

They　had　forgotten　Belding；　who　stepped　back　into　the　shade。

〃I　love　you　with　my　whole　heart　and　soul。　　I'd　die　for　you；〃　whispered　Nell；　with　clenching　hands。　　〃But　I　won't　disgrace　you。〃

〃Dear；　you　have　worried　over　this　trouble　till　you're　morbid。　　It　has　grown　out　of　all　proportion。　　I　tell　you　that　I'll　not　only　be　the　happiest　man　on　earth；　but　the　luckiest；　if　you　marry　me。〃

〃Dick；　you　give　not　one　thought　to　your　family。　　Would　they　receive　me　as　your　wife？〃

〃They　surely　would；〃　replied　Gale；　steadily。

〃No！　oh　no！〃

〃You're　wrong；　Nell。　　I'm　glad　you　said　that。　　You　give　me　a　chance　to　prove　something。　　I'll　go　this　minute　and　tell　them　all。　　I'll　be　back　here　in　less　than〃

〃Dick；　you　will　not　tell　heryour　mother？〃　cried　Nell；　with　her　eyes　streaming。　　〃You　will　not？　　Oh；　I　can't　bear　it！　　She's　so　proud！　　And　Dick；　I　love　her。　　Don't　tell　her！　　Please；　please　don't！　　She'll　be　going　soon。　　She　needn't　ever　knowabout　me。　I　want　her　always　to　think　well　of　me。　　Dick；　I　beg　of　you。　　Oh；　the　fear　of　her　knowing　has　been　the　worst　of　all！　　Please　don't　go！〃

〃Nell；　I'm　sorry。　　I　hate　to　hurt　you。　　But　you're　wrong。　　You　can't　see　things　clearly。　　This　is　your　happiness　I'm　fighting　for。　　And　it's　my　life。。。。Wait　here；　dear。　　I　won't　be　long。〃

Gale　ran　across　the　patio　and　disappeared。　　Nell　sank　to　the　doorstep；　and　as　she　met　the　question　in　Belding's　eyes　she　shook　her　head　mournfully。　　They　waited　without　speaking。　　It　seemed　a　long　while　before　Gale　returned。　　Belding　thrilled　at　sight　of　him。　　There　was　more　boy　about　him　than　Belding　had　ever　seen。　　Dick　was　coming　swiftly；　flushed；　glowing；　eager；　erect；　almost　smiling。

〃I　told　them。　　I　swore　it　was　a　lie；　but　I　wanted　them　to　decide　as　if　it　were　true。　　I　didn't　have　to　waste　a　minute　on　Elsie。　　She　loves　you；　Nell。　　The　Governor　is　crazy　about　you。　I　didn't　have　to　waste　two　minutes　on　him。　　Mother　used　up　the　time。　　She　wanted　to　know　all　there　was　to　tell。　　She　is　proud；　yes；　but；　Nell；　I　wish　you　could　have　seen　how　she　took　thethe　story　about　you。　　Why；　she　never　thought　of　me　at　all；　until　she　had　cried　over　you。　　Nell；　she　loves　you；　too。　　They　all　love　you。　Oh；　it's　so　good　to　tell　you。　　I　think　mother　realizes　the　part　you　have　had　in　thewhat　shall　I　call　it？the　regeneration　of　Richard　Gale。　　Doesn't　that　sound　fine？　　Darling；　mother　not　only　consents；　she　want　you　to　be　my　wife。　　Do　you　hear　that？　　And　listenshe　had　me　in　a　corner　and；　of　course；　being　my　mother；　she　put　on　the　screws。　　She　made　me　promise　that　we'd　live　in　the　East　half　the　year。　　That　means　Chicago；　Cape　May；　New　Yorkyou　see；　I'm　not　exactly　the　lost　son　any　more。　　Why；　Nell；　dear；　you'll　have　to　learn　who　Dick　Gale　really　is。　　But　I　always　want　to　be　the　ranger　you　helped　me　become；　and　ride　Blanco　Sol；　and　see　a　little　of　the　desert。　　Don't　let　the　idea　of　big　cities　frighten　you。　　Well　always　love　the　open　places　best。　　Now；　Nell；　say　you'll　forget　this　trouble。　　I　know　it'll　come　all　right。　Say　you'll　marry　me　soon。。。。Why；　dearest；　you're　crying。。。。Nell！〃

〃Myheartis　broken；〃　sobbed　Nell；　〃forIIcan't　marry　you。〃

The　boyish　brightness　faded　out　of　Gale's　face。　　Here；　Belding　saw；　was　the　stern　reality　arrayed　against　his　dreams。

〃That　devil　Radford　Chasehe'll　tell　my　secret；〃　panted　Nell。　〃He　swore　if　you　ever　came　back　and　married　me　he'd　follow　us　all　over　the　world　to　tell　it。〃

Belding　saw　Gale　grow　deathly　white　and　suddenly　stand　stock…still。

〃Chase　threatened　you；　then？〃　asked　Dick；　and　the　forced　naturalness　of　his　voice　struck　Belding。

〃Threatened　me？　　He　made　my　life　a　nightmare；〃　replied　Nell；　in　a　rush　of　speech。　　〃At　first　I　wondered　how　he　was　worrying　mother　sick。　　But　she　wouldn't　tell　me。　　Then　when　she　went　away　he　began　to　hint　things。　　I　hated　him　all　the　more。　　But　when　he　told　meI　was　frightened；　shamed。　　Still　I　did　not　weaken。　　He　was　pretty　decent　when　he　was　sober。　　But　when　he　was　half　drunk　he　was　the　devil。　　He　laughed　at　me　and　my　pride。　　I　didn't　dare　shut　the　door　in　his　face。　　After　a　while　he　found　out　that　your　mother　loved　me　and　that　I　loved　her。　　Then　he　began　to　threaten　me。　If　I　didn't　give　in　to　him　he'd　see　she　learned　the　truth。　　That　made　me　weaken。　　It　nearly　killed　me。　　I　simply　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　Mrs。　Gale　kowing。　　But　I　couldn't　marry　him。　　Besides；　he　got　so　half　the　time；　when　he　was　drunk；　he　didn't　want　or　ask　me　to　be　his　wife。　　I　was　about　ready　to　give　up　and　go　mad　when　youyou　came　home。〃

She　ended　in　a　whisper；　looking　up　wistfully　and　sadly　at　him。　Belding　was　a　raging　fire　within；　cold　without。　　He　watched　Gale；　and　believed　he　could　foretell　that　young　man's　future　conduct。　Gale　gathered　Nell　up　into　his　arms　and　held　her　to　his　breast　for　a　long　moment。

〃Dear　Nell；　I'm　sure　the　worst　of　your　trouble　is　over；〃　he　said　gently。　　〃I　will　not　give　you　up。　　Now；　won't　you　lie　down；　try　to　rest　and　calm　yourself。　　Don't　grieve　any　more。　　This　thing　isn't　so　bad　as　you　make　it。　　Trust　me。　　I'll　shut　Mr。　Radford　Chase's　mouth。〃

As　he　released　her　she　glanced　quickly　up　at　him；　then　lifted　appealing　hands。

〃Dick；　you　won't　hunt　for　himgo　after　him？〃

Gale　laughed；　and　the　laugh　made　Belding　jump。

〃Dick；　I　beg　of　you。　　Please　don't　make　trouble。　　The　Chases　have　been　hard　enough　on　us。　　They　are　rich；　powerful。　　Dick；　say　you　will　not　make　matters　worse。　　Please　promise　me　you'll　not　go　to　him。〃

〃You　ask　me　that？〃　he　demanded。

〃Yes。　　Oh　yes！〃

〃But　you　know　it's　useless。　　What　kind　of　a　man　do　you　want　me　to　be？〃

〃It's　only　that　I'm　afraid。　　Oh；　Dick；　he'd　shoot　you　in　the　back。〃

〃No；　Nell；　a　man　of　his　kind　wouldn't　have　nerve　enough　even　for　that。〃

〃You'll　go？〃　she　cried　wildly。

Gale　smiled；　and　the　smile　made　Belding　cold。

〃Dick；　I　cannot　keep　you　back？〃

〃No；〃　he　said。

Then　the　woman　in　her　burst　through　instinctive　fear；　and　with　her　eyes　blazing　black　in　her　white　face　she　lifted　parted　quivering　lips　and　kissed　him。

Gale　left　the　patio；　and　Belding　followed　closely　at　his　heels。　They　went　through　the　sitting…room。　　Outside　upon　the　porch　sat　the　rangers；　Mr。　Gale；　and　Thorne。　　Dick　went　into　his　room　without　speaking。

〃Shore　somethin's　comin'　off；〃　said　Ladd；　sharply；　and　he　sat　up　with　keen　eyes　narrowing。

Belding　spoke　a　few　words；　and；　reme