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第25节

the night-born-第25节

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everything。 The shark was a big brute; and with one drive he

cut the boy squarely in half。



〃There was a murmur or something from among uswho made it I

did not know; it might have been I。 And then there was silence。

Miss Caruthers was the first to speak。 Her face was deathly

white。



〃'I never dreamed;' she said; and laughed a short; hysterical

laugh。



All her pride was at work to give her control。 She turned

weakly toward Dennitson; and then; on from one to another of

us。 In her eyes was a terrible sickness; and her lips were

trembling。 We were brutesoh; I know it; now that I look back

upon it。 But we did nothing。



〃'Mr。 Dennitson;' she said; 'Tom; won't you take me below!'



〃He never changed the direction of his gaze; which was the

bleakest I have ever seen in a man's face; nor did he move an

eyelid。 He took a cigarette from his case and lighted it。

Captain Bentley made a nasty sound in his throat and spat

overboard。 That was all; that and the silence。



〃She turned away and started to walk firmly down the deck。

Twenty feet away; she swayed and thrust a hand against the wall

to save herself。 And so she went on; supporting herself against

the cabins and walking very slowly。〃 

Treloar ceased。 He turned his head and favored the little man

with a look of cold inquiry。



〃Well;〃 he said finally。 〃Classify her。〃



The little man gulped and swallowed。



〃I have nothing to say;〃 he said。 〃I have nothing whatever to

say。〃







TO KILL A MAN



THOUGH dim night…lights burned; she moved familiarly through

the big rooms and wide halls; seeking vainly the half…finished

book of verse she had mislaid and only now remembered。 When she

turned on the lights in the drawing…room; she disclosed herself

clad in a sweeping negligee gown of soft rose…colored stuff;

throat and shoulders smothered in lace。 Her rings were still on

her fingers; her massed yellow hair had not yet been taken

down。 She was delicately; gracefully beautiful; with slender;

oval face; red lips; a faint color in the cheeks; and blue eyes

of the chameleon sort that at will stare wide with the

innocence of childhood; go hard and gray and brilliantly cold;

or flame up in hot wilfulness and mastery。



She turned the lights off and passed out and down the hall

toward the morning room。 At the entrance she paused and

listened。 From farther on had come; not a noise; but an

impression of movement。 She could have sworn she had not heard

anything; yet something had been different。 The atmosphere of

night quietude had been disturbed。 She wondered what servant

could be prowling about。 Not the butler; who was nosion。

torious for retiring early save on special occasion。 Nor could

it be her maid; whom she had permitted to go that evening。



Passing on to the dining…room; she found the door closed。 Why

she opened it and went on in; she did not know; except for the

feeling that the disturbing factor; whatever it might be; was

there。 The room was in darkness; and she felt her way to the

button and pressed。 As the blaze of light flashed on; she

stepped back and cried out。 It was a mere 〃Oh!〃 and it was not

loud。





Facing her; alongside the button; flat against the wall; was a

man。 In his hand; pointed toward her; was a revolver。 She

noticed; even in the shock of seeing him; that the weapon was

black and exceedingly long…barreled。 She knew black and

exceedingly long it for what it was; a Colt's。 He was a

medium…sized man; roughly clad; brown…eyed; and swarthy with

sunburn。 He seemed very cool。 There was no wabble to the

revolver and it was directed toward her stomach; not from an

outstretched arm; but from the hip; against which the forearm

rested。 



〃Oh;〃 she said。 〃I beg your pardon。 You startled me。 What do

you want?〃



〃I reckon I want to get out;〃 he answered; with a humorous

twitch to the lips。 〃I've kind of lost my way in this here

shebang; and if you'll kindly show me the door I'll cause no

trouble and sure vamoose。〃



〃But what are you doing here?〃 she demanded; her voice touched

with the sharpness of one used to authority。



〃Plain robbing; Miss; that's all。 I came snooping around to see

what I could gather up。 I thought you wan't to home; seein' as

I saw you pull out with your old man in an auto。 I reckon that

must a ben your pa; and you're Miss Setliffe。〃



Mrs。 Setliffe saw his mistake; appreciated the naive

compliment; and decided not to undeceive him。



〃How do you know I am Miss Setliffe?〃 she asked。



〃This is old Setliffe's house; ain't it?〃



She nodded。



〃I didn't know he had a daughter; but I reckon you must be her。

And now; if it ain't botherin' you too much; I'd sure be

obliged if you'd show me the way out。〃



〃But why should I? You are a robber; a burglar。〃



〃If I wan't an ornery shorthorn at the business; I'd be

accumulatin' them rings on your fingers instead of being

polite;〃 he retorted。



〃I come to make a raise outa old Setliffe; and not to be

robbing women…folks。 If you get outa the way; I reckon I can

find my own way out。〃



Mrs。 Setliffe was a keen woman; and she felt that from such a

man there was little to fear。 That he was not a typical

criminal; she was certain。 From his speech she knew he was not

of the cities; and she seemed to sense the wider; homelier air

of large spaces。



〃Suppose I screamed?〃 she queried curiously。 〃Suppose I made an

outcry for help? You couldn't shoot me? 。 。 。 a woman?〃



She noted the fleeting bafflement in his brown eyes。 He

answered slowly and thoughtfully; as if working out a difficult

problem。 〃I reckon; then; I'd have to choke you and maul you

some bad。〃



〃A woman?〃



〃I'd sure have to;〃 he answered; and she saw his mouth set

grimly。



〃You're only a soft woman; but you see; Miss; I can't afford to

go to jail。 No; Miss; I sure can't。 There's a friend of mine

waitin' for me out West。 He's in a hole; and I've got to help

him out。〃 The mouth shaped even more grimly。 〃I guess I could

choke you without hurting you much to speak of。〃



Her eyes took on a baby stare of innocent incredulity as she

watched him。 



〃I never met a burglar before;〃 she assured him; 〃and I can't

begin to tell you how interested I am。〃



〃I'm not a burglar; Miss。 Not a real one;〃 he hastened to add

as she looked her amused unbelief。 〃It looks like it; me being

here in your house。 But it's the first time I ever tackled such

a job。 I needed the money bad。 Besides; I kind of look on it

like collecting what's coming to me。〃



〃I don't understand;〃 she smiled encouragingly。 〃You came here

to rob; and to rob is to take what is not yours。〃



〃Yes; and no; in this here particular case。 But I reckon I'd

better be going now。〃



He started for the door of the dining…room; but she interposed;

and a very beautiful obstacle she made of herself。 His left

hand went out as if to grip her; then hesitated。 He was

patently awed by her soft womanhood。



〃There!〃 she cried triumphantly。 〃I knew you wouldn't。〃



The man was embarrassed。



〃I ain't never manhandled a woman yet;〃 he explained; 〃and it

don't come easy。 But I sure will; if you set to screaming。〃



〃Won't you stay a few minutes and talk?〃 she urged。 〃I'm so

interested。 I should like to hear you explain how burglary is

collecting what is coming to you。〃



He looked at her admiringly。



〃I always thought women…folks were scairt of robbers;〃 he

confessed。 〃But you don't seem none。〃



She laughed gaily。



〃There are robbers and robbers; you know。 I am not afraid of

you; because I am confident you are not the sort of creature

that would harm a woman。 Come; talk with me a while。 Nobody

will disturb us。 I am all alone。 My father caught the night

train to New York。 The servants are all asleep。 I should like

to give you something to eatwomen always prepare midnight

suppers for the burglars they catch; at least they do in the

magazine stories。 But I don't know where to find the food。

Perhaps you will have something to drink?〃



He hesitated; and did not reply; but she could see the

admiration for her growing in his eyes。



〃You're not afraid?〃 she queried。 〃I won't poison you; I

promise。 I'll drink with you to show you it is all right。〃



〃You sure are a surprise package of all right;〃 he declared;

for the first time lowering the weapon and letting it hang at

his side。 〃No one don't need to tell me ever again that

women…folks in cities is afraid。 You ain't muchjust a little

soft pretty thing。 But you've sure got the spunk。 And you're

trustful on top of it。 There ain't many women; or men either。

who'd treat a man with a gun the way you're treating me。〃



She smiled her pleasure in the compliment; and her face; was

very earnest as she said:



〃That is because I like your appearance。 You are too

decent…looking a man to be a robber。 You oughtn'

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