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'
