the night-born-第26节

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

decent…looking　a　man　to　be　a　robber。　You　oughtn't　to　do　such

things。　If　you　are　in　bad　luck　you　should　go　to　work。　Come；　put

away　that　nasty　revolver　and　let　us　talk　it　over。　The　thing　for

you　to　do　is　to　work。〃



〃Not　in　this　burg；〃　he　commented　bitterly。　〃I've　walked　two

inches　off　the　bottom　of　my　legs　trying　to　find　a　job。　Honest；

I　was　a　fine　large　man　once。　。　。　before　I　started　looking　for　a

job。〃



The　merry　laughter　with　which　she　greeted　his　sally　obviously

pleased　him；　and　she　was　quick　to　note　and　take　advantage　of

it。　She　moved　directly　away　from　the　door　and　toward　the

sideboard。



〃Come；　you　must　tell　me　all　about　it　while　I　get　that　drink　for

you。　What　will　it　be？　Whisky？〃



〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　as　he　followed　her；　though　he　still

carried　the　big　revolver　at　his　side；　and　though　he　glanced

reluctantly　at　the　unguarded　open　door。



She　filled　a　glass　for　him　at　the　sideboard。



〃I　promised　to　drink　with　you；〃　she　said　hesitatingly。　〃But　I

don't　like　whisky。　I　。　。　。　I　prefer　sherry。〃



She　lifted　the　sherry　bottle　tentatively　for　his　consent。



〃Sure；〃　he　answered；　with　a　nod。　〃Whisky's　a　man's　drink。　I

never　like　to　see　women　at　it。　Wine's　more　their　stuff。〃



She　raised　her　glass　to　his；　her　eyes　meltingly　sympathetic。



〃Here's　to　finding　you　a　good　position〃



But　she　broke　off　at　sight　of　the　expression　of　surprised

disgust　on　his　face。　The　glass；　barely　touched；　was　removed

from　his　wry　lips。



〃What　is　the　matter！〃　she　asked　anxiously。　〃Don't　you　like　it？

Have　I　made　a　mistake？〃



〃It's　sure　funny　whisky。　Tastes　like　it　got　burned　and　smoked

in　the　making。〃



〃Oh！　How　silly　of　me！　I　gave　you　Scotch。　Of　course　you　are

accustomed　to　rye。　Let　me　change　it。〃



She　was　almost　solicitiously　maternal；　as　she　replaced　the

glass　with　another　and　sought　and　found　the　proper　bottle。



〃Better？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；　ma'am。　No　smoke　in　it。　It's　sure　the　real　good　stuff。　I

ain't　had　a　drink　in　a　week。　Kind　of　slick；　that；　oily；　you

know；　not　made　in　a　chemical　factory。〃



〃You　are　a　drinking　man？〃　It　was　half　a　question；　half　a

challenge。



〃No；　ma'am；　not　to　speak　of。　I　HAVE　rared　up　and　ripsnorted　at

spells；　but　most　unfrequent。　But　there　is　times　when　a　good

stiff　jolt　lands　on　the　right　spot　kerchunk；　and　this　is　sure

one　of　them。　And　now；　thanking　you　for　your　kindness；　ma'am；

I'll　just　be　a　pulling　along。〃



But　Mrs。　Setliffe　did　not　want　to　lose　her　burglar。　She　was　too

poised　a　woman　to　possess　much　romance；　but　there　was　a　thrill

about　the　present　situation　that　delighted　her。　Besides；　she

knew　there　was　no　danger。　The　man；　despite　his　jaw　and　the

steady　brown　eyes；　was　eminently　tractable。　Also；　farther　back

in　her　consciousness　glimmered　the　thought　of　an　audience　of

admiring　friends。　It　was　too　bad　not　to　have　that　audience。



〃You　haven't　explained　how　burglary；　in　your　case；　is　merely

collecting　what　is　your　own；〃　she　said。　〃Come；　sit　down；　and

tell　me　about　it　here　at　the　table。〃



She　maneuvered　for　her　own　seat；　and　placed　him　across　the

corner　from　her。　His　alertness　had　not　deserted　him；　as　she

noted；　and　his　eyes　roved　sharply　about；　returning　always　with

smoldering　admiration　to　hers；　but　never　resting　long。　And　she

noted　likewise　that　while　she　spoke　he　was　intent　on　listening

for　other　sounds　than　those　of　her　voice。　Nor　had　he

relinquished　the　revolver；　which　lay　at　the　corner　of　the　table

between　them；　the　butt　close　to　his　right　hand。



But　he　was　in　a　new　habitat　which　he　did　not　know。　This　man

from　the　West；　cunning　in　woodcraft　and　plainscraft；　with　eyes

and　ears　open；　tense　and　suspicious；　did　not　know　that　under

the　table；　close　to　her　foot；　was　the　push　button　of　an

electric　bell。　He　had　never　heard　of　such　a　contrivance；　and

his　keenness　and　wariness　went　for　naught。



〃It's　like　this；　Miss；〃　he　began；　in　response　to　her　urging。

〃Old　Setliffe　done　me　up　in　a　little　deal　once。　It　was　raw；　but

it　worked。　Anything　will　work　full　and　legal　when　it's　got　few

hundred　million　behind　it。　I'm　not　squealin'；　and　I　ain't

taking　a　slam　at　your　pa。　He　don't　know　me　from　Adam；　and　I

reckon　he　don't　know　he　done　me　outa　anything。　He's　too　big；

thinking　and　dealing　in　millions；　to　ever　hear　of　a　small

potato　like　me。　He's　an　operator。　He's　got　all　kinds　of　experts

thinking　and　planning　and　working　for　him；　some　of　them；　I

hear；　getting　more　cash　salary　than　the　President　of　the　United

States。　I'm　only　one　of　thousands　that　have　been　done　up　by

your　pa；　that's　all。



〃You　see；　ma'am；　I　had　a　little　hole　in　the　grounda　dinky；

hydraulic；　one…horse　outfit　of　a　mine。　And　when　the　Setliffe

crowd　shook　down　Idaho；　and　reorganized　the　smelter　trust；　and

roped　in　the　rest　of　the　landscape；　and　put　through　the　big

hydraulic　scheme　at　Twin　Pines；　why　I　sure　got　squeezed。　I

never　had　a　run　for　my　money。　I　was　scratched　off　the　card

before　the　first　heat。　And　so；　to…night；　being　broke　and　my

friend　needing　me　bad；　I　just　dropped　around　to　make　a　raise

outa　your　pa。　Seeing　as　I　needed　it；　it　kinda　was　coming　to

me。〃



〃Granting　all　that　you　say　is　so；〃　she　said；　〃nevertheless　it

does　not　make　house…breaking　any　the　less　house…breaking。　You

couldn't　make　such　a　defense　in　a　court　of　law。〃



〃I　know　that；〃　he　confessed　meekly。　〃What's　right　ain't　always

legal。　And　that's　why　I　am　so　uncomfortable　a…settin'　here　and

talking　with　you。　Not　that　I　ain't　enjoying　your　companyI

sure　do　enjoy　itbut　I　just　can't　afford　to　be　caught。　I　know

what　they'd　do　to　me　in　this　here　city。　There　was　a　young

fellow　that　got　fifty　years　only　last　week　for　holding　a　man　up

on　the　street　for　two　dollars　and　eighty…five　cents。　I　read

about　it　in　the　paper。　When　times　is　hard　and　they　ain't　no

work；　men　get　desperate。　And　then　the　other　men　who've　got

something　to　be　robbed　of　get　desperate；　too；　and　they　just

sure　soak　it　to　the　other　fellows。　If　I　got　caught；　I　reckon　I

wouldn't　get　a　mite　less　than　ten　years。　That's　why　I'm

hankering　to　be　on　my　way。〃



〃No；　wait。〃　She　lifted　a　detaining　hand；　at　the　same　time

removing　her　foot　from　the　bell；　which　she　had　been　pressing

intermittently。　〃You　haven't　told　me　your　name　yet。〃



He　hesitated。



〃Call　me　Dave。〃



〃Then　。　。　。　Dave；〃　she　laughed　with　pretty　confusion。

〃Something　must　be　done　for　you。　You　are　a　young　man；　and　you

are　just　at　the　beginning　of　a　bad　start。　If　you　begin　by

attempting　to　collect　what　you　think　is　coming　to　you；　later　on

you　will　be　collecting　what　you　are　perfectly　sure　isn't　coming

to　you。　And　you　know　what　the　end　will　be。　Instead　of　this；　we

must　find　something　honorable　for　you　to　do。〃



〃I　need　the　money；　and　I　need　it　now；〃　he　replied　doggedly。

〃It's　not　for　myself；　but　for　that　friend　I　told　you　about。

He's　in　a　peck　of　trouble；　and　he's　got　to　get　his　lift　now　or

not　at　all。〃



〃I　can　find　you　a　position；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃Andyes；　the

very　thing！I'll　lend　you　the　money　you　want　to　send　to　your

friend。　This　you　can　pay　back　out　of　your　salary。〃



〃About　three　hundred　would　do；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Three　hundred

would　pull　him　through。　I'd　work　my　fingers　off　for　a　year　for

that；　and　my　keep；　and　a　few　cents　to　buy　Bull　Durham　with。〃



〃Ah！　You　smoke！　I　never　thought　of　it。〃



Her　hand　went　out　over　the　revolver　toward　his　hand；　as　she

pointed　to　the　tell…tale　yellow　stain　on　his　fingers。　At　the

same　time　her　eyes　measured　the　nearness　of　her　own　hand　and　of

his　to　the　weapon。　She　ached　to　grip　it　in　one　swift　movement。

She　was　sure　she　could　do　it；　and　yet　she　was　not　sure；　and　so

it　was　that　she　refrained　as　she　withdrew　her　hand。



〃Won't　you　smoke？〃　she　invited。



〃I'm　'most　dying　to。〃



〃Then　do　so。　I　don't　mind。　I　really　like　itcigarettes；　I

mean。〃



With　his　left　band　he　dipped　into　his　side　pocket；　brought　out

a　loose　wheat…straw　paper　and　shifted　it　to　his　right　hand

close　by　the　revolver。　Again　he　dipped；　transferring　to　the

paper　a　pinch　of　brown；　flaky　tobacco。　Then　he　proceeded；　both

hands　just　over　the　revolver；　to　roll　the　cigarette。



〃From　the　way　you　hover　close　to　that　nasty　weapon；　you　seem　to

be　afraid　of　me；〃　she　challenged。



〃Not　exactly　afraid　of　you；　ma'am；　but；　under　the

circumstances；　just　a　mite　timid。〃



〃But　I've　not　been　afraid　of　you。〃



〃You've　got　nothing　to　lose。〃



〃My　life；〃　she　retorted。



〃That's　right；〃　he　acknowledged　promptly；　〃and　you　ain't　been

scairt　of　me。　Mebbe　I　am　over　anxious。〃



〃I　wouldn't　cause　you　any　harm。〃



Even　as　she　spoke；　her　slipper　felt　for　the　bell　and　pressed

it。　At　the　same　time　her　eyes　were　earnest　with　a　plea　of

honesty。



〃You　are　a　judge　of　men。　I　know　it。　And　of　women。　Surely；　when

I　am　trying　to　persuade　you　from　a　criminal　life　and　to　get　you

honest　work　to　do　。　。　。　。？〃