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第27节

the night-born-第27节

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

honest work to do 。 。 。 。?〃



He was immediately contrite。



〃I sure beg your pardon; ma'am;〃 he said。 〃I reckon my

nervousness ain't complimentary。〃



As he spoke; he drew his right hand from the table; and after

lighting the cigarette; dropped it by his side。



〃Thank you for your confidence;〃 she breathed softly;

resolutely keeping her eyes from measuring the distance to the

revolver; and keeping her foot pressed firmly on the bell。



〃About that three hundred;〃 he began。 〃I can telegraph it West

to…night。 And I'll agree to work a year for it and my keep。〃



〃You will earn more than that。 I can promise seventy…five

dollars a month at the least。 Do you know horses?〃



His face lighted up and his eyes sparkled。



〃Then go to work for meor for my father; rather; though I

engage all the servants。 I need a second coachman〃



〃And wear a uniform?〃 he interrupted sharply; the sneer of the

free…born West in his voice and on his lips。



She smiled tolerantly。



〃Evidently that won't do。 Let me think。 Yes。 Can you break and

handle colts?〃



He nodded。



〃We have a stock farm; and there's room for just such a man as

you。 Will you take it?〃



〃Will I; ma'am?〃 His voice was rich with gratitude and

enthusiasm。 〃Show me to it。 I'll dig right in to…morrow。 And I

can sure promise you one thing; ma'am。 You'll never be sorry

for lending Hughie Luke a hand in his trouble〃



〃I thought you said to call you Dave;〃 she chided forgivingly。



〃I did; ma'am。 I did。 And I sure beg your pardon。 It was just

plain bluff。 My real name is Hughie Luke。 And if you'll give me

the address of that stock farm of yours; and the railroad fare;

I head for it first thing in the morning。〃



Throughout the conversation she had never relaxed her attempts

on the bell。 She had pressed it in every alarming waythree

shorts and a long; two and a long; and five。 She had tried long

series of shorts; and; once; she had held the button down for a

solid three minutes。 And she had been divided between

objurgation of the stupid; heavy…sleeping butler and doubt if

the bell were in order。



〃I am so glad;〃 she said; 〃so glad that you are willing。 There

won't be much to arrange。 But you will first have to trust me

while I go upstairs for my purse。〃



She saw the doubt flicker momentarily in his eyes; and added

hastily; 〃But you see I am trusting you with the three hundred

dollars。〃



〃I believe you; ma'am;〃 he came back gallantly。 〃Though I just

can't help this nervousness。〃



〃Shall I go and get it?〃



But before she could receive consent; a slight muffled jar from

the distance came to her ear。 She knew it for the swing…door of

the butler's pantry。 But so slight was itmore a faint

vibration than a soundthat she would not have heard had not

her ears been keyed and listening for it。 Yet the man had

heard。 He was startled in his composed way。



〃What was that?〃 he demanded。



For answer; her left hand flashed out to the revolver and

brought it back。 She had had the start of him; and she needed

it; for the next instant his hand leaped up from his side;

clutching emptiness where the revolver had been。



〃Sit down!〃 she commanded sharply; in a voice new to him。

〃Don't move。 Keep your hands on the table。〃



She had taken a lesson from him。 Instead of holding the heavy

weapon extended; the butt of it and her forearm rested on the

table; the muzzle pointed; not at his head; but his chest。 And

he; looking coolly and obeying her commands; knew there was no

chance of the kick…up of the recoil producing a miss。 Also; he

saw that the revolver did not wabble; nor the hand shake; and

he was thoroughly conversant with the size of hole the

soft…nosed bullets could make。 He had eyes; not for her; but

for the hammer; which had risen under the pressure of her

forefinger on the trigger。



〃I reckon I'd best warn you that that there trigger…pull is

filed dreadful fine。 Don't press too hard; or I'll have a hole

in me the size of a walnut。〃



She slacked the hammer partly down。



〃That's better;〃 he commented。 〃You'd best put it down all the

way。 You see how easy it works。 If you want to; a quick light

pull will jiffy her up and back and make a pretty mess all over

your nice floor。〃



A door opened behind him; and he heard somebody enter the room。

But he did not turn his bead。 He was looking at her; and he

found it the face of another womanhard; cold; pitiless yet

brilliant in its beauty。 The eyes; too; were hard; though

blazing with a cold light。



〃Thomas;〃 she commanded; 〃go to the telephone and call the

police。 Why were you so long in answering?〃



〃I came as soon as I heard the bell; madam;〃 was the answer。



The robber never took his eyes from hers; nor did she from his;

but at mention of the bell she noticed that his eyes were

puzzled for the moment。



〃Beg your pardon;〃 said the butler from behind; 〃but wouldn't

it be better for me to get a weapon and arouse the servants?〃



〃No; ring for the police。 I can hold this man。 Go and do

itquickly。〃



The butler slippered out of the room; and the man and the woman

sat on; gazing into each other's eyes。 To her it was an

experience keen with enjoyment; and in her mind was the gossip

of her crowd; and she saw notes in the society weeklies of the

beautiful young Mrs。 Setliffe capturing an armed robber

single…handed。 It would create a sensation; she was sure。



〃When you get that sentence you mentioned;〃 she said coldly;

〃you will have time to meditate upon what a fool you have been;

taking other persons' property and threatening women with

revolvers。 You will have time to learn your lesson thoroughly。

Now tell the truth。 You haven't any friend in trouble。 All that

you told me was lies。〃



He did not reply。 Though his eyes were upon her; they seemed

blank。 In truth; for the instant she was veiled to him; and

what he saw was the wide sunwashed spaces of the West; where

men and women were bigger than the rotten denizens; as he had

encountered them; of the thrice rotten cities of the East。



〃Go on。 Why don't you speak? Why don't you lie some more? Why

don't you beg to be let off?〃



〃I might;〃 he answered; licking his dry lips。 〃I might ask to

be let off if 。 。 。 〃



〃If what?〃 she demanded peremptorily; as he paused。



〃I was trying to think of a word you reminded me of。 As I was

saying; I might if you was a decent woman。〃



Her face paled。



〃Be careful;〃 she warned。



〃You don't dast kill me;〃 he sneered。 〃The world's a pretty low

down place to have a thing like you prowling around in it; but

it ain't so plumb low down; I reckon; as to let you put a hole

in me。 You're sure bad; but the trouble with you is that you're

weak in your badness。 It ain't much to kill a man; but you

ain't got it in you。 There's where you lose out。〃



〃Be careful of what you say;〃 she repeated。 〃Or else; I warn

you; it will go hard with you。 It can be seen to whether your

sentence is light or heavy。〃



〃Something's the matter with God;〃 he remarked irrelevantly;

〃to be letting you around loose。 It's clean beyond me what he's

up to; playing such…like tricks on poor humanity。 Now if I was

God〃



His further opinion was interrupted by the entrance of the

butler。



〃Something is wrong with the telephone; madam;〃 he announced。

〃The wires are crossed or something; because I can't get

Central。〃



〃Go and call one of the servants;〃 she ordered。 〃Send him out

for an officer; and then return here。〃



Again the pair was left alone。



〃Will you kindly answer one question; ma'am?〃 the man said。

〃That servant fellow said something about a bell。 I watched you

like a cat; and you sure rung no bell。〃



〃It was under the table; you poor fool。 I pressed it with my

foot。〃



〃Thank you; ma'am。 I reckoned I'd seen your kind before; and

now I sure know I have。 I spoke to you true and trusting; and

all the time you was lying like hell to me。〃



She laughed mockingly。



〃Go on。 Say what you wish。 It is very interesting。〃



〃You made eyes at me; looking soft and kind; playing up all the

time the fact that you wore skirts instead of pantsand all

the time with your foot on the bell under the table。 Well;

there's some consolation。 I'd sooner be poor Hughie Luke; doing

his ten years; than be in your skin。 Ma'am; hell is full of

women like you。〃



There was silence for a space; in which the man; never taking

his eyes from her; studying her; was making up his mind。



〃Go on;〃 she urged。 〃Say something。〃



〃Yes; ma'am; I'll say something。 I'll sure say something。 Do

you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to get right up from

this chair and walk out that door。 I'd take the gun from you;

only you might turn foolish and let it go off。 You can have the

gun。 It

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