roads of destiny-第42节
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〃Well； no； ma'am。 I am not the governor。 I have the honour to be Commissioner of Insurance； Statistics； and History。 Is there anything； ma'am； I can do for you？ Won't you have a chair； ma'am？〃
The lady subsided into the chair handed her； probably from purely physical reasons。 She wielded a cheap fanlast token of gentility to be abandoned。 Her clothing seemed to indicate a reduction almost to extreme poverty。 She looked at the man who was not the governor； and saw kindliness and simplicity and a rugged； unadorned courtliness emanating from a countenance tanned and toughened by forty years of outdoor life。 Also； she saw that his eyes were clear and strong and blue。 Just so they had been when he used them to skim the horizon for raiding Kiowas and Sioux。 His mouth was as set and firm as it had been on that day when he bearded the old Lion Sam Houston himself； and defied him during that season when secession was the theme。 Now； in bearing and dress； Luke Coonrod Sandifer endeavoured to do credit to the important arts and sciences of Insurance； Statistics； and History。 He had abandoned the careless dress of his country home。 Now； his broad…brimmed black slouch hat； and his long…tailed 〃frock〃 made him not the least imposing of the official family； even if his office was reckoned to stand at the tail of the list。
〃You wanted to see the governor； ma'am？〃 asked the commissioner； with a deferential manner he always used toward the fair sex。
〃I hardly know；〃 said the lady； hesitatingly。 〃I suppose so。〃 And then； suddenly drawn by the sympathetic look of the other； she poured forth the story of her need。
It was a story so common that the public has come to look at its monotony instead of its pity。 The old tale of an unhappy married life made so by a brutal； conscienceless husband； a robber； a spendthrift； a moral coward and a bully； who failed to provide even the means of the barest existence。 Yes； he had come down in the scale so low as to strike her。 It happened only the day beforethere was the bruise on one templeshe had offended his highness by asking for a little money to live on。 And yet she must needs； woman…like； append a plea for her tyranthe was drinking； he had rarely abused her thus when sober。
〃I thought；〃 mourned this pale sister of sorrow； 〃that maybe the state might be willing to give me some relief。 I've heard of such things being done for the families of old settlers。 I've heard tell that the state used to give land to the men who fought for it against Mexico； and settled up the country； and helped drive out the Indians。 My father did all of that； and he never received anything。 He never would take it。 I thought the governor would be the one to see； and that's why I came。 If father was entitled to anything； they might let it come to me。〃
〃It's possible； ma'am；〃 said Standifer； 〃that such might be the case。 But 'most all the veterans and settlers got their land certificates issued； and located long ago。 Still； we can look that up in the land office； and be sure。 Your father's name； now； was〃
〃Amos Colvin； sir。〃
〃Good Lord！〃 exclaimed Standifer； rising and unbuttoning his tight coat； excitedly。 〃Are you Amos Colvin's daughter？ Why； ma'am； Amos Colvin and me were thicker than two hoss thieves for more than ten years！ We fought Kiowas； drove cattle； and rangered side by side nearly all over Texas。 I remember seeing you once before； now。 You were a kid； about seven； a…riding a little yellow pony up and down。 Amos and me stopped at your home for a little grub when we were trailing that band of Mexican cattle thieves down through Karnes and Bee。 Great tarantulas！ and you're Amos Colvin's little girl！ Did you ever hear your father mention Luke Standiferjust kind of casually as if he'd met me once or twice？〃
A little pale smile flitted across the lady's white face。
〃It seems to me；〃 she said； 〃that I don't remember hearing him talk about much else。 Every day there was some story he had to tell about what he and you had done。 Mighty near the last thing I heard him tell was about the time when the Indians wounded him； and you crawled out to him through the grass； with a canteen of water； while they〃
〃Yes； yeswelloh； that wasn't anything；〃 said Standifer； 〃hemming〃 loudly and buttoning his coat again； briskly。 〃And now； ma'am； who was the infernal skunkI beg your pardon； ma'amwho was the gentleman you married？〃
〃Benton Sharp。〃
The commissioner plumped down again into his chair； with a groan。 This gentle； sad little woman； in the rusty black gown； the daughter of his oldest friend； the wife of Benton Sharp！ Benton Sharp； one of the most noted 〃bad〃 men in that part of the statea man who had been a cattle thief； an outlaw； a desperado； and was now a gambler； a swaggering bully； who plied his trade in the larger frontier towns； relying upon his record and the quickness of his gun play to maintain his supremacy。 Seldom did any one take the risk of going 〃up against〃 Benton Sharp。 Even the law officers were content to let him make his own terms of peace。 Sharp was a ready and an accurate shot； and as lucky as a brand…new penny at coming clear from his scrapes。 Standifer wondered how this pillaging eagle ever came to be mated with Amos Colvin's little dove； and expressed his wonder。
Mrs。 Sharp sighed。
〃You see； Mr。 Standifer； we didn't know anything about him； and he can be very pleasant and kind when he wants to。 We lived down in the little town of Goliad。 Benton came riding down that way； and stopped there a while。 I reckon I was some better looking then than I am now。 He was good to me for a whole year after we were married。 He insured his life for me for five thousand dollars。 But for the last six months he has done everything but kill me。 I often wish he had done that； too。 He got out of money for a while； and abused me shamefully for not having anything he could spend。 Then father died； and left me the little home in Goliad。 My husband made me sell that； and turned me out into the world。 I've barely been able to live； for I'm not strong enough to work。 Lately； I heard he was making money in San Antonio； so I went there； and found him； and asked for a little help。 This；〃 touching the livid bruise on her temple； 〃is what he gave me。 So I came on to Austin to see the governor。 I once heard father say that there was some land； or a pension； coming to him from the state that he never would ask for。〃
Luke Standifer rose to his feet； and pushed his chair back。 He looked rather perplexedly around the big office； with its handsome furniture。
〃It's a long trail to follow；〃 he said； slowly； 〃trying to get back dues from the government。 There's red tape and lawyers and rulings and evidence and courts to keep you waiting。 I'm not certain；〃 continued the commissioner； with a profoundly meditative frown； 〃whether this department that I'm the boss of has any jurisdiction or not。 It's only Insurance； Statistics； and History； ma'am； and it don't sound as if it would cover the case。 But sometimes a saddle blanket can be made to stretch。 You keep your seat； just for a few minutes； ma'am； till I step into the next room and see about it。〃
The state treasurer was seated within his massive； complicated railings； reading a newspaper。 Business for the day was about over。 The clerks lolled at their desks； awaiting the closing hour。 The Commissioner of Insurance； Statistics； and History entered； and leaned in at the window。
The treasurer； a little； brisk old man； with snow…white moustache and beard； jumped up youthfully and came forward to greet Standifer。 They were friends of old。
〃Uncle Frank；〃 said the commissioner； using the familiar name by which the historic treasurer was addressed by every Texan； 〃how much money have you got on hand？〃
The treasurer named the sum of the last balance down to the odd cents something more than a million dollars。
The commissioner whistled lowly； and his eyes grew hopefully bright。
〃You know； or else you've heard of； Amos Colvin； Uncle Frank？〃
〃Knew him well；〃 said the treasurer； promptly。 〃A good man。 A valuable citizen。 One of the first settlers in the Southwest。〃
〃His daughter；〃 said Standifer； 〃is sitting in my office。 She's penniless。 She's married to Benton Sharp； a coyote and a murderer。 He's reduced her to want； and broken her heart。 Her father helped build up this state； and it's the state's turn to help his child。 A couple of thousand dollars will buy back her home and let her live in peace。 The State of Texas can't afford to refuse it。 Give me the money； Uncle Frank； and I'll give it to her right away。 We'll fix up the red…tape business afterward。〃
The treasurer looked a little bewildered。
〃Why； Standifer；〃 he said； 〃you know I can't pay a cent out of the treasury without a warrant from the comptroller。 I can't disburse a dollar without a voucher to show for it。〃
The commissioner betrayed a slight impatience。
〃I'll give you a voucher；〃 he declared。 〃What's this job they've given me for？ Am I just a knot on a mesquite stump？ Can't my office stand for it？ Charge it up to Insurance and the other two sideshows。 Don't Statistics show that Amos Colvin came to this state when it was in the hands of Greasers and rattlesnakes and Comanches； and fo
