in the tules-第2部分

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he　replied　simply：



〃I'm　from　Pike　County；　Mizzouri。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　stranger；　resuming　his　impatient　manner；　〃you　must

beg　or　steal　a　horse　from　your　neighbors。〃



〃Thar　ain't　any　neighbor　nearer　than　fifteen　miles。〃



〃Then　send　fifteen　miles！　　Stop。〃　　He　opened　his　still　clinging

shirt　and　drew　out　a　belt　pouch；　which　he　threw　to　Morse。　　〃There！

there's　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　in　that。　　Now；　I　want　a

horse。　　Sabe？〃



〃Thar　ain't　anyone　to　send；〃　said　Morse；　quietly。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　are　all　alone　here？〃



〃Yes。



〃And　you　fished　me　outall　by　yourself？〃



〃Yes。



The　stranger　again　examined　him　curiously。　　Then　he　suddenly

stretched　out　his　hand　and　grasped　his　companion's。



〃All　right；　if　you　can't　send；　I　reckon　I　can　manage　to　walk　over

there　tomorrow。〃



〃I　was　goin'　on　to　say；〃　said　Morse；　simply；　〃that　if　you'll　lie　by

tonight；　I'll　start　over　sunup；　after　puttin'　out　the　cattle；　and

fetch　you　back　a　horse　afore　noon。〃



〃That's　enough。〃　　He；　however；　remained　looking　curiously　at　Morse。

〃Did　you　never　hear；〃　he　said；　with　a　singular　smile；　〃that　it　was

about　the　meanest　kind　of　luck　that　could　happen　to　you　to　save　a

drowning　man？〃



〃No；〃　said　Morse；　simply。　　〃I　reckon　it　orter　be　the　meanest　if　you

DIDN'T。〃



〃That　depends　upon　the　man　you　save；〃　said　the　stranger；　with　the

same　ambiguous　smile；　〃and　whether　the　SAVING　him　is　only　putting

things　off。　　Look　here；〃　he　added；　with　an　abrupt　return　to　his

imperative　style；　〃can't　you　give　me　some　dry　clothes？〃



Morse　brought　him　a　pair　of　overalls　and　a　〃hickory　shirt；〃　well

worn；　but　smelling　strongly　of　a　recent　wash　with　coarse　soap。　　The

stranger　put　them　on　while　his　companion　busied　himself　in

collecting　a　pile　of　sticks　and　dry　leaves。



〃What's　that　for？〃　said　the　stranger；　suddenly。



〃A　fire　to　dry　your　clothes。〃



The　stranger　calmly　kicked　the　pile　aside。



〃Not　any　fire　tonight　if　I　know　it；〃　he　said；　brusquely。　　Before

Morse　could　resent　his　quickly　changing　moods　he　continued；　in

another　tone；　dropping　to　an　easy　reclining　position　beneath　the

tree；　〃Now；　tell　me　all　about　yourself；　and　what　you　are　doing

here。〃



Thus　commanded；　Morse　patiently　repeated　his　story　from　the　time　he

had　left　his　backwoods　cabin　to　his　selection　of　the　river　bank　for

a　〃location。〃　　He　pointed　out　the　rich　quality　of　this　alluvial

bottom　and　its　adaptability　for　the　raising　of　stock；　which　he

hoped　soon　to　acquire。　　The　stranger　smiled　grimly；　raised　himself

to　a　sitting　position；　and；　taking　a　penknife　from　his　damp

clothes；　began　to　clean　his　nails　in　the　bright　moonlightan

occupation　which　made　the　simple　Morse　wander　vaguely　in　his

narration。



〃And　you　don't　know　that　this　hole　will　give　you　chills　and　fever

till　you'll　shake　yourself　out　of　your　boots？〃



Morse　had　lived　before　in　aguish　districts；　and　had　no　fear。



〃And　you　never　heard　that　some　night　the　whole　river　will　rise　up

and　walk　over　you　and　your　cabin　and　your　stock？〃



〃No。　　For　I　reckon　to　move　my　shanty　farther　back。〃



The　man　shut　up　his　penknife　with　a　click　and　rose。



〃If　you've　got　to　get　up　at　sunrise；　we'd　better　be　turning　in。　　I

suppose　you　can　give　me　a　pair　of　blankets？〃



Morse　pointed　to　the　wagon。　　〃Thar's　a　shakedown　in　the　wagon　bed；

you　kin　lie　there。〃　　Nevertheless　he　hesitated；　and；　with　the

inconsequence　and　abruptness　of　a　shy　man；　continued　the　previous

conversation。



〃I　shouldn't　like　to　move　far　away；　for　them　steamboats　is　pow'ful

kempany　o'　nights。　　I　never　seed　one　afore　I　kem　here；〃　and　then；

with　the　inconsistency　of　a　reserved　man；　and　without　a　word　of

further　preliminary；　he　launched　into　a　confidential　disclosure　of

his　late　experiences。　　The　stranger　listened　with　a　singular

interest　and　a　quietly　searching　eye。



〃Then　you　were　watching　the　boat　very　closely　just　now　when　you　saw

me。　　What　else　did　you　see？　　Anything　before　thatbefore　you　saw

me　in　the　water？〃



〃Nothe　boat　had　got　well　off　before　I　saw　you　at　all。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃Well；　I'm　going　to　turn　in。〃　　He　walked

to　the　wagon；　mounted　it；　and　by　the　time　that　Morse　had　reached　it

with　his　wet　clothes　he　was　already　wrapped　in　the　blankets。　　A

moment　later　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　profound　slumber。



It　was　only　then；　when　his　guest　was　lying　helplessly　at　his　mercy；

that　he　began　to　realize　his　strange　experiences。　　The　domination

of　this　man　had　been　so　complete　that　Morse；　although　by　nature

independent　and　self…reliant；　had　not　permitted　himself　to　question

his　right　or　to　resent　his　rudeness。　　He　had　accepted　his　guest's

careless　or　premeditated　silence　regarding　the　particulars　of　his

accident　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　had　never　dreamed　of

questioning　him。　　That　it　was　a　natural　accident　of　that　great

world　so　apart　from　his　own　experiences　he　did　not　doubt；　and

thought　no　more　about　it。　　The　advent　of　the　man　himself　was

greater　to　him　than　the　causes　which　brought　him　there。　　He　was　as

yet　quite　unconscious　of　the　complete　fascination　this　mysterious

stranger　held　over　him；　but　he　found　himself　shyly　pleased　with

even　the　slight　interest　he　had　displayed　in　his　affairs；　and　his

hand　felt　yet　warm　and　tingling　from　his　sudden　soft　but　expressive

grasp；　as　if　it　had　been　a　woman's。　　There　is　a　simple　intuition　of

friendship　in　some　lonely；　self…abstracted　natures　that　is　nearly

akin　to　love　at　first　sight。　　Even　the　audacities　and　insolence　of

this　stranger　affected　Morse　as　he　might　have　been　touched　and

captivated　by　the　coquetries　or　imperiousness　of　some　bucolic

virgin。　　And　this　reserved　and　shy　frontiersman　found　himself　that

night　sleepless；　and　hovering　with　an　abashed　timidity　and

consciousness　around　the　wagon　that　sheltered　his　guest；　as　if　he

had　been　a　very　Corydon　watching　the　moonlit　couch　of　some

slumbering　Amaryllis。



He　was　off　by　daylightafter　having　placed　a　rude　breakfast　by　the

side　of　the　still　sleeping　guestand　before　midday　he　had　returned

with　a　horse。　　When　he　handed　the　stranger　his　pouch；　less　the

amount　he　had　paid　for　the　horse；　the　man　said　curtly：



〃What's　that　for？〃



〃Your　change。　　I　paid　only　fifty　dollars　for　the　horse。〃



The　stranger　regarded　him　with　his　peculiar　smile。　　Then；　replacing

the　pouch　in　his　belt；　he　shook　Morse's　hand　again　and　mounted　the

horse。



〃So　your　name's　Martin　Morse！　　Wellgoodby；　Morsey！〃



Morse　hesitated。　　A　blush　rose　to　his　dark　check。　　〃You　didn't　tell

me　your　name；〃　he　said。　　〃In　case〃



〃In　case　I'm　WANTED？　　Well；　you　can　call　me　Captain　Jack。〃　　He

smiled；　and；　nodding　his　head；　put　spurs　to　his　mustang　and

cantered　away。



Morse　did　not　do　much　work　that　day；　falling　into　abstracted　moods

and　living　over　his　experiences　of　the　previous　night；　until　he

fancied　he　could　almost　see　his　strange　guest　again。　　The　narrow

strip　of　meadow　was　haunted　by　him。　　There　was　the　tree　under　which

he　had　first　placed　him；　and　that　was　where　he　had　seen　him　sitting

up　in　his　dripping　but　well…fitting　clothes。　　In　the　rough　garments

he　had　worn　and　returned　lingered　a　new　scent　of　some　delicate

soap；　overpowering　the　strong　alkali　flavor　of　his　own。　　He　was

early　by　the　river　side；　having　a　vague　hope；　he　knew　not　why；　that

he　should　again　see　him　and　recognize　him　among　the　passengers。　　He

was　wading　out　among　the　reeds；　in　the　faint　light　of　the　rising

moon；　recalling　the　exact　spot　where　he　had　first　seen　the

stranger；　when　he　was　suddenly　startled　by　the　rolling　over　in　the

water　of　some　black　object　that　had　caught　against　the　bank；　but

had　been　dislodged　by　his　movements。　　To　his　horror　it　bore　a　faint

resemblance　to　his　first　vision　of　the　preceding　night。　　But　a

second　glance　at　the　helplessly　floating　hair　and　bloated　outline

showed　him　that　it　was　a　DEAD　man；　and　of　a　type　and　build　far

different　from　his　former　companion。　　There　was　a　bruise　upon　his

matted　forehead　and　an　enormous　wound　in　his　throat　already　washed

bloodless；　white；　and　waxen。　　An　inexplicable　fear　came　upon　him；

not　at　the　sight　of　the　corpse；　for　he　had　been　in　Indian　massacres

and　had　rescued　bodies　mutilated　beyond　recognition；　but　from　some

moral　dread　that；　strangely　enough；　quickened　and　deepened　with　the

far…off　pant　of　the　advancing　steamboat。　　Scarcely　knowing　why；　he

dragged　the　body　hurriedly　ashore；　concealing　it　in　the　reeds；　as

if　he　were　disposing　of　the　evidence　of　his　own　crime。　　Then；　to

his　preposterous　terror；　he　noticed　that　the　panting　of　the

steamboat　and　the　beat　of　its　paddles　were　〃slowing〃　as　the　vague

bulk　came　in　sight；　until　a　huge　wave　from　the　suddenly　arrested

wheels　sent　a　surge　like　an　enormous　heartbeat　pulsating　through

the　sedge　that　half　submerged　him。　　The　flashing　of　three　or　four

lanterns　on　deck　and　the　motionless　line　of　lights　abreast　of　him

dazzled　his　eyes；　but　he　knew　that　the　low　fringe　of　willows　hid

his　house　and　wagon　completely　from　view。　　A　vague　murmur　of　voices

from　the　deck　was　suddenly　overridden　by　a　sharp　order；　and　to　his

relief　the　slowly　revolving　wheels　again　sent　a　pulsation　through

the　water；　and　the　great　fabric　moved　solemnly　away。　　A　sense　of

relief　came　over　him；　he　knew　not　why；　and　he　was　conscious　that

for　the　first　time　he　had　not　cared　to　look　at　the　boat。



When　the　moon　arose　he　again　examined　the　body；　and　took　from　its

clothing　a　few　articles　of　identification　and　some　papers　of

formality　and　precision；　which　he　vaguely　conjectured　to　be　some

law　papers　from　their　resemblance　to　the　phrasing　of　sheriffs'　and

electors'　notices　which　he　had　seen　in　the　papers。　　He　then　buried

the　corpse　in　a　shallow　trench；　which　he　dug　by　the　light　of　the

moon。　　He　had　no　question　of　responsibility；　his　pioneer　training

had　not　included　coroners'　inquests　in　its　experience；　in　giving

the　body　a　speedy　and　secure　burial