the argonauts of north liberty-第15部分

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opinion；　Squire　Blandford；　ez　we're　old　friends；　but　I　do　say；　that
wot　with　Demorest's　prematooriness　and　yer　own　hangfiredness；　it's
a　good　thing　that　you　two　worldly　men　hev　got　Joan　Salisbury　to
stand　up　for　North　Liberty　and　keep　it　from　bein'　scandalized　by
the　ungodly。　　Ef　it　hadn't　been　for　her　smartness；　whar　y'd　both　be
landed　now？　　There's　a　heap　in　Christian　bringin'　up；　and　a　power
in　grace；　Squire　Blandford。〃

His　hard；　dry　face　was　for　an　instant　transfigured　by　a　grim　fealty
and　the　dull　glow　of　some　sectarian　clannishness。　　Or　was　it
possible　that　this　woman's　personality　had　in　some　mysterious　way
disturbed　his　rooted　selfishness？

During　his　speech　Blandford　had　walked　to　the　window。　　When　Corwin
had　ceased　speaking；　Blandford　turned　towards　him　with　an　equally
changed　face　and　cold　imperturbability　that　astonished　him；　and
held　out　his　hand。　　〃Let　bygones　be　bygones；　Corwinwhether　we
ever　meet　again　or　not。　　Yet　if　I　can　do　anything　for　you　for　the
sake　of　old　times；　I　am　ready　to　do　it。　　I　have　some　power　here　and
in　San　Francisco；〃　he　continued；　with　a　slight　touch　of　pride；
〃that　isn't　dependent　upon　the　mere　name　I　may　travel　under。　　I
have　a　purpose　in　coming　here。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　said　Ezekiel；　dryly。　　〃I　heard　it　all　from　your　two
friends。　　You're　huntin'　some　man　that　did　you　an　injury。〃

〃I'm　hunting　down　a　dog　who；　suspecting　I　had　some　secret　in
emigrating　here；　tried　to　blackmail　and　ruin　me；〃　said　Blandford；
with　a　sudden　expression　of　hatred　that　seemed　inconsistent　with
anything　that　Ezekiel　had　ever　known　of　his　old　master's　character
〃a　scoundrel　who　tried　to　break　up　my　new　life　as　another　had
broken　up　the　old。〃　　He　stopped　and　recovered　himself　with　a　short
laugh。　　〃Well；　Ezekiel；　I　don't　know　as　his　opinion　of　me　was　any
worse　than　yours　or　HERS。　　And　until　I　catch　HIM　to　clear　my　name
again；　I　let　the　other　slanderers　go。〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　you　might　lay　hands　on　that　devil　yet；　and　not　far
away；　either。　　I　was　up　at　Demorest's　to…day；　and　I　heard　Joan　and
a　skittish　sort　o'　Mexican　young　lady　talkin'　about　some　tramp　that
had　frightened　her。　　And　Miss　Pico　said〃

〃What！　　Who　did　you　say？〃　demanded　Blandford；　with　a　violent　start。

〃Wa'al；　I　reckoned　I　heerd　the　first　name　tooRosita。〃

A　quick　flush　crossed　Blandford's　face；　and　left　it　glowing　like　a
boy's。

〃Is　SHE　there？〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　she's　visitin'　Joan；〃　said　Ezekiel；　narrowly
attentive　of　Blandford's　strange　excitement；　〃but　wot　of　it？〃

But　Blandford　had　utterly　forgotten　Ezekiel's　presence。　　He　had
remained　speechless　and　flushed。　　And　then；　as　if　suddenly　dazzled
by　an　inspiration；　he　abruptly　dashed　from　the　room。　　Ezekiel　heard
him　call　to　his　passive　host　with　a　Spanish　oath；　but　before　he
could　follow；　they　had　both　hurriedly　left　the　house。

Ezekiel　glanced　around　him　and　contemplatively　ran　his　fingers
through　his　beard。　　〃It　ain't　Joan　Salisbury　nor　Dick　Demorest　ez
giv'　him　that　start！　　Humph！　　Wa'alI　wanter　know！〃


CHAPTER　IV


Mrs。　Demorest　was　so　fascinated　by　the　company　of　Dona　Rosita　Pico
and　her　romantic　memories；　that　she　prevailed　upon　that　heart…
broken　but　scarcely　attenuated　young　lady　to　prolong　her　visit
beyond　the　fortnight　she　had　allotted　to　communion　with　the　past。
For　a　day　or　two　following　her　singular　experience　in　the　garden；
Mrs。　Demorest　plied　her　with　questions　regarding　the　apparition　she
had　seen；　and　finally　extorted　from　her　the　admission　that　she
could　not　positively　swear　to　its　being　the　real　Johnson；　or　even
a　perfectly　consistent　shade　of　that　faithless　man。　　When　Joan
pointed　out　to　her　that　such　masculine　perfections　as　curling　raven
locks；　long　silken　mustachios；　and　dark　eyes；　were　attributes　by　no
means　exclusive　to　her　lover；　but　were　occasionally　seen　among
other　less　favored　and　even　equally　dangerous　Americans；　Dona
Rosita　assented　with　less　objection　than　Joan　anticipated。
〃Besides；　dear；〃　said　Joan；　eying　her　with　feline　watchfulness；　〃it
is　four　years　since　you've　seen　him；　and　surely　the　man　has　either
shaved　since；　or　else　he　took　a　ridiculous　vow　never　to　do　it；　and
then　he　would　be　more　fully　bearded。〃

But　Dona　Rosita　only　shook　her　pretty　head。　　〃Ah；　but　he　have　an
aira　something　I　know　not　what　you　callso。〃　　She　threw　her
shawl　over　her　left　shoulder；　and　as　far　as　a　pair　of　soft　blue
eyes　and　comfortably　pacific　features　would　admit；　endeavored　to
convey　an　idea　of　wicked　and　gloomy　abstraction。

〃You　child；〃　said　Joan；〃that's　nothing；　they　all　of　them　do　that。
Why；　there　was　a　stranger　at　the　Oriental　Hotel　whom　I　met　twice
when　I　was　therejust　as　mysterious；　romantic；　and　wicked…looking。
And　in　fact　they　hinted　terrible　things　about　him。　　Well！　so　much
so；　that　Mr。　Demorest　was　quite　foolish　about　my　being　barely　civil
to　himyou　understandand〃　　She　stopped　suddenly；　with　a
heightened　color　under　the　fire　of　Rosita's　laughing　eyes。

〃AhsoDona　Discretion！　　Tell　to　me　all。　　Did　our　hoosband　eat
him？〃

Joan's　features　suddenly　tightened　to　their　old　puritan　rigidity。
〃Mr。　Demorest　has　reasonsabundant　reasonsto　thoroughly
understand　and　trust　me；〃　she　replied　in　an　austere　voice。

Rosita　looked　at　her　a　moment　in　mystification　and　then　shrugged
her　shoulders。　　The　conversation　dropped。　　Nevertheless；　it　is
worthy　of　being　recorded　that　from　that　moment　the　usual　familiar
allusions；　playful　and　serious；　to　Rosita's　mysterious　visitor
began　to　diminish　in　frequency　and　finally　ceased。　　Even　the　news
brought　by　Demorest　of　some　vague　rumor　in　the　pueblo　that　an
intended　attack　on　the　stage…coach　had　been　frustrated　by　the
authorities；　and　that　the　vicinity　had　been　haunted　by　incognitos
of　both　parties；　failed　to　revive　the　discussion。

Meantime　the　slight　excitement　that　had　stirred　the　sluggish　life
of　the　pueblo　of　San　Buenaventura　had　subsided。　　The　posada　of
Senor　Mateo　had　lost　its　feverish　and　perplexing　dual　life；　the
alley　behind　it　no　longer　was　congested　by　lounging　cigarette
smokers；　the　compartment　looking　upon　the　silent　patio　was
unoccupied；　and　its　chairs　and　tables　were　empty。　　The　two　deputy
sheriffs；　of　whom　Senor　Mateo　presumably　knew　very　little；　had
fled；　and　the　mysterious　Senor　Johnson；　of　whom　hestill
presumablyknew　still　less；　had　also　disappeared。　　For　Senor
Mateo's　knowledge　of　what　transpired　in　and　about　his　posada；　and
of　the　character　and　purposes　of　those　who　frequented　it；　was
tinctured　by　grave　and　philosophical　doubts。　　This　courteous　and
dignified　scepticism　generally　took　the　formula　of　quien　sabe　to
all　frivolous　and　mundane　inquiry。　　He　would　affirm　with　strict
verity　that　his　omelettes　were　unapproachable；　his　beds　miraculous；
his　aguardiente　supreme；　his　house　was　even　as　your　own。　　Beyond
these　were　questions　with　which　the　simply　finite　and　always
discreet　human　intellect　declined　to　grapple。

The　disturbing　effect　of　Senor　Corwin　upon　a　mind　thus　gravely
constituted　may　be　easily　imagined。　　Besides　Ezekiel's　inordinate
capacity　for　useless　or　indiscreet　information；　it　was　undeniable
that　his　patent　medicines　had　effected　a　certain　peaceful
revolutionary　movement　in　San　Buenaventura。　　A　simple　and
superstitious　community　that　had　steadily　resisted　the　practical
domestic　and　agricultural　American　improvements；　succumbed　to　the
occult　healing　influences　of　the　Panacea　and　Jones's　Bitters。　　The
virtues　of　a　mysterious　balsam；　more　or　less　illuminated　with　a
colored　mythological　label；　deeply　impressed　them；　and　the
exhibition　of　a　circular；　whereon　a　celestial　visitant　was
represented　as　descending　with　a　gross　of　Rogers'　Pills　to　a
suffering　but　admiring　multitude；　touched　their　religious
sympathies　to　such　an　extent　that　the　good　Padre　Jose　was　obliged
to　warn　them　from　the　pulpit　of　the　diabolical　character　of　their
heresies　of　healingwith　the　natural　result　of　yet　more
dangerously　advertising　Ezekiel。　　There　were　those　too　who　spoke
under　their　breath　of　the　miraculous　efficacy　of　these　nostrums。
Had　not　Don　Victor　Arguello；　whose　respectable　digestion；　exhausted
by　continuous　pepper　and　garlic；　failed　him　suddenly；　received　an
unexpected　and　pleasurable　stimulus　from　the　New　England　rum；　which
was　the　basis　of　the　Jones　Bitters？　　Had　not　the　baker；　tremulous
from　excessive　aguardiente；　been　soothed　and　sustained　by　the
invisible　morphia；　judiciously　hidden　in　Blogg's　Nerve　Tonic？　　Nor
had　the　wily　Ezekiel　forgotten　the　weaker　sex　in　their　maiden　and
maternal　requirements。　　Unguents；　that　made　silken　their　black　but
somewhat　coarsely　fibrous　tresses；　opened　charming　possibilities　to
the　Senoritas；　while　soothing　syrups　lent　a　peaceful　repose　to　many
a　distracted　mother's　household。　　The　success　of　Ezekiel　was　so
marked　as　to　justify　his　return　at　the　end　of　three　weeks　with　a
fresh　assortment　and　an　undiminished　audacity。

It　was　on　his　second　visit　that　the　sceptical；　non…committal　policy
of　Senor　Mateo　was　sorely　tried。　　Arriving　at　the　posada　one　night；
Ezekiel　became　aware　that　his　host　was　engaged　in　some　mysterious
conference　with　a　visitor　who　had　entered　through　the　ordinary
public　room。　　The　view　which　the　acute　Ezekiel　managed　to　get　of
the　stranger；　however；　was　productive　of　no　further　discovery　than
that　he　bore　a　faint　and　disreputable　resemblance　to　Blandford；　and
was　handsome　after　a　conscious；　reckless　fashion；　with　an　air　of
mingled　bravado　and　conceit。　　But　an　hour　later；　as　Corwin　was
taking　the　cooler　air　of　the　veranda　before　retiring　to　one　of　the
miraculous　beds　of　the　posada；　he　was　amazed　at　seeing　what　was
apparently　Blandford　himself　emerge　on　horseback　from　the　alley；
and　after　a　quick　glance　towards　the　veranda；　canter　rapidly　up　the
street。　　Ezekiel's　first　impression　was　to　call　to　him；　but　the
sudden　recollection　that　he　parted　from　his　old　master　on
confidential　terms　only　three　days　before　in　San　Francisco；　and
that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　be　in　the　pueblo；　stopped　him
with　his　fingers　meditatively　in　his　beard。　　Then　he　turned　in　to
the　posada；　and　hastily　summoned　Mateo。

The　gentleman　presented　himself　in　a　state　of　such　profound
scepticism　that　it　seemed　to　have　already　communicated　itself　to
his　shoulders；　a