on the frontier-第17部分

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innuendo　seemed　to　lapse　equally　unheeded　by　his　fair　client　and

the　stranger。　　Raising　her　eyes　with　a　certain　timid　dignity　which

Don　Jose's　presence　seemed　to　have　called　out；　she　addressed　herself

to　him。



〃You　are　very　kind　and　considerate；　Mister　Santierra；　and　I　thank

you。　　I　know　that　my　husband〃she　let　the　clear　beauty　of　her

translucent　eyes　rest　full　on　both　men〃would　thank　you　too。　　But

I　shall　not　be　here　long　enough　to　accept　your　kindness　in　this

house　or　in　your　own。　　I　have　but　one　desire　and　object　now。　　It　is

to　dispose　of　this　property；　and　indeed　all　I　possess；　to　pay　the

debt　of　my　husband。　　It　is　in　your　power；　perhaps；　to　help　me。　　I

am　told　that　you　wish　to　possess　Los　Cuervos；〃　she　went　on；　equally

oblivious　of　the　consciousness　that　appeared　in　Don　Jose's　face；

and　a　humorous　perplexity　on　the　brow　of　Poindexter。　　〃If　you　can

arrange　it　with　Mr。　Poindexter；　you　will　find　me　a　liberal　vendor。

That　much　you　can　do；　and　I　know　you　will　believe　I　shall　be

grateful。　　You　can　do　no　more；　unless　it　be　to　say　to　your　friends

that　Mrs。　Belle　Tucker　remains　here　only　for　that　purpose；　and　to

carry　out　what　she　knows　to　be　the　wishes　of　her　husband。〃　　She

paused；　bent　her　pretty　crest；　dropped　a　quaint　curtsey　to　the

superior　age；　the　silver　braid；　and　the　gentlemanly　bearing　of　Don

Jose；　and　with　the　passing　sunshine　of　a　smile　disappeared　from　the

corridor。



The　two　men　remained　silent　for　a　moment；　Don　Jose　gazing

abstractedly　on　the　door　through　which　she　had　vanished；　until

Poindexter；　with　a　return　of　his　tolerant　smile；　said；　〃You　have

heard　the　views　of　Mrs。　Tucker。　　You　know　the　situation　as　well　as

she　does。〃



〃Ah；　yes；　possibly　better。〃



Poindexter　darted　a　quick　glance　at　the　grave；　sallow　face　of　Don

Jose；　but　detecting　no　unusual　significance　in　his　manner；

continued；　〃As　you　see；　she　leaves　this　matter　in　my　hands。　　Let　us

talk　like　business　men。　　Have　you　any　idea　of　purchasing　this

property？〃



〃Of　purchasing；　ah；　no。〃



Poindexter　bent　his　brows；　but　quickly　relaxed　them　with　a　smile　of

humorous　forgiveness。　　〃If　you　have　any　other　idea；　Don　Jose；　I

ought　to　warn　you；　as　Mrs。　Tucker's　lawyer；　that　she　is　in　legal

possession　here；　and　that　nothing　but　her　own　act　can　change　that

position。〃



〃Ah；　so。〃



Irritated　at　the　shrug　which　accompanied　this；　Poindexter　continued

haughtily；　〃If　I　am　to　understand；　you　have　nothing　to　say〃



〃To　say；　ah；　yes；　possibly。　　But〃he　glanced　toward　the　door　of

Mrs。　Tucker's　room〃not　here。〃　　He　stopped；　appeared　to　recall

himself；　and　with　an　apologetic　smile　and　a　studied　but　graceful

gesture　of　invitation；　he　motioned　to　the　gateway；　and　said；　〃Will

you　ride？〃



〃What　can　the　fellow　be　up　to？〃　muttered　Poindexter；　as　with　an

assenting　nod　he　proceeded　to　remount　his　horse。　　〃If　he　wasn't　an

old　hidalgo；　I'd　mistrust　him。　　No　matter！　here　goes！〃



The　Don　also　remounted　his　half…broken　mustang；　they　proceeded　in

solemn　silence　through　the　corral；　and　side　by　side　emerged　on　the

open　plain。　　Poindexter　glanced　around；　no　other　being　was　in

sight。　　It　was　not　until　the　lonely　hacienda　had　also　sunk　behind

them　that　Don　Jose　broke　the　silence。



〃You　say　just　now　we　shall　speak　as　business　men。　　I　say　no；　Don

Marco；　I　will　not。　　I　shall　speak；　we　shall　speak；　as　gentlemen。〃



〃Go　on；〃　said　Poindexter；　who　was　beginning　to　be　amused。



〃I　say　just　now　I　will　not　purchase　the　rancho　from　the　Senora。

And　why？　　Look　you；　Don　Marco；〃　he　reined　in　his　horse；　thrust　his

hand　under　his　serape；　and　drew　out　a　folded　document：　〃this　is

why。〃



With　a　smile；　Poindexter　took　the　paper　from　his　hand　and　opened

it。　　But　the　smile　faded　from　his　lips　as　he　read。　　With　blazing

eyes　he　spurred　his　horse　beside　the　Spaniard；　almost　unseating

him；　and　said　sternly；　〃What　does　this　mean？〃



〃What　does　it　mean？〃　repeated　Don　Jose；　with　equally　flashing　eyes；

〃I'll　tell　you。　　It　means　that　your　client；　this　man　Spencer

Tucker；　is　a　Judas；　a　traitor！　　It　means　that　he　gave　Los　Cuervos

to　his　mistress　a　year　ago；　and　that　she　sold　it　to　meto　me；　you

hear！ME；　Jose　Santierra；　the　day　before　she　left！　　It　means　that

the　coyote　of　a　Spencer；　the　thief；　who　bought　these　lands　of　a

thief；　and　gave　them　to　a　thief；　has　tricked　you　all。　　Look；〃　he

said；　rising　in　his　saddle；　holding　the　paper　like　a　baton；　and

defining　with　a　sweep　of　his　arm　the　whole　level　plain；　〃all　these

lands　were　once　mine；　they　are　mine　again　to…day。　　Do　I　want　to

purchase　Los　Cuervos？　you　ask；　for　you　will　speak　of　the　BUSINESS。

Well；　listen。　　I　HAVE　purchased　Los　Cuervos；　and　here　is　the　deed。〃



〃But　it　has　never　been　recorded；〃　said　Poindexter；　with　a

carelessness　he　was　far　from　feeling。



〃Of　a　verity；　no。　　Do　you　wish　that　I　should　record　it？〃　asked　Don

Jose；　with　a　return　of　his　simple　gravity。



Poindexter　bit　his　lip。　　〃You　said　we　were　to　talk　like　gentlemen；〃

he　returned。　　〃Do　you　think　you　have　come　into　possession　of　this

alleged　deed　like　a　gentleman？〃



Don　Jose　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃I　found　it　tossed　in　the　lap　of

a　harlot。　　I　bought　it　for　a　song。　　Eh；　what　would　you？〃



〃Would　you　sell　it　again　for　a　song？〃　asked　Poindexter。



〃Ah！　what　is　this？〃　said　Don　Jose；　lifting　his　iron…gray　brows；

〃but　a　moment　ago　we　would　sell　everything；　for　any　money。　　Now　we

would　buy。　　Is　it　so？〃



〃One　moment；　Don　Jose；〃　said　Poindexter；　with　a　baleful　light　in

his　dark　eyes。　　〃Do　I　understand　that　you　are　the　ally　of　Spencer

Tucker　and　his　mistress；　that　you　intend　to　turn　this　doubly

betrayed　wife　from　the　only　roof　she　has　to　cover　her？〃



〃Ah；　I　comprehend　not。　　You　heard　her　say　she　wished　to　go。

Perhaps　it　may　please　ME　to　distribute　largess　to　these　cattle

yonder；　I　do　not　say　no。　　More　she　does　not　ask。　　But　YOU；　Don

Marco；　of　whom　are　you　advocate？　　You　abandon　your　client's

mistress　for　the　wife；　is　it　so？〃



〃What　I　may　do　you　will　learn　hereafter；〃　said　Poindexter；　who　had

regained　his　composure；　suddenly　reining　up　his　horse。　　〃As　our

paths　seem　likely　to　diverge；　they　had　better　begin　now。　　Good

morning。〃



〃Patience；　my　friend；　patience！　　Ah；　blessed　St。　Anthony；　what

these　Americans　are！　　Listen。　　For　what　YOU　shall　do；　I　do　not

inquire。　　The　question　is　to　me　what　I〃he　emphasized　the　pronoun

by　tapping　himself　on　the　breast〃I；　Jose　Santierra；　will　do。

Well；　I　shall　tell　you。　　To…day；　nothing。　　To…morrow；　nothing。　　For

a　week；　for　a　month；　nothing！　　After；　we　shall　see。〃



Poindexter　paused　thoughtfully。　　〃Will　you　give　your　word；　Don

Jose；　that　you　will　not　press　the　claim　for　a　month？〃



〃Truly；　on　one　condition。　　Observe！　　I　do　not　ask　you　for　an　equal

promise；　that　you　will　not　take　this　time　to　defend　yourself。〃　　He

shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃No！　　It　is　only　this。　　You　shall　promise

that　during　that　time　the　Senora　Tucker　shall　remain　ignorant　of

this　document。〃



Poindexter　hesitated　a　moment。　　〃I　promise；〃　he　said　at　last。



〃Good。　　Adios；　Don　Marco。〃



〃Adios；　Don　Jose。〃



The　Spaniard　put　spurs　to　his　mustang　and　galloped　off　in　the

direction　of　Los　Gatos。　　The　lawyer　remained　for　a　moment　gazing　on

his　retreating　but　victorious　figure。　　For　the　first　time　the　old

look　of　humorous　toleration　with　which　Mr。　Poindexter　was　in　the

habit　of　regarding　all　human　infirmity　gave　way　to　something　like

bitterness。　　〃I　might　have　guessed　it；〃　he　said；　with　a　slight　rise

of　color。　　〃He's　an　old　fool；　and　shewell；　perhaps　it's　all　the

better　for　her！〃　　He　glanced　backwards　almost　tenderly　in　the

direction　of　Los　Cuervos；　and　then　turned　his　head　towards　the

embarcadero。



As　the　afternoon　wore　on；　a　creaking；　antiquated　ox…cart　arrived　at

Los　Cuervos；　bearing　several　articles　of　furniture；　and　some

tasteful　ornaments　from　Los　Gatos；　at　the　same　time　that　a　young

Mexican　girl　mysteriously　appeared　in　the　kitchen；　as　a　temporary

assistant　to　the　decrepit　Concha。　　These　were　both　clearly

attributable　to　Don　Jose；　whose　visit　was　not　so　remote　but　that

these　delicate　attentions　might　have　been　already　projected　before

Mrs。　Tucker　had　declined　them；　and　she　could　not；　without　marked

discourtesy；　return　them　now。　　She　did　not　wish　to　seem

discourteous；　she　would　like　to　have　been　more　civil　to　this　old

gentleman；　who　still　retained　the　evidences　of　a　picturesque　and

decorous　past；　and　a　repose　so　different　from　the　life　that　was

perplexing　her。　　Reflecting　that　if　he　bought　the　estate　these

things　would　be　ready　to　his　hand；　and　with　a　woman's　instinct

recognizing　their　value　in　setting　off　the　house　to　other

purchasers'　eyes；　she　took　a　pleasure　in　tastefully　arranging　them；

and　even　found　herself　speculating　how　she　might　have　enjoyed　them

herself　had　she　been　able　to　keep　possession　of　the　property。

After　all；　it　would　not　have　been　so　lonely　if　refined　and　gentle

neighbors；　like　this　old　man；　would　have　sympathized　with　her；　she

had　an　instinctive　feeling　that；　in　their　own　hopeless　decay　and

hereditary　unfitness　for　this　new　civilization；　they　would　have

been　more　tolerant　of　her　husband's　failure　than　his　own　kind。　　She

could　not　believe　that　Don　Jose　really　hated　her　husband　for　buying

of　the　successful　claimant；　as　there　was　no　other　legal　title。

Allowing　herself　to　become　interested　in　the　guileless　gossip　of

the　new　handmaiden；　proud　of　her　broken　English；　she　was　drawn　into

a　sympathy　with　the　grave　simplicity　of　Don　Jose's　character；　a

relic　of　that　true　nobility　which　placed　this　descendant　of　the

Castilians　and　the　daughter　of　a　free　people　on　the　same　level。



In　this　way　the　second　day　of　her　occupancy　of　Los　Cuervos　closed；

with　dumb　clouds　along　the　gray　horizon；　and　the　paroxysms　of

hysterical　wind　growing　fainter　and　fainter　outside　the　walls；　with

the　moon　rising　after　nightfall；　and　losing　itself　in　silent　and

mysterious　confidences　with　drifting　s