tales of trail and town-第21部分

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to　Paris　to　seek　you？　　How　I　found　that　even　the　pictureyour

picture；　Helenhad　been　sold。　　How；　in　tracing　it　here；　I　met　the

duchess　at　Deep　Hill；　and　learning　you　were　with　her；　in　a　moment

of　impulse　told　her　my　whole　story。　　How　she　told　me　that　though

she　was　your　best　friend；　you　had　never　spoken　of　me；　and　how　she

begged　me　not　to　spoil　your　chance　of　a　good　match　by　revealing

myself；　and　so　awakening　a　pastwhich　she　believed　you　had

forgotten。　　How　she　implored　me　at　least　to　let　her　make　a　fair

test　of　your　affections　and　your　memory；　and　until　then　to　keep

away　from　youand　to　spare　you；　Helen；　and　for　your　sake；　I

consented。　　Surely　she　has　told　this；　NOW！〃



〃Not　a　word；〃　said　Helen　blankly。



〃Then　you　mean　to　say　that　if　I　had　not　haunted　the　park　to…day；　in

the　hope　of　seeing　you；　believing　that　as　you　would　not　recognize

me　with　this　artificial　arm；　I　should　not　break　my　promise　to　her；

you　would　not　have　known　I　was　even　living。〃



〃No！yes！stay！〃　　A　smile　broke　over　her　pale　face　and　left　it

rosy。　　〃I　see　it　all　now。　　Oh；　Philip；　don't　you　understand？　　She

wanted　only　to　try　us！〃



There　was　a　silence　in　the　lonely　wood；　broken　only　by　the　trills

of　a　frightened　bird　whose　retreat　was　invaded。



〃Not　now！　　Please！　　Wait！　　Come　with　me！〃



The　next　moment　she　had　seized　Philip's　left　hand；　and；　dragging

him　with　her；　was　flying　down　the　walk　towards　the　house。　　But　as

they　neared　the　garden　door　it　suddenly　opened　on　the　duchess；　with

her　glasses　to　her　eyes；　smiling。



The　General　Don　Felipe　Ostrander　did　not　buy　Hamley　Court；　but　he

and　his　wife　were　always　welcome　guests　there。　　And　Sir　James；　as

became　an　English　gentleman；amazed　though　he　was　at　Philip's

singular　return；　and　more　singular　incognito；afterwards　gallantly

presented　Philip's　wife　with　Philip's　first　picture。







THE　JUDGMENT　OF　BOLINAS　PLAIN





The　wind　was　getting　up　on　the　Bolinas　Plain。　　It　had　started　the

fine　alkaline　dust　along　the　level　stage　road；　so　that　even　that

faint　track；　the　only　break　in　the　monotony　of　the　landscape；

seemed　fainter　than　ever。　　But　the　dust　cloud　was　otherwise　a

relief；　it　took　the　semblance　of　distant　woods　where　there　was　no

timber；　of　moving　teams　where　there　was　no　life。　　And　as　Sue

Beasley；　standing　in　the　doorway　of　One　Spring　House　that

afternoon；　shading　her　sandy　lashes　with　her　small　red　hand；

glanced　along　the　desolate　track；　even　HER　eyes；　trained　to　the

dreary　prospect；　were　once　or　twice　deceived。



〃Sue！〃



It　was　a　man's　voice　from　within。　　Sue　took　no　notice　of　it；　but

remained　with　her　hand　shading　her　eyes。



〃Sue！　　Wot　yer　yawpin'　at　thar？〃



〃Yawpin'〃　would　seem　to　have　been　the　local　expression　for　her

abstraction；　since；　without　turning　her　head；　she　answered　slowly

and　languidly：　〃Reckoned　I　see'd　som'　un　on　the　stage　road。　　But

'tain't　nothin'　nor　nobody。〃



Both　voices　had　in　their　accents　and　delivery　something　of　the

sadness　and　infinite　protraction　of　the　plain。　　But　the　woman's　had

a　musical　possibility　in　its　long…drawn　cadence；　while　the　man's

was　only　monotonous　and　wearying。　　And　as　she　turned　back　into　the

room　again；　and　confronted　her　companion；　there　was　the　like

difference　in　their　appearance。　　Ira　Beasley；　her　husband；　had

suffered　from　the　combined　effects　of　indolence；　carelessness；

misadventure；　and　disease。　　Two　of　his　fingers　had　been　cut　off　by

a　scythe；　his　thumb　and　part　of　his　left　ear　had　been　blown　away　by

an　overcharged　gun；　his　knees　were　crippled　by　rheumatism；　and　one

foot　was　lame　from　ingrowing　nails；deviations　that；　however；　did

not　tend　to　correct　the　original　angularities　of　his　frame。　　His

wife；　on　the　other　hand；　had　a　pretty　figure；　which　still　retained

they　were　childlessthe　rounded　freshness　of　maidenhood。　　Her

features　were　irregular；　yet　not　without　a　certain　piquancy　of

outline；　her　hair　had　the　two　shades　sometimes　seen　in　imperfect

blondes；　and　her　complexion　the　sallowness　of　combined　exposure　and

alkaline　assimilation。



She　had　lived　there　since；　an　angular　girl　of　fifteen；　she　had　been

awkwardly　helped　by　Ira　from　the　tail…board　of　the　emigrant　wagon

in　which　her　mother　had　died　two　weeks　before；　and　which　was　making

its　first　halt　on　the　Californian　plains；　before　Ira's　door。　　On

the　second　day　of　their　halt　Ira　had　tried　to　kiss　her　while　she

was　drawing　water；　and　had　received　the　contents　of　the　bucket

instead；the　girl　knowing　her　own　value。　　On　the　third　day　Ira　had

some　conversation　with　her　father　regarding　locations　and　stock。

On　the　fourth　day　this　conversation　was　continued　in　the　presence

of　the　girl；　on　the　fifth　day　the　three　walked　to　Parson　Davies'

house；　four　miles　away；　where　Ira　and　Sue　were　married。　　The

romance　of　a　week　had　taken　place　within　the　confines　of　her

present　view　from　the　doorway；　the　episode　of　her　life　might　have

been　shut　in　in　that　last　sweep　of　her　sandy　lashes。



Nevertheless；　at　that　moment　some　instinct；　she　knew　not　what；

impelled　her　when　her　husband　left　the　room　to　put　down　the　dish

she　was　washing；　and；　with　the　towel　lapped　over　her　bare　pretty

arms；　to　lean　once　more　against　the　doorpost；　lazily　looking　down

the　plain。　　A　cylindrical　cloud　of　dust　trailing　its　tattered　skirt

along　the　stage　road　suddenly　assaulted　the　house；　and　for　an

instant　enveloped　it。　　As　it　whirled　away　again　something　emerged；

or　rather　dropped　from　its　skirts　behind　the　little　cluster　of　low

bushes　which　encircled　the　〃One　Spring。〃　　It　was　a　man。



〃Thar！　　I　knew　it　was　suthin'；〃　she　began　aloud；　but　the　words

somehow　died　upon　her　lips。　　Then　she　turned　and　walked　towards　the

inner　door；　wherein　her　husband　had　disappeared；but　here　stopped

again　irresolutely。　　Then　she　suddenly　walked　through　the　outer

door　into　the　road　and　made　directly　for　the　spring。　　The　figure　of

a　man　crouching；　covered　with　dust；　half　rose　from　the　bushes　when

she　reached　them。　　She　was　not　frightened；　for　he　seemed　utterly

exhausted；　and　there　was　a　singular　mixture　of　shame；　hesitation；

and　entreaty　in　his　broken　voice　as　he　gasped　out：



〃Look　here！I　say！　hide　me　somewhere；　won't　you？　　Just　for　a

little。　　You　seethe　fact　isI'm　chased！　　They're　hunting　me

now；they're　just　behind　me。　　Anywhere　will　do　till　they　go　by！

Tell　you　all　about　it　another　time。　　Quick！　　Please　do！〃



In　all　this　there　was　nothing　dramatic　nor　even　startling　to　her。

Nor　did　there　seem　to　be　any　present　danger　impending　to　the　man。

He　did　not　look　like　a　horse…thief　nor　a　criminal。　　And　he　had

tried　to　laugh；　half…apologetically；　half…bitterly；the

consciousness　of　a　man　who　had　to　ask　help　of　a　woman　at　such　a

moment。



She　gave　a　quick　glance　towards　the　house。　　He　followed　her　eyes；

and　said　hurriedly：　〃Don't　tell　on　me。　　Don't　let　any　one　see　me。

I'm　trusting　you。



〃Come；〃　she　said　suddenly。　　〃Get　on　THIS　side。〃



He　understood　her；　and　slipped　to　her　side；　half…creeping；　half…

crouching　like　a　dog　behind　her　skirts；　but　keeping　her　figure

between　him　and　the　house　as　she　moved　deliberately　towards　the

barn；　scarce　fifty　yards　away。　　When　she　reached　it　she　opened　the

half…door　quickly；　said：　〃In　thereat　the　topamong　the　hay〃

closed　it；　and　was　turning　away；　when　there　came　a　faint　rapping

from　within。　　She　opened　the　door　again　impatiently；　the　man　said

hastily：　〃Wanted　to　tell　youit　was　a　man　who　insulted　a　WOMAN！　　I

went　for　him；　you　seeand〃



But　she　shut　the　door　sharply。　　The　fugitive　had　made　a　blunder。

The　importation　of　her　own　uncertain　sex　into　the　explanation　did

not　help　him。　　She　kept　on　towards　the　house；　however；　without　the

least　trace　of　excitement　or　agitation　in　her　manner；　entered　the

front　door　again；　walked　quietly　to　the　door　of　the　inner　room；

glanced　in；　saw　that　her　husband　was　absorbed　in　splicing　a　riata；

and　had　evidently　not　missed　her；　and　returned　quietly　to　her　dish…

washing。　　With　this　singular　difference：　a　few　moments　before　she

had　seemed　inattentive　and　careless　of　what　she　was　doing；　as　if

from　some　abstraction；　now；　when　she　was　actually　abstracted；　her

movements　were　mechanically　perfect　and　deliberate。　　She　carefully

held　up　a　dish　and　examined　it　minutely　for　cracks；　rubbing　it

cautiously　with　the　towel；　but　seeing　all　the　while　only　the　man

she　had　left　in　the　barn。　　A　few　moments　elapsed。　　Then　there　came

another　rush　of　wind　around　the　house；　a　drifting　cloud　of　dust

before　the　door；　the　clatter　of　hoofs；　and　a　quick　shout。



Her　husband　reached　the　door；　from　the　inner　room；　almost　as

quickly　as　she　did。　　They　both　saw　in　the　road　two　armed　mounted

menone　of　whom　Ira　recognized　as　the　sheriff's　deputy。



〃Has　anybody　been　here；　just　now？〃　he　asked　sharply。



〃No。〃



〃Seen　anybody　go　by？〃　he　continued。



〃No。　　What's　up？〃



〃One　of　them　circus　jumpers　stabbed　Hal　Dudley　over　the　table　in

Dolores　monte　shop　last　night；　and　got　away　this　morning。　　We

hunted　him　into　the　plain　and　lost　him　somewhere　in　this　dd

dust。〃



〃Why；　Sue　reckoned　she　saw　suthin'　just　now；〃　said　Ira；　with　a

flash　of　recollection。　　〃Didn't　ye；　Sue？〃



〃Why　the　h…ll　didn't　she　say　it　before？I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am；

didn't　see　you；　you'll　excuse　haste。〃



Both　the　men's　hats　were　in　their　hands；　embarrassed　yet　gratified

smiles　on　their　faces；　as　Sue　came　forward。　　There　was　the　faintest

of　color　in　her　sallow　cheek；　a　keen　brilliancy　in　her　eyes；　she

looked　singularly　pretty。　　Even　Ira　felt　a　slight　antenuptial

stirring　through　his　monotonously　wedded　years。



The　young　woman　walked　out；　folding　the　towel　around　her　red　hands

and　forearmsleaving　the　rounded　whiteness　of　bared　elbow　and

upper　arm　in　charming　contrastand　looked　gravely　past　the

admiring　figures　that　nearly　touched　her　own。　　〃It　was　somewhar

over　thar；〃　she　said　lazily；　pointing　up　the　road　in　the　opposite

direction　to　the　barn；　〃but　I　ain't