tales of trail and town-第22部分

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

direction　to　the　barn；　〃but　I　ain't　sure　it　WAS　any　one。〃



〃Then　he'd　already　PASSED　the　house　afore　you　saw　him？〃　said　the

deputy。



〃I　reckonif　it　WAS　him；〃　returned　Sue。



〃He　must　have　got　on；〃　said　the　deputy；　〃but　then　he　runs　like　a

deer；　it's　his　trade。〃



〃Wot　trade？〃



〃Acrobat。〃



〃Wot's　that？〃



The　two　men　were　delighted　at　this　divine　simplicity。　　〃A　man　who

runs；　jumps；　climbsand　all　that　sort；　in　the　circus。〃



〃But　isn't　he　runnin'；　jumpin'；　and　climbin'　away　from　ye　now？〃　she

continued　with　adorable　naivete。



The　deputy　smiled；　but　straightened　in　the　saddle。　　〃We're　bound　to

come　up　with　him　afore　he　reaches　Lowville；　and　between　that　and

this　house　it's　a　dead　level；　where　a　gopher　couldn't　leave　his

hole　without　your　spottin'　him　a　mile　off！　　Good…by！〃　　The　words

were　addressed　to　Ira；　but　the　parting　glance　was　directed　to　the

pretty　wife　as　the　two　men　galloped　away。



An　odd　uneasiness　at　this　sudden　revelation　of　his　wife's

prettiness　and　its　evident　effect　upon　his　visitors　came　over　Ira。

It　resulted　in　his　addressing　the　empty　space　before　his　door　with；

〃Well；　ye　won't　ketch　much　if　ye　go　on　yawpin'　and　dawdlin'　with

women…folks　like　this；〃　and　he　was　unreasonably　delighted　at　the

pretty　assent　of　disdain　and　scorn　which　sparkled　in　his　wife's

eyes　as　she　added：



〃Not　much；　I　reckon！〃



〃That's　the　kind　of　official　trash　we　have　to　pay　taxes　to　keep

up；〃　said　Ira；　who　somehow　felt　that　if　public　policy　was　not

amenable　to　private　sentiment　there　was　no　value　in　free

government。　　Mrs。　Beasley；　however；　complacently　resumed　her　dish…

washing；　and　Ira　returned　to　his　riata　in　the　adjoining　room。　　For

quite　an　interval　there　was　no　sound　but　the　occasional　click　of　a

dish　laid　upon　its　pile；　with　fingers　that；　however；　were　firm　and

untremulous。　　Presently　Sue's　low　voice　was　heard。



〃Wonder　if　that　deputy　caught　anything　yet。　　I've　a　good　mind　to

meander　up　the　road　and　see。〃



But　the　question　brought　Ira　to　the　door　with　a　slight　return　of

his　former　uneasiness。　　He　had　no　idea　of　subjecting　his　wife　to

another　admiring　interview。　　〃I　reckon　I'll　go　myself；〃　he　said

dubiously；　〃YOU'D　better　stay　and　look　after　the　house。〃



Her　eyes　brightened　as　she　carried　a　pile　of　plates　to　the　dresser；

it　was　possible　she　had　foreseen　this　compromise。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said

cheerfully；　〃you　could　go　farther　than　me。〃



Ira　reflected。　　He　could　also　send　them　about　their　business　if

they　thought　of　returning。　　He　lifted　his　hat　from　the　floor；　took

his　rifle　down　carefully　from　its　pegs；　and　slouched　out　into　the

road。　　Sue　watched　him　until　he　was　well　away；　then　flew　to　the

back　door；　stopping　only　an　instant　to　look　at　her　face　in　a　small

mirror　on　the　wall；yet　without　noticing　her　new　prettiness；then

ran　to　the　barn。　　Casting　a　backward　glance　at　the　diminishing

figure　of　her　husband　in　the　distance；　she　threw　open　the　door　and

shut　it　quickly　behind　her。　　At　first　the　abrupt　change　from　the

dazzling　outer　plain　to　the　deep　shadows　of　the　barn　bewildered

her。　　She　saw　before　her　a　bucket　half　filled　with　dirty　water；　and

a　quantity　of　wet　straw　littering　the　floor；　then　lifting　her　eyes

to　the　hay…loft；　she　detected　the　figure　of　the　fugitive；　unclothed

from　the　waist　upward；　emerging　from　the　loose　hay　in　which　he　had

evidently　been　drying　himself。　　Whether　it　was　the　excitement　of

his　perilous　situation；　or　whether　the　perfect　symmetry　of　his

bared　bust　and　armsunlike　anything　she　had　ever　seen　before

clothed　him　with　the　cold　ideality　of　a　statue；　she　could　not　say；

but　she　felt　no　shock　of　modesty；　while　the　man；　accustomed　to　the

public　half…exposure　in　tights　and　spangles；　was　more　conscious　of

detected　unreadiness　than　of　shame。



〃Gettin'　the　dust　off　me；〃　he　said；　in　hurried　explanation；　〃be

down　in　a　second。〃　　Indeed；　in　another　moment　he　had　resumed　his

shirt　and　flannel　coat；　and　swung　himself　to　the　floor　with　a　like

grace　and　dexterity；　that　was　to　her　the　revelation　of　a　descending

god。　　She　found　herself　face　to　face　with　him；his　features

cleansed　of　dirt　and　grime；　his　hair　plastered　in　wet　curls　on　his

low　forehead。　　It　was　a　face　of　cheap　adornment；　not　uncommon　in

his　professionunintelligent；　unrefined；　and　even　unheroic；　but

she　did　not　know　that。　　Overcoming　a　sudden　timidity；　she

nevertheless　told　him　briefly　and　concisely　of　the　arrival　and

departure　of　his　pursuers。



His　low　forehead　wrinkled。　　〃Thar's　no　getting　away　until　they　come

back；〃　he　said　without　looking　at　her。　　〃Could　ye　keep　me　in　here

to…night？〃



〃Yes；〃　she　returned　simply；　as　if　the　idea　had　already　occurred　to

her；　〃but　you　must　lie　low　in　the　loft。〃



〃And　could　you〃he　hesitated；　and　went　on　with　a　forced　smile

〃you　see；　I've　eaten　nothing　since　last　night。　　Could　you〃



〃I'll　bring　you　something；〃　she　said　quickly；　nodding　her　head。



〃And　if　you　had〃he　went　on　more　hesitatingly；　glancing　down　at

his　travel…torn　and　frayed　garments〃anything　like　a　coat；　or　any

other　clothing？　　It　would　disguise　me　also；　you　see；　and　put　'em

off　the　track。〃



She　nodded　her　head　again　rapidly：　she　had　thought　of　that　too；

there　was　a　pair　of　doeskin　trousers　and　a　velvet　jacket　left　by　a

Mexican　vaquero　who　had　bought　stock　from　them　two　years　ago。

Practical　as　she　was；　a　sudden　conviction　that　he　would　look　well

in　the　velvet　jacket　helped　her　resolve。



〃Did　they　say〃he　said；　with　his　forced　smile　and　uneasy　glance

〃did　theytell　you　anything　about　me？〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said　abstractedly；　gazing　at　him。



〃You　see；〃　he　began　hurriedly；　〃I'll　tell　you　how　it　was。〃



〃No；　don't！〃　she　said　quickly。　　She　meant　it。　　She　wanted　no　facts

to　stand　between　her　and　this　single　romance　of　her　life。　　〃I　must

go　and　get　the　things；〃　she　added；　turning　away；　〃before　he　gets

back。〃



〃Who's　HE？〃　asked　the　man。



She　was　about　to　reply；　〃My　husband；〃　but　without　knowing　why

stopped　and　said；　〃Mr。　Beasley；〃　and　then　ran　off　quickly　to　the

house。



She　found　the　vaquero's　clothes；　took　some　provisions；　filled　a

flask　of　whiskey　in　the　cupboard；　and　ran　back　with　them；　her　mouth

expanded　to　a　vague　smile；　and　pulsating　like　a　schoolgirl。　　She

even　repressed　with　difficulty　the　ejaculation　〃There！〃　as　she

handed　them　to　him。　　He　thanked　her；　but　with　eyes　fixed　and

fascinated　by　the　provisions。　　She　understood　it　with　a　new　sense

of　delicacy；　and　saying；　〃I'll　come　again　when　he　gets　back；〃　ran

off　and　returned　to　the　house；　leaving　him　alone　to　his　repast。



Meantime　her　husband；　lounging　lazily　along　the　high　road；　had

precipitated　the　catastrophe　he　wished　to　avoid。　　For　his　slouching

figure；　silhouetted　against　the　horizon　on　that　monotonous　level；

had　been　the　only　one　detected　by　the　deputy　sheriff　and　the

constable；　his　companion；　and　they　had　charged　down　within　fifty

yards　of　him　before　they　discovered　their　mistake。　　They　were　not

slow　in　making　this　an　excuse　for　abandoning　their　quest　as　far　as

Lowville：　in　fact；　after　quitting　the　distraction　of　Mrs。　Beasley's

presence　they　had；　without　in　the　least　suspecting　the　actual

truth；　become　doubtful　if　the　fugitive　had　proceeded　so　far。　　He

might　at　that　moment　be　snugly　ensconced　behind　some　low　wire…grass

ridge；　watching　their　own　clearly　defined　figures；　and　waiting　only

for　the　night　to　evade　them。　　The　Beasley　house　seemed　a　proper

place　of　operation　in　beating　up　the　field。　　Ira's　cold　reception

of　the　suggestion　was　duly　disposed　of　by　the　deputy。　　〃I　have　the

RIGHT；　ye　know；〃　he　said；　with　a　grim　pleasantry；　〃to　summon　ye　as

my　posse　to　aid　and　assist　me　in　carrying　out　the　law；　but　I　ain't

the　man　to　be　rough　on　my　friends；　and　I　reckon　it　will　do　jest　as

well　if　I　'requisition'　your　house。〃　　The　dreadful　recollection

that　the　deputy　had　the　power　to　detail　him　and　the　constable　to

scour　the　plain　while　he　remained　behind　in　company　with　Sue

stopped　Ira's　further　objections。　　Yet；　if　he　could　only　get　rid　of

her　while　the　deputy　was　in　the　house；but　then　his　nearest

neighbor　was　five　miles　away！　　There　was　nothing　left　for　him　to　do

but　to　return　with　the　men　and　watch　his　wife　keenly。　　Strange　to

say；　there　was　a　certain　stimulus　in　this　which　stirred　his

monotonous　pulses　and　was　not　without　a　vague　pleasure。　　There　is　a

revelation　to　some　natures　in　newly　awakened　jealousy　that　is　a

reincarnation　of　love。



As　they　came　into　the　house　a　slight　circumstance；　which　an　hour

ago　would　have　scarcely　touched　his　sluggish　sensibilities；　now

appeared　to　corroborate　his　fear。　　His　wife　had　changed　her　cuffs

and　collar；　taken　off　her　rough　apron；　and　evidently　redressed　her

hair。　　This；　with　the　enhanced　brightness　of　her　eyes；　which　he　had

before　noticed；　convinced　him　that　it　was　due　to　the　visit　of　the

deputy。　　There　was　no　doubt　that　the　official　was　equally　attracted

and　fascinated　by　her　prettiness；　and　although　her　acceptance　of

his　return　was　certainly　not　a　cordial　one；　there　was　a　kind　of

demure　restraint　and　over…consciousness　in　her　manner　that　might　be

coquetry。　　Ira　had　vaguely　observed　this　quality　in　other　young

women；　but　had　never　experienced　it　in　his　brief　courtship。　　There

had　been　no　rivalry；　no　sexual　diplomacy　nor　insincerity　in　his

capture　of　the　motherless　girl　who　had　leaped　from　the　tail…board

of　her　father's　wagon　almost　into　his　arms；　and　no　man　had　since

come　between　them。　　The　idea　that　Sue　should　care　for　any　other

than　himself　had　been　simply　inconceivable　to　his　placid；　matter…

of…fact　nature。　　That　their　sacrament　was　final　he　had　never

doubted。　　If　his　two　cows；　bought　with　his　own　money　or　reared　by

him；　should　suddenly　have　developed　an　inclination　to　give　milk　to

a　neighbor；　he　would　not　have　been　more　astonished。　　But　THEY　could

have　been　brought　back　with　a　rop