riders of the purple sage-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃Well；　I'm　glad；　but　never　mind　the　ma'am。　Let　it　still　be　Jane。〃

From　that　hour；　it　seemed；　Lassiter　was　always　in　the　saddle；　riding　early　and　late；　and　coincident　with　his　part　in　Jane's　affairs　the　days　assumed　their　old　tranquillity。　Her　intelligence　told　her　this　was　only　the　lull　before　the　storm；　but　her　faith　would　not　have　it　so。

She　resumed　her　visits　to　the　village；　and　upon　one　of　these　she　encountered　Tull。　He　greeted　her　as　he　had　before　any　trouble　came　between　them；　and　she；　responsive　to　peace　if　not　quick　to　forget；　met　him　halfway　with　manner　almost　cheerful。　He　regretted　the　loss　of　her　cattle；　he　assured　her　that　the　vigilantes　which　had　been　organized　would　soon　rout　the　rustlers；　when　that　had　been　accomplished　her　riders　would　likely　return　to　her。

〃You've　done　a　headstrong　thing　to　hire　this　man　Lassiter；〃　Tull　went　on；　severely。　〃He　came　to　Cottonwoods　with　evil　intent。〃

〃I　had　to　have　somebody。　And　perhaps　making　him　my　rider　may　turn　out　best　in　the　end　for　the　Mormons　of　Cottonwoods。〃

〃You　mean　to　stay　his　hand？〃

〃I　doif　I　can。〃

〃A　woman　like　you　can　do　anything　with　a　man。　That　would　be　well；　and　would　atone　in　some　measure　for　the　errors　you　have　made。〃

He　bowed　and　passed　on。　Jane　resumed　her　walk　with　conflicting　thoughts。　She　resented　Elder　Tull's　cold；　impassive　manner　that　looked　down　upon　her　as　one　who　had　incurred　his　just　displeasure。　Otherwise　he　would　have　been　the　same　calm；　dark…browed；　impenetrable　man　she　had　known　for　ten　years。　In　fact；　except　when　he　had　revealed　his　passion　in　the　matter　of　the　seizing　of　Venters；　she　had　never　dreamed　he　could　be　other　than　the　grave；　reproving　preacher。　He　stood　out　now　a　strange；　secretive　man。　She　would　have　thought　better　of　him　if　he　had　picked　up　the　threads　of　their　quarrel　where　they　had　parted。　Was　Tull　what　he　appeared　to　be？　The　question　flung　itself　in　voluntarily　over　Jane　Withersteen's　inhibitive　habit　of　faith　without　question。　And　she　refused　to　answer　it。　Tull　could　not　fight　in　the　open　Venters　had　said；　Lassiter　had　said；　that　her　Elder　shirked　fight　and　worked　in　the　dark。　Just　now　in　this　meeting　Tull　had　ignored　the　fact　that　he　had　sued；　exhorted；　demanded　that　she　marry　him。　He　made　no　mention　of　Venters。　His　manner　was　that　of　the　minister　who　had　been　outraged；　but　who　overlooked　the　frailties　of　a　woman。　Beyond　question　he　seemed　unutterably　aloof　from　all　knowledge　of　pressure　being　brought　to　bear　upon　her；　absolutely　guiltless　of　any　connection　with　secret　power　over　riders；　with　night　journeys；　with　rustlers　and　stampedes　of　cattle。　And　that　convinced　her　again　of　unjust　suspicions。　But　it　was　convincement　through　an　obstinate　faith。　She　shuddered　as　she　accepted　it；　and　that　shudder　was　the　nucleus　of　a　terrible　revolt。

Jane　turned　into　one　of　the　wide　lanes　leading　from　the　main　street　and　entered　a　huge；　shady　yard。　Here　were　sweet…smelling　clover；　alfalfa；　flowers；　and　vegetables；　all　growing　in　happy　confusion。　And　like　these　fresh　green　things　were　the　dozens　of　babies；　tots；　toddlers；　noisy　urchins；　laughing　girls；　a　whole　multitude　of　children　of　one　family。　For　Collier　Brandt；　the　father　of　all　this　numerous　progeny；　was　a　Mormon　with　four　wives。

The　big　house　where　they　lived　was　old；　solid；　picturesque　the　lower　part　built　of　logs；　the　upper　of　rough　clapboards；　with　vines　growing　up　the　outside　stone　chimneys。　There　were　many　wooden…shuttered　windows；　and　one　pretentious　window　of　glass　proudly　curtained　in　white。　As　this　house　had　four　mistresses；　it　likewise　had　four　separate　sections；　not　one　of　which　communicated　with　another；　and　all　had　to　be　entered　from　the　outside。

In　the　shade　of　a　wide；　low；　vine…roofed　porch　Jane　found　Brandt's　wives　entertaining　Bishop　Dyer。　They　were　motherly　women；　of　comparatively　similar　ages；　and　plain…featured；　and　just　at　this　moment　anything　but　grave。　The　Bishop　was　rather　tall；　of　stout　build；　with　iron…gray　hair　and　beard；　and　eyes　of　light　blue。　They　were　merry　now；　but　Jane　had　seen　them　when　they　were　not；　and　then　she　feared　him　as　she　had　feared　her　father。

The　women　flocked　around　her　in　welcome。

〃Daughter　of　Withersteen；〃　said　the　Bishop；　gaily；　as　he　took　her　hand；　〃you　have　not　been　prodigal　of　your　gracious　self　of　late。　A　Sabbath　without　you　at　service！　I　shall　reprove　Elder　Tull。〃

〃Bishop；　the　guilt　is　mine。　I'll　come　to　you　and　confess；〃　Jane　replied；　lightly；　but　she　felt　the　undercurrent　of　her　words。

〃Mormon　love…making！〃　exclaimed　the　Bishop；　rubbing　his　hands。　〃Tull　keeps　you　all　to　himself。〃

〃No。　He　is　not　courting　me。〃

〃What？　The　laggard！　If　he　does　not　make　haste　I'll　go　a…courting　myself　up　to　Withersteen　House。〃

There　was　laughter　and　further　bantering　by　the　Bishop；　and　then　mild　talk　of　village　affairs；　after　which　he　took　his　leave；　and　Jane　was　left　with　her　friend；　Mary　Brandt。

〃Jane；　you're　not　yourself。　Are　you　sad　about　the　rustling　of　the　cattle？　But　you　have　so　many；　you　are　so　rich。〃

Then　Jane　confided　in　her；　telling　much；　yet　holding　back　her　doubts　of　fear。

〃Oh；　why　don't　you　marry　Tull　and　be　one　of　us？

〃But；　Mary；　I　don't　love　Tull；〃　said　Jane；　stubbornly。

〃I　don't　blame　you　for　that。　But；　Jane　Withersteen；　you've　got　to　choose　between　the　love　of　man　and　love　of　God。　Often　we　Mormon　women　have　to　do　that。　It's　not　easy。　The　kind　of　happiness　you　want　I　wanted　once。　I　never　got　it；　nor　will　you；　unless　you　throw　away　your　soul。　We've　all　watched　your　affair　with　Venters　in　fear　and　trembling。　Some　dreadful　thing　will　come　of　it。　You　don't　want　him　hanged　or　shotor　treated　worse；　as　that　Gentile　boy　was　treated　in　Glaze　for　fooling　round　a　Mormon　woman。　Marry　Tull。　It's　your　duty　as　a　Mormon。　You'll　feel　no　rapture　as　his　wifebut　think　of　Heaven！　Mormon　women　don't　marry　for　what　they　expect　on　earth。　Take　up　the　cross；　Jane。　Remember　your　father　found　Amber　Spring；　built　these　old　houses；　brought　Mormons　here；　and　fathered　them。　You　are　the　daughter　of　Withersteen！〃

Jane　left　Mary　Brandt　and　went　to　call　upon　other　friends。　They　received　her　with　the　same　glad　welcome　as　had　Mary；　lavished　upon　her　the　pent…up　affection　of　Mormon　women；　and　let　her　go　with　her　ears　ringing　of　Tull；　Venters；　Lassiter；　of　duty　to　God　and　glory　in　Heaven。

〃Verily；〃　murmured　Jane；　〃I　don't　know　myself　when；　through　all　this；　I　remain　unchangednay；　more　fixed　of　purpose。〃

She　returned　to　the　main　street　and　bent　her　thoughtful　steps　toward　the　center　of　the　village。　A　string　of　wagons　drawn　by　oxen　was　lumbering　along。　These　〃sage…freighters；〃　as　they　were　called；　hauled　grain　and　flour　and　merchandise　from　Sterling；　and　Jane　laughed　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　her　humility　at　the　thought　that　they　were　her　property；　as　was　one　of　the　three　stores　for　which　they　freighted　goods。　The　water　that　flowed　along　the　path　at　her　feet；　and　turned　into　each　cottage…yard　to　nourish　garden　and　orchard；　also　was　hers；　no　less　her　private　property　because　she　chose　to　give　it　free。　Yet　in　this　village　of　Cottonwoods；　which　her　father　had　founded　and　which　she　maintained　she　was　not　her　own　mistress；　she　was　not　able　to　abide　by　her　own　choice　of　a　husband。　She　was　the　daughter　of　Withersteen。　Suppose　she　proved　it；　imperiously！　But　she　quelled　that　proud　temptation　at　its　birth。

Nothing　could　have　replaced　the　affection　which　the　village　people　had　for　her；　no　power　could　have　made　her　happy　as　the　pleasure　her　presence　gave。　As　she　went　on　down　the　street　past　the　stores　with　their　rude　platform　entrances；　and　the　saloons　where　tired　horses　stood　with　bridles　dragging；　she　was　again　assured　of　what　was　the　bread　and　wine　of　life　to　herthat　she　was　loved。　Dirty　boys　playing　in　the　ditch；　clerks；　teamsters；　riders；　loungers　on　the　corners；　ranchers　on　dusty　horses　little　girls　running　errands；　and　women　hurrying　to　the　stores　all　looked　up　at　her　coming　with　glad　eyes。

Jane's　various　calls　and　wandering　steps　at　length　led　her　to　the　Gentile　quarter　of　the　village。　This　was　at　the　extreme　southern　end；　and　here　some　thirty　Gentile　families　lived　in　huts　and　shacks　and　log…cabins　and　several　dilapidated　cottages。　The　fortunes　of　these　inhabitants　of　Cottonwoods　could　be　read　in　their　abodes。　Water　they　had　in　abundance；　and　therefore　grass　and　fruit…trees　and　patches　of　alfalfa　and　vegetable　gardens。　Some　of　the　men　and　boys　had　a　few　stray　cattle；　others　obtained　such　intermittent　employment　as　the　Mormons　reluctantly　tendered　them。　But　none　of　the　families　was　prosperous；　many　were　very　poor；　and　some　lived　only　by　Jane　Withersteen's　beneficence。

As　it　made　Jane　happy　to　go　among　her　own　people；　so　it　saddened　her　to　come　in　contact　with　these　Gentiles。　Yet　that　was　not　because　she　was　unwelcome；　here　she　was　gratefully　received　by　the　women；　passionately　by　the　children。　But　poverty　and　idleness；　with　their　attendant　wretchedness　and　sorrow；　always　hurt　her。　That　she　could　alleviate　this　distress　more　now　than　ever　before　proved　the　adage　that　it　was　an　ill　wind　that　blew　nobody　good。　While　her　Mormon　riders　were　in　her　employ　she　had　found　few　Gentiles　who　would　stay　with　her；　and　now　she　was　able　to　find　employment　for　all　the　men　and　boys。　No　little　shock　was　it　to　have　man　after　man　tell　her　that　he　dare　not　accept　her　kind　offer。

〃It　won't　do；〃　said　one　Carson；　an　intelligent　man　who　had　seen　better　days。　〃We've　had　our　warning。　Plain　and　to　the　point！　Now　there's　Judkins；　he　packs　guns；　and　he　can　use　them；　and　so　can　the　daredevil　boys　he's　hired。　But　they've　little　responsibility。　Can　we　risk　having　our　homes　burned　in　our　absence？〃

Jane　felt　the　stretching　and　chilling　of　the　skin　of　her　face　as　the　blood　left　it。

〃Carson；　you　and　the　others　rent　these　houses？〃　she　asked。

〃You　ought　to　know；　Miss　Withersteen。　Some　of　them　are　yours。〃

〃I　know？。。。Carson；　I　never　in　my　life　took　a　day's　labor　for　rent　or　a　yearling　calf　or　a　bunch　of　grass；　let　alone　gold。〃

〃Bivens；　your　store…keeper；　sees　to　that。〃

〃Look　here；　Carson；〃　went　on　Jane；　hurriedly；　and　now　her　cheeks　were　burning。　〃You　and　Black　and　Willet　pack　your　goods　and　move　your　families　up　to　my　cabins　in　the　grove。　They're　far　more　comfortable　than　these。　Then　go　to　work　for　me。　And　if　aught　happens　to　yo