riders of the purple sage-第25部分

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to　which　she　invited　him；　little　Fay　edged　as　much　as　half　an　inch　nearer。　Jane　replied　to　his　look　of　inquiry　and　told　Fay's　story。　The　rider's　gray；　earnest　gaze　troubled　her。　Then　he　turned　to　Fay　and　smiled　in　a　way　that　made　Jane　doubt　her　sense　of　the　true　relation　of　things。　How　could　Lassiter　smile　so　at　a　child　when　he　had　made　so　many　children　fatherless？　But　he　did　smile；　and　to　the　gentleness　she　had　seen　a　few　times　he　added　something　that　was　infinitely　sad　and　sweet。　Jane's　intuition　told　her　that　Lassiter　had　never　been　a　father；　but　if　life　ever　so　blessed　him　he　would　be　a　good　one。　Fay；　also；　must　have　found　that　smile　singularly　winning。　For　she　edged　closer　and　closer；　and　then；　by　way　of　feminine　capitulation；　went　to　Jane；　from　whose　side　she　bent　a　beautiful　glance　upon　the　rider。

Lassiter　only　smiled　at　her。

Jane　watched　them；　and　realized　that　now　was　the　moment　she　should　seize；　if　she　was　ever　to　win　this　man　from　his　hatred。　But　the　step　was　not　easy　to　take。　The　more　she　saw　of　Lassiter　the　more　she　respected　him；　and　the　greater　her　respect　the　harder　it　became　to　lend　herself　to　mere　coquetry。　Yet　as　she　thought　of　her　great　motive；　of　Tull；　and　of　that　other　whose　name　she　had　schooled　herself　never　to　think　of　in　connection　with　Milly　Erne's　avenger；　she　suddenly　found　she　had　no　choice。　And　her　creed　gave　her　boldness　far　beyond　the　limit　to　which　vanity　would　have　led　her。

〃Lassiter；　I　see　so　little　of　you　now；〃　she　said；　and　was　conscious　of　heat　in　her　cheeks。

〃I've　been　riding　hard；〃　he　replied。

〃But　you　can't　live　in　the　saddle。　You　come　in　sometimes。　Won't　you　come　here　to　see　meoftener？〃

〃Is　that　an　order？〃

〃Nonsense！　I　simply　ask　you　to　come　to　see　me　when　you　find　time。〃

〃Why？〃

The　query　once　heard　was　not　so　embarrassing　to　Jane　as　she　might　have　imagined。　Moreover；　it　established　in　her　mind　a　fact　that　there　existed　actually　other　than　selfish　reasons　for　her　wanting　to　see　him。　And　as　she　had　been　bold；　so　she　determined　to　be　both　honest　and　brave。

〃I've　reasonsonly　one　of　which　I　need　mention；〃　she　answered。　〃If　it's　possible　I　want　to　change　you　toward　my　people。　And　on　the　moment　I　can　conceive　of　little　I　wouldn't　do　to　gain　that　end。〃

How　much　better　and　freer　Jane　felt　after　that　confession！　She　meant　to　show　him　that　there　was　one　Mormon　who　could　play　a　game　or　wage　a　fight　in　the　open。

〃I　reckon；〃　said　Lassiter；　and　he　laughed。

It　was　the　best　in　her；　if　the　most　irritating；　that　Lassiter　always　aroused。

〃Will　you　come？〃　She　looked　into　his　eyes；　and　for　the　life　of　her　could　not　quite　subdue　an　imperiousness　that　rose　with　her　spirit。　〃I　never　asked　so　much　of　any　manexcept　Bern　Venters。〃

〃'Pears　to　me　that　you'd　run　no　risk；　or　Venters；　either。　But　mebbe　that　doesn't　hold　good　for　me。〃

〃You　mean　it　wouldn't　be　safe　for　you　to　be　often　here？　You　look　for　ambush　in　the　cottonwoods？〃

〃Not　that　so　much。〃

At　this　juncture　little　Fay　sidled　over　to　Lassiter。

〃Has　oo　a　little　dirt？〃　she　inquired。

〃No；　lassie；〃　replied　the　rider。

Whatever　Fay　seemed　to　be　searching　for　in　Lassiter's　sun…reddened　face　and　quiet　eyes　she　evidently　found。　〃Oo　tan　tom　to　see　me；〃　she　added；　and　with　that；　shyness　gave　place　to　friendly　curiosity。　First　his　sombrero　with　its　leather　band　and　silver　ornaments　commanded　her　attention；　next　his　quirt；　and　then　the　clinking；　silver　spurs。　These　held　her　for　some　time；　but　presently；　true　to　childish　fickleness；　she　left　off　playing　with　them　to　look　for　something　else。　She　laughed　in　glee　as　she　ran　her　little　hands　down　the　slippery；　shiny　surface　of　Lassiter's　leather　chaps。　Soon　she　discovered　one　of　the　hanging　gun　sheaths；　and　she　dragged　it　up　and　began　tugging　at　the　huge　black　handle　of　the　gun。　Jane　Withersteen　repressed　an　exclamation。　What　significance　there　was　to　her　in　the　little　girl's　efforts　to　dislodge　that　heavy　weapon！　Jane　Withersteen　saw　Fay's　play　and　her　beauty　and　her　love　as　most　powerful　allies　to　her　own　woman's　part　in　a　game　that　suddenly　had　acquired　a　strange　zest　and　a　hint　of　danger。　And　as　for　the　rider；　he　appeared　to　have　forgotten　Jane　in　the　wonder　of　this　lovely　child　playing　about　him。　At　first　he　was　much　the　shyer　of　the　two。　Gradually　her　confidence　overcame　his　backwardness；　and　he　had　the　temerity　to　stroke　her　golden　curls　with　a　great　hand。　Fay　rewarded　his　boldness　with　a　smile；　and　when　he　had　gone　to　the　extreme　of　closing　that　great　hand　over　her　little　brown　one；　she　said；　simply；　〃I　like　oo！〃

Sight　of　his　face　then　made　Jane　oblivious　for　the　time　to　his　character　as　a　hater　of　Mormons。　Out　of　the　mother　longing　that　swelled　her　breast　she　divined　the　child　hunger　in　Lassiter。

He　returned　the　next　day；　and　the　next；　and　upon　the　following　he　came　both　at　morning　and　at　night。　Upon　the　evening　of　this　fourth　day　Jane　seemed　to　feel　the　breaking　of　a　brooding　struggle　in　Lassiter。　During　all　these　visits　he　had　scarcely　a　word　to　say；　though　he　watched　her　and　played　absent…mindedly　with　Fay。　Jane　had　contented　herself　with　silence。　Soon　little　Fay　substituted　for　the　expression　of　regard；　〃I　like　oo；〃　a　warmer　and　more　generous　one；　〃I　love　oo。〃

Thereafter　Lassiter　came　oftener　to　see　Jane　and　her　little　protegee。　Daily　he　grew　more　gentle　and　kind；　and　gradually　developed　a　quaintly　merry　mood。　In　the　morning　he　lifted　Fay　upon　his　horse　and　let　her　ride　as　he　walked　beside　her　to　the　edge　of　the　sage。　In　the　evening　he　played　with　the　child　at　an　infinite　variety　of　games　she　invented；　and　then；　oftener　than　not；　he　accepted　Jane's　invitation　to　supper。　No　other　visitor　came　to　Withersteen　House　during　those　days。　So　that　in　spite　of　watchfulness　he　never　forgot；　Lassiter　began　to　show　he　felt　at　home　there。　After　the　meal　they　walked　into　the　grove　of　cottonwoods　or　up　by　the　lakes；　and　little　Fay　held　Lassiter's　hand　as　much　as　she　held　Jane's。　Thus　a　strange　relationship　was　established；　and　Jane　liked　it。　At　twilight　they　always　returned　to　the　house；　where　Fay　kissed　them　and　went　in　to　her　mother。　Lassiter　and　Jane　were　left　alone。

Then；　if　there　were　anything　that　a　good　woman　could　do　to　win　a　man　and　still　preserve　her　self…respect；　it　was　something　which　escaped　the　natural　subtlety　of　a　woman　determined　to　allure。　Jane's　vanity；　that　after　all　was　not　great；　was　soon　satisfied　with　Lassiter's　silent　admiration。　And　her　honest　desire　to　lead　him　from　his　dark；　blood…stained　path　would　never　have　blinded　her　to　what　she　owed　herself。　But　the　driving　passion　of　her　religion；　and　its　call　to　save　Mormons'　lives；　one　life　in　particular；　bore　Jane　Withersteen　close　to　an　infringement　of　her　womanhood。　In　the　beginning　she　had　reasoned　that　her　appeal　to　Lassiter　must　be　through　the　senses。　With　whatever　means　she　possessed　in　the　way　of　adornment　she　enhanced　her　beauty。　And　she　stooped　to　artifices　that　she　knew　were　unworthy　of　her；　but　which　she　deliberately　chose　to　employ。　She　made　of　herself　a　girl　in　every　variable　mood　wherein　a　girl　might　be　desirable。　In　those　moods　she　was　not　above　the　methods　of　an　inexperienced　though　natural　flirt。　She　kept　close　to　him　whenever　opportunity　afforded；　and　she　was　forever　playfully；　yet　passionately　underneath　the　surface；　fighting　him　for　possession　of　the　great　black　guns。　These　he　would　never　yield　to　her。　And　so　in　that　manner　their　hands　were　often　and　long　in　contact。　The　more　of　simplicity　that　she　sensed　in　him　the　greater　the　advantage　she　took。

She　had　a　trick　of　changingand　it　was　not　altogether　voluntaryfrom　this　gay；　thoughtless；　girlish　coquettishness　to　the　silence　and　the　brooding；　burning　mystery　of　a　woman's　mood。　The　strength　and　passion　and　fire　of　her　were　in　her　eyes；　and　she　so　used　them　that　Lassiter　had　to　see　this　depth　in　her；　this　haunting　promise　more　fitted　to　her　years　than　to　the　flaunting　guise　of　a　wilful　girl。

The　July　days　flew　by。　Jane　reasoned　that　if　it　were　possible　for　her　to　be　happy　during　such　a　time；　then　she　was　happy。　Little　Fay　completely　filled　a　long　aching　void　in　her　heart。　In　fettering　the　hands　of　this　Lassiter　she　was　accomplishing　the　greatest　good　of　her　life；　and　to　do　good　even　in　a　small　way　rendered　happiness　to　Jane　Withersteen。　She　had　attended　the　regular　Sunday　services　of　her　church；　otherwise　she　had　not　gone　to　the　village　for　weeks。　It　was　unusual　that　none　of　her　churchmen　or　friends　had　called　upon　her　of　late；　but　it　was　neglect　for　which　she　was　glad。　Judkins　and　his　boy　riders　had　experienced　no　difficulty　in　driving　the　white　herd。　So　these　warm　July　days　were　free　of　worry；　and　soon　Jane　hoped　she　had　passed　the　crisis；　and　for　her　to　hope　was　presently　to　trust；　and　then　to　believe。　She　thought　often　of　Venters；　but　in　a　dreamy；　abstract　way。　She　spent　hours　teaching　and　playing　with　little　Fay。　And　the　activity　of　her　mind　centered　around　Lassiter。　The　direction　she　had　given　her　will　seemed　to　blunt　any　branching　off　of　thought　from　that　straight　line。　The　mood　came　to　obsess　her。

In　the　end；　when　her　awakening　came；　she　learned　that　she　had　builded　better　than　she　knew。　Lassiter；　though　kinder　and　gentler　than　ever；　had　parted　with　his　quaint　humor　and　his　coldness　and　his　tranquillity　to　become　a　restless　and　unhappy　man。　Whatever　the　power　of　his　deadly　intent　toward　Mormons；　that　passion　now　had　a　rival；　the　one　equally　burning　and　consuming。　Jane　Withersteen　had　one　moment　of　exultation　before　the　dawn　of　a　strange　uneasiness。　What　if　she　had　made　of　herself　a　lure；　at　tremendous　cost　to　him　and　to　her；　and　all　in　vain！

That　night　in　the　moonlit　grove　she　summoned　all　her　courage　and；　turning　suddenly　in　the　path；　she　faced　Lassiter　and　leaned　close　to　him；　so　that　she　touched　him　and　her　eyes　looked　up　to　his。

〃Lassiter！。。。Will　you　do　anything　for　me？〃

In　the　moonlight　she　saw　his　dark；　worn　face　change；　and　by　that　change　she　seemed　to　feel　him　immovable　as　a　wall　of　stone。

Jane　slipped　her　hands　down　to　the　swinging　gun…sheaths；　and　when　she　had　locked　her　fingers　around　the　huge；　cold　handles　of　the　guns；　she　trembled　as　with　a　chilling　ripple　over　all　her　body。

〃May　I　take　your　guns？〃

〃Why？〃　he　asked；　and　for　the　first　time　to　her　his　voice　carried　a　harsh　note。　Jane　felt　hi