riders of the purple sage-第27部分

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。　She　saw　gleam　of　blue　and　spout　of　red。　In　her　ears　burst　a　thundering　report。　The　court　floated　in　darkening　circles　around　her；　and　she　fell　into　utter　blackness。

The　darkness　lightened；　turned　to　slow…drifting　haze；　and　lifted。　Through　a　thin　film　of　blue　smoke　she　saw　the　rough…hewn　timbers　of　the　court　roof。　A　cool；　damp　touch　moved　across　her　brow。　She　smelled　powder；　and　it　was　that　which　galvanized　her　suspended　thought。　She　moved；　to　see　that　she　lay　prone　upon　the　stone　flags　with　her　head　on　Lassiter's　knee；　and　he　was　bathing　her　brow　with　water　from　the　stream。　The　same　swift　glance；　shifting　low；　brought　into　range　of　her　sight　a　smoking　gun　and　splashes　of　blood。

〃Ah…h！〃　she　moaned；　and　was　drifting；　sinking　again　into　darkness；　when　Lassiter's　voice　arrested　her。

〃It's　all　right；　Jane。　It's　all　right。〃

〃Didyoukillhim？〃　she　whispered。

〃Who？　That　fat　party　who　was　here？　No。　I　didn't　kill　him。〃

〃Oh！。。。Lassiter！〃

〃Say！　It　was　queer　for　you　to　faint。　I　thought　you　were　such　a　strong　woman；　not　faintish　like　that。　You're　all　right　nowonly　some　pale。　I　thought　you'd　never　come　to。　But　I'm　awkward　round　women　folks。　I　couldn't　think　of　anythin'。〃

〃Lassiter！。。。the　gun　there！。。。the　blood！〃

〃So　that's　troublin'　you。　I　reckon　it　needn't。　You　see　it　was　this　way。　I　come　round　the　house　an'　seen　that　fat　party　an'　heard　him　talkin'　loud。　Then　he　seen　me；　an'　very　impolite　goes　straight　for　his　gun。　He　oughtn't　have　tried　to　throw　a　gun　on　mewhatever　his　reason　was。　For　that's　meetin'　me　on　my　own　grounds。　I've　seen　runnin'　molasses　that　was　quicker　'n　him。　Now　I　didn't　know　who　he　was；　visitor　or　friend　or　relation　of　yours；　though　I　seen　he　was　a　Mormon　all　over；　an'　I　couldn't　get　serious　about　shootin'。　So　I　winged　himput　a　bullet　through　his　arm　as　he　was　pullin'　at　his　gun。　An'　he　dropped　the　gun　there；　an'　a　little　blood。　I　told　him　he'd　introduced　himself　sufficient；　an'　to　please　move　out　of　my　vicinity。　An'　he　went。〃

Lassiter　spoke　with　slow；　cool；　soothing　voice；　in　which　there　was　a　hint　of　levity；　and　his　touch；　as　he　continued　to　bathe　her　brow；　was　gentle　and　steady。　His　impassive　face；　and　the　kind　gray　eyes；　further　stilled　her　agitation。

〃He　drew　on　you　first；　and　you　deliberately　shot　to　cripple　himyou　wouldn't　kill　himyouLassiter？〃'

〃That's　about　the　size　of　it。〃

Jane　kissed　his　hand。

All　that　was　calm　and　cool　about　Lassiter　instantly　vanished。

〃Don't　do　that！　I　won't　stand　it！　An'　I　don't　care　a　damn　who　that　fat　party　was。〃

He　helped　Jane　to　her　feet　and　to　a　chair。　Then　with　the　wet　scarf　he　had　used　to　bathe　her　face　he　wiped　the　blood　from　the　stone　flags　and；　picking　up　the　gun；　he　threw　it　upon　a　couch。　With　that　he　began　to　pace　the　court；　and　his　silver　spurs　jangled　musically；　and　the　great　gun…sheaths　softly　brushed　against　his　leather　chaps。

〃Soit's　truewhat　I　heard　him　say？〃　Lassiter　asked；　presently　halting　before　her。　〃You　made　love　to　meto　bind　my　hands？〃

〃Yes；〃　confessed　Jane。　It　took　all　her　woman's　courage　to　meet　the　gray　storm　of　his　glance。

〃All　these　days　that　you've　been　so　friendly　an'　like　a　pardnerall　these　evenin's　that　have　been　so　bewilderin'　to　meyour　beautyan'an'　the　way　you　looked　an'　came　close　to　methey　were　woman's　tricks　to　bind　my　hands？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃An'　your　sweetness　that　seemed　so　natural；　an'　your　throwin'　little　Fay　an'　me　so　much　togetherto　make　me　love　the　childall　that　was　for　the　same　reason？〃

〃Yes。〃

Lassiter　flung　his　armsa　strange　gesture　for　him。

〃Mebbe　it　wasn't　much　in　your　Mormon　thinkin'；　for　you　to　play　that　game。　But　to　ring　the　child　inthat　was　hellish！〃

Jane's　passionate；　unheeding　zeal　began　to　loom　darkly。

〃Lassiter；　whatever　my　intention　in　the　beginning；　Fay　loves　you　dearly　and　II've　grown　toto　like　you。〃

〃That's　powerful　kind　of　you；　now；〃　he　said。　Sarcasm　and　scorn　made　his　voice　that　of　a　stranger。　〃An'　you　sit　there　an'　look　me　straight　in　the　eyes！　You're　a　wonderful　strange　woman；　Jane　Withersteen。〃

〃I'm　not　ashamed；　Lassiter。　I　told　you　I'd　try　to　change　you。〃

〃Would　you　mind　tellin'　me　just　what　you　tried？〃

〃I　tried　to　make　you　see　beauty　in　me　and　be　softened　by　it。　I　wanted　you　to　care　for　me　so　that　I　could　influence　you。　It　wasn't　easy。　At　first　you　were　stone…blind。　Then　I　hoped　you'd　love　little　Fay；　and　through　that　come　to　feel　the　horror　of　making　children　fatherless。〃

〃Jane　Withersteen；　either　you're　a　fool　or　noble　beyond　my　understandin'。　Mebbe　you're　both。　I　know　you're　blind。　What　you　meant　is　one　thingwhat　you　did　was　to　make　me　love　you。〃

〃Lassiter！〃

〃I　reckon　I'm　a　human　bein'；　though　I　never　loved　any　one　but　my　sister；　Milly　Erne。　That　was　long〃

〃Oh；　are　you　Milly's　brother？〃

〃Yes；　I　was；　an'　I　loved　her。　There　never　was　any　one　but　her　in　my　life　till　now。　Didn't　I　tell　you　that　long　ago　I　back…trailed　myself　from　women？　I　was　a　Texas　ranger　tilltill　Milly　left　home；　an'　then　I　became　somethin'　elseLassiter！　For　years　I've　been　a　lonely　man　set　on　one　thing。　I　came　here　an'　met　you。　An'　now　I'm　not　the　man　I　was。　The　change　was　gradual；　an'　I　took　no　notice　of　it。　I　understand　now　that　never…satisfied　longin'　to　see　you；　listen　to　you；　watch　you；　feel　you　near　me。　It's　plain　now　why　you　were　never　out　of　my　thoughts。　I've　had　no　thoughts　but　of　you。　I've　lived　an'　breathed　for　you。　An'　now　when　I　know　what　it　meanswhat　you've　doneI'm　burnin'　up　with　hell's　fire！〃

〃Oh；　Lassiternonoyou　don't　love　me　that　way！〃　Jane　cased。

〃If　that's　what　love　is；　then　I　do。〃

〃Forgive　me！　I　didn't　mean　to　make　you　love　me　like　that。　Oh；　what　a　tangle　of　our　lives！　YouMilly　Erne's　brother！　And　Iheedless；　mad　to　melt　your　heart　toward　Mormons。　Lassiter；　I　may　be　wicked　but　not　wicked　enough　to　hate。　If　I　couldn't　hate　Tull；　could　I　hate　you？〃

〃After　all；　Jane；　mebbe　you're　only　blindMormon　blind。　That　only　can　explain　what's　close　to　selfishness〃

〃I'm　not　selfish。　I　despise　the　very　word。　If　I　were　free〃

〃But　you're　not　free。　Not　free　of　Mormonism。　An'　in　playin'　this　game　with　me　you've　been　unfaithful。〃

〃Unfaithful！〃　faltered　Jane。

〃Yes；　I　said　unfaithful。　You're　faithful　to　your　Bishop　an'　unfaithful　to　yourself。　You're　false　to　your　womanhood　an'　true　to　your　religion。　But　for　a　savin'　innocence　you'd　have　made　yourself　low　an'　vile　betrayin'　yourself；　betrayin'　meall　to　bind　my　hands　an'　keep　me　from　snuffin'　out　Mormon　life。　It's　your　damned　Mormon　blindness。〃

〃Is　it　vileis　it　blindis　it　only　Mormonism　to　save　human　life？　No；　Lassiter；　that's　God's　law；　divine；　universal　for　all　Christians。〃

〃The　blindness　I　mean　is　blindness　that　keeps　you　from　seein'　the　truth。　I've　known　many　good　Mormons。　But　some　are　blacker　than　hell。　You　won't　see　that　even　when　you　know　it。　Else；　why　all　this　blind　passion　to　save　the　life　of　thatthat。。。。〃

Jane　shut　out　the　light；　and　the　hands　she　held　over　her　eyes　trembled　and　quivered　against　her　face。

〃Blindyes；　en'　let　me　make　it　clear　en'　simple　to　you；〃　Lassiter　went　on；　his　voice　losing　its　tone　of　anger。　〃Take；　for　instance；　that　idea　of　yours　last　night　when　you　wanted　my　guns。　It　was　good　an'　beautiful；　an'　showed　your　heartbutwhy；　Jane；　it　was　crazy。　Mind　I'm　assumin'　that　life　to　me　is　as　sweet　as　to　any　other　man。　An'　to　preserve　that　life　is　each　man's　first　an'　closest　thought。　Where　would　any　man　be　on　this　border　without　guns？　Where；　especially；　would　Lassiter　be？　Well；　I'd　be　under　the　sage　with　thousands　of　other　men　now　livin'　an'　sure　better　men　than　me。　Gun…packin'　in　the　West　since　the　Civil　War　has　growed　into　a　kind　of　moral　law。　An'　out　here　on　this　border　it's　the　difference　between　a　man　an'　somethin'　not　a　man。　Look　what　your　takin'　Venters's　guns　from　him　all　but　made　him！　Why；　your　churchmen　carry　guns。　Tull　has　killed　a　man　an'　drawed　on　others。　Your　Bishop　has　shot　a　half　dozen　men；　an'　it　wasn't　through　prayers　of　his　that　they　recovered。　An'　to…day　he'd　have　shot　me　if　he'd　been　quick　enough　on　the　draw。　Could　I　walk　or　ride　down　into　Cottonwoods　without　my　guns？　This　is　a　wild　time；　Jane　Withersteen；　this　year　of　our　Lord　eighteen　seventy…　one。〃

〃No　timefor　a　woman！〃　exclaimed　Jane；　brokenly。　〃Oh；　Lassiter；　I　feel　helplesslostand　don't　know　where　to　turn。　If　I　am　blindthenI　need　some　onea　friendyou；　Lassitermore　than　ever！〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　say　nothin'　about　goin'　back　on　you；　did　I？〃



CHAPTER　XII。　THE　INVISIBLE　HAND

Jane　received　a　letter　from　Bishop　Dyer；　not　in　his　own　handwriting；　which　stated　that　the　abrupt　termination　of　their　interview　had　left　him　in　some　doubt　as　to　her　future　conduct。　A　slight　injury　had　incapacitated　him　from　seeking　another　meeting　at　present；　the　letter　went　on　to　say；　and　ended　with　a　request　which　was　virtually　a　command；　that　she　call　upon　him　at　once。

The　reading　of　the　letter　acquainted　Jane　Withersteen　with　the　fact　that　something　within　her　had　all　but　changed。　She　sent　no　reply　to　Bishop　Dyer　nor　did　she　go　to　see　him。　On　Sunday　she　remained　absent　from　the　servicefor　the　second　time　in　yearsand　though　she　did　not　actually　suffer　there　was　a　dead…lock　of　feelings　deep　within　her；　and　the　waiting　for　a　balance　to　fall　on　either　side　was　almost　as　bad　as　suffering。　She　had　a　gloomy　expectancy　of　untoward　circumstances；　and　with　it　a　keen…edged　curiosity　to　watch　developments。　She　had　a　half…formed　conviction　that　her　future　conductas　related　to　her　churchmenwas　beyond　her　control　and　would　be　governed　by　their　attitude　toward　her。　Something　was　changing　in　her；　forming；　waiting　for　decision　to　make　it　a　real　and　fixed　thing。　She　had　told　Lassiter　that　she　felt　helpless　and　lost　in　the　fateful　tangle　of　their　lives；　and　now　she　feared　that　she　was　approaching　the　same　chaotic　condition　of　mind　in　regard　to　her　religion。　It　appalled　her　to　find　that　she　questioned　phases　of　that　religion。　Absolute　faith　had　been　her　serenity。　Though　leaving　her　faith　unshaken；　her　serenity　had　been　disturbed；　and　now　it　was　broken　by　open　war　between　her　and　her　ministers。　That　something　within　hera　whisperwhich　she　had　tried　in　vain　to　hush　had　become　a　ringing　voice；　and　it　called　to　her　to　wait。　She　had　transgressed　no　laws　of　God。　Her　churchmen；　however　invested　with　the　power　and　the　glory　of　a　wonderful　creed