riders of the purple sage-第45部分

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s　an　unutterable　fiendish　joy　because　for　that　magnificent　manhood　and　life　he　meant　cold　and　sudden　death。

〃Oldring；　Bess　is　alive！　But　she's　dead　to　youdead　to　the　life　you　made　her　leaddead　as　you　will　be　in　one　second！〃

Swift　as　lightning　Venters's　glance　dropped　from　Oldring's　rolling　eyes　to　his　hands。　One　of　them；　the　right；　swept　out；　then　toward　his　gunand　Venters　shot　him　through　the　heart。

Slowly　Oldring　sank　to　his　knees；　and　the　hand；　dragging　at　the　gun；　fell　away。　Venters's　strangely　acute　faculties　grasped　the　meaning　of　that　limp　arm；　of　the　swaying　hulk；　of　the　gasp　and　heave；　of　the　quivering　beard。　But　was　that　awful　spirit　in　the　black　eyes　only　one　of　vitality？

〃Manwhydidn'tyouwait？　Besswas〃　Oldring's　whisper　died　under　his　beard；　and　with　a　heavy　lurch　he　fell　forward。

Bounding　swiftly　away；　Venters　fled　around　the　corner；　across　the　street；　and；　leaping　a　hedge；　he　ran　through　yard；　orchard；　and　garden　to　the　sage。　Here；　under　cover　of　the　tall　brush；　he　turned　west　and　ran　on　to　the　place　where　he　had　hidden　his　rifle。　Securing　that；　he　again　set　out　into　a　run；　and；　circling　through　the　sage；　came　up　behind　Jane　Withersteen's　stable　and　corrals。　With　laboring；　dripping　chest；　and　pain　as　of　a　knife　thrust　in　his　side；　he　stopped　to　regain　his　breath；　and　while　resting　his　eyes　roved　around　in　search　of　a　horse。　Doors　and　windows　of　the　stable　were　open　wide　and　had　a　deserted　look。　One　dejected；　lonely　burro　stood　in　the　near　corral。　Strange　indeed　was　the　silence　brooding　over　the　once　happy；　noisy　home　of　Jane　Withersteen's　pets。

He　went　into　the　corral；　exercising　care　to　leave　no　tracks；　and　led　the　burro　to　the　watering…trough。　Venters；　though　not　thirsty；　drank　till　he　could　drink　no　more。　Then；　leading　the　burro　over　hard　ground；　he　struck　into　the　sage　and　down　the　slope。

He　strode　swiftly；　turning　from　time　to　time　to　scan　the　slope　for　riders。　His　head　just　topped　the　level　of　sage…brush；　and　the　burro　could　not　have　been　seen　at　all。　Slowly　the　green　of　Cottonwoods　sank　behind　the　slope；　and　at　last　a　wavering　line　of　purple　sage　met　the　blue　of　sky。

To　avoid　being　seen；　to　get　away；　to　hide　his　trailthese　were　the　sole　ideas　in　his　mind　as　he　headed　for　Deception　Pass；　and　he　directed　all　his　acuteness　of　eye　and　ear；　and　the　keenness　of　a　rider's　judgment　for　distance　and　ground；　to　stern　accomplishment　of　the　task。　He　kept　to　the　sage　far　to　the　left　of　the　trail　leading　into　the　Pass。　He　walked　ten　miles　and　looked　back　a　thousand　times。　Always　the　graceful；　purple　wave　of　sage　remained　wide　and　lonely；　a　clear；　undotted　waste。　Coming　to　a　stretch　of　rocky　ground；　he　took　advantage　of　it　to　cross　the　trail　and　then　continued　down　on　the　right。　At　length　he　persuaded　himself　that　he　would　be　able　to　see　riders　mounted　on　horses　before　they　could　see　him　on　the　little　burro；　and　he　rode　bareback。

Hour　by　hour　the　tireless　burro　kept　to　his　faithful；　steady　trot。　The　sun　sank　and　the　long　shadows　lengthened　down　the　slope。　Moving　veils　of　purple　twilight　crept　out　of　the　hollows　and；　mustering　and　forming　on　the　levels；　soon　merged　and　shaded　into　night。　Venters　guided　the　burro　nearer　to　the　trail；　so　that　he　could　see　its　white　line　from　the　ridges；　and　rode　on　through　the　hours。

Once　down　in　the　Pass　without　leaving　a　trail；　he　would　hold　himself　safe　for　the　time　being。　When　late　in　the　night　he　reached　the　break　in　the　sage；　he　sent　the　burro　down　ahead　of　him；　and　started　an　avalanche　that　all　but　buried　the　animal　at　the　bottom　of　the　trail。　Bruised　and　battered　as　he　was；　he　had　a　moment's　elation；　for　he　had　hidden　his　tracks。　Once　more　he　mounted　the　burro　and　rode　on。　The　hour　was　the　blackest　of　the　night　when　he　made　the　thicket　which　inclosed　his　old　camp。　Here　he　turned　the　burro　loose　in　the　grass　near　the　spring；　and　then　lay　down　on　his　old　bed　of　leaves。

He　felt　only　vaguely；　as　outside　things；　the　ache　and　burn　and　throb　of　the　muscles　of　his　body。　But　a　dammed…up　torrent　of　emotion　at　last　burst　its　bounds；　and　the　hour　that　saw　his　release　from　immediate　action　was　one　that　confounded　him　in　the　reaction　of　his　spirit。　He　suffered　without　understanding　why。　He　caught　glimpses　into　himself；　into　unlit　darkness　of　soul。　The　fire　that　had　blistered　him　and　the　cold　which　had　frozen　him　now　united　in　one　torturing　possession　of　his　mind　and　heart；　and　like　a　fiery　steed　with　ice…shod　feet；　ranged　his　being；　ran　rioting　through　his　blood；　trampling　the　resurging　good；　dragging　ever　at　the　evil。

Out　of　the　subsiding　chaos　came　a　clear　question。　What　had　happened？　He　had　left　the　valley　to　go　to　Cottonwoods。　Why？　It　seemed　that　he　had　gone　to　kill　a　manOldring！　The　name　riveted　his　consciousness　upon　the　one　man　of　all　men　upon　earth　whom　he　had　wanted　to　meet。　He　had　met　the　rustler。　Venters　recalled　the　smoky　haze　of　the　saloon；　the　dark…visaged　men；　the　huge　Oldring。　He　saw　him　step　out　of　the　door；　a　splendid　specimen　of　manhood；　a　handsome　giant　with　purple…black　and　sweeping　beard。　He　remembered　inquisitive　gaze　of　falcon　eyes。　He　heard　himself　repeating：　〃Oldring；　Bess　is　alive！　But　she's　dead　to　you；〃　and　he　felt　himself　jerk；　and　his　ears　throbbed　to　the　thunder　of　a　gun；　and　he　saw　the　giant　sink　slowly　to　his　knees。　Was　that　only　the　vitality　of　himthat　awful　light　in　the　eyesonly　the　hard…dying　life　of　a　tremendously　powerful　brute？　A　broken　whisper；　strange　as　death：　〃Man；　whydidn'tyou　wait！　Besswas〃　And　Oldring　plunged　face　forward；　dead。

〃I　killed　him；〃　cried　Venters；　in　remembering　shock。　〃But　it　wasn't　that。　Ah；　the　look　in　his　eyes　and　his　whisper！〃

Herein　lay　the　secret　that　had　clamored　to　him　through　all　the　tumult　and　stress　of　his　emotions。　What　a　look　in　the　eyes　of　a　man　shot　through　the　heart！　It　had　been　neither　hate　nor　ferocity　nor　fear　of　men　nor　fear　of　death。　It　had　been　no　passionate　glinting　spirit　of　a　fearless　foe；　willing　shot　for　shot；　life　for　life；　but　lacking　physical　power。　Distinctly　recalled　now；　never　to　be　forgotten；　Venters　saw　in　Oldring's　magnificent　eyes　the　rolling　of　great；　glad　surprisesoftnesslove！　Then　came　a　shadow　and　the　terrible　superhuman　striving　of　his　spirit　to　speak。　Oldring　shot　through　the　heart；　had　fought　and　forced　back　death；　not　for　a　moment　in　which　to　shoot　or　curse；　but　to　whisper　strange　words。

What　words　for　a　dying　man　to　whisper！　Why　had　not　Venters　waited？　For　what？　That　was　no　plea　for　life。　It　was　regret　that　there　was　not　a　moment　of　life　left　in　which　to　speak。　Bess　wasHerein　lay　renewed　torture　for　Venters。　What　had　Bess　been　to　Oldring？　The　old　question；　like　a　specter；　stalked　from　its　grave　to　haunt　him。　He　had　overlooked；　he　had　forgiven；　he　had　loved　and　he　had　forgotten；　and　now；　out　of　the　mystery　of　a　dying　man's　whisper　rose　again　that　perverse；　unsatisfied；　jealous　uncertainty。　Bess　had　loved　that　splendid；　black…crowned　giantby　her　own　confession　she　had　loved　him；　and　in　Venters's　soul　again　flamed　up　the　jealous　hell。　Then　into　the　clamoring　hell　burst　the　shot　that　had　killed　Oldring；　and　it　rang　in　a　wild　fiendish　gladness；　a　hateful；　vengeful　joy。　That　passed　to　the　memory　of　the　love　and　light　in　Oldring's　eyes　and　the　mystery　in　his　whisper。　So　the　changing；　swaying　emotions　fluctuated　in　Venters's　heart。

This　was　the　climax　of　his　year　of　suffering　and　the　crucial　struggle　of　his　life。　And　when　the　gray　dawn　came　he　rose；　a　gloomy；　almost　heartbroken　man；　but　victor　over　evil　passions。　He　could　not　change　the　past；　and；　even　if　he　had　not　loved　Bess　with　all　his　soul；　he　had　grown　into　a　man　who　would　not　change　the　future　he　had　planned　for　her。　Only；　and　once　for　all；　he　must　know　the　truth；　know　the　worst；　stifle　all　these　insistent　doubts　and　subtle　hopes　and　jealous　fancies；　and　kill　the　past　by　knowing　truly　what　Bess　had　been　to　Oldring。　For　that　matter　he　knewhe　had　always　known；　but　he　must　hear　it　spoken。　Then；　when　they　had　safely　gotten　out　of　that　wild　country　to　take　up　a　new　and　an　absorbing　life；　she　would　forget；　she　would　be　happy；　and　through　that；　in　the　years　to　come；　he　could　not　but　find　life　worth　living。

All　day　he　rode　slowly　and　cautiously　up　the　Pass；　taking　time　to　peer　around　corners；　to　pick　out　hard　ground　and　grassy　patches；　and　to　make　sure　there　was　no　one　in　pursuit。　In　the　night　sometime　he　came　to　the　smooth；　scrawled　rocks　dividing　the　valley；　and　here　set　the　burro　at　liberty。　He　walked　beyond；　climbed　the　slope　and　the　dim；　starlit　gorge。　Then；　weary　to　the　point　of　exhaustion；　he　crept　into　a　shallow　cave　and　fell　asleep。

In　the　morning；　when　he　descended　the　trail；　he　found　the　sun　was　pouring　a　golden　stream　of　light　through　the　arch　of　the　great　stone　bridge。　Surprise　Valley；　like　a　valley　of　dreams；　lay　mystically　soft　and　beautiful；　awakening　to　the　golden　flood　which　was　rolling　away　its　slumberous　bands　of　mist；　brightening　its　walled　faces。

While　yet　far　off　he　discerned　Bess　moving　under　the　silver　spruces；　and　soon　the　barking　of　the　dogs　told　him　that　they　had　seen　him。　He　heard　the　mocking…birds　singing　in　the　trees；　and　then　the　twittering　of　the　quail。　Ring　and　Whitie　came　bounding　toward　him；　and　behind　them　ran　Bess；　her　hands　outstretched。

〃Bern！　You're　back！　You're　back！〃　she　cried；　in　joy　that　rang　of　her　loneliness。

〃Yes；　I'm　back；〃　he　said；　as　she　rushed　to　meet　him。

She　had　reached　out　for　him　when　suddenly；　as　she　saw　him　closely；　something　checked　her；　and　as　quickly　all　her　joy　fled；　and　with　it　her　color；　leaving　her　pale　and　trembling。

〃Oh！　What's　happened？〃

〃A　good　deal　has　happened；　Bess。　I　don't　need　to　tell　you　what。　And　I'm　played　out。　Worn　out　in　mind　more　than　body。〃

〃Dearyou　look　strange　to　me！〃　faltered　Bess。

〃Never　mind　that。　I'm　all　right。　There's　nothing　for　you　to　be　scared　about。　Things　are　going　to　turn　out　just　as　we　have　planned。　As　soon　as　I'm　rested　we'll　make　a　break　to　get　out　of　the　country。　Only　now；　right　now；　I　must　know　the　truth　about　you。〃

〃Truth　about　me？〃　echoed　Bess；　shrinkingly。　She　seemed　to　be　casting　back　into　her　mind　for　a　forgotten　key。　Venters　himself；　as　he　saw　her；　received　a　pang。

〃Yesthe　truth。　Bess；　don't　misunderstand。　I　haven't　changed　that　way。　I　love　you　still。　I'll　love　you　more　afterward。　L