riders of the purple sage-第47部分

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ckled　the　belt　round　his　waist　where　it　belonged。

〃Lassiter；　I　am　a　coward。〃

〃Come　with　me　out　of　Utahwhere　I　can　put　away　my　guns　an'　be　a　man；〃　he　said。　〃I　reckon　I'll　prove　it　to　you　then！　Come！　You've　got　Black　Star　back；　an'　Night　an'　Bells。　Let's　take　the　racers　an'　little　Fay；　en'　race　out　of　Utah。　The　hosses　an'　the　child　are　all　you　have　left。　Come！〃

〃No；　no；　Lassiter。　I'll　never　leave　Utah。　What　would　I　do　in　the　world　with　my　broken　fortunes　and　my　broken　heart？　Ill　never　leave　these　purple　slopes　I　love　so　well。〃

〃I　reckon　I　ought　to've　knowed　that。　Presently　you'll　be　livin'　down　here　in　a　hovel；　en'　presently　Jane　Withersteen　will　be　a　memory。　I　only　wanted　to　have　a　chance　to　show　you　how　a　manany　mancan　be　better　'n　he　was。　If　we　left　Utah　I　could　proveI　reckon　I　could　prove　this　thing　you　call　love。　It's　strange；　an'　hell　an'　heaven　at　once；　Jane　Withersteen。　'Pears　to　me　that　you've　thrown　away　your　big　heart　on　lovelove　of　religion　an'　duty　an'　churchmen；　an'　riders　an'　poor　families　an'　poor　children！　Yet　you　can't　see　what　love　ishow　it　changes　a　person！。。。Listen；　an'　in　tellin'　you　Milly　Erne's　story　I'll　show　you　how　love　changed　her。

〃Milly　an'　me　was　children　when　our　family　moved　from　Missouri　to　Texas；　an'　we　growed　up　in　Texas　ways　same　as　if　we'd　been　born　there。　We　had　been　poor；　an'　there　we　prospered。　In　time　the　little　village　where　we　went　became　a　town；　an'　strangers　an'　new　families　kept　movin'　in。　Milly　was　the　belle　them　days。　I　can　see　her　now；　a　little　girl　no　bigger　'n　a　bird；　an'　as　pretty。　She　had　the　finest　eyes；　dark　blue…black　when　she　was　excited；　an'　beautiful　all　the　time。　You　remember　Milly's　eyes！　An'　she　had　light…brown　hair　with　streaks　of　gold；　an'　a　mouth　that　every　feller　wanted　to　kiss。

〃An'　about　the　time　Milly　was　the　prettiest　an'　the　sweetest；　along　came　a　young　minister　who　began　to　ride　some　of　a　race　with　the　other　fellers　for　Milly。　An'　he　won。　Milly　had　always　been　strong　on　religion；　an'　when　she　met　Frank　Erne　she　went　in　heart　an'　soul　for　the　salvation　of　souls。　Fact　was；　Milly；　through　study　of　the　Bible　an'　attendin'　church　an'　revivals；　went　a　little　out　of　her　head。　It　didn't　worry　the　old　folks　none；　an'　the　only　worry　to　me　was　Milly's　everlastin'　prayin'　an'　workin'　to　save　my　soul。　She　never　converted　me；　but　we　was　the　best　of　comrades；　an'　I　reckon　no　brother　an'　sister　ever　loved　each　other　better。　Well；　Frank　Erne　an　me　hit　up　a　great　friendship。　He　was　a　strappin'　feller；　good　to　look　at；　an'　had　the　most　pleasin'　ways。　His　religion　never　bothered　me；　for　he　could　hunt　an'　fish　an'　ride　an'　be　a　good　feller。　After　buffalo　once；　he　come　pretty　near　to　savin'　my　life。　We　got　to　be　thick　as　brothers；　an'　he　was　the　only　man　I　ever　seen　who　I　thought　was　good　enough　for　Milly。　An'　the　day　they　were　married　I　got　drunk　for　the　only　time　in　my　life。

〃Soon　after　that　I　left　homeit　seems　Milly　was　the　only　one　who　could　keep　me　homean'　I　went　to　the　bad；　as　to　prosperin'　I　saw　some　pretty　hard　life　in　the　Pan　Handle；　an'　then　I　went　North。　In　them　days　Kansas　an'　Nebraska　was　as　bad；　come　to　think　of　it；　as　these　days　right　here　on　the　border　of　Utah。　I　got　to　be　pretty　handy　with　guns。　An'　there　wasn't　many　riders　as　could　beat　me　ridin'。　An'　I　can　say　all　modest…like　that　I　never　seen　the　white　man　who　could　track　a　hoss　or　a　steer　or　a　man　with　me。　Afore　I　knowed　it　two　years　slipped　by；　an'　all　at　once　I　got　homesick；　en'　purled　a　bridle　south。

〃Things　at　home　had　changed。　I　never　got　over　that　homecomin'。　Mother　was　dead　an'　in　her　grave。　Father　was　a　silent；　broken　man；　killed　already　on　his　feet。　Frank　Erne　was　a　ghost　of　his　old　self；　through　with　workin'；　through　with　preachin'；　almost　through　with　livin'；　an'　Milly　was　gone！。。。It　was　a　long　time　before　I　got　the　story。　Father　had　no　mind　left；　an'　Frank　Erne　was　afraid　to　talk。　So　I　had　to　pick　up　whet　'd　happened　from　different　people。

〃It　'pears　that　soon　after　I　left　home　another　preacher　come　to　the　little　town。　An'　he　an'　Frank　become　rivals。　This　feller　was　different　from　Frank。　He　preached　some　other　kind　of　religion；　and　he　was　quick　an'　passionate；　where　Frank　was　slow　an'　mild。　He　went　after　people；　women　specially。　In　looks　he　couldn't　compare　to　Frank　Erne；　but　he　had　power　over　women。　He　had　a　voice；　an'　he　talked　an'　talked　an'　preached　an'　preached。　Milly　fell　under　his　influence。。　She　became　mightily　interested　in　his　religion。　Frank　had　patience　with　her；　as　was　his　way；　an'　let　her　be　as　interested　as　she　liked。　All　religions　were　devoted　to　one　God；　he　said；　an'　it　wouldn't　hurt　Milly　none　to　study　a　different　point　of　view。　So　the　new　preacher　often　called　on　Milly；　an'　sometimes　in　Frank's　absence。　Frank　was　a　cattle…man　between　Sundays。

〃Along　about　this　time　an　incident　come　off　that　I　couldn't　get　much　light　on。　A　stranger　come　to　town；　an'　was　seen　with　the　preacher。　This　stranger　was　a　big　man　with　an　eye　like　blue　ice；　an'　a　beard　of　gold。　He　had　money；　an'　he　'peered　a　man　of　mystery；　an'　the　town　went　to　buzzin'　when　he　disappeared　about　the　same　time　as　a　young　woman　known　to　be　mightily　interested　in　the　new　preacher's　religion。　Then；　presently；　along　comes　a　man　from　somewheres　in　Illinois；　en'　he　up　an'　spots　this　preacher　as　a　famous　Mormon　proselyter。　That　riled　Frank　Erne　as　nothin'　ever　before；　an'　from　rivals　they　come　to　be　bitter　enemies。　An'　it　ended　in　Frank　goin'　to　the　meetin'…house　where　Milly　was　listenin'；　en'　before　her　en'　everybody　else　he　called　that　preachercalled　him；　well；　almost　as　hard　as　Venters　called　Tull　here　sometime　back。　An'　Frank　followed　up　that　call　with　a　hosswhippin'；　en'　he　drove　the　proselyter　out　of　town。

〃People　noticed；　so　'twas　said；　that　Milly's　sweet　disposition　changed。　Some　said　it　was　because　she　would　soon　become　a　mother；　en'　others　said　she　was　pinin'　after　the　new　religion。　An'　there　was　women　who　said　right　out　that　she　was　pinin'　after　the　Mormon。　Anyway；　one　mornin'　Frank　rode　in　from　one　of　his　trips；　to　find　Milly　gone。　He　had　no　real　near　neighborslivin'　a　little　out　of　townbut　those　who　was　nearest　said　a　wagon　had　gone　by　in　the　night；　an'　they　though　it　stopped　at　her　door。　Well；　tracks　always　tell；　an'　there　was　the　wagon　tracks　an'　hoss　tracks　an'　man　tracks。　The　news　spread　like　wildfire　that　Milly　had　run　off　from　her　husband。　Everybody　but　Frank　believed　it　an'　wasn't　slow　in　tellin'　why　she　run　off。　Mother　had　always　hated　that　strange　streak　of　Milly's；　takin'　up　with　the　new　religion　as　she　had；　an'　she　believed　Milly　ran　off　with　the　Mormon。　That　hastened　mother's　death；　an'　she　died　unforgivin'。　Father　wasn't　the　kind　to　bow　down　under　disgrace　or　misfortune　but　he　had　surpassin'　love　for　Milly；　an'　the　loss　of　her　broke　him。

〃From　the　minute　I　heard　of　Milly's　disappearance　I　never　believed　she　went　off　of　her　own　free　will。　I　knew　Milly；　an'　I　knew　she　couldn't　have　done　that。　I　stayed　at　home　awhile；　tryin'　to　make　Frank　Erne　talk。　But　if　he　knowed　anythin'　then　he　wouldn't　tell　it。　So　I　set　out　to　find　Milly。　An'　I　tried　to　get　on　the　trail　of　that　proselyter。　I　knew　if　I　ever　struck　a　town　he'd　visited　that　I'd　get　a　trail。　I　knew；　too；　that　nothin'　short　of　hell　would　stop　his　proselytin'。　An'　I　rode　from　town　to　town。　I　had　a　blind　faith　that　somethin'　was　guidin'　me。　An'　as　the　weeks　an'　months　went　by　I　growed　into　a　strange　sort　of　a　man；　I　guess。　Anyway；　people　were　afraid　of　me。　Two　years　after　that；　way　over　in　a　corner　of　Texas；　I　struck　a　town　where　my　man　had　been。　He'd　jest　left。　People　said　he　came　to　that　town　without　a　woman。　I　back…trailed　my　man　through　Arkansas　an'　Mississippi；　an'　the　old　trail　got　hot　again　in　Texas。　I　found　the　town　where　he　first　went　after　leavin'　home。　An'　here　I　got　track　of　Milly。　I　found　a　cabin　where　she　had　given　birth　to　her　baby。　There　was　no　way　to　tell　whether　she'd　been　kept　a　prisoner　or　not。　The　feller　who　owned　the　place　was　a　mean；　silent　sort　of　a　skunk；　an'　as　I　was　leavin'　I　jest　took　a　chance　an'　left　my　mark　on　him。　Then　I　went　home　again。

〃It　was　to　find　I　hadn't　any　home；　no　more。　Father　had　been　dead　a　year。　Frank　Erne　still　lived　in　the　house　where　Milly　had　left　him。　I　stayed　with　him　awhile；　an'　I　grew　old　watchin'　him。　His　farm　had　gone　to　weed；　his　cattle　had　strayed　or　been　rustled；　his　house　weathered　till　it　wouldn't　keep　out　rain　nor　wind。　An'　Frank　set　on　the　porch　and　whittled　sticks；　an'　day　by　day　wasted　away。　There　was　times　when　he　ranted　about　like　a　crazy　man；　but　mostly　he　was　always　sittin'　an'　starin'　with　eyes　that　made　a　man　curse。　I　figured　Frank　had　a　secret　fear　that　I　needed　to　know。　An'　when　I　told　him　I'd　trailed　Milly　for　near　three　years　an'　had　got　trace　of　her；　an'　saw　where　she'd　had　her　baby；　I　thought　he　would　drop　dead　at　my　feet。　An'　when　he'd　come　round　more　natural…like　he　begged　me　to　give　up　the　trail。　But　he　wouldn't　explain。　So　I　let　him　alone；　an'　watched　him　day　en'　night。

〃An'　I　found　there　was　one　thing　still　precious　to　him；　an'　it　was　a　little　drawer　where　he　kept　his　papers。　This　was　in　the　room　where　he　slept。　An'　it　'peered　he　seldom　slept。　But　after　bein'　patient　I　got　the　contents　of　that　drawer　an'　found　two　letters　from　Milly。　One　was　a　long　letter　written　a　few　months　after　her　disappearance。　She　had　been　bound　an'　gagged　an'　dragged　away　from　her　home　by　three　men；　an'　she　named　themHurd；　Metzger；　Slack。　They　was　strangers　to　her。　She　was　taken　to　the　little　town　where　I　found　trace　of　her　two　years　after。　But　she　didn't　send　the　letter　from　that　town。　There　she　was　penned　in。　'Peared　that　the　proselytes；　who　had；　of　course；　come　on　the　scene；　was　not　runnin'　any　risks　of　losin'　her。　She　went　on　to　say　that　for　a　time　she　was　out　of　her　head；　an'　when　she　got　right　again　all　that　kept　her　alive　was　the　baby。　It　was　a　beautiful　baby；　she　said；　an'　all　she　thought　an'　dreamed　of　was　somehow　to　get　baby　back　to　its　father；　an'　then　she'd　thankfully　lay　down　and　die。　An'　the　letter　ended　abrupt；　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　en'　it　wasn't　signed。

〃The　second　letter　was　written　more　than　two　years　after　the　first。　It　was　from　Salt　Lake　City。　It　simply　said　that　Milly　had　heard　her　brother　was　on　her　trail。　She　asked　Frank　to　tell　her　brother　to　gi