found at blazing star-第8章

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To　a　sensitive　man　there　is　no　form　of　suspicion　that　is　as

bewildering　and　demoralizing　at　the　moment　as　the　question　of　his

identity。　　Cass　felt　the　insult　in　the　doubt　of　his　word；　and　the

palpable　sense　of　his　present　inability　to　prove　it。　　The　banker

watched　him　keenly　but　not　unkindly。



〃Come；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃this　is　not　my　affair；　if　you　can

legally　satisfy　the　lady　for　whom　I　am　only　agent；　well　and　good。

I　believe　you　can；　I　only　warn　you　that　you　must。　　And　my　present

inquiry　was　to　keep　her　from　losing　her　time　with　impostors；　a

class　I　don't　think　you　belong　to。　　There's　her　card。　　Good　day。〃



〃Miss　Mortimer。〃　　It　was　NOT　the　banker's　daughter。　　The　first

illusion　of　Blazing　Star　was　rudely　dispelled。　　But　the　care　taken

by　the　capitalist　to　shield　her　from　imposture　indicated　a　person

of　wealth。　　Of　her　youth　and　beauty　Cass　no　longer　thought。



The　address　given　was　not　distant。　　With　a　beating　heart　he　rung

the　bell　of　a　respectable…looking　house；　and　was　ushered　into　a

private　drawing…room。　　Instinctively　he　felt　that　the　room　was　only

temporarily　inhabited；　an　air　peculiar　to　the　best　lodgings；　and

when　the　door　opened　upon　a　tall　lady　in　deep　mourning；　he　was

still　more　convinced　of　an　incongruity　between　the　occupant　and　her

surroundings。　　With　a　smile　that　vacillated　between　a　habit　of

familiarity　and　ease；　and　a　recent　restraint；　she　motioned　him　to　a

chair。



〃Miss　Mortimer〃　was　still　young；　still　handsome；　still　fashionably

dressed；　and　still　attractive。　　From　her　first　greeting　to　the　end

of　the　interview　Cass　felt　that　she　knew　all　about　him。　　This

relieved　him　from　the　onus　of　proving　his　identity；　but　seemed　to

put　him　vaguely　at　a　disadvantage。　　It　increased　his　sense　of

inexperience　and　youthfulness。



〃I　hope　you　will　believe；〃　she　began；　〃that　the　few　questions　I

have　to　ask　you　are　to　satisfy　my　own　heart；　and　for　no　other

purpose。〃　　She　smiled　sadly　as　she　went　on。　　〃Had　it　been

otherwise；　I　should　have　instituted　a　legal　inquiry；　and　left　this

interview　to　some　one　cooler；　calmer；　and　less　interested　than

myself。　　But　I　think；　I　KNOW　I　can　trust　you。　　Perhaps　we　women　are

weak　and　foolish　to　talk　of　an　INSTINCT；　and　when　you　know　my　story

you　may　have　reason　to　believe　that　but　little　dependence　can　be

placed　on　THAT；　but　I　am　not　wrong　in　saying；am　I？〃　（with　a　sad

smile）　〃that　YOU　are　not　above　that　weakness？〃　　She　paused；　closed

her　lips　tightly；　and　grasped　her　hands　before　her。　　〃You　say　you

found　that　ring　in　the　road　some　three　months　beforethetheyou

know　what　I　meanthe　bodywas　discovered？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　thought　it　might　have　been　dropped　by　some　one　in　passing？〃



〃I　thought　so；　yesit　belonged　to　no　one　in　camp。〃



〃Before　your　cabin　or　on　the　highway？〃



〃Before　my　cabin。〃



〃You　are　SURE？〃　　There　was　something　so　very　sweet　and　sad　in　her

smile　that　it　oddly　made　Cass　color。



〃But　my　cabin　is　near　the　road；〃　he　suggested。



〃I　see！　　And　there　was　nothing　else；　no　paper　nor　envelope？〃



〃Nothing。〃



〃And　you　kept　it　because　of　the　odd　resemblance　one　of　the　names

bore　to　yours？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃For　no　other　reason



〃None。〃　　Yet　Cass　felt　he　was　blushing。



〃You'll　forgive　my　repeating　a　question　you　have　already　answered；

but　I　am　so　anxious。　　There　was　some　attempt　to　prove　at　the

inquest　that　the　ring　had　been　found　on　the　body　ofthe

unfortunate　man。　　But　you　tell　me　it　was　not　so？〃



〃I　can　swear　it。〃



〃Good　Godthe　traitor！〃　　She　took　a　hurried　step　forward；　turned

to　the　window；　and　then　came　back　to　Cass　with　a　voice　broken　with

emotion。　　〃I　have　told　you　I　could　trust　you。　　That　ring　was　mine！〃



She　stopped；　and　then　went　on　hurriedly。　　〃Years　ago　I　gave　it　to　a

man　who　deceived　and　wronged　me；　a　man　whose　life　since　then　has

been　a　shame　and　disgrace　to　all　who　knew　him。　　A　man　who；　once；　a

gentleman；　sank　so　low　as　to　become　the　associate　of　thieves　and

ruffians；　sank　so　low；　that　when　he　died；　by　violencea　traitor

even　to　themhis　own　confederates　shrunk　from　him；　and　left　him　to

fill　a　nameless　grave。　　That　man's　body　you　found！〃



Cass　started。　　〃And　his　name　was？〃



〃Part　of　your　surname。　　CassHenry　Cass。〃



〃You　see　why　Providence　seems　to　have　brought　that　ring　to　you；〃

she　went　on。　　〃But　you　ask　me　why；　knowing　this；　I　am　so　eager　to

know　if　the　ring　was　found　by　you　in　the　road；　or　if　it　were　found

on　his　body。　　Listen！　　It　is　part　of　my　mortification　that　the

story　goes　that　this　man　once　showed　this　ring；　boasted　of　it；

staked；　and　lost　it　at　a　gambling　table　to　one　of　his　vile

comrades。〃



〃Kanaka　Joe；〃　said　Cass；　overcome　by　a　vivid　recollection　of　Joe's

merriment　at　the　trial。



〃The　same。　　Don't　you　see；〃　she　said；　hurriedly；　〃if　the　ring　had

been　found　on　him　I　could　believe　that　somewhere　in　his　heart　he

still　kept　respect　for　the　woman　he　had　wronged。　　I　am　a　womana

foolish　woman；　I　knowbut　you　have　crushed　that　hope　forever。〃



〃But　why　have　you　sent　for　me？〃　asked　Cass；　touched　by　her　emotion。



〃To　know　it　for　certain；〃　she　said；　almost　fiercely。　　〃Can　you　not

understand　that　a　woman　like　me　must　know　a　thing　once　and　forever？

But　you　CAN　help　me。　　I　did　not　send　for　you　only　to　pour　my　wrongs

in　your　ears。　　You　must　take　me　with　you　to　this　placeto　the　spot

where　you　found　the　ringto　the　spot　where　you　found　the　bodyto

the　spot　wherewhere　HE　lies。　　You　must　do　it　secretly；　that　none

shall　know　me。〃



Cass　hesitated。　　He　was　thinking　of　his　companions　and　the　collapse

of　their　painted　bubble。　　How　could　he　keep　the　secret　from　them？



〃If　it　is　money　you　need；　let　not　that　stop　you。　　I　have　no　right

to　your　time　without　recompense。　　Do　not　misunderstand　me。　　There

has　been　a　thousand　dollars　awaiting　my　order　at　Bookham's　when　the

ring　should　be　delivered。　　It　shall　be　doubled　if　you　help　me　in

this　last　moment。〃



It　was　possible。　　He　could　convey　her　secretly　there；　invent　some

story　of　a　reward　delayed　for　want　of　proofs；　and　afterward　share

that　reward　with　his　friends。　　He　answered　promptly；　〃I　will　take

you　there。〃



She　took　his　hands　in　both　of　hers；　raised　them　to　her　lips；　and

smiled。　　The　shadow　of　grief　and　restraint　seemed　to　have　fallen

from　her　face；　and　a　half…mischievous；　half…coquettish　gleam　in　her

dark　eyes　touched　the　susceptible　Cass　in　so　subtle　a　fashion　that

he　regained　the　street　in　some　confusion。　　He　wondered　what　Miss

Porter　would　have　thought。　　But　was　he　not　returning　to　her；　a

fortunate　man；　with　one　thousand　dollars　in　his　pocket！　　Why　should

he　remember　he　was　handicapped；　by　a　pretty　woman　and　a　pathetic

episode？　　It　did　not　make　the　proximity　less　pleasant　as　he　helped

her　into　the　coach　that　evening；　nor　did　the　recollection　of

another　ride　with　another　woman　obtrude　itself　upon　those

consolations　which　he　felt　it　his　duty；　from　time　to　time；　to

offer。　　It　was　arranged　that　he　should　leave　her　at　the　〃Red　Chief〃

Hotel；　while　he　continued　on　to　Blazing　Star；　returning　at　noon　to

bring　her　with　him　when　he　could　do　it　without　exposing　her　to

recognition。　　The　gray　dawn　came　soon　enough；　and　the　coach　drew　up

at　〃Red　Chief〃　while　the　lights　in　the　bar…room　and　dining…room　of

the　hotel　were　still　struggling　with　the　far　flushing　east。　　Cass

alighted；　placed　Miss　Mortimer　in　the　hands　of　the　landlady；　and

returned　to　the　vehicle。　　It　was　still　musty；　close；　and　frowzy；

with　half…awakened　passengers。　　There　was　a　vacated　seat　on　the

top；　which　Cass　climbed　up　to；　and　abstractedly　threw　himself

beside　a　figure　muffled　in　shawls　and　rugs。　　There　was　a　slight

movement　among　the　multitudinous　enwrappings；　and　then　the　figure

turned　to　him　and　said；　dryly；　〃Good　morning！〃　　It　was　Miss　Porter！



〃Have　you　been　long　here？〃　he　stammered。



〃All　night。〃



He　would　have　given　worlds　to　leave　her　at　that　moment。　　He　would

have　jumped　from　the　starting　coach　to　save　h