cressy-第7章

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comparison　she　presently　made　her　appearance　with　her　sleeves

turned　down；　her　black　woollen　dress　〃tidied；〃　and　a　smile　of

fatigued　but　not　unkindly　welcome　and　protection　on　her　face。

Dusting　a　chair　with　her　apron　and　placing　it　before　the　master；

she　continued　maternally；　〃Now　that　you're　here；　set　ye　right　down

and　make　yourself　to　home。　　My　men　folks　are　all　out　o'　door；　but

some　of　'em's　sure　to　happen　in　soon　for　suthin'；　that　day　ain't

yet　created　that　they　don't　come　huntin'　up　Mammy　McKinstry　every

five　minutes　for　this　thing　or　that。〃



The　glow　of　a　certain　hard　pride　burned　through　the　careworn

languor　of　her　brown　cheek。　　What　she　had　said　was　strangely　true。

This　raw…boned　woman　before　him；　although　scarcely　middle…aged；　had

for　years　occupied　a　self…imposed　maternal　and　protecting　relation；

not　only　to　her　husband　and　brothers；　but　to　the　three　or　four　men；

who　as　partners；　or　hired　hands；　lived　at　the　ranch。　　An　inherited

and　trained　sympathy　with　what　she　called　her　〃boys's〃　and　her　〃men

folk；〃　and　their　needs　had　partly　unsexed　her。　　She　was　a　fair　type

of　a　class　not　uncommon　on　the　Southwestern　frontier；　women　who

were　ruder　helpmeets　of　their　rude　husbands　and　brothers；　who　had

shared　their　privations　and　sufferings　with　surly；　masculine

endurance；　rather　than　feminine　patience；　women　who　had　sent　their

loved　ones　to　hopeless　adventure　or　terrible　vendetta　as　a　matter

of　course；　or　with　partisan　fury；　who　had　devotedly　nursed　the

wounded　to　keep　alive　the　feud；　or　had　received　back　their　dead

dry…eyed　and　revengeful。　　Small　wonder　that　Cressy　McKinstry　had

developed　strangely　under　this　sexless　relationship。　　Looking　at

the　mother；　albeit　not　without　a　certain　respect；　Mr。　Ford　found

himself　contrasting　her　with　the　daughter's　graceful　femininity；

and　wondering　where　in　Cressy's　youthful　contour　the　possibility　of

the　grim　figure　before　him　was　even　now　hidden。



〃Hiram　allowed　to　go　over　to　the　schoolhouse　and　see　you　this

mornin'；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry；　after　a　pause；　〃but　I　reckon　ez　how

he　had　to　look　up　stock　on　the　river。　　The　cattle　are　that　wild

this　time　o'　year；　huntin'　water；　and　hangin'　round　the　tules；　that

my　men　are　nigh　worrited　out　o'　their　butes　with　'em。　　Hank　and　Jim

ain't　been　off　their　mustangs　since　sun　up；　and　Hiram；　what　with

partrollen'　the　West　Boundary　all　night；　watchin'　stakes　whar　them

low　down　Harrisons　hev　been　trespassin'hasn't　put　his　feet　to　the

ground　in　fourteen　hours。　　Mebbee　you　noticed　Hiram　ez　you　kem

along？　　Ef　so；　ye　didn't　remember　what　kind　o'　shootin'　irons　he

had　with　him？　　I　see　his　rifle　over　yon。　　Like　ez　not　he'z　only　got

his　six…shooter；　and　them　Harrisons　are　mean　enough　to　lay　for　him

at　long　range。　　But；〃　she　added；　returning　to　the　less　important

topic；　〃I　s'pose　Cressy　came　all　right。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　hopelessly。



〃I　reckon　she　looked　so；〃　continued　Mrs。　McKinstry；　with　tolerant

abstraction。　　〃She　allowed　to　do　herself　credit　in　one　of　them　new

store　gownds　that　she　got　at　Sacramento。　　At　least　that's　what　some

of　our　men　said。　　Late　years；　I　ain't　kept　tech　with　the　fashions

myself。〃　　She　passed　her　fingers　explanatorily　down　the　folds　of

her　own　coarse　gown；　but　without　regret　or　apology。



〃She　seemed　well　prepared　in　her　lessons；〃　said　the　master；

abandoning　for　the　moment　that　criticism　of　his　pupil's　dress；

which　he　saw　was　utterly　futile；　〃but　am　I　to　understand　that　she

is　coming　regularly　to　schoolthat　she　is　now　perfectly　free　to

give　her　entire　attention　to　her　studiesthatthather

engagement　is　broken　off？〃



〃Why；　didn't　she　tell　ye？〃　echoed　Mrs。　McKinstry　in　languid

surprise。



〃SHE　certainly　did；〃　said　the　master　with　slight　embarrassment；

〃but〃



〃Ef　SHE　said　so；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　abstractedly；　〃she

oughter　know；　and　you　kin　tie　to　what　she　says。〃



〃But　as　I'm　responsible　to　PARENTS　and　not　to　scholars　for　the

discipline　of　my　school；〃　returned　the　young　man　a　little　stiffly；

〃I　thought　it　my　duty　to　hear　it　from　YOU。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry　meditatively；　〃then　I　reckon　you'd

better　see　Hiram。　　That　ar'　Seth　Davis　engagement　was　a　matter　of

hern　and　her　father's；　and　not　in　MY　line。　　I　'spose　that　Hiram

nat'rally　allows　to　set　the　thing　square　to　you　and　inquirin'

friends。〃



〃I　hope　you　understand；〃　said　the　master；　slightly　resenting　the

classification；　〃that　my　reason　for　inquiring　about　the　permanency

of　your　daughter's　attendance　was　simply　because　it　might　be

necessary　to　arrange　her　studies　in　a　way　more　suitable　to　her

years；　perhaps　even　to　suggest　to　you　that　a　young　ladies'　seminary

might　be　more　satisfactory〃



〃Sartain；　sartain；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　hurriedly；　but

whether　from　evasion　of　annoying　suggestion　or　weariness　of　the

topic；　the　master　could　not　determine。　　〃You'd　better　speak　to

Hiram　about　it。　　On'y；〃　she　hesitated　slightly；　〃ez　he's　got　now

sorter　set　and　pinted　towards　your　school；　and　is　a　trifle　worrited

with　stock　and　them　Harrisons；　ye　might　tech　it　lightly。　　He

oughter　be　along　yer　now。　　I　can't　think　what　keeps　him。〃　　Her　eye

wandered　again　with　troubled　preoccupation　to　the　corner　where　her

husband's　Sharps'　rifle　stood。　　Suddenly　she　raised　her　voice　as　if

forgetful　of　Mr。　Ford's　presence。



〃O　Cressy！〃



〃O　Maw！〃



The　response　came　from　the　inner　room。　　The　next　moment　Cressy

appeared　at　the　door　with　an　odd　half…lazy　defiance　in　her　manner；

which　the　master　could　not　understand　except　upon　the　hypothesis

that　she　had　been　listening。　　She　had　already　changed　her　elaborate

toilet　for　a　long　clinging；　coarse　blue　gown；　that　accented　the

graceful　curves　of　her　slight；　petticoat…less　figure。　　Nodding　her

head　towards　the　master；　she　said；　〃Howdy？〃　and　turned　to　her

mother；　who　practically　ignored　their　personal　acquaintance。

〃Cressy；〃　she　said；　〃Dad's　gone　and　left　his　Sharps'　yer；　d'ye　mind

takin'　it　along　to　meet　him；　afore　he　passes　the　Boundary　corner。

Ye　might　tell　him　the　teacher's　yer；　wantin'　to　see　him。〃



〃One　moment；〃　said　the　master；　as　the　young　girl　carelessly　stepped

to　the　corner　and　lifted　the　weapon。　　〃Let　ME　take　it。　　It's　all　on

my　way　back　to　school　and　I'll　meet　him。〃



Mrs。　McKinstry　looked　perturbed。　　Cressy　opened　her　clear　eyes　on

the　master　with　evident　surprise。　　〃No；　Mr。　Ford；〃　said　Mrs。

McKinstry；　with　her　former　maternal　manner。　　〃Ye'd　better　not　mix

yourself　up　with　these　yer　doin's。　　Ye've　no　call　to　do　it；　and

Cressy　has；　it's　all　in　the　family。　　But　it's　outer　YOUR　line；　and

them　Harrison　whelps　go　to　your　school。　　Fancy　the　teacher　takin'

weppins　betwixt　and　between！〃



〃It's　fitter　work　for　the　teacher　than　for　one　of　his　scholars；　and

a　young　lady　at　that；〃　said　Mr。　Ford　gravely；　as　he　took　the　rifle

from　the　hands　of　the　half…amused；　half…reluctant　girl。　　〃It's

quite　safe　with　me；　and　I　promise　I　shall　deliver　it　into　Mr。

McKinstry's　hands　and　none　other。〃



〃Perhaps　it　wouldn't　be　ez　likely　to　be　gin'rally　noticed　ez　it

would　if　one　of　US　carried　it；〃　murmured　Mrs。　McKinstry　in

confidential　abstraction；　gazing　at　her　daughter　sublimely

unconscious　of　the　presence　of　a　third　party。



〃You're　quite　right；〃　said　the　master　composedly；　throwing　the

rifle　over　his　shoulder　and　turning　towards　the　door。　　〃So　I'll　say

good…afternoon；　and　try　and　find　your　husband。〃



Mrs。　McKinstry　constrainedly　plucked　at　the　folds　of　her　coarse

gown。　　〃Ye'll　like　a　drink　afore　ye　go；〃　she　said；　in　an　ill…

concealed　tone　of　relief。　　〃I　clean　forgot　my　manners。　　Cressy；

fetch　out　that　demijohn。〃



〃Not　for　me；　thank　you；〃　returned　Mr。　Ford　smiling。



〃Oh；　I　seeyou're　temperance；　nat'rally；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry　with

a　tolerant　sigh。



〃Hardly　that；〃　returned　the　master；　〃I　follow　no　rule；　I　drink

sometimesbut　not　to…day。〃



Mrs。　McKinstry's　dark　face　contracted。　　〃Don't　you　see；　Maw；〃

struck　in　Cressy　quickly。　　〃Teach