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第7章

susy, a story of the plains-第7章

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〃They didn't;〃 returned Jim; with ominously averted eyes。



〃What became of him?〃 continued the farmer。



Red Jim shadowed his eyes with his hand; and cast a dark glance of

scrutiny out of the doors and windows。  The young girl perceived it

with timid; fascinated concern; and said hurriedly:



〃Don't ask him; father!  Don't you see he mustn't tell?〃



〃Not when spies may be hangin' round; and doggin' me at every step;〃

said Red Jim; as if reflecting; with another furtive glance towards

the already fading prospect without。  〃They've sworn to revenge

him;〃 he added moodily。



A momentary silence followed。  The farmer coughed slightly; and

looked dubiously at his wife。  But the two women had already

exchanged feminine glances of sympathy for this evident slayer of

traitors; and were apparently inclined to stop any adverse

criticism。



In the midst of which a shout was heard from the road。  The farmer

and his family instinctively started。  Red Jim alone remained

unmoved;a fact which did not lessen the admiration of his feminine

audience。  The host rose quickly; and went out。  The figure of a

horseman had halted in the road; but after a few moments'

conversation with the farmer they both moved towards the house and

disappeared。  When the farmer returned; it was to say that 〃one of

them 'Frisco dandies; who didn't keer about stoppin' at the hotel

in the settlement;〃 had halted to give his 〃critter〃 a feed and

drink that he might continue his journey。  He had asked him to come

in while the horse was feeding; but the stranger had 〃guessed he'd

stretch his legs outside and smoke his cigar;〃 he might have thought

the company 〃not fine enough for him;〃 but he was 〃civil spoken

enough; and had an all…fired smart hoss; and seemed to know how to

run him。〃  To the anxious inquiries of his wife and daughter he

added that the stranger didn't seem like a spy or a Mexican; was 〃as

young as HIM;〃 pointing to the moody Red Jim; 〃and a darned sight

more peaceful…like in style。〃



Perhaps owing to the criticism of the farmer; perhaps from some

still lurking suspicion of being overheard by eavesdroppers; or

possibly from a humane desire to relieve the strained apprehension

of the women; Red Jim; as the farmer disappeared to rejoin the

stranger; again dropped into a lighter and gentler vein of

reminiscence。  He told them how; when a mere boy; he had been lost

from an emigrant train in company with a little girl some years his

junior。  How; when they found themselves alone on the desolate

plain; with the vanished train beyond their reach; he endeavored to

keep the child from a knowledge of the real danger of their

position; and to soothe and comfort her。  How he carried her on his

back; until; exhausted; he sank in a heap of sage…brush。  How he was

surrounded by Indians; who; however; never suspected his hiding…

place; and how he remained motionless and breathless with the

sleeping child for three hours; until they departed。  How; at the

last moment; he had perceived a train in the distance; and had

staggered with her thither; although shot at and wounded by the

trainmen in the belief that he was an Indian。  How it was afterwards

discovered that the child was the long…lost daughter of a

millionaire; how he had resolutely refused any gratuity for saving

her; and she was now a peerless young heiress; famous in California。

Whether this lighter tone of narrative suited him better; or whether

the active feminine sympathy of his auditors helped him along;

certain it was that his story was more coherent and intelligible and

his voice less hoarse and constrained than in his previous

belligerent reminiscences; his expression changed; and even his

features worked into something like gentler emotion。  The bright

eyes of Phoebe; fastened upon him; turned dim with a faint moisture;

and her pale cheek took upon itself a little color。  The mother;

after interjecting 〃Du tell;〃 and 〃I wanter know;〃 remained open…

mouthed; staring at her visitor。  And in the silence that followed;

a pleasant; but somewhat melancholy voice came from the open door。



〃I beg your pardon; but I thought I couldn’t be mistaken。  It IS my

old friend; Jim Hooker!〃



Everybody started。  Red Jim stumbled to his feet with an

inarticulate and hysteric exclamation。  Yet the apparition that now

stood in the doorway was far from being terrifying or discomposing。

It was evidently the stranger;a slender; elegantly…knit figure;

whose upper lip was faintly shadowed by a soft; dark mustache

indicating early manhood; and whose unstudied ease in his well…

fitting garments bespoke the dweller of cities。  Good…looking and

well…dressed; without the consciousness of being either; self…

possessed through easy circumstances; yet without self…assertion;

courteous by nature and instinct as well as from an experience of

granting favors; he might have been a welcome addition to even a

more critical company。  But Red Jim; hurriedly seizing his

outstretched hand; instantly dragged him away from the doorway into

the road and out of hearing of his audience。



〃Did you hear what I was saying?〃 he asked hoarsely。



〃Well; yes;I think so;〃 returned the stranger; with a quiet smile。



〃Ye ain't goin' back on me; Clarence; are ye;ain't goin' to gimme

away afore them; old pard; are ye?〃 said Jim; with a sudden change

to almost pathetic pleading。



〃No;〃 returned the stranger; smiling。  〃And certainly not before

that interested young lady; Jim。  But stop。  Let me look at you。〃



He held out both hands; took Jim's; spread them apart for a moment

with a boyish gesture; and; looking in his face; said half

mischievously; half sadly; 〃Yes; it's the same old Jim Hooker;

unchanged。〃



〃But YOU'RE changed;reg'lar war paint; Big Injin style!〃 said

Hooker; looking up at him with an awkward mingling of admiration and

envy。  〃Heard you struck it rich with the old man; and was Mister

Brant now!〃



〃Yes;〃 said Clarence gently; yet with a smile that had not only a

tinge of weariness but even of sadness in it。



Unfortunately; the act; which was quite natural to Clarence's

sensitiveness; and indeed partly sprang from some concern in his old

companion's fortunes; translated itself by a very human process to

Hooker's consciousness as a piece of rank affectation。  HE would

have been exalted and exultant in Clarence's place; consequently any

other exhibition was only 〃airs。〃  Nevertheless; at the present

moment Clarence was to be placated。



〃You didn't mind my telling that story about your savin' Susy as my

own; did ye?〃 he said; with a hasty glance over his shoulder。  〃I

only did it to fool the old man and women…folks; and make talk。  You

won't blow on me?  Ye ain't mad about it?〃



It had crossed Clarence's memory that when they were both younger

Jim Hooker had once not only borrowed his story; but his name and

personality as well。  Yet in his loyalty to old memories there was

mingled no resentment for past injury。  〃Of course not;〃 he said;

with a smile that was; however; still thoughtful。  〃Why should I?

Only I ought to tell you that Susy Peyton is living with her adopted

parents not ten miles from here; and it might reach their ears。

She's quite a young lady now; and if I wouldn't tell her story to

strangers; I don't think YOU ought to; Jim。〃



He said this so pleasantly that even the skeptical Jim forgot what

he believed were the 〃airs and graces〃 of self…abnegation; and said;

〃Let's go inside; and I'll introduce you;〃 and turned to the house。

But Clarence Brant drew back。  〃I'm going on as soon as my horse is

fed; for I'm on a visit to Peyton; and I intend to push as far as

Santa Inez still to…night。  I want to talk with you about yourself;

Jim;〃 he added gently; 〃your prospects and your future。  I heard;〃

he went on hesitatingly; 〃that you wereat workin a restaurant in

San Francisco。  I'm glad to see that you are at least your ow

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