the man of the forest-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


she　would　know　surely　whether　or　not　her　suspicions　of　Harve
Riggs　had　warrant。　　If　he　was　going　on　to　Magdalena　on　that
day　he　must　go　in　this　coach。　　Presently　Bo；　who　was　not
obeying　admonitions；　drew　her　head　out　of　the　window。　　Her
eyes　were　wide　in　amaze；　her　mouth　open。

〃Nell！　　I　saw　that　man　Riggs！〃　she　whispered。　　〃He's　going　to
get　on　this　train。〃

〃Bo；　I　saw　him　yesterday；〃　replied　Helen；　soberly。　　〃He's
followed　you　　the　　the　　〃

〃Now；　Bo；　don't　get　excited；〃　remonstrated　Helen。　　〃We've
left　home　now。　　We've　got　to　take　things　as　they　come。　　Never
mind　if　Riggs　has　followed　me。　　I'll　settle　him。〃

〃Oh！　　Then　you　won't　speak　　have　anything　to　do　with　him？〃

〃I　won't　if　I　can　help　it。〃

Other　passengers　boarded　the　train；　dusty；　uncouth；　ragged
men；　and　some　hard…featured；　poorly　clad　women；　marked　by
toil；　and　several　more　Mexicans。　　With　bustle　and　loud　talk
they　found　their　several　seats。

Then　Helen　saw　Harve　Riggs　enter；　burdened　with　much
luggage。　　He　was　a　man　of　about　medium　height；　of　dark；
flashy　appearance；　cultivating　long　black　mustache　and　hair。
His　apparel　was　striking；　as　it　consisted　of　black
frock…coat；　black　trousers　stuffed　in　high；　fancy…topped
boots；　an　embroidered　vest；　and　flowing　tie；　and　a　black
sombrero。　　His　belt　and　gun　were　prominent。　　It　was
significant　that　he　excited　comment　among　the　other
passengers。

When　he　had　deposited　his　pieces　of　baggage　he　seemed　to
square　himself；　and；　turning　abruptly；　approached　the　seat
occupied　by　the　girls。　　When　he　reached　it　he　sat　down　upon
the　arm　of　the　one　opposite；　took　off　his　sombrero；　and
deliberately　looked　at　Helen。　　His　eyes　were　light；　glinting；
with　hard；　restless　quiver；　and　his　mouth　was　coarse　and
arrogant。　　Helen　had　never　seen　him　detached　from　her　home
surroundings；　and　now　the　difference　struck　cold　upon　her
heart。

〃Hello；　Nell！〃　he　said。　　〃Surprised　to　see　me？〃

〃No；〃　she　replied；　coldly。

〃I'll　gamble　you　are。〃

〃Harve　Riggs；　I　told　you　the　day　before　I　left　home　that
nothing　you　could　do　or　say　mattered　to　me。〃

〃Reckon　that　ain't　so；　Nell。　　Any　woman　I　keep　track　of　has
reason　to　think。　　An'　you　know　it。〃

〃Then　you　followed　me　　out　here？〃　demanded　Helen；　and　her
voice；　despite　her　control；　quivered　with　anger

〃I　sure　did；〃　he　replied；　and　there　was　as　much　thought　of
himself　in　the　act　as　there　was　of　her。

〃Why？　　Why？　　It's　useless　　hopeless。〃

〃I　swore　I'd　have　you；　or　nobody　else　would；〃　he　replied；
and　here；　in　the　passion　of　his　voice　there　sounded　egotism
rather　than　hunger　for　a　woman's　love。　　〃But　I　reckon　I'd
have　struck　West　anyhow；　sooner　or　later。〃

〃You're　not　going　to　　all　the　way　　to　Pine？〃　faltered
Helen；　momentarily　weakening。

〃Nell；　I'll　camp　on　your　trail　from　now　on；〃　he　declared。

Then　Bo　sat　bolt…upright；　with　pale　face　and　flashing　eyes。

〃Harve　Riggs；　you　leave　Nell　alone；〃　she　burst　out；　in
ringing；　brave　young　voice。　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　　I'll　bet
　if　you　follow　her　and　nag　her　any　more；　my　uncle　Al　or
some　cowboy　will　run　you　out　of　the　country。〃

〃Hello；　Pepper！〃　replied　Riggs；　coolly。　　〃I　see　your　manners
haven't　improved　an'　you're　still　wild　about　cowboys。〃

〃People　don't　have　good　manners　with　　with　〃

〃Bo；　hush！〃　admonished　Helen。　　It　was　difficult　to　reprove　Bo
just　then；　for　that　young　lady　had　not　the　slightest　fear　of
Riggs。　　Indeed；　she　looked　as　if　she　could　slap　his　face。　　And
Helen　realized　that　however　her　intelligence　had　grasped　the
possibilities　of　leaving　home　for　a　wild　country；　and
whatever　her　determination　to　be　brave；　the　actual　beginning
of　self…reliance　had　left　her　spirit　weak。　　She　would　rise
out　of　that。　　But　just　now　this　flashing…eyed　little　sister
seemed　a　protector。　　Bo　would　readily　adapt　herself　to　the
West；　Helen　thought；　because　she　was　so　young；　primitive；
elemental。

Whereupon　Bo　turned　her　back　to　Riggs　and　looked　out　of　the
window。　　The　man　laughed。　　Then　he　stood　up　and　leaned　over
Helen。

〃Nell；　I'm　goin'　wherever　you　go；〃　he　said；　steadily。　　〃You
can　take　that　friendly　or　not；　just　as　it　pleases　you。　　But
if　you've　got　any　sense　you'll　not　give　these　people　out
here　a　hunch　against　me。　　I　might　hurt　somebody。　。　。　。　　An'
wouldn't　it　be　better　　to　act　friends？　　For　I'm　goin'　to
look　after　you；　whether　you　like　it　or　not。〃

Helen　had　considered　this　man　an　annoyance；　and　later　a
menace；　and　now　she　must　declare　open　enmity　with　him。
However　disgusting　the　idea　that　he　considered　himself　a
factor　in　her　new　life；　it　was　the　truth。　　He　existed；　he　had
control　over　his　movements。　　She　could　not　change　that。　　She
hated　the　need　of　thinking　so　much　about　him；　and　suddenly；
with　a　hot；　bursting　anger；　she　hated　the　man。

〃You'll　not　look　after　me。　　I'll　take　care　of　myself；〃　she
said；　and　she　turned　her　back　upon　him。　　She　heard　him　mutter
under　his　breath　and　slowly　move　away　down　the　car。　　Then　Bo
slipped　a　hand　in　hers。

〃Never　mind；　Nell；〃　she　whispered。　　〃You　know　what　old
Sheriff　Haines　said　about　Harve　Riggs。　　'A　four…flush
would…be　gun…fighter！　　If　he　ever　strikes　a　real　Western　town
he'll　get　run　out　of　it。'　I　just　wish　my　red…faced　cowboy
had　got　on　this　train！〃

Helen　felt　a　rush　of　gladness　that　she　had　yielded　to　Bo's
wild　importunities　to　take　her　West。　　The　spirit　which　had
made　Bo　incorrigible　at　home　probably　would　make　her　react
happily　to　life　out　in　this　free　country。　　Yet　Helen；　with
all　her　warmth　and　gratefulness；　had　to　laugh　at　her　sister。

〃Your　red…faced　cowboy！　　Why；　Bo；　you　were　scared　stiff。　　And
now　you　claim　him！〃

〃I　certainly　could　love　that　fellow；〃　replied　Bo；　dreamily。

〃Child；　you've　been　saying　that　about　fellows　for　a　long
time。　　And　you've　never　looked　twice　at　any　of　them　yet。〃

〃He　was　different。　。　。　。　　Nell；　I'll　bet　he　comes　to　Pine。〃

〃I　hope　he　does。　　I　wish　he　was　on　this　train。　　I　liked　his
looks；　Bo。〃

〃Well；　Nell　dear；　he　looked　at　ME　first　and　last　　so　don't
get　your　hopes　up。　。　。　。　　Oh；　the　train's　starting！　　。　。　。
Good…by；　Albu…ker　　what's　that　awful　name？　　。　。　。　　Nell；
let's　eat　dinner。　　I'm　starved。〃

Then　Helen　forgot　her　troubles　and　the　uncertain　future；　and
what　with　listening　to　Bo's　chatter；　and　partaking　again　of
the　endless　good　things　to　eat　in　the　huge　basket；　and
watching　the　noble　mountains；　she　drew　once　more　into　happy
mood。

The　valley　of　the　Rio　Grande　opened　to　view；　wide　near　at
hand　in　a　great　gray…green　gap　between　the　bare　black
mountains；　narrow　in　the　distance；　where　the　yellow　river
wound　away；　glistening　under　a　hot　sun。　　Bo　squealed　in　glee
at　sight　of　naked　little　Mexican　children　that　darted　into
adobe　huts　as　the　train　clattered　by；　and　she　exclaimed　her
pleasure　in　the　Indians；　and　the　mustangs；　and　particularly
in　a　group　of　cowboys　riding　into　town　on　spirited　horses。
Helen　saw　all　Bo　pointed　out；　but　it　was　to　the　wonderful
rolling　valley　that　her　gaze　clung　longest；　and　to　the　dim
purple　distance　that　seemed　to　hold　something　from　her。　　She
had　never　before　experienced　any　feeling　like　that；　she　had
never　seen　a　tenth　so　far。　　And　the　sight　awoke　something
strange　in　her。　　The　sun　was　burning　hot；　as　she　could　tell
when　she　put　a　hand　outside　the　window；　and　a　strong　wind
blew　sheets　of　dry　dust　at　the　train。　　She　gathered　at　once
what　tremendous　factors　in　the　Southwest　were　the　sun　and
the　dust　and　the　wind。　　And　her　realization　made　her　love
them。　　It　was　there；　the　open；　the　wild；　the　beautiful；　the
lonely　land；　and　she　felt　the　poignant　call　of　blood　in　her
　to　seek；　to　strive；　to　find；　to　live。　　One　look　down　that
yellow　valley；　endless　between　its　dark　iron　ramparts；　had
given　her　understanding　of　her　uncle。　　She　must　be　like　him
in　spirit；　as　it　was　claimed　she　resembled　him　otherwise。

At　length　Bo　grew　tired　of　watching　scenery　that　contained
no　life；　and；　with　her　bright　head　on　the　faded　cloak；　she
went　to　sleep。　　But　Helen　kept　steady；　farseeing　gaze　out
upon　that　land　of　rock　and　plain；　and　during　the　long　hours；
as　she　watched　through　clouds　of　dust　and　veils　of　heat；
some　strong　and　doubtful　and　restless　sentiment　seemed　to
change　and　then　to　fix。　　It　was　her　physical　acceptance