in the carquinez woods-第2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！


clear　gray　light；　in　which　every　object　stood　out　in　sharp
distinctness；　took　its　place。　　Morning　was　waiting　outside　in　all
its　brilliant；　youthful　coloring；　but　only　entered　as　the　matured
and　sobered　day。

Seen　in　that　stronger　light；　the　monstrous　tree　near　which　the
dead　bear　lay　revealed　its　age　in　its　denuded　and　scarred　trunk；
and　showed　in　its　base　a　deep　cavity；　a　foot　or　two　from　the
ground；　partly　hidden　by　hanging　strips　of　bark　which　had　fallen
across　it。　　Suddenly　one　of　these　strips　was　pushed　aside；　and　a
young　man　leaped　lightly　down。

But　for　the　rifle　he　carried　and　some　modern　peculiarities　of
dress；　he　was　of　a　grace　so　unusual　and　unconventional　that　he
might　have　passed　for　a　faun　who　was　quitting　his　ancestral　home。
He　stepped　to　the　side　of　the　bear　with　a　light　elastic　movement
that　was　as　unlike　customary　progression　as　his　face　and　figure
were　unlike　the　ordinary　types　of　humanity。　　Even　as　he　leaned
upon　his　rifle；　looking　down　at　the　prostrate　animal；　he
unconsciously　fell　into　an　attitude　that　in　any　other　mortal
would　have　been　a　pose；　but　with　him　was　the　picturesque　and
unstudied　relaxation　of　perfect　symmetry。

〃Hallo；　Mister！〃

He　raised　his　head　so　carelessly　and　listlessly　that　he　did　not
otherwise　change　his　attitude。　　Stepping　from　behind　the　tree；
the　woman　of　the　preceding　night　stood　before　him。　　Her　hands
were　free　except　for　a　thong　of　the　riata；　which　was　still
knotted　around　one　wrist；　the　end　of　the　thong　having　been　torn
or　burnt　away。　　Her　eyes　were　bloodshot；　and　her　hair　hung　over
her　shoulders　in　one　long　black　braid。

〃I　reckoned　all　along　it　was　YOU　who　shot　the　bear；〃　she　said；
〃at　least　some　one　hiding　yer；〃　and　she　indicated　the　hollow　tree
with　her　hand。　　〃It　wasn't　no　chance　shot。〃　　Observing　that　the
young　man；　either　from　misconception　or　indifference；　did　not
seem　to　comprehend　her；　she　added；　〃We　came　by　here；　last　night；
a　minute　after　you　fired。〃

〃Oh；　that　was　YOU　kicked　up　such　a　row；　was　it？〃　said　the　young
man；　with　a　shade　of　interest。

〃I　reckon；〃　said　the　woman；　nodding　her　head；　〃and　them　that　was
with　me。〃

〃And　who　are　they？〃

〃Sheriff　Dunn；　of　Yolo；　and　his　deputy。〃

〃And　where　are　they　now？〃

〃The　deputyin　h…ll；　I　reckon；　I　don't　know　about　the　sheriff。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　the　young　man　quietly；　〃and　you？〃

〃Igot　away；〃　she　said　savagely。　　But　she　was　taken　with　a
sudden　nervous　shiver；　which　she　at　once　repressed　by　tightly
dragging　her　shawl　over　her　shoulders　and　elbows；　and　folding　her
arms　defiantly。

〃And　you're　going？〃

〃To　follow　the　deputy；　may　be；〃　she　said　gloomily。　　〃But　come；　I
say；　ain't　you　going　to　treat？　　It's　cursed　cold　here。〃

〃Wait　a　moment。〃　　The　young　man　was　looking　at　her；　with　his
arched　brows　slightly　knit　and　a　half　smile　of　curiosity。　　〃Ain't
you　Teresa？〃

She　was　prepared　for　the　question；　but　evidently　was　not　certain
whether　she　would　reply　defiantly　or　confidently。　　After　an
exhaustive　scrutiny　of　his　face　she　chose　the　latter；　and　said；
〃You　can　bet　your　life　on　it；　Johnny。〃

〃I　don't　bet；　and　my　name　isn't　Johnny。　　Then　you're　the　woman
who　stabbed　Dick　Curson　over　at　Lagrange's？〃

She　became　defiant　again。

〃That's　me；　all　the　time。　　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃

〃Nothing。　　And　you　used　to　dance　at　the　Alhambra？〃　　She　whisked
the　shawl　from　her　shoulders；　held　it　up　like　a　scarf；　and　made
one　or　two　steps　of　the　sembicuacua。　　There　was　not　the　least
gayety；　recklessness；　or　spontaneity　in　the　action；　it　was　simply
mechanical　bravado。　　It　was　so　ineffective；　even　upon　her　own
feelings；　that　her　arms　presently　dropped　to　her　side；　and　she
coughed　embarrassedly。　　〃Where's　that　whiskey；　pardner？〃　she
asked。

The　young　man　turned　toward　the　tree　he　had　just　quitted；　and
without　further　words　assisted　her　to　mount　to　the　cavity。　　It
was　an　irregular…shaped　vaulted　chamber；　pierced　fifty　feet　above
by　a　shaft　or　cylindrical　opening　in　the　decayed　trunk；　which　was
blackened　by　smoke；　as　if　it　had　served　the　purpose　of　a　chimney。
In　one　corner　lay　a　bearskin　and　blanket；　at　the　side　were　two
alcoves　or　indentations；　one　of　which　was　evidently　used　as　a
table；　and　the　other　as　a　cupboard。　　In　another　hollow；　near　the
entrance；　lay　a　few　small　sacks　of　flour；　coffee；　and　sugar；　the
sticky　contents　of　the　latter　still　strewing　the　floor。　　From
this　storehouse　the　young　man　drew　a　wicker　flask　of　whiskey；　and
handed　it；　with　a　tin　cup　of　water；　to　the　woman。　　She　waved　the
cup　aside；　placed　the　flask　to　her　lips；　and　drank　the　undiluted
spirit。　　Yet　even　this　was　evidently　bravado；　for　the　water
started　to　her　eyes；　and　she　could　not　restrain　the　paroxysm　of
coughing　that　followed。

〃I　reckon　that's　the　kind　that　kills　at　forty　rods；〃　she　said；
with　a　hysterical　laugh。　　〃But　I　say；　pardner；　you　look　as　if　you
were　fixed　here　to　stay；〃　and　she　stared　ostentatiously　around
the　chamber。　　But　she　had　already　taken　in　its　minutest　details；
even　to　observing　that　the　hanging　strips　of　bark　could　be
disposed　so　as　to　completely　hide　the　entrance。

〃Well；　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃it　wouldn't　be　very　easy　to　pull　up　the
stakes　and　move　the　shanty　further　on。〃

Seeing　that　either　from　indifference　or　caution　he　had　not
accepted　her　meaning；　she　looked　at　him　fixedly；　and　said；

〃What　is　your　little　game？〃

〃Eh？〃

〃What　are　you　hiding　forhere；　in　this　tree？〃

〃But　I'm　not　hiding。〃

〃Then　why　didn't　you　come　out　when　they　hailed　you　last　night？〃

〃Because　I　didn't　care　to。〃

Teresa　whistled　incredulously。　　〃All　rightthen　if　you're　not
hiding；　I'm　going　to。〃　　As　he　did　not　reply；　she　went　on：　〃If　I
can　keep　out　of　sight　for　a　couple　of　weeks；　this　thing　will　blow
over　here；　and　I　can　get　across　into　Yolo。　　I　could　get　a　fair
show　there；　where　the　boys　know　me。　　Just　now　the　trails　are　all
watched；　but　no　one　would　think　of　lookin'　here。〃

〃Then　how　did　you　come　to　think　of　it？〃　he　asked　carelessly。

〃Because　I　knew　that　bear　hadn't　gone　far　for　that　sugar；　because
I　know　he　hadn't　stole　it　from　a　cacheit　was　too　fresh；　and
we'd　have　seen　the　torn…up　earth；　because　we　had　passed　no　camp；
and　because　I　knew　there　was　no　shanty　here。　　And；　besides；〃　she
added　in　a　low　voice；　〃maybe　I　was　huntin'　a　hole　myself　to　die
inand　spotted　it　by　instinct。〃

There　was　something　in　this　suggestion　of　a　hunted　animal　that；
unlike　anything　she　had　previously　said　or　suggested；　was　not
exaggerated；　and　caused　the　young　man　to　look　at　her　again。　　She
was　standing　under　the　chimney…like　opening；　and　the　light　from
above　illuminated　her　head　and　shoulders。　　The　pupils　of　her　eyes
had　lost　their　feverish　prominence；　and　were　slightly　suffused
and　softened　as　she　gazed　abstractedly　before　her。　　The　only
vestige　of　her　previous　excitement　was　in　her　left…hand　fingers；
which　were　incessantly　twisting　and　turning　a　diamond　ring　upon
her　right　hand；　but　without　imparting　the　least　animation　to　her
rigid　attitude。　　Suddenly；　as　if　conscious　of　his　scrutiny；　she
stepped　aside　out　of　the　revealing　light　and　by　a　swift　feminine
instinct　raised　her　hand　to　her　head　as　if　to　adjust　her　straggling
hair。　　It　was　only　for　a　moment；　however；　for；　as　if　aware　of　the
weakness；　she　struggled　to　resume　her　aggressive　pose。

〃Well；〃　she　said。　　〃Speak　up。　　Am　I　goin'　to　stop　here；　or　have　I
got　to　get　up　and　get？〃

〃You　can　stay；〃　said　the　young　man　quietly；　〃but　as　I've　got　my
provisions　and　ammunition　here；　and　haven't　any　other　place　to　go
to　just　now；　I　suppose　we'll　have　to　share　it　together。〃

She　glanced　at　him　under　her　eyelids；　and　a　half…bitter；　half…
contemptuous　smile　passed　across　her　face。　　〃All　right；　old　man；〃
she　said；　holding　out　her　hand；　〃it's　a　go。　　We'll　start　in
housekeeping　at　once；　if　you　like。〃

〃I'll　have　to　come　here　once　or　twice　a　day；〃　he　said；　quite
composedly；　〃to　look　after　my　things；　and　get　something　to　eat；
but　I'll　be　away　most　of　the　time；　and　what　with　camping　out
under　the　trees　every　night　I　reckon　my　share　won't　incommode
you。〃

She　opened　her　black　eyes　upon　him；　at　this　original　proposition。
Then　she　looked　down　at　her　torn　dress。　　〃I　suppose　this　style　of
thing　ain'