the argonauts of north liberty-第12章

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and　remained　for　a　few　moments　abstractedly　gazing　into　the　dark
garden。　　The　strange　and　mystic　shapes　which　had　impressed　even　the
practical　Ezekiel；　had　become　even　more　weird　and　ghost…like　in　the
faint　radiance　of　a　rising　moon。

What　memories　evoked　by　his　rude　guest　seemed　to　take　form　and
outline　in　that　dreamy　and　unreal　expanse！

He　saw　his　wife　again；　standing　as　she　had　stood　that　night　in　her
mother's　house；　with　the　white　muffler　around　her　head；　and　white
face；　imploring　him　to　fly；　he　saw　himself　again　hurrying　through
the　driving　storm　to　Warensboro；　and　reaching　the　train　that　bore
him　swiftly　and　safely　miles　awaythat　same　night　when　her　husband
was　perishing　in　the　swollen　river。　　He　remembered　with　what
strangely　mingled　sensations　he　had　read　the　account　of　Blandford's
death　in　the　newspapers；　and　how　the　loss　of　his　old　friend　was
forgotten　in　the　associations　conjured　up　by　his　singular　meeting
that　very　night　with　the　mysterious　woman　he　had　loved。　　He
remembered　that　he　had　never　dreamed　how　near　and　fateful　were
these　associations；　and　how　he　had　kept　his　promise　not　to　seek　her
without　her　permission；　until　six　months　after；　when　she　appointed
a　meeting；　and　revealed　to　him　the　whole　truth。　　He　could　see　her
now；　as　he　had　seen　her　then；　more　beautiful　and　fascinating　than
ever　in　her　black　dress；　and　the　pensive　grace　of　refined　suffering
and　restrained　passion　in　her　delicate　face。　　He　remembered；　too；
how　the　shock　of　her　disclosurethe　knowledge　that　she　had　been
his　old　friend's　wifeseemed　only　to　accent　her　purity　and
suffering　and　his　own　wilful　recklessness；　and　how　it　had　stirred
all　the　chivalry；　generosity；　and　affection　of　his　easy　nature　to
take　the　whole　responsibility　of　this　innocent　but　compromising
intrigue　on　his　own　shoulders。　　He　had　had　no　self…accusing　sense
of　disloyalty　to　Blandford　in　his　practical　nature；　he　had　never
suspected　the　shy；　proper　girl　of　being　his　wife；　he　was　willing　to
believe　now；　that　had　he　known　it；　even　that　night；　he　would　never
have　seen　her　again；　he　had　been　very　foolish；　he　had　made　this
poor　woman　participate　in　his　folly；　but　he　had　never　been
dishonest　or　treacherous　in　thought　or　action。　　If　Blandford　had
lived；　even　he　would　have　admitted　it。　　Yet　he　was　guiltily
conscious　of　a　material　satisfaction　in　Blandford's　death；　without
his　wife's　religious　conviction　of　the　saving　graces　of
predestination。

They　had　been　married　quietly　when　the　two　years　of　her　widowhood
had　expired；　his　former　relations　with　her　husband　and　the
straitened　circumstances　in　which　Blandford's　death　had　left　her
having　been　deemed　sufficient　excuse　in　the　eyes　of　North　Liberty
for　her　more　worldly　union。　　They　had　come　to　California　at　her
suggestion　〃to　begin　life　anew；〃　for　she　had　not　hesitated　to　make
this　dislocation　of　all　her　antecedent　surroundings　as　a　reason　as
well　as　a　condition　of　this　marriage。　　She　wished　to　see　the　world
of　which　he　had　been　a　passing　glimpse；　to　expand　under　his
protection　beyond　the　limits　of　her　fettered　youth。　　He　had　bought
this　old　Spanish　estate；　with　its　near　vineyard　and　its　outlying
leagues　covered　with　wild　cattle；　partly　from　that　strange
contradictory　predilection　for　peaceful　husbandry　common　to　men　who
have　led　a　roving　life；　and　partly　as　a　check　to　her　growing　and
feverish　desire　for　change　and　excitement。　　He　had　at　first　enjoyed
with　an　almost　parental　affection　her　childish　unsophisticated
delight　in　that　world　he　had　already　wearied　of；　and　which　he　had
been　prepared　to　gladly　resign　for　her。　　But　as　the　months　and　even
years　had　passed　without　any　apparent　diminution　in　her　zest　for
these　pleasures；　he　tried　uneasily　to　resume　his　old　interest　in
them；　and　spent　ten　months　with　her　in　the　chaotic　freedom　of　San
Francisco　hotel　life。　　But　to　his　discomfiture　he　found　that　they
no　longer　diverted　him；　to　his　horror　he　discovered　that　those　easy
gallantries　in　which　he　had　spent　his　youth；　and　in　which　he　had
seen　no　harm；　were　intolerable　when　exhibited　to　his　wife；　and　he
trembled　between　inquietude　and　indignation　at　the　copies　of　his
former　self；　whom　he　met　in　hotel　parlors；　at　theatres；　and　in
public　conveyances。　　The　next　time　she　visited　some　friends　in　San
Francisco　he　did　not　accompany　her。　　Though　he　fondly　cherished　his
experience　of　her　power　to　resist　even　stronger　temptation；　he　was
too　practical　to　subject　himself　to　the　annoyance　of　witnessing　it。
In　her　absence　he　trusted　her　completely；　his　scant　imagination
conjured　up　no　disturbing　picture　of　possibilities　beyond　what　he
actually　knew。　　In　his　recent　questions　of　Ezekiel　he　did　not
expect　to　learn　anything　more。　　Even　his　guest's　uncomfortable
comments　added　no　sting　that　he　had　not　already　felt。

With　these　thoughts　called　up　by　the　unlooked…for　advent　of　Ezekiel
under　his　roof；　he　continued　to　gaze　moodily　into　the　garden。　　Near
the　house　were　scattered　several　uncouth　varieties　of　cacti　which
seemed　to　have　lost　all　semblance　of　vegetable　growth；　and　had
taken　rude　likeness　to　beasts　and　human　figures。　　One　high…
shouldered　specimen；　partly　hidden　in　the　shadow；　had　the
appearance　of　a　man　with　a　cloak　or　serape　thrown　over　his　left
shoulder。　　As　Demorest's　wandering　eyes　at　last　became　fixed　upon
it；　he　fancied　he　could　trace　the　faint　outlines　of　a　pale　face；
the　lower　part　of　which　was　hidden　by　the　folds　of　the　serape。
There　certainly　was　the　forehead；　the　curve　of　the　dark　eyebrows；
the　shadow　of　a　nose；　and　even　as　he　looked　more　steadily；　a
glistening　of　the　eyes　upturned　to　the　moonlight。　　A　sudden　chill
seized　him。　　It　was　a　horrible　fancy；　but　it　looked　as　might　have
looked　the　dead　face　of　Edward　Blandford！　　He　started　and　ran
quickly　down　the　steps　of　the　veranda。　　A　slight　wind　at　the　same
moment　moved　the　long　leaves　and　tendrils　of　a　vine　nearest　him　and
sent　a　faint　wave　through　the　garden。　　He　reached　the　cactus；　its
fantastic　bulk　stood　plainly　before　him；　but　nothing　more。

〃Whar　are　ye　runnin'　to？〃　said　the　inquiring　voice　of　Ezekiel　from
the　veranda。

〃I　thought　I　saw　some　one　in　the　garden；〃　returned　Demorest；
quietly；　satisfied　of　the　illusion　of　his　senses；　〃but　it　was　a
mistake。〃

〃It　mout　and　it　moutn't；〃　said　Ezekiel；　dryly。　　〃Thar's　nothin'　to
keep　any　one　out。　　It's　only　a　wonder　that　you　ain't　overrun　with
thieves　and　sich　like。〃

〃There　are　usually　servants　about　the　place；〃　said　Demorest；
carelessly。

〃Ef　they're　the　same　breed　ez　that　Manuel；　I　reckon　I'd　almost　as
leave　take　my　chances　in　the　road。　　Ef　it's　all　the　same　to　you　I
kalkilate　to　put　a　paytent　fastener　to　my　door　and　winder　to…night。
I　allus　travel　with　them。〃　　Seeing　that　Demorest　only　shrugged　his
shoulders　without　replying；　he　continued；　〃Et　ain't　far　from　here
that　some　folks　allow　is　the　headquarters　of　that　cattle…stealing
gang。　　The　driver　of　the　coach　went　ez　far　ez　to　say　that　some　of
these　high　and　mighty　Dons　hereabouts　knows　more　of　it　than　they
keer　to　tell。〃

〃That's　simply　a　yarn　for　greenhorns；〃　said　Demorest；　contemptuously。
〃I　know　all　the　ranch　proprietors　for　twenty　leagues　around；　and
they've　lost　as　many　cattle　and　horses　as　I　have。〃

〃I　wanter　know；〃　said　Ezekiel；　with　grim　interest。　　〃Then　you've
already　had　consid'ble　losses；　eh？　　I　kalkilate　them　cattle　are
vally'bleabout　wot　figger　do　you　reckon　yer　out　and　injured？〃

〃Three　or　four　thousand　dollars；　I　suppose；　altogether；〃　replied
Demorest；　shortly。

〃Then　you　don't　take　any　stock　in　them　yer　yarns　about　the　gang
being　run　and　protected　by　some　first…class　men　in　Frisco？〃　said
Ezekiel；　regretfully。

〃Not　much；〃　responded　Demorest；　dryly；　〃but　if　people　choose　to
believe　this　bluff　gotten　up　by　the　petty　thieves　themselves　to
increase　their　importance　and　secure　their　immunitythey　can。　　But
here's　Manuel　to　tell　us　supper　is　ready。〃

He　led　the　way　to　the　corridor　and　courtyard　which　Ezekiel　had　not
penetrated　on　account　of　its　obscurity　and　solitude；　but　which　now
seemed　to　be　peopled　with　peons　and　household　servants　of　both
sexes。　　At　the　end　of　a　long　low…ceilinged　room　a　table　was　spread
with　omelettes；　chupa；　cakes；　chocolate；　gra