the argonauts of north liberty-第16章

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revived　in　her　manner。

〃I　show　dislike　of　Dona　Rosita？〃　stammered　Demorest；　in　surprise。
〃Come；　Joan；〃　he　added；　with　a　forgiving　smile；　〃you　don't　mean　to
imply　that　I　dislike　her　because　I　couldn't　get　up　a　thrilling
interest　in　an　old　story　I've　heard　from　every　gossip　in　the　pueblo
since　I　can　remember。〃

〃It's　not　an　old　story　to　HER；〃　said　Joan；　dryly；　〃and　even　if　it
were；　you　might　reflect　that　all　people　are　not　as　anxious　to
forget　the　past　as　you　are。〃

Demorest　drew　back　to　let　the　shaft　glance　by。　　〃The　story　is　old
enough；　at　least　for　her　to　have　had　a　dozen　flirtations；　as　you
know；　since　then；〃　he　returned　gently；　〃and　I　don't　think　she
herself　seriously　believes　in　it。　　But　let　that　pass。　　I　am　sorry　I
offended　her。　　I　had　no　idea　of　doing　so。　　As　a　rule；　I　think　she
is　not　so　easily　offended。　　But　I　shall　apologize　to　her。〃　　He
stopped　and　approached　nearer　his　wife　in　a　half…timid；　half…
tentative　affection。　　〃As　to　my　forgetfulness　of　the　past；　Joan；
even　if　it　were　true；　I　have　had　little　cause　to　forget　it　lately。
Your　friend；　Corwin〃

〃I　must　insist　upon　your　not　calling　him　MY　friend；　Richard；〃
interrupted　Joan；　sharply；　〃considering　that　it　was　through　YOUR
indiscretion　in　coming　to　us　for　the　buggy　that　night；　that　he
suspected〃

She　stopped　suddenly；　for　at　that　moment　a　startled　little　shriek；
quickly　subdued；　rang　through　the　garden。　　Demorest　ran　hurriedly
down　the　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　outcry。　　Joan　followed　more
cautiously。　　At　the　first　turning　of　the　path　Dona　Rosita　almost
fell　into　his　arms。　　She　was　breathless　and　trembling；　but　broke
into　a　hysterical　laugh。

〃I　have　such　a　fear　come　to　meI　cry　out！　　I　think　I　have　seen　a
man；　but　it　was　nothingnothing！　　I　am　a　fool。　　It　is　no　one
here。〃

〃But　where　did　you　see　anything？〃　said　Joan；　coming　up。

Rosita　flew　to　her　side。　　〃Where？　　Oh；　here！everywhere！　　Ah；　I　am
a　fool！〃　　She　was　laughing　now；　albeit　there　were　tears　glistening
on　her　lashes　when　she　laid　her　head　on　Joan's　shoulder。

〃It　was　some　fancysome　resemblance　you　saw　in　that　queer　cactus；〃
said　Demorest；　gently。　　〃It　is　quite　natural；　I　was　myself　deceived
the　other　night。　　But　I'll　look　around　to　satisfy　you。　　Take　Dona
Rosita　back　to　the　veranda；　Joan。　　But　don't　be　alarmed；　dearit
was　only　an　illusion。〃

He　turned　away。　　When　his　figure　was　lost　in　the　entwining　foliage；
Dona　Rosita　seized　Joan's　shoulder　and　dragged　her　face　down　to　a
level　with　her　own。

〃It　was　something！〃　she　whispered　quickly。

〃Who？〃

〃It　wasHIM！〃

〃Nonsense；〃　groaned　Joan；　nevertheless　casting　a　hurried　glance
around　her。

〃Have　no　fear；〃　said　Dona　Rosita　quickly；　〃he　is　goneI　saw　him
pass　awayso！　　But　it　was　HEHuanson。　　I　recognize　him。　　I　forget
him　never。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Have　I　the　eyes？　the　memory？　　Madre　de　Dios！　　Am　I　a　lunatico　too？
Look！　　He　have　stood　thereso。〃

〃Then　you　think　he　knew　you　were　here？〃

〃Quien　sabe？〃

〃And　that　he　came　here　to　see　you？〃

Dona　Rosita　caught　her　again　by　the　shoulders；　and　with　her　lips
to　Joan's　ear；　said　with　the　intensest　and　most　deliberate　of
emphasis：

〃NO！〃

〃What　in　Heaven's　name　brought　him　here　then？〃

〃You！〃

〃Are　you　crazy？〃

〃You！　you！　YOU！〃　repeated　Dona　Rosita；　with　crescendo　energy。　　〃I
have　come　upon　him　here；　where　he　stood　and　look　at　the　veranda；
absorrrb　of　YOU。　　You　movehe　fly。〃

〃Hush！〃

〃Ah；　yes！　　I　have　said　I　give　him　to　you。　　And　he　came；　Bueno；〃
murmured　Dona　Rosita；　with　a　half…resigned；　half…superstitious
gesture。

〃WILL　you　be　quiet！〃

It　was　the　sound　of　Demorest's　feet　on　the　gravel　path；　returning
from　his　fruitless　search。　　He　had　seen　nothing。　　It　must　have　been
Dona　Rosita's　fancy。

〃She　was　just　saying　she　thought　she　had　been　mistaken；〃　said　Joan；
quietly。　　〃Let　us　go　init　is　rather　chilly　here；　and　I　begin　to
feel　creepy　too。〃

Nevertheless；　as　they　entered　the　house　again；　and　the　light　of　the
hall　lantern　fell　upon　her　face；　Demorest　thought　he　had　never　but
once　before　seen　her　look　so　nervously　and　animatedly　beautiful。


CHAPTER　III


The　following　day；　when　Mr。　Ezekiel　Corwin　had　delivered　his
letters　of　introduction；　and　thoroughly　canvassed　the　scant
mercantile　community　of　San　Buenaventura　with　considerable　success；
he　deposited　his　carpet…bag　at　the　stage　office　in　the　posada；　and
found　to　his　chagrin　that　he　had　still　two　hours　to　wait　before　the
coach　arrived。　　After　a　vain　attempt　to　impart　cheerful　but
disparaging　criticism　of　the　pueblo　and　its　people　to　Senor　Mateo
and　his　wifewhose　external　courtesy　had　been　visibly　increased　by
a　line　from　Demorest；　but　whose　confidence　towards　the　stranger　had
not　been　extended　in　the　same　proportionhe　gave　it　up；　and　threw
himself　lazily　on　a　wooden　bench　in　the　veranda；　already　hacked
with　the　initials　of　his　countrymen；　and　drawing　a　jack…knife　from
his　pocket；　he　began　to　add　to　that　emblazonry　the　trade…mark　of
the　Panaceaas　a　casual　advertisement。　　During　its　progress；
however；　he　was　struck　by　the　fact　that　while　no　one　seemed　to
enter　the　posada　through　the　stage　office；　the　number　of　voices　in
the　adjoining　room　seemed　to　increase；　and　the　ministrations　of
Mateo　and　his　wife　became　more　feverishly　occupied　with　their
invisible　guests。　　It　seemed　to　Ezekiel　that　consequently　there
must　be　a　second　entrance　which　he　had　not　seen；　and　this　added　to
the　circumstance　that　one　or　two　lounging　figures　who　had　been
approaching　unaccountably　disappeared　before　reaching　the　veranda；
induced　him　to　rise　and　examine　the　locality。　　A　few　paces　beyond
was　an　alley；　but　it　appeared　to　be　already　blocked　by　several
cigarette…smoking；　short…jacketed　men　who　were　leaning　against　its
walls；　and　showed　no　inclination　to　make　way　for　him。　　Checked；　but
not　daunted；　Ezekiel　coolly　returned　to　the　stage　office；　and
taking　the　first　opportunity　when　Mateo　passed　through　the　rear
door；　followed　him。　　As　he　expected；　the　innkeeper　turned　to　the
left　and　entered　a　large　room　filled　with　tobacco　smoke　and　the
local　habitues　of　the　posada。　　But　Ezekiel；　shrewdly　surmising　that
the　private　entrance　must　be　in　the　opposite　direction；　turned　to
the　right　along　the　passage　until　he　came　unexpectedly　upon　the
corridor　of　the　usual　courtyard；　or　patio；　of　every　Mexican
hostelry；　closed　at　one　end　by　a　low　adobe　wall；　in　which　there　was
a　door。　　The　free　passage　around　the　corridor　was　interrupted　by
wide　partitions；　fitted　up　with　tables　and　benches；　like　stalls；
opening　upon　the　courtyard　where　a　few　stunted　fig　and　orange　trees
still　grew。　　As　the　courtyard　seemed　to　be　the　only　communication
between　the　passage　he　had　left　and　the　door　in　the　wall；　he　was
about　to　cross　it；　when　the　voices　of　two　men　in　the　compartment
struck　his　ears。　　Although　one　was　evidently　an　American's；　Ezekiel
was　instinctively　convinced　that　they　were　speaking　in　English　only
for　greater　security　against　being　understood　by　the　frequenters　of
the　posada。　　It　is　unnecessary　to　say　that　this　was　an　innocent
challenge　to　the　curiosity　of　Ezekiel　that　he　instantly　accepted。
He　drew　back　carefully　into　the　shadow　of　the　partition　as　one　of
the　voices　asked

〃Wasn't　that　Johnson　just　come　in？〃

There　was　a　movement　as　if　some　one　had　risen　to　look　over　the
compartment；　but　the　gathering　twilight　completely　hid　Ezekiel。

〃No！〃

〃He's　late。　　Suppose　he　don't　comeor　back　out？〃

The　other　man　broke　into　a　grim　laugh。　　〃I　reckon　you　don't　know
Johnson　yet；　or　you'd　understand　this　yer　little　game　o'　his　is
just　the　one　idea　o'　his　life。　　He's　been　two　years　on　that　man's
track；　and　he　ain't　goin'　to　back　out　now　that　he's　got　a　dead　sure
thing　on　him。〃

〃But　why　is　he　so　keen　about　it；　anyway？　　It　don't　seem　nat'ral　for
a　business　man　built　after　Johnson's　style；　and　a　rich　man　to　boot；
to　go　into　this　detective　business。　　It　ain't　the　reward；　we　know
that。　　Is　it　an　old　grudge？〃

〃You　bet！〃　　The　speaker　paused；　and　then　in　a　lower　voice；　which
taxed　Ezekial's　keen　ear　to　the　uttermost；　resumed：　〃It's　said　up
in　Frisco　that　Cherokee　Bob　knew　suthin'　agin　Johnson　way　back　in
the　States；　anyhow；　I　believe　it's　understood　that　they　came　acros