to the last man-第16章
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great he could not tell。 Was it only a day since he had met Ellen
Jorth？ What had made all the difference？ Suddenly like a breath
the fragrance of her hair came back to him。 Then the sweet coolness
of her lips！ Jean trembled。 He looked around him as if he were
pursued or surrounded by eyes； by instincts； by fears； by
incomprehensible things。
〃Ahuh！ That must be what ails me；〃 he muttered。 〃The look of heran'
that kissthey've gone hard me。 I should never have stopped to talk。
An' I'm to kill her father an' leave her to God knows what。〃
Something was wrong somewhere。 Jean absolutely forgot that within
the hour he had pledged his manhood； his life to a feud which could
be blotted out only in blood。 If he had understood himself he would
have realized that the pledge was no more thrilling and unintelligible
in its possibilities than this instinct which drew him irresistibly。
〃Ellen Jorth！ Somy dad calls her a damned hussy！ Sothat explains
thethe way she actedwhy she never hit me when I kissed her。 An'
her words； so easy an' cool…like。 Hussy？ That means she's badbad！
Scornful of memaybe disappointed because my kiss was innocent！
It was； I swear。 An' all she said： 'Oh； I've been kissed before。'〃
Jean grew furious with himself for the spreading of a new sensation
in his breast that seemed now to ache。 Had he become infatuated；
all in a day； with this Ellen Jorth？ Was he jealous of the men who
had the privilege of her kisses？ No！ But his reply was hot with shame；
with uncertainty。 The thing that seemed wrong was outside of himself。
A blunder was no crime。 To be attracted by a pretty girl in the woods
to yield to an impulse was no disgrace； nor wrong。 He had been
foolish over a girl before； though not to such a rash extent。 Ellen
Jorth had stuck in his consciousness； and with her a sense of regret。
Then swiftly rang his father's bitter words； the revealing： 〃But the
looks of her an' what she isthey don't gibe！〃 In the import of
these words hid the meaning of the wrong that troubled him。
Broodingly he pondered over them。
〃The looks of her。 Yes； she was pretty。 But it didn't dawn on me at
first。 II was sort of excited。 I liked to look at her； but didn't
think。〃 And now consciously her face was called up； infinitely sweet
and more impelling for the deliberate memory。 Flash of brown skin；
smooth and clear； level gaze of dark； wide eyes； steady； bold； unseeing；
red curved lips； sad and sweet； her strong； clean； fine face rose
before Jean； eager and wistful one moment； softened by dreamy musing
thought； and the next stormily passionate； full of hate； full of
longing； but the more mysterious and beautiful。
She looks like that； but she's bad；〃 concluded Jean； with bitter
finality。 〃I might have fallen in love with Ellen Jorth ifif
she'd been different。〃
But the conviction forced upon Jean did not dispel the haunting
memory of her face nor did it wholly silence the deep and stubborn
voice of his consciousness。 Later that afternoon he sought a moment
with his sister。
〃Ann； did you ever meet Ellen Jorth？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； but not lately；〃 replied Ann。
〃Well； I met her as I was ridin' along yesterday。 She was herdin'
sheep；〃 went on Jean； rapidly。 〃I asked her to show me the way to
the Rim。 An' she walked with me a mile or so。 I can't say the meetin'
was not interestin'； at least to me。 。 。 。 Will you tell me what you
know about her？〃
〃Sure； Jean；〃 replied his sister； with her dark eyes fixed wonderingly
and kindly on his troubled face。 〃I've heard a great deal； but in this
Tonto Basin I don't believe all I hear。 What I know I'll tell you。
I first met Ellen Jorth two years ago。 We didn't know each other's
names then。 She was the prettiest girl I ever saw。 I liked her。
She liked me。 She seemed unhappy。 The next time we met was at a
round…up。 There were other girls with me and they snubbed her。
But I left them and went around with her。 That snub cut her to
the heart。 She was lonely。 She had no friends。 She talked about
herselfhow she hated the people； but loved Arizona。 She had nothin'
fit to wear。 I didn't need to be told that she'd been used to better
things。 Just when it looked as if we were goin' to be friends she
told me who she was and asked me my name。 I told her。 Jean； I
couldn't have hurt her more if I'd slapped her face。 She turned
white。 She gasped。 And then she ran off。 The last time I saw her
was about a year ago。 I was ridin' a short…cut trail to the ranch
where a friend lived。 And I met Ellen Jorth ridin' with a man I'd
never seen。 The trail was overgrown and shady。 They were ridin'
close and didn't see me right off。 The man had his arm round her。
She pushed him away。 I saw her laugh。 Then he got hold of her again
and was kissin' her when his horse shied at sight of mine。 They rode
by me then。 Ellen Jorth held her head high and never looked at me。〃
〃Ann； do you think she's a bad girl？〃 demanded Jean； bluntly。
〃Bad？ Oh； Jean！〃 exclaimed Ann； in surprise and embarrassment。
〃Dad said she was a damned hussy。〃
〃Jean； dad hates the Jorths。 〃
〃Sister； I'm askin' you what you think of Ellen Jorth。 Would you
be friends with her if you could？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then you don't believe she's bad。〃
〃No。 Ellen Jorth is lonely； unhappy。 She has no mother。 She lives
alone among rough men。 Such a girl can't keep men from handlin' her
and kissin' her。 Maybe she's too free。 Maybe she's wild。 But she's
honest； Jean。 You can trust a woman to tell。 When she rode past me
that day her face was white and proud。 She was a Jorth and I was an
Isbel。 She hated herselfshe hated me。 But no bad girl could look
like that。 She knows what's said of her all around the valley。
But she doesn't care。 She'd encourage gossip。〃
〃Thank you； Ann；〃 replied Jean； huskily。 〃Please keep thisthis
meetin' of mine with her all to yourself； won't you？〃
〃Why； Jean； of course I will。〃
Jean wandered away again； peculiarly grateful to Ann for reviving
and upholding something in him that seemed a wavering part of the
best of hima chivalry that had demanded to be killed by judgment
of a righteous woman。 He was conscious of an uplift； a gladdening
of his spirit。 Yet the ache remained。 More than that； he found
himself plunged deeper into conjecture； doubt。 Had not the Ellen
Jorth incident ended？ He denied his father's indictment of her and
accepted the faith of his sister。 〃Reckon that's aboot all； as dad
says；〃 he soliloquized。 Yet was that all？ He paced under the cedars。
He watched the sun set。 He listened to the coyotes。 He lingered
there after the call for supper； until out of the tumult of his
conflicting emotions and ponderings there evolved the staggering
consciousness that he must see Ellen Jorth again。
CHAPTER IV
Ellen Jorth hurried back into the forest； hotly resentful of the
accident that had thrown her in contact with an Isbel。
Disgust filled herdisgust that she had been amiable to a member
of the hated family that had ruined her father。 The surprise of
this meeting did not come to her while she was under the spell of
stronger feeling。 She walked under the trees； swiftly； with head
erect； looking straight before her； and every step seemed a relief。
Upon reaching camp； her attention was distracted from herself。 Pepe；
the Mexican boy； with the two shepherd dogs； was trying to drive sheep
into a closer bunch to save the lambs from coyotes。 Ellen loved the
fleecy； tottering little lambs； and at this season she hated all the
prowling beast of the forest。 From this time on for weeks the flock
would be besieged by wolves； lions； bears； the last of which were
often bold and dangerous。 The old grizzlies that killed the ewes
to eat only the milk…bags were particularly dreaded by Ellen。 She
was a good shot with a rifle； but had orders from her father to let
the bears alone。 Fortunately； such sheep…killing bears were but few；
and were left to be hunted by men from the ranch。 Mexican sheep
herders could not be depended upon to protect their flocks from bears。
Ellen helped Pepe drive in the stragglers； and she took several shots
