to the last man-第4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！
While he spoke it seemed to him an intentness of expression； a strain
relaxed from her face。 A faint suggestion of hostility likewise
disappeared。 Jean was not even sure that he had caught it； but there
had been something that now was gone。
〃Shore I'll be glad to show y'u；〃 she said。
〃Thanks； miss。 Reckon I can breathe easy now；〃 he replied；
〃It's a long ride from San Diego。 Hot an' dusty！ I'm pretty tired。
An' maybe this woods isn't good medicine to achin' eyes！〃
〃San Diego！ Y'u're from the coast？〃
〃Yes。〃
Jean had doffed his sombrero at sight of her and he still held it；
rather deferentially； perhaps。 It seemed to attract her attention。
〃Put on y'ur hat； stranger。 。 。 。 Shore I can't recollect when any
man bared his haid to me。 〃She uttered a little laugh in which
surprise and frankness mingled with a tint of bitterness。
Jean sat down with his back to a pine； and； laying the sombrero by
his side； he looked full at her； conscious of a singular eagerness；
as if he wanted to verify by close scrutiny a first hasty impression。
If there had been an instinct in his meeting with Colter； there was
more in this。 The girl half sat； half leaned against a log； with the
shiny little carbine across her knees。 She had a level； curious gaze
upon him； and Jean had never met one just like it。 Her eyes were
rather a wide oval in shape； clear and steady； with shadows of thought
in their amber…brown depths。 They seemed to look through Jean； and
his gaze dropped first。 Then it was he saw her ragged homespun skirt
and a few inches of brown； bare ankles； strong and round； and crude
worn…out moccasins that failed to hide the shapeliness； of her feet。
Suddenly she drew back her stockingless ankles and ill…shod little feet。
When Jean lifted his gaze again he found her face half averted and a
stain of red in the gold tan of her cheek。 That touch of embarrassment
somehow removed her from this strong； raw； wild woodland setting。 It
changed her poise。 It detracted from the curious； unabashed； almost
bold； look that he had encountered in her eyes。
〃Reckon you're from Texas；〃 said Jean； presently。
〃Shore am；〃 she drawled。 She had a lazy Southern voice； pleasant
to hear。 〃How'd y'u…all guess that？〃
〃Anybody can tell a Texan。 Where I came from there were a good many
pioneers an' ranchers from the old Lone Star state。 I've worked for
several。 An'； come to think of it； I'd rather hear a Texas girl talk
than anybody。〃
〃Did y'u know many Texas girls？〃 she inquired； turning again to face him。
〃Reckon I didquite a good many。〃
〃Did y'u go with them？〃
〃Go with them？ Reckon you mean keep company。 Why； yes； I guess I
dida little；〃 laughed Jean。 〃Sometimes on a Sunday or a dance once
in a blue moon； an' occasionally a ride。 〃
〃Shore that accounts；〃 said the girl； wistfully。
〃For what？ 〃 asked Jean。
〃Y'ur bein' a gentleman；〃 she replied； with force。 Oh； I've not
forgotten。 I had friends when we lived in Texas。 。 。 。 Three years
ago。 Shore it seems longer。 Three miserable years in this damned
country！〃
Then she bit her lip； evidently to keep back further unwitting
utterance to a total stranger。 And it was that biting of her lip
that drew Jean's attention to her mouth。 It held beauty of curve
and fullness and color that could not hide a certain sadness and
bitterness。 Then the whole flashing brown face changed for Jean。
He saw that it was young； full of passion and restraint； possessing
a power which grew on him。 This； with her shame and pathos and the
fact that she craved respect； gave a leap to Jean's interest。
〃Well； I reckon you flatter me；〃 he said； hoping to put her at her
ease again。 〃I'm only a rough hunter an' fisherman…woodchopper an'
horse tracker。 Never had all the school I needednor near enough
company of nice girls like you。〃
〃Am I nice？〃 she asked； quickly。
〃You sure are；〃 he replied； smiling。
〃In these rags；〃 she demanded； with a sudden flash of passion that
thrilled him。 〃Look at the holes。〃 She showed rips and worn…out
places in the sleeves of her buckskin blouse； through which gleamed
a round； brown arm。 〃I sew when I have anythin' to sew with。 。 。 。
Look at my skirta dirty rag。 An' I have only one other to my name。
。 。 。 Look！〃 Again a color tinged her cheeks； most becoming； and
giving the lie to her action。 But shame could not check her violence
now。 A dammed…up resentment seemed to have broken out in flood。 She
lifted the ragged skirt almost to her knees。 〃No stockings！ No Shoes！
。 。 。 How can a girl be nice when she has no clean； decent woman's
clothes to wear？〃
〃Howhow can a girl。 。 。〃 began Jean。 〃See here； miss； I'm beggin'
your pardon forsort of stirrin' you to forget yourself a little。
Reckon I understand。 You don't meet many strangers an' I sort of
hit you wrongmakin' you feel too muchan' talk too much。 Who an'
what you are is none of my business。 But we met。 。 。 。 An' I reckon
somethin' has happenedperhaps more to me than to you。 。 。 。 Now let
me put you straight about clothes an' women。 Reckon I know most women
love nice things to wear an' think because clothes make them look pretty
that they're nicer or better。 But they're wrong。 You're wrong。 Maybe
it 'd be too much for a girl like you to be happy without clothes。 But
you can beyou axe just as nice； an'an' finean'； for all you know；
a good deal more appealin' to some men。〃
〃Stranger； y'u shore must excuse my temper an' the show I made of
myself；〃 replied the girl； with composure。 〃That； to say the least；
was not nice。 An' I don't want anyone thinkin' better of me than I
deserve。 My mother died in Texas； an' I've lived out heah in this
wild countrya girl alone among rough men。 Meetin' y'u to…day makes
me see what a hard lot they arean' what it's done to me。〃
Jean smothered his curiosity and tried to put out of his mind a growing
sense that he pitied her； liked her。
〃Are you a sheep herder？〃 he asked。
〃 Shore I am now an' then。 My father lives back heah in a canyon。
He's a sheepman。 Lately there's been herders shot at。 Just now we're
short an' I have to fill in。 But I like shepherdin' an' I love the
woods； and the Rim Rock an' all the Tonto。 If they were all； I'd
shore be happy。〃
〃Herders shot at！〃 exclaimed Jean； thoughtfully。 〃By whom？
An' what for？〃
〃Trouble brewin' between the cattlemen down in the Basin an' the
sheepmen up on the Rim。 Dad says there'll shore be hell to pay。
I tell him I hope the cattlemen chase him back to Texas。〃
〃Then Are you on the ranchers' side？ 〃 queried Jean； trying to
pretend casual interest。
〃No。 I'll always be on my father's side；〃 she replied； with spirit。
〃But I'm bound to admit I think the cattlemen have the fair side of
the argument。〃
〃How so？〃
〃Because there's grass everywhere。 I see no sense in a sheepman goin'
out of his way to surround a cattleman an' sheep off his range。 That
started the row。 Lord knows how it'll end。 For most all of them heah
are from Texas。〃
〃So I was told；〃 replied Jean。 〃An' I heard' most all these Texans
got run out of Texas。 Any truth in that？〃
〃Shore I reckon there is；〃 she replied； seriously。 〃But； stranger；
it might not be healthy for y'u to； say that anywhere。 My dad； for
one； was not run out of Texas。 Shore I never can see why he came heah。
He's accumulated stock； but he's not rich nor so well off as he was
back home。〃
〃Are you goin' to stay here always？〃 queried Jean； suddenly。
〃If I do so it 'll be in my grave； 〃 she answered； darkly。 〃But what's
the use of thinkin'？ People stay places until they drift away。 Y'u can
never tell。 。 。 。 Well； stranger； this talk is keepin' y'u。〃
She seemed moody now； and a note of detachment crept into her voice。
Jean rose at once and went for his horse。 If this girl did not desire
to talk further he certainly had no wish to annoy her。 His mule had
strayed off among the bleating sheep。 Jean drove it back and then led
his horse up to where the girl stood。 She appeared taller and； though
not of robust build； she was vigorous and lithe； with something about
her that fitted the place。 Jean was loath to bid her good
