riders of the purple sage-第1章

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Riders　of　the　Purple　Sage

by　Zane　Grey






CHAPTER　I。　LASSITER

A　sharp　clip…crop　of　iron…shod　hoofs　deadened　and　died　away；　and　clouds　of　yellow　dust　drifted　from　under　the　cottonwoods　out　over　the　sage。

Jane　Withersteen　gazed　down　the　wide　purple　slope　with　dreamy　and　troubled　eyes。　A　rider　had　just　left　her　and　it　was　his　message　that　held　her　thoughtful　and　almost　sad；　awaiting　the　churchmen　who　were　coming　to　resent　and　attack　her　right　to　befriend　a　Gentile。

She　wondered　if　the　unrest　and　strife　that　had　lately　come　to　the　little　village　of　Cottonwoods　was　to　involve　her。　And　then　she　sighed；　remembering　that　her　father　had　founded　this　remotest　border　settlement　of　southern　Utah　and　that　he　had　left　it　to　her。　She　owned　all　the　ground　and　many　of　the　cottages。　Withersteen　House　was　hers；　and　the　great　ranch；　with　its　thousands　of　cattle；　and　the　swiftest　horses　of　the　sage。　To　her　belonged　Amber　Spring；　the　water　which　gave　verdure　and　beauty　to　the　village　and　made　living　possible　on　that　wild　purple　upland　waste。　She　could　not　escape　being　involved　by　whatever　befell　Cottonwoods。

That　year；　1871；　had　marked　a　change　which　had　been　gradually　coming　in　the　lives　of　the　peace…loving　Mormons　of　the　border。　GlazeStone　BridgeSterling；　villages　to　the　north；　had　risen　against　the　invasion　of　Gentile　settlers　and　the　forays　of　rustlers。　There　had　been　opposition　to　the　one　and　fighting　with　the　other。　And　now　Cottonwoods　had　begun　to　wake　and　bestir　itself　and　grown　hard。

Jane　prayed　that　the　tranquillity　and　sweetness　of　her　life　would　not　be　permanently　disrupted。　She　meant　to　do　so　much　more　for　her　people　than　she　had　done。　She　wanted　the　sleepy　quiet　pastoral　days　to　last　always。　Trouble　between　the　Mormons　and　the　Gentiles　of　the　community　would　make　her　unhappy。　She　was　Mormon…born；　and　she　was　a　friend　to　poor　and　unfortunate　Gentiles。　She　wished　only　to　go　on　doing　good　and　being　happy。　And　she　thought　of　what　that　great　ranch　meant　to　her。　She　loved　it　allthe　grove　of　cottonwoods；　the　old　stone　house；　the　amber…tinted　water；　and　the　droves　of　shaggy；　dusty　horses　and　mustangs；　the　sleek；　clean…limbed；　blooded　racers；　and　the　browsing　herds　of　cattle　and　the　lean；　sun…browned　riders　of　the　sage。

While　she　waited　there　she　forgot　the　prospect　of　untoward　change。　The　bray　of　a　lazy　burro　broke　the　afternoon　quiet；　and　it　was　comfortingly　suggestive　of　the　drowsy　farmyard；　and　the　open　corrals；　and　the　green　alfalfa　fields。　Her　clear　sight　intensified　the　purple　sage…slope　as　it　rolled　before　her。　Low　swells　of　prairie…like　ground　sloped　up　to　the　west。　Dark；　lonely　cedar…trees；　few　and　far　between；　stood　out　strikingly；　and　at　long　distances　ruins　of　red　rocks。　Farther　on；　up　the　gradual　slope；　rose　a　broken　wall；　a　huge　monument；　looming　dark　purple　and　stretching　its　solitary；　mystic　way；　a　wavering　line　that　faded　in　the　north。　Here　to　the　westward　was　the　light　and　color　and　beauty。　Northward　the　slope　descended　to　a　dim　line　of　canyons　from　which　rose　an　up…Hinging　of　the　earth；　not　mountainous；　but　a　vast　heave　of　purple　uplands；　with　ribbed　and　fan…shaped　walls；　castle…crowned　cliffs；　and　gray　escarpments。　Over　it　all　crept　the　lengthening；　waning　afternoon　shadows。

The　rapid　beat　of　hoofs　recalled　Jane　Withersteen　to　the　question　at　hand。　A　group　of　riders　cantered　up　the　lane；　dismounted；　and　threw　their　bridles。　They　were　seven　in　number；　and　Tull；　the　leader；　a　tall；　dark　man；　was　an　elder　of　Jane's　church。

〃Did　you　get　my　message？〃　he　asked；　curtly。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Jane。

〃I　sent　word　I'd　give　that　rider　Venters　half　an　hour　to　come　down　to　the　village。　He　didn't　come。〃

〃He　knows　nothing　of　it；〃　said　Jane。　〃I　didn't　tell　him。　I've　been　waiting　here　for　you。〃

〃Where　is　Venters？〃

〃I　left　him　in　the　courtyard。〃

〃Here；　Jerry；〃　called　Tull；　turning　to　his　men；　〃take　the　gang　and　fetch　Venters　out　here　if　you　have　to　rope　him。〃

The　dusty…booted　and　long…spurred　riders　clanked　noisily　into　the　grove　of　cottonwoods　and　disappeared　in　the　shade。

〃Elder　Tull；　what　do　you　mean　by　this？〃　demanded　Jane。　〃If　you　must　arrest　Venters　you　might　have　the　courtesy　to　wait　till　he　leaves　my　home。　And　if　you　do　arrest　him　it　will　be　adding　insult　to　injury。　It's　absurd　to　accuse　Venters　of　being　mixed　up　in　that　shooting　fray　in　the　village　last　night。　He　was　with　me　at　the　time。　Besides；　he　let　me　take　charge　of　his　guns。　You're　only　using　this　as　a　pretext。　What　do　you　mean　to　do　to　Venters？〃

〃I'll　tell　you　presently；〃　replied　Tull。　〃But　first　tell　me　why　you　defend　this　worthless　rider？〃

〃Worthless！〃　exclaimed　Jane；　indignantly。　〃He's　nothing　of　the　kind。　He　was　the　best　rider　I　ever　had。　There's　not　a　reason　why　I　shouldn't　champion　him　and　every　reason　why　I　should。　It's　no　little　shame　to　me；　Elder　Tull；　that　through　my　friendship　he　has　roused　the　enmity　of　my　people　and　become　an　outcast。　Besides　I　owe　him　eternal　gratitude　for　saving　the　life　of　little　Fay。〃

〃I've　heard　of　your　love　for　Fay　Larkin　and　that　you　intend　to　adopt　her。　ButJane　Withersteen；　the　child　is　a　Gentile！〃

〃Yes。　But；　Elder；　I　don't　love　the　Mormon　children　any　less　because　I　love　a　Gentile　child。　I　shall　adopt　Fay　if　her　mother　will　give　her　to　me。〃

〃I'm　not　so　much　against　that。　You　can　give　the　child　Mormon　teaching；〃　said　Tull。　〃But　I'm　sick　of　seeing　this　fellow　Venters　hang　around　you。　I'm　going　to　put　a　stop　to　it。　You've　so　much　love　to　throw　away　on　these　beggars　of　Gentiles　that　I've　an　idea　you　might　love　Venters。〃

Tull　spoke　with　the　arrogance　of　a　Mormon　whose　power　could　not　be　brooked　and　with　the　passion　of　a　man　in　whom　jealousy　had　kindled　a　consuming　fire。

〃Maybe　I　do　love　him；〃　said　Jane。　She　felt　both　fear　and　anger　stir　her　heart。　〃I'd　never　thought　of　that。　Poor　fellow！　he　certainly　needs　some　one　to　love　him。〃

〃This'll　be　a　bad　day　for　Venters　unless　you　deny　that；〃　returned　Tull；　grimly。

Tull's　men　appeared　under　the　cottonwoods　and　led　a　young　man　out　into　the　lane。　His　ragged　clothes　were　those　of　an　outcast。　But　he　stood　tall　and　straight；　his　wide　shoulders　flung　back；　with　the　muscles　of　his　bound　arms　rippling　and　a　blue　flame　of　defiance　in　the　gaze　he　bent　on　Tull。

For　the　first　time　Jane　Withersteen　felt　Venters's　real　spirit。　She　wondered　if　she　would　love　this　splendid　youth。　Then　her　emotion　cooled　to　the　sobering　sense　of　the　issue　at　stake。

〃Venters；　will　you　leave　Cottonwoods　at　once　and　forever？〃　asked　Tull；　tensely。

〃Why？〃　rejoined　the　rider。

〃Because　I　order　it。〃

Venters　laughed　in　cool　disdain。

The　red　leaped　to　Tull's　dark　cheek。

〃If　you　don't　go　it　means　your　ruin；〃　he　said；　sharply。

〃Ruin！〃　exclaimed　Venters；　passionately。　〃Haven't　you　already　ruined　me？　What　do　you　call　ruin？　A　year　ago　I　was　a　rider。　I　had　horses　and　cattle　of　my　own。　I　had　a　good　name　in　Cottonwoods。　And　now　when　I　come　into　the　village　to　see　this　woman　you　set　your　men　on　me。　You　hound　me。　You　trail　me　as　if　I　were　a　rustler。　I've　no　more　to　loseexcept　my　life。〃

〃Will　you　leave　Utah？〃

〃Oh！　I　know；〃　went　on　Venters；　tauntingly；　〃it　galls　you；　the　idea　of　beautiful　Jane　Withersteen　being　friendly　to　a　poor　Gentile。　You　want　her　all　yourself。　You're　a　wiving　Mormon。　You　have　use　for　herand　Withersteen　House　and　Amber　Spring　and　seven　thousand　head　of　cattle！〃

Tull's　hard　jaw　protruded；　and　rioting　blood　corded　the　veins　of　his　neck。

〃Once　more。　Will　you　go？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　I'll　have　you　whipped　within　an　inch　of　your　life；〃　replied　Tull；　harshly。　〃I'll　turn　you　out　in　the　sage。　And　if　you　ever　come　back　you'll　get　worse。〃

Venters's　agitated　face　grew　coldly　set　and　the　bronze　changed

Jane　impulsively　stepped　forward。　〃Oh！　Elder　Tull！〃　she　cried。　〃You　won't　do　that！〃

Tull　lifted　a　shaking　finger　toward　her。

〃That'll　do　from　you。　Understand；　you'll　not　be　allowed　to　hold　this　boy　to　a　friendship　that's　offensive　to　your　Bishop。　Jane　Withersteen；　your　father　left　you　wealth　and　power。　It　has　turned　your　head。　You　haven't　yet　come　to　see　the　place　of　Mormon　women。　We've　reasoned　with　you；　borne　with　you。　We've　patiently　waited。　We've　let　you　have　your　fling；　which　is　more　than　I　ever　saw　granted　to　a　Mormon　wom