riders of the purple sage-第15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！


rew　confused　in　explanations　that　she　had　not　asked　for。　She　did　inquire　if　he　would　return　on　the　morrow；　and　Jerd；　in　mingled　surprise　and　relief；　assured　her　he　would　always　work　for　her。　Jane　missed　the　rattle　and　trot；　canter　and　gallop　of　the　incoming　riders　on　the　hard　trails。　Dusk　shaded　the　grove　where　she　walked；　the　birds　ceased　singing；　the　wind　sighed　through　the　leaves　of　the　cottonwoods；　and　the　running　water　murmured　down　its　stone…bedded　channel。　The　glimmering　of　the　first　star　was　like　the　peace　and　beauty　of　the　night。　Her　faith　welled　up　in　her　heart　and　said　that　all　would　soon　be　right　in　her　little　world。　She　pictured　Venters　about　his　lonely　camp…fire　sitting　between　his　faithful　dogs。　She　prayed　for　his　safety；　for　the　success　of　his　undertaking。

Early　the　next　morning　one　of　Jane's　women　brought　in　word　that　Judkins　wished　to　speak　to　her。　She　hurried　out；　and　in　her　surprise　to　see　him　armed　with　rifle　and　revolver；　she　forgot　her　intention　to　inquire　about　his　wound。

〃Judkins！　Those　guns？　You　never　carried　guns。〃

〃It's　high　time；　Miss　Withersteen；〃　he　replied。　〃Will　you　come　into　the　grove？　It　ain't　jest　exactly　safe　for　me　to　be　seen　here。〃

She　walked　with　him　into　the　shade　of　the　cottonwoods。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　I　went　to　my　mother's　house　last　night。　While　there；　some　one　knocked；　an'　a　man　asked　for　me。　I　went　to　the　door。　He　wore　a　mask。　He　said　I'd　better　not　ride　any　more　for　Jane　Withersteen。　His　voice　was　hoarse　an'　strange；　disguised　I　reckon；　like　his　face。　He　said　no　more；　an'　ran　off　in　the　dark。〃

〃Did　you　know　who　he　was？〃　asked　Jane；　in　a　low　voice。

Jane　did　not　ask　to　know；　she　did　not　want　to　know；　she　feared　to　know。　All　her　calmness　fled　at　a　single　thought

〃Thet's　why　I'm　packin'　guns；〃　went　on　Judkins。　〃For　I'll　never　quit　ridin'　for　you；　Miss　Withersteen；　till　you　let　me　go。〃

〃Judkins；　do　you　want　to　leave　me？〃

〃Do　I　look　thet　way？　Give　me　a　hossa　fast　hoss；　an'　send　me　out　on　the　sage。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　Judkins！　You're　more　faithful　than　my　own　people。　I　ought　not　accept　your　loyaltyyou　might　suffer　more　through　it。　But　what　in　the　world　can　I　do？　My　head　whirls。　The　wrong　to　Ventersthe　stolen　herdthese　masks；　threats；　this　coil　in　the　dark！　I　can't　understand！　But　I　feel　something　dark　and　terrible　closing　in　around　me。〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　it's　all　simple　enough；〃　said　Judkins；　earnestly。　〃Now　please　listenan'　beggin'　your　pardonjest　turn　thet　deaf　Mormon　ear　aside；　an'　let　me　talk　clear　an'　plain　in　the　other。　I　went　around　to　the　saloons　an'　the　stores　an'　the　loafin'　places　yesterday。　All　your　riders　are　in。　There's　talk　of　a　vigilance　band　organized　to　hunt　down　rustlers。　They　call　themselves　'The　Riders。'　Thet's　the　reportthet's　the　reason　given　for　your　riders　leavin'　you。　Strange　thet　only　a　few　riders　of　other　ranchers　joined　the　band！　An'　Tull's　man；　Jerry　Card　he's　the　leader。　I　seen　him　en'　his　hoss。　He　'ain't　been　to　Glaze。　I'm　not　easy　to　fool　on　the　looks　of　a　hoss　thet's　traveled　the　sage。　Tull　an'　Jerry　didn't　ride　to　Glaze！。。。Well；　I　met　Blake　en'　Dorn；　both　good　friends　of　mine；　usually；　as　far　as　their　Mormon　lights　will　let　'em　go。　But　these　fellers　couldn't　fool　me；　an'　they　didn't　try　very　hard。　I　asked　them；　straight　out　like　a　man；　why　they　left　you　like　thet。　I　didn't　forget　to　mention　how　you　nursed　Blake's　poor　old　mother　when　she　was　sick；　an'　how　good　you　was　to　Dorn's　kids。　They　looked　ashamed；　Miss　Withersteen。　An'　they　jest　froze　upthet　dark　set　look　thet　makes　them　strange　an'　different　to　me。　But　I　could　tell　the　difference　between　thet　first　natural　twinge　of　conscience　an'　the　later　look　of　some　secret　thing。　An'　the　difference　I　caught　was　thet　they　couldn't　help　themselves。　They　hadn't　no　say　in　the　matter。　They　looked　as　if　their　bein'　unfaithful　to　you　was　bein'　faithful　to　a　higher　duty。　An'　there's　the　secret。　Why　it's　as　plain　asas　sight　of　my　gun　here。〃

〃Plain！。。。My　herds　to　wander　in　the　sageto　be　stolen！　Jane　Withersteen　a　poor　woman！　Her　head　to　be　brought　low　and　her　spirit　broken！。。。Why；　Judkins；　it's　plain　enough。〃

〃Miss　Withersteen；　let　me　get　what　boys　I　can　gather；　an'　hold　the　white　herd。　It's　on　the　slope　now；　not　ten　miles　outthree　thousand　head；　an'　all　steers。　They're　wild；　an'　likely　to　stampede　at　the　pop　of　a　jack…rabbit's　ears。　We'll　camp　right　with　them；　en'　try　to　hold　them。〃

〃Judkins；　I'll　reward　you　some　day　for　your　service；　unless　all　is　taken　from　me。　Get　the　boys　and　tell　Jerd　to　give　you　pick　of　my　horses；　except　Black　Star　and　Night。　Butdo　not　shed　blood　for　my　cattle　nor　heedlessly　risk　your　lives。〃

Jane　Withersteen　rushed　to　the　silence　and　seclusion　of　her　room；　and　there　could　not　longer　hold　back　the　bursting　of　her　wrath。　She　went　stone…blind　in　the　fury　of　a　passion　that　had　never　before　showed　its　power。　Lying　upon　her　bed；　sightless；　voiceless；　she　was　a　writhing；　living　flame。　And　she　tossed　there　while　her　fury　burned　and　burned；　and　finally　burned　itself　out。

Then；　weak　and　spent；　she　lay　thinking；　not　of　the　oppression　that　would　break　her；　but　of　this　new　revelation　of　self。　Until　the　last　few　days　there　had　been　little　in　her　life　to　rouse　passions。　Her　forefathers　had　been　Vikings；　savage　chieftains　who　bore　no　cross　and　brooked　no　hindrance　to　their　will。　Her　father　had　inherited　that　temper；　and　at　times；　like　antelope　fleeing　before　fire　on　the　slope；　his　people　fled　from　his　red　rages。　Jane　Withersteen　realized　that　the　spirit　of　wrath　and　war　had　lain　dormant　in　her。　She　shrank　from　black　depths　hitherto　unsuspected。　The　one　thing　in　man　or　woman　that　she　scorned　above　all　scorn；　and　which　she　could　not　forgive；　was　hate。　Hate　headed　a　flaming　pathway　straight　to　hell。　All　in　a　flash；　beyond　her　control　there　had　been　in　her　a　birth　of　fiery　hate。　And　the　man　who　had　dragged　her　peaceful　and　loving　spirit　to　this　degradation　was　a　minister　of　God's　word；　an　Elder　of　her　church；　the　counselor　of　her　beloved　Bishop。

The　loss　of　herds　and　ranges；　even　of　Amber　Spring　and　the　Old　Stone　House；　no　longer　concerned　Jane　Withersteen；　she　faced　the　foremost　thought　of　her　life；　what　she　now　considered　the　mightiest　problemthe　salvation　of　her　soul。

She　knelt　by　her　bedside　and　prayed；　she　prayed　as　she　had　never　prayed　in　all　her　lifeprayed　to　be　forgiven　for　her　sin　to　be　immune　from　that　dark；　hot　hate；　to　love　Tull　as　her　minister；　though　she　could　not　love　him　as　a　man；　to　do　her　duty　by　her　church　and　people　and　those　dependent　upon　her　bounty；　to　hold　reverence　of　God　and　womanhood　inviolate。

When　Jane　Withersteen　rose　from　that　storm　of　wrath　and　prayer　for　help　she　was　serene；　calm；　surea　changed　woman。　She　would　do　her　duty　as　she　saw　it；　live　her　life　as　her　own　truth　guided　her。　She　might　never　be　able　to　marry　a　man　of　her　choice；　but　she　certainly　never　would　become　the　wife　of　Tull。　Her　churchmen　might　take　her　cattle　and　horses；　ranges　and　fields；　her　corrals　and　stables；　the　house　of　Withersteen　and　the　water　that　nourished　the　village　of　Cottonwoods；　but　they　could　not　force　her　to　marry　Tull；　they　could　not　change　her　decision　or　break　her　spirit。　Once　resigned　to　further　loss；　and　sure　of　herself；　Jane　Withersteen　attained　a　peace　of　mind　that　had　not　been　hers　for　a　year。　She　forgave　Tull；　and　felt　a　melancholy　regret　over　what　she　knew　he　considered　duty；　irrespective　of　his　personal　feeling　for　her。　First　of　all；　Tull；　as　he　was　a　man；　wanted　her　for　himself；　and　secondly；　he　hoped　to　save　her　and　her　riches　for　his　church。　She　did　not　believe　that　Tull　had　been　actuated　solely　by　his　minister's　zeal　to　save　her　soul。　She　doubted　her　interpretation　of　one　of　his　dark　sayingsthat　if　she　were　lost　to　him　she　might　as　well　be　lost　to　heaven。　Jane　Withersteen's　common　sense　took　arms　against　the　binding　limits　of　her　religion；　and　she　doubted　that　her　Bishop；　whom　she　had　been　taught　had　direct　communication　with　Godwould　damn　her　soul　for　refusing　to　marry　a　Mormon。　As　for　Tull　and　his　churchmen；　when　they　had　harassed　her；　perhaps　made　her　poor；　they　would　find　her　unchangeable；　and　then　she　would　get　back　most　of　what　she　had　lost。　So　she　reasoned；　true　at　last　to　her　faith　in　all　men；　and　in　their