riders of the purple sage-第16章

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back　most　of　what　she　had　lost。　So　she　reasoned；　true　at　last　to　her　faith　in　all　men；　and　in　their　ultimate　goodness。

The　clank　of　iron　hoofs　upon　the　stone　courtyard　drew　her　hurriedly　from　her　retirement。　There；　beside　his　horse；　stood　Lassiter；　his　dark　apparel　and　the　great　black　gun…sheaths　contrasting　singularly　with　his　gentle　smile。　Jane's　active　mind　took　up　her　interest　in　him　and　her　half…determined　desire　to　use　what　charm　she　had　to　foil　his　evident　design　in　visiting　Cottonwoods。　If　she　could　mitigate　his　hatred　of　Mormons；　or　at　least　keep　him　from　killing　more　of　them；　not　only　would　she　be　saving　her　people；　but　also　be　leading　back　this　bloodspiller　to　some　semblance　of　the　human。

〃Mornin'；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　black　sombrero　in　hand。

〃Lassiter　I'm　not　an　old　woman；　or　even　a　madam；〃　she　replied；　with　her　bright　smile。　〃If　you　can't　say　Miss　Withersteencall　me　Jane。〃

〃I　reckon　Jane　would　be　easier。　First　names　are　always　handy　for　me。〃

〃Well；　use　mine；　then。　Lassiter；　I'm　glad　to　see　you。　I'm　in　trouble。〃

Then　she　told　him　of　Judkins's　return；　of　the　driving　of　the　red　herd；　of　Venters's　departure　on　Wrangle；　and　the　calling…in　of　her　riders。

〃'Pears　to　me　you're　some　smilin'　an'　pretty　for　a　woman　with　so　much　trouble；〃　he　remarked。

〃Lassiter！　Are　you　paying　me　compliments？　But；　seriously　I've　made　up　my　mind　not　to　be　miserable。　I've　lost　much；　and　I'll　lose　more。　Nevertheless；　I　won't　be　sour；　and　I　hope　I'll　never　be　unhappyagain。〃

Lassiter　twisted　his　hat　round　and　round；　as　was　his　way；　and　took　his　time　in　replying。

〃Women　are　strange　to　me。　I　got　to　back…trailin'　myself　from　them　long　ago。　But　I'd　like　a　game　woman。　Might　I　ask；　seein'　as　how　you　take　this　trouble；　if　you're　goin'　to　fight？〃

〃Fight！　How？　Even　if　I　would；　I　haven't　a　friend　except　that　boy　who　doesn't　dare　stay　in　the　village。〃

〃I　make　bold　to　say；　ma'amJanethat　there's　another；　if　you　want　him。〃

〃Lassiter！。。。Thank　you。　But　how　can　I　accept　you　as　a　friend？　Think！　Why；　you'd　ride　down　into　the　village　with　those　terrible　guns　and　kill　my　enemieswho　are　also　my　churchmen。〃

〃I　reckon　I　might　be　riled　up　to　jest　about　that；〃　he　replied；　dryly。

She　held　out　both　hands　to　him。

〃Lassiter！　I'll　accept　your　friendshipbe　proud　of　itreturn　itif　I　may　keep　you　from　killing　another　Mormon。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　one　thing；〃　he　said；　bluntly；　as　the　gray　lightning　formed　in　his　eyes。　〃You're　too　good　a　woman　to　be　sacrificed　as　you're　goin'　to　be。。。。No；　I　reckon　you　an'　me　can't　be　friends　on　such　terms。〃

In　her　earnestness　she　stepped　closer　to　him；　repelled　yet　fascinated　by　the　sudden　transition　of　his　moods。　That　he　would　fight　for　her　was　at　once　horrible　and　wonderful。

〃You　came　here　to　kill　a　manthe　man　whom　Milly　Erne〃

〃The　man　who　dragged　Milly　Erne　to　hellput　it　that　way！。。。Jane　Withersteen；　yes；　that's　why　I　came　here。　I'd　tell　so　much　to　no　other　livin'　soul。。。。There're　things　such　a　woman　as　you'd　never　dream　of　so　don't　mention　her　again。　Not　till　you　tell　me　the　name　of　the　man！〃

〃Tell　you！　I？　Never！〃

〃I　reckon　you　will。　An'　I'll　never　ask　you。　I'm　a　man　of　strange　beliefs　an'　ways　of　thinkin'；　an'　I　seem　to　see　into　the　future　an'　feel　things　hard　to　explain。　The　trail　I've　been　followin'　for　so　many　years　was　twisted　en'　tangled；　but　it's　straightenin'　out　now。　An'；　Jane　Withersteen；　you　crossed　it　long　ago　to　ease　poor　Milly's　agony。　That；　whether　you　want　or　not；　makes　Lassiter　your　friend。　But　you　cross　it　now　strangely　to　mean　somethin　to　meGod　knows　what！unless　by　your　noble　blindness　to　incite　me　to　greater　hatred　of　Mormon　men。〃

Jane　felt　swayed　by　a　strength　that　far　exceeded　her　own。　In　a　clash　of　wills　with　this　man　she　would　go　to　the　wall。　If　she　were　to　influence　him　it　must　be　wholly　through　womanly　allurement。　There　was　that　about　Lassiter　which　commanded　her　respect。　She　had　abhorred　his　name；　face　to　face　with　him；　she　found　she　feared　only　his　deeds。　His　mystic　suggestion；　his　foreshadowing　of　something　that　she　was　to　mean　to　him；　pierced　deep　into　her　mind。　She　believed　fate　had　thrown　in　her　way　the　lover　or　husband　of　Milly　Erne。　She　believed　that　through　her　an　evil　man　might　be　reclaimed。　His　allusion　to　what　he　called　her　blindness　terrified　her。　Such　a　mistaken　idea　of　his　might　unleash　the　bitter；　fatal　mood　she　sensed　in　him。　At　any　cost　she　must　placate　this　man；　she　knew　the　die　was　cast；　and　that　if　Lassiter　did　not　soften　to　a　woman's　grace　and　beauty　and　wiles；　then　it　would　be　because　she　could　not　make　him。

〃I　reckon　you'll　hear　no　more　such　talk　from　me；〃　Lassiter　went　on；　presently。　〃Now；　Miss　Jane；　I　rode　in　to　tell　you　that　your　herd　of　white　steers　is　down　on　the　slope　behind　them　big　ridges。　An'　I　seen　somethin'　goin'　on　that'd　be　mighty　interestin'　to　you；　if　you　could　see　it。　Have　you　a　field…glass？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　two　glasses。　I'll　get　them　and　ride　out　with　you。　Wait；　Lassiter；　please；〃　she　said；　and　hurried　within。　Sending　word　to　Jerd　to　saddle　Black　Star　and　fetch　him　to　the　court；　she　then　went　to　her　room　and　changed　to　the　riding…clothes　she　always　donned　when　going　into　the　sage。　In　this　male　attire　her　mirror　showed　her　a　jaunty；　handsome　rider。　If　she　expected　some　little　need　of　admiration　from　Lassiter；　she　had　no　cause　for　disappointment。　The　gentle　smile　that　she　liked；　which　made　of　him　another　person；　slowly　overspread　his　face。

〃If　I　didn't　take　you　for　a　boy！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃It's　powerful　queer　what　difference　clothes　make。　Now　I've　been　some　scared　of　your　dignity；　like　when　the　other　night　you　was　all　in　white　but　in　this　rig〃

Black　Star　came　pounding　into　the　court；　dragging　Jerd　half　off　his　feet；　and　he　whistled　at　Lassiter's　black。　But　at　sight　of　Jane　all　his　defiant　lines　seemed　to　soften；　and　with　tosses　of　his　beautiful　head　he　whipped　his　bridle。

〃Down；　Black　Star；　down；〃　said　Jane。

He　dropped　his　head；　and；　slowly　lengthening；　he　bent　one　foreleg；　then　the　other；　and　sank　to　his　knees。　Jane　slipped　her　left　foot　in　the　stirrup；　swung　lightly　into　the　saddle；　and　Black　Star　rose　with　a　ringing　stamp。　It　was　not　easy　for　Jane　to　hold　him　to　a　canter　through　the　grove。　and　like　the　wind　he　broke　when　he　saw　the　sage。　Jane　let　him　have　a　couple　of　miles　of　free　running　on　the　open　trail；　and　then　she　coaxed　him　in　and　waited　for　her　companion。　Lassiter　was　not　long　in　catching　up；　and　presently　they　were　riding　side　by　side。　It　reminded　her　how　she　used　to　ride　with　Venters。　Where　was　he　now？　She　gazed　far　down　the　slope　to　the　curved　purple　lines　of　Deception　Pass　and　involuntarily　shut　her　eyes　with　a　trembling　stir　of　nameless　fear。

〃We'll　turn　off　here；〃　Lassiter　said；　〃en'　take　to　the　sage　a　mile　or　so。　The　white　herd　is　behind　them　big　ridges。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　show　me？〃　asked　Jane。　〃I'm　prepareddon't　be　afraid。〃

He　smiled　as　if　he　meant　that　bad　news　came　swiftly　enough　without　being　presaged　by　speech。

When　they　reached　the　lee　of　a　rolling　ridge　Lassiter　dismounted；　motioning　to　her　to　do　likewise。　They　left　the　horses　standing；　bridles　down。　Then　Lassiter；　carrying　the　field…glasses　began　to　lead　the　way　up　the　slow　rise　of　ground。　Upon　nearing　the　summit　he　halted　her　with　a　gesture。

〃I　reckon　we'd　see　more　if　we　didn't　show　ourselves　against　the　sky；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　here　less　than　an　hour　ago。　Then　the　herd　was　seven　or　eight　miles　south；　an'　if　they　ain't　bolted　yet〃

〃Lassiter！。。。Bolted？〃

〃That's　what　I　said。　Now　let's　see。〃

Jane　climbed　a　few　more　paces　behind　him　and　then　peeped　over　the　ridge。　Just　beyond　began　a　shallow　swale　that　deepened　and　widened　into　a　valley　and　then　swung　to　the　left。　Following　the　undulating　sweep　of　sage；　Jane　saw　the　straggling　lines　and　then　the　great　body　of　the　white　herd。　She　knew　enough　about　st　hers；　even　at　a　distance　of　four　or　five　miles；　to　realize　that　something　was　in　the　wind。　Bringing　her　field…glass　into　use；　she　moved　it　slowly　from　left　to　right；　which　action　swept　the　whole　herd　into　range。　The　stragglers　were　restless；　the　more　compactly　massed　steers　were　browsing。　Jane　brought　the　glass　back　to　the　big　sentinels　of　the　herd；　and　she　saw　them　trot　with　quick　steps；　stop　short　and　toss　wide　horns；　look　e