riders of the purple sage-第2章

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oman。　But　you　haven't　come　to　your　senses。　Now；　once　for　all；　you　can't　have　any　further　friendship　with　Venters。　He's　going　to　be　whipped；　and　he's　got　to　leave　Utah！〃

〃Oh！　Don't　whip　him！　It　would　be　dastardly！〃　implored　Jane；　with　slow　certainty　of　her　failing　courage。

Tull　always　blunted　her　spirit；　and　she　grew　conscious　that　she　had　feigned　a　boldness　which　she　did　not　possess。　He　loomed　up　now　in　different　guise；　not　as　a　jealous　suitor；　but　embodying　the　mysterious　despotism　she　had　known　from　childhoodthe　power　of　her　creed。

〃Venters；　will　you　take　your　whipping　here　or　would　you　rather　go　out　in　the　sage？〃　asked　Tull。　He　smiled　a　flinty　smile　that　was　more　than　inhuman；　yet　seemed　to　give　out　of　its　dark　aloofness　a　gleam　of　righteousness。

〃I'll　take　it　hereif　I　must；〃　said　Venters。　〃But　by　God！Tull　you'd　better　kill　me　outright。　That'll　be　a　dear　whipping　for　you　and　your　praying　Mormons。　You'll　make　me　another　Lassiter！〃

The　strange　glow；　the　austere　light　which　radiated　from　Tull's　face；　might　have　been　a　holy　joy　at　the　spiritual　conception　of　exalted　duty。　But　there　was　something　more　in　him；　barely　hidden；　a　something　personal　and　sinister；　a　deep　of　himself；　an　engulfing　abyss。　As　his　religious　mood　was　fanatical　and　inexorable；　so　would　his　physical　hate　be　merciless。

〃Elder；　II　repent　my　words；〃　Jane　faltered。　The　religion　in　her；　the　long　habit　of　obedience；　of　humility；　as　well　as　agony　of　fear；　spoke　in　her　voice。　〃Spare　the　boy！〃　she　whispered。

〃You　can't　save　him　now；〃　replied　Tull　stridently。

Her　head　was　bowing　to　the　inevitable。　She　was　grasping　the　truth；　when　suddenly　there　came；　in　inward　constriction；　a　hardening　of　gentle　forces　within　her　breast。　Like　a　steel　bar　it　was　stiffening　all　that　had　been　soft　and　weak　in　her。　She　felt　a　birth　in　her　of　something　new　and　unintelligible。　Once　more　her　strained　gaze　sought　the　sage…slopes。　Jane　Withersteen　loved　that　wild　and　purple　wilderness。　In　times　of　sorrow　it　had　been　her　strength；　in　happiness　its　beauty　was　her　continual　delight。　In　her　extremity　she　found　herself　murmuring；　〃Whence　cometh　my　help！〃　It　was　a　prayer；　as　if　forth　from　those　lonely　purple　reaches　and　walls　of　red　and　clefts　of　blue　might　ride　a　fearless　man；　neither　creed…bound　nor　creed…mad；　who　would　hold　up　a　restraining　hand　in　the　faces　of　her　ruthless　people。

The　restless　movements　of　Tull's　men　suddenly　quieted　down。　Then　followed　a　low　whisper；　a　rustle；　a　sharp　exclamation。

〃Look！〃　said　one；　pointing　to　the　west。

〃A　rider！〃

Jane　Withersteen　wheeled　and　saw　a　horseman；　silhouetted　against　the　western　sky；　coming　riding　out　of　the　sage。　He　had　ridden　down　from　the　left；　in　the　golden　glare　of　the　sun；　and　had　been　unobserved　till　close　at　hand。　An　answer　to　her　prayer！

〃Do　you　know　him？　Does　any　one　know　him？〃　questioned　Tull；　hurriedly。

His　men　looked　and　looked；　and　one　by　one　shook　their　heads。

〃He's　come　from　far；〃　said　one。

〃Thet's　a　fine　hoss；〃　said　another。

〃A　strange　rider。〃

〃Huh！　he　wears　black　leather；〃　added　a　fourth。

With　a　wave　of　his　hand；　enjoining　silence；　Tull　stepped　forward　in　such　a　way　that　he　concealed　Venters。

The　rider　reined　in　his　mount；　and　with　a　lithe　forward…slipping　action　appeared　to　reach　the　ground　in　one　long　step。　It　was　a　peculiar　movement　in　its　quickness　and　inasmuch　that　while　performing　it　the　rider　did　not　swerve　in　the　slightest　from　a　square　front　to　the　croup　before　him。

〃Look！〃　hoarsely　whispered　one　of　Tull's　companions。　〃He　packs　two　black…butted　gunslow　downthey're　hard　to　seeblack　akin　them　black　chaps。〃

〃A　gun…man！〃　whispered　another。　〃Fellers；　careful　now　about　movin'　your　hands。〃

The　stranger's　slow　approach　might　have　been　a　mere　leisurely　manner　of　gait　or　the　cramped　short　steps　of　a　rider　unused　to　walking；　yet；　as　well；　it　could　have　been　the　guarded　advance　of　one　who　took　no　chances　with　men。

〃Hello；　stranger！〃　called　Tull。　No　welcome　was　in　this　greeting　only　a　gruff　curiosity。

The　rider　responded　with　a　curt　nod。　The　wide　brim　of　a　black　sombrero　cast　a　dark　shade　over　his　face。　For　a　moment　he　closely　regarded　Tull　and　his　comrades；　and　then；　halting　in　his　slow　walk；　he　seemed　to　relax。

〃Evenin'；　ma'am；〃　he　said　to　Jane；　and　removed　his　sombrero　with　quaint　grace。

Jane；　greeting　him；　looked　up　into　a　face　that　she　trusted　instinctively　and　which　riveted　her　attention。　It　had　all　the　characteristics　of　the　range　rider'sthe　leanness；　the　red　burn　of　the　sun；　and　the　set　changelessness　that　came　from　years　of　silence　and　solitude。　But　it　was　not　these　which　held　her；　rather　the　intensity　of　his　gaze；　a　strained　weariness；　a　piercing　wistfulness　of　keen；　gray　sight；　as　if　the　man　was　forever　looking　for　that　which　he　never　found。　Jane's　subtle　woman's　intuition；　even　in　that　brief　instant；　felt　a　sadness；　a　hungering；　a　secret。

〃Jane　Withersteen；　ma'am？〃　he　inquired。

〃Yes；　she　replied。

〃The　water　here　is　yours？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃May　I　water　my　horse？〃

〃Certainly。　There's　the　trough。〃

〃But　mebbe　if　you　knew　who　I　was〃　He　hesitated；　with　his　glance　on　the　listening　men。　〃Mebbe　you　wouldn't　let　me　water　himthough　I　ain't　askin'　none　for　myself。〃

〃Stranger；　it　doesn't　matter　who　you　are。　Water　your　horse。　And　if　you　are　thirsty　and　hungry　come　into　my　house。〃

〃Thanks；　ma'am。　I　can't　accept　for　myselfbut　for　my　tired　horse〃

Trampling　of　hoofs　interrupted　the　rider。　More　restless　movements　on　the　part　of　Tull's　men　broke　up　the　little　circle；　exposing　the　prisoner　Venters。

〃Mebbe　I've　kind　of　hindered　somethin'for　a　few　moments；　perhaps？〃　inquired　the　rider。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Jane　Withersteen；　with　a　throb　in　her　voice。

She　felt　the　drawing　power　of　his　eyes；　and　then　she　saw　him　look　at　the　bound　Venters；　and　at　the　men　who　held　him；　and　their　leader。

〃In　this　here　country　all　the　rustlers　an'　thieves　an'　cut…throats　an'　gun…throwers　an'　all…round　no…good　men　jest　happen　to　be　Gentiles。　Ma'am；　which　of　the　no…good　class　does　that　young　feller　belong　to？〃

〃He　belongs　to　none　of　them。　He's　an　honest　boy。〃

〃You　know　that；　madame？〃

〃Yesyes。〃

〃Then　what　has　he　done　to　get　tied　up　that　way？〃

His　clear　and　distinct　question；　meant　for　Tull　as　well　as　for　Jane　Withersteen；　stilled　the　restlessness　and　brought　a　momentary　silence。

〃Ask　him；〃　replied　Jane；　her　voice　rising　high。

The　rider　stepped　away　from　her；　moving　out　with　the　same　slow；　measured　stride　in　which　he　had　approached；　and　the　fact　that　his　action　placed　her　wholly　to　one　side；　and　him　no　nearer　to　Tull　and　his　men；　had　a　penetrating　significance。

〃Young　feller；　speak　up；〃　he　said　to　Venters。

〃Here　stranger；　this's　none　of　your　mix；〃　began　Tull。　〃Don't　try　any　interference。　You've　been　asked　to　drink　and　eat。　That's　more　than　you'd　have　got　in　any　other　village　of　the　Utah　border。　Water　your　horse　and　be　on　your　way。〃

〃EasyeasyI　ain't　interferin'　yet；〃　replied　the　rider。　The　tone　of　his　voice　had　undergone　a　change。　A　different　man　had　spoken。　Where；　in　addressing　Jane；　he　had　been　mild　and　gentle；　now；　with　his　first　speech　to　Tull；　he　was　dry；　cool；　biting。　〃I've　lest　stumbled　onto　a　queer　deal。　Seven　Mormons　all　packin'　guns；　an'　a　Gentile　tied　with　a　rope；　an'　a　woman　who　swears　by　his　honesty！　Queer；　ain't　that？〃

〃Queer　or　not；　it's　none　of　your　business；〃　retorted　Tull。

〃Where　I　was　raised　a　woman's　word　was　law。　I　ain't　quite　outgrowed　that　yet。〃

Tull　fumed　between　amaze　and　anger。

〃Meddler；　we　have　a　law　here　something　different　from　woman's　whim　Mormon　law！。。。Take　care　you　don't　transgress　it。〃

〃To　hell　with　your　Mormon　law！〃

The　deliberate　speech　marked　the　rider's　further　change；　this　time　from　kindly　interest　to　an　awakening　menace。　It　produced　a　transformation　in　Tull　and　his　companions。　The　leader　gasped　and　staggered　backward　at　a　blasphemous　affront　to　an　institution　he　held　most　sacred。　The　man　Jerry；　holding　the　horses；　dropped　the　bridles　and　froze　in　his　tracks。　Like　posts　the　other　men　stood　watchful…eyed；　arms　hanging　rigid；　all　waiting。

〃Speak　up　now；　young　man。　What　have　you　done　to　be　roped　that　way？〃

〃It's　a　damned　outrage！〃　burst　out　Venters。　〃I've　done　no　wrong。　I've　offended　this　M