riders of the purple sage-第3章

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〃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　Mormon　Elder　by　being　a　friend　to　that　woman。〃

〃Ma'am；　is　it　truewhat　he　says？〃　asked　the　rider　of　Jane；　but　his　quiveringly　alert　eyes　never　left　the　little　knot　of　quiet　men。

〃True？　Yes；　perfectly　true；〃　she　answered。

〃Well；　young　man；　it　seems　to　me　that　bein'　a　friend　to　such　a　woman　would　be　what　you　wouldn't　want　to　help　an'　couldn't　help。。。。What's　to　be　done　to　you　for　it？〃

〃They　intend　to　whip　me。　You　know　what　that　meansin　Utah！〃

〃I　reckon；〃　replied　the　rider；　slowly。

With　his　gray　glance　cold　on　the　Mormons；　with　the　restive　bit…champing　of　the　horses；　with　Jane　failing　to　repress　her　mounting　agitations；　with　Venters　standing　pale　and　still；　the　tension　of　the　moment　tightened。　Tull　broke　the　spell　with　a　laugh；　a　laugh　without　mirth；　a　laugh　that　was　only　a　sound　betraying　fear。

〃Come　on；　men！〃　he　called。

Jane　Withersteen　turned　again　to　the　rider。

〃Stranger；　can　you　do　nothing　to　save　Venters？〃

〃Ma'am；　you　ask　me　to　save　himfrom　your　own　people？〃

〃Ask　you？　I　beg　of　you！〃

〃But　you　don't　dream　who　you're　askin'。〃

〃Oh；　sir；　I　pray　yousave　him！〃

These　are　Mormons；　en'　I。。。〃

〃Atat　any　costsave　him。　For　II　care　for　him！〃

Tull　snarled。　〃You　love…sick　fool！　Tell　your　secrets。　There'll　be　a　way　to　teach　you　what　you've　never　learned。。。e　men　out　of　here！〃

〃Mormon；　the　young　man　stays；〃　said　the　rider。

Like　a　shot　his　voice　halted　Tull。

〃What！〃

〃Who'll　keep　him？　He's　my　prisoner！〃　cried　Tull；　hotly。　〃Stranger；　again　I　tell　youdon't　mix　here。　You've　meddled　enough。　Go　your　way　now　or〃

〃Listen！。。。He　stays。〃

Absolute　certainty；　beyond　any　shadow　of　doubt；　breathed　in　the　rider's　low　voice。

〃Who　are　you？　We　are　seven　here。〃

The　rider　dropped　his　sombrero　and　made　a　rapid　movement；　singular　in　that　it　left　him　somewhat　crouched；　arms　bent　and　stiff；　with　the　big　black　gun…sheaths　swung　round　to　the　fore。

It　was　Venters's　wondering；　thrilling　cry　that　bridged　the　fateful　connection　between　the　rider's　singular　position　and　the　dreaded　name。

Tull　put　out　a　groping　hand。　The　life　of　his　eyes　dulled　to　the　gloom　with　which　men　of　his　fear　saw　the　approach　of　death。　But　death；　while　it　hovered　over　him；　did　not　descend；　for　the　rider　waited　for　the　twitching　fingers；　the　downward　flash　of　hand　that　did　not　come。　Tull；　gathering　himself　together；　turned　to　the　horses；　attended　by　his　pale　comrades。



CHAPTER　II。　COTTONWOODS

Venters　appeared　too　deeply　moved　to　speak　the　gratitude　his　face　expressed。　And　Jane　turned　upon　the　rescuer　and　gripped　his　hands。　Her　smiles　and　tears　seemingly　dazed　him。　Presently　as　something　like　calmness　returned；　she　went　to　Lassiter's　weary　horse。

〃I　will　water　him　myself；〃　she　said；　and　she　led　the　horse　to　a　trough　under　a　huge　old　cottonwood。　With　nimble　fingers　she　loosened　the　bridle　and　removed　the　bit。　The　horse　snorted　and　bent　his　head。　The　trough　was　of　solid　stone；　hollowed　out；　moss…covered　and　green　and　wet　and　cool；　and　the　clear　brown　water　that　fed　it　spouted　and　splashed　from　a　wooden　pipe。

〃He　has　brought　you　far　to…day？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；　a　matter　of　over　sixty　miles；　mebbe　seventy。〃

〃A　long　ridea　ride　thatAh；　he　is　blind！〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　replied　Lassiter。

〃What　blinded　him？〃

〃Some　men　once　roped　an'　tied　him；　an'　then　held　white…iron　close　to　his　eyes。〃

〃Oh！　Men？　You　mean　devils。。。。Were　they　your　enemiesMormons？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am。〃

〃To　take　revenge　on　a　horse！　Lassiter；　the　men　of　my　creed　are　unnaturally　cruel。　To　my　everlasting　sorrow　I　confess　it。　They　have　been　driven；　hated；　scourged　till　their　hearts　have　hardened。　But　we　women　hope　and　pray　for　the　time　when　our　men　will　soften。〃

〃Beggin'　your　pardon；　ma'amthat　time　will　never　come。〃

〃Oh；　it　will！。。。Lassiter；　do　you　think　Mormon　women　wicked？　Has　your　hand　been　against　them；　too？〃

〃No。　I　believe　Mormon　women　are　the　best　and　noblest；　the　most　long…sufferin'；　and　the　blindest；　unhappiest　women　on　earth。〃

〃Ah！〃　She　gave　him　a　grave；　thoughtful　look。　〃Then　you　will　break　bread　with　me？〃

Lassiter　had　no　ready　response；　and　he　uneasily　shifted　his　weight　from　one　leg　to　another；　and　turned　his　sombrero　round　and　round　in　his　hands。　〃Ma'am；〃　he　began；　presently；　〃I　reckon　your　kindness　of　heart　makes　you　overlook　things。　Perhaps　I　ain't　well　known　hereabouts；　but　back　up　North　there's　Mormons　who'd　rest　uneasy　in　their　graves　at　the　idea　of　me　sittin'　to　table　with　you。〃

〃I　dare　say。　Butwill　you　do　it；　anyway？〃　she　asked。

〃Mebbe　you　have　a　brother　or　relative　who　might　drop　in　an'　be　offended；　an'　I　wouldn't　want　to〃

〃I've　not　a　relative　in　Utah　that　I　know　of。　There's　no　one　with　a　right　to　question　my　actions。〃　She　turned　smilingly　to　Venters。　〃You　will　come　in；　Bern；　and　Lassiter　will　come　in。　We'll　eat　and　be　merry　while　we　may。〃

〃I'm　only　wonderin'　if　Tull　an'　his　men'll　raise　a　storm　down　in　the　village；〃　said　Lassiter；　in　his　last　weakening　stand。

〃Yes；　he'll　raise　the　stormafter　he　has　prayed；〃　replied　Jane。　〃Come。〃

She　led　the　way；　with　the　bridle　of　Lassiter's　horse　over　her　arm。　Thev　entered　a　grove　and　walked　down　a　wide　path　shaded　by　great　low…branching　cottonwoods。　The　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun　sent　golden　bars　through　the　leaves。　The　grass　was　deep　and　rich；　welcome　contrast　to　sage…tired　eyes。　Twittering　quail　darted　across　the　path；　and　from　a　tree…top　somewhere　a　robin　sang　its　evening　song；　and　on　the　still　air　floated　the　freshness　and　murmur　of　flowing　water。

The　home　of　Jane　Withersteen　stood　in　a　circle　of　cottonwoods；　and　was　a　flat；　long；　red…stone　structure　with　a　covered　court　in　the　center　through　which　flowed　a　lively　stream　of　amber…colored　water。　In　the　massive　blocks　of　stone　and　heavy　timbers　and　solid　doors　and　shutters　showed　the　hand　of　a　man　who　had　builded　against　pillage　and　time；　and　in　the　flowers　and　mosses　lining　the　stone…bedded　stream；　in　the　bright　colors　of　rugs　and　blankets　on　the　court　floor；　and　the　cozy　corner　with　hammock　and　books　and　the　clean…linened　table；　showed　the　grace　of　a　daughter　who　lived　for　happiness　and　the　day　at　hand。

Jane　turned　Lassiter's　horse　loose　in　the　thick　grass。　〃You　will　want　him　to　be　near　you；〃　she　said；　〃or　I'd　have　him　taken　to　the　alfalfa　fields。〃　At　her　call　appeared　women　who　began　at　once　to　bustle　about；　hurrying　to　and　fro；　setting　the　table。　Then　Jane；　excusing　herself；　went　within。

She　passed　through　a　huge　low　ceiled　chamber；　like　the　inside　of　a　fort；　and　into　a　smaller　one　where　a　bright　wood…fire　blazed　in　an　old　open　fireplace；　and　from　this　into　her　own　room。　It　had　the　same　comfort　as　was　manifested　in　the　home…like　outer　court；　moreover；　it　was　warm　and　rich　in　soft　hues。

Seldom　did　Jane　Withersteen　enter　her　room　without　looking　into　her　mirror。　She　knew　she　loved　the　reflection　of　that　beauty　which　since　early　childhood　she　had　never　been　allowed　to　forget。　Her　relatives　and　friends；　and　later　a　horde　of　Mormon　and　Gentile　suitors；　had　fanned　the　flame　of　natural　vanity　in　her。　So　that　at　twenty…eight　she　scarcely　thought　at　all　of　her　wonderful　influence　for　good　in　the　little　community　where　her　father　had　left　her　practically　its　beneficent　landlord；　but　cared　most　for　the　dream　and　the　assurance　and　the　allurement　of　her　beauty。　This　time；　however；　she　gazed　into　her　glass　with　more　than　the　usual　happy　motive；　without　the　usual　slight　conscious　smile。　For　she　was　thinking　of　more　than　the　desire　to　be　fair　in　her　own　eyes；　in　those　of　her　friend；　she　wondered　if　she　were　to　seem　fair　in　the　eyes　of　this　Lassiter；　this　man　whose　name　had　crossed　the　long；　wild　brakes　of　stone　and　plains　of　sage；　this　gentle…voiced；　sad…faced　man　who　was　a　hater　and　a　killer　of　Mormons。　It　was　not　now　her　usual　half…conscious　vain　obsession　that　actuated　her　as　she　hurriedly　changed　her　riding…dress　to　one　of　white；　and　then　looked　long　at　the　stately　form　with　its　gracious　contours；　at　the　fair　face　with　its　strong　chin　and　full　firm　lips；　at　the　dark…blue；　proud；　and　passionate　eyes。

〃If　by　some　means　I　can　keep　him　here　a　few　days；　a　weekhe　will