riders of the purple sage-第41章

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s　of　the　night　was　not　now　and　never　must　be　again　alone。　He　who　had　yearned　for　the　touch　of　a　hand　felt　the　long　tremble　and　the　heart…beat　of　a　woman。　By　what　strange　chance　had　she　come　to　love　him！　By　what　changeby　what　marvel　had　she　grown　into　a　treasure！

No　more　did　he　listen　to　the　rush　and　roar　of　the　thunder…storm。　For　with　the　touch　of　clinging　hands　and　the　throbbing　bosom　he　grew　conscious　of　an　inward　stormthe　tingling　of　new　chords　of　thought；　strange　music　of　unheard；　joyous　bells　sad　dreams　dawning　to　wakeful　delight；　dissolving　doubt；　resurging　hope；　force；　fire；　and　freedom；　unutterable　sweetness　of　desire。　A　storm　in　his　breasta　storm　of　real　love。



CHAPTER　XIV。　WEST　WIND

When　the　storm　abated　Venters　sought　his　own　cave；　and　late　in　the　night；　as　his　blood　cooled　and　the　stir　and　throb　and　thrill　subsided；　he　fell　asleep。

With　the　breaking　of　dawn　his　eyes　unclosed。　The　valley　lay　drenched　and　bathed；　a　burnished　oval　of　glittering　green。　The　rain…washed　walls　glistened　in　the　morning　light。　Waterfalls　of　many　forms　poured　over　the　rims。　One；　a　broad；　lacy　sheet；　thin　as　smoke；　slid　over　the　western　notch　and　struck　a　ledge　in　its　downward　fall；　to　bound　into　broader　leap；　to　burst　far　below　into　white　and　gold　and　rosy　mist。

Venters　prepared　for　the　day；　knowing　himself　a　different　man。

〃It's　a　glorious　morning；〃　said　Bess；　in　greeting。

〃Yes。　After　the　storm　the　west　wind；〃　he　replied。

〃Last　night　was　Ivery　much　of　a　baby？〃　she　asked；　watching　him。

〃Pretty　much。〃

〃Oh；　I　couldn't　help　it！〃

〃I'm　glad　you　were　afraid。〃

〃Why？〃　she　asked；　in　slow　surprise。

〃I'll　tell　you　some　day；〃　he　answered；　soberly。　Then　around　the　camp…fire　and　through　the　morning　meal　he　was　silent；　afterward　he　strolled　thoughtfully　off　alone　along　the　terrace。　He　climbed　a　great　yellow　rock　raising　its　crest　among　the　spruces；　and　there　he　sat　down　to　face　the　valley　and　the　west。

〃I　love　her！〃

Aloud　he　spokeunburdened　his　heartconfessed　his　secret。　For　an　instant　the　golden　valley　swam　before　his　eyes；　and　the　walls　waved；　and　all　about　him　whirled　with　tumult　within。

〃I　love　her！。。。I　understand　now。〃

Reviving　memory　of　Jane　Withersteen　and　thought　of　the　complications　of　the　present　amazed　him　with　proof　of　how　far　he　had　drifted　from　his　old　life。　He　discovered　that　he　hated　to　take　up　the　broken　threads；　to　delve　into　dark　problems　and　difficulties。　In　this　beautiful　valley　he　had　been　living　a　beautiful　dream。　Tranquillity　had　come　to　him；　and　the　joy　of　solitude；　and　interest　in　all　the　wild　creatures　and　crannies　of　this　incomparable　valleyand　love。　Under　the　shadow　of　the　great　stone　bridge　God　had　revealed　Himself　to　Venters。

〃The　world　seems　very　far　away；〃　he　muttered；　〃but　it's　thereand　I'm　not　yet　done　with　it。　Perhaps　I　never　shall　be。。。。Onlyhow　glorious　it　would　be　to　live　here　always　and　never　think　again！〃

Whereupon　the　resurging　reality　of　the　present；　as　if　in　irony　of　his　wish；　steeped　him　instantly　in　contending　thought。　Out　of　it　all　he　presently　evolved　these　things：　he　must　go　to　Cottonwoods；　he　must　bring　supplies　back　to　Surprise　Valley；　he　must　cultivate　the　soil　and　raise　corn　and　stock；　and；　most　imperative　of　all；　he　must　decide　the　future　of　the　girl　who　loved　him　and　whom　he　loved。　The　first　of　these　things　required　tremendous　effort；　the　last　one；　concerning　Bess；　seemed　simply　and　naturally　easy　of　accomplishment。　He　would　marry　her。　Suddenly；　as　from　roots　of　poisonous　fire；　flamed　up　the　forgotten　truth　concerning　her。　It　seemed　to　wither　and　shrivel　up　all　his　joy　on　its　hot；　tearing　way　to　his　heart。　She　had　been　Oldring's　Masked　Rider。　To　Venters's　question；　〃What　were　you　to　Oldring？〃　she　had　answered　with　scarlet　shame　and　drooping　head。

〃What　do　I　care　who　she　is　or　what　she　was！〃　he　cried；　passionately。　And　he　knew　it　was　not　his　old　self　speaking。　It　was　this　softer；　gentler　man　who　had　awakened　to　new　thoughts　in　the　quiet　valley。　Tenderness；　masterful　in　him　now；　matched　the　absence　of　joy　and　blunted　the　knife…edge　of　entering　jealousy。　Strong　and　passionate　effort　of　will；　surprising　to　him；　held　back　the　poison　from　piercing　his　soul。

〃Wait！。。。Wait！〃　he　cried；　as　if　calling。　His　hand　pressed　his　breast；　and　he　might　have　called　to　the　pang　there。　〃Wait！　It's　all　so　strangeso　wonderful。　Anything　can　happen。　Who　am　I　to　judge　her？　I'll　glory　in　my　love　for　her。　But　I　can't　tell　itcan't　give　up　to　it。〃

Certainly　he　could　not　then　decide　her　future。　Marrying　her　was　impossible　in　Surprise　Valley　and　in　any　village　south　of　Sterling。　Even　without　the　mask　she　had　once　worn　she　would　easily　have　been　recognized　as　Oldring's　Rider。　No　man　who　had　ever　seen　her　would　forget　her；　regardless　of　his　ignorance　as　to　her　sex。　Then　more　poignant　than　all　other　argument　was　the　fact　that　he　did　not　want　to　take　her　away　from　Surprise　Valley。　He　resisted　all　thought　of　that。　He　had　brought　her　to　the　most　beautiful　and　wildest　place　of　the　uplands；　he　had　saved　her；　nursed　her　back　to　strength；　watched　her　bloom　as　one　of　the　valley　lilies；　he　knew　her　life　there　to　be　pure　and　sweetshe　belonged　to　him；　and　he　loved　her。　Still　these　were　not　all　the　reasons　why　he　did　not　want　to　take　her　away。　Where　could　they　go？　He　feared　the　rustlershe　feared　the　ridershe　feared　the　Mormons。　And　if　he　should　ever　succeed　in　getting　Bess　safely　away　from　these　immediate　perils；　he　feared　the　sharp　eyes　of　women　and　their　tongues；　the　big　outside　world　with　its　problems　of　existence。　He　must　wait　to　decide　her　future；　which；　after　all；　was　deciding　his　own。　But　between　her　future　and　his　something　hung　impending。　Like　Balancing　Rock；　which　waited　darkly　over　the　steep　gorge；　ready　to　close　forever　the　outlet　to　Deception　Pass；　that　nameless　thing；　as　certain　yet　intangible　as　fate；　must　fall　and　close　forever　all　doubts　and　fears　of　the　future。

〃I've　dreamed；〃　muttered　Venters；　as　he　rose。　〃Well；　why　not？。。。To　dream　is　happiness！　But　let　me　just　once　see　this　clearly　wholly；　then　I　can　go　on　dreaming　till　the　thing　falls。　I've　got　to　tell　Jane　Withersteen。　I've　dangerous　trips　to　take。　I've　work　here　to　make　comfort　for　this　girl。　She's　mine。　I'll　fight　to　keep　her　safe　from　that　old　life。　I've　already　seen　her　forget　it。　I　love　her。　And　if　a　beast　ever　rises　in　me　I'll　burn　my　hand　off　before　I　lay　it　on　her　with　shameful　intent。　And；　by　God！　sooner　or　later　I'll　kill　the　man　who　hid　her　and　kept　her　in　Deception　Pass！〃

As　he　spoke　the　west　wind　softly　blew　in　his　face。　It　seemed　to　soothe　his　passion。　That　west　wind　was　fresh；　cool；　fragrant；　and　it　carried　a　sweet；　strange　burden　of　far…off　thingstidings　of　life　in　other　climes；　of　sunshine　asleep　on　other　wallsof　other　places　where　reigned　peace。　It　carried；　too；　sad　truth　of　human　hearts　and　mysteryof　promise　and　hope　unquenchable。　Surprise　Valley　was　only　a　little　niche　in　the　wide　world　whence　blew　that　burdened　wind。　Bess　was　only　one　of　millions　at　the　mercy　of　unknown　motive　in　nature　and　life。　Content　had　come　to　Venters　in　the　valley；　happiness　had　breathed　in　the　slow；　warm　air；　love　as　bright　as　light　had　hovered　over　the　walls　and　descended　to　him；　and　now　on　the　west　wind　came　a　whisper　of　the　eternal　triumph　of　faith　over　doubt。

〃How　much　better　I　am　for　what　has　come　to　me！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I'll　let　the　future　take　care　of　itself。　Whatever　falls；　I'll　be　ready。〃

Venters　retraced　his　steps　along　the　terrace　back　to　camp；　and　found　Bess　in　the　old　familiar　seat；　waiting　and　watching　for　his　return。

〃I　went　off　by　myself　to　think　a　little；〃　he　explained。

〃You　never　looked　that　way　before。　Whatwhat　is　it？　Won't　you　tell　me？〃

〃Well；　Bess；　the　fact　is　I've　been　dreaming　a　lot。　This　valley　makes　a　fellow　dream。　So　I　forced　myself　to　think。　We　can't　live　this　way　much　longer。　Soon　I'll　simply　have　to　go　to　Cottonwoods。　We　need　a　whole　pack　train　of　supplies。　I　can　get〃

〃Can　you　go　safely？〃　she　interrupted。

〃Why；　I'm　sure　of　it。　I'll　ride　through　the　Pass　at　night。　I　haven't　any　fear　that　Wrangle　isn't　where　I　left　him。　And　once　on　himBess；　just　wait　till　you　see　that　horse！〃

〃Oh；　I　want　to　see　himto　ride　him。　Butbut；　Bern；　this　is　what　troubles　me；〃　she　said。　〃Willwill