riders of the purple sage-第42章

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〃

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

〃Give　me　four　days。　If　I'm　not　back　in　four　days　you'll　know　I'm　dead。　For　that　only　shall　keep　me。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃Bess；　I'll　come　back。　There's　dangerI　wouldn't　lie　to　youbut　I　can　take　care　of　myself。〃

〃Bern；　I'm　sureoh；　I'm　sure　of　it！　All　my　life　I've　watched　hunted　men。　I　can　tell　what's　in　them。　And　I　believe　you　can　ride　and　shoot　and　see　with　any　rider　of　the　sage。　It's　notnot　that　Ifear。〃

〃Well；　what　is　it；　then？〃

〃Whywhywhy　should　you　come　back　at　all？〃

〃I　couldn't　leave　you　here　alone。〃

〃You　might　change　your　mind　when　you　get　to　the　villageamong　old　friends〃

〃I　won't　change　my　mind。　As　for　old　friends〃　He　uttered　a　short；　expressive　laugh。

〃Thentherethere　must　be　aa　woman！〃　Dark　red　mantled　the　clear　tan　of　temple　and　cheek　and　neck。　Her　eyes　were　eyes　of　shame；　upheld　a　long　moment　by　intense；　straining　search　for　the　verification　of　her　fear。　Suddenly　they　drooped；　her　head　fell　to　her　knees；　her　hands　flew　to　her　hot　cheeks。

〃Besslook　here；〃　said　Venters；　with　a　sharpness　due　to　the　violence　with　which　he　checked　his　quick；　surging　emotion。

As　if　compelled　against　her　willanswering　to　an　irresistible　voice　Bess　raised　her　head；　looked　at　him　with　sad；　dark　eyes；　and　tried　to　whisper　with　tremulous　lips。

〃There's　no　woman；〃　went　on　Venters；　deliberately　holding　her　glance　with　his。　〃Nothing　on　earth；　barring　the　chances　of　life；　can　keep　me　away。〃

Her　face　flashed　and　flushed　with　the　glow　of　a　leaping　joy；　but　like　the　vanishing　of　a　gleam　it　disappeared　to　leave　her　as　he　had　never　beheld　her。

〃I　am　nothingI　am　lostI　am　nameless！〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　come　back？〃　he　asked；　with　sudden　stern　coldness。　〃Maybe　you　want　to　go　back　to　Oldring！〃

That　brought　her　erect；　trembling　and　ashy　pale；　with　dark；　proud　eyes　and　mute　lips　refuting　his　insinuation。

〃Bess；　I　beg　your　pardon。　I　shouldn't　have　said　that。　But　you　angered　me。　I　intend　to　workto　make　a　home　for　you　hereto　be　aa　brother　to　you　as　long　as　ever　you　need　me。　And　you　must　forget　what　you　are　wereI　mean；　and　be　happy。　When　you　remember　that　old　life　you　are　bitter；　and　it　hurts　me。〃

〃I　was　happyI　shall　be　very　happy。　Oh；　you're　so　good　thatthat　it　kills　me！　If　I　think；　I　can't　believe　it。　I　grow　sick　with　wondering　why。　I'm　only　a　let　me　say　itonly　a　lost；　namelessgirl　of　the　rustlers。　Oldring's　Girl；　they　called　me。　That　you　should　save　mebe　so　good　and　kindwant　to　make　me　happywhy；　it's　beyond　belief。　No　wonder　I'm　wretched　at　the　thought　of　your　leaving　me。　But　I'll　be　wretched　and　bitter　no　more。　I　promise　you。　If　only　I　could　repay　you　even　a　little〃

〃You've　repaid　me　a　hundredfold。　Will　you　believe　me？〃

〃Believe　you！　I　couldn't　do　else。〃

〃Then　listen！。。。Saving　you；　I　saved　myself。　Living　here　in　this　valley　with　you；　I've　found　myself。　I've　learned　to　think　while　I　was　dreaming。　I　never　troubled　myself　about　God。　But　God；　or　some　wonderful　spirit；　has　whispered　to　me　here。　I　absolutely　deny　the　truth　of　what　you　say　about　yourself。　I　can't　explain　it。　There　are　things　too　deep　to　tell。　Whatever　the　terrible　wrongs　you've　suffered；　God　holds　you　blameless。　I　see　thatfeel　that　in　you　every　moment　you　are　near　me。　I've　a　mother　and　a　sister　'way　back　in　Illinois。　If　I　could　I'd　take　you　to　themto…morrow。〃

〃If　it　were　true！　Oh；　I　mightI　might　lift　my　head！〃　she　cried。

〃Lift　it　thenyou　child。　For　I　swear　it's　true。〃

She　did　lift　her　head　with　the　singular　wild　grace　always　a　part　of　her　actions；　with　that　old　unconscious　intimation　of　innocence　which　always　tortured　Venters；　but　now　with　something　morea　spirit　rising　from　the　depths　that　linked　itself　to　his　brave　words。

〃I've　been　thinkingtoo；〃　she　cried；　with　quivering　smile　and　swelling　breast。　〃I've　discovered　myselftoo。　I'm　youngI'm　aliveI'm　so　fulloh！　I'm　a　woman！〃

〃Bess；　I　believe　I　can　claim　credit　of　that　last　discoverybefore　you；〃　Venters　said；　and　laughed。

〃Oh；　there's　morethere's　something　I　must　tell　you。〃

〃Tell　it；　then。〃

〃When　will　you　go　to　Cottonwoods？〃

〃As　soon　as　the　storms　are　past；　or　the　worst　of　them。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　before　you　go。　I　can't　now。　I　don't　know　how　I　shall　then。　But　it　must　be　told。　I'd　never　let　you　leave　me　without　knowing。　For　in　spite　of　what　you　say　there's　a　chance　you　mightn't　come　back。〃

Day　after　day　the　west　wind　blew　across　the　valley。　Day　after　day　the　clouds　clustered　gray　and　purple　and　black。　The　cliffs　sang　and　the　caves　rang　with　Oldring's　knell；　and　the　lightning　flashed；　the　thunder　rolled；　the　echoes　crashed　and　crashed；　and　the　rains　flooded　the　valley。　Wild　flowers　sprang　up　everywhere；　swaying　with　the　lengthening　grass　on　the　terraces；　smiling　wanly　from　shady　nooks；　peeping　wondrously　from　year…dry　crevices　of　the　walls。　The　valley　bloomed　into　a　paradise。　Every　single　moment；　from　the　breaking　of　the　gold　bar　through　the　bridge　at　dawn　on　to　the　reddening　of　rays　over　the　western　wall；　was　one　of　colorful　change。　The　valley　swam　in　thick；　transparent　haze；　golden　at　dawn；　warm　and　white　at　noon；　purple　in　the　twilight。　At　the　end　of　every　storm　a　rainbow　curved　down　into　the　leaf…bright　forest　to　shine　and　fade　and　leave　lingeringly　some　faint　essence　of　its　rosy　iris　in　the　air。

Venters　walked　with　Bess；　once　more　in　a　dream；　and　watched　the　lights　change　on　the　walls；　and　faced　the　wind　from　out　of　the　west。

Always　it　brought　softly　to　him　strange；　sweet　tidings　of　far…off　things。　It　blew　from　a　place　that　was　old　and　whispered　of　youth。　It　blew　down　the　grooves　of　time。　It　brought　a　story　of　the　passing　hours。　It　breathed　low　of　fighting　men　and　praying　women。　It　sang　clearly　the　song　of　love。　That　ever　was　the　burden　of　its　tidingsyouth　in　the　shady　woods；　waders　through　the　wet　meadows；　boy　and　girl　at　the　hedgerow　stile；　bathers　in　the　booming　surf；　sweet；　idle　hours　on　grassy；　windy　hills；　long　strolls　down　moonlit　laneseverywhere　in　far…off　lands；　fingers　locked　and　bursting　hearts　and　longing　lipsfrom　all　the　world　tidings　of　unquenchable　love。

Often；　in　these　hours　of　dreams　he　watched　the　girl；　and　asked　himself　of　what　was　she　dreaming？　For　the　changing　light　of　the　valley　reflected　its　gleam　and　its　color　and　its　meaning　in　the　changing　light　of　her　eyes。　He　saw　in　them　infinitely　more　than　he　saw　in　his　dreams。　He　saw　thought　and　soul　and　naturestrong　vision　of　life。　All　tidings　the　west　wind　blew　from　distance　and　age　he　found　deep　in　those　dark…blue　depths；　and　found　them　mysteries　solved。　Under　their　wistful　shadow　he　softened；　and　in　the　softening　felt　himself　grow　a　sadder；　a　wiser；　and　a　better　man。

While　the　west　wind　blew　its　tidings；　filling　his　heart　full；　teaching　him　a　man's　part；　the　days　passed；　the　purple　clouds　changed　to　white；　and　the　storms　were　over　for　that　summer。

〃I　must　go　now；〃　he　said。

〃When？〃　she　asked。

〃At　onceto…night。〃

〃I'm　glad　the　time　has　come。　It　dragged　at　me。　Gofor　you'll　come　back　the　sooner。〃

Late　in　the　afternoon；　as　the　ruddy　sun　split　its　last　flame　in　the　ragged　notch　of　the　western　wall；　Bess　walked　with　Venters　along　the　eastern　terrace；　up　the　long；　weathered　slope；　under　the　great　stone　bridge。　They　entered　the　narrow　gorge　to　climb　around　the　fence　long　before　built　there　by　Venters。　Farther　than　this　she　had　never　been。　Twilight　had　already　fallen　in　the　gorge。　It　brightened　to　waning　shadow　in　the　wider　ascent。　He　showed　her　Balancing　Rock；　of　which　he　had　often　told　her；　and　explained　its　sinister　leaning　over　the　outlet。　Shuddering；　she

looked　down　the　long；　pale　incline　with　its　closed…in；　toppling　walls。

〃What　an　awful　trail！　Did　you　carry　me　up　here？〃

〃I　did；　surely；〃　replied　he。

〃It　frightens　me；　somehow。　Yet　I　never　was　afraid　of　trails。　I'd　ride　anywhere　a　horse　could　go；　and　climb　where　he　couldn't。　But　there's　something　fearful　here。　I　feel　asas　if　the　place　was　watching　me。〃

〃Look　at　this　rock。　It's　balanced　herebalanced　perfectly。　You　know　I　told　you　the　cliff…dwellers　cut　the　rock；　and　why。　But　they're　gone　and　the　rock　waits。　Can't　you　seefeel　how　it　waits　here？　I　moved　it　once；　and　I'll　never　dare　again。　A　strong　heave　would　start