riders of the purple sage-第56章
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s an unutterable fiendish joy because for that magnificent manhood and life he meant cold and sudden death。
〃Oldring； Bess is alive！ But she's dead to youdead to the life you made her leaddead as you will be in one second！〃
Swift as lightning Venters's glance dropped from Oldring's rolling eyes to his hands。 One of them； the right； swept out； then toward his gunand Venters shot him through the heart。
Slowly Oldring sank to his knees； and the hand； dragging at the gun； fell away。 Venters's strangely acute faculties grasped the meaning of that limp arm； of the swaying hulk； of the gasp and heave； of the quivering beard。 But was that awful spirit in the black eyes only one of vitality？
〃Manwhydidn'tyouwait？ Besswas〃 Oldring's whisper died under his beard； and with a heavy lurch he fell forward。
Bounding swiftly away； Venters fled around the corner； across the street； and； leaping a hedge； he ran through yard； orchard； and garden to the sage。 Here； under cover of the tall brush； he turned west and ran on to the place where he had hidden his rifle。 Securing that； he again set out into a run； and； circling through the sage； came up behind Jane Withersteen's stable and corrals。 With laboring； dripping chest； and pain as of a knife thrust in his side； he stopped to regain his breath； and while resting his eyes roved around in search of a horse。 Doors and windows of the stable were open wide and had a deserted look。 One dejected； lonely burro stood in the near corral。 Strange indeed was the silence brooding over the once happy； noisy home of Jane Withersteen's pets。
He went into the corral； exercising care to leave no tracks； and led the burro to the watering…trough。 Venters； though not thirsty； drank till he could drink no more。 Then； leading the burro over hard ground； he struck into the sage and down the slope。
He strode swiftly； turning from time to time to scan the slope for riders。 His head just topped the level of sage…brush； and the burro could not have been seen at all。 Slowly the green of Cottonwoods sank behind the slope； and at last a wavering line of purple sage met the blue of sky。
To avoid being seen； to get away； to hide his trailthese were the sole ideas in his mind as he headed for Deception Pass； and he directed all his acuteness of eye and ear； and the keenness of a rider's judgment for distance and ground； to stern accomplishment of the task。 He kept to the sage far to the left of the trail leading into the Pass。 He walked ten miles and looked back a thousand times。 Always the graceful； purple wave of sage remained wide and lonely； a clear； undotted waste。 Coming to a stretch of rocky ground； he took advantage of it to cross the trail and then continued down on the right。 At length he persuaded himself that he would be able to see riders mounted on horses before they could see him on the little burro； and he rode bareback。
Hour by hour the tireless burro kept to his faithful； steady trot。 The sun sank and the long shadows lengthened down the slope。 Moving veils of purple twilight crept out of the hollows and； mustering and forming on the levels； soon merged and shaded into night。 Venters guided the burro nearer to the trail； so that he could see its white line from the ridges； and rode on through the hours。
Once down in the Pass without leaving a trail； he would hold himself safe for the time being。 When late in the night he reached the break in the sage； he sent the burro down ahead of him； and started an avalanche that all but buried the animal at the bottom of the trail。 Bruised and battered as he was； he had a moment's elation； for he had hidden his tracks。 Once more he mounted the burro and rode on。 The hour was the blackest of the night when he made the thicket which inclosed his old camp。 Here he turned the burro loose in the grass near the spring； and then lay down on his old bed of leaves。
He felt only vaguely； as outside things； the ache and burn and throb of the muscles of his body。 But a dammed…up torrent of emotion at last burst its bounds； and the hour that saw his release from immediate action was one that confounded him in the reaction of his spirit。 He suffered without understanding why。 He caught glimpses into himself； into unlit darkness of soul。 The fire that had blistered him and the cold which had frozen him now united in one torturing possession of his mind and heart； and like a fiery steed with ice…shod feet； ranged his being； ran rioting through his blood； trampling the resurging good； dragging ever at the evil。
Out of the subsiding chaos came a clear question。 What had happened？ He had left the valley to go to Cottonwoods。 Why？ It seemed that he had gone to kill a manOldring！ The name riveted his consciousness upon the one man of all men upon earth whom he had wanted to meet。 He had met the rustler。 Venters recalled the smoky haze of the saloon； the dark…visaged men； the huge Oldring。 He saw him step out of the door； a splendid specimen of manhood； a handsome giant with purple…black and sweeping beard。 He remembered inquisitive gaze of falcon eyes。 He heard himself repeating： 〃Oldring； Bess is alive！ But she's dead to you；〃 and he felt himself jerk； and his ears throbbed to the thunder of a gun； and he saw the giant sink slowly to his knees。 Was that only the vitality of himthat awful light in the eyesonly the hard…dying life of a tremendously powerful brute？ A broken whisper； strange as death： 〃Man； whydidn'tyou wait！ Besswas〃 And Oldring plunged face forward； dead。
〃I killed him；〃 cried Venters； in remembering shock。 〃But it wasn't that。 Ah； the look in his eyes and his whisper！〃
Herein lay the secret that had clamored to him through all the tumult and stress of his emotions。 What a look in the eyes of a man shot through the heart！ It had been neither hate nor ferocity nor fear of men nor fear of death。 It had been no passionate glinting spirit of a fearless foe； willing shot for shot； life for life； but lacking physical power。 Distinctly recalled now； never to be forgotten； Venters saw in Oldring's magnificent eyes the rolling of great； glad surprisesoftnesslove！ Then came a shadow and the terrible superhuman striving of his spirit to speak。 Oldring shot through the heart； had fought and forced back death； not for a moment in which to shoot or curse； but to whisper strange words。
What words for a dying man to whisper！ Why had not Venters waited？ For what？ That was no plea for life。 It was regret that there was not a moment of life left in which to speak。 Bess wasHerein lay renewed torture for Venters。 What had Bess been to Oldring？ The old question； like a specter； stalked from its grave to haunt him。 He had overlooked； he had forgiven； he had loved and he had forgotten； and now； out of the mystery of a dying man's whisper rose again that perverse； unsatisfied； jealous uncertainty。 Bess had loved that splendid； black…crowned giantby her own confession she had loved him； and in Venters's soul again flamed up the jealous hell。 Then into the clamoring hell burst the shot that had killed Oldring； and it rang in a wild fiendish gladness； a hateful； vengeful joy。 That passed to the memory of the love and light in Oldring's eyes and the mystery in his whisper。 So the changing； swaying emotions fluctuated in Venters's heart。
This was the climax of his year of suffering and the crucial struggle of his life。 And when the gray dawn came he rose； a gloomy； almost heartbroken man； but victor over evil passions。 He could not change the past； and； even if he had not loved Bess with all his soul； he had grown into a man who would not change the future he had planned for her。 Only； and once for all； he must know the truth； know the worst； stifle all these insistent doubts and subtle hopes and jealous fancies； and kill the past by knowing truly what Bess had been to Oldring。 For that matter he knewhe had always known； but he must hear it spoken。 Then； when they had safely gotten out of that wild country to take up a new and an absorbing life； she would forget； she would be happy； and through that； in the years to come； he could not but find life worth living。
All day he rode slowly and cautiously up the Pass； taking time to peer around corners； to pick out hard
