riders of the purple sage-第57章
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All day he rode slowly and cautiously up the Pass； taking time to peer around corners； to pick out hard ground and grassy patches； and to make sure there was no one in pursuit。 In the night sometime he came to the smooth； scrawled rocks dividing the valley； and here set the burro at liberty。 He walked beyond； climbed the slope and the dim； starlit gorge。 Then； weary to the point of exhaustion； he crept into a shallow cave and fell asleep。
In the morning； when he descended the trail； he found the sun was pouring a golden stream of light through the arch of the great stone bridge。 Surprise Valley； like a valley of dreams； lay mystically soft and beautiful； awakening to the golden flood which was rolling away its slumberous bands of mist； brightening its walled faces。
While yet far off he discerned Bess moving under the silver spruces； and soon the barking of the dogs told him that they had seen him。 He heard the mocking…birds singing in the trees； and then the twittering of the quail。 Ring and Whitie came bounding toward him； and behind them ran Bess； her hands outstretched。
〃Bern！ You're back！ You're back！〃 she cried； in joy that rang of her loneliness。
〃Yes； I'm back；〃 he said； as she rushed to meet him。
She had reached out for him when suddenly； as she saw him closely； something checked her； and as quickly all her joy fled； and with it her color； leaving her pale and trembling。
〃Oh！ What's happened？〃
〃A good deal has happened； Bess。 I don't need to tell you what。 And I'm played out。 Worn out in mind more than body。〃
〃Dearyou look strange to me！〃 faltered Bess。
〃Never mind that。 I'm all right。 There's nothing for you to be scared about。 Things are going to turn out just as we have planned。 As soon as I'm rested we'll make a break to get out of the country。 Only now； right now； I must know the truth about you。〃
〃Truth about me？〃 echoed Bess； shrinkingly。 She seemed to be casting back into her mind for a forgotten key。 Venters himself； as he saw her； received a pang。
〃Yesthe truth。 Bess； don't misunderstand。 I haven't changed that way。 I love you still。 I'll love you more afterward。 Life will be just as sweetsweeter to us。 We'll bebe married as soon as ever we can。 We'll be happybut there's a devil in me。 A perverse； jealous devil！ Then I've queer fancies。 I forgot for a long time。 Now all those fiendish little whispers of doubt and faith and fear and hope come torturing me again。 I've got to kill them with the truth。〃
〃I'll tell you anything you want to know；〃 she replied； frankly。
〃Then by Heaven！ we'll have it over and done with！。。。Bessdid Oldring love you？〃
〃Certainly he did。〃
〃Diddid you love him？〃
〃Of course。 I told you so。〃
〃How can you tell it so lightly？〃 cried Venters； passionately。 〃Haven't you any sense ofof〃 He choked back speech。 He felt the rush of pain and passion。 He seized her in rude； strong hands and drew her close。 He looked straight into her dark…blue eyes。 They were shadowing with the old wistful light； hut they were as clear as the limpid water of the spring。 They were earnest； solemn in unutterable love and faith and abnegation。 Venters shivered。 He knew he was looking into her soul。 He knew she could not lie in that moment； but that she might tell the truth； looking at him with those eyes； almost killed his belief in purity。
〃What arewhat were you toto Oldring？〃 he panted； fiercely。
〃I am his daughter；〃 she replied； instantly。
Venters slowly let go of her。 There was a violent break in the force of his feelingthen creeping blankness。
〃Whatwas ityou said？〃 he asked； in a kind of dull wonder。
〃I am his daughter。〃
〃Oldring's daughter？〃 queried Venters； with life gathering in his voice。
〃Yes。〃
With a passionately awakening start he grasped her hands and drew her close。
〃All the timeyou've been Oldring's daughter？〃
〃Yes； of course all the timealways。〃
〃But Bess； you told meyou let me thinkI made out you wereasoso ashamed。〃
〃It is my shame；〃 she said； with voice deep and full； and now the scarlet fired her cheek。 〃I told youI'm nothingnamelessjust Bess； Oldring's girl！〃
〃I knowI remember。 But I never thought〃 he went on； hurriedly； huskily。 〃That timewhen you lay dyingyou prayedyousomehow I got the idea you were bad。〃
〃Bad？〃 she asked； with a little laugh。
She looked up with a faint smile of bewilderment and the absolute unconsciousness of a child。 Venters gasped in the gathering might of the truth。 She did not understand his meaning。
〃Bess！ Bess！〃 He clasped her in his arms； hiding her eyes against his breast。 She must not see his face in that moment。 And he held her while he looked out across the valley。 In his dim and blinded sight； in the blur of golden light and moving mist； he saw Oldring。 She was the rustler's nameless daughter。 Oldring had loved her。 He had so guarded her； so kept her from women and men and knowledge of life that her mind was as a child's。 That was part of the secretpart of the mystery。 That was the wonderful truth。 Not only was she not bad； but good； pure； innocent above all innocence in the worldthe innocence of lonely girlhood。
He saw Oldring's magnificent eyes； inquisitive； searching； softening。 He saw them flare in amaze； in gladness； with love； then suddenly strain in terrible effort of will。 He heard Oldring whisper and saw him sway like a log and fall。 Then a million bellowing； thundering voicesgunshots of conscience； thunderbolts of remorsedinned horribly in his ears。 He had killed Bess's father。 Then a rushing wind filled his ears like a moan of wind in the cliffs； a knell indeedOldring's knell。
He dropped to his knees and hid his face against Bess； and grasped her with the hands of a drowning man。
〃My God！。。。My God！。。。Oh； Bess！。。。Forgive me！ Never mind what I've donewhat I've thought。 But forgive me。 I'll give you my life。 I'll live for you。 I'll love you。 Oh； I do love you as no man ever loved a woman。 I want you to knowto remember that I fought a fight for youhowever blind I was。 I thoughtI thoughtnever mind what I thoughtbut I loved youI asked you to marry me。 Let thatlet me have that to hug to my heart。 Oh； Bess； I was driven！ And I might have known！ I could not rest nor sleep till I had this mystery solved。 God！ how things work out！〃
〃Bern； you're weaktremblingyou talk wildly；〃 cried Bess。 〃You've overdone your strength。 There's nothing to forgive。 There's no mystery except your love for me。 You have come back to me！〃
And she clasped his head tenderly in her arms and pressed it closely to her throbbing breast。
CHAPTER XIX。 FAY
At the home of Jane Withersteen Little Fay was climbing Lassiter's knee。
〃Does oo love me？〃 she asked。
Lassiter； who was as serious with Fay as he was gentle and loving； assured her in earnest and elaborate speech that he was her devoted subject。 Fay looked thoughtful and appeared to be debating the duplicity of men or searching for a supreme test to prove this cavalier。
〃Does oo love my new mower？〃 she asked； with bewildering suddenness。
Jane Withersteen laughed； and for the first time in many a day she felt a stir of her pulse and warmth in her cheek。
It was a still drowsy summer of afternoon； and the three were sitting in the shade of the wooded knoll that faced the sage…slope Little Fay's brief spell of unhappy longing for her motherthe childish； mystic gloomhad passed； and now where Fay was there were prattle and laughter and glee。 She had emerged Iron sorrow to be the incarnation of joy and loveliness。 She had growl supernaturally sweet and beautiful。 For Jane Withersteen the child was an answer to prayer； a blessing； a possession infinitely more precious than all she had lost。 For Lassiter； Jane divined that little Fay had become a religion。
〃Does oo love my new mower？〃 repeated Fay。
Lassiter's answer to this was a modest and sincere affirmative。
〃Why don't oo marry my new mower an' be my favver？〃
Of the thousands of questions put by little Fay to Lassiter the was the first he had been unable to answer。
〃FayFay； don't ask questions like that；〃 said Jane。
〃Why？〃
〃Because；〃 replied Jane。 And she found it strangely embarrassing to meet the child's gaze。 It seemed to her that Fay's violet eyes
