riders of the purple sage-第61章

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d　Bells；　since　their　return；　had　been　locked　in　this　hall；　and　now　they　stamped　on　the　stone　floor。

Lassiter　released　Jane　and　like　a　dizzy　man　swayed　from　her　with　a　hoarse　cry　and　leaned　shaking　against　a　table　where　he　kept　his　rider's　accoutrements。　He　began　to　fumble　in　his　saddlebags。　His　action　brought　a　clinking；　metallic　soundthe　rattling　of　gun…cartridges。　His　fingers　trembled　as　he　slipped　cartridges　into　an　extra　belt。　But　as　he　buckled　it　over　the　one　he　habitually　wore　his　hands　became　steady。　This　second　belt　contained　two　guns；　smaller　than　the　black　ones　swinging　low；　and　he　slipped　them　round　so　that　his　coat　hid　them。　Then　he　fell　to　swift　action。　Jane　Withersteen　watched　him；　fascinated　but　uncomprehending　and　she　saw　him　rapidly　saddle　Black　Star　and　Night。　Then　he　drew　her　into　the　light　of　the　huge　windows；　standing　over　her；　gripping　her　arm　with　fingers　like　cold　steel。

〃Yes；　Jane；　it's　endedbut　you're　not　goin'　to　Dyer！。。。I'm　goin'　instead！〃

Looking　at　himhe　was　so　terrible　of　aspectshe　could　not　comprehend　his　words。　Who　was　this　man　with　the　face　gray　as　death；　with　eyes　that　would　have　made　her　shriek　had　she　the　strength；　with　the　strange；　ruthlessly　bitter　lips？　Where　was　the　gentle　Lassiter？　What　was　this　presence　in　the　hall；　about　him；　about　herthis　cold；　invisible　presence？

〃Yes；　it's　ended；　Jane；〃　he　was　saying；　so　awfully　quiet　and　cool　and　implacable；　〃an'　I'm　goin'　to　make　a　little　call。　I'll　lock　you　in　here；　an'　when　I　get　back　have　the　saddle…bags　full　of　meat　an　bread。　An'　be　ready　to　ride！〃

〃Lassiter！〃　cried　Jane。

Desperately　she　tried　to　meet　his　gray　eyes；　in　vain；　desperately　she　tried　again；　fought　herself　as　feeling　and　thought　resurged　in　torment；　and　she　succeeded；　and　then　she　knew。

〃Nonono！〃　she　wailed。　〃You　said　you'd　foregone　your　vengeance。　You　promised　not　to　kill　Bishop　Dyer。〃

〃If　you　want　to　talk　to　me　about　himleave　off　the　Bishop。　I　don't　understand　that　name；　or　its　use。〃

〃Oh；　hadn't　you　foregone　your　vengeance　onon　Dyer？　Butyour　actionsyour　wordsyour　gunsyour　terrible　looks！。。。　They　don't　seem　foregoing　vengeance？〃

〃Jane；　now　it's　justice。〃

〃You'llkill　him？〃

〃If　God　lets　me　live　another　hour！　If　not　Godthen　the　devil　who　drives　me！〃

〃You'll　kill　himfor　yourselffor　your　vengeful　hate？〃

〃No！〃

〃For　Milly　Erne's　sake？〃

〃No。〃

〃For　little　Fay's？〃

〃No！〃

〃Ohfor　whose？〃

〃For　yours！〃

〃His　blood　on　my　soul！〃　whispered　Jane；　and　she　fell　to　her　knees。　This　was　the　long…pending　hour　of　fruition。　And　the　habit　of　yearsthe　religious　passion　of　her　lifeleaped　from　lethargy；　and　the　long　months　of　gradual　drifting　to　doubt　were　as　if　they　had　never　been。　〃If　you　spill　his　blood　it'll　be　on　my　souland　on　my　father's。　Listen。〃　And　she　clasped　his　knees；　and　clung　there　as　he　tried　to　raise　her。　〃Listen。　Am　I　nothing　to　you？'

〃Womandon't　trifle　at　words！　I　love　you！　An'　I'll　soon　prove　it。〃

〃I'll　give　myself　to　youI'll　ride　away　with　youmarry　you；　if　only　you'll　spare　him？〃

His　answer　was　a　cold；　ringing；　terrible　laugh。

〃LassiterI'll　love　you。　Spare　him！〃

She　sprang　up　in　despairing；　breaking　spirit；　and　encircled　his　neck　with　her　arms；　and　held　him　in　an　embrace　that　he　strove　vainly　to　loosen。　〃Lassiter；　would　you　kill　me？　I'm　fighting　my　last　fight　for　the　principles　of　my　youthlove　of　religion；　love　of　father。　You　don't　knowyou　can't　guess　the　truth；　and　I　can't　speak　ill。　I'm　losing　all。　I'm　changing。　All　I've　gone　through　is　nothing　to　this　hour。　Pity　me　help　me　in　my　weakness。　You're　strong　againoh；　so　cruelly；　coldly　strong！　You're　killing　me。　I　see　youfeel　you　as　some　other　Lassiter！　My　master；　be　mercifulspare　him！〃

His　answer　was　a　ruthless　smile。

She　clung　the　closer　to　him；　and　leaned　her　panting　breast　on　him；　and　lifted　her　face　to　his。　〃Lassiter；　I　do　love　you！　It's　leaped　out　of　my　agony。　It　comes　suddenly　with　a　terrible　blow　of　truth。　You　are　a　man！　I　never　knew　it　till　now。　Some　wonderful　change　came　to　me　when　you　buckled　on　these　guns　and　showed　that　gray；　awful　face。　I　loved　you　then。　All　my　life　I've　loved；　but　never　as　now。　No　woman　can　love　like　a　broken　woman。　If　it　were　not　for　one　thingjust　one　thingand　yet！　I　can't　speak　itI'd　glory　in　your　manhoodthe　lion　in　you　that　means　to　slay　for　me。　Believe　meand　spare　Dyer。　Be　mercifulgreat　as　it's　in　you　to　be　great。。。。Oh；　listen　and　believeI　have　nothing；　but　I'm　a　womana　beautiful　woman；　Lassitera　passionate；　loving　womanand　I　love　you！　Take　mehide　me　in　some　wild　placeand　love　me　and　mend　my　broken　heart。　Spare　him　and　take　me　away。〃

She　lifted　her　face　closer　and　closer　to　his；　until　their　lips　nearly　touched；　and　she　hung　upon　his　neck；　and　with　strength　almost　spent　pressed　and　still　pressed　her　palpitating　body　to　his。

〃Kiss　me！〃　she　whispered；　blindly。

〃Nonot　at　your　price！〃　he　answered。　His　voice　had　changed　or　she　had　lost　clearness　of　hearing。

〃Kiss　me！。。。Are　you　a　man？　Kiss　me　and　save　me！〃

〃Jane；　you　never　played　fair　with　me。　But　now　you're　blisterin'　your　lipsblackenin'　your　soul　with　lies！〃

〃By　the　memory　of　my　motherby　my　Bibleno！　No；　I　have　no　Bible！　But　by　my　hope　of　heaven　I　swear　I　love　you！〃

Lassiter's　gray　lips　formed　soundless　words　that　meant　even　her　love　could　not　avail　to　bend　his　will。　As　if　the　hold　of　her　arms　was　that　of　a　child's　he　loosened　it　and　stepped　away。

〃Wait！　Don't　go！　Oh；　hear　a　last　word！。。。May　a　more　just　and　merciful　God　than　the　God　I　was　taught　to　worship　judge　meforgive　mesave　me！　For　I　can　no　longer　keep　silent！。。。Lassiter；　in　pleading　for　Dyer　I've　been　pleading　more　for　my　father。　My　father　was　a　Mormon　master；　close　to　the　leaders　of　the　church。　It　was　my　father　who　sent　Dyer　out　to　proselyte。　It　was　my　father　who　had　the　blue…ice　eye　and　the　beard　of　gold。　It　was　my　father　you　got　trace　of　in　the　past　years。　Truly；　Dyer　ruined　Milly　Ernedragged　her　from　her　hometo　Utahto　Cottonwoods。　But　it　was　for　my　father！　If　Milly　Erne　was　ever　wife　of　a　Mormon　that　Mormon　was　my　father！　I　never　knewnever　will　know　whether　or　not　she　was　a　wife。　Blind　I　may　be；　Lassiterfanatically　faithful　to　a　false　religion　I　may　have　been　but　I　know　justice；　and　my　father　is　beyond　human　justice。　Surely　he　is　meeting　just　punishmentsomewhere。　Always　it　has　appalled　methe　thought　of　your　killing　Dyer　for　my　father's　sins。　So　I　have　prayed！〃

〃Jane；　the　past　is　dead。　In　my　love　for　you　I　forgot　the　past。　This　thing　I'm　about　to　do　ain't　for　myself　or　Milly　or　Fay。　It　s　not　because　of　anythin'　that　ever　happened　in　the　past；　but　for　what　is　happenin'　right　now。　It's　for　you！。。。An'　listen。　Since　I　was　a　boy　I've　never　thanked　God　for　anythin'。　If　there　is　a　Godan'　I've　come　to　believe　itI　thank　Him　now　for　the　years　that　made　me　Lassiter！。。。I　can　reach　down　en'　feel　these　big　guns；　en'　know　what　I　can　do　with　them。　An'；　Jane；　only　one　of　the　miracles　Dyer　professes　to　believe　in　can　save　him！〃

Again　for　Jane　Withersteen　came　the　spinning　of　her　brain　in　darkness；　and　as　she　whirled　in　endless　chaos　she　seemed　to　be　falling　at　the　feet　of　a　luminous　figurea　manLassiterwho　had　saved　her　from　herself；　who　could　not　be　changed；　who　would　slay　rightfully。　Then　she　slipped　into　utter　blackness。

When　she　recovered　from　her　faint　she　became　aware　that　she　was　lying　on　a　couch　near　the　window　in　her　sitting…room。　Her　brow　felt　damp　and　cold　and　wet；　some　one　was　chafing　her　hands；　she　recognized　Judkins；　and　then　saw　that　his　lean；　hard　face　wore　the　hue　and　look　of　excessive　agitation。

〃Judkins！〃　Her　voice　broke　weakly。

〃Aw；　Miss　Withersteen；　you're　comin'　round　fine。　Now　jest　lay　still　a　little。　You're　all　right；　everythin's　all　right。〃

〃Where　ishe？〃

〃Who？〃

〃Lassiter！〃

〃You　needn't　worry　none　about　him。〃

〃Where　is　he？　Tell　meinstantly。〃

〃War；　he's　in　the　other　room　patchin'　up　a　few　triflin'　bullet　holes。〃

〃Ah！。。。Bishop'　Dyer？〃

〃When　I　seen　him　lasta　matter　of　half　an　hour　ago；　he　was　on　his　knees。　He　was　some　busy；　but　he　wasn't　prayin'！〃

〃How　strangely　you　talk！　I'll　sit　up。　I'mwell；　strong　again。　Tell　me。　Dyer　on　his　knees！　What　was　he　doing？〃

〃War；　beggin'　your　pardon　fer　blunt　talk；　Miss　Withersteen；　Dyer　was　on　his　knees　an'　not　prayin'。　You　remem