tales of trail and town-第11章

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chiefly　squaws　and　children。　　Here　she　was　again　cautioned　by　the

commander；



〃Don't　put　too　much　faith　in　those　creatures；　Mrs。　Lascelles。〃



Jenny　elevated　her　black　brows　and　threw　up　her　arched　nose　like　a

charger。　　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　old　women　and　children；〃　she　said

loftily。



〃But　I　am；〃　said　the　colonel　gravely。　　〃It's　a　horrible　thing　to

think　of；　but　these　feeble　old　women　and　innocent　children　are

always　selected　to　torture　the　prisoners　taken　by　the　braves；　and；

by　Jove；　they　seem　to　like　it。〃



Thus　restricted；　Mrs。　Lascelles　fell　back　upon　the　attentions　of

Lieutenant　Forsyth；　whose　gallantry　was　always　as　fresh　as　his

smart　cadet…like　tunics；　and　they　took　some　rides　together。

Whether　it　was　military　caution　or　the　feminine　discretion　of　the

colonel's　wife；to　the　quiet　amusement　of　the　other　officers；a

trooper　was　added　to　the　riding　party　by　the　order　of　the　colonel；

and　thereafter　it　consisted　of　three。　　One　night；　however；　the

riders　did　not　appear　at　dinner；　and　there　was　considerable

uneasiness　mingled　with　some　gossip　throughout　the　garrison。　　It

was　already　midnight　before　they　arrived；　and　then　with　horses

blown　and　trembling　with　exhaustion；　and　the　whole　party　bearing

every　sign　of　fatigue　and　disturbance。　　The　colonel　said　a　few

sharp；　decisive　words　to　the　subaltern；　who；　pale　and　reticent；

plucked　at　his　little　moustache；　but　took　the　whole　blame　upon

himself。　　HE　and　Mrs。　Lascelles　had；　he　said；　outridden　the　trooper

and　got　lost；　it　was　late　when　Cassidy　（the　trooper）　found　them；

but　it　was　no　fault　of　HIS；　and　they　had　to　ride　at　the　top　of

their　speed　to　cover　the　ground　between　them　and　the　fort。　　It　was

noticed　that　Mrs。　Lascelles　scarcely　spoke　to　Forsyth；　and　turned

abruptly　away　from　the　colonel's　interrogations　and　went　to　her

room。



Peter；　absorbed　in　his　report；　scarcely　noticed　the　incident；　nor

the　singular　restraint　that　seemed　to　fall　upon　the　little　military

household　for　a　day　or　two　afterwards。　　He　had　accepted　the

lieutenant's　story　without　comment　or　question；　he　knew　his　own

sister　too　well　to　believe　that　she　had　lent　herself　to　a

flirtation　with　Forsyth；　indeed；　he　had　rather　pitied　the　young

officer　when　he　remembered　Lascelles'　experience　in　his　early

courtship。　　But　he　was　somewhat　astonished　one　afternoon　to　find

the　trooper　Cassidy　alone　in　his　office。



〃Oi　thought　Oi'd　make　bould　to　have　a　word　wid　ye；　sorr；〃　he　said；

recovering　from　a　stiff　salute　with　his　fingers　nipping　the　cord　of

his　trousers。　　〃It's　not　for　meeself；　sorr；　although　the　ould　man

was　harrd　on　me；　nor　for　the　leddy；　your　sister；　but　for　the　sake

of　the　leftenant；　sorr；　who　the　ould　man　was　harrdest　on　of　all。

Oi　was　of　the　parrty　that　rode　with　your　sister。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　I　remember；　I　heard　the　story；〃　said　Peter。　　〃She　and

Mr。　Forsyth　got　lost。〃



〃Axin'　your　pardin；　sorr；　she　didn't。　　Mr。　Forsyth　loid。　　Loid　like

an　officer　and　a　jintlemanas　he　is；　God　bless　himto　save　a

leddy；　more　betoken　your　sister；　sorr。　　They　never　got　lost；　sorr。

We　was　all　three　together　from　the　toime　we　shtarted　till　we　got

back；　and　it's　the　love　av　God　that　we　ever　got　back　at　all。　　And

it's　breaking　me　hearrt；　sorr；　to　see　HIM　goin'　round　with　the

black　looks　of　everybody　upon　him；　and　he　a…twirlin'　his　moustache

and　purtending　not　to　mind。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Peter；　uneasily。



〃Oi　mane　to　be　tellin'　you　what　happened；　sorr；〃　said　Cassidy

stoutly。　　〃When　we　shtarted　out　Oi　fell　three　files　to　the　rear；　as

became　me；　so　as　not　to　be　in　the　way　o'　their　colloguing；　but

sorra　a　bit　o'　stragglin'　was　there；　and　Oi　kept　them　afore　me　all

the　toime。　　When　we　got　to　Post　Oak　Bottom　the　leddy　p'ints　her

whip　off　to　the　roight；　and　sez　she：　'It's　a　fine　bit　of　turf

there；　Misther　Forsyth；'　invitin'　like；　and　with　that　she　gallops

away　to　the　right。　　The　leftenant　follys　her；　and　Oi　closed　up　the

rear。　　So　we　rides　away　innoshent　like　amongst　the　trees；　me

thinkin'　only　it　wor　a　mighty　queer　place　for　manoovrin'；　until　we

seed；　just　beyond　us　in　the　hollow；　the　smoke　of　an　Injin　camp　and

a　lot　of　women　and　childer。　　And　Mrs。　Lascelles　gets　off　and　goes

to　discoursin'　and　blarneying　wid　'em：　and　Oi　sees　Mr。　Forsyth

glancin'　round　and　lookin'　oneasy。　　Then　he　goes　up　and　sez

something　to　your　sister；　and　she　won't　give　him　a　hearin'。　　And

then　he　tells　her　she　must　mount　and　be　off。　　And　she　turns　upon

him；　bedad；　like　a　tayger；　and　bids　him　be　off　himself。　　Then　he

comes　to　me　and　sez　he；　'Oi　don't　like　the　look　o'　this；　Cassidy；'

sez　he；　'the　woods　behind　is　full　of　braves；'　sez　he。　　'Thrue　for

you；　leftenant；'　sez　Oi；　'it's　into　a　trap　that　the　leddy　hez　led

us；　God　save　her！'　　'Whisht；'　he　sez；　'take　my　horse；　it's　the

strongest。　　Go　beside　her；　and　when　Oi　say　the　word　lift　her　up

into　the　saddle　before　ye；　and　gallop　like　blazes。　　Oi'll　bring　up

the　rear　and　the　other　horse。'　　Wid　that　we　changed　horses　and

cantered　up　to　where　she　was　standing；　and　he　gives　the　word　when

she　isn't　lookin'；　and　Oi　grabs　her　upshe　sthrugglin'　like　mad

but　not　utterin'　a　cryand　Oi　lights　out　for　the　trail　agin。　　And

sure　enough　the　braves　made　as　if　they　would　folly；　but　the

leftenant　throws　the　reins　of　her　horse　over　the　horn　of　his

saddle；　and　whips　out　his　revolver　and　houlds　'em　back　till　I've

got　well　away　to　the　trail　again。　　And　then　they　let　fly　their

arrows；　and　begorra　the　next　thing　a　BULLET　whizzes　by　him。　　And

then　he　knows　they　have　arrms　wid　'em　and　are　'hostiles；'　and　he

rowls　the　nearest　one　over；　wheelin'　and　fightin'　and　coverin'　our

retreat　till　we　gets　to　the　road　agin。　　And　they　daren't　folly　us

out　of　cover。　　Then　the　lady　gets　more　sinsible；　and　the　leftenant

pershuades　her　to　mount　her　horse　agin。　　But　before　we　comes　to　the

fort；　he　sez　to　me：　'Cassidy；'　sez　he；　'not　a　word　o'　this　on

account　of　the　leddy。'　　And　I　was　mum；　sorr；　while　he　was　shootin'

off　his　mouth　about　him　bein'　lost　and　all　that；　and　him　bein'

bully…ragged　by　the　kernel；　and　me　knowin'　that　but　for　him　your

sister　wouldn't　be　between　these　walls　here；　and　Oi　wouldn't　be

talkin'　to　ye。　　And　shure；　sorr；　ye　might　be　tellin's　the　kernel　as

how　the　leddy　was　took　by　the　hysterics；　and　was　that　loony　that

she　didn't　know　whatever　she　was　sayin'；　and　so　get　the　leftenant

in　favor　again。〃



〃I　will　speak　with　the　colonel　to…night；〃　said　Peter　gloomily。



〃Lord　save　yer　honor；〃　returned　the　trooper　gratefully；　〃and　if　ye

could　be　sayin'　that　the　LEDDY　tould　you；it　would　only　be　the

merest　taste　of　a　loi　ye'd　be　tellin'；and　you'd　save　me　from

breakin'　me　word　to　the　leftenant。〃



〃I　shall　of　course　speak　to　my　sister　first；〃　returned　Peter；　with

a　guilty　consciousness　that　he　had　accepted　the　trooper's　story

mainly　from　his　previous　knowledge　of　his　sister's　character。

Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　this　foregone　conclusion；　he　DID　speak　to

her。　　To　his　surprise　she　did　not　deny　it。　　Lieutenant　Forsyth；a

vain　and　conceited　fool；whose　silly　attentions　she　had　accepted

solely　that　she　might　get　recreation　beyond　the　fort；had　presumed

to　tell　her　what　SHE　must　do！　　As　if　SHE　was　one　of　those　stupid

officers'　wives　or　sisters！　　And　it　never　would　have　happened　if

hePeterhad　let　her　remain　at　the　reservation　with　the　Indian

agent's　wife；　or　if　〃Charley〃　（the　gentle　Lascelles）　were　here！　　HE

would　have　let　her　go；　or　taken　her　there。　　Besides　all　the　while

she　was　among　friends；　HIS；　Peter's　own　friends；the　people　whose

cause　he　was　championing！　　In　vain　did　Peter　try　to　point　out　to

her　that　these　〃people〃　were　still　children　in　mind　and　impulse；

and　capable　of　vacillation　or　even　treachery。　　He　remembered　he　was

talking　to　a　child　in　mind　and　impulse；　who　had　shown　the　same

qualities；　and　in　trying　to　convince　her　of　her　danger　he　felt　he

was　only　voicing　the　common　arguments　of　his　opponents。



He　spoke　also　to　the　colonel；　excusing　her　through　her　ignorance；