on the frontier-第12章

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was　not　at　home？〃



〃Yes；　'm。〃



〃Did　he　ask　for　ME？〃



〃Yes；　'm。〃



〃Tell　him　I'll　be　down　directly。〃



Mrs。　Tucker's　quiet　face　did　not　betray　the　fact　that　this　second

visitor　was　even　less　interesting　than　the　first。　　In　her　heart　she

did　not　like　Captain　Poindexter。　　With　a　clever　woman's　instinct

she　had　early　detected　the　fact　that　he　had　a　superior；　stronger

nature　than　her　husband；　as　a　loyal　wife；　she　secretly　resented　the

occasional　unconscious　exhibition　of　this　fact　on　the　part　of　his

intimate　friend　in　their　familiar　intercourse。　　Added　to　this

slight　jealousy；　there　was　a　certain　moral　antagonism　between

herself　and　the　captain　which　none　but　themselves　knew。　　They　were

both　philosophers；　but　Mrs。　Tucker's　serene　and　languid　optimism

would　not　tolerate　the　compassionate　and　kind…hearted　pessimisms　of

the　lawyer。　　〃Knowing　what　Jack　Poindexter　does　of　human　nature；〃

her　husband　had　once　said；　〃it's　mighty　fine　in　him　to　be　so　kind

and　forgiving。　　You　ought　to　like　him　better；　Belle。〃　　〃And　qualify

myself　to　be　forgiven；〃　said　the　lady　pertly。　　〃I　don't　see　what

you're　driving　at；　Belle；　I　give　it　up；〃　had　responded　the　puzzled

husband。　　Mrs。　Tucker　kissed　his　high　but　foolish　forehead

tenderly；　and　said：　〃I'm　glad　you　don't；　dear。〃



Meanwhile　her　second　visitor　had；　like　the　first；　employed　the

interval　in　a　critical　survey　of　the　glories　of　the　new　furniture；

but　with　apparently　more　compassion　than　resentment　in　his　manner。

Once　only　had　his　expression　changed。　　Over　the　fireplace　hung　a

large　photograph　of　Mr。　Spencer　Tucker。　　It　was　retouched；　refined；

and　idealized　in　the　highest　style　of　that　polite　and　diplomatic

art。　　As　Captain　Poindexter　looked　upon　the　fringed　hazel　eyes；　the

drooping　raven　moustache；　the　clustering　ringlets；　and　the　Byronic

full　throat　and　turned…down　collar　of　his　friend；　a　smile　of

exhausted　humorous　tolerance　and　affectionate　impatience　curved　his

lips。　　〃Well；　you　ARE　a　fool；　aren't　you？〃　he　apostrophized　it

half…audibly。



He　was　standing　before　the　picture　as　she　entered。　　Even　in　the

trying　contiguity　of　that　peerless　work　he　would　have　been　called　a

fine…looking　man。　　As　he　advanced　to　greet　her；　it　was　evident　that

his　military　title　was　not　one　of　the　mere　fanciful　sobriquets　of

the　locality。　　In　his　erect　figure　and　the　disciplined　composure　of

limb　and　attitude　there　were　still　traces　of　the　refined　academic

rigors　of　West　Point。　　The　pliant　adaptability　of　Western

civilization　which　enabled　him；　three　years　before；　to　leave　the

army　and　transfer　his　executive　ability　to　the　more　profitable

profession　of　the　law；　had　loosed　sash　and　shoulder…strap；　but　had

not　entirely　removed　the　restraint　of　the　one；　or　the　bearing　of

the　other。



〃Spencer　is　in　Sacramento；〃　began　Mrs。　Tucker　in　languid

explanation；　after　the　first　greetings　were　over。



〃I　knew　he　was　not　here；〃　replied　Captain　Poindexter　gently；　as　he

drew　the　proffered　chair　towards　her；　〃but　this　is　business　that

concerns　you　both。〃　　He　stopped　and　glanced　upwards　at　the　picture。

〃I　suppose　you　know　nothing　of　his　business？　　Of　course　not；〃　he

added　reassuringly；　〃nothing；　absolutely　nothing；　certainly。〃　　He

said　this　so　kindly；　and　yet　so　positively；　as　if　to　promptly

dispose　of　that　question　before　going　further；　that　she　assented

mechanically。　　〃Well；　then；　he's　taken　some　big　risks　in　the　way　of

business；　andwell；　things　have　gone　bad　with　him；　you　know。　　Very

bad！　　Really；　they　couldn't　be　worse！　　Of　course　it　was　dreadfully

rash　and　all　that；〃　he　went　on；　as　if　commenting　upon　the　amusing

waywardness　of　a　child；　〃but　the　result　is　the　usual　smash…up　of

everything；　money；　credit；　and　all！〃　　He　laughed　and　added：　〃Yes；

he's　got　cut　offmules　and　baggage　regularly　routed　and　dispersed！

I'm　in　earnest。〃　　He　raised　his　eyebrows　and　frowned　slightly；　as

if　to　deprecate　any　corresponding　hilarity　on　the　part　of　Mrs。

Tucker；　or　any　attempt　to　make　TOO　light　of　the　subject；　and　then

rising；　placed　his　hands　behind　his　back；　beamed　half…humorously

upon　her　from　beneath　her　husband's　picture；　and　repeated：　〃That's

so。〃



Mrs。　Tucker　instinctively　knew　that　he　spoke　the　truth；　and　that　it

was　impossible　for　him　to　convey　it　in　any　other　than　his　natural

manner；　but　between　the　shock　and　the　singular　influence　of　that

manner　she　could　at　first　only　say；　〃You　don't　mean　it！〃　fully

conscious　of　the　utter　inanity　of　the　remark；　and　that　it　seemed

scarcely　less　cold…blooded　than　his　own。



Poindexter；　still　smiling；　nodded。



She　arose　with　an　effort。　　She　had　recovered　from　the　first　shock；

and　pride　lent　her　a　determined　calmness　that　more　than　equaled

Poindexter's　easy　philosophy。



〃Where　is　he？〃　she　asked。



〃At　sea；　and　I　hope　by　this　time　where　he　can　not　be　found　or

followed。〃



Was　her　momentary　glimpse　of　the　outgoing　ship　a　coincidence；　or

only　a　vision？　　She　was　confused　and　giddy；　but；　mastering　her

weakness；　she　managed　to　continue　in　a　lower　voice：



〃You　have　no　message　for　me　from　him？　　He　told　you　nothing　to　tell

me？〃



〃Nothing；　absolutely　nothing；〃　replied　Poindexter。　　〃It　was　as　much

as　he　could　do；　I　reckon；　to　get　fairly　away　before　the　crash

came。〃



〃Then　you　did　not　see　him　go？〃



〃Well；　no；〃　said　Poindexter。　　〃I'd　hardly　have　managed　things　in

this　way。〃　　He　checked　himself　and　added；　with　a　forgiving　smile；

〃But　he　was　the　best　judge　of　what　he　needed；　of　course。〃



〃I　suppose　I　will　hear　from　him；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃as　soon　as　he

is　safe。　　He　must　have　had　enough　else　to　think　about；　poor

fellow。〃



She　said　this　so　naturally　and　quietly　that　Poindexter　was

deceived。　　He　had　no　idea　that　the　collected　woman　before　him　was

thinking　only　of　solitude　and　darkness；　of　her　own　room；　and　madly

longing　to　be　there。　　He　said；　〃Yes；　I　dare　say；〃　in　quite　another

voice；　and　glanced　at　the　picture。　　But　as　she　remained　standing；

he　continued　more　earnestly；　〃I　didn't　come　here　to　tell　you　what

you　might　read　in　the　newspapers　to…morrow　morning；　and　what

everybody　might　tell　you。　　Before　that　time　I　want　you　to　do

something　to　save　a　fragment　of　your　property　from　the　ruin；　do　you

understand？　　I　want　you　to　make　a　rally；　and　bring　off　something　in

good　order。〃



〃For　him？〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　with　brightening　eyes。



〃Well；　yes；　of　courseif　you　likebut　as　if　for　yourself。　　Do　you

know　the　Rancho　de　los　Cuervos？〃



〃I　do。〃



〃It's　almost　the　only　bit　of　real　property　your　husband　hasn't

sold；　mortgaged；　or　pledged。　　Why　it　was　exempt；　or　whether　only

forgotten；　I　can't　say。〃



〃I'll　tell　you　why；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　with　a　slight　return　of

color。　　〃It　was　the　first　land　we　ever　bought；　and　Spencer　always

said　it　should　be　mine　and　he　would　build　a　new　house　on　it。〃



Captain　Poindexter　smiled　and　nodded　at　the　picture。　　〃Oh；　he　did

say　that；　did　he？　　Well；　THAT'S　evidence。　　But　you　see　he　never

gave　you　the　deed；　and　by　sunrise　to…morrow　his　creditors　will

attach　itunless〃



〃Unless〃　repeated　Mrs。　Tucker；　with　kindling　eyes。



〃Unless；〃　continued　Captain　Poindexter；　〃they　happen　to　find　YOU　in

possession。〃



〃I'll　go；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker。



〃Of　course　you　will；〃　returned　Poindexter；　pleasantly；　〃only；　as

it's　a　big　contract　to　take；　suppose　we　see　how　you　can　fill　it。

It's　forty　miles　to　Los　Cuervos；　and　you　can't　trust　yourself　to

steamboat　or　stage…coach。　　The　steamboat　left　an　hour　ago。〃



〃If　I　had　only　known　this　then！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Tucker。



〃I　knew　it；　but　you　had　company　then；〃　said　Poindexter；　with

ironical　gallantry；　〃and　I　wouldn't　disturb　you。〃　　Without　saying

how　he　knew　it；　he　continued；　〃In　the　stage…coach　you　might　be

recognized。　　You　must　go　in　a　private　conveyance　and　alone；　even　I

can　not　go　with　you；　for　I　must　go　on　before　and　meet　you　there。

Can　you　drive　forty　miles？〃



Mrs。　Tucker　lifted　up　her　abstracted　pretty　lids。　　〃I　onc