on the frontier-第13章

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Can　you　drive　forty　miles？〃



Mrs。　Tucker　lifted　up　her　abstracted　pretty　lids。　　〃I　once　drove

fiftyat　home；〃　she　returned　simply。



〃Good！　and　I　dare　say　you　did　it　then　for　fun。　　Do　it　now　for

something　real　and　personal；　as　we　lawyers　say。　　You　will　have

relays　and　a　plan　of　the　road。　　It's　rough　weather　for　a　pasear；

but　all　the　better　for　that。　　You'll　have　less　company　on　the

road。〃



〃How　soon　can　I　go？〃　she　asked。



〃The　sooner　the　better。　　I've　arranged　everything　for　you　already；〃

he　continued　with　a　laugh。　　〃Come　now；　that's　a　compliment　to　you；

isn't　it？〃　　He　smiled　a　moment　in　her　steadfast；　earnest　face；　and

then　said；　more　gravely；　〃You'll　do。　　Now　listen。〃



He　then　carefully　detailed　his　plan。　　There　was　so　little　of

excitement　or　mystery　in　their　manner　that　the　servant；　who

returned　to　light　the　gas；　never　knew　that　the　ruin　and　bankruptcy

of　the　house　was　being　told　before　her；　or　that　its　mistress　was

planning　her　secret　flight。



〃Good　afternoon；　I　will　see　you　to…morrow　then；〃　said　Poindexter；

raising　his　eyes　to　hers　as　the　servant　opened　the　door　for　him。



〃Good　afternoon；〃　repeated　Mrs。　Tucker　quietly　answering　his　look。

〃You　need　not　light　the　gas　in　my　room；　Mary；〃　she　continued　in　the

same　tone　of　voice　as　the　door　closed　upon　him；　〃I　shall　lie　down

for　a　few　moments；　and　then　I　may　run　over　to　the　Robinsons　for　the

evening。〃



She　regained　her　room　composedly。　　The　longing　desire　to　bury　her

head　in　her　pillow　and　〃think　out〃　her　position　had　gone。　　She　did

not　apostrophize　her　fate；　she　did　not　weep；　few　real　women　do　in

the　access　of　calamity；　or　when　there　is　anything　else　to　be　done。

She　felt　that　she　knew　it　all；　she　believed　she　had　sounded　the

profoundest　depths　of　the　disaster；　and　seemed　already　so　old　in

her　experience　that　she　almost　fancied　she　had　been　prepared　for

it。　　Perhaps　she　did　not　fully　appreciate　it；　to　a　life　like　hers

it　was　only　an　incident；　the　mere　turning　of　a　page　of　the

illimitable　book　of　youth；　the　breaking　up　of　what　she　now　felt　had

become　a　monotony。　　In　fact；　she　was　not　quite　sure　she　had　ever

been　satisfied　with　their　present　success。　　Had　it　brought　her　all

she　expected？　　She　wanted　to　say　this　to　her　husband；　not　only　to

comfort　him；　poor　fellow；　but　that　they　might　come　to　a　better

understanding　of　life　in　the　future。　　She　was　not　perhaps　different

from　other　loving　women　who；　believing　in　this　unattainable　goal　of

matrimony；　have　sought　it　in　the　various　episodes　of　fortune　or

reverses；　in　the　bearing　of　children；　or　the　loss　of　friends。　　In

her　childless　experience　there　was　no　other　life　that　had　taken

root　in　her　circumstances　and　might　suffer　transplantation；　only

she　and　her　husband　could　lose　or　profit　by　the　change。　　The

〃perfect〃　understanding　would　come　under　other　conditions　than

these。



She　would　have　gone　superstitiously　to　the　window　to　gaze　in　the

direction　of　the　vanished　ship；　but　another　instinct　restrained

her。　　She　would　put　aside　all　yearning　for　him　until　she　had　done

something　to　help　him；　and　earned　the　confidence　he　seemed　to　have

withheld。　　Perhaps　it　was　prideperhaps　she　never　really　believed

his　exodus　was　distant　or　complete。



With　a　full　knowledge　that　to…morrow　the　various　ornaments　and

pretty　trifles　around　her　would　be　in　the　hands　of　the　law；　she

gathered　only　a　few　necessaries　for　her　flight　and　some　familiar

personal　trinkets。　　I　am　constrained　to　say　that　this　self…

abnegation　was　more　fastidious　than　moral。　　She　had　no　more　idea　of

the　ethics　of　bankruptcy　than　any　other　charming　woman；　she　simply

did　not　like　to　take　with　her　any　contagious　memory　of　the　chapter

of　the　life　just　closing。　　She　glanced　around　the　home　she　was

leaving　without　a　lingering　regret；　there　was　no　sentiment　of

tradition　or　custom　that　might　be　destroyed；　her　roots　lay　too　near

the　surface　to　suffer　from　dislocation；　the　happiness　of　her

childless　union　had　depended　upon　no　domestic　centre；　nor　was　its

flame　sacred　to　any　local　hearthstone。　　It　was　without　a　sigh　that；

when　night　had　fully　fallen；　she　slipped　unnoticed　down　the

staircase。　　At　the　door　of　the　drawing…room　she　paused　and　then

entered　with　the　first　guilty　feeling　of　shame　she　had　known　that

evening。　　Looking　stealthily　around　she　mounted　a　chair　before　her

husband's　picture；　kissed　the　irreproachable　moustache　hurriedly；

said；　〃You　foolish　darling；　you！〃　and　slipped　out　again。　　With　this

touching　indorsement　of　the　views　of　a　rival　philosopher；　she

closed　the　door　softly　and　left　her　home　forever。





CHAPTER　II





The　wind　and　rain　had　cleared　the　unfrequented　suburb　of　any

observant　lounger；　and　the　darkness；　lit　only　by　far…spaced；　gusty

lamps；　hid　her　hastening　figure。　　She　had　barely　crossed　the　second

street　when　she　heard　the　quick　clatter　of　hoofs　behind　her；　a

buggy　drove　up　to　the　curbstone；　and　Poindexter　leaped　out。　　She

entered　quickly；　but　for　a　moment　he　still　held　the　reins　of　the

impatient　horse。　　〃He's　rather　fresh；〃　he　said；　eying　her　keenly；

〃are　you　sure　you　can　manage　him？〃



〃Give　me　the　reins；〃　she　said　simply。



He　placed　them　in　the　two　firm；　well…shaped　hands　that　reached　from

the　depths　of　the　vehicle；　and　was　satisfied。　　Yet　he　lingered。



〃It's　rough　work　for　a　lone　woman；〃　he　said；　almost　curtly。　　〃I

can't　go　with　you；　but；　speak　frankly；　is　there　any　man　you　know

whom　you　can　trust　well　enough　to　take？　　It's　not　too　late　yet；

think　a　moment！〃



He　paused　over　the　buttoning　of　the　leather　apron　of　the　vehicle。



〃No；　there　is　none；〃　answered　the　voice　from　the　interior；　〃and

it's　better　so。　　Is　all　ready？〃



〃One　moment　more。〃　　He　had　recovered　his　half…bantering　manner。

〃You　HAVE　a　friend　and　countryman　already　with　you；　do　you　know？

Your　horse　is　Blue　Grass。　　Good　night。〃



With　these　words　ringing　in　her　ears　she　began　her　journey。　　The

horse；　as　if　eager　to　maintain　the　reputation　which　his　native

district　had　given　his　race；　as　well　as　the　race　of　the　pretty

woman　behind　him；　leaped　impatiently　forward。　　But　pulled　together

by　the　fine　and　firm　fingers　that　seemed　to　guide　rather　than　check

his　exuberance；　he　presently　struck　into　the　long；　swinging　pace　of

his　kind；　and　kept　it　throughout　without　〃break〃　or　acceleration。

Over　the　paved　streets　the　light　buggy　rattled；　and　the　slender

shafts　danced　around　his　smooth　barrel；　but　when　they　touched　the

level　high…road；　horse　and　vehicle　slipped　forward　through　the

night；　a　swift　and　noiseless　phantom。　　Mrs。　Tucker　could　see　his

graceful　back　dimly　rising　and　falling　before　her　with　tireless

rhythm；　and　could　feel　the　intelligent　pressure　of　his　mouth　until

it　seemed　the　responsive　grasp　of　a　powerful　but　kindly　hand。　　The

faint　glow　of　conquest　came　to　her　cold　cheek；　the　slight　stirrings

of　pride　moved　her　preoccupied　heart。　　A　soft　light　filled　her

hazel　eyes。　　A　desolate　woman；　bereft　of　husband　and　home；　and

flying　through　storm　and　night；　she　knew　not　where；　she　still

leaned　forward　towards　her　horse。　　〃Was　he　Blue　Grass；　then；　dear

old　boy？〃　she　gently　cooed　at　him　in　the　darkness。　　He　evidently

WAS；　and　responded　by　blowing　her　an　ostentatious　equine　kiss。

〃And　he　would　be　good　to　his　own　forsaken　Belle；〃　she　murmured

caressingly；　〃and　wouldn't　let　any　one　harm　her？〃　　But　here；

overcome　by　the　lazy　witchery　of　her　voice；　he　shook　his　head　so

violently　that　Mrs。　Tucker；　after　the　fashion　of　her　sex；　had　the

double　satisfaction　of　demurely　restraining　the　passion　she　had

evoked。



To　avoid　the　more　traveled　thoroughfare；　while　the　evening　was

still　early；　it　had　been　arranged　that　she　should　at　first　take　a

less　direct　but　less　frequented　road。　　This　was　a　famous　pleasure…

drive　from　San　Francisco；　a　graveled　and　sanded　stretch　of　eight

miles　to　the　sea　and　an　ultimate　〃cocktail；〃　in　a　〃stately

pleasure…dome　decreed〃　among　the　surf　and　rocks　of　the　Pacific

shore。　　It　w