on the frontier-第3章

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black　nurse　got　out　of　the　dingy　for　a　moment；　when　the　baby　was

asleep；　leavin'　him　alone　with　it。　　An　idea　took　hold　on　him；　jest

from　cussedness；　you'd　say；　but　it　was　partly　from　revenge　on　the

cap'en　and　partly　to　get　away　from　the　ship。　　The　ship　was　well

inshore；　and　the　current　settin'　towards　it。　　He　slipped　the

painterthat　manand　set　himself　adrift　with　the　baby。　　It　was　a

crazy　act；　you'd　reckon；　for　there　wasn't　any　oars　in　the　boat；　but

he　had　a　crazy　man's　luck；　and　he　contrived；　by　sculling　the　boat

with　one　of　the　seats　he　tore　out；　to　keep　her　out　of　the　breakers；

till　he　could　find　a　bight　in　the　shore　to　run　her　in。　　The　alarm

was　given　from　the　ship；　but　the　fog　shut　down　upon　him；　he　could

hear　the　other　boats　in　pursuit。　　They　seemed　to　close　in　on　him；

and　by　the　sound　he　judged　the　cap'en　was　just　abreast　of　him　in

the　gig；　bearing　down　upon　him　in　the　fog。　　He　slipped　out　of　the

dingy　into　the　water　without　a　splash；　and　struck　out　for　the

breakers。　　He　got　ashore　after　havin'　been　knocked　down　and　dragged

in　four　times　by　the　undertow。　　He　had　only　one　idea　then；

thankfulness　that　he　had　not　taken　the　baby　with　him　in　the　surf。

You　kin　put　that　down　for　him：　it's　a　fact。　　He　got　off　into　the

hills；　and　made　his　way　up　to　Monterey。〃



〃And　the　child？〃　asked　the　Padre；　with　a　sudden　and　strange

asperity　that　boded　no　good　to　the　penitent；　〃the　child　thus

ruthlessly　abandonedwhat　became　of　it？〃



〃That's　just　it；　the　child；〃　assented　the　stranger；　gravely。

〃Well；　if　that　man　was　on　his　death…bed　instead　of　being　here

talking　to　you；　he'd　swear　that　he　thought　the　cap'en　was　sure　to

come　up　to　it　the　next　minit。　　That's　a　fact。　　But　it　wasn't　until

one　day　that　hethat's　meran　across　one　of　that　crew　in　Frisco。

'Hallo；　Cranch；'　sez　he　to　me；　'so　you　got　away；　didn't　you？　　And

how's　the　cap'en's　baby？　　Grown　a　young　gal　by　this　time；　ain't

she？'　　'What　are　you　talkin　about；'　ez　I；　'how　should　I　know？'　　He

draws　away　from　me；　and　sez；　'D…　it；'　sez　he；　'you　don't　mean

that　you'　。　。　。　　I　grabs　him　by　the　throat　and　makes　him　tell　me

all。　　And　then　it　appears　that　the　boat　and　the　baby　were　never

found　again；　and　every　man　of　that　crew；　cap'en　and　all；　believed　I

had　stolen　it。〃



He　paused。　　Father　Pedro　was　staring　at　the　prospect　with　an

uncompromising　rigidity　of　head　and　shoulder。



〃It's　a　bad　lookout　for　me；　ain't　it？〃　the　stranger　continued；　in

serious　reflection。



〃How　do　I　know；〃　said　the　priest　harshly；　without　turning　his　head；

〃that　you　did　not　make　away　with　this　child？〃



〃Beg　pardon。〃



〃That　you　did　not　complete　your　revenge　bybykilling　it；　as　your

comrade　suspected　you？　　Ah！　　Holy　Trinity；〃　continued　Father　Pedro；

throwing　out　his　hands　with　an　impatient　gesture；　as　if　to　take　the

place　of　unutterable　thought。



〃How　do　YOU　know？〃　echoed　the　stranger　coldly。



〃Yes。〃



The　stranger　linked　his　fingers　together　and　threw　them　over　his

knee；　drew　it　up　to　his　chest　caressingly；　and　said　quietly；

〃Because　you　DO　know。〃



The　Padre　rose　to　his　feet。



〃What　mean　you？〃　he　said；　sternly　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the　speaker。

Their　eyes　met。　　The　stranger's　were　gray　and　persistent；　with

hanging　corner　lids　that　might　have　concealed　even　more　purpose

than　they　showed。　　The　Padre's　were　hollow；　open；　and　the　whites

slightly　brown；　as　if　with　tobacco　stains。　　Yet　they　were　the　first

to　turn　away。



〃I　mean；〃　returned　the　stranger；　with　the　same　practical　gravity；

〃that　you　know　it　wouldn't　pay　me　to　come　here；　if　I'd　killed　the

baby；　unless　I　wanted　you　to　fix　things　right　with　me　up　there；〃

pointing　skywards；　〃and　get　absolution；　and　I've　told　you　THAT

wasn't　in　my　line。〃



〃Why　do　you　seek　me；　then？〃　demanded　the　Padre；　suspiciously。



〃Because　I　reckon　I　thought　a　man　might　be　allowed　to　confess

something　short　of　a　murder。　　If　you're　going　to　draw　the　line

below　that〃



〃This　is　but　sacrilegious　levity；〃　interrupted　Father　Pedro；

turning　as　if　to　go。　　But　the　stranger　did　not　make　any　movement　to

detain　him。



〃Have　you　implored　forgiveness　of　the　fatherthe　man　you　wronged

before　you　came　here？〃　asked　the　priest；　lingering。



〃Not　much。　　It　wouldn't　pay　if　he　was　living；　and　he　died　four

years　ago。〃



〃You　are　sure　of　that？〃



〃I　am。〃



〃There　are　other　relations；　perhaps？〃



〃None。〃



Father　Pedro　was　silent。　　When　he　spoke　again；　it　was　with　a

changed　voice。　　〃What　is　your　purpose；　then？〃　he　asked；　with　the

first　indication　of　priestly　sympathy　in　his　manner。　　〃You　cannot

ask　forgiveness　of　the　earthly　father　you　have　injured；　you　refuse

the　intercession　of　holy　Church　with　the　Heavenly　Father　you　have

disobeyed。　　Speak；　wretched　man！　　What　is　it　you　want？〃



〃I　want　to　find　the　child。〃



〃But　if　it　were　possible；　if　she　were　still　living；　are　you　fit　to

seek　her；　to　even　make　yourself　known　to　her；　to　appear　before

her？〃



〃Well；　if　I　made　it　profitable　to　her；　perhaps。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　echoed　the　priest；　scornfully。　　〃So　be　it。　　But　why　come

here？〃



〃To　ask　your　advice。　　To　know　how　to　begin　my　search。　　You　know

this　country。　　You　were　here　when　that　boat　drifted　ashore　beyond

that　mountain。〃



〃Ah；　indeed。　　I　have　much　to　do　with　it。　　It　is　an　affair　of　the

alcaldethe　authoritiesof　youryour　police。〃



〃Is　it？〃



The　Padre　again　met　the　stranger's　eyes。　　He　stopped；　with　the

snuff　box　he　had　somewhat　ostentatiously　drawn　from　his　pocket

still　open　in　his　hand。



〃Why　is　it　not；　Senor？〃　he　demanded。



〃If　she　lives；　she　is　a　young　lady　by　this　time；　and　might　not　want

the　details　of　her　life　known　to　any　one。〃



〃And　how　will　you　recognize　your　baby　in　this　young　lady？〃　asked

Father　Pedro；　with　a　rapid　gesture；　indicating　the　comparative

heights　of　a　baby　and　an　adult。



〃I　reckon　I'll　know　her；　and　her　clothes　too；　and　whoever　found　her

wouldn't　be　fool　enough　to　destroy　them。〃



〃After　fourteen　years！　　Good！　you　have　faith；　Senor〃



〃Cranch；〃　supplied　the　stranger；　consulting　his　watch。　　〃But　time's

up。　　Business　is　business。　　Good…by；　don't　let　me　keep　you。〃



He　extended　his　hand。



The　Padre　met　it　with　a　dry；　unsympathetic　palm；　as　sere　and　yellow

as　the　hills。　　When　their　hands　separated；　the　father　still

hesitated；　looking　at　Cranch。　　If　he　expected　further　speech　or

entreaty　from　him　he　was　mistaken；　for　the　American；　without

turning　his　head；　walked　in　the　same　serious；　practical　fashion

down　the　avenue　of　fig　trees；　and　disappeared　beyond　the　hedge　of

vines。　　The　outlines　of　the　mountain　beyond　were　already　lost　in

the　fog。　　Father　Pedro　turned　into　the　refectory。



〃Antonio。〃



A　strong　flavor　of　leather；　onions；　and　stable　preceded　the

entrance　of　a　short；　stout　vaquero　from　the　little　patio。



〃Saddle　Pinto　and　thine　own　mule　to　accompany　Francisco；　who　will

take　letters　from　me　to　the　Father　Superior　at　San　Jose　to…morrow

at　daybreak。〃



〃At　daybreak；　reverend　father？〃



〃At　daybreak。　　Hark　ye；　go　by　the　mountain　trails　and　avoid　the

highway。　　Stop　at　no　posada　nor　fonda；　but　if　the　child　is　weary；

rest　then　awhile　at　Don　Juan　Briones'　or　at　the　rancho　of　the

Blessed　Fisherman。　　Have　no　converse　with　stragglers；　least　of　all

those　gentile　Americanos。　　So　。　。　。〃



The　first　strokes　of　the　Angelus　came　from　the　nearer　tower。　　With

a　gesture　Father　Pedro　waved　Antonio　aside；　and　opened　the　door　of

the　sacristy。



〃Ad　Majorem　Dei　Gloria。〃





CHAPTER　II





The　hacienda　of　Don　Juan　Briones；　nestling　in　a　wooded　cleft　of　the

foot…hills；　was　hidden；　as　Father　Pedro　had　wisely　reflected；　from

the　straying　feet　of　travelers　along　the　dusty　highway　to　San　Jose。

As　Francisco；　emerging　from　the　canada；　put　spurs　to　his　mule　at

the　sight　of　the　whitewashed　walls；　Antonio　grunted。



〃Oh　aye；　little　priest！　thou　wast　tired　enough　a　moment　ago；　and

though　we　are　not　three　leagues　from