a sappho of green springs-第14章

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like　the　same　room。　　There　was　a　pungent　odor　in　the　air　from　some

freshly…opened　phial；　an　almost　feminine　neatness　and　luxury　in　an

open　morocco　case　like　a　jewel　box　on　the　table；　shining　with

spotless　steel。　　At　the　head　of　the　bed　one　of　her　own　servants；

the　powerful　mill　foreman；　was　assisting　with　the　mingled　curiosity

and　blase　experience　of　one　accustomed　to　smashed　and　lacerated

digits。　　At　first　she　did　not　look　at　the　central　unconscious

figure　on　the　bed；　whose　sufferings　seemed　to　her　to　have　been

vicariously　transferred　to　the　concerned；　eager；　and　drawn　faces

that　looked　down　upon　its　immunity。　　Then　she　femininely　recoiled

before　the　bared　white　neck　and　shoulders　displayed　above　the

quilt；　until；　forcing　herself　to　look　upon　the　face　half…concealed

by　bandages　and　the　head　from　which　the　dark　tangles　of　hair　had

been　ruthlessly　sheared；　she　began　to　share　the　doctor's　unconcern

in　his　personality。　　What　mattered　who　or　what　HE　was？　　It　wasa

case！



The　operation　began。　　With　the　same　earnest　intelligence　that　she

had　previously　shown；　she　quickly　and　noiselessly　obeyed　the

doctor's　whispered　orders；　and　even　half　anticipated　them。　　She　was

conscious　of　a　singular　curiosity　that；　far　from　being　mean　or

ignoble；　seemed　to　lift　her　not　only　above　the　ordinary　weaknesses

of　her　own　sex；　but　made　her　superior　to　the　men　around　her。

Almost　before　she　knew　it；　the　operation　was　over；　and　she　regarded

with　equal　curiosity　the　ostentatious　solicitude　with　which　the

doctor　seemed　to　be　wiping　his　fateful　instrument　that　bore　an　odd

resemblance　to　a　silver…handled　centre…bit。　　The　stertorous

breathing　below　the　bandages　had　given　way　to　a　fainter　but　more

natural　respiration。　　There　was　a　moment　of　suspense。　　The　doctor's

hand　left　the　pulse　and　lifted　the　closed　eyelid　of　the　sufferer。

A　slight　movement　passed　over　the　figure。　　The　sluggish　face　had

cleared；　life　seemed　to　struggle　back　into　it　before　even　the　dull

eyes　participated　in　the　glow。　　Dr。　Duchesne　with　a　sudden　gesture

waved　aside　his　companions；　but　not　before　Josephine　had　bent　her

head　eagerly　forward。



〃He　is　coming　to；〃　she　said。



At　the　sound　of　that　deep　clear　voicethe　first　to　break　the　hush

of　the　roomthe　dull　eyes　leaped　up；　and　the　head　turned　in　its

direction。　　The　lips　moved　and　uttered　a　single　rapid　sentence。

The　girl　recoiled。



〃You're　all　right　now；〃　said　the　doctor；　cheerfully；　intent　only

upon　the　form　before　him。



The　lips　moved　again；　but　this　time　feebly　and　vacantly；　the　eyes

were　staring　vaguely　around。



〃What's　matter？　　What's　all　about？〃　said　the　man；　thickly。



〃You've　had　a　fall。　　Think　a　moment。　　Where　do　you　live？〃



Again　the　lips　moved；　but　this　time　only　to　emit　a　confused；

incoherent　murmur。　　Dr。　Duchesne　looked　grave；　but　recovered

himself　quickly。



〃That　will　do。　　Leave　him　alone　now；〃　he　said　brusquely　to　the

others。



But　Josephine　lingered。



〃He　spoke　well　enough　just　now；〃　she　said　eagerly。　　〃Did　you　hear

what　he　said？〃



〃Not　exactly；〃　said　the　doctor；　abstractedly；　gazing　at　the　man。



〃He　said；　'You'll　have　to　kill　me　first；'〃　said　Josephine；　slowly。



〃Humph；〃　said　the　doctor；　passing　his　hand　backwards　and　forwards

before　the　man's　eyes　to　note　any　change　in　the　staring　pupils。



〃Yes；〃　continued　Josephine；　gravely。　　〃I　suppose；〃　she　added；

cautiously；　〃he　was　thinking　of　the　operationof　what　you　had　just

done　to　him？〃



〃What　I　had　done　to　him？　　Oh；　yes！〃





CHAPTER　II





Before　noon　the　next　day　it　was　known　throughout　Burnt　Ridge　Valley

that　Dr。　Duchesne　had　performed　a　difficult　operation　upon　an

unknown　man；　who　had　been　picked　up　unconscious　from　a　fall；　and

carried　to　Burnt　Ridge　Ranch。　　But　although　the　unfortunate　man's

life　was　saved　by　the　operation；　he　had　only　momentarily　recovered

consciousnessrelapsing　into　a　semi…idiotic　state；　which

effectively　stopped　the　discovery　of　any　clue　to　his　friends　or　his

identity。　　As　it　was　evidently　an　ACCIDENT；　which；　in　that　rude

communityand　even　in　some　more　civilized　onesconveyed　a　vague

impression　of　some　contributary　incapacity　on　the　part　of　the

victim；　or　some　Providential　interference　of　a　retributive

character；　Burnt　Ridge　gave　itself　little　trouble　about　it。　　It　is

unnecessary　to　say　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Forsyth　gave　themselves　and

Josephine　much　more。　　They　had　a　theory　and　a　grievance。　　Satisfied

from　the　first　that　the　alleged　victim　was　a　drunken　tramp；　who

submitted　to　have　a　hole　bored　in　his　head　in　order　to　foist

himself　upon　the　ranch；　they　were　loud　in　their　protests；　even

hinting　at　a　conspiracy　between　Josephine　and　the　stranger　to

supplant　her　brother　in　the　property；　as　he　had　already　in　the

spare　bedroom。　　〃Didn't　all　that　yer　happen　THE　VERY　NIGHT　she

pretended　to　go　for　Stepheneh？〃　said　Mrs。　Forsyth。　　〃Tell　me

that！　　And　didn't　she　have　it　all　arranged　with　the　buggy　to　bring

him　here；　as　that　sneaking　doctor　let　outeh？　　Looks　mighty

curious；　don't　it？〃　she　muttered　darkly　to　the　old　man。　　But

although　that　gentleman；　even　from　his　own　selfish　view；　would

scarcely　have　submitted　to　a　surgical　operation　and　later　idiocy　as

the　price　of　insuring　comfortable　dependency；　he　had　no　doubt

others　were　base　enough　to　do　it；　and　lent　a　willing　ear　to　his

wife's　suspicions。



Josephine's　personal　knowledge　of　the　stranger　went　little　further。

Doctor　Duchesne　had　confessed　to　her　his　professional　disappointment

at　the　incomplete　results　of　the　operation。　　He　had　saved　the　man's

life；　but　as　yet　not　his　reason。　　There　was　still　hope；　however；　for

the　diagnosis　revealed　nothing　that　might　prejudice　a　favorable

progress。　　It　was　a　most　interesting　case。　　He　would　watch　it

carefully；　and　as　soon　as　the　patient　could　be　removed　would　take

him　to　the　county　hospital；　where；　under　his　own　eyes；　the　poor

fellow　would　have　the　benefit　of　the　latest　science　and　the　highest

specialists。　　Physically；　he　was　doing　remarkably　well；　indeed；　he

must　have　been　a　fine　young　chap；　free　from　blood　taint　or　vicious

complication；　whose　flesh　had　healed　like　an　infant's。　　It　should　be

recorded　that　it　was　at　this　juncture　that　Mrs。　Forsyth　first　learnt

that　a　SILVER　PLATE　let　into　the　artful　stranger's　skull　was　an

adjunct　of　the　healing　process！　　Convinced　that　this　infamous

extravagance　was　part　and　parcel　of　the　conspiracy；　and　was　only

the　beginning　of　other　assimilations　of　the　Forsyths'　metallic

substance；　that　the　plate　was　probably　polished　and　burnished　with　a

fulsome　inscription　to　the　doctor's　skill；　and　would　pass　into　the

possession　and　adornment　of　a　perfect　stranger；　her　rage　knew　no

bounds。　　He　or　his　friends　ought　to　be　made　to　pay　for　it　or　work　it

out！　　In　vain　it　was　declared　that　a　few　dollars　were　all　that　was

found　in　the　man's　pocket；　and　that　no　memoranda　gave　any　indication

of　his　name；　friends；　or　history　beyond　the　suggestion　that　he　came

from　a　distance。　　This　was　clearly　a　part　of　the　conspiracy！　　Even

Josephine's　practical　good　sense　was　obliged　to　take　note　of　this

singular　absence　of　all　record　regarding　him；　and　the　apparent

obliteration　of　everything　that　might　be　responsible　for　his

ultimate　fate。



Homeless；　friendless；　helpless；　and　even　nameless；　the　unfortunate

man　of　twenty…five　was　thus　left　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the

mistress　of　Burnt　Ridge　Ranch；　as　if　he　had　been　a　new…born

foundling　laid　at　her　door。　　But　this　mere　claim　of　weakness　was

not　all；　it　was　supplemented　by　a　singular　personal　appeal　to

Josephine's　nature。　　From　the　time　that　he　turned　his　head　towards

her　voice　on　that　fateful　night；　his　eyes　had　always　followed　her

around　the　room　with　a　wondering；　yearning；　canine　half…

intelligence。　　Without　being　able　to　convince　herself　that　he

understood　her　better　than　his　regular　attendant　furnished　by　the

doctor；　she　could　not　fail　to　see　that　he　obeyed　her　implicitly；

and　that　whenever　any