on the frontier-第25章

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to　lookin'　elsewhere。　　I　knew　the　track　of　the　hoss　I　lent　him　by　a

loose　shoe。　　I　examined；　and　found　he　had　turned　off　the　high　road

somewhere　beyond　the　lagoon；　jist　as　if　he　was　makin'　a　bee　line

here。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　breathlessly。



〃Well；〃　said　Patterson；　with　the　resigned　tone　of　an　accustomed

martyr；　〃mebbe　I'm　a　God…forsaken　idiot；　but　I　reckon　he　DID　come

yer。　　And　mebbe　I'm　that　much　of　a　habitooal　lunatic；　but　thinking

so；　I　calkilated　you'ld　know　it　without　tellin'。〃



With　their　eyes　fixed　upon　her；　Mrs。　Tucker　felt　the　quick　blood

rush　to　her　cheeks；　although　she　knew　not　why。　　But　they　were

apparently　satisfied　with　her　ignorance；　for　Patterson　resumed；

yet　more　gloomily：



〃Then　if　he　wasn't　hidin'　here　beknownst　to　you；　he　must　have

changed　his　mind　agin　and　got　away　by　the　embarcadero。　　The　only

thing　wantin'　to　prove　that　idea　is　to　know　how　he　got　a　boat；

and　what　he　did　with　the　hoss。　　And　thar's　one　more　idea；　and　ez

that　can't　be　proved；〃　continued　Patterson；　sinking　his　voice

still　lower；　〃mebbe　it's　accordin'　to　God's　laws。〃



Unsympathetic　to　her　as　the　speaker　had　always　been　and　still

was；　Mrs。　Tucker　felt　a　vague　chill　creep　over　her　that　seemed

to　be　the　result　of　his　manner　more　than　his　words。　　〃And　that

idea　is　。　。　。　？〃　she　suggested　with　pale　lips。



〃It's　this！　　Fust；　I　don't　say　it　means　much　to　anybody　but　me。

I've　heard　of　these　warnings　afore　now；　ez　comin'　only　to　folks　ez

hear　them　for　themselves　alone；　and　I　reckon　I　kin　stand　it；　if

it's　the　will　o'　God。　　The　idea　is　thenthatSpencer　TuckerWAS

DROWNDED　in　that　boat；　the　idea　is〃his　voice　was　almost　lost　in　a

hoarse　whisper〃that　it　was　no　living　man　that　kem　to　me　that

night；　but　a　spirit　that　kem　out　of　the　darkness　and　went　back　into

it！　　No　eye　saw　him　but　mineno　ears　heard　him　but　mine。　　I　reckon

it　weren't　intended　it　should。〃　　He　paused；　and　passed　the　flap　of

his　hat　across　his　eyes。　　〃The　pie；　you'll　say；　is　agin　it；〃　he

continued　in　the　same　tone　of　voice；〃the　whiskey　is　agin　ita

few　cuss　words　that　dropped　from　him；　accidental　like；　may　have

been　agin　it。　　All　the　same　they　mout　have　been　only　the　little

signs　and　tokens　that　it　was　him。〃



But　Mrs。　Baxter's　ready　laugh　somewhat　rudely　dispelled　the

infection　of　Patterson's　gloom。　　〃I　reckon　the　only　spirit　was　that

which　you　and　Spencer　consumed；〃　she　said；　cheerfully。　　〃I　don't

wonder　you're　a　little　mixed。　　Like　as　not　you've　misunderstood　his

plans。〃　　Patterson　shook　his　head。　　〃He'll　turn　up　yet；　alive　and

kicking！　　Like　as　not；　then；　Poindexter　knows　where　he　is　all　the

time。〃



〃Impossible！　　He　would　have　told　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　quickly。



Mrs。　Baxter　looked　at　Patterson　without　speaking。　　Patterson

replied　by　a　long　lugubrious　whistle。



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　drawing　back　with　cold

dignity。



〃You　don't？〃　returned　Mrs。　Baxter。　　〃Bless　your　innocent　heart！

Why　was　he　so　keen　to　hunt　me　up　at　first；　shadowing　my　friends　and

all　that；　and　why　has　he　dropped　it　now　he　knows　I'm　here；　if　he

didn't　know　where　Spencer　was？〃



〃I　can　explain　that；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Tucker；　hastily；　with　a

blush　of　confusion。　　〃That　isI〃



〃Then　mebbe　you　kin　explain　too；〃　broke　in　Patterson　with　gloomy

significance；　〃why　he　has　bought　up　most　of　Spencer's　debts

himself；　and　perhaps　you're　satisfied　it　ISN'T　to　hold　the　whip

hand　of　him　and　keep　him　from　coming　back　openly。　　Pr'aps　you　know

why　he's　movin'　heaven　and　earth　to　make　Don　Jose　Santierra　sell

the　ranch；　and　why　the　Don　don't　see　it　all。〃



〃Don　Jose　sell　Los　Cuervos！　　Buy　it；　you　mean？〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker。

〃I　offered　to　sell　it　to　him。〃



Patterson　arose　from　the　chair；　looked　despairingly　around　him；

passed　his　hand　sadly　across　his　forehead；　and　said：　〃It's　come！　　I

knew　it　would。　　It's　the　warning！　　It's　suthing　betwixt　jim…jams

and　doddering　idjiocy。　　Here　I'd　hev　been　willin'　to　swear　that

Mrs。　Baxter　here　told　me　SHE　had　sold　this　yer　ranch　nearly　two

years　ago　to　Don　Jose；　and　now　you〃



〃Stop！〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　in　a　voice　that　chilled　them。



She　was　standing　upright　and　rigid；　as　if　stricken　to　stone。　　〃I

command　you　to　tell　me　what　this　means！〃　she　said；　turning　only　her

blazing　eyes　upon　the　woman。



Even　the　ready　smile　faded　from　Mrs。　Baxter's　lips　as　she　replied

hesitatingly　and　submissively：　〃I　thought　you　knew　already　that

Spencer　had　given　this　ranch　to　me。　　I　sold　it　to　Don　Jose　to　get

the　money　for　us　to　go　away　with。　　It　was　Spencer's　idea〃



〃You　lie！〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker。



There　was　a　dead　silence。　　The　wrathful　blood　that　had　quickly

mounted　to　Mrs。　Baxter's　cheek；　to　Patterson's　additional

bewilderment；　faded　as　quickly。　　She　did　not　lift　her　eyes　again　to

Mrs。　Tucker's；　but；　slowly　raising　herself　from　her　seat；　said；　〃I

wish　to　God　I　did　lie；　but　it's　true。　　And　it's　true　that　I　never

touched　a　cent　of　the　money；　but　gave　it　all　to　him！〃　　She　laid　her

hand　on　Patterson's　arm；　and　said；　〃Come！　let　us　go；〃　and　led　him　a

few　steps　towards　the　gateway。　　But　here　Patterson　paused；　and

again　passed　his　hand　over　his　melancholy　brow。　　The　necessity　of

coherently　and　logically　closing　the　conversation　impressed　itself

upon　his　darkening　mind。　　〃Then　you　don't　happen　to　have　heard

anything　of　Spencer？〃　he　said　sadly；　and　vanished　with　Mrs。　Baxter

through　the　gate。



Left　alone　to　herself；　Mrs。　Tucker　raised　her　hands　above　her　head

with　a　little　cry；　interlocked　her　rigid　fingers；　and　slowly

brought　her　palms　down　upon　her　upturned　face　and　eyes；　pressing

hard　as　if　to　crush　out　all　light　and　sense　of　life　before　her。

She　stood　thus　for　a　moment　motionless　and　silent；　with　the　rising

wind　whispering　without　and　flecking　her　white　morning　dress　with

gusty　shadows　from　the　arbor。　　Then；　with　closed　eyes；　dropping　her

hands　to　her　breast；　still　pressing　hard；　she　slowly　passed　them

down　the　shapely　contours　of　her　figure　to　the　waist；　and　with

another　cry　cast　them　off　as　if　she　were　stripping　herself　of　some

loathsome　garment。　　Then　she　walked　quickly　to　the　gateway；　looked

out；　returned　to　the　corridor；　unloosening　and　taking　off　her

wedding…ring　from　her　finger　as　she　walked。　　Here　she　paused；　then

slowly　and　deliberately　rearranged　the　chairs　and　adjusted　the　gay…

colored　rugs　that　draped　them；　and　quietly　re…entered　her　chamber。





Two　days　afterwards　the　sweating　steed　of　Captain　Poindexter　was

turned　loose　in　the　corral；　and　a　moment　later　the　captain　entered

the　corridor。　　Handing　a　letter　to　the　decrepit　Concha；　who　seemed

to　be　utterly　disorganized　by　its　contents；　and　the　few　curt　words

with　which　it　was　delivered；　he　gazed　silently　upon　the　vacant

bower；　still　fresh　and　redolent　with　the　delicacy　and　perfume　of

its　graceful　occupant；　until　his　dark　eyes　filled　with　unaccustomed

moisture。　　But　his　reverie　was　interrupted　by　the　sound　of　jingling

spurs　without；　and　the　old　humor　struggled　back　in　his　eyes　as　Don

Jose　impetuously　entered。　　The　Spaniard　started　back；　but　instantly

recovered　himself。



〃So　I　find　you　here。　　Ah！　it　is　well！〃　he　said　passionately；

producing　a　letter　from　his　bosom。　　〃Look！　　Do　you　call　this　honor？

Look　how　you　keep　your　compact！〃



Poindexter　coolly　took　the　letter。　　It　contained　a　few　words　of

gentle　dignity　from　Mrs。　Tucker；　informing　Don　Jose　that　she　had

only　that　instant　learned　of　his　just　claims　upon　Los　Cuervos；

tendering　him　her　gratitude　for　his　delicate　intentions；　but

pointing　out　with　respectful　firmness　that　he　must　know　that　a

moment's　further　acceptance　of　his　courtesy　was　impossible。



〃She　has　gained　this　knowledge　from　no　word　of　mine；〃　said

Poindexter；　calmly。　　〃Right　or　wrong；　I　have　kept　my　promise　to

you。　　I　have　as　much　reason　to　accuse　you　of　betraying　my　secret　in

this；〃　he　added　coldly；　as　he　took　another　letter　from　his　pocket

and　handed　it　to　Don　Jose。



It　seemed　briefer　and　colder