found at blazing star-第3章

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inquest　had　been　read；　and　the　incident　of　the　ring　again　delivered

to　the　public。



It　is　said　the　prisoner　burst　into　an　incredulous　laugh　and　asked

to　see　this　mysterious　waif。　　It　was　handed　to　him。　　Standing　in

the　very　shadow　of　the　gallows　treewhich　might　have　been　one　of

the　pines　that　sheltered　the　billiard　room　in　which　the　Vigilance

Committee　held　their　conclavethe　prisoner　gave　way　to　a　burst　of

merriment；　so　genuine　and　honest　that　the　judge　and　jury　joined　in

automatic　sympathy。　　When　silence　was　restored　an　explanation　was

asked　by　the　Judge。　　But　there　was　no　response　from　the　prisoner

except　a　subdued　chuckle。



〃Did　this　ring　belong　to　you？〃　asked　the　Judge；　severely；　the　jury

and　spectators　craning　their　ears　forward　with　an　expectant　smile

already　on　their　faces。　　But　the　prisoner's　eyes　only　sparkled

maliciously　as　he　looked　around　the　court。



〃Tell　us；　Joe；〃　said　a　sympathetic　and　laughter…loving　juror；　under

his　breath。　　〃Let　it　out　and　we'll　make　it　easy　for　you。〃



〃Prisoner；〃　said　the　Judge；　with　a　return　of　official　dignity；

〃remember　that　your　life　is　in　peril。　　Do　you　refuse？〃



Joe　lazily　laid　his　arm　on　the　back　of　his　chair　with　（to　quote　the

words　of　an　animated　observer）　〃the　air　of　having　a　Christian　hope

and　a　sequence　flush　in　his　hand；〃　and　said：　〃Well；　as　I　reckon　I'm

not　up　yer　for　stealin'　a　ring　that　another　man　lets　on　to　have

found；　and　as　fur　as　I　kin　see；　hez　nothin'　to　do　with　the　case；　I

do！〃　　And　as　it　was　here　that　the　Sheriff　of　Calaveras　made　a

precipitate　entry　into　the　room；　the　mystery　remained　unsolved。



The　effect　of　this　freshly…important　ridicule　on　the　sensitive　mind

of　Cass　might　have　been　foretold　by　Blazing　Star　had　it　ever　taken

that　sensitiveness　into　consideration。　　He　had　lost　the　good　humor

and　easy　pliability　which　had　tempted　him　to　frankness；　and　he　had

gradually　become　bitter　and　hard。　　He　had　at　first　affected

amusement　over　his　own　vanished　day　dreamhiding　his　virgin

disappointment　in　his　own　breast；　but　when　he　began　to　turn　upon

his　feelings　he　turned　upon　his　comrades　also。　　Cass　was　for　a

while　unpopular。　　There　is　no　ingratitude　so　revolting　to　the　human

mind　as　that　of　the　butt　who　refuses　to　be　one　any　longer。　　The　man

who　rejects　that　immunity　which　laughter　generally　casts　upon　him

and　demands　to　be　seriously　considered　deserves　no　mercy。



It　was　under　these　hard　conditions　that　Cass　Beard；　convicted　of

overt　sentimentalism；　aggravated　by　inconsistency；　stepped　into　the

Red　Chief　coach　that　evening。　　It　was　his　habit　usually　to　ride

with　the　driver；　but　the　presence　of　Hornsby　and　Miss　Porter　on　the

box　seat　changed　his　intention。　　Yet　he　had　the　satisfaction　of

seeing　that　neither　had　noticed　him；　and　as　there　was　no　other

passenger　inside；　he　stretched　himself　on　the　cushion　of　the　back

seat　and　gave　way　to　moody　reflections。　　He　quite　determined　to

leave　Blazing　Star；　to　settle　himself　seriously　to　the　task　of

money　getting；　and　to　return　to　his　comrades；　some　day；　a

sarcastic；　cynical；　successful　man；　and　so　overwhelm　them　with

confusion。　　For　poor　Cass　had　not　yet　reached　that　superiority　of

knowing　that　success　would　depend　upon　his　ability　to　forego　his

past。　　Indeed；　part　of　his　boyhood　had　been　cast　among　these　men；

and　he　was　not　old　enough　to　have　learned　that　success　was　not　to

be　gauged　by　their　standard。　　The　moon　lit　up　the　dark　interior　of

the　coach　with　a　faint　poetic　light。　　The　lazy　swinging　of　the

vehicle　that　was　bearing　him　awayalbeit　only　for　a　night　and　a

daythe　solitude；　the　glimpses　from　the　window　of　great　distances

full　of　vague　possibilities；　made　the　abused　ring　potent　as　that　of

Gyges。　　He　dreamed　with　his　eyes　open。　　From　an　Alnaschar　vision　he

suddenly　awoke。　　The　coach　had　stopped。　　The　voices　of　men；　one　in

entreaty；　one　in　expostulation；　came　from　the　box。　　Cass　mechanically

put　his　hand　to　his　pistol　pocket。



〃Thank　you；　but　I　INSIST　upon　getting　down。〃



It　was　Miss　Porter's　voice。　　This　was　followed　by　a　rapid；　half…

restrained　interchange　of　words　between　Hornsby　and　the　driver。

Then　the　latter　said；　gruffly；



〃If　the　lady　wants　to　ride　inside；　let　her。〃



Miss　Porter　fluttered　to　the　ground。　　She　was　followed　by　Hornsby。

〃Just　a　minit；　Miss；〃　he　expostulated；　half　shamedly；　half

brusquely；　〃ye　don't　onderstand　me。　　I　only〃



But　Miss　Porter　had　jumped　into　the　coach。



Hornsby　placed　his　hand　on　the　handle　of　the　door。　　Miss　Porter

grasped　it　firmly　from　the　inside。　　There　was　a　slight　struggle。



All　of　which　was　part　of　a　dream　to　the　boyish　Cass。　　But　he　awoke

from　ita　man！　　〃Do　you；〃　he　asked；　in　a　voice　he　scarcely

recognized　himself；〃Do　you　want　this　man　inside？〃



〃No！〃



Cass　caught　at　Hornsby's　wrist　like　a　young　tiger。　　But　alas！　what

availed　instinctive　chivalry　against　main　strength？　　He　only

succeeded　in　forcing　the　door　open　in　spite　of　Miss　Porter's

superior　strategy；　andI　fear　I　must　add；　muscle　alsoand　threw

himself　passionately　at　Hornsby's　throat；　where　he　hung　on　and

calmly　awaited　dissolution。　　But　he　had；　in　the　onset；　driven

Hornsby　out　into　the　road　and　the　moonlight。



〃Here！　　Somebody　take　my　lines。〃　　The　voice　was　〃Mountain

Charley's；〃　the　driver。　　The　figure　that　jumped　from　the　box　and

separated　the　struggling　men　belonged　to　this　singularly　direct

person。



〃You're　riding　inside？〃　said　Charley；　interrogatively；　to　Cass。

Before　he　could　reply　Miss　Porter's　voice　came　from　the　window。



〃He　is！〃



Charley　promptly　bundled　Cass　into　the　coach。



〃And　YOU？〃　to　Hornsby；　〃onless　you're　kalkilatin'　to　take　a　little

'pasear'　you're　booked　OUTSIDE。　　Get　up。〃



It　is　probable　that　Charley　assisted　Mr。　Hornsby　as　promptly　to　his

seat；　for　the　next　moment　the　coach　was　rolling　on。



Meanwhile　Cass；　by　reason　of　his　forced　entry；　had　been　deposited

in　Miss　Porter's　lap；　whence；　freeing　himself；　he　had　attempted　to

climb　over　the　middle　seat；　but　in　the　starting　of　the　coach　was

again　thrown　heavily　against　her　hat　and　shoulder；　all　of　which　was

inconsistent　with　the　attitude　of　dignified　reserve　he　had　intended

to　display。　　Miss　Porter；　meanwhile；　recovered　her　good　humor。



〃What　a　brute　he　was；　ugh！〃　she　said；　retying　the　ribbons　of　her

bonnet　under　her　square　chin；　and　smoothing　out　her　linen　duster。



Cass　tried　to　look　as　if　he　had　forgotten　the　whole　affair。　　〃Who？

Oh；　yes　I　see！〃　he　responded；　absently。



〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　thank　you；〃　she　went　on　with　a　smile；　〃but

you　know；　really；　I　could　have　kept　him　out　if　you　hadn't　pulled

his　wrist　from　outside。　　I'll　show　you。　　Look！　　Put　your　hand　on

the　handle　there！　　Now；　I'll　hold　the　lock　inside　firmly。　　You　see；

you　can't　turn　the　catch！〃



She　indeed　held　the　lock　fast。　　It　was　a　firm　hand；　yet　softtheir

fingers　had　touched　over　the　handleand　looked　white　in　the

moonlight。　　He　made　no　reply；　but　sank　back　again　in　his　seat　with

a　singular　sensation　in　the　fingers　that　had　touched　hers。　　He　was

in　the　shadow；　and；　without　being　seen；　could　abandon　his　reserve

and　glance　at　her　face。　　It　struck　him　that　he　had　never　really

seen　her　before。　　She　was　not　so　tall　as　she　had　appeared　to　be。

Her　eyes　were　not　large；　but　her　pupils　were　black；　moist；　velvety；

and　so　convex　as　to　seem　embossed　on　the　white。　　She　had　an

indistinctive　nose；　a　rather　colorless　facewhiter　at　the　angles

of　the　mouth　and　nose　through　the　relief　of　tiny　freckles　like

grains　of　pepper。　　Her　mouth　was　straight；　dark；　red；　but　moist　as

her　eyes。　　She　had　drawn　herself　into　the　corner　of　the　back　seat；

her　wrist　put　through　and　hanging　over　the　swinging　strap；　the　easy

lines　of　her　plump　figure　swaying　from　side　to　side　with　the　motion

of　the　coach。　　Finally；　forgetful　of　any　presence　in　the　dark

corner　opposite；　she　threw　her　head　a　little　farther　back；　slipped

a　trifle　lower；　and　placing　two　well…booted　feet　upon　the　middle

seat；　completed　a　charming　and　wholesome　picture。



Five　minutes　elapsed。　　She　was　looking　straight　at　the　moon。　　Cass

Beard　felt　his　dignified　reserve　becoming　very　much　like

awkwardness。　　He　ought　to　be　coldly　polite。



〃I　hope　you're　not　flustered；　Miss；　by　theby　the〃　he　began。



〃I？〃　　She　straightened　herself　up　in　the　seat；　cast　a　curious

glance　into　the　dark　corner；　and　then；　letting　herself　down　again；

said：　〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃



Another　five　minutes　elapsed。　　She　had　evidently　forgotten　him。

She　might；　at　least；　have　been　civil。　　He　took　refuge　again　in　his

reserve。　　But　it　was　now　mixed　with　a　certain　pique。



Yet　how　much　softer　her　face　looked　in　the　moonlight！　　Even　her

square　jaw　had　lost　that　hard；　matter…of…fact；　practical　indication

which　was　so　distasteful　to　him；　and　always　had　suggested　a　harsh

criticism　of　his　weakness。　　How　moist　her　eyes　wereactually

shining　in　the　light！　　How　that　light　seemed　to　concentrate　in　the

corner　of　the　lashes；　and　then　slippeda　flashaway！　　Was　she？

Yes；　she　was　crying。



Cass　melted。　　He　moved。　　Miss　Porter　put　her　head　out　of　the　window

and　drew　it　back　in　a　moment；　dry…eyed。



〃One　meets　all　sorts　of　folks　traveling；〃　said　Cass；　with　what　he

wished　to　make　appear　a　cheerful　philosophy。



〃I　dare　say。　　I　don't　know。　　I　never　before　met　any　one　who　was

rude　to　me。　　I　have　traveled　all　over　the　country　alone；　and　with

all　kinds　of　people　ever　since　I　was　so　high。　　I　have　always　gone

my　own　way；　without　hindrance　or　trouble。　　I　always　do。　　I　don't

see　why　I　shouldn't。　　Perhaps　other　people　mayn't　like　it。　　I　do。

I　like　excitement。　　I　like　to　see　all　that　there　is　to　see。

Because　I'm　a　girl　I　don't　see　why　I　cannot　go　out　without　a

keeper；　and　why　I　cannot　do　what　any　man　can　do　that　isn't　wrong；

do　you？　　Perhaps　you　doperhaps　you　don't。　　Perhaps　you　like　a

girl　to　be　always　in　the　house　dawdling　or　thumping　a　piano　or

reading　novels。　　Perhaps　you　think　I'm　bold　because　I　don't　like

it；　and　won't　lie　and　say　I　do。〃



She　spoke　sharply　and　aggressively；　and　so　evidently　in　answer　to

Cass's　unspoken　indictment　against　her；　that　he　was　not　surprised

when　she　became　more　direct。



〃You　know　you　were　shocked　when　I　went　to　fetch　that　Hornsby；　the

coroner；　after　we　found　the　dead　body。〃



〃Hornsby　wasn't　shocked；〃　said　Cass；　a　little　viciously。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said；　abruptly。



〃You　were　good　friends　enough　until〃



〃Until　he　insulted　me　just　now；　is　that　it？〃



〃Until　he　thought；〃　stammered　Cass；　〃that　because　you　wereyou

knownot　sososo　careful　as　other　girls；　he　could　be　a　little

freer。〃



〃And　so；　because　I　preferred　to　ride　a　mile　with　him　to　see

something　real　that　had　happened；　and　tried　to　be　useful　instead　of

looking　in　shop　windows　in　Main　Street　or　promenading　before　the

hotel〃



〃And　being　ornamental；〃　interrupted　Cass。　　But　this　feeble　and　un…

Cass…like　attempt　at　playful　gallantry　m