a sappho of green springs-第12章

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had　known　so　long；　but　which　she　had　never　felt　till　now。　　The

tears　came　to　her　eyes；　in　her　swift　revulsion　of　feeling　she

caught　the　thin　uplifted　hand　between　her　own。　　It　seemed　to　her

that　he　was　about　to　raise　them　to　his　lips；　but　she　withdrew　them

hastily；　and　moved　away。　　She　had　a　strange　fear　that　if　he　had

kissed　them；　it　might　seem　as　if　some　dumb　animal　had　touched　them

orIT　MIGHT　NOT。　　The　next　day　she　felt　a　consciousness　of　this

in　his　presence；　and　a　wish　that　he　was　well…cured　and　away。　　She

determined　to　consult　Dr。　Duchesne　on　the　subject　when　he　next

called。



But　the　doctor；　secure　in　the　welfare　of　his　patient；　had　not

visited　him　lately；　and　she　found　herself　presently　absorbed　in　the

business　of　the　ranch；　which　at　this　season　was　particularly

trying。　　There　had　also　been　a　quarrel　between　Dick　Shipley；　her

mill　foreman；　and　Miguel；　her　ablest　and　most　trusted　vaquero；　and

in　her　strict　sense　of　impartial　justice　she　was　obliged　to　side　on

the　merits　of　the　case　with　Shipley　against　her　oldest　retainer。

This　troubled　her；　as　she　knew　that　with　the　Mexican　nature；

fidelity　and　loyalty　were　not　unmixed　with　quick　and　unreasoning

jealousy。　　For　this　reason　she　was　somewhat　watchful　of　the　two　men

when　work　was　over；　and　there　was　a　chance　of　their　being　thrown

together。　　Once　or　twice　she　had　remained　up　late　to　meet　Miguel

returning　from　the　posada　at　San　Ramon；　filled　with　aguardiente　and

a　recollection　of　his　wrongs；　and　to　see　him　safely　bestowed　before

she　herself　retired。　　It　was　on　one　of　those　occasions；　however；

that　she　learned　that　Dick　Shipley；　hearing　that　Miguel　had

disparaged　him　freely　at　the　posada；　had　broken　the　discipline　of

the　ranch；　and　absented　himself　the　same　night　that　Miguel　〃had

leave；〃　with　a　view　of　facing　his　antagonist　on　his　own　ground。　　To

prevent　this；　the　fearless　girl　at　once　secretly　set　out　alone　to

overtake　and　bring　back　the　delinquent。



For　two　or　three　hours　the　house　was　thus　left　to　the　sole

occupancy　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Forsyth　and　the　invalida　fact　only

dimly　suspected　by　the　latter；　who　had　become　vaguely　conscious　of

Josephine's　anxiety；　and　had　noticed　the　absence　of　light　and

movement　in　her　room。　　For　this　reason；　therefore；　having　risen

again　and　mechanically　taken　his　seat　in　the　porch　to　await　her

return；　he　was　startled　by　hearing　HER　voice　in　the　shadow　of　the

lower　porch；　accompanied　by　a　hurried　tapping　against　the　door　of

the　old　couple。　　The　half…reasoning　man　arose；　and　would　have　moved

towards　it；　but　suddenly　he　stopped　rigidly；　with　white　and　parted

lips　and　vacantly　distended　eyeballs。



Meantime　the　voice　and　muffled　tapping　had　brought　the　tremulous

fingers　of　old　Forsyth　to　the　door…latch。　　He　opened　the　door

partly；　a　slight　figure　that　had　been　lurking　in　the　shadow　of　the

porch　pushed　rapidly　through　the　opening。　　There　was　a　faint　outcry

quickly　hushed；　and　the　door　closed　again。　　The　rays　of　a　single

candle　showed　the　two　old　people　hysterically　clasping　in　their

arms　the　figure　that　had　entereda　slight　but　vicious…looking

young　fellow　of　five…and…twenty。



〃There；　dn　it！〃　he　said　impatiently；　in　a　voice　whose　rich　depth

was　like　Josephine's；　but　whose　querulous　action　was　that　of　the

two　old　people　before　him；　〃let　me　go；　and　quit　that；　I　didn't　come

here　to　be　strangled！　　I　want　some　moneymoney；　you　hear！

Devilish　quick；　too；　for　I've　got　to　be　off　again　before　daylight。

So　look　sharp；　will　you？〃



〃But；　Stevy　dear；　when　you　didn't　come　that　time　three　months　ago；

but　wrote　from　Los　Angeles；　you　said　you'd　made　a　strike　at　last；

and〃



〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　he　interrupted　violently。　　〃That　was

just　my　lyin'　to　keep　you　from　worryin'　me。　　Three　months　ago

three　months　ago！　　Why；　you　must　have　been　crazy　to　have　swallowed

it；　I　hadn't　a　cent。〃



〃Nor　have　we；〃　said　the　old　woman；　shrilly。　　〃That　hellish　sister

of　yours　still　keeps　us　like　beggars。　　Our　only　hope　was　you；　our

own　boy。　　And　now　you　only　come　toto　go　again。〃



〃But　SHE　has　money；　SHE'S　doing　well；　and　SHE　shall　give　it　to　me；〃

he　went　on；　angrily。　　〃She　can't　bully　me　with　her　business　airs

and　morality。　　Who　else　has　got　a　right　to　share；　if　it　is　not　her

own　brother？〃



Alas　for　the　fatuousness　of　human　malevolence！　　Had　the　unhappy

couple　related　only　the　simple　facts　they　knew　about　the　new　guest

of　Burnt　Ridge　Ranch；　and　the　manner　of　his　introduction；　they

might　have　spared　what　followed。



But　the　old　woman　broke　into　a　vindictive　cry：　〃Who　else；　Steve

who　else？　　Why；　the　slut　has　brought　a　MAN　herea　sneaking；

deceitful；　underhanded；　crazy　lover！〃



〃Oh；　has　she？〃　said　the　young　man；　fiercely；　yet　secretly　pleased

at　this　promising　evidence　of　his　sister's　human　weakness。　　〃Where

is　she？　　I'll　go　to　her。　　She's　in　her　room；　I　suppose；〃　and　before

they　could　restrain　him；　he　had　thrown　off　their　impeding　embraces

and　darted　across　the　hall。



The　two　old　people　stared　doubtfully　at　each　other。　　For　even　this

powerful　ally；　whose　strength；　however；　they　were　by　no　means　sure

of；　might　succumb　before　the　determined　Josephine！　　Prudence

demanded　a　middle　course。　　〃Ain't　they　brother　and　sister？〃　said

the　old　man；　with　an　air　of　virtuous　toleration。　　〃Let　'em　fight　it

out。〃



The　young　man　impatiently　entered　the　room　he　remembered　to　have

been　his　sister's。　　By　the　light　of　the　moon　that　streamed　upon　the

window　he　could　see　she　was　not　there。　　He　passed　hurriedly　to　the

door　of　her　bedroom；　it　was　open；　the　room　was　empty；　the　bed

unturned。　　She　was　not　in　the　houseshe　had　gone　to　the　mill。　　Ah！

What　was　that　they　had　said？　　An　infamous　thought　passed　through

the　scoundrel's　mind。　　Then；　in　what　he　half　believed　was　an　access

of　virtuous　fury；　he　began　by　the　dim　light　to　rummage　in　the

drawers　of　the　desk　for　such　loose　coin　or　valuables　as；　in　the

perfect　security　of　the　ranch；　were　often　left　unguarded。　　Suddenly

he　heard　a　heavy　footstep　on　the　threshold；　and　turned。



An　awful　visiona　recollection；　so　unexpected；　so　ghostlike　in

that　weird　light　that　he　thought　he　was　losing　his　sensesstood

before　him。　　It　moved　forwards　with　staring　eyeballs　and　white　and

open　lips　from　which　a　horrible　inarticulate　sound　issued　that　was

the　speech　of　no　living　man！　　With　a　single　desperate；　almost

superhuman　effort　Stephen　Forsyth　bounded　aside；　leaped　from　the

window；　and　ran　like　a　madman　from　the　house。　　Then　the　apparition

trembled；　collapsed；　and　sank　in　an　undistinguishable　heap　to　the

ground。



When　Josephine　Forsyth　returned　an　hour　later　with　her　mill

foreman；　she　was　startled　to　find　her　helpless　patient　in　a　fit　on

the　floor　of　her　room。　　With　the　assistance　of　her　now　converted

and　penitent　employee；　she　had　the　unfortunate　man　conveyed　to　his

roombut　not　until　she　had　thoughtfully　rearranged　the　disorder　of

her　desk　and　closed　the　open　drawers　without　attracting　Dick

Shipley's　attention。　　In　the　morning；　hearing　that　the　patient　was

still　in　the　semiconscious　exhaustion　of　his　late　attack；　but

without　seeing　him；　she　sent　for　Dr。　Duchesne。　　The　doctor　arrived

while　she　was　absent　at　the　mill；　where；　after　a　careful

examination　of　his　patient；　he　sought　her　with　some　little

excitement。



〃Well？〃　she　said；　with　eager　gravity。



〃Well；　it　looks　as　if　your　wish　would　be　gratified。　　Your　friend

has　had　an　epileptic　fit；　but　the　physical　shock　has　started　his

mental　machinery　again。　　He　has　recovered　his　faculties；　his　memory

is　returning：　he　thinks　and　speaks　coherently；　he　is　as　sane　as　you

and　I。〃



〃And〃said　Josephine；　questioning　the　doctor's　knitted　eyebrows。



〃I　am　not　yet　sure　whether　it　was　the　result　of　some　shock　he

doesn't　remember；　or　an　irritation　of　the　brain；　which　would

indicate　that　the　operation　had　not　been　successful　and　that　there

was　still　some　physical　pressure　or　obstruction　therein　which

case　he　would　be　subject　to　these　attacks　all　his　life。〃



〃Do　you　think　his　reason　came　before　the　fit　or　after？〃　asked　the

girl；　anxiously。



〃I　couldn't　say。　　Had　anything　happened？〃



〃I　was　away；　and　found　him　on　the　floor　on　my　return；〃　she

answered；　half　uneasily。　　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Then　he　has

told　you　his　name　and　all　about　himself？〃



〃Yes；　it's　nothing　at　all！　　　He　was　a　stranger　just　arrived　from

the　States；　going　to　the　minesthe　old　story；　had　no　near

relations；　of　course；　wasn't　missed　or　asked　after；　remembers

walking　along　the　ridge　and　falling　over；　name；　John　Baxter；　of

Maine。〃　　He　paused；　and　relaxing　into　a　slight　smile；　added；　〃I

haven't　spoiled　your　romance；　have　I？〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　with　an　answering　smile。　　Then　as　the　doctor　walked

briskly　away　she　slightly　knitted　her　pretty　brows；　hung　her　head；

patted　the　ground　with　her　little　foot　beyond　the　hem　of　her　gown；

and　said　to　herself；　〃The　man　was　lying　to　him。〃





CHAPTER　III





On　her　return　to　the　house；　Josephine　apparently　contented　herself

with　receiving　the　bulletin　of　the　stranger's　condition　from　the

servant；　for　she　did　not　enter　his　room。　　She　had　obtained　no

theory　of　last　night's　incident　from　her　parents；　who；　beyond　a

querulous　agitation　that　was　quickened　by　the　news　of　his　return　to

reason；　refrained　from　even　that　insidious　comment　which　she　half

feared　would　follow。　　When　another　day　passed　without　her　seeing

him；　she　nevertheless　was　conscious　of　a　little　embarrassment　when

his　attendant　brought　her　the　request　that　she　would　give　him　a

moment's　speech　in　the　porch；　whither　he　had　been　removed。



She　found　him　physically　weaker；　indeed；　so　much　so　that　she　was

fain；　even　in　her　embarrassment；　to　assist　him　back　to　the　bench

from　which　he　had　ceremoniously　risen。　　But　she　was　so　struck　with

the　change　in　his　face　and　manner；　a　change　so　virile　and

masterful；　in　spite　of　its　gentle　sadness　of　manner；　that　she

recoiled　with　a　slight　timidity　as　if　he　had　been　a　stranger；

although　she　was　also　conscious　that　he　seemed　to　be　more　at　his

ease　than　she　was。　　He　began　in　a　low　exhausted　voice；　but　before

he　had　finished　his　first　sentence；　she　felt　herself　in　the

presence　of　a　superior。



〃My　thanks　come　very　late；　Miss　Forsyth；〃　he　said；　with　a　faint

smile；　〃but　no　one　knows　better　than　yourself　the　reason　why；　or

can　better　understand　that　they　mean　that　the　burden　you　have　so

generously　taken　on　yourself　is　about　to　be　lifted。　　I　know　all；

Miss　Forsyth。　　Since　yesterday　I　have　learned　how　much　I　owe　you；

even　my　life　I　believe；　though　I　am　afraid　I　must　tell　you　in　the

same　breath　that　THAT　is　of　little　worth　to　any　one。　　You　have

kindly　helped　and　interested　yourself　in　a　poor　stranger　who　turns

out　to　be　a　nobody；　without　friends；　without　romance；　and　without

even　mystery。　　You　found　me　lying　in　the　road　down　yonder；　after　a

stupid　accident　that　might　have　happened　to　any　other　care