按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
like a lissom shadow along the line of fence until she seemed to
melt into the umbrage of the woods that fringed the distant north
boundary。
CHAPTER IX。
Meanwhile； unaware of her husband's sudden relapse to her old
border principles and of the visit that had induced it； Mrs。
McKinstry was slowly returning from a lugubrious recital of her
moods and feelings at the parson's。 As she crossed the barren flat
and reached the wooded upland midway between the school…house and
the ranch； she saw before her the old familiar figure of Seth Davis
lounging on the trail。 In her habitual loyalty to her husband's
feuds she would probably have stalked defiantly past him；
notwithstanding her late regrets of the broken engagement； but Seth
began to advance awkwardly towards her。 In fact； he had noticed
the tall； gaunt； plaid…shawled and holland…bonneted figure
approaching； and had waited for it。
As he seemed intent upon getting in her way she stopped and raised
her right hand warningly before her。 In spite of the shawl and the
sun…bonnet； suffering had implanted a rude Runic dignity to her
attitude。 〃Words that hev to be took back； Seth Davis；〃 she said
hastily； 〃hev passed between you and my man。 Out of my way； then；
that I may pass； too。〃
〃Not much betwixt you and me； Aunt Rachel；〃 he said with slouching
deprecation； using the old household title by which he had
familiarly known her。 〃I've nothin agin youand I kin prove it by
wot I'm yer to say。 And I ain't trucklin' to yer for myself； for
ez far ez me and your'n ez concerned；〃 he continued； with a
malevolent glance； 〃thar ain't gold enough in Caleforny to mak the
weddin' ring that could hitch me and Cress together。 I want to
tell you that you're bein' played； that you're bein' befooled and
bamboozled and honey…fogled。 Thet while you're groanin' at class…
meetin' and Hiram's quo'llin' with Dad； and Joe Masters waitin'
round to pick up any bone that's throwed him； that sneakin'；
hypocritical Yankee school…master is draggin' your daughter to h…ll
with him on the sly。〃
〃Quit that； Seth Davis；〃 said Mrs。 McKinstry sternly； 〃or be man
enough to tell it to a man。 That's Hiram's business to know。〃
〃And what if he knows it well enough and winks at it？ What if he's
willin' enough to truckle to it； to curry favor with them sneakin'
Yanks？〃 said Seth malignantly。
A spasm of savage conviction seized Mrs。 McKinstry。 But it was
more from her jealous fears of her husband's disloyalty than
concern for her daughter's transgression。 Nevertheless； she said
desperately； 〃It's a lie。 Where are your proofs？〃
〃Proofs？〃 returned Seth。 〃Who is it sneaks around the school…house
to have private talks with the school…master； and edges him on with
Cressy afore folks？ Your husband。 Who goes sneakin' off every
arternoon with that same cantin' hound of a school…master？ Your
daughter。 Who's been carryin' on together； and hidin' thick enough
to be ridden out on a rail together？ Your daughter and the school…
master。 Proofs？ask anybody。 Ask the children。 Look yaryou；
Johnnycome here。〃
He had suddenly directed his voice to a blackberry bush near the
trail； from which the curly head of Johnny Filgee had just
appeared。 That home…returning infant painfully disengaged himself；
his slate； his books； and his small dinner…pail half filled with
fruit as immature as himself； and came towards them sideways。
〃Yer's a dime； Johnny； to git some candy；〃 said Seth； endeavoring
to distort his passion…set face into a smile。
Johnny Filgee's small； berry…stained palm promptly closed over the
coin。
〃Now； don't lie。 Where's Cressy？〃
〃Kithin' her bo。〃
〃Good boy。 What bo？〃
Johnny hesitated。 He had once seen the school…master and Cressy
together； he had heard it whispered by the other children that they
loved each other。 But looking at Seth and Mrs。 McKinstry he felt
that something more tremendous than this stupid fact was required
of him for grown…up people； and being honest and imaginative； he
determined that it should be worth the money。
〃Speak up； Johnny； don't be afeard to tell。〃
Johnny was not 〃afeard〃he was only thinking。 He had it！ He
remembered that he had just seen his paragon； the brilliant Stacey；
coming from the boundary woods。 What more poetical and startlingly
effective than to connect him with Cressy？ He replied promptly：
〃Mithter Thtathy。 He gived her a watch and ring of truly gold。
Goin' to be married at Thacramento。〃
〃You lyin' limb；〃 said Seth； seizing him roughly。 But Mrs。
McKinstry interposed。
〃Let that brat go；〃 she said with gleaming eyes。 〃I want to talk
to you。〃 Seth released Johnny。 〃It's a trick；' he said； 〃he's bin
put up to it by that Ford。〃
But Johnny； after securing a safe vantage behind the blackberry
bush； determined to give them another trialwith facts。
〃I know mor'n that；〃 he called out。
〃Gityou measly pup；〃 said Seth savagely。
〃I know Theriff Briggth； he rid over the boundary with a lot o' men
and horthes；〃 said Johnny； with that hurried delivery with which he
was able to estop interruption。 〃Theed 'em go by。 Maur Harrithon
theth his dad's goin' to chuck out ole McKinthtry。 Hooray！〃
Mrs。 McKinstry turned her dark face sharply on Seth。 〃What's that
he sez？〃
〃Nothin' but children's gassin'；〃 he answered； meeting her eyes
with an evil consciousness half loutish； half defiant； 〃and ef it
war true； it would only sarve Hiram McKinstry right。〃
She laid her hand upon his shoulder with swift suspicion。 〃Out o'
my way； Seth Davis；〃 she said suddenly； pushing him aside。 〃Ef
this ez any underhanded work of yours； you'll pay for it。〃
She strode past him in the direction of Johnny； but at the approach
of the tall woman with the angry eyes； the boy flew。 She hesitated
a moment； turned again with a threatening wave of the hand to Seth；
and started off rapidly in the direction of the boundary。
She had not placed so much faith in the boy's story as in the vague
revelation of evil in Davis's manner。 If there was any 〃cussedness〃
afoot； Seth； convinced of Cressy's unfaithfulness； and with no
further hope of any mediation from the parents； would know it。
Unless Hiram had been warned； he was still lulled in his fatuous
dream of civilization。 At that time he and his men were in the
tules with the stock； to be satisfied； she herself must go to the
boundary。
She reached the ridge of the cottonwoods and sycamores； and a few
hundred yards further brought her to the edge of that gentle
southern slope which at last sank into the broad meadow of the
debatable ground。 In spite of Stacey's invidious criticism of its
intrinsic value； this theatre of savage dissension； violence； and
bloodshed was by some irony of nature a pastoral landscape of
singular and peaceful repose。 The soft glacis stretching before
her was in spring cerulean with lupins； and later starred with
mariposas。 The meadow was transversely crossed by a curving line
of alders that indicated a rare water…course； of which in the dry
season only a single pool remained to flash back the unvarying sky。
There had been no attempt at cultivation of this broad expanse；
wild oats； mustard； and rank grasses left it a tossing sea of
turbulent and variegated color whose waves rode high enough to
engulf horse and rider in their choking depths。 Even the traces of
human struggle； the uprooted stakes； scattered fence…rails； and
empty post…holes were forever hidden under these billows of
verdure。 Midway of the field and near the water…course arose
McKinstry's barnthe solitary human structure whose rude；
misshapen； bulging sides and swallow…haunted eaves bursting with
hay from the neighboring pasture； seemed however only an
extravagant growth of the prolific soil。 Mrs。 McKinstry gazed at
it anxiously。 There was no sign of life or movement near or around
it； it stood as it had always stood； deserted and solitary。 But
turning her eyes to the right； beyond the water…course； she could
see a slight regular undulation of the grassy sea and what appeared
to be the drifting on its surface of half a dozen slouched hats in
the direction of the alders。 There was no longer any doubt； a
party from the other side was approaching the border。
A shout and the quick galloping of hoofs behind her sent a thrill
of relief to her heart。 She had barely time to draw aside as her
husband and his followers swept past her down the slope。 But it
needed not his furious cry； 〃The Harrisons hev sold us out；〃 to
tell her that the crisis had come。
She held her breath as the cavalcade diverged； and in open order
furiously approached the water…course； and she could see a sudden
check and hesitation in the movement in the meadow at that
unlooked…for onset。 Then she thought of the barn。 It would be a
rallying…point for th