the call of the canyon- 第31部分

Carley　dared　not　ask　him　more。　She　was　shocked。　How　helplessly　impotent　all　her　earnest　sympathy！　No　longer　could　she　feel　an　impersonal；　however　kindly；　interest　in　this　man。　His　last　ringing　word　had　linked　her　also　to　his　misfortune　and　his　suffering。　Suddenly　he　turned　away　from　the　wall。　She　saw　him　swallow　laboriously。　How　tragic　that　thin；　shadowed　face　of　agony！　Carley　saw　it　differently。　But　for　the　beautiful　softness　of　light　in　his　eyes；　she　would　have　been　unable　to　endure　gazing　longer。

〃Carley；　I'm　bitter；〃　he　said；　〃but　I'm　not　rancorous　and　callous；　like　some　of　the　boys。　I　know　if　you'd　been　my　girl　you'd　have　stuck　to　me。〃

〃Yes；〃　Carley　whispered。

〃That　makes　a　difference；〃　he　went　on；　with　a　sad　smile。　〃You　see；　we　soldiers　all　had　feelings。　And　in　one　thing　we　all　felt　alike。　That　was　we　were　going　to　fight　for　our　homes　and　our　women。　I　should　say　women　first。　No　matter　what　we　read　or　heard　about　standing　by　our　allies；　fighting　for　liberty　or　civilization；　the　truth　was　we　all　felt　the　same；　even　if　we　never　breathed　it。　。　。　。　Glenn　fought　for　you。　I　fought　for　Nell。　。　。　。　We　were　not　going　to　let　the　Huns　treat　you　as　they　treated　French　and　Belgian　girls。　。　。　。　And　think！　Nell　was　engaged　to　meshe　loved　meand；　by　God！　She　married　a　slacker　when　I　lay　half　dead　on　the　battlefield！〃

〃She　was　not　worth　loving　or　fighting　for；〃　said　Carley；　with　agitation。

〃Ah！　now　you've　said　something；〃　he　declared。　〃If　I　can　only　hold　to　that　truth！　What　does　one　girl　amount　to？　I　do　not　count。　It　is　the　sum　that　counts。　We　love　Americaour　homesour　women！　。　。　。　Carley；　I've　had　comfort　and　strength　come　to　me　through　you。　Glenn　will　have　his　reward　in　your　love。　Somehow　I　seem　to　share　it；　a　little。　Poor　Glenn！　He　got　his；　too。　Why；　Carley；　that　guy　wouldn't　let　you　do　what　he　could　do　for　you。　He　was　cut　to　pieces〃

〃PleaseRustdon't　say　any　more。　I　am　unstrung；〃　she　pleaded。

〃Why　not？　It's　due　you　to　know　how　splendid　Glenn　was。　。　。　。　I　tell　you；　Carley；　all　the　boys　here　love　you　for　the　way　you've　stuck　to　Glenn。　Some　of　them　knew　him；　and　I've　told　the　rest。　We　thought　he'd　never　pull　through。　But　he　has；　and　we　know　how　you　helped。　Going　West　to　see　him！　He　didn't　write　it　to　me；　but　I　know。　。　。　。　I'm　wise。　I'm　happy　for　himthe　lucky　dog。　Next　time　you　go　West〃

〃Hush！〃　cried　Carley。　She　could　endure　no　more。　She　could　no　longer　be　a　lie。

〃You're　whiteyou're　shaking；〃　exclaimed　Rust；　in　concern。　〃Oh；　Iwhat　did　I　say？　Forgive　me〃

〃Rust；　I　am　no　more　worth　loving　and　fighting　for　than　your　Nell。〃

〃What！〃　he　ejaculated。

〃I　have　not　told　you　the　truth；〃　she　said；　swiftly。　〃I　have　let　you　believe　a　lie。　。　。　。　I　shall　never　marry　Glenn。　I　broke　my　engagement　to　him。〃

Slowly　Rust　sank　back　upon　the　pillow；　his　large　luminous　eyes　piercingly　fixed　upon　her；　as　if　he　would　read　her　soul。

〃I　went　Westyes〃　continued　Carley。　〃But　it　was　selfishly。　I　wanted　Glenn　to　come　back　here。　。　。　。　He　had　suffered　as　you　have。　He　nearly　died。　But　he　foughthe　foughtOh！　he　went　through　hell！　And　after　a　long；　slow；　horrible　struggle　he　began　to　mend。　He　worked。　He　went　to　raising　hogs。　He　lived　alone。　He　worked　harder　and　harder。　。　。　。　The　West　and　his　work　saved　him；　body　and　soul　。　。　。　。　He　had　learned　to　love　both　the　West　and　his　work。　I　did　not　blame　him。　But　I　could　not　live　out　there。　He　needed　me。　But　I　was　too　littletoo　selfish。　I　could　not　marry　him。　I　gave　him　up。　。　。　。　I　lefthimalone！〃

Carley　shrank　under　the　scorn　in　Rust's　eyes。

〃And　there's　another　man；〃　he　said；　〃a　clean；　straight；　unscarred　fellow　who　wouldn't　fight！〃

〃Oh；　no…II　swear　there's　not；〃　whispered　Carley。

〃You；　too；〃　he　replied；　thickly。　Then　slowly　he　turned　that　worn　dark　face　to　the　wall。　His　frail　breast　heaved。　And　his　lean　hand　made　her　a　slight　gesture　of　dismissal；　significant　and　imperious。

Carley　fled。　She　could　scarcely　see　to　find　the　car。　All　her　internal　being　seemed　convulsed；　and　a　deadly　faintness　made　her　sick　and　cold。


CHAPTER　X

Carley's　edifice　of　hopes；　dreams；　aspirations；　and　struggles　fell　in　ruins　about　her。　It　had　been　built　upon　false　sands。　It　had　no　ideal　for　foundation。　It　had　to　fall。

Something　inevitable　had　forced　her　confession　to　Rust。　Dissimulation　had　been　a　habit　of　her　mind；　it　was　more　a　habit　of　her　class　than　sincerity。　But　she　had　reached　a　point　in　her　mental　strife　where　she　could　not　stand　before　Rust　and　let　him　believe　she　was　noble　and　faithful　when　she　knew　she　was　neither。　Would　not　the　next　step　in　this　painful　metamorphosis　of　her　character　be　a　fierce　and　passionate　repudiation　of　herself　and　all　she　represented？

She　went　home　and　locked　herself　in　her　room；　deaf　to　telephone　and　servants。　There　she　gave　up　to　her　shame。　Scorneddespiseddismissed　by　that　poor　crippled　flame…spirited　Virgil　Rust！　He　had　reverenced　her；　and　the　truth　had　earned　his　hate。　Would　she　ever　forget　his　lookincredulous　shockedbitterand　blazing　with　unutterable　contempt？　Carley　Burch　was　only　another　Nella　jilta　mocker　of　the　manhood　of　soldiers！　Would　she　ever　cease　to　shudder　at　memory　of　Rust's　slight　movement　of　hand？　Go！　Get　out　of　my　sight！　Leave　me　to　my　agony　as　you　left　Glenn　Kilbourne　alone　to　fight　his！　Men　such　as　I　am　do　not　want　the　smile　of　your　face；　the　touch　of　your　hand！　We　gave　for　womanhood！　Pass　on　to　lesser　men　who　loved　the　fleshpots　and　who　would　buy　your　charms！　So　Carley　interpreted　that　slight　gesture；　and　writhed　in　her　abasement。

Rust　threw　a　white；　illuminating　light　upon　her　desertion　of　Glenn。　She　had　betrayed　him。　She　had　left　him　alone。　Dwarfed　and　stunted　was　her　narrow　soul！　To　a　man　who　had　given　all　for　her　she　had　returned　nothing。　Stone　for　bread！　Betrayal　for　love！　Cowardice　for　courage！

The　hours　of　contending　passions　gave　birth　to　vague；　slow…forming　revolt。

She　became　haunted　by　memory　pictures　and　sounds　and　smells　of　Oak　Creek　Canyon。　As　from　afar　she　saw　the　great　sculptured　rent　in　the　earth；　green　and　red　and　brown；　with　its　shining；　flashing　ribbons　of　waterfalls　and　streams。　The　mighty　pines　stood　up　magnificent　and　stately。　The　walls　loomed　high；　shadowed　under　the　shelves；　gleaming　in　the　sunlight；　and　they　seemed　dreaming；　waiting；　watching。　For　what？　For　her　return　to　their　serene　fastnessesto　the　little　gray　log　cabin。　The　thought　stormed　Carley's　soul。

Vivid　and　intense　shone　the　images　before　her　shut　eyes。　She　saw　the　winding　forest　floor；　green　with　grass　and　fern；　colorful　with　flower　and　rock。　A　thousand　aisles；　glades；　nooks；　and　caverns　called　her　to　come。　Nature　was　every　woman's　mother。　The　populated　city　was　a　delusion。　Disease　and　death　and　corruption　stalked　in　the　shadows　of　the　streets。　But　her　canyon　promised　hard　work；　playful　hours；　dreaming　idleness；　beauty；　health；　fragrance；　loneliness；　peace；　wisdom；　love；　children；　and　long　life。　In　the　hateful　shut…in　isolation　of　her　room　Carley　stretched　forth　her　arms　as　if　to　embrace　the　vision。　Pale　close　walls；　gleaming　placid　stretches　of　brook；　churning　amber　and　white　rapids；　mossy　banks　and　pine…matted　ledges；　the　towers　and　turrets　and　ramparts　where　the　eagles　wheeledshe　saw　them　all　as　beloved　images　lost　to　her　save　in　anguished　memory。

She　heard　the　murmur　of　flowing　water；　soft；　low；　now　loud；　and　again　lulling；　hollow　and　eager；　tinkling　over　rocks；　bellowing　into　the　deep　pools；　washing　with　silky　seep　of　wind…swept　waves　the　hanging　willows。　Shrill　and　piercing　and　far…aloft　pealed　the　scream　of　the　eagle。　And　she　seemed　to　listen　to　a　mocking　bird　while　he　mocked　her　with　his　melody　of　many　birds。　The　bees　hummed；　the　wind　moaned；　the　leaves　rustled；　the　waterfall　murmured。　Then　came　the　sharp　rare　note　of　a　canyon　swift；　most　mysterious　of　birds；　significant　of　the　heights。

A　breath　of　fragrance　seemed　to　blow　with　her　shifting　senses。　The　dry；　sweet；　tangy　canyon　smells　returned　to　herof　fresh…cut　timber；　of　wood　smoke；　of　the　cabin　fire　with　its　steaming　pots；　of　flowers　and　earth；　and　of　the　wet　stones；　of　the　redolent　pines　and　the　pungent　cedars。

And　suddenly；　clearly；　amazingly；　Carley　beheld　in　her　mind's　sight　the　hard　features；　the　bold　eyes；　the　slight　smile；　the　coarse　face　of　Haze　Ruff。　She　had　forgotten　him。　But　he　now　returned。　And　with　memory　of　him　flashed　a　revelation　as　to　his　meaning　in　her　life。　He　had　appeared　merely　a　clout；　a　ruffian；　an　animal　with　man's　shape　and　intelligence。　But　he　was　the　embodiment　of　the　raw；　crude　violence　of　the　West。　He　was　the　eyes　of　the　natural　primitive　man；　believing　what　he　saw。　He　had　seen　in　Carley　Burch　the　paraded　charm；　the　unashamed　and　serene　front；　the　woman　seeking　man。　Haze　Ruff　had　been　neither　vile　nor　base　nor　unnatural。　It　had　been　her　subjection　to　the　decadence　of　feminine　dress　that　had　been　unnatural。　But　Ruff　had　found　her　a　lie。　She　invited　what　she　did　not　want。　And　his　scorn　had　been　commensurate　with　the　falsehood　of　her。　So　might　any　man　have　been　justified　in　his　insult　to　her；　in　his　rejection　of　her。　Haze　Ruff　had　found　her　unfit　for　his　idea　of　dalliance。　Virgil　Rust　had　found　her　false　to　the　ideals　of　womanhood　for　which　he　had　sacrificed　all　but　life　itself。　What　then　had　Glenn　Kilbourne　found　her？　He　possessed　the　greatness　of　noble　love。　He　had　loved　her　before　the　dark　and　changeful　tide　of　war　had　come　between　them。　How　had　he　judged　her？　That　last　sight　of　him　standing　alone；　leaning　with　head　bowed；　a　solitary　figure　trenchant　with　suggestion　of　tragic　resignation　and　strength；　returned　to　flay　Carley。　He　had　loved；　trusted；　and　hoped。　She　saw　now　what　his　hope　had　been…that　she　would　have　instilled　into　her　blood　the　subtle；　red；　and　revivifying　essence　of　calling　life　in　the　open；　the　strength　of　the　wives　of　earlier　years；　an　emanation　from　canyon；　desert；　mountain；　forest；　of　health；　of　spirit；　of　forward…gazing　natural　love；　of　the　mysterious　saving　instinct　he　had　gotten　out　of　the　West。　And　she　had　been　too　little　too　steeped　in　the　indulgence　of　luxurious　life　too　slight…natured　and　pale…blooded！　And　suddenly　there　pierced　into　the　black　storm　of　Carley's　mind　a　blazing；　white…streaked　thoughtshe　had　left　Glenn　to　the　Western　girl；　Flo　Hutter。　Humiliated；　and　abased　in　her　own　sight；　Carley　fell　prey　to　a　fury　of　jealousy。

She