cressy- 第6部分

〃Hiram　allowed　to　go　over　to　the　schoolhouse　and　see　you　this

mornin'；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry；　after　a　pause；　〃but　I　reckon　ez　how

he　had　to　look　up　stock　on　the　river。　　The　cattle　are　that　wild

this　time　o'　year；　huntin'　water；　and　hangin'　round　the　tules；　that

my　men　are　nigh　worrited　out　o'　their　butes　with　'em。　　Hank　and　Jim

ain't　been　off　their　mustangs　since　sun　up；　and　Hiram；　what　with

partrollen'　the　West　Boundary　all　night；　watchin'　stakes　whar　them

low　down　Harrisons　hev　been　trespassin'hasn't　put　his　feet　to　the

ground　in　fourteen　hours。　　Mebbee　you　noticed　Hiram　ez　you　kem

along？　　Ef　so；　ye　didn't　remember　what　kind　o'　shootin'　irons　he

had　with　him？　　I　see　his　rifle　over　yon。　　Like　ez　not　he'z　only　got

his　six…shooter；　and　them　Harrisons　are　mean　enough　to　lay　for　him

at　long　range。　　But；〃　she　added；　returning　to　the　less　important

topic；　〃I　s'pose　Cressy　came　all　right。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　hopelessly。



〃I　reckon　she　looked　so；〃　continued　Mrs。　McKinstry；　with　tolerant

abstraction。　　〃She　allowed　to　do　herself　credit　in　one　of　them　new

store　gownds　that　she　got　at　Sacramento。　　At　least　that's　what　some

of　our　men　said。　　Late　years；　I　ain't　kept　tech　with　the　fashions

myself。〃　　She　passed　her　fingers　explanatorily　down　the　folds　of

her　own　coarse　gown；　but　without　regret　or　apology。



〃She　seemed　well　prepared　in　her　lessons；〃　said　the　master；

abandoning　for　the　moment　that　criticism　of　his　pupil's　dress；

which　he　saw　was　utterly　futile；　〃but　am　I　to　understand　that　she

is　coming　regularly　to　schoolthat　she　is　now　perfectly　free　to

give　her　entire　attention　to　her　studiesthatthather

engagement　is　broken　off？〃



〃Why；　didn't　she　tell　ye？〃　echoed　Mrs。　McKinstry　in　languid

surprise。



〃SHE　certainly　did；〃　said　the　master　with　slight　embarrassment；

〃but〃



〃Ef　SHE　said　so；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　abstractedly；　〃she

oughter　know；　and　you　kin　tie　to　what　she　says。〃



〃But　as　I'm　responsible　to　PARENTS　and　not　to　scholars　for　the

discipline　of　my　school；〃　returned　the　young　man　a　little　stiffly；

〃I　thought　it　my　duty　to　hear　it　from　YOU。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry　meditatively；　〃then　I　reckon　you'd

better　see　Hiram。　　That　ar'　Seth　Davis　engagement　was　a　matter　of

hern　and　her　father's；　and　not　in　MY　line。　　I　'spose　that　Hiram

nat'rally　allows　to　set　the　thing　square　to　you　and　inquirin'

friends。〃



〃I　hope　you　understand；〃　said　the　master；　slightly　resenting　the

classification；　〃that　my　reason　for　inquiring　about　the　permanency

of　your　daughter's　attendance　was　simply　because　it　might　be

necessary　to　arrange　her　studies　in　a　way　more　suitable　to　her

years；　perhaps　even　to　suggest　to　you　that　a　young　ladies'　seminary

might　be　more　satisfactory〃



〃Sartain；　sartain；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　hurriedly；　but

whether　from　evasion　of　annoying　suggestion　or　weariness　of　the

topic；　the　master　could　not　determine。　　〃You'd　better　speak　to

Hiram　about　it。　　On'y；〃　she　hesitated　slightly；　〃ez　he's　got　now

sorter　set　and　pinted　towards　your　school；　and　is　a　trifle　worrited

with　stock　and　them　Harrisons；　ye　might　tech　it　lightly。　　He

oughter　be　along　yer　now。　　I　can't　think　what　keeps　him。〃　　Her　eye

wandered　again　with　troubled　preoccupation　to　the　corner　where　her

husband's　Sharps'　rifle　stood。　　Suddenly　she　raised　her　voice　as　if

forgetful　of　Mr。　Ford's　presence。



〃O　Cressy！〃



〃O　Maw！〃



The　response　came　from　the　inner　room。　　The　next　moment　Cressy

appeared　at　the　door　with　an　odd　half…lazy　defiance　in　her　manner；

which　the　master　could　not　understand　except　upon　the　hypothesis

that　she　had　been　listening。　　She　had　already　changed　her　elaborate

toilet　for　a　long　clinging；　coarse　blue　gown；　that　accented　the

graceful　curves　of　her　slight；　petticoat…less　figure。　　Nodding　her

head　towards　the　master；　she　said；　〃Howdy？〃　and　turned　to　her

mother；　who　practically　ignored　their　personal　acquaintance。

〃Cressy；〃　she　said；　〃Dad's　gone　and　left　his　Sharps'　yer；　d'ye　mind

takin'　it　along　to　meet　him；　afore　he　passes　the　Boundary　corner。

Ye　might　tell　him　the　teacher's　yer；　wantin'　to　see　him。〃



〃One　moment；〃　said　the　master；　as　the　young　girl　carelessly　stepped

to　the　corner　and　lifted　the　weapon。　　〃Let　ME　take　it。　　It's　all　on

my　way　back　to　school　and　I'll　meet　him。〃



Mrs。　McKinstry　looked　perturbed。　　Cressy　opened　her　clear　eyes　on

the　master　with　evident　surprise。　　〃No；　Mr。　Ford；〃　said　Mrs。

McKinstry；　with　her　former　maternal　manner。　　〃Ye'd　better　not　mix

yourself　up　with　these　yer　doin's。　　Ye've　no　call　to　do　it；　and

Cressy　has；　it's　all　in　the　family。　　But　it's　outer　YOUR　line；　and

them　Harrison　whelps　go　to　your　school。　　Fancy　the　teacher　takin'

weppins　betwixt　and　between！〃



〃It's　fitter　work　for　the　teacher　than　for　one　of　his　scholars；　and

a　young　lady　at　that；〃　said　Mr。　Ford　gravely；　as　he　took　the　rifle

from　the　hands　of　the　half…amused；　half…reluctant　girl。　　〃It's

quite　safe　with　me；　and　I　promise　I　shall　deliver　it　into　Mr。

McKinstry's　hands　and　none　other。〃



〃Perhaps　it　wouldn't　be　ez　likely　to　be　gin'rally　noticed　ez　it

would　if　one　of　US　carried　it；〃　murmured　Mrs。　McKinstry　in

confidential　abstraction；　gazing　at　her　daughter　sublimely

unconscious　of　the　presence　of　a　third　party。



〃You're　quite　right；〃　said　the　master　composedly；　throwing　the

rifle　over　his　shoulder　and　turning　towards　the　door。　　〃So　I'll　say

good…afternoon；　and　try　and　find　your　husband。〃



Mrs。　McKinstry　constrainedly　plucked　at　the　folds　of　her　coarse

gown。　　〃Ye'll　like　a　drink　afore　ye　go；〃　she　said；　in　an　ill…

concealed　tone　of　relief。　　〃I　clean　forgot　my　manners。　　Cressy；

fetch　out　that　demijohn。〃



〃Not　for　me；　thank　you；〃　returned　Mr。　Ford　smiling。



〃Oh；　I　seeyou're　temperance；　nat'rally；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry　with

a　tolerant　sigh。



〃Hardly　that；〃　returned　the　master；　〃I　follow　no　rule；　I　drink

sometimesbut　not　to…day。〃



Mrs。　McKinstry's　dark　face　contracted。　　〃Don't　you　see；　Maw；〃

struck　in　Cressy　quickly。　　〃Teacher　drinks　sometimes；　but　he　don't

USE　whiskey。　　That's　all。〃



Her　mother's　face　relaxed。　　Cressy　slipped　out　of　the　door　before

the　master；　and　preceded　him　to　the　gate。　　When　she　had　reached　it

she　turned　and　looked　into　his　face。



〃What　did　Maw　say　to　yer　about　seein'　me　just　now？〃



〃I　don't　understand　you。〃



〃To　your　seein'　me　and　Joe　Masters　on　the　trail？〃



〃She　said　nothing。〃



〃Humph；〃　said　Cressy　meditatively。　　〃What　was　it　you　told　her　about

it？〃



〃Nothing。〃



〃Then　you　DIDN'T　see　us？〃



〃I　saw　you　with　some　oneI　don't　know　whom。〃



〃And　you　didn't　tell　Maw？〃



〃I　did　not。　　It　was　none　of　my　business。〃



He　instantly　saw　the　utter　inconsistency　of　this　speech　in

connection　with　the　reason　he　believed　he　had　in　coming。　　But　it

was　too　late　to　recall　it；　and　she　was　looking　at　him　with　a　bright

but　singular　expression。



〃That　Joe　Masters　is　the　conceitedest　fellow　goin'。　　I　told　him　you

could　see　his　foolishness。〃



〃Ah；　indeed。〃



Mr。　Ford　pushed　open　the　gate。　　As　the　girl　still　lingered　he　was

obliged　to　hold　it　a　moment　before　passing　through。



〃Maw　couldn't　quite　hitch　on　to　your　not　drinkin'。　　She　reckons

you're　like　everybody　else　about　yer。　　That's　where　she　slips　up　on

you。　　And　everybody　else；　I　kalkilate。〃



〃I　suppose　she's　somewhat　anxious　about　your　father；　and　I　dare　say

is　expecting　me　to　hurry；〃　returned　the　master　pointedly。



〃Oh；　dad's　all　right；〃　said　Cressy　mischievously。　　〃You'll　come

across　him　over　yon；　in　the　clearing。　　But　you're　looking　right

purty　with　that　gun。　　It　kinder　sets　you　off。　　You　oughter　wear

one。〃



The　master　smiled　slightly；　said　〃Good…by；〃　and　took　leave　of　the

girl；　but　not　of　her　eyes；　which　were　still　following　him。　　Even

when　he　had　reached　the　end　of　the　lane　and　glanced　back　at　the

rambling　dwelling；　she　was　still　leaning　on　the　gate　with　one　foot

on　the　lower　rail　and　her　chin　cupped　in　the　hollow　of　her　hand。

She　made　a　slight　gesture；　not　clearly　intelligible　at　that

distance；　it　might　have　been　a　mischievous　imitation　of　the　way　he

had　thrown　the　gun　over　his　shoulder；　it　might　have　been　a　wafted

kiss。



The　master　however　continued　his　way　in　no　very　self…satisfied

mood。　　Although　he　did　not　regret　having　taken　the　place　of　Cressy

as　the　purveyor　of　lethal　weapons　between　the　belligerent　parties；

he　knew　he　was　tacitly　mingling　in　the　feud　between　people　for　whom

he　cared　little　or　nothing。　　It　was　true　that　the　Harrisons　sent

their　children　to　his　school；　and　that　in　the　fierce　partisanship

of　the　locality　this　simple　courtesy　was　open　to　misconstruction。

But　he　was　more　uneasily　conscious　that　this　mission；　so　far　as

Mrs。　McKinstry　was　concerned；　was　a　miserable　failure。　　The　strange

relations　of　the　mother　and　daughter　perhaps　explained　much　of　the

girl's　conduct；　but　it　offered　no　hope　of　future　amelioration。

Would　the　father；　〃worrited　by　stock〃　and　boundary　quarrelsa　man

in　the　habit　of　cutting　Gordian　knots　with　a　bowie　knifeprove

more　reasonable？　　Was　there　any　nearer　sympathy　between　father　and

daughter？　　But　she　had　said　he　would　meet　McKinstry　in　the

clearing：　she　was　right；　for　here　he　was　coming　forward　at　a

gallop！





CHAPTER　III。





When　within　a　dozen　paces　of　the　master；　McKinstry；　scarcely

checking　his　mustang；　threw　himself　from　the　saddle；　and　with　a

sharp　cut　of　his　riata　on　the　animal's　haunches　sent　him　still

galloping　towards　the　distant　house。　　Then；　with　both　hands　deeply

thrust　in　the　side　pockets　of　his　long；　loose　linen　coat；　he　slowly

lounged　with　clanking　spurs　towards　the　young　man。　　He　was　thick…

set；　of　medium　height；　densely　and　reddishly　bearded；　with　heavy…

lidded　pale　blue　eyes　that　wore　a　look　of　drowsy　pain；　and　after

their　first　wearied　glance　at　the　master；　seemed　to　rest　anywhere

but　on　him。



〃Your　wife　was　sending