wyoming(怀俄明)-第22章
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to tempt her into discussions that told him by suggestion something of
what she thought and was。
They were in animated debate when the door opened to admit
somebody else。 He had stepped in so quietly that he stood there a little
while without being observed； smiling down at them with triumphant
malice behind the mask he wore。 Perhaps it was the black visor that was
responsible for the Mephisto effect； since it hid all the face but the leering
eyes。 These； narrowed to slits； swept the room and came back to its
occupants。 He was a tall man and well…knit； dressed incongruously in up…
to…date riding breeches and boots； in combination with the usual gray shirt；
knotted kerchief and wide…brimmed felt hat of the horseman of the plains。
The dust of the desert lay thick on him； without in the least obscuring a
certain ribald elegance； a distinction of wickedness that rested upon him as
his due。 To this result his debonair manner contributed； though it carried
with it no suggestion of weakness。 To the girl who looked up and found
him there he looked indescribably sinister。
She half rose to her feet； dilated eyes fixed on him。
〃Good evenin'。 I came to make sure y'u got safe home； Miss Messiter；〃
he said。
The eyes of the two men clashed； the sheepman's stern and unyielding；
his cousin's lit with the devil of triumph。 But out of the faces of both men
looked the inevitable conflict； the declaration of war that never ends till
death。
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〃I've been a heap anxious about y'ucouldn't sleep for worrying。 So I
saddled up and rode in to find out if y'u were all right and to inquire how
Cousin Ned was getting along。〃
The sheepman； not deigning to move an inch from his position； looked
in silence his steady contempt。
〃This conversation sounds a whole lot like a monologue up to date；〃
he continued。 〃Now； maybe y'u don't know y'u have the honor of
entertaining the King of the Bighorn。〃 The man's brown hand brushed the
mask from his eyes and he bowed with mocking deference。 〃Miss
Messiter； allow me to introduce myself againNed Bannister； train robber；
rustler； kidnapper and general bad man。 But I ain't told y'u the worst yet。
I'm cousin to a sheepherder' and that's the lowest thing that walks。〃
He limped forward a few steps and sat down。 〃Thank you； I believe I
will stay a while since y'u both ask me so urgent。 It isn't often I meet with
a welcome so hearty and straight from the heart。〃
It was not hard to see how the likeness between them contributed to
the mistake that had been current concerning them。 Side by side； no man
could have mistaken one for the other。 The color of their eyes； the shade of
hair； even the cut of their features； were different。 But beneath all
distinctions in detail ran a family resemblance not to be denied。 This man
looked like his cousin； the sheepman； as the latter might have done if all
his life he had given a free rein to evil passions。
The height； the build； the elastic tread of each； made further
contributions to this effect of similarity。
〃What are you doing here？〃 They were the first words spoken by the
man on the lounge and they rang with a curt challenge。
〃Come to inquire after the health of my dear cousin；〃 came the prompt
silken answer。
〃You villain！〃
〃My dear cousin； y'u speak with such conviction that y'u almost
persuade me。 But of course if I'm a villain I've got to live up to my
reputation。 Haven't I； Miss Messiter？〃
〃Wouldn't it be better to live it down？〃 she asked with a quietness that
belied her terror。 For there had been in his manner a threat； not against her
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but against the man whom her heart acknowledged as her lover。
He laughed。 〃Y'u're still hoping to make a Sunday school
superintendent out of me； I see。 Y'u haven't forgot all your schoolmarm
ways yet； but I'll teach y'u to forget them。〃
The other cousin watched him with a cool； quiet glance that never
wavered。 The outlaw was heavily armed； but his weapons were sheathed；
and； though there was a wary glitter behind the vindictive exultation in his
eyes； his capable hands betrayed no knowledge of the existence of his
revolvers。 It was； he knew； to be a moral victory； if one at all。
〃Hope I'm not disturbing any happy family circle；〃 he remarked； and；
taking two limping steps forward； he lifted the book from the girl's
unresisting hands。 〃H'm！ Barrie。 I don't go much on him。 He's too sissy for
me。 But I could have guessed the other Ned Bannister would be reading
something like that；〃 he concluded； a flicker of sneering contempt crossing
his face。
〃Perhaps y'u'll learn some time to attend to your own business；〃 said
the man on the couch quietly。
Hatred gleamed in the narrowed slits from which the soul of the other
cousin looked down at him。 〃I'm a philanthropist； and my business is
attending to other people's。 They raise sheep； for instance； and I market
them。〃
The girl hastily interrupted。 She had not feared for herself； but she
knew fear for the indomitable man she had nursed back to life。 〃Won't you
sit down； Mr。 Bannister？ Since you don't approve our literature； perhaps
we can find some other diversion more to your taste。〃 She smiled faintly。
The man turned in smiling divination of her purpose； and sat down to
play with her as a cat does with a mouse。
〃Thank y'u； Miss Messiter； I believe I will。 I called to thank y'u for
your kindness to my cousin as well as to inquire about you。 The word goes
that y'u pulled my dear cousin back when death was reaching mighty
strong for him。 Of course I feel grateful to y'u。 How is he getting along
now？〃
〃He's doing very well； I think。〃
〃That's ce'tainly good hearing；〃 was his ironical response。 〃How come
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he to get hurt； did y'u say？〃
His sleek smile was a thing hateful to see。
〃A hound bit me；〃 explained the sheepman。
〃Y'u don't say！ I reckon y'u oughtn't to have got in its way。 Did y'u kill
it？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃That was surely a mistake； for it's liable to bite again。〃
The girl felt a sudden sickness at his honeyed cruelty； but immediately
pulled herself together。 For whatever fiendish intention might be in his
mind she meant to frustrate it。
〃I hear you are of a musical turn； Mr。 Bannister。 Won't you play for
us？〃
She had by chance found his weak spot。 Instantly his eyes lit up。 He
stepped across to the piano and began to look over the music； though not
so intently that he forgot to keep under his eye the man on the lounge。
〃H'm！ Mozart； Grieg； Chopin； Raff； Beethoven。 Y'u ce'tainly have the
music here； I wonder if y'u have the musician。〃 He looked her over with a
bold； unscrupulous gaze。 〃It's an old trick to have classical music on the
rack and ragtime in your soul。 Can y'u play these？〃
〃You will have to be the judge of that；〃 she said。
He selected two of Grieg's songs and invited her to the piano。 He knew
instantly that the Norwegian's delicate fancy and lyrical feeling had found
in her no inadequate medium of expression。 The peculiar emotional
quality of the song 〃I Love Thee〃 seemed to fill the room as she played。
When she swung round on the stool at its conclusion it was to meet a
shining…eyed； musical enthusiast instead of the villain she had left five
minutes earlier。
〃Y'u CAN play；〃 was all he said； but the manner of it spoke volumes。
For nearly an hour he kept her at the piano； and when at last he let her
stop playing he seemed a man transformed。
〃You have given me a great pleasure； a very great pleasure； Miss
Messiter；〃 he thanked her warmly； his Western idiom sloughed with his
villainy for the moment。 〃It has been a good many months since I have
heard any decent music。 With your permission I shall come again。〃
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Her hesitation was imperceptible。 〃Surely； if you wish。〃 She felt it
would be worse than idle to deny the permission she might not be able to
refuse。
With perfect grace he bowed； and as he wheeled away met with a little
shock of remembrance the gaze of his cousin。 For a long moment their
eyes bored into each other。 Neither yielded the beat of an eyelid； but it was
the outlaw that spoke。
〃I had forgotten y'u。 That's strange； too because it was for y'u I came。
I'm going to take y'u home with me。
〃Alive or dead？〃 asked the other serenely。
〃Alive； dear Ned。〃
〃Same old traits cropping out again。 There was always something
feline about y'u。 I remember when y'u were a boy y'u liked to torment wild
animals y'u had trapped。〃
〃I play with larger game nowand find it more interesting。〃
〃Just so。 Miss Messiter； I shall have to borrow a pony from y'u； unless…
…〃 He broke off and turned indifferently to the bandit。
〃Yes； I brought a hawss along with me for y'u；〃 replied the other to the
unvoiced question。 〃I thought maybe y'u might want to ride with us。〃
〃But he can't ride。 He couldn't possibly。 It would kill him；〃 the girl
broke out。
〃I reckon not。〃 The man from the Shoshones glanced at his victim as
he drew on his gauntlets。 〃He's a heap tougher than y'u think。〃
〃But it will。 If he should ride now； whyIt would be the same as
murder；〃 she gasped。 〃You wouldn't make him ride now？〃
〃Didn't y'u hear him order his hawss； ma'am？ He's keen on this ride。
Of course he don't have to go unless he wants to。〃 The man turned his
villainous smi
