wyoming(怀俄明)-第34章
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down and talk。〃
〃I shouldn't wonder but he'll hold his conversations standing for a day
or two；〃 returned Missou gravely。
At the end of the laugh that greeted this Mac replied：
Well； y'u boys want to be gentle with him。〃 〃He's so plumb tender now
that I reckon he'll get along without any more treatment in that line from
us；〃 drawled Frisco。
Mac departed laughing。 He had an engagement that recurred daily in
the dusk of the evening； and he was always careful to be on time。 The
other party to the engagement met him at the kitchen door and fell with
him into the trail that led to Lee Ming's laundry。
〃What made you late？〃 she asked。
〃I'm not late； honey。 I seem late because you're so anxious；〃 he
explained。
〃I'm not；〃 protested Nora indignantly。 〃If you think you're the only
man on the place； Jim McWilliams 〃
〃Sho！ Hold your hawsses a minute； Nora； darling。 A spinster like y'u〃
〃You think you're awful funnywriting in my autograph album that a
spinster's best friend is her powder box。 I like Mr。 Halliday's ways better。
He's a perfect gentleman。〃
〃I ain't got a word to say against Denver； even if he did write in your
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book；
〃'Sugar is sweet； The sky is blue； Grass is green And so are you。'
I reckon； being a perfect gentleman； he meant〃
〃You know very well you wrote that in yourself and pretended it was
Mr。 Halliday； signing his name and everything。 It wasn't a bit nice of you。〃
〃Now do I look like a forger？〃 he wanted to know with innocence on
his cherubic face。
〃Anyway you know it was mean。 Mr。 Halliday wouldn't do such a
thing。 You take your arm down and keep it where it belongs； Mr。
McWilliams。〃
〃That ain't my name； Nora； darling； and I'd like to know where my arm
belongs if it isn't round the prettiest girl in Wyoming。 What's the use of
being engaged if〃
〃I'm not sure I'm going to stay engaged to you；〃 announced the young
woman coolly； walking at the opposite edge of the path from him。
〃Now that ain't any way to talk 〃
〃You needn't lecture me。 I'm not your wife and I don't think I'm going
to be；〃 cut in Nora； whose temper was ruffled on account of having had to
wait for him as well as for other reasons。
〃Y'u surely wouldn't make me sue y'u for breach of promise； would
y'u？〃 he demanded； with a burlesque of anxiety that was the final straw。
Nora turned on her heel and headed for the house。
〃Now don't y'u get mad at me； honey。 I was only joking；〃 he explained
as he pursued her。
〃You think you can laugh at me all you please。 I'll show you that you
can't；〃 she informed him icily。
〃Sho！ I wasn't laughing at y'u。 What tickled me〃
〃I'm not interested in your amusement； Mr。 McWilliams。〃
〃What's the use of flying out about a little thing like that？ Honest； I
don't even know what you're mad at me for；〃 the perplexed foreman
averred。
〃I'm not mad at you； as you call it。 I'm simply disgusted。〃
And with a final 〃Good night〃 flung haughtily over her shoulder Miss
Nora Darling disappeared into the house。
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Mac took off his hat and gazed at the door that had been closed in his
face。 He scratched his puzzled poll in vain。
〃I ce'tainly got mine good and straight just like Reddy got his。 But
what in time was it all about？ And me thinkin' I was a graduate in the
study of the ladies。 I reckon I never did get jarred up so。 It's plumb
discouraging。〃
If he could have caught a glimpse of Nora at that moment； lying on her
bed and crying as if her heart would break； Mac might have found the
situation less hopeless。
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CHAPTER 21。 THE SIGNAL
LIGHTS
In a little hill…rift about a mile back of the Lazy D Ranch was a
deserted miner's cabin。
The hut sat on the edge of a bluff that commanded a view of the
buildings below； while at the same time the pines that surrounded it
screened the shack from any casual observation。 A thin curl of smoke was
rising from the mud chimney； and inside the cabin two men lounged
before the open fire。
〃It's his move； and he is going to make it soon。 Every night I look for
him to drop down on the ranch。 His hate's kind of volcanic； Mr。 Ned
Bannister's is； and it's bound to bubble over mighty sudden one of these
days；〃 said the younger of the two； rising and stretching himself。
〃It did bubble over some when he drove two thousand of my sheep
over the bluff and killed the whole outfit；〃 suggested the namesake of the
man mentioned。
〃Yes； I reckon that's some irritating；〃 agreed McWilliams。 〃But if I
know him； he isn't going to be content with sheep so long as he can take it
out of a real live man。〃
〃Or woman；〃 suggested the sheepman。
〃Or woman；〃 agreed the other。 〃Especially when he thinks he can cut
y'u deeper by striking at her。 If he doesn't raid the Lazy D one of these
nights； I'm a blamed poor prophet。〃
Bannister nodded agreement。 〃He's near the end of his rope。 He could
see that if he were blind。 When we captured Bostwick and they got a
confession out of him； that started the landslide against him。 It began to be
noised abroad that the government was going to wipe him out。 Folks
began to lose their terror of him； and after that his whole outfit began to
want to turn State's evidence。 He isn't sure of one of them now； can't tell
when he will be shot in the back by one of his own scoundrels for that two
thousand dollars reward。〃
The foreman strolled negligently to the door。 His eyes drifted
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indolently down into the valley； and immediately sparkled with
excitement。
〃The signal's out； Bann；〃 he exclaimed。 〃It's in your window。〃
The sheepman leaped to his feet and strode to the door。 Down in the
valley a light was gleaming in a window。 Even while he looked another
light appeared in a second window。
〃She wants us both；〃 cried the foreman； running to the little corral
back of the house。
He presently reappeared with two horses； both saddled； and they took
the downward trail at once。
〃If Miss Helen can keep him in play till we arrive；〃 murmured Mac
anxiously。
〃She can if he gives her a chance； and I think he will。 There's a kind of
cat instinct in him to play with his prey。〃
〃Yes； but he missed his kill last time by letting her fool him。 That's
what I'm afraid of' that he won't wait。〃
They had reached lower ground now； and could put their ponies at a
pounding gallop that ate up the trail fast。 As they approached the houses；
both men drew rein and looked carefully to their weapons。 Then they slid
from the saddles and slipped noiselessly forward。
What the foreman had said was exactly true。 Helen Messiter did want
them both； and she wanted them very much indeed。
After supper she had been dreamily playing over to herself one of
Chopin's waltzes； when she became aware； by some instinct； that she was
not alone in the room。 There had been no least sound； no slightest stir to
betray an alien presence。 Yet that some one was in the room she knew； and
by some subtle sixth sense could even put a name to the intruder。
Without turning she called over her shoulder： 〃Shall I finish the
waltz？〃 No faintest tremor in the clear； sweet voice betrayed the racing
heart。
〃Y'u're a cool hand； my friend；〃 came his ready answer。 〃But I think
we'll dispense with the music。 I had enough last time to serve me for
twice。〃
She laughed as she swung on the stool； with that musical scorn which
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both allured and maddened。 〃I did rather do you that time；〃 she allowed。
〃This is the return match。 You won then。 I win now；〃 he told her； with
a look that chilled。
〃Indeed！ But isn't that rather discounting the future？〃
〃Only the immediate future。 Y'u're mine； my beauty； and I mean to
take y'u with me。〃
Just a disdainful sweep of her eyes she gave him as she rose from the
piano…stool and rearranged the lamps。 〃You mean so much that never
comes to pass； Mr。 Bannister。 The road to the nether regions is paved with
good intentions； we are given to understand。 Not that yours can by any
stretch of imagination be called 'good intentions。'〃
〃Contrariwise； then； perhaps the road to heaven may be paved with
evil intentions。 Since y'u travel the road with me； wherever it may lead； it
were but gallant to hope so。〃
He took three sharp steps toward her and stood looking down in her
face； her sweet slenderness so close to him that the perfume mounted to
his brain。 Surely no maiden had ever been more desirable than this one；
who held him in such contemptuous estimation that only her steady eyes
moved at his approach。 These held to his and defied him； while she stood
leaning motionless against the table with such strong and supple grace。
She knew what he meant to do； hated him for it； and would not give him
the satisfaction of flying an inch from him or struggling with him。
〃Your eyes are pools of splendor。 That's right。 Make them flash fire。 I
love to see such spirit； since it offers a more enticing pleasure in
breaking；〃 he told her； with an admiration half ironic but wholly genuine。
〃Pools of splendor； my beauty！ Therefore I salute them。〃
At the touch
