cressy-第21章

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adversary　before　him；　the　maddened　Missourian　detecting　his

purpose；　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　change　his　position；　and

succeeded　in　raising　his　knee　against　the　master's　chest。　　Ford；

guarding　against　what　seemed　to　be　only　a　wrestler's　strategy；

contented　himself　by　locking　the　bent　knee　firmly　in　that　position；

and　thus　unwittingly　gave　Seth　the　looked…for　opportunity　of

drawing　the　bowie…knife　concealed　in　his　boot　leg。　　He　knew　his

mistake　only　as　Seth　violently　freed　his　arm；　and　threw　it　upward

for　the　blow。　　He　heard　the　steel　slither　like　a　scythe　through　the

hay；　and　unlocking　his　hold　desperately　threw　himself　on　the

uplifted　arm。　　The　movement　saved　him。　　For　the　released　body　of

Seth　slipped　rapidly　through　the　opening；　upheld　for　a　single

instant　on　the　verge　by　the　grasp　of　the　master's　two　hands　on　the

arm　that　still　held　the　knife；　and　then　dropped　heavily　downward。

Even　then；　the　hay　that　had　slipped　before　him　would　have　broken

his　fall；　but　his　head　came　in　violent　contact　with　some　farming

implements　standing　against　the　wall；　and　without　a　cry　he　was

stretched　senseless　on　the　ground。　　The　whole　occurrence　passed　so

rapidly　and　so　noiselessly　that　not　only　did　McKinstry's　challenge

fall　upon　his　already　unconscious　ears；　but　the　loosened　hay　which

in　the　master's　struggles　to　recover　himself　still　continued　to

slide　gently　from　the　loft；　actually　hid　him　from　the　eyes　of　the

spectators　who　sought　him　a　moment　afterwards。　　A　mass　of　hay　and

wild　oats；　dislodged　apparently　by　Mrs。　McKinstry　in　securing　her

defences；　was　all　that　met　their　eyes；　even　the　woman　herself　was

unconscious　of　the　deadly　struggle　that　had　taken　place　above　her。



The　master　staggered　to　an　upright　position　half　choked　and　half

blinded　with　dust；　turgid　and　bursting　with　the　rush　of　blood　to

his　head；　but　clear　and　collected　in　mind；　and　unremorsefully

triumphant。　　Unconscious　of　the　real　extent　of　Seth's　catastrophe

he　groped　for　and　seized　his　gun；　examined　the　cap　and　eagerly

waited　for　a　renewed　attack。　　〃He　tried　to　kill　me；　he　would　have

killed　me；　if　he　comes　again　I　must　kill　him；〃　he　kept　repeating　to

himself。　　It　never　occurred　to　him　that　this　was　inconsistent　with

his　previous　thoughtindeed　with　the　whole　tenor　of　his　belief。

Perhaps　the　most　peaceful　man　who　has　been　once　put　in　peril　of

life　by　an　adversary；　who　has　recognized　death　threatening　him　in

the　eye　of　his　antagonist；　is　by　some　strange　paradox　not　likely　to

hold　his　own　life　or　the　life　of　his　adversary　as　dearly　as　before。

Everything　was　silent　now。　　The　suspense　irritated　him；　he　no

longer　dreaded　but　even　longed　for　the　shot　that　would　precipitate

hostilities。　　What　were　they　doing？　　Guided　by　Seth；　were　they

concerting　a　fresh　attack？



Listening　more　intently　he　became　aware　of　a　distant　shouting；　and

even　more　distinctly；　of　the　dull；　heavy　trampling　of　hoofs。　　A

sudden　angry　fear　that　the　McKinstrys　had　been　beaten　off　and　were

flyinga　fear　and　anger　that　now　for　the　first　time　identified　him

with　their　causecame　over　him；　and　he　scrambled　quickly　towards

the　opening　below。　　But　the　sound　was　approaching　and　with　it　came

a　voice。



〃Hold　on　there；　sheriff！〃



It　was　the　voice　of　the　agent　Stacey。



There　was　a　pause　of　reluctant　murmuring。　　But　the　warning　was

enforced　by　a　command　from　another　voiceweak；　unheroic；　but

familiar；　〃I　order　this　yer　to　stopright　yer！〃



A　burst　of　ironical　laughter　followed。　　The　voice　was　Uncle　Ben's。



〃Stand　back！　　This　is　no　time　for　foolin'；〃　said　the　sheriff

roughly。



〃He's　right；　Sheriff　Briggs；〃　said　Stacey's　voice　hurriedly；

〃you're　acting　for　HIM；　he's　the　owner　of　the　land。〃



〃What？　　That　Ben　Dabney？〃



〃Yes；　he's　Daubigny；　who　bought　the　title　from　us。〃



There　was　a　momentary　hush；　and　then　a　hurried　murmur。



〃Which　means；　gents；〃　rose　Uncle　Ben's　voice　persuasively；　〃that

this　yer　young　man；　though　fair…minded　and　well…intended；　hez　bin　a

leetle　too　chipper　and　previous　in　orderin'　out　the　law。　　This　yer

ain't　no　law　matter　with　ME；　boys。　　It　ain't　to　be　settled　by　law…

papers；　nor　shot…guns　and　deringers。　　It's　suthin'　to　be　chawed

over　sociable…like；　between　drinks。　　Ef　any　harm　hez　bin　done；　ef

anythin's　happened；　I'm　yer　to　'demnify　the　sheriff；　and　make　it

comf'ble　all　round。　　Yer　know　me；　boys。　　I'm　talkin'。　　It's　me

Dabney；　or　Daubigny；　which　ever　way　you　like　it。〃



But　in　the　silence　that　followed；　the　passions　had　not　yet

evidently　cooled。　　It　was　broken　by　the　sarcastic　drawl　of　Dick

McKinstry：　〃If　them　Harrisons　don't　mind　heven　had　their　medders

trampled　over　by　a　few　white　men；　why〃



〃The　sheriff　ez　'demnified　for　that；〃　interrupted　Uncle　Ben

hastily。



〃'N　ef　Dick　McKinstry　don't　mind　the　damage　to　his　pants　in

crawlin'　out　o'　gunshot　in　the　tall　grass〃retorted　Joe　Harrison。



〃I'm　yer　to　settle　that；　boys；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　cheerfully。



〃But　who'll　settle　THIS？〃　clamored　the　voice　of　the　older　Harrison

from　behind　the　barn　where　he　had　stumbled　in　crossing　the　fallen

hay。　　〃Yer's　Seth　Davis　lyin'　in　the　hay　with　the　top　of　his　head

busted。　　Who's　to　pay　for　that？〃



There　was　a　rush　to　the　spot；　and　a　quick　cry　of　reaction。



〃Whose　work　is　this？〃　demanded　the　sheriff's　voice；　with　official

severity。



The　master　uttered　an　instinctive　exclamation　of　defiance；　and

dropping　quickly　to　the　barn　floor；　would　the　next　moment　have

opened　the　door　and　declared　himself；　but　Mrs。　McKinstry；　after　a

single　glance　at　his　determined　face；　suddenly　threw　herself　before

him　with　an　imperious　gesture　of　silence。　　Then　her　voice　rang

clearly　from　the　barn：



〃Well；　if　it's　the　hound　that　tried　to　force　his　way　in　yer；　I

reckon　ye　kin　put　that　down　to　ME！〃





CHAPTER　X。





It　was　known　to　Indian　Spring；　the　next　day；　amid　great　excitement；

that　a　serious　fracas　had　been　prevented　on　the　ill…fated　boundary

by　the　dramatic　appearance　of　Uncle　Ben　Dabney；　not　only　as　a

peacemaker；　but　as　Mr。　Daubigny　the　bona　fide　purchaser　and　owner

of　the　land。　　It　was　known　and　accepted　with　great　hilarity　that

〃old　marm　McKinstry〃　had　defended　the　barn　alone　and　unaided；　with

as　variously　stateda　pitchfork；　an　old　stable…broom；　and　a　pail

of　dirty　water；　against　Harrison；　his　party；　and　the　entire　able

posse　of　the　Sheriff　of　Tuolumne　County；　with　no　further　damage

than　a　scalp　wound　which　the　head　of　Seth　Davis　received　while

falling　from　the　loft　of　the　barn　from　which　he　had　been　dislodged

by　Mrs。　McKinstry　and　the　broom　aforesaid。　　It　was　known　with

unanimous　approbation　that　the　acquisition　of　the　land…title　by　a

hitherto　humble　citizen　of　Indian　Spring　was　a　triumph　of　the

settlement　over　foreign　interference。　　But　it　was　not　known　that

the　school…master　was　a　participant　in　the　fight；　or　even　present

on　the　spot。　　At　Mrs。　McKinstry's　suggestion　he　had　remained

concealed　in　the　loft　until　after　the　withdrawal　of　both　parties

and　the　still　unconscious　Seth。　　When　Ford　had　remonstrated；　with

the　remark　that　Seth　would　be　sure　to　declare　the　truth　when　he

recovered　his　senses；　Mrs。　McKinstry　smiled　grimly：　〃I　reckon　when

he　comes　to　know　I　was　with　ye　all　the　time；　he'd　rather　hev　it

allowed　that　I　licked　him　than　YOU。　　I　don't　say　he'll　let　it　pass

ez　far　ez　you're　concerned　or　won't　try　to　get　even　with　ye；　but　he

won't　go　round　tellin'　WHY。　　However；〃　she　added　still　more　grimly；

〃if　you　think　you're　ekul　to　tellin'　the　hull　storyhow　ye　kem　to

be　yer　and　that　Seth　wasn't　lyin'　arter　all　when　he　blurted　it　out

afore　'emwhy　I　sha'n't　hinder　ye。〃　　The　master　said　no　more。　　And

indeed　for　a　day　or　two　nothing　transpired　to　show　that　Seth　was

not　equally　reticent。



Nevertheless　Mr。　Ford　was　far　from　being　satisfied　with　the　issue

of　his　adventure。　　His　relations　with　Cressy　were　known　to　the

mother；　and　although　she　had　not　again　alluded　to　them；　she　would

probably　inform　her　husband。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　noticing；　with

a　mingling　of　unreasoning　relief　and　equally　unreasoning　distrust；

that　she　exhibited　a　scornful　unconcern　in　the　matter；　apart　from

the　singular　use　to　which　she　had　put　it。　　He　could　hardly　count

upon　McKinstry；　with　his　heavy；　blind　devotion　to　Cressy；　being　as

indifferent。　　On　the　contrary；　he　had　acquired　the　impression；

without　caring　to　examine　it　closely；　that　her　father　would　not　be

displeased　at　his　marrying　Cressy；　for　it　would　really　amount　to

that。　　But　here　again　he　was　forced　to　contemplate　what　he　had

always　avoided；　the　possible　meaning　and　result　of　their　intimacy。

In　the　reckless；　thoughtless；　extravagantyet　thus　far　innocent

indulgence　of　their　mutual　passion；　he　had　never　spoken　of

marriage；　norand　it　struck　him　now　with　the　same　incongruous

mingling　of　relief　and　uneasinesshad　SHE！　　Perhaps　this　might

have　arisen　from　some　superstitious　or　sensitive　recollection　on

her　part　of　her　previous　engagement　to　Seth；　but　he　remembered　now

that　they　had　not　even　exchanged　the　usual　vows　of　eternal

constancy。　　It　may　seem　strange　that；　in　the　half…dozen　stolen　and

rapturous　interviews　which　had　taken　place　between　these　young

lovers；　there　had　been　no　suggestion　of　the　future；　nor　any　of

those　glowing　projects　for　a　united　destiny　peculiar　to　their　years

and　inexperience。　　They　had　lived　entirely　in　a　blissful　present；

with　no　plans　beyond　their　next　rendezvous。　　In　that　mysterious　and

sudden　absorption　of　each　other；　not　only　the　past；　but　the　future

seemed　to　have　been　forgotten。



These　thoughts　were　passing　through　his　mind　the　next　afternoon　to

the　prejudice　of　that　calm　and　studious　repose　which　the　deserted

school…house　usually　superinduced；　and　which　had　been　so　fondly

noted　by　McKinstry　and　Uncle　Ben。　　The　latter　had　not　arrived　for

his　usual　lesson；　it　was　possible　that　undue　attention　had　been

attracted　to　his　movements　now　that　his　good　fortune　was　known；　and

the　master　was　alone　save　for　the　occasional　swooping　incursion　of

a　depredatory　jay　in　search　of　crumbs　from　the　children's

luncheons；　who　added　apparently　querulous　insult　to　the　larcenous

act。　　He　regretted　Uncle　Ben's　absence；　as　he　wanted　to　know　more

about　his　connection　with　the　Harrison　attack　and　his　eventual

intentions。　　Ever　since　the　master　emerged　from　the　barn　and

regained　his　hotel　under　cover　of　the　darkness；　he　had　heard　only

the　vaguest　rumors；　and　he　purposely　avoided　direct　inquiry。



He　had　been　quite　prepared　for　Cressy's　absence　from　school　that

morningindeed　in　his　present　vacillating　mood　he　had　felt　that

her　presence　would　have　been　irksome　and　embarrassing；　but　it

struck　him　suddenly　and　unpleasantly　that　her　easy　desertion　of　him

at　that　critical　moment　in　the　barn　had　not　since　been　followed　by

the　least　sign　of　anxiety　to　know　the　result　of　her　mother's

interference。　　What　did　she　imagine　had　transpired　between　Mrs。

McKinstry　and　him