a first family of tasajara-第6章

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obliges　you　to　give　information　at　once。〃



The　excitement　of　discovery　and　the　triumph　over　his　disputants

being　spent；　Peters；　after　the　Sidon　fashion；　evidently　did　not

relish　activity　as　a　duty。　　〃You　know；〃　he　said　dubiously；　〃he

mightn't　be　dead；　after　all。〃



Harkutt　became　a　trifle　distant。　　〃You　know　your　own　opinion　of　the

thing；〃　he　replied　after　a　pause。　　〃You've　circumstantial　evidence

enough　to　see　the　squire；　and　set　others　to　work　on　it；　and；〃　he

added　significantly；　〃you've　done　your　share　then；　and　can　wipe

your　hands　of　it；　eh？〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Peters；　eagerly。　　〃I'll　just　run　over　to　the

squire。〃



〃And　on　account　of　the　women　folks；　you　know；　and　the　strangers

here；　I'll　say　nothin'　about　it　to…night；〃　added　Harkutt。



Peters　nodded　his　head；　and　taking　up　the　hat　of　the　unfortunate

Elijah　with　a　certain　hesitation；　as　if　he　feared　it　had　already

lost　its　dramatic　intensity　as　a　witness；　disappeared　into　the

storm　and　darkness　again。　　A　lurking　gust　of　wind　lying　in　ambush

somewhere　seemed　to　swoop　down　on　him　as　if　to　prevent　further

indecision　and　whirl　him　away　in　the　direction　of　the　justice's

house；　and　Mr。　Harkutt　shut　the　door；　bolted　it；　and　walked

aimlessly　back　to　the　counter。



From　a　slow；　deliberate　and　cautious　man；　he　seemed　to　have　changed

within　an　hour　to　an　irresolute　and　capricious　one。　　He　took　the

paper　from　his　pocket；　and；　unlocking　the　money　drawer　of　his

counter；　folded　into　a　small　compass　that　which　now　seemed　to　be

the　last　testament　of　Elijah　Curtis；　and　placed　it　in　a　recess。

Then　he　went　to　the　back　door　and　paused；　then　returned；　reopened

the　money　drawer；　took　out　the　paper　and　again　buttoned　it　in　his

hip　pocket；　standing　by　the　stove　and　staring　abstractedly　at　the

dull　glow　of　the　fire。　　He　even　went　through　the　mechanical　process

of　raking　down　the　ashes；solely　to　gain　time　and　as　an　excuse　for

delaying　some　other　necessary　action。



He　was　thinking　what　he　should　do。　　Had　the　question　of　his　right

to　retain　and　make　use　of　that　paper　been　squarely　offered　to　him

an　hour　ago；　he　would　without　doubt　have　decided　that　he　ought　not

to　keep　it。　　Even　now；　looking　at　it　as　an　abstract　principle；　he

did　not　deceive　himself　in　the　least。　　But　Nature　has　the

reprehensible　habit　of　not　presenting　these　questions　to　us

squarely　and　fairly；　and　it　is　remarkable　that　in　most　of　our

offending　the　abstract　principle　is　never　the　direct　issue。　　Mr。

Harkutt　was　conscious　of　having　been　unwillingly　led　step　by　step

into　a　difficult；　not　to　say　dishonest；　situation；　and　against　his

own　seeking。　　He　had　never　asked　Elijah　to　sell　him　the　property；

he　had　distinctly　declined　it；　it　had　even　been　forced　upon　him　as

security　for　the　pittance　he　so　freely　gave　him。　　This　proved　（to

himself）　that　he　himself　was　honest；　it　was　only　the　circumstances

that　were　queer。　　Of　course　if　Elijah　had　lived；　he；　Harkutt；　might

have　tried　to　drive　some　bargain　with　him　before　the　news　of　the

railroad　survey　came　outfor　THAT　was　only　business。　　But　now　that

Elijah　was　dead；　who　would　be　a　penny　the　worse　or　better　but

himself　if　he　chose　to　consider　the　whole　thing　as　a　lucky

speculation；　and　his　gift　of　five　dollars　as　the　price　he　paid　for

it？　　Nobody　could　think　that　he　had　calculated　upon　'Lige's

suicide；　any　more　than　that　the　property　would　become　valuable。　　In

fact　if　it　came　to　that；　if　'Lige　had　really　contemplated　killing

himself　as　a　hopeless　bankrupt　after　taking　Harkutt's　money　as　a

loan；　it　was　a　swindle　on　hisHarkutt'sgood…nature。　　He　worked

himself　into　a　rage；　which　he　felt　was　innately　virtuous；　at　this

tyranny　of　cold　principle　over　his　own　warm…hearted　instincts；　but

if　it　came　to　the　LAW；　he'd　stand　by　law　and　not　sentiment。　　He'd

just　let　themby　which　he　vaguely　meant　the　world；　Tasajara；　and

possibly　his　own　consciencesee　that　he　wasn't　a　sentimental　fool；

and　he'd　freeze　on　to　that　paper　and　that　property！



Only　he　ought　to　have　spoken　out　before。　　He　ought　to　have　told　the

surveyor　at　once　that　he　owned　the　land。　　He　ought　to　have　said：

〃Why；　that's　my　land。　　I　bought　it　of　that　drunken　'Lige　Curtis　for

a　song　and　out　of　charity。〃　　Yes；　that　was　the　only　real　trouble；

and　that　came　from　his　own　goodness；　his　own　extravagant　sense　of

justice　and　right；his　own　cursed　good…nature。　　Yet；　on　second

thoughts；　he　didn't　know　why　he　was　obliged　to　tell　the　surveyor。

Time　enough　when　the　company　wanted　to　buy　the　land。　　As　soon　as　it

was　settled　that　'Lige　was　dead　he'd　openly　claim　the　property。

But　what　if　he　wasn't　dead？　or　they　couldn't　find　his　body？　or　he

had　only　disappeared？　　His　plain；　matter…of…fact　face　contracted

and　darkened。　　Of　course　he　couldn't　ask　the　company　to　wait　for

him　to　settle　that　point。　　He　had　the　power　to　dispose　of　the

property　under　that　paper；　andhe　should　do　it。　　If　'Lige　turned

up；　that　was　another　matter；　and　he　and　'Lige　could　arrange　it

between　them。　　He　was　quite　firm　here；　and　oddly　enough　quite

relieved　in　getting　rid　of　what　appeared　only　a　simple　question　of

detail。　　He　never　suspected　that　he　was　contemplating　the　one

irretrievable　step；　and　summarily　dismissing　the　whole　ethical

question。



He　turned　away　from　the　stove；　opened　the　back　door；　and　walked

with　a　more　determined　step　through　the　passage　to　the　sitting…

room。　　But　here　he　halted　again　on　the　threshold　with　a　quick

return　of　his　old　habits　of　caution。　　The　door　was　slightly　open；

apparently　his　angry　outbreak　of　an　hour　ago　had　not　affected　the

spirits　of　his　daughters；　for　he　could　hear　their　hilarious　voices

mingling　with　those　of　the　strangers。　　They　were　evidently　still

fortune…telling；　but　this　time　it　was　the　prophetic　and　divining

accents　of　Mr。　Rice　addressed　to　Clementina　which　were　now　plainly

audible。



〃I　see　heaps　of　money　and　a　great　many　friends　in　the　change　that

is　coming　to　you。　　Dear　me！　how　many　suitors！　　But　I　cannot　promise

you　any　marriage　as　brilliant　as　my　friend　has　just　offered　your

sister。　　You　may　be　certain；　however；　that　you'll　have　your　own

choice　in　this；　as　you　have　in　all　things。〃



〃Thank　you　for　nothing；〃　said　Clementina's　voice。　　〃But　what　are

those　horrid　black　cards　beside　them？that's　trouble；　I'm　sure。〃



〃Not　for　you；　though　near　you。　　Perhaps　some　one　you　don't　care

much　for　and　don't　understand　will　have　a　heap　of　trouble　on　your

account；yes；　on　account　of　these　very　riches；　see；　he　follows　the

ten　of　diamonds。　　It　may　be　a　suitor；　it　may　be　some　one　now　in　the

house；　perhaps。〃



〃He　means　himself；　Miss　Clementina；〃　struck　in　Grant's　voice

laughingly。



〃You're　not　listening；　Miss　Harkutt；〃　said　Rice　with　half…serious

reproach。　　〃Perhaps　you　know　who　it　is？〃



But　Miss　Clementina's　reply　was　simply　a　hurried　recognition　of　her

father's　pale　face　that　here　suddenly　confronted　her　with　the

opening　door。



〃Why；　it's　father！〃





CHAPTER　III。





In　his　strange　mental　condition　even　the　change　from　Harkutt's

feeble　candle　to　the　outer　darkness　for　a　moment　blinded　Elijah

Curtis；　yet　it　was　part　of　that　mental　condition　that　he　kept

moving　steadily　forward　as　in　a　trance　or　dream；　though　at　first

purposelessly。　　Then　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　really　looking

for　his　horse；　and　that　the　animal　was　not　there。　　This　for　a

moment　confused　and　frightened　him；　first　with　the　supposition　that

he　had　not　brought　him　at　all；　but　that　it　was　part　of　his

delusion；　secondly；　with　the　conviction　that　without　his　horse　he

could　neither　proceed　on　the　course　suggested　by　Harkutt；　nor　take

another　more　vague　one　that　was　dimly　in　his　mind。　　Yet　in　his

hopeless　vacillation　it　seemed　a　relief　that　now　neither　was

practicable；　and　that　he　need　do　nothing。　　Perhaps　it　was　a

mysterious　providence！



The　explanation；　however；　was　much　simpler。　　The　horse　had　been

taken　by　the　luxurious　and　indolent　Billings　unknown　to　his

companions。　　Overcome　at　the　dreadful　prospect　of　walking　home　in

that　weather；　this　perfect　product　of　lethargic　Sidon　had　artfully

allowed　Peters　and　Wingate　to　precede　him；　and；　cautiously

unloosing　the　tethered　animal；　had　safely　passed　them　in　the

darkness。　　When　he　gained　his　own　inclosure　he　had　lazily

dismounted；　and；　with　a　sharp　cut　on　the　mustang's　haunches；　sent

him　galloping　back　to　rejoin　his　master；　with　what　result　has　been

already　told　by　the　unsuspecting　Peters　in　the　preceding　chapter。



Yet　no　conception　of　this　possibility　entered　'Lige　Curtis's

alcoholized　consciousness；　part　of　whose　morbid　phantasy　it　was　to

distort　or　exaggerate　all　natural　phenomena。　　He　had　a　vague　idea

that　he　could　not　go　back　to　Harkutt's；　already　his　visit　seemed　to

have　happened　long；　long　ago；　and　could　not　be　repeated。　　He　would

walk　on；　enwrapped　in　this　uncompromising　darkness　which　concealed

everything；　suggested　everything；　and　was　responsible　for

everything。



It　was　very　dark；　for　the　wind；　having　lulled；　no　longer　thinned

the　veil　of　clouds　above；　nor　dissipated　a　steaming　mist　that

appeared　to　rise　from　the　sodden　plain。　　Yet　he　moved　easily

through　the　darkness；　seeming　to　be　upheld　by　it　as　something

tangible；　upon　which　he　might　lean。　　At　times　he　thought　he　heard

voices；not　a　particular　voice　he　was　thinking　of；　but　strange

voicesof　course　unreal　to　his　present　fancy。　　And　then　he　heard

one　of　these　voices；　unlike　any　voice　in　Sidon；　and　very　faint　and

far　off；　asking　if　it　〃was　anywhere　near　Sidon？〃evidently　some

one　lost　like　himself。　　He　answered　in　a　voice　that　seemed　quite　as

unreal　and　as　faint；　and　turned　in　the　direction　from　which　it

came。　　There　was　a　light　moving　like　a　will…o'…the…wisp　far　before

him；　yet　below　him　as　if　coming　out　of　the　depths　of　the　earth。　　It

must　be　fancy；　but　he　would　seeah！



He　had　fallen　violently　forward；　and　at　the　same　moment　felt　his

revolver　leap　from　his　breast　pocket　like　a　living　thing；　and　an

instant　after　explode　upon　the　rock　where　it　struck；　blindingly

illuminating　the　declivity　down　which　he　was　plunging。　　The

sulphurous　sting　of　burning　powder　was　in　his　eyes　and　nose；　yet　in

that　swift　revealing　flash　he　had　time　to　clutch　the　stems　of　a

trailing　vine　beside　him；　but　not　to　save　his　head　from　sharp

contact　with　the　same　rocky　ledge　that　had　caught　his　pistol。　　The

pain　and　shock　gave　way　to　a　sickening　sense　of　warmth　at　the　roots

of　his　hair。　　Giddy　and　faint；　his　fingers　relaxed；　he　felt　himself

sinking；　with　a　languor　that　was　half　acquiescence；　down；　down；

until；　with　another　shock；　a　wild　gasping　for　air；　and　a　swift

reaction；　he　awoke　in　the　cold；　rushing　water！



Clear　and　perfectly　conscious　now；　though　frantically　fighting　for

existence　with　the　current；　he　could　dimly　see　a　floating　black

object　shooting　by　the　shore；　at　times　striking　the　projections　of

the　bank；　until　in　its　recoil　it　swung　half　round　and　drifted