roads of destiny-第39部分

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〃Never　mind；　Uncle　Frank；〃　said　the　commissioner；　in　a　softer　tone。　〃There's　no　need　of　that。　She　hasn't　asked　for　anything　of　that　sort　yet。　Besides；　her　case　is　in　my　hands。　I　see　now　what　a　little；　rag…　tag；　bob…tail；　gotch…eared　department　I've　been　put　in　charge　of。　It　seems　to　be　about　as　important　as　an　almanac　or　a　hotel　register。　But　while　I'm　running　it；　it　won't　turn　away　any　daughters　of　Amos　Colvin　without　stretching　its　jurisdiction　to　cover；　if　possible。　You　want　to　keep　your　eye　on　the　Department　of　Insurance；　Statistics；　and　History。〃

The　commissioner　returned　to　his　office；　looking　thoughtful。　He　opened　and　closed　an　inkstand　on　his　desk　many　times　with　extreme　and　undue　attention。　〃Why　don't　you　get　a　divorce？〃　he　asked；　suddenly。

〃I　haven't　the　money　to　pay　for　it；〃　answered　the　lady。

〃Just　at　present；〃　announced　the　commissioner；　in　a　formal　tone；　〃the　powers　of　my　department　appear　to　be　considerably　string…halted。　Statistics　seem　to　be　overdrawn　at　the　bank；　and　History　isn't　good　for　a　square　meal。　But　you've　come　to　the　right　place；　ma'am。　The　department　will　see　you　through。　Where　did　you　say　your　husband　is；　ma'am？〃

〃He　was　in　San　Antonio　yesterday。　He　is　living　there　now。〃

Suddenly　the　commissioner　abandoned　his　official　air。　He　took　the　faded　little　woman's　hands　in　his；　and　spoke　in　the　old　voice　he　used　on　the　trail　and　around　campfires。

〃Your　name's　Amanda；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃I　thought　so。　I've　heard　your　dad　say　it　often　enough。　Well；　Amanda；　here's　your　father's　best　friend；　the　head　of　a　big　office　in　the　state　government；　that's　going　to　help　you　out　of　your　troubles。　And　here's　the　old　bushwhacker　and　cowpuncher　that　your　father　has　helped　out　of　scrapes　time　and　time　again　wants　to　ask　you　a　question。　Amanda；　have　you　got　money　enough　to　run　you　for　the　next　two　or　three　days？〃

Mrs。　Sharp's　white　face　flushed　the　least　bit。

〃Plenty；　sirfor　a　few　days。〃

〃All　right；　then；　ma'am。　Now　you　go　back　where　you　are　stopping　here；　and　you　come　to　the　office　again　the　day　after　to…morrow　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　Very　likely　by　that　time　there　will　be　something　definite　to　report　to　you。〃　The　commissioner　hesitated；　and　looked　a　trifle　embarrassed。　〃You　said　your　husband　had　insured　his　life　for　5；000。　Do　you　know　whether　the　premiums　have　been　kept　paid　upon　it　or　not？〃

〃He　paid　for　a　whole　year　in　advance　about　five　months　ago；〃　said　Mrs。　Sharp。　〃I　have　the　policy　and　receipts　in　my　trunk。〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；　then；〃　said　Standifer。　〃It's　best　to　look　after　things　of　that　sort。　Some　day　they　may　come　in　handy。〃

Mrs。　Sharp　departed；　and　soon　afterward　Luke　Standifer　went　down　to　the　little　hotel　where　he　boarded　and　looked　up　the　railroad　time…　table　in　the　daily　paper。　Half　an　hour　later　he　removed　his　coat　and　vest；　and　strapped　a　peculiarly　constructed　pistol　holster　across　his　shoulders；　leaving　the　receptacle　close　under　his　left　armpit。　Into　the　holster　he　shoved　a　short…barrelled　。44　calibre　revolver。　Putting　on　his　clothes　again；　he　strolled　to　the　station　and　caught　the　five…　twenty　afternoon　train　for　San　Antonio。

The　San　Antonio　/Express/　of　the　following　morning　contained　this　sensational　piece　of　news：



BENTON　SHARP　MEETS　HIS　MATCH


　　The　Most　Noted　Desperado　in　Southwest　Texas　Shot　to　Death　in　the　　　Gold　Front　RestaurantProminent　State　Official　Successfully　　　Defends　Himself　Against　the　Noted　BullyMagnificent　Exhibition　of　　　Quick　Gun　Play。

　　Last　night　about　eleven　o'clock　Benton　Sharp；　with　two　other　men；　　　entered　the　Gold　Front　Restaurant　and　seated　themselves　at　a　　　table。　Sharp　had　been　drinking；　and　was　loud　and　boisterous；　as　he　　　always　was　when　under　the　influence　of　liquor。　Five　minutes　after　　　the　party　was　seated　a　tall；　well…dressed；　elderly　gentleman　　　entered　the　restaurant。　Few　present　recognized　the　Honourable　Luke　　　Standifer；　the　recently　appointed　Commissioner　of　Insurance；　　　Statistics；　and　History。

　　Going　over　to　the　same　side　where　Sharp　was；　Mr。　Standifer　　　prepared　to　take　a　seat　at　the　next　table。　In　hanging　his　hat　upon　　　one　of　the　hooks　along　the　wall　he　let　it　fall　upon　Sharp's　head。　　　Sharp　turned；　being　in　an　especially　ugly　humour；　and　cursed　the　　　other　roundly。　Mr。　Standifer　apologized　calmly　for　the　accident；　　　but　Sharp　continued　his　vituperations。　Mr。　Standifer　was　observed　　　to　draw　near　and　speak　a　few　sentences　to　the　desperado　in　so　low　　　a　tone　that　no　one　else　caught　the　words。　Sharp　sprang　up；　wild　　　with　rage。　In　the　meantime　Standifer　had　stepped　some　yards　away；　　　and　was　standing　quietly　with　his　arms　folded　across　the　breast　of　　　his　loosely　hanging　coat。

　　With　that　impetuous　and　deadly　rapidity　that　made　Sharp　so　　　dreaded；　he　reached　for　the　gun　he　always　carried　in　his　hip　　　pocketa　movement　that　has　preceded　the　death　of　at　least　a　dozen　　　men　at　his　hands。　Quick　as　the　motion　was；　the　bystanders　assert　　　that　it　was　met　by　the　most　beautiful　exhibition　of　lightning　gun…　　　pulling　ever　witnessed　in　the　Southwest。　As　Sharp's　pistol　was　　　being　raisedand　the　act　was　really　quicker　than　the　eye　could　　　followa　glittering　。44　appeared　as　if　by　some　conjuring　trick　in　　　the　right　hand　of　Mr。　Standifer；　who；　without　a　perceptible　　　movement　of　his　arm；　shot　Benton　Sharp　through　the　heart。　It　seems　　　that　the　new　Commissioner　of　Insurance；　Statistics；　and　History　　　has　been　an　old…time　Indian　fighter　and　ranger　for　many　years；　　　which　accounts　for　the　happy　knack　he　has　of　handling　a　。44。

　　It　is　not　believed　that　Mr。　Standifer　will　be　put　to　any　　　inconvenience　beyond　a　necessary　formal　hearing　to…day；　as　all　the　　　witnesses　who　were　present　unite　in　declaring　that　the　deed　was　　　done　in　self…defence。

When　Mrs。　Sharp　appeared　at　the　office　of　the　commissioner；　according　to　appointment；　she　found　that　gentleman　calmly　eating　a　golden　russet　apple。　He　greeted　her　without　embarrassment　and　without　hesitation　at　approaching　the　subject　that　was　the　topic　of　the　day。

〃I　had　to　do　it；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　simply；　〃or　get　it　myself。　Mr。　Kauffman；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　old　clerk；　〃please　look　up　the　records　of　the　Security　Life　Insurance　Company　and　see　if　they　are　all　right。〃

〃No　need　to　look；〃　grunted　Kauffman；　who　had　everything　in　his　head。　〃It's　all　O。K。　They　pay　all　losses　within　ten　days。〃

Mrs。　Sharp　soon　rose　to　depart。　She　had　arranged　to　remain　in　town　until　the　policy　was　paid。　The　commissioner　did　not　detain　her。　She　was　a　woman；　and　he　did　not　know　just　what　to　say　to　her　at　present。　Rest　and　time　would　bring　her　what　she　needed。

But；　as　she　was　leaving；　Luke　Standifer　indulged　himself　in　an　official　remark：

〃The　Department　of　Insurance；　Statistics；　and　History；　ma'am；　has　done　the　best　it　could　with　your　case。　'Twas　a　case　hard　to　cover　according　to　red　tape。　Statistics　failed；　and　History　missed　fire；　but；　if　I　may　be　permitted　to　say　it；　we　came　out　particularly　strong　on　Insurance。〃



XVII

THE　RENAISSANCE　AT　CHARLEROI

Grandemont　Charles　was　a　little　Creole　gentleman；　aged　thirty…four；　with　a　bald　spot　on　the　top　of　his　head　and　the　manners　of　a　prince。　By　day　he　was　a　clerk　in　a　cotton　broker's　office　in　one　of　those　cold；　rancid　mountains　of　oozy　brick；　down　near　the　levee　in　New　Orleans。　By　night；　in　his　three…story…high　/chambre　garnier/　in　the　old　French　Quarter　he　was　again　the　last　male　descendant　of　the　Charles　family；　that　noble　house　that　had　lorded　it　in　France；　and　had　pushed　its　way　smiling；　rapiered；　and　courtly　into　Louisiana's　early　and　brilliant　days。　Of　late　years　the　Charleses　had　subsided　into　the　more　republican　but　scarcely　less　royally　carried　magnificence　and　ease　of　plantation　life　along　the　Mississippi。　Perhaps　Grandemont　was　even　Marquis　de　Brasse。　There　was　that　title　in　the　family。　But　a　Marquis　on　seventy…five　dollars　per　month！　/Vraiment/！　Still；　it　has　been　done　on　less。

Grandemont　had　saved　out　of　his　salary　the　sum　of　six　hundred　dollars。　Enough；　you　would　say；　for　any　man　to　marry　on。　So；　after　a　silence　of　two　years　on　that　subject；　he　reopened　that　most　hazardous　question　to　Mlle。　Adele　Fauquier；　riding　down　to　Meade　d'Or；　her　father's　plantation。　Her　answer　was　the　same　that　it　had　been　any　time　during　the　last　ten　years：　〃First　find　my　brother；　Monsieur　Charles。〃

This　time　he　had　stood　before　her；　perhaps　discouraged　by　a　love　so　long　and　hopeless；　being　dependent　upon　a　contingency　so　unreasonable；　and　demanded　to　be　told　in　simple　words　whether　she　loved　him　or　no。

Adele　looked　at　him　steadily　out　of　her　gray　eyes　that　betrayed　no　secrets　and　answered；　a　little　more　softly：

〃Grandemont；　you　have　no　right　to　ask　that　question　unless　you　can　do　what　I　ask　of　you。　Either　bring　back　brother　Victor　to　us　or　the　proof　that　he　died。〃

Somehow；　though　five　times　thus　rejected；　his　heart　was　not　so　heavy　when　he　left。　She　had　not　denied　that　she　loved。　Upon　what　shallow　waters　can　the　bark　of　passion　remain　afloat！　Or；　shall　we　play　the　doctrinaire；　and　hint　that　at　thirty…four　the　tides　of　life　are　calmer　and　cognizant　of　many　sources　instead　of　but　oneas　at　four…and…　twenty？

Victor　Fauquier　would　never　be　found。　In　those　early　days　of　his　disappearance　there　was　money　to　the　Charles　name；　and　Grandemont　had　spent　the　dollars　as　if　they　were　picayunes　in　trying　to　find　the　lost　youth。　Even　then　he　had　had　small　hope　of　success；　for　the　Mississippi　gives　up　a　victim　from　its　oily　tangles　only　at　the　whim　of　its　malign　will。

A　thousand　times　had　Grandemont　conned　in　his　mind　the　scene　of　Victor's　disappearance。　And；　at　each　time　that　Adele　had　set　her　stubborn　but　pitiful　alternative　against　his　suit；　still　clearer　it　repeated　itself　in　his　brain。

The　boy　had　been　the　family　favourite；　daring；　winning；　reckless。　His　unwise　fancy　had　been　captured　by　a　girl　on　the　plantationthe　daughter　of　an　overseer。　Victor's　family　was　in　ignorance　of　the　intrigue；　as　far　as　it　had　gone。　To　save　them　the　inevitable　pain　that　his　course　promised；　Grandemont　strove　to　prevent　it。　Omnipotent　money　smoothed　the　way。　The　overseer　and　his　daughter　left；　between　a　sunset　and　dawn；　for　an　undesignated　bourne。　Grandemont　was　confident　that　this　stroke　would　bring　the　boy　to　reason。　He　rode　over　to　Mea