the night-born-第22部分

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down；　body　flat　on　the　air　so　that　if　it　struck　the　surface　in

that　position　it　would　be　split　in　half　like　a　herring。　But　the

moment　before　the　water　is　reached；　the　head　drops　forward；　the

hands　go　out　and　lock　the　arms　in　an　arch　in　advance　of　the

head；　and　the　body　curves　gracefully　downward　and　enters　the

water　just　right。



〃This　the　boy　did；　again　and　again；　to　the　delight　of　all　of

us；　but　particularly　of　Miss　Caruthers。　He　could　not　have　been

a　moment　over　twelve　or　thirteen；　yet　he　was　by　far　the

cleverest　of　the　gang。　He　was　the　favorite　of　his　crowd；　and

its　leader。　Though　there　were　a　number　older　than　he；　they

acknowledged　his　chieftaincy。　He　was　a　beautiful　boy；　a　lithe

young　god　in　breathing　bronze；　eyes　wide　apart；　intelligent　and

daring；　a　bubble；　a　mote；　a　beautiful　flash　and　sparkle　of

life。　You　have　seen。　wonderful　glorious　creaturesanimals；

anything；　a　leopard；　a　horse…restless；　eager；　too　much　alive

ever　to　be　still；　silken　of　muscle；　each　slightest　movement　a

benediction　of　grace；　every　action　wild；　untrammeled；　and　over

all　spilling　out　that　intense　vitality；　that　sheen　and　luster

of　living　light。　The　boy　had　it。　Life　poured　out　of　him　almost

in　an　effulgence。　His　skin　glowed　with　it。　It　burned　in　his

eyes。　I　swear　I　could　almost　hear　it　crackle　from　him。　Looking

at　him；　it　was　as　if　a　whiff　of　ozone　came　to　one's

nostrilsso　fresh　and　young　was　he；　so　resplendent　with

health；　so　wildly　wild。



〃This　was　the　boy。　And　it　was　he　who　gave　the　alarm　in　the

midst　of　the　sport。　The　boys　made　a　dash　of　it　for　the　gangway

platform；　swimming　the　fastest　strokes　they　knew；　pellmell；

floundering　and　splashing；　fright　in　their　faces；　clambering

out　with　jumps　and　surges；　any　way　to　get　out；　lending　one

another　a　hand　to　safety；　till　all　were　strung　along　the

gangway　and　peering　down　into　the　water。



〃'What　is　the　matter？'　asked　Miss　Caruthers。



〃'A　shark；　I　fancy；'　Captain　Bentley　answered。　'Lucky　little

beggars　that　he　didn't　get　one　of　them。'



〃'Are　they　afraid　of　sharks？'　she　asked。



〃'Aren't　you？'　he　asked　back。



She　shuddered；　looked　overside　at　the　water；　and　made　a　moue。



〃'Not　for　the　world　would　I　venture　where　a　shark　might　be；'

she　said；　and　shuddered　again。　'They　are　horrible！　Horrible！'



〃The　boys　came　up　on　the　promenade　deck；　clustering　close　to

the　rail　and　worshiping　Miss　Caruthers　who　had　flung　them　such

a　wealth　of　backsheesh。　The　performance　being　over；　Captain

Bentley　motioned　to　them　to　clear　out。　But　she　stopped　him。



〃'One　moment；　please；　Captain。　I　have　always　understood　that

the　natives　are　not　afraid　of　sharks。'



〃She　beckoned　the　boy　of　the　swan　dive　nearer　to　her；　and

signed　to　him　to　dive　over　again。　He　shook　his　head；　and　along

with　all　his　crew　behind　him　laughed　as　if　it　were　a　good　joke。



〃'Shark；'　he　volunteered；　pointing　to　the　water。



〃'No；'　she　said。　'There　is　no　shark。'



〃But　he　nodded　his　head　positively；　and　the　boys　behind　him

nodded　with　equal　positiveness。



〃'No；　no；　no；'　she　cried。　And　then　to　us；　'Who'll　lend　me　a

half…crown　and　a　sovereign！'



〃Immediately　the　half　dozen　of　us　were　presenting　her　with

crowns　and　sovereigns；　and　she　accepted　the　two　coins　from

young　Ardmore。



〃She　held　up　the　half…crown　for　the　boys　to　see。　But　there　was

no　eager　rush　to　the　rail　preparatory　to　leaping。　They　stood

there　grinning　sheepishly。　She　offered　the　coin　to　each　one

individually；　and　each；　as　his　turn　came；　rubbed　his　foot

against　his　calf；　shook　his　head；　and　grinned。　Then　she　tossed

the　half…crown　overboard。　With　wistful；　regretful　faces　they

watched　its　silver　flight　through　the　air；　but　not　one　moved　to

follow　it。



〃'Don't　do　it　with　the　sovereign；'　Dennitson　said　to　her　in　a

low　voice。



〃She　took　no　notice；　but　held　up　the　gold　coin　before　the　eyes

of　the　boy　of　the　swan　dive。



〃'Don't；'　said　Captain　Bentley。　'I　wouldn't　throw　a　sick　cat

overside　with　a　shark　around。'



〃But　she　laughed；　bent　on　her　purpose；　and　continued　to　dazzle

the　boy。



〃'Don't　tempt　him；'　Dennitson　urged。　'It　is　a　fortune　to　him；

and　he　might　go　over　after　it。'



〃'Wouldn't　YOU？'　she　flared　at　him。　'If　I　threw　it？'



This　last　more　softly。



Dennitson　shook　his　head。



〃'Your　price　is　high；'　she　said。　'For　how　many　sovereigns　would

you　go？'



〃'There　are　not　enough　coined　to　get　me　overside；'　was　his

answer。



〃She　debated　a　moment；　the　boy　forgotten　in　her　tilt　with

Dennitson。



〃'For　me？'　she　said　very　softly。



〃'To　save　your　lifeyes。　But　not　otherwise。'



〃She　turned　back　to　the　boy。　Again　she　held　the　coin　before　his

eyes；　dazzling　him　with　the　vastness　of　its　value。　Then　she

made　as　to　toss　it　out；　and；　involuntarily；　he　made　a

half…movement　toward　the　rail；　but　was　checked　by　sharp　cries

of　reproof　from　his　companions。　There　was　anger　in　their　voices

as　well。



〃'I　know　it　is　only　fooling；'　Dennitson　said。　'Carry　it　as　far

as　you　like；　but　for　heaven's　sake　don't　throw　it。'



〃Whether　it　was　that　strange　wilfulness　of　hers；　or　whether　she

doubted　the　boy　could　be　persuaded；　there　is　no　telling。　It　was

unexpected　to　all　of　us。　Out　from　the　shade　of　the　awning　the

coin　flashed　golden　in　the　blaze　of　sunshine　and　fell　toward

the　sea　in　a　glittering　arch。　Before　a　hand　could　stay　him；　the

boy　was　over　the　rail　and　curving　beautifully　downward　after

the　coin。　Both　were　in　the　air　at　the　same　time。　It　was　a

pretty　sight。　The　sovereign　cut　the　water　sharply；　and　at　the

very　spot；　almost　at　the　same　instant；　with　scarcely　a　splash；

the　boy　entered。



〃From　the　quicker…eyed　black　boys　watching；　came　an

exclamation。　We　were　all　at　the　railing。　Don't　tell　me　it　is

necessary　for　a　shark　to　turn　on　its　back。　That　one　did　not。　In

the　clear　water；　from　the　height　we　were　above　it；　we　saw

everything。　The　shark　was　a　big　brute；　and　with　one　drive　he

cut　the　boy　squarely　in　half。



〃There　was　a　murmur　or　something　from　among　uswho　made　it　I

did　not　know；　it　might　have　been　I。　And　then　there　was　silence。

Miss　Caruthers　was　the　first　to　speak。　Her　face　was　deathly

white。



〃'I　never　dreamed；'　she　said；　and　laughed　a　short；　hysterical

laugh。



All　her　pride　was　at　work　to　give　her　control。　She　turned

weakly　toward　Dennitson；　and　then；　on　from　one　to　another　of

us。　In　her　eyes　was　a　terrible　sickness；　and　her　lips　were

trembling。　We　were　brutesoh；　I　know　it；　now　that　I　look　back

upon　it。　But　we　did　nothing。



〃'Mr。　Dennitson；'　she　said；　'Tom；　won't　you　take　me　below！'



〃He　never　changed　the　direction　of　his　gaze；　which　was　the

bleakest　I　have　ever　seen　in　a　man's　face；　nor　did　he　move　an

eyelid。　He　took　a　cigarette　from　his　case　and　lighted　it。

Captain　Bentley　made　a　nasty　sound　in　his　throat　and　spat

overboard。　That　was　all；　that　and　the　silence。



〃She　turned　away　and　started　to　walk　firmly　down　the　deck。

Twenty　feet　away；　she　swayed　and　thrust　a　hand　against　the　wall

to　save　herself。　And　so　she　went　on；　supporting　herself　against

the　cabins　and　walking　very　slowly。〃　

Treloar　ceased。　He　turned　his　head　and　favored　the　little　man

with　a　look　of　cold　inquiry。



〃Well；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Classify　her。〃



The　little　man　gulped　and　swallowed。



〃I　have　nothing　to　say；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　nothing　whatever　to

say。〃







TO　KILL　A　MAN



THOUGH　dim　night…lights　burned；　she　moved　familiarly　through

the　big　rooms　and　wide　halls；　seeking　vainly　the　half…finished

book　of　verse　she　had　mislaid　and　only　now　remembered。　When　she

turned　on　the　lights　in　the　drawing…room；　she　disclosed　herself

clad　in　a　sweeping　negligee　gown　of　soft　rose…colored　stuff；

throat　and　shoulders　smothered　in　lace。　Her　rings　were　still　on

her　fingers；　her　massed　yellow　hair　had　not　yet　been　taken

down。　She　was　delicately；　gracefully　beautiful；　with　slender；

oval　face；　red　lips；　a　faint　color　in　the　cheeks；　and　blue　eyes

of　the　chameleon　sort　that　at　will　stare　wide　with　the

innocence　of　childhood；　go　hard　and　gray　and　brilliantly　cold；

or　flame　up　in　hot　wilfulness　and　mastery。



She　turned　the　lights　off　and　passed　out　and　down　the　hall

toward　the　morning　room。　At　the　entrance　she　paused　and

listened。　From　farther　on　had　come；　not　a　noise；　but　an

impression　of　movement。　She　could　have　sworn　she　had　not　heard

anything；　yet　something　had　been　different。　The　atmosphere　of

night　quietude　had　been　disturbed。　She　wondered　what　servant

could　be　prowling　about。　Not　the　butler；　who　was　nosion。

torious　for　retiring　early　save　on　special　occasion。　Nor　could

it　be　her　maid；　whom　she　had　permitted　to　go　that　evening。



Passing　on　to　the　dining…room；　she　found　the　door　closed。　Why

she　opened　it　and　went　on　in；　she　did　not　know；　except　for　the

feeling　that　the　disturbing　factor；　whatever　it　might　be；　was

there。　The　room　was　in　darkness；　and　she　felt　her　way　to　the

button　and　pressed。　As　the　blaze　of　light　flashed　on；　she

stepped　back　and　cried　out。　It　was　a　mere　〃Oh！〃　and　it　was　not

loud。





Facing　her；　alongside　the　button；　flat　against　the　wall；　was　a

man。　In　his　hand；　pointed　toward　her；　was　a　revolver。　She

noticed；　even　in　the　shock　of　seeing　him；　that　the　weapon　was

black　and　exceedingly　long…barreled。　She　knew　black　and

exceedingly　long　it　for　what　it　was；　a　Colt's。　He　was　a

medium…sized　man；　roughly　clad；　brown…eyed；　and　swarthy　with

sunburn。　He　seemed　very　cool。　There　was　no　wabble　to　the

revolver　and　it　was　directed　toward　her　stomach；　not　from　an

outstretched　arm；　but　from　the　hip；　against　which　the　forearm

rested。　



〃Oh；〃　she　said。　〃I　beg　your　pardon。　You　startled　me。　What　do

you　want？〃



〃I　reckon　I　want　to　get　out；〃　he　answered；　with　a　humorous

twitch　to　the　lips。　〃I've　kind　of　lost　my　way　in　this　here

shebang；　and　if　you'll　kindly　show　me　the　door　I'll　cause　no

trouble　and　sure　vamoose。〃



〃But　what　are　y