the night-born-第23部分

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

trouble　and　sure　vamoose。〃



〃But　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　demanded；　her　voice　touched

with　the　sharpness　of　one　used　to　authority。



〃Plain　robbing；　Miss；　that's　all。　I　came　snooping　around　to　see

what　I　could　gather　up。　I　thought　you　wan't　to　home；　seein'　as

I　saw　you　pull　out　with　your　old　man　in　an　auto。　I　reckon　that

must　a　ben　your　pa；　and　you're　Miss　Setliffe。〃



Mrs。　Setliffe　saw　his　mistake；　appreciated　the　naive

compliment；　and　decided　not　to　undeceive　him。



〃How　do　you　know　I　am　Miss　Setliffe？〃　she　asked。



〃This　is　old　Setliffe's　house；　ain't　it？〃



She　nodded。



〃I　didn't　know　he　had　a　daughter；　but　I　reckon　you　must　be　her。

And　now；　if　it　ain't　botherin'　you　too　much；　I'd　sure　be

obliged　if　you'd　show　me　the　way　out。〃



〃But　why　should　I？　You　are　a　robber；　a　burglar。〃



〃If　I　wan't　an　ornery　shorthorn　at　the　business；　I'd　be

accumulatin'　them　rings　on　your　fingers　instead　of　being

polite；〃　he　retorted。



〃I　come　to　make　a　raise　outa　old　Setliffe；　and　not　to　be

robbing　women…folks。　If　you　get　outa　the　way；　I　reckon　I　can

find　my　own　way　out。〃



Mrs。　Setliffe　was　a　keen　woman；　and　she　felt　that　from　such　a

man　there　was　little　to　fear。　That　he　was　not　a　typical

criminal；　she　was　certain。　From　his　speech　she　knew　he　was　not

of　the　cities；　and　she　seemed　to　sense　the　wider；　homelier　air

of　large　spaces。



〃Suppose　I　screamed？〃　she　queried　curiously。　〃Suppose　I　made　an

outcry　for　help？　You　couldn't　shoot　me？　。　。　。　a　woman？〃



She　noted　the　fleeting　bafflement　in　his　brown　eyes。　He

answered　slowly　and　thoughtfully；　as　if　working　out　a　difficult

problem。　〃I　reckon；　then；　I'd　have　to　choke　you　and　maul　you

some　bad。〃



〃A　woman？〃



〃I'd　sure　have　to；〃　he　answered；　and　she　saw　his　mouth　set

grimly。



〃You're　only　a　soft　woman；　but　you　see；　Miss；　I　can't　afford　to

go　to　jail。　No；　Miss；　I　sure　can't。　There's　a　friend　of　mine

waitin'　for　me　out　West。　He's　in　a　hole；　and　I've　got　to　help

him　out。〃　The　mouth　shaped　even　more　grimly。　〃I　guess　I　could

choke　you　without　hurting　you　much　to　speak　of。〃



Her　eyes　took　on　a　baby　stare　of　innocent　incredulity　as　she

watched　him。　



〃I　never　met　a　burglar　before；〃　she　assured　him；　〃and　I　can't

begin　to　tell　you　how　interested　I　am。〃



〃I'm　not　a　burglar；　Miss。　Not　a　real　one；〃　he　hastened　to　add

as　she　looked　her　amused　unbelief。　〃It　looks　like　it；　me　being

here　in　your　house。　But　it's　the　first　time　I　ever　tackled　such

a　job。　I　needed　the　money　bad。　Besides；　I　kind　of　look　on　it

like　collecting　what's　coming　to　me。〃



〃I　don't　understand；〃　she　smiled　encouragingly。　〃You　came　here

to　rob；　and　to　rob　is　to　take　what　is　not　yours。〃



〃Yes；　and　no；　in　this　here　particular　case。　But　I　reckon　I'd

better　be　going　now。〃



He　started　for　the　door　of　the　dining…room；　but　she　interposed；

and　a　very　beautiful　obstacle　she　made　of　herself。　His　left

hand　went　out　as　if　to　grip　her；　then　hesitated。　He　was

patently　awed　by　her　soft　womanhood。



〃There！〃　she　cried　triumphantly。　〃I　knew　you　wouldn't。〃



The　man　was　embarrassed。



〃I　ain't　never　manhandled　a　woman　yet；〃　he　explained；　〃and　it

don't　come　easy。　But　I　sure　will；　if　you　set　to　screaming。〃



〃Won't　you　stay　a　few　minutes　and　talk？〃　she　urged。　〃I'm　so

interested。　I　should　like　to　hear　you　explain　how　burglary　is

collecting　what　is　coming　to　you。〃



He　looked　at　her　admiringly。



〃I　always　thought　women…folks　were　scairt　of　robbers；〃　he

confessed。　〃But　you　don't　seem　none。〃



She　laughed　gaily。



〃There　are　robbers　and　robbers；　you　know。　I　am　not　afraid　of

you；　because　I　am　confident　you　are　not　the　sort　of　creature

that　would　harm　a　woman。　Come；　talk　with　me　a　while。　Nobody

will　disturb　us。　I　am　all　alone。　My　father　caught　the　night

train　to　New　York。　The　servants　are　all　asleep。　I　should　like

to　give　you　something　to　eatwomen　always　prepare　midnight

suppers　for　the　burglars　they　catch；　at　least　they　do　in　the

magazine　stories。　But　I　don't　know　where　to　find　the　food。

Perhaps　you　will　have　something　to　drink？〃



He　hesitated；　and　did　not　reply；　but　she　could　see　the

admiration　for　her　growing　in　his　eyes。



〃You're　not　afraid？〃　she　queried。　〃I　won't　poison　you；　I

promise。　I'll　drink　with　you　to　show　you　it　is　all　right。〃



〃You　sure　are　a　surprise　package　of　all　right；〃　he　declared；

for　the　first　time　lowering　the　weapon　and　letting　it　hang　at

his　side。　〃No　one　don't　need　to　tell　me　ever　again　that

women…folks　in　cities　is　afraid。　You　ain't　muchjust　a　little

soft　pretty　thing。　But　you've　sure　got　the　spunk。　And　you're

trustful　on　top　of　it。　There　ain't　many　women；　or　men　either。

who'd　treat　a　man　with　a　gun　the　way　you're　treating　me。〃



She　smiled　her　pleasure　in　the　compliment；　and　her　face；　was

very　earnest　as　she　said：



〃That　is　because　I　like　your　appearance。　You　are　too

decent…looking　a　man　to　be　a　robber。　You　oughtn't　to　do　such

things。　If　you　are　in　bad　luck　you　should　go　to　work。　Come；　put

away　that　nasty　revolver　and　let　us　talk　it　over。　The　thing　for

you　to　do　is　to　work。〃



〃Not　in　this　burg；〃　he　commented　bitterly。　〃I've　walked　two

inches　off　the　bottom　of　my　legs　trying　to　find　a　job。　Honest；

I　was　a　fine　large　man　once。　。　。　before　I　started　looking　for　a

job。〃



The　merry　laughter　with　which　she　greeted　his　sally　obviously

pleased　him；　and　she　was　quick　to　note　and　take　advantage　of

it。　She　moved　directly　away　from　the　door　and　toward　the

sideboard。



〃Come；　you　must　tell　me　all　about　it　while　I　get　that　drink　for

you。　What　will　it　be？　Whisky？〃



〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　as　he　followed　her；　though　he　still

carried　the　big　revolver　at　his　side；　and　though　he　glanced

reluctantly　at　the　unguarded　open　door。



She　filled　a　glass　for　him　at　the　sideboard。



〃I　promised　to　drink　with　you；〃　she　said　hesitatingly。　〃But　I

don't　like　whisky。　I　。　。　。　I　prefer　sherry。〃



She　lifted　the　sherry　bottle　tentatively　for　his　consent。



〃Sure；〃　he　answered；　with　a　nod。　〃Whisky's　a　man's　drink。　I

never　like　to　see　women　at　it。　Wine's　more　their　stuff。〃



She　raised　her　glass　to　his；　her　eyes　meltingly　sympathetic。



〃Here's　to　finding　you　a　good　position〃



But　she　broke　off　at　sight　of　the　expression　of　surprised

disgust　on　his　face。　The　glass；　barely　touched；　was　removed

from　his　wry　lips。



〃What　is　the　matter！〃　she　asked　anxiously。　〃Don't　you　like　it？

Have　I　made　a　mistake？〃



〃It's　sure　funny　whisky。　Tastes　like　it　got　burned　and　smoked

in　the　making。〃



〃Oh！　How　silly　of　me！　I　gave　you　Scotch。　Of　course　you　are

accustomed　to　rye。　Let　me　change　it。〃



She　was　almost　solicitiously　maternal；　as　she　replaced　the

glass　with　another　and　sought　and　found　the　proper　bottle。



〃Better？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；　ma'am。　No　smoke　in　it。　It's　sure　the　real　good　stuff。　I

ain't　had　a　drink　in　a　week。　Kind　of　slick；　that；　oily；　you

know；　not　made　in　a　chemical　factory。〃



〃You　are　a　drinking　man？〃　It　was　half　a　question；　half　a

challenge。



〃No；　ma'am；　not　to　speak　of。　I　HAVE　rared　up　and　ripsnorted　at

spells；　but　most　unfrequent。　But　there　is　times　when　a　good

stiff　jolt　lands　on　the　right　spot　kerchunk；　and　this　is　sure

one　of　them。　And　now；　thanking　you　for　your　kindness；　ma'am；

I'll　just　be　a　pulling　along。〃



But　Mrs。　Setliffe　did　not　want　to　lose　her　burglar。　She　was　too

poised　a　woman　to　possess　much　romance；　but　there　was　a　thrill

about　the　present　situation　that　delighted　her。　Besides；　she

knew　there　was　no　danger。　The　man；　despite　his　jaw　and　the

steady　brown　eyes；　was　eminently　tractable。　Also；　farther　back

in　her　consciousness　glimmered　the　thought　of　an　audience　of

admiring　friends。　It　was　too　bad　not　to　have　that　audience。



〃You　haven't　explained　how　burglary；　in　your　case；　is　merely

collecting　what　is　your　own；〃　she　said。　〃Come；　sit　down；　and

tell　me　about　it　here　at　the　table。〃



She　maneuvered　for　her　own　seat；　and　placed　him　across　the

corner　from　her。　His　alertness　had　not　deserted　him；　as　she

noted；　and　his　eyes　roved　sharply　about；　returning　always　with

smoldering　admiration　to　hers；　but　never　resting　long。　And　she

noted　likewise　that　while　she　spoke　he　was　intent　on　listening

for　other　sounds　than　those　of　her　voice。　Nor　had　he

relinquished　the　revolver；　which　lay　at　the　corner　of　the　table

between　them；　the　butt　close　to　his　right　hand。



But　he　was　in　a　new　habitat　which　he　did　not　know。　This　man

from　the　West；　cunning　in　woodcraft　and　plainscraft；　with　eyes

and　ears　open；　tense　and　suspicious；　did　not　know　that　under

the　table；　close　to　her　foot；　was　the　push　button　of　an

electric　bell。　He　had　never　heard　of　such　a　contrivance；　and

his　keenness　and　wariness　went　for　naught。



〃It's　like　this；　Miss；〃　he　began；　in　response　to　her　urging。

〃Old　Setliffe　done　me　up　in　a　little　deal　once。　It　was　raw；　but

it　worked。　Anything　will　work　full　and　legal　when　it's　got　few

hundred　million　behind　it。　I'm　not　squealin'；　and　I　ain't

taking　a　slam　at　your　pa。　He　don't　know　me　from　Adam；　and　I

reckon　he　don't　know　he　done　me　outa　anything。　He's　too　big；

thinking　and　dealing　in　millions；　to　ever　hear　of　a　small

potato　like　me。　He's　an　operator。　He's　got　all　kinds　of　experts

thinking　and　planning　and　working　for　him；　some　of　them；　I

hear；　getting　more　cash　salary　than　the　President　of　the　United

States。　I'm　only　one　of　thousands　that　have　been　done　up　by

your　pa；　that's　all。



〃You　see；　ma'am；　I　had　a　little　hole　in　the　grounda　dinky；

hydraulic；　one…horse　outfit　of　a　mine。　And　when　the　Setliffe

crowd　shook　down　Idaho；　and　reorganized　the　smelter　trust；　and

roped　in　the　rest　of　the　landscape；　and　put　through　the　big

hydraulic　scheme　at　Twin　Pines；　why　I　sure　got　squeezed。　I

never　had　a　run　for　my　money。　I　was　scratched　off　the　card

before　the　first　heat。