the night-born-第24部分

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

before　the　first　heat。　And　so；　to…night；　being　broke　and　my

friend　needing　me　bad；　I　just　dropped　around　to　make　a　raise

outa　your　pa。　Seeing　as　I　needed　it；　it　kinda　was　coming　to

me。〃



〃Granting　all　that　you　say　is　so；〃　she　said；　〃nevertheless　it

does　not　make　house…breaking　any　the　less　house…breaking。　You

couldn't　make　such　a　defense　in　a　court　of　law。〃



〃I　know　that；〃　he　confessed　meekly。　〃What's　right　ain't　always

legal。　And　that's　why　I　am　so　uncomfortable　a…settin'　here　and

talking　with　you。　Not　that　I　ain't　enjoying　your　companyI

sure　do　enjoy　itbut　I　just　can't　afford　to　be　caught。　I　know

what　they'd　do　to　me　in　this　here　city。　There　was　a　young

fellow　that　got　fifty　years　only　last　week　for　holding　a　man　up

on　the　street　for　two　dollars　and　eighty…five　cents。　I　read

about　it　in　the　paper。　When　times　is　hard　and　they　ain't　no

work；　men　get　desperate。　And　then　the　other　men　who've　got

something　to　be　robbed　of　get　desperate；　too；　and　they　just

sure　soak　it　to　the　other　fellows。　If　I　got　caught；　I　reckon　I

wouldn't　get　a　mite　less　than　ten　years。　That's　why　I'm

hankering　to　be　on　my　way。〃



〃No；　wait。〃　She　lifted　a　detaining　hand；　at　the　same　time

removing　her　foot　from　the　bell；　which　she　had　been　pressing

intermittently。　〃You　haven't　told　me　your　name　yet。〃



He　hesitated。



〃Call　me　Dave。〃



〃Then　。　。　。　Dave；〃　she　laughed　with　pretty　confusion。

〃Something　must　be　done　for　you。　You　are　a　young　man；　and　you

are　just　at　the　beginning　of　a　bad　start。　If　you　begin　by

attempting　to　collect　what　you　think　is　coming　to　you；　later　on

you　will　be　collecting　what　you　are　perfectly　sure　isn't　coming

to　you。　And　you　know　what　the　end　will　be。　Instead　of　this；　we

must　find　something　honorable　for　you　to　do。〃



〃I　need　the　money；　and　I　need　it　now；〃　he　replied　doggedly。

〃It's　not　for　myself；　but　for　that　friend　I　told　you　about。

He's　in　a　peck　of　trouble；　and　he's　got　to　get　his　lift　now　or

not　at　all。〃



〃I　can　find　you　a　position；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃Andyes；　the

very　thing！I'll　lend　you　the　money　you　want　to　send　to　your

friend。　This　you　can　pay　back　out　of　your　salary。〃



〃About　three　hundred　would　do；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Three　hundred

would　pull　him　through。　I'd　work　my　fingers　off　for　a　year　for

that；　and　my　keep；　and　a　few　cents　to　buy　Bull　Durham　with。〃



〃Ah！　You　smoke！　I　never　thought　of　it。〃



Her　hand　went　out　over　the　revolver　toward　his　hand；　as　she

pointed　to　the　tell…tale　yellow　stain　on　his　fingers。　At　the

same　time　her　eyes　measured　the　nearness　of　her　own　hand　and　of

his　to　the　weapon。　She　ached　to　grip　it　in　one　swift　movement。

She　was　sure　she　could　do　it；　and　yet　she　was　not　sure；　and　so

it　was　that　she　refrained　as　she　withdrew　her　hand。



〃Won't　you　smoke？〃　she　invited。



〃I'm　'most　dying　to。〃



〃Then　do　so。　I　don't　mind。　I　really　like　itcigarettes；　I

mean。〃



With　his　left　band　he　dipped　into　his　side　pocket；　brought　out

a　loose　wheat…straw　paper　and　shifted　it　to　his　right　hand

close　by　the　revolver。　Again　he　dipped；　transferring　to　the

paper　a　pinch　of　brown；　flaky　tobacco。　Then　he　proceeded；　both

hands　just　over　the　revolver；　to　roll　the　cigarette。



〃From　the　way　you　hover　close　to　that　nasty　weapon；　you　seem　to

be　afraid　of　me；〃　she　challenged。



〃Not　exactly　afraid　of　you；　ma'am；　but；　under　the

circumstances；　just　a　mite　timid。〃



〃But　I've　not　been　afraid　of　you。〃



〃You've　got　nothing　to　lose。〃



〃My　life；〃　she　retorted。



〃That's　right；〃　he　acknowledged　promptly；　〃and　you　ain't　been

scairt　of　me。　Mebbe　I　am　over　anxious。〃



〃I　wouldn't　cause　you　any　harm。〃



Even　as　she　spoke；　her　slipper　felt　for　the　bell　and　pressed

it。　At　the　same　time　her　eyes　were　earnest　with　a　plea　of

honesty。



〃You　are　a　judge　of　men。　I　know　it。　And　of　women。　Surely；　when

I　am　trying　to　persuade　you　from　a　criminal　life　and　to　get　you

honest　work　to　do　。　。　。　。？〃



He　was　immediately　contrite。



〃I　sure　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am；〃　he　said。　〃I　reckon　my

nervousness　ain't　complimentary。〃



As　he　spoke；　he　drew　his　right　hand　from　the　table；　and　after

lighting　the　cigarette；　dropped　it　by　his　side。



〃Thank　you　for　your　confidence；〃　she　breathed　softly；

resolutely　keeping　her　eyes　from　measuring　the　distance　to　the

revolver；　and　keeping　her　foot　pressed　firmly　on　the　bell。



〃About　that　three　hundred；〃　he　began。　〃I　can　telegraph　it　West

to…night。　And　I'll　agree　to　work　a　year　for　it　and　my　keep。〃



〃You　will　earn　more　than　that。　I　can　promise　seventy…five

dollars　a　month　at　the　least。　Do　you　know　horses？〃



His　face　lighted　up　and　his　eyes　sparkled。



〃Then　go　to　work　for　meor　for　my　father；　rather；　though　I

engage　all　the　servants。　I　need　a　second　coachman〃



〃And　wear　a　uniform？〃　he　interrupted　sharply；　the　sneer　of　the

free…born　West　in　his　voice　and　on　his　lips。



She　smiled　tolerantly。



〃Evidently　that　won't　do。　Let　me　think。　Yes。　Can　you　break　and

handle　colts？〃



He　nodded。



〃We　have　a　stock　farm；　and　there's　room　for　just　such　a　man　as

you。　Will　you　take　it？〃



〃Will　I；　ma'am？〃　His　voice　was　rich　with　gratitude　and

enthusiasm。　〃Show　me　to　it。　I'll　dig　right　in　to…morrow。　And　I

can　sure　promise　you　one　thing；　ma'am。　You'll　never　be　sorry

for　lending　Hughie　Luke　a　hand　in　his　trouble〃



〃I　thought　you　said　to　call　you　Dave；〃　she　chided　forgivingly。



〃I　did；　ma'am。　I　did。　And　I　sure　beg　your　pardon。　It　was　just

plain　bluff。　My　real　name　is　Hughie　Luke。　And　if　you'll　give　me

the　address　of　that　stock　farm　of　yours；　and　the　railroad　fare；

I　head　for　it　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃



Throughout　the　conversation　she　had　never　relaxed　her　attempts

on　the　bell。　She　had　pressed　it　in　every　alarming　waythree

shorts　and　a　long；　two　and　a　long；　and　five。　She　had　tried　long

series　of　shorts；　and；　once；　she　had　held　the　button　down　for　a

solid　three　minutes。　And　she　had　been　divided　between

objurgation　of　the　stupid；　heavy…sleeping　butler　and　doubt　if

the　bell　were　in　order。



〃I　am　so　glad；〃　she　said；　〃so　glad　that　you　are　willing。　There

won't　be　much　to　arrange。　But　you　will　first　have　to　trust　me

while　I　go　upstairs　for　my　purse。〃



She　saw　the　doubt　flicker　momentarily　in　his　eyes；　and　added

hastily；　〃But　you　see　I　am　trusting　you　with　the　three　hundred

dollars。〃



〃I　believe　you；　ma'am；〃　he　came　back　gallantly。　〃Though　I　just

can't　help　this　nervousness。〃



〃Shall　I　go　and　get　it？〃



But　before　she　could　receive　consent；　a　slight　muffled　jar　from

the　distance　came　to　her　ear。　She　knew　it　for　the　swing…door　of

the　butler's　pantry。　But　so　slight　was　itmore　a　faint

vibration　than　a　soundthat　she　would　not　have　heard　had　not

her　ears　been　keyed　and　listening　for　it。　Yet　the　man　had

heard。　He　was　startled　in　his　composed　way。



〃What　was　that？〃　he　demanded。



For　answer；　her　left　hand　flashed　out　to　the　revolver　and

brought　it　back。　She　had　had　the　start　of　him；　and　she　needed

it；　for　the　next　instant　his　hand　leaped　up　from　his　side；

clutching　emptiness　where　the　revolver　had　been。



〃Sit　down！〃　she　commanded　sharply；　in　a　voice　new　to　him。

〃Don't　move。　Keep　your　hands　on　the　table。〃



She　had　taken　a　lesson　from　him。　Instead　of　holding　the　heavy

weapon　extended；　the　butt　of　it　and　her　forearm　rested　on　the

table；　the　muzzle　pointed；　not　at　his　head；　but　his　chest。　And

he；　looking　coolly　and　obeying　her　commands；　knew　there　was　no

chance　of　the　kick…up　of　the　recoil　producing　a　miss。　Also；　he

saw　that　the　revolver　did　not　wabble；　nor　the　hand　shake；　and

he　was　thoroughly　conversant　with　the　size　of　hole　the

soft…nosed　bullets　could　make。　He　had　eyes；　not　for　her；　but

for　the　hammer；　which　had　risen　under　the　pressure　of　her

forefinger　on　the　trigger。



〃I　reckon　I'd　best　warn　you　that　that　there　trigger…pull　is

filed　dreadful　fine。　Don't　press　too　hard；　or　I'll　have　a　hole

in　me　the　size　of　a　walnut。〃



She　slacked　the　hammer　partly　down。



〃That's　better；〃　he　commented。　〃You'd　best　put　it　down　all　the

way。　You　see　how　easy　it　works。　If　you　want　to；　a　quick　light

pull　will　jiffy　her　up　and　back　and　make　a　pretty　mess　all　over

your　nice　floor。〃



A　door　opened　behind　him；　and　he　heard　somebody　enter　the　room。

But　he　did　not　turn　his　bead。　He　was　looking　at　her；　and　he

found　it　the　face　of　another　womanhard；　cold；　pitiless　yet

brilliant　in　its　beauty。　The　eyes；　too；　were　hard；　though

blazing　with　a　cold　light。



〃Thomas；〃　she　commanded；　〃go　to　the　telephone　and　call　the

police。　Why　were　you　so　long　in　answering？〃



〃I　came　as　soon　as　I　heard　the　bell；　madam；〃　was　the　answer。



The　robber　never　took　his　eyes　from　hers；　nor　did　she　from　his；

but　at　mention　of　the　bell　she　noticed　that　his　eyes　were

puzzled　for　the　moment。



〃Beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　butler　from　behind；　〃but　wouldn't

it　be　better　for　me　to　get　a　weapon　and　arouse　the　servants？〃



〃No；　ring　for　the　police。　I　can　hold　this　man。　Go　and　do

itquickly。〃



The　butler　slippered　out　of　the　room；　and　the　man　and　the　woman

sat　on；　gazing　into　each　other's　eyes。　To　her　it　was　an

experience　keen　with　enjoyment；　and　in　her　mind　was　the　gossip

of　her　crowd；　and　she　saw　notes　in　the　society　weeklies　of　the

beautiful　young　Mrs。　Setliffe　capturing　an　armed　robber

single…handed。　It　would　create　a　sensation；　she　was　sure。



〃When　you　get　that　sentence　you　mentioned；〃　she　said　coldly；

〃you　will　have　time　to　meditate　upon　what　a　fool　you　have　been；

taking　other　persons'　property　and　threatening　women　with

revolvers。　You　will　have　time　to　learn　your　lesson　thoroughly。

Now　tell　the　truth。　You　haven't　any　friend　in　trouble。　All　that

you　told　me　was　lies。〃



He　did　not　reply。　Though　his　eyes　were　upon　her；　they　seemed

blank。　In　truth；　for　the　instant　she　was　veiled　to　him；　and

what　he　saw　w