a mountain europa-第7部分

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no　man；　air　in　love　with　this　furriner　from　the　settlemints。〃

The　girl　reddened；　in　spite　of　her　assumed　indifference。

〃They…　say；　too；　as　how　he　air　not　in　love　with　her；　'n'　that　somebody　oughter　warn　Easter　that　he　air　not　a…meanin'　good　to　her。　　You　hev　been　seed　a…walkin'　in　the　mountains　together。〃

〃Who　seed　me？　〃　she　asked；　with　quick　suspicion。　The　mountaineer　hesitated。

I　hev；〃　he　said；　doggedly。

The　girl's　anger；　which　had　been　kindling　against　her　gossiping　fellows；　blazed　out　against　Raines。

You've　been　watchin'　me；〃　she　said；　angrily。　〃Who　give　ye　the　right　to　do　it？　What　call　hev　ye　to　come　hyar　and　tell　me　whut　folks　is　asayin'？　Is　it　any　o'　yo'　business？　I　want　to　tell　ye；　Sherd　Raines〃…her　utterance　grew　thick…〃　that　I　kin　take　keer　o'　myself；　that　I　don't　keer　what　folks　say；　'n'　I　want　ye　to　keep　away　from　me。　'N'　ef　I　sees　ye　a…hangin'　round　'n'　a…spyin'；　ye'll　be　sorry　fer　it。〃　　Her　eyes　blazed；　she　had　risen　and　drawn　herself　straight；　and　her　hands　were　clinched。

The　mountaineer　stood　motionless。　〃　Thar's　another　who's　seed　ye；〃　he　said；　quietly…〃　up　thar；〃　pointing　to　a　wooded　mountain；　the　top　of　which　was　lost　in　mist。　The　girl's　attitude　changed　instantly　into　…　vague　alarm；　and　her　eyes　flashed　upon　Raines　as　though　they　would　sear　their　way　into　the　meaning　hidden　in　his　quiet　face。　　Gradually　his　motive　seemed　to　become　clear；　and　she　advanced　a　step　toward　him。

〃So　you've　found　out　whar　dad　is　a…hidin'？〃　she　said；　her　voice　tremulous　with　rage　and　scorn。　　　　N'　ye　air　mean　and　sorry　enough　to　some　hyeh　'n'　tell　me　ye'll　give　him　up　to　the　law　ef　I　don't　knuckle　down　'n'　do　what　ye　wants　me？

She　paused　a　moment。　　Was　her　suspicion　correct？　Why　did　he　not　speak？　She　did　not　really　believe　what　she　said。　Could　it　be　true？　Her　nostrils　quivered；　she　tried　to　speak　again；　but　her　voice　was　choked　with　passion。　　With　a　sudden　movement　she　snatched　her　rifle　from　its　place；　and　the　steel　flashed　in　the　moonlight　and　ceased　in　a　shining　line　straight　at　the　mountaineer's　breast。

〃Look　hyeh；　Sherd　Raines；〃　she　said；　in　low；　unsteady　tones；　〃　I　know　you　air　religious；　'n'　I　know　as　how；　when　y'u　give　yer　word；　you'll　do　what　you　say。　Now；　I　want　ye　to　hold　up　yer　right　hand　and　sw'ar　that　you'll　never　tell　a　livin'　soul　that　you　know　whar　dad　is　a…hidin'。〃

Raines　did　not　turn　his　face；　which　was　as　emotionless　as　stone。

Air　ye　goin'　to　sw'ar？　〃　she　asked；　with　fierce　impatience。　　Without　looking　at　her；　he　began　to　speak…very　slowly：

〃Do　ye　think　I'm　fool　enough　to　try　to　gain　yer　good…will　by　a…tellin'　on　yer　dad？　We　were　on　the　mountains；　him　'n'　me；　we　seed　you　'n'　the　furriner。　　Yer　dad　thought　hit　was　a　spy；　'n'　he　whipped　up　his　gun　'n'　would　'a'　shot　him　dead　in　his　tracks　ef　I　hadn't　hindered　him。

Does　that　look　like　I　wanted　to　hurt　the　'furriner？　　I　hev　knowed　yer　dad　was　up　in　the　mountains　all　the　time；　'n'　I　hev　been　a…totin'　things　fer　him　to　eat。　　Does　that　look　like　I　wanted　to　hand　him　over　to　the　law？〃

The　girl　had　let　the　rifle　fall。　Moving　away；　she　stood　leaning　on　it　in　the　shadow；　looking　down。

〃You　want　to　know　what　call　I　hev　to　watch　ye；　'n'　see　that　no　harm　comes　to　ye。　Yer　dad　give　me　the　right。　You　know　how　he　hates　furriners；　'n'　whut　he　would　do　ef　he　happened　to　run　across　this　furriner　atter　he　has　been　drinkin'。　I'm　a…meddlin'　because　I　hev　told　him　that　I　am　goin'　to　take　keer　o'　ye；　'n'　I　mean　to　do　it…ef　ye　hates　me　fer　it。　I'm　a…watchin'　ye；　Easter；〃　he　continued；　〃　'n'　I　want　ye　to　know　it。　　I　knowed　the　furriner　begun　comm'　here　cause　ye　air　not　like　gals　in　the　settlemints。　Y'u　air　as　cur'us　to　him　as　one　o'　them　bugs　an'　sich…like　that　he's　always　a…pickin'　up　in　the　woods。　　I　hevn't　said　nuthin'　to　yer　dad；　fer　fear　o'　his　harmin'　the　furriner；　but　I　hev　seed　that　ye　like　him；　an'　hit's　time　now　fer　me　to　meddle。　Ef　he　was　in　love　with　ye；　do　ye　think　he　would　marry　ye？　　I　hev　been　in　the　settle…mints。　　Folks　thar　air　not　as　we　citizens　air。　They　air　bigoted　'n'　high…heeled；　'n'　they　look　down　on　us。　　I　tell　ye；　too…　'n'　hit　air　fer　yer　own　good…he　air　in　love　with　somebody　in　the　settlemints。　I　hev　heerd　it；　'n'　I　hev　seed　him　a…lookin'　at　a　picter　in　his　room　ez　a　man　don't　look　at　his　sister。　They　say　hit's　her。

〃Thar's　one　thing　more；　Easter；〃　he　concluded；　as　he　stepped　from　the　porch。　〃He　is　a…goin'　away。　　I　heard　him　say　it　yestiddy。　What　will　ye　do　when　he's　gone　ef　ye　lets　yerself　git　to　thinkin'　so　much　of　him　now？　I've　warned　ye　now；　Easter；　fer　yer　own　good；　though　ye　mought　think　I'm　a…workin'　fer　myself。　　But　I　know　I　hev　done　whut　I　ought。　I've　warned　ye；　'n'　ye　kin　do　whut　ye　please；　but　I'm　a…watchin'　ye。〃

The　girl　said　nothing；　but　stood　rigid；　with　eyes　wide　open　and　face　tense；　as　the　mountaineer's　steps　died　away。　She　was　bewildered　by　the　confused　emotions　that　swayed　her。　Why　had　she　not　indignantly　denied　that　she　was　in　love　with　the　〃furriner〃？　　Raines　had　not　hinted　it　as　a　suspicion。　He　had　spoken　it　outright　as　a　fact；　and　he　must　have　thought　that　her　silence　confirmed　it。　He　had　said　that　the　〃furriner〃　cared　nothing　for　her；　and　had　dared　to　tell　her　that　she　was　in　love　with　him。　Her　cheeks　began　to　bum。　She　would　call　him　back　and　tell　him　that　she　cared　no　more　for　the　〃furriner　〃　than　she　did　for　him。　She　started　from　the　steps；　but　paused；　straining　her　eyes　through　the　darkness。　It　was　too　late；　and；　with　a　helpless　little　cry；　she　began　pacing　the　porch。　She　had　scarcely　heard　what　was　said　after　the　mountaineer's　first　accusation；　so　completely　had　that　enthralled　her　mind；　now　fragments　came　back　to　her。　　There　was　something　about　a　picture…ah！　she　remembered　that　picture。　　Passing　through　the　camp　one　afternoon；　she　had　glanced　in　at　a　window　and　had　seen　a　rifle　once　her　own。　　Turning　in　rapid　wonder　about　the　room；　her　eye　lighted　upon　a　picture　on　a　table　near　the　window。　　She　had　felt　the　refined　beauty　of　the　girl；　and　it　had　impressed　her　with　the　same　timidity　that　Clayton　had　when　she　first　knew　him。　　Fascinated；　she　had　looked　till　a　…　movement　in　the　room　made　her　shrink　away。　　But　the　face　had　clung　in　her　memory　ever　since；　and　now　it　came　before　her　vividly。　　Clayton　was　in　love　with　her。　Well；　what　did　that　matter　to　her？

There　was　more　that　Raines　said。　　〃Goin'　away。〃　Raines　meant　the　〃　furriner；〃　of　course。　How　did　he　know？　Why　had　Clayton　not　told　her？　　She　did　not　believe　it。　　But　why　not？　He　had　once　told　her　that　he　would　go　away　some　time；　why　not　now？　But　why…why　did　not　Clayton　tell　her？　Perhaps　he　was　going　to　her。　　She　almost　stretched　out　her　hands　in　a　sudden；　fierce　desire　to　clutch　the　round　throat　and　sink　her　nails　into　the　soft　flesh　that　rose　before　her　mind。　　She　had　forgotten　that　he　had　ever　told　her　that　he　must　go　away；　so　little　had　it　impressed　her　at　the　time。　She　had　never　thought　of　a　possible　change　in　their　relations　or　in　their　lives。　She　tried　to　think　what　her　life　would　be　after　he　was　gone；　and　she　was　frightened；　she　could　not　imagine　her　old　life　resumed。　When　Clayton　came；　it　was　as　though　she　had　risen　from　sleep　in　a　dream；　and　had　lived　in　it　thereafter　without　questioning　its　reality。　　Into　his　hands　she　had　delivered　her　life　and　herself　with　the　undoubting　faith　of　a　child。　She　had　never　thought　of　their　relations　at　all。　Now　the　awakening　had　come。　　The　dream　was　shattered。　For　the　first　time　her　eye　was　turned　inward；　where　a　flood　of　light　brought　into　terrible　distinctness　the　tumult　that　began　to　rage　so　suddenly　within。

One　hope　only　flashed　into　her　brain…perhaps　Raines　was　mistaken。　But　even　then；　if　he　were；　Clayton　must　go　some　time；　he　had　told　her　that。　　On　this　fact　every　thought　became　centred。　　It　was　no　longer　how　he　came；　the　richness　of　the　new　life　he　had　shown　her；　the　barrenness　of　the　old；　Raines's　accusation；　the　shame　of　it…the　shame　of　being　pointed　out　and　laughed　at　after　Clayton's　departure；　it　was　no　longer　helpless　wonder　at　the　fierce　emotions　racking　her　for　the　first　time：　her　whole　being　was　absorbed　in　the　realization　which　slowly　forced　itself　into　her　heart　and　brain…some　day　he　must　go　away；　some　day　she　must　lose　him。　She　lifted　her　hands　to　her　head　in　a　dazed；　ineffectual　way。　　The　moonlight　grew　faint　before　her　eyes；　mountain；　sky；　and　mist　were　in…distinguishably　blurred；　and　the　girl　sank　down　upon　her　trembling　knees；　down　till　she　lay　crouched　on　the　floor　with　her　tearless　face　in　her　arms。

The　moon　rose　high　above　her　and　sank　down　the　west。　　The　shadows　shortened　and　crept　back　to　the　woods；　night　noises　grew　fainter；　and　the　mists　floated　up　from　the　valley　and　Clung　around　the　mountain…tops；　but　she　stirred　only　when　a　querulous　voice　came　from　within　the　cabin。

〃Easter；〃　it　said；　〃　ef　Sherd　Raines　air　gone；　y'u　better　come　in　to　bed。　Y'u've　got　a　lot　o'　work　to　do　to…morrer。〃

The　voice　called　her　to　the　homely　duties　that　had　once　filled　her　life　and　must　fill　it　again。　It　was　a　summons　to　begin　anew　a　life　that　was　dead；　and　the　girl　lifted　her　haggard　face　in　answer　and　rose　wearily。

VII

ON　the　following　Sunday　morning；　when　Clayton　walked　up　to　the　cabin；　Easter　and　her　mother　were　seated　in　the　porch。　He　called　to　them　cheerily　as　he　climbed　over　the　fence；　but　only　the　mother　answered。　　Easter　rose　as　he　approached；　and；　without　speaking；　went　within　doors。　He　thought　she　must　be　ill；　so　thin　and　drawn　was　her　face；　but　her　mother　said；　carelessly：

Oh；　hit's　only　one　o'　Easter's　spells。　She's　been　sort　o'　puny　'n'　triflin'　o'　late；　but　I　reckon　she'll　be　all　right　ag'in　in　a　day　or　two。〃

As　the　girl　did　not　appear　again；　Clayton　concluded　that　she　was　lying　down；　and　went　away　without　seeing　her。　　Her　manner　had　seemed　a　little　odd；　but；　attributing　that　to　ill…ness；　he　thought　nothing　further　about　it。　To　his　surprise；　the　incident　was　repeated；　and　thereafter；　to　his　wonder；　the　girl　seemed　to　avoid　him。　Their　intimacy　was　broken　sharply　off。　When　Clayton　was　at　the　cabin；　either　she　did　not　appear　or　else　kept　herself　busied　with　household　duties。　　Their　studies　ceased　abruptly。　Easter　had　thrown　her　books　into　a　corner；　her　mother　said；　and　did　nothing　but　mope　all　day；　and　though　she　insisted　that　it　was　only　one　of　the　girl's　〃　spells；〃　it