按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
could not marry Rosita； I left her never to return。 And I tore my
heart out to do it。〃
The tears were standing in his eyes。 Demorest regarded him again
with vacant wonder。 Tears！not for Joan's unfaithfulness to him
but for this silly girl's transitory sentimentalism。 It was
horrible！
And yet what was Joan to Blandford now？ Why should he weep for the
woman who had never loved himwhom he loved no longer？ The woman
who had deceived himwho had deceived them BOTH。 Yes！ for Joan
must have suspected that Blandford was living to have sought her
secret divorceand yet she had never told himhimthe man for
whom she got it。 Ah！ he must not forget THAT！ It was to marry him
that she had taken that step。 It was perhaps a foolish cautiona
mistaken reservation； but it was the follythe mistake of a loving
woman。 He hugged this belief the closer； albeit he was conscious
at the same time of following Blandford's story of his alienated
affection with a feeling of wonder and envy。
〃And what was the result of this touching sacrifice？〃 continued
Blandford； trying to resume his former cynical indifference。 〃I'll
tell you。 This scoundrel set himself about to supplant me。 Taking
advantage of my absence； his knowledge that her affection for me
was heightened by the mystery of my life； and trusting to profit by
a personal resemblance he is said to bear to me； he began to haunt
her。 Lately he has grown bolder； and he dared even to communicate
with her here。 For it is he；〃 he continued； again giving way to
his passion； 〃this dog； this sneaking coward； who visits the place
unknown to you； and thinks to entrap the poor girl through her
memory of me。 And it is he that I came here to prevent； to expose
if necessary to kill！ Don't misunderstand me。 I have made myself
a deputy of the law for that purpose。 I've a warrant in my pocket；
and I shall take him； this mongrel； half…breed Cherokee Bob； by
fair means or foul！〃
The energy and presence of his passion was so infectious that it
momentarily swept away Demorest's doubts of the past。 〃And I will
help you； before God； Blandford；〃 he said eagerly。 〃And Joan
shall； too。 She will find out from Rosita how far〃
〃Thank you；〃 interrupted Blandford； dryly； 〃but your wife has
already interfered in this matter； to my cost。 It is to her； I
believe； I owe this wretch's following Rosita here。 She already
knows this manhas met him twice in San Francisco； he even boasts
of YOUR jealousy。 You know best how far he lied。〃
But Demorest had braced himself against the chill sensation that
had begun to creep over him as Blandford spoke。 He nerved himself
and said； proudly； 〃I forbade her knowing him on account of his
reputation solely。 I have no reason to believe she has ever even
wished to disobey me。〃
A smile of scorn that had kindled in Blandford's eyes； darkened
with a swift shadow of compassion as he glanced at Demorest's hard；
ashen face。 He held out his hand with a sudden impulse。 〃Enough；
I accept your offer； and shall put it to the test this very night。
I knowif you do notthat Rosita is to leave here for Los Osos an
hour from now in a private carriage； which your wife has ordered
especially for her。 The same information tells me that this
villain and another of his gang will be in wait for the carriage
three miles out of the pueblo to attack it and carry off the young
girl。〃
〃Are you mad！〃 said Demorest； in unfeigned amazement。 〃Do you
believe them capable of attacking a private carriage and carrying
off a solitary； defenceless woman？ Come； Blandford； this is a
school…girl romancenot an act of mercenary highwaymenleast of
all Cherokee Bob and his gang。 This is some madness of Rosita's；
surely；〃 he continued with a forced laugh。
〃Does this mean that you think better of your promise？〃 asked
Blandford； dryly。
〃I said I was at your service；〃 said Demorest； reproachfully。
〃Then hear my plan to prevent it； and yet take that dog in the act；〃
said Blandford。 〃But we must first wait here till the last moment
to ascertain if he makes any signal to show that his plan is altered；
or that he has discovered he is watched。〃 He turned； and in his
preoccupation laid his hand for an instant upon Demorest's shoulder
with the absent familiarity of old days。 Unconscious as the action
was； it thrilled them bothfrom its very unconsciousnessand
impelled them to throw themselves into the new alliance with such
feverish and excited activity in order to preclude any dangerous
alien reflection； that when they rose a few moments later and
cautiously left the garden arm…in…arm through the outer gates； no
one would have believed they had ever been estranged； least of all
the clever woman who had separated them。
It was nearly nine o'clock when the two friends； accompanied by the
sheriff of the county； left San Buenaventura turnpike and turned
into a thicket of alders to wait the coming of the carriage they
were to henceforth follow cautiously and unseen in a parallel trail
to the main road。 The moon had risen； and with it the long
withheld wind that now swept over the distant stretch of gleaming
road and partly veiled it at times with flying dust unchecked by
any dew from the clear cold sky。 Demorest shivered even with his
ready hand on his revolver。 Suddenly the sheriff uttered an
exclamation of disgust。
〃Blasted if thar ain't some one in the road between us and their
ambush。〃
〃It's one of their gangscouting。 Lie close。〃
〃Scout be darned。 Look at him bucking round there in the dust。 He
can't even ride！ It's some blasted greenhorn taking a pasear on a
hoss for the first time。 Damnation！ he's ruined everything。
They'll take the alarm。〃
〃I'll push on and clear him out；〃 said Blandford； excitedly。 〃Even
if they're off； I may yet get a shot at the Cherokee。〃
〃Quick then；〃 said Demorest； 〃for here comes the carriage。〃 He
pointed to a dark spot on the road occasionally emerging from the
driven dust clouds。
In another moment Blandford was at the heels of the awkward
horseman； who wheeled clumsily at his approach and revealed the
lank figure of Ezekiel Corwin！
〃You here！〃 said Blandford； in stupefied fury。
〃Wa'al； yes； squire；〃 said Ezekiel lazily； in spite of his uneasy
seat。 〃I kalkilated ef there was suthin' goin' on； I'd like to see
it。〃
〃You cursed prying fool！ you've spoiled all。 There！〃 he shouted
despairingly； as the quick clatter of hoofs rang from the arroyo
behind them； 〃there they go！ That's your work； blockhead！ Out of
my way； or by God〃 but the sentence was left unfinished as；
joined by the sheriff； who had galloped up at the sound of the
robbers' flight； he darted past the unconcerned Ezekiel。 Demorest
would have followed； but Blandford； with a warning cry to him to
remain and protect the carriage； halted him at the side of Corwin
as the vehicle now rapidly approached。
But Ezekiel was before him even then； and as the driver pulled up；
that inquiring man tumbled from his horse； ran to the door and
opened it。 Demorest rode up； glanced into the carriage； and fell
back in blank amazement。
It was his wife who was sitting there alone； pale； erect； and
beautiful。 By some illusion of the moonlight； her face and figure；
covered with soft white wrappings for a journey； looked as he
remembered to have seen her the first night they had met in the
Boston train。 The picture was completed by the traveling bag and
rug that lay on the seat before her。 Another terrible foreboding
seized him； his brain reeled。 Was he going mad？
〃Joan！〃 he stammered。 〃You？ What is the meaning of this？〃
Ezekiel whom but for his dazed condition he might have seen violently
contorting his features in Joan's face； presumably in equal
astonishmentbroke into a series of discordant chuckles。
〃Wa'al； ef that ain't Deacon Salisbury's darter all over。 Ha！ Here
are ye two men folks makin' no end o' fuss to save that Mexican gal
with pistols and ambushes and plots and counterplots； and yer's Joan
Salisbury shows ye the way ha'ow to do it。 And so； ma'am； you
succeeded in fixin' it up with Dona Rosita to take her place and just
sell them robbers cheap！ Wa'al； ma