She came out into view of the house. And again she paused. It was like a palace to Kate, that great white facade6 and the Doric columns of the veranda7. She had always thought that the house of her father was a big and stable house; compared with this, it was a shack8, a lean-to, a veritable hovel. And the confidence which had been hers during the hard ride of two days across the mountains grew weaker. How could she talk to the woman who owned such an establishment as this? How could she even gain access to her?
On a broad, level terrace below the house men were busy with plows9 and scrapers smoothing the ground; she circled around them, and brought her horse to a stop before the veranda. Two men sat on it, one white-haired, hawk-faced, spreading a broad blueprint10 before the other; and this man was middle-aged11, with a sleek12, young face. A very good-looking fellow, she thought.
"Maybe you-all could tell me," said Kate Pollard, lounging in the saddle, "where I'll find the lady that owns this here place?"
It seemed to her that the sleek-faced man flushed a little.
"If you wish to talk to the owner," he said crisply, and barely touching13 his hat to her, "I'll do your business. What is it? Cattle lost over the Blue Mountains again? No strays have come down into the valley."
"H'm," said the other. "A man?" His attention quickened. "What man?"
"Terry Hollis."
She could see him start. She could also see that he endeavored to conceal15 it. And she did not know whether she liked or disliked that quick start and flush. There was something either of guilt16 or of surprise remarkably17 strong in it. He rose from his chair, leaving the blueprint fluttering in the hands of his companion alone.
"I am Vance Cornish," he told her. She could feel his eyes prying18 at her as though he were trying to get at her more accurately19. "What's Hollis been up to now?"
He turned and explained carelessly to his companion: "That's the young scapegrace I told you about, Waters. Been raising Cain again, I suppose." He faced the girl again.
"A good deal of it," she answered. "Yes, he's been making quite a bit of trouble."
"I'm sorry for that, really," said Vance. "But we are not responsible for him."
"I suppose you ain't," said Kate Pollard slowly. "But I'd like to talk to the lady of the house."
"Very sorry," and again he looked in his sharp way—like a fox, she thought—and then glanced away as though there were no interest in her or her topic. "Very sorry, but my sister is in—er—critically declining health. I'm afraid she cannot see you."
This repulse20 made Kate thoughtful. She was not used to such bluff21 talk from men, however smooth or rough the exterior22 might be. And under the quiet of Vance she sensed an opposition23 like a stone wall.
"I guess you ain't a friend of Terry's?"
"I'd hardly like to put it strongly one way or the other. I know the boy, if that's what you mean."
"It ain't." She considered him again. And again she was secretly pleased to see him stir under the cool probe of her eyes. "How long did you live with Terry?"
"He was with us twenty-four years." He turned and explained casually24 to Waters. "He was taken in as a foundling, you know. Quite against my advice. And then, at the end of the twenty-four years, the bad blood of his father came out, and he showed himself in his true colors. Fearful waste of time to us all—of course, we had to turn him out."
"Of course," nodded Waters sympathetically, and he looked wistfully down at his blueprint.
"Twenty-four years you lived with Terry," said the girl softly, "and you don't like him, I see."
Instantly and forever he was damned in her eyes. Anyone who could live twenty-four years with Terry Hollis and not discover his fineness was beneath contempt.
"I'll tell you," she said. "I've got to see Miss Elizabeth Cornish."
"H'm!" said Vance. "I'm afraid not. But—just what have you to tell her?"
The girl smiled.
"If I could tell you that, I wouldn't have to see her."
He rubbed his chin with his knuckles25, staring at the floor of the veranda, and now and then raising quick glances at her. Plainly he was suspicious. Plainly, also, he was tempted26 in some manner.
It was quite plain that this man actually wanted her to have something unpleasant to say about Terry. Instantly she suited herself to his mood; for he was the door through which she must pass to see Elizabeth Cornish.
"Bad?" she said, hardening her expression as much as possible. "Well, bad enough. A killing28 to begin with."
There was a gleam in his eyes—a gleam of positive joy, she was sure, though he banished29 it at once and shook his head in deprecation.
"Well, well! As bad as that? I suppose you may see my sister. For a moment. Just a moment. She is not well. I wish I could understand your purpose!"
The last was more to himself than to her. But she was already off her horse. The man with the blueprint glared at her, and she passed across the veranda and into the house, where Vance showed her up the big stairs. At the door of his sister's room he paused again and scrutinized30.
"A killing—by Jove!" he murmured to himself, and then knocked.
A dull voice called from within, and he opened. Kate found herself in a big, solemn room, in one corner of which sat an old woman wrapped to the chin in a shawl. The face was thin and bleak31, and the eyes that looked at Kate were dull.
"This girl—" said Vance. "By Jove, I haven't asked your name, I'm afraid."
"Kate Pollard."
"Miss Pollard has some news of Terry. I thought it might—interest you,
Elizabeth."
Kate saw the brief struggle on the face of the old woman. When it passed, her eyes were as dull as ever, but her voice had become husky.
"I'm surprised, Vance. I thought you understood—his name is not to be spoken, if you please."
"Of course not. Yet I thought—never mind. If you'll step downstairs with me, Miss Pollard, and tell me what—"
"Not a step," answered the girl firmly, and she had not moved her eyes from the face of the elder woman. "Not a step with you. What I have to say has got to be told to someone who loves Terry Hollis. I've found that someone. I stick here till I've done talking."
Vance Cornish gasped34. But Elizabeth opened her eyes, and they brightened—but coldly, it seemed to Kate.
"I think I understand," said Elizabeth Cornish gravely. "He has entangled35 the interest of this poor girl—and sent her to plead for him. Is that so? If it's money he wants, let her have what she asks for, Vance. But I can't talk to her of the boy."
"Very well," said Vance, without enthusiasm. He stepped before her. "Will you step this way, Miss Pollard?"
"Not a step," she repeated, and deliberately36 sat down in a chair. "You'd better leave," she told Vance.
He considered her in open anger. "If you've come to make a scene, I'll have to let you know that on account of my sister I cannot endure it. Really—" "I'm going to stay here," she echoed, "until I've done talking. I've found the right person. I know that. Tell you what I want? Why, you hate Terry Hollis!"
"Hate—him?" murmured Elizabeth.
"Nonsense!" cried Vance.
"Look at his face, Miss Cornish," said the girl.
"Vance, by everything that's sacred, your eyes were positively37 shrinking.
Do you hate—him?"
"My dear Elizabeth, if this unknown—"
"You'd better leave," interrupted the girl. "Miss Cornish is going to hear me talk."
Before he could answer, his sister said calmly: "I think I shall, Vance.
"In the first place," he blurted39 angrily, "it's something you shouldn't hear—some talk about a murder—"
Elizabeth sank back in her chair and closed her eyes.
"Ah, coward!" cried Kate Pollard, now on her feet.
"Vance, will you leave me for a moment?"
For a moment he was white with malice40, staring at the girl, then suddenly submitting to the inevitable41, turned on his heel and left the room.
"Now," said Elizabeth, sitting erect42 again, "what is it? Why do you insist on talking to me of—him? And—what has he done?"
In spite of her calm, a quiver of emotion was behind the last words, and nothing of it escaped Kate Pollard.
"I knew," she said gently, "that two people couldn't live with Terry for twenty-four years and both hate him, as your brother does. I can tell you very quickly why I'm here, Miss Cornish."
"But first—what has he done?"
Kate hesitated. Under the iron self-control of the older woman she saw the hungry heart, and it stirred her. Yet she was by no means sure of a triumph. She recognized the most formidable of all foes—pride. After all, she wanted to humble43 that pride. She felt that all the danger in which Terry Hollis now stood, both moral and physical, was indirectly44 the result of this woman's attitude. And she struck her, deliberately cruelly.
"He's taken up with a gang of hard ones, Miss Cornish. That's one thing."
The face of Elizabeth was like stone.
"Professional—thieves, robbers!"
"He went into a town and killed the best fighter they had."
And even this blow did not tell.
"And then he defied the sheriff, went back to the town, and broke into a bank and stole fifty thousand dollars."
The smile wavered and went out, but still the dull eyes of Elizabeth were steady enough. Though perhaps that dullness was from pain. And Kate, waiting eagerly, was chagrined46 to see that she had not broken through to any softness of emotion. One sign of grief and trembling was all she wanted before she made her appeal; but there was no weakness in Elizabeth Cornish, it seemed.
"You see I am listening," she said gravely and almost gently. "Although I am really not well. And I hardly see the point of this long recital47 of crimes. It was because I foresaw what he would become that I sent him away."
"Miss Cornish, why'd you take him in in the first place?"
"It's a long story," said Elizabeth.
"I'm a pretty good listener," said Kate.
Elizabeth Cornish looked away, as though she hesitated to touch on the subject, or as though it were too unimportant to be referred to at length.
"In brief, I saw from a hotel window Black Jack48, his father, shot down in the street; heard about the infant son he left, and adopted the child—on a bet with my brother. To see if blood would tell or if I could make him a fine man."
She paused.
"My brother won the bet!"
"And, of course, I sent Terry away. I have forgotten him, really. Just a bad experiment."
Kate Pollard flushed.
"You'll never forget him," she said firmly. "You think of him every day!"
The elder woman started and looked sharply at her visitor. Then she dismissed the idea with a shrug50.
"That's absurd. Why should I think of him?"
There is a spirit of prophecy in most women, old or young; and especially they have a way of looking through the flesh of their kind and seeing the heart. Kate Pollard came a little closer to her hostess.
Elizabeth dreamed into the vague distance.
"Riding down the street with his hair blowing—long black hair, you know," she reminisced. "And holding the crowd back as one would hold back a crowd of curs. Then—he was shot from the side by a man in concealment52. That was how he fell!"
"I knew," murmured the girl, nodding. "Miss Cornish, I know now why you took in Terry."
"Ah?"
"Not because of a bet—but because you—you loved Black Jack Hollis!"
It brought an indrawn gasp33 from Elizabeth. Rather of horror than surprise. But the girl went on steadily53:
"I know. You saw him with his hair blowing, fighting his way—he rode into your heart. I know, I tell you! Maybe you've never guessed it all these years. But has a single day gone when you haven't thought of the picture?"
The scornful, indignant denial died on the lips of Elizabeth Cornish. She stared at Kate as though she were seeing a ghost.
"Not one day!" cried Kate. "And so you took in Terry, and you raised him and loved him—not for a bet, but because he was Black Jack's son!"
Elizabeth Cornish had grown paler than before. "I mustn't listen to such talk," she said.
"Ah," cried the girl, "don't you see that I have a right to talk? Because
I love him also, and I know that you love him, too."
Elizabeth Cornish came to her feet, and there was a faint flush in her cheeks.
"You love Terry? Ah, I see. And he has sent you!"
"He'd die sooner than send me to you."
"And yet—you came?"
"Don't you see?" pleaded Kate. "He's in a corner. He's about to go—bad!"
"Miss Pollard, how do you know these things?"
"Because I'm the daughter of the leader of the gang!"
She said it without shame, proudly.
"I've tried to keep him from the life he intends leading," said Kate. "I can't turn him. He laughs at me. I'm nothing to him, you see? And he loves the new life. He loves the freedom. Besides, he thinks that there's no hope. That he has to be what his father was before him. Do you know why he thinks that? Because you turned him out. You thought he would turn bad. And he respects you. He still turns to you. Ah, if you could hear him speak of you! He loves you still!"
Elizabeth Cornish dropped back into her chair, grown suddenly weak, and
Kate fell on her knees beside her.
"Don't you see," she said softly, "that no strength can turn Terry back now? He's done nothing wrong. He shot down the man who killed his father. He has killed another man who was a professional bully54 and mankiller. And he's broken into a bank and taken money from a man who deserved to lose it—a wolf of a man everybody hates. He's done nothing really wrong yet, but he will before long. Just because he's stronger than other men. And he doesn't know his strength. And he's fine, Miss Cornish. Isn't he always gentle and—"
"He's just a boy; you can't bend him with strength, but you can win him with love."
"What," gasped Elizabeth, "do you want me to do?"
"Bring him back. Bring him back, Miss Cornish!"
Elizabeth Cornish was trembling.
"But I—if you can't influence him, how can I? You with your beautiful— you are very beautiful, dear child. Ah, very lovely!"
She barely touched the bright hair.
"He doesn't even think of me," said the girl sadly. "But I have no shame. I have let you know everything. It isn't for me. It's for Terry, Miss Cornish. And you'll come? You'll come as quickly as you can? You'll come to my father's house? You'll ask Terry to come back? One word will do it! And I'll hurry back and—keep him there till you come. God give me strength! I'll keep him till you come!"
Outside the door, his ear pressed to the crack, Vance Cornish did not wait to hear more. He knew the answer of Elizabeth before she spoke32. And all his high-built schemes he saw topple about his ears. Grief had been breaking the heart of his sister, he knew. Grief had been bringing her close to the grave. With Terry back, she would regain56 ten years of life. With Terry back, the old life would begin again.
He straightened and staggered down the stairs like a drunken man, clinging to the banister. It was an old-faced man who came out onto the veranda, where Waters was chewing his cigar angrily. At sight of his host he started up. He was a keen man, was Waters. He could sense money a thousand miles away. And it was this buzzard keenness which had brought him to the Cornish ranch2 and made him Vance's right-hand man. There was much money to be spent; Waters would direct and plan the spending, and his commission would not be small.
"Waters," said Vance Cornish, "everything is going up in smoke. That damned girl—Waters, we're ruined."
"Tush!" said Waters, smiling, though he had grown gray. "No one girl can ruin two middle-aged men with our senses developed. Sit down, man, and we'll figure a way out of this."
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收听单词发音
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1
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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facade
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| n.(建筑物的)正面，临街正面；外表 | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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plows
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| n.犁( plow的名词复数 )；犁型铲雪机v.耕( plow的第三人称单数 )；犁耕；费力穿过 | |
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blueprint
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| n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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21
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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22
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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25
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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26
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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27
yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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28
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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29
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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32
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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33
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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35
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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38
intrigued
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| adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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39
blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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41
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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42
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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43
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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44
indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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45
wince
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| n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避 | |
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46
chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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48
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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49
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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50
shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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51
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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52
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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53
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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54
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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55
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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56
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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57
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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