The first time Lance Gardley met Rosa Rogers riding with Archie Forsythe he thought little of it. He knew the girl by sight, because he knew her father in a business way. That she was very young and one of Margaret's pupils was all he knew about her. For the young man he had conceived a strong dislike, but as there was no reason whatever for it he put it out of his mind as quickly as possible.
The second time he met them it was toward evening and they were so wholly absorbed in each other's society that they did not see him until he was close upon them. Forsythe looked up with a frown and a quick hand to his hip1, where gleamed a weapon.
He scarcely returned the slight salute2 given by Gardley, and the two young people touched up their horses and were soon out of sight in the mesquite. But something in the frightened look of the girl's eyes caused Gardley to turn and look after the two.
Where could they be going at that hour of the evening? It was not a trail usually chosen for rides. It was lonely and unfrequented, and led out of the way of travelers. Gardley himself had been a far errand for Jasper Kemp, and had taken this short trail back because it cut off several miles and he was weary. Also, he was anxious to stop in Ashland and leave Mom Wallis's request that Margaret would spend the next Sabbath at the camp and see the new curtains. He was thinking what he should say to her when he saw her in a little while now, and this interruption to his thoughts was unwelcome. Nevertheless, he could not get away from that frightened look in the girl's eyes. Where could they have been going? That fellow was a new-comer in the region; perhaps he had lost his way. Perhaps he did not know that the road he was taking the girl led into a region of outlaws3, and that the only habitation along the way was a cabin belonging to an old woman of weird4 reputation, where wild orgies were sometimes celebrated5, and where men went who loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Twice Gardley turned in his saddle and scanned the desert. The sky was darkening, and one or two pale stars were impatiently shadowing forth6 their presence. And now he could see the two riders again. They had come up out of the mesquite to the top of the mesa, and were outlined against the sky sharply. They were still on the trail to old Ouida's cabin!
With a quick jerk Gardley reined8 in his horse and wheeled about, watching the riders for a moment; and then, setting spurs to his beast, he was off down the trail after them on one of his wild, reckless rides. Down through the mesquite he plunged9, through the darkening grove10, out, and up to the top of the mesa. He had lost sight of his quarry11 for the time, but now he could see them again riding more slowly in the valley below, their horses close together, and even as he watched the sky took on its wide night look and the stars blazed forth.
Suddenly Gardley turned sharply from the trail and made a detour12 through a grove of trees, riding with reckless speed, his head down to escape low branches; and in a minute or two he came with unerring instinct back to the trail some distance ahead of Forsythe and Rosa. Then he wheeled his horse and stopped stock-still, awaiting their coming.
By this time the great full moon was risen and, strangely enough, was at Gardley's back, making a silhouette14 of man and horse as the two riders came on toward him.
They rode out from the cover of the grove, and there he was across their path. Rosa gave a scream, drawing nearer her companion, and her horse swerved15 and reared; but Gardley's black stood like an image carved in ebony against the silver of the moon, and Gardley's quiet voice was in strong contrast to the quick, unguarded exclamation16 of Forsythe, as he sharply drew rein7 and put his hand hastily to his hip for his weapon.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Forsythe"—Gardley had an excellent memory for names—"but I thought you might not be aware, being a new-comer in these parts, that the trail you are taking leads to a place where ladies do not like to go."
"Really! You don't say so!" answered the young man, insolently17. "It is very kind of you, I'm sure, but you might have saved yourself the trouble. I know perfectly18 where I am going, and so does the lady, and we choose to go this way. Move out of the way, please. You are detaining us."
But Gardley did not move out of the way. "I am sure the lady does not know where she is going," he said, firmly. "I am sure that she does not know that it is a place of bad reputation, even in this unconventional land. At least, if she knows, I am sure that her father does not know, and I am well acquainted with her father."
"Get out of the way, sir," said Forsythe, hotly. "It certainly is none of your business, anyway, whoever knows what. Get out of the way or I shall shoot. This lady and I intend to ride where we please."
"Then I shall have to say you cannot," said Gardley; and his voice still had that calm that made his opponent think him easy to conquer.
"This way," said Gardley, lifting a tiny silver whistle to his lips and sending forth a peculiar20, shrilling21 blast. "And this way," went on Gardley, calmly lifting both hands and showing a weapon in each, wherewith he covered the two.
Forsythe lifted his weapon, but looked around nervously23. "Dead men tell no tales," he said, angrily.
"It depends upon the man," said Gardley, meaningly, "especially if he were found on this road. I fancy a few tales could be told if you happened to be the man. Turn your horses around at once and take this lady back to her home. My men are not far off, and if you do not wish the whole story to be known among your friends and hers you would better make haste."
Forsythe dropped his weapon and obeyed. He decidedly did not wish his escapade to be known among his friends. There were financial reasons why he did not care to have it come to the ears of his brother-in-law just now.
Silently in the moonlight the little procession took its way down the trail, the girl and the man side by side, their captor close behind, and when the girl summoned courage to glance fearsomely behind her she saw three more men riding like three grim shadows yet behind. They had fallen into the trail so quietly that she had not heard them when they came. They were Jasper Kemp, Long Bill, and Big Jim. They had been out for other purposes, but without question followed the call of the signal.
It was a long ride back to Rogers's ranch13, and Forsythe glanced nervously behind now and then. It seemed to him that the company was growing larger all the time. He half expected to see a regiment24 each time he turned. He tried hurrying his horse, but when he did so the followers25 were just as close without any seeming effort. He tried to laugh it all off.
"Look here, old fellow, aren't you the man I met on the trail the day Miss Earle went over to the fort? I guess you've made a mistake in your calculations. I was merely out on a pleasure ride with Miss Rogers. We weren't going anywhere in particular, you know. Miss Rogers chose this way, and I wanted to please her. No man likes to have his pleasure interfered28 with, you know. I guess you didn't recognize me?"
"I recognized you," said Gardley. "It would be well for you to be careful where you ride with ladies, especially at night. The matter, however, is one that you would better settle with Mr. Rogers. My duty will be done when I have put it into his hands."
"Now, my good fellow," said Forsythe, patronizingly, "you surely don't intend to make a great fuss about this and go telling tales to Mr. Rogers about a trifling29 matter—"
"I intend to do my duty, Mr. Forsythe," said Gardley; and Forsythe noticed that the young man still held his weapons. "I was set this night to guard Mr. Rogers's property. That I did not expect his daughter would be a part of the evening's guarding has nothing to do with the matter. I shall certainly put the matter into Mr. Rogers's hands."
Rosa began to cry softly.
"Well, if you want to be a fool, of course," laughed Forsythe, disagreeably; "but you will soon see Mr. Rogers will accept my explanation."
"That is for Mr. Rogers to decide," answered Gardley, and said no more.
The reflections of Forsythe during the rest of that silent ride were not pleasant, and Rosa's intermittent30 crying did not tend to make him more comfortable.
The silent procession at last turned in at the great ranch gate and rode up to the house. Just as they stopped and the door of the house swung open, letting out a flood of light, Rosa leaned toward Gardley and whispered:
"Please, Mr. Gardley, don't tell papa. I'll do anything in the world for you if you won't tell papa."
He looked at the pretty, pitiful child in the moonlight. "I'm sorry, Miss Rosa," he said, firmly. "But you don't understand. I must do my duty."
"Then I shall hate you!" she hissed31. "Do you hear? I shall hate you forever, and you don't know what that means. It means I'll take my revenge on you and on everybody you like."
He looked at her half pityingly as he swung off his horse and went up the steps to meet Mr. Rogers, who had come out and was standing32 on the top step of the ranch-house in the square of light that flickered33 from a great fire on the hearth34 of the wide fireplace. He was looking from one to another of the silent group, and as his eyes rested on his daughter he said, sternly:
"Why, Rosa, what does this mean? You told me you were going to bed with a headache!"
Gardley drew his employer aside and told what had happened in a few low-toned sentences; and then stepped down and back into the shadow, his horse by his side, the three men from the camp grouped behind him. He had the delicacy35 to withdraw after his duty was done.
Mr. Rogers, his face stern with sudden anger and alarm, stepped down and stood beside his daughter. "Rosa, you may get down and go into the house to your own room. I will talk with you later," he said. And then to the young man, "You, sir, will step into my office. I wish to have a plain talk with you."
A half-hour later Forsythe came out of the Rogers house and mounted his horse, while Mr. Rogers stood silently and watched him.
"I will bid you good evening, sir," he said, formally, as the young man mounted his horse and silently rode away. His back had a defiant36 look in the moonlight as he passed the group of men in the shadow; but they did not turn to watch him.
"That will be all to-night, Gardley, and I thank you very much," called the clear voice of Mr. Rogers from his front steps.
The four men mounted their horses silently and rode down a little distance behind the young man, who wondered in his heart just how much or how little Gardley had told Rosa's father.
The interview to which young Forsythe had just been subjected had been chastening in character, of a kind to baffle curiosity concerning the father's knowledge of details, and to discourage any further romantic rides with Miss Rosa. It had been left in abeyance37 whether or not the Temples should be made acquainted with the episode, dependent upon the future conduct of both young people. It had not been satisfactory from Forsythe's point of view; that is, he had not been so easily able to disabuse38 the father's mind of suspicion, nor to establish his own guileless character as he had hoped; and some of the remarks Rogers made led Forsythe to think that the father understood just how unpleasant it might become for him if his brother-in-law found out about the escapade.
This is why Archie Forsythe feared Lance Gardley, although there was nothing in the least triumphant39 about the set of that young man's shoulders as he rode away in the moonlight on the trail toward Ashland. And this is how it came about that Rosa Rogers hated Lance Gardley, handsome and daring though he was; and because of him hated her teacher, Margaret Earle.
"You look tired," said the girl, compassionately41, as she saw the haggard shadows on the young face, showing in spite of the light of pleasure in his eyes. "You look very tired. What in the world have you been doing?"
"I went out to catch cattle-thieves," he said, with a sigh, "but I found there were other kinds of thieves abroad. It's all in the day's work. I'm not tired now." And he smiled at her with beautiful reverence42.
Margaret, as she watched him, could not help thinking that the lines in his face had softened43 and strengthened since she had first seen him, and her eyes let him know that she was glad he had come.
"And so you will really come to us, and it isn't going to be asking too much?" he said, wistfully. "You can't think what it's going to be to the men—to us! And Mom Wallis is so excited she can hardly get her work done. If you had said no I would be almost afraid to go back." He laughed, but she could see there was deep earnestness under his tone.
"Indeed I will come," said Margaret. "I'm just looking forward to it. I'm going to bring Mom Wallis a new bonnet44 like one I made for mother; and I'm going to teach her how to make corn gems45 and steamed apple dumplings. I'm bringing some songs and some music for the violin; and I've got something for you to help me do, too, if you will?"
He smiled tenderly down on her. What a wonderful girl she was, to be willing to come out to the old shack46 among a lot of rough men and one uncultured old woman and make them happy, when she was fit for the finest in the land!
"You're wonderful!" he said, taking her hand with a quick pressure for good-by. "You make every one want to do his best."
He hurried out to his horse and rode away in the moonlight. Margaret went up to her "mountain window" and watched him far out on the trail, her heart swelling47 with an unnamed gladness over his last words.
"Oh, God, keep him, and help him to make good!" she prayed.
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1
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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2
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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3
outlaws
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| 歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯 | |
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4
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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5
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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6
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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7
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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8
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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9
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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10
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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11
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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12
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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13
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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14
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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15
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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17
insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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18
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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19
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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21
shrilling
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的现在分词 )； 凄厉 | |
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cowering
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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23
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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24
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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26
placate
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| v.抚慰，平息(愤怒) | |
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27
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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28
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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29
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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30
intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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31
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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32
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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33
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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35
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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36
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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37
abeyance
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| n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定 | |
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38
disabuse
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| v.解惑；矫正 | |
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39
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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40
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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41
compassionately
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| adv.表示怜悯地，有同情心地 | |
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42
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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43
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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44
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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45
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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46
shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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47
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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