第44章

Shegrewquieterpresently，andtookawaythehandkerchieffromamouththatsmiledthoughitstillquivered；thenreactionbegan，andhertirednervesbroughtherlanguorandfinallyrepose。Boylewatchedtheshadowsthickenaroundherlonglashesuntiltheylaysoftlyonthefaintflushthatsleepwasbringingtohercheek；herdelicatelipsparted，andherquickbreathatlastcamewiththeregularityofslumber。 Sosheslept，andhe，sittingsilentlyoppositeher，dreamed——theolddreamthatcomestomostgoodmenandtrueonceintheirlives。 Hescarcelymoveduntilthedawnlightenedwithopalthedrearyplain，bringingbackthehorizonandday，whenhewokefromhisdreamwithasigh，andthenalaugh。Thenhelistenedforthesoundofdistanthoofs，andhearingthem，creptnoiselesslyfromthecoach。Acompactbodyofhorsemenwerebearingdownuponit。 Herosequicklytomeetthem，andthrowinguphishand，broughtthemtoahaltatsomedistancefromthecoach。Theyspreadout，resolvingthemselvesintoadozentroopersandasmartyoungcadet- likeofficer。 “IfyouareseekingMissCantire，“hesaidinaquiet，businessliketone，“sheisquitesafeinthecoachandasleep。Sheknowsnothingyetofwhathashappened，andbelievesitisyouwhohavetakeneverythingawayforsecurityagainstanIndianattack。Shehashadaprettyroughnight——whatwithherfatigueandheralarmatthewolves——andIthoughtitbesttokeepthetruthfromheraslongaspossible，andIwouldadviseyoutobreakittohergently。“Hethenbrieflytoldthestoryoftheirexperiences，omittingonlyhisownpersonalencounterwiththeIndian。Anewpride，whichwasperhapstheresultofhisvigil，preventedhim。 Theyoungofficerglancedathimwithasmuchcourtesyasmightbeaffordedtoacivilianintrudinguponactivemilitaryoperations。 “IamsureMajorCantirewillbegreatlyobligedtoyouwhenheknowsit，“hesaidpolitely，“andasweintendtoharnessupandtakethecoachbacktoSageWoodStationimmediately，youwillhaveanopportunityoftellinghim。“ “IamnotgoingbackbythecoachtoSageWood，“saidBoylequietly。“Ihavealreadylosttwelvehoursofmytime——aswellasmytrunk——onthispicnic，andIreckontheleastMajorCantirecandoistoletmetakeoneofyourhorsestothenextstationintimetocatchthedowncoach。Icandoit，ifIsetoutatonce。“ Boyleheardhisname，withthefamiliarprefixof“Dicky，“giventotheofficerbyacommissarysergeant，whomherecognizedashavingmetattheAgency，andthewords“Chicagodrummer“added，whileaperceptiblesmilewentthroughoutthegroup。“Verywell，sir，“ saidtheofficer，withafamiliarityashadelessrespectfulthanhispreviousformalmanner。“Youcantakethehorse，asIbelievetheIndianshavealreadymadefreewithyoursamples。Givehimamount，sergeant。“ Thetwomenwalkedtowardsthecoach。BoylelingeredamomentatthewindowtoshowhimthefigureofMissCantirestillpeacefullyslumberingamongherpileofcushions，andthenturnedquietlyaway。Amomentlaterhewasgallopingononeofthetroopers’ horsesacrosstheemptyplain。 MissCantireawokepresentlytothesoundofafamiliarvoiceandthesightoffiguresthatsheknew。Buttheyoungofficer’sfirstwordsofexplanation——aguardedaccountofthepursuitoftheIndiansandtherecaptureofthearms，suppressingthekillingofFosterandthemailagent——broughtachangetoherbrightenedfaceandawrinkletoherprettybrow。 “ButMr。Boylesaidnothingofthistome，“shesaid，sittingup。 “Whereishe？“ “Alreadyonhiswaytothenextstationononeofourhorses！ Wantedtocatchthedownstageandgetanewboxofsamples，I fancy，asthebraveshadriggedthemselvesoutwithhislacesandribbons。Saidhe’dlosttimeenoughonthispicnic，“returnedtheyoungofficer，withalaugh。“Smartbusinesschap；butIhopehedidn’tboreyou？“ MissCantirefelthercheekflush，andbitherlip。“Ifoundhimmostkindandconsiderate，Mr。Ashford，“shesaidcoldly。“Hemayhavethoughttheescortcouldhavejoinedthecoachalittleearlier，andsavedallthis；buthewastoomuchofagentlemantosayanythingaboutittoME，“sheaddeddryly，withaslightelevationofheraquilinenose。 NeverthelessBoyle’slastwordsstungherdeeply。Tohurryoff，too，withoutsaying“good-by，“orevenaskinghowsheslept！NodoubtheHADlosttime，andwastiredofhercompany，andthoughtmoreofhisprecioussamplesthanofher！Afterall，itwaslikehimtorushoffforanorder！ ShewashalfinclinedtocalltheyoungofficerbackandtellhimhowBoylehadcriticisedhercostumeontheroad。ButMr。Ashfordwasatthattimeentirelypreoccupiedwithhismenaroundaledgeofrockandbushessomeyardsfromthecoach，yetnotsofarawaybutthatshecouldhearwhattheysaid。“I’llsweartherewasnodeadInjinherewhenwecameyesterday！Wesearchedthewholeplace——bydaylight，too——foranysign。TheInjinwaskilledinhistracksbysomeonelastnight。It’slikeDickBoyle，lieutenant，tohavedoneit，andlikehimtohavesaidnothin’tofrightentheyounglady。Heknowswhentokeephismouthshut——andwhentoopenit。“ MissCantiresankbackinhercornerastheofficerturnedandapproachedthecoach。Theincidentofthepastnightflashedbackuponher——Mr。Boyle’slongabsence，hisflushedface，twistednecktie，andenforcedcheerfulness。Shewasshocked，amazed，discomfited——andadmiring！Andthisherohadbeensittingoppositetoher，silentalltherestofthenight！ “DidMr。BoylesayanythingofanIndianattacklastnight？“askedAshford。“Didyouhearanything？“ “Onlythewolveshowling，“saidMissCantire。“Mr。Boylewasawaytwice。“Shewasstrangelyreticent——incomplimentaryimitationofhermissinghero。 “There’sadeadIndianherewhohasbeenkilled，“beganAshford。 “Oh，pleasedon’tsayanythingmore，Mr。Ashford，“interruptedtheyounglady，“butletusgetawayfromthishorridplaceatonce。 Dogetthehorsesin。Ican’tstandit。“ Butthehorseswerealreadyharnessedandmounted，postilion-wise，bythetroopers。ThevehiclewasreadytostartwhenMissCantirecalled“Stop！“ WhenAshfordpresentedhimselfatthedoor，theyoungladywasuponherhandsandknees，searchingthebottomofthecoach。“Oh，dear！ I’velostsomething。Imusthavedroppeditontheroad，“shesaidbreathlessly，withpinkcheeks。“Youmustpositivelywaitandletmegobackandfindit。Iwon’tbelong。Youknowthere’s’nohurry。’“ Mr。AshfordstaredasMissCantireskippedlikeaschoolgirlfromthecoachandrandownthetrailbywhichsheandBoylehadapproachedthecoachthenightbefore。Shehadnotgonefarbeforeshecameuponthewitheredflowershehadthrownawayathercommand。“Itmustbeabouthere，“shemurmured。Suddenlysheutteredacryofdelight，andpickedupthebusinesscardthatBoylehadshownher。Thenshelookedfurtivelyaroundher，and，selectingasprigofmyrtleamongthecast-offflowers，concealeditinhermantleandranback，glowing，tothecoach。“Thankyou！ Allright，I’vefoundit，“shecalledtoAshford，withadazzlingsmile，andleapedinside。 Thecoachdroveon，andMissCantire，aloneinitsrecesses，drewthemyrtlefromhermantleandfoldingitcarefullyinherhandkerchief，placeditinherreticule。Thenshedrewoutthecard，readitsdrylypracticalinformationoverandoveragain，examinedthesoilededges，brushedthemdaintily，andhelditforamoment，witheyesthatsawnot，motionlessinherhand。Thensheraiseditslowlytoherlips，rolleditintoaspiral，and，looseningahookandeye，thrustitgentlyintoherbosom。 AndDickBoyle，gallopingawaytothedistantstation，didnotknowthatthefirststeptowardsarealizationofhisfoolishdreamhadbeentaken！ End