whirligigs-第32节
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The song was a lyric of merit。 The words were non…
sense； as befitted the play； but the music was worthy of
something better。 Delmars struck into it in a rich tenor
that owned a quality that shamed the flippant words。
During one verse of the song the wood nymph per…
formed the grotesque evolutions designed for the scene。
At the middle of the second verse she stood still； with a
strange look on her face； seeming to gaze dreamily into
the depths of the scenic forest。 The gorilla's last leap
had brought him to her feet； and there he knelt； holding
her hand； until he had finished the haunting…lyric that
was set in the absurd comedy like a diamond in a piece
of putty。
When Delmars ceased Miss Carroll started； and
covered a sudden flow of tears with both hands。
〃There！〃 cried the playwright； gesticulating with
violence； 〃there you have it； sergeant。 For two weeks
she has spoiled that scene in just that manner at every
performance。 I have begged her to consider that it is
not Ophelia or Juliet that she is playing。 Do you wonder
now at our impatience？ Tears for the gorilla song！
The play is lost！〃
Out of her bewitchment； whatever it was； the wood
nymph flared suddenly； and pointed a desperate finger
at Delmars。
〃It is you you who have done this；〃 she cried
wildly。 〃You never sang that song that way until lately。
It is your doing。〃
〃I give it up；〃 said the sergeant。
And then the gray…haired matron of the police station
came forward from behind the sergeant's chair。
〃Must an old woman teach you all？〃 she said。 She
went up to Miss Carroll and took her hand。
〃The man's wearing his heart out for you； my dear。
Couldn't you tell it the first note you heard him sing？
All of his monkey flip…flops wouldn't have kept it
from me。 Must you be deaf as well as blind？ That's
why you couldn't act your part； child。 Do you
love him or must he be a gorilla for the rest of his
days？〃
Miss Carroll whirled around and caught Delmars
with a lightning glance of her eye。 He came toward her；
melancholy。
〃Did you hear； Mr。 Delmars？〃 she asked； with a
catching breath。
〃I did；〃 said the comedian。 〃It is true。 I didn't
think there was any use。 I tried to let you know with
the song。〃
〃Silly！〃 said the matron； 〃why didn't you speak？〃
〃No； no；〃 cried the wood nymph； 〃his way was the
best。 I didn't know； but it was just what I wanted；
Bobby。〃
She sprang like a green grasshopper； and the comedian
opened his arms； and smiled。
〃Get out of this；〃 roared the desk sergeant to the
waiting waiter from the restaurant。 〃There's nothing
doing here for you。〃
ONE DOLLAR'S WORTH
The judge of the United States court of the district
lying along the Rio Grande border found the following
letter one morning in his mail：
JUDGE：
When you sent me up for four years you made a talk。
Among other hard things； you called me a rattlesnake。
Maybe I am one anyhow； you hear me rattling now。
One year after I got to the pen； my daughter died of
well； they said it was poverty and the disgrace together。
You've got a daughter； Judge； and I'm going to make
you know how it feels to lose one。 And I'm going to
bite that district attorney that spoke against me。 I'm
free now； and I guess I've turned to rattlesnake all right。
I feel like one。 I don't say much； but this is my rattle。
Look out when I strike。
Yours respectfully；
RATTLESNAKE。
Judge Derwent threw the letter carelessly aside。 It
was nothing new to receive such epistles from desperate
men whom he had been called upon to judge。 He felt
no alarm。 Later on he showed the letter to Littlefield；
the young district attorney； for Littlefield's name was
included in the threat； and the judge was punctilious in
matters between himself and his fellow men。
Littlefield honoured the rattle of the writer； as far as
it concerned himself； with a smile of contempt； but he
frowned a little over the reference to the Judge's daughter；
for he and Nancy Derwent were to be married in the
fall。
Littlefield went to the clerk of the court and looked
over the records with him。 They decided that the letter
might have been sent by Mexico Sam； a half…breed border
desperado who had been imprisoned for manslaughter
four years before。 Then official duties crowded the mat…
ter from his mind； and the rattle of the revengeful serpent
was forgotten。
Court was in session at Brownsville。 Most of the cases
to be tried were charges of smuggling； counterfeiting；
post…office robberies； and violations of Federal laws along
the border。 One case was that of a young Mexican；
Rafael Ortiz； who had been rounded up by a clever
deputy marshal in the act of passing a counterfeit silver
dollar。 He had been suspected of many such deviations
from rectitude； but this was the first time that anything
provable had been fixed upon him。 Ortiz languished
cozily in jail； smoking brown cigarettes and waiting for
trial。 Kilpatrick； the deputy； brought the counterfeit
dollar and handed it to the district attorney in his office
in the court…house。 The deputy and a reputable druggist
were prepared to swear that Ortiz paid for a bottle of
medicine with it。 The coin was a poor counterfeit； soft；
dull…looking； and made principally of lead。 It was the
day before the morning on which the docket would reach
the case of Ortiz； and the district attorney was preparing
himself for trial。
〃Not much need of having in high…priced experts to
prove the coin's queer； is there； Kil？〃 smiled Littlefield；
as he thumped the dollar down upon the table； where it
fell with no more ring than would have come from a lump
of putty。
〃I guess the Greaser's as good as behind the bars；〃
said the deputy； easing up his holsters。 〃You've got
him dead。 If it had been just one time； these Mexicans
can't tell good money from bad； but this little yaller
rascal belongs to a gang of counterfeiters； I know。 This
is the first time I've been able to catch him doing the trick。
He's got a girl down there in them Mexican jacals on
the river bank。 I seen her one day when I was watching
him。 She's as pretty as a red heifer in a flower bed。〃
Littlefield shoved the counterfeit dollar into his pocket；
and slipped his memoranda of the case into an envelope。
Just then a bright； winsome face； as frank and jolly as
a boy's； appeared in the doorway； and in walked Nancy
Derwent。
〃Oh； Bob； didn't court adjourn at twelve to…day until
to…morrow？〃 she asked of Littlefield。
〃It did；〃 said the district attorney； 〃and I'm very glad
of it。 I've got a lot of rulings to look up； and 〃
〃Now； that's just like you。 I wonder you and father
don't turn to law books or rulings or something！ I
want you to take me out plover…shooting this afternoon。
Long Prairie is just alive with them。 Don't say no；
please！ I want to try my new twelve…bore hammerless。
I've sent to the livery stable to engage Fly and Bess for
the buckboard； they stand fire so nicely。 I was sure you
would go。〃
They were to be married in the fall。 The glamour was
at its height。 The plovers won the day or； rather； the
afternoon over the calf…bound authorities。 Littlefield
began to put his papers away。
There was a knock at the door。 Kilpatrick answered
it。 A beautiful； dark…eyed girl with a skin tinged with
the faintest lemon colour walked into the room。 A black
shawl was thrown over her head and wound once around
her neck。
She began to talk in Spanish； a voluble； mournful
stream of melancholy music。 Littlefield did not under…
stand Spanish。 The deputy did； and he translated her
talk by portions； at intervals holding up his hand to check
the flow of her words。
〃She came to see you； Mr。 Littlefield。 Her name's
Joya Trevi馻s。 She wants to see you about well；
she's mixed up with that Rafael Ortiz。 She's his she's
his girl。 She says he's innocent。 She says she made
the money and got him to pass it。 Don't you believe
her； Mr。 Little…field。 That's the way with these Mexi…
can girls； they'll lie； steal； or kill for a fellow when they
get stuck on him。 Never trust a woman that's in love！〃
〃Mr。 Kilpatrick！〃
Nancy Derwent's indignant exclamation caused the
deputy to flounder for a moment in attempting to explain
that he had misquoted his own sentiments； and then he
event on with the translation：
〃She says she's willing to take his place in the jail if
you'll let him out。 She says she was down sick with the
fever； and the doctor said she'd die if she didn't have
medicine。 That's why he passed the lead dollar on the
drug store。 She says it saved her life。 This Rafal。
seems to be her honey； all right； there's a lot of stuff in
her talk abou
