the woman in the alcove-第15节

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a　of　sky　and　mountain　stretched　out　before　him。　It　was　glorious；　whether　seen　at　morning；　noon　or　night；　glorious。　But　I　doubt　if　he　would　not　gladly　have　exchanged　it　for　a　sight　of　his　home　walls。

As　I　started　to　go；　a　stir　took　place　in　the　blanket　wrapped　about　his　chin；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　iron…gray　head　and　hollow　cheeks　of　the　great　financier。　He　was　a　very　sick　man。　Even　I　could　see　that。　Had　I　obtained　the　permission　I　sought　and　been　allowed　to　ask　him　one　of　the　many　questions　burning　on　my　tongue；　I　should　have　received　only　delirium　for　reply。　There　was　no　reaching　that　clouded　intelligence　now；　and　I　felt　grateful　to　the　doctor　for　convincing　me　of　it。

I　told　him　so　and　thanked　him　quite　warmly　when　we　were　well　away　from　the　tent；　and　his　answer　was　almost　kindly；　though　he　made　no　effort　to　hide　his　impatience　and　anxiety　to　see　me　go。　The　looks　he　cast　at　the　sun　were　significant；　and；　having　no　wish　to　antagonize　him　and　every　wish　to　visit　the　spot　again；　I　moved　toward　my　horse　with　the　intention　of　untying　him。

To　my　surprise　the　doctor　held　me　back。

〃You　can't　go　to…night；〃　said　he；　〃your　horse　has　hurt　himself。〃

It　was　true。　There　was　something　the　matter　with　the　animal's　left　forefoot。　As　the　doctor　lifted　it；　the　manager　came　up。　He　agreed　with　the　doctor。　I　could　not　make　the　descent　to　Santa　Fe　on　that　horse　that　night。　Did　I　feel　elated？　Rather。　I　had　no　wish　to　descend。　Yet　I　was　far　from　foreseeing　what　the　night　was　to　bring　me。

I　was　turned　over　to　the　manager；　but　not　without　a　final　injunction　from　the　doctor。　〃Not　a　word　to　any　one　about　your　errand！　Not　a　word　about　the　New　York　tragedy；　as　you　value　Mr。　Fairbrother's　life。〃

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　I。

Then　he　left　me。

To　see　the　sun　go　down　and　the　moon　come　up　from　a　ledge　hung；　as　it　were；　in　mid　air！　The　experience　was　novelbut　I　refrain。　I　have　more　important　matters　to　relate。

I　was　given　a　bunk　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　long　sleeping…tent；　and　turned　in　with　the　rest。　I　expected　to　sleep；　but　on　finding　that　I　could　catch　a　sight　of　the　sick　tent　from　under　the　canvas；　I　experienced　such　fascination　in　watching　this　forbidden　spot　that　midnight　came　before　I　had　closed　my　eyes。　Then　all　desire　to　sleep　left　me；　for　the　patient　began　to　moan　and　presently　to　talk；　and；　the　stillness　of　the　solitary　height　being　something　abnormal；　I　could　sometimes　catch　the　very　words。　Devoid　as　they　were　of　all　rational　meaning；　they　excited　my　curiosity　to　the　burning　point；　for　who　could　tell　if　he　might　not　say　something　bearing　on　the　mystery？

But　that　fevered　mind　had　recurred　to　early　scenes　and　the　babble　which　came　to　my　ears　was　all　of　mining　camps　in　the　Rockies　and　the　dicker　of　horses。　Perhaps　the　uneasy　movement　of　my　horse　pulling　at　the　end　of　his　tether　had　disturbed　him。　Perhaps

But　at　the　inner　utterance　of　the　second　〃perhaps〃　I　found　myself　up　on　my　elbow　listening　with　all　my　ears；　and　staring　with　wide…stretched　eyes　at　the　thicket　of　stunted　trees　where　the　road　debouched　on　the　platform。　Something　was　astir　there　besides　my　horse。　I　could　catch　sounds　of　an　unmistakable　nature。　A　rider　was　coming　up　the　trail。

Slipping　back　into　my　place；　I　turned　toward　the　doctor；　who　lay　some　two　or　three　bunks　nearer　the　opening。　He　had　started　up；　too；　and　in　a　moment　was　out　of　the　tent。　I　do　not　think　he　had　observed　my　action；　for　it　was　very　dark　where　I　lay　and　his　back　had　been　turned　toward　me。　As　for　the　others；　they　slept　like　the　dead；　only　they　made　more　noise。

Interestedeverything　is　interesting　at　such　a　heightI　brought　my　eye　to　bear　on　the　ledge；　and　soon　saw　by　the　limpid　light　of　a　full　moon　the　stiff；　short　branches　of　the　trees；　on　which　my　gaze　was　fixed；　give　way　to　an　advancing　horse　and　rider。

〃Halloo！〃　saluted　the　doctor　in　a　whisper；　which　was　in　itself　a　warning。　〃Easy　there！　We　have　sickness　in　this　camp　and　it's　a　late　hour　for　visitors。〃

〃I　know？'

The　answer　was　subdued；　but　earnest。

〃I'm　the　magistrate　of　this　district。　I've　a　question　to　ask　this　sick　man；　on　behalf　of　the　New　York　Chief　of　Police；　who　is　a　personal　friend　of　mine。　It　is　connected　with〃

〃Hush！〃

The　doctor　had　seized　him　by　the　arm　and　turned　his　face　away　from　the　sick　tent。　Then　the　two　heads　came　together　and　an　argument　began。

I　could　not　hear　a　word　of　it；　but　their　motions　were　eloquent。　My　sympathy　was　with　the　magistrate；　of　course；　and　I　watched　eagerly　while　he　passed　a　letter　over　to　the　doctor；　who　vainly　strove　to　read　it　by　the　light　of　the　moon。　Finding　this　impossible；　he　was。　about　to　return　it；　when　the　other　struck　a　match　and　lit　a　lantern　hanging　from　the　horn　of　his　saddle。　The　two　heads　came　together　again；　but　as　quickly　separated　with　every　appearance　of　irreconcilement；　and　I　was　settling　back　with　sensations　of　great　disappointment；　when　a　sound　fell　on　the　night　so　unexpected　to　all　concerned　that　with　a　common　impulse　each　eye　sought　the　sick　tent。

〃Water！　will　some　one　give　me　water？〃　a　voice　had　cried；　quietly　and　with　none　of　the　delirium　which　had　hitherto　rendered　it　unnatural。

The　doctor　started　for　the　tent。　There　was　the　quickness　of　surprise　in　his　movement　and　the　gesture　he　made　to　the　magistrate；　as　he　passed　in；　reawakened　an　expectation　in　my　breast　which　made　me　doubly　watchful。

Providence　was　intervening　in　our　favor；　and　I　was　not　surprised　to　see　him　presently　reissue　with　the　nurse；　whom　he　drew　into　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　where　they　had　a　short　conference。　If　she　returned　alone　into　the　tent　after　this　conference　I　should　know　that　the　matter　was　at　an　end　and　that　the　doctor　had　decided　to　maintain　his　authority　against　that　of　the　magistrate。　But　she　remained　outside　and　the　magistrate　was　invited　to　join　their　council；　when　they　again　left　the　shadow　of　the　trees　it　was　to　approach　the　tent。

The　magistrate；　who　was　in　the　rear；　could　not　have　more　than　passed　the　opening；　but　I　thought　him　far　enough　inside　not　to　detect　any　movement　on　my　part；　so　I　took　advantage　of　the　situation　to　worm　myself　out　of　my　corner　and　across　the　ledge　to　where　the　tent　made　a　shadow　in　the　moonlight。

Crouching　close；　and　laying　my　ear　against　the　canvas；　I　listened。

The　nurse　was　speaking　in　a　gently　persuasive　tone。　I　imagined　her　kneeling　by　the　head　of　the　patient　and　breathing　words　into　his　ear。　These　were　what　I　heard：

〃You　love　diamonds。　I　have　often　noticed　that；　you　look　so　long　at　the　ring　on　your　hand。　That　is　why　I　have　let　it　stay　there；　though　at　times　I　have　feared　it　would　drop　off　and　roll　away　over　the　adobe　down　the　mountain…side。　Was　I　right？〃

〃Yes；　yes。〃　The　words　came　with　difficulty；　but　they　were　clear　enough。　〃It's　of　small　value。　I　like　it　because〃

He　appeared　to　be　too　weak　to　finish。

A　pause；　during　which　she　seemed　to　edge　nearer　to　him。

〃We　all　have　some　pet　keepsake；〃　said　she。　〃But　I　should　never　have　supposed　this　stone　of　yours　an　inexpensive　one。　But　I　forget　that　you　are　the　owner　of　a　very　large　and　remarkable　diamond；　a　diamond　that　is　spoken　of　sometimes　in　the　papers。　Of　course；　if　you　have　a　gem　like　that；　this　one　must　appear　very　small　and　valueless　to　you。〃

〃Yes；　this　is　nothing；　nothing。〃　And　he　appeared　to　turn　away　his　head。

〃Mr。　Fairbrother！　Pardon　me；　but　I　want　to　tell　you　something　about　that　big　diamond　of　yours。　You　have　been　in　and　have　not　been　able　to　read　your　letters；　so　do　not　know　that　your　wife　has　had　some　trouble　with　that　diamond。　People　have　said　that　it　is　not　a　real　stone；　but　a　well…executed　imitation。　May　I　write　to　her　that　this　is　a　mistake；　that　it　is　all　you　have　ever　claimed　for　itthat　is；　an　unusually　large　diamond　of　the　first　water？〃

I　listened　in　amazement。　Surely；　this　was　an　insidious　way　to　get　at　the　truth；a　woman's　way；　but　who　would　say　it　was　not　a　wise　one；　the　wisest；　perhaps；　which　could　be　taken　under　the　circumstances？　What　would　his　reply　be？　Would　it　show　that　he　was　as　ignorant　of　his　wife's　death　as　was　generally　believed；　both　by　those　about　him　here　and　those　who　knew　him　well　in　New　York？　Or　would　the　question　convey　nothing　further　to　him　than　the　doubtin　itself　an　insult　of　the　genuineness　of　that　great　stone　which　had　been　his　pride？

A　murmurthat　was　all　it　could　be　calledbroke　from　his　fever…dried　lips　and　died　away　in　an　inarticulate　gasp。　Then；　suddenly；　sharply；　a　cry　broke　from　him；　an　intelligible　cry；　and　we　heard　him　say：

〃No　imitation！　no　imitation！　It　was　a　sun！　a　glory！　No　other　like　it！　It　lit　the　air！　it　blazed；　it　burned！　I　see　it　now！　I　see〃

There　the　passion　succumbed；　the　strength　failed；　another　murmur；　another；　and　the　great　void　of　night　which　stretched　overI　might　almost　say　under　uswas　no　more　quiet　or　seemingly　impenetrable　than　the　silence　of　that　moon…enveloped　tent

Would　he　speak　again？　I　did　not　think　so。　Would　she　even　try　to　make　him？　I　did　not　think　this；　either。　But　I　did　not　know　the　woman。

Softly　her　voice　rose　again。　There　was　a　dominating　insistence　in　her　tones；　gentle　as　they　were；　the　insistence　of　a　healthy　mind　which　seeks　to　control　a　weakened　one。

〃You　do　not　know　of　any　imitation；　then？　It　was　the　real　stone　you　gave　her。　You　are　sure　of　it；　you　would　b