to the last man-第15部分

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best　of　hima　chivalry　that　had　demanded　to　be　killed　by　judgment
of　a　righteous　woman。　　He　was　conscious　of　an　uplift；　a　gladdening
of　his　spirit。　　Yet　the　ache　remained。　　More　than　that；　he　found
himself　plunged　deeper　into　conjecture；　doubt。　　Had　not　the　Ellen
Jorth　incident　ended？　　He　denied　his　father's　indictment　of　her　and
accepted　the　faith　of　his　sister。　　〃Reckon　that's　aboot　all；　as　dad
says；〃　he　soliloquized。　　Yet　was　that　all？　　He　paced　under　the　cedars。
He　watched　the　sun　set。　　He　listened　to　the　coyotes。　　He　lingered
there　after　the　call　for　supper；　until　out　of　the　tumult　of　his
conflicting　emotions　and　ponderings　there　evolved　the　staggering
consciousness　that　he　must　see　Ellen　Jorth　again。



CHAPTER　IV

Ellen　Jorth　hurried　back　into　the　forest；　hotly　resentful　of　the
accident　that　had　thrown　her　in　contact　with　an　Isbel。

Disgust　filled　herdisgust　that　she　had　been　amiable　to　a　member
of　the　hated　family　that　had　ruined　her　father。　　The　surprise　of
this　meeting　did　not　come　to　her　while　she　was　under　the　spell　of
stronger　feeling。　　She　walked　under　the　trees；　swiftly；　with　head
erect；　looking　straight　before　her；　and　every　step　seemed　a　relief。

Upon　reaching　camp；　her　attention　was　distracted　from　herself。　　Pepe；
the　Mexican　boy；　with　the　two　shepherd　dogs；　was　trying　to　drive　sheep
into　a　closer　bunch　to　save　the　lambs　from　coyotes。　　Ellen　loved　the
fleecy；　tottering　little　lambs；　and　at　this　season　she　hated　all　the
prowling　beast　of　the　forest。　　From　this　time　on　for　weeks　the　flock
would　be　besieged　by　wolves；　lions；　bears；　the　last　of　which　were
often　bold　and　dangerous。　　The　old　grizzlies　that　killed　the　ewes
to　eat　only　the　milk…bags　were　particularly　dreaded　by　Ellen。　　She
was　a　good　shot　with　a　rifle；　but　had　orders　from　her　father　to　let
the　bears　alone。　　Fortunately；　such　sheep…killing　bears　were　but　few；
and　were　left　to　be　hunted　by　men　from　the　ranch。　　Mexican　sheep
herders　could　not　be　depended　upon　to　protect　their　flocks　from　bears。
Ellen　helped　Pepe　drive　in　the　stragglers；　and　she　took　several　shots
at　coyotes　skulking　along　the　edge　of　the　brush。　　The　open　glade　in
the　forest　was　favorable　for　herding　the　sheep　at　night；　and　the　dogs
could　be　depended　upon　to　guard　the　flock；　and　in　most　cases　to　drive
predatory　beasts　away。

After　this　task；　which　brought　the　time　to　sunset；　Ellen　had　supper
to　cook　and　eat。　　Darkness　came；　and　a　cool　night　wind　set　in。
Here　and　there　a　lamb　bleated　plaintively。　　With　her　work　done　for
the　day；　Ellen　sat　before　a　ruddy　camp　fire；　and　found　her　thoughts
again　centering　around　the　singular　adventure　that　had　befallen　her。
Disdainfully　she　strove　to　think　of　something　else。　　But　there　was
nothing　that　could　dispel　the　interest　of　her　meeting　with　Jean　Isbel。
Thereupon　she　impatiently　surrendered　to　it；　and　recalled　every　word
and　action　which　she　could　remember。　　And　in　the　process　of　this
meditation　she　came　to　an　action　of　hers；　recollection　of　which
brought　the　blood　tingling　to　her　neck　and　cheeks；　so　unusually
and　burningly　that　she　covered　them　with　her　hands。　　〃What　did　he
think　of　me？〃　she　mused；　doubtfully。　　It　did　not　matter　what　he
thought；　but　she　could　not　help　wondering。　　And　when　she　came　to
the　memory　of　his　kiss　she　suffered　more　than　the　sensation　of
throbbing　scarlet　cheeks。　　Scornfully　and　bitterly　she　burst　out；
〃Shore　he　couldn't　have　thought　much　good　of　me。〃

The　half　hour　following　this　reminiscence　was　far　from　being　pleasant。
Proud；　passionate；　strong…willed　Ellen　Jorth　found　herself　a　victim　of
conflicting　emotions。　　The　event　of　the　day　was　too　close。　　She　could
not　understand　it。　　Disgust　and　disdain　and　scorn　could　not　make　this
meeting　with　Jean　Isbel　as　if　it　had　never　been。　　Pride　could　not　efface
it　from　her　mind。　　The　more　she　reflected；　the　harder　she　tried　to
forget；　the　stronger　grew　a　significance　of　interest。　　And　when　a　hint
of　this　dawned　upon　her　consciousness　she　resented　it　so　forcibly　that
she　lost　her　temper；　scattered　the　camp　fire；　and　went　into　the　little
teepee　tent　to　roll　in　her　blankets。

Thus　settled　snug　and　warm　for　the　night；　with　a　shepherd　dog　curled
at　the　opening　of　her　tent；　she　shut　her　eyes　and　confidently　bade
sleep　end　her　perplexities。　　But　sleep　did　not　come　at　her　invitation。
She　found　herself　wide　awake；　keenly　sensitive　to　the　sputtering　of
the　camp　fire；　the　tinkling　of　bells　on　the　rams；　the　bleating　of　lambs；
the　sough　of　wind　in　the　pines；　and　the　hungry　sharp　bark　of　coyotes
off　in　the　distance。　　Darkness　was　no　respecter　of　her　pride。　　The
lonesome　night　with　its　emphasis　of　solitude　seemed　to　induce　clamoring
and　strange　thoughts；　a　confusing　ensemble　of　all　those　that　had　annoyed
her　during　the　daytime。　　Not　for　long　hours　did　sheer　weariness　bring
her　to　slumber。

Ellen　awakened　late　and　failed　of　her　usual　alacrity。　　Both　Pepe　and
the　shepherd　dog　appeared　to　regard　her　with　surprise　and　solicitude。
Ellen's　spirit　was　low　this　morning；　her　blood　ran　sluggishly；　she　had
to　fight　a　mournful　tendency　to　feel　sorry　for　herself。　　And　at　first
she　was　not　very　successful。　　There　seemed　to　be　some　kind　of　pleasure
in　reveling　in　melancholy　which　her　common　sense　told　her　had　no　reason
for　existence。　　But　states　of　mind　persisted　in　spite　of　common　sense。

〃Pepe；　when　is　Antonio　comin'　back？〃　she　asked。

The　boy　could　not　give　her　a　satisfactory　answer。　　Ellen　had　willingly
taken　the　sheep　herder's　place　for　a　few　days；　but　now　she　was　impatient
to　go　home。　　She　looked　down　the　green…and…brown　aisles　of　the　forest
until　she　was　tired。　　Antonio　did　not　return。　　Ellen　spent　the　day　with
the　sheep；　and　in　the　manifold　task　of　caring　for　a　thousand　new…born
lambs　she　forgot　herself。　　This　day　saw　the　end　of　lambing…time　for　that
season。　　The　forest　resounded　to　a　babel　of　baas　and　bleats。　　When　night
came　she　was　glad　to　go　to　bed；　for　what　with　loss　of　sleep；　and
weariness　she　could　scarcely　keep　her　eyes　open。

The　following　morning　she　awakened　early；　bright；　eager；　expectant；
full　of　bounding　life；　strangely　aware　of　the　beauty　and　sweetness
of　the　scented　forest；　strangely　conscious　of　some　nameless　stimulus
to　her　feelings。

Not　long　was　Ellen　in　associating　this　new　and　delightful　variety　of
sensations　with　the　fact　that　Jean　Isbel　had　set　to…day　for　his　ride
up　to　the　Rim　to　see　her。　　Ellen's　joyousness　fled；　her　smiles　faded。
The　spring　morning　lost　its　magic　radiance。

〃Shore　there's　no　sense　in　my　lyin'　to　myself；〃　she　soliloquized；
thoughtfully。　　〃It's　queer　of　mefeelin'　glad　aboot　himwithout
knowin'。　　Lord！　　I　must　be　lonesome！　　To　be　glad　of　seein'　an　Isbel；
even　if　he　is　different！〃

Soberly　she　accepted　the　astounding　reality。　　Her　confidence　died
with　her　gayety；　her　vanity　began　to　suffer。　　And　she　caught　at　her
admission　that　Jean　Isbel　was　different；　she　resented　it　in　amaze；
she　ridiculed　it；　she　laughed　at　her　naive　confession。　　She　could
arrive　at　no　conclusion　other　than　that　she　was　a　weak…minded；
fluctuating；　inexplicable　little　fool。

But　for　all　that　she　found　her　mind　had　been　made　up　for　her；　without
consent　or　desire；　before　her　will　had　been　consulted；　and　that
inevitably　and　unalterably　she　meant　to　see　Jean　Isbel　again。
Long　she　battled　with　this　strange　decree。　　One　moment　she　won
a　victory　over；　this　new　curious　self；　only　to　lose　it　the　next。
And　at　last　out　of　her　conflict　there　emerged　a　few　convictions
that　left　her　with　some　shreds　of　pride。　　She　hated　all　Isbels；
she　hated　any　Isbel；　and　particularly　she　hated　Jean　Isbel。　　She　was
only　curiousintensely　curious　to　see　if　he　would　come　back；　and　if
he　did　come　what　he　would　do。　　She　wanted　only　to　watch　him　from　some
covert。　　She　would　not　go　near　him；　not　let　him　see　her　or　guess　of
her　presence。

Thus　she　assuaged　her　hurt　vanitythus　she　stifled　her　miserable　doubts。

Long　before　the　sun　had　begun　to　slant　westward　toward　the
mid…afternoon　Jean　Isbel　had　set　as　a　meeting　time　Ellen　directed
her　steps　through　the　forest　to　the　Rim。　　She　felt　ashamed　of　her
eagerness。　　She　had　a　guilty　conscience　that　no　strange　thrills　could
silence。　　It　would　be　fun　to　see　him；　to　watch　him；　to　let　him　wait
for　her；　to　fool　him。

Like　an　Indian；　she　chose　the　soft　pine…needle　mats　to　tread　upon；
and　her　light…moccasined　feet　left　no　trace。　　Like　an　Indian　also　she
made　a　wide　detour；　and　reached　the　Rim　a　quarter　of　a　mile　west　of　the
spot　where　she　had　talked　with　Jean　Isbel；　and　here；　turning　east；　she
took　care　to　step　on　the　bare　stones。　　This　was　an　adventure；　seemingly
the　first　she　had　ever　had　in　her　life。　　Assuredly　she　had　never　before
come　directly　to　the　Rim　without　halting　to　look；　to　wonder；　to　worship。
This　time　she　scarcely　glanced　into　the　blue　abyss。　　All　absorbed　was
she　in　hiding　her　tracks。　　Not　one　chance　in　a　thousand　would　she　risk。
The　Jorth　pride　burned　even　while　the　feminine　side　of　her　dominated
her　actions。　　She　had　some　difficult　rocky　points　to　cross；　then
windfalls　to　round；　and　at　length　reached　the　covert　she　desired。
A　rugged　yellow　point　of　the　Rim　stood　somewhat　higher　than　the　spot
Ellen　wanted　to　watch。　　A　dense　thicket　of　jack