to the last man-第17部分

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due　credit。　　True；　he　had　kissed　her；　crudely　and　forcibly。　　But　that
kiss　had　not　been　an　insult。　　Ellen's　finer　feeling　forced　her　to
believe　this。　　She　remembered　the　honest　amaze　and　shame　and　contrition
with　which　be　had　faced　her；　trying　awkwardly　to　explain　his　bold　act。
Likewise　she　recalled　the　subtle　swift　change　in　him　at　her　words；　　〃Oh；
I've　been　kissed　before！〃　　She　was　glad　she　had　said　that。　　　Stillwas
she　glad；　after　all？

She　watched　him。　　Every　little　while　he　shifted　his　gaze　from　the
blue　gulf　beneath　him　to　the　forest。　　When　he　turned　thus　the　sun
shone　on　his　face　and　she　caught　the　piercing　gleam　of　his　dark　eyes。
She　saw；　too；　that　he　was　listening。　　Watching　and　listening　for　her！
Ellen　had　to　still　a　tumult　within　her。　　It　made　her　feel　very　young；
very　shy；　very　strange。　　All　the　while　she　hated　him　because　he
manifestly　expected　her　to　come。　　Several　times　he　rose　and　walked
a　little　way　into　the　woods。　　The　last　time　he　looked　at　the　westering
sun　and　shook　his　head。　　His　confidence　had　gone。　　Then　he　sat　and
gazed　down　into　the　void。　　But　Ellen　knew　he　did　not　see　anything
there。　　He　seemed　an　image　carved　in　the　stone　of　the　Rim；　and　he
gave　Ellen　a　singular　impression　of　loneliness　and　sadness。　　Was　he
thinking　of　the　miserable　battle　his　father　had　summoned　him　to　lead
of　what　it　would　costof　its　useless　pain　and　hatred？　　Ellen　seemed
to　divine　his　thoughts。　　In　that　moment　she　softened　toward　him；　and
in　her　soul　quivered　and　stirred　an　intangible　something　that　was　like
pain；　that　was　too　deep　for　her　understanding。　　But　she　felt　sorry　for
an　Isbel　until　the　old　pride　resurged。　　What　if　he　admired　her？　　She
remembered　his　interest；　the　wonder　and　admiration；　the　growing　light
in　his　eyes。　　And　it　had　not　been　repugnant　to　her　until　he　disclosed
his　name。　　〃What's　in　a　name？〃　she　mused；　recalling　poetry　learned　in
her　girlhood。　　〃'A　rose　by　any　other　name　would　smell　as　sweet'。　。　。　。
He's　an　Isbelyet　he　might　be　splendidnoble。　。　。　。　Bah！　he's　not
and　I'd　hate　him　anyhow。〃　 I

All　at　once　Ellen　felt　cold　shivers　steal　over　her。　　Isbel's　piercing
gaze　was　directed　straight　at　her　hiding　place。　　Her　heart　stopped
beating。　　If　he　discovered　her　there　she　felt　that　she　would　die　of
shame。　　Then　she　became　aware　that　a　blue　jay　was　screeching　in　a
pine　above　her；　and　a　red　squirrel　somewhere　near　was　chattering　his
shrill　annoyance。　　These　two　denizens　of　the　woods　could　be　depended
upon　to　espy　the　wariest　hunter　and　make　known　his　presence　to　their
kind。　　Ellen　had　a　moment　of　more　than　dread。　　This　keen…eyed；
keen…eared　Indian　might　see　right　through　her　brushy　covert；　might
hear　the　throbbing　of　her　heart。　　It　relieved　her　immeasurably　to
see　him　turn　away　and　take　to　pacing　the　promontory；　with　his　head
bowed　and　his　hands　behind　his　back。　　He　had　stopped　looking　off　into
the　forest。　　Presently　he　wheeled　to　the　west；　and　by　the　light　upon
his　face　Ellen　saw　that　the　time　was　near　sunset。　　Turkeys　were
beginning　to　gobble　back　on　the　ridge。

Isbel　walked　to　his　horse　and　appeared　to　be　untying　something　from
the　back　of　his　saddle。　　When　he　came　back　Ellen　saw　that　he　carried
a　small　package　apparently　wrapped　in　paper。　　With　this　under　his　arm
he　strode　off　in　the　direction　of　Ellen's　camp　and　soon　disappeared　in　
the　forest。

For　a　little　while　Ellen　lay　there　in　bewilderment。　　If　she　had　made
conjectures　before；　they　were　now　multiplied。　　Where　was　Jean　Isbel
going？　　Ellen　sat　up　suddenly。　　〃Well；　shore　this　heah　beats　me；〃
she　said。　　〃What　did　he　have　in　that　package？　　What　was　he　goin'
to　do　with　it？　〃

It　took　no　little　will　power　to　hold　her　there　when　she　wanted　to
steal　after　him　through　the　woods　and　find　out　what　he　meant。　　But　his
reputation　influenced　even　her　and　she　refused　to　pit　her　cunning　in
the　forest　against　his。　　It　would　be　better　to　wait　until　he　returned
to　his　horse。　　Thus　decided；　she　lay　back　again　in　her　covert　and　gave
her　mind　over　to　pondering　curiosity。　　Sooner　than　she　expected　she
espied　Isbel　approaching　through　the　forest；　empty　handed。　　He　had　not
taken　his　rifle。　　Ellen　averted　her　glance　a　moment　and　thrilled　to　see
the　rifle　leaning　against　a　rock。　　Verily　Jean　Isbel　had　been　far　removed
from　hostile　intent　that　day。　　She　watched　him　stride　swiftly　up　to　his
horse；　untie　the　halter；　and　mount。　　Ellen　had　an　impression　of　his
arrowlike　straight　figure；　and　sinuous　grace　and　ease。　　Then　he　looked
back　at　the　promontory；　as　if　to　fix　a　picture　of　it　in　his　mind；　and
rode　away　along　the　Rim。　　She　watched　him　out　of　sight。　　What　ailed　her？
Something　was　wrong　with　her；　but　she　recognized　only　relief。

When　Isbel　had　been　gone　long　enough　to　assure　Ellen　that　she　might
safely　venture　forth　she　crawled　through　the　pine　thicket　to　the　Rim
on　the　other　side　of　the　point。　　The　sun　was　setting　behind　the　Black
Range；　shedding　a　golden　glory　over　the　Basin。　　Westward　the　zigzag　Rim　
reached　like　a　streamer　of　fire　into　the　sun。　　The　vast　promontories
jutted　out　with　blazing　beacon　lights　upon　their　stone…walled　faces。
Deep　down；　the　Basin　was　turning　shadowy　dark　blue；　going　to　sleep
for　the　night。

Ellen　bent　swift　steps　toward　her　camp。　　Long　shafts　of　gold　preceded
her　through　the　forest。　　Then　they　paled　and　vanished。　　The　tips　of
pines　and　spruces　turned　gold。　　A　hoarse…voiced　old　turkey　gobbler　was
booming　his　chug…a…lug　from　the　highest　ground；　and　the　softer　chick　of　
hen　turkeys　answered　him。　　Ellen　was　almost　breathless　when　she　arrived。
Two　packs　and　a　couple　of　lop…eared　burros　attested　to　the　fact　of
Antonio's　return。　　This　was　good　news　for　Ellen。　　She　heard　the　bleat
of　lambs　and　tinkle　of　bells　coming　nearer　and　nearer。　　And　she　was　glad
to　feel　that　if　Isbel　had　visited　her　camp；　most　probably　it　was　during
the　absence　of　the　herders。

The　instant　she　glanced　into　her　tent　she　saw　the　package　Isbel　had
carried。　　It　lay　on　her　bed。　　Ellen　stared　blankly。　　〃Thethe　impudence
of　him！〃　she　ejaculated。　　Then　she　kicked　the　package　out　of　the　tent。
Words　and　action　seemed　to　liberate　a　dammed…up　hot　fury。　　She　kicked
the　package　again；　and　thought　she　would　kick　it　into　the　smoldering　
camp…fire。　　But　somehow　she　stopped　short　of　that。　　She　left　the　thing
there　on　the　ground。

Pepe　and　Antonio　hove　in　sight；　driving　in　the　tumbling　woolly　flock。
Ellen　did　not　want　them　to　see　the　package；　so　with　contempt　for　herself；
and　somewhat　lessening　anger；　she　kicked　it　back　into　the　tent。　　What
was　in　it？　　She　peeped　inside　the　tent；　devoured　by　curiosity。　　Neat；
well　wrapped　and　tied　packages　like　that　were　not　often　seen　in　the
Tonto　Basin。　　Ellen　decided　she　would　wait　until　after　supper；　and　at
a　favorable　moment　lay　it　unopened　on　the　fire。　　What　did　she　care　what
it　contained？　　Manifestly　it　was　a　gift。　　She　argued　that　she　was　highly
incensed　with　this　insolent　Isbel　who　had　the　effrontery　to　approach　her
with　some　sort　of　present。

It　developed　that　the　usually　cheerful　Antonio　had　returned　taciturn
and　gloomy。　　All　Ellen　could　get　out　of　him　was　that　the　job　of　sheep
herder　had　taken　on　hazards　inimical　to　peace…loving　Mexicans。　　He　had
heard　something　he　would　not　tell。　　Ellen　helped　prepare　the　supper　and
she　ate　in　silence。　　She　had　her　own　brooding　troubles。　　Antonio
presently　told　her　that　her　father　had　said　she　was　not　to　start　back
home　after　dark。　　After　supper　the　herders　repaired　to　their　own　tents；
leaving　Ellen　the　freedom　of　her　camp…fire。　　Wherewith　she　secured　the
package　and　brought　it　forth　to　burn。　　Feminine　curiosity　rankled　strong
in　her　breast。　　Yielding　so　far　as　to　shake　the　parcel　and　press　it；
and　finally　tear　a　comer　off　the　paper；　she　saw　some　words　written　in
lead　pencil。　　Bending　nearer　the　blaze；　she　read；　　〃For　my　sister　Ann。〃
Ellen　gazed　at　the　big；　bold　hand…writing；　quite　legible　and　fairly　well
done。　　Suddenly　she　tore　the　outside　wrapper　completely　off。　　From
printed　words　on　the　inside　she　gathered　that　the　package　had　come
from　a　store　in　San　Francisco。　　〃Reckon　he　fetched　home　a　lot　of
presents　for　his　folksthe　kidsand　his　sister；〃　muttered　Ellen。
〃That　was　nice　of　him。　　Whatever　this　is　he　shore　meant　it　for　sister
Ann。　。　。　。　Ann　Isbel。　　Why；　she　must　be　that　black…eyed　girl　I　met　and
liked　so　well　before　I　knew　she　was　an　Isbel。　。　。　。　His　sister！〃

Whereupon　for　the　second　time　Ellen　deposited　the　fascinating　package
in　her　tent。　　She　could　not　burn　it　up　just　then。　　She　had　other
emotions　besides　scorn　and　hate。　　And　memory　of　that　soft…voiced；
kind…hearted；　beautiful　Isbel　girl　checked　her　resentment。　　〃I　wonder
if　he　is　like　his　sister；？'　she　said；　thoughtfully。　　It　appeared　to
be　an　unfortunate　thought。　　Jean　Isbel　certainly　resembled　his　sister。
〃Too　bad　they　belong　to　the　family　that　ruined　dad。〃

Ellen　went　to　bed　without　opening　the　package　or　without　burning　it。
And　to　her　annoyance；　whatever　way　she　lay　she　appeared　to　touch　this
strange　package。　　There　was　not　much　room　in　the　little　tent。　　First
she　put　it　at　her　head　beside　her　rifle；　but　when　she　turned　over　her
cheek　came　in　contact　with　it。　　Then　she　felt　as　if　she　had　been　stung。
She　moved　it　again；　only　to　to