cressy-第6部分

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logs；　of　canvas；　prematurely　decayed；　and　in　some　instances

abandoned　for　a　newer　erection；　or　degraded　to　mere　outhousesit

presented　with　singular　frankness　the　nomadic　and　tentative

disposition　of　its　founder。　　It　had　been　repaired　without　being

improved；　its　additions　had　seemed　only　to　extend　its　primitive

ugliness　over　a　larger　space。　　Its　roofs　were　roughly　shingled　or

rudely　boarded　and　battened；　and　the　rafters　of　some　of　its　〃lean…

to's〃　were　simply　covered　with　tarred　canvas。　　As　if　to　settle　any

doubt　of　the　impossibility　of　this　heterogeneous　mass　ever　taking

upon　itself　any　picturesque　combination；　a　small　building　of

corrugated　iron；　transported　in　sections　from　some　remoter

locality；　had　been　set　up　in　its　centre。　　The　McKinstry　ranch　had

long　been　an　eyesore　to　the　master：　even　that　morning　he　had　been

mutely　wondering　from　what　convolution　of　that　hideous　chrysalis

the　bright　butterfly　Cressy　had　emerged。　　It　was　with　a　renewal　of

this　curiosity　that　he　had　just　seen　her　flutter　back　to　it　again。



A　yellow　dog　who　had　observed　him　hesitating　in　doubt　where　he

should　enter；　here　yawned；　rose　from　the　sunlight　where　he　had　been

blinking；　approached　the　master　with　languid　politeness；　and　then

turned　towards　the　iron　building　as　if　showing　him　the　way。　　Mr。

Ford　followed　him　cautiously；　painfully　conscious　that　his

hypocritical　canine　introducer　was　only　availing　himself　of　an

opportunity　to　gain　ingress　into　the　house；　and　was　leading　him　as

a　responsible　accomplice　to　probable　exposure　and　disgrace。　　His

expectation　was　quickly　realized：　a　lazily　querulous；　feminine

outcry；　with　the　words；　〃Yer's　that　darned　hound　agin！〃　came　from

an　adjacent　room；　and　his　exposed　and　abashed　companion　swiftly

retreated　past　him　into　the　road　again。　　Mr。　Ford　found　himself

alone　in　a　plainly…furnished　sitting…room　confronting　the　open　door

leading　to　another　apartment　at　which　the　figure　of　a　woman；

preceded　hastily　by　a　thrown　dishcloth；　had　just　appeared。　　It　was

Mrs。　McKinstry；　her　sleeves　were　rolled　up　over　her　red　but　still

shapely　arms；　and　as　she　stood　there　wiping　them　on　her　apron；　with

her　elbows　advanced；　and　her　closed　hands　raised　alternately　in　the

air；　there　was　an　odd　pugilistic　suggestion　in　her　attitude。　　It

was　not　lessened　on　her　sudden　discovery　of　the　master　by　her

retreating　backwards　with　her　hands　up　and　her　elbows　still　well

forward　as　if　warily　retiring　to　an　imaginary　〃corner。〃



Mr。　Ford　at　once　tactfully　stepped　back　from　the　doorway。　　〃I　beg

your　pardon；〃　he　said；　delicately　addressing　the　opposite　wall；

〃but　I　found　the　door　open　and　I　followed　the　dog。〃



〃That's　just　one　of　his　pizenous　tricks；〃　responded　Mrs。　McKinstry

dolefully　from　within。　　〃On'y　last　week　he　let　in　a　Chinaman；　and

in　the　nat'ral　hustlin'　that　follered　he　managed　to　help　himself

outer　the　pork　bar'l。　　There　ain't　no　shade　o'　cussedness　that

or'nary　hound　ain't　up　to。〃　　Yet　notwithstanding　this　ominous

comparison　she　presently　made　her　appearance　with　her　sleeves

turned　down；　her　black　woollen　dress　〃tidied；〃　and　a　smile　of

fatigued　but　not　unkindly　welcome　and　protection　on　her　face。

Dusting　a　chair　with　her　apron　and　placing　it　before　the　master；

she　continued　maternally；　〃Now　that　you're　here；　set　ye　right　down

and　make　yourself　to　home。　　My　men　folks　are　all　out　o'　door；　but

some　of　'em's　sure　to　happen　in　soon　for　suthin'；　that　day　ain't

yet　created　that　they　don't　come　huntin'　up　Mammy　McKinstry　every

five　minutes　for　this　thing　or　that。〃



The　glow　of　a　certain　hard　pride　burned　through　the　careworn

languor　of　her　brown　cheek。　　What　she　had　said　was　strangely　true。

This　raw…boned　woman　before　him；　although　scarcely　middle…aged；　had

for　years　occupied　a　self…imposed　maternal　and　protecting　relation；

not　only　to　her　husband　and　brothers；　but　to　the　three　or　four　men；

who　as　partners；　or　hired　hands；　lived　at　the　ranch。　　An　inherited

and　trained　sympathy　with　what　she　called　her　〃boys's〃　and　her　〃men

folk；〃　and　their　needs　had　partly　unsexed　her。　　She　was　a　fair　type

of　a　class　not　uncommon　on　the　Southwestern　frontier；　women　who

were　ruder　helpmeets　of　their　rude　husbands　and　brothers；　who　had

shared　their　privations　and　sufferings　with　surly；　masculine

endurance；　rather　than　feminine　patience；　women　who　had　sent　their

loved　ones　to　hopeless　adventure　or　terrible　vendetta　as　a　matter

of　course；　or　with　partisan　fury；　who　had　devotedly　nursed　the

wounded　to　keep　alive　the　feud；　or　had　received　back　their　dead

dry…eyed　and　revengeful。　　Small　wonder　that　Cressy　McKinstry　had

developed　strangely　under　this　sexless　relationship。　　Looking　at

the　mother；　albeit　not　without　a　certain　respect；　Mr。　Ford　found

himself　contrasting　her　with　the　daughter's　graceful　femininity；

and　wondering　where　in　Cressy's　youthful　contour　the　possibility　of

the　grim　figure　before　him　was　even　now　hidden。



〃Hiram　allowed　to　go　over　to　the　schoolhouse　and　see　you　this

mornin'；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry；　after　a　pause；　〃but　I　reckon　ez　how

he　had　to　look　up　stock　on　the　river。　　The　cattle　are　that　wild

this　time　o'　year；　huntin'　water；　and　hangin'　round　the　tules；　that

my　men　are　nigh　worrited　out　o'　their　butes　with　'em。　　Hank　and　Jim

ain't　been　off　their　mustangs　since　sun　up；　and　Hiram；　what　with

partrollen'　the　West　Boundary　all　night；　watchin'　stakes　whar　them

low　down　Harrisons　hev　been　trespassin'hasn't　put　his　feet　to　the

ground　in　fourteen　hours。　　Mebbee　you　noticed　Hiram　ez　you　kem

along？　　Ef　so；　ye　didn't　remember　what　kind　o'　shootin'　irons　he

had　with　him？　　I　see　his　rifle　over　yon。　　Like　ez　not　he'z　only　got

his　six…shooter；　and　them　Harrisons　are　mean　enough　to　lay　for　him

at　long　range。　　But；〃　she　added；　returning　to　the　less　important

topic；　〃I　s'pose　Cressy　came　all　right。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　hopelessly。



〃I　reckon　she　looked　so；〃　continued　Mrs。　McKinstry；　with　tolerant

abstraction。　　〃She　allowed　to　do　herself　credit　in　one　of　them　new

store　gownds　that　she　got　at　Sacramento。　　At　least　that's　what　some

of　our　men　said。　　Late　years；　I　ain't　kept　tech　with　the　fashions

myself。〃　　She　passed　her　fingers　explanatorily　down　the　folds　of

her　own　coarse　gown；　but　without　regret　or　apology。



〃She　seemed　well　prepared　in　her　lessons；〃　said　the　master；

abandoning　for　the　moment　that　criticism　of　his　pupil's　dress；

which　he　saw　was　utterly　futile；　〃but　am　I　to　understand　that　she

is　coming　regularly　to　schoolthat　she　is　now　perfectly　free　to

give　her　entire　attention　to　her　studiesthatthather

engagement　is　broken　off？〃



〃Why；　didn't　she　tell　ye？〃　echoed　Mrs。　McKinstry　in　languid

surprise。



〃SHE　certainly　did；〃　said　the　master　with　slight　embarrassment；

〃but〃



〃Ef　SHE　said　so；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　abstractedly；　〃she

oughter　know；　and　you　kin　tie　to　what　she　says。〃



〃But　as　I'm　responsible　to　PARENTS　and　not　to　scholars　for　the

discipline　of　my　school；〃　returned　the　young　man　a　little　stiffly；

〃I　thought　it　my　duty　to　hear　it　from　YOU。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Mrs。　McKinstry　meditatively；　〃then　I　reckon　you'd

better　see　Hiram。　　That　ar'　Seth　Davis　engagement　was　a　matter　of

hern　and　her　father's；　and　not　in　MY　line。　　I　'spose　that　Hiram

nat'rally　allows　to　set　the　thing　square　to　you　and　inquirin'

friends。〃



〃I　hope　you　understand；〃　said　the　master；　slightly　resenting　the

classification；　〃that　my　reason　for　inquiring　about　the　permanency

of　your　daughter's　attendance　was　simply　because　it　might　be

necessary　to　arrange　her　studies　in　a　way　more　suitable　to　her

years；　perhaps　even　to　suggest　to　you　that　a　young　ladies'　seminary

might　be　more　satisfactory〃



〃Sartain；　sartain；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　McKinstry　hurriedly；　but

whether　from　evasion　of　annoying　suggestion　or　weariness　of　the

topic；　the　master　could　not　determine。　　〃You'd　better　speak　to

Hiram　about　it。　　On'y；〃　she　hesitated　slightly；　〃ez　he's　got　now

sorter　set　and　pinted　towards　your　school；　and　is　a　trifle　worrited

with　stock　and　them　Harrisons；　ye　might　tech　it　lightly。　　He

oughter　be　along　yer　now。　　I　can't　think　what　keeps　him。〃　　Her　eye

wandered　again　with　troubled　preoccupation　to　the　corner　where　her

husband's　Sharps'　rifle　stood。　　Suddenly　she　raised　her　voice　as　if

forgetful　of　Mr。　Ford's　presence。



〃O　Cressy！〃



〃O　Maw！〃



The　response　came　from　the　inner　room。　　The　next　moment　Cressy

appeared　at　the　door　with　an　odd　half…lazy　defiance　in　her　manner；

which　the　master　could　not　understand　except　upon　the　hypothesis

that　she　had　been　listening。　　She　had　already　changed　her　elaborate

toilet　for　a　long　clinging；　coarse　blue　gown；　that　accented　the

graceful　curves　of　her　slight；　petticoat…less　figure。　　Nodding　her

head　towards　the　master；　she　said；　〃Howdy？〃　and　turned　to　her

mother；　who　practically　ignored　their　personal　acquaintance。

〃Cressy；〃　she　said；　〃Dad's　gone　and　left　his　Sharps'　yer；　d'ye　mind

takin'　it　along　to　mee