a sappho of green springs-第11部分

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to　cause　some　of　the　more　practical　neighbors　seriously　to　doubt

the　young　girl's　commercial　wisdom。　　But　she　was　firm。　　Whether　she

thought　her　parents　a　necessity　of　respectable　domesticity；　or

whether　she　regarded　their　presence　in　the　light　of　a　penitential

atonement　for　some　previous　disregard　of　them；　no　one　knew。　　Public

opinion　inclined　to　the　latter。



The　black　line　of　ridge　faded　out　with　her　abstraction；　and　she

turned　from　the　window　and　lit　the　lamp　on　her　desk。　　The　yellow

light　illuminated　her　face　and　figure。　　In　their　womanly　graces

there　was　no　trace　of　what　some　people　believed　to　be　a　masculine

character；　except　a　singularly　frank　look　of　critical　inquiry　and

patient　attention　in　her　dark　eyes。　　Her　long　brown　hair　was

somewhat　rigidly　twisted　into　a　knot　on　the　top　of　her　head；　as　if

more　for　security　than　ornament。　　Brown　was　also　the　prevailing

tint　of　her　eyebrows；　thickly…set　eyelashes；　and　eyes；　and　was　even

suggested　in　the　slight　sallowness　of　her　complexion。　　But　her　lips

were　well…cut　and　fresh…colored　and　her　hands　and　feet　small　and

finely　formed。　　She　would　have　passed　for　a　pretty　girl；　had　she

not　suggested　something　more。



She　sat　down；　and　began　to　examine　a　pile　of　papers　before　her　with

that　concentration　and　attention　to　detail　which　was　characteristic

of　her　eyes；　pausing　at　times　with　prettily　knit　brows；　and　her

penholder　between　her　lips；　in　the　semblance　of　a　pout　that　was

pleasant　enough　to　see。　　Suddenly　the　rattle　of　hoofs　and　wheels

struck　her　with　the　sense　of　something　forgotten；　and　she　put　down

her　work　quickly　and　stood　up　listening。　　The　sound　of　rough　voices

and　her　father's　querulous　accents　was　broken　upon　by　a　cultivated

and　more　familiar　utterance：　〃All　right；　I'll　speak　to　her　at　once。

Wait　there；〃　and　the　door　opened　to　the　well…known　physician　of

Burnt　Ridge；　Dr。　Duchesne。



〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　with　an　abruptness　that　was　only　saved　from

being　brusque　by　a　softer　intonation　and　a　reassuring　smile；　〃I　met

Miguel　helping　an　accident　into　your　buggy。　　Your　orders；　eh？〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Josephine；　quietly。　　〃A　man　I　saw　on　the　road。〃



〃Well；　it's　a　bad　case；　and　wants　prompt　attention。　　And　as　your

house　is　the　nearest　I　came　with　him　here。〃



Certainly；〃　she　said　gravely。　　〃Take　him　to　the　second　room　beyond

Steve's　roomit's　ready；〃　she　explained　to　two　dusky　shadows　in

the　hall　behind　the　doctor。



〃And　look　here；〃　said　the　doctor；　partly　closing　the　door　behind

him　and　regarding　her　with　critical　eyes；　〃you　always　said　you'd

like　to　see　some　of　my　queer　cases。　　Well；　this　is　onea　serious

one；　too；　in　fact；　it's　just　touch　and　go　with　him。　　There's　a

piece　of　the　bone　pressing　on　the　brain　no　bigger　than　that；　but　as

much　as　if　all　Burnt　Ridge　was　atop　of　him！　　I'm　going　to　lift　it。

I　want　somebody　here　to　stand　by；　some　one　who　can　lend　a　hand　with

a　sponge；　eh？some　one　who　isn't　going　to　faint　or　scream；　or　even

shake　a　hair's…breadth；　eh？〃



The　color　rose　quickly　to　the　girl's　cheek；　and　her　eyes　kindled。

〃I'll　come；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃Who　is　he？〃



The　doctor　stared　slightly　at　the　unessential　query。　　〃Don't　know；

one　of　the　river　miners；　I　reckon。　　It's　an　urgent　case。　　I'll　go

and　get　everything　ready。　　You'd　better；〃　he　added；　with　an　ominous

glance　at　her　gray　frock；　〃put　something　over　your　dress。〃　　The

suggestion　made　her　grave；　but　did　not　alter　her　color。



A　moment　later　she　entered　the　room。　　It　was　the　one　that　had

always　been　set　apart　for　her　brother：　the　very　bed　on　which　the

unconscious　man　lay　had　been　arranged　that　morning　with　her　own

hands。　　Something　of　this　passed　through　her　mind　as　she　saw　that

the　doctor　had　wheeled　it　beneath　the　strong　light　in　the　centre　of

the　room；　stripped　its　outer　coverings　with　professional

thoughtfulness；　and　rearranged　the　mattresses。　　But　it　did　not　seem

like　the　same　room。　　There　was　a　pungent　odor　in　the　air　from　some

freshly…opened　phial；　an　almost　feminine　neatness　and　luxury　in　an

open　morocco　case　like　a　jewel　box　on　the　table；　shining　with

spotless　steel。　　At　the　head　of　the　bed　one　of　her　own　servants；

the　powerful　mill　foreman；　was　assisting　with　the　mingled　curiosity

and　blase　experience　of　one　accustomed　to　smashed　and　lacerated

digits。　　At　first　she　did　not　look　at　the　central　unconscious

figure　on　the　bed；　whose　sufferings　seemed　to　her　to　have　been

vicariously　transferred　to　the　concerned；　eager；　and　drawn　faces

that　looked　down　upon　its　immunity。　　Then　she　femininely　recoiled

before　the　bared　white　neck　and　shoulders　displayed　above　the

quilt；　until；　forcing　herself　to　look　upon　the　face　half…concealed

by　bandages　and　the　head　from　which　the　dark　tangles　of　hair　had

been　ruthlessly　sheared；　she　began　to　share　the　doctor's　unconcern

in　his　personality。　　What　mattered　who　or　what　HE　was？　　It　wasa

case！



The　operation　began。　　With　the　same　earnest　intelligence　that　she

had　previously　shown；　she　quickly　and　noiselessly　obeyed　the

doctor's　whispered　orders；　and　even　half　anticipated　them。　　She　was

conscious　of　a　singular　curiosity　that；　far　from　being　mean　or

ignoble；　seemed　to　lift　her　not　only　above　the　ordinary　weaknesses

of　her　own　sex；　but　made　her　superior　to　the　men　around　her。

Almost　before　she　knew　it；　the　operation　was　over；　and　she　regarded

with　equal　curiosity　the　ostentatious　solicitude　with　which　the

doctor　seemed　to　be　wiping　his　fateful　instrument　that　bore　an　odd

resemblance　to　a　silver…handled　centre…bit。　　The　stertorous

breathing　below　the　bandages　had　given　way　to　a　fainter　but　more

natural　respiration。　　There　was　a　moment　of　suspense。　　The　doctor's

hand　left　the　pulse　and　lifted　the　closed　eyelid　of　the　sufferer。

A　slight　movement　passed　over　the　figure。　　The　sluggish　face　had

cleared；　life　seemed　to　struggle　back　into　it　before　even　the　dull

eyes　participated　in　the　glow。　　Dr。　Duchesne　with　a　sudden　gesture

waved　aside　his　companions；　but　not　before　Josephine　had　bent　her

head　eagerly　forward。



〃He　is　coming　to；〃　she　said。



At　the　sound　of　that　deep　clear　voicethe　first　to　break　the　hush

of　the　roomthe　dull　eyes　leaped　up；　and　the　head　turned　in　its

direction。　　The　lips　moved　and　uttered　a　single　rapid　sentence。

The　girl　recoiled。



〃You're　all　right　now；〃　said　the　doctor；　cheerfully；　intent　only

upon　the　form　before　him。



The　lips　moved　again；　but　this　time　feebly　and　vacantly；　the　eyes

were　staring　vaguely　around。



〃What's　matter？　　What's　all　about？〃　said　the　man；　thickly。



〃You've　had　a　fall。　　Think　a　moment。　　Where　do　you　live？〃



Again　the　lips　moved；　but　this　time　only　to　emit　a　confused；

incoherent　murmur。　　Dr。　Duchesne　looked　grave；　but　recovered

himself　quickly。



〃That　will　do。　　Leave　him　alone　now；〃　he　said　brusquely　to　the

others。



But　Josephine　lingered。



〃He　spoke　well　enough　just　now；〃　she　said　eagerly。　　〃Did　you　hear

what　he　said？〃



〃Not　exactly；〃　said　the　doctor；　abstractedly；　gazing　at　the　man。



〃He　said；　'You'll　have　to　kill　me　first；'〃　said　Josephine；　slowly。



〃Humph；〃　said　the　doctor；　passing　his　hand　backwards　and　forwards

before　the　man's　eyes　to　note　any　change　in　the　staring　pupils。



〃Yes；〃　continued　Josephine；　gravely。　　〃I　suppose；〃　she　added；

cautiously；　〃he　was　thinking　of　the　operationof　what　you　had　just

done　to　him？〃



〃What　I　had　done　to　him？　　Oh；　yes！〃





CHAPTER　II





Before　noon　the　next　day　it　was　known　throughout　Burnt　Ridge　Valley

that　Dr。　Duchesne　had　performed　a　difficult　operation　upon　an

unknown　man；　who　had　been　picked　up　unconscious　from　a　fall；　and

carried　to　Burnt　Ridge　Ranch。　　But　although　the　unfortunate　man's

life　was　saved　by　the　operation；　he　had　only　momentarily　recovered

consciousnessrelapsing　into　a　semi…idiotic　state；　which

effectively　stopped　the　discovery　of　any　clue　to　his　friends　or　his

identity。　　As　it　was　evidently　an　ACCIDENT；　which；　in　that　rude

communityand　even　in　some　more　civilized　onesconveyed　a　vague

impression　of　some　contributary　incapacity　on　the　part　of　the

victim；　or　some　Providential　interference　of　a　retributive

character；　Burnt　Ridge　gave　itself　little　trouble　about　it。　　It　is

unnecessary　to　say　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Forsyth　gave　themselves　and

Josephine　much　more。　　They　had　a　theory　and　a　grievance。　　Satisfied

from　the　first　that　the　alleged　victim　was　a　drunken　tramp；　who

submitted　to　have　a　hole　bored　in　his　head　in　order　to　foist

himself　upon　the　ranch；　they　were　loud　in　their　protests；　even

hinting　at　a　conspiracy　between　Josephine　and　the　stranger　to

supplant　her　brother　in　the　property；　as　he　had　already　in　the

spare　bedroom。　　〃Didn't　all　that　yer　happen　THE　VERY　NIGHT　she

pretended　to　go　for　Stepheneh？〃　said　Mrs。　Forsyth。　　〃Tell　me

that！　　And　didn't　she　have　it　all　arranged　with　the　buggy　to　bring

him　here；　as　that　sneaking　doctor　let　outeh？　　Looks　mighty

curious；　don't　it？〃　she　muttered　darkly　to　the　old　man。　　But

although　that　gentleman；　even　from　his　own　selfish　view；　would

scarcely　have　submitted　to　a　surgical　operation　and　later　idiocy　as

the　price　of　insuring　comfortable　dependency；　he　had　no　doubt

others　were　base　enough　to　do　it；　and　lent　a　willing　ear　to　his

wife's　suspicions。



Josephine's　personal　knowledge　of　the　stranger　went　little　further。

Doctor　Duchesne　had　confessed　to　her　his　professional　disappointment

at　the　incomplete　results　of　the　operation。　　He　had　saved　the　man's

life；　but　as　yet　not　his　reason。　　There　was　still　hope；　however；　for

the　diagnosis　revealed　nothing　that　might　prejudice　a　favorable

progress。　　It　was　a　most　interesting　case。　　He　would　watch　it

carefully；　and　as　soon　as　the　patient　could　be　removed　would　take

him　to　the　county　hospital；　where；　under　his　own　eyes；　the　poor

fellow　would　have　the　benefit　of　the　latest　science　and　the　highest

specialists。　　Physically；　he　was　doing　remarkably　well；　indeed；　he

must　h