登陆注册
5184300000049

第49章 SEPAR'S VIGILANTE(11)

Pierce down there for a while,near where Nate would be working.All this she told us;but when he did not return to dine with her on this first day,I think she found it hard to sustain her wilful cheeriness.Lin offered to take her driving to see the military post and dress parade at retreat,and Cloud's Peak,and Buffalo's various sights;but she made excuses and retired to her room.Nate,however,was at tea,shaven clean,with good clothes,and well conducted.His tone and manner to Jessamine were confidential and caressing,and offended Mr.McLean,so that Iobserved to him that it was scarcely reasonable to be jealous.

"Oh,no jealousy!"said he."But he comes in and kisses her,and he kisses her good-night,and us strangers looking on!It's such oncontrollable affection,yu'see,after never writing for five years.Iexpect she must have some of her savings left."It is true that the sister gave the brother money more than once;and as our ways lay together,I had chances to see them both,and to wonder if her joy at being with him once again was going to last.On the road to Riverside I certainly heard Jessamine beg him to return home with her;and he ridiculed such a notion.What proper life for a live man was that dead place back East?he asked her.I thought he might have expressed some regret that they must dwell so far apart,or some intention to visit her now and then;but he said nothing of the sort,though he spoke volubly of himself and his prospects.I suppose this spectacle of brother and sister had rubbed Lin the wrong way too much,for he held himself and Billy aloof,joining me on the road but once,and then merely to give me the news that people here wanted no more of Nate Buckner;he would be run out of the country,and respect for the sister was all that meanwhile saved him.But Buckner,like so many spared criminals,seemed brazenly unaware he was disgraced,and went hailing loudly any riders or drivers we met,while beside him his sister sat close and straight,her stanch affection and support for the world to see.For all she let appear,she might have been bringing him back from some gallant heroism achieved;and as I rode along the travesty seemed more and more pitiful,the outcome darker and darker.

At all times is Riverside beautiful,but most beautiful when the sun draws down through the openings of the hills.From each one a stream comes flowing clearly out into the plain,and fields spread green along the margins.It was beneath the long-slanted radiance of evening that we saw Blue Creek and felt its coolness rise among the shifting veils of light.The red bluff eastward,the tall natural fortress,lost its stern masonry of shapes,and loomed a soft towering enchantment of violet and amber and saffron in the changing rays.The cattle stood quiet about the levels,and horses were moving among the restless colts.These the brother bade his sister look at,for with them was his glory;and I heard him boasting of his skill--truthful boasting,to be sure.Had he been honest in his dealings,the good-will that man's courage and dashing appearance beget in men would have brought him more employment than he could have undertaken.He told Jessamine his way of breaking a horse that few would dare,and she listened eagerly."Do you remember when I used to hold the pony for you to get on?"she said."You always would scare me,Nate!"And he replied,fluently,Yes,yes;did she see that horse there,near the fence?He was a four-year-old,an outlaw,and she would find no one had tried getting on his back since he had been absent.This was the first question he asked on reaching the cabin,where various neighbors were waiting the mail-rider;and,finding he was right,he turned in pride to Jessamine "They don't know how to handle that horse,"said he."I told you so.Give me a rope."Did she notice the cold greeting Nate received?I think not.Not only was their welcome to her the kinder,but any one is glad to witness bold riding,and this chance made a stir which the sister may have taken for cordiality.But Lin gave me a look;for it was the same here as it had been in the Buffalo saloon.

"The trick is easy enough,"said Nate,arriving with his outlaw,and liking an audience."You don't want a bridle,but a rope hackamore like this--Spanish style.Then let them run as hard as they want,and on a sudden reach down your arm and catch the hackamore short,close up by the mouth,and jerk them round quick and heavy at full speed.They quit their fooling after one or two doses.Now watch your outlaw!"He went into the saddle so swift and secure that the animal,amazed,trembled stock-still,then sprang headlong.It stopped,vicious and knowing,and plunged in a rage,but could do nothing with the man,and bolted again,and away in a straight blind line over the meadow,when the rider leaned forward to his trick.The horse veered in a jagged swerve,rolled over and over with its twisted impetus,and up on its feet and on without a stop,the man still seated and upright in the saddle.How we cheered to see it!But the figure now tilted strangely,and something awful and nameless came over us and chilled our noise to silence.The horse,dazed and tamed by the fall,brought its burden towards us,a wobbling thing,falling by small shakes backward,until the head sank on the horse's rump.

"Come away,"said Lin McLean to Jessamine and at his voice she obeyed and went,leaning on his arm.

同类推荐
  • 道地经

    道地经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 和萧侍御监祭白帝城

    和萧侍御监祭白帝城

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 西湖游览志余

    西湖游览志余

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 风门

    风门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 本事方续集

    本事方续集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 兵行异世

    兵行异世

    他是少林弃徒。他是黑拳高手。他是一件彻头彻尾的兵器。兵者,诡道也,兵行天下,傲视群雄。人生总有许多无法回避的身不由己,屈怀戈为了自己的目标而努力成为一个强者,但他能否摆脱自己是一件“兵器”的事实?当懵懂的主角经历了生存与死亡,爱情与背叛,他究竟会有怎样的选择?
  • 盛宠帝王妻

    盛宠帝王妻

    她,慕容溪,看着亲人血染大地,誓要仇人血债血偿。人前,她是世人眼中不学无术,淫荡无耻的纨绔公主。人后,她是世人眼中阴狠无情,手眼通天的星月阁主。十年隐忍,百般筹谋,终于一朝将所有仇人尽数消灭。一路走来,艰难异常,但是因为有他们的陪伴而幸福。——————他,豪门弃子,妖孽倾城,却在她面前永远如同孩子般单纯。他,病弱皇子,温柔如风,却愿意为她将自己双手染满鲜血。他,寒门士子,清朗正值,却为她一而再再而三违背原则。他,传奇将军,阳光俊朗,却在她面前永远傲娇别扭、他,江湖浪子,崇尚自由,却愿意为她放弃自由自在的生活。他,世外隐士,冷情谪仙,却独独对她动了心,动了情。他,第一首富,绝顶腹黑,却独独喜欢对她撒娇卖萌。江山动荡间,且看一代传奇女帝如何带领美男臣子除奸臣,平藩王,定外族,开启一片盛世华章。
  • 祸宫

    祸宫

    穿越了,她一时冲动在后宫里捡了个孩子,顺带拐了个男人,这日子也就变得有趣起来。.........作者有话说:后宫争斗真有那么残酷吗?是嫡庶有别尊卑有序,女人之间的鸡毛蒜皮,还是结合朝堂权利争夺,甚至演变为株连九族的殊死博弈?作者菌一直很喜欢看宫斗类型的作品,按捺不住动笔写下这个故事,希望有人能喜欢。重点还是言情!!!
  • 豪门千金变身小助理

    豪门千金变身小助理

    房产大亨之女洛晚晴受邀参与著名娱乐综艺《豪门千金变身小助理》,该节目一经播出,立即收视爆红,成为人们口中的谈资话题。国民男神苏皓辰更是在镜头前展现出了高冷背后的不为人知的一面,俘获了万千粉丝的心。“洛晚晴,我饿了,快去做饭!四菜一汤不要辣,谢谢!”“……”“洛晚晴,我渴了,鲜榨柠檬水不加冰,谢谢!”“……”“洛晚晴,我睡不着,你过来陪我一下,谢谢!”“……谢你妹啊!我是变身,又不是卖身,滚一边去!”他眨眨眼睛,一手托着腮露出人畜无害的模样,“谁说要你卖身了,我只是想让你给我讲个故事而已。不过,既然你有这个念头,我就勉为其难的接受吧!”
  • 王子与贫儿(语文新课标课外读物)

    王子与贫儿(语文新课标课外读物)

    现代中、小学生不能只局限于校园和课本,应该广开视野,广长见识,广泛了解博大的世界和社会,不断增加丰富的现代社会知识和世界信息,才有所精神准备,才能迅速地长大,将来才能够自由地翱翔于世界蓝天。否则,我们将永远是妈妈怀抱中的乖宝宝,将永远是温室里面的豆芽菜,那么,我们将怎样走向社会、走向世界呢?
  • 大自然:洗涤心灵

    大自然:洗涤心灵

    在世纪末兴起一股强烈的环保自然风里,有着各式各样不同的口号与随之而来的各种争议,然而“回归自然”的精神到底何在?作者透过本身旅游世界各地的观察与体验后,竟赫然发觉,人类唯有摒弃对自然的巧取豪夺的掠夺心态后,才能真正感悟到自然涵养人类的包容力,并且从中获得灵性的提升与净化的滋养源泉。
  • 金刚经疏

    金刚经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Quality and Others

    Quality and Others

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蜀都杂抄

    蜀都杂抄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 修仙女配逆袭记

    修仙女配逆袭记

    "前世,张容儿被继母毁掉灵根,被继妹连同渣男谋夺修行秘宝玉液瓶,被继母种入邪虫,生生被折磨致死。对天发誓,若有来世,一定要血仇血报,要让她受到的痛苦,让那些人一一承受。重生归来,继母要毁她灵根,她把继母灵根毁掉。继妹虚伪伪善小白花,让大家都来看看她的真面目。简单的讲,这是一个男主以为心爱的女人死掉了,所以想毁灭整个世界一起陪葬的故事。此文是复仇类爽文,为了折磨仇人,用了十八般手段,慎入哦!"