第 1 节
作者:
雨帆 更新:2021-03-11 17:59 字数:9273
〃A Death in the Desert〃
Everett Hilgarde was conscious that the man in the seat
across the aisle was looking at him intently。 He was a large;
florid man; wore a conspicuous diamond solitaire upon his third
finger; and Everett judged him to be a traveling salesman of some
sort。 He had the air of an adaptable fellow who had been about
the world and who could keep cool and clean under almost any
circumstances。
The 〃High Line Flyer;〃 as this train was derisively called
among railroad men; was jerking along through the hot afternoon
over the monotonous country between Holdridge and Cheyenne。
Besides the blond man and himself the only occupants of the car
were two dusty; bedraggled…looking girls who had been to the
Exposition at Chicago; and who were earnestly discussing the cost
of their first trip out of Colorado。 The four uncomfortable
passengers were covered with a sediment of fine; yellow dust
which clung to their hair and eyebrows like gold powder。 It blew
up in clouds from the bleak; lifeless country through which they
passed; until they were one color with the sagebrush and
sandhills。 The gray…and…yellow desert was varied only by
occasional ruins of deserted towns; and the little red boxes of
station houses; where the spindling trees and sickly vines in the
bluegrass yards made little green reserves fenced off in that
confusing wilderness of sand。
As the slanting rays of the sun beat in stronger and
stronger through the car windows; the blond gentleman asked the
ladies' permission to remove his coat; and sat in his lavender
striped shirt sleeves; with a black silk handkerchief tucked
carefully about his collar。 He had seemed interested in Everett
since they had boarded the train at Holdridge; and kept
glancing at him curiously and then looking reflectively out of
the window; as though he were trying to recall something。 But
wherever Everett went someone was almost sure to look at him with
that curious interest; and it had ceased to embarrass or annoy him。
Presently the stranger; seeming satisfied with his observation;
leaned back in his seat; half…closed his eyes; and began softly
to whistle the 〃Spring Song〃 from Proserpine; the cantata
that a dozen years before had made its young composer famous in a
night。 Everett had heard that air on guitars in Old Mexico; on
mandolins at college glees; on cottage organs in New England
hamlets; and only two weeks ago he had heard it played on
sleighbells at a variety theater in Denver。 There was literally no
way of escaping his brother's precocity。 Adriance could live on
the other side of the Atlantic; where his youthful indiscretions
were forgotten in his mature achievements; but his brother had
never been able to outrun Proserpine; and here he found it
again in the Colorado sand hills。 Not that Everett was exactly
ashamed of Proserpine; only a man of genius could have
written it; but it was the sort of thing that a man of genius
outgrows as soon as he can。
Everett unbent a trifle and smiled at his neighbor across
the aisle。 Immediately the large man rose and; coming over;
dropped into the seat facing Hilgarde; extending his card。
〃Dusty ride; isn't it? I don't mind it myself; I'm used to
it。 Born and bred in de briar patch; like Br'er Rabbit。 I've
been trying to place you for a long time; I think I must have met
you before。〃
〃Thank you;〃 said Everett; taking the card; 〃my name is
Hilgarde。 You've probably met my brother; Adriance; people often
mistake me for him。〃
The traveling man brought his hand down upon his knee with
such vehemence that the solitaire blazed。
〃So I was right after all; and if you're not Adriance
Hilgarde; you're his double。 I thought I couldn't be mistaken。
Seen him? Well; I guess! I never missed one of his recitals at
the Auditorium; and he played the piano score of Proserpine
through to us once at the Chicago Press Club。 I used to be on
the Commercial there before I 146 began to travel
for the publishing department of the concern。 So you're Hilgarde's
brother; and here I've run into you at the jumping…off place。
Sounds like a newspaper yarn; doesn't it?〃
The traveling man laughed and offered Everett a cigar; and
plied him with questions on the only subject that people ever
seemed to care to talk to Everett about。 At length the salesman
and the two girls alighted at a Colorado way station; and Everett
went on to Cheyenne alone。
The train pulled into Cheyenne at nine o'clock; late by a
matter of four hours or so; but no one seemed particularly
concerned at its tardiness except the station agent; who grumbled
at being kept in the office overtime on a summer night。 When
Everett alighted from the train he walked down the platform and
stopped at the track crossing; uncertain as to what direction he
should take to reach a hotel。 A phaeton stood near the crossing;
and a woman held the reins。 She was dressed in white; and her
figure was clearly silhouetted against the cushions; though it
was too dark to see her face。 Everett had scarcely noticed her;
when the switch engine came puffing up from the opposite
direction; and the headlight threw a strong glare of light on his
face。 Suddenly the woman in the phaeton uttered a low cry and
dropped the reins。 Everett started forward and caught the
horse's head; but the animal only lifted its ears and whisked its
tail in impatient surprise。 The woman sat perfectly still; her
head sunk between her shoulders and her handkerchief pressed to
her face。 Another woman came out of the depot and hurried toward
the phaeton; crying; 〃Katharine; dear; what is the matter?〃
Everett hesitated a moment in painful embarrassment; then
lifted his hat and passed on。 He was accustomed to sudden
recognitions in the most impossible places; especially by women;
but this cry out of the night had shaken him。
While Everett was breakfasting the next morning; the headwaiter
leaned over his chair to murmur that there was a gentleman waiting
to see him in the parlor。 Everett finished his coffee and went in
the direction indicated; where he found his visitor restlessly
pacing the floor。 His whole manner betrayed a high degree of
agitation; though his physique was not that of a man whose nerves
lie near the surface。 He was something below medium height;
square…shouldered and solidly built。 His thick; closely cut hair
was beginning to show gray about the ears; and his bronzed face was
heavily lined。 His square brown hands were locked behind him; and
he held his shoulders like a man conscious of responsibilities;
yet; as he turned to greet Everett; there was an incongruous
diffidence in his address。
〃Good morning; Mr。 Hilgarde;〃 he said; extending his hand;
〃I found your name on the hotel register。 My name is Gaylord。
I'm afraid my sister startled you at the station last night; Mr。
Hilgarde; and I've come around to apologize。〃
〃Ah! The young lady in the phaeton? I'm sure I didn't know
whether I had anything to do with her alarm or not。 If I did; it
is I who owe the apology。〃
The man colored a little under the dark brown of his face。
〃Oh; it's nothing you could help; sir; I fully understand
that。 You see; my sister used to be a pupil of your brother's;
and it seems you favor him; and when the switch engine threw a
light on your face it startled her。〃
Everett wheeled about in his chair。 〃Oh! Katharine Gaylord!
Is it possible! Now it's you who have given me a turn。 Why; I
used to know her when I was a boy。 What on earth〃
〃Is she doing here?〃 said Gaylord; grimly filling out the
pause。 〃You've got at the heart of the matter。 You knew my
sister had been in bad health for a long time?〃
〃No; I had never heard a word of that。 The last I knew of
her she was singing in London。 My brother and I correspond
infrequently and seldom get beyond family matters。 I am deeply
sorry to hear this。 There are more reasons why I am concerned
than I can tell you。〃
The lines in Charley Gaylord's brow relaxed a little。
〃What I'm trying to say; Mr。 Hilgarde; is that she wants to see
you。 I hate to ask you; but she's so set on it。 We live several
miles out of town; but my rig