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