tales of trail and town- 第10部分

riders　did　not　appear　at　dinner；　and　there　was　considerable

uneasiness　mingled　with　some　gossip　throughout　the　garrison。　　It

was　already　midnight　before　they　arrived；　and　then　with　horses

blown　and　trembling　with　exhaustion；　and　the　whole　party　bearing

every　sign　of　fatigue　and　disturbance。　　The　colonel　said　a　few

sharp；　decisive　words　to　the　subaltern；　who；　pale　and　reticent；

plucked　at　his　little　moustache；　but　took　the　whole　blame　upon

himself。　　HE　and　Mrs。　Lascelles　had；　he　said；　outridden　the　trooper

and　got　lost；　it　was　late　when　Cassidy　（the　trooper）　found　them；

but　it　was　no　fault　of　HIS；　and　they　had　to　ride　at　the　top　of

their　speed　to　cover　the　ground　between　them　and　the　fort。　　It　was

noticed　that　Mrs。　Lascelles　scarcely　spoke　to　Forsyth；　and　turned

abruptly　away　from　the　colonel's　interrogations　and　went　to　her

room。



Peter；　absorbed　in　his　report；　scarcely　noticed　the　incident；　nor

the　singular　restraint　that　seemed　to　fall　upon　the　little　military

household　for　a　day　or　two　afterwards。　　He　had　accepted　the

lieutenant's　story　without　comment　or　question；　he　knew　his　own

sister　too　well　to　believe　that　she　had　lent　herself　to　a

flirtation　with　Forsyth；　indeed；　he　had　rather　pitied　the　young

officer　when　he　remembered　Lascelles'　experience　in　his　early

courtship。　　But　he　was　somewhat　astonished　one　afternoon　to　find

the　trooper　Cassidy　alone　in　his　office。



〃Oi　thought　Oi'd　make　bould　to　have　a　word　wid　ye；　sorr；〃　he　said；

recovering　from　a　stiff　salute　with　his　fingers　nipping　the　cord　of

his　trousers。　　〃It's　not　for　meeself；　sorr；　although　the　ould　man

was　harrd　on　me；　nor　for　the　leddy；　your　sister；　but　for　the　sake

of　the　leftenant；　sorr；　who　the　ould　man　was　harrdest　on　of　all。

Oi　was　of　the　parrty　that　rode　with　your　sister。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　I　remember；　I　heard　the　story；〃　said　Peter。　　〃She　and

Mr。　Forsyth　got　lost。〃



〃Axin'　your　pardin；　sorr；　she　didn't。　　Mr。　Forsyth　loid。　　Loid　like

an　officer　and　a　jintlemanas　he　is；　God　bless　himto　save　a

leddy；　more　betoken　your　sister；　sorr。　　They　never　got　lost；　sorr。

We　was　all　three　together　from　the　toime　we　shtarted　till　we　got

back；　and　it's　the　love　av　God　that　we　ever　got　back　at　all。　　And

it's　breaking　me　hearrt；　sorr；　to　see　HIM　goin'　round　with　the

black　looks　of　everybody　upon　him；　and　he　a…twirlin'　his　moustache

and　purtending　not　to　mind。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Peter；　uneasily。



〃Oi　mane　to　be　tellin'　you　what　happened；　sorr；〃　said　Cassidy

stoutly。　　〃When　we　shtarted　out　Oi　fell　three　files　to　the　rear；　as

became　me；　so　as　not　to　be　in　the　way　o'　their　colloguing；　but

sorra　a　bit　o'　stragglin'　was　there；　and　Oi　kept　them　afore　me　all

the　toime。　　When　we　got　to　Post　Oak　Bottom　the　leddy　p'ints　her

whip　off　to　the　roight；　and　sez　she：　'It's　a　fine　bit　of　turf

there；　Misther　Forsyth；'　invitin'　like；　and　with　that　she　gallops

away　to　the　right。　　The　leftenant　follys　her；　and　Oi　closed　up　the

rear。　　So　we　rides　away　innoshent　like　amongst　the　trees；　me

thinkin'　only　it　wor　a　mighty　queer　place　for　manoovrin'；　until　we

seed；　just　beyond　us　in　the　hollow；　the　smoke　of　an　Injin　camp　and

a　lot　of　women　and　childer。　　And　Mrs。　Lascelles　gets　off　and　goes

to　discoursin'　and　blarneying　wid　'em：　and　Oi　sees　Mr。　Forsyth

glancin'　round　and　lookin'　oneasy。　　Then　he　goes　up　and　sez

something　to　your　sister；　and　she　won't　give　him　a　hearin'。　　And

then　he　tells　her　she　must　mount　and　be　off。　　And　she　turns　upon

him；　bedad；　like　a　tayger；　and　bids　him　be　off　himself。　　Then　he

comes　to　me　and　sez　he；　'Oi　don't　like　the　look　o'　this；　Cassidy；'

sez　he；　'the　woods　behind　is　full　of　braves；'　sez　he。　　'Thrue　for

you；　leftenant；'　sez　Oi；　'it's　into　a　trap　that　the　leddy　hez　led

us；　God　save　her！'　　'Whisht；'　he　sez；　'take　my　horse；　it's　the

strongest。　　Go　beside　her；　and　when　Oi　say　the　word　lift　her　up

into　the　saddle　before　ye；　and　gallop　like　blazes。　　Oi'll　bring　up

the　rear　and　the　other　horse。'　　Wid　that　we　changed　horses　and

cantered　up　to　where　she　was　standing；　and　he　gives　the　word　when

she　isn't　lookin'；　and　Oi　grabs　her　upshe　sthrugglin'　like　mad

but　not　utterin'　a　cryand　Oi　lights　out　for　the　trail　agin。　　And

sure　enough　the　braves　made　as　if　they　would　folly；　but　the

leftenant　throws　the　reins　of　her　horse　over　the　horn　of　his

saddle；　and　whips　out　his　revolver　and　houlds　'em　back　till　I've

got　well　away　to　the　trail　again。　　And　then　they　let　fly　their

arrows；　and　begorra　the　next　thing　a　BULLET　whizzes　by　him。　　And

then　he　knows　they　have　arrms　wid　'em　and　are　'hostiles；'　and　he

rowls　the　nearest　one　over；　wheelin'　and　fightin'　and　coverin'　our

retreat　till　we　gets　to　the　road　agin。　　And　they　daren't　folly　us

out　of　cover。　　Then　the　lady　gets　more　sinsible；　and　the　leftenant

pershuades　her　to　mount　her　horse　agin。　　But　before　we　comes　to　the

fort；　he　sez　to　me：　'Cassidy；'　sez　he；　'not　a　word　o'　this　on

account　of　the　leddy。'　　And　I　was　mum；　sorr；　while　he　was　shootin'

off　his　mouth　about　him　bein'　lost　and　all　that；　and　him　bein'

bully…ragged　by　the　kernel；　and　me　knowin'　that　but　for　him　your

sister　wouldn't　be　between　these　walls　here；　and　Oi　wouldn't　be

talkin'　to　ye。　　And　shure；　sorr；　ye　might　be　tellin's　the　kernel　as

how　the　leddy　was　took　by　the　hysterics；　and　was　that　loony　that

she　didn't　know　whatever　she　was　sayin'；　and　so　get　the　leftenant

in　favor　again。〃



〃I　will　speak　with　the　colonel　to…night；〃　said　Peter　gloomily。



〃Lord　save　yer　honor；〃　returned　the　trooper　gratefully；　〃and　if　ye

could　be　sayin'　that　the　LEDDY　tould　you；it　would　only　be　the

merest　taste　of　a　loi　ye'd　be　tellin'；and　you'd　save　me　from

breakin'　me　word　to　the　leftenant。〃



〃I　shall　of　course　speak　to　my　sister　first；〃　returned　Peter；　with

a　guilty　consciousness　that　he　had　accepted　the　trooper's　story

mainly　from　his　previous　knowledge　of　his　sister's　character。

Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　this　foregone　conclusion；　he　DID　speak　to

her。　　To　his　surprise　she　did　not　deny　it。　　Lieutenant　Forsyth；a

vain　and　conceited　fool；whose　silly　attentions　she　had　accepted

solely　that　she　might　get　recreation　beyond　the　fort；had　presumed

to　tell　her　what　SHE　must　do！　　As　if　SHE　was　one　of　those　stupid

officers'　wives　or　sisters！　　And　it　never　would　have　happened　if

hePeterhad　let　her　remain　at　the　reservation　with　the　Indian

agent's　wife；　or　if　〃Charley〃　（the　gentle　Lascelles）　were　here！　　HE

would　have　let　her　go；　or　taken　her　there。　　Besides　all　the　while

she　was　among　friends；　HIS；　Peter's　own　friends；the　people　whose

cause　he　was　championing！　　In　vain　did　Peter　try　to　point　out　to

her　that　these　〃people〃　were　still　children　in　mind　and　impulse；

and　capable　of　vacillation　or　even　treachery。　　He　remembered　he　was

talking　to　a　child　in　mind　and　impulse；　who　had　shown　the　same

qualities；　and　in　trying　to　convince　her　of　her　danger　he　felt　he

was　only　voicing　the　common　arguments　of　his　opponents。



He　spoke　also　to　the　colonel；　excusing　her　through　her　ignorance；

her　trust　in　his　influence　with　the　savages；　and　the　general

derangement　of　her　health。　　The　colonel；　relieved　of　his　suspicions

of　a　promising　young　officer；　was　gentle　and　sympathetic；　but　firm

as　to　Peter's　future　course。　　In　a　moment　of　caprice　and

willfulness　she　might　imperil　the　garrison　as　she　had　her　escort；

and；　more　than　that；　she　was　imperiling　Peter's　influence　with　the

Indians。　　Absurd　stories　had　come　to　his　ears　regarding　the

attitude　of　the　reservation　towards　him。　　He　thought　she　ought　to

return　home　as　quickly　as　possible。　　Fortunately　an　opportunity

offered。　　The　general　commanding　had　advised　him　of　the　visit　to

the　fort　of　a　party　of　English　tourists　who　had　been　shooting　in

the　vicinity；　and　who　were　making　the　fort　the　farthest　point　of

their　western　excursion。　　There　were　three　or　four　ladies　in　the

party；　and　as　they　would　be　returning　to　the　line　of　railroad　under

escort；　she　could　easily　accompany　them。　　This；　added　Colonel

Carter；　was　also　Mrs。　Carter's　opinion；she　was　a　woman　of

experience；　and　had　a　married　daughter　of　her　own。　　In　the　mean

time　Peter　had　better　not　broach　the　subject　to　his　sister；　but

trust　to　the　arrival　of　the　strangers；　who　would　remain　for　a　week；

and　who　would　undoubtedly　divert　Mrs。　Lascelles'　impressible　mind；

and　eventually　make　the　proposition　more　natural　and　attractive。



In　the　interval　Peter　revisited　the　reservation；　and　endeavored　to

pacify　the　irritation　that　had　sprung　from　his　previous　inspection。

The　outrage　at　Post　Oak　Bottom　he　was　assured　had　no　relation　to

the　incident　at　the　reservation；　but　was　committed　by　some

stragglers　from　other　tribes　who　had　not　yet　accepted　the

government　bounty；　yet　had　not　been　thus　far　classified　as

〃hostile。〃　　There　had　been　no　〃Ghost　Dancing〃　nor　other　indication

of　disturbance。　　The　colonel　had　not　deemed　it　necessary　to　send

out　an　exemplary　force；　or　make　a　counter　demonstration。　　The

incident　was　allowed　to