登陆注册
15457100000011

第11章 CHAPTER III. AMBER SPRING(3)

"I reckon so. There'll be hell down there, presently." He paused a moment and flicked a sage-brush with his quirt. "Venters, seein' as you're considerable worked up, tell me Milly Erne's story."

Venters's agitation stilled to the trace of suppressed eagerness in Lassiter's query.

"Milly Erne's story? Well, Lassiter, I'll tell you what I know.

Milly Erne had been in Cottonwoods years when I first arrived there, and most of what I tell you happened before my arrival. I got to know her pretty well. She was a slip of a woman, and crazy on religion. I conceived an idea that I never mentioned--I thought she was at heart more Gentile than Mormon. But she passed as a Mormon, and certainly she had the Mormon woman's locked lips. You know, in every Mormon village there are women who seem mysterious to us, but about Milly there was more than the ordinary mystery. When she came to Cottonwoods she had a beautiful little girl whom she loved passionately. Milly was not known openly in Cottonwoods as a Mormon wife. That she really was a Mormon wife I have no doubt. Perhaps the Mormon's other wife or wives would not acknowledge Milly. Such things happen in these villages. Mormon wives wear yokes, but they get jealous. Well, whatever had brought Milly to this country-- love or madness of religion--she repented of it. She gave up teaching the village school. She quit the church. And she began to fight Mormon upbringing for her baby girl. Then the Mormons put on the screws-- slowly, as is their way. At last the child disappeared.

'Lost' was the report. The child was stolen, I know that. So do you. That wrecked Milly Erne. But she lived on in hope. She became a slave. She worked her heart and soul and life out to get back her child. She never heard of it again. Then she sank....I can see her now, a frail thing, so transparent you could almost look through her--white like ashes--and her eyes!...Her eyes have always haunted me. She had one real friend--Jane Withersteen. But Jane couldn't mend a broken heart, and Milly died."

For moments Lassiter did not speak, or turn his head.

"The man!" he exclaimed, presently, in husky accents.

"I haven't the slightest idea who the Mormon was," replied Venters; "nor has any Gentile in Cottonwoods."

"Does Jane Withersteen know?"

"Yes. But a red-hot running-iron couldn't burn that name out of her!"

Without further speech Lassiter started off, walking his horse and Venters followed with his dogs. Half a mile down the slope they entered a luxuriant growth of willows, and soon came into an open space carpeted with grass like deep green velvet. The rushing of water and singing of birds filled their ears. Venters led his comrade to a shady bower and showed him Amber Spring. It was a magnificent outburst of clear, amber water pouring from a dark, stone-lined hole. Lassiter knelt and drank, lingered there to drink again. He made no comment, but Venters did not need words. Next to his horse a rider of the sage loved a spring. And this spring was the most beautiful and remarkable known to the upland riders of southern Utah. It was the spring that made old Withersteen a feudal lord and now enabled his daughter to return the toll which her father had exacted from the toilers of the sage.

The spring gushed forth in a swirling torrent, and leaped down joyously to make its swift way along a willow-skirted channel.

Moss and ferns and lilies overhung its green banks. Except for the rough-hewn stones that held and directed the water, this willow thicket and glade had been left as nature had made it.

Below were artificial lakes, three in number, one above the other in banks of raised earth, and round about them rose the lofty green-foliaged shafts of poplar trees. Ducks dotted the glassy surface of the lakes; a blue heron stood motionless on a water-gate; kingfishers darted with shrieking flight along the shady banks; a white hawk sailed above; and from the trees and shrubs came the song of robins and cat-birds. It was all in strange contrast to the endless slopes of lonely sage and the wild rock environs beyond. Venters thought of the woman who loved the birds and the green of the leaves and the murmur of the water.

Next on the slope, just below the third and largest lake, were corrals and a wide stone barn and open sheds and coops and pens.

Here were clouds of dust, and cracking sounds of hoofs, and romping colts and heehawing burros. Neighing horses trampled to the corral fences. And on the little windows of the barn projected bobbing heads of bays and blacks and sorrels. When the two men entered the immense barnyard, from all around the din increased. This welcome, however, was not seconded by the several men and boys who vanished on sight.

Venters and Lassiter were turning toward the house when Jane appeared in the lane leading a horse. In riding-skirt and blouse she seemed to have lost some of her statuesque proportions, and looked more like a girl rider than the mistress of Withersteen.

She was brightly smiling, and her greeting was warmly cordial.

"Good news," she announced. "I've been to the village. All is quiet. I expected--I don't know what. But there's no excitement.

And Tull has ridden out on his way to Glaze."

同类推荐
  • The Beldonald Holbein

    The Beldonald Holbein

    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。
  • 太玄经

    太玄经

    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。
  • 金箓十回度人午朝转经仪

    金箓十回度人午朝转经仪

    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。
  • 光赞经

    光赞经

    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。
  • 玉栖述雅

    玉栖述雅

    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。
热门推荐
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 神谕魔诀

    神谕魔诀

    玄轻谕,21世纪最出色毒医兼杀手,不想遭亲妹妹毒手。玄轻谕,陨神大陆第一废柴,虽是嫡出,但因不能修炼神力的原因,常常被庶出的姐妹欺负。当杀手玄轻谕重生到废柴玄轻谕身上,她发誓要为前世的废柴轻谕讨回公道。然而,在这漫漫复仇路上,她的身世之谜也慢慢揭开……
  • 和我们的青春一起毕业

    和我们的青春一起毕业

    推荐大雾漫漫的作品《隐婚闪爱:娇妻满分宠》(原名:隐婚闪爱满分:娇嫩妈咪真甜)和《闪婚娇嫩妻:小叔蜜蜜爱》摘要:三个怀揣梦想的女孩儿大学毕业后打算留在大都市上海,可是毕业后,在找房子和工作上都出现这样或那样的的问题,她们的内心有矛盾、有纠结、有彷徨。为了生活,善良的她们最后还是违背了当时大学毕业时爱的承诺和生活谏言。qq群:275453503大雾漫漫谏言:无论就业还是婚姻都要慎重的走好每一步,选择不同结果也会大不相同。喜欢就收藏、评论、送票!支持大雾漫漫。
  • 傲骨重修

    傲骨重修

    来一来,看一看咯,看天才少年叶羽翔天,被人从结丹巅峰降到练气初期。看叶羽翔天如何重修,如何报仇。看叶羽如何灭敌人的火焰,萝莉爱上他;看叶羽如何打敌人的脸,校花爱上他;看叶羽如何废敌人的修行,警花爱上他;看叶羽如何杀掉敌人,天下所有美人都喜欢他。千万不要错过啊,过了这本书,就没有饭爷的爱了啊。看叶羽翔天翻身,灭掉阻挡的敌人,成为修真界的霸主。饭爷本人扣扣:1948114055;可以加我啊,交流交流情感,美女快来吧,就像翔天那样,让我美女成群吧。哈哈哈!
  • 陌上碧蚁

    陌上碧蚁

    本书不写史,也不写实,只是想尝试写一写人性,通过武侠的手法表现出来.故事发生在五代十国,那是一个无比动荡的年代,俗话说"乱世出英雄",这个年代英雄,枭雄人物辈出,各种谋国,谋财等阴谋无时不刻在上演着.这不但是心理的较量,更是意志的比拼.到底谁能笑到最后,且让我们拭目以待.
  • 古术残魂

    古术残魂

    古武家族,一个华夏最为古老的传承。然而古术却很少出现在大众的眼中,甚至无人知晓,因古术自秦皇焚书坑儒时便已消失在这世上。一所仅有几十年历史的学校竟会出现千年女鬼,还有万年怨灵,以及???古术残魂的故事就从这座鬼校开始,却不会借此而结束,因为这只是开头小菜罢了!
  • 施公案(中)(中国古典公案小说精品书库)

    施公案(中)(中国古典公案小说精品书库)

    《施公案》又名《百断奇观》、《施案奇闻》,是以清人施世纶(小说为施仕伦)生平为原型,敷演而成的一部公案侠义小说。施世纶,字文贤,清康熙年代人。
  • 至高游戏

    至高游戏

    人类进化,发明了飞机,发明了电力,开拓了太阳系登上了月球。一切一切都证明,脑域开发度所产生的可怕能力。2014年的地球,出现了一种被叫做‘卐伽’的人工合成物。人体内40-60万亿个细胞单位,能够利用到的不过只有15%不到,而一旦让细胞产生‘自我永生’的感念,那么人类便是不朽的存在。吞噬‘卐伽’这种合成物,人类的身体神经元一旦进行‘完美’链接和永生,那么人类便能进入到第一阶段---控制自我!随着脑域的开发达到50%,人体细胞自我衍生进化,便会达到第二阶段---控制生命!而一旦脑域开发度抵达100%,人体细胞进化到最极点,人类就会不入第三阶段,也是被誉为神的一个阶段----操控万物!
  • 娇妻宣战,总裁大人不低头

    娇妻宣战,总裁大人不低头

    传闻,他是郴城最难缠的人物,人人都知道“惹狼惹虎不惹莫越琛”。传闻,他有特殊的嗜好,前四任未婚妻都因为这个,抱头逃离。传闻,他有不为人知的恶疾,活不过30岁,庞大的财产无人继承。童心晚是资产破千的负二代,怀揣一千块钱到了准婆家求援,却被准婆婆堵住公公对她乱来,学业和名声一起灰飞烟灭。困境之中,他向她伸出了手,条件是——让他开心。她做他不为人知的小爱人,他护着她披荆斩棘,撕恶霸,灭绿茶,一路爽到爆。直到那一天,她看到真相……爱情从来不是童话,是冒险。他是她这辈子最惊心动魄、华丽璀璨的冒险。
  • 三生之今生唯爱

    三生之今生唯爱

    轮回,多少次再生,若有再生,愿和你再相见,回眸的一刹那,时光的齿轮逆转,这一世,邂逅,无论你是谁,都将是我的,茫茫轮回之中,只为与你相遇,这一世,会不会有一个美好的结局,寻寻觅觅,生生世世的轮回。本书为三生之前世前释的续集,回到了现代,难以维持的家庭终于破碎,龙韵和妹妹龙梓璐离开了那个伤心的地方,本来以为可以平平静静地生活下去,却莫名其妙的有了一个女儿,从此龙韵做了爸爸,而妹妹龙梓璐呢,成了妈妈,那一年,他驰骋于商界,原本希望做一个小人物,命运却不为人愿,终于有一天,龙韵龙梓璐,两人的感情不仅仅只有亲情,生活开始变得不同……直到那一天,“哥,我嫁给你好吗?”读者交流群号码:64429726