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over thar；〃 she said lazily； pointing up the road in the opposite
direction to the barn； 〃but I ain't sure it WAS any one。〃
〃Then he'd already PASSED the house afore you saw him？〃 said the
deputy。
〃I reckonif it WAS him；〃 returned Sue。
〃He must have got on；〃 said the deputy； 〃but then he runs like a
deer； it's his trade。〃
〃Wot trade？〃
〃Acrobat。〃
〃Wot's that？〃
The two men were delighted at this divine simplicity。 〃A man who
runs； jumps； climbsand all that sort； in the circus。〃
〃But isn't he runnin'； jumpin'； and climbin' away from ye now？〃 she
continued with adorable naivete。
The deputy smiled； but straightened in the saddle。 〃We're bound to
come up with him afore he reaches Lowville； and between that and
this house it's a dead level； where a gopher couldn't leave his
hole without your spottin' him a mile off！ Good…by！〃 The words
were addressed to Ira； but the parting glance was directed to the
pretty wife as the two men galloped away。
An odd uneasiness at this sudden revelation of his wife's
prettiness and its evident effect upon his visitors came over Ira。
It resulted in his addressing the empty space before his door with；
〃Well； ye won't ketch much if ye go on yawpin' and dawdlin' with
women…folks like this；〃 and he was unreasonably delighted at the
pretty assent of disdain and scorn which sparkled in his wife's
eyes as she added：
〃Not much； I reckon！〃
〃That's the kind of official trash we have to pay taxes to keep
up；〃 said Ira； who somehow felt that if public policy was not
amenable to private sentiment there was no value in free
government。 Mrs。 Beasley； however； complacently resumed her dish…
washing； and Ira returned to his riata in the adjoining room。 For
quite an interval there was no sound but the occasional click of a
dish laid upon its pile； with fingers that； however； were firm and
untremulous。 Presently Sue's low voice was heard。
〃Wonder if that deputy caught anything yet。 I've a good mind to
meander up the road and see。〃
But the question brought Ira to the door with a slight return of
his former uneasiness。 He had no idea of subjecting his wife to
another admiring interview。 〃I reckon I'll go myself；〃 he said
dubiously； 〃YOU'D better stay and look after the house。〃
Her eyes brightened as she carried a pile of plates to the dresser；
it was possible she had foreseen this compromise。 〃Yes；〃 she said
cheerfully； 〃you could go farther than me。〃
Ira reflected。 He could also send them about their business if
they thought of returning。 He lifted his hat from the floor； took
his rifle down carefully from its pegs； and slouched out into the
road。 Sue watched him until he was well away； then flew to the
back door； stopping only an instant to look at her face in a small
mirror on the wall；yet without noticing her new prettiness；then
ran to the barn。 Casting a backward glance at the diminishing
figure of her husband in the distance； she threw open the door and
shut it quickly behind her。 At first the abrupt change from the
dazzling outer plain to the deep shadows of the barn bewildered
her。 She saw before her a bucket half filled with dirty water； and
a quantity of wet straw littering the floor； then lifting her eyes
to the hay…loft； she detected the figure of the fugitive； unclothed
from the waist upward； emerging from the loose hay in which he had
evidently been drying himself。 Whether it was the excitement of
his perilous situation； or whether the perfect symmetry of his
bared bust and armsunlike anything she had ever seen before
clothed him with the cold ideality of a statue； she could not say；
but she felt no shock of modesty； while the man； accustomed to the
public half…exposure in tights and spangles； was more conscious of
detected unreadiness than of shame。
〃Gettin' the dust off me；〃 he said； in hurried explanation； 〃be
down in a second。〃 Indeed； in another moment he had resumed his
shirt and flannel coat； and swung himself to the floor with a like
grace and dexterity； that was to her the revelation of a descending
god。 She found herself face to face with him；his features
cleansed of dirt and grime； his hair plastered in wet curls on his
low forehead。 It was a face of cheap adornment； not uncommon in
his professionunintelligent； unrefined； and even unheroic； but
she did not know that。 Overcoming a sudden timidity； she
nevertheless told him briefly and concisely of the arrival and
departure of his pursuers。
His low forehead wrinkled。 〃Thar's no getting away until they come
back；〃 he said without looking at her。 〃Could ye keep me in here
to…night？〃
〃Yes；〃 she returned simply； as if the idea had already occurred to
her； 〃but you must lie low in the loft。〃
〃And could you〃he hesitated； and went on with a forced smile
〃you see； I've eaten nothing since last night。 Could you〃
〃I'll bring you something；〃 she said quickly； nodding her head。
〃And if you had〃he went on more hesitatingly； glancing down at
his travel…torn and frayed garments〃anything like a coat； or any
other clothing？ It would disguise me also； you see； and put 'em
off the track。〃
She nodded her head again rapidly： she had thought of that too；
there was a pair of doeskin trousers and a velvet jacket left by a
Mexican vaquero who had bought stock from them two years ago。
Practical as she was； a sudden conviction that he would look well
in the velvet jacket helped her resolve。
〃Did they say〃he said； with his forced smile and uneasy glance
〃did theytell you anything about me？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said abstractedly； gazing at him。
〃You see；〃 he began hurriedly； 〃I'll tell you how it was。〃
〃No； don't！〃 she said quickly。 She meant it。 She wanted no facts
to stand between her and this single romance of her life。 〃I must
go and get the things；〃 she added； turning away； 〃before he gets
back。〃
〃Who's HE？〃 asked the man。
She was about to reply； 〃My husband；〃 but without knowing why
stopped and said； 〃Mr。 Beasley；〃 and then ran off quickly to the
house。
She found the vaquero's clothes； took some provisions； filled a
flask of whiskey in the cupboard； and ran back with them； her mouth
expanded to a vague smile； and pulsating like a schoolgirl。 She
even repressed with difficulty the ejaculation 〃There！〃 as she
handed them to him。 He thanked her； but with eyes fixed and
fascinated by the provisions。 She understood it with a new sense
of delicacy； and saying； 〃I'll come again when he gets back；〃 ran
off and returned to the house； leaving him alone to his repast。
Meantime her husband； lounging lazily along the high road； had
precipitated the catastrophe he wished to avoid。 For his slouching
figure； silhouetted against the horizon on that monotonous level；
had been the only one detected by the deputy sheriff and the
constable； his companion； and they had charged down within fifty
yards o