Hours of Grace by Herman Struck Read online

  stood respectfully and silently returning her summery white and of matured loveliness.

  look.

  To a rose he had sometimes compared

  “Please say something!” she

  her—a delicate pink rose, firm and fresh with exclaimed. “Have you nothing to say for

  the dew of morning. Now the comparison

  yourself? How did it happen? Did you do it

  flashed again before him.

  because he wronged you so?”

  As he walked, with awe swelling in his

  “In coming here I hoped we could

  throat, to the front porch entrance, she heard avoid this discussion. I did wrong—a great

  his step and stood waiting when he came up.

  wrong—but I didn’t do it for revenge.”

  “I’m Jack Keel.” he said shyly.

  It was something more in his manner

  “Maybe you have forgotten.”

  than in his words that changed her view-point.

  “Mr. Keel!” she exclaimed in surprise.

  “I must insist that you tell me,” she

  “It’s good of you to let us see you again. Will said. “I feel that I could sympathize with you you come in?”

  if you told me all.”

  “Perhaps later—thanks. I was

  “I was on my way to see you when I

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  met him,” he explained. “I asked him a father. You alone can help me, and I’ve no question. He answered me. If he had struck

  object in seeking your favor beyond the favor me instead of speaking I couldn’t have killed itself.”

  him.”

  She regarded him with puzzled

  “Some insults can be unbearable,” she

  eagerness.

  said with deep feeling. “I shall always think

  “At

  twelve

  o’clock,” he said, drawing

  that he insulted you beyond all endurance.”

  the only watch in Mendocino, “I must be back A flush of embarrassment came to his

  in Martin’s cabin to meet Joe Stringer’s

  face.

  band—for what I did. I’ve just an hour that I

  “It’s not for me to be ungrateful,” he

  can call my own—that is, outside of my

  replied, scrutinizing his hatband, “but I’d riding-time. Into this hour I’d like to press the rather not be in your memory as having shot a realizations of the hopes of five years. Let me dog for barking at me.”

  be with you for an hour as your friend.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I don’t understand it,” she replied. “I

  “It was some one else that he needn’t tell you of the past methods of these insulted.”

  men who are your enemies. Yet you say

  Keel did not look at her. He felt the

  you’re going back there, and you seem so

  regret of knowing that she understood. It was confident of your position.”

  an attempt to lighten the situation when he

  “If you refer to my future—which

  asked:

  begins at twelve—I see no future. I want to

  “What is the verdict?”

  live a lifetime in the present. Please walk with

  “You are entitled to sit with me,” she

  me.”

  answered.

  With a little frown, rather of anxiety

  “No need of fetching a chair.”

  than displeasure, she consented.

  He stopped her and motioned her to

  It was a night as he had planned it

  her seat. He dropped his hat to the floor and should be.

  sat down beside it on the porch-landing with There was the scent of blossoming

  his back against the post.

  manzanito and a suggestion of wild roses in

  She placed her chair so as not to face

  the air. The moonlight fell upon them and

  him squarely and gave superficial attention to spread over the bush-patched meadow like a

  a vine-rose, from which she picked now and

  benediction of peace.

  then a petal. He, as often, looked up at her Occasionally a locust, humming his

  averted face, which, though normally well faint tremolo, paused at their approach until colored, was now in the full moonlight nearly the slow click of spurs had passed his range.

  white with agitation written in the delicate There were no other sounds.

  features. This agitation, however, as he

  Keel breathed long and deep with a

  regretted, was beginning to be marked by a

  strange exhilaration. About him was a strange, practical decision.

  wonderful atmosphere, holding promises of

  “I see your position^” she said finally.

  possibilities he dared not fathom.

  “You haven’t a minute to lose. The men have

  A sky as this, mountains holding

  all gone to Covelo; but father will be here

  mysteries in haze, wooded ranges blossoming

  soon, I think. He should be here now. If you like this, at such an hour, had once upon

  are in haste—as you must be—could I do

  returning from a gambler’s revelry halted him anything for you? Do you need a fresh horse?”

  to proclaim such beauties alone worth

  “I didn’t come here to ask help of your

  recognition. Now they seemed but dumb

  Hours of Grace

  7

  elements of worship toward the woman at his

  you. This is my hour.”

  side, and his chest expanded wide to bold the Louise turned and walked a few paces,

  beauty that was hers.

  then waited for him. Absorbed in thought,

  He had not offered his arm when they

  they strolled on and took a well-beaten path left the house, because in the light in which he which led them to the pasture-gate, before

  placed himself he could not see why she which they halted.

  should wish that formal intimacy. It was,

  “Do you care to walk farther?” he

  moreover, evident that she needed no asked.

  assistance to overcome any irregularities of She was leaning her arms on the top

  footing—in fact, of the two, he was the more gate-bar, and under his questioning look her awkward.

  eyes were lowered.

  In avoiding an overhanging branch he

  “Whatever you wish,” she whispered.

  pressed his elbow against her side and drew

  “This is your hour.”

  away, thrilled by a force that choked the

  And she turned her face slightly, from

  apology in his throat It was not that he was a him.

  stranger to women.

  He observed a tremulous heaving of

  In a past almost submerged by ten

  her shoulders. They were shapely, slender

  years’ adventuring, he had been a favorite in shoulders, not made for the contact of a hard college social events. But, with pardonable

  hand such as his own, he thought. Her neck

  bias, he considered himself a stranger to seemed but for the caress of soft fingers like Louise’s type.

  hers and for the touch of wavy, luminous hair.

  They strolled at random over the close-

  “I have one great wish, my friend,” he

  grazed meadow, speaking disconnectedly of

  said, lowering his head to hers. “Would you

  commonplace matters—often, it seemed to let me touch you—touch your shoulder?”

  him, only to shield a deeper thought current She

  nodded.

  which the self-conscious silence threatened to He laid his hand upon her
very lightly.

  reveal. Even these attempts at displaying a

  It was more an instinct than a definite thought light bearing became less frequent, and he saw that awakened at the touch and made him step in her silence an increasing anxiety that must back to stand with folded arms.

  sooner or later find expression.

  As he stood there the awakened

  It did not surprise him greatly when

  instinct combated with reason. Reason

  she touched his arm to stop him and then

  submitted, and the two forces challenged his stepped resolutely before him, facing him.

  pride, and pride, which was strongest in the

  “This shall go no farther!” she said.

  man, contended that he must not take her in

  “Don’t you see the great danger you are in?

  his arms—even for a heartbeat.

  Aren’t you afraid? Should be riding now—

  It occurred to him that he was taking

  away from these men, for you’ll get no justice his departure from the world.

  from them. Don’t waste these minutes here

  He had come to say farewell to his

  and—”

  hopes. All that he knew of heaven was within

  “Miss Summers,” Keel interrupted, reach of his arm, and he must leave it without

  “let’s not go over this again. When, after the the memory of one exalted moment that he

  shooting, I let Pete Martin lead me away, his would have staked against the darkest theories prisoner, I adjusted myself to my case. I put it of the eternal unknown before him. No—he

  all behind me, and I longed for just one must take her in his arms before he went! He perfect hour without a past or future—only

  would ask her.

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  “Miss Summers” — his voice was

  “Please, for my sake, throw aside—

  unsteady—“I will ask more. If I deserve your just for to-night—third person1 principles, and scorn send me from you. But afterward play once more the game that hardened you.”

  remember my disgrace not without a thought

  Griping his arms in her intensity, she

  of my position.”

  continued pleading, and he, to drown this

  He paused a full minute, and then said

  reasoning, which was too dangerously in

  with forced lightness:

  accord with what was within himself, drew the

  “Will you walk with me back to my

  rebellious little, head close to him.

  horse? It’s time I was leaving for Martin’s.”

  In the silence he felt her whole body

  “I don’t want you to go back there!”

  quivering with stifled sobs, pleading with

  “No?”

  eloquence beyond words.

  She turned upon him.

  He became aware of receiving from

  “You must get away from here. I have

  her a new power, which made him straighten,

  a brother in Eureka. I’ll see that you can

  caused his muscles to feel their youth, and the change horses at Blocksburg and at Carlotta.

  blood to leap in his veins like strong wine.

  You know, ships come to Eureka.”

  A cool breath from the Eel Canon met

  He smiled in spite of himself.

  his brow and passed through his hair.

  “And then what would you have me

  He lifted the woman to his lips as he

  do? This is really interesting—board a ship

  would a child.

  and—”

  “Come, girl,” he said, “you and I for

  “Stop this! I’m not jesting!”

  the horses!”

  “Which is more proof of your

  Hand in hand, they hastened to the

  goodness. But, even if I were inclined to break barn.

  an agreement which takes me back to

  It was a matter of a few minutes for

  Martin’s, who, in that over-the-sea place, do Keel to saddle two fresh horses and lead them you suppose would care to associate with me, to the house where Louise had prepared a

  a ‘runaway murderer’?”

  small package of provisions and written a note

  “Don’t say that word! Anybody would

  of explanation to her father. They were soon welcome you.”

  cantering northward over the Eureka trail,

  “Perhaps anybody would, but do you

  which ran up from the southeast past the

  think your kind would?”

  Martin ranch.

  “That’s

  unfair!”

  “Stringer and his men will follow us,”

  “To be logical?”

  Louise said when the horses slacked to a walk

  “To insinuate that I could be so—so

  on the first steep grade. “Do they know that base as to desert a friend.”

  you came here?”

  As they stood facing each other a great

  “Mrs. Martin knows.”

  light came upon him, and he took the hand

  “She alone? Does she know why you

  resting on the gate.

  came?”

  “Tell me, Louise,” he said, “that you

  “She

  knows.”

  didn’t speak out of pity alone.”

  “Then we’re safe!” Louise sighed. “I

  “Listen to me! The other way would—

  know Mrs. Martin.”

  oh, I couldn’t bear it! Where is the justice of Keel halted. She wonderingly reined in

  letting them take your life? No, I’m not and turned back to him. He rested his elbow speaking out of pity, or for justice, but for on the saddle-horn with his chin sunk in his myself. The ancient cave woman is speaking.

  hand.

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  9

  “What is it?” she asked anxiously. her from her purpose, but without effect. It

  “Come; every minute is precious.”

  was with a heavy heart that he started back

  “Don’t hurry, Louise,” he replied with her toward the Martin ranch.

  meditatively. “I suppose you are quite intimate In passing Louise’s home, thinking

  with Mrs. Martin?”

  that he might yet persuade her, he dismounted

  “Since mother died she has often taken

  and begged her again in vain to leave him.

  mother’s place. But let’s ride on and speak of There was nothing else for him to do than to that good woman.”

  resign himself to his dilemma and to be happy

  “Let me tell you something about her,”

  in her company.

  he said without moving. “I let Pete Martin

  They rode side by side over the open

  pick me up at the shooting. He brought me to stretches. When in the wooded parts the trail his cabin and told his wife to hold me, ‘dead narrowed, he asked her to lead, because he

  or alive,’ while he rounded up Joe Stringer’s loved to watch her. She rode with the careless bunch. I told her I wished to see you before grace of one long accustomed to the saddle,

  seeing Stringer, and I promised to be back at sitting often with her body half turned,

  twelve if she would let me off.

  looking back at him, while her horse galloped

  “You can see her position. Well, she

  with loose rein the ever-changing trail he

  let me off. Try to forgive me for making you knew.

  suffer through my weakness. But I must go

  During the five years in prison Keel

  back. Ride with me to your father’s gate, and had trained himself to be a master of illusions there let me leave you. I must be back at

&
nbsp; when it seemed practical. He now tried to shut twelve!”

  out the future with the forced illusion that the She could not speak, but her fingers

  ride had no significance other than its present gripped tight upon his rein. He drew the small, being.

  clenched hand to him and then gently

  While he sometimes succeeded in

  unclasped one struggling finger after another.

  disregarding the pressing conviction that he

  “I’ll not leave you!” she cried. “If you

  was probably living the last hours of his life, are determined to go, I go with you!”

  he allowed himself to appreciate the value

  “You shall not come to Martin’s which that fact gave not only to the speeding cabin,” he said quietly. “Will you turn back a minutes, but to all that his life-hungry senses half mile this side of it?”

  absorbed.

  “Perhaps,” she answered evasively.

  All that he saw about him—the open

  “That won’t do, Louise!”

  patches, with their grasses trodden by cattle She hung her head and glanced up at

  and deer; the woods, where oaks and

  him demurely, toying the while absently with madronas grouped to shelter the wild in their one of his knotty fingers.

  shadows; the dew-glistening flowers sown like

  “Then,” she said evenly, “I must be

  stars on the hillsides; and, above all, the girl frank and say that I’ll do just as I please.”

  who, like a dream fairy, rode her white horse