Colorado Jim Part 38

Natalie raised her eyebrows.

"Ees eet not so?"

"No."

"But he tell papa--yes. He say eet ees no place for you--ziss terr-ble climate. And you are so beautiful."

Angela felt as though a cold hand had suddenly gripped her heart. So it had come to that in less than two days!

"You are mistaken," she said.

"But zat is strange. But, ma cherie, would not you be glad to get away?"

Angela made no reply. She felt as though she was choking. They entered the house and found Jim talking with Devinne.

Later she had an opportunity of speaking to him in private.

"Are we leaving to-morrow?" she asked.

"Sure."

"For Dawson?"

"Yes."

"And what then?"

She saw his lips tighten, and the delay in replying told her that Natalie was right.

"I'm going to send you back to England," he said slowly.

"No."

"Yes."

"I won't go."

"You must. Angela, be reasonable. I'm broke, dead broke. I ought never to have brought you here, but I expected to be successful--and I ain't."

"Is that why you want me to go back?"

"Of course. You--you wanted your freedom, and I'm giving it to you."

"I told you I could take nothing from you."

"You've got to take this. Angela, you must forget all about that--other matter."

"How can I forget, when for a year you have constantly reminded me of it?

If you put me on that steamer I'll get off at the first stopping-place and come back to you. You bought me and you've got to keep me until the debt is paid, no matter how--unhappy it may make you."

He smiled as he reflected that she thought her presence could make him unhappy, when his whole soul craved for her.

"Maybe it is someone else's happiness I am thinking of," he said quietly.

Someone else! The little green G.o.d within her seized on the remark. She confronted him with blazing eyes.

"I knew it!" she said. "But you might have been honest--you might have told me the truth. Oh G.o.d! and I've suffered all that--all that----"

The voice of Natalie came, singing, up the pa.s.sage. Without another word Angela went to her room, leaving Jim bewildered by this strange outburst.

It was late in the evening, and a full moon sailed in the clear sky. The night was remarkably warm, and Devinne and Natalie and Jim were sitting on the veranda which skirted the south side of the house. Jim sat in a brown study, pondering over Angela's changed att.i.tude. Devinne, as if by some pre-arranged plan, silently vanished into the house. Jim was suddenly brought to his senses by feeling Natalie's soft hand on his.

"You are verra--vat you call him--preoccupied, eh?"

"I was thinking."

"Of what?"

"Oh, of many things."

"The future?"

"Sure! It's that that's got me beat."

Her hand tightened on his.

"Why should you care for the future? Ees not zee present--beautiful?"

"Aye--if it could be always the present," he muttered.

"But zee future can be verra beautiful if one wishes so. Eet ees for you and for me to make zat future jus lak heaven!"

Jim pulled himself up with a jerk. It was not the words that affected him so much as the blaze of quick pa.s.sion in her eyes.

"There's only one heaven for me, and I guess I've fallen out of it," he said. "Let us go in."

"No, no! The night is so wonderful--all, all is wonderful. Everywhere zere ees love--in zee trees, in zee wind. Do you not feel him?"

If Jim felt anything at all it was blue fear. He came to see the position as it was. She believed him a free man--even believed he might love her.

The seemingly trivial actions of the afternoon became newly interpreted.

Before he could get his breath Natalie rose to the occasion.

"You vill come back to-morrow after zee boat has gone? It has been so beautiful, zese two days. Say you vill come back!"

"Natalie!" he gasped.

She flung her arms round his neck and pressed her face to his.