Chapter XXVI
The Sins of the Fathers
They spoke at first only in that lovers' Esperanto which is made up offond kisses and low murmurs and soft caresses. From these Beulah wasthe first to emerge.
"Would you marry a girl off the range?" she whispered. "Would you daretake her home to your people?"
"I haven't any people. There are none of them left but me."
"To your friends, then?"
"My friends will be proud as punch. They'll wonder how I everhypnotized you into caring for me."
"But I'm only a hillgirl," she protested. "Are you sure you won't beashamed of me, dear?"
"Certain sure. I'm a very sensible chap at bottom, and I know when Ihave the best there is."
"Ah, you think that now because--"
"Because of my golden luck in winning the most wonderful girl I evermet." In the fling of the fire glow he made a discovery and kissed it."I didn't know before that you had dimples."
"There are lots of things you don't know about me. Some of them youwon't like. But if you love me, perhaps you'll forgive them, andthen--because I love you--maybe I'll grow out of them. I feel to-nightas if anything were possible. The most wonderful thing that everhappened to me has come into my life."
"My heart is saying that, too, sweetheart."
"I love to hear you say that I'm--nice," she confided. "Because, youknow, lots of people don't think so. The best people in Battle Buttewon't have anything to do with me. I'm one of the Rutherford gang."
The light was full on his face, so that she saw the dawning horror inhis eyes.
"What is it? What are you thinking?" she cried.
He gave a little groan and his hands fell slackly from her. "I'dforgotten." The words came in a whisper, as if he spoke to himselfrather than to her.
"Forgotten what?" she echoed; and like a flash added: "That I'm aRutherford. Is that what you mean?"
"That you are the daughter of Hal Rutherford and that I'm the son ofJohn Beaudry."
"You mean that you would be ashamed to marry a Rutherford," she said,her face white in the fire glow.
"No." He brushed her challenge aside and went straight to what was inhis mind. "I'm thinking of what happened seventeen years ago," heanswered miserably.
"What did happen that could come between you and me to-night?"
"Have you forgotten, too?" He turned to the fire with a deep breaththat was half a sob.
"What is it? Tell me," she demanded.
"Your father killed mine at Battle Butte."
A shiver ran through her lithe, straight body. "No . . . No! Say itisn't true, Roy."
"It's true. I was there . . . Didn't they ever tell you about it?"
"I've heard about the fight when Sheriff Beaudry was killed. JessTighe had his spine injured in it. But I never knew that dad . . .You're sure of it?" she flung at him.
"Yes. He led the attackers. I suppose he thought of it as a feud. Myfather had killed one of his people in a gun fight."
She, too, looked into the fire. It was a long time before she spoke,and then in a small, lifeless voice. "I suppose you . . . hate me."
"Hate you!" His voice shook with agitation. "That would makeeverything easy. But--there is no other woman in the world for me butyou."
Almost savagely she turned toward him. "Do you mean that?"
"I never mean anything so much."
"Then what does it matter about our fathers? We have our own lives tolive. If we've found happiness we've a right to it. What happenedseventeen years ago can't touch us--not unless we let it."
White-lipped, drear-eyed, Roy faced her hopelessly. "I never thoughtof it before, but it is true what the Bible says about the sins of thefathers. How can I shake hands in friendship with the man who killedmine? Would it be loyal or decent to go into his family and make himmy father by marrying his daughter?"
Beulah stood close to him, her eyes burning into his. She was ready tofight for her love to a finish. "Do you think I'm going to give you upnow . . . now . . . just when we've found out how much we care . . .because of any reason under heaven outside ourselves? _By God_, no!That's a solemn oath, Roy Beaudry. I'll not let you go."
He did not argue with her. Instead, he began to tell her of his fatherand his mother. As well as he could remember it he related to her thestory of that last ride he had taken with John Beaudry. The girl foundherself visioning the pathetic tenderness of the father singing the"li'l'-ole-hawss" song under the stars of their night camp. Thereflashed to her a picture of him making his stand in the stable againstthe flood of enemies pouring toward him.
When Roy had finished, she spoke softly. "I'm glad you told me. Iknow now the kind of man your father was. He loved you more than hisown life. He was brave and generous and kind. Do you think he wouldhave nursed a grudge for seventeen years? Do you think he would haveasked you to give up your happiness to carry on a feud that ought neverto have been?"
"No, but--"
"You are going to marry me, not Hal Rutherford. He is a good man now,however wild he may have been once. But you needn't believe that justbecause I say so. Wait and see. Be to him just as much or as littleas you like. He'll understand, and so shall I. My people are proud.They won't ask more of you than you care to give. All they'll ask isthat you love me--and that's all I ask, dear."
"All you ask now, but later you will be unhappy because there is a gulfbetween your father and me. You will try to hide it, but I'll know."
"I'll have to take my chance of that," she told him. "I don't supposethat life even with the man you love is all happiness. But it is whatI want. It's what I'm not going to let your scruples rob me of."
She spoke with a low-voiced, passionate intensity. The hillgirl wasfighting to hold her lover as a creature of the woods does to protectits young. So long as she was sure that he loved her, nothing on earthshould come between them. For the moment she was absorbed by theprimitive idea that he belonged to her and she to him. All the vitalyoung strength in her rose to repel separation.
Roy, yearning to take into his arms this dusky, brown-cheekedsweetheart of his, became aware that he did not want her to let hisarguments persuade her. The fierce, tender egoism of her love filledhim with exultant pride.
He snatched her to him and held her tight while his lips found her hotcheeks, her eager eyes, her more than willing mouth.