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The request was followed by a dead silence。 Mrs。 Tucker repeated
it with some hauteur。
〃I reckon you don't seem to know this store is in the hands of the
sheriff；〃 said one of the loungers。
Mrs。 Tucker was not aware of it。
〃Well； I don't know any one who's a better right to know than
Spence Tucker's wife；〃 said another with a coarse laugh。 The laugh
was echoed by the others。 Mrs。 Tucker saw the pit into which she
had deliberately walked； but did not flinch。
〃Is there any one to serve here？〃 she asked； turning her clear eyes
full upon the bystanders。
〃You'd better ask the sheriff。 He was the last one to SARVE here。
He sarved an attachment；〃 replied the inevitable humorist of all
Californian assemblages。
〃Is he here？〃 asked Mrs。 Tucker； disregarding the renewed laughter
which followed this subtle witticism。
The loungers at the door made way for one of their party； who was
half dragged； half pushed into the shop。 〃Here he is；〃 said half a
dozen eager voices； in the fond belief that his presence might
impart additional humor to the situation。 He cast a deprecating
glance at Mrs。 Tucker and said； 〃It's so； madam！ This yer place is
attached； but if there's anything you're wanting； why I reckon；
boys；〃he turned half appealingly to the crowd；〃we could oblige
a lady。〃 There was a vague sound of angry opposition and
remonstrance from the back door of the shop； but the majority；
partly overcome by Mrs。 Tucker's beauty； assented。 〃Only；〃
continued the officer explanatorily； 〃ez these yer goods are in the
hands of the creditors； they ought to be represented by an
equivalent in money。 If you're expecting they should be charged〃
〃But I wish to PAY for them；〃 interrupted Mrs。 Tucker； with a
slight flush of indignation； 〃I have the money。〃
〃Oh； I bet you have！〃 screamed a voice； as； overturning all
opposition； the malcontent at the back door； in the shape of an
infuriated woman； forced her way into the shop。 〃I'll bet you have
the money！ Look at her； boys！ Look at the wife of the thief； with
the stolen money in diamonds in her ears and rings on her fingers。
SHE'S got money if WE'VE none。 SHE can pay for what she fancies；
if we haven't a cent to redeem the bed that's stolen from under us。
Oh yes； buy it all； Mrs。 Spencer Tucker！ buy the whole shop； Mrs。
Spencer Tucker； do you hear？ And if you ain't satisfied then； buy
my clothes； my wedding ring； the only things your husband hasn't
stolen。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 said Mrs。 Tucker coldly； turning towards
the door。 But with a flying leap across the counter her relentless
adversary stood between her and retreat。
〃You don't understand！ Perhaps you don't understand that your
husband not only stole the hard labor of these men； but even the
little money they brought here and trusted to his thieving hands。
Perhaps you don't know that he stole my husband's hard earnings；
mortgaged these very goods you want to buy； and that he is to…day a
convicted thief； a forger； and a runaway coward。 Perhaps； if you
can't understand ME； you can read the newspaper。 Look！〃 She
exultingly opened the paper the sheriff had been reading aloud； and
pointed to the displayed headlines。 〃Look！ there are the very
words； 'Forgery； Swindling； Embezzlement！' Do you see？ And
perhaps you can't understand this。 Look！ 'Shameful Flight。
Abandons his Wife。 Runs off with a Notorious'〃
〃Easy； old gal； easy now。 Dn it！ Will you dry up？ I say。
STOP！〃
It was too late！
The sheriff had dashed the paper from the woman's hand； but not
until Mrs。 Tucker had read a single line； a line such as she had
sometimes turned from with weary scorn in her careless perusal of
the daily shameful chronicle of domestic infelicity。 Then she had
coldly wondered if there could be any such men and women； and now！
The crowd fell back before her； even the virago was silenced as she
looked at her face。 The humorist's face was as white； but not as
immobile； as he gasped； 〃Christ！ if I don't believe she knew
nothin' of it！〃
For a moment the full force of such a supposition； with all its
poignancy； its dramatic intensity； and its pathos； possessed the
crowd。 In the momentary clairvoyance of enthusiasm they caught a
glimpse of the truth； and by one of the strange reactions of human
passion they only waited for a word of appeal or explanation from
her lips to throw themselves at her feet。 Had she simply told her
story they would have believed her； had she cried； fainted； or gone
into hysterics； they would have pitied her。 She did neither。
Perhaps she thought of neither； or indeed of anything that was then
before her eyes。 She walked erect to the door and turned upon the
threshold。 〃I mean what I say；〃 she said calmly。 〃I don't
understand you。 But whatever just claims you have upon my husband
will be paid by me； or by his lawyer； Captain Poindexter。〃
She had lost the sympathy but not the respect of her hearers。 They
made way for her with sullen deference as she passed out on the
platform。 But her adversary； profiting by the last opportunity；
burst into an ironical laugh。
〃Captain Poindexter； is it？ Well； perhaps he's safe to pay YOUR
bill； but as for your husband's〃
〃That's another matter；〃 interrupted a familiar voice with the
greatest cheerfulness； 〃that's what you were going to say； wasn't
it？ Ha！ ha！ Well； Mrs。 Patterson；〃 continued Poindexter； stepping
from his buggy； 〃you never spoke a truer word in your life。 One
moment； Mrs。 Tucker。 Let me send you back in the buggy。 Don't
mind ME。 I can get a fresh horse of the sheriff。 I'm quite at
home here。 I say； Patterson； step a few paces this way； will you？
A little further from your wife； please。 That'll do。 You've got a
claim of five thousand dollars against the property； haven't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； that woman just driving away is your one solitary chance of
getting a cent of it。 If your wife insults her again； that chance
is gone。 And if YOU do〃
〃Well？〃
〃As sure as there is a God in Israel and a Supreme Court of the
State of California； I'll kill you in your tracks！ 。 。 。 Stay！〃
Patterson turned。 The irrepressible look of humorous tolerance of
all human frailty had suffused Poindexter's black eyes with
mischievous moisture。 〃If you think it quite safe to confide to
your wife this prospect of her improvement by widowhood； you may！〃
CHAPTER III
Mr。 Patterson did not inform his wife of the lawyer's personal
threat to himself。 But he managed； after Poindexter had left； to
make her conscious that Mrs。 Tucker might be a power to be placated
and feared。 〃You've shot off your mouth at her；〃 he said
argumentatively； 〃and whether you've hit the mark or not you've had
your say。 Ef you think it's worth a possible five thousand dollars
and interest to keep on； heave ahead。 Ef you rather have the
chance of getting the rest in cas