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diff --git a/2711-h/2711-h.htm b/2711-h/2711-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d92b426 --- /dev/null +++ b/2711-h/2711-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4095 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + A Phyllis of the Sierras, by Bret Harte + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Phyllis of the Sierras, by Bret Harte + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Phyllis of the Sierras + +Author: Bret Harte + +Release Date: May 25, 2006 [EBook #2711] +Last Updated: March 5, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A PHYLLIS OF THE SIERRAS *** + + + + +Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + A PHYLLIS OF THE SIERRAS + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Bret Harte + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> CHAPER II. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> CHAPER III. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> CHAPER IV. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> CHAPER V. </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + CHAPTER I. + </h2> + <p> + Where the great highway of the Sierras nears the summit, and the pines + begin to show sterile reaches of rock and waste in their drawn-up files, + there are signs of occasional departures from the main road, as if the + weary traveller had at times succumbed to the long ascent, and turned + aside for rest and breath again. The tired eyes of many a dusty passenger + on the old overland coach have gazed wistfully on those sylvan openings, + and imagined recesses of primeval shade and virgin wilderness in their dim + perspectives. Had he descended, however, and followed one of these + diverging paths, he would have come upon some rude wagon track, or + “logslide,” leading from a clearing on the slope, or the ominous saw-mill, + half hidden in the forest it was slowly decimating. The woodland hush + might have been broken by the sound of water passing over some unseen dam + in the hollow, or the hiss of escaping steam and throb of an invisible + engine in the covert. + </p> + <p> + Such, at least, was the experience of a young fellow of five-and-twenty, + who, knapsack on back and stick in hand, had turned aside from the highway + and entered the woods one pleasant afternoon in July. But he was evidently + a deliberate pedestrian, and not a recent deposit of the proceeding + stage-coach; and although his stout walking-shoes were covered with dust, + he had neither the habitual slouch and slovenliness of the tramp, nor the + hurried fatigue and growing negligence of an involuntary wayfarer. His + clothes, which were strong and serviceable, were better fitted for their + present usage than the ordinary garments of the Californian travellers, + which were too apt to be either above or below their requirements. But + perhaps the stranger's greatest claim to originality was the absence of + any weapon in his equipment. He carried neither rifle nor gun in his hand, + and his narrow leathern belt was empty of either knife or revolver. + </p> + <p> + A half-mile from the main road, which seemed to him to have dropped out of + sight the moment he had left it, he came upon a half-cleared area, where + the hastily-cut stumps of pines, of irregular height, bore an odd + resemblance to the broken columns of some vast and ruined temple. A few + fallen shafts, denuded of their bark and tessellated branches, sawn into + symmetrical cylinders, lay beside the stumps, and lent themselves to the + illusion. But the freshly-cut chips, so damp that they still clung in + layers to each other as they had fallen from the axe, and the stumps + themselves, still wet and viscous from their drained life-blood, were + redolent of an odor of youth and freshness. + </p> + <p> + The young man seated himself on one of the logs and deeply inhaled the + sharp balsamic fragrance—albeit with a slight cough and a later + hurried respiration. This, and a certain drawn look about his upper lip, + seemed to indicate, in spite of his strength and color, some pulmonary + weakness. He, however, rose after a moment's rest with undiminished energy + and cheerfulness, readjusted his knapsack, and began to lightly pick his + way across the fallen timber. A few paces on, the muffled whir of + machinery became more audible, with the lazy, monotonous command of “Gee + thar,” from some unseen ox-driver. Presently, the slow, + deliberately-swaying heads of a team of oxen emerged from the bushes, + followed by the clanking chain of the “skids” of sawn planks, which they + were ponderously dragging with that ostentatious submissiveness peculiar + to their species. They had nearly passed him when there was a sudden hitch + in the procession. From where he stood he could see that a projecting + plank had struck a pile of chips and become partly imbedded in it. To run + to the obstruction and, with a few dexterous strokes and the leverage of + his stout stick, dislodge the plank was the work not only of the moment + but of an evidently energetic hand. The teamster looked back and merely + nodded his appreciation, and with a “Gee up! Out of that, now!” the skids + moved on. + </p> + <p> + “Much obliged, there!” said a hearty voice, as if supplementing the + teamster's imperfect acknowledgment. + </p> + <p> + The stranger looked up. The voice came from the open, sashless, + shutterless window of a rude building—a mere shell of boards and + beams half hidden in the still leafy covert before him. He had completely + overlooked it in his approach, even as he had ignored the nearer throbbing + of the machinery, which was so violent as to impart a decided tremor to + the slight edifice, and to shake the speaker so strongly that he was + obliged while speaking to steady himself by the sashless frame of the + window at which he stood. He had a face of good-natured and alert + intelligence, a master's independence and authority of manner, in spite of + his blue jean overalls and flannel shirt. + </p> + <p> + “Don't mention it,” said the stranger, smiling with equal but more + deliberate good-humor. Then, seeing that his interlocutor still lingered a + hospitable moment in spite of his quick eyes and the jarring impatience of + the machinery, he added hesitatingly, “I fancy I've wandered off the track + a bit. Do you know a Mr. Bradley—somewhere here?” + </p> + <p> + The stranger's hesitation seemed to be more from some habitual + conscientiousness of statement than awkwardness. The man in the window + replied, “I'm Bradley.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah! Thank you: I've a letter for you—somewhere. Here it is.” He + produced a note from his breast-pocket. Bradley stooped to a sitting + posture in the window. “Pitch it up.” It was thrown and caught cleverly. + Bradley opened it, read it hastily, smiled and nodded, glanced behind him + as if to implore further delay from the impatient machinery, leaned + perilously from the window, and said,— + </p> + <p> + “Look here! Do you see that silver-fir straight ahead?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes.” + </p> + <p> + “A little to the left there's a trail. Follow it and skirt along the edge + of the canyon until you see my house. Ask for my wife—that's Mrs. + Bradley—and give her your letter. Stop!” He drew a carpenter's + pencil from his pocket, scrawled two or three words across the open sheet + and tossed it back to the stranger. “See you at tea! Excuse me—Mr. + Mainwaring—we're short-handed—and—the engine—” But + here he disappeared suddenly. + </p> + <p> + Without glancing at the note again, the stranger quietly replaced it in + his pocket, and struck out across the fallen trunks towards the + silver-fir. He quickly found the trail indicated by Bradley, although it + was faint and apparently worn by a single pair of feet as a shorter and + private cut from some more travelled path. It was well for the stranger + that he had a keen eye or he would have lost it; it was equally fortunate + that he had a mountaineering instinct, for a sudden profound deepening of + the blue mist seen dimly through the leaves before him caused him to + slacken his steps. The trail bent abruptly to the right; a gulf fully two + thousand feet deep was at his feet! It was the Great Canyon. + </p> + <p> + At the first glance it seemed so narrow that a rifle-shot could have + crossed its tranquil depths; but a second look at the comparative size of + the trees on the opposite mountain convinced him of his error. A nearer + survey of the abyss also showed him that instead of its walls being + perpendicular they were made of successive ledges or terraces to the + valley below. Yet the air was so still, and the outlines so clearly cut, + that they might have been only the reflections of the mountains around him + cast upon the placid mirror of a lake. The spectacle arrested him, as it + arrested all men, by some occult power beyond the mere attraction of + beauty or magnitude; even the teamster never passed it without the tribute + of a stone or broken twig tossed into its immeasurable profundity. + </p> + <p> + Reluctantly leaving the spot, the stranger turned with the trail that now + began to skirt its edge. This was no easy matter, as the undergrowth was + very thick, and the foliage dense to the perilous brink of the precipice. + He walked on, however, wondering why Bradley had chosen so circuitous and + dangerous a route to his house, which naturally would be some distance + back from the canyon. At the end of ten minutes' struggling through the + “brush,” the trail became vague, and, to all appearances, ended. Had he + arrived? The thicket was as dense as before; through the interstices of + leaf and spray he could see the blue void of the canyon at his side, and + he even fancied that the foliage ahead of him was more symmetrical and + less irregular, and was touched here and there with faint bits of color. + To complete his utter mystification, a woman's voice, very fresh, very + youthful, and by no means unmusical, rose apparently from the + circumambient air. He looked hurriedly to the right and left, and even + hopelessly into the trees above him. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said the voice, as if renewing a suspended conversation, “it was + too funny for anything. There were the two Missouri girls from Skinner's, + with their auburn hair ringleted, my dear, like the old 'Books of Beauty'—in + white frocks and sashes of an unripe greenish yellow, that puckered up + your mouth like persimmons. One of them was speechless from good behavior, + and the other—well! the other was so energetic she called out the + figures before the fiddler did, and shrieked to my vis-a-vis to dance up + to the entire stranger—meaning ME, if you please.” + </p> + <p> + The voice appeared to come from the foliage that overhung the canyon, and + the stranger even fancied he could detect through the shimmering leafy + veil something that moved monotonously to and fro. Mystified and + impatient, he made a hurried stride forward, his foot struck a wooden + step, and the next moment the mystery was made clear. He had almost + stumbled upon the end of a long veranda that projected over the abyss + before a low, modern dwelling, till then invisible, nestling on its very + brink. The symmetrically-trimmed foliage he had noticed were the luxuriant + Madeira vines that hid the rude pillars of the veranda; the moving object + was a rocking-chair, with its back towards the intruder, that disclosed + only the brown hair above, and the white skirts and small slippered feet + below, of a seated female figure. In the mean time, a second voice from + the interior of the house had replied to the figure in the chair, who was + evidently the first speaker:— + </p> + <p> + “It must have been very funny; but as long as Jim is always bringing + somebody over from the mill, I don't see how I can go to those places. You + were lucky, my dear, to escape from the new Division Superintendent last + night; he was insufferable to Jim with his talk of his friend the San + Francisco millionaire, and to me with his cheap society airs. I do hate a + provincial fine gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + The situation was becoming embarrassing to the intruder. At the apparition + of the woman, the unaffected and simple directness he had previously shown + in his equally abrupt contact with Bradley had fled utterly; confused by + the awkwardness of his arrival, and shocked at the idea of overhearing a + private conversation, he stepped hurriedly on the veranda. + </p> + <p> + “Well? go on!” said the second voice impatiently. “Well, who else was + there? WHAT did you say? I don't hear you. What's the matter?” + </p> + <p> + The seated figure had risen from her chair, and turned a young and pretty + face somewhat superciliously towards the stranger, as she said in a low + tone to her unseen auditor, “Hush! there is somebody here.” + </p> + <p> + The young man came forward with an awkwardness that was more boyish than + rustic. His embarrassment was not lessened by the simultaneous entrance + from the open door of a second woman, apparently as young as and prettier + than the first. + </p> + <p> + “I trust you'll excuse me for—for—being so wretchedly stupid,” + he stammered, “but I really thought, you know, that—that—I was + following the trail to—to—the front of the house, when I + stumbled in—in here.” + </p> + <p> + Long before he had finished, both women, by some simple feminine + intuition, were relieved and even prepossessed by his voice and manner. + They smiled graciously. The later-comer pointed to the empty chair. But + with his habit of pertinacious conscientiousness the stranger continued, + “It was regularly stupid, wasn't it?—and I ought to have known + better. I should have turned back and gone away when I found out what an + ass I was likely to be, but I was—afraid—you know, of alarming + you by the noise.” + </p> + <p> + “Won't you sit down?” said the second lady, pleasantly. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, thanks! I've a letter here—I”—he transferred his stick + and hat to his left hand as he felt in his breast-pocket with his right. + But the action was so awkward that the stick dropped on the veranda. Both + women made a movement to restore it to its embarrassed owner, who, + however, quickly anticipated them. “Pray don't mind it,” he continued, + with accelerated breath and heightened color. “Ah, here's the letter!” He + produced the note Bradley had returned to him. “It's mine, in fact—that + is, I brought it to Mr. Bradley. He said I was to give it to—to—to—Mrs. + Bradley.” He paused, glancing embarrassedly from the one to the other. + </p> + <p> + “I'm Mrs. Bradley,” said the prettiest one, with a laugh. He handed her + the letter. It ran as follows:— + </p> + <p> + “DEAR BRADLEY—Put Mr. Mainwaring through as far as he wants to go, + or hang him up at The Lookout, just as he likes. The Bank's behind him, + and his hat's chalked all over the Road; but he don't care much about + being on velvet. That ain't his style—and you'll like him. He's + somebody's son in England. B.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Bradley glanced simply at the first sentence. “Pray sit down, Mr. + Mainwaring,” she said gently; “or, rather, let me first introduce my + cousin—Miss Macy.” + </p> + <p> + “Thanks,” said Mainwaring, with a bow to Miss Macy, “but I—I—I—think,” + he added conscientiously, “you did not notice that your husband had + written something across the paper.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Bradley smiled, and glanced at her husband's indorsement—“All + right. Wade in.” “It's nothing but Jim's slang,” she said, with a laugh + and a slightly heightened color. “He ought not to have sent you by that + short cut; it's a bother, and even dangerous for a stranger. If you had + come directly to US by the road, without making your first call at the + mill,” she added, with a touch of coquetry, “you would have had a + pleasanter walk, and seen US sooner. I suppose, however, you got off the + stage at the mill?” + </p> + <p> + “I was not on the coach,” said Mainwaring, unfastening the strap of his + knapsack. “I walked over from Lone Pine Flat.” + </p> + <p> + “Walked!” echoed both women in simultaneous astonishment. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” returned Mainwaring simply, laying aside his burden and taking the + proffered seat. “It's a very fine bit of country.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, it's fifteen miles,” said Mrs. Bradley, glancing horror-stricken at + her cousin. “How dreadful! And to think Jim could have sent you a horse to + Lone Pine. Why, you must be dead!” + </p> + <p> + “Thanks, I'm all right! I rather enjoyed it, you know.” + </p> + <p> + “But,” said Miss Macy, glancing wonderingly at his knapsack, “you must + want something, a change—or some refreshment—after fifteen + miles.” + </p> + <p> + “Pray don't disturb yourself,” said Mainwaring, rising hastily, but not + quickly enough to prevent the young girl from slipping past him into the + house, whence she rapidly returned with a decanter and glasses. + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps Mr. Mainwaring would prefer to go into Jim's room and wash his + hands and put on a pair of slippers?” said Mrs. Bradley, with gentle + concern. + </p> + <p> + “Thanks, no. I really am not tired. I sent some luggage yesterday by the + coach to the Summit Hotel,” he said, observing the women's eyes still + fixed upon his knapsack. “I dare say I can get them if I want them. I've + got a change here,” he continued, lifting the knapsack as if with a sudden + sense of its incongruity with its surroundings, and depositing it on the + end of the veranda. + </p> + <p> + “Do let it remain where it is,” said Mrs. Bradley, greatly amused, “and + pray sit still and take some refreshment. You'll make yourself ill after + your exertions,” she added, with a charming assumption of matronly + solicitude. + </p> + <p> + “But I'm not at all deserving of your sympathy,” said Mainwaring, with a + laugh. “I'm awfully fond of walking, and my usual constitutional isn't + much under this.” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps you were stronger than you are now,” said Mrs. Bradley, gazing at + him with a frank curiosity that, however, brought a faint deepening of + color to his cheek. + </p> + <p> + “I dare say you're right,” he said suddenly, with an apologetic smile. “I + quite forgot that I'm a sort of an invalid, you know, travelling for my + health. I'm not very strong here,” he added, lightly tapping his chest, + that now, relieved of the bands of his knapsack, appeared somewhat thin + and hollow in spite of his broad shoulders. His voice, too, had become + less clear and distinct. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Bradley, who was still watching him, here rose potentially. “You + ought to take more care of yourself,” she said. “You should begin by + eating this biscuit, drinking that glass of whiskey, and making yourself + more comfortable in Jim's room until we can get the spare room fixed a + little.” + </p> + <p> + “But I am not to be sent to bed—am I?” asked Mainwaring, in + half-real, half-amused consternation. + </p> + <p> + “I'm not so sure of that,” said Mrs. Bradley, with playful precision. “But + for the present we'll let you off with a good wash and a nap afterwards in + that rocking-chair, while my cousin and I make some little domestic + preparations. You see,” she added with a certain proud humility, “we've + got only one servant—a Chinaman, and there are many things we can't + leave to him.” + </p> + <p> + The color again rose in Mainwaring's cheek, but he had tact enough to + reflect that any protest or hesitation on his part at that moment would + only increase the difficulties of his gentle entertainers. He allowed + himself to be ushered into the house by Mrs. Bradley, and shown to her + husband's room, without perceiving that Miss Macy had availed herself of + his absence to run to the end of the veranda, mischievously try to lift + the discarded knapsack to her own pretty shoulder, but, failing, + heroically stagger with it into the passage and softly deposit it at his + door. This done, she pantingly rejoined her cousin in the kitchen. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Mrs. Bradley, emphatically. “DID you ever? Walking fifteen + miles for pleasure—and with such lungs!” + </p> + <p> + “And that knapsack!” added Louise Macy, pointing to the mark in her little + palm where the strap had imbedded itself in the soft flesh. + </p> + <p> + “He's nice, though; isn't he?” said Mrs. Bradley, tentatively. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said Miss Macy, “he isn't, certainly, one of those provincial fine + gentlemen you object to. But DID you see his shoes? I suppose they make + the miles go quickly, or seem to measure less by comparison.” + </p> + <p> + “They're probably more serviceable than those high-heeled things that + Captain Greyson hops about in.” + </p> + <p> + “But the Captain always rides—and rides very well—you know,” + said Louise, reflectively. There was a moment's pause. + </p> + <p> + “I suppose Jim will tell us all about him,” said Mrs. Bradley, dismissing + the subject, as she turned her sleeves back over her white arms, + preparatory to grappling certain culinary difficulties. + </p> + <p> + “Jim,” observed Miss Macy, shortly, “in my opinion, knows nothing more + than his note says. That's like Jim.” + </p> + <p> + “There's nothing more to know, really,” said Mrs. Bradley, with a superior + air. “He's undoubtedly the son of some Englishman of fortune, sent out + here for his health.” + </p> + <p> + “Hush!” + </p> + <p> + Miss Macy had heard a step in the passage. It halted at last, half + irresolutely, before the open door of the kitchen, and the stranger + appeared with an embarrassed air. + </p> + <p> + But in his brief absence he seemed to have completely groomed himself, and + stood there, the impersonation of close-cropped, clean, and wholesome + English young manhood. The two women appreciated it with cat-like + fastidiousness. + </p> + <p> + “I beg your pardon; but really you're going to let a fellow do something + for you,” he said, “just to keep him from looking like a fool. I really + can do no end of things, you know, if you'll try me. I've done some + camping-out, and can cook as well as the next man.” + </p> + <p> + The two women made a movement of smiling remonstrance, half coquettish, + and half superior, until Mrs. Bradley, becoming conscious of her bare arms + and the stranger's wandering eyes, colored faintly, and said with more + decision:— + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not. You'd only be in the way. Besides, you need rest more than + we do. Put yourself in the rocking-chair in the veranda, and go to sleep + until Mr. Bradley comes.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring saw that she was serious, and withdrew, a little ashamed at his + familiarity into which his boyishness had betrayed him. But he had + scarcely seated himself in the rocking-chair before Miss Macy appeared, + carrying with both hands a large tin basin of unshelled peas. + </p> + <p> + “There,” she said pantingly, placing her burden in his lap, “if you really + want to help, there's something to do that isn't very fatiguing. You may + shell these peas.” + </p> + <p> + “SHELL them—I beg pardon, but how?” he asked, with smiling + earnestness. + </p> + <p> + “How? Why, I'll show you—look.” + </p> + <p> + She frankly stepped beside him, so close that her full-skirted dress half + encompassed him and the basin in a delicious confusion, and, leaning over + his lap, with her left hand picked up a pea-cod, which, with a single + movement of her charming little right thumb, she broke at the end, and + stripped the green shallow of its tiny treasures. + </p> + <p> + He watched her with smiling eyes; her own, looking down on him, were very + bright and luminous. “There; that's easy enough,” she said, and turned + away. + </p> + <p> + “But—one moment, Miss—Miss—?” + </p> + <p> + “Macy,” said louise. + </p> + <p> + “Where am I to put the shells?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! throw them down there—there's room enough.” + </p> + <p> + She was pointing to the canyon below. The veranda actually projected over + its brink, and seemed to hang in mid air above it. Mainwaring almost + mechanically threw his arm out to catch the incautious girl, who had + stepped heedlessly to its extreme edge. + </p> + <p> + “How odd! Don't you find it rather dangerous here?” he could not help + saying. “I mean—you might have had a railing that wouldn't intercept + the view and yet be safe?” + </p> + <p> + “It's a fancy of Mr. Bradley's,” returned the young girl carelessly. “It's + all like this. The house was built on a ledge against the side of the + precipice, and the road suddenly drops down to it.” + </p> + <p> + “It's tremendously pretty, all the same, you know,” said the young man + thoughtfully, gazing, however, at the girl's rounded chin above him. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” she replied curtly. “But this isn't working. I must go back to + Jenny. You can shell the peas until Mr. Bradley comes home. He won't be + long.” + </p> + <p> + She turned away, and re-entered the house. Without knowing why, he thought + her withdrawal abrupt, and he was again feeling his ready color rise with + the suspicion of either having been betrayed by the young girl's innocent + fearlessness into some unpardonable familiarity, which she had quietly + resented, or of feeling an ease and freedom in the company of these two + women that were inconsistent with respect, and should be restrained. + </p> + <p> + He, however, began to apply himself to the task given to him with his + usual conscientiousness of duty, and presently acquired a certain manual + dexterity in the operation. It was “good fun” to throw the cast-off husks + into the mighty unfathomable void before him, and watch them linger with + suspended gravity in mid air for a moment—apparently motionless—until + they either lost themselves, a mere vanishing black spot in the thin + ether, or slid suddenly at a sharp angle into unknown shadow. How deuced + odd for him to be sitting here in this fashion! It would be something to + talk of hereafter, and yet,—he stopped—it was not at all in + the line of that characteristic adventure, uncivilized novelty, and + barbarous freedom which for the last month he had sought and experienced. + It was not at all like his meeting with the grizzly last week while + wandering in a lonely canyon; not a bit in the line of his chance + acquaintance with that notorious ruffian, Spanish Jack, or his witnessing + with his own eyes that actual lynching affair at Angels. No! Nor was it at + all characteristic, according to his previous ideas of frontier rural + seclusion—as for instance the Pike County cabin of the family where + he stayed one night, and where the handsome daughter asked him what his + Christian name was. No! These two young women were very unlike her; they + seemed really quite the equals of his family and friends in England,—perhaps + more attractive,—and yet, yes, it was this very attractiveness that + alarmed his inbred social conservatism regarding women. With a man it was + very different; that alert, active, intelligent husband, instinct with the + throbbing life of his saw-mill, creator and worker in one, challenged his + unqualified trust and admiration. + </p> + <p> + He had become conscious for the last minute or two of thinking rapidly and + becoming feverishly excited; of breathing with greater difficulty, and a + renewed tendency to cough. The tendency increased until he instinctively + put aside the pan from his lap and half rose. But even that slight + exertion brought on an accession of coughing. He put his handkerchief to + his lips, partly to keep the sound from disturbing the women in the + kitchen, partly because of a certain significant taste in his mouth which + he unpleasantly remembered. When he removed the handkerchief it was, as he + expected, spotted with blood. He turned quickly and re-entered the house + softly, regaining the bedroom without attracting attention. An increasing + faintness here obliged him to lie down on the bed until it should pass. + </p> + <p> + Everything was quiet. He hoped they would not discover his absence from + the veranda until he was better; it was deucedly awkward that he should + have had this attack just now—and after he had made so light of his + previous exertions. They would think him an effeminate fraud, these two + bright, active women and that alert, energetic man. A faint color came + into his cheek at the idea, and an uneasy sense that he had been in some + way foolishly imprudent about his health. Again, they might be alarmed at + missing him from the veranda; perhaps he had better have remained there; + perhaps he ought to tell them that he had concluded to take their advice + and lie down. He tried to rise, but the deep blue chasm before the window + seemed to be swelling up to meet him, the bed slowly sinking into its + oblivious profundity. He knew no more. + </p> + <p> + He came to with the smell and taste of some powerful volatile spirit, and + the vague vision of Mr. Bradley still standing at the window of the mill + and vibrating with the machinery; this changed presently to a pleasant + lassitude and lazy curiosity as he perceived Mr. Bradley smile and + apparently slip from the window of the mill to his bedside. “You're all + right now,” said Bradley, cheerfully. + </p> + <p> + He was feeling Mainwaring's pulse. Had he really been ill and was Bradley + a doctor? + </p> + <p> + Bradley evidently saw what was passing in his mind. “Don't be alarmed,” he + said gayly. “I'm not a doctor, but I practise a little medicine and + surgery on account of the men at the mill, and accidents, you know. You're + all right now; you've lost a little blood: but in a couple of weeks in + this air we'll have that tubercle healed, and you'll be as right as a + trivet.” + </p> + <p> + “In a couple of weeks!” echoed Mainwaring, in faint astonishment. “Why, I + leave here to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “You'll do nothing of the kind” said Mrs. Bradley, with smiling + peremptoriness, suddenly slipping out from behind her husband. “Everything + is all perfectly arranged. Jim has sent off messengers to your friends, so + that if you can't come to them, they can come to you. You see you can't + help yourself! If you WILL walk fifteen miles with such lungs, and then + frighten people to death, you must abide by the consequences.” + </p> + <p> + “You see the old lady has fixed you,” said Bradley, smiling; “and she's + the master here. Come, Mainwaring, you can send any other message you + like, and have who and what you want here; but HERE you must stop for a + while.” + </p> + <p> + “But did I frighten you really?” stammered Mainwaring, faintly, to Mrs. + Bradley. + </p> + <p> + “Frighten us!” said Mrs. Bradley. “Well, look there!” + </p> + <p> + She pointed to the window, which commanded a view of the veranda. Miss + Macy had dropped into the vacant chair, with her little feet stretched out + before her, her cheeks burning with heat and fire, her eyes partly closed, + her straw hat hanging by a ribbon round her neck, her brown hair clinging + to her ears and forehead in damp tendrils, and an enormous palm-leaf fan + in each hand violently playing upon this charming picture of exhaustion + and abandonment. + </p> + <p> + “She came tearing down to the mill, bare-backed on our half-broken + mustang, about half an hour ago, to call me 'to help you,'” explained + Bradley. “Heaven knows how she managed to do it!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPER II. + </h2> + <p> + The medication of the woods was not overestimated by Bradley. There was + surely some occult healing property in that vast reservoir of balmy and + resinous odors over which The Lookout beetled and clung, and from which at + times the pure exhalations of the terraced valley seemed to rise. Under + its remedial influence and a conscientious adherence to the rules of + absolute rest and repose laid down for him, Mainwaring had no return of + the hemorrhage. The nearest professional medical authority, hastily + summoned, saw no reason for changing or for supplementing Bradley's + intelligent and simple treatment, although astounded that the patient had + been under no more radical or systematic cure than travel and exercise. + The women especially were amazed that Mainwaring had taken “nothing for + it,” in their habitual experience of an unfettered + pill-and-elixir-consuming democracy. In their knowledge of the thousand + “panaceas” that filled the shelves of the general store, this singular + abstention of their guest seemed to indicate a national peculiarity. + </p> + <p> + His bed was moved beside the low window, from which he could not only view + the veranda but converse at times with its occupants, and even listen to + the book which Miss Macy, seated without, read aloud to him. In the + evening Bradley would linger by his couch until late, beguiling the tedium + of his convalescence with characteristic stories and information which he + thought might please the invalid. For Mainwaring, who had been early + struck with Bradley's ready and cultivated intelligence, ended by shyly + avoiding the discussion of more serious topics, partly because Bradley + impressed him with a suspicion of his own inferiority, and partly because + Mainwaring questioned the taste of Bradley's apparent exhibition of his + manifest superiority. He learned accidentally that this mill-owner and + backwoodsman was a college-bred man; but the practical application of that + education to the ordinary affairs of life was new to the young + Englishman's traditions, and grated a little harshly on his feelings. He + would have been quite content if Bradley had, like himself and fellows he + knew, undervalued his training, and kept his gifts conservatively + impractical. The knowledge also that his host's education naturally came + from some provincial institution unlike Oxford and Cambridge may have + unconsciously affected his general estimate. I say unconsciously, for his + strict conscientiousness would have rejected any such formal proposition. + </p> + <p> + Another trifle annoyed him. He could not help noticing also that although + Bradley's manner and sympathy were confidential and almost brotherly, he + never made any allusion to Mainwaring's own family or connections, and, in + fact, gave no indication of what he believed was the national curiosity in + regard to strangers. Somewhat embarrassed by this indifference, Mainwaring + made the occasion of writing some letters home an opportunity for + laughingly alluding to the fact that he had made his mother and his + sisters fully aware of the great debt they owed the household of The + Lookout. + </p> + <p> + “They'll probably all send you a round robin of thanks, except, perhaps, + my next brother, Bob.” + </p> + <p> + Bradley contented himself with a gesture of general deprecation, and did + not ask WHY Mainwaring's young brother should contemplate his death with + satisfaction. Nevertheless, some time afterwards Miss Macy remarked that + it seemed hard that the happiness of one member of a family should depend + upon a calamity to another. “As for instance?” asked Mainwaring, who had + already forgotten the circumstance. “Why, if you had died and your younger + brother succeeded to the baronetcy, and become Sir Robert Mainwaring,” + responded Miss Macy, with precision. This was the first and only allusion + to his family and prospective rank. On the other hand, he had—through + naive and boyish inquiries, which seemed to amuse his entertainers—acquired, + as he believed, a full knowledge of the history and antecedents of the + Bradley household. He knew how Bradley had brought his young wife and her + cousin to California and abandoned a lucrative law practice in San + Francisco to take possession of this mountain mill and woodland, which he + had acquired through some professional service. + </p> + <p> + “Then you are a barrister really?” said Mainwaring, gravely. + </p> + <p> + Bradley laughed. “I'm afraid I've had more practice—though not as + lucrative a one—as surgeon or doctor.” + </p> + <p> + “But you're regularly on the rolls, you know; you're entered as Counsel, + and all that sort of thing?” continued Mainwaring, with great seriousness. + </p> + <p> + “Well, yes,” replied Bradley, much amused. “I'm afraid I must plead guilty + to that.” + </p> + <p> + “It's not a bad sort of thing,” said Mainwaring, naively, ignoring + Bradley's amusement. “I've got a cousin who's gone in for the law. Got out + of the army to do it—too. He's a sharp fellow.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you DO allow a man to try many trades—over there,” said Miss + Macy, demurely. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sometimes,” said Mainwaring, graciously, but by no means certain + that the case was at all analogous. + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless, as if relieved of certain doubts of the conventional quality + of his host's attainments, he now gave himself up to a very hearty and + honest admiration of Bradley. “You know it's awfully kind of him to talk + to a fellow like me who just pulled through, and never got any prizes at + Oxford, and don't understand the half of these things,” he remarked + confidentially to Mrs. Bradley. “He knows more about the things we used to + go in for at Oxford than lots of our men, and he's never been there. He's + uncommonly clever.” + </p> + <p> + “Jim was always very brilliant,” returned Mrs. Bradley, indifferently, and + with more than even conventionally polite wifely deprecation; “I wish he + were more practical.” + </p> + <p> + “Practical! Oh, I say, Mrs. Bradley! Why, a fellow that can go in among a + lot of workmen and tell them just what to do—an all-round chap that + can be independent of his valet, his doctor, and his—banker! By Jove—THAT'S + practical!” + </p> + <p> + “I mean,” said Mrs. Bradley, coldly, “that there are some things that a + gentleman ought not to be practical about nor independent of. Mr. Bradley + would have done better to have used his talents in some more legitimate + and established way.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring looked at her in genuine surprise. To his inexperienced + observation Bradley's intelligent energy and, above all, his originality, + ought to have been priceless in the eyes of his wife—the American + female of his species. He felt that slight shock which most loyal or + logical men feel when first brought face to face with the easy disloyalty + and incomprehensible logic of the feminine affections. Here was a fellow, + by Jove, that any woman ought to be proud of, and—and—he + stopped blankly. He wondered if Miss Macy sympathized with her cousin. + </p> + <p> + Howbeit, this did not affect the charm of their idyllic life at The + Lookout. The precipice over which they hung was as charming as ever in its + poetic illusions of space and depth and color; the isolation of their + comfortable existence in the tasteful yet audacious habitation, the + pleasant routine of daily tasks and amusements, all tended to make the + enforced quiet and inaction of his convalescence a lazy recreation. He was + really improving; more than that, he was conscious of a certain + satisfaction in this passive observation of novelty that was healthier and + perhaps TRUER than his previous passion for adventure and that febrile + desire for change and excitement which he now felt was a part of his + disease. Nor were incident and variety entirely absent from this tranquil + experience. He was one day astonished at being presented by Bradley with + copies of the latest English newspapers, procured from Sacramento, and he + equally astonished his host, after profusely thanking him, by only + listlessly glancing at their columns. He estopped a proposed visit from + one of his influential countrymen; in the absence of his fair entertainers + at their domestic duties, he extracted infinite satisfaction from Foo-Yup, + the Chinese servant, who was particularly detached for his service. From + his invalid coign of vantage at the window he was observant of all that + passed upon the veranda, that al-fresco audience-room of The Lookout, and + he was good-humoredly conscious that a great many eccentric and peculiar + visitors were invariably dragged thither by Miss Macy, and goaded into + characteristic exhibition within sight and hearing of her guest, with a + too evident view, under the ostentatious excuse of extending his knowledge + of national character or mischievously shocking him. + </p> + <p> + “When you are strong enough to stand Captain Gashweiler's opinions of the + Established Church and Chinamen,” said Miss Macy, after one of these + revelations, “I'll get Jim to bring him here, for really he swears so + outrageously that even in the broadest interests of international + understanding and good-will neither Mrs. Bradley nor myself could be + present.” + </p> + <p> + On another occasion she provokingly lingered before his window for a + moment with a rifle slung jauntily over her shoulder. “If you hear a shot + or two don't excite yourself, and believe we're having a lynching case in + the woods. It will be only me. There's some creature—confess, you + expected me to say 'critter'—hanging round the barn. It may be a + bear. Good-by.” She missed the creature,—which happened to be really + a bear,—much to Mainwaring's illogical satisfaction. “I wonder why,” + he reflected, with vague uneasiness, “she doesn't leave all that sort of + thing to girls like that tow-headed girl at the blacksmith's.” + </p> + <p> + It chanced, however, that this blacksmith's tow-headed daughter, who, it + may be incidentally remarked, had the additional eccentricities of large + black eyes and large white teeth, came to the fore in quite another + fashion. Shortly after this, Mainwaring being able to leave his room and + join the family board, Mrs. Bradley found it necessary to enlarge her + domestic service, and arranged with her nearest neighbor, the blacksmith, + to allow his daughter to come to The Lookout for a few days to “do the + chores” and assist in the housekeeping, as she had on previous occasions. + The day of her advent Bradley entered Mainwaring's room, and, closing the + door mysteriously, fixed his blue eyes, kindling with mischief, on the + young Englishman. + </p> + <p> + “You are aware, my dear boy,” he began with affected gravity, “that you + are now living in a land of liberty, where mere artificial distinctions + are not known, and where Freedom from her mountain heights generally + levels all social positions. I think you have graciously admitted that + fact.” + </p> + <p> + “I know I've been taking a tremendous lot of freedom with you and yours, + old man, and it's a deuced shame,” interrupted Mainwaring, with a faint + smile. + </p> + <p> + “And that nowhere,” continued Bradley, with immovable features, “does + equality exist as perfectly as above yonder unfathomable abyss, where you + have also, doubtless, observed the American eagle proudly soars and + screams defiance.” + </p> + <p> + “Then that was the fellow that kept me awake this morning, and made me + wonder if I was strong enough to hold a gun again.” + </p> + <p> + “That wouldn't have settled the matter,” continued Bradley, imperturbably. + “The case is simply this: Miss Minty Sharpe, that blacksmith's daughter, + has once or twice consented, for a slight emolument, to assist in our + domestic service for a day or two, and she comes back again to-day. Now, + under the aegis of that noble bird whom your national instincts tempt you + to destroy, she has on all previous occasions taken her meals with us, at + the same table, on terms of perfect equality. She will naturally expect to + do the same now. Mrs. Bradley thought it proper, therefore, to warn you, + that, in case your health was not quite equal to this democratic + simplicity, you could still dine in your room.” + </p> + <p> + “It would be great fun—if Miss Sharpe won't object to my presence.” + </p> + <p> + “But it must not be 'great fun,'” returned Bradley, more seriously; “for + Miss Minty's perception of humor is probably as keen as yours, and she + would be quick to notice it. And, so far from having any objection to you, + I am inclined to think that we owe her consent to come to her desire of + making your acquaintance.” + </p> + <p> + “She will find my conduct most exemplary,” said Mainwaring, earnestly. + </p> + <p> + “Let us hope so,” concluded Bradley, with unabated gravity. “And, now that + you have consented, let me add from my own experience that Miss Minty's + lemon-pies alone are worthy of any concession.” + </p> + <p> + The dinner-hour came. Mainwaring, a little pale and interesting, leaning + on the arm of Bradley, crossed the hall, and for the first time entered + the dining-room of the house where he had lodged for three weeks. It was a + bright, cheerful apartment, giving upon the laurels of the rocky hillside, + and permeated, like the rest of the house, with the wholesome spice of the + valley—an odor that, in its pure desiccating property, seemed to + obliterate all flavor of alien human habitation, and even to dominate and + etherealize the appetizing smell of the viands before them. The bare, + shining, planed, boarded walls appeared to resent any decoration that + might have savored of dust, decay, or moisture. The four large windows and + long, open door, set in scanty strips of the plainest spotless muslin, + framed in themselves pictures of woods and rock and sky of limitless + depth, color, and distance, that made all other adornment impertinent. + Nature, invading the room at every opening, had banished Art from those + neutral walls. + </p> + <p> + “It's like a picnic, with comfort,” said Mainwaring, glancing round him + with boyish appreciation. Miss Minty was not yet there; the Chinaman was + alone in attendance. Mainwaring could not help whispering, half + mischievously, to Louise, “You draw the line at Chinamen, I suppose?” + </p> + <p> + “WE don't, but HE does,” answered the young girl. “He considers us his + social inferiors. But—hush!” + </p> + <p> + Minty Sharpe had just entered the room, and was advancing with smiling + confidence towards the table. Mainwaring was a little startled; he had + seen Minty in a holland sun-bonnet and turned up skirt crossing the + veranda, only a moment before; in the brief instant between the dishing-up + of dinner and its actual announcement she had managed to change her dress, + put on a clean collar, cuffs, and a large jet brooch, and apply some + odorous unguent to her rebellious hair. Her face, guiltless of powder or + cold cream, was still shining with the healthy perspiration of her last + labors as she promptly took the vacant chair beside Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “Don't mind me, folks,” she said cheerfully, resting her plump elbow on + the table, and addressing the company generally, but gazing with frank + curiosity into the face of the young man at her side. “It was a keen jump, + I tell yer, to get out of my old duds inter these, and look decent inside + o' five minutes. But I reckon I ain't kept yer waitin' long—least of + all this yer sick stranger. But you're looking pearter than you did. + You're wonderin' like ez not where I ever saw ye before?” she continued, + laughing. “Well, I'll tell you. Last week! I'd kem over yer on a chance of + seein' Jenny Bradley, and while I was meanderin' down the veranda I saw + you lyin' back in your chair by the window drowned in sleep, like a baby. + Lordy! I mout hev won a pair o' gloves, but I reckoned you were Loo's + game, and not mine.” + </p> + <p> + The slightly constrained laugh which went round the table after Miss + Minty's speech was due quite as much to the faint flush that had accented + Mainwaring's own smile as to the embarrassing remark itself. Mrs. Bradley + and Miss Macy exchanged rapid glances. Bradley, who alone retained his + composure, with a slight flicker of amusement in the corner of his eye and + nostril, said quickly: “You see, Mainwaring, how nature stands ready to + help your convalescence at every turn. If Miss Minty had only followed up + her healing opportunity, your cure would have been complete.” + </p> + <p> + “Ye mout hev left some o' that pretty talk for HIM to say,” said Minty, + taking up her knife and fork with a slight shrug, “and you needn't call me + MISS Minty either, jest because there's kempeny present.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope you won't look upon me as company, Minty, or I shall be obliged to + call you 'Miss' too,” said Mainwaring, unexpectedly regaining his usual + frankness. + </p> + <p> + Bradley's face brightened; Miss Minty raised her black eyes from her plate + with still broader appreciation. + </p> + <p> + “There's nothin' mean about that,” she said, showing her white teeth. + “Well, what's YOUR first name?” + </p> + <p> + “Not as pretty as yours, I'm afraid. It's Frank.” + </p> + <p> + “No it ain't, it's Francis! You reckon to be Sir Francis some day,” she + said gravely. “You can't play any Frank off on me. You wouldn't do it on + HER,” she added, indicating Louise with her elbow. + </p> + <p> + A momentous silence followed. The particular form that Minty's vulgarity + had taken had not been anticipated by the two other women. They had, not + unreasonably, expected some original audacity or gaucherie from the + blacksmith's daughter, which might astonish yet amuse their guest, and + condone for the situation forced upon them. But they were not prepared for + a playfulness that involved themselves in a ridiculous indiscretion. Mrs. + Bradley's eyes sought her husband's meaningly; Louise's pretty mouth + hardened. Luckily the cheerful cause of it suddenly jumped up from the + table, and saying that the stranger was starving, insisted upon bringing a + dish from the other side and helping him herself plentifully. Mainwaring + rose gallantly to take the dish from her hand, a slight scuffle ensued + which ended in the young man being forced down in his chair by the + pressure of Minty's strong plump hand on his shoulder. “There,” she said, + “ye kin mind your dinner now, and I reckon we'll give the others a chance + to chip into the conversation,” and at once applied herself to the plate + before her. + </p> + <p> + The conversation presently became general, with the exception that Minty, + more or less engrossed by professional anxiety in the quality of the + dinner and occasional hurried visits to the kitchen, briefly answered the + few polite remarks which Mainwaring felt called upon to address to her. + Nevertheless, he was conscious, malgre her rallying allusions to Miss + Macy, that he felt none of the vague yet half pleasant anxiety with which + Louise was beginning to inspire him. He felt at ease in Minty's presence, + and believed, rightly or wrongly, that she understood him as well as he + understood her. And there were certainly points in common between his two + hostesses and their humbler though proud dependent. The social evolution + of Mrs. Bradley and Louise Macy from some previous Minty was neither + remote nor complete; the self-sufficient independence, ease, and quiet + self-assertion were alike in each. The superior position was still too + recent and accidental for either to resent or criticise qualities that + were common to both. At least, this was what he thought when not + abandoning himself to the gratification of a convalescent appetite; to the + presence of two pretty women, the sympathy of a genial friend, the healthy + intoxication of the white sunlight that glanced upon the pine walls, the + views that mirrored themselves in the open windows, and the pure + atmosphere in which The Lookout seemed to swim. Wandering breezes of balm + and spice lightly stirred the flowers on the table, and seemed to fan his + hair and forehead with softly healing breath. Looking up in an interval of + silence, he caught Bradley's gray eyes fixed upon him with a subdued light + of amusement and affection, as of an elder brother regarding a schoolboy's + boisterous appetite at some feast. Mainwaring laid down his knife and fork + with a laughing color, touched equally by Bradley's fraternal kindliness + and the consciousness of his gastronomical powers. + </p> + <p> + “Hang it, Bradley; look here! I know my appetite's disgraceful, but what + can a fellow do? In such air, with such viands and such company! It's like + the bees getting drunk on Hybla and Hymettus, you know. I'm not + responsible!” + </p> + <p> + “It's the first square meal I believe you've really eaten in six months,” + said Bradley, gravely. “I can't understand why your doctor allowed you to + run down so dreadfully.” + </p> + <p> + “I reckon you ain't as keerful of yourself, you Britishers, ez us,” said + Minty. “Lordy! Why there's Pop invests in more patent medicines in one day + than you have in two weeks, and he'd make two of you. Mebbe your folks + don't look after you enough.” + </p> + <p> + “I'm a splendid advertisement of what YOUR care and your medicines have + done,” said Mainwaring, gratefully, to Mrs. Bradley; “and if you ever want + to set up a 'Cure' here, I'm ready with a ten-page testimonial.” + </p> + <p> + “Have a care, Mainwaring,” said Bradley, laughing, “that the ladies don't + take you at your word. Louise and Jenny have been doing their best for the + last year to get me to accept a flattering offer from a Sacramento firm to + put up a hotel for tourists on the site of The Lookout. Why, I believe + that they have already secretly in their hearts concocted a flaming + prospectus of 'Unrivalled Scenery' and 'Health-giving Air,' and are + looking forward to Saturday night hops on the piazza.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you really, though?” said Mainwaring, gazing from the one to the + other. + </p> + <p> + “We should certainly see more company than we do now, and feel a little + less out of the world,” said Louise, candidly. “There are no neighbors + here—I mean the people at the Summit are not,” she added, with a + slight glance towards Minty. + </p> + <p> + “And Mr. Bradley would find it more profitable—not to say more + suitable to a man of his position—than this wretched saw-mill and + timber business,” said Mrs. Bradley, decidedly. + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring was astounded; was it possible they considered it more + dignified for a lawyer to keep a hotel than a saw-mill? Bradley, as if + answering what was passing in his mind, said mischievously, “I'm not sure, + exactly, what my position is, my dear, and I'm afraid I've declined the + hotel on business principles. But, by the way, Mainwaring, I found a + letter at the mill this morning from Mr. Richardson. He is about to pay us + the distinguished honor of visiting The Lookout, solely on your account, + my dear fellow.” + </p> + <p> + “But I wrote him that I was much better, and it wasn't necessary for him + to come,” said Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “He makes an excuse of some law business with me. I suppose he considers + the mere fact of his taking the trouble to come here, all the way from San + Francisco, a sufficient honor to justify any absence of formal + invitation,” said Bradley, smiling. + </p> + <p> + “But he's only—I mean he's my father's banker,” said Mainwaring, + correcting himself, “and—you don't keep a hotel.” + </p> + <p> + “Not yet,” returned Bradley, with a mischievous glance at the two women, + “but The Lookout is elastic, and I dare say we can manage to put him up.” + </p> + <p> + A silence ensued. It seemed as if some shadow, or momentary darkening of + the brilliant atmosphere; some film across the mirror-like expanse of the + open windows, or misty dimming of their wholesome light, had arisen to + their elevation. Mainwaring felt that he was looking forward with + unreasoning indignation and uneasiness to this impending interruption of + their idyllic life; Mrs. Bradley and Louise, who had become a little more + constrained and formal under Minty's freedom, were less sympathetic; even + the irrepressible Minty appeared absorbed in the responsibilities of the + dinner. + </p> + <p> + Bradley alone preserved his usual patient good-humor. “We'll take our + coffee on the veranda, and the ladies will join us by and by, Mainwaring; + besides, I don't know that I can allow you, as an invalid, to go entirely + through Minty's bountiful menu at present. You shall have the sweets + another time.” + </p> + <p> + When they were alone on the veranda, he said, between the puffs of his + black brier-wood pipe,—a pet aversion of Mrs. Bradley,—“I + wonder how Richardson will accept Minty!” + </p> + <p> + “If I can, I think he MUST,” returned Mainwaring, dryly. “By Jove, it will + be great fun to see him; but”—he stopped and hesitated—“I + don't know about the ladies. I don't think, you know, that they'll stand + Minty again before another stranger.” + </p> + <p> + Bradley glanced quickly at the young man; their eyes met, and they both + joined in a superior and, I fear, disloyal smile. After a pause Bradley, + as if in a spirit of further confidence, took his pipe from his mouth and + pointed to the blue abyss before them. + </p> + <p> + “Look at that profundity, Mainwaring, and think of it ever being bullied + and overawed by a long veranda-load of gaping, patronizing tourists, and + the idiotic flirting females of their species. Think of a lot of + over-dressed creatures flouting those severe outlines and deep-toned + distances with frippery and garishness. You know how you have been lulled + to sleep by that delicious, indefinite, far-off murmur of the canyon at + night—think of it being broken by a crazy waltz or a monotonous + german—by the clatter of waiters and the pop of champagne corks. And + yet, by thunder, those women are capable of liking both and finding no + discord in them!” + </p> + <p> + “Dancing ain't half bad, you know,” said Mainwaring, conscientiously, “if + a chap's got the wind to do it; and all Americans, especially the women, + dance better than we do. But I say, Bradley, to hear you talk, a fellow + wouldn't suspect you were as big a Vandal as anybody, with a beastly, + howling saw-mill in the heart of the primeval forest. By Jove, you quite + bowled me over that first day we met, when you popped your head out of + that delirium tremens shaking mill, like the very genius of destructive + improvement.” + </p> + <p> + “But that was FIGHTING Nature, not patronizing her; and it's a business + that pays. That reminds me that I must go back to it,” said Bradley, + rising and knocking the ashes from his pipe. + </p> + <p> + “Not AFTER dinner, surely!” said Mainwaring, in surprise. “Come now, + that's too much like the bolting Yankee of the travellers' books.” + </p> + <p> + “There's a heavy run to get through tonight. We're working against time,” + returned Bradley. Even while speaking he had vanished within the house, + returned quickly—having replaced his dark suit by jean trousers + tucked in heavy boots, and a red flannel shirt over his starched white one—and, + nodding gayly to Mainwaring, stepped from the lower end of the veranda. + “The beggar actually looks pleased to go,” said Mainwaring to himself in + wonderment. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! Jim,” said Mrs. Bradley, appearing at the door. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said Bradley, faintly, from the bushes. + </p> + <p> + “Minty's ready. You might take her home.” + </p> + <p> + “All right. I'll wait.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope I haven't frightened Miss Sharpe away,” said Mainwaring. “She + isn't going, surely?” + </p> + <p> + “Only to get some better clothes, on account of company. I'm afraid you + are giving her a good deal of trouble, Mr. Mainwaring,” said Mrs. Bradley, + laughing. + </p> + <p> + “She wished me to say good-by to you for her, as she couldn't come on the + veranda in her old shawl and sun-bonnet,” added Louise, who had joined + them. “What do you really think of her, Mr. Mainwaring? I call her quite + pretty, at times. Don't you?” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring knew not what to say. He could not understand why they could + have any special interest in the girl, or care to know what he, a perfect + stranger, thought of her. He avoided a direct reply, however, by playfully + wondering how Mrs. Bradley could subject her husband to Miss Minty's + undivided fascinations. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Jim always takes her home—if it's in the evening. He gets along + with these people better than we do,” returned Mrs. Bradley, dryly. “But,” + she added, with a return of her piquant Quaker-like coquettishness, “Jim + says we are to devote ourselves to you to-night—in retaliation, I + suppose. We are to amuse you, and not let you get excited; and you are to + be sent to bed early.” + </p> + <p> + It is to be feared that these latter wise precautions—invaluable for + all defenceless and enfeebled humanity—were not carried out: and it + was late when Mainwaring eventually retired, with brightened eyes and a + somewhat accelerated pulse. For the ladies, who had quite regained that + kindly equanimity which Minty had rudely interrupted, had also added a + delicate and confidential sympathy in their relations with Mainwaring,—as + of people who had suffered in common,—and he experienced these + tender attentions at their hands which any two women are emboldened by + each other's saving presence to show any single member of our sex. Indeed, + he hardly knew if his satisfaction was the more complete when Mrs. + Bradley, withdrawing for a few moments, left him alone on the veranda with + Louise and the vast, omnipotent night. + </p> + <p> + For a while they sat silent, in the midst of the profound and measureless + calm. Looking down upon the dim moonlit abyss at their feet, they + themselves seemed a part of this night that arched above it; the + half-risen moon appeared to linger long enough at their side to enwrap and + suffuse them with its glory; a few bright stars quietly ringed themselves + around them, and looked wonderingly into the level of their own shining + eyes. For some vague yearning to humanity seemed to draw this dark and + passionless void towards them. The vast protecting maternity of Nature + leant hushed and breathless over the solitude. Warm currents of air rose + occasionally from the valley, which one might have believed were sighs + from its full and overflowing breast, or a grateful coolness swept their + cheeks and hair when the tranquil heights around them were moved to slowly + respond. Odors from invisible bay and laurel sometimes filled the air; the + incense of some rare and remoter cultivated meadow beyond their ken, or + the strong germinating breath of leagues of wild oats, that had yellowed + the upland by day. In the silence and shadow, their voices took upon + themselves, almost without their volition, a far-off confidential murmur, + with intervals of meaning silence—rather as if their thoughts had + spoken for themselves, and they had stopped wonderingly to listen. They + talked at first vaguely to this discreet audience of space and darkness, + and then, growing bolder, spoke to each other and of themselves. Invested + by the infinite gravity of nature, they had no fear of human ridicule to + restrain their youthful conceit or the extravagance of their unimportant + confessions. They talked of their tastes, of their habits, of their + friends and acquaintances. They settled some points of doctrine, duty, and + etiquette, with the sweet seriousness of youth and its all-powerful + convictions. The listening vines would have recognized no flirtation or + love-making in their animated but important confidences; yet when Mrs. + Bradley reappeared to warn the invalid that it was time to seek his couch, + they both coughed slightly in the nervous consciousness of some + unaccustomed quality in their voices, and a sense of interruption far + beyond their own or the innocent intruder's ken. + </p> + <p> + “Well?” said Mrs. Bradley, in the sitting-room as Mainwaring's steps + retreated down the passage to his room. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Louise with a slight yawn, leaning her pretty shoulders + languidly against the door-post, as she shaded her moonlight-accustomed + eyes from the vulgar brilliancy of Mrs. Bradley's bedroom candle. “Well—oh, + he talked a great deal about 'his people' as he called them, and I talked + about us. He's very nice. You know in some things he's really like a boy.” + </p> + <p> + “He looks much better.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes; but he is far from strong yet.” + </p> + <p> + Meantime, Mainwaring had no other confidant of his impressions than his + own thoughts. Mingled with his exaltation, which was the more seductive + that it had no well-defined foundation for existing, and implied no future + responsibility, was a recurrence of his uneasiness at the impending visit + of Richardson the next day. Strangely enough, it had increased under the + stimulus of the evening. Just as he was really getting on with the family, + he felt sure that this visitor would import some foreign element into + their familiarity, as Minty had done. It was possible they would not like + him: now he remembered there was really something ostentatiously British + and insular about this Richardson—something they would likely + resent. Why couldn't this fellow have come later—or even before? + Before what? But here he fell asleep, and almost instantly slipped from + this veranda in the Sierras, six thousand miles away, to an ancient + terrace, overgrown with moss and tradition, that overlooked the sedate + glory of an English park. Here he found himself, restricted painfully by + his inconsistent night-clothes, endeavoring to impress his mother and + sisters with the singular virtues and excellences of his American host and + hostesses—virtues and excellences that he himself was beginning to + feel conscious had become more or less apocryphal in that atmosphere. He + heard his mother's voice saying severely, “When you learn, Francis, to + respect the opinions and prejudices of your family enough to prevent your + appearing before them in this uncivilized aboriginal costume, we will + listen to what you have to say of the friends whose habits you seem to + have adopted;” and he was frantically indignant that his efforts to + convince them that his negligence was a personal oversight, and not a + Californian custom, were utterly futile. But even then this vision was + brushed away by the bewildering sweep of Louise's pretty skirt across the + dreamy picture, and her delicate features and softly-fringed eyes remained + the last to slip from his fading consciousness. + </p> + <p> + The moon rose higher and higher above the sleeping house and softly + breathing canyon. There was nothing to mar the idyllic repose of the + landscape; only the growing light of the last two hours had brought out in + the far eastern horizon a dim white peak, that gleamed faintly among the + stars, like a bridal couch spread between the hills fringed with fading + nuptial torches. No one would have believed that behind that impenetrable + shadow to the west, in the heart of the forest, the throbbing saw-mill of + James Bradley was even at that moment eating its destructive way through + the conserved growth of Nature and centuries, and that the refined + proprietor of house and greenwood, with the glow of his furnace fires on + his red shirt, and his alert, intelligent eyes, was the genie of that + devastation, and the toiling leader of the shadowy, toiling figures around + him. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPER III. + </h2> + <p> + Amid the beauty of the most uncultivated and untrodden wilderness there + are certain localities where the meaner and mere common processes of + Nature take upon themselves a degrading likeness to the slovenly, + wasteful, and improvident processes of man. The unrecorded land-slip + disintegrating a whole hillside will not only lay bare the delicate + framework of strata and deposit to the vulgar eye, but hurl into the + valley a debris so monstrous and unlovely as to shame even the hideous + ruins left by dynamite, hydraulic, or pick and shovel; an overflown and + forgotten woodland torrent will leave in some remote hollow a disturbed + and ungraceful chaos of inextricable logs, branches, rock, and soil that + will rival the unsavory details of some wrecked or abandoned settlement. + Of lesser magnitude and importance, there are certain natural dust-heaps, + sinks, and cesspools, where the elements have collected the cast-off, + broken, and frayed disjecta of wood and field—the sweepings of the + sylvan household. It was remarkable that Nature, so kindly considerate of + mere human ruins, made no attempt to cover up or disguise these monuments + of her own mortality: no grass grew over the unsightly landslides, no moss + or ivy clothed the stripped and bleached skeletons of overthrown branch + and tree; the dead leaves and withered husks rotted in their open grave + uncrossed by vine and creeper. Even the animals, except the lower + organizations, shunned those haunts of decay and ruin. + </p> + <p> + It was scarcely a hundred yards from one of those dreary receptacles that + Mr. Bradley had taken leave of Miss Minty Sharpe. The cabin occupied by + her father, herself, and a younger brother stood, in fact, on the very + edge of the little hollow, which was partly filled with decayed wood, + leaves, and displacements of the crumbling bank, with the coal dust and + ashes which Mr. Sharpe had added from his forge, that stood a few paces + distant at the corner of a cross-road. The occupants of the cabin had also + contributed to the hollow the refuse of their household in broken boxes, + earthenware, tin cans, and cast-off clothing; and it is not improbable + that the site of the cabin was chosen with reference to this convenient + disposal of useless and encumbering impedimenta. It was true that the + locality offered little choice in the way of beauty. An outcrop of brown + granite—a portent of higher altitudes—extended a quarter of a + mile from the nearest fringe of dwarf laurel and “brush” in one direction; + in the other an advanced file of Bradley's woods had suffered from some + long-forgotten fire, and still raised its blackened masts and broken + stumps over the scorched and arid soil, swept of older underbrush and + verdure. On the other side of the road a dark ravine, tangled with briers + and haunted at night by owls and wild cats, struggled wearily on, until + blundering at last upon the edge of the Great Canyon, it slipped and lost + itself forever in a single furrow of those mighty flanks. When Bradley had + once asked Sharpe why he had not built his house in the ravine, the + blacksmith had replied: “That until the Lord had appointed his time, he + reckoned to keep his head above ground and the foundations thereof.” + Howbeit, the ravine, or the “run,” as it was locally known, was Minty's + only Saturday afternoon resort for recreation or berries. “It was,” she + had explained, “pow'ful soothin', and solitary.” + </p> + <p> + She entered the house—a rude, square building of unpainted boards—containing + a sitting-room, a kitchen, and two bedrooms. A glance at these rooms, + which were plainly furnished, and whose canvas-colored walls were adorned + with gorgeous agricultural implement circulars, patent medicine calendars, + with polytinted chromos and cheaply-illuminated Scriptural texts, showed + her that a certain neatness and order had been preserved during her + absence; and, finding the house empty, she crossed the barren and + blackened intervening space between the back door and her father's forge, + and entered the open shed. The light was fading from the sky; but the glow + of the forge lit up the dusty road before it, and accented the blackness + of the rocky ledge beyond. A small curly-headed boy, bearing a singular + likeness to a smudged and blackened crayon drawing of Minty, was + mechanically blowing the bellows and obviously intent upon something else; + while her father—a powerfully built man, with a quaintly + dissatisfied expression of countenance—was with equal want of + interest mechanically hammering at a horseshoe. Without noticing Minty's + advent, he lazily broke into a querulous drawling chant of some vague + religious character: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “O tur-ren, sinner; tur-ren. + For the Lord bids you turn—ah! + O tur-ren, sinner; tur-ren. + Why will you die?” + </pre> + <p> + The musical accent adapted itself to the monotonous fall of the + sledge-hammer; and at every repetition of the word “turn” he suited the + action to the word by turning the horseshoe with the iron in his left + hand. A slight grunt at the end of every stroke, and the simultaneous + repetition of “turn” seemed to offer him amusement and relief. Minty, + without speaking, crossed the shop, and administered a sound box on her + brother's ear. “Take that, and let me ketch you agen layin' low when my + back's turned, to put on your store pants.” + </p> + <p> + “The others had fetched away in the laig,” said the boy, opposing a knee + and elbow at acute angle to further attack. + </p> + <p> + “You jest get and change 'em,” said Minty. + </p> + <p> + The sudden collapse of the bellows broke in upon the soothing refrain of + Mr. Sharpe, and caused him to turn also. + </p> + <p> + “It's Minty,” he said, replacing the horseshoe on the coals, and setting + his powerful arms and the sledge on the anvil with an exaggerated + expression of weariness. + </p> + <p> + “Yes; it's me,” said Minty, “and Creation knows it's time I DID come, to + keep that boy from ruinin' us with his airs and conceits.” + </p> + <p> + “Did ye bring over any o' that fever mixter?” + </p> + <p> + “No. Bradley sez you're loading yerself up with so much o' that bitter + bark—kuinine they call it over there—that you'll lift the ruff + off your head next. He allows ye ain't got no ague; it's jest wind and + dyspepsy. He sez yer's strong ez a hoss.” + </p> + <p> + “Bradley,” said Sharpe, laying aside his sledge with an aggrieved manner + which was, however, as complacent as his fatigue and discontent, “ez one + of them nat'ral born finikin skunks ez I despise. I reckon he began to + give p'ints to his parents when he was about knee-high to Richelieu there. + He's on them confidential terms with hisself and the Almighty that he + reckons he ken run a saw-mill and a man's insides at the same time with + one hand tied behind him. And this finikin is up to his conceit: he wanted + to tell me that that yer handy brush dump outside our shanty was + unhealthy. Give a man with frills like that his own way and he'd be a + sprinkling odor cologne and peppermint all over the country.” + </p> + <p> + “He set your shoulder as well as any doctor,” said Minty. + </p> + <p> + “That's bone-settin', and a nat'ral gift,” returned Sharpe, as + triumphantly as his habitual depression would admit; “it ain't conceit and + finikin got out o' books! Well,” he added, after a pause, “wot's + happened?” + </p> + <p> + Minty's face slightly changed. “Nothin'; I kem back to get some things,” + she said shortly, moving away. + </p> + <p> + “And ye saw HIM?” + </p> + <p> + “Ye-e-s,” drawled Minty, carelessly, still retreating. + </p> + <p> + “Bixby was along here about noon. He says the stranger was suthin' high + and mighty in his own country, and them 'Frisco millionaires are quite + sweet on him. Where are ye goin'?” + </p> + <p> + “In the house.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, look yer, Minty. Now that you're here, ye might get up a batch o' + hot biscuit for supper. Dinner was that promiscous and experimental + to-day, along o' Richelieu's nat'ral foolin', that I think I could git + outside of a little suthin' now, if only to prop up a kind of innard + sinkin' that takes me. Ye ken tell me the news at supper.” + </p> + <p> + Later, however, when Mr. Sharpe had quitted his forge for the night and, + seated at his domestic board, was, with a dismal presentiment of future + indigestion, voraciously absorbing his favorite meal of hot saleratus + biscuits swimming in butter, he had apparently forgotten his curiosity + concerning Mainwaring and settled himself to a complaining chronicle of + the day's mishaps. “Nat'rally, havin' an extra lot o' work on hand and no + time for foolin', what does that ornery Richelieu get up and do this + mornin'? Ye know them ridiklus specimens that he's been chippin' outer + that ledge that the yearth slipped from down the run, and litterin' up the + whole shanty with 'em. Well, darn my skin! if he didn't run a heap of 'em, + mixed up with coal, unbeknowned to me, in the forge, to make what he + called a 'fire essay' of 'em. Nat'rally, I couldn't get a blessed iron + hot, and didn't know what had gone of the fire, or the coal either, for + two hours, till I stopped work and raked out the coal. That comes from his + hangin' round that saw-mill in the woods, and listenin' to Bradley's + high-falutin' talk about rocks and strata and sich.” + </p> + <p> + “But Bradley don't go a cent on minin', Pop,” said Minty. “He sez the + woods is good enough for him; and there's millions to be made when the + railroad comes along, and timber's wanted.” + </p> + <p> + “But until then he's got to keep hisself, to pay wages, and keep the mill + runnin'. Onless it's, ez Bixby says, that he hopes to get that Englishman + to rope in some o' them 'Frisco friends of his to take a hand. Ye didn't + have any o' that kind o' talk, did ye?” + </p> + <p> + “No; not THAT kind o' talk,” said Minty. + </p> + <p> + “Not THAT kind o' talk!” repeated her father with aggrieved curiosity, + “Wot kind, then?” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Minty, lifting her black eyes to her father's; “I ain't no + account, and you ain't no account either. You ain't got no college + education, ain't got no friends in 'Frisco, and ain't got no high-toned + style; I can't play the pianner, jabber French, nor get French dresses. We + ain't got no fancy 'Shallet,' as they call it, with a first-class view of + nothing; but only a shanty on dry rock. But, afore I'D take advantage of a + lazy, gawky boy—for it ain't anything else, though he's good meanin' + enough—that happened to fall sick in MY house, and coax and cosset + him, and wrap him in white cotton, and mother him, and sister him, and + Aunt Sukey him, and almost dry-nuss him gin'rally, jist to get him sweet + on me and on mine, and take the inside track of others—I'D be an + Injin! And if you'd allow it, Pop, you'd be wuss nor a nigger!” + </p> + <p> + “Sho!” said her father, kindling with that intense gratification with + which the male receives any intimation of alien feminine weakness. “It + ain't that, Minty, I wanter know!” + </p> + <p> + “It's jist that, Pop; and I ez good ez let 'em know I seed it. I ain't a + fool, if some folks do drop their eyes and pertend to wipe the laugh out + of their noses with a handkerchief when I let out to speak. I mayn't be + good enough kempany—” + </p> + <p> + “Look yer, Minty,” interrupted the blacksmith, sternly, half rising from + his seat with every trace of his former weakness vanished from his hardset + face; “do you mean to say that they put on airs to ye—to MY darter?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” said Minty quickly; “the men didn't; and don't you, a man, mix + yourself up with women's meannesses. I ken manage 'em, Pop, with one + hand.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Sharpe looked at his daughter's flashing black eyes. Perhaps an uneasy + recollection of the late Mrs. Sharpe's remarkable capacity in that respect + checked his further rage. + </p> + <p> + “No. Wot I was sayin',” resumed Minty, “ez that I mayn't be thought by + others good enough to keep kempany with baronetts ez is to be—though + baronetts mightn't object—but I ain't mean enough to try to steal + away some ole woman's darling boy in England, or snatch some likely young + English girl's big brother outer the family without sayin' by your leave. + How'd you like it if Richelieu was growed up, and went to sea,—and + it would be like his peartness,—and he fell sick in some foreign + land, and some princess or other skyulged HIM underhand away from us?” + </p> + <p> + Probably owing to the affair of the specimens, the elder Sharpe did not + seem to regard the possible mesalliance of Richelieu with extraordinary + disfavor. “That boy is conceited enough with hair ile and fine clothes for + anything,” he said plaintively. “But didn't that Louise Macy hev a feller + already—that Captain Greyson? Wot's gone o' him?” + </p> + <p> + “That's it,” said Minty: “he kin go out in the woods and whistle now. But + all the same, she could hitch him in again at any time if the other + stranger kicked over the traces. That's the style over there at The + Lookout. There ain't ez much heart in them two women put together ez would + make a green gal flush up playin' forfeits. It's all in their breed, Pop. + Love ain't going to spile their appetites and complexions, give 'em + nose-bleed, nor put a drop o' water into their eyes in all their natural + born days. That's wot makes me mad. Ef I thought that Loo cared a bit for + that child I wouldn't mind; I'd just advise her to make him get up and get—pack + his duds out o' camp, and go home and not come back until he had a written + permit from his mother, or the other baronet in office.” + </p> + <p> + “Looks sorter ef some one orter interfere,” said the blacksmith, + reflectively. “'Tain't exackly a case for a vigilance committee, tho' it's + agin public morals, this sorter kidnappin' o' strangers. Looks ez if it + might bring the country into discredit in England.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, don't YOU go and interfere and havin' folks say ez my nose was put + out o' jint over there,” said Minty, curtly. “There's another Englishman + comin' up from 'Frisco to see him to-morrow. Ef he ain't scooped up by + Jenny Bradley he'll guess there's a nigger in the fence somewhere. But + there, Pop, let it drop. It's a bad aig, anyway,” she concluded, rising + from the table, and passing her hands down her frock and her shapely hips, + as if to wipe off further contamination of the subject. “Where's Richelieu + agin?” + </p> + <p> + “Said he didn't want supper, and like ez not he's gone over to see that + fammerly at the Summit. There's a little girl thar he's sparkin', about + his own age.” + </p> + <p> + “His own age!” said Minty, indignantly. “Why, she's double that, if she's + a day. Well—if he ain't the triflinest, conceitednest little limb + that ever grew! I'd like to know where he got it from—it wasn't + mar's style.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Sharpe smiled darkly. Richelieu's precocious gallantry evidently was + not considered as gratuitous as his experimental metallurgy. But as his + eyes followed his daughter's wholesome, Phyllis-like figure, a new idea + took possession of him: needless to say, however, it was in the line of + another personal aggrievement, albeit it took the form of religious + reflection. + </p> + <p> + “It's curous, Minty, wot's foreordained, and wot ain't. Now, yer's one of + them high and mighty fellows, after the Lord, ez comes meanderin' around + here, and drops off—ez fur ez I kin hear—in a kind o' faint at + the first house he kems to, and is taken in and lodged and sumptuously + fed; and, nat'rally, they gets their reward for it. Now wot's to hev kept + that young feller from coming HERE and droppin' down in my forge, or in + this very room, and YOU a tendin' him, and jist layin' over them folks at + The Lookout?” + </p> + <p> + “Wot's got hold o' ye, Pop? Don't I tell ye he had a letter to Jim + Bradley?” said Minty, quickly, with an angry flash of color in her cheek. + </p> + <p> + “That ain't it,” said Sharpe confidently; “it's cos he WALKED. Nat'rally, + you'd think he'd RIDE, being high and mighty, and that's where, ez the + parson will tell ye, wot's merely fi-nite and human wisdom errs! Ef that + feller had ridden, he'd have had to come by this yer road, and by this yer + forge, and stop a spell like any other. But it was foreordained that he + should walk, jest cos it wasn't generally kalkilated and reckoned on. So, + YOU had no show.” + </p> + <p> + For a moment, Minty seemed struck with her father's original theory. But + with a vigorous shake of her shoulders she threw it off. Her eyes + darkened. + </p> + <p> + “I reckon you ain't thinking, Pop—” she began. + </p> + <p> + “I was only sayin' it was curous,” he rejoined quietly. Nevertheless, + after a pause, he rose, coughed, and going up to the young girl, as she + leaned over the dresser, bent his powerful arm around her, and, drawing + her and the plate she was holding against his breast, laid his bearded + cheek for an instant softly upon her rebellious head. “It's all right, + Minty,” he said; “ain't it, pet?” Minty's eyelids closed gently under the + familiar pressure. “Wot's that in your hair, Minty?” he said tactfully, + breaking an embarrassing pause. + </p> + <p> + “Bar's grease, father,” murmured Minty, in a child's voice—the + grown-up woman, under that magic touch, having lapsed again into her + father's motherless charge of ten years before. + </p> + <p> + “It's pow'ful soothin', and pretty,” said her father. + </p> + <p> + “I made it myself—do you want some?” asked Minty. + </p> + <p> + “Not now, girl!” For a moment they slightly rocked each other in that + attitude—the man dexterously, the woman with infinite tenderness—and + then they separated. + </p> + <p> + Late that night, after Richelieu had returned, and her father wrestled in + his fitful sleep with the remorse of his guilty indulgence at supper, + Minty remained alone in her room, hard at work, surrounded by the contents + of one of her mother's trunks and the fragments of certain ripped-up and + newly-turned dresses. For Minty had conceived the bold idea of altering + one of her mother's gowns to the fashion of a certain fascinating frock + worn by Louise Macy. It was late when her self-imposed task was completed. + With a nervous trepidation that was novel to her, Minty began to disrobe + herself preparatory to trying on her new creation. The light of a tallow + candle and a large swinging lantern, borrowed from her father's forge, + fell shyly on her milky neck and shoulders, and shone in her sparkling + eyes, as she stood before her largest mirror—the long glazed door of + a kitchen clock which she had placed upon her chest of drawers. Had poor + Minty been content with the full, free, and goddess-like outlines that it + reflected, she would have been spared her impending disappointment. For, + alas! the dress of her model had been framed upon a symmetrically + attenuated French corset, and the unfortunate Minty's fuller and ampler + curves had under her simple country stays known no more restraining + cincture than knew the Venus of Milo. The alteration was a hideous + failure, it was neither Minty's statuesque outline nor Louise Macy's + graceful contour. Minty was no fool, and the revelation of this slow + education of the figure and training of outline—whether fair or + false in art—struck her quick intelligence with all its full and + hopeless significance. A bitter light sprang to her eyes; she tore the + wretched sham from her shoulders, and then wrapping a shawl around her, + threw herself heavily and sullenly on the bed. But inaction was not a + characteristic of Minty's emotion; she presently rose again, and, taking + an old work-box from her trunk, began to rummage in its recesses. It was + an old shell-incrusted affair, and the apparent receptacle of such cheap + odds and ends of jewelry as she possessed; a hideous cameo ring, the + property of the late Mrs. Sharpe, was missing. She again rapidly explored + the contents of the box, and then an inspiration seized her, and she + darted into her brother's bedroom. + </p> + <p> + That precocious and gallant Lovelace of ten, despite all sentiment, had + basely succumbed to the gross materialism of youthful slumber. On a cot in + the corner, half hidden under the wreck of his own careless and hurried + disrobing, with one arm hanging out of the coverlid, Richelieu lay + supremely unconscious. On the forefinger of his small but dirty hand the + missing cameo was still glittering guiltily. With a swift movement of + indignation Minty rushed with uplifted palm towards the tempting expanse + of youthful cheek that lay invitingly exposed upon the pillow. Then she + stopped suddenly. + </p> + <p> + She had seen him lying thus a hundred times before. On the pillow near him + an indistinguishable mass of golden fur—the helpless bulk of a + squirrel chained to the leg of his cot; at his feet a wall-eyed cat, who + had followed his tyrannous caprices with the long-suffering devotion of + her sex; on the shelf above him a loathsome collection of flies and + tarantulas in dull green bottles: a slab of ginger-bread for light + nocturnal refection, and her own pot of bear's grease. Perhaps it was the + piteous defencelessness of youthful sleep, perhaps it was some lingering + memory of her father's caress; but as she gazed at him with troubled eyes, + the juvenile reprobate slipped back into the baby-boy that she had carried + in her own childish arms such a short time ago, when the maternal + responsibility had descended with the dead mother's ill-fitting dresses + upon her lank girlish figure and scant virgin breast—and her hand + fell listlessly at her side. + </p> + <p> + The sleeper stirred slightly and awoke. At the same moment, by some + mysterious sympathy, a pair of beady bright eyes appeared in the bulk of + fur near his curls, the cat stretched herself, and even a vague agitation + was heard in the bottles on the shelf. Richelieu's blinking eyes wandered + from the candle to his sister, and then the guilty hand was suddenly + withdrawn under the bedclothes. + </p> + <p> + “No matter, dear,” said Minty; “it's mar's, and you kin wear it when you + like, if you'll only ask for it.” + </p> + <p> + Richelieu wondered if he was dreaming! This unexpected mildness—this + inexplicable tremor in his sister's voice: it must be some occult + influence of the night season on the sisterly mind, possibly akin to a + fear of ghosts! He made a mental note of it in view of future favors, yet + for the moment he felt embarrassedly gratified. “Ye ain't wantin' + anything, Minty,” he said affectionately; “a pail o' cold water from the + far spring—no nothin'?” He made an ostentatious movement as if to + rise, yet sufficiently protracted to prevent any hasty acceptance of his + prodigal offer. + </p> + <p> + “No, dear,” she said, still gazing at him with an absorbed look in her + dark eyes. + </p> + <p> + Richelieu felt a slight creepy sensation under that lonely far-off gaze. + “Your eyes look awful big at night, Minty,” he said. He would have added + “and pretty,” but she was his sister, and he had the lofty fraternal + conviction of his duty in repressing the inordinate vanity of the sex. + “Ye're sure ye ain't wantin' nothin'?” + </p> + <p> + “Not now, dear.” She paused a moment, and then said deliberately: “But you + wouldn't mind turnin' out after sun-up and runnin' an errand for me over + to The Lookout?” + </p> + <p> + Richelieu's eyes sparkled so suddenly that even in her absorption Minty + noticed the change. “But ye're not goin' to tarry over there, ner gossip—you + hear? Yer to take this yer message. Yer to say 'that it will be onpossible + for me to come back there, on account—on account of—'” + </p> + <p> + “Important business,” suggested Richelieu; “that's the perlite style.” + </p> + <p> + “Ef you like.” She leaned over the bed and put her lips to his forehead, + still damp with the dews of sleep, and then to his long-lashed lids. “Mind + Nip!”—the squirrel—he practically suggested. For an instant + their blond curls mingled on the pillow. “Now go to sleep,” she said + curtly. + </p> + <p> + But Richelieu had taken her white neck in the short strangulatory hug of + the small boy, and held her fast. “Ye'll let me put on my best pants?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes.” + </p> + <p> + “And wear that ring?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes”—a little sadly. + </p> + <p> + “Then yer kin count me in, Minty; and see here”—his voice sank to a + confidential whisper—“mebbee some day ye'll be beholden to ME for a + lot o' real jewelry.” + </p> + <p> + She returned slowly to her room, and, opening the window, looked out upon + the night. The same moon that had lent such supererogatory grace to the + natural beauty of The Lookout, here seemed to have failed; as Minty had, + in disguising the relentless limitations of Nature or the cruel bonds of + custom. The black plain of granite, under its rays, appeared only to + extend its poverty to some remoter barrier; the blackened stumps of the + burnt forest stood bleaker against the sky, like broken and twisted + pillars of iron. The cavity of the broken ledge where Richelieu had + prospected was a hideous chasm of bluish blackness, over which a purple + vapor seemed to hover; the “brush dump” beside the house showed a cavern + of writhing and distorted objects stiffened into dark rigidity. She had + often looked upon the prospect: it had never seemed so hard and + changeless; yet she accepted it, as she had accepted it before. + </p> + <p> + She turned away, undressed herself mechanically, and went to bed. She had + an idea that she had been very foolish; that her escape from being still + more foolish was something miraculous, and in some measure connected with + Providence, her father, her little brother, and her dead mother, whose + dress she had recklessly spoiled. But that she had even so slightly + touched the bitterness and glory of renunciation—as written of + heroines and fine ladies by novelists and poets—never entered the + foolish head of Minty Sharpe, the blacksmith's daughter. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPER IV. + </h2> + <p> + It was a little after daybreak next morning that Mainwaring awoke from the + first unrefreshing night he had passed at The Lookout. He was so feverish + and restless that he dressed himself at sunrise, and cautiously stepped + out upon the still silent veranda. The chairs which he and Louise Macy had + occupied were still, it seemed to him, conspicuously confidential with + each other, and he separated them, but as he looked down into the Great + Canyon at his feet he was conscious of some undefinable change in the + prospect. A slight mist was rising from the valley, as if it were the last + of last night's illusions; the first level sunbeams were obtrusively + searching, and the keen morning air had a dryly practical insistence which + irritated him, until a light footstep on the farther end of the veranda + caused him to turn sharply. + </p> + <p> + It was the singular apparition of a small boy, bearing a surprising + resemblance to Minty Sharpe, and dressed in an unique fashion. On a + tumbled sea of blond curls a “chip” sailor hat, with a broad red ribbon, + rode jauntily. But here the nautical suggestion changed, as had the desire + of becoming a pirate which induced it. A red shirt, with a white collar, + and a yellow plaid ribbon tie, that also recalled Minty Sharpe, lightly + turned the suggestion of his costume to mining. Short black velvet + trousers, coming to his knee, and ostentatiously new short-legged boots, + with visible straps like curling ears, completed the entirely original + character of his lower limbs. + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring, always easily gentle and familiar with children and his + inferiors, looked at him with an encouraging smile. Richelieu—for it + was he—advanced gravely and held out his hand, with the cameo ring + apparent. Mainwaring, with equal gravity, shook it warmly, and removed his + hat. Richelieu, keenly observant, did the same. + </p> + <p> + “Is Jim Bradley out yet?” asked Richelieu, carelessly. + </p> + <p> + “No; I think not. But I'm Frank Mainwaring. Will I do?” + </p> + <p> + Richelieu smiled. The dimples, the white teeth, the dark, laughing eyes, + were surely Minty's? + </p> + <p> + “I'm Richelieu,” he rejoined with equal candor. + </p> + <p> + “Richelieu?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes. That Frenchman—the Lord Cardinal—you know. Mar saw + Forrest do him out in St. Louis.” + </p> + <p> + “Do him?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, in the theayter.” + </p> + <p> + With a confused misconception of his meaning, Mainwaring tried to recall + the historical dress of the great Cardinal and fit it to the masquerader—if + such he were—before him. But Richelieu relieved him by adding,— + </p> + <p> + “Richelieu Sharpe.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, that's your NAME!” said Mainwaring, cheerfully. “Then you're Miss + Minty's brother. I know her. How jolly lucky!” + </p> + <p> + They both shook hands again. Richelieu, eager to get rid of the burden of + his sister's message, which he felt was in the way of free-and-easy + intercourse with this charming stranger, looked uneasily towards the + house. + </p> + <p> + “I say,” said Mainwaring, “if you're in a hurry, you'd better go in there + and knock. I hear some one stirring in the kitchen.” + </p> + <p> + Richelieu nodded, but first went back to the steps of the veranda, picked + up a small blue knotted handkerchief, apparently containing some heavy + objects, and repassed Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “What! have you cut it, Richelieu, with your valuables? What have you got + there?” + </p> + <p> + “Specimins,” said Richelieu, shortly, and vanished. + </p> + <p> + He returned presently. “Well, Cardinal, did you see anybody?” asked + Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “Mrs. Bradley; but Jim's over to the mill. I'm goin' there.” + </p> + <p> + “Did you see Miss Macy?” continued Mainwaring, carelessly. + </p> + <p> + “Loo?” + </p> + <p> + “Loo!—well; yes.” + </p> + <p> + “No. She's philanderin' with Captain Greyson.” + </p> + <p> + “Philandering with Greyson?” echoed Mainwaring, in wonder. + </p> + <p> + “Yes; on horseback on the ridge.” + </p> + <p> + “You mean she's riding out with Mr.—with Captain Greyson?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes; ridin' AND philanderin',” persisted Richelieu. + </p> + <p> + “And what do you call philandering?” + </p> + <p> + “Well; I reckon you and she oughter know,” returned Richelieu, with a + precocious air. + </p> + <p> + “Certainly,” said Mainwaring, with a faint smile. Richelieu really was + like Minty. + </p> + <p> + There was a long silence. This young Englishman was becoming exceedingly + uninteresting. Richelieu felt that he was gaining neither profit nor + amusement, and losing time. “I'm going,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Good morning,” said Mainwaring, without looking up. + </p> + <p> + Richelieu picked up his specimens, thoroughly convinced of the stranger's + glittering deceitfulness, and vanished. + </p> + <p> + It was nearly eight o'clock when Mrs. Bradley came from the house. She + apologized, with a slightly distrait smile, for the tardiness of the + household. “Mr. Bradley stayed at the mill all night, and will not be here + until breakfast, when he brings your friend Mr. Richardson with him”—Mainwaring + scarcely repressed a movement of impatience—“who arrives early. It's + unfortunate that Miss Sharpe can't come to-day.” + </p> + <p> + In his abstraction Mainwaring did not notice that Mrs. Bradley slightly + accented Minty's formal appellation, and said carelessly,— + </p> + <p> + “Oh, that's why her brother came over here so early!” + </p> + <p> + “Did YOU see him?” asked Mrs. Bradley, almost abruptly. + </p> + <p> + “Yes. He is an amusing little beggar; but I think he shares his sister's + preference for Mr. Bradley. He deserted me here in the veranda for him at + the mill.” + </p> + <p> + “Louise will keep you company as soon as she has changed her dress,” + continued Mrs. Bradley. “She was out riding early this morning with a + friend. She's very fond of early morning rides.” + </p> + <p> + “AND philandering,” repeated Mainwaring to himself. It was quite natural + for Miss Macy to ride out in the morning, after the fashion of the + country, with an escort; but why had the cub insisted on the + “philandering”? He had said, “AND philandering,” distinctly. It was a + nasty thing for him to say. Any other fellow but he, Mainwaring, might + misunderstand the whole thing. Perhaps he ought to warn her—but no! + he could not repeat the gossip of a child, and that child the brother of + one of her inferiors. But was Minty an inferior? Did she and Minty talk + together about this fellow Greyson? At all events, it would only revive + the awkwardness of the preceding day, and he resolved to say nothing. + </p> + <p> + He was rewarded by a half-inquiring, half-confiding look in Louise's + bright eyes, when she presently greeted him on the veranda. “She had quite + forgotten,” she said, “to tell him last night of her morning's engagement; + indeed, she had half forgotten IT. It used to be a favorite practice of + hers, with Captain Greyson; but she had lately given it up. She believed + she had not ridden since—since—” + </p> + <p> + “Since when?” asked Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “Well, since you were ill,” she said frankly. + </p> + <p> + A quick pleasure shone in Mainwaring's cheek and eye; but Louise's pretty + lids did not drop, nor her faint, quiet bloom deepen. Breakfast was + already waiting when Mr. Richardson arrived alone. + </p> + <p> + He explained that Mr. Bradley had some important and unexpected business + which had delayed him, but which, he added, “Mr. Bradley says may prove + interesting enough to you to excuse his absence this morning.” Mainwaring + was not displeased that his critical and observant host was not present at + their meeting. Louise Macy was, however, as demurely conscious of the + different bearing of the two compatriots. Richardson's somewhat + self-important patronage of the two ladies, and that Californian + familiarity he had acquired, changed to a certain uneasy deference towards + Mainwaring; while the younger Englishman's slightly stiff and deliberate + cordiality was, nevertheless, mingled with a mysterious understanding that + appeared innate and unconscious. Louise was quick to see that these two + men, more widely divergent in quality than any two of her own countrymen, + were yet more subtly connected by some unknown sympathy than the most + equal of Americans. Minty's prophetic belief of the effect of the two + women upon Richardson was certainly true as regarded Mrs. Bradley. The + banker—a large material nature—was quickly fascinated by the + demure, puritanic graces of that lady, and was inclined to exhibit a + somewhat broad and ostentatious gallantry that annoyed Mainwaring. When + they were seated alone on the veranda, which the ladies had discreetly + left to them, Richardson said,— + </p> + <p> + “Odd I didn't hear of Bradley's wife before. She seems a spicy, pretty, + comfortable creature. Regularly thrown away with him up here.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring replied coldly that she was “an admirable helpmeet of a very + admirable man,” not, however, without an uneasy recollection of her + previous confidences respecting her husband. “They have been most + thoroughly good and kind to me; my own brother and sister could not have + done more. And certainly not with better taste or delicacy,” he added, + markedly. + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, certainly,” said Richardson, hurriedly. “I wrote to Lady + Mainwaring that you were taken capital care of by some very honest people; + and that—” + </p> + <p> + “Lady Mainwaring already knows what I think of them, and what she owes to + their kindness,” said Mainwaring, dryly. + </p> + <p> + “True, true,” said Richardson, apologetically. “Of course you must have + seen a good deal of them. I only know Bradley in a business way. He's been + trying to get the Bank to help him to put up some new mills here; but we + didn't see it. I dare say he is good company—rather amusing, eh?” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring had the gift of his class of snubbing by the polite and + forgiving oblivion of silence. Richardson shifted uneasily in his chair, + but continued with assumed carelessness:— + </p> + <p> + “No; I only knew of this cousin, Miss Macy. I heard of her when she was + visiting some friends in Menlo Park last year. Rather an attractive girl. + They say Colonel Johnson, of Sacramento, took quite a fancy to her—it + would have been a good match, I dare say, for he is very rich—but + the thing fell through in some way. Then, they say, SHE wanted to marry + that Spaniard, young Pico, of the Amador Ranche; but his family wouldn't + hear of it. Somehow, she's deuced unlucky. I suppose she'll make a mess of + it with Captain Greyson she was out riding with this morning.” + </p> + <p> + “Didn't the Bank think Bradley's mills a good investment?” asked + Mainwaring quietly, when Richardson paused. + </p> + <p> + “Not with him in it; he is not a business man, you know.” + </p> + <p> + “I thought he was. He seems to me an energetic man, who knows his work, + and is not afraid to look after it himself.” + </p> + <p> + “That's just it. He has got absurd ideas of co-operating with his workmen, + you know, and doing everything slowly and on a limited scale. The only + thing to be done is to buy up all the land on this ridge, run off the + settlers, freeze out all the other mills, and put it into a big San + Francisco company on shares. That's the only way we would look at it.” + </p> + <p> + “But you don't consider the investment bad, even from HIS point of view?” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps not.” + </p> + <p> + “And you only decline it because it isn't big enough for the Bank?” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly.” + </p> + <p> + “Richardson,” said Mainwaring, slowly rising, putting his hands in his + trousers pockets, and suddenly looking down upon the banker from the easy + level of habitual superiority, “I wish you'd attend to this thing for me. + I desire to make some return to Mr. Bradley for his kindness. I wish to + give him what help he wants—in his own way—you understand. I + wish it, and I believe my father wishes it, too. If you'd like him to + write to you to that effect—” + </p> + <p> + “By no means, it's not at all necessary,” said Richardson, dropping with + equal suddenness into his old-world obsequiousness. “I shall certainly do + as you wish. It is not a bad investment, Mr. Mainwaring, and as you + suggest, a very proper return for their kindness. And, being here, it will + come quite naturally for me to take up the affair again.” + </p> + <p> + “And—I say, Richardson.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir?” + </p> + <p> + “As these ladies are rather short-handed in their domestic service, you + know, perhaps you'd better not stay to luncheon or dinner, but go on to + the Summit House—it's only a mile or two farther—and come back + here this evening. I shan't want you until then.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly!” stammered Richardson. “I'll just take leave of the ladies!” + </p> + <p> + “It's not at all necessary,” said Mainwaring, quietly; “you would only + disturb them in their household duties. I'll tell them what I've done with + you, if they ask. You'll find your stick and hat in the passage, and you + can leave the veranda by these steps. By the way, you had better manage at + the Summit to get some one to bring my traps from here to be forwarded to + Sacramento to-morrow. I'll want a conveyance, or a horse of some kind, + myself, for I've given up walking for a while; but we can settle about + that to-night. Come early. Good morning?” + </p> + <p> + He accompanied his thoroughly subjugated countryman—who, however, + far from attempting to reassert himself, actually seemed easier and more + cheerful in his submission—to the end of the veranda, and watched + him depart. As he turned back, he saw the pretty figure of Louise Macy + leaning against the doorway. How graceful and refined she looked in that + simple morning dress! What wonder that she was admired by Greyson, by + Johnson, and by that Spaniard!—no, by Jove, it was SHE that wanted + to marry him! + </p> + <p> + “What have you sent away Mr. Richardson for?” asked the young girl, with a + half-reproachful, half-mischievous look in her bright eyes. + </p> + <p> + “I packed him off because I thought it was a little too hard on you and + Mrs. Bradley to entertain him without help.” + </p> + <p> + “But as he was OUR guest, you might have left that to us,” said Miss Macy. + </p> + <p> + “By Jove! I never thought of that,” said Mainwaring, coloring in + consternation. “Pray forgive me, Miss Macy—but you see I knew the + man, and could say it, and you couldn't.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I forgive you, for you look really so cut up,” said Louise, + laughing. “But I don't know what Jenny will say of your disposing of her + conquest so summarily.” She stopped and regarded him more attentively. + “Has he brought you any bad news? if so, it's a pity you didn't send him + away before. He's quite spoiling our cure.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring thought bitterly that he had. “But it's a cure for all that, + Miss Macy,” he said, with an attempt at cheerfulness, “and being a cure, + you see, there's no longer an excuse for my staying here. I have been + making arrangements for leaving here to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “So soon?” + </p> + <p> + “Do you think it soon, Miss Macy?” asked Mainwaring, turning pale in spite + of himself. + </p> + <p> + “I quite forgot—that you were here as an invalid only, and that we + owe our pleasure to the accident of your pain.” + </p> + <p> + She spoke a little artificially, he thought, yet her cheeks had not lost + their pink bloom, nor her eyes their tranquillity. Had he heard Minty's + criticism he might have believed that the organic omission noticed by her + was a fact. + </p> + <p> + “And now that your good work as Sister of Charity is completed, you'll be + able to enter the world of gayety again with a clear conscience,” said + Mainwaring, with a smile that he inwardly felt was a miserable failure. + “You'll be able to resume your morning rides, you know, which the wretched + invalid interrupted.” + </p> + <p> + Louise raised her clear eyes to his, without reproach, indignation, or + even wonder. He felt as if he had attempted an insult and failed. + </p> + <p> + “Does my cousin know you are going so soon?” she asked finally. + </p> + <p> + “No, I did not know myself until to-day. You see,” he added hastily, while + his honest blood blazoned the lie in his cheek, “I've heard of some + miserable business affairs that will bring me back to England sooner that + I expected.” + </p> + <p> + “I think you should consider your health more important than any mere + business,” said Louise. “I don't mean that you should remain HERE,” she + added with a hasty laugh, “but it would be a pity, now that you have + reaped the benefit of rest and taking care of yourself, that you should + not make it your only business to seek it elsewhere.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring longed to say that within the last half hour, living or dying + had become of little moment to him; but he doubted the truth or efficacy + of this timeworn heroic of passion. He felt, too, that anything he said + was a mere subterfuge for the real reason of his sudden departure. And how + was he to question her as to that reason? In escaping from these + subterfuges—he was compelled to lie again. With an assumption of + changing the subject, he said calmly, “Richardson thought he had met you + before—in Menlo Park, I think.” + </p> + <p> + Amazed at the evident irrelevance of the remark, Louise said coldly, that + she did not remember having seen him before. + </p> + <p> + “I think it was at a Mr. Johnson's—or WITH a Mr. Johnson—or + perhaps at one of those Spanish ranches—I think he mentioned some + name like Pico!” + </p> + <p> + Louise looked at him wonderingly for an instant, and then gave way to a + frank, irrepressible laugh, which lent her delicate but rather set little + face all the color he had missed. Partially relieved by her unconcern, and + yet mortified that he had only provoked her sense of the ludicrous, he + tried to laugh also. + </p> + <p> + “Then, to be quite plain,” said Louise, wiping her now humid eyes, “you + want me to understand that you really didn't pay sufficient attention to + hear correctly! Thank you; that's a pretty English compliment, I suppose.” + </p> + <p> + “I dare say you wouldn't call it 'philandering'?” + </p> + <p> + “I certainly shouldn't, for I don't know what 'philandering' means.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring could not reply, with Richelieu, “You ought to know”; nor did + he dare explain what he thought it meant, and how he knew it. Louise, + however, innocently solved the difficulty. + </p> + <p> + “There's a country song I've heard Minty sing,” she said. “It runs— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Come, Philander, let us be a-marchin', + Every one for his true love a-sarchin' + Choose your true love now or never. . . . +</pre> + <p> + Have you been listening to her also?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” said Mainwaring, with a sudden incomprehensible, but utterly + irrepressible, resolution; “but I'M 'a-marchin',' you know, and perhaps I + must 'choose my true love now or never.' Will you help me, Miss Macy?” + </p> + <p> + He drew gently near her. He had become quite white, but also very manly, + and it struck her, more deeply, thoroughly, and conscientiously sincere + than any man who had before addressed her. She moved slightly away, as if + to rest herself by laying both hands upon the back of the chair. + </p> + <p> + “Where do you expect to begin your 'sarchin''?” she said, leaning on the + chair and tilting it before her; “or are you as vague as usual as to + locality? Is it at some 'Mr. Johnson' or 'Mr. Pico,' or—” + </p> + <p> + “Here,” he interrupted boldly. + </p> + <p> + “I really think you ought to first tell my cousin that you are going away + to-morrow,” she said, with a faint smile. “It's such short notice. She's + just in there.” She nodded her pretty head, without raising her eyes, + towards the hall. + </p> + <p> + “But it may not be so soon,” said Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, then the 'sarchin'' is not so important?” said Louise, raising her + head, and looking towards the hall with some uneasy but indefinable + feminine instinct. + </p> + <p> + She was right; the sitting-room door opened, and Mrs. Bradley made her + smiling appearance. + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mainwaring was just looking for you,” said Louise, for the first time + raising her eyes to him. “He's not only sent off Mr. Richardson, but he's + going away himself to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Bradley looked from the one to the other in mute wonder. Mainwaring + cast an imploring glance at Louise, which had the desired effect. Much + more seriously, and in a quaint, business-like way, the young girl took it + upon herself to explain to Mrs. Bradley that Richardson had brought the + invalid some important news that would, unfortunately, not only shorten + his stay in America, but even compel him to leave The Lookout sooner than + he expected, perhaps to-morrow. Mainwaring thanked her with his eyes, and + then turned to Mrs. Bradley. + </p> + <p> + “Whether I go to-morrow or next day,” he said with simple and earnest + directness, “I intend, you know, to see you soon again, either here or in + my own home in England. I do not know,” he added with marked gravity, + “that I have succeeded in convincing you that I have made your family + already well known to my people, and that”—he fixed his eyes with a + meaning look on Louise—“no matter when, or in what way, you come to + them, your place is made ready for you. You may not like them, you know: + the governor is getting to be an old man—perhaps too old for young + Americans—but THEY will like YOU, and you must put up with that. My + mother and sisters know Miss Macy as well as I do, and will make her one + of the family.” + </p> + <p> + The conscientious earnestness with which these apparent conventionalities + were uttered, and some occult quality of quiet conviction in the young + man's manner, brought a pleasant sparkle to the eyes of Mrs. Bradley and + Louise. + </p> + <p> + “But,” said Mrs. Bradley, gayly, “our going to England is quite beyond our + present wildest dreams; nothing but a windfall, an unexpected rise in + timber, or even the tabooed hotel speculation, could make it possible.” + </p> + <p> + “But I shall take the liberty of trying to present it to Mr. Bradley + tonight in some practical way that may convince even his critical + judgment,” said Mainwaring, still seriously. “It will be,” he added more + lightly, “the famous testimonial of my cure which I promised you.” + </p> + <p> + “And you will find Mr. Bradley so sceptical that you will be obliged to + defer your going,” said Mrs. Bradley, triumphantly. “Come, Louise, we must + not forget that we have still Mr. Mainwaring's present comfort to look + after; that Minty has basely deserted us, and that we ourselves must see + that the last days of our guest beneath our roof are not remembered for + their privation.” + </p> + <p> + She led Louise away with a half-mischievous suggestion of maternal + propriety, and left Mainwaring once more alone on the veranda. + </p> + <p> + He had done it! Certainly she must have understood his meaning, and there + was nothing left for him to do but to acquaint Bradley with his intentions + to-night, and press her for a final answer in the morning. There would be + no indelicacy then in asking her for an interview more free from + interruption than this public veranda. Without conceit, he did not doubt + what the answer would be. His indecision, his sudden resolution to leave + her, had been all based upon the uncertainty of HIS own feelings, the + propriety of HIS declaration, the possibility of some previous experience + of hers that might compromise HIM. Convinced by her unembarrassed manner + of her innocence, or rather satisfied of her indifference to Richardson's + gossip, he had been hurried by his feelings into an unexpected avowal. + Brought up in the perfect security of his own social position, and + familiarly conscious—without vanity—of its importance and + power in such a situation, he believed, without undervaluing Louise's + charms or independence, that he had no one else than himself to consult. + Even the slight uneasiness that still pursued him was more due to his + habitual conscientiousness of his own intention than to any fear that she + would not fully respond to it. Indeed, with his conservative ideas of + proper feminine self-restraint, Louise's calm passivity and + undemonstrative attitude were a proof of her superiority; had she blushed + overmuch, cried, or thrown herself into his arms, he would have doubted + the wisdom of so easy a selection. It was true he had known her scarcely + three weeks; if he chose to be content with that, his own accessible + record of three centuries should be sufficient for her, and condone any + irregularity. + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless, as an hour slipped away and Louise did not make her + appearance, either on the veranda or in the little sitting-room off the + hall, Mainwaring became more uneasy as to the incompleteness of their + interview. Perhaps a faint suspicion of the inadequacy of her response + began to trouble him; but he still fatuously regarded it rather as owing + to his own hurried and unfinished declaration. It was true that he hadn't + said half what he intended to say; it was true that she might have + misunderstood it as the conventional gallantry of the situation, as—terrible + thought!—the light banter of the habitual love-making American, to + which she had been accustomed; perhaps even now she relegated him to the + level of Greyson, and this accounted for her singular impassiveness—an + impassiveness that certainly was singular now he reflected upon it—that + might have been even contempt. The last thought pricked his deep + conscientiousness; he walked hurriedly up and down the veranda, and then, + suddenly re-entering his room, took up a sheet of note-paper, and began to + write to her:— + </p> + <p> + “Can you grant me a few moments' interview alone? I cannot bear you should + think that what I was trying to tell you when we were interrupted was + prompted by anything but the deepest sincerity and conviction, or that I + am willing it should be passed over lightly by you or be forgotten. Pray + give me a chance of proving it, by saying you will see me. F. M.” + </p> + <p> + But how should he convey this to her? His delicacy revolted against + handing it to her behind Mrs. Bradley's back, or the prestidigitation of + slipping it into her lap or under her plate before them at luncheon; he + thought for an instant of the Chinaman, but gentlemen—except in that + “mirror of nature” the stage—usually hesitate to suborn other + people's servants, or entrust a woman's secret to her inferiors. He + remembered that Louise's room was at the farther end of the house, and its + low window gave upon the veranda, and was guarded at night by a film of + white and blue curtains that were parted during the day, to allow a + triangular revelation of a pale blue and white draped interior. Mainwaring + reflected that the low inside window ledge was easily accessible from the + veranda, would afford a capital lodgment for the note, and be quickly seen + by the fair occupant of the room on entering. He sauntered slowly past the + window; the room was empty, the moment propitious. A slight breeze was + stirring the blue ribbons of the curtain; it would be necessary to secure + the note with something; he returned along the veranda to the steps, where + he had noticed a small irregular stone lying, which had evidently escaped + from Richelieu's bag of treasure specimens, and had been overlooked by + that ingenuous child. It was of a pretty peacock-blue color, and, besides + securing a paper, would be sure to attract her attention. He placed his + note on the inside ledge, and the blue stone atop, and went away with a + sense of relief. + </p> + <p> + Another half hour passed without incident. He could hear the voices of the + two women in the kitchen and dining-room. After a while they appeared to + cease, and he heard the sound of an opening door. It then occurred to him + that the veranda was still too exposed for a confidential interview, and + he resolved to descend the steps, pass before the windows of the kitchen + where Louise might see him, and penetrate the shrubbery, where she might + be induced to follow him. They would not be interrupted nor overheard + there. + </p> + <p> + But he had barely left the veranda before the figure of Richelieu, who had + been patiently waiting for Mainwaring's disappearance, emerged stealthily + from the shrubbery. He had discovered his loss on handing his “fire + assays” to the good-humored Bradley for later examination, and he had + retraced his way, step by step, looking everywhere for his missing stone + with the unbounded hopefulness, lazy persistency, and lofty disregard for + time and occupation known only to the genuine boy. He remembered to have + placed his knotted bag upon the veranda, and, slipping off his stiff boots + slowly and softly, slid along against the wall of the house, looking + carefully on the floor, and yet preserving a studied negligence of + demeanor, with one hand in his pocket, and his small mouth contracted into + a singularly soothing and almost voiceless whistle—Richelieu's own + peculiar accomplishment. But no stone appeared. Like most of his genus he + was superstitious, and repeated to himself the cabalistic formula: + “Losin's seekin's, findin's keepin's”—presumed to be of great + efficacy in such cases—with religious fervor. He had laboriously + reached the end of the veranda when he noticed the open window of Louise's + room, and stopped as a perfunctory duty to look in. And then Richelieu + Sharpe stood for an instant utterly confounded and aghast at this crowning + proof of the absolute infamy and sickening enormity of Man. + </p> + <p> + There was HIS stone—HIS, RICHELIEU'S, OWN SPECIMEN, carefully + gathered by himself and none other—and now stolen, abstracted, + “skyugled,” “smouged,” “hooked” by this “rotten, skunkified, long-legged, + splay-footed, hoss-laughin', nigger-toothed, or'nary despot” And, worse + than all, actually made to do infamous duty as a “love token”—a + “candy-gift!”—a “philanderin' box” to HIS, Richelieu's, girl—for + Louise belonged to that innocent and vague outside seraglio of Richelieu's + boyish dreams—and put atop of a letter to her! and Providence + permitted such an outrage! “Wot was he, Richelieu, sent to school for, and + organized wickedness in the shape of gorilla Injins like this allowed to + ride high horses rampant over Californey!” He looked at the heavens in + mute appeal. And then—Providence not immediately interfering—he + thrust his own small arm into the window, regained his priceless treasure, + and fled swiftly. + </p> + <p> + A fateful silence ensued. The wind slightly moved the curtain outward, as + if in a playful attempt to follow him, and then subsided. A moment later, + apparently re-enforced by other winds, or sympathizing with Richelieu, it + lightly lifted the unlucky missive and cast it softly from the window. But + here another wind, lying in wait, caught it cleverly, and tossed it, in a + long curve, into the abyss. For an instant it seemed to float lazily, as + on the mirrored surface of a lake, until, turning upon its side, it + suddenly darted into utter oblivion. + </p> + <p> + When Mainwaring returned from the shrubbery, he went softly to the window. + The disappearance of the letter and stone satisfied him of the success of + his stratagem, and for the space of three hours relieved his anxiety. But + at the end of that time, finding no response from Louise, his former + uneasiness returned. Was she offended, or—the first doubt of her + acceptance of him crossed his mind! + </p> + <p> + A sudden and inexplicable sense of shame came upon him. At the same + moment, he heard his name called from the steps, turned—and beheld + Minty. + </p> + <p> + Her dark eyes were shining with a pleasant light, and her lips parted on + her white teeth with a frank, happy smile. She advanced and held out her + hand. He took it with a mingling of disappointment and embarrassment. + </p> + <p> + “You're wondering why I kem on here, arter I sent word this morning that I + kelkilated not to come. Well, 'twixt then and now suthin' 's happened. + We've had fine doin's over at our house, you bet! Pop don't know which end + he's standin' on; and I reckon that for about ten minutes I didn't know my + own name. But ez soon ez I got fairly hold o' the hull thing, and had it + put straight in my mind, I sez to myself, Minty Sharpe, sez I, the first + thing for you to do now, is to put on yer bonnet and shawl, and trapse + over to Jim Bradley's and help them two womenfolks get dinner for + themselves and that sick stranger. And,” continued Minty, throwing herself + into a chair and fanning her glowing face with her apron, “yer I am!” + </p> + <p> + “But you have not told me WHAT has happened,” said Mainwaring, with a + constrained smile, and an uneasy glance towards the house. + </p> + <p> + “That's so,” said Minty, with a brilliant laugh. “I clean forgot the hull + gist of the thing. Well, we're rich folks now—over thar' on Barren + Ledge! That onery brother of mine, Richelieu, hez taken some of his + specimens over to Jim Bradley to be tested. And Bradley, just to please + that child, takes 'em; and not an hour ago Bradley comes running, likety + switch, over to Pop to tell him to put up his notices, for the hull of + that ledge where the forge stands is a mine o' silver and copper. Afore ye + knew it, Lordy! half the folks outer the Summit and the mill was scattered + down thar all over it. Richardson—that stranger ez knows you—kem + thar too with Jim, and he allows, ef Bradley's essay is right, it's worth + more than a hundred thousand dollars ez it stands!” + </p> + <p> + “I suppose I must congratulate you, Miss Sharpe,” said Mainwaring with an + attempt at interest, but his attention still preoccupied with the open + doorway. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, THEY know all about it!” said Minty, following the direction of his + abstracted eyes with a slight darkening of her own, “I jest kem out o' the + kitchen the other way, and Jim sent 'em a note; but I allowed I'd tell YOU + myself. Specially ez you are going away to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “Who said I was going away to-morrow?” asked Mainwaring, uneasily. + </p> + <p> + “Loo Macy!” + </p> + <p> + “Ah—she did? But I may change my mind, you know!” he continued, with + a faint smile. + </p> + <p> + Minty shook her curls decisively. “I reckon SHE knows,” she said dryly, + “she's got law and gospel for wot she says. But yer she comes. Ask her! + Look yer, Loo,” she added, as the two women appeared at the doorway, with + a certain exaggeration of congratulatory manner that struck Mainwaring as + being as artificial and disturbed as his own, “didn't Sir Francis yer say + he was going to-morrow?” + </p> + <p> + “That's what I understood!” returned Louise, with cold astonishment, + letting her clear indifferent eyes fall upon Mainwaring. “I do not know + that he has changed his mind.” + </p> + <p> + “Unless, as Miss Sharpe is a great capitalist now, she is willing to use + her powers of persuasion,” added Mrs. Bradley, with a slight acidulous + pointing of her usual prim playfulness. + </p> + <p> + “I reckon Minty Sharpe's the same ez she allus wos, unless more so,” + returned Minty, with an honest egotism that carried so much conviction to + the hearer as to condone its vanity. “But I kem yer to do a day's work, + gals, and I allow to pitch in and do it, and not sit yer swoppin' + compliments and keeping HIM from packin' his duds. Onless,” she stopped, + and looked around at the uneasy, unsympathetic circle with a faint + tremulousness of lip that belied the brave black eyes above it, “onless + I'm in yer way.” + </p> + <p> + The two women sprang forward with a feminine bewildering excess of + protestation; and Mainwaring, suddenly pierced through his outer selfish + embarrassment to his more honest depths, stammered quickly— + </p> + <p> + “Look here, Miss Sharpe, if you think of running away again, after having + come all the way here to make us share the knowledge of your good fortune + and your better heart, by Jove! I'll go back with you.” + </p> + <p> + But here the two women effusively hurried her away from the dangerous + proximity of such sympathetic honesty, and a moment later Mainwaring heard + her laughing voice, as of old, ringing in the kitchen. And then, as if + unconsciously responding to the significant common sense that lay in her + last allusion to him, he went to his room and grimly began his packing. + </p> + <p> + He did not again see Louise alone. At their informal luncheon the + conversation turned upon the more absorbing topic of the Sharpes' + discovery, its extent, and its probable effect upon the fortunes of the + locality. He noticed, abstractedly, that both Mrs. Bradley and her cousin + showed a real or assumed scepticism of its value. This did not disturb him + greatly, except for its intended check upon Minty's enthusiasm. He was + more conscious, perhaps,—with a faint touch of mortified vanity,—that + his own contemplated departure was of lesser importance than this local + excitement. Yet in his growing conviction that all was over—if, + indeed, it had ever begun—between himself and Louise, he was + grateful to this natural diversion of incident which spared them both an + interval of embarrassing commonplaces. And, with the suspicion of some + indefinable insincerity—either of his own or Louise's—haunting + him, Minty's frank heartiness and outspoken loyalty gave him a strange + relief. It seemed to him as if the clear cool breath of the forest had + entered with her homely garments, and the steadfast truth of Nature were + incarnate in her shining eyes. How far this poetic fancy would have been + consistent or even coexistent with any gleam of tenderness or + self-forgetfulness in Louise's equally pretty orbs, I leave the satirical + feminine reader to determine. + </p> + <p> + It was late when Bradley at last returned, bringing further and more + complete corroboration of the truth of Sharpe's good fortune. Two experts + had arrived, one from Pine Flat and another from the Summit, and upon this + statement Richardson had offered to purchase an interest in the discovery + that would at once enable the blacksmith to develop his mine. “I shouldn't + wonder, Mainwaring,” he added cheerfully, “if he'd put you into it, too, + and make your eternal fortune.” + </p> + <p> + “With larks falling from the skies all round you, it's a pity YOU couldn't + get put into something,” said Mrs. Bradley, straightening her pretty + brows. + </p> + <p> + “I'm not a gold-miner, my dear,” said Bradley, pleasantly. + </p> + <p> + “Nor a gold-finder,” returned his wife, with a cruel little depression of + her pink nostrils, “but you can work all night in that stupid mill and + then,” she added in a low voice, to escape Minty's attention, “spend the + whole of the next day examining and following up a boy's discovery that + his own relations had been too lazy and too ignorant to understand and + profit by. I suppose that next you will be hunting up a site on the OTHER + SIDE of the Canyon, where somebody else can put up a hotel and ruin your + own prospects.” + </p> + <p> + A sensitive shadow of pain quickly dimmed Bradley's glance—not the + first or last time evidently, for it was gradually bringing out a + background of sadness in his intelligent eyes. But the next moment he + turned kindly to Mainwaring, and began to deplore the necessity of his + early departure, which Richardson had already made known to him with + practical and satisfying reasons. + </p> + <p> + “I hope you won't forget, my dear fellow, that your most really urgent + business is to look after your health; and if, hereafter, you'll only + remember the old Lookout enough to impress that fact upon you, I shall + feel that any poor service I have rendered you has been amply repaid.” + </p> + <p> + Mainwaring, notwithstanding that he winced slightly at this fateful echo + of Louise's advice, returned the grasp of his friend's hand with an honest + pressure equal to his own. He longed now only for the coming of + Richardson, to complete his scheme of grateful benefaction to his host. + </p> + <p> + The banker came fortunately as the conversation began to flag; and Mrs. + Bradley's half-coquettish ill-humor of a pretty woman, and Louise's + abstracted indifference, were becoming so noticeable as to even impress + Minty into a thoughtful taciturnity. The graciousness of his reception by + Mrs. Bradley somewhat restored his former ostentatious gallantry, and his + self-satisfied, domineering manner had enough masculine power in it to + favorably affect the three women, who, it must be confessed, were a little + bored by the finer abstractions of Bradley and Mainwaring. After a few + moments, Mainwaring rose and, with a significant glance at Richardson to + remind him of his proposed conference with Bradley, turned to leave the + room. He was obliged to pass Louise, who was sitting by the table. His + attention was suddenly arrested by something in her hand with which she + was listlessly playing. It was the stone which he had put on his letter to + her. + </p> + <p> + As he had not been present when Bradley arrived, he did not know that this + fateful object had been brought home by his host, who, after receiving it + from Richelieu, had put it in his pocket to illustrate his story of the + discovery. On the contrary, it seemed that Louise's careless exposure of + his foolish stratagem was gratuitously and purposely cruel. Nevertheless, + he stopped and looked at her. + </p> + <p> + “That's a queer stone you have there,” he said, in a tone which she + recognized as coldly and ostentatiously civil. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” she replied, without looking up; “it's the outcrop of that mine.” + She handed it to him as if to obviate any further remark. “I thought you + had seen it before.” + </p> + <p> + “The outcrop,” he repeated dryly. “That is—it—it—it is + the indication or sign of something important that's below it—isn't + it?” + </p> + <p> + Louise shrugged her shoulders sceptically. “It don't follow. It's just as + likely to cover rubbish, after you've taken the trouble to look.” + </p> + <p> + “Thanks,” he said, with measured gentleness, and passed quietly out of the + room. + </p> + <p> + The moon had already risen when Bradley, with his brierwood pipe, preceded + Richardson upon the veranda. The latter threw his large frame into + Louise's rocking-chair near the edge of the abyss; Bradley, with his own + chair tilted against the side of the house after the national fashion, + waited for him to speak. The absence of Mainwaring and the stimulus of + Mrs. Bradley's graciousness had given the banker a certain condescending + familiarity, which Bradley received with amused and ironical tolerance + that his twinkling eyes made partly visible in the darkness. + </p> + <p> + “One of the things I wanted to talk to you about, Bradley, was that old + affair of the advance you asked for from the Bank. We did not quite see + our way to it then, and, speaking as a business man, it isn't really a + matter of business now; but it has lately been put to me in a light that + would make the doing of it possible—you understand? The fact of the + matter is this: Sir Robert Mainwaring, the father of the young fellow + you've got in your house, is one of our directors and largest + shareholders, and I can tell you—if you don't suspect it already—you've + been lucky, Bradley—deucedly lucky—to have had him in your + house and to have rendered him a service. He's the heir to one of the + largest landed estates in his country, one of the oldest county families, + and will step into the title some day. But, ahem!” he coughed + patronizingly, “you knew all that! No? Well, that charming wife of yours, + at least, does; for she's been talking about it. Gad, Bradley, it takes + those women to find out anything of that kind, eh?” + </p> + <p> + The light in Bradley's eyes and his pipe went slowly out together. + </p> + <p> + “Then we'll say that affair of the advance is as good as settled. It's Sir + Robert's wish, you understand, and this young fellow's wish,—and if + you'll come down to the Bank next week we'll arrange it for you; I think + you'll admit they're doing the handsome to you and yours. And therefore,” + he lowered his voice confidentially, “you'll see, Bradley, that it will + only be the honorable thing in you, you know, to look upon the affair as + finished, and, in fact, to do all you can”—he drew his chair closer—“to—to—to + drop this other foolishness.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't think I quite understand you!” said Bradley, slowly. + </p> + <p> + “But your wife does, if you don't,” returned Richardson, bluntly; “I mean + this foolish flirtation between Louise Macy and Mainwaring, which is + utterly preposterous. Why, man, it can't possibly come to anything, and it + couldn't be allowed for a moment. Look at his position and hers. I should + think, as a practical man, it would strike you—” + </p> + <p> + “Only one thing strikes me, Richardson,” interrupted Bradley, in a + singularly distinct whisper, rising, and moving nearer the speaker; “it is + that you're sitting perilously near the edge of this veranda. For, by the + living God, if you don't take yourself out of that chair and out of this + house, I won't be answerable for the consequences!” + </p> + <p> + “Hold on there a minute, will you?” said Mainwaring's voice from the + window. + </p> + <p> + Both men turned towards it. A long leg was protruding from Mainwaring's + window; it was quickly followed by the other leg and body of the occupant, + and the next moment Mainwaring come towards the two men, with his hands in + his pockets. + </p> + <p> + “Not so loud,” he said, looking towards the house. + </p> + <p> + “Let that man go,” said Bradley, in a repressed voice. “You and I, + Mainwaring, can speak together afterwards.” + </p> + <p> + “That man must stay until he hears what I have got to say,” said + Mainwaring, stepping between them. He was very white and grave in the + moonlight, but very quiet; and he did not take his hands from his pockets. + “I've listened to what he said because he came here on MY business, which + was simply to offer to do you a service. That was all, Bradley, that I + told him to do. This rot about what he expects of you in return is his own + impertinence. If you'd punched his head when he began it, it would have + been all right. But since he has begun it, before he goes I think he ought + to hear me tell you that I have already OFFERED myself to Miss Macy, and + she has REFUSED me! If she had given me the least encouragement, I should + have told you before. Further, I want to say that, in spite of that man's + insinuations, I firmly believe that no one is aware of the circumstance + except Miss Macy and myself.” + </p> + <p> + “I had no idea of intimating that anything had happened that was not + highly honorable and creditable to you and the young lady,” began + Richardson hurriedly. + </p> + <p> + “I don't know that it was necessary for you to have any ideas on the + subject at all,” said Mainwaring, sternly; “nor that, having been shown + how you have insulted this gentleman and myself, you need trouble us an + instant longer with your company. You need not come back. I will manage my + other affairs myself.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, Mr. Mainwaring—but—you may be sure that I shall + certainly take the first opportunity to explain myself to Sir Robert,” + returned Richardson as, with an attempt at dignity, he strode away. + </p> + <p> + There was an interval of silence. + </p> + <p> + “Don't be too hard upon a fellow, Bradley,” said Mainwaring as Bradley + remained dark and motionless in the shadow. “It is a poor return I'm + making you for your kindness, but I swear I never thought of anything like—like—this.” + </p> + <p> + “Nor did I,” said Bradley, bitterly. + </p> + <p> + “I know it, and that's what makes it so infernally bad for me. Forgive me, + won't you? Think of me, old fellow, as the wretchedest ass you ever met, + but not such a cad as this would make me!” As Mainwaring stepped out from + the moonlight towards him with extended hand, Bradley grasped it warmly. + </p> + <p> + “Thanks—there—thanks, old fellow! And, Bradley—I say—don't + say anything to your wife, for I don't think she knows it. And, Bradley—look + here—I didn't like to be anything but plain before that fellow; but + I don't mind telling YOU, now that it's all over, that I really think + Louise—Miss Macy—didn't altogether understand me either.” + </p> + <p> + With another shake of the hand they separated for the night. For a long + time after Mainwaring had gone, Bradley remained gazing thoughtfully into + the Great Canyon. He thought of the time when he had first come there, + full of life and enthusiasm, making an ideal world of his pure and + wholesome eyrie on the ledge. What else he thought will, probably, never + be known until the misunderstanding of honorable and chivalrous men by a + charming and illogical sex shall incite the audacious pen of some more + daring romancer. + </p> + <p> + When he returned to the house, he said kindly to his wife, “I have been + thinking to-day about your hotel scheme, and I shall write to Sacramento + to-night to accept that capitalist's offer.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPER V. + </h2> + <p> + The sun was just rising. In two years of mutation and change it had seen + the little cottage clinging like a swallow's nest to the rocky caves of a + great Sierran canyon give way to a straggling, many-galleried hotel, and a + dozen blackened chimneys rise above the barren tableland where once had + stood the lonely forge. To that conservative orb of light and heat there + must have been a peculiar satisfaction in looking down a few hours earlier + upon the battlements and gables of Oldenhurst, whose base was deeply + embedded in the matured foundations and settled traditions of an English + county. For the rising sun had for ten centuries found Oldenhurst in its + place, from the heavy stone terrace that covered the dead-and-forgotten + wall, where a Roman sentinel had once paced, to the little grating in the + cloistered quadrangle, where it had seen a Cistercian brother place the + morning dole. It had daily welcomed the growth of this vast and + picturesque excrescence of the times; it had smiled every morning upon + this formidable yet quaint incrustation of power and custom, ignoring, as + Oldenhurst itself had ignored, the generations who possessed it, the men + who built it, the men who carried it with fire and sword, the men who had + lied and cringed for it, the King who had given it to a favorite, the few + brave hearts who had died for it in exile, and the one or two who had + bought and paid for it. For Oldenhurst had absorbed all these and more + until it had become a story of the past, incarnate in stone, greenwood, + and flower; it had even drained the life-blood from adjacent hamlets, + repaying them with tumuli growths like its own, in the shape of + purposeless lodges, quaintly incompetent hospitals and schools, and + churches where the inestimable blessing and knowledge of its gospel were + taught and fostered. Nor had it dealt more kindly with the gentry within + its walls, sending some to the scaffold, pillorying others in infamous + office, reducing a few to poverty, and halting its later guests with gout + and paralysis. It had given them in exchange the dubious immortality of a + portrait gallery, from which they stared with stony and equal resignation; + it had preserved their useless armor and accoutrements; it had set up + their marble effigies in churches or laid them in cross-legged attitudes + to trip up the unwary, until in death, as in life, they got between the + congregation and the Truth that was taught there. It had allowed an + Oldenhurst crusader, with a broken nose like a pugilist, on the strength + of his having been twice to the Holy Land, to hide the beautifully + illuminated Word from the lowlier worshipper on the humbler benches; it + had sent an iconoclastic Bishop of the Reformation to a nearer minster to + ostentatiously occupy the place of the consecrated image he had + overthrown. Small wonder that crowding the Oldenhurst retainers gradually + into smaller space, with occasional Sabbath glimpses of the living rulers + of Oldenhurst already in railed-off exaltation, it had forced them to + accept Oldenhurst as a synonym of eternity, and left the knowledge of a + higher Power to what time they should be turned out to their longer sleep + under the tender grass of the beautiful outer churchyard. + </p> + <p> + And even so, while every stone of the pile of Oldenhurst and every tree in + its leafy park might have been eloquent with the story of vanity, + selfishness, and unequal justice, it had been left to the infinite mercy + of Nature to seal their lips with a spell of beauty that left mankind + equally dumb; earth, air, and moisture had entered into a gentle + conspiracy to soften, mellow, and clothe its external blemishes of breach + and accident, its irregular design, its additions, accretions, ruins, and + lapses with a harmonious charm of outline and color; poets, romancers, and + historians had equally conspired to illuminate the dark passages and + uglier inconsistencies of its interior life with the glamour of their own + fancy. The fragment of menacing keep, with its choked oubliettes, became a + bower of tender ivy; the grim story of its crimes, properly edited by a + contemporary bard of the family, passed into a charming ballad. Even the + superstitious darkness of its religious house had escaped through fallen + roof and shattered wall, leaving only the foliated and sun-pierced screen + of front, with its rose-window and pinnacle of cross behind. Pilgrims from + all lands had come to see it; fierce Republicans had crossed the seas to + gaze at its mediaeval outlines, and copy them in wood and stucco on their + younger soil. Politicians had equally pointed to it as a convincing + evidence of their own principles and in refutation of each other; and it + had survived both. For it was this belief in its own perpetuity that was + its strength and weakness. And that belief was never stronger than on this + bright August morning, when it was on the verge of dissolution. A telegram + brought to Sir Robert Mainwaring had even then as completely shattered and + disintegrated Oldenhurst, in all it was and all it meant, as if the + brown-paper envelope had been itself charged with the electric fluid. + </p> + <p> + Sir Robert Mainwaring, whose family had for three centuries possessed + Oldenhurst, had received the news of his financial ruin; and the vast pile + which had survived the repeated invasion of superstition, force, intrigue, + and even progress, had succumbed to a foe its founders and proprietors had + loftily ignored and left to Jews and traders. The acquisition of money, + except by despoilment, gift, royal favor, or inheritance, had been unknown + at Oldenhurst. The present degenerate custodian of its fortunes, + staggering under the weight of its sentimental mortmain already alluded + to, had speculated in order to keep up its material strength, that was + gradually shrinking through impoverished land and the ruined trade it had + despised. He had invested largely in California mines, and was the chief + shareholder in a San Francisco Bank. But the mines had proved worthless, + the Bank had that morning suspended payment, owing to the failure of a + large land and timber company on the Sierras which it had imprudently + “carried.” The spark which had demolished Oldenhurst had been fired from + the new telegraph-station in the hotel above the great Sierran canyon. + </p> + <p> + There was a large house-party at Oldenhurst that morning. But it had been + a part of the history of the Mainwarings to accept defeat gallantly and as + became their blood. Sir Percival,—the second gentleman on the left + as you entered the library,—unhorsed, dying on a distant moor, with + a handful of followers, abandoned by a charming Prince and a miserable + cause, was scarcely a greater hero than this ruined but undaunted + gentleman of eighty, entering the breakfast-room a few hours later as + jauntily as his gout would permit, and conscientiously dispensing the + hospitalities of his crumbling house. When he had arranged a few pleasure + parties for the day and himself thoughtfully anticipated the different + tastes of his guests, he turned to Lady Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + “Don't forget that somebody ought to go to the station to meet the + Bradleys. Frank writes from St. Moritz that they are due here to-day.” + </p> + <p> + Lady Mainwaring glanced quickly at her husband, and said sotto voce, “Do + you think they'll care to come NOW? They probably have heard all about + it.” + </p> + <p> + “Not how it affects me,” returned Sir Robert, in the same tone; “and as + they might think that because Frank was with them on that California + mountain we would believe it had something to do with Richardson involving + the Bank in that wretched company, we must really INSIST upon their + coming.” + </p> + <p> + “Bradley!” echoed the Hon. Captain FitzHarry, overhearing the name during + a late forage on the sideboard, “Bradley!—there was an awfully + pretty American at Biarritz, travelling with a cousin, I think—a + Miss Mason or Macy. Those sort of people, you know, who have a companion + as pretty as themselves; bring you down with the other barrel if one + misses—eh? Very clever, both of them, and hardly any accent.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Bradley was a very dear friend of Frank's, and most kind to him,” + said Lady Mainwaring, gravely. + </p> + <p> + “Didn't know there WAS a Mr. Bradley, really. He didn't come to the fore, + then,” said the unabashed Captain. “Deuced hard to follow up those + American husbands!” + </p> + <p> + “And their wives wouldn't thank you, if you did,” said Lady Griselda + Armiger, with a sweet smile. + </p> + <p> + “If it is the Mrs. Bradley I mean,” said Lady Canterbridge from the lower + end of the table, looking up from her letter, “who looks a little like + Mrs. Summertree, and has a pretty cousin with her who has very good + frocks, I'm afraid you won't be able to get her down here. She's booked + with engagements for the next six weeks. She and her cousin made all the + running at Grigsby Royal, and she has quite deposed that other American + beauty in Northforeland's good graces. She regularly affiche'd him, and it + is piteous to see him follow her about. No, my dear; I don't believe + they'll come to any one of less rank than a Marquis. If they did, I'm sure + Canterbridge would have had them at Buckenthorpe already.” + </p> + <p> + “I wonder if there was ever anything in Frank's admiration of this Miss + Macy?” said Lady Mainwaring a few moments later, lingering beside her + husband in his study. + </p> + <p> + “I really don't know,” said Sir Robert, abstractedly: “his letters were + filled with her praises, and Richardson thought—” + </p> + <p> + “Pray don't mention that man's name again,” said Lady Mainwaring, with the + first indication of feeling she had shown. “I shouldn't trust him.” + </p> + <p> + “But why do you ask?” returned her husband. + </p> + <p> + Lady Mainwaring was silent for a moment. “She is very rich, I believe,” + she said slowly. “At least, Frank writes that some neighbors of theirs + whom he met in the Engadine told him they had sold the site of that absurd + cottage where he was ill for some extravagant sum.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear Geraldine,” said the old man, affectionately, taking his wife's + hand in his own, that now for the first time trembled, “if you have any + hope based upon what you are thinking of now, let it be the last and + least. You forget that Paget told us that with the best care he could + scarcely ensure Frank's return to perfect health. Even if God in his mercy + spared him long enough to take my place, what girl would be willing to tie + herself to a man doomed to sickness and poverty? Hardly the one you speak + of, my dear.” + </p> + <p> + Lady Canterbridge proved a true prophet. Mrs. Bradley and Miss Macy did + not come, regretfully alleging a previous engagement made on the continent + with the Duke of Northforeland and the Marquis of Dungeness; but the + unexpected and apocryphal husband DID arrive. “I myself have not seen my + wife and cousin since I returned from my visit to your son in Switzerland. + I am glad they were able to amuse themselves without waiting for me at a + London hotel, though I should have preferred to have met them here.” Sir + Robert and Lady Mainwaring were courteous but slightly embarrassed. Lady + Canterbridge, who had come to the station in bored curiosity, raised her + clear blue eyes to his. He did not look like a fool, a complaisant or + fashionably-cynical husband—this well-dressed, well-mannered, but + quietly and sympathetically observant man. Did he really care for his + selfish wife? was it perfect trust or some absurd Transatlantic custom? + She did not understand him. It wearied her and she turned her eyes + indifferently away. Bradley, a little irritated, he knew not why, at the + scrutiny of this tall, handsome, gentlemanly-looking woman, who, however, + in spite of her broad shoulders and narrow hips possessed a refined + muliebrity superior to mere womanliness of outline, turned slightly + towards Sir Robert. “Lady Canterbridge, Frank's cousin,” explained Sir + Robert, hesitatingly, as if conscious of some vague awkwardness. Bradley + and Lady Canterbridge both bowed,—possibly the latter's salutation + was the most masculine,—and Bradley, eventually forgetting her + presence, plunged into an earnest, sympathetic, and intelligent account of + the condition in which he found the invalid at St. Moritz. The old man at + first listened with an almost perfunctory courtesy and a hesitating + reserve; but as Bradley was lapsing into equal reserve and they drove up + to the gates of the quadrangle, he unexpectedly warmed with a word or two + of serious welcome. Looking up with a half-unconscious smile, Bradley met + Lady Canterbridge's examining eyes. + </p> + <p> + The next morning, finding an opportunity to be alone with him, Bradley, + with a tactful mingling of sympathy and directness informed his host that + he was cognizant of the disaster that had overtaken the Bank, and + delicately begged him to accept any service he could render him. “Pardon + me,” he said, “if I speak as plainly to you as I would to your son: my + friendship for him justifies an equal frankness to any one he loves; but I + should not intrude upon your confidence if I did not believe that my + knowledge and assistance might be of benefit to you. Although I did not + sell my lands to Richardson or approve of his methods,” he continued, “I + fear it was some suggestion of mine that eventually induced him to form + the larger and more disastrous scheme that ruined the Bank. So you see,” + he added lightly, “I claim a right to offer you my services.” Touched by + Bradley's sincerity and discreet intelligence, Sir Robert was equally + frank. During the recital of his Californian investments—a chronicle + of almost fatuous speculation and imbecile enterprise—Bradley was + profoundly moved at the naive ignorance of business and hopeless + ingenuousness of this old habitue of a cynical world and an intriguing and + insincere society, to whom no scheme had been too wild for acceptance. As + Bradley listened with a half-saddened smile to the grave visions of this + aged enthusiast, he remembered the son's unsophisticated simplicity: what + he had considered as the “boyishness” of immaturity was the taint of the + utterly unpractical Mainwaring blood. It was upon this blood, and others + like it, that Oldenhurst had for centuries waxed and fattened. + </p> + <p> + Bradley was true to his promise of assistance, and with the aid of two or + three of his brother-millionaires, whose knowledge of the resources of the + locality was no less powerful and convincing than the security of their + actual wealth, managed to stay the immediate action of the catastrophe + until the affairs of the Sierran Land and Timber Company could be examined + and some plan of reconstruction arranged. + </p> + <p> + During this interval of five months, in which the credit of Sir Robert + Mainwaring was preserved with the secret of his disaster, Bradley was a + frequent and welcome visitor to Oldenhurst. Apart from his strange and + chivalrous friendship for the Mainwarings—which was as + incomprehensible to Sir Robert as Sir Robert's equally eccentric and + Quixotic speculations had been to Bradley—he began to feel a + singular and weird fascination for the place. A patient martyr in the vast + London house he had taken for his wife and cousin's amusement, he loved to + escape the loneliness of its autumn solitude or the occasional greater + loneliness of his wife's social triumphs. The handsome, thoughtful man who + sometimes appeared at the foot of his wife's table or melted away like a + well-bred ghost in the hollow emptiness of her brilliant receptions, + piqued the languid curiosity of a few. A distinguished personage, known + for his tactful observance of convenances that others forgot, had made a + point of challenging this gentlemanly apparition, and had followed it up + with courteous civilities, which led to exchange of much respect but no + increase of acquaintance. He had even spent a week at Buckenthorpe, with + Canterbridge in the coverts and Lady Canterbridge in the music-room and + library. He had returned more thoughtful, and for some time after was more + frequent in his appearances at home, and more earnest in his renewed + efforts to induce his wife to return to America with him. + </p> + <p> + “You'll never be happy anywhere but in California, among those common + people,” she replied; “and while I was willing to share your poverty + THERE,” she added dryly, “I prefer to share your wealth among civilized + ladies and gentlemen. Besides,” she continued, “we must consider Louise. + She is as good as engaged to Lord Dunshunner, and I do not intend that you + shall make a mess of her affairs here as you did in California.” + </p> + <p> + It was the first time he had heard of Lord Dunshunner's proposals; it was + the first allusion she had ever made to Louise and Mainwaring. + </p> + <p> + Meantime, the autumn leaves had fallen silently over the broad terraces of + Oldenhurst with little changes to the fortunes of the great house itself. + The Christmas house-party included Lady Canterbridge, whose husband was + still detained at Homburg in company with Dunshunner; and Bradley, whose + wife and cousin lingered on the continent. He was slightly embarrassed + when Lady Canterbridge turned to him one afternoon as they were returning + from the lake and congratulated him abruptly upon Louise's engagement. + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps you don't care to be congratulated,” she said, as he did not + immediately respond, “and you had as little to do with it as with that + other? It is a woman's function.” + </p> + <p> + “What other?” echoed Bradley. + </p> + <p> + Lady Canterbridge slightly turned her handsome head towards him as she + walked unbendingly at his side. “Tell me how you manage to keep your + absolute simplicity so fresh. Do you suppose it wasn't known at Oldenhurst + that Frank had quite compromised himself with Miss Macy over there?” + </p> + <p> + “It certainly was not known 'over there,'” said Bradley, curtly. + </p> + <p> + “Don't be angry with me.” + </p> + <p> + Such an appeal from the tall, indifferent woman at his side, so + confidently superior to criticism, and uttered in a low tone, made him + smile, albeit uneasily. + </p> + <p> + “I only meant to congratulate you,” she continued carelessly. “Dunshunner + is not a bad sort of fellow, and will come into a good property some day. + And then, society is so made up of caprice, just now, that it is well for + your wife's cousin to make the most of her opportunities while they last. + She is very popular now; but next season—” Seeing that Bradley + remained silent, she did not finish the sentence, but said with her usual + abruptness, “Do you know a Miss Araminta Eulalie Sharpe?” + </p> + <p> + Bradley started. Could any one recognize honest Minty in the hopeless + vulgarity which this fine lady had managed to carelessly import into her + name? His eye kindled. + </p> + <p> + “She is an old friend of mine, Lady Canterbridge.” + </p> + <p> + “How fortunate! Then I can please you by giving you good news of her. She + is the coming sensation. They say she is very rich, but quite one of the + people, you know: in fact, she makes no scruples of telling you her father + was a blacksmith, I think, and takes the dear old man with her everywhere. + FitzHarry raves about her, and says her naivete is something too + delicious. She is regularly in with some of the best people already. Lady + Dungeness has taken her up, and Northforeland is only waiting for your + cousin's engagement to be able to go over decently. Shall I ask her to + Buckenthorpe?—come, now, as an apology for my rudeness to your + cousin?” She was very womanly now in spite of her high collar, her + straight back, and her tightly-fitting jacket, as she stood there smiling. + Suddenly, her smile faded; she drew her breath in quickly. + </p> + <p> + She had caught a glimpse of his usually thoughtful face and eyes, now + illuminated with some pleasant memory. + </p> + <p> + “Thank you,” he said smilingly, yet with a certain hesitation, as he + thought of The Lookout and Araminta Eulalie Sharpe, and tried to reconcile + them with the lady before him. “I should like it very much.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you have known Miss Sharpe a long time?” continued Lady Canterbridge + as they walked on. + </p> + <p> + “While we were at The Lookout she was our nearest neighbor.” + </p> + <p> + “And I suppose your wife will consider it quite proper for you to see her + again at my house?” said Lady Canterbridge, with a return of conventional + levity. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! quite,” said Bradley. + </p> + <p> + They had reached the low Norman-arched side-entrance to the quadrangle. As + Bradley swung open the bolt-studded oaken door to let her pass, she said + carelessly,— + </p> + <p> + “Then you are not coming in now?” + </p> + <p> + “No; I shall walk a little longer.” + </p> + <p> + “And I am quite forgiven?” + </p> + <p> + “I am thanking you very much,” he said, smiling directly into her blue + eyes. She lowered them, and vanished into the darkness of the passage. + </p> + <p> + The news of Minty's success was further corroborated by Sir Robert, who + later that evening called Bradley into the study. “Frank has been writing + from Nice that he has renewed his acquaintance with some old Californian + friends of yours—a Mr. and Miss Sharpe. Lady Canterbridge says that + they are well known in London to some of our friends, but I would like to + ask you something about them. Lady Mainwaring was on the point of inviting + them here when I received a letter from Mr. Sharpe asking for a BUSINESS + interview. Pray who is this Sharpe?” + </p> + <p> + “You say he writes for a BUSINESS interview?” asked Bradley. + </p> + <p> + “Yes.” + </p> + <p> + Bradley hesitated for a moment and then said quietly, “Perhaps, then, I am + justified in a breach of confidence to him, in order to answer your + question. He is the man who has assumed all the liabilities of the Sierran + Land and Timber Company to enable the Bank to resume payment. But he did + it on the condition that you were never to know it. For the rest, he was a + blacksmith who made a fortune, as Lady Canterbridge will tell you.” + </p> + <p> + “How very odd—how kind, I mean. I should like to have been civil to + him on Frank's account alone.” + </p> + <p> + “I should see him on business and be civil to him afterwards.” Sir Robert + received the American's levity with his usual seriousness. + </p> + <p> + “No, they must come here for Christmas. His daughter is—?” + </p> + <p> + “Araminta Eulalie Sharpe,” said Bradley, in defiant memory of Lady + Canterbridge. + </p> + <p> + Sir Robert winced audibly. “I shall rely on you, my dear boy, to help me + make it pleasant for them,” he said. + </p> + <p> + Christmas came, but not Minty. It drew a large contingent from Oldenhurst + to the quaint old church, who came to view the green-wreathed monuments, + and walls spotted with crimson berries, as if with the blood of former + Oldenhurst warriors, and to impress the wondering villagers with the + ineffable goodness and bounty of the Creator towards the Lords of + Oldenhurst and their friends. Sir Robert, a little gouty, kept the house, + and Bradley, somewhat uneasy at the Sharpes' absence, but more distrait + with other thoughts, wandered listlessly in the long library. At the lower + angle it was embayed into the octagon space of a former tower, which was + furnished as a quaint recess for writing or study, pierced through its + enormous walls with a lance-shaped window, hidden by heavy curtains. He + was gazing abstractedly at the melancholy eyes of Sir Percival, looking + down from the dark panel opposite, when he heard the crisp rustle of a + skirt. Lady Canterbridge tightly and stiffly buttoned in black from her + long narrow boots to her slim, white-collared neck, stood beside him with + a prayer-book in her ungloved hand. Bradley colored quickly; the + penetrating incense of the Christmas boughs and branches that decked the + walls and ceilings, mingled with some indefinable intoxicating aura from + the woman at his side, confused his senses. He seemed to be losing himself + in some forgotten past coeval with the long, quaintly-lighted room, the + rich hangings, and the painted ancestor of this handsome woman. He + recovered himself with an effort, and said, + </p> + <p> + “You are going to church?” + </p> + <p> + “I may meet them coming home; it's all the same. You like HIM?” she said + abruptly, pointing to the portrait. “I thought you did not care for that + sort of man over there.” + </p> + <p> + “A man like that must have felt the impotence of his sacrifice before he + died, and that condoned everything,” said Bradley, thoughtfully. + </p> + <p> + “Then you don't think him a fool? Bob says it was a fair bargain for a + title and an office, and that by dying he escaped trial and the + confiscation of what he had.” + </p> + <p> + Bradley did not reply. + </p> + <p> + “I am disturbing your illusions again. Yet I rather like them. I think you + are quite capable of a sacrifice—perhaps you know what it is + already.” + </p> + <p> + He felt that she was looking at him; he felt equally that he could not + respond with a commonplace. He was silent. + </p> + <p> + “I have offended you again, Mr. Bradley,” she said. “Please be Christian, + and pardon me. You know this is a season of peace and goodwill.” She + raised her blue eyes at the same moment to the Christmas decorations on + the ceiling. They were standing before the parted drapery of the lance + window. Midway between the arched curtains hung a spray of mistletoe—the + conceit of a mischievous housemaid. Their eyes met it simultaneously. + </p> + <p> + Bradley had Lady Canterbridge's slim, white hand in his own. The next + moment voices were heard in the passage, and the door nearly opposite to + them opened deliberately. The idea of their apparent seclusion and half + compromising attitude flashed through the minds of both at the same time. + Lady Canterbridge stepped quickly backward, drawing Bradley with her, into + the embrasure of the window; the folds of the curtain swung together and + concealed them from view. + </p> + <p> + The door had been opened by the footman, ushering in a broad-shouldered + man, who was carrying a travelling-bag and an umbrella in his hand. + Dropping into an arm-chair before the curtain, he waved away the footman, + who, even now, mechanically repeated a previously vain attempt to relieve + the stranger of his luggage. + </p> + <p> + “You leave that 'ere grip sack where it is, young man, and tell Sir Robert + Mainwaring that Mr. Demander Sharpe, of Californy, wishes to see him—on + business—on BUSINESS, do ye' hear? You hang onter that sentence—on + BUSINESS! it's about ez much ez you kin carry, I reckon, and leave that + grip sack alone.” + </p> + <p> + From behind the curtain Bradley made a sudden movement to go forward; but + Lady Canterbridge—now quite pale but collected—restrained him + with a warning movement of her hand. Sir Robert's stick and halting step + were next heard along the passage, and he entered the room. His simple and + courteous greeting of the stranger was instantly followed by a renewed + attack upon the “grip sack,” and a renewed defence of it by the stranger. + </p> + <p> + “No, Sir Robert,” said the voice argumentatively, “this yer's a BUSINESS + interview, and until it's over—if YOU please—we'll remain ez + we air. I'm Demander Sharpe, of Californy, and I and my darter, Minty, + oncet had the pleasure of knowing your boy over thar, and of meeting him + agin the other day at Nice.” + </p> + <p> + “I think,” said Sir Robert's voice gently, “that these are not the only + claims you have upon me. I have only a day or two ago heard from Mr. + Bradley that I owe to your generous hands and your disinterested + liberality the saving of my California fortune.” + </p> + <p> + There was the momentary sound of a pushed-back chair, a stamping of feet, + and then Mr. Sharpe's voice rose high with the blacksmith's old querulous + aggrieved utterance. + </p> + <p> + “So it's that finikin', conceited Bradley agin—that's giv' me away! + Ef that man's all-fired belief in his being the Angel Gabriel and Dan'l + Webster rolled inter one don't beat anythin'! I suppose that high-flyin' + jay-bird kalkilated to put you and me and my gal and yer boy inter harness + for his four hoss chariot and he sittin' kam on the box drivin' us! Why + don't he tend to his own business, and look arter his own concerns—instead + o' leaving Jinny Bradley and Loo Macy dependent on Kings and Queens and + titled folks gen'rally, and he, Jim Bradley, philanderin' with another + man's wife—while that thar man is hard at work tryin' to make a + honest livin' fer his wife, buckin' agin faro an' the tiger gen'rally at + Monaco! Eh? And that man a-inter-meddlin' with me! Ef,” continued the + voice, dropped to a tone of hopeless moral conviction, “ef there's a man I + mor'aly despise—it's that finikin' Jim Bradley.” + </p> + <p> + “You quite misunderstand me, my dear sir,” said Sir Robert's hurried + voice; “he told me you had pledged him to secrecy, and he only revealed it + to explain why you wished to see me.” + </p> + <p> + There was a grunt of half-placated wrath from Sharpe, and then the voice + resumed, but more deliberately, “Well, to come back to business: you've + got a boy, Francis, and I've got a darter, Araminty. They've sorter taken + a shine to each other and they want to get married. Mind yer—wait a + moment!—it wasn't allus so. No, sir; when my gal Araminty first seed + your boy in Californy she was poor, and she didn't kalkilate to get inter + anybody's family unbeknownst or on sufferance. Then she got rich and you + got poor; and then—hold on a minit!—she allows, does my girl, + that there ain't any nearer chance o' their making a match than they were + afore, for she isn't goin' to hev it said that she married your son fur + the chance of some day becomin' Lady Mainwaring.” + </p> + <p> + “One moment, Mr. Sharpe,” said the voice of the Baronet, gravely: “I am + both flattered and pained by what I believe to be the kindly object of + your visit. Indeed, I may say I have gathered a suspicion of what might be + the sequel of this most unhappy acquaintance of my son and your daughter; + but I cannot believe that he has kept you in ignorance of his unfortunate + prospects and his still more unfortunate state of health.” + </p> + <p> + “When I told ye to hold on a minit,” continued the blacksmith's voice, + with a touch of querulousness in its accent, “that was jist wot I was + comin' to. I knowed part of it from my own pocket, she knowed the rest of + it from his lip and the doctors she interviewed. And then she says to me—sez + my girl Minty—Pop,' she sez, 'he's got nothing to live for now but + his title, and that he never may live to get, so that I think ye kin jist + go, Pop, and fairly and squarely, as a honest man, ask his father to let + me hev him.' Them's my darter's own words, Sir Robert, and when I tell yer + that she's got a million o' dollars to back them, ye'll know she means + business, every time.” + </p> + <p> + “Did Francis know that you were coming here?” + </p> + <p> + “Bless ye, no! he don't know that she would have him. Ef it kem to that, + he ain't even asked her! She wouldn't let him until she was sure of YOU.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you mean to say there is no engagement?” + </p> + <p> + “In course not. I reckoned to do the square thing first with ye.” + </p> + <p> + The halting step of the Baronet crossing the room was heard distinctly. He + had stopped beside Sharpe. “My dear Mr. Sharpe,” he said, in a troubled + voice, “I cannot permit this sacrifice. It is too—too great!” + </p> + <p> + “Then,” said Sharpe' s voice querulously, “I'm afraid we must do without + your permission. I didn't reckon to find a sort o' British Jim Bradley in + you. If YOU can't permit my darter to sacrifice herself by marryin' your + son, I can't permit her to sacrifice her love and him by NOT marryin' him. + So I reckon this yer interview is over.” + </p> + <p> + “I am afraid we are both old fools, Mr. Sharpe; but—we will talk + this over with Lady Mainwaring. Come—” There was evidently a slight + struggle near the chair over some inanimate object. But the next moment + the Baronet's voice rose, persuasively, “Really, I must insist upon + relieving you of your bag and umbrella.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if you'll let me telegraph 'yes' to Minty, I don't care if yer do.” + </p> + <p> + When the room was quiet again, Lady Canterbridge and James Bradley + silently slipped from the curtain, and, without a word, separated at the + door. + </p> + <p> + There was a merry Christmas at Oldenhurst and at Nice. But whether Minty's + loving sacrifice was accepted or not, or whether she ever reigned as Lady + Mainwaring, or lived an untitled widow, I cannot say. But as Oldenhurst + still exists in all its pride and power, it is presumed that the peril + that threatened its fortunes was averted, and that if another heroine was + not found worthy of a frame in its picture-gallery, at least it had been + sustained as of old by devotion and renunciation. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Phyllis of the Sierras, by Bret Harte + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A PHYLLIS OF THE SIERRAS *** + +***** This file should be named 2711-h.htm or 2711-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/1/2711/ + +Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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