the call of the canyon-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Get　down　an'　come　in；　miss；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　sure　glad　to　see　you。〃

Carley；　being　stiff　and　cold；　did　not　very　gracefully　disengage　herself　from　the　high　muddy　wheel　and　step。　When　she　mounted　to　the　porch　she　saw　that　Mrs。　Hutter　was　a　woman　of　middle　age；　rather　stout；　with　strong　face　full　of　fine　wavy　lines；　and　kind　dark　eyes。

〃I'm　Miss　Burch；〃　said　Carley。

〃You're　the　girl　whose　picture　Glenn　Kilbourne　has　over　his　fireplace；〃　declared　the　woman；　heartily。　〃I'm　sure　glad　to　meet　you；　an'　my　daughter　Flo　will　be；　too。〃

That　about　her　picture　pleased　and　warmed　Carley。　〃Yes；　I'm　Glenn　Kilbourne's　fiancee。　I've　come　West　to　surprise　him。　Is　he　here。　。　。　。　Is　is　he　well？〃

〃Fine。　I　saw　him　yesterday。　He's　changed　a　great　deal　from　what　he　was　at　first。　Most　all　the　last　few　months。　I　reckon　you　won't　know　him。　。　。　。　But　you're　wet　an'　cold　an'　you　look　fagged。　Come　right　in　to　the　fire。〃

〃Thank　you；　I'm　all　right；〃　returned　Carley。

At　the　doorway　they　encountered　a　girl　of　lithe　and　robust　figure；　quick　in　her　movements。　Carley　was　swift　to　see　the　youth　and　grace　of　her；　and　then　a　face　that　struck　Carley　as　neither　pretty　nor　beautiful；　but　still　wonderfully　attractive。

〃Flo；　here's　Miss　Burch；〃　burst　out　Mrs。　Hutter；　with　cheerful　importance。　〃Glenn　Kilbourne's　girl　come　all　the　way　from　New　York　to　surprise　him！〃

〃Oh；　Carley；　I'm　shore　happy　to　meet　you！〃　said　the　girl；　in　a　voice　of　slow　drawling　richness。　〃I　know　you。　Glenn　has　told　me　all　about　you。〃

If　this　greeting；　sweet　and　warm　as　it　seemed；　was　a　shock　to　Carley；　she　gave　no　sign。　But　as　she　murmured　something　in　reply　she　looked　with　all　a　woman's　keenness　into　the　face　before　her。　Flo　Hutter　had　a　fair　skin　generously　freckled；　a　mouth　and　chin　too　firmly　cut　to　suggest　a　softer　feminine　beauty；　and　eyes　of　clear　light　hazel；　penetrating；　frank；　fearless。　Her　hair　was　very　abundant；　almost　silver…gold　in　color；　and　it　was　either　rebellious　or　showed　lack　of　care。　Carley　liked　the　girl's　looks　and　liked　the　sincerity　of　her　greeting；　but　instinctively　she　reacted　antagonistically　because　of　the　frank　suggestion　of　intimacy　with　Glenn。

But　for　that　she　would　have　been　spontaneous　and　friendly　rather　than　restrained。

They　ushered　Carley　into　a　big　living　room　and　up　to　a　fire　of　blazing　logs；　where　they　helped　divest　her　of　the　wet　wraps。　And　all　the　time　they　talked　in　the　solicitous　way　natural　to　women　who　were　kind　and　unused　to　many　visitors。　Then　Mrs。　Hutter　bustled　off　to　make　a　cup　of　hot　coffee　while　Flo　talked。

〃We'll　shore　give　you　the　nicest　roomwith　a　sleeping　porch　right　under　the　cliff　where　the　water　falls。　It'll　sing　you　to　sleep。　Of　course　you　needn't　use　the　bed　outdoors　until　it's　warmer。　Spring　is　late　here；　you　know；　and　we'll　have　nasty　weather　yet。　You　really　happened　on　Oak　Creek　at　its　least　attractive　season。　But　then　it's　alwayswell；　just　Oak　Creek。　You'll　come　to　know。〃

〃I　dare　say　I'll　remember　my　first　sight　of　it　and　the　ride　down　that　cliff　road；〃　said　Carley；　with　a　wan　smile。

〃Oh；　that's　nothing　to　what　you'll　see　and　do；〃　returned　Flo；　knowingly。　〃We've　had　Eastern　tenderfeet　here　before。　And　never　was　there　a　one　of　them　who　didn't　come　to　love　Arizona。〃

〃Tenderfoot！　It　hadn't　occurred　to　me。　But　of　course〃　murmured　Carley。

Then　Mrs。　Hutter　returned；　carrying　a　tray；　which　she　set　upon　a　chair；　and　drew　to　Carley's　side。　〃Eat　an'　drink；〃　she　said；　as　if　these　actions　were　the　cardinally　important　ones　of　life。　〃Flo；　you　carry　her　bags　up　to　that　west　room　we　always　give　to　some　particular　person　we　want　to　love　Lolomi。〃　Next　she　threw　sticks　of　wood　upon　the　fire；　making　it　crackle　and　blaze；　then　seated　herself　near　Carley　and　beamed　upon　her。

〃You'll　not　mind　if　we　call　you　Carley？〃　she　asked；　eagerly。

〃Oh；　indeed　no！　II'd　like　it；〃　returned　Carley；　made　to　feel　friendly　and　at　home　in　spite　of　herself。

〃You　see　it's　not　as　if　you　were　just　a　stranger；〃　went　on　Mrs。　flutter。　〃Tomthat's　Flo's　fathertook　a　likin'　to　Glenn　Kilbourne　when　he　first　came　to　Oak　Creek　over　a　year　ago。　I　wonder　if　you　all　know　how　sick　that　soldier　boy　was。　。　。　。　Well；　he　lay　on　his　back　for　two　solid　weeksin　the　room　we're　givin'　you。　An'　I　for　one　didn't　think　he'd　ever　get　up。　But　he　did。　An'　he　got　better。　An'　after　a　while　he　went　to　work　for　Tom。　Then　six　months　an'　more　ago　he　invested　in　the　sheep　business　with　Tom。　He　lived　with　us　until　he　built　his　cabin　up　West　Fork。　He　an'　Flo　have　run　together　a　good　deal；　an'　naturally　he　told　her　about　you。　So　you　see　you're　not　a　stranger。　An'　we　want　you　to　feel　you're　with　friends。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Mrs。　Hutter；〃　replied　Carley；　feelingly。　〃I　never　could　thank　you　enough　for　being　good　to　Glenn。　I　did　not　know　he　was　soso　sick。　At　first　he　wrote　but　seldom；〃

〃Reckon　he　never　wrote　you　or　told　you　what　he　did　in　the　war；〃　declared　Mrs。　Hutter。

〃Indeed　he　never　did！〃

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you　some　day。　For　Tom　found　out　all　about　him。　Got　some　of　it　from　a　soldier　who　came　to　Flagstaff　for　lung　trouble。　He'd　been　in　the　same　company　with　Glenn。　We　didn't　know　this　boy's　name　while　he　was　in　Flagstaff。　But　later　Tom　found　out。　John　Henderson。　He　was　only　twenty…two；　a　fine　lad。　An'　he　died　in　Phoenix。　We　tried　to　get　him　out　here。　But　the　boy　wouldn't　live　on　charity。　He　was　always　expectin'　moneya　war　bonus；　whatever　that　was。　It　didn't　come。　He　was　a　clerk　at　the　El　Tovar　for　a　while。　Then　he　came　to　Flagstaff。　But　it　was　too　cold　an'　he　stayed　there　too　long。〃

〃Too　bad；〃　rejoined　Carley；　thoughtfully。　This　information　as　to　the　suffering　of　American　soldiers　had　augmented　during　the　last　few　months；　and　seemed　to　possess　strange；　poignant　power　to　depress　Carley。　Always　she　had　turned　away　from　the　unpleasant。　And　the　misery　of　unfortunates　was　as　disturbing　almost　as　direct　contact　with　disease　and　squalor。　But　it　had　begun　to　dawn　upon　Carley　that　there　might　occur　circumstances　of　life；　in　every　way　affronting　her　comfort　and　happiness；　which　it　would　be　impossible　to　turn　her　back　upon。

At　this　juncture　Flo　returned　to　the　room；　and　again　Carley　was　struck　with　the　girl's　singular　freedom　of　movement　and　the　sense　of　sure　poise　and　joy　that　seemed　to　emanate　from　her　presence。

〃I've　made　a　fire　in　your　little　stove；〃　she　said。　〃There's　water　heating。　Now　won't　you　come　up　and　change　those　traveling　clothes。　You'll　want　to　fix　up　for　Glenn；　won't　you？〃

Carley　had　to　smile　at　that。　This　girl　indeed　was　frank　and　unsophisticated；　and　somehow　refreshing。　Carley　rose。

〃You　are　both　very　good　to　receive　me　as　a　friend；〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　I　shall　not　disappoint　you。　。　。　。　Yes；　I　do　want　to　improve　my　appearance　before　Glenn　sees　me。　。　。　。　Is　there　any　way　I　can　send　word　to　himby　someone　who　has　not　seen　me？〃

〃There　shore　is。　I'll　send　Charley；　one　of　our　hired　boys。〃

〃Thank　you。　Then　tell　him　to　say　there　is　a　lady　here　from　New　York　to　see　him；　and　it　is　very　important。〃

Flo　Hutter　clapped　her　hands　and　laughed　with　glee。　Her　gladness　gave　Carley　a　little　twinge　of　conscience。　Jealously　was　an　unjust　and　stifling　thing。

Carley　was　conducted　up　a　broad　stairway　and　along　a　boarded　hallway　to　a　room　that　opened　out　on　the　porch。　A　steady　low　murmur　of　falling　water　assailed　her　ears。　Through　the　open　door　she　saw　across　the　porch　to　a　white　tumbling　lacy　veil　of　water　falling；　leaping；　changing；　so　close　that　it　seemed　to　touch　the　heavy　pole　railing　of　the　porch。

This　room　resembled　a　tent。　The　sides　were　of　canvas。　It　had　no　ceiling。　But　the　roughhewn　shingles　of　the　roof　of　the　house　sloped　down　closely。　The　furniture　was　home　made。　An　Indian　rug　covered　the　floor。　The　bed　with　its　woolly　clean　blankets　and　the　white　pillows　looked　inviting。

〃Is　this　where　Glenn　laywhen　he　was　sick？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Flo；　gravely；　and　a　shadow　darkened　her　eyes。　〃I　ought　to　tell　you　all　about　it。　I　will　some　day。　But　you　must　not　he　made　unhappy　now。　。　。　。　Glenn　nearly　died　here。　Mother　or　I　never　left　his　sidefor　a　while　therewhen　life　was　so　bad。〃

She　showed　Carley　how　to　open　the　little　stove　and　put　the　short　billets　of　wood　inside　and　work　the　damper；　and　cautioning　her　to　keep　an　eye　on　it　so　that　it