the call of the canyon-第9章

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Carley　could　not　detect　bitterness　or　jealousy　in　his　voice。　She　would　not　have　been　averse　to　hearing　either。　She　gathered　from　his　remark；　however；　that　he　was　going　to　be　harder　than　ever　to　understand。　What　had　she　said　or　done　to　make　him　retreat　within　himself；　aloof；　impersonal；　unfamiliar？　He　did　not　impress　her　as　loverlike。　What　irony　of　fate　was　this　that　held　her　there　yearning　for　his　kisses　and　caresses　as　never　before；　while　he　watched　the　fire；　and　talked　as　to　a　mere　acquaintance；　and　seemed　sad　and　far　away？　Or　did　she　merely　imagine　that？　Only　one　thing　could　she　be　sure　of　at　that　moment；　and　it　was　that　pride　would　never　be　her　ally。

〃Glenn；　look　here；〃　she　said；　sliding　her　chair　close　to　his　and　holding　out　tier　left　hand；　slim　and　white；　with　its　glittering　diamond　on　the　third　finger。

He　took　her　hand　in　his　and　pressed　it；　and　smiled　at　her。　〃Yes；　Carley；　it's　a　beautiful；　soft　little　hand。　But　I　think　I'd　like　it　better　if　it　were　strong　and　brown；　and　coarse　on　the　insidefrom　useful　work。〃

〃Like　Flo　Hutter's？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Yes。〃

Carley　looked　proudly　into　his　eyes。　〃People　are　born　in　different　stations。　I　respect　your　little　Western　friend；　Glenn；　but　could　I　wash　and　sweep；　milk　cows　and　chop　wood；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing？〃

〃I　suppose　you　couldn't；〃　he　admitted；　with　a　blunt　little　laugh。

〃Would　you　want　me　to？〃　she　asked。

〃Well；　that's　hard　to　say；〃　he　replied；　knitting　his　brows。　〃I　hardly　know。　I　think　it　depends　on　you。　。　。　。　But　if　you　did　do　such　work　wouldn't　you　be　happier？〃

〃Happier！　Why　Glenn；　I'd　be　miserable！　。。。　But　listen。　It　wasn't　my　beautiful　and　useless　hand　I　wanted　you　to　see。　It　was　my　engagement　ring。〃

〃Oh！Well？〃　he　went　on；　slowly。

〃I've　never　had　it　off　since　you　left　New　York；〃　she　said；　softly。　〃You　gave　it　to　me　four　years　ago。　Do　you　remember？　It　was　on　my　twenty…second　birthday。　You　said　it　would　take　two　months'　salary　to　pay　the　bill。〃

〃It　sure　did；〃　he　retorted；　with　a　hint　of　humor。

〃Glenn；　during　the　war　it　was　not　soso　very　hard　to　wear　this　ring　as　an　engagement　ring　should　be　worn；〃　said　Carley；　growing　more　earnest。　〃But　after　the　warespecially　after　your　departure　West　it　was　terribly　hard　to　be　true　to　the　significance　of　this　betrothal　ring。　There　was　a　let…down　in　all　women。　Oh；　no　one　need　tell　me！　There　was。　And　men　were　affected　by　that　and　the　chaotic　condition　of　the　times。　New　York　was　wild　during　the　year　of　your　absence。　Prohibition　was　a　joke。Well；　I　gadded；　danced；　dressed；　drank；　smoked；　motored；　just　the　same　as　the　other　women　in　our　crowd。　Something　drove　me　to。　I　never　rested。　Excitement　seemed　to　be　happinessGlenn；　I　am　not　making　any　plea　to　excuse　all　that。　But　I　want　you　to　knowhow　under　trying　circumstancesI　was　absolutely　true　to　you。　Understand　me。　I　mean　true　as　regards　love。　Through　it　all　I　loved　you　just　the　same。　And　now　I'm　with　you；　it　seems；　oh；　so　much　more！　。　。　。　Your　last　letter　hurt　me。　I　don't　know　just　how。　But　I　came　West　to　see　youto　tell　you　thisand　to　ask　you。　。　。　。　Do　you　want　this　ring　back？〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　he　replied；　forcibly；　with　a　dark　flush　spreading　over　his　face。

〃Thenyou　love　me？〃　she　whispered。

〃YesI　love　you；〃　he　returned；　deliberately。　〃And　in　spite　of　all　you　sayvery　probably　more　than　you　love　me。　。　。　。　But　you；　like　all　women；　make　love　and　its　expression　the　sole　object　of　life。　Carley；　I　have　been　concerned　with　keeping　my　body　from　the　grave　and　my　soul　from　hell。〃

〃Butclearyou're　well　now？〃　she　returned；　with　trembling　lips。

〃Yes；　I've　almost　pulled　out。〃

〃Then　what　is　wrong？〃

〃Wrong？With　me　or　you；〃　he　queried；　with　keen；　enigmatical　glance　upon　her。

〃What　is　wrong　between　us？　There　is　something。〃

〃Carley；　a　man　who　has　been　on　the　vergeas　I　have　beenseldom　or　never　comes　back　to　happiness。　But　perhaps〃

〃You　frighten　me；〃　cried　Carley；　and；　rising；　she　sat　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair　and　encircled　his　neck　with　her　arms。　〃How　can　I　help　if　I　do　not　understand？　Am　I　so　miserably　little？　。　。　。　Glenn；　must　I　tell　you？　No　woman　can　live　without　love。　I　need　to　be　loved。　That's　all　that's　wrong　with　me。〃

〃Carley；　you　are　still　an　imperious；　mushy　girl；〃　replied　Glenn；　taking　her　into　his　arms。　〃I　need　to　be　loved；　too。　But　that's　not　what　is　wrong　with　me。　You'll　have　to　find　it　out　yourself。〃

〃You're　a　dear　old　Sphinx；〃　she　retorted。

〃Listen；　Carley；〃　he　said；　earnestly。　〃About　this　love…making　stuff。　Please　don't　misunderstand　me。　I　love　you。　I'm　starved　for　your　kisses。　Butis　it　right　to　ask　them？〃

〃Right！　Aren't　we　engaged？　And　don't　I　want　to　give　them？〃

〃If　I　were　only　sure　we'd　be　married！〃　he　said；　in　low；　tense　voice；　as　if　speaking　more　to　himself。

〃Married！〃　cried　Carley；　convulsively　clasping　him。　〃Of　course　we'll　be　married。　Glenn；　you　wouldn't　jilt　me？〃

〃Carley；　what　I　mean　is　that　you　might　never　really　marry　me；〃　he　answered；　seriously。

〃Oh；　if　that's　all　you　need　be　sure　of；　Glenn　Kilbourne；　you　may　begin　to　make　love　to　me　now。〃


It　was　late　when　Carley　went　up　to　her　room。　And　she　was　in　such　a　softened　mood；　so　happy　and　excited　and　yet　disturbed　in　mind；　that　the　coldness　and　the　darkness　did　not　matter　in　the　least。　She　undressed　in　pitchy　blackness；　stumbling　over　chair　and　bed；　feeling　for　what　she　needed。　And　in　her　mood　this　unusual　proceeding　was　fun。　When　ready　for　bed　she　opened　the　door　to　take　a　peep　out。　Through　the　dense　blackness　the　waterfall　showed　dimly　opaque。　Carley　felt　a　soft　mist　wet　her　face。　The　low　roar　of　the　falling　water　seemed　to　envelop　her。　Under　the　cliff　wall　brooded　impenetrable　gloom。　But　out　above　the　treetops　shone　great　stars；　wonderfully　white　and　radiant　and　cold；　with　a　piercing　contrast　to　the　deep　clear　blue　of　sky。　The　waterfall　hummed　into　an　absolutely　dead　silence。　It　emphasized　the　silence。　Not　only　cold　was　it　that　made　Carley　shudder。　How　lonely；　how　lost；　how　hidden　this　canyon！

Then　she　hurried　to　bed；　grateful　for　the　warm　woolly　blankets。　Relaxation　and　thought　brought　consciousness　of　the　heat　of　her　blood；　the　beat　and　throb　and　swell　of　her　heart；　of　the　tumult　within　her。　In　the　lonely　darkness　of　her　room　she　might　have　faced　the　truth　of　her　strangely　renewed　and　augmented　love　for　Glenn　Kilbourne。　But　she　was　more　concerned　with　her　happiness。　She　had　won　him　back。　Her　presence；　her　love　had　overcome　his　restraint。　She　thrilled　in　the　sweet　consciousness　of　her　woman's　conquest。　How　splendid　he　was！　To　hold　back　physical　tenderness；　the　simple　expressions　of　love；　because　he　had　feared　they　might　unduly　influence　her！　He　had　grown　in　many　ways。　She　must　be　careful　to　reach　up　to　his　ideals。　That　about　Flo　Hutter's　toil…hardened　hands！　Was　that　significance　somehow　connected　with　the　rift　in　the　lute？　For　Carley　admitted　to　herself　that　there　was　something　amiss；　something　incomprehensible；　something　intangible　that　obtruded　its　menace　into　her　dream　of　future　happiness。　Still；　what　had　she　to　fear；　so　long　as　she　could　be　with　Glenn？

And　yet　there　were　forced　upon　her；　insistent　and　perplexing；　the　questionswas　her　love　selfish？　was　she　considering　him？　was　she　blind　to　something　he　could　see？　Tomorrow　and　next　day　and　the　days　to　come　held　promise　of　joyous　companionship　with　Glenn；　yet　likewise　they　seemed　full　of　a　portent　of　trouble　for　her；　or　fight　and　ordeal；　of　lessons　that　would　make　life　significant　for　her。


CHAPTER　III

Carley　was　awakened　by　rattling　sounds　in　her　room。　The　raising　of　sleepy　eyelids　disclosed　Flo　on　her　knees　before　the　little　stove；　ill　the　act　of　lighting　a　fire。

〃Mawnin'；　Carley；〃　she　drawled。　〃It's　shore　cold。　Reckon　it'll　snow　today；　worse　luck；　just　because　you're　here。　Take　my　hunch　and　stay　in　bed　till　the　fire　burns　up。〃

〃I　shall　do　no　such　thing；〃　declared　Carley；　heroically。

〃We're　afraid　you'll　take　cold；〃　said　Flo。　〃This　is　desert　country　with　high　altitude。　Spring　is　here　when　the　sun　shines。　But　it's　only　shinin'　in　streaks　these　days。　That　means　winter；　really。　Please　be　good。〃

〃Well；　it　doesn't　require　much　self…denial　to　stay　here　awhile　longer；〃　replied　Carley；　lazily。

Flo　left　with　a　parting　admonition　not　to　let　the　stove　get　red…hot。　And　Carley　la