cressy-第10章

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The　master　was　silent。　　Had　this　dull；　narrow…minded　partisan

stumbled　upon　a　truth　that　had　never　dawned　upon　his　own　broader

comprehension？　　Had　this　selfish　savage　and　literally　red…handed

frontier　brawler　been　moved　by　some　dumb　instinct　of　the　power　of

gentleness　to　understand　his　daughter's　needs　better　than　he？　　For

a　moment　he　was　staggered。　　Then　he　thought　of　Cressy's　later

flirtations　with　Joe　Masters；　and　her　concealment　of　their　meeting

from　her　mother。　　Had　she　deceived　her　father　also？　　Or　was　not　the

father　deceiving　him　with　this　alternate　suggestion　of　threat　and

of　kindlinessof　power　and　weakness。　　He　had　heard　of　this　cruel

phase　of　Southwestern　cunning　before。　　With　the　feeble　sophistry　of

the　cynic　he　mistrusted　the　good　his　scepticism　could　not

understand。　　Howbeit；　glancing　sideways　at　the　slumbering　savagery

of　the　man　beside　him；　and　his　wounded　hand；　he　did　not　care　to

show　his　lack　of　confidence。　　He　contented　himself　with　that

equally　feeble　resource　of　weak　humanity　in　such　casesgood…

natured　indifference。　　〃All　right；〃　he　said　carelessly；　〃I'll　see

what　can　be　done。　　But　are　you　quite　sure　you　are　fit　to　go　home

alone？　　Shall　I　accompany　you？〃　　As　McKinstry　waived　the　suggestion

with　a　gesture；　he　added　lightly；　as　if　to　conclude　the　interview；

〃I'll　report　progress　to　you　from　time　to　time；　if　you　like。〃



〃To　ME；〃　emphasized　McKinstry；　〃not　over　THAR；〃　indicating　the

ranch。　　〃But　p'rhaps　you　wouldn't　mind　my　ridin'　by　and　lookin'　in

at　the　school…room　winder　onct　in　a　while？　　Ahyou　WOULD；〃　he

added；　with　the　first　deepening　of　color　he　had　shown。　　〃Well；

never　mind。〃



〃You　see　it　might　distract　the　children　from　their　lessons；〃

explained　the　master　gently；　who　had　however　contemplated　with　some

concern　the　infinite　delight　which　a　glimpse　of　McKinstry's　fiery

and　fatuous　face　at　the　window　would　awaken　in　Johnny　Filgee's

infant　breast。



〃Well；　no　matter！〃　returned　McKinstry　slowly。　　〃Ye　don't　keer；　I

s'pose；　to　come　over　to　the　hotel　and　take　suthin'？　　A　julep　or　a

smash？〃



〃I　shouldn't　think　of　keeping　you　a　moment　longer　from　Mrs。

McKinstry；〃　said　the　master；　looking　at　his　companion's　wounded

hand。　　〃Thank　you　all　the　same。　　Good…by。〃



They　shook　hands；　McKinstry　transferring　his　rifle　to　the　hollow　of

his　elbow　to　offer　his　unwounded　left。　　The　master　watched　him

slowly　resume　his　way　towards　the　ranch。　　Then　with　a　half　uneasy

and　half　pleasurable　sense　that　he　had　taken　some　step　whose

consequences　were　more　important　than　he　would　at　present

understand；　he　turned　in　the　opposite　direction　to　the　school…

house。　　He　was　so　preoccupied　that　it　was　not　until　he　had　nearly

reached　it　that　he　remembered　Uncle　Ben。　　With　an　odd　recollection

of　McKinstry's　previous　performance；　he　approached　the　school　from

the　thicket　in　the　rear　and　slipped　noiselessly　to　the　open　window

with　the　intention　of　looking　in。　　But　the　school…house；　far　from

exhibiting　that　〃kam〃　and　studious　abstraction　which　had　so　touched

the　savage　breast　of　McKinstry；　was　filled　with　the　accents　of

youthful　and　unrestrained　vituperation。　　The　voice　of　Rupert　Filgee

came　sharply　to　the　master's　astonished　ears。



〃You　needn't　try　to　play　off　Dobell　or　Mitchell　on　MEyou　hear！

Much　YOU　know　of　either；　don't　you？　　Look　at　that　copy。　　If　Johnny

couldn't　do　better　than　that；　I'd　lick　him。　　Of　course　it's　the

penit　ain't　your　stodgy　fingersoh；　no！　　P'r'aps　you'd　like　to

hev　a　few　more　boxes　o'　quills　and　gold　pens　and　Gillott's　best

thrown　in；　for　two　bits　a　lesson？　　I　tell　you　what！　　I'll　throw　up

the　contract　in　another　minit！　　There　goes　another　quill　busted！

Look　here；　what　YOU　want　ain't　a　pen；　but　a　clothes…pin　and　a　split

nail！　　That'll　about　jibe　with　your　dilikit　gait。〃



The　master　at　once　stepped　to　the　window　and；　unobserved；　took　a

quick　survey　of　the　interior。　　Following　some　ingenious　idea　of　his

own　regarding　fitness；　the　beautiful　Filgee　had　induced　Uncle　Ben

to　seat　himself　on　the　floor　before　one　of　the　smallest　desks；

presumably　his　brother's；　in　an　attitude　which；　while　it　certainly

gave　him　considerable　elbow…room　for　those　contortions　common　to

immature　penmanship；　offered　his　youthful　instructor　a　superior

eminence；　from　which　he　hovered；　occasionally　swooping　down　upon

his　grown…up　pupil　like　a　mischievous　but　graceful　jay。　　But　Mr。

Ford's　most　distinct　impression　was　that；　far　from　resenting　the

derogatory　position　and　the　abuse　that　accompanied　it；　Uncle　Ben

not　only　beamed　upon　his　persecutor　with　unquenchable　good　humor；

but　with　undisguised　admiration；　and　showed　not　the　slightest

inclination　to　accept　his　proposed　resignation。



〃Go　slow；　Roop；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　　〃You　was　onct　a　boy　yourself。

Nat'rally　I　kalkilate　to　stand　all　the　damages。　　You've　got　ter

waste　some　powder　over　a　blast　like　this　yer；　way　down　to　the　bed

rock。　　Next　time　I'll　bring　my　own　pens。〃



〃Do。　　Some　from　the　Dobell　school　you　uster　go　to；〃　suggested　the

darkly　ironical　Rupert。　　〃They　was　iron…clad　injin…rubber；　warn't

they？〃



〃Never　you　mind　wot　they　were；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　good…humoredly。

〃Look　at　that　string　of　'C's'　in　that　line。　　There's　nothing　mean

about　THEM。〃



He　put　his　pen　between　his　teeth；　raised　himself　slowly　on　his

legs；　and　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand　from　the　severe

perspective　of　six　feet；　gazed　admiringly　down　upon　his　work。

Rupert；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　his　back　to　the　window；

cynically　assisted　at　the　inspection。



〃Wot's　that　sick　worm　at　the　bottom　of　the　page？〃　he　asked。



〃Wot　might　you　think　it　wos？〃　said　Uncle　Ben　beamingly。



〃Looks　like　one　o'　them　snake　roots　you　dig　up　with　a　little　mud

stuck　to　it；〃　returned　Rupert　critically。



〃That's　my　name。〃



They　both　stood　looking　at　it　with　their　heads　very　much　on　one

side。　　〃It　ain't　so　bad　as　the　rest　you've　done。　　It　MIGHT　be　your

name。　　That　ez；　it　don't　look　like　anythin'　else；〃　suggested

Rupert；　struck　with　a　new　idea　that　it　was　perhaps　more　professional

occasionally　to　encourage　his　pupil。　　〃You　might　get　on　in　course　o'

time。　　But　what　are　you　doin'　all　this　for？〃　he　asked　suddenly。



〃Doin'　what？〃



〃This　yer　comin'　to　school　when　you　ain't　sent；　and　you　ain't　got

no　call　to　goyou；　a　grown…up　man！〃



The　color　deepened　in　Uncle　Ben's　face　to　the　back　of　his　ears。　〃Wot

would　you　giv'　to　know；　Roop？　　S'pose　I　reckoned　some　day　to　make　a

strike　and　sorter　drop　inter　saciety　easyeh？　　S'pose　I　wanted　to

be　ready　to　keep　up　my　end　with　the　other　fellers；　when　the　time

kem？　　To　be　able　to　sling　po'try　and　read　novels　and　sicheh？〃



An　expression　of　infinite　and　unutterable　scorn　dawned　in　the　eyes

of　Rupert。　　〃You　do？　　Well；〃　he　repeated　with　slow　and　cutting

deliberation；　〃I'll　tell　you　what　you're　comin'　here　for；　and　the

only　thing　that　makes　you　come。〃



〃What？〃



〃It'ssomegirl！〃



Uncle　Ben　broke　into　a　boisterous　laugh　that　made　the　roof　shake；

stamping　about　and　slapping　his　legs　till　the　crazy　floor　trembled。

But　at　that　moment　the　master　stepped　to　the　perch　and　made　a　quiet

but　discomposing　entrance。





CHAPTER　IV。





The　return　of　Miss　Cressida　McKinstry　to　Indian　Spring　and　her

interrupted　studies　was　an　event　whose　effects　were　not　entirely

confined　to　the　school。　　The　broken　engagement　itself　seemed　of

little　moment　in　the　general　estimation　compared　to　her　resumption

of　her　old　footing　as　a　scholar。　　A　few　ill…natured　elders　of　her

own　sex；　and　naturally　exempt　from　the　discriminating　retort　of　Mr。

McKinstry's　〃shot…gun；〃　alleged　that　the　Seminary　at　Sacramento　had

declined　to　receive　her；　but　the　majority　accepted　her　return　with

local　pride　as　a　practical　compliment　to　the　educational　facilities

of　Indian　Spring。　　The　Tuolumne　〃Star；〃　with　a　breadth　and　eloquence

touchingly　disproportionate　to　its　actual　size　and　quality　of　type

and　paper；　referred　to　the　possible　〃growth　of