cressy-第24章

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of　McKinstry's　yellow　dog　announced　the　approach　of　a　stranger　to

the　ranch。　　It　proved　to　be　Mr。　Staceynot　only　as　dazzlingly

arrayed　as　when　he　first　rose　above　Johnny　Filgee's　horizon；　but

wearing；　in　addition　to　his　jaunty　business　air；　a　look　of

complacent　expectation　of　the　pretty　girl　whom　he　had　met　at　the

ball。　　He　had　not　seen　her　for　a　month。　　It　was　a　happy　inspiration

of　his　own　that　enabled　him　to　present　himself　that　morning　in　the

twin　functions　of　a　victorious　Mercury　and　Apollo。



McKinstry　had　to　be　summoned　from　an　adjacent　meadow；　while　Cressy；

in　the　mean　time；　undertook　to　entertain　the　gallant　stranger。

This　was　easily　done。　　It　was　part　of　her　fascinations　that；

disdaining　the　ordinary　real　or　assumed　ignorance　of　the　ingenue　of

her　class；　she　generally　exhibited　to　her　admirers　（with　perhaps

the　single　exception　of　the　master）　a　laughing　consciousness　of　the

state　of　mind　into　which　her　charms　had　thrown　them。　　She　understood

their　passion　if　she　could　not　accept　it。　　This　to　a　bashful　rustic

community　was　helpful；　but　in　the　main　unsatisfactory；　with　advances

so　promptly　unmasked；　the　most　strategic　retreat　was　apt　to　become

an　utter　rout。　　Leaning　against　the　lintel　of　the　door；　her　curved

hand　shading　the　sparkling　depths　of　her　eyes；　and　the　sunlight

striking　down　upon　the　pretty　curves　of　her　languid　figure；　she

awaited　the　attack。



〃I　haven't　seen　you；　Miss　Cressy；　since　we　danced　togethera　month

ago。〃



〃That　was　mighty　rough　papers；〃　said　Cressy；　who　was　purposely

dialectical　to　strangers；　〃considering　that　you　trapsed　up　and　down

the　lane；　past　the　house；　twice　yesterday。〃



〃Then　you　saw　me？〃　said　the　young　man；　with　a　slightly　discomfited

laugh。



〃I　did。　　And　so　did　the　hound；　and　so；　I　reckon；　did　Joe　Masters

and　the　hired　man。　　And　when　you　pranced　back　on　the　home　stretch；

there　was　the　hound；　Masters；　the　hired　man；　and　Maw　all　on　your

trail；　and　Paw　bringin'　up　the　rear　with　a　shot…gun。　　There　was

about　a　half　a　mile　of　you　altogether。〃　　She　removed　her　hand　from

her　eyes　to　indicate　with　a　lazily　graceful　sweep　this　somewhat

imaginative　procession；　and　laughed。



〃You　are　certainly　well　guarded；〃　said　Stacey　hesitatingly；　〃and

looking　at　you；　Miss　Cressy；〃　he　added　boldly；　〃I　don't　wonder　at

it。〃



〃Well；　it　IS　reckoned　that　next　to　Paw's　boundaries　I'm　pretty　well

protected　from　squatters　and　jumpers。〃



Forceful　and　quaint　as　her　language　was；　the　lazy　sweetness　of　her

intonation；　and　the　delicate　refinement　of　her　face；　more　than

atoned　for　it。　　It　was　unconventional　and　picturesque　as　her

gestures。　　So　at　least　thought　Mr。　Stacey；　and　it　emboldened　him　to

further　gallantry。



〃Well；　Miss　Cressy；　as　my　business　with　your　father　to…day　was　to

try　to　effect　a　compromise　of　his　boundary　claims；　perhaps　you

might　accept　my　services　in　your　own　behalf。〃



〃Which　means；〃　responded　the　young　lady　pertly；　〃the　same　thing　to

ME　as　to　Paw。　　No　trespassers　but　yourself。　　Thank　you；　sir。〃　　She

twirled　lightly　on　her　heel　and　dropped　him　that　exaggerated

curtsey　known　to　the　school…children　as　a　〃cheese。〃　　It　permitted

in　its　progress　the　glimpse　of　a　pretty　little　slipper　which

completed　his　subjugation。



〃Well；　if　it's　only　a　fair　compromise；〃　he　began　laughingly。



〃Compromise　means　somebody　giving　up。　　Who　is　it？〃　she　asked。



The　infatuated　Stacey　had　reached　the　point　of　thinking　this

repartee　if　possible　more　killing　than　his　own。



〃Ha！　　That's　for　Miss　Cressy　to　say。〃



But　the　young　lady　leaning　back　against　the　lintel　with　the

comfortable　ease　of　being　irresponsibly　diverted；　sagely　pointed

out　that　that　was　the　function　of　the　arbitrator。



〃Ah　well；　suppose　we　begin　by　giving　up　Seth　Davis；　eh？　　You　see

that　I'm　pretty　well　posted；　Miss　Cressy。〃



〃You　alarm　me；〃　said　Cressy　sweetly。　　〃But　I　reckon　he　HAD　given

up。〃



〃He　was　in　the　running　that　night　at　the　ball。　　Looked　half　savage

while　I　was　dancing　with　you。　　Wanted　to　eat　me。〃



〃Poor　Seth！　　And　he　used　to　be　SO　particular　in　his　food；〃　said　the

witty　Cressy。



Mr。　Stacey　was　convulsed。　　〃And　there's　Mr。　DabneyUncle　Ben；〃　he

continued；　〃eh？　　Very　quiet　but　very　sly。　　A　dark　horse；　eh？

Pretends　to　take　lessons　for　the　sake　of　being　near　some　one；　eh？

Would　he　were　a　boy　again　because　somebody　else　is　a　girl？〃



〃I　should　be　frightened　of　you　if　you　lived　here　always；〃　returned

Cressy　with　invincible　naivete；　〃but　perhaps　then　you　wouldn't　know

so　much。〃



Stacey　simply　accepted　this　as　a　compliment。　　〃And　there's

Masters；〃　he　said　insinuatingly。



〃Not　Joe？〃　said　Cressy　with　a　low　laugh；　turning　her　eyes　to　the

door。



〃Yes；〃　said　Stacey　with　a　quick；　uneasy　smile。　　〃Ah！　I　see　we

mustn't　drop　HIM。　　Is　he　out　THERE？〃　he　added；　trying　to　follow　the

direction　of　her　eyes。



But　the　young　girl　kept　her　face　studiously　averted。　　〃Is　that

all？〃　she　asked　after　a　pause。



〃Wellthere's　that　solemn　school…master；　who　cut　me　out　of　the

waltz　with　youthat　Mr。　Ford。〃



Had　he　been　a　perfectly　cool　and　impartial　observer　he　would　have

seen　the　slight　tremor　cross　Cressy's　soft　eyelids　even　in　profile；

followed　by　that　momentary　arrest　of　her　whole　face；　mouth；

dimples；　and　eyes；　which　had　overtaken　it　the　night　the　master

entered　the　ball…room。　　But　he　was　neither；　and　it　passed　quickly

and　unnoticed。　　Her　usual　lithe　but　languid　play　of　expression　and

color　came　back；　and　she　turned　her　head　lazily　towards　the

speaker。　　〃There's　Paw　coming。　　I　suppose　you　wouldn't　mind　giving

me　a　sample　of　your　style　of　arbitrating　with　him；　before　you　try

it　on　me？〃



〃Certainly　not；〃　said　Stacey；　by　no　means　displeased　at　the

prospect　of　having　so　pretty　and　intelligent　a　witness　in　the

daughter　of　what　he　believed　would　form　an　attractive　display　of

his　diplomatic　skill　and　graciousness　to　the　father。　　〃Don't　go

away。　　I've　got　nothing　to　say　Miss　Cressy　could　not　understand　and

answer。〃



The　jingling　of　spurs；　and　the　shadow　of　McKinstry　and　his　shot…gun

falling　at　this　moment　between　the　speaker　and　Cressy；　spared　her

the　necessity　of　a　reply。　　McKinstry　cast　an　uneasy　glance　around

the　apartment；　and　not　seeing　Mrs。　McKinstry　looked　relieved；　and

even　the　deep　traces　of　the　loss　of　a　valuable　steer　that　morning

partly　faded　from　his　Indian…red　complexion。　　He　placed　his　shot…

gun　carefully　in　the　corner；　took　his　soft　felt　hat　from　his　head；

folded　it　and　put　it　in　one　of　the　capacious　pockets　of　his　jacket；

turned　to　his　daughter；　and　laying　his　maimed　hand　familiarly　on

her　shoulder；　said　gravely；　without　looking　at　Stacey；　〃What　might

the　stranger　be　wantin'；　Cress？〃



〃Perhaps　I'd　better　answer　that　myself；〃　said　Stacey　briskly。　　〃I'm

acting　for　Benham　and　Co。；　of　San　Francisco；　who　have　bought　the

Spanish　title　to　part　of　this　property。　　I〃



〃Stop　there！〃　said　McKinstry；　in　a　voice　dull　but　distinct。　　He

took　his　hat　from　his　pocket；　put　it　on；　walked　to　the　corner　and

took　up　his　gun；　looked　at　Stacey　for　the　first　time　with　narcotic

eyes　that　seemed　to　drowsily　absorb　his　slight　figure；　then　put　the

gun　back　half　contemptuously；　and　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　towards

the　door；　said：　〃We'll　settle　this　yer　outside。　　Cress；　you　stop　in

here。　　There's　man's　talk　goin'　on。〃



〃But；　Paw；〃　said　Cressy；　laying　her　hand　languidly　on　her　father's

sleeve　without　the　least　change　of　color　or　amused　expression。

〃This　gentleman　has　come　over　here　on　a　compromise。〃



〃On　aWHICH？〃　said　McKinstry；　glancing　scornfully　out　of　the　door

for　some　rare　species　of　mustang　vaguely　suggested　to　him　in　that

unfamiliar　word。



〃To　see　if　we　couldn't　come　to　some　fair　settlement；〃　said　Stacey。

〃I've　no　objection　to　going　outside　with　you；　but　I　think　we　can

discuss　this　matter　here　just　as　well。〃　　His　fine　feathers　had　not

made　him　a　coward；　although　his　heart　had　beaten　a　little　faster　at

this　sudden　reco