sally dows-第36章

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perhaps　Mr。　Gunn〃

〃To　represent　the　future；　I　suppose？〃　interrupted　Gabriel　in　a
wicked　whisper。

〃To　represent　a　name　that　most　men　of　the　world　in　New　York　and　San
Francisco　know；〃　went　on　Kitty；　without　a　blush。　　〃It　would　make
recognition　and　introduction　easier。　　And　take　an　extra　fur　with
you；　dearnot　for　HIM　but　for　yourself。　　I　suppose　he's　lived　so
much　in　the　open　air　as　to　laugh　at　our　coddling。〃

〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　her　father　thoughtfully；　〃the　last
telegram　I　have　from　him；　en　route；　says　he's　half　frozen；　and
wants　a　close　carriage　sent　to　the　station。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Marie　impatiently；　〃you　forget　the　poor　creature
comes　from　burning　canyons　and　hot　golden　sands　and　perpetual
sunshine。〃

〃Very　well；　but　come　along；　Marie；　and　see　how　I've　prepared　his
room；〃　and　as　her　father　left　the　drawing…room　Kitty　carried　off
her　old　schoolfellow　upstairs。

The　room　selected　for　the　coming　Sylvester　had　been　one　of　the
elaborate　guest…chambers；　but　was　now　stripped　of　its　more
luxurious　furniture　and　arranged　with　picturesque　yet　rural
extravagance。　　A　few　rare　buffalo；　bear；　and　panther　skins　were
disposed　over　the　bare　floor；　and　even　displayed　gracefully　over
some　elaborately　rustic　chairs。　　The　handsome　French　bedstead　had
been　displaced　for　a　small　wrought…iron　ascetic…looking　couch
covered　with　a　gorgeously　striped　Mexican　blanket。　　The　fireplace
had　been　dismantled　of　its　steel　grate；　and　the　hearth　extended　so
as　to　allow　a　pile　of　symmetrically　heaped　moss…covered　hickory
logs　to　take　its　place。　　The　walls　were　covered　with　trophies　of
the　chase；　buck…horns　and　deer…heads；　and　a　number　of　Indian　arrows
stood　in　a　sheaf　in　the　corners　beside　a　few　modern　guns　and
rifles。

〃Perfectly　lovely；〃　said　Marie；　〃but〃with　a　slight　shiver　of　her
expressive　shoulders〃a　little　cold　and　outdoorish；　eh？〃

〃Nonsense；〃　returned　Kitty　dictatorially；　〃and　if　he　IS　cold；　he
can　easily　light　those　logs。　　They　always　build　their　open　fires
under　a　tree。　　Why；　even　Mr。　Gunn　used　to　do　that　when　he　was
camping　out　in　the　Adirondacks　last　summer。　　I　call　it　perfectly
comfortable　and　SO　natural。〃　　Nevertheless；　they　had　both　tucked
their　chilly　hands　under　the　fleecy　shawls　they　had　snatched　from
the　hall　for　this　hyperborean　expedition。

〃You　have　taken　much　pains　for　him；　Kaitee；〃　said　Marie；　with　her
faintest　foreign　intonation。　　〃You　will　like　this　strange　uncle
you？〃

〃He　is　a　wonderful　man；　Marie；　he's　been　everywhere；　seen　everything；
and　done　everything　out　there。　　He's　fought　duels；　been　captured　by
Indians　and　tied　to　a　stake　to　be　tortured。　　He's　been　leader　of　a
Vigilance　Committee；　and　they　say　that　he　has　often　shot　and　killed
men　himself。　　I'm　afraid　he's　been　rather　wicked；　you　know。　　He's
lived　alone　in　the　woods　like　a　hermit　without　seeing　a　soul；　and
then；　again；　he's　been　a　chief　among　the　Indians；　with　Heaven　knows
how　many　Indian　wives！　　They　called　him　'The　Pale…faced　Thunderbolt；'
my　dear；　and　'The　Young　Man　who　Swallows　the　Lightning；'　or
something　like　that。〃

〃And　what　can　he　want　here？〃　asked　Marie。

〃To　see　us；　my　dear；〃　said　Kitty　loftily；　〃and　then；　too；　he　has　to
settle　something　about　HIS　share　of　the　property；　for　you　know
grandpa　left　a　share　of　it　to　him。　　Not　that　he's　ever　bothered
himself　about　it；　for　he's　rich；a　kind　of　Monte　Cristo；　you
know；with　a　gold　mine　and　an　island　off　the　coast；　to　say　nothing
of　a　whole　county　that　he　owns；　that　is　called　after　him；　and
millions　of　wild　cattle　that　he　rides　among　and　lassos！　　It's
dreadfully　hard　to　do。　　You　know　you　take　a　long　rope　with　a
slipknot；　and　you　throw　it　around　your　head　so；　and〃

〃Hark！〃　said　Marie；　with　a　dramatic　start；　and　her　finger　on　her
small　mouth；　〃he　comes！〃

There　was　the　clear　roll　of　wheels　along　the　smooth；　frozen
carriage　sweep　towards　the　house；　the　sharp　crisp　click　of　hoofs　on
stone；　the　opening　of　heavy　doors；　the　sudden　sparkling　invasion　of
frigid　air；　the　uplifting　of　voices　in　greeting；but　all　familiar！
There　were　Gabriel　Lane's　cheery；　hopeful　tones；　the　soprano　of
Cousin　Jane　and　Cousin　Emma；　the　baritone　of　Mr。　Gunn；　and　the
grave　measured　oratorical　utterance　of　Parson　Dexter；　who　had
joined　the　party　at　the　station；　but　certainly　the　accents　of　no
STRANGER。　　Had　he　come？　　Yes；　for　his　name　was　just　then　called；
and　the　quick　ear　of　Marie　had　detected　a　light；　lounging；　alien
footstep　cross　the　cold　strip　of　marble　vestibule。　　The　two　girls
exchanged　a　rapid　glance；　each　looked　into　the　mirror；　and　then
interrogatively　at　the　other；　nodded　their　heads　affirmatively；　and
descended　to　the　drawing…room。　　A　group　had　already　drawn　round　the
fire；　and　a　small　central　figure；　who；　with　its　back　turned　towards
them；　was　still　enwrapped　in　an　enormous　overcoat　of　rich　fur；　was
engaged　in　presenting　an　alternate　small　varnished　leather　boot　to
the　warmth　of　the　grate。　　As　they　entered　the　room　the　heavy　fur
was　yielded　up　with　apparent　reluctance；　and　revealed　to　the
astonished　girls　a　man　of　ordinary　stature　with　a　slight　and
elegant　figure　set　off　by　a　traveling　suit　of　irreproachable　cut。
His　light　reddish…yellow　hair；　mustache；　and　sunburned　cheek；　which
seemed　all　of　one　color　and　outline；　made　it　impossible　to　detect
the　gray　of　the　one　or　the　hollowness　of　the　other；　and　gave　no
indication　of　his　age。　　Yet　there　was　clearly　no　mistake。　　Here　was
Gabriel　Lane　seizing　their　nervously　cold　fingers　and　presenting
them　to　their　〃Uncle　Sylvester。〃

Far　from　attempting　to　kiss　Kitty；　the　stranger　for　an　instant
seemed　oblivious　of　the　little　hand　she　offered　him　in　the　half…
preoccupied　bow　he　gave　her。　　But　Marie　was　not　so　easily　passed
over；　and；　with　her　audacious　face　challenging　his；　he　abstractedly
imparted　to　the　shake　of　her　hand　something　of　the　fervor　that　he
should　have　shown　his　relative。　　And；　then；　still　warming　his　feet
on　the　fender；　he　seemed　to　have　forgotten　them　both。

〃Accustomed　as　you　have　been；　sir；〃　said　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dexter；
seizing　upon　an　awkward　silence；　and　accenting　it　laboriously；
〃perhaps　I　should　say　INURED　as　you　have　been　to　the　exciting　and
stirring　incidents　of　a　lawless　and　adventurous　community；　you
doubtless　find　in　a　pastoral；　yet　cultivated　and　refined；　seclusion
like　Lakeville　a　degree　of〃

〃Oh；　several　degrees；〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester；　blandly　flicking　bits
of　buffalo　hair　from　his　well…fitting　trousers；　〃it's　colder；　you
knowmuch　colder。〃

〃I　was　referring　to　a　less　material　contrast；〃　continued　Mr。
Dexter；　with　a　resigned　smile；　〃yet；　as　to　the　mere　question　of
cold；　I　am　told；　sir；　that　in　California　there　are　certain　severe
regions　of　altitudealthough　the　mean　temperature〃

〃I　suppose　out　in　California　you　fellows　would　say　our　temperature
was　a　darned　sight　MEANER；　eh？〃　broke　in　Amos　Gunn；　with　a
confidential　glance　at　the　others；　as　if　offering　a　humorous
diversion　suited　to　the　Californian　taste。　　Uncle　Sylvester　did
not；　however；　smile。　　Gazing　critically　at　Gunn；　he　said
thoughtfully：　〃I　think　not；　I've　even　known　men　killed　for　saying
less　than　that；〃　and　turned　to　the　clergyman。　　〃You　are　quite
right；　some　of　the　higher　passes　are　very　cold。　　I　was　lost　in　one
of　them　in　'56　with　a　small　party。　　We　were　seventy　miles　from　any
settlement；　we　had　had　nothing　to　eat　for　thirty…six　hours；　our
campfire；　melting　the　snow；　sank　twelve　feet　below　the　surface。〃
The　circle　closed　eagerly　around　him；　Marie；　Kitty；　and　Cousin　Jane
pressing　forward　with　excited　faces；　even　the　clergyman　assumed　an
expression　of　profound　interest。　　〃A　man　by　the　name　of　Thompson；　I
think；〃　continued　Uncle　Sylvester；　thoughtfully　gazing　at　the　fire；
〃was　frozen　a　few　yards　away。　　Towards　morning；　having　been　fifty…
eight　hours　without　food；　our　last　drop　of　whiskey　exhausted；　and
the　fire　extinguished；　we　found〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　said　half　a　dozen　voices。

〃We　found；〃　continued　Uncle　Sylvester；　rubbing　his　hands　cheerfully；
〃we　found　itexceedingly　cold。　　YesEXCEEDINGLY　cold！〃

There　was　a　dead　silence。

〃But　you　escaped！〃　said　Kitty　breathlessly。

〃I　think　so。　　I　think　we　all　escapedthat　is；　except　Thompson；　if
his　name　WAS　Thompson；　it