a first family of tasajara-第25章

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trace　of　coquetry　or　playfulness。　　He　could　not　help　saying　a

little　bitterly：　〃I　don't　think　that　any　one　would　imagine　from

your　manner　that　you　were　receiving　a　declaration。〃



〃But　they　might　imagine　from　yours　that　you　had　the　right　to

quarrel　with　me；which　would　be　worse。〃



〃We　cannot　part　like　this！　　It　is　too　cruel　to　me。〃



〃We　cannot　part　otherwise　without　the　risk　of　greater　cruelty。〃



〃But　say　at　least；　Clementina；　that　I　have　no　rival。　　There　is　no

other　more　favored　suitor？〃



〃That　is　so　like　a　manand　yet　so　unlike　the　proud　one　I　believed

you　to　be。　　Why　should　a　man　like　you　even　consider　such　a

possibility？　　If　I　were　a　man　I　know　I　couldn't。〃　　She　turned　upon

him　a　glance　so　clear　and　untroubled　by　either　conscious　vanity　or

evasion　that　he　was　hopelessly　convinced　of　the　truth　of　her

statement；　and　she　went　on　in　a　slightly　lowered　tone；　〃You　have　no

right　to　ask　me　such　a　question；but　perhaps　for　that　reason　I　am

willing　to　answer　you。　　There　is　none。　　Hush！　　For　a　good　rider　you

are　setting　a　poor　example　to　the　others；　by　crowding　me　towards

the　bank。　　Go　forward　and　talk　to　Phemie；　and　tell　her　not　to　worry

Mrs。　Ashwood's　horse　nor　race　with　her；　I　don't　think　he's　quite

safe；　and　Mrs。　Ashwood　isn't　accustomed　to　using　the　Spanish　bit。

I　suppose　I　must　say　something　to　Mr。　Shipley；　who　doesn't　seem　to

understand　that　I'M　acting　as　chaperon；　and　YOU　as　captain　of　the

party。〃



She　cantered　forward　as　she　spoke；　and　Grant　was　obliged　to　join

her　sister；　who；　mounted　on　a　powerful　roan；　was　mischievously

exciting　a　beautiful　quaker…colored　mustang　ridden　by　Mrs。　Ashwood；

already　irritated　by　the　unfamiliar　pressure　of　the　Eastern　woman's

hand　upon　his　bit。　　The　thick　dust　which　had　forced　the　party　of

twenty　to　close　up　in　two　solid　files　across　the　road　compelled

them　at　the　first　opening　in　the　roadside　fence　to　take　the　field

in　a　straggling　gallop。　　Grant；　eager　to　escape　from　his　own

discontented　self　by　doing　something　for　others；　reined　in　beside

Euphemia　and　the　fair　stranger。



〃Let　me　take　your　place　until　Mrs。　Ashwood's　horse　is　quieted；〃　he

half　whispered　to　Euphemia。



〃Thank　you；and　I　suppose　it　does　not　make　any　matter　to　Clem　who

quiets　mine；〃　she　said；　with　provoking　eyes　and　a　toss　of　her　head

worthy　of　the　spirited　animal　she　was　riding。



〃She　thinks　you　quite　capable　of　managing　yourself　and　even

others；〃　he　replied　with　a　playful　glance　at　Shipley；　who　was

riding　somewhat　stiffly　on　the　other　side。



〃Don't　be　too　sure；〃　retorted　Phemie　with　another　dangerous　look；

〃I　may　give　you　trouble　yet。〃



They　were　approaching　the　first　undulation　of　the　russet　plain　they

had　emerged　upon；an　umbrageous　slope　that　seemed　suddenly　to

diverge　in　two　defiles　among　the　shaded　hills。　　Grant　had　given　a

few　words　of　practical　advice　to　Mrs。　Ashwood；　and　shown　her　how　to

guide　her　mustang　by　the　merest　caressing　touch　of　the　rein　upon

its　sensitive　neck。　　He　had　not　been　sympathetically　inclined

towards　the　fair　stranger；　a　rich　and　still　youthful　widow；

although　he　could　not　deny　her　unquestioned　good　breeding；　mental

refinement；　and　a　certain　languorous　thoughtfulness　that　was　almost

melancholy；　which　accented　her　blonde　delicacy。　　But　he　had　noticed

that　her　manner　was　politely　reserved　and　slightly　constrained

towards　the　Harcourts；　and　he　had　already　resented　it　with　a　lover's

instinctive　loyalty。　　He　had　at　first　attributed　it　to　a　want　of

sympathy　between　Mrs。　Ashwood's　more　intellectual　sentimentalities

and　the　Harcourts'　undeniable　lack　of　any　sentiment　whatever。　　But

there　was　evidently　some　other　innate　antagonism。　　He　was　very

polite　to　Mrs。　Ashwood；　she　responded　with　a　gentlewoman's　courtesy；

and；　he　was　forced　to　admit；　even　a　broader　comprehension　of　his　own

merits　than　the　Harcourt　girls　had　ever　shown；　but　he　could　still

detect　that　she　was　not　in　accord　with　the　party。



〃I　am　afraid　you　do　not　like　California；　Mrs。　Ashwood？〃　he　said

pleasantly。　　〃You　perhaps　find　the　life　here　too　unrestrained　and

unconventional？〃



She　looked　at　him　in　quick　astonishment。　　〃Are　you　quite　sincere？

Why；　it　strikes　me　that　this　is　just　what　it　is　NOT。　　And　I　have　so

longed　for　something　quite　different。　　From　what　I　have　been　told

about　the　originality　and　adventure　of　everything　here；　and　your

independence　of　old　social　forms　and　customs；　I　am　afraid　I

expected　the　opposite　of　what　I've　seen。　　Why；　this　very　party

except　that　the　ladies　are　prettier　and　more　expensively　gotten　up

is　like　any　party　that　might　have　ridden　out　at　Saratoga　or　New

York。〃



〃And　as　stupid；　you　would　say。〃



〃As　CONVENTIONAL；　Mr。　Grant；　always　excepting　this　lovely　creature

beneath　me；　whom　I　can't　make　out　and　who　doesn't　seem　to　care　that

I　should。　　There！　look！　I　told　you　so！〃



Her　mustang　had　suddenly　bounded　forward；　but　as　Grant　followed　he

could　see　that　the　cause　was　the　example　of　Phemie；　who　had；　in

some　mad　freak；　dashed　out　in　a　frantic　gallop。　　A　half…dozen　of

the　younger　people　hilariously　accepted　the　challenge；　the

excitement　was　communicated　to　the　others；　until　the　whole

cavalcade　was　sweeping　down　the　slope。　　Grant　was　still　at　Mrs。

Ashwood's　side；　restraining　her　mustang　and　his　own　impatient　horse

when　Clementina　joined　them。　　〃Phemie's　mare　has　really　bolted；　I

fear；〃　she　said　in　a　quick　whisper；　〃ride　on；　and　never　mind　us。〃

Grant　looked　quickly　ahead；　Phemie's　roan；　excited　by　the　shouts

behind　her　and　to　all　appearance　ungovernable；　was　fast　disappearing

with　her　rider。　　Without　a　word；　trusting　to　his　own　good

horsemanship　and　better　knowledge　of　the　ground；　he　darted　out　of

the　cavalcade　to　overtake　her。



But　the　unfortunate　result　of　this　was　to　give　further　impulse　to

the　now　racing　horses　as　they　approached　a　point　where　the　slope

terminated　in　two　diverging　canyons。　　Mrs。　Ashwood　gave　a　sharp

pull　upon　her　bit。　　To　her　consternation　the　mustang　stopped　short

almost　instantly；planting　his　two　fore　feet　rigidly　in　the　dust

and　even　sliding　forward　with　the　impetus。　　Had　her　seat　been　less

firm　she　might　have　been　thrown；　but　she　recovered　herself；

although　in　doing　so　she　still　bore　upon　the　bit；　when　to　her

astonishment　the　mustang　deliberately　stiffened　himself　as　if　for　a

shock；　and　then　began　to　back　slowly；　quivering　with　excitement。

She　did　not　know　that　her　native…bred　animal　fondly　believed　that

he　was　participating　in　a　rodeo；　and　that　to　his　equine　intelligence

his　fair　mistress　had　just　lassoed　something！　　In　vain　she　urged　him

forward；　he　still　waited　for　the　shock！　　When　the　cloud　of　dust　in

which　she　had　been　enwrapped　drifted　away；　she　saw　to　her　amazement

that　she　was　alone。　　The　entire　party　had　disappeared　into　one　of

the　canyons；but　which　one　she　could　not　tell！



When　she　succeeded　at　last　in　urging　her　mustang　forward　again　she

determined　to　take　the　right…hand　canyon　and　trust　to　being　either

met　or　overtaken。　　A　more　practical　and　less　adventurous　nature

would　have　waited　at　the　point　of　divergence　for　the　return　of　some

of　the　party；　but　Mrs。　Ashwood　was；　in　truth；　not　sorry　to　be　left

to　herself　and　the　novel　scenery　for　a　while；　and　she　had　no　doubt

but　she　would　eventually　find　her　way　to　the　hotel　at　San　Mateo；

which　could　not　be　far　away；　in　time　for　luncheon。



The　road　was　still　well　defined；　although　it　presently　began　to

wind　between　ascending　ranks　of　pines　and　larches　that　marked　the

terraces　of　hills；　so　high　that　she　wondered　she　had　not　noticed

them　from　the　plains。　　An　unmistakable　suggestion　of　some　haunting

primeval　solitude；　a　sense　of　the　hushed　and　mysterious　proximity

of　a　nature　she　had　never　known　before；　the　strange　half…

intoxicating　breath　of　unsunned　foliage　and　untrodden　grasses　and

herbs；　all　combined　to　exalt　her　as　she　cantered　forward。　　Even　her

horse　seemed　to　have　acquired　an　intelligent　liberty；　or　rather　to

have　established