flip-a california romance-第3章

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on　to　that　six…shooter　of　mine　until　you　saw　my　hand？〃



She　nodded。　　Then　she　picked　up　a　broken　hazel　branch；　fitted　it

into　the　small　of　her　back；　threw　her　tanned　bare　arms　over　the

ends　of　it；　and　expanded　her　chest　and　her　biceps　at　the　same

moment。　　This　simple　action　was　supposed　to　convey　an　impression　at

once　of　ease　and　muscular　force。



〃Perhaps　you'd　like　to　take　it　now；〃　said　Lance；　handing　her　the

pistol。



〃I've　seen　six…shooters　before　now；〃　said　the　girl；　evading　the

proffered　weapon　and　its　suggestion。　　〃Dad　has　one；　and　my　brother

had　two　derringers　before　he　was　half　as　big　as　me。〃



She　stopped　to　observe　in　her　companion　the　effect　of　this　capacity

of　her　family　to　bear　arms。　　Lance　only　regarded　her　amusedly。

Presently　she　again　spoke　abruptly：



〃What　made　you　eat　that　grass；　just　now？〃



〃Grass！〃　echoed　Lance。



〃Yes；　there；〃　pointing　to　the　yerba　buena。



Lance　laughed。　　〃I　was　hungry。　　Look！〃　he　said；　gayly　tossing　some

silver　into　the　air。　　〃Do　you　think　you　could　get　me　some　breakfast

for　that；　and　have　enough　left　to　buy　something　for　yourself？〃



The　girl　eyed　the　money　and　the　man　with　half…bashful　curiosity。



〃I　reckon　Dad　might　give　ye　suthing　if　he　had　a　mind　ter；　though　ez

a　rule　he's　down　on　tramps　ever　since　they　run　off　his　chickens。

Ye　might　try。〃



〃But　I　want　YOU　to　try。　　You　can　bring　it　to　me　here。〃



The　girl　retreated　a　step；　dropped　her　eyes；　and；　with　a　smile　that

was　a　charming　hesitation　between　bashfulness　and　impudence；　said：

〃So　you　ARE　hidin'；　are　ye？〃



〃That's　just　it。　　Your　head's　level。　　I　am；〃　laughed　Lance

unconcernedly。



〃Yur　ain't　one　o'　the　McCarty　gangare　ye？〃



Mr。　Lance　Harriott　felt　a　momentary　moral　exaltation　in　declaring

truthfully　that　he　was　not　one　of　a　notorious　band　of　mountain

freebooters　known　in　the　district　under　that　name。



〃Nor　ye　ain't　one　of　them　chicken　lifters　that　raided　Henderson's

ranch？　　We　don't　go　much　on　that　kind　o'　cattle　yer。〃



〃No；〃　said　Lance；　cheerfully。



〃Nor　ye　ain't　that　chap　ez　beat　his　wife　unto　death　at　Santa

Clara？〃



Lance　honestly　scorned　the　imputation。　　Such　conjugal　ill　treatment

as　he　had　indulged　in　had　not　been　physical；　and　had　been　with

other　men's　wives。



There　was　a　moment's　further　hesitation　on　the　part　of　the　girl。

Then　she　said　shortly：



〃Well；　then；　I　reckon　you　kin　come　along　with　me。〃



〃Where？〃　asked　Lance。



〃To　the　ranch；〃　she　replied　simply。



〃Then　you　won't　bring　me　anything　to　eat　here？〃



〃What　for？　　You　kin　get　it　down　there。〃　　Lance　hesitated。　　〃I　tell

you　it's　all　right；〃　she　continued。　　〃I'll　make　it　all　right　with

Dad。〃



〃But　suppose　I　reckon　I'd　rather　stay　here；〃　persisted　Lance；　with

a　perfect　consciousness；　however；　of　affectation　in　his　caution。



〃Stay　away　then；〃　said　the　girl　coolly；　〃only　as　Dad　perempted　this

yer　woods〃



〃PRE…empted；〃　suggested　Lance。



〃Per…empted　or　pre…emp…ted；　as　you　like；〃　continued　the　girl

scornfully；〃ez　he's　got　a　holt　on　this　yer　woods；　ye　might　ez

well　see　him　down　thar　ez　here。　　For　here　he's　like　to　come　any

minit。　　You　can　bet　your　life　on　that。〃



She　must　have　read　Lance's　amusement　in　his　eyes；　for　she　again

dropped　her　own　with　a　frown　of　brusque　embarrassment。　　〃Come

along；　then；　I'm　your　man；〃　said　Lance；　gayly；　extending　his　hand。



She　would　not　accept　it；　eying　it；　however；　furtively；　like　a　horse

about　to　shy。　　〃Hand　me　your　pistol　first；〃　she　said。



He　handed　it　to　her　with　an　assumption　of　gayety。　　She　received　it

on　her　part　with　unfeigned　seriousness；　and　threw　it　over　her

shoulder　like　a　gun。　　This　combined　action　of　the　child　and

heroine；　it　is　quite　unnecessary　to　say；　afforded　Lance　undiluted

joy。



〃You　go　first；〃　she　said。



Lance　stepped　promptly　out；　with　a　broad　grin。　　〃Looks　kinder　as　if

I　was　a　prisoner；　don't　it？〃　he　suggested。



〃Go　on；　and　don't　fool；〃　she　replied。



The　two　fared　onward　through　the　wood。　　For　one　moment　he

entertained　the　facetious　idea　of　appearing　to　rush　frantically

away；　〃just　to　see　what　the　girl　would　do；〃　but　abandoned　it。

〃It's　an　even　thing　if　she　wouldn't　spot　me　the　first　pop；〃　he

reflected　admiringly。



When　they　had　reached　the　open　hillside；　Lance　stopped　inquiringly。

〃This　way；〃　she　said；　pointing　toward　the　summit；　and　in　quite　an

opposite　direction　to　the　valley　where　he　had　heard　the　voices；　one

of　which　he　now　recognized　as　hers。　　They　skirted　the　thicket　for　a

few　moments；　and　then　turned　sharply　into　a　trail　which　began　to

dip　toward　a　ravine　leading　to　the　valley。



〃Why　do　you　have　to　go　all　the　way　round？〃　he　asked。



〃WE　don't；〃　the　girl　replied　with　emphasis；　〃there's　a　shorter

cut。〃



〃Where？〃



〃That's　telling；〃　she　answered　shortly。



〃What's　your　name？〃　asked　Lance；　after　a　steep　scramble　and　a　drop

into　the　ravine。



〃Flip。〃



〃What？〃



〃Flip。〃



〃I　mean　your　first　name；your　front　name。〃



〃Flip。〃



〃Flip！　　Oh；　short　for　Felipa！〃



〃It　ain't　Flipper；it's　Flip。〃　　And　she　relapsed　into　silence。



〃You　don't　ask　me　mine？〃　suggested　Lance。



She　did　not　vouchsafe　a　reply。



〃Then　you　don't　want　to　know？〃



〃Maybe　Dad　will。　　You　can　lie　to　HIM。〃



This　direct　answer　apparently　sustained　the　agreeable　homicide　for

some　moments。　　He　moved　onward；　silently　exuding　admiration。



〃Only；〃　added　Flip；　with　a　sudden　caution；　〃you'd　better　agree　with

me。〃



The　trail　here　turned　again　abruptly　and　re…entered　the　canyon。

Lance　looked　up；　and　noticed　they　were　almost　directly　beneath　the

bay　thicket　and　the　plateau　that　towered　far　above　them。　　The　trail

here　showed　signs　of　clearing；　and　the　way　was　marked　by　felled

trees　and　stumps　of　pines。



〃What　does　your　father　do　here？〃　he　finally　asked。　　Flip　remained

silent；　swinging　the　revolver。　　Lance　repeated　his　question。



〃Burns　charcoal　and　makes　diamonds；〃　said　Flip；　looking　at　him　from

the　corners　of　her　eyes。



〃Makes　diamonds？〃　echoed　Lance。



Flip　nodded　her　head。



〃Many　of　'em？〃　he　continued　carelessly。



〃Lots。　　But　they're　not　big；〃　she　returned；　with　a　sidelong　glance。



〃Oh；　they're　not　big？〃　said　Lance　gravely。



They　had　by　this　time　reached　a　small　staked　inclosure；　whence　the

sudden　fluttering　and　cackle　of　poultry　welcomed　the　return　of　the

evident　mistress　of　this　sylvan　retreat。　　It　was　scarcely　imposing。

Further　on；　a　cooking　stove　under　a　tree；　a　saddle　and　bridle；　a

few　household　implements　scattered　about；　indicated　the　〃ranch。〃

Like　most　pioneer　clearings；　it　was　simply　a　disorganized　raid　upon

nature　that　had　left　behind　a　desolate　battlefield　strewn　with

waste　and　decay。　　The　fallen　trees；　the　crushed　thicket；　the

splintered　limbs；　the　rudely　torn…up　soil；　were　made　hideous　by

their　grotesque　juxtaposition　with　the　wrecked　fragments　of

civilization；　in　empty　cans；　broken　bottles；　battered　hats；

soleless　boots；　frayed　stockings；　cast…off　rags；　and　the　crowning

absurdity　of　the　twisted…wire　skeleton　of　a　hooped　skirt　hanging

from　a　branch。　　The　wildest　defile；　the　densest　thicket；　the　most

virgin　solitude；　was　less　dreary　and　forlorn　than　this　first

footprint　of　man。　　The　only　redeeming　feature　of　this　prolonged

bivouac　was　the　cabin　itself。　　Built　of　the　half…cylindrical　strips

of　pine　bark；　and　thatched　with　the　same　material；　it　had　a　certain

picturesque　rusticity。　　But　this　was　an　accident　of　economy　rather

than　taste；　for　which　Flip　apologized　by　saying　that　the　bark　of

the　pine　was　〃no　good〃　for　charcoal。



〃I　reckon　Dad's　in　the　woods；〃　she　added；　pausing　before　the　open

door　of　the　cabin。　　〃Oh；　Dad！〃　　Her　voice；　clear　and　high；　seemed

to　fill　the　whole　long　canyon；　and　echoed　from　the　green　plateau

above。　　The　monotonous　strokes　of　an　axe　were　suddenly　pretermitted；

and　somewhere　from　the　depths　of　the　close…set　pines　a　voice

answered　〃Flip。〃　　The