flip-a california romance-第6章

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excited。　　As　Flip　had　never　called　personally　for　the　letters　or

parcels；　but　had　sent　one　of　her　wild；　irregular　scouts　or　henchmen

to　bring　them；　and　as　she　was　seldom　seen　at　the　Crossing　or　on　the

stage　road；　that　curiosity　was　never　satisfied。　　The　disappointment

to　the　Postmastera　man　past　the　middle　agepartook　of　a

sentimental　nature。　　He　looked　at　the　letters　and　parcels；　he　looked

at　his　watch；　it　was　yet　early；　he　could　return　by　noon。　　He　again

examined　the　addresses；　they　were　in　the　same　handwriting　as　the

previous　letters。　　His　mind　was　made　up；　he　would　deliver　them

himself。　　The　poetic；　soulful　side　of　his　mission　was　delicately

indicated　by　a　pale　blue　necktie；　a　clean　shirt；　and　a　small　package

of　gingernuts；　of　which　Flip　was　extravagantly　fond。



The　common　road　to　Fairley's　Ranch　was　by　the　stage　turnpike　to　a

point　below　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods；　where　the　prudent　horseman

usually　left　his　beast　and　followed　the　intersecting　trail　afoot。

It　was　here　that　the　Postmaster　suddenly　observed　on　the　edge　of

the　wood　the　figure　of　an　elegantly…dressed　woman；　she　was　walking

slowly；　and　apparently　at　her　ease；　one　hand　held　her　skirts

lightly　gathered　between　her　gloved　fingers；　the　other　slowly　swung

a　riding　whip。　　Was　it　a　picnic　of　some　people　from　Monterey　or

Santa　Cruz？　　The　spectacle　was　novel　enough　to　justify　his　coming

nearer。　　Suddenly　she　withdrew　into　the　wood；　he　lost　sight　of　her；

she　was　gone。　　He　remembered；　however；　that　Flip　was　still　to　be

seen；　and　as　the　steep　trail　was　beginning　to　tax　all　his　energies；

he　was　fain　to　hurry　forward。　　The　sun　was　nearly　vertical　when　he

turned　into　the　canyon；　and　saw　the　bark　roof　of　the　cabin　beyond。

At　almost　the　same　moment　Flip　appeared；　flushed　and　panting；　in

the　road　before　him。



〃You've　got　something　for　me；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　parcel　and

letters。　　Completely　taken　by　surprise；　the　Postmaster　mechanically

yielded　them　up；　and　as　instantly　regretted　it。　　〃They're　paid

for；〃　continued　Flip；　observing　his　hesitation。



〃That's　so；〃　stammered　the　official　of　the　Crossing；　seeing　his

last　chance　of　knowing　the　contents　of　the　parcel　vanish；　〃but　I

thought　ez　it's　a　valooable　package；　maybe　ye　might　want　to　examine

it　to　see　that　it　was　all　right　afore　ye　receipted　for　it。〃



〃I'll　risk　it；〃　said　Flip；　coolly；　〃and　if　it　ain't　right　I'll　let

ye　know。〃



As　the　girl　seemed　inclined　to　retire　with　her　property；　the

Postmaster　was　driven　to　other　conversation。　　〃We　ain't　had　the

pleasure　of　seeing　you　down　at　the　Crossing　for　a　month　o'

Sundays；〃　he　began；　with　airy　yet　pronounced　gallantry。　　〃Some

folks　let　on　you　was　keepin'　company　with　some　feller　like　Bijah

Brown；　and　you　were　getting　a　little　too　set　up　for　the　Crossing。〃

The　individual　here　mentioned　being　the　county　butcher；　and

supposed　to　exhibit　his　hopeless　affection　for　Flip　by　making　a

long　and　useless　divergence　from　his　weekly　route　to　enter　the

canyon　for　〃orders；〃　Flip　did　not　deem　it　necessary　to　reply。

〃Then　I　allowed　how　ez　you　might　have　company；〃　he　continued；　〃I

reckon　there's　some　city　folks　up　at　the　summit。　　I　saw　a　mighty

smart；　fash'n'ble　gal　cavorting　round。　　Had　no　end　o'　style　and

fancy　fixin's。　　That's　my　kind；　I　tell　you。　　I　just　weaken　on　that

sort　o'　gal；〃　he　continued；　in　the　firm　belief　that　he　had　awakened

Flip's　jealousy；　as　he　glanced　at　her　well…worn　homespun　frock；　and

found　her　eyes　suddenly　fixed　on　his　own。



〃Strange　I　ain't　got　to　see　her　yet；〃　she　replied　coolly；

shouldering　her　parcel；　and　quite　ignoring　any　sense　of　obligation

to　him　for　his　extra…official　act。



〃But　you　might　get　to　see　her　at　the　edge　of　the　Gin　and　Ginger

Woods；〃　he　persisted　feebly；　in　a　last　effort　to　detain　her；　〃if

you'll　take　a　pasear　there　with　me。〃　　Flip's　only　response　was　to

walk　on　toward　the　cabin；　whence；　with　a　vague　complimentary

suggestion　of　〃droppin'　in　to　pass　the　time　o'　day〃　with　her

father；　the　Postmaster　meekly　followed。



The　paternal　Fairley；　once　convinced　that　his　daughter's　new

companion　required　no　pecuniary　or　material　assistance　from　his

hands；　relaxed　to　the　extent　of　entering　into　a　querulous

confidence　with　him；　during　which　Flip　took　the　opportunity　of

slipping　away。　　As　Fairley　had　that　infelicitous　tendency　of　most

weak　natures；　to　unconsciously　exaggerate　unimportant　details　in

their　talk；　the　Postmaster　presently　became　convinced　that　the

butcher　was　a　constant　and　assiduous　suitor　of　Flip's。　　The

absurdity　of　his　sending　parcels　and　letters　by　post　when　he　might

bring　them　himself　did　not　strike　the　official。　　On　the　contrary；

he　believed　it　to　be　a　master　stroke　of　cunning。　　Fired　by　jealousy

and　Flip's　indifference；　he　〃deemed　it　his　duty〃using　that　facile

form　of　cowardly　offensivenessto　betray　Flip。



Of　which　she　was　happily　oblivious。　　Once　away　from　the　cabin；　she

plunged　into　the　woods；　with　the　parcel　swung　behind　her　like　a

knapsack。　　Leaving　the　trail；　she　presently　struck　off　in　a

straight　line　through　cover　and　underbrush　with　the　unerring

instinct　of　an　animal；　climbing　hand　over　hand　the　steepest　ascent；

or　fluttering　like　a　bird　from　branch　to　branch　down　the　deepest

declivity。　　She　soon　reached　that　part　of　the　trail　where　the

susceptible　Postmaster　had　seen　the　fascinating　unknown。　　Assuring

herself　she　was　not　followed；　she　crept　through　the　thicket　until

she　reached　a　little　waterfall　and　basin　that　had　served　the

fugitive　Lance　for　a　bath。　　The　spot　bore　signs　of　later　and　more

frequent　occupancy；　and　when　Flip　carefully　removed　some　bark　and

brushwood　from　a　cavity　in　the　rock　and　drew　forth　various　folded

garments；　it　was　evident　she　had　used　it　as　a　sylvan　dressing…room。

Here　she　opened　the　parcel；　it　contained　a　small　and　delicate　shawl

of　yellow　China　crepe。　　Flip　instantly　threw　it　over　her　shoulders

and　stepped　hurriedly　toward　the　edge　of　the　wood。　　Then　she　began

to　pass　backward　and　forward　before　the　trunk　of　a　tree。　　At　first

nothing　was　visible　on　the　tree；　but　a　closer　inspection　showed　a

large　pane　of　ordinary　window　glass　stuck　in　the　fork　of　the

branches。　　It　was　placed　at　such　a　cunning　angle　against　the

darkness　of　the　forest　opening　that　it　made　a　soft　and　mysterious

mirror；　not　unlike　a　Claude　Lorraine　glass；　wherein　not　only　the

passing　figure　of　the　young　girl　was　seen；　but　the　dazzling　green

and　gold　of　the　hillside；　and　the　far…off　silhouetted　crests　of　the

Coast　Range。



But　this　was　evidently　only　a　prelude　to　a　severer　rehearsal。　　When

she　returned　to　the　waterfall　she　unearthed　from　her　stores　a　large

piece　of　yellow　soap　and　some　yards　of　rough　cotton　〃sheeting。〃

These　she　deposited　beside　the　basin　and　again　crept　to　the　edge　of

the　wood　to　assure　herself　that　she　was　alone。　　Satisfied　that　no

intruding　foot　had　invaded　that　virgin　bower；　she　returned　to　her

bath　and　began　to　undress。　　A　slight　wind　followed　her；　and　seemed

to　whisper　to　the　circumjacent　trees。　　It　appeared　to　waken　her

sister　naiads　and　nymphs；　who；　joining　their　leafy　fingers；　softly

drew　around　her　a　gently　moving　band　of　trembling　lights　and

shadows；　of　flecked　sprays　and　inextricably　mingled　branches；　and

involved　her　in　a　chaste　sylvan　obscurity；　veiled　alike　from

pursuing　god　or　stumbling　shepherd。　　Within　these　hallowed

precincts　was　the　musical　ripple　of　laughter　and　falling　water；　and

at　times　the　glimpse　of　a　lithe　brier…caught　limb；　or　a　ray　of

sunlight　trembling　over　bright　flanks；　or　the　white　austere　outline

of　a　childish　bosom。



When　she　drew　again　the　leafy　curtain；　and　once　more　stepped　out　of

the　wood；　she　was　completely　transformed。　　It　was　the　figure　that

had　appeared　to　the　Postmaster；　the　slight；　erect；　graceful　form　of

a　young　woman　modishly　attired。　　It　was　Flip；　but　Flip　made　taller

by　the　lengthened　skirt　and　clinging　habiliments　of　fashion。　　Flip

freckled；　but；　through　the　cunning　of　a　relief　of　yellow　color　in