flip-a california romance-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



by　the　lengthened　skirt　and　clinging　habiliments　of　fashion。　　Flip

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

her　gown；　her　piquant　brown…shot　face　and　eyes　brightened　and

intensified　until　she　seemed　like　a　spicy　odor　made　visible。　　I

cannot　affirm　that　the　judgment　of　Flip's　mysterious　modiste　was

infallible；　or　that　the　taste　of　Mr。　Lance　Harriott；　her　patron；

was　fastidious；　enough　that　it　was　picturesque；　and　perhaps　not

more　glaring　and　extravagant　than　the　color　in　which　Spring　herself

had　once　clothed　the　sere　hillside　where　Flip　was　now　seated。　　The

phantom　mirror　in　the　tree　fork　caught　and　held　her　with　the　sky；

the　green　leaves；　the　sunlight　and　all　the　graciousness　of　her

surroundings；　and　the　wind　gently　tossed　her　hair　and　the　gay

ribbons　of　her　gypsy　hat。　　Suddenly　she　started。　　Some　remote　sound

in　the　trail　below；　inaudible　to　any　ear　less　fine　than　hers；

arrested　her　breathing。　　She　rose　swiftly　and　darted　into　cover。



Ten　minutes　passed。　　The　sun　was　declining；　the　white　fog　was

beginning　to　creep　over　the　Coast　Range。　　From　the　edge　of　the　wood

Cinderella　appeared；　disenchanted；　and　in　her　homespun　garments。

The　clock　had　struckthe　spell　was　past。　　As　she　disappeared　down

the　trail　even　the　magic　mirror；　moved　by　the　wind；　slipped　from

the　tree　top　to　the　ground；　and　became　a　piece　of　common　glass。





CHAPTER　IV。





The　events　of　the　day　had　produced　a　remarkable　impression　on　the

facial　aspect　of　the　charcoal…burning　Fairley。　　Extraordinary

processes　of　thought；　indicated　by　repeated　rubbing　of　his　forehead；

had　produced　a　high　light　in　the　middle　and　a　corresponding

deepening　of　shadow　at　the　sides；　until　it　bore　the　appearance　of　a

perfect　sphere。　　It　was　this　forehead　that　confronted　Flip

reproachfully　as　became　a　deceived　comrade；　menacingly　as　became　an

outraged　parent　in　the　presence　of　a　third　party　anda　Postmaster！



〃Fine　doin's　this；　yer　receivin'　clandecent　bundles　and　letters；

eh？〃　he　began。　　Flip　sent　one　swift；　withering　look　of　contempt　at

the　Postmaster；　who　at　once　becoming　invertebrate　and　groveling；

mumbled　that　he　must　〃get　on〃　to　the　Crossing；　and　rose　to　go。　　But

the　old　man；　who　had　counted　on　his　presence　for　moral　support；　and

was　clearly　beginning　to　hate　him　for　precipitating　this　scene　with

his　daughter；　whom　he　feared；　violently　protested。



〃Sit　down；　can't　ye？　　Don't　you　see　you're　a　witness？〃　he　screamed

hysterically。



It　was　a　fatal　suggestion。　　〃Witness；〃　repeated　Flip；　scornfully。



〃Yes；　a　witness！　　He　gave　ye　letters　and　bundles。〃



〃Weren't　they　directed　to　me？〃　asked　Flip。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Postmaster；　hesitatingly；　〃in　course；　yes。〃



〃Do　YOU　lay　claim　to　them？〃　she　said；　turning　to　her　father。



〃No；〃　responded　the　old　man。



〃Do　you？〃　sharply；　to　the　Postmaster。



〃No；〃　he　replied。



〃Then；〃　said　Flip；　coolly；　〃if　you're　not　claimin'　'em　for

yourself；　and　you　hear　father　say　they　ain't　his；　I　reckon　the　less

you　have　to　say　about　'em　the　better。〃



〃Thar's　suthin'　in　that；〃　said　the　old　man；　shamelessly　abandoning

the　Postmaster。



〃Then　why　don't　she　say　who　sent　'em；　and　what　they　are　like；〃　said

the　Postmaster；　〃if　there's　nothin'　in　it？〃



〃Yes；〃　echoed　Dad。　　〃Flip；　why　don't　you？〃



Without　answering　the　direct　question；　Flip　turned　upon　her　father。



〃Maybe　you　forget　how　you　used　to　row　and　tear　round　here　because

tramps　and　such　like　came　to　the　ranch　for　suthin'；　and　I　gave　it

to　'em？　　Maybe　you'll　quit　tearin'　round　and　letting　yourself　be

made　a　fool　of　now　by　that　man；　just　because　one　of　those　tramps

gets　up　and　sends　us　some　presents　back　in　turn？〃



〃'Twasn't　me；　Flip；〃　said　the　old　man；　deprecatingly；　but　glaring

at　the　astonished　Postmaster。　　〃Twasn't　my　doin'。　　I　allus　said　if

you　cast　your　bread　on　the　waters　it　would　come　back　to　you　by

return　mail。　　The　fact　is；　the　Gov'ment　is　gettin'　too　high…handed！

Some　o'　these　bloated　officials　had　better　climb　down　before　next

leckshen。〃



〃Maybe；〃　continued　Flip　to　her　father；　without　looking　at　her

discomfited　visitor；　〃ye'd　better　find　out　whether　one　of　those

officials　comes　up　to　this　yer　ranch　to　steal　away　a　gal　about　my

own　size；　or　to　get　points　about　diamond…making。　　I　reckon　he　don't

travel　round　to　find　out　who　writes　all　the　letters　that　go　through

the　Post　Office。〃



The　Postmaster　had　seemingly　miscalculated　the　old　man's　infirm

temper　and　the　daughter's　skillful　use　of　it。　　He　was　unprepared

for　Flip's　boldness　and　audacity；　and　when　he　saw　that　both　barrels

of　the　accusation　had　taken　effect　on　the　charcoal　burner；　who　was

rising　with　epileptic　rage；　he　fairly　turned　and　fled。　　The　old　man

would　have　followed　him　with　objurgation　beyond　the　door；　but　for

the　restraining　hand　of　Flip。



Baffled　and　beaten；　nevertheless　Fate　was　not　wholly　unkind　to　the

retreating　suitor。　　Near　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods　he　picked　up　a

letter　which　had　fallen　from　Flip's　pocket。　　He　recognized　the

writing；　and　did　not　scruple　to　read　it。　　It　was　not　a　love

epistle；at　least；　not　such　a　one　as　he　would　have　written；it

did　not　give　the　address　nor　the　name　of　the　correspondent；　but　he

read　the　following　with　greedy　eyes：





〃Perhaps　it's　just　as　well　that　you　don't　rig　yourself　out　for　the

benefit　of　those　dead　beats　at　the　Crossing；　or　any　tramp　that

might　hang　round　the　ranch。　　Keep　all　your　style　for　me　when　I

come。　　I　can't　tell　you　when；　it's　mighty　uncertain　before　the

rainy　season。　　But　I'm　coming　soon。　　Don't　go　back　on　your　promise

about　lettin　up　on　the　tramps；　and　being　a　little　more　high…toned。

And　don't　you　give　'em　so　much。　　It's　true　I　sent　you　hats　TWICE。

I　clean　forgot　all　about　the　first；　but　I　wouldn't　have　given　a

ten…dollar　hat　to　a　nigger　woman　who　had　a　sick　baby　because　I　had

an　extra　hat。　　I'd　have　let　that　baby　slide。　　I　forgot　to　ask

whether　the　skirt　is　worn　separately；　I　must　see　the　dressmaking

sharp　about　it；　but　I　think　you'll　want　something　on　besides　a

jacket　and　skirt；　at　least；　it　looks　like　it　up　here。　　I　don't

think　you　could　manage　a　piano　down　there　without　the　old　man

knowing　it；　and　raisin'　the　devil　generally。　　I　promised　you　I'd

let　up　on　him。　　Mind　you　keep　all　your　promises　to　me。　　I'm　glad

you're　gettin'　on　with　the　six…shooter；　tin　cans　are　good　at

fifteen　yards；　but　try　it　on　suthin'　that　MOVES！　　I　forgot　to　say

that　I　am　on　the　track　of　your　big　brother。　　It's　a　three　years'

old　track；　and　he　was　in　Arizona。　　The　friend　who　told　me　didn't

expatiate　much　on　what　he　did　there；　but　I　reckon　they　had　a　high

old　time。　　If　he's　above　the　earth　I'll　find　him；　you　bet。　　The

yerba　buena　and　the　southern　wood　came　all　right；they　smelt　like

you。　　Say；　Flip；　do　you　remember　the　lastthe　VERY　lastthing

that　happened　when　you　said　'Good…by'　on　the　trail？　　Don't　let　me

ever　find　out　that　you've　let　anybody　else　kiss〃





But　here　the　virtuous　indignation　of　the　Postmaster　found　vent　in

an　oath。　　He　threw　the　letter　away。　　He　retained　of　it　only　two

facts；Flip　HAD　a　brother　who　was　missing；　she　had　a　lover　present

in　the　flesh。



How　much　of　the　substance　of　this　and　previous　letters　Flip　had

confided　to　her　father　I　cannot　say。　　If　she　suppressed　anything　it

was　probably　that　which　affected　Lance's　secret　alone；　and　it　was

doubtful　how　much　of　that　she　herself　knew。　　In　her　own　affairs　she

was　frank　without　being　communicative；　and　never　lost　her　shy

obstinacy　even　with　her　father。　　Governing　the　old　man　as

completely　as　she　did；　she　appeared　most　embarrassed　when　she　was

most　dominant；　she　had　her　own　way　without　lifting　her　voice　or　her

eyes；　she　seemed　oppressed　by　mauvaise　honte　when　she　was　most

triumphant；　she　would　end　a　discussion　with　a　shy　murmur　addressed

to　herself；　or　a　single　gesture　of　self…consciousness。



The　disclosure　of　her　strange　relations　with　an　unknown　man　and　the

exchange　of　presents　and　c