flip-a california romance-第8章

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

exchange　of　presents　and　confidences　seemed　to　suddenly　awake

Fairley　to　a　vague；　uneasy　sense　of　some　unfulfilled　duties　as　a

parent。　　The　first　effect　of　this　on　his　weak　nature　was　a　peevish

antagonism　to　the　cause　of　it。　　He　had　long；　fretful　monologues　on

the　vanity　of　diamond…making；　if　accompanied　with　a　〃pestering〃　by

〃interlopers；〃　on　the　wickedness　of　concealment　and　conspiracy；　and

their　effects　on　charcoal…burning；　on　the　nurturing　of　spies　and

〃adders〃　in　the　family　circle；　and　on　the　seditiousness　of　dark　and

mysterious　councils　in　which　a　gray…haired　father　was　left　out。　　It

was　true　that　a　word　or　look　from　Flip　generally　brought　these

monologues　to　an　inglorious　and　abrupt　termination；　but　they　were

none　the　less　lugubrious　as　long　as　they　lasted。　　In　time　they　were

succeeded　by　an　affectation　of　contrite　apology　and　self…

depreciation。　　〃Don't　go　out　o'　the　way　to　ask　the　old　man；〃　he

would　say；　referring　to　the　quantity　of　bacon　to　be　ordered；　〃it's

nat'ral　a　young　gal　should　have　her　own　advisers。〃　　The　state　of

the　flour　barrel　would　also　produce　a　like　self…abasement。　　〃Unless

ye're　already　in　correspondence　about　more　flour；　ye　might　take　the

opinion　o'　the　first　tramp　ye　meet　ez　to　whether　Santa　Cruz　Mills

is　a　good　brand；　but　don't　ask　the　old　man。〃　　If　Flip　was　in

conversation　with　the　butcher；　Fairley　would　obtrusively　retire

with　the　hope　〃he　wasn't　intrudin'　on　their　secrets。〃



These　phases　of　her　father's　weakness　were　not　frequent　enough　to

excite　her　alarm；　but　she　could　not　help　noticing　they　were

accompanied　with　a　seriousness　unusual　to　him。　　He　began　to　be

tremulously　watchful　of　her；　returning　often　from　work　at　an

earlier　hour；　and　lingering　by　the　cabin　in　the　morning。　　He

brought　absurd　and　useless　presents　for　her；　and　presented　them

with　a　nervous　anxiety；　poorly　concealed　by　an　assumption　of

careless；　paternal　generosity。　　〃Suthin'　I　picked　up　at　the

Crossin'　for　ye　to…day；〃　he　would　say；　airily；　and　retire　to　watch

the　effect　of　a　pair　of　shoes　two　sizes　too　large；　or　a　fur　cap　in

September。　　He　would　have　hired　a　cheap　parlor　organ　for　her；　but

for　the　apparently　unexpected　revelation　that　she　couldn't　play。

He　had　received　the　news　of　a　clue　to　his　long…lost　son　without

emotion；　but　lately　he　seemed　to　look　upon　it　as　a　foregone

conclusion；　and　one　that　necessarily　solved　the　question　of

companionship　for　Flip。　　〃In　course；　when　you've　got　your　own　flesh

and　blood　with　ye；　ye　can't　go　foolin'　around　with　strangers。〃

These　autumnal　blossoms　of　affection；　I　fear；　came　too　late　for　any

effect　upon　Flip；　precociously　matured　by　her　father's　indifference

and　selfishness。　　But　she　was　good　humored；　and；　seeing　him

seriously　concerned；　gave　him　more　of　her　time；　even　visited　him　in

the　sacred　seclusion　of　the　〃diamond　pit；〃　and　listened　with　far…

off　eyes　to　his　fitful　indictment　of　all　things　outside　his　grimy

laboratory。　　Much　of　this　patient　indifference　came　with　a

capricious　change　in　her　own　habits；　she　no　longer　indulged　in　the

rehearsal　of　dress；　she　packed　away　her　most　treasured　garments；

and　her　leafy　boudoir　knew　her　no　more。　　She　sometimes　walked　on

the　hillside；　and　often　followed　the　trail　she　had　taken　with　Lance

when　she　led　him　to　the　ranch。　　She　once　or　twice　extended　her　walk

to　the　spot　where　she　had　parted　from　him；　and　as　often　came　shyly

away；　her　eyes　downcast　and　her　face　warm　with　color。　　Perhaps

because　these　experiences　and　some　mysterious　instinct　of　maturing

womanhood　had　left　a　story　in　her　eyes；　which　her　two　adorers；　the

Postmaster　and　the　Butcher；　read　with　passion；　she　became　famous

without　knowing　it。　　Extravagant　stories　of　her　fascinations

brought　strangers　into　the　valley。　　The　effect　upon　her　father　may

be　imagined。　　Lance　could　not　have　desired　a　more　effective

guardian　than　he　proved　to　be　in　this　emergency。　　Those　who　had

been　told　of　this　hidden　pearl　were　surprised　to　find　it　so

jealously　protected。





CHAPTER　V。





The　long；　parched　summer　had　drawn　to　its　dusty　close。　　Much　of　it

was　already　blown　abroad　and　dissipated　on　trail　and　turnpike；　or

crackled　in　harsh；　unelastic　fibres　on　hillside　and　meadow。　　Some

of　it　had　disappeared　in　the　palpable　smoke　by　day　and　fiery　crests

by　night　of　burning　forests。　　The　besieging　fogs　on　the　Coast　Range

daily　thinned　their　hosts；　and　at　last　vanished。　　The　wind　changed

from　northwest　to　southwest。　　The　salt　breath　of　the　sea　was　on　the

summit。　　And　then　one　day　the　staring；　unchanged　sky　was　faintly

touched　with　remote　mysterious　clouds；　and　grew　tremulous　in

expression。　　The　next　morning　dawned　upon　a　newer　face　in　the

heavens；　on　changed　woods；　on　altered　outlines；　on　vanished　crests；

on　forgotten　distances。　　It　was　raining！



Four　weeks　of　this　change；　with　broken　spaces　of　sunlight　and

intense　blue　aerial　islands；　and　then　a　storm　set　in。　　All　day　the

summit　pines　and　redwoods　rocked　in　the　blast。　　At　times　the　onset

of　the　rain　seemed　to　be　held　back　by　the　fury　of　the　gale；　or　was

visibly　seen　in　sharp　waves　on　the　hillside。　　Unknown　and　concealed

watercourses　suddenly　overflowed　the　trails；　pools　became　lakes　and

brooks　rivers。　　Hidden　from　the　storm；　the　sylvan　silence　of

sheltered　valleys　was　broken　by　the　impetuous　rush　of　waters；　even

the　tiny　streamlet　that　traversed　Flip's　retreat　in　the　Gin　and

Ginger　Woods　became　a　cascade。



The　storm　drove　Fairley　from　his　couch　early。　　The　falling　of　a

large　tree　across　the　trail；　and　the　sudden　overflow　of　a　small

stream　beside　it；　hastened　his　steps。　　But　he　was　doomed　to

encounter　what　was　to　him　a　more　disagreeable　objecta　human

figure。　　By　the　bedraggled　drapery　that　flapped　and　fluttered　in

the　wind；　by　the　long；　unkempt　hair　that　hid　the　face　and　eyes；　and

by　the　grotesquely　misplaced　bonnet；　the　old　man　recognized　one　of

his　old　trespassers；an　Indian　squaw。



〃Clear　out　'er　that！　　Come；　make　tracks；　will　ye？〃　the　old　man

screamed；　but　here　the　wind　stopped　his　voice；　and　drove　him

against　a　hazel　bush。



〃Me　heap　sick；〃　answered　the　squaw；　shivering　through　her　muddy

shawl。



〃I'll　make　ye　a　heap　sicker　if　ye　don't　vamose　the　ranch；〃

continued　Fairley；　advancing。



〃Me　wantee　Wangee　girl。　　Wangee　girl　give　me　heap　grub；〃　said　the

squaw；　without　moving。



〃You　bet　your　life；〃　groaned　the　old　man　to　himself。　　Nevertheless

an　idea　struck　him。　　〃Ye　ain't　brought　no　presents；　hev　ye？〃　he

asked　cautiously。　　〃Ye　ain't　got　no　pooty　things　for　poor　Wangee

girl？〃　he　continued；　insinuatingly。



〃Me　got　heap　cache　nuts　and　berries；〃　said　the　squaw。



〃Oh；　in　course！　in　course！　　That's　just　it；〃　screamed　Fairley；

〃you've　got　'em　cached　only　two　mile　from　yer；　and　you'll　go　and

get　'em　for　a　half　dollar；　cash　down。〃



〃Me　bring　Wangee　girl　to　cache；〃　replied　the　Indian；　pointing　to

the　wood。　　〃Honest　Injin。〃



Another　bright　idea　struck　Mr。　Fairley。　　But　it　required　some

elaboration。　　Hurrying　the　squaw　with　him　through　the　pelting　rain；

he　reached　the　shelter　of　the　corral。　　Vainly　the　shivering

aborigine　drew　her　tightly　bandaged　papoose　closer　to　her　square；

flat　breast；　and　looked　longingly　toward　the　cabin；　the　old　man

backed　her　against　the　palisade。　　Here　he　cautiously　imparted　his

dark　intentions　to　employ　her　to　keep　watch　and　ward　over　the

ranch；　and　especially　over　its　young　mistress〃clear　out　all　the

tramps　'ceptin'　yourself；　and　I'll　keep　ye　in　grub　and　rum。〃　　Many

and　deliberate　repetitions　of　this　offer　in　various　forms　at　last

seemed　to　affect　the　squaw；　she　nodded　violently；　and　echoed　the

last　word　〃rum。〃　　〃Now；〃　she　added。　　The　old　man　hesitated；　she　was

in　possession　of　his　secret；　he　groaned；　and；　promising　an

immediate　installment　of　liquor；　led　her　to　the　cabin。



The　door　was　so　securely　fastened　against　the　impact　of　the　storm

that　some　moments　elapsed　be