flip-a california romance-第9章

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

that　some　moments　elapsed　before　the　bar　was　drawn；　and　the　old　man

had　become　impatient　and　profane。　　When　it　was　partly　opened　by

Flip　he　hastily　slipped　in；　dragging　the　squaw　after　him；　and　cast

one　single　suspicious　glance　around　the　rude　apartment　which　served

as　a　sitting…room。　　Flip　had　apparently　been　writing。　　A　small

inkstand　was　still　on　the　board　table；　but　her　paper　had　evidently

been　concealed　before　she　allowed　them　to　enter。　　The　squaw

instantly　squatted　before　the　adobe　hearth；　warmed　her　bundled

baby；　and　left　the　ceremony　of　introduction　to　her　companion。　　Flip

regarded　the　two　with　calm　preoccupation　and　indifference。　　The

only　thing　that　touched　her　interest　was　the　old　squaw's　draggled

skirt　and　limp　neckerchief。　　They　were　Flip's　own；　long　since

abandoned　and　cast　off　in　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods。　　〃Secrets

again；〃　whined　Fairley；　still　eying　Flip　furtively。　　〃Secrets

again；　in　coursein　coursejiss　so。　　Secrets　that　must　be　kep

from　the　ole　man。　　Dark　doin's　by　one's　own　flesh　and　blood。　　Go

on！　go　on！　　Don't　mind　me。〃　　Flip　did　not　reply。　　She　had　even　lost

the　interest　in　her　old　dress。　　Perhaps　it　had　only　touched　some

note　in　unison　with　her　revery。



〃Can't　ye　get　the　poor　critter　some　whiskey？〃　he　queried；　fretfully。

〃Ye　used　to　be　peart　enuff　before。〃　　As　Flip　turned　to　the　corner　to

lift　the　demijohn；　Fairley　took　occasion　to　kick　the　squaw　with　his

foot；　and　indicate　by　extravagant　pantomime　that　the　bargain　was　not

to　be　alluded　to　before　the　girl。　　Flip　poured　out　some　whiskey　in　a

tin　cup；　and；　approaching　the　squaw；　handed　it　to　her。　　〃It's　like

ez　not；〃　continued　Fairley　to　his　daughter；　but　looking　at　the

squaw；　〃that　she'll　be　huntin'　the　woods　off　and　on；　and　kinder

looking　after　the　last　pit　near　the　Madronos；　ye'll　give　her　grub

and　licker　ez　she　likes。　　Well；　d'ye　hear；　Flip？　　Are　ye　moonin'

agin　with　yer　secrets？　　What's　gone　with　ye？〃



If　the　child　were　dreaming；　it　was　a　delicious　dream。　　Her　magnetic

eyes　were　suffused　by　a　strange　light；　as　though　the　eye　itself　had

blushed；　her　full　pulse　showed　itself　more　in　the　rounding　outline

of　her　cheek　than　in　any　deepening　of　color；　indeed；　if　there　was

any　heightening　of　tint；　it　was　in　her　freckles；　which　fairly

glistened　like　tiny　spangles。　　Her　eyes　were　downcast；　her

shoulders　slightly　bent；　but　her　voice　was　low　and　clear　and

thoughtful　as　ever。



〃One　o'　the　big　pines　above　the　Madrono　pit　has　blown　over　into　the

run；〃　she　said。　　〃It's　choked　up　the　water；　and　it's　risin'　fast。

Like　ez　not　it's　pourin'　over　into　the　pit　by　this　time。〃



The　old　man　rose　with　a　fretful　cry。　　〃And　why　in　blames　didn't　you

say　so　first？〃　he　screamed；　catching　up　his　axe　and　rushing　to　the

door。



〃Ye　didn't　give　me　a　chance；〃　said　Flip；　raising　her　eyes　for　the

first　time。　　With　an　impatient　imprecation；　Fairley　darted　by　her

and　rushed　into　the　wood。　　In　an　instant　she　had　shut　the　door　and

bolted　it。　　In　the　same　instant　the　squaw　arose；　dashed　the　long

hair　not　only　from　her　eyes；　but　from　her　head；　tore　away　her　shawl

and　blanket；　and　revealed　the　square　shoulders　of　Lance　Harriott！

Flip　remained　leaning　against　the　door；　but　the　young　man　in　rising

dropped　the　bandaged　papoose；　which　rolled　from　his　lap　into　the

fire。　　Flip；　with　a　cry；　sprang　toward　it；　but　Lance　caught　her　by

the　waist　with　one　arm；　as　with　the　other　he　dragged　the　bundle

from　the　flames。



〃Don't　be　alarmed；〃　he　said；　gayly；　〃it's　only〃



〃What？〃　said　Flip；　trying　to　disengage　herself。



〃My　coat　and　trousers。〃



Flip　laughed；　which　encouraged　Lance　to　another　attempt　to　kiss

her。　　She　evaded　it　by　diving　her　head　into　his　waistcoat；　and

saying；　〃There's　father。〃



〃But　he's　gone　to　clear　away　that　tree？〃　suggested　Lance。



One　of　Flip's　significant　silences　followed。



〃Oh；　I　see；〃　he　laughed。　　〃That　was　a　plan　to　get　him　away！　　Ah！〃

She　had　released　herself。



〃Why　did　you　come　like　that？〃　she　said；　pointing　to　his　wig　and

blanket。



〃To　see　if　you'd　know　me；〃　he　responded。



〃No；〃　said　Flip；　dropping　her　eyes。　　〃It's　to　keep　other　people

from　knowing　you。　　You're　hidin'　agin。〃



〃I　am；〃　returned　Lance；　〃but；〃　he　interrupted；　〃it's　only　the　same

old　thing。〃



〃But　you　wrote　from　Monterey　that　it　was　all　over；〃　she　persisted。



〃So　it　would　have　been；〃　he　said　gloomily；　〃but　for　some　dog　down

here　who　is　hunting　up　an　old　scent。　　I'll　spot　him　yet；　and〃　　He

stopped　suddenly；　with　such　utter　abstraction　of　hatred　in　his

fixed　and　glittering　eyes　that　she　almost　feared　him。　　She　laid　her

hand　quite　unconsciously　on　his　arm。　　He　grasped　it；　his　face

changed。



〃I　couldn't　wait　any　longer　to　see　you；　Flip；　so　I　came　here

anyway；〃　he　went　on。　　〃I　thought　to　hang　round　and　get　a　chance　to

speak　to　you　first；　when　I　fell　afoul　of　the　old　man。　　He　didn't

know　me；　and　tumbled　right　in　my　little　game。　　Why；　do　you　believe

he　wants　to　hire　me　for　my　grub　and　liquor；　to　act　as　a　sort　of

sentry　over　you　and　the　ranch？〃　　And　here　he　related　with　great

gusto　the　substance　of　his　interview。　　〃I　reckon　as　he's　that

suspicious；〃　he　concluded；　〃I'd　better　play　it　out　now　as　I've

begun；　only　it's　mighty　hard　I　can't　see　you　here　before　the　fire

in　your　fancy　toggery；　Flip；　but　must　dodge　in　and　out　of　the　wet

underbrush　in　these　yer　duds　of　yours　that　I　picked　up　in　the　old

place　in　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods。〃



〃Then　you　came　here　just　to　see　me？〃　asked　Flip。



〃I　did。〃



〃For　only　that？〃



〃Only　that。〃



Flip　dropped　her　eyes。　　Lance　had　got　his　other　arm　around　her

waist；　but　her　resisting　little　hand　was　still　potent。



〃Listen；〃　she　said　at　last　without　looking　up；　but　apparently

talking　to　the　intruding　arm；　〃when　Dad　comes　I'll　get　him　to　send

you　to　watch　the　diamond　pit。　　It　isn't　far；　it's　warm；　and〃



〃What？〃



〃I'll　come；　after　a　bit；　and　see　you。　　Quit　foolin'　now。　　If　you'd

only　have　come　here　like　yourselflikelikea　white　man。〃



〃The　old　man；〃　interrupted　Lance；　〃would　have　just　passed　me　on　to

the　summit。　　I　couldn't　have　played　the　lost　fisherman　on　him　at

this　time　of　year。〃



〃Ye　could　have　been　stopped　at　the　Crossing　by　high　water；　you

silly；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃It　was。〃　　This　grammatical　obscurity

referred　to　the　stage　coach。



〃Yes；　but　I　might　have　been　tracked　to　this　cabin。　　And　look　here；

Flip；〃　he　said；　suddenly　straightening　himself；　and　lifting　the

girl's　face　to　a　level　with　his　own；　〃I　don't　want　you　to　lie　any

more　for　me。　　It　ain't　right。〃



〃All　right。　　Ye　needn't　go　to　the　pit；　then；　and　I　won't　come。〃



〃Flip！〃



〃And　here's　Dad　coming。　　Quick！〃



Lance　chose　to　put　his　own　interpretation　on　this　last　adjuration。

The　resisting　little　hand　was　now　lying　quite　limp　on　his　shoulder；

He　drew　her　brown；　bright　face　near　his　own；　felt　her　spiced　breath

on　his　lips；　his　cheeks；　his　hot　eyelids；　his　swimming　eyes；　kissed

her；　hurriedly　replaced　his　wig　and　blanket；　and　dropped　beside　the

fire　with　the　tremulous　laugh　of　youth　and　innocent　first　passion。

Flip　had　withdrawn　to　the　window；　and　was　looking　out　upon　the

rocking　pines。



〃He　don't　seem　to　be　coming；〃　said　Lance；　with　a　half…shy　laugh。



〃No；〃　responded　Flip　demurely；　pressing　her　hot　oval　cheek　against

the　wet　panes；　〃I　reckon　I　was　mistaken。　　You're　sure；〃　she　added；

looking　resolutely　another　way；　but　still　trembling　like　a　magnetic

needle　toward　Lance；　as　he　moved　slightly　before　the　fire；　〃you're

SURE　you'd　like　me　to　come　to　you？〃



〃Sure；　Flip？〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Flip；　as　this　reassuring　query　of　reproachful

astonishment　appeared　about　to　be　emphasized　by　a　forward　amatory

dash　of　Lance's；　〃hush！　he's　coming　this　time；　sure。〃



It　was；　indeed；　Fairley；　exceedingly　wet；　exceedingly　bedraggled；

exceedingly　sponged　out　as　to　color；　and　exceedingly　profane。　　It

appe