a summer in a canyon-第22章

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'Exactly！　　Well；　are　there　any　letters？'

'Si；　senor。'　　Whereupon　he　drew　one　from　his　gorgeously…decorated
leather　belt。

Philip　reached　for　it；　and　Polly　leaned　over　his　shoulder；　devoured
with　curiosity。

'It's　for　Aunt　Truth；'　she　said；　'andyes；　I　am　sure　it　is　Mrs。
Howard's　writing；　and　if　it　is'

Hereupon；　as　Manuel　spoke　no　English；　and　neither　Philip　nor　Polly
could　make　inquiries　in　Spanish；　Polly　darted　to　the　cart　in　her
usual　meteoric　style；　put　one　foot　on　the　hub　of　a　wheel　and　climbed
to　the　top　like　a　squirrel；　snatched　off　a　corner　of　the　canvas
cover；　and　cried　triumphantly；　'I　knew　it！　　Elsie　is　coming！　　Here's
a　tent；　and　some　mattresses　and　pillows。　　Hurry！　　Help　me　down；
quick！　　Oh；　slow…coach！　　Keep　out　of　the　way　and　I'll　jump！　　Give　me
the　letter。　　I　can　run　faster　than　you　can。'　　And　before　the　vestige
of　an　idea　had　penetrated　Philip's　head；　nothing　could　be　seen　of
Polly　but　a　pair　of　twinkling　heels　and　the　gleam　of　a　curly　head
that　caught　every　ray　of　the　sun　and　turned　it　into　ruddier　gold。

It　was　a　dusty；　rocky　path；　and　up…hill　at　that；　but　Polly；　who　was
nothing　if　not　ardent；　never　slackened　her　pace；　but　dashed　along
until　she　came　in　sight　of　the　camp；　where　she　expended　her　last
breath　in　one　shrill　shriek　for　Aunt　Truth。

It　was　responded　to　promptly。　　Indeed；　it　was　the　sort　of　shriek　that
always　commands　instantaneous　attention；　and　Aunt　Truth　came　out　of
her　tent　prepared　to　receive　tragic　news。　　Bell　followed；　and　the
entire　family　would　have　done　the　same　had　they　been　in　camp。

Polly　thrust　the　letter　into　Mrs。　Winship's　hand；　and　sank　down
exhausted；　exclaiming；　breathlessly；　'There's　a　mattressand　a　tent…
…coming　up　the　canyon。　　It's　Elsie's；　I　know。　　Philip　is　down　at　the
gatewith　the　cartbut　I　came　ahead。　　Phew！　but　it's　warm！'

'What！'　cried　Bell；　joyfully。　　'Elsie　at　the　gate！　　It　can't　be
true！'　　And　she　darted　like　an　arrow　through　the　trees。

'Come　back！　come　back！'　screamed　Polly。

'Elsie　is　not　at　the　gate。　　Don　S。　D。　M。　F。　H。　N。　is　there　with　a
team　loaded　down　with　things。　　Isn't　it　from　Mrs。　Howard；　Aunt
Truth？'

'Yes；　it　is。　　Written　this　morning　from　Tacitas　Rancho。　　Why；　how　is
this？　　Let　me　see！'


TACITAS　RANCHO；　Monday　morning。

Dear　Truth；You　will　be　surprised　to　receive　a　letter　from　me；
written　from　Tacitas。　　But　here　we　are；　Elsie　and　I；　and；　what　is
better；　we　are　on　our　way　to　you。

（'I　knew　it！'　exclaimed　the　girls。）

Elsie　has　been　growing　steadily　better　for　three　weeks。　　The　fever
seems　to　have　disappeared　entirely；　and　the　troublesome　cough　is　so
much　lessened　that　she　sleeps　all　night　without　waking。　　The　doctor
says　that　the　camp…life　will　be　the　very　best　thing　for　her　now；　and
will　probably　complete　her　recovery。

（'Oh；　joy；　joy！'　cried　the　girls。）

I　need　not　say　how　gladly　we　followed　this　special　prescription　of
our　kind　doctor's；　nor　add　that　we　started　at　once。

（'Oh；　Aunt　Truth；　there　is　nobody　within　a　mile　of　the　camp；　can't　I；
PLEASE　can't　I　turn　one　little　hand…spring；　just　one　little　lady…like
one？'　pleaded　Polly；　dancing　on　one　foot　and　chewing　her　sun…bonnet
string。

'No；　dear；　you　can't！　　Keep　quiet　and　let　me　read。'）

Elsie　would　not　let　me　tell　you　our　plans　any　sooner；　lest　the　old
story　of　a　sudden　ill　turn　would　keep　us　at　home；　and　I　think　very
likely　that　she　longed　to　give　the　dear　boys　and　girls　a　surprise。

We　arrived　at　the　Burtons'　yesterday。　　Elsie　bore　the　journey
exceedingly　well；　but　I　would　not　take　any　risks；　and　so　we　shall　not
drive　over　until　day　after　to…morrow　morning。

（'You　needn't　have　hurried　quite　so　fast；　Polly　dear。'）

I　venture　to　send　the　tent　and　its　belongings　ahead　to…day；　so　that
Jack　may　get　everything　to　rights　before　we　arrive。

The　mattress　is　just　the　size　the　girls　ordered；　and　of　course　I've
told　Elsie　nothing　about　the　proposed　furnishing　of　her　tent。

I　am　bringing　my　little　China　boy　with　me；　for　I　happen　to　think
that；　with　the　Burtons；　we　shall　be　fourteen　at　table。　　Gin　is　not
quite　a　success　as　a　cook；　but　he　can　at　least　wash　dishes；　wait　at
table；　and　help　Hop　Yet　in　various　ways；　while　I　shall　be　only　too
glad　to　share　all　your　housekeeping　cares；　if　you　have　not　escaped
them　even　in　the　wilderness。

I　shall　be　so　glad　to　see　you　again；　and　oh；　Truth；　I　am　so　happy；　so
happy；　that；　please　God；　I　can　keep　my　child　after　all！　　The　weary
burden　of　dread　is　lifted　off　my　heart；　and　I　feel　young　again。　　Just
think　of　it！　　My　Elsie　will　be　well　and　strong　once　more！　　It　seems
too　good　to　be　true。

Always　your　attached　friend；
JANET　HOWARD。


Mrs。　Winship's　voice　quivered　as　she　read　the　last　few　words；　and
Polly　and　Bell　threw　themselves　into　each　other's　arms　and　cried　for
sheer　gladness。

'Come；　come；　dears！　　I　suppose　you　will　make　grand　preparations；　and
there　is　no　time　to　lose。　　One　of　you　must　find　somebody　to　help
Philip　unload　the　team。　　Papa　and　the　boys　have　gone　fishing；　and
Laura　and　Margery　went　with　them；　I　think。'　　And　Mrs。　Winship　bustled
about；　literally　on　hospitable　thoughts　in…tent。

Polly　tied　on　her　sun…bonnet　with　determination；　turned　up　her
sleeves　as　if　washing　were　the　thing　to　be　done；　and　placed　her　arms
akimbo。

'First　and　foremost；'　said　she；　her　eyes　sparkling　with　excitement；
'first　and　foremost；　I　am　going　to　blow　the　horn。'

'Certainly　not；'　said　Aunt　Truth。　　'Are　you　crazy；　Polly？　　It　is
scarcely　ten　o'clock；　and　everybody　would　think　it　was　dinnertime；
and　come　home　at　once。'

'No；　they'd　think　something　had　happened　to　Dicky；'　said　Bell；　'and
that　would　bring　them　in　still　sooner。'

'Of　course！　　I　forgot。　　But　can't　I　blow　it　earlier　than　usual？
Can't　I　blow　it　at　half…past　eleven　instead　of　twelve？　　We　can't　do　a
thing　without　the　boys；　and　they　may　not　come　home　until　midnight
unless　we　do　something　desperate。　　Oh；　delight！　　There's　Don　S。　D。　M。
F。　H。　N。；　and　Phil　has　found　Pancho　to　help　unload。'

'Isn't　it　lucky　that　we　decided　on　the　place　for　Elsie's　tent；　and
saved　it　in　case　she　should　ever　come？'　said　Bell。　　'Now　Philip　and
Pancho　can　set　it　up　whenever　they　choose。　　And　isn't　it　fortunate
that　we　three　stayed　at　home　to…day；　and　refused　to　fish？　now　we　can
plan　everything；　and　then　all　work　together　when　they　come　back。'

Meanwhile　Polly　was　tugging　at　an　immense　bundle；　literally　tooth　and
nail；　as　she　alternated　trembling　clutches　of　the　fingers　with
frantic　bites　at　the　offending　knot。

Like　many　of　her　performances；　the　physical　strength　expended　was　out
of　all　proportion　to　the　result　produced；　and　one　stroke　of　Philip's
knife　accomplished　more　than　all　her　ill…directed　effort。　　At　length
the　bundle　of　awning　cloth　stood　revealed。　　'Oh；　isn't　it　beautiful？'
she　cried；　'it　will　be　the　very　prettiest　tent　in　camp；　can't　I　blow
the　horn？'

'Look；　mamma；'　exclaimed　Bell；　'it　is　green　and　grey；　in　those　pretty
broken　stripes；　and　the　edge　is　cut　in　lovely　scollops　and　bound　with
green　braid。　　Won't　it　look　pretty　among　the　trees？'

Aunt　Truth　came　out　to　join　the　admiring　group。

'O…o…o…h！'　screamed　Polly。　　'There　comes　a　piece　of　the　floor。
They've　sent　it　all　made；　in　three　pieces。　　What　fun！　　We'll　have　it
all　up　and　ready　to　sleep　in　before　we　blow　the　horn！'

'And　here's　a　roll　of　straw　matting；'　said　Phil；　depositing　a　huge
bundle　on　the　ground　near　the　girls。　　'I'll　cut　the　rope　to　save　your
teeth！'

'Green　and　white　plaid！'　exclaimed　Bell。　　'Well！　　Mrs。　Howard　did
have　her　wits　about　her！'

'Oh；　do　let　me　blow　the　horn！'　teased　the　irrepressible　Polly。

'Here　are　a　looking…glass　and　a　towel…rack　and　a　Shaker　rocking…
chair；'　called　Philip；　'guess　they're　going　to　stay　the　rest　of　the
summer。'

'Yes；　of　course　they　wouldn't　want　a　looking…glass　if　they　were　only
going　to　stay　a　month　or　two；'　laughed　Bell。

'Dear　Aunt　Truth；　if　you　won't　let　me　turn　a　single　decorous　little
hand…spring；　or　blow　the　horn；　or　do　anything　nice；　will　you　let　us
use　all　that　new　white　mosquito…netting？　　Bell　says　that　it　has　been
in　the　storehouse　for　two　years；　and　it　would　be　just　the　thing　for
decorating　Elsie's　tent。'

'Why；　of　course　you　may　have　it；　Polly；　and　anythin