a summer in a canyon-第33章

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advice　to　Margery　and　Bell　concerning　topics　to　be　avoided；　admitted
them　one　by　one　into　her　presence；　so　that　she　gradually　regained　her
self…control。　　And　at　the　dinner…table　a　very　pale　Polly　was　present
again；　with　such　a　white　face　and　heavy　eyes　that　no　one　could　doubt
there　had　been　a　headache；　while　two　people；　at　least；　knew　that
there　had　been　a　heartache　as　well。　　The　next　day's　mail　carried　the
following　letter　to　Laura　Burton：


CAMP　CHAPARRAL；　August　16；　188…。

My　dear　Laura；As　I　told　you　when　you　were　leaving；　I　cannot　well
say　how　sorry　I　am　that　anything　should　have　occurred　to　mar　your
pleasant　remembrance　of　your　stay　with　us。　　That　your　dear　mother's
daughter　should　have　been　treated　with　discourtesy　while　she　was　my
guest　was　very　disagreeable　to　me；　but　I　have　learned　that　you　were
yourself　somewhat　to　blame　in　the　affair；　and　therefore　you　should
have　borne　the　harsh　treatment　you　received　with　considerable
patience；　and　perhaps　have　kept　it　quite　to　yourself。　　（'That　little
cat　told　her；　after　all；'　said　Laura；　when　she　read　this。　　'I　didn't
think　she　was　that　kind。'）　　Polly　would　never　have　confessed　the
cause　of　the　quarrel；　because　she　knew　nothing　could　justify　her
language；　but　Elsie　was　lying　in　the　hammock　behind　the　tent　and
overheard　the　remark　which　so　roused　Polly's　anger。　　You　were　not
aware；　of　course；　how　sore　a　spot　you　touched　upon；　or　you　could
never　have　spoken　as　you　did；　though　I　well　know　that　you　were　both
too　angry　to　reflect。　　Polly　is　a　peculiarly　proud　and　high…spirited
girlproud；　I　confess；　to　a　fault；　but　she　comes；　on　her　mother's
side；　from　a　long　line　of　people　who　have　had　much　to　be　proud　of　in
the　way　of　unblemished　honesty；　nobility；　fine　attainments；　and
splendid　achievements。　　Of　her　father's　honourable　services　to　his
country；　and　his　sad　and　untimely　death；　you　may　have　heard；　but　you
may　not　know　that　Mrs。　Oliver's　misfortunes　have　been　very　many　and
very　bitter；　and　that　the　only　possibility　of　supporting　and
educating　Polly　lies　at　present　in　her　taking　boarders；　for　her
health　will　not　admit　just　now　of　her　living　anywhere　save　in
Southern　California。　　I　fail　to　see　why　this　is　not　thoroughly
praiseworthy　and　respectable；　but　if　you　do　not　consider　it　quite　an
elegant　occupation；　I　can　only　say　that　Mrs。　Oliver　presides　over　the
table　at　which　her　'boarders'　sit　with　a　high…bred　dignity　and　grace
of　manner　that　the　highest　lady　in　the　land　might　imitate；　and　that；
when　health　and　circumstances　permit　her　to　diminish　the　distance
between　herself　and　the　great　world；　she　and　her　daughter　Polly；　by
reason　of　their　birth　and　their　culture；　will　find　doors　swinging
wide　to　admit　them　where　you　and　I　would　find　it　difficult　to　enter。
Polly　apologises　sincerely　for　her　rudeness；　and　will　write　you　to
that　effect；　as　of　course　she　does　not　know　of　this　letter。

Sincerely　your　friend；

TRUTH　WINSHIP。



CHAPTER　IX：　　ROUND　THE　CAMP…FIRE



'The　time　before　the　fire　they　sat；
And　shortened　the　delay　by　pleasing　chat。'


The　August　days　had　slipped　away　one　after　another；　and　September　was
at　hand。　　There　was　no　perceptible　change　of　weather　to　mark　the
advent　of　the　new　month。　　The　hills　were　a　little　browner；　the　dust　a
little　deeper；　the　fleas　a　little　nimbler；　and　the　water　in　the　brook
a　trifle　lower；　but　otherwise　Dame　Nature　did　not　concern　herself
with　the　change　of　seasons；　inasmuch　as　she　had　no　old　dresses　to　get
rid　of；　and　no　new　ones　to　put　on　for　a　long　time　yet；　indeed；　she　is
never　very　fashionable　in　this　locality；　and　wears　very　much　the　same
garments　throughout　the　year。

Elsie　seemed　almost　as　strong　as　any　of　the　other　girls　now；　and
could　enter　with　zest　into　all　their　amusements。　　The　appetite　of　a
young　bear；　the　sound；　dreamless　sleep　of　a　baby；　and　the　constant
breathing　in　of　the　pure；　life…giving　air　had　made　her　a　new
creature。　　Mrs。　Howard　and　Jack　felt；　day　by　day；　that　a　burden　of
dread　was　being　lifted　from　their　hearts；　and　Mrs。　Howard　especially
felt　that　she　loved　every　rock　and　tree　in　the　canyon。

It　was　a　charming　morning；　and　Polly　was　seated　at　the　dining…room
table；　deep　in　the　preparation　of　a　lesson　in　reading　and
pronunciation　for　Hop　Yet。　　Her　forehead　was　creased　with　many
wrinkles　of　thought；　and　she　bit　the　end　of　her　lead…pencil　as　if　she
were　engaged　in　solving　some　difficult　problem；　but；　if　that　were　so；
why　did　the　dimples　chase　each　other　in　and　out　of　her　cheeks　in　such
a　suspicious　fashion？　　She　was　a　very　gentle；　a　very　sedate　Polly；
these　latter　days；　and　not　only　astonished　her　friends；　but　surprised
herself；　by　her　good　behaviour；　her　elegant　reserve　of　manner；　her
patience　with　Jack；　and　her　abject　devotion　to　Dicky。

'I'm　afraid　it　won't　last；'　she　sighed　to　herself　occasionally。　　'I'm
almost　too　good。　　That's　always　the　way　with　meI　must　either　be　so
bad　that　everybody　is　discouraged；　or　else　so　good　that　I　frighten
them。　　Now　I　catch　Bell　and　Elsie　exchanging　glances　every　day；　as
much　as　to　say；　〃Poor　Polly；　she　will　never　hold　out　at　this　rate；　do
you　notice　that　nothing　ruffles　herthat　she　is　simply　angelic？〃　　As
if　I　couldn't　be　angelic　for　a　fortnight！　　Why　I　have　often　done　it
for　four　weeks　at　a　stretch！'

Margery　was　in　the　habit　of　giving　Hop　Yet　an　English　lesson　every
other　day；　as　he　had　been　very　loath　to　leave　his　evening　school　in
Santa　Barbara　and　bury　himself　in　a　canyon；　away　from　all　educational
influences；　but　she　had　deserted　her　post　for　once　and　gone　to　ride
with　Elsie；　so　that　Polly　had　taken　her　place　and　was　evolving　an
exercise　that　Hop　Yet　would　remember　to　the　latest　day　of　his　life。
It　looked　simple　enough：…

1。　　The　grass　is　dry。
2。　　The　fruit　is　ripe。
3：　　The　chaparral　is　green。
4。　　The　new　road　is　all　right。
5。　　The　bay…'rum'　tree　is　fresh　and　pretty。

But　as　no　Chinaman　can　pronounce　the　letter　'r；'　it　was　laboriously
rendered　thus；　when　the　unhappy　time　of　the　lesson　came：

1。　　The…glass…is…dly。
2。　　The…fluit…is…lipe。
3。　　The…chap…lal…is…gleen。
4。　　The…new…load…is…all…light…ee。
5。　　The　bay…lum…tlee…is…flesh…and…plitty。

Finally；　when　she　attempted　to　introduce　the　sentence；　'Around　the
rough　and　rugged　rock　the　ragged　rascal　ran；'　Hop　Yet　rose　hurriedly；
remarking；　'All　lightee；　I　go　no　more　school　jus'　now。　　I　lun　get
lunchee。'

Bell　came　running　down　the　path　just　then；　and　linking　her　arm　in
Polly's　said；　'Papa　has　the　nicest　plan。　　You　know　the　boys　are　so
disappointed　that　Colonel　Jackson　didn't　ask　them　over　to　that　rodeo
at　his　cattle　ranchthough　a　summer　rodeo　is　only　to　sort　out　fat
cattle　to　sell；　and　it　is　not　very　exciting；　but　papa　promised　to
tell　them　all　about　the　old…fashioned　kind　some　night；　and　he　has
just　remembered　that　to…morrow　is　Admission　Day；　September　9；　so　he
proposes　a　real　celebration　round　the　camp…fire　to　amuse　Elsie。　　She
doesn't　know　anything　about　California　even　as　it　is　now；　and　none　of
us　know　what　it　was　in　the　old　days。　　Don't　you　think　it　will　be
fun？'

'Perfectly　splendid！'

'And　papa　wants　us　each　to　contribute　something。'

'A　picnic！but　I　don't　know　anything。'

'That's　just　what　I'm　coming　to。　　I　have　such　a　bright　idea。　　He　said
that　we　might　look　in　any　of　his　books；　but　Geoff　and　Jack　are　at
them　already；　and　I'd　like　a　surprise。　　Now　Juan　Capistrano；　an　old
vaquero　of　Colonel　Jackson's；　is　over　here。　　He　is　a　wonderful　rider；
papa　says　that　he　could　ride　on　a　comet；　if　he　could　get　a　chance　to
mount。　　It　was　he　who　told　the　boys　that　the　rodeo　was　over。　　Now　I
propose　that　we　go　and　interview　Pancho　and　Juan；　and　get　them　to
tell　us　some　old　California　stories。　　They　are　both　as　stupid　as　they
can　be；　but　they　must　have　had　some　adventures；　I　suppose；　somewhere；
sometime。　　I'll　translate　and　write　the　things　down；　for　my　part；　and
you　and　Margery　can　tell　them。'

'Lovely！　　Oh；　if　we　can　only　get　an　exciting　grizzly　story；　so　that


Every　one's　blood　upon　end　it　will　stand；
And　the　hair　run　cold　in　their　veins！


And　was　Dr。　Paul　out　here　when　California　was　admitted　into　the
Union1850；　wasn't　it？'

'Of　course；　why；　my　child；　he　was　one　of　the　delegates　called　by
Gene