a summer in a canyon-第38章

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danced　upon　his　silver　spurs　till　they　glistened　like　two　great
stars！　　It　was　a　broad；　glittering　stream　of　light　such　as　no　mortal
had　ever　seen　before　and　which　almost　blinded　the　eyes；　and　over　this
radiant　path　of　golden　sunbeams　galloped　Juan　de　Dios；　until　he
disappeared　over　the　crest　of　the　mountain。　　Then　the　light　faded；
the　padres　crossed　themselves　in　silence　and　went　home　to　their
Mission！　and　Juan　de　Dios　never　was　heard　of　more。'

Modest　little　Margery　was　hailed　with　such　cheers　that　you　could　not
have　seen　her　cheeks　for　the　blushes；　and；　just　as　the　party　began　to
think　of　forsaking　the　fascinating　camp…fire　for　bed；　Bell　jumped　up
impetuously　and　cried；　'Here；　Philip；　give　me　the　castanets；　please。
Polly　and　Jack；　you　play　〃Las　Palomas〃　for　me；　and　I'll　sing　and　show
you　the　dance　of　that　pretty　Mexican　girl　whom　I　saw　at　the　ball
given　under　the　Big　Grape　Vine。　　Wait　till　I　take　off　my　hair　ribbon。
Lend　me　your　scarf；　mamma。　　Now　begin！'


LAS　PALOMAS。　｛2｝
（THE　DOVES。）
Cua…tro　pa…lo…mi…tas　blan…cas　que　vie…
nen　de　por　alla。　　U…nas　a　las　o…tras
di…cen　no　hay　a…mor　como　el　de　a…ca。


It　is　barely　possible；　but　not　likely；　that　anything　prettier　than
Bell's　Mexican　danza　was　to　be　seen　under　the　light　of　the　September
stars　that　night；　although　they　were　doubtless　shining　down　upon　a
thousand　lovely　things。　　With　all　the　brightness　of　her　loosened　hair
rising　and　falling　with　the　motion　of　her　swaying　figurewith　her
twinkling　feet；　her　crimson　cheeks　and　parted　lips；　she　looked　the
very　spirit　of　the　dance；　and　her　enrapturedaudience　only　allowed
her　to　stop　when　she　was　absolutely　breathless。

'Oh　what　a　beautiful　evening！'　exclaimed　Elsie；　when　the　celebration
was　finally　over。　　'Was　there　ever　such　a　dear；　dear　canyon　with　such
dear　people　in　it！　　If　it　only　wouldn't　rain　and　we　could　live　here
for　ever！'


'Rain；　rain；　stay　away！
Come　again　another　day；
Little　Elsie　wants　to　play；'


recited　Polly；　and　then　everybody　went　to　their　straw　beds。



CHAPTER　XI：　　BREAKING　CAMP



'The　thirsty　earth　soaks　up　the　rain；
And　drinks　and　gapes　for　drink　again；
The　plants　suck　in　the　earth　and　are；
With　constant　drinking；　fresh　and　fair。'


But　it　did　rain；　and　it　didn't　wait　until　they　were　out　of　the　canyon
either。　　It　began　long　before　the　proper　time；　and　it　by　no　means
confined　itself　to　a　shower；　but　opened　the　winter　season　fully　a
month　before　there　was　any　need　of　it；　and　behaved　altogether　in　a
most　heartless　and　inconsiderate　manner；　like　a　very　spoil…sport　of　a
rain。

It　began　after　dark；　so　as　to　be　just　as　disagreeable　as　possible；
and　under　the　too　slight　cover　of　their　tents　the　campers　could　hear
the　rush　and　the　roar　of　it　like　the　tramping　of　myriad　feet　on　the
leaves。　　Pancho　and　the　two　Chinamen　huddled　under　the　broad
sycamores　in　their　rubber　blankets；　and　were　dry　and　comfortable；　but
all　the　waterproof　tents　leaked；　save　Elsie's。

But　when　it　was　dawn；　the　Sun；　having　heard　nothing　apparently　of　any
projected　change　in　the　weather；　rose　at　the　usual　time　in　the　most
resplendent　fashionbrighter；　rosier；　and　more　gloriously；　if　you
will　believe　me；　than　he　had　risen　that　whole　long　sunshiny　summer！
And　he　really　must　have　felt　paid　for　getting　up　at　such　an　unearthly
hour　in　the　morning；　when；　after　he　had　clambered　over　the　grey
mountain　peaks；　he　looked　down　upon　Las　Flores　Canyon；　bathed　in　the
light　of　his　own　golden　beams。

If　he　knew　anything　about　Ancient　History　and　Biblical　Geographyand
if　he　didn't　I　don't　know　who　should；　inasmuch　as　he　had　been　present
from　the　beginning　of　timehe　must　have　thought　it　as　fair　as　the
Garden　of　Eden；　for　Nature's　face　simply　shone　with　cleanliness；　like
that　of　a　smiling　child　just　fresh　from　its　bath；　and　every　leaf　of
every　tree　glistened　as　he　beamed　upon　it；　and　shook　off　its　crystal
drops　that　he　might　turn　them　into　diamonds。

'It　was　only　a　shower；'　said　Dr。　Winship；　as　he　seated　himself　on　a
damp　board　and　partook　of　a　moist　breakfast；　'and　with　this　sun　the
tents　will　be　dry　before　night；　Elsie　has　caught　no　cold；　the　dust
will　be　laid；　and　we　can　stay　another　week　with　safety。'

Everybody　was　hilarious　over　this　decision　save　the　men…of…all…work；
who　longed　unspeakably　for　a　less　poetic　existenceHop　Yet
particularly；　who　thought　camping　out　'not　muchee　good。'

Dicky　was　more　pleased　than　anybody；　perhaps；　as　every　day　in　the
canyon　was　one　day　less　in　school；　not　that　he　had　ever　been　to
school；　but　he　knew　in　advance；　instinctively；　that　it　wouldn't　suit
him。　　Accordingly；　he　sought　the　wettest　possible　places　and　played
all　day　with　superhuman　energy。　　He　finally　found　Hop　Yet's　box　of
blueing　under　a　tree；　in　a　very　moist　and　attractive　state　of
fluidity；　and　just　before　dinner　improved　the　last　shining　hour　by
painting　himself　a　brilliant　hue　and　appearing　at　dinner　in　such　a
fiendish　guise　that　he　frightened　the　family　into　fits。

Now　Dr。　Winship　was　one　of　the　most　weather…wise　men　in　California；
and　his　predictions　were　always　quite　safe　and　sensible；　but　somehow
or　other　it　did　rain　again　in　two　or　three　days；　and　it　poured　harder
than　ever；　too。　　To　be　sure；　it　cleared　promptly；　but　the　doctor　was
afraid　to　trust　so　fickle　a　person　as　the　Clerk　of　the　Weather　had
become；　and　marching　orders　were　issued。

The　boys　tramped　over　all　their　favourite　bits　of　country；　and　the
girls　visited　all　their　best　beloved　haunts；　every　one　of　them　dear
from　a　thousand　charming　associations。　　They　looked　for　the　last　time
in　Mirror　Pool；　and　saw　the　reflection　of　their　facesrather　grave
faces　just　then；　over　the　leave…taking。

The　water…mirror　might　have　been　glad　to　keep　the　picture　for　ever　on
its　surfaceMargery　with　her　sleek　braids　and　serene　forehead；　with
Polly；　saucy　nose　and　mischievous　eyes；　laughing　at　you　like　a　merry
water…sprite；　Bell；　with　her　brilliant　cheeks　glowing　like　two　roses
just　fallen　in　the　brook；　and　Gold　Elsie；　who；　if　you　had　put　a　frame
of　green　leaves　about　her　delicate　face　and　yellow　locks；　would　have
looked　up　at　you　like　a　water…lily。

They　wafted　a　farewell　to　Pico　Negro；　and　having　got　rid　of　the　boys；
privately　embraced　a　certain　Whispering　Tree　under　whose　singing
branches　they　had　been　wont　to　lie　and　listen　to　all　the　murmuring
that　went　on　in　the　forest。

Then　they　clambered　into　the　great　thorough…brace　wagon；　where　they
all　sat　in　gloomy　silence　for　ten　minutes；　while　Dicky's　tan　terrier
was　found　for　the　fourth　time　that　morning；　and　the　long　train；　with
its　baggage…carts；　its　saddle…horses　and　its　dogged　little　pack…
mules；　moved　down　the　rocky　steeps　that　led　to　civilisation。　　The
gate　that　shut　them　in　from　the　county　road　and　the　outer　world　was
opened　for　the　last　time；　and　shut　with　a　clang；　and　it　was　all　over…
…their　summer　in　a　canyon！





Footnotes：



｛1｝　Foot…notes　by　a　rival　of　the　Countess。

｛1a｝　　Is　that　spelled　right？
｛1b｝　　Fifty　miles　an　hour；　Jack　says。
｛1c｝　　Poetic　licence。
｛1d｝　　Gone　back　to　cold　cream。
｛1e｝　　And　pie。
｛1f｝　　For　sale　at　all　bookstores；　ten　cents　a　copy。

｛2｝　　'Four　little　white　doves　began　to　coo；
　　　To　coo　to　their　mates　so　fair；
And　each　to　the　other　dove　said；　'Your　coo
　　　With　mine　cannot　compare！'







End