a phyllis of the sierras-第12章

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nothin'？〃



〃Not　now；　dear。〃　　She　paused　a　moment；　and　then　said　deliberately：

〃But　you　wouldn't　mind　turnin'　out　after　sun…up　and　runnin'　an

errand　for　me　over　to　The　Lookout？〃



Richelieu's　eyes　sparkled　so　suddenly　that　even　in　her　absorption

Minty　noticed　the　change。　　〃But　ye're　not　goin'　to　tarry　over

there；　ner　gossipyou　hear？　　Yer　to　take　this　yer　message。　　Yer　to

say　'that　it　will　be　onpossible　for　me　to　come　back　there；　on

accounton　account　of'〃



〃Important　business；〃　suggested　Richelieu；　〃that's　the　perlite

style。〃



〃Ef　you　like。〃　　She　leaned　over　the　bed　and　put　her　lips　to　his

forehead；　still　damp　with　the　dews　of　sleep；　and　then　to　his　long…

lashed　lids。　　〃Mind　Nip！〃the　squirrelhe　practically　suggested。

For　an　instant　their　blond　curls　mingled　on　the　pillow。　　〃Now　go　to

sleep；〃　she　said　curtly。



But　Richelieu　had　taken　her　white　neck　in　the　short　strangulatory

hug　of　the　small　boy；　and　held　her　fast。　　〃Ye'll　let　me　put　on　my

best　pants？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　wear　that　ring？〃



〃Yes〃a　little　sadly。



〃Then　yer　kin　count　me　in；　Minty；　and　see　here〃his　voice　sank　to

a　confidential　whisper〃mebbee　some　day　ye'll　be　beholden　to　ME

for　a　lot　o'　real　jewelry。〃



She　returned　slowly　to　her　room；　and；　opening　the　window；　looked

out　upon　the　night。　　The　same　moon　that　had　lent　such　supererogatory

grace　to　the　natural　beauty　of　The　Lookout；　here　seemed　to　have

failed；　as　Minty　had；　in　disguising　the　relentless　limitations　of

Nature　or　the　cruel　bonds　of　custom。　　The　black　plain　of　granite；

under　its　rays；　appeared　only　to　extend　its　poverty　to　some　remoter

barrier；　the　blackened　stumps　of　the　burnt　forest　stood　bleaker

against　the　sky；　like　broken　and　twisted　pillars　of　iron。　　The

cavity　of　the　broken　ledge　where　Richelieu　had　prospected　was　a

hideous　chasm　of　bluish　blackness；　over　which　a　purple　vapor　seemed

to　hover；　the　〃brush　dump〃　beside　the　house　showed　a　cavern　of

writhing　and　distorted　objects　stiffened　into　dark　rigidity。　　She

had　often　looked　upon　the　prospect：　it　had　never　seemed　so　hard　and

changeless；　yet　she　accepted　it；　as　she　had　accepted　it　before。



She　turned　away；　undressed　herself　mechanically；　and　went　to　bed。

She　had　an　idea　that　she　had　been　very　foolish；　that　her　escape

from　being　still　more　foolish　was　something　miraculous；　and　in　some

measure　connected　with　Providence；　her　father；　her　little　brother；

and　her　dead　mother；　whose　dress　she　had　recklessly　spoiled。　　But

that　she　had　even　so　slightly　touched　the　bitterness　and　glory　of

renunciationas　written　of　heroines　and　fine　ladies　by　novelists

and　poetsnever　entered　the　foolish　head　of　Minty　Sharpe；　the

blacksmith's　daughter。





CHAPTER　IV。





It　was　a　little　after　daybreak　next　morning　that　Mainwaring　awoke

from　the　first　unrefreshing　night　he　had　passed　at　The　Lookout。　　He

was　so　feverish　and　restless　that　he　dressed　himself　at　sunrise；　and

cautiously　stepped　out　upon　the　still　silent　veranda。　　The　chairs

which　he　and　Louise　Macy　had　occupied　were　still；　it　seemed　to　him；

conspicuously　confidential　with　each　other；　and　he　separated　them；

but　as　he　looked　down　into　the　Great　Canyon　at　his　feet　he　was

conscious　of　some　undefinable　change　in　the　prospect。　　A　slight　mist

was　rising　from　the　valley；　as　if　it　were　the　last　of　last　night's

illusions；　the　first　level　sunbeams　were　obtrusively　searching；　and

the　keen　morning　air　had　a　dryly　practical　insistence　which

irritated　him；　until　a　light　footstep　on　the　farther　end　of　the

veranda　caused　him　to　turn　sharply。



It　was　the　singular　apparition　of　a　small　boy；　bearing　a　surprising

resemblance　to　Minty　Sharpe；　and　dressed　in　an　unique　fashion。　　On

a　tumbled　sea　of　blond　curls　a　〃chip〃　sailor　hat；　with　a　broad　red

ribbon；　rode　jauntily。　　But　here　the　nautical　suggestion　changed；

as　had　the　desire　of　becoming　a　pirate　which　induced　it。　　A　red

shirt；　with　a　white　collar；　and　a　yellow　plaid　ribbon　tie；　that

also　recalled　Minty　Sharpe；　lightly　turned　the　suggestion　of　his

costume　to　mining。　　Short　black　velvet　trousers；　coming　to　his

knee；　and　ostentatiously　new　short…legged　boots；　with　visible

straps　like　curling　ears；　completed　the　entirely　original　character

of　his　lower　limbs。



Mainwaring；　always　easily　gentle　and　familiar　with　children　and　his

inferiors；　looked　at　him　with　an　encouraging　smile。　　Richelieufor

it　was　headvanced　gravely　and　held　out　his　hand；　with　the　cameo

ring　apparent。　　Mainwaring；　with　equal　gravity；　shook　it　warmly；

and　removed　his　hat。　　Richelieu；　keenly　observant；　did　the　same。



〃Is　Jim　Bradley　out　yet？〃　asked　Richelieu；　carelessly。



〃No；　I　think　not。　　But　I'm　Frank　Mainwaring。　　Will　I　do？〃



Richelieu　smiled。　　The　dimples；　the　white　teeth；　the　dark；　laughing

eyes；　were　surely　Minty's？



〃I'm　Richelieu；〃　he　rejoined　with　equal　candor。



〃Richelieu？〃



〃Yes。　　That　Frenchmanthe　Lord　Cardinalyou　know。　　Mar　saw

Forrest　do　him　out　in　St。　Louis。〃



〃Do　him？〃



〃Yes；　in　the　theayter。〃



With　a　confused　misconception　of　his　meaning；　Mainwaring　tried　to

recall　the　historical　dress　of　the　great　Cardinal　and　fit　it　to　the

masqueraderif　such　he　werebefore　him。　　But　Richelieu　relieved

him　by　adding；



〃Richelieu　Sharpe。〃



〃Oh；　that's　your　NAME！〃　said　Mainwaring；　cheerfully。　　〃Then　you're

Miss　Minty's　brother。　　I　know　her。　　How　jolly　lucky！〃



They　both　shook　hands　again。　　Richelieu；　eager　to　get　rid　of　the

burden　of　his　sister's　message；　which　he　felt　was　in　the　way　of

free…and…easy　intercourse　with　this　charming　stranger；　looked

uneasily　towards　the　house。



〃I　say；〃　said　Mainwaring；　〃if　you're　in　a　hurry；　you'd　better　go　in

there　and　knock。　　I　hear　some　one　stirring　in　the　kitchen。〃



Richelieu　nodded；　but　first　went　back　to　the　steps　of　the　veranda；

picked　up　a　small　blue　knotted　handkerchief；　apparently　containing

some　heavy　objects；　and　repassed　Mainwaring。



〃What！　have　you　cut　it；　Richelieu；　with　your　valuables？　　What　have

you　got　there？〃



〃Specimins；〃　said　Richelieu；　shortly；　and　vanished。



He　returned　presently。　　〃Well；　Cardinal；　did　you　see　anybody？〃

asked　Mainwaring。



〃Mrs。　Bradley；　but　Jim's　over　to　the　mill。　　I'm　goin'　there。〃



〃Did　you　see　Miss　Macy？〃　continued　Mainwaring；　carelessly。



〃Loo？〃



〃Loo！well；　yes。〃



〃No。　　She's　philanderin'　with　Captain　Greyson。〃



〃Philandering　with　Greyson？〃　echoed　Mainwaring；　in　wonder。



〃Yes；　on　horseback　on　the　ridge。〃



〃You　mean　she's　riding　out　with　Mr。with　Captain　Greyson？〃



〃Yes；　ridin'　AND　philanderin'；〃　persisted　Richelieu。



〃And　what　do　you　call　philandering？〃



〃Well；　I　reckon　you　and　she　oughter　know；〃　returned　Richelieu；　with

a　precocious　air。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Mainwaring；　with　a　faint　smile。　　Richelieu　really

was　like　Minty。



There　was　a　long　silence。　　This　young　Englishman　was　becoming

exceedingly　uninteresting。　　Richelieu　felt　that　he　was　gaining

neither　profit　nor　amusement；　and　losing　time。　　〃I'm　going；〃　he

said。



〃Good　morning；〃　said　Mainwaring；　without　looking　up。



Richelieu　picked　up　his　specimens；　thoroughly　convinced　of　the

stranger's　glittering　deceitfulness；　and　vanished。



It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　Mrs。　Bradley　came　from　the　house。

She　apologized；　with　a　slightly　distrait　smile；　for　the　tardiness

of　the　household。　　〃Mr。　Bradley　stayed　at　the　mill　all　night；　and

will　not　be　here　until　breakfast；　when　he　brings　your　friend　Mr。

Richardson　with　him〃Mainwaring　scarcely　repressed　a　movement　of

impatience〃who　arrives　early。　　It's　unfortunate　that　Miss　Sharpe

can't　come　to…day。〃



In　his　abstraction　Mainwaring　did　not　notice　that　Mrs。　Bradley

slightly　accented　Minty's　formal　appellation；　and　said　carelessly；



〃Oh；　that's　why　her　brother　came　over　here　so　early！〃



〃Did　YOU　see　him？〃　asked　Mrs。　Bradley；　almost　abruptly。



〃Yes。　　He　is　an　amusing　little　beggar；　but　I　think　he　shares　his

sist