a phyllis of the sierras-第13章

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

sister's　preference　for　Mr。　Bradley。　　He　deserted　me　here　in　the

veranda　for　him　at　the　mill。〃



〃Louise　will　keep　you　company　as　soon　as　she　has　changed　her

dress；〃　continued　Mrs。　Bradley。　　〃She　was　out　riding　early　this

morning　with　a　friend。　　She's　very　fond　of　early　morning　rides。〃



〃AND　philandering；〃　repeated　Mainwaring　to　himself。　　It　was　quite

natural　for　Miss　Macy　to　ride　out　in　the　morning；　after　the　fashion

of　the　country；　with　an　escort；　but　why　had　the　cub　insisted　on　the

〃philandering〃？　　He　had　said；　〃AND　philandering；〃　distinctly。　　It

was　a　nasty　thing　for　him　to　say。　　Any　other　fellow　but　he；

Mainwaring；　might　misunderstand　the　whole　thing。　　Perhaps　he　ought

to　warn　herbut　no！　he　could　not　repeat　the　gossip　of　a　child；　and

that　child　the　brother　of　one　of　her　inferiors。　　But　was　Minty　an

inferior？　　Did　she　and　Minty　talk　together　about　this　fellow

Greyson？　　At　all　events；　it　would　only　revive　the　awkwardness　of

the　preceding　day；　and　he　resolved　to　say　nothing。



He　was　rewarded　by　a　half…inquiring；　half…confiding　look　in

Louise's　bright　eyes；　when　she　presently　greeted　him　on　the

veranda。　　〃She　had　quite　forgotten；〃　she　said；　〃to　tell　him　last

night　of　her　morning's　engagement；　indeed；　she　had　half　forgotten

IT。　　It　used　to　be　a　favorite　practice　of　hers；　with　Captain

Greyson；　but　she　had　lately　given　it　up。　　She　believed　she　had　not

ridden　sincesince〃



〃Since　when？〃　asked　Mainwaring。



〃Well；　since　you　were　ill；〃　she　said　frankly。



A　quick　pleasure　shone　in　Mainwaring's　cheek　and　eye；　but　Louise's

pretty　lids　did　not　drop；　nor　her　faint；　quiet　bloom　deepen。

Breakfast　was　already　waiting　when　Mr。　Richardson　arrived　alone。



He　explained　that　Mr。　Bradley　had　some　important　and　unexpected

business　which　had　delayed　him；　but　which；　he　added；　〃Mr。　Bradley

says　may　prove　interesting　enough　to　you　to　excuse　his　absence　this

morning。〃　　Mainwaring　was　not　displeased　that　his　critical　and

observant　host　was　not　present　at　their　meeting。　　Louise　Macy　was；

however；　as　demurely　conscious　of　the　different　bearing　of　the　two

compatriots。　　Richardson's　somewhat　self…important　patronage　of

the　two　ladies；　and　that　Californian　familiarity　he　had　acquired；

changed　to　a　certain　uneasy　deference　towards　Mainwaring；　while　the

younger　Englishman's　slightly　stiff　and　deliberate　cordiality　was；

nevertheless；　mingled　with　a　mysterious　understanding　that　appeared

innate　and　unconscious。　　Louise　was　quick　to　see　that　these　two

men；　more　widely　divergent　in　quality　than　any　two　of　her　own

countrymen；　were　yet　more　subtly　connected　by　some　unknown　sympathy

than　the　most　equal　of　Americans。　　Minty's　prophetic　belief　of　the

effect　of　the　two　women　upon　Richardson　was　certainly　true　as

regarded　Mrs。　Bradley。　　The　bankera　large　material　naturewas

quickly　fascinated　by　the　demure；　puritanic　graces　of　that　lady；

and　was　inclined　to　exhibit　a　somewhat　broad　and　ostentatious

gallantry　that　annoyed　Mainwaring。　　When　they　were　seated　alone

on　the　veranda；　which　the　ladies　had　discreetly　left　to　them；

Richardson　said；



〃Odd　I　didn't　hear　of　Bradley's　wife　before。　　She　seems　a　spicy；

pretty；　comfortable　creature。　　Regularly　thrown　away　with　him　up

here。〃



Mainwaring　replied　coldly　that　she　was　〃an　admirable　helpmeet　of　a

very　admirable　man；〃　not；　however；　without　an　uneasy　recollection

of　her　previous　confidences　respecting　her　husband。　　〃They　have

been　most　thoroughly　good　and　kind　to　me；　my　own　brother　and　sister

could　not　have　done　more。　　And　certainly　not　with　better　taste　or

delicacy；〃　he　added；　markedly。



〃Certainly；　certainly；〃　said　Richardson；　hurriedly。　　〃I　wrote　to

Lady　Mainwaring　that　you　were　taken　capital　care　of　by　some　very

honest　people；　and　that〃



〃Lady　Mainwaring　already　knows　what　I　think　of　them；　and　what　she

owes　to　their　kindness；〃　said　Mainwaring；　dryly。



〃True；　true；〃　said　Richardson；　apologetically。　　〃Of　course　you　must

have　seen　a　good　deal　of　them。　　I　only　know　Bradley　in　a　business

way。　　He's　been　trying　to　get　the　Bank　to　help　him　to　put　up　some

new　mills　here；　but　we　didn't　see　it。　　I　dare　say　he　is　good

companyrather　amusing；　eh？〃



Mainwaring　had　the　gift　of　his　class　of　snubbing　by　the　polite　and

forgiving　oblivion　of　silence。　　Richardson　shifted　uneasily　in　his

chair；　but　continued　with　assumed　carelessness：



〃No；　I　only　knew　of　this　cousin；　Miss　Macy。　　I　heard　of　her　when

she　was　visiting　some　friends　in　Menlo　Park　last　year。　　Rather　an

attractive　girl。　　They　say　Colonel　Johnson；　of　Sacramento；　took

quite　a　fancy　to　herit　would　have　been　a　good　match；　I　dare　say；

for　he　is　very　richbut　the　thing　fell　through　in　some　way。　　Then；

they　say；　SHE　wanted　to　marry　that　Spaniard；　young　Pico；　of　the

Amador　Ranche；　but　his　family　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　　Somehow；　she's

deuced　unlucky。　　I　suppose　she'll　make　a　mess　of　it　with　Captain

Greyson　she　was　out　riding　with　this　morning。〃



〃Didn't　the　Bank　think　Bradley's　mills　a　good　investment？〃　asked

Mainwaring　quietly；　when　Richardson　paused。



〃Not　with　him　in　it；　he　is　not　a　business　man；　you　know。〃



〃I　thought　he　was。　　He　seems　to　me　an　energetic　man；　who　knows　his

work；　and　is　not　afraid　to　look　after　it　himself。〃



〃That's　just　it。　　He　has　got　absurd　ideas　of　co…operating　with　his

workmen；　you　know；　and　doing　everything　slowly　and　on　a　limited

scale。　　The　only　thing　to　be　done　is　to　buy　up　all　the　land　on　this

ridge；　run　off　the　settlers；　freeze　out　all　the　other　mills；　and

put　it　into　a　big　San　Francisco　company　on　shares。　　That's　the　only

way　we　would　look　at　it。〃



〃But　you　don't　consider　the　investment　bad；　even　from　HIS　point　of

view？〃



〃Perhaps　not。〃



〃And　you　only　decline　it　because　it　isn't　big　enough　for　the　Bank？〃



〃Exactly。〃



〃Richardson；〃　said　Mainwaring；　slowly　rising；　putting　his　hands　in

his　trousers　pockets；　and　suddenly　looking　down　upon　the　banker

from　the　easy　level　of　habitual　superiority；　〃I　wish　you'd　attend

to　this　thing　for　me。　　I　desire　to　make　some　return　to　Mr。　Bradley

for　his　kindness。　　I　wish　to　give　him　what　help　he　wantsin　his

own　wayyou　understand。　　I　wish　it；　and　I　believe　my　father　wishes

it；　too。　　If　you'd　like　him　to　write　to　you　to　that　effect〃



〃By　no　means；　it's　not　at　all　necessary；〃　said　Richardson；　dropping

with　equal　suddenness　into　his　old…world　obsequiousness。　　〃I　shall

certainly　do　as　you　wish。　　It　is　not　a　bad　investment；　Mr。

Mainwaring；　and　as　you　suggest；　a　very　proper　return　for　their

kindness。　　And；　being　here；　it　will　come　quite　naturally　for　me　to

take　up　the　affair　again。〃



〃AndI　say；　Richardson。〃



〃Yes；　sir？〃



〃As　these　ladies　are　rather　short…handed　in　their　domestic　service；

you　know；　perhaps　you'd　better　not　stay　to　luncheon　or　dinner；　but

go　on　to　the　Summit　Houseit's　only　a　mile　or　two　fartherand

come　back　here　this　evening。　　I　shan't　want　you　until　then。〃



〃Certainly！〃　stammered　Richardson。　　〃I'll　just　take　leave　of　the

ladies！〃



〃It's　not　at　all　necessary；〃　said　Mainwaring；　quietly；　〃you　would

only　disturb　them　in　their　household　duties。　　I'll　tell　them　what

I've　done　with　you；　if　they　ask。　　You'll　find　your　stick　and　hat　in

the　passage；　and　you　can　leave　the　veranda　by　these　steps。　　By　the

way；　you　had　better　manage　at　the　Summit　to　get　some　one　to　bring

my　traps　from　here　to　be　forwarded　to　Sacramento　to…morrow。　　I'll

want　a　conveyance；　or　a　horse　of　some　kind；　myself；　for　I've　given

up　walking　for　a　while；　but　we　can　settle　about　that　to…night。

Come　early。　　Good　morning？〃



He　accompanied　his　thoroughly　subjugated　countrymanwho；　however；

far　from　attempting　to　reassert　himself；　actually　seemed　easier　and

more　cheerful　in　his　submissionto　the　end　of　the　veranda；　and

watched　him　depart。　　As　he　turned　back；　he　saw　the　pretty　figure　of

Louise　Macy　leaning　against　the　doorway。　　How　graceful