a phyllis of the sierras-第2章

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that　now　began　to　skirt　its　edge。　　This　was　no　easy　matter；　as　the

undergrowth　was　very　thick；　and　the　foliage　dense　to　the　perilous

brink　of　the　precipice。　　He　walked　on；　however；　wondering　why

Bradley　had　chosen　so　circuitous　and　dangerous　a　route　to　his

house；　which　naturally　would　be　some　distance　back　from　the　canyon。

At　the　end　of　ten　minutes'　struggling　through　the　〃brush；〃　the

trail　became　vague；　and；　to　all　appearances；　ended。　　Had　he

arrived？　　The　thicket　was　as　dense　as　before；　through　the

interstices　of　leaf　and　spray　he　could　see　the　blue　void　of　the

canyon　at　his　side；　and　he　even　fancied　that　the　foliage　ahead　of

him　was　more　symmetrical　and　less　irregular；　and　was　touched　here

and　there　with　faint　bits　of　color。　　To　complete　his　utter

mystification；　a　woman's　voice；　very　fresh；　very　youthful；　and　by

no　means　unmusical；　rose　apparently　from　the　circumambient　air。　　He

looked　hurriedly　to　the　right　and　left；　and　even　hopelessly　into

the　trees　above　him。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　voice；　as　if　renewing　a　suspended　conversation；　〃it

was　too　funny　for　anything。　　There　were　the　two　Missouri　girls　from

Skinner's；　with　their　auburn　hair　ringleted；　my　dear；　like　the　old

'Books　of　Beauty'in　white　frocks　and　sashes　of　an　unripe　greenish

yellow；　that　puckered　up　your　mouth　like　persimmons。　　One　of　them

was　speechless　from　good　behavior；　and　the　otherwell！　the　other

was　so　energetic　she　called　out　the　figures　before　the　fiddler　did；

and　shrieked　to　my　vis…a…vis　to　dance　up　to　the　entire　stranger

meaning　ME；　if　you　please。〃



The　voice　appeared　to　come　from　the　foliage　that　overhung　the

canyon；　and　the　stranger　even　fancied　he　could　detect　through　the

shimmering　leafy　veil　something　that　moved　monotonously　to　and　fro。

Mystified　and　impatient；　he　made　a　hurried　stride　forward；　his　foot

struck　a　wooden　step；　and　the　next　moment　the　mystery　was　made

clear。　　He　had　almost　stumbled　upon　the　end　of　a　long　veranda　that

projected　over　the　abyss　before　a　low；　modern　dwelling；　till　then

invisible；　nestling　on　its　very　brink。　　The　symmetrically…trimmed

foliage　he　had　noticed　were　the　luxuriant　Madeira　vines　that　hid

the　rude　pillars　of　the　veranda；　the　moving　object　was　a　rocking…

chair；　with　its　back　towards　the　intruder；　that　disclosed　only　the

brown　hair　above；　and　the　white　skirts　and　small　slippered　feet

below；　of　a　seated　female　figure。　　In　the　mean　time；　a　second　voice

from　the　interior　of　the　house　had　replied　to　the　figure　in　the

chair；　who　was　evidently　the　first　speaker：



〃It　must　have　been　very　funny；　but　as　long　as　Jim　is　always

bringing　somebody　over　from　the　mill；　I　don't　see　how　I　can　go　to

those　places。　　You　were　lucky；　my　dear；　to　escape　from　the　new

Division　Superintendent　last　night；　he　was　insufferable　to　Jim　with

his　talk　of　his　friend　the　San　Francisco　millionaire；　and　to　me

with　his　cheap　society　airs。　　I　do　hate　a　provincial　fine

gentleman。〃



The　situation　was　becoming　embarrassing　to　the　intruder。　　At　the

apparition　of　the　woman；　the　unaffected　and　simple　directness　he

had　previously　shown　in　his　equally　abrupt　contact　with　Bradley　had

fled　utterly；　confused　by　the　awkwardness　of　his　arrival；　and

shocked　at　the　idea　of　overhearing　a　private　conversation；　he

stepped　hurriedly　on　the　veranda。



〃Well？　go　on！〃　said　the　second　voice　impatiently。　　〃Well；　who　else

was　there？　　WHAT　did　you　say？　　I　don't　hear　you。　　What's　the

matter？〃



The　seated　figure　had　risen　from　her　chair；　and　turned　a　young　and

pretty　face　somewhat　superciliously　towards　the　stranger；　as　she

said　in　a　low　tone　to　her　unseen　auditor；　〃Hush！　there　is　somebody

here。〃



The　young　man　came　forward　with　an　awkwardness　that　was　more　boyish

than　rustic。　　His　embarrassment　was　not　lessened　by　the　simultaneous

entrance　from　the　open　door　of　a　second　woman；　apparently　as　young

as　and　prettier　than　the　first。



〃I　trust　you'll　excuse　me　forforbeing　so　wretchedly　stupid；〃　he

stammered；　〃but　I　really　thought；　you　know；　thatthatI　was

following　the　trail　totothe　front　of　the　house；　when　I　stumbled

inin　here。〃



Long　before　he　had　finished；　both　women；　by　some　simple　feminine

intuition；　were　relieved　and　even　prepossessed　by　his　voice　and

manner。　　They　smiled　graciously。　　The　later…comer　pointed　to　the

empty　chair。　　But　with　his　habit　of　pertinacious　conscientiousness

the　stranger　continued；　〃It　was　regularly　stupid；　wasn't　it？and　I

ought　to　have　known　better。　　I　should　have　turned　back　and　gone

away　when　I　found　out　what　an　ass　I　was　likely　to　be；　but　I　was

afraidyou　know；　of　alarming　you　by　the　noise。〃



〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃　said　the　second　lady；　pleasantly。



〃Oh；　thanks！　　I've　a　letter　hereI〃he　transferred　his　stick　and

hat　to　his　left　hand　as　he　felt　in　his　breast…pocket　with　his　right。

But　the　action　was　so　awkward　that　the　stick　dropped　on　the　veranda。

Both　women　made　a　movement　to　restore　it　to　its　embarrassed　owner；

who；　however；　quickly　anticipated　them。　　〃Pray　don't　mind　it；〃　he

continued；　with　accelerated　breath　and　heightened　color。　　〃Ah；

here's　the　letter！〃　　He　produced　the　note　Bradley　had　returned　to

him。　　〃It's　mine；　in　factthat　is；　I　brought　it　to　Mr。　Bradley。　　He

said　I　was　to　give　it　tototoMrs。　Bradley。〃　　He　paused；

glancing　embarrassedly　from　the　one　to　the　other。



〃I'm　Mrs。　Bradley；〃　said　the　prettiest　one；　with　a　laugh。　　He

handed　her　the　letter。　　It　ran　as　follows：



〃DEAR　BRADLEYPut　Mr。　Mainwaring　through　as　far　as　he　wants　to　go；

or　hang　him　up　at　The　Lookout；　just　as　he　likes。　　The　Bank's　behind

him；　and　his　hat's　chalked　all　over　the　Road；　but　he　don't　care

much　about　being　on　velvet。　　That　ain't　his　styleand　you'll　like

him。　　He's　somebody's　son　in　England。　　B。〃



Mrs。　Bradley　glanced　simply　at　the　first　sentence。　　〃Pray　sit　down；

Mr。　Mainwaring；〃　she　said　gently；　〃or；　rather；　let　me　first

introduce　my　cousinMiss　Macy。〃



〃Thanks；〃　said　Mainwaring；　with　a　bow　to　Miss　Macy；　〃but　III

think；〃　he　added　conscientiously；　〃you　did　not　notice　that　your

husband　had　written　something　across　the　paper。〃



Mrs。　Bradley　smiled；　and　glanced　at　her　husband's　indorsement〃All

right。　　Wade　in。〃　　〃It's　nothing　but　Jim's　slang；〃　she　said；　with　a

laugh　and　a　slightly　heightened　color。　　〃He　ought　not　to　have　sent

you　by　that　short　cut；　it's　a　bother；　and　even　dangerous　for　a

stranger。　　If　you　had　come　directly　to　US　by　the　road；　without

making　your　first　call　at　the　mill；〃　she　added；　with　a　touch　of

coquetry；　〃you　would　have　had　a　pleasanter　walk；　and　seen　US

sooner。　　I　suppose；　however；　you　got　off　the　stage　at　the　mill？〃



〃I　was　not　on　the　coach；〃　said　Mainwaring；　unfastening　the　strap　of

his　knapsack。　　〃I　walked　over　from　Lone　Pine　Flat。〃



〃Walked！〃　echoed　both　women　in　simultaneous　astonishment。



〃Yes；〃　returned　Mainwaring　simply；　laying　aside　his　burden　and

taking　the　proffered　seat。　　〃It's　a　very　fine　bit　of　country。〃



〃Why；　it's　fifteen　miles；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　glancing　horror…

stricken　at　her　cousin。　　〃How　dreadful！　　And　to　think　Jim　could

have　sent　you　a　horse　to　Lone　Pine。　　Why；　you　must　be　dead！〃



〃Thanks；　I'm　all　right！　　I　rather　enjoyed　it；　you　know。〃



〃But；〃　said　Miss　Macy；　glancing　wonderingly　at　his　knapsack；　〃you

must　want　something；　a　changeor　some　refreshmentafter　fifteen

miles。〃



〃Pray　don't　disturb　yourself；〃　said　Mainwaring；　rising　hastily；　but

not　quickly　enough　to　prevent　the　young　girl　from　slipping　past　him

into　the　house；　whence　she　rapidly　returned　with　a　decanter　and

glasses。



〃Perhaps　Mr。　Mainwaring　would　prefer　to　go　into　Jim's　room　and　wash

his　hands　and　put　on　a　pair　of　slippers？〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　with

gentle　concern。



〃Thanks；　no。　　I　really　am　not　tired。　　I　sent　some　luggage　yesterday

by　the　coach　to　the　Summit　Hotel；〃　he　said；　observing　the　women's

eyes　still　fixed　upon　his　knapsack。　　〃I　dare　say　I　can　get　them　if

I　want　them。　　I've　got　a　change　here；〃　he　continued；　lifting　the

knaps