a phyllis of the sierras-第3章

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

knapsack　as　if　with　a　sudden　sense　of　its　incongruity　with　its

surroundings；　and　depositing　it　on　the　end　of　the　veranda。



〃Do　let　it　remain　where　it　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　greatly　amused；

〃and　pray　sit　still　and　take　some　refreshment。　　You'll　make

yourself　ill　after　your　exertions；〃　she　added；　with　a　charming

assumption　of　matronly　solicitude。



〃But　I'm　not　at　all　deserving　of　your　sympathy；〃　said　Mainwaring；

with　a　laugh。　　〃I'm　awfully　fond　of　walking；　and　my　usual

constitutional　isn't　much　under　this。〃



〃Perhaps　you　were　stronger　than　you　are　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；

gazing　at　him　with　a　frank　curiosity　that；　however；　brought　a　faint

deepening　of　color　to　his　cheek。



〃I　dare　say　you're　right；〃　he　said　suddenly；　with　an　apologetic

smile。　　〃I　quite　forgot　that　I'm　a　sort　of　an　invalid；　you　know；

travelling　for　my　health。　　I'm　not　very　strong　here；〃　he　added；

lightly　tapping　his　chest；　that　now；　relieved　of　the　bands　of　his

knapsack；　appeared　somewhat　thin　and　hollow　in　spite　of　his　broad

shoulders。　　His　voice；　too；　had　become　less　clear　and　distinct。



Mrs。　Bradley；　who　was　still　watching　him；　here　rose　potentially。

〃You　ought　to　take　more　care　of　yourself；〃　she　said。　　〃You　should

begin　by　eating　this　biscuit；　drinking　that　glass　of　whiskey；　and

making　yourself　more　comfortable　in　Jim's　room　until　we　can　get　the

spare　room　fixed　a　little。〃



〃But　I　am　not　to　be　sent　to　bedam　I？〃　asked　Mainwaring；　in　half…

real；　half…amused　consternation。



〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　with　playful　precision。

〃But　for　the　present　we'll　let　you　off　with　a　good　wash　and　a　nap

afterwards　in　that　rocking…chair；　while　my　cousin　and　I　make　some

little　domestic　preparations。　　You　see；〃　she　added　with　a　certain

proud　humility；　〃we've　got　only　one　servanta　Chinaman；　and　there

are　many　things　we　can't　leave　to　him。〃



The　color　again　rose　in　Mainwaring's　cheek；　but　he　had　tact　enough

to　reflect　that　any　protest　or　hesitation　on　his　part　at　that

moment　would　only　increase　the　difficulties　of　his　gentle

entertainers。　　He　allowed　himself　to　be　ushered　into　the　house　by

Mrs。　Bradley；　and　shown　to　her　husband's　room；　without　perceiving

that　Miss　Macy　had　availed　herself　of　his　absence　to　run　to　the　end

of　the　veranda；　mischievously　try　to　lift　the　discarded　knapsack　to

her　own　pretty　shoulder；　but；　failing；　heroically　stagger　with　it

into　the　passage　and　softly　deposit　it　at　his　door。　　This　done；　she

pantingly　rejoined　her　cousin　in　the　kitchen。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　emphatically。　　〃DID　you　ever？　　Walking

fifteen　miles　for　pleasureand　with　such　lungs！〃



〃And　that　knapsack！〃　added　Louise　Macy；　pointing　to　the　mark　in　her

little　palm　where　the　strap　had　imbedded　itself　in　the　soft　flesh。



〃He's　nice；　though；　isn't　he？〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　tentatively。



〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Macy；　〃he　isn't；　certainly；　one　of　those

provincial　fine　gentlemen　you　object　to。　　But　DID　you　see　his

shoes？　　I　suppose　they　make　the　miles　go　quickly；　or　seem　to

measure　less　by　comparison。〃



〃They're　probably　more　serviceable　than　those　high…heeled　things

that　Captain　Greyson　hops　about　in。〃



〃But　the　Captain　always　ridesand　rides　very　wellyou　know；〃　said

Louise；　reflectively。　　There　was　a　moment's　pause。



〃I　suppose　Jim　will　tell　us　all　about　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；

dismissing　the　subject；　as　she　turned　her　sleeves　back　over　her

white　arms；　preparatory　to　grappling　certain　culinary　difficulties。



〃Jim；〃　observed　Miss　Macy；　shortly；　〃in　my　opinion；　knows　nothing

more　than　his　note　says。　　That's　like　Jim。〃



〃There's　nothing　more　to　know；　really；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　with　a

superior　air。　　〃He's　undoubtedly　the　son　of　some　Englishman　of

fortune；　sent　out　here　for　his　health。〃



〃Hush！〃



Miss　Macy　had　heard　a　step　in　the　passage。　　It　halted　at　last；　half

irresolutely；　before　the　open　door　of　the　kitchen；　and　the　stranger

appeared　with　an　embarrassed　air。



But　in　his　brief　absence　he　seemed　to　have　completely　groomed

himself；　and　stood　there；　the　impersonation　of　close…cropped；

clean；　and　wholesome　English　young　manhood。　　The　two　women

appreciated　it　with　cat…like　fastidiousness。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　really　you're　going　to　let　a　fellow　do

something　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃just　to　keep　him　from　looking　like　a

fool。　　I　really　can　do　no　end　of　things；　you　know；　if　you'll　try

me。　　I've　done　some　camping…out；　and　can　cook　as　well　as　the　next

man。〃



The　two　women　made　a　movement　of　smiling　remonstrance；　half

coquettish；　and　half　superior；　until　Mrs。　Bradley；　becoming

conscious　of　her　bare　arms　and　the　stranger's　wandering　eyes；

colored　faintly；　and　said　with　more　decision：



〃Certainly　not。　　You'd　only　be　in　the　way。　　Besides；　you　need　rest

more　than　we　do。　　Put　yourself　in　the　rocking…chair　in　the　veranda；

and　go　to　sleep　until　Mr。　Bradley　comes。〃



Mainwaring　saw　that　she　was　serious；　and　withdrew；　a　little　ashamed

at　his　familiarity　into　which　his　boyishness　had　betrayed　him。　　But

he　had　scarcely　seated　himself　in　the　rocking…chair　before　Miss

Macy　appeared；　carrying　with　both　hands　a　large　tin　basin　of

unshelled　peas。



〃There；〃　she　said　pantingly；　placing　her　burden　in　his　lap；　〃if　you

really　want　to　help；　there's　something　to　do　that　isn't　very

fatiguing。　　You　may　shell　these　peas。〃



〃SHELL　themI　beg　pardon；　but　how？〃　he　asked；　with　smiling

earnestness。



〃How？　　Why；　I'll　show　youlook。〃



She　frankly　stepped　beside　him；　so　close　that　her　full…skirted

dress　half　encompassed　him　and　the　basin　in　a　delicious　confusion；

and；　leaning　over　his　lap；　with　her　left　hand　picked　up　a　pea…cod；

which；　with　a　single　movement　of　her　charming　little　right　thumb；

she　broke　at　the　end；　and　stripped　the　green　shallow　of　its　tiny

treasures。



He　watched　her　with　smiling　eyes；　her　own；　looking　down　on　him；

were　very　bright　and　luminous。　　〃There；　that's　easy　enough；〃　she

said；　and　turned　away。



〃Butone　moment；　MissMiss？〃



〃Macy；〃　said　louise。



〃Where　am　I　to　put　the　shells？〃



〃Oh！　throw　them　down　therethere's　room　enough。〃



She　was　pointing　to　the　canyon　below。　　The　veranda　actually

projected　over　its　brink；　and　seemed　to　hang　in　mid　air　above　it。

Mainwaring　almost　mechanically　threw　his　arm　out　to　catch　the

incautious　girl；　who　had　stepped　heedlessly　to　its　extreme　edge。



〃How　odd！　　Don't　you　find　it　rather　dangerous　here？〃　he　could　not

help　saying。　　〃I　meanyou　might　have　had　a　railing　that　wouldn't

intercept　the　view　and　yet　be　safe？〃



〃It's　a　fancy　of　Mr。　Bradley's；〃　returned　the　young　girl

carelessly。　　〃It's　all　like　this。　　The　house　was　built　on　a　ledge

against　the　side　of　the　precipice；　and　the　road　suddenly　drops　down

to　it。〃



〃It's　tremendously　pretty；　all　the　same；　you　know；〃　said　the　young

man　thoughtfully；　gazing；　however；　at　the　girl's　rounded　chin　above

him。



〃Yes；〃　she　replied　curtly。　　〃But　this　isn't　working。　　I　must　go

back　to　Jenny。　　You　can　shell　the　peas　until　Mr。　Bradley　comes

home。　　He　won't　be　long。〃



She　turned　away；　and　re…entered　the　house。　　Without　knowing　why；　he

thought　her　withdrawal　abrupt；　and　he　was　again　feeling　his　ready

color　rise　with　the　suspicion　of　either　having　been　betrayed　by

the　young　girl's　innocent　fearlessness　into　some　unpardonable

familiarity；　which　she　had　quietly　resented；　or　of　feeling　an　ease

and　freedom　in　the　company　of　these　two　women　that　were　inconsistent

with　respect；　and　should　be　restrained。



He；　however；　began　to　apply　himself　to　the　task　given　to　him　with

his　usual　conscientiousness　of　duty；　and　presently　acquired　a

certain　manual　dexterity　in　the　operation。　　It　was　〃good　fun〃　to

throw　the　cast…off　husks　into　the　mighty　unfathomable　void　before

him；　and　watch　them　linger　with　suspended　gravity　in　mid　air　for　a

momentapparently　motionlessuntil　they　either　lost　themselves；