a phyllis of the sierras-第9章

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softly…fringed　eyes　remained　the　last　to　slip　from　his　fading

consciousness。



The　moon　rose　higher　and　higher　above　the　sleeping　house　and　softly

breathing　canyon。　　There　was　nothing　to　mar　the　idyllic　repose　of

the　landscape；　only　the　growing　light　of　the　last　two　hours　had

brought　out　in　the　far　eastern　horizon　a　dim　white　peak；　that

gleamed　faintly　among　the　stars；　like　a　bridal　couch　spread　between

the　hills　fringed　with　fading　nuptial　torches。　　No　one　would　have

believed　that　behind　that　impenetrable　shadow　to　the　west；　in　the

heart　of　the　forest；　the　throbbing　saw…mill　of　James　Bradley　was

even　at　that　moment　eating　its　destructive　way　through　the

conserved　growth　of　Nature　and　centuries；　and　that　the　refined

proprietor　of　house　and　greenwood；　with　the　glow　of　his　furnace

fires　on　his　red　shirt；　and　his　alert；　intelligent　eyes；　was　the

genie　of　that　devastation；　and　the　toiling　leader　of　the　shadowy；

toiling　figures　around　him。





CHAPTER　III。





Amid　the　beauty　of　the　most　uncultivated　and　untrodden　wilderness

there　are　certain　localities　where　the　meaner　and　mere　common

processes　of　Nature　take　upon　themselves　a　degrading　likeness　to

the　slovenly；　wasteful；　and　improvident　processes　of　man。　　The

unrecorded　land…slip　disintegrating　a　whole　hillside　will　not　only

lay　bare　the　delicate　framework　of　strata　and　deposit　to　the　vulgar

eye；　but　hurl　into　the　valley　a　debris　so　monstrous　and　unlovely　as

to　shame　even　the　hideous　ruins　left　by　dynamite；　hydraulic；　or

pick　and　shovel；　an　overflown　and　forgotten　woodland　torrent　will

leave　in　some　remote　hollow　a　disturbed　and　ungraceful　chaos　of

inextricable　logs；　branches；　rock；　and　soil　that　will　rival　the

unsavory　details　of　some　wrecked　or　abandoned　settlement。　　Of

lesser　magnitude　and　importance；　there　are　certain　natural　dust…

heaps；　sinks；　and　cesspools；　where　the　elements　have　collected　the

cast…off；　broken；　and　frayed　disjecta　of　wood　and　fieldthe

sweepings　of　the　sylvan　household。　　It　was　remarkable　that　Nature；

so　kindly　considerate　of　mere　human　ruins；　made　no　attempt　to　cover

up　or　disguise　these　monuments　of　her　own　mortality：　no　grass　grew

over　the　unsightly　landslides；　no　moss　or　ivy　clothed　the　stripped

and　bleached　skeletons　of　overthrown　branch　and　tree；　the　dead

leaves　and　withered　husks　rotted　in　their　open　grave　uncrossed　by

vine　and　creeper。　　Even　the　animals；　except　the　lower　organizations；

shunned　those　haunts　of　decay　and　ruin。



It　was　scarcely　a　hundred　yards　from　one　of　those　dreary

receptacles　that　Mr。　Bradley　had　taken　leave　of　Miss　Minty　Sharpe。

The　cabin　occupied　by　her　father；　herself；　and　a　younger　brother

stood；　in　fact；　on　the　very　edge　of　the　little　hollow；　which　was

partly　filled　with　decayed　wood；　leaves；　and　displacements　of　the

crumbling　bank；　with　the　coal　dust　and　ashes　which　Mr。　Sharpe　had

added　from　his　forge；　that　stood　a　few　paces　distant　at　the　corner

of　a　cross…road。　　The　occupants　of　the　cabin　had　also　contributed

to　the　hollow　the　refuse　of　their　household　in　broken　boxes；

earthenware；　tin　cans；　and　cast…off　clothing；　and　it　is　not

improbable　that　the　site　of　the　cabin　was　chosen　with　reference　to

this　convenient　disposal　of　useless　and　encumbering　impedimenta。

It　was　true　that　the　locality　offered　little　choice　in　the　way　of

beauty。　　An　outcrop　of　brown　granitea　portent　of　higher

altitudesextended　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　nearest　fringe　of

dwarf　laurel　and　〃brush〃　in　one　direction；　in　the　other　an　advanced

file　of　Bradley's　woods　had　suffered　from　some　long…forgotten　fire；

and　still　raised　its　blackened　masts　and　broken　stumps　over　the

scorched　and　arid　soil；　swept　of　older　underbrush　and　verdure。　　On

the　other　side　of　the　road　a　dark　ravine；　tangled　with　briers　and

haunted　at　night　by　owls　and　wild　cats；　struggled　wearily　on；　until

blundering　at　last　upon　the　edge　of　the　Great　Canyon；　it　slipped

and　lost　itself　forever　in　a　single　furrow　of　those　mighty　flanks。

When　Bradley　had　once　asked　Sharpe　why　he　had　not　built　his　house

in　the　ravine；　the　blacksmith　had　replied：　〃That　until　the　Lord　had

appointed　his　time；　he　reckoned　to　keep　his　head　above　ground　and

the　foundations　thereof。〃　　Howbeit；　the　ravine；　or　the　〃run；〃　as　it

was　locally　known；　was　Minty's　only　Saturday　afternoon　resort　for

recreation　or　berries。　　〃It　was；〃　she　had　explained；　〃pow'ful

soothin'；　and　solitary。〃



She　entered　the　housea　rude；　square　building　of　unpainted　boards

containing　a　sitting…room；　a　kitchen；　and　two　bedrooms。　　A　glance

at　these　rooms；　which　were　plainly　furnished；　and　whose　canvas…

colored　walls　were　adorned　with　gorgeous　agricultural　implement

circulars；　patent　medicine　calendars；　with　polytinted　chromos　and

cheaply…illuminated　Scriptural　texts；　showed　her　that　a　certain

neatness　and　order　had　been　preserved　during　her　absence；　and；

finding　the　house　empty；　she　crossed　the　barren　and　blackened

intervening　space　between　the　back　door　and　her　father's　forge；　and

entered　the　open　shed。　　The　light　was　fading　from　the　sky；　but　the

glow　of　the　forge　lit　up　the　dusty　road　before　it；　and　accented　the

blackness　of　the　rocky　ledge　beyond。　　A　small　curly…headed　boy；

bearing　a　singular　likeness　to　a　smudged　and　blackened　crayon

drawing　of　Minty；　was　mechanically　blowing　the　bellows　and　obviously

intent　upon　something　else；　while　her　fathera　powerfully　built

man；　with　a　quaintly　dissatisfied　expression　of　countenancewas

with　equal　want　of　interest　mechanically　hammering　at　a　horseshoe。

Without　noticing　Minty's　advent；　he　lazily　broke　into　a　querulous

drawling　chant　of　some　vague　religious　character：





　　　　　〃O　tur…ren；　sinner；　tur…ren。

　　　　　　For　the　Lord　bids　you　turnah！

　　　　　　O　tur…ren；　sinner；　tur…ren。

　　　　　　Why　will　you　die？〃





The　musical　accent　adapted　itself　to　the　monotonous　fall　of　the

sledge…hammer；　and　at　every　repetition　of　the　word　〃turn〃　he　suited

the　action　to　the　word　by　turning　the　horseshoe　with　the　iron　in

his　left　hand。　　A　slight　grunt　at　the　end　of　every　stroke；　and　the

simultaneous　repetition　of　〃turn〃　seemed　to　offer　him　amusement　and

relief。　　Minty；　without　speaking；　crossed　the　shop；　and　administered

a　sound　box　on　her　brother's　ear。　　〃Take　that；　and　let　me　ketch　you

agen　layin'　low　when　my　back's　turned；　to　put　on　your　store　pants。〃



〃The　others　had　fetched　away　in　the　laig；〃　said　the　boy；　opposing　a

knee　and　elbow　at　acute　angle　to　further　attack。



〃You　jest　get　and　change　'em；〃　said　Minty。



The　sudden　collapse　of　the　bellows　broke　in　upon　the　soothing

refrain　of　Mr。　Sharpe；　and　caused　him　to　turn　also。



〃It's　Minty；〃　he　said；　replacing　the　horseshoe　on　the　coals；　and

setting　his　powerful　arms　and　the　sledge　on　the　anvil　with　an

exaggerated　expression　of　weariness。



〃Yes；　it's　me；〃　said　Minty；　〃and　Creation　knows　it's　time　I　DID

come；　to　keep　that　boy　from　ruinin'　us　with　his　airs　and　conceits。〃



〃Did　ye　bring　over　any　o'　that　fever　mixter？〃



〃No。　　Bradley　sez　you're　loading　yerself　up　with　so　much　o'　that

bitter　barkkuinine　they　call　it　over　therethat　you'll　lift　the

ruff　off　your　head　next。　　He　allows　ye　ain't　got　no　ague；　it's　jest

wind　and　dyspepsy。　　He　sez　yer's　strong　ez　a　hoss。〃



〃Bradley；〃　said　Sharpe；　laying　aside　his　sledge　with　an　aggrieved

manner　which　was；　however；　as　complacent　as　his　fatigue　and

discontent；　〃ez　one　of　them　nat'ral　born　finikin　skunks　ez　I

despise。　　I　reckon　he　began　to　give　p'ints　to　his　parents　when　he

was　about　knee…high　to　Richelieu　there。　　He's　on　them　confidential

terms　with　hisself　and　the　Almighty　that　he　reckons　he　ken　run　a

saw…mill　and　a　man's　insides　at　the　same　time　with　one　hand　tied

behind　him。　　And　this　finikin　is　up　to　his　conceit：　he　wanted　to

tell　me　that　that　yer　handy　brush　dump　outside　our　shanty　was

unhealthy。　　Give　a　man　with　frills　like　that　his　own　way　and　he'd

be　a　sprinkling　odor　cologne　and　peppermint　all　over　the　country。〃



〃He　set　your　shoul