tales of trail and town-第15章

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full…blooded　aborigine　is　utterly　illogical。〃　　He　stopped　suddenly

and　laid　down　his　pen　with　a　heightened　color；　the　bugle　had　blown；

the　guard　was　turning　out　to　receive　the　commandant　and　his

returning　party；　among　whom　was　Friddy。



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Through　the　illusions　of　depression　and　distance　the　〃sink〃　of

Butternut　Creek　seemed　only　an　incrustation　of　blackish　moss　on　the

dull　gray　plain。　　It　was　not　until　one　approached　within　half　a

mile　of　it　that　it　resolved　itself　into　a　copse　of　butternut…trees

sunken　below　the　distant　levels。　　Here　once；　in　geological　story；

the　waters　of　Butternut　Creek；　despairing　of　ever　crossing　the

leagues　of　arid　waste　before　them；　had　suddenly　disappeared　in　the

providential　interposition　of　an　area　of　looser　soil；　and　so　given

up　the　effort　and　the　ghost　forever；　their　grave　being　marked　by

the　butternut　copse；　chance…sown　by　bird　or　beast　in　the　saturated

ground。　　In　Indian　legend　the　〃sink〃　commemorated　the　equally

providential　escape　of　a　great　tribe　who；　surrounded　by　enemies；

appealed　to　the　Great　Spirit　for　protection；　and　was　promptly

conveyed　by　subterraneous　passages　to　the　banks　of　the　Great　River

a　hundred　miles　away。　　Its　outer　edges　were　already　invaded　by　the

dust　of　the　plain；　but　within　them　ran　cool　recesses；　a　few

openings；　and　the　ashes　of　some　long…forgotten　camp…fires。　　To…day

its　sombre　shadows　were　relieved　by　bright　colored　dresses；　the

jackets　of　the　drivers　of　a　large　sutler's　wagon；　whose　white

canvas　head　marked　the　entrance　of　the　copse；　and　all　the

paraphernalia　of　a　picnic。　　It　was　a　party　gotten　up　by　the　foreign

guests　to　the　ladies　of　the　fort；　prepared　and　arranged　by　the

active　Lady　Elfrida；　assisted　by　the　only　gentleman　of　the　party；

Peter　Atherly；　who；　from　his　acquaintance　with　the　locality；　was

allowed　to　accompany　them。　　The　other　gentlemen；　who　with　a　large

party　of　officers　and　soldiers　were　shooting　in　the　vicinity；　were

sufficiently　near　for　protection。　　They　would　rejoin　the　ladies

later。



〃It　does　not　seem　in　the　least　as　if　we　were　miles　away　from　any

town　or　habitation；〃　said　Lady　Runnybroke；　complacently　seating

herself　on　a　stump；　〃and　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　to　see　a　church

tower　through　those　trees。　　It's　very　like　the　hazel　copse　at

Longworth；　you　know。　　Not　at　all　what　I　expected。〃



〃For　the　matter　of　that　neither　are　the　Indians；〃　said　the　Hon。

Evelyn　Rayne。　　〃Did　you　ever　see　such　grotesque　creatures　in　their

cast…off　boots　and　trousers？　　They're　no　better　than　gypsies。　　I

wonder　what　Mr。　Atherly　can　find　in　them。〃



〃And　he　a　rich　man；　too；they　say　he's　got　a　mine　in　California

worth　a　million；to　take　up　a　craze　like　this；〃　added　the　lively

Mrs。　Captain　Joyce；　〃that's　what　gets　me！　　You　know；〃　she　went　on

confidentially；　〃that　cranks　and　reformers　are　always　poorit's

quite　natural；　but　I　don't　see　what　he；　a　rich　man；　expects　to　make

by　his　reforms；　I'm　sure。〃



〃He'll　get　over　it　in　time；〃　said　the　Hon。　Evelyn　Kayne；　〃they　all

do。　　At　least　he　expects　to　get　the　reforms　he　wants　in　a　year；　and

then　he's　coming　over　to　England　again。〃



〃Indeed；　how　very　nice；〃　responded　Lady　Runnybroke　quickly。　　〃Did

he　say　so？〃



〃No。　　But　Friddy　says　he　is。〃



The　two　officers'　wives　glanced　at　each　other。　　Lady　Runnybroke　put

up　her　eyeglass　in　default　of　ostrich　feathers；　and　said

didactically；　〃I'm　sure　Mr。　Atherly　is　very　much　in　earnest；　and

sincerely　devoted　to　his　work。　　And　in　a　man　of　his　wealth　and

position　here　it's　most　estimable。　　My　dear；〃　she　said；　getting　up

and　moving　towards　Mrs。　Lascelles；　〃we　were　just　saying　how　good

and　unselfish　your　brother　was　in　his　work　for　these　poor　people。〃



But　Jenny　Lascelles　must　have　been　in　one　of　those　abstracted　moods

which　so　troubled　her　husband；　for　she　seemed　to　be　staring

straight　before　her　into　the　recesses　of　the　wood。　　In　her　there

was　a　certain　resemblance　to　the　attitude　of　a　listening　animal。



〃I　wish　Mr。　Atherly　was　a　little　more　unselfish　to　US　poor　people；〃

said　the　Hon。　Evelyn　Kayne；　〃for　he　and　Friddy　have　been　nearly　an

hour　looking　for　a　place　to　spread　our　luncheon　baskets。　　I　wish

they'd　leave　the　future　of　the　brown　races　to　look　after　itself　and

look　a　little　more　after　us。　　I'm　famished。〃



〃I　fancy　they　find　it　difficult　to　select　a　clear　space　for　so

large　a　party　as　we　will　be　when　the　gentlemen　come　in；〃　returned

Lady　Runnybroke；　glancing　in　the　direction　of　Jenny's　abstracted

eyes。



〃I　suppose　you　must　feel　like　chicken　and　salad；　too；　Lady

Runnybroke；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Captain　Joyce。



〃I　don't　think　I　quite　know　HOW　chicken　and　salad　feel；　dear；〃　said

Lady　Runnybroke　with　a　puzzled　air；　〃but　if　that's　one　of　your

husband's　delightful　American　stories；　do　tell　us。　　I　never　CAN　get

Runnybroke　to　tell　me　any；　although　he　roars　over　them　all。　　And　I

dare　say　he　gets　them　all　wrong。　　But　look；　here　comes　our　luncheon。〃



Peter　and　Lady　Elfrida　were　advancing　towards　them。　　The　scrutiny

of　a　dozen　pairs　of　eyeswondering；　mischievous；　critical；

impertinent；　or　resentfulwould　have　been　a　trying　ordeal　to　any

errant　couple；　but　there　was　little　if　any　change　in　Peter's　grave

and　gentle　demeanor；　albeit　his　dark　eyes　were　shining　with　a

peculiar　light；　and　Lady　Elfrida　had　only　the　animation；　color；　and

slight　excitability　that　became　the　responsible　leader　of　the

little　party。　　They　neither　apologized　or　alluded　to　their　delay。

They　had　selected　a　spot　on　the　other　side　of　the　copse；　and　the

baskets　could　be　sent　around　by　the　wagon；　they　had　seen　a　slight

haze　on　the　plain　towards　the　east　which　betokened　the　vicinity　of

the　rest　of　the　party；　and　they　were　about　to　propose　that　as　the

gentlemen　were　so　near　they　had　better　postpone　the　picnic　until

they　came　up。　　Lady　Runnybroke　smiled　affably；　the　only　thing　she

had　noticed　was　that　Lady　Elfrida　in　joining　them　had　gone　directly

to　the　side　of　the　abstracted　Jenny；　and　placed　her　arm　around　her

waist。　　At　which　Lady　Runnybroke　airily　joined　them。



The　surmises　of　Peter　and　Friddy　appeared　to　be　correct。　　The

transfer　of　the　provisions　and　the　party　to　the　other　side　was

barely　concluded　before　they　could　see　the　gentlemen　coming；　they

were　riding　a　little　more　rapidly　than　when　they　had　set　out；　and

were　arriving　fully　three　hours　before　their　time。　　They　burst　upon

the　ladies　a　little　boisterously　but　gayly；　they　had　had　a　glorious

time；　but　little　sport；　they　had　hurried　back　to　join　the　ladies　so

as　to　be　able　to　return　with　them　betimes。　　They　were　ravenously

hungry；　they　wanted　to　fall　to　at　once。　　Only　the　officers'　wives

noticed　that　the　two　files　of　troopers　DID　NOT　DISMOUNT；　but　filed

slowly　before　the　entrance　to　the　woods。　　Lady　Elfrida　as　hostess

was　prettily　distressed　by　it；　but　was　told　by　Captain　Joyce　that

it　was　〃against　rules；〃　and　that　she　could　〃feed〃　them　at　the　fort。

The　officers'　wives　put　a　few　questions　in　whispers；　and　were

promptly　frowned　down。　　Nevertheless；　the　luncheon　was　a　successful

festivity：　the　gentlemen　were　loud　in　the　praises　of　their　gracious

hostess；　the　delicacies　she　had　provided　by　express　from　distant

stations；　and　much　that　was　distinctly　English　and　despoiled　from

her　own　stores；　were　gratefully　appreciated　by　the　officers　of　a

remote　frontier　garrison。　　Lady　Elfrida's　health　was　toasted　by　the

gallant　colonel　in　a　speech　that　was　the　soul　of　chivalry。　　Lord

Runnybroke　responded；　perhaps　without　the　American　abandon；　but

with　the　steady　conscientiousness　of　an　hereditary　legislator；　but

the　M。　P。　summed　up　a　slightly　exaggerated　but　well　meaning　episode

by　pointing　out　that　it　was　on　occasions　like　this　that　the　two

nations　showed　their　common　ancestry　by　standing　side　by　side。

Only　one　thing　troubled　the　rosy；　excited；　but　still　clear…headed

Friddy；　the　plates　were　whisked　away　like　magic　after　each

delicacy；　by　the　military　s