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第5章

on the frontier-第5章

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orders。  What they are; or how long I must stay; I know not。  But I

know this: the good Father Pedro's eyes were troubled when he gave

me his blessing; and he held me long in his embrace。  Pray Heaven I

have committed no fault。  Still it may be that the reputation of my

gift hath reached the Father Superior; and he would advance me。〃

And Francisco's eyes lit up with youthful pride at the thought。



Not so Juanita。  Her black eyes snapped suddenly with suspicion;

she drew in her breath; and closed her little mouth firmly。  Then

she began a crescendo。



Mother of God! was that all?  Was he a child; to be sent away for

such time or for such purpose as best pleased the fathers?  Was he

to know no more than that?  With such gifts as God had given him;

was he not at least to have some word in disposing of them?  Ah!

SHE would not stand it。



The boy gazed admiringly at the piquant energy of the little figure

before him; and envied her courage。  〃It is the mestizo blood;〃 he

murmured to himself。  Then aloud; 〃Thou shouldst have been a man;

'Nita。〃



〃And thou a woman。〃



〃Or a priest。  Eh; what is that?〃



They had both risen; Juanita defiantly; her black braids flying as

she wheeled and suddenly faced the thicket; Francisco clinging to

her with trembling hands and whitened lips。  A stone; loosened from

the hillside; had rolled to their feet; there was a crackling in

the alders on the slope above them。



〃Is it a bear; or a brigand?〃 whispered Francisco; hurriedly;

sounding the uttermost depths of his terror in the two words。



〃It is an eavesdropper;〃 said Juanita; impetuously; 〃and who and

why; I intend to know;〃 and she started towards the thicket。



〃Do not leave me; good Juanita;〃 said the young acolyte; grasping

the girl's skirt。



〃Nay; run to the hacienda quickly; and leave me to search the

thicket。  Run!〃



The boy did not wait for a second injunction; but scuttled away;

his long coat catching in the brambles; while Juanita darted like a

kitten into the bushes。  Her search was fruitless; however; and she

was returning impatiently when her quick eye fell upon a letter

lying amidst the dried grass where she and Francisco had been

seated the moment before。  It had evidently fallen from his breast

when he had risen suddenly; and been overlooked in his alarm。  It

was Father Pedro's letter to the Father Superior of San Jose。



In an instant she had pounced upon it as viciously as if it had

been the interloper she was seeking。  She knew that she held in her

fingers the secret of Francisco's sudden banishment。  She felt

instinctively that this yellowish envelope; with its red string and

its blotch of red seal; was his sentence and her own。  The little

mestiza had not been brought up to respect the integrity of either

locks or seals; both being unknown in the patriarchal life of the

hacienda。  Yet with a certain feminine instinct she looked

furtively around her; and even managed to dislodge the clumsy wax

without marring the pretty effigy of the crossed keys impressed

upon it。  Then she opened the letter and read。



Suddenly she stopped and put back her hair from her brown temples。

Then a succession of burning blushes followed each other in waves

from her neck up; and died in drops of moisture in her eyes。  This

continued until she was fairly crying; dropping the letter from her

hands and rocking to and fro。  In the midst of this she quickly

stopped again; the clouds broke; a sunshine of laughter started

from her eyes; she laughed shyly; she laughed loudly; she laughed

hysterically。  Then she stopped again as suddenly; knitted her

brows; swooped down once more upon the letter; and turned to fly。

But at the same moment the letter was quietly but firmly taken from

her hand; and Mr。 Jack Cranch stood beside her。



Juanita was crimson; but unconquered。  She mechanically held out

her hand for the letter; the American took her little fingers;

kissed them; and said:



〃How are you again?〃



〃The letter;〃 replied Juanita; with a strong disposition to stamp

her foot。



〃But;〃 said Cranch; with business directness; 〃you've read enough

to know it isn't for you。〃



〃Nor for you either;〃 responded Juanita。



〃True。  It is for the Reverend Father Superior of San Jose Mission。

I'll give it to him。〃



Juanita was becoming alarmed; first at this prospect; second at the

power the stranger seemed to be gaining over her。  She recalled

Francisco's description of him with something like superstitious

awe。



〃But it concerns Francisco。  It contains a secret he should know。〃



〃Then you can tell him it。  Perhaps it would come easier from you。〃



Juanita blushed again。  〃Why?〃 she asked; half dreading his reply。



〃Because;〃 said the American; quietly; 〃you are old playmates; you

are attached to each other。〃



Juanita bit her lips。  〃Why don't you read it yourself?〃 she asked

bluntly。



〃Because I don't read other people's letters; and if it concerns me

you'll tell me。〃



〃What if I don't?〃



〃Then the Father Superior will。〃



〃I believe you know Francisco's secret already;〃 said the girl;

boldly。



〃Perhaps。〃



〃Then; Mother of God! Senor Crancho; what do you want?〃



〃I do not want to separate two such good friends as you and

Francisco。〃



〃Perhaps you'd like to claim us both;〃 said the girl; with a sneer

that was not devoid of coquetry。



〃I should be delighted。〃



〃Then here is your occasion; Senor; for here comes my adopted

father; Don Juan; and your friend; Senor Brrown; the American

alcalde。〃



Two men appeared in the garden path below them。  The stiff; glazed;

broad…brimmed black hat; surmounting a dark face of Quixotic

gravity and romantic rectitude; indicated Don Juan Briones。  His

companion; lazy; specious; and red…faced; was Senor Brown; the

American alcalde。



〃Well; I reckon we kin about call the thing fixed;〃 said Senor

Brown; with a large wave of the hand; suggesting a sweeping away of

all trivial details。  〃Ez I was saying to the Don yer; when two

high…toned gents like you and him come together in a delicate

matter of this kind; it ain't no hoss trade nor sharp practice。

The Don is that lofty in principle that he's willin' to sacrifice

his affections for the good of the gal; and you; on your hand;

kalkilate to see all he's done for her; and go your whole pile

better。  You'll make the legal formalities good。  I reckon that old

Injin woman who can swear to the finding of the baby on the shore

will set things all right yet。  For the matter o' that; if you want

anything in the way of a certificate; I'm on hand always。〃



〃Juanita and myself are at your disposition; caballeros;〃 said Don

Juan; with a grave exaltation。  〃Never let it be said that the

Mexican nation was outdone by the great Americanos in deeds of

courtesy and affection。  Let it rather stand that Juanita was a

sacred trust put into my hands years ago by the goddess of American

liberty; and nurtured in the Mexican eagle's nest。  Is it not so;

my soul?〃 he added; more humanly; to the girl; when he had quite

recovered from the intoxication of his own speech。  〃We love thee;

little one; but we keep our honor。〃



〃There's nothing mean about the old man;〃 said Brown; admiringly;

with a slight dropping of his left eyelid; 〃his head is level; and

he goes with his party。〃



〃Thou takest my daughter; Senor Cranch;〃 continued the old man;

carried away by his emotion; 〃but the American nation gives me a

son。〃



〃You know not what you say; father;〃 said the young girl; angrily;

exasperated by a slight twinkle in the American's eye。



〃Not so;〃 said Cranch。  〃Perhaps one of the American nation may

take him at his word。〃



〃Then; caballeros; you will; for the moment at least; possess

yourselves of the house and its poor hospitality;〃 said Don Juan;

with time…honored courtesy; producing the rustic key of the ga

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