tales of trail and town-第28章

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its　lair　in　the　underbrush　behind　the　cabin。　　Everybody　knew　it

along　the　length　and　breadth　of　Hemlock　Ridge；　as　well　as　the　fact

of　its　being　a　legacy　from　the　fair　exile。　　No　rifle　had　ever　yet

been　raised　against　its　lazy　bulk　or　the　stupid；　small…eyed　head

and　ruff　of　circling　hairs　made　more　erect　by　its　well…worn　leather

collar。　　Consoling　himself　with　the　thought　that　the　storm　had

probably　delayed　its　return；　Jack　took　off　his　coat　and　threw　it　on

his　bunk。　　But　from　thinking　of　the　storm　his　thoughts　naturally

returned　again　to　the　impeded　travelers　below　him；　and　he　half

mechanically　stepped　out　in　his　shirt…sleeves　for　a　final　look　at

them。



But　here　something　occurred　that　changed　his　resolution　entirely。

He　had　previously　noticed　only　the　three　foreshortened；　crawling

figures　around　the　now　stationary　wagon　bulk。　　They　were　now

apparently　making　arrangements　to　camp　for　the　night。　　But　another

figure　had　been　added　to　the　group；　and　as　it　stood　perched　upon　a

wagon　seat　laid　on　the　snow　Jack　could　see　that　its　outline　was　not

bifurcated　like　the　others。　　But　even　that　general　suggestion　was

not　needed！　the　little　head；　the　symmetrical　curves　visible　even　at

that　distance；　were　quite　enough　to　indicate　that　it　was　a　woman！

The　easy　smile　faded　from　Jack's　face；　and　was　succeeded　by　a　look

of　concern　and　then　of　resignation。　　He　had　no　choice　now；　he　MUST

go！　　There　was　a　woman　there；　and　that　settled　it。　　Yet　he　had

arrived　at　this　conclusion　from　no　sense　of　gallantry；　nor；　indeed；

of　chivalrous　transport；　but　as　a　matter　of　simple　duty　to　the　sex。

He　was　giving　up　his　sleep；　was　going　down　six　hundred　feet　of

steep　trail　to　offer　his　services　during　the　rest　of　the　night　as

much　as　a　matter　of　course　as　an　Eastern　man　would　have　offered　his

seat　in　an　omnibus　to　a　woman；　and　with　as　little　expectation　of

return　for　his　courtesy。



Having　resumed　his　coat；　with　a　bottle　of　whiskey　thrust　into　its

pocket；　he　put　on　a　pair　of　india…rubber　boots　reaching　to　his

thighs；　and；　catching　the　blanket　from　his　bunk；　started　with　an

axe　and　shovel　on　his　shoulder　on　his　downward　journey。　　When　the

distance　was　half　completed　he　shouted　to　the　travelers　below；　the

cry　was　joyously　answered　by　the　three　men；　he　saw　the　fourth

figure；　now　unmistakably　that　of　a　slender　youthful　woman；　in　a

cloak；　helped　back　into　the　wagon；　as　if　deliverance　was　now　sure

and　immediate。　　But　Jack　on　arriving　speedily　dissipated　that

illusive　hope；　they　could　only　get　through　the　gorge　by　taking　off

the　wheels　of　the　wagon；　placing　the　axle　on　rude　sledge…runners　of

split　saplings；　which；　with　their　assistance；　he　would　fashion　in　a

couple　of　hours　at　his　cabin　and　bring　down　to　the　gorge。　　The　only

other　alternative　would　be　for　them　to　come　to　his　cabin　and　remain

there　while　he　went　for　assistance　to　the　nearest　station；　but　that

would　take　several　hours　and　necessitate　a　double　journey　for　the

sledge　if　he　was　lucky　enough　to　find　one。　　The　party　quickly

acquiesced　in　Jack's　first　suggestion。



〃Very　well；〃　said　Jack；　〃then　there's　no　time　to　be　lost；　unhitch

your　horses　and　we'll　dig　a　hole　in　that　bank　for　them　to　stand　in

out　of　the　snow。〃　　This　was　speedily　done。　　〃Now；〃　continued　Jack；

〃you'll　just　follow　me　up　to　my　cabin；　it's　a　pretty　tough　climb；

but　I'll　want　your　help　to　bring　down　the　runners。〃



Here　the　man　who　seemed　to　be　the　head　of　the　partyof　middle　age

and　a　superior；　professional　typefor　the　first　time　hesitated。

〃I　forgot　to　say　that　there　is　a　lady　with　us；my　daughter；〃　he

began；　glancing　towards　the　wagon。



〃I　reckoned　as　much；〃　interrupted　Jack　simply；　〃and　I　allowed　to

carry　her　up　myself　the　roughest　part　of　the　way。　　She　kin　make

herself　warm　and　comf'ble　in　the　cabin　until　we've　got　the　runners

ready。〃



〃You　hear　what　our　friend　says；　Amy？〃　suggested　the　gentleman；

appealingly；　to　the　closed　leather　curtains　of　the　wagon。



There　was　a　pause。　　The　curtain　was　suddenly　drawn　aside；　and　a

charming　little　head　and　shoulders；　furred　to　the　throat　and　topped

with　a　bewitching　velvet　cap；　were　thrust　out。　　In　the　obscurity

little　could　be　seen　of　the　girl's　features；　but　there　was　a

certain　willfulness　and　impatience　in　her　attitude。　　Being　in　the

shadow；　she　had　the　advantage　of　the　others；　particularly　of　Jack；

as　his　figure　was　fully　revealed　in　the　moonlight　against　the

snowbank。　　Her　eyes　rested　for　a　moment　on　his　high　boots；　his

heavy　mustache；　so　long　as　to　mingle　with　the　unkempt　locks　which

fell　over　his　broad　shoulders；　on　his　huge　red　hands　streaked　with

black　grease　from　the　wagon　wheels；　and　some　blood；　stanched　with

snow；　drawn　from　bruises　in　cutting　out　brambles　in　the　brush；　on

more　awful　than　alla　monstrous；　shiny　〃specimen〃　gold　ring

encircling　one　of　his　fingers；on　the　whiskey　bottle　that

shamelessly　bulged　from　his　side　pocket；　and　thenslowly　dropped

her　dissatisfied　eyelids。



〃Why　can't　I　stay　HERE？〃　she　said　languidly。　　〃It's　quite　nice　and

comfortable。〃



〃Because　we　can't　leave　you　alone；　and　we　must　go　with　this

gentleman　to　help　him。〃



Miss　Amy　let　the　tail　of　her　eye　again　creep　shudderingly　over　this

impossible　Jack。　　〃I　thought　thethe　gentleman　was　going　to　help

US；〃　she　said　dryly。



〃Nonsense；　Amy；　you　don't　understand；〃　said　her　father　impatiently。

〃This　gentleman　is　kind　enough　to　offer　to　make　some　sledge…runners

for　us　at　his　cabin；　and　we　must　help　him。〃



〃But　I　can　stay　here　while　you　go。　　I'm　not　afraid。〃



〃Yes；　but　you're　ALONE　here；　and　something　might　happen。〃



〃Nothing　could　happen；〃　interrupted　Jack；　quickly　and　cheerfully。

He　had　flushed　at　first；　but　he　was　now　considering　that　the

carrying　of　a　lady　as　expensively　attired　and　apparently　as

delicate　and　particular　as　this　one　might　be　somewhat　difficult。

〃There's　nothin'　that　would　hurt　ye　here；〃　he　continued；　addressing

the　velvet　cap　and　furred　throat　in　the　darkness；　〃and　if　there　was

it　couldn't　get　at　ye；　bein'；　so　to　speak；　in　the　same　sort　o'　fix

as　you。　　So　you're　all　right；〃　he　added　positively。



Inconsistently　enough；　the　young　lady　did　not　accept　this　as

gratefully　as　might　have　been　imagined；　but　Jack　did　not　see　the

slight　flash　of　her　eye　as；　ignoring　him；　she　replied　markedly　to

her　father；　〃I'd　much　rather　stop　here；　papa。〃



〃And；〃　continued　Jack；　turning　also　to　her　father；　〃you　can　keep

the　wagon　and　the　whole　gorge　in　sight　from　the　trail　all　the　way

up。　　So　you　can　see　that　everything's　all　right。　　Why；　I　saw　YOU

from　the　first。〃　　He　stopped　awkwardly；　and　added；　〃Come　along；　the

sooner　we're　off　the　quicker　the　job's　over。〃



〃Pray　don't　delay　the　gentleman　andthe　job；〃　said　Miss　Amy

sweetly。



Reassured　by　Jack's　last　suggestion；　her　father　followed　him　with

the　driver　and　the　second　man　of　the　party；　a　youngish　and　somewhat

undistinctive　individual；　but　to　whose　gallant　anxieties　Miss　Amy

responded　effusively。　　Nevertheless；　the　young　lady　had　especially

noted　Jack's　confession　that　he　had　seen　them　when　they　first

entered　the　gorge。　　〃And　I　suppose；〃　she　added　to　herself　mentally；

〃that　he　sat　there　with　his　boozing　companions；　laughing　and

jeering　at　our　struggles。〃



But　when　the　sound　of　her　companions'　voices　died　away；　and　their

figures　were　swallowed　up　in　the　darkness　behind　the　snow；　she

forgot　all　this；　and　much　else　that　was　mundane　and　frivolous；　in

the　impressive　and　majestic　solitude　which　seemed　to　descend　upon

her　from　the　obscurity　above。



At　first　it　was　accompanied　with　a　slight　thrill　of　vague　fear；　but

this　passed　presently　into　that　profound　peace　which　the　mountains

alone　can　give　their　lonely　or　perturbed　children。　　It　seemed　to

her　that　Nature　was　never　the　same；　on　the　great　plains　where　men

and　cities　always　loomed　into　such　ridiculous　proportions；　as　when

the　Great　Mother　raised　herself　to　comfort　them　with　smiling

hillsides；　or　encompassed　them　and　drew　them　closer　in　the　loving

arms　of　her　mountains。　　The　long　white　canada　stretched　before　her

in　a　purity　that　did　not　seem　of　the　earth；　the　vague　bulk　of　the

mountains　rose　on　either　side　of　her　in　a　mystery　that　was　not　of

this　life。　　Yet　it　was　not　oppressive；　neither　was　its　restfulness

and　quiet　suggestive　of　obliviousness　and　slumber；　on　the　contrary；

the　highly　rarefied　air　seemed　to　give　additional　keenness　to　her

senses；　her　hearing　had　become　singularly　acute；　her　eyesight

pierced　the　uttermost　extremity　of　the　gorge；　lit　by　the　full　moon

that　occasionally　shone　through　slowly　drifting　clouds。　　Her　nerves

thrilled　with　a　delicious　sense　of　freedom　and　a　strange　desire　to

run　or　climb。　　It　seemed　to　her；　in　her　exalted　fancy；　that　these

solitudes　should　be　peopled　only　by　a　kingly　race；　and　not　by　such

gross　and　material　churls　as　this　mountaineer　who　helped　them。

And；　I　grieve　to　say；writing　of　an　idealist　that　WAS；　and　a

heroine　that　IS　to　be；she　was　getting　outrageously　hungry。



There　were　a　few　biscuits　in　her　traveling…bag；　and　she　remembered

that　she　had　been　presented　with　a　small　jar　of　California　honey　at

San　Jose。　　This　she　took　out　and　opened　on　the　seat　before　her；　and

spreading　the　honey　on　the　biscuits；　ate　them　with　a　keen　schoolgirl

relish　and　a　pleasant　suggestion　of　a　sylvan　picnic　in　spite　of　the

cold。　　It　was　all　very　strange；　quite　an　experience　for　her　to　speak

of　afterwards。　　People　would　hardly　believe　that　she　had　spent　an

hour　or　two；　all　alone；　in　a　deserted　wagon　in　a　mountain　snow　pass。

It　was　an　adventure　such　as　one　reads　of　in　the　magazines。　　Only

something　was　lacking　which　the　magazines　always　supplied；something

heroic；　something　done　by　somebody。　　If　that　awful…looking

mountaineerthat　man　with　the　long　hair　and　mustache；　and　that

horrible　gold　ring；why　such　a　ring？was　only　different！　　But　he

was　probably　gorging　beefsteak　or　venison　with　her　father　and　Mr。

Waterhouse；men　were　always　such　selfish　creatures！and　had　quite

forgotten　all　about　her。　　It　would　have　been　only　decent　for　them　to

have　brought　her　down　something　hot；　biscuits　and　honey　were

certainly　cloying；　and　somehow　didn't　agree　with　the　temperature。

She　was　really　half　starved！　　And　much　they　cared！　　It　would　just

serve　them　right　if　something　DID　happen　to　her；or　SEEM　to　happen

to　her；if　only　to　frighten　them。　　And　the　pretty　face　that　was

turned　up　in　the　moonlight　wore　a　charming　but　decided　pout。



Good　gracious；　what　was　that？　　The　horses　were　either　struggling　or

fighting　in　their　snow　shelters。　　Then　one　with　a　frightened　neigh

broke　from　its　halter　and　dashed　into　the　road；　only　to　be　plunged

snorting　and　helpless　into　the　drifts。　　Then　the　other　followed。

How　silly！　　Something　had　frightened　them。　　Perhaps　only　a　rabbit

or　a　mole；　horses　were　such　absurdly　nervous　creatures！　　However；

it　is　just　as　well；　somebody　would　see　them　or　hear　them；that

neigh　was　quit