tales of trail and town-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



THERE；　and　so　I　came　here　to　let　myself　out！　　I　suppose　when　I　get

marriedand　I　ought　to；　with　my　moneyit　may　change　me！　　You

don't　suppose；〃　she　said；　with　a　return　of　her　wild…animal…like

timidity；　〃it　is　anything　that　was　in　FATHER；　in　those　ATHERLYS；

do　you？〃



But　Peter　had　no　idea　of　anything　but　virtue　in　the　Atherly　blood；

he　had　heard　that　the　upper　class　of　Europeans　were　fond　of　field

sports　and　of　hunting；　it　was　odd　that　his　sister　should　inherit

this　propensity　and　not　he。　　He　regarded　her　more　kindly　for　this

evidence　of　race。　　〃You　think　of　getting　married？〃　he　said　more

gently；　yet　with　a　certain　brotherly　doubt　that　any　man　could　like

her　enough；　even　with　her　money。　　〃Is　there　any　one　here　would

suit　you？〃　he　added　diplomatically。



〃NoI　hate　them　all！〃　she　burst　out。　　〃There　isn't　one　I　don't

despise　for　his　sickening；　foppish；　womanish　airs。〃



Nevertheless；　it　was　quite　evident　that　some　of　the　men　were

attracted　by　her　singular　originality　and　a　certain　good

comradeship　in　her　ways。　　And　it　was　on　one　of　their　riding

excursions　that　Peter　noticed　that　she　was　singled　out　by　a　good…

looking；　blond…haired　young　lawyer　of　the　town　for　his　especial

attentions。　　As　the　cavalcade　straggled　in　climbing　the　mountain；

the　young　fellow　rode　close　to　her　saddle…bow；　and　as　the　distance

lengthened　between　the　other　stragglers；　they　at　last　were　quite

alone。　　When　the　trail　became　more　densely　wooded；　Peter　quite　lost

sight　of　them。　　But　when；　a　few　moments　later；　having　lost　the

trail　himself；　they　again　appeared　in　the　distance　before　him；　he

was　so　amazed　that　he　unconsciously　halted。　　For　the　two　horses

were　walking　side　by　side；　and　the　stranger's　arm　was　round　his

sister's　waist。



Had　Peter　any　sense　of　humor　he　might　have　smiled　at　this　weakness

in　his　Amazonian　sister；　but　he　saw　only　the　serious；　practical

side　of　the　situation；　with；　of　course；　its　inevitable　relation　to

his　one　controlling　idea。　　The　young　man　was　in　good　practice；　and

would　have　made　an　eligible　husband　to　any　one　else。　　But　was　he

fit　to　mate　with　an　Atherly？　　What　would　those　as　yet　unknown　and

powerful　relatives　say　to　it？　　At　the　same　time　he　could　not　help

knowing　that　〃Jinny；〃　in　the　eccentricities　of　her　virgin

spinsterhood；　might　be　equally　objectionable　to　them；　as　she

certainly　was　a　severe　trial　to　him　here。　　If　she　were　off　his

hands　he　might　be　able　to　prosecute　his　search　for　his　relatives

with　more　freedom。　　After　all；　there　were　mesalliances　in　all

families；　and　being　a　woman　she　was　not　in　the　direct　line。

Instead；　therefore；　of　spurring　forward　to　join　them；　he　lingered　a

little　until　they　passed　out　of　sight；　and　until　he　was　joined　by　a

companion　from　behind。　　Him；　too；　he　purposely　delayed。　　They　were

walking　slowly；　breathing　their　mustangs；　when　his　companion

suddenly　uttered　a　cry　of　alarm；　and　sprang　from　his　horse。　　For　on

the　trail　before　them　lay　the　young　lawyer　quite　unconscious；　with

his　riderless　steed　nipping　the　young　leaves　of　the　underbrush。　　He

was　evidently　stunned　by　a　fall；　although　across　his　face　was　a

livid　welt　which　might　have　been　caused　by　collision　with　the　small

elastic　limb　of　a　sapling；　or　a　blow　from　a　riding…whip；　happily

the　last　idea　was　only　in　Peter's　mind。　　As　they　lifted　him　up　he

came　slowly　to　consciousness。　　He　was　bewildered　and　dazed　at

first；　but　as　he　began　to　speak　the　color　came　back　freshly　to　his

face。　　He　could　not　conceive；　he　stammered；　what　had　happened。　　He

was　riding　with　Miss　Atherly；　and　he　supposed　his　horse　had　slipped

upon　some　withered　pine　needles　and　thrown　him！　　A　spasm　of　pain

crossed　his　face　suddenly；　and　he　lifted　his　hand　to　the　top　of　his

head。　　Was　he　hurt　THERE？　　No；　but　perhaps　his　hair；　which　was

flowing　and　curly；　had　caught　in　the　brancheslike　Absalom's！　　He

tried　to　smile；　and　even　begged　them　to　assist　him　to　his　horse

that　he　might　follow　his　fair　companion；　who　would　be　wondering

where　he　was；　but　Peter；　satisfied　that　he　had　received　no　serious

injury；　hurriedly　enjoined　him　to　stay；　while　he　himself　would

follow　his　sister。　　Putting　spurs　to　his　horse；　he　succeeded；　in

spite　of　the　slippery　trail；　in　overtaking　her　near　the　summit。　　At

the　sound　of　his　horse's　hoofs　she　wheeled　quickly；　came　dashing

furiously　towards　him；　and　only　pulled　up　at　the　sound　of　his

voice。　　But　she　had　not　time　to　change　her　first　attitude　and

expression；　which　was　something　which　perplexed　and　alarmed　him。

Her　long　lithe　figure　was　half　crouching；　half　clinging　to　the

horse's　back；　her　loosened　hair　flying　over　her　shoulders；　her　dark

eyes　gleaming　with　an　odd　nymph…like　mischief。　　Her　white　teeth

flashed　as　she　recognized　him；　but　her　laugh　was　still　mocking　and

uncanny。　　He　took　refuge　in　indignation。



〃What　has　happened？〃　he　said　sharply。



〃The　fool　tried　to　kiss　me！〃　she　said　simply。　　〃And　IIlet　out

at　himlike　mother！〃



Nevertheless；　she　gave　him　one　of　those　shy；　timid　glances　he　had

noticed　before；　and　began　coiling　something　around　her　fingers；

with　a　suggestion　of　coy　embarrassment；　indescribably　inconsistent

with　her　previous　masculine　independence。



〃You　might　have　killed　him；〃　said　Peter　angrily。



〃Perhaps　I　might！　　OUGHT　I　have　killed　him；　Peter？〃　she　said

anxiously；　yet　with　the　same　winning；　timid　smile。　　If　she　had　not

been　his　sister；　he　would　have　thought　her　quite　handsome。



〃As　it　is；〃　he　said　impetuously；　〃you　have　made　a　frightful　scandal

here。〃



〃HE　won't　say　anything　about　itwill　he？〃　she　inquired　shyly；

still　twisting　the　something　around　her　finger。



Peter　did　not　reply；　perhaps　the　young　lawyer　really　loved　her　and

would　keep　her　secret！　　But　he　was　vexed；　and　there　was　something

maniacal　in　her　twisting　fingers。　　〃What　have　you　got　there？〃　he

said　sharply。



She　shook　the　object　in　the　air　before　her　with　a　laugh。　　〃Only　a

lock　of　his　hair；〃　she　said　gayly；　〃but　I　didn't　CUT　it　off！〃



〃Throw　it　away；　and　come　here！〃　he　said　angrily。



But　she　only　tucked　the　little　blond　curl　into　her　waist　belt　and

shook　her　head。　　He　urged　his　horse　forward；　but　she　turned　and

fled；　laughing　as　he　pursued　her。　　Being　the　better　rider　she　could

easily　evade　him　whenever　he　got　too　near；　and　in　this　way　they

eventually　reached　the　town　and　their　house　long　before　their

companions。　　But　she　was　far　enough　ahead　of　her　brother　to　be　able

to　dismount　and　hide　her　trophy　with　childish　glee　before　he

arrived。



She　was　right　in　believing　that　her　unfortunate　cavalier　would　make

no　revelation　of　her　conduct；　and　his　catastrophe　passed　as　an

accident。　　But　Peter　could　not　disguise　the　fact　that　much　of　his

unpopularity　was　shared　by　his　sister。　　The　matrons　of　Atherly

believed　that　she　was　〃fast；〃　and　remembered　more　distinctly　than

ever　the　evil　habits　of　her　mother。　　That　she　would；　in　the　due

course　of　time；　〃take　to　drink；〃　they　never　doubted。　　Her　dancing

was　considered　outrageous　in　its　unfettered　freedom；　and　her

extraordinary　powers　of　endurance　were　looked　upon　as　〃masculine〃

by　the　weaker　girls　whose　partners　she　took　from　them。　　She

reciprocally　looked　down　upon　them；　and　made　no　secret　of　her

contempt　for　their　small　refinements　and　fancies。　　She　affected

only　the　society　of　men；　and　even　treated　them　with　a　familiarity

that　was　both　fearless　and　scornful。　　Peter　saw　that　it　was　useless

to　face　the　opposition；　Miss　Atherly　did　not　seem　to　encourage　the

renewal　of　the　young　lawyer's　attentions；　although　it　was　evident

that　he　was　still　attracted　by　her；　nor　did　she　seem　to　invite

advances　from　others。　　He　must　go　awayand　he　would　have　to　take

her　with　him。　　It　seemed　ridiculous　that　a　woman　of　thirty；　of

masculine　character；　should　require　a　chaperon　in　a　brother　of

equal　age；　but　Peter　knew　the　singular　blending　of　childlike

ignorance　with　this　Amazonian　quality。　　He　had　made　his

arrangements　for　an　absence　from　Atherly　of　three　or　four　years；

and　they　departed　together。　　The　young　fair…haired　lawyer　came　to

the　stage…coach　office　to　see　them　off。　　Peter　could　detect　no

sentiment　in　his　sister's　familiar　farewell　of　her　unfortunate

suitor。　　At　New　York；　however；　it　was　arranged　that　〃Jinny〃　should

stay　with　some　friends　whom　they　had　made　en　route；　and　that；　if

she　wished；　she　could　come　to　Europe　later；　and　join　him　in　London。



Thus　relieved　of　one；　Peter　Atherly　of　Atherly　started　on　his

cherished　quest　of　his　other　and　more　remote　relations。





CHAPTER　II





Peter　Atherly　had　been　four　months　in　England；　but　knew　little　of

the　country　until　one　summer　afternoon　when　his　carriage　rolled

along　the　well…ordered　road　between　Nonningsby　Station　and　Ashley

Grange。



In　that　four　months　he　had　consulted　authorities；　examined　records；

visited　the　Heralds'　College；　written　letters；　and　made　a　few

friends。　　A　rich　American；　tracing　his　genealogical　tree；　was　not　a

new　thingeven　in　that　dayin　London；　but　there　was　something

original　and　simple　in　his　methods；　and　so　much　that　was　grave；

reserved；　and　un…American　in　his　personality；　that　it　awakened

interest。　　A　recognition　that　he　was　a　foreigner；　but　a　puzzled

doubt；　however；　of　his　exact　nationality；　which　he　found

everywhere；　at　first　pained　him；　but　he　became　reconciled　to　it　at

about　the　same　time　that　his　English　acquaintances　abandoned　their

own　reserve　and　caution　before　the　greater　reticence　of　this

melancholy　American；　and　actually　became　the　questioners！　　In　this

way　his　quest　became　known　only　as　a　disclosure　of　his　own

courtesy；　and　offers　of　assistance　were　pressed　eagerly　upon　him。

That　was　why　Sir　Edward　Atherly　found　himself　gravely　puzzled；　as

he　sat　with　his　family　solicitor　one　morning　in　the　library　of

Ashley　Grange。



〃Humph！〃　said　Sir　Edward。　　〃And　you　say　he　has　absolutely　no　other

purpose　in　making　these　inquiries？〃



〃Positively　none；〃　returned　the　solicitor。　　〃He　is　even　willing　to

sign　a　renunciation　of　any　claim　which　might　arise　out　of　this

information。　　It　is　rather　a　singular　case；　but　he　seems　to　be　a

rich　man　and　quite　able　to　indulge　his　harmless　caprices。〃



〃And　you　are　quite　sure　he　is　Philip's　son？〃



〃Quite；　from　the　papers　he　brings　me。　　Of　course　I　informed　him

that　even　if　he　should　be　able　to　establish　a　legal　marriage　he

could　expect　nothing　as　next　of　kin；　as　you　had　children　of　your

own。　　He　seemed　to　know　that　already；　and　avowed　that　his　only　wish

was　to　satisfy　his　own　mind。〃



〃I　suppose　he　wants　to　claim　kinship　and　all　that　sort　of　thing　for

society's　sake？〃



〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　said　the　solicitor　dryly。　　〃I　suggested　an

interview　with　you；　but　he　seemed　to　think　it　quite　unnecessary；　if

I　could　give　him　the　information　he　required。〃



〃Ha！〃　said　Sir　Edward　promptly；　〃we'll　invite　him　here。　　Lady

Atherly　can　bring　in　some　people　to　see　him。　　Is　heahemWhat　is

he　like？　　The