a phyllis of the sierras-第2章

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apparition　of　the　woman；　the　unaffected　and　simple　directness　he

had　previously　shown　in　his　equally　abrupt　contact　with　Bradley　had

fled　utterly；　confused　by　the　awkwardness　of　his　arrival；　and

shocked　at　the　idea　of　overhearing　a　private　conversation；　he

stepped　hurriedly　on　the　veranda。



〃Well？　go　on！〃　said　the　second　voice　impatiently。　　〃Well；　who　else

was　there？　　WHAT　did　you　say？　　I　don't　hear　you。　　What's　the

matter？〃



The　seated　figure　had　risen　from　her　chair；　and　turned　a　young　and

pretty　face　somewhat　superciliously　towards　the　stranger；　as　she

said　in　a　low　tone　to　her　unseen　auditor；　〃Hush！　there　is　somebody

here。〃



The　young　man　came　forward　with　an　awkwardness　that　was　more　boyish

than　rustic。　　His　embarrassment　was　not　lessened　by　the　simultaneous

entrance　from　the　open　door　of　a　second　woman；　apparently　as　young

as　and　prettier　than　the　first。



〃I　trust　you'll　excuse　me　forforbeing　so　wretchedly　stupid；〃　he

stammered；　〃but　I　really　thought；　you　know；　thatthatI　was

following　the　trail　totothe　front　of　the　house；　when　I　stumbled

inin　here。〃



Long　before　he　had　finished；　both　women；　by　some　simple　feminine

intuition；　were　relieved　and　even　prepossessed　by　his　voice　and

manner。　　They　smiled　graciously。　　The　later…comer　pointed　to　the

empty　chair。　　But　with　his　habit　of　pertinacious　conscientiousness

the　stranger　continued；　〃It　was　regularly　stupid；　wasn't　it？and　I

ought　to　have　known　better。　　I　should　have　turned　back　and　gone

away　when　I　found　out　what　an　ass　I　was　likely　to　be；　but　I　was

afraidyou　know；　of　alarming　you　by　the　noise。〃



〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃　said　the　second　lady；　pleasantly。



〃Oh；　thanks！　　I've　a　letter　hereI〃he　transferred　his　stick　and

hat　to　his　left　hand　as　he　felt　in　his　breast…pocket　with　his　right。

But　the　action　was　so　awkward　that　the　stick　dropped　on　the　veranda。

Both　women　made　a　movement　to　restore　it　to　its　embarrassed　owner；

who；　however；　quickly　anticipated　them。　　〃Pray　don't　mind　it；〃　he

continued；　with　accelerated　breath　and　heightened　color。　　〃Ah；

here's　the　letter！〃　　He　produced　the　note　Bradley　had　returned　to

him。　　〃It's　mine；　in　factthat　is；　I　brought　it　to　Mr。　Bradley。　　He

said　I　was　to　give　it　tototoMrs。　Bradley。〃　　He　paused；

glancing　embarrassedly　from　the　one　to　the　other。



〃I'm　Mrs。　Bradley；〃　said　the　prettiest　one；　with　a　laugh。　　He

handed　her　the　letter。　　It　ran　as　follows：



〃DEAR　BRADLEYPut　Mr。　Mainwaring　through　as　far　as　he　wants　to　go；

or　hang　him　up　at　The　Lookout；　just　as　he　likes。　　The　Bank's　behind

him；　and　his　hat's　chalked　all　over　the　Road；　but　he　don't　care

much　about　being　on　velvet。　　That　ain't　his　styleand　you'll　like

him。　　He's　somebody's　son　in　England。　　B。〃



Mrs。　Bradley　glanced　simply　at　the　first　sentence。　　〃Pray　sit　down；

Mr。　Mainwaring；〃　she　said　gently；　〃or；　rather；　let　me　first

introduce　my　cousinMiss　Macy。〃



〃Thanks；〃　said　Mainwaring；　with　a　bow　to　Miss　Macy；　〃but　III

think；〃　he　added　conscientiously；　〃you　did　not　notice　that　your

husband　had　written　something　across　the　paper。〃



Mrs。　Bradley　smiled；　and　glanced　at　her　husband's　indorsement〃All

right。　　Wade　in。〃　　〃It's　nothing　but　Jim's　slang；〃　she　said；　with　a

laugh　and　a　slightly　heightened　color。　　〃He　ought　not　to　have　sent

you　by　that　short　cut；　it's　a　bother；　and　even　dangerous　for　a

stranger。　　If　you　had　come　directly　to　US　by　the　road；　without

making　your　first　call　at　the　mill；〃　she　added；　with　a　touch　of

coquetry；　〃you　would　have　had　a　pleasanter　walk；　and　seen　US

sooner。　　I　suppose；　however；　you　got　off　the　stage　at　the　mill？〃



〃I　was　not　on　the　coach；〃　said　Mainwaring；　unfastening　the　strap　of

his　knapsack。　　〃I　walked　over　from　Lone　Pine　Flat。〃



〃Walked！〃　echoed　both　women　in　simultaneous　astonishment。



〃Yes；〃　returned　Mainwaring　simply；　laying　aside　his　burden　and

taking　the　proffered　seat。　　〃It's　a　very　fine　bit　of　country。〃



〃Why；　it's　fifteen　miles；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　glancing　horror…

stricken　at　her　cousin。　　〃How　dreadful！　　And　to　think　Jim　could

have　sent　you　a　horse　to　Lone　Pine。　　Why；　you　must　be　dead！〃



〃Thanks；　I'm　all　right！　　I　rather　enjoyed　it；　you　know。〃



〃But；〃　said　Miss　Macy；　glancing　wonderingly　at　his　knapsack；　〃you

must　want　something；　a　changeor　some　refreshmentafter　fifteen

miles。〃



〃Pray　don't　disturb　yourself；〃　said　Mainwaring；　rising　hastily；　but

not　quickly　enough　to　prevent　the　young　girl　from　slipping　past　him

into　the　house；　whence　she　rapidly　returned　with　a　decanter　and

glasses。



〃Perhaps　Mr。　Mainwaring　would　prefer　to　go　into　Jim's　room　and　wash

his　hands　and　put　on　a　pair　of　slippers？〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　with

gentle　concern。



〃Thanks；　no。　　I　really　am　not　tired。　　I　sent　some　luggage　yesterday

by　the　coach　to　the　Summit　Hotel；〃　he　said；　observing　the　women's

eyes　still　fixed　upon　his　knapsack。　　〃I　dare　say　I　can　get　them　if

I　want　them。　　I've　got　a　change　here；〃　he　continued；　lifting　the

knapsack　as　if　with　a　sudden　sense　of　its　incongruity　with　its

surroundings；　and　depositing　it　on　the　end　of　the　veranda。



〃Do　let　it　remain　where　it　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　greatly　amused；

〃and　pray　sit　still　and　take　some　refreshment。　　You'll　make

yourself　ill　after　your　exertions；〃　she　added；　with　a　charming

assumption　of　matronly　solicitude。



〃But　I'm　not　at　all　deserving　of　your　sympathy；〃　said　Mainwaring；

with　a　laugh。　　〃I'm　awfully　fond　of　walking；　and　my　usual

constitutional　isn't　much　under　this。〃



〃Perhaps　you　were　stronger　than　you　are　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；

gazing　at　him　with　a　frank　curiosity　that；　however；　brought　a　faint

deepening　of　color　to　his　cheek。



〃I　dare　say　you're　right；〃　he　said　suddenly；　with　an　apologetic

smile。　　〃I　quite　forgot　that　I'm　a　sort　of　an　invalid；　you　know；

travelling　for　my　health。　　I'm　not　very　strong　here；〃　he　added；

lightly　tapping　his　chest；　that　now；　relieved　of　the　bands　of　his

knapsack；　appeared　somewhat　thin　and　hollow　in　spite　of　his　broad

shoulders。　　His　voice；　too；　had　become　less　clear　and　distinct。



Mrs。　Bradley；　who　was　still　watching　him；　here　rose　potentially。

〃You　ought　to　take　more　care　of　yourself；〃　she　said。　　〃You　should

begin　by　eating　this　biscuit；　drinking　that　glass　of　whiskey；　and

making　yourself　more　comfortable　in　Jim's　room　until　we　can　get　the

spare　room　fixed　a　little。〃



〃But　I　am　not　to　be　sent　to　bedam　I？〃　asked　Mainwaring；　in　half…

real；　half…amused　consternation。



〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　with　playful　precision。

〃But　for　the　present　we'll　let　you　off　with　a　good　wash　and　a　nap

afterwards　in　that　rocking…chair；　while　my　cousin　and　I　make　some

little　domestic　preparations。　　You　see；〃　she　added　with　a　certain

proud　humility；　〃we've　got　only　one　servanta　Chinaman；　and　there

are　many　things　we　can't　leave　to　him。〃



The　color　again　rose　in　Mainwaring's　cheek；　but　he　had　tact　enough

to　reflect　that　any　protest　or　hesitation　on　his　part　at　that

moment　would　only　increase　the　difficulties　of　his　gentle

entertainers。　　He　allowed　himself　to　be　ushered　into　the　house　by

Mrs。　Bradley；　and　shown　to　her　husband's　room；　without　perceiving

that　Miss　Macy　had　availed　herself　of　his　absence　to　run　to　the　end

of　the　veranda；　mischievously　try　to　lift　the　discarded　knapsack　to

her　own　pretty　shoulder；　but；　failing；　heroically　stagger　with　it

into　the　passage　and　softly　deposit　it　at　his　door。　　This　done；　she

pantingly　rejoined　her　cousin　in　the　kitchen。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　emphatically。　　〃DID　you　ever？　　Walking

fifteen　miles　for　pleasureand　with　such　lungs！〃



〃And　that　knapsack！〃　added　Louise　Macy；　pointing　to　the　mark　in　her

little　palm　where　the　strap　had　imbedded　itself　in　the　soft　flesh。



〃He's　nice；　though；　isn't　he？〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　tentatively。



〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Macy；　〃he　isn't；　certainly；　one　of　those

provincial　fine　gentlemen　you　object　to。　　But　DID　you　see　his

shoes？　　I　suppose　they　make　the　miles　go　quickly；　or　seem　to

measure　less　by　comparison。〃



〃They're　probably　more　serviceable　than　those　high…heeled　things

that　Captain　Greyson　hops　about　in。〃



〃But　the　Captain　always　ridesand　rides　very　wellyou　know；〃　said

Louise；　reflectively。　　There　was　a　moment's　pause。



〃I　suppose　Jim　will　tell　us　all　about　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；

dismissing　the　subject；　as　she　turned　her　sleeves　back　over　her

white　arms；　preparatory　to　grappling　certain　culinary　difficulties。



〃Jim；〃　observed　Miss　Macy；　shortly；　〃in　my　opinion；　knows　nothing

more　than　his　note　says。　　That's　like　Jim。〃



〃There's　nothing　more　to　know；　really；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　with　a

superior　air。　　〃He's　undoubtedly　the　son　of　some　Englishman　of

fortune；　sent　out　here　for　his　health。〃



〃Hush！〃



Miss　Macy　had　heard　a　step　in　the　passage。　　It　halted　at　last；　half

irresolutely；　before　the　open　door　of　the　kitchen；　and　the　stranger

appeared　with　an　embarrassed　air。



But　in　his　brief　absence　he　seemed　to　have　completely　groomed

himself；　and　stood　there；　the　impersonation　of　close…cropped；

clean；　and　wholesome　English　young　manhood。　　The　two　women

appreciated　it　with　cat…like　fastidiousness。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　really　you're　going　to　let　a　fellow　do

something　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃just　to　keep　him　from　looking　like　a

fool。　　I　really　can　do　no　end　of　things；　you　know；　if　you'll　try

me。　　I've　done　some　camping…out；　and　can　cook　as　well　as　the　next

man。〃



The　two　women　made　a　movement　of　smiling　remonstrance；　half

coquettish；　and　half　superior；　until　Mrs。　Bradley；　becoming

conscious　of　her　bare　arms　and　the　stranger's　wandering　eyes；

colored　faintly；　and　said　with　more　decision：



〃Certainly　not。　　You'd　only　be　in　the　way。　　Besides；　you　need　rest

more　than　we　do。　　Put　yourself　in　the　rocking…chair　in　the　veranda；

and　go　to　sleep　until　Mr。　Bradley　comes。〃



Mainwaring　saw　that　she　was　serious；　and　withdrew；　a　little　ashamed

at　his　familiarity　into　which　his　boyishness　had　betrayed　him。　　But

he　had　scarcely　seated　himself　in　the　rocking…chair　before　Miss

Macy　appeared；　carrying　with　both　hands　a　large　tin　basin　of

unshelled　peas。



〃There；〃　she　said　pantingly；　placing　her　burden　in　his　lap；　〃if　you

really　want　to　help；　there's　something　to　do　that　isn't　very

fatiguing。　　You　may　shell　these　peas。〃



〃SHELL　themI　beg　pardon；　but　how？〃　he　asked；　with　smiling

earnestness。



〃How？　　Why；　I'll　show　youlook。〃



She　frankly　stepped　beside　him；　so　close　that　her　full…skirted

dress　half　encompassed　him　and　the　basin　in　a　delicious　confusion；

and；　leaning　over　his　lap；　with　her　left　hand　picked　up　a　pea…cod；

which；　with　a　single　movement　of　her　charming　little　right　thumb；

she　broke　at　the　end；　and　stripped　the　green　shallow　of　its　tiny

treasures。



He　watched　her　with　smiling　eyes；　her　own；　looking　down　on　him；

were　very　bright　and　luminous。　　〃There；　that's　easy　enough；〃　she

said；　a