a sappho of green springs-第14章

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asked；　in　a　voice　that　seemed　strangely　deep　and　resonant。



〃The　poor　fellow　had　another　attack　last　night；　and　died　of

exhaustion　about　an　hour　ago。　　I　was　too　late　to　save　him。〃



〃Did　he　say　anything？　　Was　he　conscious？〃　asked　the　girl；　hoarsely。



〃No；　incoherent！　　Now　I　think　of　it；　he　harped　on　the　same　string

as　he　did　the　night　of　the　operation。　　What　was　it　he　said？　you

remember。〃



〃'You'll　have　to　kill　me　first；'〃　repeated　Josephine；　in　a　choking

voice。



〃Yes；　something　about　his　dying　before　he'd　tell。　　Well；　he　came

back　to　it　before　he　went　offthey　often　do。　　You　seem　a　little

hoarse　with　your　morning　ride。　　You　should　take　care　of　that　voice

of　yours。　　By　the　way；　it's　a　good　deal　like　your　brother's。〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



The　Chatelaine　of　Burnt　Ridge　never　married。









THROUGH　THE　SANTA　CLARA　WHEAT





CHAPTER　I





It　was　an　enormous　wheat…field　in　the　Santa　Clara　valley；

stretching　to　the　horizon　line　unbroken。　　The　meridian　sun　shone

upon　it　without　glint　or　shadow；　but　at　times；　when　a　stronger　gust

of　the　trade　winds　passed　over　it；　there　was　a　quick　slanting

impression　of　the　whole　surface　that　was；　however；　as　unlike　a

billow　as　itself　was　unlike　a　sea。　　Even　when　a　lighter　zephyr

played　down　its　long　level；　the　agitation　was　superficial；　and

seemed　only　to　momentarily　lift　a　veil　of　greenish　mist　that　hung

above　its　immovable　depths。　　Occasional　puffs　of　dust　alternately

rose　and　fell　along　an　imaginary　line　across　the　field；　as　if　a

current　of　air　were　passing　through　it；　but　were　otherwise

inexplicable。



Suddenly　a　faint　shout；　apparently　somewhere　in　the　vicinity　of　the

line；　brought　out　a　perfectly　clear　response；　followed　by　the

audible　murmur　of　voices；　which　it　was　impossible　to　localize。　　Yet

the　whole　field　was　so　devoid　of　any　suggestion　of　human　life　or

motion　that　it　seemed　rather　as　if　the　vast　expanse　itself　had

become　suddenly　articulate　and　intelligible。



〃Wot　say？〃



〃Wheel　off。〃



〃Whare？〃



〃In　the　road。〃



One　of　the　voices　here　indicated　itself　in　the　direction　of　the

line　of　dust；　and　said；　〃Comin'；〃　and　a　man　stepped　out　from　the

wheat　into　a　broad　and　dusty　avenue。



With　his　presence　three　things　became　apparent。



First；　that　the　puffs　of　dust　indicated　the　existence　of　the

invisible　avenue　through　the　unlimited　and　unfenced　field　of　grain；

secondly；　that　the　stalks　of　wheat　on　either　side　of　it　were　so

tall　as　to　actually　hide　a　passing　vehicle；　and　thirdly；　that　a

vehicle　had　just　passed；　had　lost　a　wheel；　and　been　dragged　partly

into　the　grain　by　its　frightened　horse；　which　a　dusty　man　was

trying　to　restrain　and　pacify。



The　horse；　given　up　to　equine　hysterics；　and　evidently　convinced

that　the　ordinary　buggy　behind　him　had　been　changed　into　some

dangerous　and　appalling　creation；　still　plunged　and　kicked

violently　to　rid　himself　of　it。　　The　man　who　had　stepped　out　of　the

depths　of　the　wheat　quickly　crossed　the　road；　unhitched　the　traces；

drew　back　the　vehicle；　and；　glancing　at　the　traveler's　dusty　and

disordered　clothes；　said；　with　curt　sympathy：



〃Spilt；　too；　but　not　hurt；　eh？〃



〃No；　neither　of　us。　　I　went　over　with　the　buggy　when　the　wheel

cramped；　but　SHE　jumped　clear。〃



He　made　a　gesture　indicating　the　presence　of　another。　　The　man

turned　quickly。　　There　was　a　second　figure；　a　young　girl　standing

beside　the　grain　from　which　he　had　emerged；　embracing　a　few　stalks

of　wheat　with　one　arm　and　a　hand　in　which　she　still　held　her

parasol；　while　she　grasped　her　gathered　skirts　with　the　other；　and

trying　to　find　a　secure　foothold　for　her　two　neat　narrow　slippers

on　a　crumbling　cake　of　adobe　above　the　fathomless　dust　of　the

roadway。　　Her　face；　although　annoyed　and　discontented；　was　pretty；

and　her　light　dress　and　slim　figure　were　suggestive　of　a　certain

superior　condition。



The　man's　manner　at　once　softened　with　Western　courtesy。　　He　swung

his　broad…brimmed　hat　from　his　head；　and　bent　his　body　with　the

ceremoniousness　of　the　country　ball…room。　　〃I　reckon　the　lady　had

better　come　up　to　the　shanty　out　o'　the　dust　and　sun　till　we　kin

help　you　get　these　things　fixed；〃　he　said　to　the　driver。　　〃I'll

send　round　by　the　road　for　your　hoss；　and　have　one　of　mine　fetch　up

your　wagon。〃



〃Is　it　far？〃　asked　the　girl；　slightly　acknowledging　his　salutation；

without　waiting　for　her　companion　to　reply。



〃Only　a　step　this　way；〃　he　answered；　motioning　to　the　field　of

wheat　beside　her。



〃What　in　THERE？　　I　never　could　go　in　there；〃　she　said；　decidedly。



〃It's　a　heap　shorter　than　by　the　road；　and　not　so　dusty。　　I'll　go

with　you；　and　pilot　you。〃



The　young　girl　cast　a　vexed　look　at　her　companion　as　the　probable

cause　of　all　this　trouble；　and　shook　her　head。　　But　at　the　same

moment　one　little　foot　slipped　from　the　adobe　into　the　dust　again。

She　instantly　clambered　back　with　a　little　feminine　shriek；　and

ejaculated：　〃Well；　of　all　things！〃　and　then；　fixing　her　blue

annoyed　eyes　on　the　stranger；　asked　impatiently；　〃Why　couldn't　I　go

there　by　the　road　'n　the　wagon？　　I　could　manage　to　hold　on　and　keep

in。〃



〃Because　I　reckon　you'd　find　it　too　pow'ful　hot　waitin'　here　till

we　got　round　to　ye。〃



There　was　no　doubt　it　was　very　hot；　the　radiation　from　the　baking

roadway　beating　up　under　her　parasol；　and　pricking　her　cheekbones

and　eyeballs　like　needles。　　She　gave　a　fastidious　little　shudder；

furled　her　parasol；　gathered　her　skirts　still　tighter；　faced　about；

and　said；　〃Go　on；　then。〃　　The　man　slipped　backwards　into　the　ranks

of　stalks；　parting　them　with　one　hand；　and　holding　out　the　other　as

if　to　lead　her。　　But　she　evaded　the　invitation　by　holding　her

tightly…drawn　skirt　with　both　hands；　and　bending　her　head　forward

as　if　she　had　not　noticed　it。　　The　next　moment　the　road；　and　even

the　whole　outer　world；　disappeared　behind　them；　and　they　seemed

floating　in　a　choking　green　translucent　mist。



But　the　effect　was　only　momentary；　a　few　steps　further　she　found

that　she　could　walk　with　little　difficulty　between　the　ranks　of

stalks；　which　were　regularly　spaced；　and　the　resemblance　now

changed　to　that　of　a　long　pillared　conservatory　of　greenish　glass；

that　touched　all　objects　with　its　pervading　hue。　　She　also　found

that　the　close　air　above　her　head　was　continually　freshened　by　the

interchange　of　currents　of　lower　temperature　from　below；as　if　the

whole　vast　field　had　a　circulation　of　its　own；and　that　the　adobe

beneath　her　feet　was　gratefully　cool　to　her　tread。　　There　was　no

dust；　as　he　had　said；　what　had　at　first　half　suffocated　her　seemed

to　be　some　stimulating　aroma　of　creation　that　filled　the　narrow

green　aisles；　and　now　imparted　a　strange　vigor　and　excitement　to

her　as　she　walked　along。　　Meantime　her　guide　was　not　conversationally

idle。　　Now；　no　doubt；　she　had　never　seen　anything　like　this　before？

It　was　ordinary　wheat；　only　it　was　grown　on　adobe　soilthe　richest

in　the　valley。　　These　stalks；　she　could　see　herself；　were　ten　and

twelve　feet　high。　　That　was　the　trouble；　they　all　ran　too　much　to

stalk；　though　the　grain　yield　was　〃suthen'　pow'ful。〃　　She　could　tell

that　to　her　friends；　for　he　reckoned　she　was　the　only　young　lady

that　had　ever　walked　under　such　a　growth。　　Perhaps　she　was　new　to

Californy？　　He　thought　so　from　the　start。　　Well；　this　was　Californy；

and　this　was　not　the　least　of　the　ways　it　could　〃lay　over〃　every

other　country　on　God's　yearth。　　Many　folks　thought　it　was　the　gold

and　the　climate；　but　she　could　see　for　herself　what　it　could　do　with

wheat。　　He　wondered　if　her　brother　had　ever　told；　her　of　it？　　No；

the　stranger　wasn't　her　brother。　　Nor　cousin；　nor　company？　　No；　only

the　hired　driver　from　a　San　Jose　hotel；　who　was　takin'　her　over　to

Major　Randolph's。　　Yes；　he　knew　the　old　major；　the　ranch　was　a

pretty　place；　nigh　unto　three　miles　further　on。　　Now　that　he　knew

the　driver　was　no　relation　of　hers　he　didn't　mind　telling　her　that

the　buggy　was　a　〃rather　old　consarn；〃　and　the　driver　didn't　know　his

business。　　Yes；　it　might　be　fixed　up　so　as　to　take　her　over　to　the

major's；　there　was　one　of　their　own　mena　young　fellowwho　could

do　anything　that　COULD　be　done　with　wood　and　iron；a　reg'lar

genius！and　HE'D　tackle　it。　　It　might　take　an　hour；　but　she'd　find

it　quite　cool　waiting　in　the　shanty。　　It　was　a　rough　place；　for　they

only　camped　out　there　during　the　season　to　look　after　the　crop；　and

lived　at　their　own　homes　the　rest　of　the　time。　　Was　she　going　to

stay　long　at　the　major's？　　He　noticed　she　had　not　brought　her　trunk

with　her。　　Had　she　known　the　major's　wife　long？　　Perhaps　she　thought

of　settling　in　the　neighborhood？



All　this　naive；　good…humored　questioningso　often　cruelly

misunderstood　as　mere　vulgar　curiosity；　but　as　often　the　courteous

instinct　of　simple　unaffected　people　to　entertain　the　stranger　by

inviting　him　to　talk　of　what　concerns　himself　rather　than　their　own

selveswas　nevertheless；　I　fear；　met　only　by　monosyllables　from

the　young　lady　or　an　impatient　question　in　return。　　She　scarcely

raised　her　eyes　to　the　broad　jean…shirted　back　that　preceded　her

through　the　grain　until　the　man　abruptly　ceased　talking；　and　his

manner；　without　losing　its　half…paternal　courtesy；　became　graver。

She　was　beginning　to　be　conscious　of　her　incivility；　and　was　trying

to　think　of　something　to　say；　when　he　exclaimed　with　a　slight　air

of　relief；　〃Here　we　are！〃　and　the　shanty　suddenly　appeared　before

them。



It　certainly　was　very　rougha　mere　shell　of　unpainted　boards　that

scarcely　rose　above　the　level　of　the　surrounding　grain；　and　a　few

yards　distant　was　invisible。　　Its　slightly　sloping　roof；　already

warped　and　shrunken　into　long　fissures　that　permitted　glimpses　of

the　steel…blue　sky　above；　was　evidently　intended　only　as　a　shelter

from　the　cloudless　sun　in　those　two　months　of　rainless　days　and

dewless　nights　when　it　was　inhabited。　　Through　the　open　doors　and

windows　she　could　see　a　row　of　〃bunks；〃　or　rude　sleeping　berths

against　the　walls；　furnished　with　coarse　mattresses　and　blankets。

As　the　young　girl　halted；　the　man　with　an　instinct　of　delicacy

hurried　forward；　entered　the　shanty；　and　dragging　a　rude　bench　to

the　doorway；　placed　it　so　that　she　could　sit　beneath　the　shade　of

the　roof；　yet　with　her　back　to　these　domestic　revelations。　　Two　or

three　men；　who　had　been　apparently　lounging　there；　rose　quietly；

and　unobtrusively　withdrew。　　Her　guide　brought　her　a　tin　cup　of

deliciously　cool　water；　exchanged　a　few　hurried　words　with　his

companions；　and　then　disappeared　with　them；　leaving　her　alone。



Her　first　sense　of　relief　from　their　company　was；　I　fear；　stronger

than　any　other　feeling。　　After　a　hurried　glance　around　the　deserted

apartment；　she　arose；　shook　out　her　dress　and　mantle；　and　then

going　into　the　darkest　corner　supported　herself　with　one　hand

against　the　wall　while　with　the　o