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！
foreigner； an old French military explorer； and that she had
retained even in Anglo…Saxon Lakeville some of the Gallic
animation。
〃Well； how many of you girls are going with me to meet him at the
station？〃 said Gabriel； dismissing with masculine promptness the
lesser question。 〃It's time to be off。〃
〃I'd like to go；〃 said Kitty； 〃and so would Cousin Jane； but
really； papa； you see if YOU don't know him； and WE don't either；
and you've got to satisfy yourself that it's the right man； and
then introduce YOURSELF and then usand all this on the platform
before everybodyit makes it rather embarrassing for us。 And
then； as he's your younger brother and we're supposed to be his
affectionate nieces； you know； it would make HIM feel SO
ridiculous！〃
〃And if he were to KISS you；〃 said Marie tragically； 〃and then turn
out not to be him！〃
〃So；〃 continued Kitty； 〃you'd better take Cousin John； who was more
in Uncle Sylvester's time； to represent the Past of the family； and
perhaps Mr。 Gunn〃
〃To represent the future； I suppose？〃 interrupted Gabriel in a
wicked whisper。
〃To represent a name that most men of the world in New York and San
Francisco know；〃 went on Kitty； without a blush。 〃It would make
recognition and introduction easier。 And take an extra fur with
you； dearnot for HIM but for yourself。 I suppose he's lived so
much in the open air as to laugh at our coddling。〃
〃I don't know about that；〃 said her father thoughtfully； 〃the last
telegram I have from him； en route； says he's half frozen； and
wants a close carriage sent to the station。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Marie impatiently； 〃you forget the poor creature
comes from burning canyons and hot golden sands and perpetual
sunshine。〃
〃Very well； but come along； Marie； and see how I've prepared his
room；〃 and as her father left the drawing…room Kitty carried off
her old schoolfellow upstairs。
The room selected for the coming Sylvester had been one of the
elaborate guest…chambers； but was now stripped of its more
luxurious furniture and arranged with picturesque yet rural
extravagance。 A few rare buffalo； bear； and panther skins were
disposed over the bare floor； and even displayed gracefully over
some elaborately rustic chairs。 The handsome French bedstead had
been displaced for a small wrought…iron ascetic…looking couch
covered with a gorgeously striped Mexican blanket。 The fireplace
had been dismantled of its steel grate； and the hearth extended so
as to allow a pile of symmetrically heaped moss…covered hickory
logs to take its place。 The walls were covered with trophies of
the chase； buck…horns and deer…heads； and a number of Indian arrows
stood in a sheaf in the corners beside a few modern guns and
rifles。
〃Perfectly lovely；〃 said Marie； 〃but〃with a slight shiver of her
expressive shoulders〃a little cold and outdoorish； eh？〃
〃Nonsense；〃 returned Kitty dictatorially； 〃and if he IS cold； he
can easily light those logs。 They always build their open fires
under a tree。 Why； even Mr。 Gunn used to do that when he was
camping out in the Adirondacks last summer。 I call it perfectly
comfortable and SO natural。〃 Nevertheless； they had both tucked
their chilly hands under the fleecy shawls they had snatched from
the hall for this hyperborean expedition。
〃You have taken much pains for him； Kaitee；〃 said Marie； with her
faintest foreign intonation。 〃You will like this strange uncle
you？〃
〃He is a wonderful man； Marie； he's been everywhere； seen everything；
and done everything out there。 He's fought duels； been captured by
Indians and tied to a stake to be tortured。 He's been leader of a
Vigilance Committee； and they say that he has often shot and killed
men himself。 I'm afraid he's been rather wicked； you know。 He's
lived alone in the woods like a hermit without seeing a soul； and
then； again； he's been a chief among the Indians； with Heaven knows
how many Indian wives！ They called him 'The Pale…faced Thunderbolt；'
my dear； and 'The Young Man who Swallows the Lightning；' or
something like that。〃
〃And what can he want here？〃 asked Marie。
〃To see us； my dear；〃 said Kitty loftily； 〃and then； too； he has to
settle something about HIS share of the property； for you know
grandpa left a share of it to him。 Not that he's ever bothered
himself about it； for he's rich；a kind of Monte Cristo； you
know；with a gold mine and an island off the coast； to say nothing
of a whole county that he owns； that is called after him； and
millions of wild cattle that he rides among and lassos！ It's
dreadfully hard to do。 You know you take a long rope with a
slipknot； and you throw it around your head so； and〃
〃Hark！〃 said Marie； with a dramatic start； and her finger on her
small mouth； 〃he comes！〃
There was the clear roll of wheels along the smooth； frozen
carriage sweep towards the house； the sharp crisp click of hoofs on
stone； the opening of heavy doors； the sudden sparkling invasion of
frigid air； the uplifting of voices in greeting；but all familiar！
There were Gabriel Lane's cheery； hopeful tones； the soprano of
Cousin Jane and Cousin Emma； the baritone of Mr。 Gunn； and the
grave measured oratorical utterance of Parson Dexter； who had
joined the party at the station； but certainly the accents of no
STRANGER。 Had he come？ Yes； for his name was just then called；
and the quick ear of Marie had detected a light； lounging； alien
footstep cross the cold strip of marble vestibule。 The two girls
exchanged a rapid glance； each looked into the mirror； and then
interrogatively at the other； nodded their heads affirmatively； and
descended to the drawing…room。 A group had already drawn round the
fire； and a small central figure； who； with its back turned towards
them； was still enwrapped in an enormous overcoat of rich fur； was
engaged in presenting an alternate small varnished leather boot to
the warmth of the grate。 As they entered the room the heavy fur
was yielded up with apparent reluctance； and revealed to the
astonished girls a man of ordinary stature with a slight and
elegant figure set off by a traveling suit of irreproachable cut。
His light reddish…yellow hair； mustache； and sunburned cheek； which
seemed all of one color and outline； made it impossible to detect
the gray of the one or the hollowness of the other； and gave no
indication of his age。 Yet there was clearly no mistake。 Here was
Gabriel Lane seizing their nervously cold fingers and presenting
them to their 〃Uncle Sylvester。〃
Far from attempting to kiss Kitty； the stranger for an instant
seemed oblivious of the little hand she offered him in the half…
preoccupied bow he gave her。 But Marie was not so easily passed
over； and； with her audacious face challenging his； he abstractedly
imparted to the shake of her hand something of the fervor that he
should have shown his relative。 And； then； still warming his feet
on the fender； he seemed to have forgotten them both。
〃Accustomed as you have been； sir；〃 said the Reverend Mr。 Dexter；
seizing upon an awkward silence； and accenting it laboriously；
〃perhaps I should say INURED as you have been to the exciting and
stirring incidents of a lawless and adventurous community； you
doubtless find in a pastoral； yet cultivated and refined； seclusion
like Lakeville a degree of〃
〃Oh； several degrees；〃 said Uncle Sylvester； blandly flicking bits
of buffalo hair from his well…fitting trousers； 〃it's colder； you
knowmuch colder。〃
〃I was referring to a less material contrast；〃 continued Mr。
Dexter； with a resigned smile； 〃yet； as to the mere question of
cold； I am told； sir； that in California there are certain severe
regions of altitudealthough the mean temperature〃
〃I suppose out in California you fellows would say our temperature
was a darned sight MEANER； eh？〃 broke in Amos Gunn； with a
confidential glance at the others； as if offering a humorous
diversion suited to the Californian taste。 Uncle Sylvester did
not； however； smile。 Gazing critically at Gunn； he said
thoughtfully： 〃I think not； I've even known men killed for saying
less than that；〃 and turned to the clergyman。 〃You are quite
right； some of the higher passes are very cold。 I was lost in one
of them in '56 with a small party。 We were seventy miles from any
settlement； we had had nothing to eat for thirty…six hours； our
campfire； melting the snow； sank twelve feet below the surface。〃
The circle closed eagerly around him； Marie； Kitty； and Cousin Jane
pressing forward with excited faces； even the clergyman assumed an
expression of profound interest。 〃A man by the name of Thompson； I
think；〃 continued Uncle Sylvester； thoughtfully gazing at the fire；
〃was frozen a few yards away。 Towards morning； having been fifty…
eight hours without food； our last drop of whiskey exhausted； and
the fire extinguished； we found〃
〃Yes； yes！〃 said half a dozen voices。
〃We found；〃 continued Uncle Sylvester； rubbing his hands cheerfully；
〃we found itexceedingly cold。 YesEXCEEDINGLY cold！〃
There was a dead silence。
〃But you escaped！〃 said Kitty breathlessly。
〃I think so。 I think we all escapedthat is； except Thompson； if
his name WAS Thompson； it might have been Parke