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！
〃I don't think that was the poor woman's name；〃 said Rosey simply；
〃she died of yellow fever at New Orleans as Signora somebody。〃
Her ignorance seemed to Mr。 Renshaw so plainly to partake more of
the nun than the provincial that he hesitated to explain to her that he meant
the heroine of an opera。
〃It seems dreadful to put on the poor thing's clothes； doesn't it？〃 she
added。
Mr。 Renshaw's eyes showed so plainly that he thought otherwise； that
she drew a little austerely towards the door of her state… room。
〃I must change these things before any one comes；〃 she said dryly。
〃That means I must go； I suppose。 But couldn't you let me wait here or
in the gangway until then； Miss Nott？ I am going away to… night； and I
mayn't see you again。〃 He had not intended to say this； but it slipped from
his embarrassed tongue。 She stopped with her hand on the door。
〃You are going away？〃
〃IthinkI must leave to…night。 I have some important business in
Sacramento。〃
She raised her frank eyes to his。 The unmistakable look of
disappointment that he saw in them gave his heart a sudden throb and sent
the quick blood to his cheeks。
〃It's too bad；〃 she said； abstractedly。 〃Nobody ever seems to stay here
long。 Captain Bower promised to tell me all about the ship and he went
away the second week。 The photographer left before he finished the
picture of the Pontiac； Monsieur de Ferrieres has only just gone； and now
YOU are going。〃
〃Perhaps； unlike them； I have finished my season of usefulness here；〃
he replied； with a bitterness he would have recalled the next moment。 But
80
… Page 81…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
Rosey； with a faint sigh； saying； 〃I won't be long；〃 entered the state…room
and closed the door behind her。
Renshaw bit his lip and pulled at the long silken threads of his
moustache until they smarted。 Why had he not gone at once？ Why was it
necessary to say he might not see her againand if he had said it； why
should he add anything more？ What was he waiting for now？ To endeavor
to prove to her that he really bore no resemblance to Captain Bower； the
photographer； the crazy Frenchman de Ferrieres？ Or would he be forced to
tell her that he was running away from a conspiracy to defraud her father
merely for something to say？ Was there ever such folly？ Rosey was 〃not
long；〃 as she had said； but he was beginning to pace the narrow cabin
impatiently when the door opened and she returned。
She had resumed her ordinary calico gown； but such was the
impression left upon Renshaw's fancy that she seemed to wear it with a
new grace。 At any other time he might have recognized the change as due
to a new corset； which strict veracity compels me to record Rosey had
adopted for the first time that morning。 Howbeit； her slight coquetry
seemed to have passed； for she closed the open trunk with a return of her
old listless air； and sitting on it rested her elbows on her knees and her
oval chin in her hands。
〃I wish you would do me a favor；〃 she said after a reflective pause。
〃Let me know what it is and it shall be done；〃 replied Renshaw
quickly。
〃If you should come across Monsieur de Ferrieres； or hear of him； I
wish you would let me know。 He was very poorly when he left here； and I
should like to know if he was better。 He didn't say where he was going。 At
least； he didn't tell father； but I fancy he and father don't agree。〃
〃I shall be very glad of having even THAT opportunity of making you
remember me； Miss Nott；〃 returned Renshaw with a faint smile； 〃I don't
suppose either that it would be very difficult to get news of your friend
everybody seems to know him。〃
〃But not as I did；〃 said Rosey with an abstracted little sigh。
Mr。 Renshaw opened his brown eyes upon her。 Was he mistaken？ was
this romantic girl only a little coquette playing her provincial airs on him？
81
… Page 82…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
〃You say he and your father didn't agree？ That means； I suppose； that
YOU and he agreed？and that was the result。〃
〃I don't think father knew anything about it；〃 said Rosey simply。
Mr。 Renshaw rose。 And this was what he had been waiting to hear！
〃Perhaps；〃 he said grimly； 〃you would also like news of the photographer
and Captain Bower； or did your father agree with them better？〃
〃No；〃 said Rosey quietly。 She remained silent for a moment； and
lifting her lashes said； 〃Father always seemed to agree with YOU； and
that〃 she hesitated。
〃That's why YOU don't。〃
〃I didn't say that；〃 said Rosey with an incongruous increase of
coldness and color。 〃I only meant to say it was that which makes it seem
so hard you should go now。〃
Notwithstanding his previous determination Renshaw found himself
sitting down again。 Confused and pleased； wishing he had said moreor
lesshe said nothing； and Rosey was forced to continue。
〃It's strange； isn't itbut father was urging me this morning to make a
visit to some friends at the old Ranch。 I didn't want to go。 I like it much
better here。〃
〃But you cannot bury yourself here forever； Miss Nott；〃 said Renshaw
with a sudden burst of honest enthusiasm。 〃Sooner or later you will be
forced to go where you will be properly appreciated； where you will be
admired and courted； where your slightest wish will be law。 Believe me；
without flattery； you don't know your own power。〃
〃It doesn't seem strong enough to keep even the little I like here；〃 said
Rosey with a slight glistening of the eyes。 〃But；〃 she added hastily； 〃you
don't know how much the dear old ship is to me。 It's the only home I think
I ever had。〃
〃But the Ranch？〃 said Renshaw。
〃The Ranch seemed to be only the old wagon halted in the road。 It was
a very little improvement on outdoors；〃 said Rosey with a little shiver。
〃But this is so cozy and snug and yet so strange and foreign。 Do you know
I think I began to understand why I like it so since you taught me so much
about ships and voyages。 Before that I only learned from books。 Books
82
… Page 83…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
deceive you； I think； more than people do。 Don't you think so？〃
She evidently did not notice the quick flush that covered his cheeks
and apparently dazzled his troubled eyelid for she went on confidentially。
〃I was thinking of you yesterday。 I was sitting by the galley door；
looking forward。 You remember the first day I saw you when you startled
me by coming up out of the hatch？〃
〃I wish you wouldn't think of that；〃 said Renshaw； with more
earnestness than he would have made apparent。
〃I don't want to either；〃 said Rosey； gravely； 〃for I've had a strange
fancy about it。 I saw once when I was younger； a picture in a print shop in
Montgomery Street that haunted me。 I think it was called 'The Pirate。'
There was a number of wicked…looking sailors lying around the deck； and
coming out of a hatch was one figure with his hands on the deck and a
cutlass in his mouth。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Renshaw。
〃You don't understand。 He was horrid…looking； not at all like you。 I
never thought of HIM when I first saw you； but the other day I thought
how dreadful it would have been if some one like him and not like you
had come up then。 That made me nervous sometimes of being alone。 I
think father is too。 He often goes about stealthily at night； as if he was
watching for something。〃
Renshaw's face grew suddenly dark。 Could it be possible that Sleight
had always suspected him； and set spies to watchor was he guilty of
some double intrigue？
〃He thinks；〃 continued Rosey with a faint smile； 〃that some one is
looking around the ship； and talks of setting bear…traps。 I hope you're not
mad； Mr。 Renshaw；〃 she added； suddenly catching sight of his changed
expression； 〃a