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〃And Seth Davisdoes HE intend returning too?〃
〃He!〃 She broke into a light girlish laugh。 〃I reckon not much!
S'long's I'm here; at least。〃 She had just lifted herself to a
sitting posture on the desk; so that her little feet swung clear of
the floor in their saucy dance。 Suddenly she brought her heels
together and alighted。 〃So that's all?〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃Kin I go now?〃
〃Yes。〃
She laid her books one on the top of the other and lingered an
instant。
〃Been quite well?〃 she asked with indolent politeness。
〃Yesthank you。〃
〃You're lookin' right peart。〃
She walked with a Southern girl's undulating languor to the door;
opened it; then charged suddenly upon Octavia Dean; twirled her
round in a wild waltz and bore her away; appearing a moment after
on the playground demurely walking with her arm around her
companion's waist in an ostentatious confidence at once lofty;
exclusive; and exasperating to the smaller children。
When school was dismissed that afternoon and the master had
remained to show Rupert Filgee how to prepare Uncle Ben's tasks;
and had given his final instructions to his youthful vicegerent;
that irascible Adonis unburdened himself querulously:
〃Is Cressy McKinstry comin' reg'lar; Mr。 Ford?〃
〃She is;〃 said the master dryly。 After a pause he asked; 〃Why?〃
Rupert's curls had descended on his eyebrows in heavy discontent。
〃It's mighty rough; jest ez a feller reckons he's got quit of her
and her jackass bo'; to hev her prancin' back inter school agin;
and rigged out like ez if she'd been to a fire in a milliner's
shop。〃
〃You shouldn't allow your personal dislikes; Rupert; to provoke you
to speak of a fellow…scholar in that wayand a young lady; too;〃
corrected the master dryly。
〃The woods is full o' sich feller…scholars and sich young ladies;
if yer keer to go a gunning for 'em;〃 said Rupert with dark and
slangy significance。 〃Ef I'd known she was comin' back I'd〃he
stopped and brought his sunburnt fist against the seam of his
trousers with a boyish gesture; 〃I'd hev jist〃
〃What?〃 said the master sharply。
〃I'd hev played hookey till she left school agin! It moutn't hev
bin so long; neither;〃 he added with a mysterious chuckle。
〃That will do;〃 said the master peremptorily。 〃For the present
you'll attend to your duty and try to make Uncle Ben see you're
something more than a foolish; prejudiced school…boy; or;〃 he added
significantly; 〃he and I may both repent our agreement。 Let me
have a good account of you both when I return。〃
He took his hat from its peg on the wall; and in obedience to a
suddenly formed resolution left the school…room to call upon the
parents of Cressy McKinstry。 He was not quite certain what he
should say; but; after his habit; would trust to the inspiration of
the moment。 At the worst he could resign a situation that now
appeared to require more tact and delicacy than seemed consistent
with his position; and he was obliged to confess to himself that he
had lately suspected that his present occupationthe temporary
expedient of a poor but clever young man of twentywas scarcely
bringing him nearer a realization of his daily dreams。 For Mr。
Jack Ford was a youthful pilgrim who had sought his fortune in
California so lightly equipped that even in the matter of kin and
advisers he was deficient。 That prospective fortune had already
eluded him in San Francisco; had apparently not waited for him in
Sacramento; and now seemed never to have been at Indian Spring。
Nevertheless; when he was once out of sight of the school…house he
lit a cigar; put his hands in his pockets; and strode on with the
cheerfulness of that youth to which all things are possible。
The children had already dispersed as mysteriously and completely
as they had arrived。 Between him and the straggling hamlet of
Indian Spring the landscape seemed to be without sound or motion。
The wooded upland or ridge on which the schoolhouse stood; half a
mile further on; began to slope gradually towards the river; on
whose banks; seen from that distance; the town appeared to have
been scattered irregularly or thrown together hastily; as if cast
ashore by some overflowthe Cosmopolitan Hotel drifting into the
Baptist church; and dragging in its tail of wreckage two saloons
and a blacksmith's shop; while the County Court…house was stranded
in solitary grandeur in a waste of gravel half a mile away。 The
intervening flat was still gashed and furrowed by the remorseless
engines of earlier gold…seekers。
Mr。 Ford was in little sympathy with this unsuccessful record of
frontier endeavorthe fortune HE had sought did not seem to lie in
that directionand his eye glanced quickly beyond it to the pine…
crested hills across the river; whose primeval security was so near
and yet so inviolable; or back again to the trail he was pursuing
along the ridge。 The latter prospect still retained its semi…
savage character in spite of the occasional suburban cottages of
residents; and the few outlying farms or ranches of the locality。
The grounds of the cottages were yet uncleared of underbrush; bear
and catamount still prowled around the rude fences of the ranches;
the late alleged experience of the infant Snyder was by no means
improbable or unprecedented。
A light breeze was seeking the heated flat and river; and thrilling
the leaves around him with the strong vitality of the forest。 The
vibrating cross…lights and tremulous chequers of shade cast by the
stirred foliage seemed to weave a fantastic net around him as he
walked。 The quaint odors of certain woodland herbs known to his
scholars; and religiously kept in their desks; or left like votive
offerings on the threshold of the school…house; recalled all the
primitive simplicity and delicious wildness of the little temple he
had left。 Even in the mischievous glances of evasive squirrels and
the moist eyes of the contemplative rabbits there were faint
suggestions of some of his own truants。 The woods were trembling
with gentle memories of the independence he had always known here
of that sweet and grave retreat now so ridiculously invaded。
He began to hesitate; with one of those revulsions of sentiment
characteristic of his nature: Why should he bother himself about
this girl after all? Why not make up his mind to accept her as his
predecessor had done? Why was it necessary for him to find her
inconsistent with his ideas of duty to his little flock and his
mission to them? Was he not assuming a sense of decorum that was
open to misconception? The absurdity of her school costume; and
any responsibility it incurred; rested not with him but with her
parents。 What right had he to point it out to them; and above all
how was he to do it? He halted irresolutely at what he believed
was his sober second thought; but which; like most reflections that
take that flattering title; was only a reaction as impulsive and
illogical as the emotion that preceded it。
Mr。 McKinstry's 〃snake rail〃 fence was already discernible in the
lighter opening of the woods; not far from where he had halted。 As
he stood there in hesitation; the pretty figure and bright gown of
Cressy McKinstry suddenly emerged from a more secluded trail that
intersected his own at an acute angle a few rods ahead of him。 She
was not alone; but was accompanied by a male figure whose arm she
had evidently just dislodged from her waist。 He was still trying
to resume his lost vantage; she was as resolutely evading him with
a certain nymph…like agility; while the sound of her half…laughing;
half…irate protest could be faintly heard。 Without being able to
identify the face or figure of her companion at that distance; he
could see that it was NOT her former betrothed; Seth Davis。
A superior smile crossed his face; he no longer hesitated; but at
once resumed his former path。 For some time Cressy and her
companion moved on quietly before him。 Then on reaching the rail…
fence they turned abruptly to the right; were lost for an instant
in the intervening thicket; and the next moment Cressy appeared
alone; crossing the meadow in a shorter cut towards the house;
having either scaled the fence or slipped through some familiar
gap。 Her companion had disappeared。 Whether they had noticed that
they were observed he could not determine。 He kept steadily along
the trail that followed the line of fence to the lane that led
directly to the farm…building; and pushed open the front gate as
Cressy's light dress vanished round an angle at the rear of the
house。
The house of the McKinstrys rose; or rather stretched; itself
before him; in all the lazy ungainliness of Southwestern
architecture。 A collection of temporary make…shifts of boards; of
logs; of canvas; prematurely decayed; and in some instances
abandoned for a newer erection; or degraded to