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cressy-第5章

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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
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