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！
interested in his own absorption； the revelation of his preoccupation
with this model struck her as if he had made her a confidante of
some boyish passion for one of her own sex； and she regarded him
with the same sympathizing superiority。
〃You will make a fortune out of it；〃 she said pleasantly。
Well； he might make enough to be able to go on with some other
inventions he had in his mind。 They cost money and time； no matter
how careful one was。
This was another interesting revelation to the young girl。 He not
only did not seem to care for the profit his devotion brought him；
but even his one beloved ideal might be displaced by another。 So
like a man； after all！
Her reflections were broken upon by the sound of voices。 The young
man carefully replaced the model in its closet with a parting
glance as if he was closing a shrine； and said； 〃There comes the
wagon。〃 The young girl turned to face the men who were dragging it
from the road； with the half…complacent air of having been
victorious over their late rude abandonment； but they did not seem
to notice it or to be surprised at her companion； who quickly
stepped forward and examined the broken vehicle with workmanlike
deliberation。
〃I hope you will be able to do something with it；〃 she said
sweetly； appealing directly to him。 〃I should thank you SO MUCH。〃
He did not reply。 Presently he looked up to the man who had
brought her to the shanty； and said； 〃The axle's strained； but it's
safe for five or six miles more of this road。 I'll put the wheel
on easily。〃 He paused； and without glancing at her； continued；
〃You might send her on by the cart。〃
〃Pray don't trouble yourselves；〃 interrupted the young girl； with a
pink uprising in her cheeks； 〃I shall be quite satisfied with the
buggy as it stands。〃 Send her on in the cart； indeed！ Really；
they were a rude setALL of them。〃
Without taking the slightest notice of her remark； the man replied
gravely to the young mechanic； 〃Yes； but we'll be wanting the cart
before it can get back from taking her。〃
〃Her〃 again。 〃I assure you the buggy will serve perfectly well
if thisgentlemanwill only be kind enough to put on the wheel
again；〃 she returned hotly。
The young mechanic at once set to work。 The young girl walked
apart silently until the wheel was restored to its axle。 But to
her surprise a different horse was led forward to be harnessed。
〃We thought your horse wasn't safe in case of another accident；〃
said the first man； with the same smileless consideration。 〃This
one wouldn't cut up if he was harnessed to an earthquake or a worse
driver than you've got。〃
It occurred to her instantly that the more obvious remedy of
sending another driver had been already discussed and rejected by
them。 Yet； when her own driver appeared a moment afterwards； she
ascended to her seat with some dignity and a slight increase of
color。
〃I am very much obliged to you all；〃 she said； without glancing at
the young inventor。
〃Don't mention it； miss。〃
〃Good afternoon。〃
〃Good afternoon。〃 They all took off their hats with the same
formal gravity as the horse moved forward； but turned back to their
work again before she was out of the field。
CHAPTER II
The ranch of Major Randolph lay on a rich falda of the Coast Range；
and overlooked the great wheat plains that the young girl had just
left。 The house of wood and adobe； buried to its first story in
rose…trees and passion vines； was large and commodious。 Yet it
contained only the major； his wife； her son and daughter； and the
few occasional visitors from San Francisco whom he entertained； and
she tolerated。
For the major's household was not entirely harmonious。 While a
young infantry subaltern at a Gulf station； he had been attracted
by the piquant foreign accent and dramatic gestures of a French
Creole widow； andbelieving them； in the first flush of his
youthful passion more than an offset to the encumbrance of her two
children who； with the memory of various marital infidelities were
all her late husband had left herhad proposed； been accepted； and
promptly married to her。 Before he obtained his captaincy； she had
partly lost her accent； and those dramatic gestures； which had
accented the passion of their brief courtship； began to intensify
domestic altercation and the bursts of idle jealousy to which she
was subject。 Whether she was revenging herself on her second
husband for the faults of her first is not known； but it was
certain that she brought an unhallowed knowledge of the weaknesses；
cheap cynicism； and vanity of a foreign predecessor； to sit in
judgment upon the simple…minded and chivalrous American soldier who
had succeeded him； and who was； in fact； the most loyal of
husbands。 The natural result of her skepticism was an espionage
and criticism of the wives of the major's brother officers that
compelled a frequent change of quarters。 When to this was finally
added a racial divergence and antipathy； the public disparagement
of the customs and education of her female colleagues； and the
sudden insistence of a foreign and French dominance in her
household beyond any ordinary Creole justification； Randolph；
presumably to avoid later international complications； resigned
while he was as yet a major。 Luckily his latest banishment to an
extreme Western outpost had placed him in California during the
flood of a speculation epoch。 He purchased a valuable Spanish
grant to three leagues of land for little over a three months' pay。
Following that yearning which compels retired ship…captains and
rovers of all degrees to buy a farm in their old days； the major；
professionally and socially inured to border strife； sought
surcease and Arcadian repose in ranching。
It was here that Mrs。 Randolph； late relict of the late Scipion
L'Hommadieu； devoted herself to bringing up her children after the
extremest of French methods； and in resurrecting a 〃de〃 from her
own family to give a distinct and aristocratic character to their
name。 The 〃de Fontanges l'Hommadieu〃 were； however； only known to
their neighbors； after the Western fashion； by their stepfather's
name；when they were known at allwhich was seldom。 For the boy
was unpleasantly conceited as a precocious worldling； and the girl
as unpleasantly complacent in her role of ingenue。 The household
was completely dominated by Mrs。 Randolph。 A punctilious Catholic；
she attended all the functions of the adjacent mission； and the
shadow of a black soutane at twilight gliding through the wild oat…
fields behind the ranch had often been mistaken for a coyote。 The
peace…loving major did not object to a piety which； while it left
his own conscience free； imparted a respectable religious air to
his household； and kept him from the equally distasteful approaches
of the Puritanism of his neighbors； and was blissfully unconscious
that he was strengthening the antagonistic foreign element in his
family with an alien church。
Meantime； as the repaired buggy was slowly making its way towards
his house； Major Randolph entered his wife's boudoir with a letter
which the San Francisco post had just brought him。 A look of
embarrassment on his good…humored face strengthened the hard lines
of hers； she felt some momentary weakness of her natural enemy； and
prepared to give battle。
〃I'm afraid here's something of a muddle； Josephine；〃 he began with
a deprecating smile。 〃Mallory； who was coming down here with his
daughter； you know〃
〃This is the first intimation I have had that anything has been
settled upon；〃 interrupted the lady； with appalling deliberation。
〃However； my dear； you know I told you last week that he thought of
bringing her here while he went South on business。 You know； being
a widower； he has no one to leave her with。〃
〃And I suppose it is the American fashion to intrust one's
daughters to any old boon companions？〃
〃Mallory is an old friend；〃 interrupted the major； impatiently。
〃He knows I'm married； and although he has never seen YOU； he is
quite willing to leave his daughter here。〃
〃Thank you！〃
〃Come； you know what I mean。 The man naturally believes that my
wife will be a proper chaperone for his daughter。 But that is not
the present question。 He intended to call here； I expected to take
you over to San Jose to see her and all that； you know； but the
fact of it isthat isit seems from this letter thathe's been
called away sooner than he expected； and thatwellhang it！ the
girl is actually on her way here now。〃
〃Alone？〃
〃I suppose so。 You know one thinks nothing of that here。〃
〃Or any other propriety； for that matter。〃
〃For heaven's sake； Josephine； don't be ridiculous！ Of course it's
stupid her coming in this way； and Mallory ought to have brought
herbut she's coming； and we must receive her。