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speechless with honest indignation； and then after the fashion of
all guileless natures； a little uneasy and suspicious of his own
guilelessness。 For a day or two after； he found himself； not
without a sensation of meanness； watching Rose when in Emile's
presence； but he could distinguish nothing more than the frank
satisfaction she showed equally to the others。 Yet he found
himself regretting even that； so subtle was the contagion of his
wife's suspicions。
CHAPTER III
It had been a warm morning； an unusual mist； which the sun had not
dissipated； had crept on from the great grain…fields beyond； and
hung around the house charged with a dry； dusty closeness that
seemed to be quite independent of the sun's rays； and more like a
heated exhalation or emanation of the soil itself。 In its acrid
irritation Rose thought she could detect the breath of the wheat as
on the day she had plunged into its pale； green shadows。 By the
afternoon this mist had disappeared； apparently in the same
mysterious manner； but not scattered by the usual trade…wind；
whichanother unusual circumstancethat day was not forthcoming。
There was a breathlessness in the air like the hush of listening
expectancy； which filled the young girl with a vague restlessness；
and seemed to even affect a scattered company of crows in the field
beyond the house； which rose suddenly with startled but aimless
wings； and then dropped vacantly among the grain again。
Major Randolph was inspecting a distant part of the ranch； Mrs。
Randolph was presumably engaged in her boudoir； and Rose was
sitting between Adele and Emile before the piano in the drawing…
room； listlessly turning over the leaves of some music。 There had
been an odd mingling of eagerness and abstraction in the usual
attentions of the young man that morning； and a certain nervous
affectation in his manner of twisting the ends of a small black
moustache； which resembled his mother's eyebrows； that had affected
Rose with a half…amused； half…uneasy consciousness； but which she
had； however； referred to the restlessness produced by the weather。
It occurred to her also that the vacuously amiable Adele had once
or twice regarded her with the same precocious； childlike curiosity
and infantine cunning she had once before exhibited。 All this did
not； however； abate her admiration for bothperhaps particularly
for this picturesquely gentlemanly young fellow； with his gentle
audacities of compliment； his caressing attentions； and his
unfailing and equal address。 And when； discovering that she had
mislaid her fan for the fifth time that morning； he started up with
equal and undiminished fire to go again and fetch it； the look of
grateful pleasure and pleading perplexity in her pretty eyes might
have turned a less conceited brain than his。
〃But you don't know where it is！〃
〃I shall find it by instinct。〃
〃You are spoiling meyou two。〃 The parenthesis was a hesitating
addition； but she continued； with fresh sincerity； 〃I shall be
quite helpless when I leave hereif I am ever able to go by
myself。〃
〃Don't ever go； then。〃
〃But just now I want my fan； it is so close everywhere to…day。〃
〃I fly； mademoiselle。〃
He started to the door。
She called after him：
〃Let me help your instinct； then； I had it last in the major's
study。〃
〃That was where I was going。〃
He disappeared。 Rose got up and moved uneasily towards the window。
〃How queer and quiet it looks outside。 It's really too bad that he
should be sent after that fan again。 He'll never find it。〃 She
resumed her place at the piano； Adele following her with round；
expectant eyes。 After a pause she started up again。 〃I'll go and
fetch it myself；〃 she said； with a half…embarrassed laugh； and ran
to the door。
Scarcely understanding her own nervousness； but finding relief in
rapid movement； Rose flew lightly up the staircase。 The major's
study； where she had been writing letters； during his absence； that
morning； was at the further end of a long passage； and near her own
bedroom； the door of which； as she passed； she noticed； half…
abstractedly； was open； but she continued on and hurriedly entered
the study。 At the same moment Emile； with a smile on his face；
turned towards her with the fan in his hand。
〃Oh； you've found it；〃 she said； with nervous eagerness。 〃I was so
afraid you'd have all your trouble for nothing。〃
She extended her hand； with a half…breathless smile； for the fan；
but he caught her outstretched little palm in his own； and held it。
〃Ah！ but you are not going to leave us； are you？〃
In a flash of consciousness she understood him； and； as it seemed
to her； her own nervousness； and all； and everything。 And with it
came a swift appreciation of all it meant to her and her future。
To be always with him and like him； a part of this refined and
restful seclusionakin to all that had so attracted her in this
house； not to be obliged to educate herself up to it； but to be in
it on equal terms at once； to know that it was no wild； foolish
youthful fancy； but a wise； thoughtful； and prudent resolve； that
her father would understand and her friends respect： these were the
thoughts that crowded quickly upon her； more like an explanation of
her feelings than a revelation； in the brief second that he held
her hand。 It was not； perhaps； love as she had dreamed it； and
even BELIEVED it； before。 She was not ashamed or embarrassed； she
even felt； with a slight pride； that she was not blushing。 She
raised her eyes frankly。 What she WOULD have said she did not
know； for the door； which he had closed behind her； began to shake
violently。
It was not the fear of some angry intrusion or interference surely
that made him drop her hand instantly。 It was nother second
thoughtthe idea that some one had fallen in a fit against it that
blanched his face with abject and unreasoning terror！ It must have
been something else that caused him to utter an inarticulate cry
and dash out of the room and down the stairs like a madman！ What
had happened？
In her own self…possession she knew that all this was passing
rapidly； that it was not the door now that was still shaking； for
it had swung almost shut againbut it was the windows； the book…
shelves； the floor beneath her feet； that were all shaking。 She
heard a hurried scrambling； the trampling of feet below； and the
quick rustling of a skirt in the passage； as if some one had
precipitately fled from her room。 Yet no one had called to her
even HE had said nothing。 Whatever had happened they clearly had
not cared for her to know。
The jarring and rattling ceased as suddenly； but the house seemed
silent and empty。 She moved to the door； which had now swung open
a few inches； but to her astonishment it was fixed in that
position； and she could not pass。 As yet she had been free from
any personal fear； and even now it was with a half smile at her
imprisonment in the major's study； that she rang the bell and
turned to the window。 A man； whom she recognized as one of the
ranch laborers； was standing a hundred feet away in the garden；
looking curiously at the house。 He saw her face as she tried to
raise the sash； uttered an exclamation； and ran forward。 But
before she could understand what he said； the sash began to rattle
in her hand； the jarring recommenced； the floor shook beneath her
feet； a hideous sound of grinding seemed to come from the walls； a
thin seam of dust…like smoke broke from the ceiling； and with the
noise of falling plaster a dozen books followed each other from the
shelves； in what in the frantic hurry of that moment seemed a
grimly deliberate succession； a picture hanging against the wall；
to her dazed wonder； swung forward； and appeared to stand at right
angles from it； she felt herself reeling against the furniture； a
deadly nausea overtook her； as she glanced despairingly towards the
window； the outlying fields beyond the garden seemed to be
undulating like a sea。 For the first time she raised her voice；
not in fear； but in a pathetic little cry of apology for her
awkwardness in tumbling about and not being able to grapple this
new experience； and then she found herself near the door； which had
once more swung free。 She grasped it eagerly； and darted out of
the study into the deserted passage。 Here some instinct made her
follow the line of the wall； rather than the shaking balusters of
the corridor and staircase； but before she reached the bottom she
heard a shout； and the farm laborer she had seen coming towards her
seized her by the arm； dragged her to the open doorway of the
drawing…room； and halted beneath its arch in the wall。 Another
thrill； but lighter than before； passed through the building； then
all was still again。
〃It's over； I reckon that's all just now；〃 said the man； coolly。
〃It's quite s