flip-a california romance-第5节

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sublime　simplicity；　〃I　had　done　'em　good；　and　they　could　get　on

alone。　　Don't　it？〃



〃It　does；〃　responded　Lance　grimly。　　〃Have　you　any　other　friends

that　come？〃



〃Only　the　Postmaster　at　the　Crossing。〃



〃The　Postmaster？〃



〃Yes；　he's　reckonin'　to　marry　me　next　year；　if　I'm　big　enough。〃



〃And　what　do　you　reckon？〃　asked　Lance　earnestly。



Flip　began　a　series　of　distortions　with　her　shoulders；　ran　on

ahead；　picked　up　a　few　pebbles　and　threw　them　into　the　wood；

glanced　back　at　Lance　with　swimming　mottled　eyes；　that　seemed　a

piquant　incarnation　of　everything　suggestive　and　tantalizing；　and

said；



〃That's　telling。〃



They　had　by　this　time　reached　the　spot　where　they　were　to　separate。

〃Look；〃　said　Flip；　pointing　to　a　faint　deflection　of　their　path；

which　seemed；　however；　to　lose　itself　in　the　underbrush　a　dozen

yards　away；　〃ther's　your　trail。　　It　gets　plainer　and　broader　the

further　you　get　on；　but　you　must　use　your　eyes　here；　and　get　to

know　it　well　afore　you　get　into　the　fog。　　Good…by。〃



〃Good…by。〃　　Lance　took　her　hand　and　drew　her　beside　him。　　She　was

still　redolent　of　the　spices　of　the　thicket；　and　to　the　young　man's

excited　fancy　seemed　at　that　moment　to　personify　the　perfume　and

intoxication　of　her　native　woods。　　Half　laughingly；　half　earnestly；

he　tried　to　kiss　her；　she　struggled　for　some　time　strongly；　but　at

the　last　moment　yielded；　with　a　slight　return　and　the　exchange　of　a

subtle　fire　that　thrilled　him；　and　left　him　standing　confused　and

astounded　as　she　ran　away。　　He　watched　her　lithe；　nymph…like　figure

disappear　in　the　checkered　shadows　of　the　wood；　and　then　he　turned

briskly　down　the　half…hidden　trail。　　His　eyesight　was　keen；　he　made

good　progress；　and　was　soon　well　on　his　way　toward　the　distant

ridge。



But　Flip's　return　had　not　been　as　rapid。　　When　she　reached　the　wood

she　crept　to　its　beetling　verge；　and；　looking　across　the　canyon；

watched　Lance's　figure　as　it　vanished　and　reappeared　in　the　shadows

and　sinuosities　of　the　ascent。　　When　he　reached　the　ridge　the

outlying　fog　crept　across　the　summit；　caught　him　in　its　embrace；

and　wrapped　him　from　her　gaze。　　Flip　sighed；　raised　herself；　put

her　alternate　foot　on　a　stump；　and　took　a　long　pull　at　her　too…

brief　stockings。　　When　she　had　pulled　down　her　skirt　and　endeavored

once　more　to　renew　the　intimacy　that　had　existed　in　previous　years

between　the　edge　of　her　petticoat　and　the　top　of　her　stockings；　she

sighed　again；　and　went　home。





CHAPTER　III。





For　six　months　the　sea　fogs　monotonously　came　and　went　along　the

Monterey　coast；　for　six　months　they　beleaguered　the　Coast　Range

with　afternoon　sorties　of　white　hosts　that　regularly　swept　over　the

mountain　crest；　and　were　as　regularly　beaten　back　again　by　the

leveled　lances　of　the　morning　sun。　　For　six　months　that　white　veil

which　had　once　hidden　Lance　Harriott　in　its　folds　returned　without

him。　　For　that　amiable　outlaw　no　longer　needed　disguise　or　hiding…

place。　　The　swift　wave　of　pursuit　that　had　dashed　him　on　the　summit

had　fallen　back；　and　the　next　day　was　broken　and　scattered。　　Before

the　week　had　passed；　a　regular　judicial　inquiry　relieved　his　crime

of　premeditation；　and　showed　it　to　be　a　rude　duel　of　two　armed　and

equally　desperate　men。　　From　a　secure　vantage　in　a　seacoast　town

Lance　challenged　a　trial　by　his　peers；　and；　as　an　already　prejudged

man　escaping　from　his　executioners；　obtained　a　change　of　venue。

Regular　justice；　seated　by　the　calm　Pacific；　found　the　action　of　an

interior；　irregular　jury　rash　and　hasty。　　Lance　was　liberated　on

bail。



The　Postmaster　at　Fisher's　Crossing　had　just　received　the　weekly

mail　and　express　from　San　Francisco；　and　was　engaged　in　examining

it。　　It　consisted　of　five　letters　and　two　parcels。　　Of　these；　three

of　the　letters　and　the　two　parcels　were　directed　to　Flip。　　It　was

not　the　first　time　during　the　last　six　months　that　this　extraordinary

event　had　occurred；　and　the　curiosity　of　the　Crossing　was　duly

excited。　　As　Flip　had　never　called　personally　for　the　letters　or

parcels；　but　had　sent　one　of　her　wild；　irregular　scouts　or　henchmen

to　bring　them；　and　as　she　was　seldom　seen　at　the　Crossing　or　on　the

stage　road；　that　curiosity　was　never　satisfied。　　The　disappointment

to　the　Postmastera　man　past　the　middle　agepartook　of　a

sentimental　nature。　　He　looked　at　the　letters　and　parcels；　he　looked

at　his　watch；　it　was　yet　early；　he　could　return　by　noon。　　He　again

examined　the　addresses；　they　were　in　the　same　handwriting　as　the

previous　letters。　　His　mind　was　made　up；　he　would　deliver　them

himself。　　The　poetic；　soulful　side　of　his　mission　was　delicately

indicated　by　a　pale　blue　necktie；　a　clean　shirt；　and　a　small　package

of　gingernuts；　of　which　Flip　was　extravagantly　fond。



The　common　road　to　Fairley's　Ranch　was　by　the　stage　turnpike　to　a

point　below　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods；　where　the　prudent　horseman

usually　left　his　beast　and　followed　the　intersecting　trail　afoot。

It　was　here　that　the　Postmaster　suddenly　observed　on　the　edge　of

the　wood　the　figure　of　an　elegantly…dressed　woman；　she　was　walking

slowly；　and　apparently　at　her　ease；　one　hand　held　her　skirts

lightly　gathered　between　her　gloved　fingers；　the　other　slowly　swung

a　riding　whip。　　Was　it　a　picnic　of　some　people　from　Monterey　or

Santa　Cruz？　　The　spectacle　was　novel　enough　to　justify　his　coming

nearer。　　Suddenly　she　withdrew　into　the　wood；　he　lost　sight　of　her；

she　was　gone。　　He　remembered；　however；　that　Flip　was　still　to　be

seen；　and　as　the　steep　trail　was　beginning　to　tax　all　his　energies；

he　was　fain　to　hurry　forward。　　The　sun　was　nearly　vertical　when　he

turned　into　the　canyon；　and　saw　the　bark　roof　of　the　cabin　beyond。

At　almost　the　same　moment　Flip　appeared；　flushed　and　panting；　in

the　road　before　him。



〃You've　got　something　for　me；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　parcel　and

letters。　　Completely　taken　by　surprise；　the　Postmaster　mechanically

yielded　them　up；　and　as　instantly　regretted　it。　　〃They're　paid

for；〃　continued　Flip；　observing　his　hesitation。



〃That's　so；〃　stammered　the　official　of　the　Crossing；　seeing　his

last　chance　of　knowing　the　contents　of　the　parcel　vanish；　〃but　I

thought　ez　it's　a　valooable　package；　maybe　ye　might　want　to　examine

it　to　see　that　it　was　all　right　afore　ye　receipted　for　it。〃



〃I'll　risk　it；〃　said　Flip；　coolly；　〃and　if　it　ain't　right　I'll　let

ye　know。〃



As　the　girl　seemed　inclined　to　retire　with　her　property；　the

Postmaster　was　driven　to　other　conversation。　　〃We　ain't　had　the

pleasure　of　seeing　you　down　at　the　Crossing　for　a　month　o'

Sundays；〃　he　began；　with　airy　yet　pronounced　gallantry。　　〃Some

folks　let　on　you　was　keepin'　company　with　some　feller　like　Bijah

Brown；　and　you　were　getting　a　little　too　set　up　for　the　Crossing。〃

The　individual　here　mentioned　being　the　county　butcher；　and

supposed　to　exhibit　his　hopeless　affection　for　Flip　by　making　a

long　and　useless　divergence　from　his　weekly　route　to　enter　the

canyon　for　〃orders；〃　Flip　did　not　deem　it　necessary　to　reply。

〃Then　I　allowed　how　ez　you　might　have　company；〃　he　continued；　〃I

reckon　there's　some　city　folks　up　at　the　summit。　　I　saw　a　mighty

smart；　fash'n'ble　gal　cavorting　round。　　Had　no　end　o'　style　and

fancy　fixin's。　　That's　my　kind；　I　tell　you。　　I　just　weaken　on　that

sort　o'　gal；〃　he　continued；　in　the　firm　belief　that　he　had　awakened

Flip's　jealousy；　as　he　glanced　at　her　well…worn　homespun　frock；　and

found　her　eyes　suddenly　fixed　on　his　own。



〃Strange　I　ain't　got　to　see　her　yet；〃　she　replied　coolly；

shouldering　her　parcel；　and　quite　ignoring　any　sense　of　obligation

to　him　for　his　extra…official　act。



〃But　you　might　get　to　see　her　at　the　edge　of　the　Gin　and　Ginger

Woods；〃　he　persisted　feebly；　in　a　last　effort　to　detain　her；　〃if

you'll　take　a　pasear　there　with　me。〃　　Flip's　only　response　was　to

walk　on　toward　the　cabin；　whence；　with　a　vague　complimentary

suggestion　of　〃droppin'　in　to　pass　the　time　o'　day〃　with　her

father；　the　Postmaster　meekly　followed。



The　paternal　Fairley；　once　convinced　that　his　daughter's　new

companion　required　no　pecuniary　or　material　assistance　from　his

hands；　relaxed　to　the　extent　of　entering　into　a　querulous

confidence　with　him；　during　which　Flip　took　the　opportunity　of

slipping　away。　　As　Fairley　had　that　infelicitous　tendency　of　most

weak　natures；　to　unconsciously　exaggerate　unimportant　details　in

their　talk；　the　Postmaster　presently　became　convinced　that　the

butcher　was　a　constant　and　assiduous　suitor　of　Flip's。　　The

absurdity　of　his　sending　parcels　and　letters　by　post　when　he　might

bring　them　himself　did　not　strike　the　official。　　On　the　contrary；

he　believed　it　to　be　a　master　stroke　of　cunning。　　Fired　by　jealousy

and　Flip's　indifference；　he　〃deemed　it　his　duty〃using　that　facile

form　of　cowardly　offensivenessto　betray　Flip。



Of　which　she　was　happily　oblivious。　　Once　away　from　the　cabin；　she

plunged　into　the　woods；　with　the　parcel　swung　behind　her　like　a