a first family of tasajara-第24节

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return。　　I　wonder　that　your　party　didn't　prefer　it；　and　if　they　are

looking　for　you；as　they　surely　must　be；〃　he　said；　as　if　with　a

sudden　conception　of　her　importance；　〃they'll　come　there　when　they

find　you're　not　at　San　Mateo。〃



This　seemed　reasonable；　although　the　process　of　being　〃fetched〃　and

taking　the　five　miles　ride；　which　she　had　enjoyed　so　much　alone；　in

company　was　not　attractive。　　〃Couldn't　I　go　on　at　once？〃　she　said

impulsively。



〃You　would　meet　them　sooner；〃　he　said　thoughtfully。



This　was　quite　enough　for　Mrs。　Ashwood。　　〃I　think　I'll　rest　this

poor　horse；　who　is　really　tired；〃　she；　said　with　charming　hypocrisy；

〃and　stop　at　the　hotel。〃



She　saw　his　face　brighten。　　Perhaps　he　was　the　son　of　the　hotel

proprietor；　or　a　youthful　partner　himself。　　〃I　suppose　you　live

here？〃　she　suggested　gently。　　〃You　seem　to　know　the　place　so　well。〃



〃No；〃　he　returned　quickly；　〃I　only　run　down　here　from　San　Francisco

when　I　can　get　a　day　off。〃



A　day　off！　　He　was　in　some　regular　employment。　　But　he　continued：

〃And　I　used　to　go　to　boarding…school　near　here；　and　know　all　these

woods　well。〃



He　must　be　a　native！　　How　odd！　　She　had　not　conceived　that　there

might　be　any　other　population　here　than　the　immigrants；　perhaps

that　was　what　made　him　so　interesting　and　different　from　the

others。　　〃Then　your　father　and　mother　live　here？〃　she　said。



His　frank　face；　incapable　of　disguise；　changed　suddenly。　　〃No；〃　he

said　simply；　but　without　any　trace　of　awkwardness。　　Then　after　a

slight　pause　he　laid　his　handshe　noticed　it　was　white　and　well

kepton　her　mustang's　neck；　and　said；　〃Ifif　you　care　to　trust

yourself　to　me；　I　could　lead　you　and　your　horse　down　a　trail　into

the　valley　that　is　at　least　a　third　of　the　distance　shorter。　　It

would　save　you　going　back　to　the　regular　road；　and　there　are　one　or

two　lovely　views　that　I　could　show　you。　　I　should　be　so　pleased；　if

it　would　not　trouble　you。　　There's　a　steep　place　or　twobut　I

think　there's　no　danger。〃



〃I　shall　not　be　afraid。〃



She　smiled　so　graciously；　and；　as　she　fully　believed；　maternally；

that　he　looked　at　her　the　second　time。　　To　his　first　hurried

impression　of　her　as　an　elegant　and　delicately　nurtured　womanone

of　the　class　of　distinguished　tourists　that　fashion　was　beginning

to　send　thitherhe　had　now　to　add　that　she　had　a　quantity　of　fine

silken…spun　light　hair　gathered　in　a　heavy　braid　beneath　her　gray

hat；　that　her　mouth　was　very　delicately　lipped　and　beautifully

sensitive；　that　her　soft　skin；　although　just　then　touched　with

excitement；　was　a　pale　faded　velvet；　and　seemed　to　be　worn　with

ennui　rather　than　experience；　that　her　eyes　were　hidden　behind　a

strip　of　gray　veil　whence　only　a　faint　glow　was　discernible。　　To

this　must　still　be　added　a　poetic　fancy　all　his　own　that；　as　she

sat　there；　with　the　skirt　of　her　gray　habit　falling　from　her　long

bodiced　waist　over　the　mustang's　fawn…colored　flanks；　and　with　her

slim　gauntleted　hands　lightly　swaying　the　reins；　she　looked　like

Queen　Guinevere　in　the　forest。　　Not　that　he　particularly　fancied

Queen　Guinevere；　or　that　he　at　all　imagined　himself　Launcelot；　but

it　was　quite　in　keeping　with　the　suggestion…haunted　brain　of　John

Milton　Harcourt；　whom　the　astute　reader　has　of　course　long　since

recognized。



Preceding　her　through　the　soft　carpeted　vault　with　a　woodman's

instinct；for　there　was　apparently　no　trail　to　be　seen；the　soft

inner　twilight　began　to　give　way　to　the　outer　stronger　day；　and

presently　she　was　startled　to　see　the　clear　blue　of　the　sky　before

her　on　apparently　the　same　level　as　the　brown　pine…tessellated

floor　she　was　treading。　　Not　only　did　this　show　her　that　she　was

crossing　a　ridge　of　the　upland；　but　a　few　moments　later　she　had

passed　beyond　the　woods　to　a　golden　hillside　that　sloped　towards　a

leafy；　sheltered；　and　exquisitely…proportioned　valley。　　A　tiny　but

picturesque　tower；　and　a　few　straggling　roofs　and　gables；　the

flashing　of　a　crystal　stream　through　the　leaves；　and　a　narrow　white

ribbon　of　road　winding　behind　it　indicated　the　hostelry　they　were

seeking。　　So　peaceful　and　unfrequented　it　looked；　nestling　between

the　hills；　that　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　discovered　it。



With　his　hand　at　times　upon　the　bridle；　at　others　merely　caressing

her　mustang's　neck；　he　led　the　way；　there　were　a　few　breathless

places　where　the　crown　of　his　straw　hat　appeared　between　her

horse's　reins；　and　again　when　she　seemed　almost　slipping　over　on

his　shoulder；　but　they　were　passed　with　such　frank　fearlessness　and

invincible　youthful　confidence　on　the　part　of　her　escort　that　she

felt　no　timidity。　　There　were　moments　when　a　bit　of　the　charmed

landscape　unfolding　before　them　overpowered　them　both；　and　they

halted　to　gaze；sometimes　without　a　word；　or　only　a　significant

gesture　of　sympathy　and　attention。　　At　one　of　those　artistic

manifestations　Mrs。　Ashwood　laid　her　slim　gloved　fingers　lightly

but　unwittingly　on　John　Milton's　arm；　and　withdrew　them；　however；

with　a　quick　girlish　apology　and　a　foolish　color　which　annoyed　her

more　than　the　appearance　of　familiarity。　　But　they　were　now　getting

well　down　into　the　valley；　the　court　of　the　little　hotel　was

already　opening　before　them；　their　unconventional　relations　in　the

idyllic　world　above　had　changed；　the　new　one　required　some　delicacy

of　handling；　and　she　had　an　idea　that　even　the　simplicity　of　the

young　stranger　might　be　confusing。



〃I　must　ask　you　to　continue　to　act　as　my　escort；〃　she　said；

laughingly。　　〃I　am　Mrs。　Ashwood　of　Philadelphia；　visiting　San

Francisco　with　my　sister　and　brother；　who　are；　I　am　afraid；　even

now　hopelessly　waiting　luncheon　for　me　at　San　Mateo。　　But　as　there

seems　to　be　no　prospect　of　my　joining　them　in　time；　I　hope　you　will

be　able　to　give　me　the　pleasure　of　your　company；　with　whatever　they

may　give　us　here　in　the　way　of　refreshment。〃



〃I　shall　be　very　happy；〃　returned　John　Milton　with　unmistakable

candor；　〃but　perhaps　some　of　your　friends　will　be　arriving　in　quest

of　you；　if　they　are　not　already　here。〃



〃Then　they　will　join　us　or　wait；〃　said　Mrs。　Ashwood　incisively；

with　her　first　exhibition　of　the　imperiousness　of　a　rich　and　pretty

woman。　　Perhaps　she　was　a　little　annoyed　that　her　elaborate

introduction　of　herself　had　produced　no　reciprocal　disclosure　by

her　companion。　　〃Will　you　please　send　the　landlord　to　me？〃　she

added。



John　Milton　disappeared　in　the　hotel　as　she　cantered　to　the　porch。

In　another　moment　she　was　giving　the　landlord　her　orders　with　the

easy　confidence　of　one　who　knew　herself　only　as　an　always　welcome

and　highly　privileged　guest；　which　was　not　without　its　effect。

〃And；〃　she　added　carelessly；　〃when　everything　is　ready　you　will

please　tellMr。〃



〃Harcourt；〃　suggested　the　landlord　promptly。



Mrs。　Ashwood's　perfectly　trained　face　gave　not　the　slightest　sign

of　the　surprise　that　had　overtaken　her。　　〃Of　course；Mr。　Harcourt。〃



〃You　know　he's　the　son　of　the　millionaire；〃　continued　the　landlord；

not　at　all　unwilling　to　display　the　importance　of　the　habitues　of

Crystal　Spring；　〃though　they've　quarreled　and　don't　get　on

together。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　the　lady　languidly；　〃and；　if　any　one　comes　here　for

ME；　ask　them　to　wait　in　the　parlor　until　I　come。〃



Then；　submitting　herself　and　her　dusty　habit　to　the　awkward

ministration　of　the　Irish　chambermaid；　she　was　quite　thrilled　with

a　delightful　curiosity。　　She　vaguely　remembered　that　she　had　heard

something　of　the　Harcourt　family　discord；but　that　was　the

divorced　daughter　surely！　　And　this　young　man　was　Harcourt's　son；

and　they　had　quarreled！　　A　quarrel　with　a　frank；　open；　ingenuous

fellow　like　thata　mere　boycould　only　be　the　father's　fault。

Luckily　she　had　never　mentioned　the　name　of　Harcourt！　　She　would

not　now；　he　need　not　know　that　it　was　his　father　who　had　originated

the　party；　why　should　she　make　him　uncomfortable　for　the　few

moments　they　were　together？



There　was　nothing　of　this　in　her　face　as　she　descended　and　joined

him。　　He　thought　that　face　handsome；　well…bred；　and　refined。　　But

this　breeding　and　refinement　seemed　to　himin　his　ignorance　of　the

world；　possiblyas　only　a　graceful　concealment　of　a　self　of　which

he　knew　nothing；　and　he　was　not　surprised　to　find　that　her　pretty

gray　eyes；　now　no　longer　hidden　by　her　veil；　really　told　him　no

more　than　her　lips。　　He　was　a　little　afraid　of　her；　and　now　that

she　had　lost　her　naive　enthusiasm　he　was　conscious　of　a　vague

remorsefulness　for　his　interrupted　work　in　the　forest。　　What　was　he

doing　here？　　He　who　had　avoided　the　cruel；　selfish　world　of　wealth

and　pleasure；a　world　that　this　woman　represented；the　world　that

had　stood　apart　from　him　in　the　one　dream　of　his　lifeand　had　let

Loo　die！　　His　quickly　responsive　face　darkened。



〃I　am　afraid　I　really　interrupted　you　up　there；〃　she　said　gently；

looking　in　his　face　with　an　expression　of　unfeigned　concern；　〃you

were　at　work　of　some　kind；　I　know；　and　I　have　very　se