the major-第17节

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f　us。　　The　father　is　a　gentleman；　finely　educated；　but　with　no　business　ability。　　The　mother　all　gold　and　grit；　heroic　little　woman　who　kept　the　family　together。　　The　eldest　boy　of　fifteen　or　sixteen；　rather　delicate　when　he　came；　but　fearfully　plucky；　has　helped　amazingly。　　He　taught　the　school；　putting　his　money　into　the　farm　year　after　year。　While　teaching　the　school　he　somehow　managed　to　grip　hold　of　the　social　life　of　this　community　in　a　wonderful　way；　preached　for　Mr。　Rhye；　taught　a　Bible　Class　for　him；　quite　unique　in　its　way；　organised　a　kind　of　Literary…Social…Choral…Minstrel　Club　and　has　added　tremendously　to　the　life　and　gaiety　of　the　neighbourhood。　What　we　shall　do　when　he　leaves；　I　know　not。　　You　will　like　them；　I　am　sure。　　We　shall　drop　in　there　on　our　way；　if　you　like。〃

〃Ah；　well；　perhaps　sometime　later。　　They　all　sound　rather　terribly　industrious　and　efficient　for　a　mere　slacker　like　myself。〃

Along　the　trail　they　galloped；　following　the　dogs　for　a　mile　or　so　until　checked　by　a　full　flowing　stream。

〃I　say；　Willow　Creek　is　really　quite　in　flood；〃　said　his　sister。　〃The　hot　sun　has　brought　down　the　snows；　you　know。　　The　logs　are　running；　too。　　We　will　have　to　go　a　bit　carefully。　　Hold　well　up　to　the　stream　and　watch　the　logs。　　Keep　your　eye　on　the　bank　opposite。　No；　no；　keep　up；　follow　me。　　Look　out；　or　you　will　get　into　deep　water。　　Keep　to　the　right。　　There；　that's　better。〃

〃I　say；〃　said　her　brother；　as　his　horse　clambered　out　of　the　swollen　stream。　　〃That's　rather　a　close　thing　to　a　ducking。　Awfully　like　the　veldt　streams；　you　know。　　Ice　cold；　too；　I　fancy。〃

〃Ice　cold；　indeed；　glacier　water；　you　know；　and　these　logs　make　it　very　awkward。　　The　Gwynnes　must　be　running　down　their　timber　and　firewood。　　We　might　just　run　up　and　look　in　on　them。　　It's　only　a　mile　or　so。　　Nora　will　be　there。　　She　will　be　'bossing　the　job；'　as　she　says。　　It　will　be　rather　interesting。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　it　is　not　too　far；　for　I　assure　you　I　am　getting　quite　ravenous。〃

〃No；　come　along；　there's　a　good　trail　here。〃

A　smart　canter　brought　them　to　a　rather　pretentious　homestead　with　considerable　barns　and　outbuildings　attached。　　〃This　is　the　Switzers'　place；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃German…Americans；　old　settlers　and　quite　well　off。　　The　father　owned　the　land　on　which　Wolf　Willow　village　stands。　　He　made　quite　a　lot　of　money　in　real　estatevillage　lots　and　farm　lands；　you　know。　　He　is　an　excellent　farmer　and　ambitious　for　his　familyone　son　and　one　daughter。　They　are　quite　plain　people。　　They　live　likewell；　like　Germans；　you　know。　　The　mother　is　a　regular　hausfrau；　the　daughter；　quite　nice；　plays　the　violin　beautifully。　　It　was　from　her　young　Gwynne　got　his　violining。　　The　son　went　to　college　in　the　States；　then　to　Germany　for　a　couple　of　years。　　He　came　back　here　a　year　ago；　terribly　German　and　terribly　military；　heel　clicking；　ram…rod　back；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　　Musical；　too；　awfully　clever；　rather　think　he　has　political　ambitions。　　We'll　not　go　in　to…day。　　Some　day；　perhaps。　　Indeed；　we　must　be　neighbourly　in　this　country。　　But　the　Switzers　are　a　little　trying。〃

〃Why　know　them　at　all？〃

〃There　you　are！〃　cried　his　sister。　　〃Fancy　living　beside　people　in　this　country　and　not　knowing　them。　　Can't　you　see　that　we　must　not　let　things　get　awry　that　way？　　We　must　all　pull　together。　　Tom　is　fearfully　strong　on　that；　and　he　is　right；　too；　I　suppose；　although　it　is　trying　at　times。　　Now　we　begin　to　climb　a　bit　here。　　Then　there　are　good　stretches　further　along　where　we　can　hurry。〃

But　it　seemed　to　her　brother　that　the　good　stretches　were　rather　fewer　and　shorter　than　the　others；　for　the　sun　was　overhead　when　they　pulled　up　their　horses；　steaming　and　ready　enough　to　halt；　in　a　small　clearing　in　the　midst　of　a　thick　bit　of　forest。　　The　timber　was　for　the　main　part　of　soft　woods；　poplar；　yellow　and　black；　cottonwood；　and　further　up　among　hills　spruce　and　red　pine。　　In　the　centre　of　the　clearing　stood　a　rough　log　cabin　with　a　wide　porch　running　around　two　sides。　　Upon　this　porch　a　young　girl　was　to　be　seen　busy　over　a　cook　stove。　　At　the　noise　of　the　approaching　horses　the　girl　turned　from　her　work　and　looked　across　the　clearing　at　them。

〃Heavens　above！　who　is　that；　Sybil？〃　gasped　her　brother。

Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　gave　a　delighted　little　cry。　　〃Oh；　my　dear；　you　are　really　back。〃　　In　a　moment　she　was　off　her　horse　and　rushing　toward　the　girl　with　her　arms　outstretched。　　〃Kathleen；　darling！　Is　it　you？　　And　you　have　really　grown；　I　believe！　　Or　is　it　your　hair？　　Come　let　me　introduce　you　to　my　brother。〃

Jack　Romayne　was　a　young　man　with　thirty　years　of　experience　of　the　normal　life　of　the　well…born　Englishman；　during　which　time　he　had　often　known　what　it　was　to　have　his　senses　stirred　and　his　pulses　quickened　by　the　sight　of　one　of　England's　fair　women；　than　whom　none　of　fresher　and　fairer　beauty　are　to　be　found　in　all　the　world；　yet　never　had　he　found　himself　anything　but　master　of　his　speech　and　behaviour。　　But　to…day；　when；　in　obedience　to　his　sister's　call；　he　moved　across　the　little　clearing　toward　the　girl　standing　at　her　side；　he　seemed　to　lose　consciousness　of　himself　and　control　of　his　powers　of　action。　　He　was　instead　faintly　conscious　that　a　girl　of　tall　and　slender　grace；　with　an　aura　of　golden　hair　about　a　face　lovelier　than　he　had　ever　known；　was　looking　at　him　out　of　eyes　as　blue　as　the　prairie　crocus　and　as　shy　and　sweet；　that　she　laid　her　hand　in　his　as　if　giving　him　something　of　herself；　that　holding　her　hand　how　long　he　knew　not；　he　found　himself　gazing　through　those　eyes　of　translucent　blue　into　a　soul　of　unstained　purity　as　one　might　gaze　into　a　shrine；　and　that　he　continued　gazing　until　the　blue　eyes　clouded　and　the　fair　face　flushed　crimson；　that　then；　without　a　word；　he　turned　from　her；　thrilling　with　a　new　gladness　which　seemed　to　fill　not　only　his　soul　but　the　whole　world　as　well。　　When　he　came　to　himself　he　found　his　trembling　fingers　fumbling　with　the　bridle　of　his　horse。　　For　a　few　moments　he　became　aware　of　a　blind　rage　possessing　him　and　he　cursed　deeply　his　stupidity　and　the　gaucherie　of　his　manner。　　But　soon　he　forgot　his　rage　for　thinking　of　her　eyes　and　of　what　he　had　seen　behind　their　translucent　blue。

〃My　dear　child；〃　again　exclaimed　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　〃I　declare　you　have　actually　grown　taller　and　growna　great　many　other　things　that　I　may　not　tell　you。　　What　have　they　done　to　you　at　that　wonderful　school？　　Did　you　love　it？〃

The　girl　flushed　with　a　quick　emotion。　　〃Oh；　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　it　was　really　wonderful。　　I　had　such　a　good　time　and　every　one　was　lovely　to　me。　　I　did　not　know　people　could　be　so　kind。　　But　it　is　good　to　get　back　home　again　to　them　all；　and　to　you；　and　to　all　this。〃　　She　waved　her　hand　to　the　forest　about　her。

〃And　who　are　up　here　to…day；　and　what　are　you　doing？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。

〃In　the　meantime　I　am　preparing　dinner；〃　said　the　girl　with　a　laugh。

〃Dinner！〃　exclaimed　Jack　Romayne；　who　had　meantime　drawn　near；　determined　to　rehabilitate　himself　in　the　eyes　of　this　girl　as　a　man　familiar　with　the　decencies　of　polite　society。　　〃Dinner！　　It　smells　so　good　and　we　are　desperately　hungry。〃

〃Yes；〃　cried　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃My　brother　declared　he　was　quite　faint　more　than　an　hour　ago；　and　now　I　am　sure　he　is。〃

〃Fairly　ravenous。〃

〃But　I　don't　know；〃　said　the　girl　with　serious　anxiety　on　her　face。　〃You　see；　we　have　only　pork　and　fried　potatoes；　and　Nora　just　shot　a　chickenonly　oneand　they　are　always　so　hungry。　　But　we　have　plenty　of　bread　and　tea。　　Would　you　stay？〃

〃It　sounds　really　very　nice；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。

〃It　would　be　awfully　jolly　of　you；　and　I　promise　not　to　eat　too　much；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃I　am　actually　faint　with　hunger；　and　a　cup　of　tea　appears　necessary　to　revive　me。〃

〃Of　course；　stay；〃　said　the　girl　with　quick　sympathy。　　〃We　can't　give　you　much；　but　we　can　give　you　something。〃

〃Ohho！〃

〃O…h…o…o…o…h！　　O…h…o…o…o…h！〃　　A　loud　call　came　from　the　woods。

〃There's　Nora；〃　said　Kathleen。　　〃O…o…o…o…o…h！　　O…o…o…o…o…h！〃　　The　girl's　answering　call　was　like　the　winding　of　a　silver　horn。　　〃Here　she　is。〃

Out　from　the　woods；　striding　into　the　clearing；　came　a　young　girl　dressed　in　workmanlike　garb　in　short　skirt；　leggings　and　jersey；　with　a　soft　black　hat　on　the　black　tumbled　locks。　　〃Hello；　Kathleen；　dinner　ready？　　I'm　famished。　　Oh；　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　glad　to　see　you。〃

〃And　my　brother；　Nora；　Mr。　Jack　Romayne；　just　come　from　England；　and　hungry　as　a　bear。〃

〃Just　from　England？　　And　hungry？　　Well；　we　are　glad　to　see　you；　Mr。　Romayne。〃　　The　girl　came　forward　with　a　quick　step　and　frankly　offered　her　brown；　strong　hand。　　〃We're　awfully　glad　to　see　you；　Mr。　Romayne；〃　she　repeated。　　〃I　ought　to　be　embarrassed；　I　know；　only　I　am　so　hungry。〃

〃Just　my　fix；　Miss　Nora；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃I　am　really　anxious　to　be　polite。　　I　feel　we　should　decline　the　invitation　to　dinner　which　your　sister　has　pressed　upon　us；　we　know　it　is　a　shame　to　drop　in　on　you　like　this　all　unprepared；　but　I　am　so　hungry；　and　really　that　smell　is　so　irresistible　that　I　feel　I　simply　cannot　be　polite。〃

〃Don't！〃　cried　the　girl；　〃or　rather；　do；　and　stay。　　There's　enough　of　something；　and　Joe　will　look　after　the　horses。〃　　She　put　her　hands　to　her