the major-第34节

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re　than　his　nature　could　bear　that　he　should　keep　this　from　his　wife。　　He　found　her　immersed　in　her　domestic　duties　and　adamant　against　his　persuasion　to　drive　them　to　the　mine。

〃A　shoot；〃　she　cried；　〃I'd　love　to。　　But；　Tom；　you　forget　I　am　a　rancher's　wife；　and　you　know；　or　at　least　you　don't　know；　what　that　means。　　Run　along　and　play　with　Jack。　　Some　one　must　work。　　No；　don't　tempt　me。　　I　have　my　programme　all　laid　out。　　I　especially　prayed　this　morning　for　grace　to　resist　the　lure　of　the　outside　this　day。　　'Get　thee　behind　me'　　What？　　I　am　listening；　but　I　shouldn't　be。　　What　do　you　say？　　Tom；　it　cannot　be！〃　　She　sat　down　weakly　in　a　convenient　chair　and　listened　to　her　husband　while　he　retailed　her　brother's　great　secret。

〃And　so；　my　dear；　we　are　going　to　begin　a　big　campaignbegin　to…　daytake　the　girls　off　with　us　for　a　shootwhat　do　you　say；　eh？〃

〃Why；　certainly；　Tom。　　Give　me　half　an　hour　to　get　Martha　fairly　on　the　rails；　and　I　am　with　you。　　We'll　take　those　dear　girls　along。　Oh；　it　is　perfectly　splendid。　　Now　let　me　go；　that　will　do；　you　foolish　boy。　　Oh；　yes；　how　lovely。　　Trust　me　to　back　you　up。　　What？　Don't　spoil　things。　　Well；　I　like　that。　　Didn't　I　land　you？　　That　was　'some　job；'　as　dear　Nora　would　say。　　You　listen　to　me；　Tom。　You　had　better　keep　in　the　background。　　Finesse　is　not　your　forte。　Better　leave　these　things　to　me。　　Hurry　up　now。　　Oh；　I　am　so　excited。〃

Few　women　can　resist　an　appeal　for　help　from　a　husband。　　The　acknowledgment　of　the　need　of　help　on　the　part　of　the　dominating　partner　is　in　itself　the　most　subtle　flattery　and　almost　always　irresistible。　　No　woman　can　resist　the　opportunity　to　join　in　that　most　fascinating　of　all　sportman…hunting。　　And　when　the　man　runs　clear　into　the　open　wildly　seeking　not　escape　from　but　an　opening　into　the　net；　this　only　adds　a　hazard　and　a　consequent　zest　to　the　sport。　　Her　husband's　disclosures　had　aroused　in　Sybil　Waring…Gaunt　not　so　much　her　sporting　instincts；　the　affair　went　deeper　far　than　that　with　her。　　Beyond　anything　else　in　life　she　desired　at　that　time　to　bring　together　the　two　beings　whom；　next　to　her　husband；　she　loved　best　in　the　world。　　From　the　day　that　her　brother　had　arrived　in　the　country　she　had　desired　this；　and　more　or　less　aggressively　had　tried　to　assist　Providence　in　the　ordering　of　events。　　But　in　Kathleen；　with　all　her　affection　and　all　her　sweet　simplicity；　there　was　a　certain　shy　reserve　that　prevented　confidences　in　the　matter　of　her　heart　affairs。

〃How　far　has　the　German　got　with　her？　　That　is　what　I　would　like　to　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　to　herself　as　she　hastily　prepared　for　the　motor　ride。　　〃There's　no　doubt　about　him。　　Every　one　can　see　how　he　stands；　and　he　has　such　a　masterful　way　with　him　that　it　makes　one　think　that　everything　is　settled。　　If　it　is　there　is　no　chance　for　Jack；　for　she　is　not　the　changing　kind。〃　　Meantime　she　would　hope　for　the　best　and　play　the　game　as　best　she　could。

〃Would　you　mind　running　into　the　Gwynnes'　as　we　pass；　Tom？〃　said　his　wife　as　they　settled　themselves　in　the　car。　　〃I　have　a　message　for　Nora。〃

〃Righto！〃　said　her　husband；　throwing　his　wife　a　look　which　she　refused　utterly　to　notice。　　〃But　remember　you　must　not　be　long。　We　cannot　lose　the　evening　shoot；　eh；　what？〃

〃Oh；　just　a　moment　will　do；〃　said　his　wife。

At　the　door　Nora　greeted　them。　　〃Oh；　you　lucky　peopleguns　and　a　dog；　and　a　day　like　this；〃　she　cried。

〃Come　alonglots　of　roomtake　my　gun；〃　said　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt。

〃Don't　tempt　me；　or　I　shall　come。〃

〃Tell　us　what　is　your　weakness；　Miss　Nora；〃　said　Jack。　　〃How　can　we　get　you　to　come？〃

〃My　weakness？〃　cried　the　girl　eagerly；　〃you　all　are；　and　especially　your　dear　Sweeper　dog　there。〃　　She　put　her　arms　around　the　neck　of　the　beautiful　setter；　who　was　frantically　struggling　to　get　out　to　her。

〃Sweeper；　lucky　dog；　eh；　Jack；　what？〃　said　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt；　with　a　warm　smile　of　admiration　at　the　wholesome；　sun…browned　face。　　〃Come　along；　Miss　Noraback　in　a　short　time；　eh；　what？〃

〃Short　time？〃　said　Nora。　　〃Not　if　I　go。　　Not　till　we　can't　see　the　birds。〃

〃Can't　you　come；　Nora？〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；　and　we'll　drive　to…day　and　let　the　men　shoot。　　Where　is　Kathleen？　　Is　she　busy？〃

〃Busy？　　We　are　all　positively　overwhelmed　with　work。　　But；　oh；　do　go　away；　or　I　shall　certainly　run　from　it　all。〃

〃I　am　going　in　to　get　your　mother　to　send　you　both　out。　　Have　you　had　a　gun　this　fall？　　I　don't　believe　you　have；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…　Gaunt。

〃Not　once。　　Yes；　once。　　I　had　a　chance　at　a　hawk　that　was　paying　too　much　attention　to　our　chickens。　　No；　don't　go　in；　Mrs。　Waring…　Gaunt；　I　beg　of　you。　　Well；　go；　then；　I　have　fallen　shamelessly。　If　you　can　get　Kathleen；　I　am　on　too。〃

In　a　few　moments　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　returned　with　Kathleen　and　her　mother。　　〃Your　mother　says；　Nora；　that　she　does　not　need　you　a　bit；　and　she　insists　on　your　coming；　both　of　you。　　So　be　quick。〃

〃Oh；　Mother；〃　cried　the　girl　in　great　excitement。　　〃You　cannot　possibly　get　along　without　us。　　There's　the　tea　for　all　those　men。〃

〃Nonsense；　Nora；　run　along。　　I　can　do　quite　well　without　you。　Larry　is　coming　in　early　and　he　will　help。　　Run　along；　both　of　you。〃

〃But　there　isn't　room　for　us　all；〃　said　Kathleen。

〃Room？　　Heaps；〃　said　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃Climb　in　here　beside　me；　Miss　Nora。〃

〃Oh；　it　will　be　great；〃　said　Nora。　　〃Can　you　really　get　along；　Mother？〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　the　mother。　　〃You　think　far　too　much　of　yourself。　Get　your　hat。〃

〃Hat；　who　wants　a　hat？〃　cried　the　girl；　getting　in　beside　Mr。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃Oh；　this　is　more　than　I　had　ever　dreamed；　and　I　feel　so　wicked！〃

〃All　the　better；　eh；　what？〃

〃Here；　Kathleen；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　〃here　between　us。〃

〃I　am　so　afraid　I　shall　crowd　you；〃　said　the　girl；　her　face　showing　a　slight　flush。

〃Not　a　bit；　my　dear；　the　seat　is　quite　roomy。　　There；　are　you　comfortable？　　All　right；　Tom。　　Good…bye；　Mrs。　Gwynne。　　So　good　of　you　to　let　the　girls　come。〃

In　high　spirits　they　set　off；　waving　their　farewell　to　the　mother　who　stood　watching　till　they　had　swung　out　of　the　lane　and　on　to　the　main　trail。



CHAPTER　XIII

A　DAY　IN　SEPTEMBER


A　September　day　in　Alberta。　　There　is　no　other　day　to　be　compared　to　it　in　any　other　month　or　in　any　other　land。　　Other　lands　have　their　September　days；　and　Alberta　has　days　in　other　months；　but　the　combination　of　September　day　in　Alberta　is　sui　generis。　　The　foothill　country　with　plain；　and　hill；　and　valley；　and　mighty　mountain；　laced　with　stream；　and　river；　and　lake；　the　over…arching　sheet　of　blue　with　cloud　shapes　wandering　and　wistful；　the　kindly　sun　pouring　its　genial　sheen　of　yellow　and　gold　over　the　face　of　the　earth　below；　purple　in　the　mountains　and　gold　and　pearly　grey；　and　all　swimming　in　air　blown　through　the　mountain　gorges　and　over　forests　of　pine；　tingling　with　ozone　and　reaching　the　heart　and　going　to　the　head　like　new　winethese　things　go　with　a　September　day　in　Alberta。

And　like　new　wine　the　air　seemed　to　Jack　Romayne　as　the　Packard　like　a　swallow　skimmed　along　the　undulating　prairie　trail；　smooth；　resilient；　of　all　the　roads　in　the　world　for　motor　cars　the　best。　For　that　day　at　least　and　in　that　motor　car　life　seemed　good　to　Jack　Romayne。　　Not　many　such　days　would　be　his；　and　he　meant　to　take　all　it　gave　regardless　of　cost。　　His　sister's　proposal　to　call　at　the　Gwynnes'　house　he　would　have　rejected　could　he　have　found　a　reasonable　excuse。　　The　invitation　to　the　Gwynne　girls　to　accompany　them　on　their　shoot　he　resented　also；　and　still　more　deeply　he　resented　the　arrangement　of　the　party　that　set　Kathleen　next　to　him；　a　close　fit　in　the　back　seat　of　the　car。　　But　at　the　first　feeling　of　her　warm　soft　body　wedged　closely　against　him；　all　emotions　fled　except　one　of　pulsating　joy。　　And　this；　with　the　air　rushing　at　them　from　the　western　mountains；　wrought　in　him　the　reckless　resolve　to　take　what　the　gods　offered　no　matter　what　might　follow。　　As　he　listened　to　the　chatter　about　him　he　yielded　to　the　intoxication　of　his　love　for　this　fair　slim　girl　pressing　soft　against　his　arm　and　shoulder。　　He　allowed　his　fancy　to　play　with　surmises　as　to　what　would　happen　should　he　turn　to　her　and　say；　〃Dear　girl；　do　you　know　how　fair　you　are；　how　entrancingly　lovely？　Do　you　know　I　am　madly　in　love　with　you；　and　that　I　can　hardly　refrain　from　putting　this　arm；　against　which　you　so　quietly　lean　your　warm　soft　body；　about　you？〃　　He　looked　boldly　at　the　red　curves　of　her　lips　and　allowed　himself　to　riot　in　the　imagination　of　how　deliciously　they　would　yield　to　his　pressed　against　them。　〃My　God！〃　he　cried　aloud；　〃to　think　of　it。〃

The　two　ladies　turned　their　astonished　eyes　upon　him。　　〃What　is　it；　Jack？　　Wait；　Tom。　　Have　you　lost　something？〃

〃Yes；　that　is；　I　never　had　it。　　No；　go　on；　Tom；　it　cannot　be　helped　now。　　Go　on；　please　do。　　What　a　day　it　is！〃　he　continued。　　〃'What　a　time　we　are　having；'　as　Miss　Nora　would　say。〃

〃Yes；　what　a　time！〃　exclaimed　Nora；　turning　her　face　toward　them。　〃Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　I　think　I　must　tell　you　that　your　husband　is　making　love　to　me　so　that　I　am　quite　losing　my　head。〃

〃Poor　things；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃How　could　either　of　you　help　it？〃

〃Why　is　it　that　all　the　nice　men　are　married？〃　inquired　Nora。

〃I　beg　your　pardon