a summer in a canyon-第26节

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every　minute；she　finally　discovered　a　series　of　alarming　new　spots
on　her　neck　and　chin。　　She　felt　then　that　camping　out　was　a　complete
failure；　and　that　she　would　be　taken　home　forthwith　if　it　could　be
managed；　since　she　saw　nothing　before　her　but　day　after　day　of　close
confinement　and　unattractive　personal　appearance。　　'It's　just　my
luck！'　she　grumbled；　as　she　twisted　up　her　hair　and　made　herself　as
presentable　as　possible　under　the　trying　circumstances。　　'I　don't
think　I　ever　had　a　becoming　or　an　interesting　illness。　　The　chicken…
pox；　mumps；　and　sties　on　my　eyesthat's　the　sort　of　thing　I　have！'

'I　feel　much　worse；　Mrs。　Winship；'　she　said；　going　into　the　sitting…
room　tent　and　waking　Aunt　Truth　from　a　peaceful　snooze。　　'If　you　can
spare　Pancho　over　night；　I　really　think　I　must　trouble　you　to　send
Anne　and　me　home　at　once。　　I　feel　as　if　I　wanted　to　go　to　bed　in　a
dark　room；　and　I　shall　only　be　a　bother　if　I　stay。'

'Why；　my　child；　I'm　sorry　to　have　you　go　off　with　your　visit
unfinished。　　You　know　we　don't　mind　any　amount　of　trouble；　if　we　can
make　you　comfortable。'

'You　are　very　kind；　but　indeed　I'd　rather　go。'

'I　hardly　dare　let　you　start　in　the　hot　sunwithout　consulting　the
doctor；　and　everybody　is　away　except　Polly；　they　will　feel　badly　not
to　say　good…bye。'

'It　is　nearly　three　o'clock　now；　so　the　worst　of　the　sun　is　over；　and
we　shall　be　at　the　ranch　by　eight　this　evening。　　I　feel　too　ill　to
say　good…bye；　any　way；　and　we　shall　meet　Bell　and　Margery　somewhere
on　the　road；　for　they　were　going　to　the　milk　ranch。'

'Very　well；　my　dear；　if　you've　made　up　your　mind　I　must　yield；'
replied　Mrs。　Winship；　getting　up　and　smoothing　her　hair。　　'I　don't
dare　wake　Elsie；　she　has　had　such　an　exciting　day；　but　I'll　call
Polly　to　help　you　pack；　and　then　tell　Pancho　to　find　Anne　and　harness
the　team。　　While　he　is　doing　that；　I'll　get　you　a　little　lunch　to
take　with　you　and　write　a　note　to　your　mother。　　Perhaps　you　can　come
again　before　we　break　camp；　but　I'm　sorry　to　send　you　home　in　such　a
sad　plight。'



CHAPTER　VIII：　　POLLY'S　BIRTHDAY：　　SECOND　HALF
IN　WHICH　SHE　WISHES　SEE　HAD　NEVER　BEEN　BORN。



'From　Hebrew　wit　the　maxim　sprung；
Though　feet　should　slip；　ne'er　let　the　tongue。


Polly　came　at　once　to　the　tent；　where　she　found　Laura　getting　her
belongings　together。

'Why；　Laura；　it　seems　too　bad　you　should　go　off　so　suddenly。　　What
can　I　do　to　help　you？'

The　very　spirit　of　evil　entered　Laura's　heart　as　she　looked　at　Polly；
so　fresh　and　pretty　and　radiant；　with　her　dimples　dancing　in　and　out；
her　hair　ruffled　with　the　effort　of　literary　composition；　and　the
glow　of　the　day's　happiness　still　shining　in　her　eyes。　　She　felt　as
if　Polly　was　'glad　inside'　that　she　was　poisoned；　she　felt　sure　she
was　internally　jumping　for　joy　at　her　departure；　and；　above　all；　she
felt　that　Polly　was　entirely　too　conceited　over　the　attention　she　had
received　that　day；　and　needed　to　be　'taken　down　a　peg　or　two。'

'Red…haired；　stuck…up；　saucy　thing；'　she　thought；　'how　I　should　like
to　give　her　a　piece　of　my　mind　before　I　leave　this　place；　if　I　only
dared！'

'I　don't　need　any　help；　thank　you；'　she　said　aloud；　in　her　iciest
manner。

'But　it　will　only　make　your　head　ache　to　bend　over　and　tug　away　at
that　valise；　and　I'll　be　only　too　glad　to　do　it。'

'I've　no　doubt　of　that；'　responded　Laura；　meaningly。　　'It　is　useless
for　you　to　make　any　show　of　regret　over　my　going；　for　I　know
perfectly　well　that　you　are　glad　to　get　me　out　of　the　way。'

'Why；　Laura；　what　do　you　mean？'　exclaimed　Polly；　completely　dazed　at
this　bombshell　of　candour。

'I　mean　what　I　say；　and　I　should　have　said　it　before　if　I　could　ever
have　found　a　chance。　　Because　I　didn't　mention　it　at　the　time；　you
needn't　suppose　I've　forgotten　your　getting　me　into　trouble　with　Mrs。
Winship；　the　day　before　the　Howards　came。'

'That　was　not　my　fault；'　said　Polly；　hotly。　　'I　didn't　speak　any
louder　than　the　other　girls；　and　I　didn't　know　Aunt　Truth　objected　to
Mrs。　Pinkerton；　and　I　didn't　know　she　was　anywhere　near。'

'You　roared　like　the　bull　of　Bashanthat's　what　you　did。　　Perhaps
you　can't　help　your　voice；　but　anybody　in　the　canyon　could　have　heard
you；　and　Mrs。　Winship　hasn't　been　the　same　to　me　since；　and　the　boys
don't　take　the　slightest　notice　of　me　lately。'

'You　are　entirely　mistaken；　Laura。　　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Winship　are　just　as
lovely　and　cordial　to　you　as　they　are　to　everybody　else；　and　the　boys
do　not　feel　well　enough　acquainted　with　you　to　〃frolic〃　with　you　as
they　do　with　us。'

'It　isn't　so；　but　you　are　not　sensitive　enough　to　see　it；　and　I
should　never　have　been　poisoned　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you！'

'Oh；　go　on；　do！'　said　Polly；　beginning　to　lose　her　self…control；
which　was　never　very　great。　　'I　didn't　know　I　was　a　Lucrezia　Borgia
in　disguise。　　How　did　I　poison　you；　pray？'

'I　didn't　say　you　poisoned　me；　but　you　made　me　so　uncomfortable　that
day；　bringing　down　Mrs。　Winship's　lecture　on　my　head　and　getting　my
best　friend　abused；　that　I　was　glad　to　get　away　from　the　camp；　and
went　out　with　Jack　for　that　reason　when　I　was　too　tired　and　warm；　and
you　are　always　trying　to　cut　me　out　with　Bell　and　the　boys。'

'That's　a　perfectlyjet　blackfib！'　cried　Polly；　who　was　now
thoroughly　angry；　'and　I　don't　think　it　is　very　polite　of　you　to
attack　the　whole　party；　and　say　they　haven't　been　nice　to　you；　when
they've　done　everything　in　the　world！'

'It　isn't　your　party　any　more　than　mine；　is　it？　　And　if　I　don't　know
how　to　be　polite；　I　certainly　shan't　ask　YOU　for　instruction；　for　I
must　know　as　much　about　the　manners　of　good　society　as　you　do；
inasmuch　as　I　have　certainly　seen　more　of　it！'

Polly　sank　into　a　camp…chair；　too　stunned　for　a　moment　to　reply；
while　Laura；　who　had　gone　quite　beyond　the　point　where　she　knew　or
cared　what　she　said；　went　on　with　a　rush　of　words：　　'I　mean　to　tell
you；　now　that　I　am　started；　that　anybody　who　isn't　blind　can　see　why
you　toady　to　the　Winships；　who　have　money　and　social　position；　and
why　you　are　so　anxious　to　keep　everybody　else　from　getting　into　their
good　graces；　but　they　are　so　partial　to　you　that　they　have　given　you
an　entirely　false　idea　of　yourself；　and　you　might　as　well　know　that
unless　you　keep　yourself　a　little　more　in　the　background；　and　grow　a
little　less　bold　and　affected　and　independent；　other　people　will　not
be　quite　as　ready　as　the　Winships　to　make　a　pet　of　a　girl　whose
mother　keeps　a　boarding…house。'

Poor　Laura！　　It　was　no　sooner　said　than　she　regretted　ita　little；
not　much。　　But　poor　Polly！　　Where　was　her　good　angel　then？　　Why　could
she　not　have　treated　this　thrust　with　the　silence　and　contempt　it
deserved？　　But　how　could　Laura　have　detected　and　probed　the　most
sensitive　spot　in　the　girl's　nature？　　She　lost　all　command　of
herself。　　Her　rage　absolutely　frightened　her；　for　it　made　her　deaf
and　blind　to　all　considerations　of　propriety　and　self…respect；　and
for　a　moment　she　was　only　conscious　of　the　wild　desire　to　strike
yes；　even　to　killthe　person　who　had　so　insulted　all　that　was
dearest　to　her。

'Don't　dare　to　say　another　word！'　she　panted；　with　such　flaming
cheeks　and　such　flashing　eyes　that　Laura　involuntarily　retreated
towards　the　door；　half　afraid　of　the　tempest　her　words　had　evoked。
'Don't　dare　to　say　another　word；　or　I　don't　know　what　I　may　do！　　Yes；
I　am　glad　you　are　going；　and　everybody　will　be　glad；　and　the　sooner
you　go　the　better！　　You've　made　everybody　miserable　ever　since　you
came；　with　your　jealousy　and　your　gossip　and　your　fine…lady　airs；　and
if　Aunt　Truth　hadn't　loved　your　mother；　and　if　we　were　mean　enough　to
tell　tales；　we　would　have　repeated　some　of　your　disagreeable　speeches
long　ago。　　How　can　you　dare　to　say　I　love　the　Winships　for　anything
but　themselves？　　And　if　you　had　ever　seen　my　darling　mother；　you
never　could　have　called　her　a　boarding…house　keeper；　you　cruel'

Oh；　but　the　dashing　torrent　of　angry　words　stopped　at　the　mere
mention　of　her　mother。　　The　word　recalled　her　to　herself；　but　too
late。　　It　woke　in　her　memory　the　clasp　of　her　mother's　arms；　the
sound　of　the　sweet；　tired　voice：　　'Only　two　of　us　against　the　big
world；　Pollyyou　and　I。　　Be　brave；　little　daughter；　brave　and
patient。'　　Oh；　how　impatient　and　cowardly　she　had　been！　　Would　she
never　learn　to　be　good？　　The　better　impulses　rushed　back　into　her
heart；　and　crowded　out　the　bad　ones　so　quickly　that　in　another　moment
she　would　have　flung　herself　at　Laura's　feet；　and　implored　her
forgiveness　merely　to　gain　again　her　own　self…respect　and　her
mother's　approval；　but　there　was　no　time　for　repentance　（there　isn't
sometimes）；　for　the　clatter　of　wheels　announced　Pancho's　approach
with　the　team；　and　Mrs。　Winship　and　Anne　Burton　came　into　view；
walking　rapidly　towards　the　tent。

Laura　was　a　good　deal　disconcerted　at　their　ill…timed　appearance；　but
reflected　rapidly　that　if　Mrs。　Winship　had　overheard　anything；　it　was
probably　Polly's　last　speech；　in　which　case　that　young　person　would
seem　to　be　more　in　fault　than　herself；　so　stepping　out　of　the　tent
she　met　Mrs。　Winship　and　kissed　her　good…bye。

Little　Anne　ran　on　and　jumped　into　the　wagon；　with　all　a　child's　joy
at　the　prospect　of　going　anywhere。　　Polly's　back　was　turned；　bu