cressy-第22章

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interference。　　What　did　she　imagine　had　transpired　between　Mrs。

McKinstry　and　himself？　　Had　she　confidently　expected　her　mother's

prompt　acceptance　of　the　situation　and　a　reconciliation？　　Was　that

the　reason　why　she　had　treated　that　interruption　as　lightly　as　if

she　were　already　his　recognized　betrothed？　　Had　she　even　calculated

upon　it？　had　she？　　He　stopped；　his　cheek　glowing　from　irritation

under　the　suspicion；　and　shame　at　the　disloyalty　of　entertaining　it。



Opening　his　desk；　he　began　to　arrange　his　papers　mechanically；　when

he　discovered；　with　a　slight　feeling　of　annoyance；　that　he　had

placed　Cressy's　bouquetnow　dried　and　witheredin　the　same

pigeon…hole　with　the　mysterious　letters　with　which　he　had　so　often

communed　in　former　days。　　He　at　once　separated　them　with　a　half

bitter　smile；　yet　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　and　with　his　old

sense　of　attempting　to　revive　a　forgotten　association；　he　tried　to

re…peruse　them。　　But　they　did　not　even　restrain　his　straying

thoughts；　nor　prevent　him　from　detecting　a　singular　occurrence。

The　nearly　level　sun　was；　after　its　old　fashion；　already　hanging

the　shadowed　tassels　of　the　pine　boughs　like　a　garland　on　the　wall。

But　the　shadow　seemed　to　have　suddenly　grown　larger　and　more

compact；　and　he　turned；　with　a　quick　consciousness　of　some

interposing　figure　at　the　pane。　　Nothing　however　was　to　be　seen。

Yet　so　impressed　had　he　been　that　he　walked　to　the　door　and　stepped

from　the　porch　to　discover　the　intruder。　　The　clearing　was

deserted；　there　was　a　slight　rustling　in　the　adjacent　laurels；　but

no　human　being　was　visible。　　Nevertheless　the　old　feeling　of

security　and　isolation　which　had　never　been　quite　the　same　since

Mr。　McKinstry's　confession；　seemed　now　to　have　fled　the　sylvan

school…house　altogether；　and　he　somewhat　angrily　closed　his　desk；

locked　it；　and　determined　to　go　home。



His　way　lay　through　the　first　belt　of　pines　towards　the　mining…

flat；　but　to…day　from　some　vague　impulse　he　turned　and　followed　the

ridge。　　He　had　not　proceeded　far　when　he　perceived　Rupert　Filgee

lounging　before　him　on　the　trail；　and　at　a　little　distance　further

on　his　brother　Johnny。　　At　the　sight　of　these　two　favorite　pupils

Mr。　Ford's　heart　smote　him　with　a　consciousness　that　he　had　of　late

neglected　them；　possibly　because　Rupert's　lofty　scorn　of　the

〃silly〃　sex　was　not　as　amusing　to　him　as　formerly；　and　possibly

because　Johnny's　curiosity　had　been　at　times　obtrusive。　　He　however

quickened　his　pace　and　joined　Rupert；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　as

of　old　on　his　shoulder。　　To　his　surprise　the　boy　received　his

advances　with　some　constraint　and　awkwardness；　glancing　uneasily　in

the　direction　of　Johnny。　　A　sudden　idea　crossed　Mr。　Ford's　mind。



〃Were　you　looking　for　me　at　the　schoolroom　just　now？〃



〃No；　sir。〃



〃You　didn't　look　in　at　the　window　to　see　if　I　was　there？〃　continued

the　master。



〃No；　sir。〃



The　master　glanced　at　Rupert。　　Truth…telling　was　a　part　of　Rupert's

truculent　temper；　although；　as　the　boy　had　often　bitterly　remarked；

it　had　always　〃told　agin'　him。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　the　master；　perfectly　convinced。　　〃It　must　have

been　my　fancy；　but　I　thought　somebody　looked　inor　passed　by　the

window。〃



But　here　Johnny；　who　had　overheard　the　dialogue　and　approached

them；　suddenly　threw　himself　upon　his　brother's　unoffending　legs

and　commenced　to　beat　and　pull　them　about　with　unintelligible

protests。　　Rupert；　without　looking　down；　said　quietly；　〃Quit　that

nowI　won't；　I　tell　ye；〃　and　went　through　certain　automatic

movements　of　dislodging　Johnny　as　if　he　were　a　mere　impeding　puppy。



〃What's　the　matter；　Johnny？〃　said　the　master；　to　whom　these

gyrations　were　not　unfamiliar。



Johnny　only　replied　by　a　new　grip　of　his　brother's　trousers。



〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Rupert；　slightly　recovering　his　dimples　and　his

readiness；　〃Johnny；　yer；　wants　me　to　tell　ye　something。　　Ef　he

wasn't　the　most　original　self…cocking；　God…forsaken　liar　in　Injin

Springef　he　didn't　lie　awake　in　his　crib　mornin's　to　invent　lies

fer　the　day；　I　wouldn't　mind　tellin'　ye；　and　would　hev　told　you

before。　　However；　since　you　ask；　and　since　you　think　you　saw

somebody　around　the　school…house；　Johnny　yer　allows　that　Seth　Davis

is　spyin'　round　and　followin'　ye　wherever　you　go；　and　he　dragged　me

down　yer　to　see　it。　　He　says　he　saw　him　doggin'　ye。〃



〃With　a　knife　and　pithtolth；〃　added　Johnny's　boundless　imagination；

to　the　detriment　of　his　limited　facts。



Mr。　Ford　looked　keenly　from　the　one　to　the　other；　but　rather　with　a

suspicion　that　they　were　cognizant　of　his　late　fracas　than　belief

in　the　truth　of　Johnny's　statement。



〃And　what　do　YOU　think　of　it；　Rupert？〃　he　asked　carelessly。



I　think；　sir；〃　said　Rupert；　〃that　allowin'for　onctthat　Johnny

ain't　lying；　mebbee　it's　Cressy　McKinstry　that　Seth's　huntin'

round；　and　knowin'　that　she's　always　runnin'　after　you〃he

stopped；　and　reddening　with　a　newborn　sense　that　his　fatal

truthfulness　had　led　him　into　a　glaring　indelicacy　towards　the

master；　hurriedly　added：　〃I　mean；　sir；　that　mebbee　it's　Uncle　Ben

he's　jealous　of；　now　that　he's　got　rich　enough　for　Cressy　to　hev

him；　and　knowin'　he　comes　to　school　in　the　afternoon　perhaps〃



〃'Tain't　either！〃　broke　in　Johnny　promptly。　　〃Theth's　over　ther

beyond　the　thchool；　and　Crethy's　eatin'　ithecream　at　the　bakerth

with　Uncle　Ben。〃



〃Well；　suppose　she　is；　Seth　don't　know　it；　silly！〃　answered　Rupert；

sharply。　　Then　more　politely　to　the　master：　〃That's　it！　　Seth　has

seen　Uncle　Ben　gallivanting　with　Cressy　and　thinks　he's　bringing

her　over　yer。　　Don't　you　see？〃



The　master　however　did　not　see　but　one　thing。　　The　girl　who　had

only　two　days　ago　carelessly　left　it　to　him　to　explain　a　compromising

situation　to　her　motherthis　girl　who　had　precipitated　him　into　a

frontier　fight　to　the　peril　of　his　position　and　her　good　name；　was

calmly　eating　ices　with　an　available　suitor　without　the　least

concern　of　the　past！　　The　connection　was　perhaps　illogical；　but　it

was　unpleasant。　　It　was　the　more　awkward　from　the　fact　that　he

fancied　that　not　only　Rupert's　beautiful　eyes；　but　even　the　infant

Johnny's　round　ones；　were　fixed　upon　him　with　an　embarrassed

expression　of　hesitating　and　foreboding　sympathy。



〃I　think　Johnny　believes　what　he　saysdon't　you；　Johnny？〃　he

smiled　with　an　assumption　of　cheerful　ease；　〃but　I　see　no　necessity

just　yet　for　binding　Seth　Davis　over　to　keep　the　peace。　　Tell　me

about　yourself；　Rupe。　　I　hope　Uncle　Ben　doesn't　think　of　changing

his　young　tutor　with　his　good　fortune？〃



〃No；　sir；〃　returned　Rupert　brightening；　〃he　promises　to　take　me　to

Sacramento　with　him　as　his　private　secretary　or　confidential　clerk；

you　know；　efef〃he　hesitated　again　with　very　un…Rupert…like

caution；　〃ef　things　go　as　he　wants　'em。〃　　He　stopped　awkwardly　and

his　brown　eyes　became　clouded。　　〃Like　ez　not；　Mr。　Ford；　he's　only

foolin'　meandHIMSELF。〃　　The　boy's　eyes　sought　the　master's

curiously。



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　returned　Mr。　Ford　uneasily；　with　a

certain　recollection　of　Uncle　Ben's　triumph　over　his　own

incredulity；　〃he　surely　hasn't　shown　himself　a　fool　or　a　boaster　so

far。　　I　consider　your　prospect　a　very　fair　one；　and　I　wish　you　joy

of　it；　my　boy。〃　　He　ran　his　fingers　through　Rupert's　curls　in　his

old　caressing　fashion；　the　more　tenderly　perhaps　that　he　fancied　he

still　saw　symptoms　of　stormy　and　wet　weather　in　the　boy's　brown

eyes。　　〃Run　along　home；　both　of　you；　and　don't　worry　yourselves

about　me。〃



He　turned　away；　but　had　scarcely　proceeded　half　a　dozen　yards

before　he　felt　a　tug　at　his　coat。　　Looking　down　he　saw　the

diminutive　Johnny。　　〃They'll　be　comin'　home　thith　way；〃　he　said；

reaching　up　in　a　hoarse　confidential　whisper。



〃Who？〃



〃Crethy　and　'im。〃



But　before　the　master　could　make　any　response　to　this　presumably

gratifying　information；　Johnny　had　rejoined　his　brother。　　The　two

boys　waved　their　hands　towards　him　with　the　same　diffident　and

mysterious　sympathy　that　left　him　hesitating　between　a　smile　and　a

frown。　　Then　he　proceeded　on　his　way。　　Nevertheless；　for　no　other

reason　than　that　he　felt　a　sudden　distaste　to　meeting　any　one；　when

he　reached　the　point　where　the　trail　descended　directly　to　the

settlement；　he　turned　into　a　longer　and　more　solitary　detour　by　the

woods。



The　sun　was　already　so　low　that　its　long　rays　pierced　the　forest

from　beneath；　and　suffused　the　dim　colonnade　of　straight　pine

shafts　with　a　golden　haze；　while　it　left　the　dense　intercrossed

branches　fifty　feet　above　in　deeper　shadow。　　Walking　in　this　yellow

twilight；　with　his　feet　noiselessly　treading　down　the　yielding

carpet　of　pine　needles；　it　seemed　to　the　master　that　he　was　passing

through　the　woods　in　a　dream。　　There　was　no　sound　but　the　dull

intermittent　double　knock　of　the　wood…pecker；　or　the　drowsy　croak

of　some　early　roosting　bird；　all　suggestion　of　the　settlement；　with

all　traces　of　human　contiguity；　were　left　far　behind。　　It　was

therefore　with　a　strange　and　nervous　sense　of　being　softly　hailed

by　some　woodland　sprite　that　he　seemed　to　hear　his　own　name　faintly

wafted　upon　the　air。　　He　turned　quickly；　it　was　Cressy；　panting

behind　him！　　Even　then；　in　her　white　closely　gathered　skirts；　her

bared　head　and　graceful　arching　neck　bent　forward；　her　flying

braids　freed　from　the　straw　hat　which　she　had　swung　from　her　arm　so

as　not　to　impede　her　flight；　there　was　so　much　of　the　following

Maenad　about　her　that　he　was　for　an　instant　startled。



He　stopped；　she　bounded　to　him；　and　throwing　her　arms　around　his

neck　with　a　light　laugh；　let　herself　hang　for　a　moment　breathless

on　his　breast。　　Then　recovering　her　speech　she　said　slowly：



〃I　started　on　an　Injin　trot　after　you；　just　as　you　turned　off　the

trail；　but　you'd　got　so　far　ahead　while　I　was　shaking　myself　clear

of　Uncle　Ben　that　I　had　to　jist　lope　the　whole　way　through　the

woods　to　catch　up。〃　　She　stopped；　and　looking　up　into　his　troubled

face　caught　his　cheeks　between　her　hands；　and　bringing　his　knit

brows　down　to　the　level　of　her　humid　blue　eyes　said；　〃You　haven't

kissed　me　yet。　　What's　the　matter？〃



〃Doesn't　it　strike　you　that　I　might　ask　that　question；　considering

that　it's　three　days　since　I've　seen　you；　and　that　you　left　me；　in

a　rather　awkward　position；　to　explain　matters　to　your　mother？〃　he

said　coldly。　　He　had　formulated　the　sentence　in　his　mind　some

moments　before；　but　now　that　it　was　uttered；　it　appeared　singularly

weak　and　impotent。



〃That's　so；〃　she　said　with　a　frank　laugh；　burying　her　face　in　his

waistcoat。　　〃You　see；　dandy　boy〃his　pet　name〃I　reckoned　for

that　reason　we'd　better　lie　low　for　a　day　or　two。　　Well；〃　she

continued；　untying　his　cravat　and　retying　it　again；　〃how　DID　you

crawl　out　of　it？〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　your　mother　did　not　tell　you？〃　he　asked

indignantly。



〃Why　should　she？〃　returned　Cressy　lazily。　　〃She　never　talks　to　me

of　these　things；　hon