按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
intention of examining its contents in a better light； in vain；
while wiping a plate； did she； absorbed in the distant prospect；
walk to the verge of the mountain； and become statuesque and
forgetful。 The sulky young gentleman took no outward notice of
her。
Mrs。 Sol's attendance upon Mornie prevented her leaving the cabin；
and Rand and Miss Euphemia dined in the open air alone。 The
ridiculousness of keeping up a formal attitude to his solitary
companion caused Rand to relax； but； to his astonishment； the 〃Pet〃
seemed to have become correspondingly distant and formal。 After a
few moments of discomfort； Rand； who had eaten little； arose； and
〃believed he would go back to work。〃
〃Ah； yes！〃 said the 〃Pet；〃 with an indifferent air； 〃I suppose you
must。 Well； good…by； Mr。 Pinkney。〃
Rand turned。 〃YOU are not going？〃 he asked； in some uneasiness。
〃I'VE got some work to do too；〃 returned Miss Euphemia a little
curtly。
〃But；〃 said the practical Rand； 〃I thought you allowed that you
were fixed to stay until to…morrow？〃
But here Miss Euphemia； with rising color and slight acerbity of
voice； was not aware that she was 〃fixed to stay〃 anywhere； least
of all when she was in the way。 More than that； she MUST say
although perhaps it made no difference； and she ought not to say
itthat she was not in the habit of intruding upon gentlemen who
plainly gave her to understand that her company was not desirable。
She did not know why she said thisof course it could make no
difference to anybody who didn't； of course； carebut she only
wanted to say that she only came here because her dear friend； her
adopted mother；and a better woman never breathed；had come； and
had asked her to stay。 Of course； Mrs。 Sol was an intruder
herselfMr。 Sol was an intruderthey were all intruders： she only
wondered that Mr。 Pinkney had borne with them so long。 She knew it
was an awful thing to be here； taking care of a poorpoor；
helpless woman； but perhaps Mr。 Rand's BROTHER might forgive them；
if he couldn't。 But no matter； she would goMr。 Sol would goALL
would go； and then； perhaps； Mr； Rand
She stopped breathless； she stopped with the corner of her apron
against her tearful hazel eyes； she stopped withwhat was more
remarkable than allRand's arm actually around her waist； and his
astonished； alarmed face within a few inches of her own。
〃Why； Miss Euphemia； Phemie； my dear girl！ I never meant anything
like THAT；〃 said Rand earnestly。 〃I really didn't now！ Come now！〃
〃You never once spoke to me when I sat down；〃 said Miss Euphemia；
feebly endeavoring to withdraw from Rand's grasp。
〃I really didn't！ Oh； come now； look here！ I didn't！ Don't！
There's a dearTHERE！〃
This last conclusive exposition was a kiss。 Miss Euphemia was not
quick enough to release herself from his arms。 He anticipated that
act a full half…second； and had dropped his own； pale and breathless。
The girl recovered herself first。 〃There； I declare； I'm forgetting
Mrs。 Sol's coffee！〃 she exclaimed hastily； and； snatching up the
coffee…pot； disappeared。 When she returned； Rand was gone。 Miss
Euphemia busied herself demurely in clearing up the dishes； with the
tail of her eye sweeping the horizon of the summit level around her。
But no Rand appeared。 Presently she began to laugh quietly to
herself。 This occurred several times during her occupation； which
was somewhat prolonged。 The result of this meditative hilarity was
summed up in a somewhat grave and thoughtful deduction as she walked
slowly back to the cabin： 〃I do believe I'm the first woman that
that boy ever kissed。〃
Miss Euphemia staid that day and the next； and Rand forgot his
embarrassment。 By what means I know not； Miss Euphemia managed to
restore Rand's confidence in himself and in her； and in a little
ramble on the mountain…side got him to relate； albeit somewhat
reluctantly； the particulars of his rescue of Mornie from her
dangerous position on the broken trail。
〃And； if you hadn't got there as soon as you did； she'd have
fallen？〃 asked the 〃Pet。〃
〃I reckon；〃 returned Rand gloomily： 〃she was sorter dazed and
crazed like。〃
〃And you saved her life？〃
〃I suppose so； if you put it that way；〃 said Rand sulkily。
〃But how did you get her up the mountain again？〃
〃Oh！ I got her up；〃 returned Rand moodily。
〃But how？ Really； Mr。 Rand； you don't know how interesting this
is。 It's as good as a play；〃 said the 〃Pet；〃 with a little excited
laugh。
〃Oh； I carried her up！〃
〃In your arms？〃
〃Y…e…e…s。〃
Miss Euphemia paused； and bit off the stalk of a flower； made a wry
face； and threw it away from her in disgust。
Then she dug a few tiny holes in the earth with her parasol； and
buried bits of the flower…stalk in them； as if they had been tender
memories。 〃I suppose you knew Mornie very well？〃 she asked。
〃I used to run across her in the woods；〃 responded Rand shortly； 〃a
year ago。 I didn't know her so well then as〃 He stopped。
〃As what？ As NOW？〃 asked the 〃Pet〃 abruptly。 Rand； who was
coloring over his narrow escape from a topic which a delicate
kindness of Sol had excluded from their intercourse on the
mountain； stammered； 〃as YOU do； I meant。〃
The 〃Pet〃 tossed her head a little。 〃Oh！ I don't know her at all
except through Sol。〃
Rand stared hard at this。 The 〃Pet；〃 who was looking at him
intently； said； 〃Show me the place where you saw Mornie clinging
that night。〃
〃It's dangerous；〃 suggested Rand。
〃You mean I'd be afraid！ Try me！ I don't believe she was SO
dreadfully frightened！〃
〃Why？〃 asked Rand； in astonishment。
〃Ohbecause〃
Rand sat down in vague wonderment。
〃Show it to me；〃 continued the 〃Pet；〃 〃orI'll find it ALONE！〃
Thus challenged； he rose； and； after a few moments' climbing； stood
with her upon the trail。 〃You see that thorn…bush where the rock
has fallen away。 It was just there。 It is not safe to go farther。
No； really！ Miss Euphemia！ Please don't！ It's almost certain
death！〃
But the giddy girl had darted past him； and； face to the wall of
the cliff； was creeping along the dangerous path。 Rand followed
mechanically。 Once or twice the trail crumbled beneath her feet；
but she clung to a projecting root of chaparral； and laughed。 She
had almost reached her elected goal； when； slipping； the
treacherous chaparral she clung to yielded in her grasp； and Rand；
with a cry； sprung forward。
But the next instant she quickly transferred her hold to a cleft in
the cliff； and was safe。 Not so her companion。 The soil beneath
him； loosened by the impulse of his spring； slipped away： he was
falling with it； when she caught him sharply with her disengaged
hand； and together they scrambled to a more secure footing。
〃I could have reached it alone；〃 said the 〃Pet；〃 〃if you'd left me
alone。〃
〃Thank Heaven； we're saved！〃 said Rand gravely。
〃AND WITHOUT A ROPE；〃 said Miss Euphemia significantly。
Rand did not understand her。 But； as they slowly returned to the
summit； he stammered out the always difficult thanks of a man who
has been physically helped by one of the weaker sex。 Miss Euphemia
was quick to see her error。
〃I might have made you lose your footing by catching at you；〃 she
said meekly。 〃But I was so frightened for you； and could not help
it。〃
The superior animal； thoroughly bamboozled； thereupon complimented
her on her dexterity。
〃Oh； that's nothing！〃 she said； with a sigh。 〃I used to do the
flying…trapeze business with papa when I was a child； and I've not
forgotten it。〃 With this and other confidences of her early life；
in which Rand betrayed considerable interest； they beguiled the
tedious ascent。 〃I ought to have made you carry me up；〃 said the
lady； with a little laugh； when they reached the summit； 〃but you
haven't known me as long as you have Mornie； have you？〃 With this
mysterious speech she bade Rand 〃good…night；〃 and hurried off to
the cabin。
And so a week passed by；the week so dreaded by Rand； yet passed
so pleasantly； that at times it seemed as if that dread were only a
trick of his fancy； or as if the circumstances that surrounded him
were different from what he believed them to be。 On the s