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！
color that rose to his cheek as he looked down upon his clay…soiled
hands was due to the belief that he had really contaminated her
outward superfine person。 But his color quickly passed： his frank；
boyish smile returned； as he said； 〃It'll rub off。 Lord； don't
mind that！ Thar； nowcome on！〃
The young woman bit her lip。 Then nature triumphed； and she
laughed； although a little scornfully。 And then Providence
assisted her with the sudden presentation of two figures； a man and
woman； slowly climbing up over the mountain verge； not far from
them。 With a cry of 〃There's Sol； now！〃 she forgot her dignity and
her confusion； and ran towards them。
Rand stood looking after her neat figure； less concerned in the
advent of the strangers than in her sudden caprice。 He was not so
young and inexperienced but that he noted certain ambiguities in
her dress and manner： he was by no means impressed by her dignity。
But he could not help watching her as she appeared to be volubly
recounting her late interview to her companions； and； still
unconscious of any impropriety or obtrusiveness； he lounged down
lazily towards her。 Her humor had evidently changed； for she
turned an honest； pleased face upon him； as she girlishly attempted
to drag the strangers forward。
The man was plump and short； unlike the natives of the locality； he
was closely cropped and shaven； as if to keep down the strong blue…
blackness of his beard and hair； which nevertheless asserted itself
over his round cheeks and upper lip like a tattooing of Indian ink。
The woman at his side was reserved and indistinctive； with that
appearance of being an unenthusiastic family servant peculiar to
some men's wives。 When Rand was within a few feet of him； he
started； struck a theatrical attitude； and； shading his eyes with
his hand； cried； 〃What； do me eyes deceive me！〃 burst into a hearty
laugh； darted forward； seized Rand's hand； and shook it briskly。
〃Pinkney； Pinkney； my boy！ how are you？ And this is your little
'prop'？ your quarter…section； your country…seat； that we've been
trespassing on； eh？ A nice little spot； cool； sequestered；
remote；a trifle unimproved； carriage…road as yet unfinished。 Ha；
ha！ But to think of our making a discovery of this inaccessible
mountain； climbing it； sir； for two mortal hours； christening it
'Sol's Peak；' getting up a flag…pole； unfurling our standard to the
breeze； sir； and then； by Gad； winding up by finding Pinkney； the
festive Pinkney； living on it at home！〃
Completely surprised； but still perfectly good…humored； Rand shook
the stranger's right hand warmly； and received on his broad
shoulders a welcoming thwack from the left； without question。 〃She
don't mind her friends making free with ME evidently；〃 said Rand to
himself； as he tried to suggest that fact to the young lady in a
meaning glance。
The stranger noted his glance； and suddenly passed his hand
thoughtfully over his shaven cheeks。 〃No；〃 he said〃yes； surely；
I forgetyes； I see； of course you don't！ Rosy；〃 turning to his
wife； 〃of course Pinkney doesn't know Phemie； eh？〃
〃No； nor ME either； Sol；〃 said that lady warningly。
〃Certainly！〃 continued Sol。 〃It's his misfortune。 You weren't
with me at Gold Hill。Allow me；〃 he said； turning to Rand； 〃to
present Mrs。 Sol Saunders； wife of the undersigned； and Miss
Euphemia Neville； otherwise known as the 'Marysville Pet；' the best
variety actress known on the provincial boards。 Played Ophelia at
Marysville； Friday； domestic drama at Gold Hill； Saturday； Sunday
night； four songs in character； different dress each time； and a
clog…dance。 The best clog…dance on the Pacific Slope；〃 he added in
a stage aside。 〃The minstrels are crazy to get her in 'Frisco。
But money can't buy herprefers the legitimate drama to this sort
of thing。〃 Here he took a few steps of a jig； to which the
〃Marysville Pet〃 beat time with her feet； and concluded with a
laugh and a winkthe combined expression of an artist's admiration
for her ability； and a man of the world's scepticism of feminine
ambition。
Miss Euphemia responded to the formal introduction by extending her
hand frankly with a re…assuring smile to Rand； and an utter
obliviousness of her former hauteur。 Rand shook it warmly； and
then dropped carelessly on a rock beside them。
〃And you never told me you lived up here in the attic； you rascal！〃
continued Sol with a laugh。
〃No；〃 replied Rand simply。 〃How could I？ I never saw you before；
that I remember。〃
Miss Euphemia stared at Sol。 Mrs。 Sol looked up in her lord's
face； and folded her arms in a resigned expression。 Sol rose to
his feet again； and shaded his eyes with his hand； but this time
quite seriously； and gazed at Rand's smiling face。
〃Good Lord！ Do you mean to say your name isn't Pinkney？〃 he asked；
with a half embarrassed laugh。
〃It IS Pinkney；〃 said Rand； 〃but I never met you before。〃
〃Didn't you come to see a young lady that joined my troupe at Gold
Hill last month； and say you'd meet me at Keeler's Ferry in a day
or two？〃
〃No…o…o；〃 said Rand； with a good…humored laugh。 〃I haven't left
this mountain for two months。〃
He might have added more； but his attention was directed to Miss
Euphemia； who during this short dialogue； having stuffed
alternately her handkerchief； the corner of her mantle； and her
gloves； into her mouth； restrained herself no longer； but gave way
to an uncontrollable fit of laughter。 〃O Sol！〃 she gasped
explanatorily； as she threw herself alternately against him； Mrs。
Sol； and a bowlder； 〃you'll kill me yet！ O Lord！ first we take
possession of this man's property； then we claim HIM。〃 The
contemplation of this humorous climax affected her so that she was
fain at last to walk away； and confide the rest of her speech to
space。
Sol joined in the laugh until his wife plucked his sleeve； and
whispered something in his ear。 In an instant his face became at
once mysterious and demure。 〃I owe you an apology；〃 he said；
turning to Rand； but in a voice ostentatiously pitched high enough
for Miss Euphemia to overhear： 〃I see I have made a mistake。 A
resemblanceonly a mere resemblance； as I look at you nowled me
astray。 Of course you don't know any young lady in the profession？〃
〃Of course he doesn't； Sol；〃 said Miss Euphemia。 〃I could have
told you that。 He didn't even know ME！〃
The voice and mock…heroic attitude of the speaker was enough to
relieve the general embarrassment with a laugh。 Rand； now
pleasantly conscious of only Miss Euphemia's presence； again
offered the hospitality of his cabin； with the polite recognition
of her friends in the sentence； 〃and you might as well come along
too。〃
〃But won't we incommode the lady of the house？〃 said Mrs。 Sol
politely。
〃What lady of the house〃？ said Rand almost angrily。
〃Why； Ruth； you know！〃
It was Rand's turn to become hilarious。 〃Ruth；〃 he said； 〃is short
for Rutherford； my brother。〃 His laugh； however； was echoed only
by Euphemia。
〃Then you have a brother？〃 said Mrs。 Sol benignly。
〃Yes；〃 said Rand： 〃he will be here soon。〃 A sudden thought dropped
the color from his cheek。 〃Look here；〃 he said； turning impulsively
upon Sol。 〃I have a brother； a twin…brother。 It couldn't be HIM〃
Sol was conscious of a significant feminine pressure on his right
arm。 He was equal to the emergency。 〃I think not；〃 he said
dubiously； 〃unless your brother's hair is much darker than yours。
Yes！ now I look at you； yours is brown。 He has a mole on his right
cheek hasn't he？〃
The red came quickly back to Rand's boyish face。 He laughed。 〃No；
sir： my brother's hair is； if any thing； a shade lighter than mine；
and nary mole。 Come along！〃
And leading the way； Rand disclosed the narrow steps winding down
to the shelf on which the cabin hung。 〃Be careful；〃 said Rand；
taking the now unresisting hand of the 〃Marysville Pet〃 as they
descended： 〃a step that way； and down you go two thousand feet on
the top of a pine…tree。〃
But the girl's slight cry of alarm was presently changed to one of
unaffected pleasure as they stood on the rocky platform。 〃It isn't
a house： it's a NEST； and the loveliest！〃 said Euphemia breat