flip-a california romance-第6部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



eh？〃　he　began。　　Flip　sent　one　swift；　withering　look　of　contempt　at

the　Postmaster；　who　at　once　becoming　invertebrate　and　groveling；

mumbled　that　he　must　〃get　on〃　to　the　Crossing；　and　rose　to　go。　　But

the　old　man；　who　had　counted　on　his　presence　for　moral　support；　and

was　clearly　beginning　to　hate　him　for　precipitating　this　scene　with

his　daughter；　whom　he　feared；　violently　protested。



〃Sit　down；　can't　ye？　　Don't　you　see　you're　a　witness？〃　he　screamed

hysterically。



It　was　a　fatal　suggestion。　　〃Witness；〃　repeated　Flip；　scornfully。



〃Yes；　a　witness！　　He　gave　ye　letters　and　bundles。〃



〃Weren't　they　directed　to　me？〃　asked　Flip。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Postmaster；　hesitatingly；　〃in　course；　yes。〃



〃Do　YOU　lay　claim　to　them？〃　she　said；　turning　to　her　father。



〃No；〃　responded　the　old　man。



〃Do　you？〃　sharply；　to　the　Postmaster。



〃No；〃　he　replied。



〃Then；〃　said　Flip；　coolly；　〃if　you're　not　claimin'　'em　for

yourself；　and　you　hear　father　say　they　ain't　his；　I　reckon　the　less

you　have　to　say　about　'em　the　better。〃



〃Thar's　suthin'　in　that；〃　said　the　old　man；　shamelessly　abandoning

the　Postmaster。



〃Then　why　don't　she　say　who　sent　'em；　and　what　they　are　like；〃　said

the　Postmaster；　〃if　there's　nothin'　in　it？〃



〃Yes；〃　echoed　Dad。　　〃Flip；　why　don't　you？〃



Without　answering　the　direct　question；　Flip　turned　upon　her　father。



〃Maybe　you　forget　how　you　used　to　row　and　tear　round　here　because

tramps　and　such　like　came　to　the　ranch　for　suthin'；　and　I　gave　it

to　'em？　　Maybe　you'll　quit　tearin'　round　and　letting　yourself　be

made　a　fool　of　now　by　that　man；　just　because　one　of　those　tramps

gets　up　and　sends　us　some　presents　back　in　turn？〃



〃'Twasn't　me；　Flip；〃　said　the　old　man；　deprecatingly；　but　glaring

at　the　astonished　Postmaster。　　〃Twasn't　my　doin'。　　I　allus　said　if

you　cast　your　bread　on　the　waters　it　would　come　back　to　you　by

return　mail。　　The　fact　is；　the　Gov'ment　is　gettin'　too　high…handed！

Some　o'　these　bloated　officials　had　better　climb　down　before　next

leckshen。〃



〃Maybe；〃　continued　Flip　to　her　father；　without　looking　at　her

discomfited　visitor；　〃ye'd　better　find　out　whether　one　of　those

officials　comes　up　to　this　yer　ranch　to　steal　away　a　gal　about　my

own　size；　or　to　get　points　about　diamond…making。　　I　reckon　he　don't

travel　round　to　find　out　who　writes　all　the　letters　that　go　through

the　Post　Office。〃



The　Postmaster　had　seemingly　miscalculated　the　old　man's　infirm

temper　and　the　daughter's　skillful　use　of　it。　　He　was　unprepared

for　Flip's　boldness　and　audacity；　and　when　he　saw　that　both　barrels

of　the　accusation　had　taken　effect　on　the　charcoal　burner；　who　was

rising　with　epileptic　rage；　he　fairly　turned　and　fled。　　The　old　man

would　have　followed　him　with　objurgation　beyond　the　door；　but　for

the　restraining　hand　of　Flip。



Baffled　and　beaten；　nevertheless　Fate　was　not　wholly　unkind　to　the

retreating　suitor。　　Near　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods　he　picked　up　a

letter　which　had　fallen　from　Flip's　pocket。　　He　recognized　the

writing；　and　did　not　scruple　to　read　it。　　It　was　not　a　love

epistle；at　least；　not　such　a　one　as　he　would　have　written；it

did　not　give　the　address　nor　the　name　of　the　correspondent；　but　he

read　the　following　with　greedy　eyes：





〃Perhaps　it's　just　as　well　that　you　don't　rig　yourself　out　for　the

benefit　of　those　dead　beats　at　the　Crossing；　or　any　tramp　that

might　hang　round　the　ranch。　　Keep　all　your　style　for　me　when　I

come。　　I　can't　tell　you　when；　it's　mighty　uncertain　before　the

rainy　season。　　But　I'm　coming　soon。　　Don't　go　back　on　your　promise

about　lettin　up　on　the　tramps；　and　being　a　little　more　high…toned。

And　don't　you　give　'em　so　much。　　It's　true　I　sent　you　hats　TWICE。

I　clean　forgot　all　about　the　first；　but　I　wouldn't　have　given　a

ten…dollar　hat　to　a　nigger　woman　who　had　a　sick　baby　because　I　had

an　extra　hat。　　I'd　have　let　that　baby　slide。　　I　forgot　to　ask

whether　the　skirt　is　worn　separately；　I　must　see　the　dressmaking

sharp　about　it；　but　I　think　you'll　want　something　on　besides　a

jacket　and　skirt；　at　least；　it　looks　like　it　up　here。　　I　don't

think　you　could　manage　a　piano　down　there　without　the　old　man

knowing　it；　and　raisin'　the　devil　generally。　　I　promised　you　I'd

let　up　on　him。　　Mind　you　keep　all　your　promises　to　me。　　I'm　glad

you're　gettin'　on　with　the　six…shooter；　tin　cans　are　good　at

fifteen　yards；　but　try　it　on　suthin'　that　MOVES！　　I　forgot　to　say

that　I　am　on　the　track　of　your　big　brother。　　It's　a　three　years'

old　track；　and　he　was　in　Arizona。　　The　friend　who　told　me　didn't

expatiate　much　on　what　he　did　there；　but　I　reckon　they　had　a　high

old　time。　　If　he's　above　the　earth　I'll　find　him；　you　bet。　　The

yerba　buena　and　the　southern　wood　came　all　right；they　smelt　like

you。　　Say；　Flip；　do　you　remember　the　lastthe　VERY　lastthing

that　happened　when　you　said　'Good…by'　on　the　trail？　　Don't　let　me

ever　find　out　that　you've　let　anybody　else　kiss〃





But　here　the　virtuous　indignation　of　the　Postmaster　found　vent　in

an　oath。　　He　threw　the　letter　away。　　He　retained　of　it　only　two

facts；Flip　HAD　a　brother　who　was　missing；　she　had　a　lover　present

in　the　flesh。



How　much　of　the　substance　of　this　and　previous　letters　Flip　had

confided　to　her　father　I　cannot　say。　　If　she　suppressed　anything　it

was　probably　that　which　affected　Lance's　secret　alone；　and　it　was

doubtful　how　much　of　that　she　herself　knew。　　In　her　own　affairs　she

was　frank　without　being　communicative；　and　never　lost　her　shy

obstinacy　even　with　her　father。　　Governing　the　old　man　as

completely　as　she　did；　she　appeared　most　embarrassed　when　she　was

most　dominant；　she　had　her　own　way　without　lifting　her　voice　or　her

eyes；　she　seemed　oppressed　by　mauvaise　honte　when　she　was　most

triumphant；　she　would　end　a　discussion　with　a　shy　murmur　addressed

to　herself；　or　a　single　gesture　of　self…consciousness。



The　disclosure　of　her　strange　relations　with　an　unknown　man　and　the

exchange　of　presents　and　confidences　seemed　to　suddenly　awake

Fairley　to　a　vague；　uneasy　sense　of　some　unfulfilled　duties　as　a

parent。　　The　first　effect　of　this　on　his　weak　nature　was　a　peevish

antagonism　to　the　cause　of　it。　　He　had　long；　fretful　monologues　on

the　vanity　of　diamond…making；　if　accompanied　with　a　〃pestering〃　by

〃interlopers；〃　on　the　wickedness　of　concealment　and　conspiracy；　and

their　effects　on　charcoal…burning；　on　the　nurturing　of　spies　and

〃adders〃　in　the　family　circle；　and　on　the　seditiousness　of　dark　and

mysterious　councils　in　which　a　gray…haired　father　was　left　out。　　It

was　true　that　a　word　or　look　from　Flip　generally　brought　these

monologues　to　an　inglorious　and　abrupt　termination；　but　they　were

none　the　less　lugubrious　as　long　as　they　lasted。　　In　time　they　were

succeeded　by　an　affectation　of　contrite　apology　and　self…

depreciation。　　〃Don't　go　out　o'　the　way　to　ask　the　old　man；〃　he

would　say；　referring　to　the　quantity　of　bacon　to　be　ordered；　〃it's

nat'ral　a　young　gal　should　have　her　own　advisers。〃　　The　state　of

the　flour　barrel　would　also　produce　a　like　self…abasement。　　〃Unless

ye're　already　in　correspondence　about　more　flour；　ye　might　take　the

opinion　o'　the　first　tramp　ye　meet　ez　to　whether　Santa　Cruz　Mills

is　a　good　brand；　but　don't　ask　the　old　man。〃　　If　Flip　was　in

conversation　with　the　butcher；　Fairley　would　obtrusively　retire

with　the　hope　〃he　wasn't　intrudin'　on　their　secrets。〃



These　phases　of　her　father's　weakness　were　not　frequent　enough　to

excite　her　alarm；　but　she　could　not　help　noticing　they　were

accompanied　with　a　seriousness　unusual　to　him。　　He　began　to　be

tremulously　watchful　of　her；　returning　often　from　work　at　an

earlier　hour；　and　lingering　by　the　cabin　in　the　morning。　　He

brought　absurd　and　useless　presents　for　her；　and　presented　them

with　a　nervous　anxiety；　poorly　concealed　by　an　assumption　of

careless；　paternal　generosity。　　〃Suthin'　I　picked　up　at　the

Crossin'　for　ye　to…day；〃　he　would　say；　airily；　and　retire　to　watch

the　effect　of　a　pair　of　shoes　two　sizes　too　large；　or　a　fur　cap　in

September。　　He　would　have　hired　a　cheap　parlor　organ　for　her；　but

for　the　apparently　unexpected　revelation　that　she　couldn't　play。

He　had　received　the　news　of　a　clue　to　his　long…lost　son　without

emotion；　but　lately　he　seemed　to　look　upon　it　as　a　foregone

conclusion；　and　one　that　necessarily　solved　the　question　of

companionship　for　Flip。　　〃In　course；　when　you've　got　your　own　flesh

and　blood　with　ye；　ye　can't　go　foolin'　around　with　strangers。〃

These　autumnal　blossoms　of　affection；　I　fear；　came　too　late　for　any

effect　upon　Flip；　precociously　matured　by　her　father's　indifference

and　selfishness。　　But　she　was　good　humored；　and；　seeing　him

seriously　concerned；　gave　him　more　of　her　time；　even　visited　him　in

the　sacred　seclusion　of　the　〃diamond　pit；〃　and　listened　with　far…

off　eyes　to　his　fitful　indictment　of　all　things　outside　his　grimy

laboratory。　　Much　of　this　patient　indifference　came　with　a

capricious　change　in　her　own　habits；　she　no　longer　indulged　in　the

rehearsal　of　dress；　she　packed　away　her　most　treasured　garments；

and　her　leafy　boudoir　knew　her　no　more。　　She　sometimes　walked　on

the　hillside；　and　often　followed　the　trail　she　had　taken　with　Lance

when　she　led　him　to　the　ranch。　　She　once　or　twice　extended　her　walk

to　the　spot　where　she　had　parted　from　him；　and　as　often　came　shyly

away；　her　eyes　downcast　and　her　face　warm　with　color。　　Perhaps

because　these　experiences　and　some　mysterious　instinct　of　maturing

womanhood　had　left　a　story　in　her　eyes；　which　her　two　adorers；　the

Postmaster　and　the　Butcher；　read　with　passion；　she　became　famous

without　knowing　it。　　Extravagant　stories　of　her　fascinations

brought　strangers　into　the　valley。　　The　effect　upon　her　father　may

be　imagined。　　Lance　could　not　have　desired　a　more　effective

guardian　than　he　proved　to　be　in　this　emergency。　　Those　who　had

been　told　of　this　hidden　pearl　were　surprised　to　find　it　so

jealously　protected。