on the frontier-第4部分

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and　love　for　them。〃



〃How　looks　he；　this　Americano　who　seeks　thee？〃　asked　Francisco。



〃What　care　I　how　he　looks；〃　said　Juanita；　〃or　what　he　is？　　He　may

have　the　four　S's；　for　all　I　care。　　Yet；〃　she　added　with　a　slight

touch　of　coquetry；　〃he　is　not　bad　to　look　upon；　now　I　recall　him。〃



〃Had　he　a　long　moustache　and　a　sad；　sweet　smile；　and　a　voice　so

gentle　and　yet　so　strong　that　you　felt　he　ordered　you　to　do　things

with　out　saying　it？　　And　did　his　eye　read　your　thoughts？that　very

thought　that　you　must　obey　him？〃



〃Saints　preserve　thee；　Pancho！　　Of　whom　dost　thou　speak？〃



〃Listen；　Juanita。　　It　was　a　year　ago；　the　eve　of　Natividad；　he　was

in　the　church　when　I　sang。　　Look　where　I　would；　I　always　met　his

eye。　　When　the　canticle　was　sung　and　I　was　slipping　into　the

sacristy；　he　was　beside　me。　　He　spoke　kindly；　but　I　understood　him

not。　　He　put　into　my　hand　gold　for　an　aguinaldo。　　I　pretended　I

understood　not　that　also；　and　put　it　into　the　box　for　the　poor。　　He

smiled　and　went　away。　　Often　have　I　seen　him　since；　and　last　night；

when　I　left　the　Mission；　he　was　there　again　with　Father　Pedro。〃



〃And　Father　Pedro；　what　said　he　of　him？〃　asked　Juanita。



〃Nothing。〃　　The　boy　hesitated。　　〃Perhapsbecause　I　said　nothing　of

the　stranger。〃



Juanita　laughed。　　〃So　thou　canst　keep　a　secret　from　the　good　father

when　thou　carest。　　But　why　dost　thou　think　this　stranger　is　my　new

guardian？〃



〃Dost　thou　not　see；　little　sister？　he　was　even　then　seeking　thee；〃

said　the　boy　with　joyous　excitement。　　〃Doubtless　he　knew　we　were

friends　and　playmatesmay　be　the　good　father　has　told　him　thy

secret。　　For　it　is　no　idle　tale　of　the　alcalde；　believe　me。　　I　see

it　all！　　It　is　true！〃



〃Then　thou　wilt　let　him　take　me　away；〃　exclaimed　the　girl　bitterly；

withdrawing　the　little　hand　he　had　clasped　in　his　excitement。



〃Alas；　Juanita；　what　avails　it　now？　　I　am　sent　to　San　Jose；　charged

with　a　letter　to　the　Father　Superior；　who　will　give　me　further

orders。　　What　they　are；　or　how　long　I　must　stay；　I　know　not。　　But　I

know　this：　the　good　Father　Pedro's　eyes　were　troubled　when　he　gave

me　his　blessing；　and　he　held　me　long　in　his　embrace。　　Pray　Heaven　I

have　committed　no　fault。　　Still　it　may　be　that　the　reputation　of　my

gift　hath　reached　the　Father　Superior；　and　he　would　advance　me。〃

And　Francisco's　eyes　lit　up　with　youthful　pride　at　the　thought。



Not　so　Juanita。　　Her　black　eyes　snapped　suddenly　with　suspicion；

she　drew　in　her　breath；　and　closed　her　little　mouth　firmly。　　Then

she　began　a　crescendo。



Mother　of　God！　was　that　all？　　Was　he　a　child；　to　be　sent　away　for

such　time　or　for　such　purpose　as　best　pleased　the　fathers？　　Was　he

to　know　no　more　than　that？　　With　such　gifts　as　God　had　given　him；

was　he　not　at　least　to　have　some　word　in　disposing　of　them？　　Ah！

SHE　would　not　stand　it。



The　boy　gazed　admiringly　at　the　piquant　energy　of　the　little　figure

before　him；　and　envied　her　courage。　　〃It　is　the　mestizo　blood；〃　he

murmured　to　himself。　　Then　aloud；　〃Thou　shouldst　have　been　a　man；

'Nita。〃



〃And　thou　a　woman。〃



〃Or　a　priest。　　Eh；　what　is　that？〃



They　had　both　risen；　Juanita　defiantly；　her　black　braids　flying　as

she　wheeled　and　suddenly　faced　the　thicket；　Francisco　clinging　to

her　with　trembling　hands　and　whitened　lips。　　A　stone；　loosened　from

the　hillside；　had　rolled　to　their　feet；　there　was　a　crackling　in

the　alders　on　the　slope　above　them。



〃Is　it　a　bear；　or　a　brigand？〃　whispered　Francisco；　hurriedly；

sounding　the　uttermost　depths　of　his　terror　in　the　two　words。



〃It　is　an　eavesdropper；〃　said　Juanita；　impetuously；　〃and　who　and

why；　I　intend　to　know；〃　and　she　started　towards　the　thicket。



〃Do　not　leave　me；　good　Juanita；〃　said　the　young　acolyte；　grasping

the　girl's　skirt。



〃Nay；　run　to　the　hacienda　quickly；　and　leave　me　to　search　the

thicket。　　Run！〃



The　boy　did　not　wait　for　a　second　injunction；　but　scuttled　away；

his　long　coat　catching　in　the　brambles；　while　Juanita　darted　like　a

kitten　into　the　bushes。　　Her　search　was　fruitless；　however；　and　she

was　returning　impatiently　when　her　quick　eye　fell　upon　a　letter

lying　amidst　the　dried　grass　where　she　and　Francisco　had　been

seated　the　moment　before。　　It　had　evidently　fallen　from　his　breast

when　he　had　risen　suddenly；　and　been　overlooked　in　his　alarm。　　It

was　Father　Pedro's　letter　to　the　Father　Superior　of　San　Jose。



In　an　instant　she　had　pounced　upon　it　as　viciously　as　if　it　had

been　the　interloper　she　was　seeking。　　She　knew　that　she　held　in　her

fingers　the　secret　of　Francisco's　sudden　banishment。　　She　felt

instinctively　that　this　yellowish　envelope；　with　its　red　string　and

its　blotch　of　red　seal；　was　his　sentence　and　her　own。　　The　little

mestiza　had　not　been　brought　up　to　respect　the　integrity　of　either

locks　or　seals；　both　being　unknown　in　the　patriarchal　life　of　the

hacienda。　　Yet　with　a　certain　feminine　instinct　she　looked

furtively　around　her；　and　even　managed　to　dislodge　the　clumsy　wax

without　marring　the　pretty　effigy　of　the　crossed　keys　impressed

upon　it。　　Then　she　opened　the　letter　and　read。



Suddenly　she　stopped　and　put　back　her　hair　from　her　brown　temples。

Then　a　succession　of　burning　blushes　followed　each　other　in　waves

from　her　neck　up；　and　died　in　drops　of　moisture　in　her　eyes。　　This

continued　until　she　was　fairly　crying；　dropping　the　letter　from　her

hands　and　rocking　to　and　fro。　　In　the　midst　of　this　she　quickly

stopped　again；　the　clouds　broke；　a　sunshine　of　laughter　started

from　her　eyes；　she　laughed　shyly；　she　laughed　loudly；　she　laughed

hysterically。　　Then　she　stopped　again　as　suddenly；　knitted　her

brows；　swooped　down　once　more　upon　the　letter；　and　turned　to　fly。

But　at　the　same　moment　the　letter　was　quietly　but　firmly　taken　from

her　hand；　and　Mr。　Jack　Cranch　stood　beside　her。



Juanita　was　crimson；　but　unconquered。　　She　mechanically　held　out

her　hand　for　the　letter；　the　American　took　her　little　fingers；

kissed　them；　and　said：



〃How　are　you　again？〃



〃The　letter；〃　replied　Juanita；　with　a　strong　disposition　to　stamp

her　foot。



〃But；〃　said　Cranch；　with　business　directness；　〃you've　read　enough

to　know　it　isn't　for　you。〃



〃Nor　for　you　either；〃　responded　Juanita。



〃True。　　It　is　for　the　Reverend　Father　Superior　of　San　Jose　Mission。

I'll　give　it　to　him。〃



Juanita　was　becoming　alarmed；　first　at　this　prospect；　second　at　the

power　the　stranger　seemed　to　be　gaining　over　her。　　She　recalled

Francisco's　description　of　him　with　something　like　superstitious

awe。



〃But　it　concerns　Francisco。　　It　contains　a　secret　he　should　know。〃



〃Then　you　can　tell　him　it。　　Perhaps　it　would　come　easier　from　you。〃



Juanita　blushed　again。　　〃Why？〃　she　asked；　half　dreading　his　reply。



〃Because；〃　said　the　American；　quietly；　〃you　are　old　playmates；　you

are　attached　to　each　other。〃



Juanita　bit　her　lips。　　〃Why　don't　you　read　it　yourself？〃　she　asked

bluntly。



〃Because　I　don't　read　other　people's　letters；　and　if　it　concerns　me

you'll　tell　me。〃



〃What　if　I　don't？〃



〃Then　the　Father　Superior　will。〃



〃I　believe　you　know　Francisco's　secret　already；〃　said　the　girl；

boldly。



〃Perhaps。〃



〃Then；　Mother　of　God！　Senor　Crancho；　what　do　you　want？〃



〃I　do　not　want　to　separate　two　such　good　friends　as　you　and

Francisco。〃



〃Perhaps　you'd　like　to　claim　us　both；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　sneer

that　was　not　devoid　of　coquetry。



〃I　should　be　delighted。〃



〃Then　here　is　your　occasion；　Senor；　for　here　comes　my　adopted

father；　Don　Juan；　and　your　friend；　Senor　Brrown；　the　American

alcalde。〃



Two　men　appeared　in　the　garden　path　below　them。　　The　stiff；　glazed；

broad…brimmed　black　hat；　surmounting　a　dark　face　of　Quixotic

gravity　and　romantic　rectitude；　indicated　Don　Juan　Briones。　　His

companion；　lazy；　specious；　and　red…faced；　was　Senor　Brown；　the

American　alcalde。



〃Well；　I　reckon　we　kin　about　call　the　thing　fixed；〃　said　Senor

Brown；　with　a　large　wave　of　the　hand；　suggesting　a　sweeping　away　of

all　trivial　details。　　〃Ez　I　was　saying　to　the　Don　yer；　when　two

high…toned　gents　like　you　and　him　come　together　in　a　delicate

matter　of　this　kind；　it　ain't　no　hoss　trade　nor　sharp　practice。

The　Don　is　that　lofty　in　principle　that　he's　willin'　to　sacrifice

his　affections　for　the　good　of　the　gal；　and　you；　on　your　hand；

kalkilate　to　see　all　he's　done　for　her；　and　go　your　whole　pile

better。　　You'll　make　the　legal　formalities　good。　　I　reckon　that　old

Injin　woman　who　can　swear　to　the　finding　of　the　baby　on　the　shore

will　set　things　all　right　yet。　　For　the　matter　o'　that；　if　you　want

anything　in　the　way　of　a　certificate；　I'm　on　hand　always。〃



〃Juanita　and　myself　are　at　your　disposition；　caballeros；〃　said　Don

Juan；　with　a　grave　exaltation。　　〃Never　let　it　be　said　that　the

Mexican　nation　was　outdone　by　the　great　Americanos　in　deeds　of

courtesy　and　affection。　　Let　it　rather　stand　that　Juanita　was　a

sacred　trust　put　into　my　hands　years　ago　by　the　goddess　of　American

liberty；　and　nurtured　in　the　Mexican　eagle's　nest。　　Is　it　not　so；

my　soul？〃　he　added；　more　humanly；　to　the　girl；　when　he　had　quite

recovered　from　the　intoxication　of　his　own　speech。　　〃We　love　thee；

little　one；　but　we　keep　our　honor。〃



〃There's　nothing　mean　about　the　old　man；〃　said　Brown；　admiringly；

with　a　slight　dropping　of　his　left　eyelid；　〃his　head　is　level；　and

he　goes　with　his　party。〃



〃Thou　takest　my　daughter；　Senor　Cranch；〃　continued　the　old　man；

carried　away　by　his　emotion；　〃but　the　American　nation　gives　me　a

son。〃



〃You　know　not　what　you　say；　father；〃　said　the　young　girl；　angrily；

exasperated　by　a　slight　twinkle　in　the　American's　eye。



〃Not　so；〃　said　Cranch。　　〃Perhaps　one　of　the　American　nation　may

take　him　at　his　word。〃



〃Then；　caballeros；　you　will；　for　the　moment　at　least；　possess

yourselves　of　the　house　and　its　poor　hospitality；〃　said　Don　Juan；

with　time…honored　courtesy；　producing　the　rust