cressy-第6章

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The　wooded　upland　or　ridge　on　which　the　schoolhouse　stood；　half　a

mile　further　on；　began　to　slope　gradually　towards　the　river；　on

whose　banks；　seen　from　that　distance；　the　town　appeared　to　have

been　scattered　irregularly　or　thrown　together　hastily；　as　if　cast

ashore　by　some　overflowthe　Cosmopolitan　Hotel　drifting　into　the

Baptist　church；　and　dragging　in　its　tail　of　wreckage　two　saloons

and　a　blacksmith's　shop；　while　the　County　Court…house　was　stranded

in　solitary　grandeur　in　a　waste　of　gravel　half　a　mile　away。　　The

intervening　flat　was　still　gashed　and　furrowed　by　the　remorseless

engines　of　earlier　gold…seekers。



Mr。　Ford　was　in　little　sympathy　with　this　unsuccessful　record　of

frontier　endeavorthe　fortune　HE　had　sought　did　not　seem　to　lie　in

that　directionand　his　eye　glanced　quickly　beyond　it　to　the　pine…

crested　hills　across　the　river；　whose　primeval　security　was　so　near

and　yet　so　inviolable；　or　back　again　to　the　trail　he　was　pursuing

along　the　ridge。　　The　latter　prospect　still　retained　its　semi…

savage　character　in　spite　of　the　occasional　suburban　cottages　of

residents；　and　the　few　outlying　farms　or　ranches　of　the　locality。

The　grounds　of　the　cottages　were　yet　uncleared　of　underbrush；　bear

and　catamount　still　prowled　around　the　rude　fences　of　the　ranches；

the　late　alleged　experience　of　the　infant　Snyder　was　by　no　means

improbable　or　unprecedented。



A　light　breeze　was　seeking　the　heated　flat　and　river；　and　thrilling

the　leaves　around　him　with　the　strong　vitality　of　the　forest。　　The

vibrating　cross…lights　and　tremulous　chequers　of　shade　cast　by　the

stirred　foliage　seemed　to　weave　a　fantastic　net　around　him　as　he

walked。　　The　quaint　odors　of　certain　woodland　herbs　known　to　his

scholars；　and　religiously　kept　in　their　desks；　or　left　like　votive

offerings　on　the　threshold　of　the　school…house；　recalled　all　the

primitive　simplicity　and　delicious　wildness　of　the　little　temple　he

had　left。　　Even　in　the　mischievous　glances　of　evasive　squirrels　and

the　moist　eyes　of　the　contemplative　rabbits　there　were　faint

suggestions　of　some　of　his　own　truants。　　The　woods　were　trembling

with　gentle　memories　of　the　independence　he　had　always　known　here

of　that　sweet　and　grave　retreat　now　so　ridiculously　invaded。



He　began　to　hesitate；　with　one　of　those　revulsions　of　sentiment

characteristic　of　his　nature：　　Why　should　he　bother　himself　about

this　girl　after　all？　　Why　not　make　up　his　mind　to　accept　her　as　his

predecessor　had　done？　　Why　was　it　necessary　for　him　to　find　her

inconsistent　with　his　ideas　of　duty　to　his　little　flock　and　his

mission　to　them？　　Was　he　not　assuming　a　sense　of　decorum　that　was

open　to　misconception？　　The　absurdity　of　her　school　costume；　and

any　responsibility　it　incurred；　rested　not　with　him　but　with　her

parents。　　What　right　had　he　to　point　it　out　to　them；　and　above　all

how　was　he　to　do　it？　　He　halted　irresolutely　at　what　he　believed

was　his　sober　second　thought；　but　which；　like　most　reflections　that

take　that　flattering　title；　was　only　a　reaction　as　impulsive　and

illogical　as　the　emotion　that　preceded　it。



Mr。　McKinstry's　〃snake　rail〃　fence　was　already　discernible　in　the

lighter　opening　of　the　woods；　not　far　from　where　he　had　halted。　　As

he　stood　there　in　hesitation；　the　pretty　figure　and　bright　gown　of

Cressy　McKinstry　suddenly　emerged　from　a　more　secluded　trail　that

intersected　his　own　at　an　acute　angle　a　few　rods　ahead　of　him。　　She

was　not　alone；　but　was　accompanied　by　a　male　figure　whose　arm　she

had　evidently　just　dislodged　from　her　waist。　　He　was　still　trying

to　resume　his　lost　vantage；　she　was　as　resolutely　evading　him　with

a　certain　nymph…like　agility；　while　the　sound　of　her　half…laughing；

half…irate　protest　could　be　faintly　heard。　　Without　being　able　to

identify　the　face　or　figure　of　her　companion　at　that　distance；　he

could　see　that　it　was　NOT　her　former　betrothed；　Seth　Davis。



A　superior　smile　crossed　his　face；　he　no　longer　hesitated；　but　at

once　resumed　his　former　path。　　For　some　time　Cressy　and　her

companion　moved　on　quietly　before　him。　　Then　on　reaching　the　rail…

fence　they　turned　abruptly　to　the　right；　were　lost　for　an　instant

in　the　intervening　thicket；　and　the　next　moment　Cressy　appeared

alone；　crossing　the　meadow　in　a　shorter　cut　towards　the　house；

having　either　scaled　the　fence　or　slipped　through　some　familiar

gap。　　Her　companion　had　disappeared。　　Whether　they　had　noticed　that

they　were　observed　he　could　not　determine。　　He　kept　steadily　along

the　trail　that　followed　the　line　of　fence　to　the　lane　that　led

directly　to　the　farm…building；　and　pushed　open　the　front　gate　as

Cressy's　light　dress　vanished　round　an　angle　at　the　rear　of　the

house。



The　house　of　the　McKinstrys　rose；　or　rather　stretched；　itself

before　him；　in　all　the　lazy　ungainliness　of　Southwestern

architecture。　　A　collection　of　temporary　make…shifts　of　boards；　of

logs；　of　canvas；　prematurely　decayed；　and　in　some　instances

abandoned　for　a　newer　erection；　or　degraded　to　mere　outhousesit

presented　with　singular　frankness　the　nomadic　and　tentative

disposition　of　its　founder。　　It　had　been　repaired　without　being

improved；　its　additions　had　seemed　only　to　extend　its　primitive

ugliness　over　a　larger　space。　　Its　roofs　were　roughly　shingled　or

rudely　boarded　and　battened；　and　the　rafters　of　some　of　its　〃lean…

to's〃　were　simply　covered　with　tarred　canvas。　　As　if　to　settle　any

doubt　of　the　impossibility　of　this　heterogeneous　mass　ever　taking

upon　itself　any　picturesque　combination；　a　small　building　of

corrugated　iron；　transported　in　sections　from　some　remoter

locality；　had　been　set　up　in　its　centre。　　The　McKinstry　ranch　had

long　been　an　eyesore　to　the　master：　even　that　morning　he　had　been

mutely　wondering　from　what　convolution　of　that　hideous　chrysalis

the　bright　butterfly　Cressy　had　emerged。　　It　was　with　a　renewal　of

this　curiosity　that　he　had　just　seen　her　flutter　back　to　it　again。



A　yellow　dog　who　had　observed　him　hesitating　in　doubt　where　he

should　enter；　here　yawned；　rose　from　the　sunlight　where　he　had　been

blinking；　approached　the　master　with　languid　politeness；　and　then

turned　towards　the　iron　building　as　if　showing　him　the　way。　　Mr。

Ford　followed　him　cautiously；　painfully　conscious　that　his

hypocritical　canine　introducer　was　only　availing　himself　of　an

opportunity　to　gain　ingress　into　the　house；　and　was　leading　him　as

a　responsible　accomplice　to　probable　exposure　and　disgrace。　　His

expectation　was　quickly　realized：　a　lazily　querulous；　feminine

outcry；　with　the　words；　〃Yer's　that　darned　hound　agin！〃　came　from

an　adjacent　room；　and　his　exposed　and　abashed　companion　swiftly

retreated　past　him　into　the　road　again。　　Mr。　Ford　found　himself

alone　in　a　plainly…furnished　sitting…room　confronting　the　open　door

leading　to　another　apartment　at　which　the　figure　of　a　woman；

preceded　hastily　by　a　thrown　dishcloth；　had　just　appeared。　　It　was

Mrs。　McKinstry；　her　sleeves　were　rolled　up　over　her　red　but　still

shapely　arms；　and　as　she　stood　there　wiping　them　on　her　apron；　with

her　elbows　advanced；　and　her　closed　hands　raised　alternately　in　the

air；　there　was　an　odd　pugilistic　suggestion　in　her　attitude。　　It

was　not　lessened　on　her　sudden　discovery　of　the　master　by　her

retreating　backwards　with　her　hands　up　and　her　elbows　still　well

forward　as　if　warily　retiring　to　an　imaginary　〃corner。〃



Mr。　Ford　at　once　tactfully　stepped　back　from　the　doorway。　　〃I　beg

your　pardon；〃　he　said；　delicately　addressing　the　opposite　wall；

〃but　I　found　the　door　open　and　I　followed　the　dog。〃



〃That's　just　one　of　his　pizenous　tricks；〃　responded　Mrs。　McKinstry

dolefully　from　within。　　〃On'y　last　week　he　let　in　a　Chinaman；　and

in　the　nat'ral　hustlin'　that　follered　he　managed　to　help　himself

outer　the　pork　bar'l。　　There　ain't　no　shade　o'　cussedness　that

or'nary　hound　ain't　up　to。〃　　Yet　notwithstanding　this　ominous

comparison　she　presently　made　her　appearance　with　her　sleeves

turned　down；　her　black　woollen　dress　〃tidied；〃　and