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."Hello, you're awake," he said."Good morning, Father," she replied, demurely peeping from behind the edge ofher blanket.He did not look happy and the smile he usually had for her waswanting."We're breaking camp.Randolph acquainted me with your wishes and intentions.We will leave for the post and Flagerstown at once.""So soon! Leave Beckyshibeta today?" she exclaimed, in dismay."Assuredly.I daresay you will appreciate this place--and some otherthings--after you have lost them.Hurry and dress yourself.Breakfast iswaiting."Janey stared after his retreating form rather blankly."Well!" shesoliloquized.Then she laughed.What could she have expected? He wastremendously disappointed in her.All the better! Things were working outmagnificently.She would certainly teach him a lesson that would last forlife.Yet she was very glad indeed that he was so disappointed.She couldendure a little longer that he and Randolph should continue to be sad abouther and the mess she was going to make out of her life.Janey got into her riding habit and boots with extraordinary pleasure andsatisfaction.What a transformation! The scant garb she had been wearing didnot harmonize with dignity, and certainly had not enhanced her good looks.Allthe same she would keep that shrunken skirt and torn blouse and the soiledstockings.She rolled them in the blankets.The worn shoes, too! Some distantfuture day she would don them to surprise and delight Phil.Her little mirror showed a golden-tanned face, with glad eyes and a glorioussmile; and shiny rippling hair, all the prettier for being wayward and free.Janey did not need to hide her feelings any longer.She would let Randolph andher father make their own deductions regarding her happiness.As she descended the ledge she heard Mrs.Durland squeal with delight.Something had excited her.Randolph and Bennet were busy packing.Breakfaststeamed on the fire.The Indians were coming up with the horses.A pang toreJaney's heart.Only an hour more, perhaps less, of these gleaming canyonwalls! But she would come back.The gentlemen were not blind to her changedattire and mood, though they did not fuss over her.Indeed she could not catchRandolph's eye.Mrs.Durland came up almost running, breathless, triumphant, and radiant."Oh,my dear, how different--you look!" she panted."What do you think?--Thatvillain Black Dick forgot to take our money--and jewels.My bag was hanging ona cedar twig.Imagine! I was simply overcome.and here's your diamond ring.""Well, of all the luck!" cried Janey, surprised and pleased, as she took thering."I'm very glad for you, Mrs.Durland.Of course my loss would have beenlittle.So our desperado forgot to take what he stole? Well, he was a queerone.""I can almost forgive him now," replied Mrs.Durland, fervently.Bert came up and tipped his sombrero to Janey.But his sour look did not fithis graceful gesture.Janey did not need to be told that her father had passedPage 93ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlon the important news.The Durlands might be civil, but Bert, at least, wouldnever forgive her.Janey reflected that it might not matter how they felt orwhat they did.She would be careful, however, to make it plain to Randolph andher father that she feared the Durlands and desired to placate them.Janey had her breakfast alone.One of the Indians left his work and stoodnearby, apparently fascinated at the sight of her.Randolph kept his backturned and worked hard on the packs."Phil, please get me another cup of coffee," she called.He hurriedly complied and fetched it to her."You make such lovely coffee," she said, looking up at him."I'll miss that,at least, when I'm home again.""Bennet made this coffee," replied Randolph, brusquely."Oh!" But nothing could have hurt Janey this wonderful morning.Nothing exceptleaving her canyon! She went aside by herself so that she could feel andthink, unaffected by Randolph or her father.The gleaming walls spoke to her.The great red corner of rock that led off toward Beckyshibeta beckoned for herto come.And she went far enough to peep round.How wild and ragged and rocky!It was a wilderness of broken stones.Yet for her they had a spirit and avoice.The stream murmured from the gorge, the canyon swifts darted by, theirwings shining in the sunlight, the sweet dry sage fragrance filled hernostrils.Janey gazed all around and upward, everywhere, with deep reverence for thislonely chasm in the rock crust of the earth.She would return soon, and oftenthereafter while Randolph was at work on the excavation of the ruined pueblo.She would like to plan her future, her home, her usefulness in the world, hereunder the spell of her canyon.How soon would that be? Not yet had she planned any farther than Flagerstown.No farther than the hour which would make her Phil's wife! The tumultuousnessof that thought had inhibited a completion of her plan.But was not that theclimax--the end? It did not satisfy Janey.It entailed confession, totalsurrender, both of which she would be glad to give, yet--.Suddenly she had aninspiration.It absolutely dazzled her.It swept her away.It was a perfectsolution to her problem, and she could have laughed her joy to these watchingjealous walls.But--was it possible? Could she accomplish it? How strange shehad not thought of it before! Easy as it was wonderful! Whereupon she gaveherself up to a mute reverent farewell to Beckyshibeta.A lusty shout interrupted Janey's rapt mood: "Come on, Janey.We're off!"called her father.Very soon then Janey was astride a horse, comfortable and confident in herriding outfit, going down the trail through the cedars.She was the last ofthe cavalcade.Randolph and the Indians were ahead, driving the pack animals.Bennet was looking after the Durlands.Endicott rode ahead of Janey.Theycrossed the boulder-strewn stream bed, climbed the dusty soft red trail, andwound away through cedars.Janey did not look back.It would not have been anyuse, for her eyes were blinded by tears.They did not wholly clear until sherode out of the rock walls, up on to the desert.Janey rode alone all day.And surely it was the fullest and sweetest day ofall her life.Forty miles of sage to traverse to the next camp--purple colorand wondrous fragrance all around--red and gold walls beckoning from thehorizons--the sweep and loneliness of vast stretches--sometimes all by herselfon the trail, far behind the others--these were the splendid accompaniments ofher happy dreams and thoughts, of long serious realizations, of the permanentsettling of convictions and ideals, of consciousness of a softened and exaltedheart.Sunset fell while they were yet upon the trail--one of the incomparableArizona sunsets that Janey had come to love.A black horizon-wide wall blockedthe West.The red and golden rays of sunlight swept down over it, spreadinglight over the desert.Above masses of purple cloud with silver edges hid thesky.And it all gloriously faded into dusk [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]