the call of the canyon- 第23部分

Glenn　gave　a　terrible　start　and　his　face　turned　a　deathly　white。　He　burst　out　with　quavering；　inarticulate　speech。

Carley　gazed　up　at　him　and　then　closed　her　eyes。　She　could　not　look　at　him　while　carrying　on　such　deceit。　Yet　the　sight　of　him　and　the　feel　of　him　then　were　inexpressibly　blissful　to　her。　What　she　needed　most　was　assurance　of　his　love。　She　had　it。　Beyond　doubt；　beyond　morbid　fancy；　the　truth　had　proclaimed　itself；　filling　her　heart　with　joy。

Suddenly　she　flung　her　arms　up　around　his　neck。　〃OhGlenn！　It　was　too　good　a　chance　to　miss！　。　。　。　I'm　not　hurt　a　bit。〃


CHAPTER　VII

The　day　came　when　Carley　asked　Mrs。　Hutter：　〃Will　you　please　put　up　a　nice　lunch　for　Glenn　and　me？　I'm　going　to　walk　down　to　his　farm　where　he's　working；　and　surprise　him。〃

〃That's　a　downright　fine　idea；〃　declared　Mrs。　Hutter；　and　forthwith　bustled　away　to　comply　with　Carley's　request。

So　presently　Carley　found　herself　carrying　a　bountiful　basket　on　her　arm；　faring　forth　on　an　adventure　that　both　thrilled　and　depressed　her。　Long　before　this　hour　something　about　Glenn's　work　had　quickened　her　pulse　and　given　rise　to　an　inexplicable　admiration。　That　he　was　big　and　strong　enough　to　do　such　labor　made　her　proud；　that　he　might　want　to　go　on　doing　it　made　her　ponder　and　brood。

The　morning　resembled　one　of　the　rare　Eastern　days　in　June；　when　the　air　appeared　flooded　by　rich　thick　amber　light。　Only　the　sun　here　was　hotter　and　the　shade　cooler。

Carley　took　to　the　trail　below　where　West　Fork　emptied　its　golden…green　waters　into　Oak　Creek。　The　red　walls　seemed　to　dream　and　wait　under　the　blaze　of　the　sun；　the　heat　lay　like　a　blanket　over　the　still　foliage；　the　birds　were　quiet；　only　the　murmuring　stream　broke　the　silence　of　the　canyon。　Never　had　Carley　felt　more　the　isolation　and　solitude　of　Oak　Creek　Canyon。　Far　indeed　from　the　madding　crowd！　Only　Carley's　stubbornness　kept　her　from　acknowledging　the　sense　of　peace　that　enveloped　her…that　and　the　consciousness　of　her　own　discontent。　What　would　it　be　like　to　come　to　this　canyon…to　give　up　to　its　enchantments？　That；　like　many　another　disturbing　thought；　had　to　go　unanswered；　to　be　driven　into　the　closed　chambers　of　Carley's　mind；　there　to　germinate　subconsciously；　and　stalk　forth　some　day　to　overwhelm　her。

The　trail　led　along　the　creek；　threading　a　maze　of　bowlders；　passing　into　the　shade　of　cottonwoods；　and　crossing　sun…flecked　patches　of　sand。　Carley's　every　step　seemed　to　become　slower。　Regrets　were　assailing　her。　Long　indeed　had　she　overstayed　her　visit　to　the　West。　She　must　not　linger　there　indefinitely。　And　mingled　with　misgiving　was　a　surprise　that　she　had　not　tired　of　Oak　Creek。　In　spite　of　all；　and　of　the　dislike　she　vaunted　to　herself；　the　truth　stared　at　hershe　was　not　tired。

The　long…delayed　visit　to　see　Glenn　working　on　his　own　farm　must　result　in　her　talking　to　him　about　his　work；　and　in　a　way　not　quite　clear　she　regretted　the　necessity　for　it。　To　disapprove　of　Glenn！　She　received　faint　intimations　of　wavering；　of　uncertainty；　of　vague　doubt。　But　these　were　cried　down　by　the　dominant　and　habitable　voice　of　her　personality。

Presently　through　the　shaded　and　shadowed　breadth　of　the　belt　of　forest　she　saw　gleams　of　a　sunlit　clearing。　And　crossing　this　space　to　the　border　of　trees　she　peered　forth；　hoping　to　espy　Glenn　at　his　labors。　She　saw　an　old　shack；　and　irregular　lines　of　rude　fence　built　of　poles　of　all　sizes　and　shapes；　and　several　plots　of　bare　yellow　ground；　leading　up　toward　the　west　side　of　the　canyon　wall。　Could　this　clearing　be　Glenn's　farm？　Surely　she　had　missed　it　or　had　not　gone　far　enough。　This　was　not　a　farm；　but　a　slash　in　the　forested　level　of　the　canyon　floor；　bare　and　somehow　hideous。　Dead　trees　were　standing　in　the　lots。　They　had　been　ringed　deeply　at　the　base　by　an　ax；　to　kill　them；　and　so　prevent　their　foliage　from　shading　the　soil。　Carley　saw　a　long　pile　of　rocks　that　evidently　had　been　carried　from　the　plowed　ground。　There　was　no　neatness；　no　regularity；　although　there　was　abundant　evidence　of　toil。　To　clear　that　rugged　space；　to　fence　it；　and　plow　it；　appeared　at　once　to　Carley　an　extremely　strenuous　and　useless　task。　Carley　persuaded　herself　that　this　must　be　the　plot　of　ground　belonging　to　the　herder　Charley；　and　she　was　about　to　turn　on　down　the　creek　when　far　up　under　the　bluff　she　espied　a　man。　He　was　stalking　along　and　bending　down；　stalking　along　and　bending　down。　She　recognized　Glenn。　He　was　planting　something　in　the　yellow　soil。

Curiously　Carley　watched　him；　and　did　not　allow　her　mind　to　become　concerned　with　a　somewhat　painful　swell　of　her　heart。　What　a　stride　he　had！　How　vigorous　he　looked；　and　earnest！　He　was　as　intent　upon　this　job　as　if　he　had　been　a　rustic。　He　might　have　been　failing　to　do　it　well；　but　he　most　certainly　was　doing　it　conscientiously。　Once　he　had　said　to　her　that　a　man　should　never　be　judged　by　the　result　of　his　labors；　but　by　the　nature　of　his　effort。　A　man　might　strive　with　all　his　heart　and　strength；　yet　fall。　Carley　watched　him　striding　along　and　bending　down；　absorbed　in　his　task；　unmindful　of　the　glaring　hot　sun；　and　somehow　to　her　singularly　detached　from　the　life　wherein　he　had　once　moved　and　to　which　she　yearned　to　take　him　back。　Suddenly　an　unaccountable　flashing　query　assailed　her　conscience：　How　dare　she　want　to　take　him　back？　She　seemed　as　shocked　as　if　some　stranger　had　accosted　her。　What　was　this　dimming　of　her　eye；　this　inward　tremulousness；　this　dammed　tide　beating　at　an　unknown　and　riveted　gate　of　her　intelligence？　She　felt　more　then　than　she　dared　to　face。　She　struggled　against　something　in　herself。　The　old　habit　of　mind　instinctively　resisted　the　new；　the　strange。　But　she　did　not　come　off　wholly　victorious。　The　Carley　Burch　whom　she　recognized　as　of　old；　passionately　hated　this　life　and　work　of　Glenn　Kilbourne's；　but　the　rebel　self；　an　unaccountable　and　defiant　Carley；　loved　him　all　the　better　for　them。

Carley　drew　a　long　deep　breath　before　she　called　Glenn。　This　meeting　would　be　momentous　and　she　felt　no　absolute　surety　of　herself。

Manifestly　he　was　surprised　to　hear　her　call；　and；　dropping　his　sack　and　implement；　he　hurried　across　the　tilled　ground；　sending　up　puffs　of　dust。　He　vaulted　the　rude　fence　of　poles；　and　upon　sight　of　her　called　out　lustily。　How　big　and　virile　he　looked！　Yet　he　was　gaunt　and　strained。　It　struck　Carley　that　he　had　not　looked　so　upon　her　arrival　at　Oak　Creek。　Had　she　worried　him？　The　query　gave　her　a　pang。

〃Sir　Tiller　of　the　Fields；〃　said　Carley；　gayly；　〃see；　your　dinner！　I　brought　it　and　I　am　going　to　share　it。〃

〃You　old　darling！〃　he　replied；　and　gave　her　an　embrace　that　left　her　cheek　moist　with　the　sweat　of　his。　He　smelled　of　dust　and　earth　and　his　body　was　hot。　〃I　wish　to　God　it　could　be　true　for　always！〃

His　loving；　bearish　onslaught　and　his　words　quite　silenced　Carley。　How　at　critical　moments　he　always　said　the　thing　that　hurt　her　or　inhibited　her！　She　essayed　a　smile　as　she　drew　back　from　him。

〃It's　sure　good　of　you；〃　he　said；　taking　the　basket。　〃I　was　thinking　I'd　be　through　work　sooner　today；　and　was　sorry　I　had　not　made　a　date　with　you。　Come；　we'll　find　a　place　to　sit。〃

Whereupon　he　led　her　back　under　the　trees　to　a　half…sunny；　half…shady　bench　of　rock　overhanging　the　stream。　Great　pines　overshadowed　a　still；　eddying　pool。　A　number　of　brown　butterflies　hovered　over　the　water；　and　small　trout　floated　like　spotted　feathers　just　under　the　surface。　Drowsy　summer　enfolded　the　sylvan　scene。

Glenn　knelt　at　the　edge　of　the　brook；　and；　plunging　his　hands　in；　he　splashed　like　a　huge　dog　and　bathed　his　hot　face　and　head；　and　then　turned　to　Carley　with　gay　words　and　laughter；　while　he　wiped　himself　dry　with　a　large　red　scarf。　Carley　was　not　proof　against　the　virility　of　him　then；　and　at　the　moment；　no　matter　what　it　was　that　had　made　him　the　man　he　looked；　she　loved　it。

〃I'll　sit　in　the　sun；〃　he　said；　designating　a　place。　〃When　you're　hot　you　mustn't　rest　in　the　shade；　unless　you've　coat　or　sweater。　But　you　sit　here　in　the　shade。〃

〃Glenn；　that'll　put　us　too　far　apart；〃　complained　Carley。　〃I'll　sit　in　the　sun　with　you。〃

The　delightful　simplicity　and　happiness　of　the　ensuing　hour　was　something　Carley　believed　she　would　never　forget。

〃There！　we've　licked　the　platter　clean；〃　she　said。　〃What　starved　bears　we　were！　。　。　。　。　I　wonder　if　I　shall　enjoy　eatingwhen　I　get　home。　I　used　to　be　so　finnicky　and　picky。〃

〃Carley；　don't　talk　about　home；〃　said　Glenn；　appealingly。

〃You　dear　old　farmer；　I'd　love　to　stay　here　and　just　dreamforever；〃　replied　Carley；　earnestly。　〃But　I　came　on　purpose　to　talk　seriously。〃

〃Oh；　you　did！　About　what？〃　he　returned；　with　some　quick；　indefinable　change　of　tone　and　expression。

〃Well；　first　about　your　work。　I　know　I　hurt　your　feelings　when　I　wouldn't　listen。　But　I　wasn't　ready。　I　wanted　toto　just　be　gay　with　you　for　a　while。　Don't　think　I　wasn't　interested。　I　was。　And　now；　I'm　ready　to　hear　all　about　itand　everything。〃

She　smiled　at　him　bravely；　and　she　knew　that　unless　some　unforeseen　shock　upset　her　composure；　she　would　be　able　to　conceal　from　him　anything　which　might　hurt　his　feelings。

〃You　do　look　serious；〃　he　said；　with　keen　eyes　on　her。

〃Just　what　are　your　business　relations　with　Hutter？〃　she　inquired。

〃I'm　simply　working　for　him；〃　replied　Glenn。　〃My　aim　is　to　get　an　interest　in　his　sheep；　and　I　expect　to；　some　day。　We　have　some　plans。　And　one　of　them　is　the　development　of　that　Deep　Lake　section。　You　rememberyou　were　with　us。　The　day　Spillbeans　spilled　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　remember。　It　was　a　pretty　place；〃　she　replied。

Carley　did　not　tell　him　that　for　a　month　past　she　had　owned　the　Deep　Lake　section　of　six　hundred　and　forty　acres。　She　had；　in　fact；　instructed　Hutter　to　purchase　it；　and　to　keep　the　transaction　a　secret　for　the　present。　Carley　had　never　been　able　to　understand　the　impulse　that　prompted　her　to　do　it。　But　as　Hutter　had　assured　her　it　was　a　remarkably　good　investment　on　very　little　capital；　she　had　tried　to　persuade　herself　of　its　advantages。　Back　of　it　all　had　been　an　irresistible　desire　to　be　able　some　day　to　present　to　Glenn　this　ranch　site　he　loved。　She　had　concluded　he　would　never　wholly　dissociate　himself　from　this　West；　and　as　he　would　visit　it　now　and　then；　she　had　already　begun