the call of the canyon- 第9部分

〃Come　on；〃　he　called。　〃I　want　to　see　you　cross　the　stepping　stones。〃

Carley　ran　ahead；　down　a　little　slope　of　clean　red　rock；　to　the　shore　of　the　green　water。　It　was　clear；　swift；　deep　in　some　places　and　shallow　in　others；　with　white　wreathes　or　ripples　around　the　rocks　evidently　placed　there　as　a　means　to　cross。　Carley　drew　back　aghast。

〃Glenn；　I　could　never　make　it；〃　she　called。

〃Come　on；　my　Alpine　climber；〃　he　taunted。　〃Will　you　let　Arizona　daunt　you？〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　fall　in　and　catch　cold？〃　she　cried；　desperately。

〃Carley；　big　women　might　even　cross　the　bad　places　of　modern　life　on　stepping　stones　of　their　dead　selves！〃　he　went　on；　with　something　of　mockery。　〃Surely　a　few　physical　steps　are　not　beyond　you。〃

〃Say；　are　you　mangling　Tennyson　or　just　kidding　me？〃　she　demanded　slangily。

〃My　love；　Flo　could　cross　here　with　her　eyes　shut。〃

That　thrust　spurred　Carley　to　action。　His　words　were　jest；　yet　they　held　a　hint　of　earnest。　With　her　heart　at　her　throat　Carley　stepped　on　the　first　rock；　and；　poising；　she　calculated　on　a　running　leap　from　stone　to　stone。　Once　launched；　she　felt　she　was　falling　downhill。　She　swayed；　she　splashed；　she　slipped；　and　clearing　the　longest　leap　from　the　last　stone　to　shore　she　lost　her　balance　and　fell　into　Glenn's　arms。　His　kisses　drove　away　both　her　panic　and　her　resentment。

〃By　Jove！　I　didn't　think　you'd　even　attempt　it！〃　he　declared；　manifestly　pleased。　〃I　made　sure　I'd　have　to　pack　you　overin　fact；　rather　liked　the　idea。〃

〃I　wouldn't　advise　you　to　employ　any　such　means　againto　dare　me；〃　she　retorted。

〃That's　a　nifty　outdoor　suit　you've　on；〃　he　said；　admiringly。　〃I　was　wondering　what　you'd　wear。　I　like　short　outing　skirts　for　women；　rather　than　trousers。　The　service　sort　of　made　the　fair　sex　dippy　about　pants。〃

〃It　made　them　dippy　about　more　than　that；〃　she　replied。　〃You　and　I　will　never　live　to　see　the　day　that　women　recover　their　balance。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　replied　Glenn。

Carley　locked　her　arm　in　his。　〃Honey；　I　want　to　have　a　good　time　today。　Cut　out　all　the　other　women　stuff。　。　。　。　Take　me　to　see　your　little　gray　home　in　the　West。　Or　is　it　gray？〃

He　laughed。　〃Why；　yes；　it's　gray；　just　about。　The　logs　have　bleached　some。〃

Glenn　led　her　away　up　a　trail　that　climbed　between　bowlders；　and　meandered　on　over　piny　mats　of　needles　under　great；　silent；　spreading　pines；　and　closer　to　the　impondering　mountain　wall；　where　at　the　base　of　the　red　rock　the　creek　murmured　strangely　with　hollow　gurgle；　where　the　sun　had　no　chance　to　affect　the　cold　damp　gloom；　and　on　through　sweet…smelling　woods；　out　into　the　sunlight　again；　and　across　a　wider　breadth　of　stream；　and　up　a　slow　slope　covered　with　stately　pines；　to　a　little　cabin　that　faced　the　west。

〃Here　we　are；　sweetheart；〃　said　Glenn。　〃Now　we　shall　see　what　you　are　made　of。〃

Carley　was　non…committal　as　to　that。　Her　intense　interest　precluded　any　humor　at　this　moment。　Not　until　she　actually　saw　the　log　cabin　Glenn　had　erected　with　his　own　hands　had　she　been　conscious　of　any　great　interest。　But　sight　of　it　awoke　something　unaccustomed　in　Carley。　As　she　stepped　into　the　cabin　her　heart　was　not　acting　normally　for　a　young　woman　who　had　no　illusions　about　love　in　a　cottage。

Glenn's　cabin　contained　one　room　about　fifteen　feet　wide　by　twenty　long。　Between　the　peeled　logs　were　lines　of　red　mud；　hard　dried。　There　was　a　small　window　opposite　the　door。　In　one　corner　was　a　couch　of　poles；　with　green　tips　of　pine　boughs　peeping　from　under　the　blankets。　The　floor　consisted　of　flat　rocks　laid　irregularly；　with　many　spaces　of　earth　showing　between。　The　open　fireplace　appeared　too　large　for　the　room；　but　the　very　bigness　of　it；　as　well　as　the　blazing　sticks　and　glowing　embers；　appealed　strongly　to　Carley。　A　rough…hewn　log　formed　the　mantel；　and　on　it　Carley's　picture　held　the　place　of　honor。　Above　this　a　rifle　lay　across　deer　antlers。　Carley　paused　here　in　her　survey　long　enough　to　kiss　Glenn　and　point　to　her　photograph。

〃You　couldn't　have　pleased　me　more。〃

To　the　left　of　the　fireplace　was　a　rude　cupboard　of　shelves；　packed　with　boxes；　cans；　bags；　and　utensils。　Below　the　cupboard；　hung　upon　pegs；　were　blackened　pots　and　pans；　a　long…handled　skillet；　and　a　bucket。　Glenn's　table　was　a　masterpiece。　There　was　no　danger　of　knocking　it　over。　It　consisted　of　four　poles　driven　into　the　ground；　upon　which　had　been　nailed　two　wide　slabs。　This　table　showed　considerable　evidence　of　having　been　scrubbed　scrupulously　clean。　There　were　two　low　stools；　made　out　of　boughs；　and　the　seats　had　been　covered　with　woolly　sheep　hide。　In　the　right…hand　corner　stood　a　neat　pile　of　firewood；　cut　with　an　ax；　and　beyond　this　hung　saddle　and　saddle　blanket；　bridle　and　spurs。　An　old　sombrero　was　hooked　upon　the　pommel　of　the　saddle。　Upon　the　wall；　higher　up；　hung　a　lantern；　resting　in　a　coil　of　rope　that　Carley　took　to　be　a　lasso。　Under　a　shelf　upon　which　lay　a　suitcase　hung　some　rough　wearing　apparel。

Carley　noted　that　her　picture　and　the　suit　case　were　absolutely　the　only　physical　evidences　of　Glenn's　connection　with　his　Eastern　life。　That　had　an　unaccountable　effect　upon　Carley。　What　had　she　expected？　Then；　after　another　survey　of　the　room；　she　began　to　pester　Glenn　with　questions。　He　had　to　show　her　the　spring　outside　and　the　little　bench　with　basin　and　soap。　Sight　of　his　soiled　towel　made　her　throw　up　her　hands。　She　sat　on　the　stools。　She　lay　on　the　couch。　She　rummaged　into　the　contents　of　the　cupboard。　She　threw　wood　on　the　fire。　Then；　finally；　having　exhausted　her　search　and　inquiry；　she　flopped　down　on　one　of　the　stools　to　gaze　at　Glenn　in　awe　and　admiration　and　incredulity。

〃Glennyou've　actually　lived　here！〃　she　ejaculated。

〃Since　last　fall　before　the　snow　came；〃　he　said；　smiling。

〃Snow！　Did　it　snow？〃　she　inquired。

〃Well；　I　guess。　I　was　snowed　in　for　a　week。〃

〃Why　did　you　choose　this　lonely　placeway　off　from　the　Lodge？〃　she　asked；　slowly。

〃I　wanted　to　be　by　myself；〃　he　replied；　briefly。

〃You　mean　this　is　a　sort　of　camp…out　place？〃

〃Carley；　I　call　it　my　home；〃　he　replied；　and　there　was　a　low；　strong　sweetness　in　his　voice　she　had　never　heard　before。

That　silenced　her　for　a　while。　She　went　to　the　door　and　gazed　up　at　the　towering　wall；　more　wonderful　than　ever；　and　more　fearful；　too；　in　her　sight。　Presently　tears　dimmed　her　eyes。　She　did　not　understand　her　feeling；　she　was　ashamed　of　it；　she　hid　it　from　Glenn。　Indeed；　there　was　something　terribly　wrong　between　her　and　Glenn；　and　it　was　not　in　him。　This　cabin　he　called　home　gave　her　a　shock　which　would　take　time　to　analyze。　At　length　she　turned　to　him　with　gay　utterance　upon　her　lips。　She　tried　to　put　out　of　her　mind　a　dawning　sense　that　this　close…to…the…earth　habitation；　this　primitive　dwelling；　held　strange　inscrutable　power　over　a　self　she　had　never　divined　she　possessed。　The　very　stones　in　the　hearth　seemed　to　call　out　from　some　remote　past；　and　the　strong　sweet　smell　of　burnt　wood　thrilled　to　the　marrow　of　her　bones。　How　little　she　knew　of　herself！　But　she　had　intelligence　enough　to　understand　that　there　was　a　woman　in　her；　the　female　of　the　species；　and　through　that　the　sensations　from　logs　and　stones　and　earth　and　fire　had　strange　power　to　call　up　the　emotions　handed　down　to　her　from　the　ages。　The　thrill；　the　queer　heartbeat；　the　vague；　haunting　memory　of　something；　as　of　a　dim　childhood　adventure；　the　strange　prickling　sense　of　dreadthese　abided　with　her　and　augmented　while　she　tried　to　show　Glenn　her　pride　in　him　and　also　how　funny　his　cabin　seemed　to　her。

Once　or　twice　he　hesitatingly；　and　somewhat　appealingly；　she　imagined；　tried　to　broach　the　subject　of　his　work　there　in　the　West。　But　Carley　wanted　a　little　while　with　him　free　of　disagreeable　argument。　It　was　a　foregone　conclusion　that　she　would　not　like　his　work。　Her　intention　at　first　had　been　to　begin　at　once　to　use　all　persuasion　in　her　power　toward　having　him　go　back　East　with　her；　or　at　the　latest　some　time　this　year。　But　the　rude　log　cabin　had　checked　her　impulse。　She　felt　that　haste　would　be　unwise。

〃Glenn　Kilbourne；　I　told　you　why　I　came　West　to　see　you；〃　she　said；　spiritedly。　〃Well；　since　you　still　swear　allegiance　to　your　girl　from　the　East；　you　might　entertain　her　a　little　bit　before　getting　down　to　business　talk。〃

〃All　right；　Carley；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？　The　day　is　at　your　disposal。　I　wish　it　were　June。　Then　if　you　didn't　fall　in　love　with　West　Fork　you'd　be　no　good。〃

〃Glenn；　I　love　people；　not　places；〃　she　returned。

〃So　I　remember。　And　that's　one　thing　I　don't　like。　But　let's　not　quarrel。　What'll　we　do？〃

〃Suppose　you　tramp　with　me　all　around；　until　I'm　good　and　hungry。　Then　we'll　come　back　hereand　you　can　cook　dinner　for　me。〃

〃Fine！　Oh；　I　know　you're　just　bursting　with　curiosity　to　see　how　I'll　do　it。　Well；　you　may　be　surprised；　miss。〃

〃Let's　go；〃　she　urged。

〃Shall　I　take　my　gun　or　fishing　rod？〃

〃You　shall　take　nothing　but　me；〃　retorted　Carley。　〃What　chance　has　a　girl　with　a　man；　if　he　can　hunt　or　fish？〃

So　they　went　out　hand　in　hand。　Half　of　the　belt　of　sky　above　was　obscured　by　swiftly　moving　gray　clouds。　The　other　half　was　blue　and　was　being　slowly　encroached　upon　by　the　dark　storm…like　pall。　How　cold　the　air！　Carley　had　already　learned　that　when　the　sun　was　hidden　the　atmosphere　was　cold。　Glenn　led　her　down　a　trail　to　the　brook；　where　he　calmly　picked　her　up　in　his　arms；　quite　easily；　it　appeared；　and　leisurely　packed　her　across；　kissing　her　half　a　dozen　times　before　he　deposited　her　on　her　feet。

〃Glenn；　you　do　this　sort　of　thing　so　well　that　it　makes　me　imagine　you　have　practice　now　and　then；〃　she　said。

〃No。　But　you　are　pretty　and　sweet；　and　like　the　girl　you　were　four　years　ago。　That　takes　me　back　to　those　days。〃

〃I　thank　you。　That's　dear　of　you。　I　think　I　am　something　of　a　cat。　。　。　。　I'll　be　glad　if　this　walk　leads　us　often　to　the　creek。〃

Spring　might　have　been　fresh　and　keen　in　the　air；　but　it　had　not　yet　brought　much　green　to　the　brown　earth　or　to　the　trees。　The　cotton…woods　showed　a　light　feathery　verdure。　The　long　grass　was　a　bleached　white；　and　low　down　close　to　the　sod　fresh　tiny　green　blades　showed。　The　great　fern　leaves　were　sear　and　ragged；　and　they　rustled　in　the　breeze。　Small　gray　sheath…barked　trees