a summer in a canyon-第29部分

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'I　can't　be　mistaken。　　I　was　too　excited　not　to　hear　very　clearly；
and　the　moment　the　words　were　spoken　I　knew　my　poor　dear's　fiery
temper　would　never　endure　that。　　And　it　didn't；　it　blazed　out　in　a
second；　but　it　didn't　last　long；　for　before　I　could　get　to　the　tent
she　had　stopped　herself　right　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　and　in
another　minute　I　heard　your　voice；　and　crept　back　to　the　hammock；
thinking　that　everything　would　be　settled　by　Laura's　going　away。　　I'd
no　idea　that　she　would　pounce　on　Polly　and　get　her　in　disgrace；　the
very　last　thing；　when　she　knew　that　she　was　responsible　for　the　whole
matter。　　You　see；　auntie；　that；　impolite　as　Polly　was；　she　only　told
Laura　that　we　girls　were　glad　she　was　going。　　She　didn't　bring　you
in；　after　all；　and　Laura　knew　perfectly　well　that　she　was　a　welcome
visitor；　and　we　all　treated　her　with　the　greatest　politeness；　though
it's　no　use　to　say　we　liked　her　much。'

'I　am　very　sorry　for　the　whole　affair；'　sighed　Mrs。　Winship；　'there
is　so　much　wrong　on　both　sides。　　Laura's　remark；　it　is　true；　would
have　angered　almost　anybody　who　was　not　old　and　wise　enough　to　see
that　it　deserved　only　contempt；　but　both　the　girls　should　have　had
too　much　respect　for　themselves　and　for　me　to　descend　to　such　an
unladylike　quarrel。　　However；　I　am　only　too　glad　to　hear　anything
which　makes　Polly's　fault　less；　for　I　love　her　too　dearly　not　to
suffer　when　I　have　to　be　severe　with　her。'

'She　wouldn't　ask　you　to　overlook　her　fault；'　continued　Elsie；　with
tears　in　her　eyes。　　'I　know　just　how　wretched　and　penitent　she　must
bePolly　is　always　so　fierce　against　her　own　faultsbut　what　must
be　making　her　suffer　most　is　the　thought　that　she　has　entirely　lost
your　confidence　and　good　opinion。　　Oh；　I　can't　help　thinking　that　God
feels　sorrier　this　very　minute　for　Polly；　who　fights　and　fights
against　her　temper；　like　a　dear　sunbeam　trying　to　shine　again　and
again　when　a　cloud　keeps　covering　it　up；　than　He　does　for　Laura；　who
has　everything　made　smooth　for　her；　and　who　is　unhappy　when　her
feathers　are　ruffled　the　least　bit。'

'You　are　right；　dear；　in　so　far　that　a　fiery　little　soul　like　Polly's
can；　if　it　finds　the　right　channels；　do　God's　work　in　the　world
better　than　a　character　like　Laura's；　which　is　not　courageous；　nor
strong；　nor　sweet　enough　for　great　service；　unless　it　grows　into
better　things　through　bitter　or　rich　experiences。　　Now；　good…night；
my　blessed　little　peacemaker；　sleep　sweetly；　for　I　am　going　into
Polly's　tent　to　have　a　good　talk　with　her。'

As　Mrs。　Winship　dropped　the　curtains　of　Elsie's　tent　behind　her；　and
made　her　way　quietly　through　the　trees；　the　tinkling　sound　of　a　banjo
fell　upon　the　still　night　air；　and　presently；　as　she　neared　Polly's
retreat；　this　facetious　serenade；　sung　by　Jack's　well…known　voice；
was　wafted　to　her　ears：


'Prithee；　Polly　Oliver；　why　bide　ye　so　still？
Pretty　Polly　Oliver；　we　fear　you　are　ill。
I'm　singing　'neath　thy　window；　when　night　dews　are　chill；
For；　pretty　Polly　Oliver；　we　hear　you　are　ill。'


She　was　about　to　despatch　Master　Jack　to　his　tent　with　a　round
scolding；　when　the　last　words　of　the　song　were　frozen　on　his　lips　by
the　sound　of　a　smothered　sob；　in　place　of　the　saucy　retort　he　hoped
to　provoke。　　The　unexpected　sob　frightened　him　more　than　any　fusilade
of　hot　words；　and　he　stole　away　in　the　darkness　more　crestfallen　than
he　had　been　for　many　a　year。

Mrs。　Winship；　more　troubled　than　ever；　pulled　apart　the　canvas
curtains；　and　stood　in　the　opening；　silently。　　The　sight　of　the
forlorn　little　figure；　huddled　together　on　the　straw　bed；　touched　her
heart；　and；　when　Polly　started　up　with　an　eloquent　cry　and　flew　into
her　extended　arms；　she　granted　willing　forgiveness；　and　the　history
of　the　afternoon　was　sobbed　out　upon　her　motherly　shoulder。

The　next　morning　Mrs。　Winship　announced　that　Polly　was　better；　sent
breakfast　to　her　tent；　and　by　skilful　generalship　drove　everybody
away　from　the　camp　but　Elsie；　who　brought　Polly　to　the　sitting…room；
made　her　comfortable　on　the　lounge；　and；　administering　much　good
advice　to　Margery　and　Bell　concerning　topics　to　be　avoided；　admitted
them　one　by　one　into　her　presence；　so　that　she　gradually　regained　her
self…control。　　And　at　the　dinner…table　a　very　pale　Polly　was　present
again；　with　such　a　white　face　and　heavy　eyes　that　no　one　could　doubt
there　had　been　a　headache；　while　two　people；　at　least；　knew　that
there　had　been　a　heartache　as　well。　　The　next　day's　mail　carried　the
following　letter　to　Laura　Burton：


CAMP　CHAPARRAL；　August　16；　188…。

My　dear　Laura；As　I　told　you　when　you　were　leaving；　I　cannot　well
say　how　sorry　I　am　that　anything　should　have　occurred　to　mar　your
pleasant　remembrance　of　your　stay　with　us。　　That　your　dear　mother's
daughter　should　have　been　treated　with　discourtesy　while　she　was　my
guest　was　very　disagreeable　to　me；　but　I　have　learned　that　you　were
yourself　somewhat　to　blame　in　the　affair；　and　therefore　you　should
have　borne　the　harsh　treatment　you　received　with　considerable
patience；　and　perhaps　have　kept　it　quite　to　yourself。　　（'That　little
cat　told　her；　after　all；'　said　Laura；　when　she　read　this。　　'I　didn't
think　she　was　that　kind。'）　　Polly　would　never　have　confessed　the
cause　of　the　quarrel；　because　she　knew　nothing　could　justify　her
language；　but　Elsie　was　lying　in　the　hammock　behind　the　tent　and
overheard　the　remark　which　so　roused　Polly's　anger。　　You　were　not
aware；　of　course；　how　sore　a　spot　you　touched　upon；　or　you　could
never　have　spoken　as　you　did；　though　I　well　know　that　you　were　both
too　angry　to　reflect。　　Polly　is　a　peculiarly　proud　and　high…spirited
girlproud；　I　confess；　to　a　fault；　but　she　comes；　on　her　mother's
side；　from　a　long　line　of　people　who　have　had　much　to　be　proud　of　in
the　way　of　unblemished　honesty；　nobility；　fine　attainments；　and
splendid　achievements。　　Of　her　father's　honourable　services　to　his
country；　and　his　sad　and　untimely　death；　you　may　have　heard；　but　you
may　not　know　that　Mrs。　Oliver's　misfortunes　have　been　very　many　and
very　bitter；　and　that　the　only　possibility　of　supporting　and
educating　Polly　lies　at　present　in　her　taking　boarders；　for　her
health　will　not　admit　just　now　of　her　living　anywhere　save　in
Southern　California。　　I　fail　to　see　why　this　is　not　thoroughly
praiseworthy　and　respectable；　but　if　you　do　not　consider　it　quite　an
elegant　occupation；　I　can　only　say　that　Mrs。　Oliver　presides　over　the
table　at　which　her　'boarders'　sit　with　a　high…bred　dignity　and　grace
of　manner　that　the　highest　lady　in　the　land　might　imitate；　and　that；
when　health　and　circumstances　permit　her　to　diminish　the　distance
between　herself　and　the　great　world；　she　and　her　daughter　Polly；　by
reason　of　their　birth　and　their　culture；　will　find　doors　swinging
wide　to　admit　them　where　you　and　I　would　find　it　difficult　to　enter。
Polly　apologises　sincerely　for　her　rudeness；　and　will　write　you　to
that　effect；　as　of　course　she　does　not　know　of　this　letter。

Sincerely　your　friend；

TRUTH　WINSHIP。



CHAPTER　IX：　　ROUND　THE　CAMP…FIRE



'The　time　before　the　fire　they　sat；
And　shortened　the　delay　by　pleasing　chat。'


The　August　days　had　slipped　away　one　after　another；　and　September　was
at　hand。　　There　was　no　perceptible　change　of　weather　to　mark　the
advent　of　the　new　month。　　The　hills　were　a　little　browner；　the　dust　a
little　deeper；　the　fleas　a　little　nimbler；　and　the　water　in　the　brook
a　trifle　lower；　but　otherwise　Dame　Nature　did　not　concern　herself
with　the　change　of　seasons；　inasmuch　as　she　had　no　old　dresses　to　get
rid　of；　and　no　new　ones　to　put　on　for　a　long　time　yet；　indeed；　she　is
never　very　fashionable　in　this　locality；　and　wears　very　much　the　same
garments　throughout　the　year。

Elsie　seemed　almost　as　strong　as　any　of　the　other　girls　now；　and
could　enter　with　zest　into　all　their　amusements。　　The　appetite　of　a
young　bear；　the　sound；　dreamless　sleep　of　a　baby；　and　the　constant
breathing　in　of　the　pure；　life…giving　air　had　made　her　a　new
creature。　　Mrs。　Howard　and　Jack　felt；　day　by　day；　that　a　burden　of
dread　was　being　lifted　from　their　hearts；　and　Mrs。　Howard　especially
felt　that　she　loved　every　rock　and　tree　in　the　canyon。

It　was　a　charming　morning；　and　Polly　was　seated　at　the　dining…room
table；　deep　in　the　preparation　of　a　lesson　in　reading　and
pronunciation　for　Hop　Yet。　　Her　forehead　was　creased　with　many
wrinkles　of　thought；　and　she　bit　the　end　of　her　lead…pencil　as　if　she
were　engaged　in　solving　some　difficult　problem；　but；　if　that　were　so；
why　did　the　dimples　chase　each　other　in　and　out　of　her　cheeks　in　such
a　suspicious　fashion？　　She　was　a　very　gentle；　a　very　sedate　Polly；
these　latter　days；　and　not　only　astonished　her　friends；　but　surprised
herself；　by　her　good　behaviour；　her　elegant　reserve　of　manner；　her
patience　with　Jack；　and　her　abject　devotion　to　Dicky。

'I'm　afraid　it　won't　last；'　she　sighed　to　herself　occasionally。　　'I'm
almost　too　good。　　That's　always　the　way　with　meI　must　either　be　so
bad　that　everybody　is　discouraged；　or　else　so　good　that　I　frighten
them。　　Now　I　catch　Bell　and　Elsie　exchanging　glances　every　day；　as
much　as　to　say；　〃Poor　Polly；　she　will　never　hold　out　at　this　rate；　do
you　notice　that　nothing　ruffles　herthat