whirligigs-第49节

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what　he　says　when　he　talks　in　earnest。　I　don't　know

what　would　have　become　of　this　place　without　him。〃



Two　rooms　at　the　east　end　of　the　house　had　been

arranged　for　the　occupancy　of　the　ranch's　mistress。　When

she　entered　them　a　slight　dismay　seized　her　at　their　bare

appearance　and　the　scantiness　of　their　furniture；　but　she

quickly　reflected　that　the　climate　was　a　semi…tropical　one；

and　was　moved　to　appreciation　of　the　well…conceived　efforts

to　conform　to　it。　The　sashes　had　already　been　removed

from　the　big　windows；　and　white　curtains　waved　in　the

Gulf　breeze　that　streamed　through　the　wide　jalousies。

The　bare　floor　was　amply　strewn　with　cool　rugs；　the

chairs　were　inviting；　deep；　dreamy　willows；　the　walls

were　papered　with　a　light；　cheerful　olive。　One　whole

side　of　her　sitting　room　was　covered　with　books　on　smooth；

unpainted　pine　shelves。　She　flew　to　these　at　once。　Before

her　was　a　well…selected　library。　She　caught　glimpses　of

titles　of　volumes　of　fiction　and　travel　not　yet　seasoned

from　the　dampness　of　the　press。



Presently；　recollecting　that　she　was　now　in　a　wilderness

given　over　to　mutton；　centipedes　and　privations；　the

incongruity　of　these　luxuries　struck　her；　and；　with　intuitive

feminine　suspicion；　she　began　turning　to　the　fly…leaves　of

volume　after　volume。　Upon　each　one　was　inscribed　in

fluent　characters　the　name　of　Theodore　Westlake；　Jr。



Octavia；　fatigued　by　her　long　journey；　retired　early

that　night。　Lying　upon　her　white；　cool　bed；　she　rested

deliciously；　but　sleep　coquetted　long　with　her。　She

listened　to　faint　noises　whose　strangeness　kept　her　faculties

on　the　alert　　the　fractious　yelping　of　the　coyotes；　the

ceaseless；　low　symphony　of　the　wind；　the　distant　booming

of　the　frogs　about　the　lake；　the　lamentation　of　a　concertina

in　the　Mexicans'　quarters。　There　were　many　conflicting

feelings　in　her　heart　　thankfulness　and　rebellion；　peace

and　disquietude；　loneliness　and　a　sense　of　protecting　care；

happiness　and　an　old；　haunting　pain。



She　did　what　any　other　woman　would　have　done　

sought　relief　in　a　wholesome　tide　of　unreasonable　tears；

and　her　last　words；　murmured　to　herself　before　slumber；

capitulating；　came　softly　to　woo　her；　were　〃He　has

forgotten。〃



The　manager　of　the　Rancho　de　las　Sombras　was　no

dilettante。　He　was　a　〃hustler。〃　He　was　generally　up；

mounted；　and　away　of　mornings　before　the　rest　of　the

household　were　awake；　making　the　rounds　of　the　flocks

and　camps。　This　was　the　duty　of　the　majordomo；　a

stately　old　Mexican　with　a　princely　air　and　manner；　but

Teddy　seemed　to　have　a　great　deal　of　confidence　in　his

own　eyesight。　Except　in　the　busy　seasons；　he　nearly

always　returned　to　the　ranch　to　breakfast　at　eight　o'clock；

with　Octavia　and　Mrs。　Maclntyre；　at　the　little　table　set

in　the　central　hallway；　bringing　with　him　a　tonic　and

breezy　cheerfulness　full　of　the　health　and　flavour　of　the

prairies。



A　few　days　after　Octavia's　arrival　he　made　her　get　out

one　of　her　riding　skirts；　and　curtail　it　to　a　shortness

demanded　by　the　chaparral　brakes。



With　some　misgivings　she　donned　this　and　the　pair　of

buckskin　leggings　he　prescribed　in　addition；　and；　mounted

upon　a　dancing　pony；　rode　with　him　to　view　her　posses…

sions。　He　showed　her　everything　　the　flocks　of　ewes；

muttons　and　grazing　lambs；　the　dipping　vats；　the　shearing

pens；　the　uncouth　merino　rams　in　their　little　pasture；　the

water…tanks　I　prepared　against　the　summer　drought　

giving　account　of　his　stewardship　with　a　boyish　enthus…

siasm　that　never　flagged。



Where　was　the　old　Teddy　that　she　knew　so　well？　This

side　of　him　was　the　same；　and　it　was　a　side　that　pleased

her；　but　this　was　all　she　ever　saw　of　him　now。　Where

was　his　sentimentality　　those　old；　varying　moods　of

impetuous　love…making；　of　fanciful；　quixotic　devotion；　of

heart…breaking　gloom；　of　alternating；　absurd　tenderness

and　haughty　dignity？　His　nature　had　been　a　sensitive

one；　his　temperament　bordering　closely　on　the　artistic。

She　knew　that；　besides　being　a　follower　of　fashion　and　its

fads　and　sports；　he　had　cultivated　tastes　of　a　finer　nature。

He　had　written　things；　he　had　tampered　with　colours；　he

was　something　of　a　student　in　certain　branches　of　art；

and　once　she　had　been　admitted　to　all　his　aspirations　and

thoughts。　But　now　　and　she　could　not　avoid　the　con…

clusion　　Teddy　had　barricaded　against　her　every　side

of　himself　except　one　　the　side　that　showed　the　manager

of　the　Rancho　de　las　Sombras　and　a　jolly　chum　who　had

forgiven　and　forgotten。　Queerly　enough　the　words　of

Mr。　Bannister's　description　of　her　property　came　into

her　mind　　〃all　inclosed　within　a　strong　barbed…wire

fence。〃



〃Teddy's　fenced；　too；〃　said　Octavia　to　herself。



It　was　not　difficult　for　her　to　reason　out　the　cause　of

his　fortifications。　It　had　originated　one　night　at　the

Hammersmiths'　ball。　It　occurred　at　a　time　soon　after

she　had　decided　to　accept　Colonel　Beaupree　and　his

million；　which　was　no　more　than　her　looks　and　the　entr閑

she　held　to　the　inner　circles　were　worth。　Teddy　had

proposed　with　all　his　impetuosity　and　fire；　and　she　looked

him　straight　in　the　eyes；　an　said；　coldly　and　finally：

〃Never　let　me　hear　any　such　silly　nonsense　from　you

again。〃　〃You　won't；〃　said　Teddy；　with　an　expression

around　his　mouth；　and　　now　Teddy　was　inclosed

within　a　strong　barbed…wire　fence。



It　was　on　this　first　ride　of　inspection　that　Teddy　was

seized　by　the　inspiration　that　suggested　the　name　of

Mother　Goose's　heroine；　and　he　at　once　bestowed　it　upon

Octavia。　The　idea；　supported　by　both　a　similarity　of

names　and　identity　of　occupations；　seemed　to　strike　him

as　a　peculiarly　happy　one；　and　he　never　tired　of　using　it。

The　Mexicans　on　the　ranch　also　took　up　the　name；　adding

another　syllable　to　accommodate　their　lingual　incapacity

for　the　final　〃p；〃　gravely　referring　to　her　as　〃La　Madama

Bo…Peepy。〃　Eventually　it　spread；　and　〃Madame　Bo…

Peep's　ranch〃　was　as　often　mentioned　as　the　〃Rancho

de　las　Sombras。〃



Came　the　long；　hot　season　from　May　to　September；

when　work　is　scarce　on　the　ranches。　Octavia　passed　the

days　in　a　kind　of　lotus…eater's　dream。　Books；　hammocks；

correspondence　with　a　few　intimate　friends；　a　renewed

interest　in　her　old　water…colour　box　and　easel　　these

disposed　of　the　sultry　hours　of　daylight。　The　evenings

were　always　sure　to　bring　enjoyment。　Best　of　all　were

the　rapturous　horseback　rides　with　Teddy；　when　the　moon

gave　light　over　the　wind…swept　leagues；　chaperoned　by

the　wheeling　night…hawk　and　the　startled　owl。　Often　the

Mexicans　would　come　up　from　their　shacks　with　their

guitars　and　sing　the　weirdest　of　heart…breaking　songs。

There　were　long；　cosy　chats　on　the　breezy　gallery；　and　an

interminable　warfare　of　wits　between　Teddy　and　Mrs。

MacIntyre；　whose　abundant　Scotch　shrewdness　often

more　than　overmatched　the　lighter　humour　in　which　she

was　lacking。



And　the　nights　came；　one　after　another；　and　were　filed

away　by　weeks　and　months　　nights　soft　and　languorous

and　fragrant；　that　should　have　driven　Strephon　to　Chloe

over　wires　however　barbed；　that　might　have　drawn　Cupid

himself　to　hunt；　lasso　in　hand；　among　those　amorous

pastures　　but　Teddy　kept　his　fences　up。



One　July　night　Madame　Bo…Peep　and　her　ranch　man…

ager　were　sitting　on　the　east　gallerv。　Teddy　had　been

exhausting　the　science　of　prognostication　as　to　the　proba…

bilities　of　a　price　of　twenty…four　cents　for　the　autumn　clip；

and　had　then　subsided　into　an　anesthetic　cloud　of　Havana

smoke。　Only　as　incompetent　a　judge　as　a　woman　would

have　failed　to　note　long　ago　that　at　least　a　third　of　his

salary　must　have　gone　up　in　the　fumes　of　those　imported

Regalias。



〃Teddy；〃　said　Octavia；　suddenly；　and　rather　sharply；

〃what　are　you　working　down　here　on　a　ranch　for？〃



〃One　hundred　per；〃　said　Teddy；　glibly；　〃and　found。〃



〃I've　a　good　mind　to　discharge　you。〃



〃Can't　do　it；〃　said　Teddy；　with　a　grin。



〃Why　not？〃　demanded　Octavia；　with　argumentative

heat。



〃Under　contract。　Terms　of　sale　respect　all　unexpired

contracts。　Mine　runs　until　12　P。　m。；　December　thirty…first。

You　might　get　up　at　midnight　on　that　date　and　fire　me。

if　you　try　it　sooner　I'll　be　in　a　position　to　bring　legal

proceedings。〃



Octavia　seemed　to　be　considering　the　prospects　of

litigation。



〃But；〃　continued　Teddy　cheerfully；　〃I've　been　think…

ing　of　resigning　anyway。〃



Octavia's　rocking…chair　ceased　its　motion。　There　were

centipedes　in　this　country；　she　felt　sure；　and　Indians；

and　vast；　lonely；　desolate；　empty　wastes；　all　within　strong

barbed…wire　fence。　There　was　a　Van　Dresser　pride；　but

there　was　also　a　Van　Dresser　heart。　She　must　know　for

certain　whether　or　not　he　had　forgotten。



〃Ah；　well；　Teddy；〃　she　said；　with　a　fine　assumption

of　polite　interest；　〃it's　lonely　down　here；　you're　longing

to　get　back　to　the　old　life　　to　polo　and　lobsters　and

theatres　and　balls。〃



〃Never　cared　much　for　ball