the call of the canyon- 第7部分

〃Come　close　to　the　fire；〃　he　said；　and　pulled　up　a　chair　for　her。　Then　he　threw　more　wood　upon　the　red　coals。　〃You　must　be　careful　not　to　catch　cold　out　here。　The　altitude　makes　a　cold　dangerous。　And　that　gown　is　no　protection。〃

〃Glenn；　one　chair　used　to　be　enough　for　us；〃　she　said；　archly；　standing　beside　him。

But　he　did　not　respond　to　her　hint；　and；　a　little　affronted；　she　accepted　the　proffered　chair。　Then　he　began　to　ask　questions　rapidly。　He　was　eager　for　news　from　homefrom　his　peoplefrom　old　friends。　However　he　did　not　inquire　of　Carley　about　her　friends。　She　talked　unremittingly　for　an　hour；　before　she　satisfied　his　hunger。　But　when　her　turn　came　to　ask　questions　she　found　him　reticent。

He　had　fallen　upon　rather　hard　days　at　first　out　here　in　the　West；　then　his　health　had　begun　to　improve；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　able　to　work　his　condition　rapidly　changed　for　the　better；　and　now　he　was　getting　along　pretty　well。　Carley　felt　hurt　at　his　apparent　disinclination　to　confide　in　her。　The　strong　cast　of　his　face；　as　if　it　had　been　chiseled　in　bronze；　the　stern　set　of　his　lips　and　the　jaw　that　protruded　lean　and　square　cut；　the　quiet　masked　light　of　his　eyes；　the　coarse　roughness　of　his　brown　hands；　mute　evidence　of　strenuous　laborsthese　all　gave　a　different　impression　from　his　brief　remarks　about　himself。　Lastly　there　was　a　little　gray　in　the　light…brown　hair　over　his　temples。　Glenn　was　only　twenty…seven；　yet　he　looked　ten　years　older。　Studying　him　so；　with　the　memory　of　earlier　years　in　her　mind；　she　was　forced　to　admit　that　she　liked　him　infinitely　more　as　he　was　now。　He　seemed　proven。　Something　had　made　him　a　man。　Had　it　been　his　love　for　her；　or　the　army　service；　or　the　war　in　France；　or　the　struggle　for　life　and　health　afterwards？　Or　had　it　been　this　rugged；　uncouth　West？　Carley　felt　insidious　jealousy　of　this　last　possibility。　She　feared　this　West。　She　was　going　to　hate　it。　She　had　womanly　intuition　enough　to　see　in　Flo　Hutter　a　girl　somehow　to　be　reckoned　with。　Still；　Carley　would　not　acknowledge　to　herself　that　his　simple；　unsophisticated　Western　girl　could　possibly　be　a　rival。　Carley　did　not　need　to　consider　the　fact　that　she　had　been　spoiled　by　the　attention　of　men。　It　was　not　her　vanity　that　precluded　Flo　Hutter　as　a　rival。

Gradually　the　conversation　drew　to　a　lapse；　and　it　suited　Carley　to　let　it　be　so。　She　watched　Glenn　as　he　gazed　thoughtfully　into　the　amber　depths　of　the　fire。　What　was　going　on　in　his　mind？　Carley's　old　perplexity　suddenly　had　rebirth。　And　with　it　came　an　unfamiliar　fear　which　she　could　not　smother。　Every　moment　that　she　sat　there　beside　Glenn　she　was　realizing　more　and　more　a　yearning；　passionate　love　for　him。　The　unmistakable　manifestation　of　his　joy　at　sight　of　her；　the　strong；　almost　rude　expression　of　his　love；　had　called　to　some　responsive；　but　hitherto　unplumbed　deeps　of　her。　If　it　had　not　been　for　these　undeniable　facts　Carley　would　have　been　panic…stricken。　They　reassured　her；　yet　only　made　her　state　of　mind　more　dissatisfied。

〃Carley；　do　you　still　go　in　for　dancing？〃　Glenn　asked；　presently；　with　his　thoughtful　eyes　turning　to　her。

〃Of　course。　I　like　dancing；　and　it's　about　all　the　exercise　I　get；〃　she　replied。

〃Have　the　dances　changedagain？〃

〃It's　the　music；　perhaps；　that　changes　the　dancing。　Jazz　is　becoming　popular。　And　about　all　the　crowd　dances　now　is　an　infinite　variation　of　fox…trot。〃

〃No　waltzing？〃

〃I　don't　believe　I　waltzed　once　this　winter。〃

〃Jazz？　That's　a　sort　of　tinpanning；　jiggly　stuff；　isn't　it？〃

〃Glenn；　it's　the　fever　of　the　public　pulse；〃　replied　Carley。　〃The　graceful　waltz；　like　the　stately　minuet；　flourished　back　in　the　days　when　people　rested　rather　than　raced。〃

〃More's　the　pity；〃　said　Glenn。　Then　after　a　moment；　in　which　his　gaze　returned　to　the　fire；　he　inquired　rather　too　casually；　〃Does　Morrison　still　chase　after　you

〃Glenn；　I'm　neither　oldnor　married；〃　she　replied；　laughing。

〃No；　that's　true。　But　if　you　were　married　it　wouldn't　make　any　difference　to　Morrison。〃

Carley　could　not　detect　bitterness　or　jealousy　in　his　voice。　She　would　not　have　been　averse　to　hearing　either。　She　gathered　from　his　remark；　however；　that　he　was　going　to　be　harder　than　ever　to　understand。　What　had　she　said　or　done　to　make　him　retreat　within　himself；　aloof；　impersonal；　unfamiliar？　He　did　not　impress　her　as　loverlike。　What　irony　of　fate　was　this　that　held　her　there　yearning　for　his　kisses　and　caresses　as　never　before；　while　he　watched　the　fire；　and　talked　as　to　a　mere　acquaintance；　and　seemed　sad　and　far　away？　Or　did　she　merely　imagine　that？　Only　one　thing　could　she　be　sure　of　at　that　moment；　and　it　was　that　pride　would　never　be　her　ally。

〃Glenn；　look　here；〃　she　said；　sliding　her　chair　close　to　his　and　holding　out　tier　left　hand；　slim　and　white；　with　its　glittering　diamond　on　the　third　finger。

He　took　her　hand　in　his　and　pressed　it；　and　smiled　at　her。　〃Yes；　Carley；　it's　a　beautiful；　soft　little　hand。　But　I　think　I'd　like　it　better　if　it　were　strong　and　brown；　and　coarse　on　the　insidefrom　useful　work。〃

〃Like　Flo　Hutter's？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Yes。〃

Carley　looked　proudly　into　his　eyes。　〃People　are　born　in　different　stations。　I　respect　your　little　Western　friend；　Glenn；　but　could　I　wash　and　sweep；　milk　cows　and　chop　wood；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing？〃

〃I　suppose　you　couldn't；〃　he　admitted；　with　a　blunt　little　laugh。

〃Would　you　want　me　to？〃　she　asked。

〃Well；　that's　hard　to　say；〃　he　replied；　knitting　his　brows。　〃I　hardly　know。　I　think　it　depends　on　you。　。　。　。　But　if　you　did　do　such　work　wouldn't　you　be　happier？〃

〃Happier！　Why　Glenn；　I'd　be　miserable！　。。。　But　listen。　It　wasn't　my　beautiful　and　useless　hand　I　wanted　you　to　see。　It　was　my　engagement　ring。〃

〃Oh！Well？〃　he　went　on；　slowly。

〃I've　never　had　it　off　since　you　left　New　York；〃　she　said；　softly。　〃You　gave　it　to　me　four　years　ago。　Do　you　remember？　It　was　on　my　twenty…second　birthday。　You　said　it　would　take　two　months'　salary　to　pay　the　bill。〃

〃It　sure　did；〃　he　retorted；　with　a　hint　of　humor。

〃Glenn；　during　the　war　it　was　not　soso　very　hard　to　wear　this　ring　as　an　engagement　ring　should　be　worn；〃　said　Carley；　growing　more　earnest。　〃But　after　the　warespecially　after　your　departure　West　it　was　terribly　hard　to　be　true　to　the　significance　of　this　betrothal　ring。　There　was　a　let…down　in　all　women。　Oh；　no　one　need　tell　me！　There　was。　And　men　were　affected　by　that　and　the　chaotic　condition　of　the　times。　New　York　was　wild　during　the　year　of　your　absence。　Prohibition　was　a　joke。Well；　I　gadded；　danced；　dressed；　drank；　smoked；　motored；　just　the　same　as　the　other　women　in　our　crowd。　Something　drove　me　to。　I　never　rested。　Excitement　seemed　to　be　happinessGlenn；　I　am　not　making　any　plea　to　excuse　all　that。　But　I　want　you　to　knowhow　under　trying　circumstancesI　was　absolutely　true　to　you。　Understand　me。　I　mean　true　as　regards　love。　Through　it　all　I　loved　you　just　the　same。　And　now　I'm　with　you；　it　seems；　oh；　so　much　more！　。　。　。　Your　last　letter　hurt　me。　I　don't　know　just　how。　But　I　came　West　to　see　youto　tell　you　thisand　to　ask　you。　。　。　。　Do　you　want　this　ring　back？〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　he　replied；　forcibly；　with　a　dark　flush　spreading　over　his　face。

〃Thenyou　love　me？〃　she　whispered。

〃YesI　love　you；〃　he　returned；　deliberately。　〃And　in　spite　of　all　you　sayvery　probably　more　than　you　love　me。　。　。　。　But　you；　like　all　women；　make　love　and　its　expression　the　sole　object　of　life。　Carley；　I　have　been　concerned　with　keeping　my　body　from　the　grave　and　my　soul　from　hell。〃

〃Butclearyou're　well　now？〃　she　returned；　with　trembling　lips。

〃Yes；　I've　almost　pulled　out。〃

〃Then　what　is　wrong？〃

〃Wrong？With　me　or　you；〃　he　queried；　with　keen；　enigmatical　glance　upon　her。

〃What　is　wrong　between　us？　There　is　something。〃

〃Carley；　a　man　who　has　been　on　the　vergeas　I　have　beenseldom　or　never　comes　back　to　happiness。　But　perhaps〃

〃You　frighten　me；〃　cried　Carley；　and；　rising；　she　sat　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair　and　encircled　his　neck　with　her　arms。　〃How　can　I　help　if　I　do　not　understand？　Am　I　so　miserably　little？　。　。　。　Glenn；　must　I　tell　you？　No　woman　can　live　without　love。　I　need　to　be　loved。　That's　all　that's　wrong　with　me。〃

〃Carley；　you　are　still　an　imperious；　mushy　girl；〃　replied　Glenn；　taking　her　into　his　arms。　〃I　need　to　be　loved；　too。　But　that's　not　what　is　wrong　with　me。　You'll　have　to　find　it　out　yourself。〃

〃You're　a　dear　old　Sphinx；〃　she　retorted。

〃Listen；　Carley；〃　he　said；　earnestly。　〃About　this　love…making　stuff。　Please　don't　misunderstand　me。　I　love　you。　I'm　starved　for　your　kisses。　Butis　it　right　to　ask　them？〃

〃Right！　Aren't　we　engaged？　And　don't　I　want　to　give　them？〃

〃If　I　were　only　sure　we'd　be　married！〃　he　said；　in　low；　tense　voice；　as　if　speaking　more　to　himself。

〃Married！〃　cried　Carley；　convulsively　clasping　him。　〃Of　course　we'll　be　married。　Glenn；　you　wouldn't　jilt　me？〃

〃Carley；　what　I　mean　is　that　you　might　never　really　marry　me；〃　he　answered；　seriously。

〃Oh；　if　that's　all　you　need　be　sure　of；　Glenn　Kilbourne；　you　may　begin　to　make　love　to　me　now。〃


It　was　late　when　Carley　went　up　to　her　room。　And　she　was　in　such　a　softened　mood；　so　happy　and　excited　and　yet　disturbed　in　mind；　that　the　coldness　and　the　darkness　did　not　matter　in　the　least。　She　undressed　in　pitchy　blackness；　stumbling　over　chair　and　bed；　feeling　for　what　she　needed。　And　in　her　mood　this　unusual　proceeding　was　fun。　When　ready　for　bed　she　opened　the　door　to　take　a　peep　out。　Through　the　dense　blackness　the　waterfall　showed　dimly　opaque。　Carley　felt　a　soft　mist　wet　her　face。　The　low　roar　of　the　falling　water　seemed　to　envelop　her。　Under　the　cliff　wall　brooded　impenetrable　gloom。　But　out　above　the　treetops　shone　great　stars；　wonderfully　white　and　radiant　and　cold；　with　a　piercing　contrast　to　the　deep　clear　blue　of　sky。　The　waterfall　hummed　into　an　absolutely　dead　silence。　It　emphasized　the　silence。　Not　only　cold　was　it　that　made　Carley　shudder。　How　lonely；　how　lost；　how　hidden　this　canyon！

Then　she　hurried　to　bed；　grateful　for　the　warm　woolly　blankets。　Relaxation　and　thought　brought　consciousness　of　the　heat　of　her　blood；　the　beat　and　throb　and　swell　of　her　heart；　of　the　tumult　within　her。　In　the　lonely　darkness　of　her　room　she　might　have　faced　the　truth　of　her　strangely　renewed　and