登陆注册
4619100000122

第122章 The End of Donald's Contest(2)

"Did you?" she asked. "Suppose you revise that opinion. Our North American Indians in their original state were as fine as any peoples that ever have been discovered the round of the globe. My grandfather came into intimate contact with them in the early days, and he said that their religion, embracing the idea of a great spirit to whom they were responsible for their deeds here, and a happy hunting ground to which they went as a reward for decent living, was as fine as any religion that ever has been practiced by people of any nation. Immorality was unknown among them. Family ties were formed and they were binding They loved their children and reared them carefully.

They were hardy and healthful. Until the introduction of whiskey and what we are pleased to term civilized methods of living, very few of them died save from war or old age. They were free; they were happy. The moping, lazy, diseased creature that you find sleeping in the sun around the reservations is a product of our civilization. Nice commentary on civilization, isn't it?""For heaven's sake, Linda," said Donald, "don't start any big brainstorming trains of thought today! Grant me repose. I have overworked my brain for a few months past until I know only one thing for certain.""All right then, me lad, this is the time for the big secret,"said Linda. "I just happened to be in the assembly room on some business of my own last Thursday afternoon when my sessions were over, and I overheard your professor in trigonometry tell a marl I did not know, who seemed to be a friend visiting him, that the son of Judge Whiting was doing the finest work that ever had been done in any of the Los Angeles high schools, and that undoubtedly you were going to graduate with higher honors than any other boy ever had from that school."Donald sat thinking this over. He absently lifted an elbow and wiped the tiny scales from his face with his shirt sleeve.

"Young woman," he said solemnly, "them things what you're saying, are they 'cross your heart, honest to goodness, so help you,'

truth, or are they the fruit of a perfervid imagination?"Linda shook her head vigorously.

"De but', kid," she said, "de gospel but'. You have the Jap going properly. He can't stop you now. You have fought your good fight, and you have practically won it. All you have to do is to carry on till the middle of June, and you're It.""I wish Dad knew," said Donald in a low voice.

"The Judge does know," said Linda heartily. "It wasn't fifteen minutes after I heard that till I had him on the telephone repeating it as fast as I could repeat. Come to think of it, haven't you noticed a particularly cocky set of his head and the corksome lightness about his heels during the past few days?""By Jove, he has been happy about something!" said Donald. "And I noticed that Louise and the Mater were sort of cheery and making a specialty of the only son and brother.""Sure, brother, sure," said Linda. "Hurry up and scrape those fish and let's scamper down the canyon merely for the joy of flying with wings on our feet. You're It, young man, just It!"Donald was sitting on a boulder. On another in front of him he was operating on the trout. His hands were soiled; his hair was tousled; he was fairly well decorated with fine scales. He looked at Linda appealingly.

"Am I 'It' with you, Linda?" he asked soberly.

"Sure you are," said Linda. "You're the best friend I have.""Will you write to me when I go to college this fall?""Why, you couldn't keep me from it," said Linda. "I'll haveso many things to tell you. And when your first vacation comes we'll make it a hummer.""I know Dad won't let me come home for my holidays except for the midsummer ones," said Donald soberly. "It would take most of the time there would be of the short holidays to travel back and forth.""You will have to go very carefully about getting a start," said Linda, "and you should be careful to find the right kind of friends at the very start. Christmas and Thanksgiving boxes can always be sent on time to reach you. It won't be so long for you as for us; and by the time you have Oka Sayye beaten to ravelings you will have such a 'perfect habit' that you will start right in with the beating idea. That should keep you fairly busy, because most of the men you come up against will be beaters themselves.""Yes, I know," said Donald. "Are you going to start me to college with the idea that I have to keep up this beating habit?

If I were to be one of fifty or a hundred, wouldn't that be good enough?""Why, sure," said Linda, "if you will be satisfied with having me like fifty or a hundred as well as I do you.""Oh, damn!" said Donald angrily. "Do I have to keep up this top-crust business all my days?"Linda looked at him with a queer smile on her lips.

"Not unless you want to, Donald," she said quietly; "not unless you think you would rather."Donald scraped a fish vigorously. Linda sat watching him.

Presently the tense lines around his eyes vanished. A faint red crept up his neck and settled on his left cheek bone. A confused grin slowly widened his naturally wide mouth.

"Then it's me for the top crust," he said conclusively.

"Then it's me for you," answered Linda in equally as matter-of-fact tones; and rising, she gathered up the fish and carried them to Katy while Donald knelt beside the chilly stream and scoured his face and hands, after which Linda whipped away the scales with an improvised brush of willow twigs.

It was such a wonderful day; it was such an unusual and delicious feast. Plump brook trout, fresh from icy water, delicately broiled over searing wood coals, are the finest of food. Through the meal to the point where Donald lay on his back at the far curve of the canyon wall, nibbling a piece of cactus candy, everything had been perfect. Nine months would be a long time to be gone, but Linda would wait for him, and she would write to him.

同类推荐
  • The Historyof John Bull

    The Historyof John Bull

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 尊贤

    尊贤

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞玄灵宝无量度人经诀音义

    洞玄灵宝无量度人经诀音义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黥

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Illustrious Gaudissart

    The Illustrious Gaudissart

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 大楼炭经

    大楼炭经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 重生之我要做明星

    重生之我要做明星

    群众演员秦烨穿越平行世界,得到“大明星”系统。这个世界和地球的文化差异很大,没有了那些我们熟知的文学作品,音乐作品,影视作品。大明星系统里更是有许多神奇的功能:【大明星转盘】:可以抽到各种神奇的物品。影帝封龙贴,透视药水,隐身胶囊,等等....【幸运上上签】:财运签,幸运签,倒霉签....【商城】:各种各样的逆天物品...有了这款系统,秦烨从一位不知名的群众演员,最终实现了自己的明星梦。【官方书友群】:562808784
  • 神医娇妻是大佬

    神医娇妻是大佬

    【全文甜宠打脸无虐】钟妈:“暖暖,你姐姐没你长得漂亮,身材没你好,脑子没你灵活,福气也没你厚。反正追你的男人多,你就把赤阳让给你姐吧!”渣姐:“暖暖,只要我能嫁给赤阳,我一定会想办法让你也嫁入豪门的!”钟暖暖:“瞎哔哔啥?我就是豪门!”世界百强集团CEO,最大影业公司幕后boss,房产界巨头,D国旗下矿山无数,还是人们津津乐道的医神!就问你们够不够?再次归来,这些对钟暖暖都只是身外之物,她唯一的执念只有他。他有病,她有药。他病入骨髓,而她是他唯一的解药……
  • 异世成仙

    异世成仙

    那一吻的风情?那一吻的穿越!小男人叶萧动情的一吻,却吻到异世附身,偶得一本奇妙功法,被卷入修行界的惊天阴谋……看他如何以低劣的资质,震撼高高在上的修行者们!天道无情,那就让我以多情来入魔!
  • 代嫁皇妃

    代嫁皇妃

    她是大周第一富商养女,十四岁代嫡姐入宫;他是重生帝王,本最讨厌她的倾城容颜,因色接近她,慢慢了解她,最后竟不知不觉爱入骨髓,宠成肋骨!
  • The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan

    The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 丑女殇

    丑女殇

    她一介丑女,丑陋不堪,却来历不凡:闻名天下的残红谷谷主是她师父,天下第一庄庄主、百剑山庄二少主、少侠挽剑一笑、快剑无影是她诸位师兄……她与塞北马场少主称兄道弟,与朱颜宫宫主谈姐论妹,与丐帮帮主称爷唤孙……天下第一采花大盗是她“情人”,魔教两位副教主是她的“守护者”……她天资愚笨,武艺平平,相貌更是惨不忍睹,为何会得到众位大人物的青睐?!又为何,江湖上的人一半对她求之若渴,一半却欲杀之而后快?!是谁,为她迎来新生?是谁,将她推向地狱?是谁,倾心与她?是谁,得她芳心?是谁,将她一片真心践踏?是谁,在她大婚之日掠她而去?最后又是谁,解了她这——丑女殇,让她——丑颜笑?!----此文非NP,非女尊,非女强!女主非常普通,普通到可能曾经是你,可能曾经是我!普通到就是一粒细砂,风过——无痕!只有读过她的人,可能会为她淡淡的心痛!此文剧情或悲,但结局会喜!默的其他文:《凤击九天》(新文)《魔王绝爱》《天降贼婆娘》《黑道世家的半路新娘》
  • 何澹安医案

    何澹安医案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 翊圣保德传

    翊圣保德传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 不可不学的管理学32定律

    不可不学的管理学32定律

    本书精选了32个管理学殿堂中最为经典、最为著名的定律,每个定律均包括精确的定律释义、经典的案例分析和发人深省的技巧点评,从中你可以领略管理学的真谛,体会管理学大师的管理理念、管理原则、管理方法,洞察和学会种种的管理智慧、管理技能,开阔自己的管理视野,提升自己的管理能力,让自己的管理工作得心应手、富有成效。