登陆注册
5243000000089

第89章 CHAPTER XVI(4)

"Well I am glad you feel something besides the ache of fever," said the Harvester. Then noticing her tired face he added: "Now this little horse had quite a trip from town, and the wheels cut deeply into this woods soil and make difficult pulling, so I wonder if I had not better put him in the stable and let him become acquainted with Betsy. I don't know what she will think.

She has had sole possession for years. Maybe she will be jealous, perhaps she will be as delighted for company as her master. Ruth, if you could have heard what I said to Belshazzar when he decided I was to go courting this year, and seen what I did to him, and then take a look at me now----merciful powers, I hope the dog doesn't remember! If he does, no wonder he forms a new allegiance so easily. Have you observed that lately when I whistle, he starts, and then turns back to see if you want him? He thinks as much of you as he does of me right now."

"Oh no!" cried the Girl. "That couldn't be possible.

You told me I must make friends with him, so I have given him food, and tried to win him."

"You sit in the carriage until I put away the horse, and then I'll help you to the cabin, and save you being alone while I work. Would you like that?"

"Yes."

She leaned her head against the carriage top the Harvester had raised to screen her, and watched him stable the horse. Evidently he was very fond of animals for he talked as if it were a child he was undressing and kept giving it extra strokes and pats as he led it away.

Ajax disliked the newcomer instantly, noticed the carriage and the woman's dress, and screamed his ugliest.

The Girl smiled. As the Harvester appeared she inquired, "Is Ajax now sending a wireless to Ceylon asking for a mate?"

The Harvester looked at her quizzically and saw a gleam of mischief in the usually dull dark eyes that delighted him.

"That is the customary supposition when he finds voice," he said. "But since this has become your home, you are bound to learn some of my secrets. One of them I try to guard is the fact that Ajax has a temper. No my dear, he is not always sending a wireless, I am sorry to say. I wish he was! As a matter of fact he is venting his displeasure at any difference in our conditions. He hates change. He learned that from me. I will enjoy seeing him come for favour a year from now, as I learned to come for it, even when I didn't get much, and the road lay west of Onabasha. Ajax, stop that! There's no use to object. You know you think that horse is nice company for you, and that two can feed you more than one. Don't be a hypocrite! Cease crying things you don't mean, and learn to love the people I do. Come on, old boy!"

The peacock came, but with feathers closely pressed and stepping daintily. As the bird advanced, the Harvester retreated, until he stood beside the Girl, and then he slipped some grain to her hand and she offered it.

But Ajax would not be coaxed. He was too fat and well fed. He haughtily turned and marched away, screaming at intervals.

"Nasty temper!" commented the Harvester. "Never mind! He soon will become accustomed to you, and then he will love you as Belshazzar does. Feed the doves instead. They are friendly enough in all conscience.

Do you notice that there is not a coloured feather among them? The squab that is hatched with one you may have for breakfast. Now let's go find something to eat, and I will finish the bridge so you can rest there to-night and watch the sun set on Singing Water."

So they went into the cabin and prepared food, and then the Harvester told the Girl to make herself so pretty that she would be a picture and come and talk to him while he finished the roof. She went to her room, found a pale lavender linen dress and put it on, dusted the pink powder thickly, and went where a wide bench made an inviting place in the shade. There she sat and watched her lightly expressed whim take shape.

"Soon as this is finished," said the Harvester, "I am going to begin on that tea table. I can make it in a little while, if you want it to match the other furniture."

"I do," said the Girl.

"Wonder if you could draw a plan showing how it should appear. I am a little shy on tea tables."

"I think I can."

The Harvester brought paper, pencil, and a shingle for a drawing pad.

"Now remember one thing," he said. "If you are in earnest about using those old blue dishes, this has got to be a big, healthy table. A little one will appear top heavy with them. It would be a good idea to set out what you want to use, arranged as you would like them, and let me take the top measurement that way."

"All right! I'll only indicate how its legs should be and we will find the size later. I could almost weep because that wonderful set is broken. If I had all of it I'd be so proud!"

The Girl bent over the drawing. The Harvester worked with his attention divided between her, the bridge, and the road. At last he saw the big red car creeping up the valley.

"Seems to be some one coming, Ruth! Guess it must be Doc. I'll go open the gate?"

"Yes," said the Girl. "I'm so glad. You won't forget to ask him to help me if he can?"

The Harvester wheeled hastily. "I won't forget!" he said, as he hurried to the gate. The car ran slowly, and the Girl could see him swing to the step and stand talking as they advanced. When they reached her they stopped and all of them came forward. She went to meet them. She shook hands with Mrs. Carey and then with the doctor.

"I am so glad you have come," she said.

"I hope you are not lonesome already," laughed the doctor.

"I don't think any one with brains to appreciate half of this ever could become lonely here," answered the Girl. "No, it isn't that."

"A-ha!" cried the doctor, turning to his wife. "You see that the beautiful young lady remembers me, and has been wishing I would come. I always said you didn't half appreciate me. What a place you are making, David! I'll run the car to the shade and join you."

For a long time they talked under the trees, then they went to see the new home and all its furnishings.

"Now this is what I call comfort," said the doctor.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 欧阳南野先生文集摘

    欧阳南野先生文集摘

    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。
  • 长生庄主

    长生庄主

    当江湖侠客还在为那些功名利禄、神功秘籍争得头破血流。当那些武林前辈、宗门宿老,还在拼命练功,只求多活几年岁月。当那些魔门邪道把江湖搅得腥风血雨,把自己弄得不人不鬼,只为打破肉身桎梏,以求不死时……深山中,宁小堂得到了一棵万年人参精的修为精华。令他没想到的是,从此以后,岁月再也没能在他身上留下半点痕迹。他永远停留在了十七八岁的模样,也就是传说中的长生不老。二十年后,武功已经深不可测的宁小堂,怀着一副十七八岁的少年模样,开始在江湖上装逼……群号:907964002
  • 扑火

    扑火

    她躺在那里,就知道事情会变成这样,然而还是把手伸向了毁灭。轻柔的音乐响起,黑暗中亮起光晕,她闭上眼,在无数美丽脸庞的海洋中,抓住那张唯一的、挚爱的脸。“梭罗——这个名字对在座的各位毫无意义,然而就是这个人,奠定了我们当今经济的基础。想象一下两百年前。那时候到处是蓝天碧草,人人游手好闲。这个叫梭罗的美国佬在湖边闲了两年,悟出了一个道理——我们根本不需要拥有!”她停下笔思索。是的,一支笔,一支货真价实的钢笔,她仍然通过手写来输入文字。这过程缓慢又费力,但她相信一支有形的笔能让她的思路顺畅许多。
  • 女扮男装:极品三少爷

    女扮男装:极品三少爷

    慕清风——博览群书,文武全才,空难身死,灵魂坠入异世。再次醒来,却穿越到东祥国第一草包美男的身上,传言他懦弱胆小,胸无点墨,手无缚鸡之力。一朝穿越,迷乱世人。第一杀手“废话真多,我就是断袖了,你不从也得从!”天水族少主“一直以为我能走进你的心里,没想到却是你赖在我的心里不出去了!”妖孽太子“你如果不把他们都甩了,我就死给你看!”纨绔公子“谁叫你在我面前洗澡了,就要对我负责!”女主晕倒.【片段】“娘亲,爹爹说因为娘亲太懒了,所以小宝才没有妹妹的,小宝想要妹妹,娘亲你要勤快一点!”某小宝一脸义正言辞的站在沐清风面前。女主“……”回头一看某男正在角落里偷笑。
  • 案记实录

    案记实录

    本书是一本典型的社会系推理小说,吴昂是春江市最大的房地产开发商,由于在本市的房地产开发领域,取得了引人瞩目的成就,因而使得同行纪林的嫉妒。纪林采取欲擒故纵的手法,先拉拢吴昂,取得吴昂的信赖,继而使用狠毒的手段,杀死吴昂。在侦破此案中,干警梁平卧底吴昂的公司,了解内情,掌握了纪林的动态,在极短的时间内破了这宗错综迷离的疑案。
  • 惊芒诀

    惊芒诀

    惊芒诀是以光的负面“芒”为蓝本的玄幻小说,颇有小李飞刀的特色。一剑出则生死立断一剑出则高下立判试想一下,当光锋利了会怎么样?会不会瞬间穿透一切!当光炽热了会怎么样?会不会立刻焚灭万物……一切尽在惊芒诀!
  • 舞者之死

    舞者之死

    一天晚上,波特兰著名的亚丽思特·利斯菲尔德歌舞剧团法人教完课后,突然被人杀害了。几个舞蹈学员打电话报了案。她们来上早课时,看见一位老师正疯疯癫癫地在校园里奔跑,一边跑一边不住地叫喊:“她死了,她死了!”这位老师已神志不清。后来被人们送到医院,注射了强心剂,才安静下来。法人帕勒玛·吉塔尼死在她的办公室里。她衣衫完整,安详地坐在地板上,身子靠着一把歪倒的椅子,两腿叉开,双脚板并在一起,双手亦如此。显然,凶手在她死前用绳子捆住了她的双手。
  • 王爷勿惹王妃有毒

    王爷勿惹王妃有毒

    一朝穿越竟成为宰相府的二小姐,既来之则安之让本小姐好好的逛逛这古代。“老爷,二小姐,二小姐去了青楼。”“你说什么?给我派人抓回来,禁足一个月!”“老爷不好啦,二小姐不知怎么惹到了六王爷现在六王爷正门外说要找二小姐!”“哪个不要命的敢找姑奶奶!小子,你想单挑还是群架!”许烟若双手叉腰一副大姐大的样子,眼睛上下打量着眼前的男人“帅哥,交个朋友呗”。听说三王府里的珍宝其数,本小姐要去观赏观赏,许烟若一身夜行衣偷偷潜进三王府,“你好大的胆子,本王的东西也敢偷!”“胆子不大只是观赏观赏,我这就走!”只是偷偷看了他的珍宝既然要我下嫁于他!既然美男自己送上门来那我就恭敬不如从命!
  • HP奶黄包贵族

    HP奶黄包贵族

    吃着狗粮长大的自己好不容易盼来了近距离观察偶像日常的机会作者就是想追教授
  • 痴傻夫君刁蛮妻

    痴傻夫君刁蛮妻

    堂堂21世纪彪悍商女居然穿越了,这么倒霉的有木有?一穿越就嫁人,这么可怜的有木有?嫁人就嫁人吧,还是个痴傻的被废太子,这么悲哀的有木有?痴傻就痴傻吧,本以为总是个王爷,应该可以潇洒的当米虫,可是居然处处受气,这么没天理的有木有?受气就受气吧,竟然会被傻王欺负的彻底,这么狼狈的有木有?好吧,这些顾可可全部接受了,且看她在古代如果风生水起!别人欺她三分,她还别人三倍,没人可以欺负她,她可是河东狮吼顾可可!!!