第7章 CHAPTER II.(3)

Not a word had been spoken,but now the voices of the men rose freely together.Phemie listened with intense expectation.The explanation was simple.They were surveyors who had been caught by the overflow on Tasajara plain,had abandoned their horses on the bank of Tasajara Creek,and with a hastily constructed raft had intrusted themselves and their instruments to the current."But,"said Harkutt quickly,"there is no connection between Tasajara Creek and this stream."The two men laughed."There is NOW,"said one of them.

"But Tasajara Creek is a part of the bay,"said the astonished Harkutt,"and this stream rises inland and only runs into the bay four miles lower down.And I don't see how--"You're almost twelve feet lower here than Tasajara Creek,"said the first man,with a certain professional authority,"and that's WHY.There's more water than Tasajara Creek can carry,and it's seeking the bay this way.Look,"he continued,taking the lantern from Harkutt's hand and casting its rays on the stream,"that's salt drift from the upper bay,and part of Tasajara Creek's running by your house now!Don't be alarmed,"he added reassuringly,glancing at the staring storekeeper."You're all right here;this is only the overflow and will find its level soon."But Mr.Harkutt remained gazing abstractedly at the smiling speaker.From the window above the impatient Phemie was wondering why he kept the strangers waiting in the rain while he talked about things that were perfectly plain.It was so like a man!

"Then there's a waterway straight to Tasajara Creek?"he said slowly.

"There is,as long as this flood lasts,"returned the first speaker promptly;"and a cutting through the bank of two or three hundred yards would make it permanent.Well,what's the matter with that?""Nothin',"said Harkutt hurriedly."I am only considerin'!But come in,dry yourselves,and take suthin'."The light over the rushing water was withdrawn,and the whole prospect sank back into profound darkness.Mr.Harkutt had disappeared with his guests.Then there was the familiar shuffle of his feet on the staircase,followed by other more cautious footsteps that grew delicately and even courteously deliberate as they approached.At which the young girl,in some new sense of decorum,drew in her pretty head,glanced around the room quickly,reset the tidy on her father's chair,placed the resplendent accordion like an ornament in the exact centre of the table,and then vanished into the hall as Mr.Harkutt entered with the strangers.

They were both of the same age and appearance,but the principal speaker was evidently the superior of his companion,and although their attitude to each other was equal and familiar,it could be easily seen that he was the leader.He had a smooth,beardless face,with a critical expression of eye and mouth that might have been fastidious and supercilious but for the kindly,humorous perception that tempered it.His quick eye swept the apartment and then fixed itself upon the accordion,but a smile lit up his face as he said quietly,--"I hope we haven't frightened the musician away.It was bad enough to have interrupted the young lady.""No,no,"said Mr.Harkutt,who seemed to have lost his abstraction in the nervousness of hospitality."I reckon she's only lookin'after her sick sister.But come into the kitchen,both of you,straight off,and while you're dryin'your clothes,mother'll fix you suthin'hot.""We only need to change our boots and stockings;we've some dry ones in our pack downstairs,"said the first speaker hesitatingly.

"I'll fetch 'em up and you can change in the kitchen.The old woman won't mind,"said Harkutt reassuringly."Come along."He led the way to the kitchen;the two strangers exchanged a glance of humorous perplexity and followed.

The quiet of the little room was once more unbroken.A far-off commiserating murmur indicated that Mrs.Harkutt was receiving her guests.The cool breath of the wet leaves without slightly stirred the white dimity curtains,and somewhere from the darkened eaves there was a still,somnolent drip.Presently a hurried whisper and a half-laugh appeared to be suppressed in the outer passage or hall.There was another moment of hesitation and the door opened suddenly and ostentatiously,disclosing Phemie,with a taller and slighter young woman,her elder sister,at her side.Perceiving that the room was empty,they both said "Oh!"yet with a certain artificiality of manner that was evidently a lingering trace of some previous formal attitude they had assumed.Then without further speech they each selected a chair and a position,having first shaken out their dresses,and gazed silently at each other.