_CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE_
Near the end of the eucalyptus avenue, and close to the gate, Daviddismounted and made Jacob do likewise.
"We may come on them by surprise and listen," he said. "A soft step haswon great causes."
They went forward cautiously, interchanging sharp glances as though theywere stalking some dangerous beast, and so they came within earshot ofthe gate and sheltered from view of it by the edge of the cliff. Davidpaused and cautioned his companion with a mutely raised hand.
"He lived through the winter," Ephraim was saying. "I took him into myroom and cherished him by the warmth of my fire and with rubbing, sothat when spring came, and gentler weather, he was still alive--a greatleggy colt with a backbone that almost lifted through the skin. Onlyhigh bright eyes comforted me and told me that my work was a good work."
David and Jacob interchanged nods of wonder, for Ephraim was telling tothis woman the dearest secret of his life.
It was how he had saved the weakling colt, Jumis, and raised him to abeautiful, strong stallion, only to have him die suddenly in the heightof his promise. Certainly Ephraim was nearly won over by the woman; itthrew David on guard.
"Go back to Abra," he whispered. "Ride on to the gate and tell herboldly to be gone. I shall wait here, and in time of need I shall helpyou. Make haste. Ephraim grows like wet clay under her fingers. Ah, howwise is Benjamin!"
Jacob obeyed. He stole away and presently shot past at the full gallopof Abra. The stallion came to a sliding halt, and Jacob spoke from hisback, which was a grave discourtesy in the Garden of Eden.
"The master will not see you," he said. "The sun is still high. Returnby the way you have come; you get no more from the Garden than its waterand its air. He does not sell horses."
For the first time she spoke, and at the sound of her voice David Edenstepped out from the rock; he remembered himself in time and shrank backto shelter.
"He sold this horse."
"It was the will of the men before David that these things should bedone, but the Lord knows the mind of David and that his heart bleeds forevery gelding that leaves the Garden. See what you have done to him! Themarks of the whip and the spur are on his sides. Woe to you if Davidshould see them!"
She cried out at that in such a way that David almost felt she had beenstruck.
"It was the work of a drunken fool, and not mine."
"Then God have mercy on that man, for if the master should see him,David would have no mercy. I warn you: David is one with a fierce eyeand a strong hand. Be gone before he comes and sees the scars on thegray horse."
"Then he is coming?"
"She is quick," thought David, as an embarrassed pause ensued. "Truly,Benjamin was right, and there is danger in these creatures."
"He has many horses," the girl went on, "and I have only this one.Besides, I would pay well for another."
"What price?"
"He should not have asked," muttered David.
"Everything that I have," she was answering, and the low thrill of hervoice went through and through the master of the Garden. "I could buyother horses with this money, but not another like my gray. He is morethan a horse. He is a companion to me. He understands me when I talk,and I understand him. You see how he stands with his head down? He isnot tired, but hungry. When he neighs in a certain way from the corral Iknow that he is lonely. You see that he comes to me now? That is becausehe knows I am talking about him, for we are friends. But he is old andhe will die, and what shall I do then? It will be like a death in myhouse!"
Another pause followed.
"You love the horse," said the voice of Ephraim, and it was plain thatJacob was beyond power of speech.
"And I shall pay for another. Hold out your hand."
"I cannot take it."
Nevertheless, it seemed that he obeyed, for presently the girlcontinued: "After my father died I sold the house. It was pretty wellblanketed with a mortgage, but I cleared out this hundred from thewreck. I went to work and saved what I could. Ten dollars every month,for twenty months--you can count for yourself--makes two hundred, andhere's the two hundred more in your hand. Three hundred altogether. Doyou think it's enough?"
"If there were ten times as much," said Jacob, "it would not be enough.There--take your money. It is not enough. There is no money price on theheads of the master's horses."
But a new light had fallen upon David. Women, as he had heard of them,were idle creatures who lived upon that which men gained with sweatytoil, but this girl, it seemed, was something more. She was strongenough to earn her bread, and something more. Money values were notclear to David Eden, but three hundred dollars sounded a veryconsiderable sum. He determined to risk exposure by glancing around therock. If she could work like a man, no doubt she was made like a man andnot like those useless and decorative creatures of whom Matthew hadoften spoken to him, with all their graces and voices.
Cautiously he peered and he saw her standing beside the old, broken grayhorse. Even old Ephraim seemed a stalwart figure in comparison.
At first he was bewildered, and then he almost laughed aloud. Was it onaccount of this that Benjamin had warned him, this fragile girl? Hestepped boldly from behind the rock.
"There is no more to say," quoth Jacob.
"But I tell you, he himself will come."
"You are right," said David.
At that her eyes turned on him, and David was stopped in the midst of astride until she shrank back against the horse.
Then he went on, stepping softly, his hand extended in that sign ofpeace which is as old as mankind.
"Stay in peace," said David, "and have no fear. It is I, David."
He hardly knew his own voice, it was so gentle. A twilight dimnessseemed to have fallen upon Jacob and Ephraim, and he was only aware ofthe girl. Her fear seemed to be half gone already, and she even came ahopeful step toward him.
"I knew from the first that you would come," she said, "and let me buyone horse--you have so many."
"We will talk of that later."
"David," broke in the grave voice of Ephraim, "remember your own law!"
He looked at the girl instead of Ephraim as he answered: "Who am I tomake laws? God begins where David leaves off."
And he added: "What is your name?"
"Ruth."
"Come, Ruth," said David, "we will go home together."
She advanced as one in doubt until the shadow of the cliff fell overher. Then she looked back from the throat of the gate and saw Ephraimand Jacob facing her as though they understood there was no purpose inguarding against what might approach the valley from without now thatthe chief enemy was within. David, in the pause, was directing Jacob toplace the girl's saddle on the back of Abra.
"For it is not fitting," he explained, "that you should enter my gardensave on one of my horses. And look, here is Glani."
The stallion came at the sound of his name. She had heard of the greathorse from Connor, but the reality was far more than the words.
"And this, Glani, is Ruth."
She touched the velvet nose which was stretched inquisitively towardher, and then looked up and found that David was smiling. A moment laterthey were riding side by side down the avenue of the eucalyptus trees,and through the tall treetrunks new vistas opened rapidly about her.Every stride of Abra seemed to carry her another step into the life ofDavid.
"I should have called Shakra for you," said David, watching her withconcern, "but she is ridden by another who has the right to the best inthe garden."
"Even Glani?"
"Even Glani, save that he fears to ride my horse, and therefore he hasShakra. I am sorry, for I wish to see you together. She is likeyou--beautiful, delicate, and swift."
She urged Abra into a shortened gallop with a touch of her heel, so thatthe business of managing him gave her a chance to cover her confusion.She could have smiled away a compliment, but the simplicity of Davidmeant something more.
"Peace, Abra!" commanded the master.
"Oh, unmannerly colt! It would beother than this if the wise Shakra were beneath your saddle."
"No, I am content with Abra. Let Shakra be for your servant."
"Not servant, but friend--a friend whom Glani chose for me. Consider howfickle our judgments are and how little things persuade us. Abraham isrich in words, but his face is ugly, and I prefer the smooth voice ofZacharias, though he is less wise. I have grieved for this and yet it ishard to change. But a horse is wiser than a fickle-minded man, and whenGlani went to the hand of Benjamin without my order, I knew that I hadfound a friend."
She knew the secret behind that story, and now she looked at David withpity.
"In my house you will meet Benjamin," the master was sayingthoughtfully, evidently encountering a grave problem. "I have said thatlittle things make the judgments of men! If a young horse shies once,though he may become a true traveler and a wise head, yet his riderremembers the first jump and is ever uneasy in the saddle."
She nodded, wondering what lay behind the explanation.
"Or if a snake crosses the road before a horse, at that place the horsetrembles when he passes again."
"Yes."
She found it strangely pleasant to follow the simple processes of hismind.
"It is so with Benjamin. At some time a woman crosses his way like asnake, and because of her he has come to hate all women. And when Istarted for the gate, even now, he warned me against you."
The clever mind of the gambler opened to her and she smiled at thetrick.
"Yes, it is a thing for laughter," said David happily. "I came with amind armed for trouble--and I find you, whom I could break between myhands."
He turned, casting out his arms.
"What harm have I received from you?"
They had reached the head of the bridge, and even as David turned achanging gust carried to them a chorus of men's voices. David drew rein.
"There is a death," he said, "in my household."