CHAPTER FORTY-ONE A RESOLUTION BROKEN
A never-to-be-forgotten winter followed that first blizzard. Never to beforgotten, at least, by the girl-teacher of the Woodford's Canyonlog-cabin school, by the young civil engineer, or by Dixie and KenMartin. The other children were almost too young to know how portentousthose months were.
After the storm there was a spell of clear, cold weather, when thesnow-covered valley and mountains sparkled in the pale sunshine,inviting frolic.
For a time Mr. Edrington remained in the cabin, climbing hastily to theloft if sleigh-bells were heard without, but, as the days passed and thewrathful aunt, from whom he was hiding that he need not marry the girlof her choice, did not appear, he became more daring and ventured forthin the full light of day.
He it was who made, with Ken's help, a wonderful slide down a steeptrail which ended at the frozen stream in the valley. Then a marveloustoboggan was constructed, one long and strong enough to take them all ona wild ride from the highway to the valley-bottom.
The young engineer sat in front to steer, and Jimmy-Boy sat just behindand clung to him, and then came, Dixie and Carol, Ken and Miss Bayley.
Once, just for mischief, Mr. Edrington steered into a drift, and theywere all half-buried, but they took the ducking good-naturedly.
The young engineer also spent long hours reading in the cabin of hisgood friend, Josephine Bayley. One of the Martin children accompaniedhim on these occasions, usually Dixie, who was old enough to enjoy thebooks that her two older friends liked to read aloud to each other.
While school was in session the young engineer was not idle, for he hadwith him his instruments, and many a chart he made as he studied the wayto bridge chasms or to tunnel mountains.
February the first was Dixie's birthday. Knowing that her sister andbrother could not give her presents, that thoughtful little mother didnot remind them of the coming event, and, childlike, they had quiteforgotten, for all winter days seemed alike to them. But there was onewho had not forgotten, and that one was Miss Bayley. She took FrederickEdrington into her confidence, and a surprise-party was planned andcarried out.
The girl-teacher's present to her favorite pupil was in a box, the shapeof which aroused much curiosity, but when Dixie saw the gift itcontained, her plain face was transfigured.
"Why, that girl is beautiful!" the young engineer said softly to theteacher who stood at his side, watching while the slender maid lifted abow and violin.
"Miss Bayley!" How starlike were the eyes that turned toward the belovedfriend and benefactress. "Do you really think that some day I shall beable to play?"
There was conviction in the tone of the young woman as she said, "I knowit! Some day we shall all listen in rapture, I'll prophesy, and thenwe'll say proudly, one to another, 'That is _our_ Dixie.'"
Going to the girl, Miss Bayley kissed her. "May I take your violin,dear? I studied several musical instruments in school, but cannot playany of them well."
Taking the violin and adjusting it, she played a sweet, simple melody,then explained to the girl, who listened with rapt eagerness, a few ofthe things that a beginner should know. "Suppose you try to play." Theyoung teacher smiled at the maid, little dreaming that she would comply,but Dixie did not hesitate. She lifted the violin, and, after listeningto the strings for a moment, she began to play the same melody that MissBayley had but finished. It was imperfectly done, but the young teacherknew that she had been right in believing that the girl was rarelytalented.
"I will teach you all that I know, which isn't much," Miss Bayley said."Then, when the snow is gone and spring has come, you shall have lessonsfrom some one who is a real musician."
Dixie's cup of happiness seemed full those wintry days, for Carol grewin gentleness and unselfishness, and was ever more loved and morelovable.
"How pleased our father would be!" Dixie said that night as she and Kenwere alone in the kitchen after the party. Mr. Edrington had gone withMiss Bayley, to escort her home up the canyon trail, and the youngerchildren were asleep. "Pleased, because we have two such wonderfulfriends. Three," the girl added brightly, "for surely Mr. Clayburn hasbeen a true friend."
"We have managed to get along quite nicely without our aunt," the boysaid as he wound the old grandfather's clock. "I'm just as well pleasedthat she never did look us up. I'm almost sure we shouldn't like her."
"I don't believe she knows that we even exist," Dixie declared. "Sinceshe never opened any of the letters that were sent to her, how could sheknow?"
"That's right," Ken agreed. "I wonder what set me to thinking about her?Well, I won't waste any more thought on her. Good-night, Dix."
The girl had started to ascend the ladder to the loft where she slept,but she turned back and kissed the lad as she said: "Ken, you've been awonderful brother. On birthdays one thinks of those things. Good-night."
The moon arose above old Piney Peak as Miss Bayley and Mr. Edringtonleft the sheltered canyon trail and turned into the highway.
"I'm going to put out the light in the lantern," the young man said. "Wedon't need it now, do we?" he smilingly asked after having blown out theflickering flame.
"Where has it gone," she asked, "the light that was there but a momentago?"
The young man shook his head. "I can't tell you," he declared; "and,Josephine, please don't ask me to think about abstract things just now.I want to tell you something."
The young engineer spoke seriously, almost pleadingly. He did not seemto idealize that he had called his companion by her first name, but MissBayley knew it, and she was glad to have him. What had he to tell her?How she hoped--but--even to herself, she would not admit that desire.
For a few moments they walked on in silence. The road was slippery. Heheld her arm, but still said nothing. At last Miss Bayley peered intohis face, trying to get him to lift his eyes from the ground. "I'll notsay 'A penny for your thoughts,' that is too trite," she began, "but Ido feel sort of left out and lonely. I'm just sure you are trying tofigure out how to tunnel through Old Piney and make your walk home withme a quarter of a mile shorter."
He looked up then, his fine eyes laughing, but in them there was anexpression which assured the girl that he had not been thinking oftunnels, but of her. Taking her warmly-gloved hand, he said, "Lady ofthe Sunrise Peak, I'm going away."
She stopped, and her eyes told her surprised disappointment.
"Oh, Mr. Edrington, why? May I ask? I thought you were going to stayhere until spring or until you had heard that Marlita Arden hadmarried." She paused questioningly.
"I did intend to, but I'm running away from--something else--myself," hehastened to add. "You see, Miss Bayley, I once made a resolution, and ifI stay here I'm afraid I'll break it."
"Indeed? May I know what the resolution was?" They had reached the smallcabin beyond the inn, and the girl-teacher paused on the doorstepwaiting. What could he say? The liquid-brown eyes that were soexpressive were searching his. She knew his answer before it was given.
"I have fallen in love, and I vowed I never would," he said quietly.
"And is that why you are going away?" she inquired.
"No--o," he confessed. "It isn't. I'm going away for one month,Josephine. Not because I want to test my love for you,--I'm sure ofthat,--but I want you to have time to think--and to be sure." Then headded, "Am I presuming too much when I infer that perhaps you would wantto consider caring for me?"
The girl-teacher answered frankly. "Until to-night I have thought of youmerely as a comrade, a pal whom I enjoy more than I ever did any oneelse. But perhaps you are right. If you go away, we can tell betterwhether it is merely propinquity or love. Good-night."
Frederick Edrington walked slowly back to the cabin, which was darkexcept for a dim light burning in the room that he now shared with Ken.
He would go to Colorado and inspect some work that was going on there,he decided. He had promised to send in a report of it before spring, andthis wo
uld afford him that opportunity.
The little Martins were surprised and sorry to hear that their guest wasleaving them. "I'll be back in the spring," he told them.
"That's only a month away," Dixie replied at the hour of parting.