CHAPTER VIII
A CONCERT IN THE MOONLIGHT
Night fell on San Leon; and the searching party which had gone out inthe morning, sure of prompt success, returned tired and dispirited. Buttheir places were immediately taken by fresh recruits, Mr. Fordannouncing that the matter would not be dropped, night or day, until allhope had to be given up.
Except that Jim's clothes had been left in his room it might have seemedthat the lad had run away, feeling himself out of place at San Leon. Butthe folded garments placed on the chair beside his empty bed told adifferent tale.
"No, he has wandered off unknowing what he did. Well, when he comes backhe shall find his place ready for him and the warmest of welcomeswaiting. While we have tried--and will still--to visit every cabin andranch within reasonable reach, there are many such little shacks droppedhere and there among the mountains; and we have probably overlooked theone in which he is sheltered. Open hospitality is a feature of the west.Anybody who comes across the boy will be good to him. Now, let's have alittle music and then to bed. A whole day in the saddle tires me, thoughI'm bound to get used to it yet, and so shall all of you. Come, Erminie,give me a song; and Dorothy dear, get out your violin."
Thus said Mr. Ford, when their evening dinner had been enjoyed and theyhad all gone out to sit upon the wide veranda, the moonlight floodingthe beautiful grounds, and the soft spring air playing about them.
Dorothy felt that she could not play a note, and even Alfaretta wasquietly crying in the retired corner she had sought, in the shadow of apillar. But Mrs. Ford at once obeyed her husband's wish, and as herwonderful voice floated over them it banished every thought save thedelight of listening.
The "boys" came over from their "Barracks" and sprawled on the grass,entranced. Hitherto, their life on the ranch had been one of toil,lightened by sports almost as rough, with the evening diversion ofswopping stories over their pipes. They hadn't been greatly pleased atthe prospect of a lot of strangers living so near them, but already allthat was changed; and though they didn't know, till Lemuel informedthem, and this singer was one of a few famous _artistes_, they weremoved and touched by the marvellous beauty of her voice.
"You know, boys, it'd be worth ten dollars a ticket--gallery seats, atthat--just to get into an opery house an' hark to yonder lady. An' nowyou're just gettin' it for nothin', free, clear gratis, take it or leaveit, ary one. Fact. The 'Boss's' lady is an A 1 singer if she is a--Imean, a poor show at a rifle."
The songs went on till the Gray Lady dared sing no more. Like alltrained singers she was careful of her throat and unused, as yet, to theair of this region at night. But when she laughingly declared:
"No more this time; not if I'm to sing again," there was a murmur ofdissatisfaction from the group of men about the fountain; and oldCaptain Lem begged, in their name:
"Just one more, lady, to sleep on. That kind o' music makes a fellerhungry for more and sort-of-kind-of sets him thinkin' 'bout things backhome."
But Mr. Ford interposed:
"No, Captain, not to-night! I want to have a lot of just such concertsso we mustn't put the _prima donna_ out of condition. But I've a littlegirl here with a fiddle and I tell you she can just make it talk! Comefarther forward, Dolly dear, and stand close to me. Then 'rosin yourbow' and get to work. Show these cowboys what a little girl-tenderfootcan do. Maybe, too, who knows? Maybe our Jim will hear it wherever heis and hurry back. At it, child, and call him!"
Lady Gray feared this was a trifle unkind to the girl, who she wishedmight wholly forget the boy, but the master felt it not so. He knew thatnothing would more thoroughly inspire her than this possibility.
"Oh! do you think so? Then I'll play as I never did before--I will, Iwill!"
She stepped out from the veranda upon the broad walk before it, and withthe moonlight pouring down upon her white-clad little figure, her faceuplifted to the sky, and her precious violin beneath her chin, sheplayed, indeed, "as she had never done before."
On and on she played; one ranchman after another softly suggesting somedesired melody, and her eager little fingers rendering it upon theinstant. The men ceased sprawling and sat up. If they had found the GrayLady's voice a marvel, here was a greater. That any child--a despised"female" child--could evoke such music seemed past belief; and when, atlength, Mr. Ford bade her render the beloved "Home, Sweet Home" as afinale, there was a reluctant rising of the audience to its feet,ordered to it by the Captain who, in rather husky tones, stated:
"Ladies and gentlemen, and mostly the little gal, I give the sentimentso' my regiment, to a man, when I say all you tenderfoots is welcome toS' Leon. We wasn't very tickled before, thinkin' all our free livin'san' doin's was to be interfered with, but we are now. Three cheersfor the company an' the treat they've give us, more especial for theLittle One, and--Long may she wave! Hip, hip, hurrar!"
The cheer was given with a will, and then again came the Captain'sorder:
"Fall into line. Right about face. March! hep, hep, hep--hep!"
But as they filed away Dorothy had another inspiration and, acting uponit, sent the delighted cowboys marching to the lively air of "Yankee,Doodle, Doodle Doo."
"And now to bed!" advised the hostess. So within a very few moments allwere in their rooms, tired and happy despite the worries of the day, andsure that all would come right at last.
The four girls shared two rooms, facing one another and with two daintybeds in each. Milliken's chamber was at the end of the long passagebeyond theirs, and those of the rest of the household across a wide hallwhich cut this wing of the house in two. In structure the building wasvery like _El Paraiso_, which the Gray Lady had admired and where thehappiness of reunion had come to her; and it seemed to those who hadwintered in the old adobe that they had but stepped into another home.
Of course, sleep did not come at once. Four girls, even if together allday long, find much to chatter about at night, and this had been a dayof "happenings" indeed.
Dolly and Alfy came across to sit on Helena's bed and watch her dainty,slow preparations for retiring. Molly was already perched in the middleof her own white bed, hugging her knees and proclaiming for thetwentieth time, at least:
"Oh! I am such a thankful girl! After I fired that rifle and saw thatpurple mass of stuff lying on the ground I thought I was a murderer! Idid so. Yet I was mad, too, to think Wun Sing had been such an idiot asto go between me and the target."
"Herbert claims the safest place for others, when a girl shoots, isright behind the target. But it wasn't when Alfy hit the bull's-eye. Howdid you do it, child? It was wonderful and at that distance--whichCaptain Lemuel fixed for himself!" said Helena, brushing out her hairpreparatory to loosely braiding it.
"Oh! Nell, you're lovely that way! In that soft nightie--you do havesuch lovely, lacey things. I wish Aunt Betty would buy me some likethem, but she won't. She's too sensible, and oh! dear! I wish I had myarms around her neck this minute!"
"Put them around mine, Dolly Doodles, and quit wishin' for things youcan't get. Do you s'pose I'll ever do it again?" asked Alfaretta,drawing one of Dorothy's arms about her own shoulder.
"Do what again, child?"
"Child, yourself. I mean fire right into the middle of the thing, and'honest Injun', I did do it with my eyes shut. I wonder if that ain'tthe rightest way to sharpshoot, anyway. The rest of you couldn't hit itanywheres near, with your eyes open. What say?"
Molly yawned and stretched herself luxuriously, and Helena remarked:
"Molly, you make me think of a Persian kitten! She does just that whenshe feels particularly good."
"Well, I ought to feel good. I didn't kill Wun Sing. I just made a holein his old purple blouse and I can give him another new one. If I canfind one like it, and have money enough, and--and other things. If I hadshot him instead of his clothes what would they have done to me? Would Ihave been hung by the neck till you are dead and the Lord have mercy onyour soul? Would I?"
"Oh! Molly, how horrible and how wicked! That's
swearing!" criedindignant Dorothy.
"Well, I like that! I mean I don't! I never swore a swore in my life andyou're horrid, just horrid, Dorothy Calvert, to say so," retorted Molly,suddenly sitting up and flashing a look of scorn at her beloved chum.
"It was really swearing, you know, though you didn't mean it."
"It's what the Judge says--my poor father's one--when a man is condemnedto death."
"Aunt Betty says that any taking of the Lord's name _in vain_ isswearing and--"
Foreseeing a childish squabble, due to over-excitement and fatigue,Helena gently interposed:
"That's enough. Neither of you knows what she is talking about. Theydon't hang people nowadays, they electrocute them, and Wun Sing wasn'thurt. He was only badly scared and will keep a good distance from ourrifle-range hereafter. Alfy did hit the bull's-eye, no matter whethershe meant to do it or not. We've had a perfectly lovely evening and aperfectly lovely summer is before us. I mean to get up, to-morrow, andsee the sun rise, so--off with you, girls. Molly and I are sleepy. Goodnight to both of you. What friends we shall be before this summer ends!"
"Why, I thought we was now. I'm sure I don't feel much above any of you,even if I can shoot better 'n the rest," said practical Alfaretta,moving slowly toward the door.
A shout of laughter greeted her words and Molly indignantly retorted:
"You aren't one bit smarter than I am. You only hit an old target and Ihit a man, and we didn't either of us mean to do it. But good night,good night. Wake early, 'cause Leslie says we've a great doin's beforeus, to-morrow. Something better than waking up to see the sun rise.Helena'll get over that, though. Such fine resolutions don't last."
"You'll see. I--I think I shall keep a diary. Take notes of what happensup here on the Rockies. If I succeed I may--I _may_ write a book,sometime," said Helena.
Molly and Dolly stared, seized with sudden awe of this ambitious youngperson, and Alfy stared, too; but she was not impressed and her commentwas a not unkindly but perfectly sincere remark:
"Why, Nell, you couldn't do that. It takes brains to--"
"Young ladies! I am amazed at your disturbing the house like this, afterretiring hours! Lights out, or off, silence at once!" ordered MissMilliken, appearing in their midst. And at this apparition silence didfollow.
Back in their own room, Dorothy and Alfaretta pushed their little bedsclose together and knelt down to say their prayers. In the heart of eachwas an earnest petition for "poor Jim," Dolly's ending with the words:"And let me see his face the first thing in the morning."
But Alfy reproved this.
"We haven't any right to set times for things to be done and prayers tobe answered, Dolly Doodles, and don't say no more. It's sort of saucyseems if, to ask for things and then keep thinkin' in your insides thatthey won't be give. You've asked and the Lord's heard you--now get upand go to bed."
"Oh! Alfy! I wish you had--had--a little more spiritually!" wailedDorothy, rather stumbling over the long word but obediently rising fromher knees and creeping between the snowy sheets. "And I don't feel as ifthere was any use going to bed, any way. I know I shan't sleep a wink."
"Fiddlesticks! You just do beat the Dutch! As if great Jim Barlow hadn'ta decent head on his shoulders and needed the use o' your 'n! Hewouldn't thank you for makin' him out such a fool. Good night. I'm goin'to sleep."
Dorothy felt that this was simply heartless and sighed:
"I wish I could! But I can't!"
Then she drew the covers about her shoulders, stared through the openwindow at the moonlit ground, felt the scene a trifle dazzling, andclosed her lids just to rest her eyes a minute.
When she opened them again Alfaretta's bed was empty and neatly spread.Except her own belongings the room was in perfect order for the day, thesun shone where the moonlight had been, and the cathedral clock on thecloister wall was striking--
"Oh! Oh! It's morning! It's _late_ morning, too, that's six, seven, nineo'clock! Oh! how could I sleep so? I never did before in all mylife--except--well, sometimes, but I'm ashamed, I'm awfully ashamed ofmyself."
As she sprang to her feet there was a tap at the door and awhite-capped, white-aproned maid appeared, saying:
"Good morning, Senorita. The Senora sent me to serve you and help youabout your bath. It is ready, yes, and the other senoritas havebreakfasted and gone out, _si_. By my Lady's orders you were not to beawakened till you roused yourself."
"Oh! but I am sorry. I didn't mean to do this, for I know one of Mr.Ford's rules is early rising. I found that out at _El Paraiso_ and--yes,yes, please do help me. But tell me, what shall I call you?"
"Anita, nina. Anita Mantez I am, from the dear City of the Angels, _si_.This way, _carita_, do not fear displeasure. They are all beloved, thefair young things, but you are nearest, dearest, so my Lady tells. Foryou will never be blamed, believe me."
Dorothy made short work of her toilet and felt so refreshed by her nightof sound sleep and her delightful morning bath, that the world outsideseemed even lovelier than she remembered it. Also, she was hungry--sohungry! It was quite as Mr. Ford had said; that the mountain air madepeople almost ravenous, at first. Afterwards, one's appetite sank to thenormal and to be out and doing was the one great desire of life.
Anita led her to the refectory and served her with a dainty breakfast,disposed on exquisite "individual" dishes, and oddly enough, bearing theinitial "D." Dolly lifted a cup and stared at it, wondering while Anitaglibly explained in her patois of Spanish-English, that yes, indeed, itwas the Senorita's own.
Dorothy's heart was touched and grateful. Charming as her hosts were toall their guests, in many little ways they had singled her out as inthis; and she understood without explanation from them that it wasbecause of the part she had played in bringing together the once dividedfamily. Very humbly and gravely she accepted these attentions, thankfulin her deepest heart that she had been "inspired," on that past winterday, to lead the father and son across the mesa to the little cabinwhere Gray Lady dwelt alone. It had been a daring thing to do--an"assisting Providence"--such as wise Aunt Betty wholly disapproved; butthat time it had been a fortunate one for all concerned.
Now as the girl sipped her cocoa, turning the egg-shell like cup tocatch the light, she wondered what she could still do to help her dearGray Lady and to prove her own love. Then her dreaming was cut short bya hubbub of merry voices without, and, a moment later, a crowd of youngfolks tumbled through the big window, laughing, teasing, exhorting:
"Lazy girl! Just eating breakfast and it's nearly time for lunch, seemsif!"
"Oh! The loveliest thing in the world!" cried Molly, clapping her hands.
"Thank you," said Dolly, demurely, lifting her face for the other tokiss.
"Oh! not you, Miss Vanity, but a beautiful thing on four legs!"
"We're to take our choice and the white one's _mine_, for--" declaredAlfaretta.
"No white one for me! Dad says we're to do our own grooming and whiteones have to be washed just like a poodle dog and--" began Leslie.
"I had one once. His name was 'Goodenough,' and he was good enough, too.Could walk on its hind legs--" interrupted Herbert.
"Oh, Dorothy! If you aren't going to finish that buttered toast, do giveit to me! I never was so hungry in all my life. I simply can't getfilled up, and--"
"Montmorency Vavasour-Stark! You ought to be ashamed! After eating fourchops, three boiled eggs, five helpings of potato, to say nothing ofcoffee enough for the regiment, and strawberries--"
"Well, Mistress Molly Breckenridge, I don't know who set you to keeptally on my appetite! and I hate to see good things wasted. Want therest of those berries, girlie? I know you don't. You're real unselfish,you are; and you wouldn't eat all the nice-ripe-red-strawberries-raised-under-glass-ripe-red-strawberries and give your neighbor none.And give your neighbor none, you-shan't-have-any-of-my-nice-ripe-red-strawberries-who-gives-his-neighbor--Molly, give it back! Aw, now,Molly! You wouldn't eat all the nice-ripe--Hold on! Bert Montaigne,that
's a beastly shame! After I had to warble in that dulcet way fora plate of poor, left-over, second-hand strawberries, to have 'emgrabbed by you and Molly--that's too much. Just one drop too much tofill my bucket, but I say, 'Little One,' I wish you'd get up lateevery morning, and have just such a superfine breakfast as this savedfor you, and not be hungry at all yourself, but save it for a poorstarved little boy who hasn't had a mouthful in an hour--"
Monty was running on in this absurd way, yet holding his own in a threecornered scramble for possession of a dish of berries he had pre-emptedfrom Dorothy's table; till, without saying anything, Helena calmlywalked up, took the disputed dish from the contestants and, shovingDolly aside to give up half her chair, sat down and began to eat themherself.
"Two spoons with but a single dish! How touching!" cried Herbert, posingin pretended admiration of the pair, yet covertly watching his chance toadd a third spoon to the two and get his own taste of the luxury.
Not but that all had been served likewise, at the regular meal earlierin the day, and Monty's boasted appetite was but a part of the happyfoolishness of their youth and high spirits.
For they were all evidently greatly excited over something, and the talkfell back upon "choice" and "points" and "colors" with a comparison ofmanes and tails, till Dorothy sprang up, clapped her hands over herears, and demanded:
"One at a time! One at a time! Do tell me what you're all jabberingabout and be quick! Just because I was lazy--I admit it, all right--Idon't want to miss all the fun! Tell me!"
But her answer did not come from any of the lively group about her. Ashadow fell across the floor and Captain Lem appeared at the window.Leaning his elbows on the low sill he surveyed the interior with aquizzical smile, then observed:
"If everybody's et all they can and has got time for somethin' elst,please to step over to the corral behind the Barracks. Time there wassomethin' doin'! Come on, Little One. I'd like to have you head theprocesh, for 'twas the Boss's orders, first pick for you. Hep, hep,hep--march!"