The Golden Fleece [15]
As a matter of fact, he was not jealous, and he was unfaithful; but fate had decreed that there should be, for the moment, a game of cross-purposes; and the decrees of fate are incorrigible.
"I had no idea you were so savage," she said, softly.
"I'm not savage," replied Freeman. "I am bored."
"Well, I don't know as I can blame you," said Grace, still more softly: she fancied he was referring to Miriam. "I don't much like Spanish mixtures myself."
"One has to take what one can get," said Freeman, referring to Don Miguel.
"But it's all right now," rejoined she, meaning that Freeman and herself were reconciled after their quarrel.
"If you are satisfied, I am," observed Freeman, too indifferent to care what she meant.
"Only, you mustn't take that poor young man too seriously," she went on: "these Mexicans are absurdly demonstrative, but they don't mean anything."
"He won't, if he values his skin," said Freeman, meaning that if Don Miguel attempted to interfere between himself and Miriam he would wring his neck.
"He won't, I promise you," said Grace, sparkling with pleasure.
"I don't quite see how you can help it," returned Freeman.
"I should hope I could manage a creature like that!" murmured she, smiling.
"Well," said Freeman, after a pause,-- for Grace's seeming change of attitude puzzled him a little,--"I'm glad you look at it that way. I don't wish to be meddled with; that's all."
"You shan't be," she whispered; and then, just when they were approaching the point where their eyes might have been opened, in came General Trednoke. The group round the Golden Fleece broke up.
The general wore his riding-dress, and his bearing was animated, though he was covered with dust.
"I was wondering what had become of you all," he said, as the others gathered about him. "I have been taking a canter to the eastward. Kamaiakan said this morning that one of the boys had brought news of a cloud-burst in that direction. I rode far enough to ascertain that there has really been something of the kind, and I think it has affected the arroyo on the farther side of the little sierra. Now, I don't know how you gentlemen feel, but it occurred to me that it might be interesting to make up a little party of exploration to-morrow. Would you like to try it, Meschines?"
"To be sure I should!" the professor replied. "I imagine I can stand as much of the desert as you can! And I want to catch a sidewinder."
"Good! And you, Mr. Freeman?"
"It would suit me exactly," said the latter. "In fact, I had been intending to gratify my curiosity by making some such expedition on my own account."
"Ah!" said the general, eying him with some intentness. "Well, we may be able to show you something more curious than you anticipate.--And now, Senor de Mendoza, there is only you left. May we count on your company into the desert?"
But the Mexican, with a bow and a grimace, excused himself. Scientific curiosity was an unknown emotion to him; but he foresaw an opportunity to have Grace all to himself, and he meant to improve it. He also wished leisure to think over some plan for getting rid of Senor Freeman, in whom he scented a rival, and who, whether a rival or not, had behaved to him with a lack of consideration in the presence of ladies.
CHAPTER IV.
General Trednoke's household went early to bed. As there was more accommodation in the old house than sufficed for its present inhabitants, it followed that each of them had a regal allowance of rooms. And when Grace Parsloe became one of the occupants, she was allotted two commodious apartments at the extremity of the left wing. They communicated, through long windows, with the veranda in front, and by means of doors with the passage, or hall, traversing the house from end to end. If, therefore, she happened to be sleepless, she might issue forth into the garden, and wander about there without let or hinderance until she was ready to accept the wooing of the god of dreams; or, if supernatural terrors daunted her, she could in a few seconds
"I had no idea you were so savage," she said, softly.
"I'm not savage," replied Freeman. "I am bored."
"Well, I don't know as I can blame you," said Grace, still more softly: she fancied he was referring to Miriam. "I don't much like Spanish mixtures myself."
"One has to take what one can get," said Freeman, referring to Don Miguel.
"But it's all right now," rejoined she, meaning that Freeman and herself were reconciled after their quarrel.
"If you are satisfied, I am," observed Freeman, too indifferent to care what she meant.
"Only, you mustn't take that poor young man too seriously," she went on: "these Mexicans are absurdly demonstrative, but they don't mean anything."
"He won't, if he values his skin," said Freeman, meaning that if Don Miguel attempted to interfere between himself and Miriam he would wring his neck.
"He won't, I promise you," said Grace, sparkling with pleasure.
"I don't quite see how you can help it," returned Freeman.
"I should hope I could manage a creature like that!" murmured she, smiling.
"Well," said Freeman, after a pause,-- for Grace's seeming change of attitude puzzled him a little,--"I'm glad you look at it that way. I don't wish to be meddled with; that's all."
"You shan't be," she whispered; and then, just when they were approaching the point where their eyes might have been opened, in came General Trednoke. The group round the Golden Fleece broke up.
The general wore his riding-dress, and his bearing was animated, though he was covered with dust.
"I was wondering what had become of you all," he said, as the others gathered about him. "I have been taking a canter to the eastward. Kamaiakan said this morning that one of the boys had brought news of a cloud-burst in that direction. I rode far enough to ascertain that there has really been something of the kind, and I think it has affected the arroyo on the farther side of the little sierra. Now, I don't know how you gentlemen feel, but it occurred to me that it might be interesting to make up a little party of exploration to-morrow. Would you like to try it, Meschines?"
"To be sure I should!" the professor replied. "I imagine I can stand as much of the desert as you can! And I want to catch a sidewinder."
"Good! And you, Mr. Freeman?"
"It would suit me exactly," said the latter. "In fact, I had been intending to gratify my curiosity by making some such expedition on my own account."
"Ah!" said the general, eying him with some intentness. "Well, we may be able to show you something more curious than you anticipate.--And now, Senor de Mendoza, there is only you left. May we count on your company into the desert?"
But the Mexican, with a bow and a grimace, excused himself. Scientific curiosity was an unknown emotion to him; but he foresaw an opportunity to have Grace all to himself, and he meant to improve it. He also wished leisure to think over some plan for getting rid of Senor Freeman, in whom he scented a rival, and who, whether a rival or not, had behaved to him with a lack of consideration in the presence of ladies.
CHAPTER IV.
General Trednoke's household went early to bed. As there was more accommodation in the old house than sufficed for its present inhabitants, it followed that each of them had a regal allowance of rooms. And when Grace Parsloe became one of the occupants, she was allotted two commodious apartments at the extremity of the left wing. They communicated, through long windows, with the veranda in front, and by means of doors with the passage, or hall, traversing the house from end to end. If, therefore, she happened to be sleepless, she might issue forth into the garden, and wander about there without let or hinderance until she was ready to accept the wooing of the god of dreams; or, if supernatural terrors daunted her, she could in a few seconds