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and go to sleep until Mr。 Bradley comes。〃
Mainwaring saw that she was serious； and withdrew； a little ashamed
at his familiarity into which his boyishness had betrayed him。 But
he had scarcely seated himself in the rocking…chair before Miss
Macy appeared； carrying with both hands a large tin basin of
unshelled peas。
〃There；〃 she said pantingly； placing her burden in his lap； 〃if you
really want to help； there's something to do that isn't very
fatiguing。 You may shell these peas。〃
〃SHELL themI beg pardon； but how？〃 he asked； with smiling
earnestness。
〃How？ Why； I'll show youlook。〃
She frankly stepped beside him； so close that her full…skirted
dress half encompassed him and the basin in a delicious confusion；
and； leaning over his lap； with her left hand picked up a pea…cod；
which； with a single movement of her charming little right thumb；
she broke at the end； and stripped the green shallow of its tiny
treasures。
He watched her with smiling eyes； her own； looking down on him；
were very bright and luminous。 〃There； that's easy enough；〃 she
said； and turned away。
〃Butone moment； MissMiss？〃
〃Macy；〃 said louise。
〃Where am I to put the shells？〃
〃Oh！ throw them down therethere's room enough。〃
She was pointing to the canyon below。 The veranda actually
projected over its brink； and seemed to hang in mid air above it。
Mainwaring almost mechanically threw his arm out to catch the
incautious girl； who had stepped heedlessly to its extreme edge。
〃How odd！ Don't you find it rather dangerous here？〃 he could not
help saying。 〃I meanyou might have had a railing that wouldn't
intercept the view and yet be safe？〃
〃It's a fancy of Mr。 Bradley's；〃 returned the young girl
carelessly。 〃It's all like this。 The house was built on a ledge
against the side of the precipice； and the road suddenly drops down
to it。〃
〃It's tremendously pretty； all the same； you know；〃 said the young
man thoughtfully； gazing； however； at the girl's rounded chin above
him。
〃Yes；〃 she replied curtly。 〃But this isn't working。 I must go
back to Jenny。 You can shell the peas until Mr。 Bradley comes
home。 He won't be long。〃
She turned away； and re…entered the house。 Without knowing why； he
thought her withdrawal abrupt； and he was again feeling his ready
color rise with the suspicion of either having been betrayed by
the young girl's innocent fearlessness into some unpardonable
familiarity； which she had quietly resented； or of feeling an ease
and freedom in the company of these two women that were inconsistent
with respect； and should be restrained。
He； however； began to apply himself to the task given to him with
his usual conscientiousness of duty； and presently acquired a
certain manual dexterity in the operation。 It was 〃good fun〃 to
throw the cast…off husks into the mighty unfathomable void before
him； and watch them linger with suspended gravity in mid air for a
momentapparently motionlessuntil they either lost themselves； a
mere vanishing black spot in the thin ether； or slid suddenly at a
sharp angle into unknown shadow。 How deuced odd for him to be
sitting here in this fashion！ It would be something to talk of
hereafter； and yet；he stoppedit was not at all in the line of
that characteristic adventure； uncivilized novelty； and barbarous
freedom which for the last month he had sought and experienced。 It
was not at all like his meeting with the grizzly last week while
wandering in a lonely canyon； not a bit in the line of his chance
acquaintance with that notorious ruffian； Spanish Jack； or his
witnessing with his own eyes that actual lynching affair at Angels。
No！ Nor was it at all characteristic； according to his previous
ideas of frontier rural seclusionas for instance the Pike County
cabin of the family where he stayed one night； and where the
handsome daughter asked him what his Christian name was。 No！
These two young women were very unlike her； they seemed really
quite the equals of his family and friends in England；perhaps
more attractive；and yet； yes； it was this very attractiveness
that alarmed his inbred social conservatism regarding women。 With
a man it was very different； that alert； active； intelligent
husband； instinct with the throbbing life of his saw…mill； creator
and worker in one； challenged his unqualified trust and admiration。
He had become conscious for the last minute or two of thinking
rapidly and becoming feverishly excited； of breathing with greater
difficulty； and a renewed tendency to cough。 The tendency
increased until he instinctively put aside the pan from his lap and
half rose。 But even that slight exertion brought on an accession
of coughing。 He put his handkerchief to his lips； partly to keep
the sound from disturbing the women in the kitchen； partly because
of a certain significant taste in his mouth which he unpleasantly
remembered。 When he removed the handkerchief it was； as he
expected； spotted with blood。 He turned quickly and re…entered the
house softly； regaining the bedroom without attracting attention。
An increasing faintness here obliged him to lie down on the bed
until it should pass。
Everything was quiet。 He hoped they would not discover his absence
from the veranda until he was better； it was deucedly awkward that
he should have had this attack just nowand after he had made so
light of his previous exertions。 They would think him an
effeminate fraud； these two bright； active women and that alert；
energetic man。 A faint color came into his cheek at the idea； and
an uneasy sense that he had been in some way foolishly imprudent
about his health。 Again； they might be alarmed at missing him from
the veranda； perhaps he had better have remained there； perhaps he
ought to tell them that he had concluded to take their advice and
lie down。 He tried to rise； but the deep blue chasm before the
window seemed to be swelling up to meet him； the bed slowly sinking
into its oblivious profundity。 He knew no more。
He came to with the smell and taste of some powerful volatile
spirit； and the vague vision of Mr。 Bradley still standing at the
window of the mill and vibrating with the machinery； this changed
presently to a pleasant lassitude and lazy curiosity as he
perceived Mr。 Bradley smile and apparently slip from the window of
the mill to his bedside。 〃You're all right now；〃 said Bradley；
cheerfully。
He was feeling Mainwaring's pulse。 Had he really been ill and was
Bradley a doctor？
Bradley evidently saw what was passing in his mind。 〃Don't be
alarmed；〃 he said gayly。 〃I'm not a doctor； but I practise a
little medicine and surgery on account of the men at the mill； and
accidents； you know。 You're all right now； you've lost a little
blood： but in a couple of weeks in this air we'll have that
tubercle healed； and you'll be as right as a trivet。〃
〃In a couple of weeks！〃 echoed