however, theyhad already observed her approach to the house through the slits oftheir drawn window-blinds, and those even narrower prejudices andlimited comprehensions which their education had fostered. The girl,Adele, had only grasped the fact that Rose had come to their house infine clothes, alone with a man, in a broken-down vehicle, and was movedto easy mirth and righteous wonder. The young man, Emile, had agreedwith her, with the mental reservation that the guest was pretty, andmust eventually fall in love with him. They both, however, welcomed herwith a trained politeness and a superficial attention that, while theindifference of her own countrymen in the wheat-field was still fresh inher recollection, struck her with grateful contrast; the major's quietand unobtrusive kindliness naturally made less impression, or wasaccepted as a matter of course.
"Well," said the major, cheerfully but tentatively, to his wife whenthey were alone again, "she seems a nice girl, after all; and a gooddeal of pluck and character, by Jove! to push on in that broken buggyrather than linger or come in a farm cart, eh?"
"She was alone in that wheat-field," said Mrs. Randolph, with grimdeliberation, "for half an hour; she confesses it herself--TALKING WITHA YOUNG MAN!"
"Yes, but the others had gone for the buggy. And, in the name of Heaven,what would you have her do--hide herself in the grain?" said the major,desperately. "Besides," he added, with a recklessness he afterwardsregretted, "that mechanical chap they've got there is really intelligentand worth talking to."
"I have no doubt SHE thought so," said Mrs. Randolph, with a mirthlesssmile. "In fact, I have observed that the American freedom generallymeans doing what you WANT to do. Indeed, I wonder she didn't bring himwith her! Only I beg, major, that you will not again, in the presenceof my daughter,--and I may even say, of my son,--talk lightly of thesolitary meetings of young ladies with mechanics, even though theirfaces were smutty, and their clothes covered with oil."
The major here muttered something about there being less danger in ayoung lady listening to the intelligence of a coarsely-dressed laborerthan to the compliments of a rose-scented fop, but Mrs. Randolph walkedout of the room before he finished the evident platitude.
That night Rose Mallory retired to her room in a state ofsell-satisfaction that she even felt was to a certain extent a virtue.She was delighted with her reception and with her hostess and family.It was strange her father had not spoken more of MRS. Randolph, who wasclearly the superior of his old friend. What fine manners they all had,so different from other people she had known! There was quite an OldWorld civilization about them; really, it was like going abroad! Shewould make the most of her opportunity and profit by her visit. Shewould begin by improving her French; they spoke it perfectly, and withsuch a pure accent. She would correct certain errors she was consciousof in her own manners, and copy Mrs. Randolph as much as possible.Certainly, there was a great deal to be said of Mrs. Randolph's wayof looking at things. Now she thought of it calmly, there WAS too muchinformality and freedom in American ways! There was not enough respectdue to position and circumstances. Take those men in the wheat-field,for example. Yet here she found it difficult to formulate an indictmentagainst them for "freedom." She would like to go there some day with theRandolphs and let them see what company manners were! She was thoroughlyconvinced now that her father had done wrong in sending her alone; itcertainly was most disrespectful to them and careless of him (she hadquite forgotten that she had herself proposed to her father to go alonerather than wait at the hotel), and she must have looked very ridiculousin her fine clothes and the broken-down buggy. When her trunk came byexpress to-morrow she would look out something more sober. She mustremember that she was in a Catholic and religious household now. Ah,yes! how very fine it was to see that priest at dinner in his soutane,sitting down like one of the family, and making them all seem like apicture of some historical and aristocratic romance! And then they wereactually "de Fontanges l'Hommadieu." How different he was from thatshabby Methodist minister who used to come to see her father in a blackcravat with a hideous bow! Really there was something to say for areligion that contained so much picturesque refinement; and for herpart--but that will do. I beg to say that I am not writing of anyparticular snob or feminine monstrosity, but of a very charmingcreature, who was quite able to say her prayers afterwards like a goodgirl, and lay her pretty cheek upon her pillow without a blush.
She opened her window and looked out. The moon, a great silver dome,was uplifting itself from a bluish-gray level, which she knew was thedistant plain of wheat. Somewhere in its midst appeared a dull star,at times brightening as if blown upon or drawn upwards in a comet-liketrail. By some odd instinct she felt that it was the solitary forgeof the young inventor, and pictured him standing before it with hisabstracted hazel eyes and a face more begrimed in the moonlight thanever. When DID he wash himself? Perhaps not until Sunday. How lonely itmust be out there! She slightly shivered and turned from the window.As she did so, it seemed to her that something knocked against her doorfrom without. Opening it quickly, she was almost certain that the soundof a rustling skirt retreated along the passage. It was very late;perhaps she had disturbed the house by shutting her window. No doubtit was the motherly interest of Mrs. Randolph that impelled her tocome softly and look after her; and for once her simple surmises werecorrect. For not only the inspecting eyes of her hostess, but theamatory glances of the youthful Emile, had been fastened upon her windowuntil the light disappeared, and even the Holy Mission Church of SanJose had assured itself of the dear child's safety with a large andsupple ear at her keyhole.
The next morning Major Randolph took her with Adele in a light carioleover the ranch. Although his domain was nearly as large as the adjoiningwheat plain, it was not, like that, monopolized by one enormouscharacteristic yield, but embraced a more diversified product. Therewere acres and acres of potatoes in rows of endless and varyingsuccession; there were miles of wild oats and barley, which overtoppedthem as they drove in narrow lanes of dry and dusty monotony; there wereorchards of pears, apricots, peaches, and nectarines, and vineyards ofgrapes, so comparatively dwarfed in height that they scarcely reachedto the level of their eyes, yet laden and breaking beneath the weight oftheir ludicrously disproportionate fruit. What seemed to be a vast greenplateau covered with tiny patches, that headed the northern edge ofthe prospect, was an enormous bed of strawberry plants. But everywhere,crossing the track, bounding the fields, orchards, and vineyards,intersecting the paths of the whole domain, were narrow irrigating ductsand channels of running water.
"Those," said the major, poetically, "are the veins and arteries ofthe ranch. Come with me now, and I'll show you its pulsating heart."Descending from the wagon into pedestrian prose again, he led Rose ahundred yards further to a shed that covered a wonderful artesian well.In the centre of a basin a column of water rose regularly with the evenflow and volume of a brook. "It is one of the largest in the State,"said the major, "and is the life of all that grows here during sixmonths of the year."
Pleased as the young girl was with those evidences of the prosperity andposition of her host, she was struck, however, with the fact that thefarm-laborers, wine-growers, nurserymen, and all field hands scatteredon the vast estate were apparently of the same independent, unpastoral,and unprofessional character as the men of the wheat-field. There wereno cottages or farm buildings that she could see, nor any apparentconnection between the household and the estate; far from suggestingtenantry or retainers, the men who were working in the fields glancedat them as they passed with the indifference of strangers, or replied tothe major's greetings or questionings with perfect equality of manner,or even businesslike reserve and caution. Her host explained that theranch was worked by a company "on shares;" that those laborers were, infact, the bulk of the company; and that he, the major, only furnishedthe land, the seed, and the implements. "That man who was driving thelong roller, and with whom you were indignant because he wouldn't getout of our way, is the president of the company."
"That needn't make him so u
ncivil," said Rose, poutingly, "for if itcomes to that you're the LANDLORD," she added triumphantly.
"No," said the major, good-humoredly. "I am simply the man driving thelighter and more easily-managed team for pleasure, and he's the mandriving the heavier and more difficult machine for work. It's for me toget out of his way; and looked at in the light of my being THE LANDLORDit is still worse, for as we're working 'on shares' I'm interrupting HISwork, and reducing HIS profits merely because I choose to sacrifice myown."
I need not say that those atrociously leveling sentiments were receivedby the young ladies with that feminine scorn which is only qualifiedby misconception. Rose, who, under the influence of her hostess, had avague