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〃What？〃
〃I'll come； after a bit； and see you。 Quit foolin' now。 If you'd
only have come here like yourselflikelikea white man。〃
〃The old man；〃 interrupted Lance； 〃would have just passed me on to
the summit。 I couldn't have played the lost fisherman on him at
this time of year。〃
〃Ye could have been stopped at the Crossing by high water； you
silly；〃 said the girl。 〃It was。〃 This grammatical obscurity
referred to the stage coach。
〃Yes； but I might have been tracked to this cabin。 And look here；
Flip；〃 he said； suddenly straightening himself； and lifting the
girl's face to a level with his own； 〃I don't want you to lie any
more for me。 It ain't right。〃
〃All right。 Ye needn't go to the pit； then； and I won't come。〃
〃Flip！〃
〃And here's Dad coming。 Quick！〃
Lance chose to put his own interpretation on this last adjuration。
The resisting little hand was now lying quite limp on his shoulder；
He drew her brown； bright face near his own； felt her spiced breath
on his lips； his cheeks； his hot eyelids； his swimming eyes； kissed
her； hurriedly replaced his wig and blanket； and dropped beside the
fire with the tremulous laugh of youth and innocent first passion。
Flip had withdrawn to the window； and was looking out upon the
rocking pines。
〃He don't seem to be coming；〃 said Lance； with a half…shy laugh。
〃No；〃 responded Flip demurely； pressing her hot oval cheek against
the wet panes； 〃I reckon I was mistaken。 You're sure；〃 she added；
looking resolutely another way； but still trembling like a magnetic
needle toward Lance； as he moved slightly before the fire； 〃you're
SURE you'd like me to come to you？〃
〃Sure； Flip？〃
〃Hush！〃 said Flip； as this reassuring query of reproachful
astonishment appeared about to be emphasized by a forward amatory
dash of Lance's； 〃hush！ he's coming this time； sure。〃
It was； indeed； Fairley； exceedingly wet； exceedingly bedraggled；
exceedingly sponged out as to color； and exceedingly profane。 It
appeared that there was； indeed； a tree that had fallen in the
〃run；〃 but that； far from diverting the overflow into the pit； it
had established 〃back water；〃 which had forced another outlet。 All
this might have been detected at once by any human intellect not
distracted by correspondence with strangers； and enfeebled by
habitually scorning the intellect of its own progenitor。 This
reckless selfishness had further only resulted in giving
〃rheumatics〃 to that progenitor； who now required the external
administration of opodeldoc to his limbs； and the internal
administration of whiskey。 Having thus spoken； Mr。 Fairley； with
great promptitude and infantine simplicity； at once bared two legs
of entirely different colors and mutely waited for his daughter to
rub them。 If Flip did this all unconsciously； and with the
mechanical dexterity of previous habit； it was because she did not
quite understand the savage eyes and impatient gestures of Lance in
his encompassing wig and blanket； and because it helped her to
voice her thought。
〃Ye'll never be able to take yer watch at the diamond pit to…night；
Dad；〃 she said； 〃and I've been reck'nin' you might set the squaw
there instead。 I can show her what to do。〃
But to Flip's momentary discomfiture； her father promptly objected。
〃Mebbee I've got suthin' else for her to do。 Mebbee I may have my
secrets； tooeh？〃 he said； with dark significance； at the same
time administering a significant nudge to Lance； which kept up the
young man's exasperation。 〃No； she'll rest yer a bit just now。
I'll set her to watchin' suthin' else； like as not； when I want
her。〃 Flip fell into one of her suggestive silences。 Lance
watched her earnestly； mollified by a single furtive glance from
her significant eyes； the rain dashed against the windows； and
occasionally spattered and hissed in the hearth of the broad
chimney； and Mr。 David Fairley； somewhat assuaged by the internal
administration of whiskey； grew more loquacious。 The genius of
incongruity and inconsistency which generally ruled his conduct
came out with freshened vigor under the gentle stimulation of
spirit。 〃On an evening like this；〃 he began； comfortably settling
himself on the floor beside the chimney； 〃ye might rig yerself out
in them new duds and fancy fixin's that that Sacramento shrimp sent
ye； and let your own flesh and blood see ye。 If that's too much to
do for your old dad； ye might do it to please that digger squaw as
a Christian act。〃 Whether in the hidden depths of the old man's
consciousness there was a feeling of paternal vanity in showing
this wretched aborigine the value and importance of the treasure
she was about to guard； I cannot say。 Flip darted an interrogatory
look at Lance； who nodded a quiet assent； and she flew into the
inner room。 She did not linger on the details of her toilet； but
reappeared almost the next moment in her new finery； buttoning the
neck of her gown as she entered the room； and chastely stopping at
the window to characteristically pull up her stocking。 The
peculiarity of her situation increased her usual shyness； she
played with the black and gold beads of a handsome necklace；
Lance's last gift；as the merest child might； her unbuckled shoe
gave the squaw a natural opportunity of showing her admiration and
devotion by insisting upon buckling it； and gave Lance； under that
disguise； an opportunity of covertly kissing the little foot and
ankle in the shadow of the chimney； an event which provoked slight
hysterical symptoms in Flip； and caused her to sit suddenly down in
spite of the remonstrances of her parent。 〃Ef you can't quit
gigglin' and squirmin' like an Injin baby yourself； ye'd better git
rid o' them duds；〃 he ejaculated with peevish scorn。
Yet； under this perfunctory rebuke； his weak vanity could not be
hidden； and he enjoyed the evident admiration of a creature whom he
believed to be half…witted and degraded all the more keenly because
it did not make him jealous。 She could not take Flip from him。
Rendered garrulous by liquor； he went to voice his contempt for
those who might attempt it。 Taking advantage of his daughter's
absence to resume her homely garments； he whispered confidentially
to Lance；
〃Ye see these yer fine dresses； ye might think is presents。 Pr'aps
Flip lets on they are？ Pr'aps she don't know any better。 But they
ain't presents。 They're only samples o' dressmaking and jewelry
that a vain； conceited shrimp of a feller up in Sacramento sends
down here to get customers for。 In course I'm to pay for 'em。 In
course he reckons I'm to do it。 In course I calkilate to do it；
but he needn't try to play 'em off as presents。 He talks suthin'
o' coming down here； sportin' hisself off on Flip as a fancy buck！
Not ez long ez the old man's here； you bet。〃 Thoroughly carried
away by his fancied wrongs； it was perhaps fortunate that he did
not observe the flashing eyes o