Літо
XVII
Shetriedtospeak,tostammeroutsomeexplanation,butnowordscametoher;andashedrewthecoveroverherkneeshesimplysaid:“Theministertoldmehe’dleftyouuphere,soIcomeupforyou.”
Heturnedthehorse’shead,andtheybegantojogbacktowardHamblin.Charitysatspeechless,staringstraightaheadofher,andMr.Royalloccasionallyutteredawordofencouragementtothehorse:“Getalongthere,Dan....IgavehimarestatHamblin;butIbroughthimalongprettyquick,andit’sastiffpulluphereagainstthewind.”
AshespokeitoccurredtoherforthefirsttimethattoreachthetopoftheMountainsoearlyhemusthaveleftNorthDormeratthecoldesthourofthenight,andhavetravelledsteadilybutforthehaltatHamblin;andshefeltasoftnessatherheartwhichnoactofhishadeverproducedsincehehadbroughthertheCrimsonRamblerbecauseshehadgivenupboarding-schooltostaywithhim.
Afteranintervalhebeganagain:“Itwasadayjustlikethis,onlyspittingsnow,whenIcomeuphereforyouthefirsttime.”Then,asiffearingthatshemighttakehisremarkasareminderofpastbenefits,headdedquickly:“Idunno’syouthinkitwassuchagoodjob,either.”
“Yes,Ido,”shemurmured,lookingstraightaheadofher.
“Well,”hesaid,“Itried——”
Hedidnotfinishthesentence,andshecouldthinkofnothingmoretosay.
“Ho,there,Dan,stepout,”hemuttered,jerkingthebridle.“Weain’thomeyet.—Youcold?”heaskedabruptly.
