AN INTERRUPTED SUPPER
The young ranchwoman placed her pan in safety and ran out upon that north
porch, where the table was already spread, to meet the visitor.
"Oh! I'm glad you've gotten here all safe. How did you do it? It's
a long walk for those who aren't used to it. Even for those who are,
too. Did you ride your horse? Was he better?"
She rattled off her questions without waiting for replies and to give
him time to recover his breath, which he seemed to have lost. Then she
poured him a glass of milk and urged him to drink it, with the remark:
"That's Blandina's own. She's the house-cow. You'll find it
delicious. Don't you?"
"It's fine milk," answered the other, cautiously; "but, if it isn't
too much trouble, a bit of ice would improve it."
"Ice? Why, where could I get ice? Sometimes, in the winter, a little
forms along the arroyo, but now--I'm very sorry, indeed. I'd be so glad
to get it if I could."
Mr. Hale swallowed the sickeningly warm liquid with a gulp and hastened
to apologize.
"It wouldn't be good for me if you could. My compliments to your
house-cow, and I'm very grateful for my refreshment. You have a
beautiful home."
"Haven't we? The prettiest in the world, I guess. My father thought
so and my mother loves it. So do we all, but to her it is dearest.
Because, you see, father and she have made it all it is. Please, just let
me move your chair nearer the edge of the porch. So. Now, look away
off to the east. Father said there could be no view more uplifting. He
wished everybody who had to live in cities could see it. He knew it
would make them better men."
Magnificent though it was, Mr. Hale found his small hostess more
interesting than the view.
"Your father----" he began, questioningly.
"Isn't here, now. He passed heavenward a year ago. Since then nothing
seems just the same, and dear mother is often sad and troubled. You
know she wants to carry on all father's experiments, she doesn't want
his 'life work to be wasted,' she says, and Antonio isn't able to
get as much money as he used to be. She tries so bravely not to let it
fret her, and I don't see where she is. She was in the kitchen with
me. We were getting dinner because Wun Lung, the cook, cut his hand,
and Pasqual isn't to be trusted. Of course, he's a good enough boy, can
make beds and such things, but--cook! One must be very dainty to do
that. My mother can cook deliciously! She taught herself everything
and the why of it. When she and father came here they lived in that
tiny adobe away at the end of the second row. Do you see it? By the old
corridor. Their table was a packing box and they had just a little
camping outfit. Now there's all this."
Jessica Trent's sweet face glowed with loving pride in her fair home,
but this was as nothing of the tenderness which filled her eyes as they
now caught sight of a tall woman in black coming over the garden path.
"There she is, my mother!"
Mr. Hale rose as the lady drew near and one glance showed him what
model "Lady Jess" had chosen as a type of that "perfect" breeding
to which the little maid aspired. The mistress of Sobrante was a
real gentlewoman, even though her gown was of cheapest print and her
surroundings those of an isolated western ranch. Her daughter ran to
cast a clinging, yet protecting, arm about her, and proudly turning
toward their guest, presented:
"My mother, Mrs. Trent, Mr. ----" and smiling waited for him to finish
the sentence.
"Hale. I had forgotten to mention my name before, even though we have
chatted so cosily. Permit me, madam."
The card he offered bore the inscription:
"Mr. Morris Hale, Attorney at Law, 156 Broadway, New York."
Watchful Jessica saw her mother's face pale, while into her native
cordiality of manner crept that slight hauteur with which she regarded
the most objectionable of "tourists." This, then, was one such, and
the girl was sorry. She had liked the stranger so much and was already
planning pleasant entertainment for him; but if her dear did not approve
of him her own opinion went for naught.
Yet it was only the statement of the gentleman's business that had
caused Mrs. Trent's momentary coldness, for at that time, though her
daughter did not know this, the mere suggestion of law or lawyers
disturbed her. But she was quick to feel the possible injustice of her
fear and to atone for it by a deeper cordiality.
"You have come just in time to share our dinner, Mr. Hale, and we'll
not wait any longer for laggards. I was looking for the children. Jessie,
dear, have you seen them?"
"Not since breakfast, mother. But they can't be far away, for there's
Scruff yonder, trying to get into the alfalfa."
"Antonio hasn't come up, either, since the plucking. I wish he would
while the food is fresh. If you'll----"
"We needn't wait for him, because I met him riding toward the
foothills, as I came home. He's probably off to the mines and that
means an all-day's trip. But I'll help you dish up, and seek the
boys, though they don't often need seeking at mealtime. You sit right
down with Mr. Hale, dear, and I'll serve you. Pasqual can bring in the
tureen, and I hope the eggs aren't spoiled by waiting."
"Is Scruff that mottled burro poking his nose through that fence?"
asked the guest.
"Yes. He belongs to my little son, Ned, who shares him with his
playmate, Luis. An inseparable trio, usually."
"Then I'm the cause of their present separation. I rode that animal
down from old Pedro's cabin and at his advice," Mr. Hale described
his meeting with the two small lads, the fright they had given him,
and his own desertion of them. "Though now I'm ashamed to recall how
readily I consigned them to a tramp I was unwilling to take myself.
I wish I'd brought them with me. We could have used Scruff's back,
turn and turn about."
"Oh how could they! One misstep and they'd have been killed."
"What is it, mother?" asked Jessica, seeing the lady's hand shake so
that she could scarcely serve the soup which formed the chief dish of
their plain dinner.
"Only another prank of those terrifying children. Bound themselves--or
had help to bind--and rode Scruff bareback up the canyon! They're
always 'playing Indian,' and I wish they'd never heard of one. It's
that Ferd eggs them on. He 'dares' them and----Excuse me, Mr. Hale.
Mothers are anxious people. Try some of Jessie's scramble, please. She
is just learning to cook and likes to be appreciated."
"But I didn't see them, as I went up or down. They must have taken the
long road around by the north end. Where the old Digger village is,"
observed Jessie.
"A forbidden route. It's to be hoped they'll follow the shortest road
home. If they're not here in an hour one of the men must go to fetch
them."
Jessica laughed and kissed her mother.
"Don't you worry, dear, and do, please, eat your dinner. Aren't those
children always having hairbreadth escapes, and are they ever hurt?
Pedro'll send them down in a hurry. He knows his mistress and her
ways, and wouldn't let her be troubled if he could help it. They'll get
no dinner at Pedro's, and dinner is something they've never missed yet.
Hark! Aren't going to miss now! Listen. They're fighting along home in
their regular fashion. By the sound they've about got to prickly-pear
hedge. _Hola!_ Ned! Lu-is! Oh! beg pardon. I forgot I was at table.
Excuse me, mother, and I'll bring in the youngsters--after a deluge!"
Already there was an uproar in the outer kitchen, where two tired and
hungry little boys were assaulting the unoffending Pasqual, diligently
scrubbing away at his pots and pans. Any victim will do, at a pinch, to
vent one's wrath upon, and Pasqual was nearest. But he was not one to
suffer patiently, and promptly returned the puny blows of his assailants
with much more vigorous ones, till Jessica reached the spot, rescued
the truants, and conducted them to the washbasin.
From there, disdaining the towel, they made rapid transit to the porch
and the presence of the stranger. All along their enforced walk home
they had laid plans of vengeance, among which "tommyhawking" and
"shootin' chock full o' arrers" were the wildest. But, alas! Now
that their enemy was in their very power, they had no fiercer weapons
than four grimy little fists. Better these than nothing, was Ned's
instant decision, and Luis was but Ned's second thought. As Ned's
right descended upon Mr. Hale's shoulders, Luis' left delivered a
telling blow upon the gentleman's hand, uplifted toward his lips.
This was small assistance to the yellow-haired chief, for the spoon
fled straight from the victim's fingers and landed squarely in Ned's
face.
This created intense diversion. The blows intended for the guest were
now bestowed upon each other, and so impartially that neither side was
worsted. Mrs. Trent rose in her place, flushed and apologetic, though
the stranger was far more surprised than offended, while the sister had
once more appeared and terminated a battle almost before it was begun.
With a strength of which she did not look capable she caught up and
lifted a child into each of the two high chairs in waiting--but wisely
placed at opposite sides of the board. There they settled themselves
composedly, beaming and smiling upon each other like a pair of wingless
cherubs, while Ned thrust forth a tin basin and demanded:
"Give me my soup, mother."
"Gimmesoup!" echoed Luis, choking over a piece of bread he had filched
from Jessica's plate.
"Children!"
"Oh! Huh! Please give me my soup, mother."
"Plea' gimmesoup, _madr'_."
"Isn't your _madre_, Luis Garcia. Isn't nobody's mother but mine,
so there!"
"Humph!" remarked Jessica. "What about me?"
This set Ned off into a giggle, in which Luis dutifully joined, and the
laughter restored the best of feelings all around. The meal over, Mrs.
Trent offered the guest the use of a room in which to rest, and this he
gladly accepted; adding that he wished he might be able to make some
arrangement with her by which he could occupy it indefinitely, till
his health was restored and the business which had brought him to that
region was completed. Any terms she would make would be most satisfactory
to him, for he was charmed with Sobrante and most anxious to sojourn
there for a time.
Jessica was already clearing the table, yet watching her mother closely,
and was surprised to see a moment's hesitation on the dear face before
the expected and customary answer came:
"We are always glad to make our friends welcome at Sobrante, and for
as long as our simple life suits them, but we could not accept payment
for our hospitality. I am glad you like our home, and Jessica will show
you to the friend's room at once. Tell Pasqual, my dear, to attend Mr.
Hale and see that he has all which he requires. All that may be supplied
at this isolated spot, that is," she added, with a smile.
Mr. Hale thanked his hostess and withdrew, but he felt that he had
practically been dismissed from the ranch and that he had no past
friendship to urge as a plea for any but the briefest visit there.
Yet the cool chamber into which the traveler was shown proved so restful
that the "forty winks only" which he intended were prolonged till
sunset. Then he hastily descended to the lower floor to find that the
early supper of the household was over; though Mrs. Trent had kept his
own portion hot, and smilingly waved aside his apologies as she placed
before him a dish of delicately broiled quail, prepared by her own
skillful hands.
"Why, this is a luxury! and to be expected only at some great hotel.
By the way, where is the nearest one? I should have been on my way long
ago."
"I hope not. And you cannot well reach any hotel to-night. The nearest
is thirty miles away, and for a long distance the road is a mere track
across the plain. Even those who are used to it, would find it difficult
to keep it on a moonless night, as this will be."
"Oh! I'm so sorry."
The hostess' face grew anxious. "Is it so important? I thought----"
"Humph! That's another of my blunders. My regret is that I must force
myself upon your hospitality after----"
Mrs. Trent interrupted with a laugh.
"I imagine we're talking at cross-purposes. While I cannot make any
guest comfortable at Sobrante 'indefinitely,' as you proposed, I
should be disappointed to have you leave us hurriedly, I'd like you to
inspect the ranch, thoroughly, and that will require at least a week.
Besides, since I've learned from your card that you are a lawyer, I
would like to ask your advice. Of course, if you are willing to give it
in a business way."
"I shall be happy to serve you and more than happy to stay for the week
you propose, I came----"
But he did not finish his sentence. There rang through the quiet room the
echoes of rifle shots, repeated singly and in volleys, and accompanied by
shouts and shrieks, so fierce and unearthly that Mr. Hale sprang to his
feet while his hand sought his own pistol pocket.
"Horrible! In the midst of this peace--an Indian outbreak!"
A curious thrill ran through his veins, as if his sixty years had
suddenly turned backward to sixteen, and, with an answering cry, he
leaped through the open window and rushed straight into the arms of a man
who had already reached the porch and was making for the very room
that the stranger had just quitted.