San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-08
Through Santa Clara Wheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTE
copyright. All rights reserved.l

ing with her back against it, her hands
grasping it on either side and her knit
brOws and determined little face turned
toward the road. Then she stood erect
again, shook the dust out of her skirts,
lifted her veil, wiped her cheeks and brow
with the corner of a small handkerchief
and began walking up and down the length
of the shed as Bent reappeared.
He was accompanied by the man who had
first led her through the wheat. He gazed
upon her with apparently all the curiosity
and concern that the other had lacked.
"You want to get to San Jose as quick
as you CAM" he said interrogatively.
EYES," she said, quickly, 'if you can
help me-"
"You walked all the way from the ma
jor's here?" he went on, without taking
his eyes from her face.
Eyes, " she answered, with an affectation
of carelessness she had not shown to Bent.
But started very early-it was cool and
pleasant and didn't seem far"
"rll put you down in San Jose inside the
hour. You shall have my horse and trot-
ting sulky and Pll drive you myself. Will
that do?"
She looked at him wonderingly She
had not forgotten his previous restraint
and gravity, but now his face seemed to
AVE relaxed with some humorous salts
faction. She felt herself coloring slightly,
but whether with shame or relief she could
got tell.
Il shall be so much obliged to you," she
replied hesitatingly, land so will my faith
er, know"
81 reckon" said the man, with the same
look of amused conjecture. Then, with
quick assuring nod, he turned away and
dived into the wheat again.
You're all right now, Miss Mallory"
said Bent complacently. dawson will
fix it. He's got good horse, and he's a
good driver, too" He paused, and then
added pleasantly, Il suppose they're all
well up at the house,
1t was so evident that his remark carried
no personal meaning to herself that she
was obliged to answer Carelessly, ''Oh,
yes"
Il suppose you see a good deal of Miss
Randolph-Miss Adele, l think you call
herr" he remarked tentatively, and with
certain boyish enthusiasm which she had
never conceived possible to his nature.
Yes" she replied little dryly. she
is the only young lady there" She
stopped, remembering Adele's naive de-
scription of the man before her, and said
abruptly, You know her them"
"A little" replied the young man
modestly. Il see her pretty often when
am passing the upper end of the rancho.
She's very well brought up, and her man
ners are very refned-dOn't you think so?
and yet she's just as simple and natural
as country girl. There's a great deal in
education after all, isn't there?" he went
on contidentially; and althOugh"-he
lowered his voice and looked cautiously
around him-''I believe that some of US
here don't fancy her mother much there's
no doubt that Mrs. Randolph knows how
to bring up her children. Some people
think that kind of education is all artif-
cial and don't believe in it-but l dor
With the consciousness that she was
running away from these people and the
shameful disclosure she had heard last
night, the recollection of Adele's scandal
Gus Interpretation Of her most innocent
actions and her sudden and complete re-
vulsion against all that she had previously
admired in that household-tO hear this
man, who had seemed to her a living pro-
test against their ideas and principles,
now expressing them and holding them up
for emulation, almost took her breath
away.
Il suppose that means that You intend
to look after Maj Randolph's well for
him?" she said dryly.
Yes" he returned, without noticing her
manner, land think can find that water
again. I've been studying it up all night.
And do you know what Pm going to do?
| am going to make the earthquake
shat lost it help me to find it again" He
paused and looked at her with a smile and
return of his former enthusiasm. do
you remember the crack in the adobe field
that stopped you yesterdays"
Yes, - said the girl, with a slight shiver
IL told you then that the same crack was
a split in the rock OUtCrOp further up the
plain and was deeper. | am satisfied now
from what | have seen that it is really
rupture of the whole strata all the way
down. That 5 the one weak point that the
imprisoned water is sure to find, and that's
where the borer will tap it in that new well
that the earthquake itself has sunk"
1t seemed to her now that she under
stood his explanation perfectly, and she
wondered the more that he had been so
mistaken in his estimate of Adele. She
turned away a little impatiently and looked
anXiously toward the point where Dawson
had disappeared. Bent followed her eyes.
He'll be here in a moment Miss Nal
lory. He has to drive slowly through the
grain, but l hear the wheels" He stopped
and his voice took up it's previous note of
boyish hesitation. by the way, I'll be
going up to the rancho this afternoon to see
the-major. Have you any message for
Mrs Randolph-or for-Miss Adele?"
No" said Rose, hesitatingly, "and"-
i. --1y-