Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-02-16
Through Santa Wheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTE

All this did not, however, abate her
admiration for both-perhaps particu-
larly for this picturesquely gentlemanly
young fellow, with his gentle audacities
of compliment, his caressing attentions
and his unfailing and equal address.
And when, discovering that she had
mislaid her fan for the fifth time that
morning, he started up with equal and
undiminished fire to go again and fetch
it, the look of grateful pleasure and plead
ing perplexity in her pretty eyes might
have turned less conceited brain than
his.
"But you don't know where it ISL"
81 shall find it by instinct"
"You are spelling me-you two" The
parenthesis was hesitating addition.
but she continued with fresh sincerity.
81 shall be quite helpless when leave
here-if am ever able TO go by myself. )"
"Don't ever go, then"
"But just now want my FAINT 10 SO
close everywhere today"
81 fly, mademoisello.
He started to tho door.
She called after him, "Let me help
your instinct, then. had it last in the
majors study"
."That was where was going"
He disappeared. Rose got up and
moved uneasily toward the window.
"How queer and quiet it looks outside.
It's really too bad that he should be sent
after that fan again. He'll never find
it." She resumed her place at the piano,
Adele following her with round expect
ant eyes. After a pause she started up
again. I'm so and fetch it myself" she
said, with half embarrassed laugh.
and ran to the door.
Scarcely understanding her own nerv-
business, but finding relief in rapid
movement. Rose flew lightly up the
staircase. The majors study, where she
had been writing letters during his alb
sence that morning. was at the further
end of a long passage and near her own
bedroom, the door of which as she
passed she noticed half abstractedly was
open, but she continued on and hurriedly
entered the study. At the same moment
Emile, with smile on his face, turned
toward her with the fan in his hand.
"Oh, you've found it," she said with
nervous eagerness. Il was so afraid
you'd have all your trouble for nothing"
With half breathless smile she ex-
tended her hand for the fan, but he
caught her outstretched little palm in
his own and held it.
"Ah, but you are not going to leave
| US. are YOU?
In flash of consciousness she under.
stood him, and, as it seemed to her, her
own nervousness and all and every
thing. And with it came a swift appre.
| citation of all it meant to her and her
future. To be always with him, and,
like him, part of this refine and rest
full seclusion-alzin to all that had SC
attracted her in this house: not to be
| obliged to educate herself up Il
| it, but to be in it on equal term;
at once; to know that it was no wild
foolish, youthful fancy, but wise
thoughtful and prudent resolve tina
her father would understand ant
her friends respect-these were tn,
thoughts that crowded quickly upon he.
more like an explanation Of her feel
| ings than a revelation-in the brief sec
ond that he held her hand. 1t was no
perhaps love as she had dreamed it, ant
even believed it before: she was no
ashamed or embarrassed, she even fel
with slight pride that she was no
blushing. She raised her eyes frankly
What she would have said she did no
know, for the door which he had close,
behind her began to shake violently.
1t was not the fear of some angry in
trusion or interference surely that mad
him drop her hand instantly. 1t was nc
her second thought-the idea that som
one had fallen in a fit against it tina
blanched his face with abject and unre;
soning terror. 1t must have been some
thing else that caused him to utter a
inarticulate cry and dash out of the ROOF
and down the stairs like a madmar
What had happened?
In her own self possession she knee
that all this was passing rapidly, that
was not the door now that was sti
shaking, for it had swung almost shu
again, but it was the windows, the boo
shelves, the floor beneath her feet tina
were all shaking. She heard a hurrie
scrambling, the trampling of feet belo'
and the quick rustling 1ofrauGlhintiaal
passage as if some
fec y her