The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-18
CHAPTER iii


ENCOURAGES on FAraue
LoRA, before the mirror. gayly
stabbing in her long hat pins,
confessed to herself that last
night had been queer, as queer
as could be; but this morning. luckily,
was real again. Her fancy last night
had-yes, she was afraid it really had
run away with her. And she turned
and held the hand mirror high. to be
sure of the line OF her tilted hat, gave
a touch to the turn OF her wide, close
belt a f1irt to the frills Of her bodies
The wind was lightly running and
putting out the muslin curtains OF the
windows, and from the garden below
came the long silvery clash Of euca-
lyptus Naves. She leaned on the high
window ledge to look downward over
red roofs, over terraced green over
steep streets running abruptly to the
broken blue OF the bay. She tried to
fancy how Kerr would look IN this
morning sun. He seemed to belong
only beneath the high artificial lights,
in the thicker atmosphere of evening.
Would he return again, with renewed
potency. with the same singular. al
most sinister charm, a wizard who
works his will only by moonlight?
When she should see him again, what.
she wondered, would be his extraordi-
nary mood? On what new GREATNESS
flights might he not take her-or would
he see her at all? 1t was too fantastic
The sunlight thinned him to an i'm
palpable ghost.
1t was Clara. standing at the foot OF
the stairs, who belonged to the morn
ing, so brisk. so fresh. so practical she
appeared. She held a book In her hand
The door, open for her immediate de-
parture, showed. beyond the descent OF
marble steps, the landau glistening
black against white pavements. 1t
was unusual for this formal vehicle to
put in an appearance so early.
81 am going to drive over to the
Purdies'," Clara explained. II have an
errand there
Flora smiled at the thought OF how
many persons would be having errands
to the Purdies now. 1t was refreshing
to catch Clara in this weakness she
felt throb of it herself when she re-
called the breathless moment at the
supper table last evening. "Oh, that
will be a heavenly drive she said
Please ask me to go with you"
why, certainly / should ike 10
have YOU" said Clara But IL she had
returned fiat mo" Flora would not
have had dryer sense Of unwelcome-
Still, she had gone too far to retreat.
After ALL this was only Clara's manner,
and her buoyant interest in the expe-
dition was stronger than her dimdence
Mischievous reflections of the doctrine
the Englishman had startled her with
the night before fickered in her mind
as they drove from the door. Was this
part of "the big red game" not being
accommodating. nor so very polite? The
streets were still wet with early fog,
and turning IN at the Preside gate the
expresses dripped dankly on their heads
and hung out cobwebs pearled with
dew. She was sure, even under their
dripping, that the "damnable DUST was
alive.
Down the broad slopes that were
swept by the drive all was green to the
waters edge. The long line OF bar
racks, the officers quarters. the great
parade ground, set in the nat land be-
tween hills and bay, looked like
child's toy. pretty and little They
heard the note of q bugle, thin and sill
yer clear. and they could see the tiny
figures mastering; but in her preoccu-
patton ii did not occur to Flora that
they were arriving just IN time for pa
rade. But when the carriage had crossed
the viaduct and swung them past the
acacias and around the last white curve
into the white dust of the parade
ground, Clara turned, as If with fresh
idea.
wouldn't you like to stop and watch
it?v
why. Yes" Flora assented. The
hrilliance of light and color, the pre-
cision of movement. the sound Of the
brasses under the open sky, were an
intermezzo in harmony with her spir-
tied mood.
The carriage stopped under the scan
ty shadow of trees that bordered the
walk to the officers quarters Clara,
book in hand. alertly rose.
"Ill just run up TO the Purdies' and
leave this she said.
''Then she really did want to be rid
of me- Flora unused. as she watched
the brisk back moving away and
beautifully she has done itl' Her eyes
followed Clara's little figure retreating
up the neat and narrow board walk. to
where 1t disappeared in overarching
depths OF eucalyptus trees Farther
on, beyond the trees, two figures.
smaller than Clara's in their greater
distance. were coming down. Flora
almost grinned as she recognized the
large linen umbrella that Mrs. Purdie
invariably carried when abroad in the
reservation. and presently the trim and
bounding figure OF Mrs. Purdie her.
self under It, The Purdies were coming
down to parade-at least Mrs. Purdie
was. But the tall figure beside har-