The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-28
CHAPTER ~
THE FIRST DAY IN COURT

OF the corral, I watched the glossy
huddled tanks and shoulders and toss
ing heads OF the youngsters crowding
together in the middle OF the Enclosure,
qutvsrtng with apprehension of the
man approaching with his rope; until,
the man being nnendurably near. one
and another would break and wheel.
and uot with high head. whinnying,
around the corral close 10 the fence.
Then. when Perez had one fast, one
end Of his rope around the glossy neck.
and slowly working toward him, hand
over hand, finally touched the velvety
head. how the creature started, swerved,
tried to back. and felt the jerk OF
the halter. u Ua6e me think OF the
way the prisoner had started when the
policeman touched his arm. At first
their nervous, proud. FESTIVE airs re-
minded me constantly of that strange
person; and not only the colts. but
sometimes il was some drifting
shadow OF cloud. some color or some
sound. that ineXpIcably brought him
up to mind; and I would plague my
self with wondering what was going
on in the city. and what was TO become
OF him But as the days passed and
no newspapers came from the city-at
least saw none-and no letters to re-
mind me OF what was happening there,
7 recalled him less and less distinctly.
He remained in my mind but as a sort
OF dream; things about me reminded
absorbed in picking out a new saddle
horse, and searching the meadows over
70 see II the Mariposa lilies were COM
ing up this year in their accustomed
places.
Splendid fields, in early spring filed
with wild flowers. stretched down to-
ward the bay, but close around the
house We're the somber and, to me.
more beautiful groves Of oaks. To
wander away until had lost sight Of
the house in their olive gIooms and
saw nothing around me but dark
trunks. crooked elbows OF boughs and
sweeping leaves. was my delight I
loved to crown myself with their white
boards Of moss, and fancy I was walk
ing through q cathedral aisle. a prin-
cess going TO be married. But. where
rs / had never needed TO imagine q
bridegroom before-myself and the
crown had been enough-now my i'm
egination insistently placed figure
walking beside me, or coming to meet
ee under the solemn roof Of branches.
had TO abandon my crown. and run
races with myself before I could leave
the figure behind.
On the whole II was safer, I found.
just now not to imagine too much. but
instead, while father was there to
take long rides with him into the San
Mateo hills; and, after he had gone.
shorter excursions in the vicinity
OF the town. Or else TO walk
with Abby in the morning down
the broad Embarcadero road to the
little wharf on the bay. It was charm
ing enough there when all was idle.
with the white adobe huts, and dark
faces sleeping In the sun, and the lap
OF the tide on the breakwater. But
when ship was coming in. or was
loading TO get out. the Embarcadero
filled the eye-carts backing up with
vegetables; casks being rolled out on
the wharf with e hollow and rever-
berating sound; halIooings from the
boat; and then round It would swing.
with q tremendous swapping OF canvas.
while the shadow of the brown sails.
patched with red. noated over all.
The country and especially the
country IN spring. seems to have a
way OF making the place where one
has lived before very unreal and far
distant TWO weeks Of such dreamy
living orifted the city. and the violent
things that had been done there. so
them without 2 tremor. I could even
think OF my own part In them as IL
II had happened IN play.
Then one evening. just before dark.
6 boy on heavily lathered horse rode
Up the piazza steps, and. like the mes
senger in a novel. handed me a letter
It was from father. Have everything
in readiness TO start tomorrow morn
ing" he wrote Il shall expect Won
ct the house at $50 tomorrow night
without fail" This letter threw me
into q futter OF excitement was &C.
customed TO short notice orders from
father, orders that carried no explana-
tions; but they had always been sent
through the mails. A messenger
meant great need Of haste recog-
nized him as fathers Office boy. Was
my father III. 7 asked
No. he was in excellent health.
thought, Perhaps he has been sud
denly called out Of the city and wants
20 see me before he leaves home" It
surely couldn't be that this summons
had anything to do with Johnny Mont
gomery's case. Having to rush off at
such short notice I was luckily too
busy to have time to worry about
it; coming up through the val
ley Perez let me drive a good deal and
the horses were so spirited I needed all
my wits TO keep them from running
away. But when we began TO wind in
and out among the tall round hills to
the south Of the city a nervousness