The Cattle-Baron's Daughter Part 35

"The song was worth the effort," she said. "Mr. Clavering is, however, evidently willing to do a good deal to give folks pleasure."

Clavering glanced at her with a little smile. "Folks? That means more than one."

"Yes; it generally means at least two."

Hetty laughed as she looked round. "Is there anybody else he has been giving music to?"

"I fancy the question is unnecessary," Flora said. "He told us he came straight here, and there is n.o.body but you and I at Cedar he would be likely to bring anything to."

"Of course not! Well, I never worry over your oracular observations. They generally mean nothing when you understand them," said Hetty.

Flora Schuyler smiled maliciously at Clavering. She did not know that when a good deed hung in the balance she had, by rousing his intolerance of opposition, just tipped the beam.

XX

HETTY'S OBSTINACY

It was very cold, the red sun hung low above the prairie's western rim, and Clavering, who sat behind Hetty and Miss Schuyler in the lurching sleigh, glanced over his shoulder anxiously.

"Hadn't you better pull up and let me have the reins, Miss Torrance?" he said.

Hetty laughed. "Why?" she asked, "I haven't seen the horse I could not drive."

"Well," said Clavering drily, "this is the first time you have either seen or tried to drive Badger, and I not infrequently get out and lead the team down the slope in front of you when I cross the creek. It has a very awkward bend in it."

Hetty looked about her, and, as it happened, the glare of sunlight flung back from the snow was in her eyes. Still, she could dimly see the trail dip over what seemed to be the edge of a gully close ahead, and she knew the descent to the creek in its bottom was a trifle perilous. She was, however, fearless and a trifle obstinate, and Clavering had, unfortunately, already ventured to give her what she considered quite unnecessary instructions as to the handling of the team. There had also been an indefinite change in his att.i.tude towards her during the last week or two, which the girl, without exactly knowing why, resented and this appeared a fitting opportunity for checking any further presumption.

"You can get down now if you wish," she said. "We will stop and pick you up when we reach the level again."

Clavering said nothing further, for he knew that Miss Torrance was very like her father in some respects, and Hetty shook the reins. The next minute they had swept over the brink, and Flora Schuyler saw the trail dip steeply but slantwise to lessen the gradient to the frozen creek. The sinking sun was hidden by the high bank now and the snow had faded to a cold blue-whiteness, through which the trail ran, a faint line of dusky grey. It was difficult to distinguish at the pace the team were making, and the ground dropped sharply on one side of it.

"Let him have the reins, Hetty," she said.

Unfortunately Clavering, who was a trifle nettled and knew that team, especially the temper of Badger the near horse better than Hetty did, laughed just then.

"Hold fast, Miss Schuyler, and remember that if anything does happen, the right-hand side is the one to get out from," he said.

"Now," said Hetty, "I'm not going to forgive you that. You sit quite still, and we'll show him something, Flo."

She touched the horses with the lash, and Badger flung up his head; another moment and he and the other beast had broken into a gallop. Hetty threw herself backwards with both hands on the reins, but no cry escaped her, and Clavering, who had a suspicion that he could do no more than she was doing now, even if he could get over the back of the seat in time, which was out of the question, set his lips as he watched the bank of snow the trail twisted round rush towards them. The sleigh bounced beneath him in another second or two, there was a stifled scream from Flora Schuyler, and leaning over he tore the robe about the girls from its fastenings.

Then, there was a bewildering jolting and a crash, and he was flung out head foremost into dusty snow.

When he scrambled to his feet again Hetty was sitting in the snow close by him, and Flora Schuyler creeping out of a wreath of it on her hands and knees. The sleigh lay on one side, not far away, with the Badger rolling and kicking amidst a tangle of harness, though the other horse was still upon its feet.

Clavering was pleased to find all his limbs intact, and almost as gratified to see only indignant astonishment in Hetty's face. She rose before he could help her and in another moment or two Flora Schuyler also stood upright, clinging to his arm.

"No," she said, with a little gasp, "I don't think I'm killed, though I felt quite sure of it at first. Now I only feel as though I'd been through an earthquake."

Hetty turned and looked at Clavering, with a little red spot in either cheek. "Why don't you say something?" she asked. "Are you waiting for me?"

"I don't know that anything very appropriate occurs to me. You know I'm devoutly thankful you have both escaped injury," said the man, who was more shaken than he cared to admit.

"Then I'll have to begin," and Hetty's eyes sparkled. "It was my fault, Mr. Clavering, and, if it is any relief to you, I feel most horribly ashamed of my obstinacy. Will that satisfy you?"

Clavering turned his head away, for he felt greatly inclined to laugh, but he knew the Torrance temper. Hetty had been very haughty during that drive, but she had not appeared especially dignified when she sat blinking about her in the snow, nor had Miss Schuyler, and he felt that they realized it; and in feminine fashion blamed him for being there. It was Miss Schuyler who relieved the situation.

"Hadn't you better do something for the horse? It is apparently trying to hang itself--and I almost wish it would. It deserves to succeed."

Clavering could have done very little by himself, but in another minute Hetty was kneeling on the horse's head, while, at more than a little risk from the battering hoofs, he loosed some of the harness. Then, the Badger was allowed to flounder to his feet, and Clavering proceeded to readjust his trappings. A buckle had drawn, however, and a strap had burst.

"No," said Hetty sharply. "Not that way. Don't you see you've got to lead the trace through. It is most unfortunate Larry isn't here."

Clavering glanced at Miss Schuyler, and both of them laughed, while Hetty frowned.

"Well," she said, "he would have fixed the thing in half the time, and we can't stay here for ever."

Clavering did what he could; but repairing harness in the open under twenty or thirty degrees of frost is a difficult task for any man, especially when he has no tools to work with and cannot remove his mittens, and it was at least twenty minutes before he somewhat doubtfully announced that all was ready. He handed Miss Schuyler into the sleigh, and then pa.s.sed the reins to Hetty, who stood with one foot on the step, apparently waiting for something.

"I don't think he will run away again," he said.

The girl glanced at him sharply. "I am vexed with myself. Don't make me vexed with you," she said.

Clavering said nothing, but took the reins and they slid slowly down into the hollow, and, more slowly still, across the frozen creek and up the opposite ascent. After awhile Hetty touched his shoulder.

"I really don't want to meddle; but, while caution is commendable, it will be dark very soon," she said.

"Something has gone wrong," Clavering said gravely. "I'm afraid I'll have to get down."

He stood for several minutes looking at the frame of the sleigh and an indented line ploughed behind it in the snow, and then quietly commenced to loose the horses.

"Well," said Hetty sharply, "what are you going to do?"

"Take them out," said Clavering.

"Why?"

Clavering laughed. "They are not elephants and have been doing rather more than one could expect any horse to do. It is really not my fault, you know, but one of the runners has broken, and the piece sticks into the snow."

"Then, whatever are we to do?"

"I am afraid you and Miss Schuyler will have to ride on to Allonby's. I can fix the furs so they'll make some kind of saddle, and it can't be more than eight miles or so."

Miss Schuyler almost screamed. "I can't," she said.