|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 53
They were still a mile above the village; but as no nearer place of
shelter presented itself, they decided to proceed. But the storm moved
more rapidly than they; and long before the first houses came in sight the
heavy drops began to pelt down. A brown young fellow, lying flat on his
back under a thick bush, with his horse standing over him, shouted to them
to "try the cave," waving his hand in its direction; and hurrying on, they
saw in another moment a shelving brow of rock in the cliff, under which
was a deep recess.
To this Clarence directed the horses. He lifted Clover down. She half sat,
half leaned on the slope of the rock, well under cover, while he stretched
himself at full length on a higher ledge, and held the bridles fast. The
horses' heads and the saddles were fairly well protected, but the
hindquarters of the animals were presently streaming with water.
"This isn't half-bad, is it?" Clarence said. His mouth was so close to
Clover's ear that she could catch his words in spite of the noisy thunder
and the roar of the descending rain.
"No; I call it fun."
"You look awfully pretty, do you know?" was the next and very unexpected
remark.
"Nonsense."
"Not nonsense at all."
At that moment a carriage dashed rapidly by, the driver guiding the horses
as well as he could between the points of an umbrella, which constantly
menaced his eyes. Other travellers in the pass had evidently been
surprised by the storm besides themselves. The lady who held the umbrella
looked out, and caught the picture of the group under the cliff. It was a
suggestive one. Clover's hat was a little pushed forward by the rock
against which she leaned, which in its turn pushed forward the waving
rings of hair which shaded her forehead, but did not hide her laughing
eyes, or the dimples in her pink cheeks. The fair, slender girl, the dark,
stalwart young fellow so close to her, the rain, the half-sheltered
horses,--it was easy enough to construct a little romance.
The lady evidently did so. It was what photographers call an
"instantaneous effect," caught in three seconds, as the carriage whirled
past; but in that fraction of a minute the lady had nodded and flashed a
brilliant, sympathetic smile in their direction, and Clover had nodded in
return, and laughed back.
"A good many people seem to have been caught as we have," she said, as
another streaming vehicle dashed by.
"I wish it would rain for a week," observed Clarence.
"My gracious, what a wish! What would become of us if it did?"
"We should stay here just where we are, and I should have you all to
myself for once, and nobody could come in to interfere with me."
"Thank you extremely! How hungry we should be! How can you be so absurd,
Clarence?"
"I'm not absurd at all. I'm perfectly in earnest."
"Do you mean that you really want to stay a week under this rock with
nothing to eat?"
"Well, no; not exactly that perhaps,--though if you could, I would. But I
mean that I would like to get you for a whole solid week to myself. There
is such a gang of people about always, and they all want you. Clover," he
went on, for, puzzled at his tone, she made no answer, "couldn't you like
me a little?"
"I like you a great deal. You come next to Phil and Dorry with me."
"Hang Phil and Dorry! Who wants to come next to them? I want you to like
me a great deal more than that. I want you to love me. Couldn't you,
Clover?"
"How strangely you talk! I do love you, of course. You're my cousin."
"I don't care to be loved 'of course.' I want to be loved for myself.
Clover, you know what I mean; you must know. I can afford to marry now;
won't you stay in Colorado and be my wife?"
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|