Margaret was a child of The Qu'Appelle. The gleaming valley had nursed her through childhood, writing the beauty of hill and stream and wind and sun into the little girl, making her skin as brown as that of the metis maiden9, her blood warm and red and her soul free with the purity of the flashing light. She loved the cottonwoods and the poplars and the clustering, glistening10 birch, while the oak and willow11 folk cast a spell over her. She knew the berry and cherry trees and the sun-steeped slopes where browned the sweetest hazelnuts. Ask her where coquettes the wine-black saskatoon or the wonder berry—and she can tell. As for the flowers, the bees and Margaret were twin possessors. Equally dear were the people of feather and fur.
The lake was a fascinating, joyous mystery, whether it lay under her eyes a thing of shimmering12 light or frowning shadows. Its magic swept her most powerfully. In the moments of its hush14, when it became a great calm silence, rippleless and infinitely15 deep, a new vastness with its own blue sky and clouds and shapely hills.
Far out in the lake lay a tiny island tufted with cottonwood shrubs16 and one ragged17 scrub oak. This tree had grown out of a crevice18 in the rock. The island was nothing more than a huge boulder19 and the bower20 of cottonwoods and bit of turf held precariously21 to the smoothed surface. Here the girl enjoyed the dulcet22 music of the waves and the solitude23, reaching the island easily by aid of her birch canoe. From its behaviour in time of tempest this lonely spot had received the name of The Storm Rock. Long before the waves had worked into rollers an angry cloud of white spray above the rock portended24 the fury of the storm.
Suddenly the girl paused in her walk and fastened her eyes on the Peak of the Buffalo Trails. A glimmer25 of white crowned the Peak. She gave an exclamation26 of delight as she defined the form of Bobs. Astride was Mary McClure. A signal passed between the girls. Turning slightly, Margaret swept the north bank with a keen glance, emitting another ejaculation as she saw a rider cantering along the shoulder of the hill making his way down into the valley.
"Ned!" she observed, with a droll27 tip of her head. "You are remarkably28 punctual, my fine fellow. You need not push Darkey so fast, however, for Flash and I are going to take a very considerable time to saddle up."
Turning about, she glanced up at the Peak again. Bobs and his rider had disappeared. As she continued to look at the empty summit she was surprised to see another rider trot29 out on the hill. It was a man, and he halted his horse in the identical place where Mary had sat Bobs but a moment before. He looked over the valley toward the Grant homestead, then turning, vanished hurriedly down the hill.
The watcher was at a loss to account for the appearance of the strange rider. She pondered a moment.
"One of Blythes' cow-punchers!" was her conclusion. "He is probably beating up strays."
Satisfied and relieved at her surmise30 she ran into the house to prepare for the ride to Willow Glade31.
Ned rode swiftly along, skirting the lake about the Pellawa end. He had an hour of fast riding before he at length disappeared into the groves32 near the brook33. As he broke into the Glade he saw Bobs tied to a tree and his mistress seated on the log beside the stream.
"Ho, ho! Darkey!" he cried softly. "High fortune is ours!"
Bobs tossed his head in equine friendliness34, but the figure on the log was absorbed in a study of the tree-tops. Tying his horse, Ned stole up on the silent one.
"Room for another on the observation car?" called Ned in her ear.
With a casual "Good-day, Ned!" she glanced into his eyes. Her face was so irresistibly35 teasing that he seized her hands.
"I am welcome, Mary?" said he.
Her reply was smothered36 by his lips. When conditions had become normal once more she announced importantly:
"I came here to-day, Ned, with the deliberate purpose of having an interview with you."
"That is delightfully37 gratifying," was the reply. "But since I know the lady so well I fear there is another reason forthcoming."
"We are to have a chaperon," resumed Mary. "I signalled Margaret from the Peak of the Buffalo Trails. She will be here—within—an hour or two. Flash has taken to loitering, I fear."
"Yes, we know what a sleepy nag38 Flash can be when Margaret has so made up her mind."
"You speak as though there is a little plot on foot."
"Rather on four feet, Mary."
Catching39 his eye Mary laughed.
"But there is another reason?" was his serious question. "Are you in trouble, Mary?"
"No," was her reply. "I am deeply interested in some one other than Mr. Pullar, Jr. And also in a number of things—the Red Knight40, for example. Why have you not come over to the school sometimes with your father?"
He looked into her eyes with a frankness that satisfied her. She nodded comprehendingly.
"You did right," said she gently. "We agree that it was best. But I have wanted to consult you about the Red Knight. I think it is such a big, wonderful thing, and it means so much to your father. Do you——"
Further speech was suddenly interrupted by a commotion41 in the woods. Bobs gave a vigorous whinny to which Darkey responded in a half-frightened way while both horses moved restively42 about their trees, nostrils43 distended44 and ears pricked45 forward.
"What can be troubling the horses?" said Mary looking about.
A careful scrutiny46 of the trees and underbrush failed to discover anything unusual.
"Probably a fox or a wolf," surmised47 Ned. "The brute48 was bold to come so near. The horses have become aware of some marauder."
They let it go at that, little thinking that the horses had a surprising reason for their unrest. For five minutes past a shadow had been slipping through the dense49 growth running toward the lake and had chanced a flit of a half dozen yards in the open to a clump50 of willows51 within a rod of the log on which they sat. Screened in the low trees lurked52 the crouching53 figure of Reddy Sykes. It was a fox, indeed, a human fox that had agitated54 Bobs and his companion. The face of the agent was uncouth55 in its strange determination and jealousy56. Waiting until quiet was restored he parted the leaves and took a glance at the objects of his bold espionage57. At sight of the lovers his face went white and a wave of passion swept over him. As Mary resumed the conversation he listened with an eagerness wild and intense.
"I was saying," said Mary, "that The Red Knight has a powerful interest for your father."
"I am sure you discovered that easily," returned Ned.
"Yes. It is as dear to him as life itself. No mother could lavish58 more fondness upon her babe than your father does upon this marvellous new wheat."
"And because it means so much to Dad," said Ned gently, "it means even more to me. Yet I, too, am foolish over The Red Knight. I wonder can any one understand how it is that the roots of this plant go back so deep into the lives of Dad and me? It has grown out of the hard, glorious years. It is the one living thing linking our dear dead to us. Mary! It is my little mother's forget-me-not. The tenderest sentiment gathers about The Red Knight."
Mary laid her hand gently on his arm.
"Ned," she said, looking at him with the shine of dew in her eyes, "you will always foster this dear foolishness, will you not?"
Drawing her to him he kissed lips and cheeks and hair.
"I know you will," was her glad cry.
"But there is the other side," said Ned in a little. "The Red Knight is as astonishing a discovery for the good of the world as was steam in its application to transportation and industry. This is how Dad views it. Like the discovery of a new element it should be retained for the common human good. If controlled by the commercial interests and monopolists it will be lost. The Red Knight needs the care of the keenest and surest cultural science as well as the protection of a wise government. This new variety of wheat is very precious now or will be when the great experts have repeated the tests put through by Dad and myself. By spring, should our own experiments satisfy the competent judges, every bushel of Red Knight would be worth one hundred dollars. Forty thousand dollars! It sounds fabulous59 to farmers who have spent a lifetime in the fight to catch their feet. Dad, however, will not sell it in that way. He intends to distribute his unique seed in such a way as to insure its preservation60 and reproduction. Each bushel will go to a source that meets with his entire approval. Some will pay the hundred dollars per bushel, not that a monopolist's price may be realized but that the recipient61 may be impressed with the rare pricelessness of The Red Knight. Others will pay but a pittance62. The great national farms will not be overlooked. It is Dad's purpose that when harvest rolls round again there will be from thirty to forty thousand bushels of Red Knight in the hands of the National Government and a corps63 of splendid farmers. They will agree to keep Red Knight pure and further improve his singular qualities by faithful selection and experiment."
As Ned finished speaking a deep silence fell on them, broken at length by Mary.
"That four hundred bushels of Red Knight is precious in many ways, Ned," said she. "You have taken precaution to protect it from harm?"
"We are doing our best to avoid misfortune. We have broken the bin64 up into three. There are two hundred bushels in the house; we have one hundred in the big granary and the balance is isolated65 in one of our galvanized-iron, portable bins66 set in the centre of a large ploughed field. This should provide for the preservation of The Red Knight."
They had fully13 discussed the scheme of launching the astounding67 fact of the discovered variety when Margaret Grant dashed into the glade with a shout and a clatter68 of hoofs69.
"Greetings, kind friends!" she announced with a swagger. "Permit Flash, four-footed gentleman of the highroad, to join your sweet company with Gooseberry up."
"To horse!" cried Ned, catching the conceit70 of the girl. "To horse! We ride with the gallant71 Goose!"
"The very thing!" laughed Mary.
Riding close Margaret struck vengefully. But Ned dodged72 and assisting Mary into the saddle swung up on Darkey and the laughing cavalcade73 rode out of the glade.
From his covert74 Reddy Sykes saw them depart. Waiting until he was sure they were safely away he returned to his horse and mounting rode hastily back to Pellawa.
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1
prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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2
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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3
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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4
sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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5
scurry
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| vi.急匆匆地走；使急赶；催促；n.快步急跑，疾走；仓皇奔跑声；骤雨，骤雪；短距离赛马 | |
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6
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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8
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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9
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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10
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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11
willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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12
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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13
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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14
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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15
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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16
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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17
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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18
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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19
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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20
bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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21
precariously
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| adv.不安全地；危险地；碰机会地；不稳定地 | |
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22
dulcet
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| adj.悦耳的 | |
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23
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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24
portended
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| v.预示( portend的过去式和过去分词 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告 | |
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25
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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26
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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27
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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28
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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29
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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30
surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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31
glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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32
groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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33
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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34
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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35
irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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36
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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37
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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38
nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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39
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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40
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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41
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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42
restively
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| adv.倔强地，难以驾御地 | |
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43
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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44
distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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46
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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47
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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48
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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49
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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50
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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51
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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52
lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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53
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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54
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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55
uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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56
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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57
espionage
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| n.间谍行为，谍报活动 | |
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58
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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59
fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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60
preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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61
recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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62
pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 | |
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63
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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64
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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65
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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66
bins
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| n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 ) | |
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67
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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68
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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69
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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70
conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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71
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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72
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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73
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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74
covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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