The Sky Pilot: A Tale of the Foothills

by Ralph Connor

  CHAPTER XIX

  THROUGH GWEN'S WINDOW

  When I told The Pilot of Lady Charlotte's purpose to visit Gwen, he wasnot too well pleased.

  "What does she want with Gwen?" he said impatiently. "She will just putnotions into her head and make the child discontented."

  "Why should she?" said I.

  "She won't mean to, but she belongs to another world, and Gwen cannottalk to her without getting glimpses of a life that will make her longfor what she can never have," said The Pilot.

  "But suppose it is not idle curiosity in Lady Charlotte," I suggested.

  "I don't say it is quite that," he answered, "but these people love asensation."

  "I don't think you know Lady Charlotte," I replied. "I hardly think fromher tone the other night that she is a sensation hunter."

  "At any rate," he answered, decidedly, "she is not to worry poor Gwen."

  I was a little surprised at his attitude, and felt that he was unfair toLady Charlotte, but I forbore to argue with him on the matter. He couldnot bear to think of any person or thing threatening the peace of hisbeloved Gwen.

  The very first Saturday after my promise was given we were surprisedto see Lady Charlotte ride up to the door of our shack in the earlymorning.

  "You see, I am not going to let you off," she said, as I greeted her."And the day is so very fine for a ride."

  I hastened to apologize for not going to her, and then to get out of mydifficulty, rather meanly turned toward The Pilot, and said:

  "The Pilot doesn't approve of our visit."

  "And why not, may I ask?" said Lady Charlotte, lifting her eyebrows.

  The Pilot's face burned, partly with wrath at me, and partly withembarrassment; for Lady Charlotte had put on her grand air. But he stoodto his guns.

  "I was saying, Lady Charlotte," he said, looking straight into her eyes,"that you and Gwen have little in common--and--and--" he hesitated.

  "Little in common!" said Lady Charlotte quietly. "She has sufferedgreatly."

  The Pilot was quick to catch the note of sadness in her voice.

  "Yes," he said, wondering at her tone, "she has suffered greatly."

  "And," continued Lady Charlotte, "she is bright as the morning, The Dukesays." There was a look of pain in her face.

  The Pilot's face lit up, and he came nearer and laid his handcaressingly upon her beautiful horse.

  "Yes, thank God!" he said quickly, "bright as the morning."

  "How can that be?" she asked, looking down into his face. "Perhaps shewould tell me."

  "Lady Charlotte," said The Pilot with a sudden flush, "I must ask yourpardon. I was wrong. I thought you--" he paused; "but go to Gwen, shewill tell you, and you will do her good."

  "Thank you," said Lady Charlotte, putting out her hand, "and perhaps youwill come and see me, too."

  The Pilot promised and stood looking after us as we rode up the trail.

  "There is something more in your Pilot than at first appears," she said."The Duke was quite right."

  "He is a great man," I said with enthusiasm; "tender as a woman and withthe heart of a hero."

  "You and Bill and The Duke seem to agree about him," she said, smiling.

  Then I told her tales of The Pilot, and of his ways with the men, tillher blue eyes grew bright and her beautiful face lost its proud look.

  "It is perfectly amazing," I said, finishing my story, "how thesedevil-may-care rough fellows respect him, and come to him in all sortsof trouble. I can't understand it, and yet he is just a boy."

  "No, not amazing," said Lady Charlotte slowly. "I think I understand it.He has a true man's heart; and holds a great purpose in it. I've seenmen like that. Not clergymen, I mean, but men with a great purpose."

  Then, after a moment's thought, she added: "But you ought to care forhim better. He does not look strong."

  "Strong!" I exclaimed quickly, with a queer feeling of resentment at myheart. "He can do as much riding as any of us."

  "Still," she replied, "there's something in his face that would make hismother anxious." In spite of my repudiation of her suggestion, I foundmyself for the next few minutes thinking of how he would come exhaustedand faint from his long rides, and I resolved that he must have a restand change.

  It was one of those early September days, the best of all in the westerncountry, when the light falls less fiercely through a soft haze thatseems to fill the air about you, and that grows into purple on the farhilltops. By the time we reached the canyon the sun was riding high andpouring its rays full into all the deep nooks where the shadows mostlylay.

  There were no shadows to-day, except such as the trees cast upon thegreen moss beds and the black rocks. The tops of the tall elms were sereand rusty, but the leaves of the rugged oaks that fringed the canyon'slips shone a rich and glossy brown. All down the sides the poplars anddelicate birches, pale yellow, but sometimes flushing into orange andred, stood shimmering in the golden light, while here and there thebroad-spreading, feathery sumachs made great splashes of brilliantcrimson upon the yellow and gold. Down in the bottom stood the cedarsand the balsams, still green. We stood some moments silently gazing intothis tangle of interlacing boughs and shimmering leaves, all glowing inyellow light, then Lady Charlotte broke the silence in tones soft andreverent as if she stood in a great cathedral.

  "And this is Gwen's canyon!"

  "Yes, but she never sees it now," I said, for I could never ride throughwithout thinking of the child to whose heart this was so dear, but whoseeyes never rested upon it. Lady Charlotte made no reply, and we took thetrail that wound down into this maze of mingling colors and lightsand shadows. Everywhere lay the fallen leaves, brown and yellow andgold;--everywhere on our trail, on the green mosses and among thedead ferns. And as we rode, leaves fluttered down from the trees abovesilently through the tangled boughs, and lay with the others on moss androck and beaten trail.

  The flowers were all gone; but the Little Swan sang as ever itsmany-voiced song, as it flowed in pools and eddies and cascades, withhere and there a golden leaf upon its black waters. Ah! how often inweary, dusty days these sights and sounds and silences have come to meand brought my heart rest!

  As we began to climb up into the open, I glanced at my companion's face.The canyon had done its work with her as with all who loved it. Thetouch of pride that was the habit of her face was gone, and in its placerested the earnest wonder of a little child, while in her eyes lay thecanyon's tender glow. And with this face she looked in upon Gwen.

  And Gwen, who had been waiting for her, forgot all her nervous fear, andwith hands outstretched, cried out in welcome:

  "Oh, I'm so glad! You've seen it and I know you love it! My canyon, youknow!" she went on, answering Lady Charlotte's mystified look.

  "Yes, dear child," said Lady Charlotte, bending over the pale face withits halo of golden hair, "I love it." But she could get no further,for her eyes were full of tears. Gwen gazed up into the beautiful face,wondering at her silence, and then said gently:

  "Tell me how it looks to-day! The Pilot always shows it to me. Do youknow," she added, thoughtfully, "The Pilot looks like it himself. Hemakes me think of it, and--and--" she went on shyly, "you do, too."

  By this time Lady Charlotte was kneeling by the couch, smoothing thebeautiful hair and gently touching the face so pale and lined with pain.

  "That is a great honor, truly," she said brightly through her tears--"tobe like your canyon and like your Pilot, too."

  Gwen nodded, but she was not to be denied.

  "Tell me how it looks to-day," she said. "I want to see it. Oh, I wantto see it!"

  Lady Charlotte was greatly moved by the yearning in the voice, but,controlling herself, she said gaily:

  "Oh, I can't show it to you as your Pilot can, but I'll tell you what Isaw."

  "Turn me where I can see," said Gwen to me, and I wheeled her toward thewindow and raised her up so that she could look down the trail towardthe canyon's mouth.

  "Now,"
she said, after the pain of the lifting had passed, "tell me,please."

  Then Lady Charlotte set the canyon before her in rich and radiantcoloring, while Gwen listened, gazing down upon the trail to where theelm tops could be seen, rusty and sere.

  "Oh, it is lovely!" said Gwen, "and I see it so well. It is all therebefore me when I look through my window."

  But Lady Charlotte looked at her, wondering to see her bright smile, andat last she could not help the question:

  "But don't you weary to see it with your own eyes?"

  "Yes," said Gwen gently, "often I want and want it, oh, so much!"

  "And then, Gwen, dear, how can you bear it?" Her voice was eager andearnest. "Tell me, Gwen. I have heard all about your canyon flowers, butI can't understand how the fretting and the pain went away."

  Gwen looked at her first in amazement, and then in dawningunderstanding.

  "Have you a canyon, too?" she asked, gravely.

  Lady Charlotte paused a moment, then nodded. It did appear strange to methat she should break down her proud reserve and open her heart to thischild.

  "And there are no flowers, Gwen, not one," she said rather bitterly,"nor sun nor seeds nor soil, I fear."

  "Oh, if The Pilot were here, he would tell you."

  At this point, feeling that they would rather be alone, I excused myselfon the pretext of looking after the horses.

  What they talked of during the next hour I never knew, but whenI returned to the room Lady Charlotte was reading slowly and withperplexed face to Gwen out of her mother's Bible the words "for thesuffering of death, crowned with glory and honor."

  "You see even for Him, suffering," Gwen said eagerly, "but I can'texplain. The Pilot will make it clear." Then the talk ended.

  We had lunch with Gwen--bannocks and fresh sweet milk andblueberries--and after an hour of gay fun we came away.

  Lady Charlotte kissed her tenderly as she bade Gwen good-by.

  "You must let me come again and sit at your window," she said, smilingdown upon the wan face.

  "Oh, I shall watch for you. How good that will be!" cried Gwen,delightedly. "How many come to see me! You make five." Then she added,softly: "You will write your letter." But Lady Charlotte shook her head.

  "I can't do that, I fear," she said, "but I shall think of it."

  It was a bright face that looked out upon us through the open window aswe rode down the trail. Just before we took the dip into the canyon, Iturned to wave my hand.

  "Gwen's friends always wave from here," I said, wheeling my bronco.

  Again and again Lady Charlotte waved her handkerchief.

  "How beautiful, but how wonderful!" she said as if to herself. "Truly,HER canyon is full of flowers."

  "It is quite beyond me," I answered. "The Pilot may explain."

  "Is there anything your Pilot can't do?" said Lady Charlotte.

  "Try him," I ventured.

  "I mean to," she replied, "but I cannot bring anyone to my canyon, Ifear," she added in an uncertain voice.

  As I left her at her door she thanked me with courteous grace.

  "You have done a great deal for me," she said, giving me her hand. "Ithas been a beautiful, a wonderful day."

  When I told the Pilot all the day's doings, he burst out:

  "What a stupid and self-righteous fool I have been! I never thoughtthere could be any canyon in her life. How short our sight is!" and allthat night I could get almost no words from him.

  That was the first of many visits to Gwen. Not a week passed but LadyCharlotte took the trail to the Meredith ranch and spent an hour atGwen's window. Often The Pilot found her there. But though they werealways pleasant hours to him, he would come home in great trouble aboutLady Charlotte.

  "She is perfectly charming and doing Gwen no end of good, but she isproud as an archangel. Has had an awful break with her family at home,and it is spoiling her life. She told me so much, but she will allow noone to touch the affair."

  But one day we met her riding toward the village. As we drew near, shedrew up her horse and held up a letter.

  "Home!" she said. "I wrote it to-day, and I must get it offimmediately."

  The Pilot understood her at once, but he only said:

  "Good!" but with such emphasis that we both laughed.

  "Yes, I hope so," she said with the red beginning to show in her cheek."I have dropped some seed into my canyon."

  "I think I see the flowers beginning to spring," said The Pilot.

  She shook her head doubtfully and replied:

  "I shall ride up and sit with Gwen at her window."

  "Do," replied The Pilot, "the light is good there. Wonderful things areto be seen through Gwen's window."

  "Yes," said Lady Charlotte softly. "Dear Gwen!--but I fear it is oftenmade bright with tears."

  As she spoke she wheeled her horse and cantered off, for her own tearswere not far away. I followed her in thought up the trail windingthrough the round-topped hills and down through the golden lights of thecanyon and into Gwen's room. I could see the pale face, with its goldenaureole, light up and glow, as they sat before the window while LadyCharlotte would tell her how Gwen's Canyon looked to-day and how in herown bleak canyon there was the sign of flowers.