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Such was the mental and physical condition of the Man on the Beach
on the 1st of January； 1869。
It was a still； bright day； following a week of rain and wind。 Low
down the horizon still lingered a few white flecksthe flying squadrons of
the stormas vague as distant sails。 Southward the harbor bar whitened
occasionally but lazily； even the turbulent Pacific swell stretched its length
wearily upon the shore。 And toiling from the settlement over the low
sand dunes； a carriage at last halted half a mile from the solitary's
dwelling。
〃I reckon ye'll hev to git out here；〃 said the driver； pulling up to
breathe his panting horses。 〃Ye can't git any nigher。〃
There was a groan of execration from the interior of the vehicle； a
hysterical little shriek； and one or two shrill expressions of feminine
disapprobation； but the driver moved not。 At last a masculine head
expostulated from the window： 〃Look here； you agreed to take us to the
house。 Why； it's a mile away at least！〃
〃Thar； or tharabouts； I reckon；〃 said the driver； coolly crossing his legs
on the box。
〃It's no use talking； I can never walk through this sand and horrid
glare；〃 said a female voice quickly and imperatively。 Then；
apprehensively； 〃Well； of all the places！〃
〃Well； I never！〃
〃This DOES exceed everything。〃
〃It's really TOO idiotic for anything。〃
It was noticeable that while the voices betrayed the difference of age
and sex； they bore a singular resemblance to each other； and a certain
querulousness of pitch that was dominant。
〃I reckon I've gone about as fur as I allow to go with them hosses；〃
continued the driver suggestively； 〃and as time's vallyble； ye'd better
unload。〃
〃The wretch does not mean to leave us here alone？〃 said a female
voice in shrill indignation。 〃You'll wait for us； driver？〃 said a masculine
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voice； confidently。
〃How long？〃 asked the driver。
There was a hurried consultation within。 The words 〃Might send us
packing！〃 〃May take all night to get him to listen to reason；〃 〃Bother！
whole thing over in ten minutes；〃 came from the window。 The driver
meanwhile had settled himself back in his seat； and whistled in patient
contempt of a fashionable fare that didn't know its own mind nor
destination。 Finally； the masculine head was thrust out； and； with a
certain potential air of judicially ending a difficulty； said：
〃You're to follow us slowly； and put up your horses in the stable or
barn until we want you。〃
An ironical laugh burst from the driver。 〃Oh； yesin the stable or
barnin course。 But； my eyes sorter failin' me； mebbee； now； some ev
you younger folks will kindly pint out the stable or barn of the Kernel's。
Woa！will ye？woa！ Give me a chance to pick out that there barn or
stable to put ye in！〃 This in arch confidence to the horses； who had not
moved。
Here the previous speaker； rotund； dignified； and elderly； alighted
indignantly； closely followed by the rest of the party； two ladies and a
gentleman。 One of the ladies was past the age； but not the fashion； of
youth； and her Parisian dress clung over her wasted figure and well…bred
bones artistically if not gracefully； the younger lady； evidently her
daughter； was crisp and pretty； and carried off the aquiline nose and
aristocratic emaciation of her mother with a certain piquancy and a dash
that was charming。 The gentleman was young； thin； with the family
characteristics； but otherwise indistinctive。
With one accord they all faced directly toward the spot indicated by
the driver's whip。 Nothing but the bare； bleak； rectangular outlines of the
cabin of the Man on the Beach met their eyes。 All else was a desolate
expanse； unrelieved by any structure higher than the tussocks of scant
beach grass that clothed it。 They were so utterly helpless that the driver's
derisive laughter gave way at last to good humor and suggestion。 〃Look
yer；〃 he said finally； 〃I don't know ez it's your fault you don't know this
kentry ez well ez you do Yurup； so I'll drag this yer team over to
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Robinson's on the river； give the horses a bite； and then meander down this
yer ridge； and wait for ye。 Ye'll see me from the Kernel's。〃 And without
waiting for a reply； he swung his horses' heads toward the river； and rolled
away。
The same querulous protest that had come from the windows arose
from the group； but vainly。 Then followed accusations and recrimination。
〃It's YOUR fault； you might have written； and had him meet us at the
settlement。〃 〃You wanted to take him by surprise！〃 〃I didn't。 You
know if I'd written that we were coming； he'd have taken good care to run
away from us。〃 〃Yes； to some more inaccessible place。〃 〃There can be
none worse than this；〃 etc。； etc。 But it was so clearly evident that nothing
was to be done but to go forward； that even in the midst of their wrangling
they straggled on in Indian file toward the distant cabin； sinking ankle…
deep in the yielding sand； punctuating their verbal altercation with sighs；
and only abating it at a scream from the elder lady。
〃Where's Maria？〃
〃Gone on ahead！〃 grunted the younger gentleman； in a bass voice； so
incongruously large for him that it seemed to have been a ventriloquistic
contribution by somebody else。
It was too true。 Maria； after adding her pungency to the general
conversation； had darted on ahead。 But alas！ that swift Camilla； after
scouring the plain some two hundred feet with her demitrain； came to grief
on an unbending tussock and sat down； panting but savage。 As they
plodded wearily toward her； she bit her red lips； smacked them on her
cruel little white teeth like a festive and sprightly ghoul； and lisped：
〃You DO look so like guys！ For all the world like those English
shopkeepers we met on the Righi； doing the three…guinea excursion in
their Sunday clothes！〃
Certainly the spectacle of these exotically plumed bipeds； whose fine
feathers were already bedrabbled by sand and growing limp in the sea
breeze； was somewhat dissonant with the rudeness of sea and sky and
shore。 A few gulls screamed at them； a loon； startled from the lagoon；
arose shrieking and protesting； with painfully extended legs； in obvious
burlesque of the younger gentleman。 The elder lady felt the justice of her
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gentle daughter's criticism； and retaliated with simple directness：
〃Your skirt is ruined； your hair is coming down； your hat is half off
your head； and your shoesin Heaven's name； Maria！ what HAVE you
done with your shoes？〃
Maria had exhibited a slim stockinged foot from under her skirt。 It was
scarcely three fingers broad； with an arch as patrician as her nose。
〃Somewhere between here and the carriage；〃 she answered； 〃Dick can run
back and find it； while he is looking for your brooch； mamma。 Dick's so
obliging。〃
The robust voice of Dick thundered； but the wasted figure of Dick
feebly ploughed its way back； and returned with the missing buskin。
〃I may as well carry them in my hand like the market girls at Saumur；
for we have got to wade soon；〃 said Miss Maria； sinking her own ter