Читать книгу Hard-Pan. A Story of Bonanza Fortunes онлайн

50 страница из 59

Between the houses, each one detached in its own square of ground, with that suggestion of space which is peculiar to San Francisco, glimpses of the bay came and went—bits of the gaunt hills, lengths of turquoise sea touched here and there with a patch of white sail, and sudden views of Alcatraz queening it alone on its red-brown rock.

Letitia and Gault walked on, now and then according the customary phrase to the beauty of the landscape. Letitia, who was not an admirer of nature, was much more interested in the occasional couples they met, smart and smiling in their Sunday attire; but, with the complaisance of her amiable spirit, she was always quick to echo her companion’s enthusiasm. Presently, after walking in silence for a few minutes, he asked her:

“How would you like to earn your own living, Letitia?”

This was rather an unexpected problem to solve, but Letitia had no doubts on the subject, and answered promptly:

“I wouldn’t like it at all.”

“But there are lots of women who have to—women like you, who have had everything they wanted, and been well taken care of, and then their parents—relations—guardians lose their money, and they have to work.”