Before they started, Milt had the chance to say to her, "I'm getting so
I can handle Pinky now. Have to. Thinking of getting hold of his
gold-mine. I just give him the eye, as your friend Mr. Saxton would, and
he gets so meek----"
"But don't! Please understand me, Milt; I do admire Mr. Saxton; he is
fine and capable, and really generous; only---- He may be just a bit
snippish at times, while you--you're a playmate--father's and
mine--and---- I did face that landlady, didn't I! I'm not soft and
trivial, am I! Praise!"
* * * * * She had driven through the panhandle of Idaho into Washington, through
Spokane, through the writhing lava deposits of Moses Coulee where fruit
trees grow on volcanic ash. Beyond Wenatchee, with its rows of apple
trees striping the climbing fields like corduroy in folds, she had come
to the famous climb of Blewett Pass. Once over that pass, and
Snoqualmie, she would romp into Seattle.
She was sorry that she hadn't come to know Milt better, but perhaps she
would see him in Seattle.
Not adventure alone was she finding, but high intellectual benefit in
studying the names of towns in the state of Washington. Not Kankakee nor
Kalamazoo nor Oshkosh can rival the picturesque fancy of Washington, and
Claire combined the town-names in a lyric so emotion-stirring that it
ought, perhaps, to be the national anthem. It ran: Humptulips, Tum Tum, Moclips, Yelm,
Satsop, Bucoda, Omak, Enumclaw,
Tillicum, Bossburg, Chettlo, Chattaroy,
Zillah, Selah, Cowiche, Keechelus,
Bluestem, Bluelight, Onion Creek, Sockeye,
Antwine, Chopaka, Startup, Kapowsin,
Skamokawa, Sixprong, Pysht!
Klickitat, Kittitas, Spangle, Cedonia,
Pe Ell, Cle Elum, Sallal, Chimacum,
Index, Taholah, Synarep, Puyallup,
Wallula, Wawawai, Wauconda, Washougal,
Walla Walla, Washtucna, Wahluke,
Solkulk, Newaukum, Wahkiakus,
Penawawa, Ohop, Ladd!
Harrah, Olalla, Umtanum, Chuckanut,
Soap Lake, Loon Lake, Addy, Ace, Usk,
Chillowist, Moxee City, Yellepit, Cashup,
Moonax, Mabton, Tolt, Mukilteo,
Poulsbo, Toppenish, Whetstone, Inchelium,
Fishtrap, Carnation, Shine, Monte Cristo,
Conconully, Roza, Maud!
China Bend, Zumwalt, Sapolil, Riffle,
Touchet, Chesaw, Chew, Klum, Bly,
Humorist, Hammer, Nooksack, Oso,
Samamish, Dusty, Tiger, Turk, Dot,
Scenic, Tekoa, Nellita, Attalia,
Steilacoom, Tweedle, Ruff, Lisabeula,
Latah, Peola, Towal, Eltopia,
Steptoe, Pluvius, Sol Duc, Twisp!
"And then," complained Claire, "they talk about Amy Lowell! I leave it
to you, Henry B., if any union poet has ever written as gay a refrain as
'Ohop Ladd'!"
She was not merely playing mental whist. She was trying to keep from
worry. All the way she had heard of Blewett Pass; its fourteen miles of
climbing, and the last half mile of stern pitch. On this eastern side of
the pass, the new road was not open; there was a tortuous,
flint-scattered trail, too narrow, in most places, for the passing of
other cars. Claire was glad that Milt and Pinky were near her.