a girl of the limberlost-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



a　large；　wide；　drooping…brimmed　black　hat；　with　immense

floating　black　plumes；　while　on　the　brim；　and　among　the

laces　on　her　breast　glowed　velvety；　deep　red　roses。　

Some　way　these　made　up　for　the　lack　of　colour　in　her　cheeks

and　lips；　and　while　her　eyes　seemed　unnaturally　bright；

to　a　close　observer　they　appeared　weary。　　Despite　the

effort　she　made　to　move　lightly　she　was　very　tired；

and　dragged　her　heavy　feet　with　an　effort。



She　turned　at　the　little　street　leading　to　the　dock；　and

went　to　meet　the　big　lake　steamer　ploughing　up　the　Straits

from　Chicago。　　Past　the　landing　place；　on　to　the　very　end

of　the　pier　she　went；　then　sat　down；　leaned　against　a　dock

support　and　closed　her　tired　eyes。　　When　the　steamer

came　very　close　she　languidly　watched　the　people　lining

the　railing。　　Instantly　she　marked　one　lean　anxious　face

turned　toward　hers；　and　with　a　throb　of　pity　she　lifted　a

hand　and　waved　to　Hart　Henderson。　　He　was　the　first

man　to　leave　the　boat；　coming　to　her　instantly。　　She　spread

her　trailing　skirts　and　motioned　him　to　sit　beside　her。　

Silently　they　looked　across　the　softly　lapping　water。　

At　last　she　forced　herself　to　speak　to　him。



〃Did　you　have　a　successful　trip？〃



〃I　accomplished　my　purpose。〃



〃You　didn't　lose　any　time　getting　back。〃



〃I　never　do　when　I　am　coming　to　you。〃



〃Do　you　want　to　go　to　the　cottage　for　anything？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　let　us　sit　here　and　wait　until　the　Petoskey

steamer　comes　in。　　I　like　to　watch　the　boats。　

Sometimes　I　study　the　faces；　if　I　am　not　too　tired。〃



〃Have　you　seen　any　new　types　to…day？〃



She　shook　her　head。　　〃This　has　not　been　an　easy　day；　Hart。〃



〃And　it's　going　to　be　worse；〃　said　Henderson　bitterly。　

〃There's　no　use　putting　it　off。　　Edith；　I　saw　some　one　to…day。〃



〃You　should　have　seen　thousands；〃　she　said　lightly。



〃I　did。　　But　of　them　all；　only　one　will　be　of　interest　to　you。〃



〃Man　or　woman？〃



〃Man。〃



〃Where？〃



〃Lake　Shore　private　hospital。〃



〃An　accident？〃



〃No。　　Nervous　and　physical　breakdown。〃



〃Phil　said　he　was　going　back　to　the　Limberlost。〃



〃He　went。　　He　was　there　three　weeks；　but　the　strain

broke　him。　　He　has　an　old　letter　in　his　hands　that　he　has

handled　until　it　is　ragged。　　He　held　it　up　to　me　and　said：　

〃You　can　see　for　yourself　that　she　says　she　will　be　well　and

happy；　but　we　can't　know　until　we　see　her　again；　and　that

may　never　be。　　She　may　have　gone　too　near　that　place　her

father　went　down；　some　of　that　Limberlost　gang　may　have

found　her　in　the　forest；　she　may　lie　dead　in　some　city

morgue　this　instant；　waiting　for　me　to　find　her　body。〃



〃Hart！　　For　pity　sake　stop！〃



〃I　can't；〃　cried　Henderson　desperately。　　〃I　am　forced

to　tell　you。　　They　are　fighting　brain　fever。　　He　did　go

back　to　the　swamp　and　he　prowled　it　night　and　day。　

The　days　down　there　are　hot　now；　and　the　nights　wet　with

dew　and　cold。　　He　paid　no　attention　and　forgot　his　food。　

A　fever　started　and　his　uncle　brought　him　home。　

They've　never　had　a　word　from　her；　or　found　a　trace

of　her。　　Mrs。　Comstock　thought　she　had　gone　to　O'Mores'　at

Great　Rapids；　so　when　Phil　broke　down　she　telegraphed　there。　

They　had　been　gone　all　summer；　so　her　mother　is　as　anxious　as　Phil。〃



〃The　O'Mores　are　here；〃　said　Edith。　　〃I　haven't　seen

any　of　them；　because　I　haven't　gone　out　much　in　the

few　days　since　we　came；　but　this　is　their　summer　home。〃



〃Edith；　they　say　at　the　hospital　that　it　will　take　careful

nursing　to　save　Phil。　　He　is　surrounded　by　stacks　of

maps　and　railroad　guides。　　He　is　trying　to　frame　up　a　plan

to　set　the　entire　detective　agency　of　the　country　to　work。　

He　says　he　will　stay　there　just　two　days　longer。　　The　doctors

say　he　will　kill　himself　when　he　goes。　　He　is　a　sick

man；　Edith。　　His　hands　are　burning　and　shaky　and　his

breath　was　hot　against　my　face。〃



〃Why　are　you　telling　me？〃　　It　was　a　cry　of　acute　anguish。



〃He　thinks　you　know　where　she　is。〃



〃I　do　not！　　I　haven't　an　idea！　　I　never　dreamed　she

would　go　away　when　she　had　him　in　her　hand！　　I　should

not　have　done　it！〃



〃He　said　it　was　something　you　said　to　her　that　made　her　go。〃



〃That　may　be；　but　it　doesn't　prove　that　I　know　where

she　went。〃



Henderson　looked　across　the　water　and　suffered　keenly。　　At　last

he　turned　to　Edith　and　laid　a　firm；　strong　hand　over　hers。



〃Edith；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　realize　how　serious　this　is？〃



〃I　suppose　I　do。〃



〃Do　you　want　as　fine　a　fellow　as　Philip　driven　any　further？　

If　he　leaves　that　hospital　now；　and　goes　out　to　the

exposure　and　anxiety　of　a　search　for　her；　there　will　be　a

tragedy　that　no　after　regrets　can　avert。　　Edith；　what　did

you　say　to　Miss　Comstock　that　made　her　run　away　from　Phil？〃



The　girl　turned　her　face　from　him　and　sat　still；　but　the

man　gripping　her　hands　and　waiting　in　agony　could　see　that

she　was　shaken　by　the　jolting　of　the　heart　in　her　breast。



〃Edith；　what　did　you　say？〃



〃What　difference　can　it　make？〃



〃It　might　furnish　some　clue　to　her　action。〃



〃It　could　not　possibly。〃



〃Phil　thinks　so。　　He　has　thought　so　until　his　brain　is

worn　enough　to　give　way。　　Tell　me；　Edith！〃



〃I　told　her　Phil　was　mine！　　That　if　he　were　away　from

her　an　hour　and　back　in　my　presence；　he　would　be　to　me　as

he　always　has　been。〃



〃Edith；　did　you　believe　that？〃



〃I　would　have　staked　my　life；　my　soul　on　it！〃



〃Do　you　believe　it　now？〃



There　was　no　answer。　　Henderson　took　her　other　hand　and

holding　both　of　them　firmly　he　said　softly：　　〃Don't　mind

me；　dear。　　I　don't　count！　　I'm　just　old　Hart！　　You　can

tell　me　anything。　　Do　you　still　believe　that？〃



The　beautiful　head　barely　moved　in　negation。　

Henderson　gathered　both　her　hands　in　one　of　his　and　stretched

an　arm　across　her　shoulders　to　the　post　to　support　her。　

She　dragged　her　hands　from　him　and　twisted　them　together。



〃Oh；　Hart！〃　she　cried。　　〃It　isn't　fair！　　There　is

a　limit！　　I　have　suffered　my　share。　　Can't　you　see？　

Can't　you　understand？〃



〃Yes；〃　he　panted。　　〃Yes；　my　girl！　　Tell　me　just　this

one　thing　yet；　and　I'll　cheerfully　kill　any　one　who　annoys

you　further。　　Tell　me；　Edith！〃



Then　she　lifted　her　big；　dull；　pain…filled　eyes　to　his　and

cried：　　〃No！　I　do　not　believe　it　now！　　I　know　it　is　not　true！　

I　killed　his　love　for　me。　　It　is　dead　and　gone　forever。　

Nothing　will　revive　it！　　Nothing　in　all　this　world。　

And　that　is　not　all。　　I　did　not　know　how　to　touch　the

depths　of　his　nature。　　I　never　developed　in　him　those

things　he　was　made　to　enjoy。　　He　admired　me。　　He　was

proud　to　be　with　me。　　He　thought；　and　I　thought；　that　he

worshipped　me；　but　I　know　now　that　he　never　did　care　for

me　as　he　cares　for　her。　　Never！　　I　can　see　it！　　I　planned　to

lead　society；　to　make　his　home　a　place　sought　for　my

beauty　and　popularity。　　She　plans　to　advance　his　political

ambitions；　to　make　him　comfortable　physically；　to　stimulate

his　intellect；　to　bear　him　a　brood　of　red…faced　children。　

He　likes　her　and　her　plans　as　he　never　did　me　and　mine。　

Oh；　my　soul！　　Now；　are　you　satisfied？〃



She　dropped　back　against　his　arm　exhausted。　

Henderson　held　her　and　learned　what　suffering

truly　means。　　He　fanned　her　with　his　hat；　rubbed

her　cold　hands　and　murmured　broken；　incoherent　things。　

By　and　by　slow　tears　slipped　from　under　her　closed　lids；

but　when　she　opened　them　her　eyes　were　dull　and　hard。



〃What　a　rag　one　is　when　the　last　secret　of　the　soul　is

torn　out　and　laid　bare！〃　she　cried。



Henderson　thrust　his　handkerchief　into　her　fingers　and

whispered；　〃Edith；　the　boat　has　been　creeping　up。　

It's　very　close。　　Maybe　some　of　our　crowd　are　on　it。　

Hadn't　we　better　slip　away　from　here　before　it　lands？〃



〃If　I　can　walk；〃　she　said。　　〃Oh；　I　am　so　dead　tired；　Hart！



〃Yes；　dear；〃　said　Henderson　soothingly。　　〃Just　try　to

pass　the　landing　before　the　boat　anchors。　　If　I　only　dared

carry　you！〃



They　struggled　through　the　waiting　masses；　but　directly

opposite　the　landing　there　was　a　backward　movement　in

the　happy；　laughing　crowd；　the　gang…plank　came　down

with　a　slam；　and　people　began　hurrying　from　the　boat。　

Crowded　against　the　fish　house　on　the　dock；　Henderson

could　only　advance　a　few　steps　at　a　time。　　He　was　straining

every　nerve　to　protect　and　assist　Edith。　　He　saw　no

one　he　recognized　near　them；　so　he　slipped　his　arm　across

her　back　to　help　support　her。　　He　felt　her　stiffen　against

him　and　catch　her　breath。　　At　the　same　instant；　the

clearest；　sweetest　male　voice　he　ever　had　heard　called：　

〃Be　careful　there；　little　men！〃



Henderson　sent　a　swift　glance　toward　the　boat。　　Terence　O'More

had　stepped　from　the　gang…plank；　leading　a　little　daughter；

so　like　him；　it　was　comical。　　There　followed　a　picture　not

easy　to　describe。　　The　Angel　in　the　full　flower　of　her

beauty；　richly　dressed；　a　laugh　on　her　cameo　face；　the

setting　sun　glinting　on　her　gold　hair；　escorted　by　her

eldest　son；　who　held　her　hand　tightly　and　carefully　watched

her　steps。　　Next　came　Elnora；　dressed　with　equal　richness；

a　trifle　taller　and　slenderer；　almost　the　same　type　of

colouring；　but　with　different　eyes　and　hair；　facial　lines

and　expression。　　She　was　led　by　the　second　O'More　boy

who　convulsed　the　crowd　by　saying：　　〃Tareful；　Elnora！　

Don't　'oo　be　'teppin'　in　de　water！〃



People　surged　around　them；　purposely　closing　them　in。



〃What　lovely　women！　　Who　are　they？　　It's　the　O'Mores。　

The　lightest　one　is　his　wife。　　Is　that　her　sister？　

No；　it　is　his！　　They　say　he　has　a　title　in　England。〃



Whispers　ran　fast　and　audible。　　As　the　crowd　pressed

around　the　party　an　opening　was　left　beside　the　fish　sheds。　

Edith　ran　down　the　dock。　　Henderson　sprang　after　her；

catching　her　arm　and　assisting　her　to　the　street。



〃Up　the　shore！　　This　way！〃　she　panted。　　〃Every　one

will　go　to　dinner　the　first　thing　they　do。〃



They　left　the　street　and　started　around　the　beach；　but

Edith　was　breathless　from　running；　while　the　yielding　sand

made　difficult　walking。



〃Help　me！〃　she　cried；　clinging　to　Henderson。　　He　put

his　arm　around　her；　almost　carrying　her　from　sight　into　a

little　cove　walled　by　high　rocks　at　the　back；　while　there

was　a　clean　floor　of　white　sand；　and　logs　washed　from　the

lake　for　seats。　　He　found　one　of　these　with　a　back　rest；

and　hurrying　down　to　the　water　he　soaked　his　handkerchief

and　carried　it　to　her。　　She　passed　it　across　her　lips；

over　her　eyes；　and　then　pressed　the　palms　of　her　hands

upon　it。　　Henderson　removed　the　heavy　hat；　fanned　her

with　his；　and　wet　the　handkerchief　again。



〃Hart；　what　makes　you？〃　she　said　wearily。　　〃My　mother

doesn't　care。　　She　says　this　is　good　for　me。　　Do　you

think　this　is　good　for　me；　Hart？〃



〃Edith；　you　know　I　would　give　my　life　if　I　could　save

you　this；〃　he　said；　and　could　not　speak　further。



She　leaned　against　him；　closed　her　eyes　and　lay　silent　so

long　the　man　fell　into　panic。



〃