the woman-haters-第22节

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！


few　things！

He　stepped　across　the　threshold。

〃Ma'am；〃　he　began；　sharply；　〃perhaps　you'll　tell　me　what　you〃

He　stopped。　　The　stout　woman　had；　at　the　sound　of　his　step；　risen
from　the　chair；　and　turned　to　face　him。　　And　now　she　was　staring　at
him；　her　face　almost　as　white　as　the　stone…china　cups　and　saucers　on
the　table。

〃Why　。　。　。　why　。　。　。　SETH！〃　she　gasped。

The　lightkeeper　staggered　back　until　his　shoulders　struck　the
doorpost。

〃Good　Lord！〃　he　cried；　〃good　。　。　。　LORD！　　WhywhyEMELINE！〃

For　over　a　minute　the　pair　stared　at　each　other；　white　and
speechless。　　Then　Mrs。　Bascom　hurried　to　the　door；　darted　out；　and
fled　along　the　path　around　the　cove　to　the　bungalow。　　Atkins　did　not
follow　her；　he　did　not　even　look　in　the　direction　she　had　taken。
Instead；　he　collapsed　in　the　rocking…chair　and　put　both　hands　to　his
head。


CHAPTER　X

THE　BUNGALOW　WOMAN


When；　an　hour　later；　the　swimming　teacher；　his　guilty　conscience
pricking　him；　and　the　knowledge　of　having　been　false　to　his　superior
strong　within　him；　came　sneaking　into　the　kitchen；　he　was　startled
and　horrified　to　find　the　lightkeeper　awake　and　dressed。　　Mentally
he　braced　himself　for　the　battery　of　embarrassing　questions　which；
he　felt　sure；　he　should　have　to　answer。　　It　might　be　that　he　must
face　something　more　serious　than　questions。　　Quite　possible　Seth；
finding　him　absent；　had　investigatedand　seen。　　Well；　if　he　had；
then　he　had；　that　was　all。　　The　murder　would　be　out；　and　Eastboro
Twin…Lights　would　shortly　be　shy　a　substitute　assistant　keeper。

But　there　were　no　embarrassing　questions。　　Atkins　scarcely　noticed
him。　　Seated　in　the　rocker；　he　looked　up　as　the　young　man　entered；
and　immediately　looked　down　again。　　He　seemed　to　be　in　a　sort　of
waking　dream　and　only　dimly　conscious　of　happenings　about　him。

〃Hello！〃　hailed　the　assistant；　with　an　assumption　of　casual
cheerfulness。

〃Hey？　　Oh！　how　be　you？〃　was　Mr。　Atkins's　reply。

〃I've　been　for　my　dip；〃　explained　Brown。　　〃The　water　was　fine　to…day。〃

〃Want　to　know！〃

〃You're　up　early；　aren't　you？〃

〃Hey？　　Yes；　I　guess　likely　I　be。〃

〃What's　wrong？　　Not　sick；　are　you？〃

〃No。　　Course　I　ain't　sick。　　Say！〃　　Seth　seemed　to　take　a　sudden
interest　in　the　conversation；　〃you　come　straight　up　from　the　cove；
have　you？〃

〃Yes。　　Why？〃

〃You　ain't　been　hangin'　around　outside　here；　have　you？〃

〃Hanging　around　outside？　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Nothin'。　　Why　do　you　stand　there　starin'　at　me　as　if　I　was　some
sort　of　dime　show　curiosity？　　Anything　queer　about　me？〃

〃No。　　I　didn't　know　I　was　staring。〃　　The　young　man　was　bewildered　by
this　strange　behavior。　　He　was　prepared　for　suspicion　concerning　his
own　actions；　but　Seth　seemed　rather　to　be　defending　himself　from
suspicion　on　the　part　of　his　helper。

〃Humph！〃　　The　lightkeeper　looked　keenly　at　him　for　a　moment。　　Then
he　said：

〃Well；　ain't　there　nothin'　to　do　but　stand　around？　　Gettin'　pretty
nigh　to　supper　time；　ain't　it？　　Put　the　kettle　on　and　set　the　table。〃

It　was　not　supper　time；　but　Brown　obeyed　orders。　　Seth　went　to
cooking。　　He　spoke　perhaps　three　words　during　the　culinary
operations；　and　a　half　dozen　more　during　the　meal；　of　which　he　ate
scarcely　a　mouthful。　　After　it　was　over；　he　put　on　his　cap　and　went
out；　not　to　his　usual　lounging　spot；　the　bench；　but　to　walk　a　full
half　mile　along　the　edge　of　the　bluff　and　there　sit　in　the　seclusion
of　a　clump　of　bayberry　bushes　and　gaze　stonily　at　nothing　in
particular。　　Here　he　remained　until　the　deepening　dusk　reminded　him
that　it　was　time　the　lights　were　burning。　　Returning；　he　lit　the
lanterns　and　sat　down　in　the　room　at　the　top　of　the　left…hand　tower
to　think；　and　think；　and　think。

The　shadows　deepened；　the　last　flush　of　twilight　faded　from　the
western　sky；　the　stars　came　out；　night　and　the　black　silence　of
night　shrouded　Eastboro　Twin…Lights。　　The　clock　in　the　tower　room
ticked　on　to　nine　and　then　to　ten。　　Still　Seth　sat；　a　huddled；　dazed
figure　in　the　camp　chair；　by　the　great　lantern。　　At　last　he　rose　and
went　out　on　the　iron　balcony。　　He　looked　down　at　the　buildings　below
him；　they　were　black　shapes　without　a　glimmer。　　Brown　had　evidently
gone　to　bed。　　In　the　little　stable　Joshua　thumped　the　side　of　his
stall　once　or　twicedreaming；　perhaps；　that　he　was　again　pursued　by
the　fly…papered　Joband　subsided。　　Atkins　turned　his　gaze　across
the　inlet。　　In　the　rear　window　of　the　bungalow　a　dim　light　still
burned。　　As　he　watched；　it　was　extinguished。　　He　groaned　aloud；　and；
with　his　arms　on　the　railing；　thought　and　thought。

Suddenly　he　heard　sounds；　faint；　but　perceptible；　above　the　low
grumble　of　the　surf。　　They　were　repeated；　the　sounds　of　breaking
sticks；　as　if　some　one　was　moving　through　the　briers　and　bushes
beyond　the　stable。　　Some　one　was　moving　there；　coming　along　the　path
from　the　upper　end　of　the　cove。　　Around　the　corner　of　the　stable　a
bulky　figure　appeared。　　It　came　on　until　it　stood　beneath　the
balcony。

〃Seth；〃　called　a　low　voice；　〃Seth；　are　you　there？〃

For　a　moment　the　agitated　lightkeeper　could　not　trust　his　voice　to
answer。

〃Seth；〃　repeated　the　voice；　〃Seth。〃

The　figure　was　moving　off　in　the　direction　of　the　other　tower。　　Then
Seth　answered。

〃Herehere　I　be；〃　he　stammered；　in　a　hoarse　whisper。　　〃Who　is　it？〃

He　knew　who　it　was；　perfectly　well；　the　question　was　quite
superfluous。

〃It's　me；〃　said　the　voice。　　〃Let　me　in；　I've　got　to　talk　to　you。〃

Slowly；　scarcely　certain　that　this　was　not　a　part　of　some　dreadful
nightmare；　Seth　descended　the　iron　ladder　to　the　foot　of　the　tower；
dragged　his　faltering　feet　to　the　door；　and　slowly　swung　it　open。
The　bulky　figure　entered　instantly。

〃Shut　the　door；〃　said　Mrs。　Bascom。

〃Hey？　　What？〃　stammered　Seth。

〃I　say；　shut　that　door。　　Hurry　up！　　Land　sakes；　HURRY！　　Do　you
suppose　I　want　anybody　to　know　I'm　here？〃

The　lightkeeper　closed　the　door。　　The　clang　reverberated　through　the
tower　like　distant　thunder。　　The　visitor　started　nervously。

〃Mercy！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃what　a　racket！　　What　made　you　slam　it？〃

〃Didn't；〃　grumbled　Seth。　　〃Any　kind　of　a　noise　sounds　up　in　here。〃

〃I　should　think　as　much。　　It's　enough　to　wake　the　dead。〃

〃Ain't　nobody　BUT　the　dead　to　wake　in　this　place。〃

〃Yes；　there　is；　there's　that　young　man　of　yours；　that　Brown　one。　　He
ain't　dead；　is　he？〃

〃Humph！　he's　asleep；　and　that's　next　door　to　deadwith　him。〃

〃Well；　I'm　glad　of　it。　　My　nerves　are　pretty　steady　as　a　general
thing；　but　I　declare　I'm　all　of　a　twitter　to…nightand　no　wonder。
It's　darker　than　a　pocket　in　here。　　Can't　we　have　a　light？〃

Atkins　stumbled　across　the　stone　floor　and　took　the　lantern　from　the
hook　by　the　stairs。　　He　struck　a　match；　and　it　went　out；　he　tried
another；　with　the　same　result。　　Mrs。　Bascom　fidgeted。

〃Mercy　on　us！〃　she　cried；　〃what　DOES　ail　the　thing？〃

Seth's　trembling　fingers　could　scarcely　hold　the　third　match。　　He
raked　it　across　the　whitewashed　wall　and　broke　the　head　short　off。

〃Thunder　to　mighty！〃　he　snarled；　under　his　breath。

〃But　what　DOES〃

〃What　does？　　What　do　you　s'pose？　　You　ain't　the　only　one　that's　got
nerves；　are　you？〃

The　next　trial　was　successful；　and　the　lantern　was　lighted。　　With　it
in　his　hand；　he　turned　and　faced　his　caller。　　They　looked　at　each
other。　　Mrs。　Bascom　drew　a　long　breath。

〃It　is　you；〃　she　said。　　〃I　couldn't　scarcely　believe　it。　　It　is
really　you。〃

Seth's　answer　was　almost　a　groan。　　〃It's　you；〃　he　said。　　〃Youdown
here。〃

This　ended　the　conversation　for　another　minute。　　Then　the　lady
seemed　to　awake　to　the　realities　of　the　situation。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃it's　meand　it's　you。　　We're　here；　both　of　us。
Though　why　on　earth　YOU　should　be；　I　don't　know。〃

〃Me？　　Me？　　Why；　I　belong　here。　　But　youwhat　in　time　sent　you　here？
Unless；〃　with　returning　suspicion；　〃you　came　because　I〃

He　paused；　warned　by　the　expression　on　his　caller's　face。

〃What　was　that？〃　she　demanded。

〃Nothin'。〃

〃Nothin'；　I　guess。　　If　you　was　flatterin'　yourself　with　the　idea
that　I　came　here　to　chase　after　you；　you　never　was　more　mistaken　in
your　life；　or　ever　will　be。　　You　set　down。　　You　and　I　have　got　to
talk。　　Set　right　down。〃

The　lightkeeper　hesitated。　　Then　he　obeyed　orders　by　seating　himself
on　an　oil　barrel　lying　on　its　side　near　the　wall。　　The　lantern　he
placed　on　the　floor　at　his　feet。　　Mrs。　Bascom　perched　on　one　of　the
lower　steps　of　the　iron　stairs。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃we've　got　to　talk。　　Seth　Bascom〃

Seth　started　violently。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　lady。　　〃Why　did　you　jump　like　that？　　Nobody
comin'；　is　there？〃

〃No。　　No　。　。　。　　But　I　couldn't　help　jumpin'　when　you　called　me　that
name。〃

〃That　name？　　It's　your　name；　isn't　it？　　Oh；〃　she　smiled　slightly；　〃I
remember　now。　　You've　taken　the　name　of　Atkins　since　we　saw　each
other　last。〃

〃I　didn't　take　it；　it　belonged　to　me。　　You　know　my　middle　name。　　I
just　dropped　the　Bascom；　that's　all。〃

〃I　see。　　Just　as　you　droppedsome　other　responsibilities。　　Why
didn't　you　drop　the　whole　christenin'　and　start　fresh？　　Why　did　you
hang　on　to　'Seth'？〃

The　lightkeeper　looked　guilty。　　Mrs。　Bascom's　smile　broadened。　　〃I
know；〃　she　went　on。　　〃You　didn't　really　like　to　drop　it　all。　　It　was
too　much　of　a　thing　to　do　on　your　hook；