the woman-haters-第29节

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〃But　what　is　it？　　It　is　bad　news。　　Can't　I　help　you？　　Please　let　me；
if　I　can。　　II'd　like　to。〃

She　looked　at　him　strangely；　and　then　turned　away。　　〃I　guess　nobody
can　help　me；〃　she　answered。　　〃Least　of　all；　you。〃

〃Why　not？　　I'd　like　to；　honest；　I　would。　　If　it's　about　that　house
business　maybe　I〃

〃It　ain't〃

〃Then　what　is　it？　　Please；　Emeline。　　I　know　you　don't　think　much　of
me。　　Maybe　you've　got　good　reasons；　I'm　past　the　place　where　I'd
deny　that。　　II've　been　feelin'　meaner'n　meaner　every　day　lately。
II　don't　know's　I　done　right　in　runnin'　off　and　leavin'　you　the
way　I　did。　　Don't　you　s'pose　you　could　give　me　another　chance？
Emeline；　I〃

〃Seth　Bascom；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Just　what　I　say。　　Emeline；　you　and　me　was　mighty　happy　together
once。　　Let's　try　it　again。　　I　will；　if　you　will。〃

She　was　staring　at　him　in　good　earnest　now。

〃Why；　Seth！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　are　you　talkin'　about？　　Youthe
chronic　woman…hater！〃

〃That　be　blessed！　　I　wa'n't　really　a　woman…hater。　　I　only　thought　I
was。　　Andand　I　never　hated　you。　　Right　through　the　worst　of　it　I
never　did。　　Let's　try　it　again；　Emeline。　　You're　in　trouble。　　You
need　somebody　to　help　you。　　Give　me　the　chance。〃

There　was　a　wistful　look　in　her　eyes；　she　seemed；　or　so　he　thought；
to　be　wavering。　　But　she　shook　her　head。　　〃I　was　in　trouble　before；
Seth；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　didn't　help　me　then。　　You　run　off　and　left
me。〃

〃You　just　as　much　as　told　me　to　go。　　You　know　you　did。〃

〃No；　I　didn't。〃

〃Well；　you　didn't　tell　me　to　stay。〃

〃It　never　seemed　to　me　that　a　husbandif　he　was　a　manwould　need
to　be　coaxed　to　stay　by　his　wife。〃

〃But　don't　you　care　about　me　at　all？　　You　used　to；　I　know　it。　　And　I
always　cared　for　you。　　What　is　it？　　Honest；　Emeline；　you　never　took
any　stock　in　that　Sarah　Ann　Christy　doin's；　you　know　you　didn't；
now；　did　you？〃

She　was　close　to　tears；　but　she　smiled　in　spite　of　them。

〃Well；　no；　Seth；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　will　confess　that　Sarah　Ann
never　worried　me　much。〃

〃Then　DON'T　you　care　for　me；　Emeline？〃

〃I　care　for　you　much　as　I　ever　did。　　I　never　stopped　carin'　for　you；
fool　that　I　am。　　But　as　for　livin'　with　you　again　and　runnin'　the
risk　of〃

〃You　won't　run　any　risk。　　You　say　I've　improved；　yourself。　　Your
principal　fault　with　me　was；　as　I　understand　it；　that　I　was　too
toosomethin'　or　other。　　That　I　wa'n't　man　enough。　　By　jiminy
crimps；　I'll　show　you　that　I'm　a　man！　　Give　me　the　chance；　and
nothin'　nor　nobody　can　make　me　leave　you　again。　　Besides；　there's
nobody　to　come　between　us　now。　　We　was　all　right　until　thatthat
Bennie　D。　came　along。　　He　was　the　one　that　took　the　starch　out　of
me。　　Now　he's　out　of　the　way。　　HE　won't　bother　us　any　more　and　。　。　。
Why；　what　is　it；　Emeline？〃

For　she　was　looking　at　him　with　an　expression　even　more　strange。
And　again　she　shook　her　head。

〃I　guess；〃　she　began；　and　was　interrupted　by　the　jingle　of　the
telephone　bell。

The　instrument　was　fastened　to　the　kitchen　wall；　and　the　lightkeeper
hastened　to　answer　the　ring。

〃Testin'　the　wire　after　the　storm；　most　likely；〃　he　explained；
taking　the　receiver　from　the　hook。　　〃Hello！　。　。　。　　Hello！　。　。　。
Yep；　this　is　Eastboro　Lights。　。　。　。　　I'm　the　lightkeeper；　yes。　。　。　。
Hey？　。　。　。　　Miss　Graham？　。　　。　。　　Right　next　door。　。　。　。　　Yes。　。　。　。
WHO？〃　　Then；　turning　to　his　companion；　he　said　in　an　astonished
voice：　〃It's　somebody　wants　to　talk　with　you；　Emeline。〃

〃With　ME？〃　　Mrs。　Bascom　could　hardly　believe　it。　　〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃So　they　say。　　Asked　me　if　I　could　get　you　to　the　'phone　without　any
trouble。　　She's　right　here　now；〃　he　added；　speaking　into　the
transmitter。　　〃I'll　call　her。〃

The　housekeeper　wonderingly　took　the　receiver　from　his　hand。

〃Hello！〃　she　began。　　〃Yes；　this　is　Mrs。　Bascom。　。　。　。　　Who？　。　。　。
What？　。　　。　。　　OH！〃

The　last　exclamation　was　almost　a　gasp；　but　Seth　did　not　hear　it。
As　she　stepped　forward　to　the　'phone　she　had　dropped　her　letter。
Atkins　went　over　and　picked　it　up。　　It　lay　face　downward　on　the
floor；　and　the　last　page；　with　the　final　sentence　and　signature；　was
uppermost。　　He　could　not　help　seeing　it。　　〃So　we　shall　soon　be
together　as　of　old。　　Your　loving　brother；　Benjamin。〃

When　Mrs。　Bascom　turned　away　from　the　'phone　after　a　rather
protracted　conversation　she　looked　more　troubled　than　ever。　　But
Seth　was　not　looking　at　her。　　He　sat　in　the　rocking…chair　and　did
not　move　nor　raise　his　head。　　She　waited　for　him　to　speak；　but　he
did　not。

〃Well；〃　she　said　with　a　sigh；　〃I　guess　I　must　go。　　Good…by；　Seth。〃

The　lightkeeper　slowly　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Emeline；〃　he　stammered；
〃you　ain't　goin'　without〃

He　stopped　without　finishing　the　sentence。　　She　waited　a　moment　and
then　finished　it　for　him。

〃I'll　answer　your　question；　if　that's　what　you　mean；〃　she　said。
〃And　the　answer　is　no。　　All　things　considered；　I　guess　that's　best。〃

〃But　Emeline；　II〃

〃Good…by；　Seth。〃

〃Sha'n't　I；〃　desperately；　〃sha'n't　I　see　you　again？〃

〃I　expect　to　be　around　here　for　another　day　or　so。　　But　I　can't　see
anythin'　to　be　gained　by　our　meetin'。　　Good…by。〃

Taking　her　letter　and　those　addressed　to　Miss　Graham　from　the　table
she　went　out　of　the　kitchen。　　Seth　followed　her　as　far　as　the　door；
then　turned　and　collapsed　in　the　rocking…chair。


CHAPTER　XIII

〃JOHN　BROWN〃　CHANGES　HIS　NAME


〃So　we　shall　soon　be　together　again　as　of　old。　　Your　loving　brother；
Benjamin。〃

The　sentence　which　had　met　his　eyes　as　he　picked　up　the　note　which
his　caller　had　dropped　was　still　before　them；　burned　into　his
memory。　　Benjamin！　　〃Bennie　D。〃！　the　loathed　and　feared　and　hated
Bennie　D。；　cause　of　all　the　Bascom　matrimonial　heartbreaks；　had
written　to　say　that　he　and　his　sister…in…law　were　soon　to　be
together　as　they　used　to　be。　　That　meant　that　there　had　been　no
quarrel；　but　merely　a　temporary　separation。　　That　she　and　he　were
still　friendly。　　That　they　had　been　in　correspondence　and　that　the
〃inventor〃　was　coming　back　to　take　his　old　place　as　autocrat　in　the
household　with　all　his　old　influence　over　Emeline。　　Seth's　new…found
courage　and　manhood　had　vanished　at　the　thought。　　Bennie　D。's　name
had　scarcely　been　mentioned　during　the　various　interviews　between
the　lightkeeper　and　his　wife。　　She　had　said　her　first　husband's
brother　had　been　in　New　York　for　two　years；　and　her　manner　of　saying
it　led　Seth　to　imagine　a　permanent　separation　following　some　sort　of
disagreement。　　And　now！　and　now！　　He　remembered　Bennie　D。's　superior
airs；　his　polite　sneers；　his　way　of　turning　every　trick　to　his
advantage　and　of　perverting　and　misrepresenting　his；　Seth's；　most
innocent　speech　and　action　into　crimes　of　the　first　magnitude。　　He
remembered　the　meaning　of　those　last　few　months　in　the　Cape　Ann
homestead。　　All　his　fiery　determination　to　be　what　he　had　once　been
Seth　Bascom；　the　self…respecting　man　and　husbandcollapsed　and
vanished。　　He　groaned　in　abject　surrender。　　He　could　not　go　through
it　again；　he　was　afraid。　　Of　any　other　person　on　earth　he　would　not
have　been；　but　the　unexpected　resurrection　of　Bennie　D。　made　him　a
hesitating　coward。　　Therefore　he　was　silent　when　his　wife　left　him；
and　he　realized　that　his　opportunity　was　gone；　gone　forever。

In　utter　misery　and　self…hatred　he　sat；　with　his　head　in　his　hands；
beside　the　kitchen　table　until　eleven　o'clock。　　Then　he　rose；　got
dinner；　and　called　Brown　to　eat　it。　　He　ate　nothing　himself；　saying
that　he'd　lost　his　appetite　somehow　or　other。　　After　the　meal　he
harnessed　Joshua　to　the　little　wagon　and　started　on　his　drive　to
Eastboro。　　〃I'll　be　back　early；　I　cal'late；〃　were　his　last　words　as
he　drove　out　of　the　yard。

After　he　had　gone；　and　Brown　had　finished　clearing　away　and　the
other　housekeeping　tasks　which　were　now　such　a　burden；　the
substitute　assistant　went　out　to　sit　on　the　bench　and　smoke。　　The
threatened　easterly　wind　had　begun　to　blow；　and　the　sky　was　dark
with　tumbling　clouds。　　The　young　man　paid　little　attention　to　the
weather；　however。　　All　skies　were　gloomy　so　far　as　he　was　concerned；
and　the　darkest　day　was　no　blacker　than　his　thoughts。　　Occasionally
he　glanced　at　the　bungalow；　and　on　one　such　occasion　was　surprised
to　see　a　carriage；　one　of　the　turnouts　supplied　by　the　Eastboro
livery　stable；　roll　up　to　its　door　and　Mrs。　Bascom；　the　housekeeper；
emerge；　climb　to　the　seat　beside　the　driver；　and　be　driven　away　in
the　direction　of　the　village。　　He　idly　wondered　where　she　was　going；
but　was　not　particularly　interested。　　When；　a　half　hour　later；　Ruth
Graham　left　the　bungalow　and　strolled　off　along　the　path　at　the　top
of　the　bluff；　he　was　very　much　interested　indeed。　　He　realized；　as
he　had　been　realizing　for　weeks；　that　he　was　more　interested　in　that
young　woman　than　in　anything　else　on　earth。　　Also；　that　he　had　no
rightmiserable　outcast　that　he　wasto　be　interested　in　her；　and
certainly　it　would　be　the　wildest　insanity　to　imagine　that　she　could
be　interested　in　him。

For　what　the　lightkeeper　might　say　or　do；　in　the　event　of　his　secret
being　discovered；　he　did　not　care　in　the　least。　　He　was　long　past
that　point。　　And　for　the　breaking　of　their　solemn　compact　he　did　not
care　either。　　Seth　might　or　might　not　have　played　the　traitor；　that；
too；　was　a　matter　of　no　importance。　　Seth