the woman-haters-第34节

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〃Gosh！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃By　。　。　。　gosh！〃

〃What　are　you　b'goshin'　about？〃

〃SethI　don't　know　what　you'll　say　to　mebutbut　I　declare　I
forgot　all　about　your　horse。〃

〃You　FORGOT　about　him？〃

〃Yes。　　You　see　that　thing？〃　pointing　pathetically　at　the　auto。
〃Well；　sir；　that　pesky　thing's　breakin'　my　heartto　say　nothin'　of
my　back。　　I　got　it　apart　all　right；　no　trouble　about　that。　　And　by
good　rights　I've　got　it　together　again；　leastways　it　looks　so。　　Yet；
by　time；〃　in　distracted　agitation；　〃there's　a　half　bucket　of　bolts
and　nuts　and　odds　and　ends　that　ain't　in　it　yetleft　over；　you
might　say。　　And　I　can't　find　any　place　to　put　one　of　'em。　　Do　you
wonder　I　forget　trifles？〃

Trifles！　the　shoeing　of　Joshua　a　trifle！　　The　lightkeeper　had　been
suffering　for　an　opportunity　to　blow　off　steam；　and　the　opportunity
was　here。　　Benijah　withered　under　the　blast。

〃S…sh…sh！　sh…sh！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃Land　sakes；　Seth　Atkins；　stop　it！　　I
don't　blame　you　for　bein'　mad；　but　you　nor　nobody　else　sha'n't　talk
to　me　that　way。　　I'll　fix　your　horse　in　five　minutes。　　Yes；　sir；　in
five　minutes。　　Shut　up　now；　or　I　won't　do　it　at　all！〃

He　rushed　over　to　the　stall　in　the　rear　of　the　shop；　woke　Joshua
from　the　sweet　slumber　of　old　age；　and　led　him　to　the　halter　beside
the　forge。　　The　lightkeeper；　being　out　of　breath；　had　nothing
further　to　say　at　the　moment。

〃What's　the　matter　with　all　you　lighthouse　folks？〃　asked　Benijah；
anxious　to　change　the　subject。　　〃What's　possessed　the　whole　lot　of
you　to　come　to　the　village　at　one　time？　　Whoa；　boy；　stand　still！〃

〃The　whole　lot　of　us？〃　repeated　Seth。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Mean　I've　seen　two　of　you　at　least　this　afternoon。　　That　Bascom
woman；　housekeeper　at　the　Graham　bungalow　she　is；　went　past　here
twice。　　Fust　time　she　was　in　one　of　Snow's　livery　buggies；　Snow's
boy　drivin'　her。　　Then；　about　an　hour　ago；　she　went　by　again；　but
the　boy'd　gone；　and　there　was　another　feller　pilotin'　the　teama
stranger；　nobody　I　ever　see　afore。〃

Seth's　red　face　turned　pale。　　〃What？〃　he　cried。　　〃EmMrs。　Bascom
ridin'　with　a　stranger！　　What　sort　of　a　stranger？〃

〃Oh；　a　feller　somewheres　between　twenty　and　fifty。　　Smooth…faced
critter　with　a　checked　suit　and　a　straw　hat。　。　。　。　　What　on　earth's
the　matter　with　you　now？〃

For　the　lightkeeper　was　shaking　from　head　to　foot。

〃Diddidwhich　way　was　they　goin'？　　Back　to　the　Lights　oror
where？〃

〃No；　didn't　seem　to　be　goin'　to　the　Lights　at　all。　　They　went　on　the
other　road。　　Seemed　to　be　headin'　for　Denboro　if　they　kept　on　as
they　started。　。　。　。　　Seth　Atkins；　have　you　turned　loony？〃

Seth　did　not　answer。　　With　a　leap　he　landed　at　Joshua's　head；
unhooked　the　halter；　and　ran　out　of　the　shop　leading　the　horse。　　The
astonished　blacksmith　followed　as　far　as　the　door。　　Seth　was　backing
the　animal　into　his　wagon；　which　stood　beneath　the　shed。　　He
fastened　the　traces　with　trembling　fingers。

〃What　in　the　world　has　struck　you？〃　shouted　Ellis。　　〃Ain't　you　goin'
to　have　that　shoe　fixed？　　He　can't　travel　that　way。　　Seth！　　Seth
Atkins！　。　。　。　　By　time；　he　IS　crazy！〃

Seth　did　not　deny　the　charge。　　Climbing　into　the　wagon；　he　took　up
the　reins。

〃Are　you　sure　and　sartin'　'twas　the　Denboro　road　they　took？〃　he
demanded。

〃Who　took？　　That　feller　and　the　Bascom　woman？　　Course　I　am；　but　。　。　。
Well；　I　swan！〃

For　the　lightkeeper　waited　to　hear　no　more。　　He　struck　the
unsuspecting　Joshua　with　the　end　of　the　reins　and；　with　a　jump；　the
old　horse　started　forward。　　Another　moment；　and　the　lighthouse　wagon
was　splashing　and　rattling　through　the　pouring　rain　along　the　road
leading　to　Denboro。


CHAPTER　XV

THE　VOYAGE　OF　THE　DAISY　M。


Denboro　is　many　long　miles　from　Eastboro；　and　the　road；　even　in　the
best　of　weather；　is　not　a　good　one。　　It　winds　and　twists　and　climbs
and　descends　through　woods　and　over　hills。　　There　are　stretches　of
marshy　hollows　where　the　yellow　clay　needs　but　a　little　moistening
to　become　a　paste　which　sticks　to　wheels　and　hoofs　and　makes
traveling；　even　behind　a　young　and　spirited　horse；　a　disheartening
progress。

Joshua　was　neither　young　nor　spirited。　　And　the　weather　could　not
have　been　much　worse。　　The　three　days'　storm　had　soaked　everything；
and　the　clay…bottomed　puddles　were　near　kin　to　quicksands。　　As　the
lighthouse　wagon　descended　the　long　slope　at　the　southern　end　of　the
village　and　began　the　circle　of　the　inner　extremity　of　Eastboro　Back
Harbor；　Seth　realized　that　his　journey　was　to　be　a　hard　one。　　The
rain；　driven　by　the　northeast　wind；　came　off　the　water　in　blinding
gusts；　and　the　waves　in　the　harbor　were　tipped　with　white。　　Also；
although　the　tide　was　almost　at　its　lowest；　streaks　of　seaweed
across　the　road　showed　where　it　had　reached　that　forenoon；　and
prophesied　even　a　greater　flood　that　night。　　He　turned　his　head　and
gazed　up　the　harbor　to　where　it　narrowed　and　became　Pounddug　Slough。
In　the　Slough；　near　its　ocean　extremity；　his　old　schooner；　the　Daisy
M。；　lay　stranded。　　He　had　not　visited　her　for　a　week；　and　he
wondered　if　the　〃spell　of　weather〃　had　injured　her　to　any　extent。
This　speculation；　however；　was　but　momentary。　　The　Daisy　M。　must
look　out　for　herself。　　His　business　was　to　reach　Judge　Gould's；　in
Denboro；　before　Mrs。　Bascom　and　Bennie　D。　could　arrange　with　that
prominent　citizen　and　legal　light　for　the　threatened　divorce。

That　they　had　started　for　Judge　Gould's　he　did　not　doubt　for　a
moment。　　〃I　shall　seek　the　nearest　lawyer；〃　Bennie　D。　had　said。　　And
the　judge　was　the　nearest。　　They　must　be　going　there；　or　why　should
they　take　that　road？　　Neither　did　he　doubt　now　that　their　object　was
to　secure　the　divorce。　　How　divorces　were　secured；　or　how　long　it
took　to　get　one；　Seth　did　not　know。　　His　sole　knowledge　on　that
subject　was　derived　from　the　newspapers　and　comic　weeklies；　and　he
remembered　reading　of　places　in　the　West　where　lawyers　with　the
necessary　blanks　in　their　pockets　met　applicants　at　the　arrival　of
one　train　and　sent　them　away；　rejoicing　and　free；　on　the　next。


　　　　　〃You　jump　right　off　the　cars　and　then
　　　　　　Turn　round　and　jump　right　on　again。〃


This　fragment　of　a　song；　sung　at　a　〃moving…picture〃　show　in　the　town
hall；　and　resung　many　times　thereafter　by　Ezra　Payne；　John　Brown's
predecessor　as　assistant　keeper　at　the　lights；　recurred　to　him　as　he
urged　the　weary　Joshua　onward。　　So　far　as　Seth　knew；　the　Reno　custom
might　be　universal。　　At　any　rate；　he　must　get　to　Judge　Gould's
before　Emeline　and　her　brother…in…law　left　there。　　What　he　should　do
when　he　arrived　and　found　them　there　was　immaterial；　he　must　get
there；　that　was　all。

Eastboro　Back　Harbor　was　left　behind；　and　the　long　stretch　of　woods
beyond　was　entered。　　Joshua；　his　hoofs　swollen　by　the　sticky　clay　to
yellow　cannon　balls；　plodded　on；　but；　in　spite　of　commands　and
pleadingsthe　lightkeeper　possessed　no　whip　and　would　not　have　used
one　if　he　hadhe　went　slower　and　slower。　　He　was　walking　now；　and
limping　sadly　on　the　foot　where　the　loose　shoe　hung　by　its　bent　and
broken　nails。

Five　miles；　six；　seven；　and　the　limp　was　worse　than　ever。　　Seth；
whose　conscience　smote　him；　got　out　of　the　carriage　into　the　rain
and　mud　and　attempted　repairs；　using　a　stone　as　a　hammer。　　This
seemed　to　help　matters　some；　but　it　was　almost　dark　when　the　granite
block　marking　the　township　line　was　passed；　and　the　windows　in　the
houses　were　alight　when　he　pulled　up　at　the　judge's　door。

The　judge　himself　answered　the　knock；　or　series　of　knocks。　　He
seemed　much　surprised　to　find　the　keeper　of　Eastboro　Twin…Lights
standing　on　his　front　step。

〃Why；　hello；　Atkins！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　in　the　world　are　you　doing
over　here？　a　night　like　this！〃

〃Hashas　Mrs。　Bascom　been　here？　　Is　she　here　now？〃　panted　Seth
anxiously。

〃Mrs。　Bascom？　　Who　is　Mrs。　Bascom？〃

〃Sheshe's　a　friend　of　mine。　　She　andand　a　relation　of　hers　was
comin'　over　here　to　see　you　on　business。　　Ain't　they　here？　　Ain't
they　been　here？〃

〃No。　　No　one　has　been　here　this　afternoon。　　I've　been　in　since　one
o'clock；　and　not　a　soul　has　called；　on　business　or　otherwise。〃

The　lightkeeper　could　scarcely　believe　it。

〃You're　sure？〃　he　demanded。

〃Certainly。　　If　they　came　before　one　my　wife　would　have　told　me；　I
think。　　I'll　ask　her。〃

〃No；　no；〃　hastily。　　〃You　needn't。　　If　they　ain't　been　since　one　they
ain't　been。　　But　I　don't　understand。　。　。　。　　There's　no　other　lawyer
nigh　here；　is　there？〃

〃No；　none　nearer　than　Bayport。〃

〃My　land！　　My　LAND！　　Thenthen　I'm　out　of　soundin's　somehow。　　They
never　came　for　it；　after　all。〃

〃Came　for　what？〃

〃Nothin'；　nothin'；　I　guess；〃　with　a　sickly　smile。　　〃I've　made　some
sort　of　mistake；　though　I　don't　know　how。　　Benije　must　have　。　。　。
I'll　break　that　feller's　neck；　I　will！〃

The　lawyer　began　to　share　the　blacksmith's　opinion　that　his　caller
had　gone　crazy。

〃Come　in；　Atkins；〃　he　urged。　　〃Come　in　out　of　the　wet。　　What　IS　the
matter？　　What　are　you　doing　here　at　this　time　of　night　so　far　from
the　Lights？　　Is　it　anything　serious？　　Come　in　and　tell　me　about　it。〃

But　Seth；　instead　of　accepting　the　invitation；　stared　at　him　aghast。
Then；　turning　about；　he　leaped　down　the　steps；　ran　to　the　wagon　and
climbed　in。

〃Giddap！〃　he　shouted。　　Poor；　tired　Joshua　lifted　his　clay…d