a girl of the limberlost-第71节

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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。



〃Edith；　you　are　not　unconscious？〃　he　whispered；　touching　her。



〃No。　　just　resting。　　Please　don't　leave　me。〃



He　held　her　carefully；　gently　fanning　her。　　She　was

suffering　almost　more　than　either　of　them　could　endure。



〃I　wish　you　had　your　boat；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃I　want

to　sail　with　the　wind　in　my　face。〃



〃There　is　no　wind。　　I　can　bring　my　motor　around　in　a

few　minutes。〃



〃Then　get　it。〃



〃Lie　on　the　sand。　　I　can　'phone　from　the　first　booth。　

It　won't　take　but　a　little　while。〃



Edith　lay　on　the　white　sand；　and　Henderson　covered　her

face　with　her　hat。　　Then　he　ran　to　the　nearest　booth　and

talked　imperatively。　　Presently　he　was　back　bringing　a

hot　drink　that　was　stimulating。　　Shortly　the　motor　ran

close　to　the　beach　and　stopped。　　Henderson's　servant

brought　a　row…boat　ashore　and　took　them　to　the　launch。　

It　was　filled　with　cushions　and　wraps。　　Henderson　made　a

couch　and　soon；　warmly　covered；　Edith　sped　out　over　the

water　in　search　of　peace。