the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第54节
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was distinctly audible； the long； low moan of some one in sickness or
distress。
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〃Dat ain't no rabbit；〃 said Frank to himself。 〃Dere's somethin' wrong
dere。 Stan' here； Caesar； till I look inter dis matter。〃
Pulling out from the branch； Frank sprang from the saddle and pushed
his way cautiously through the outer edge of the thicket。
〃Good Lawd！〃 he exclaimed with a start； 〃it's a womana w'ite
woman！〃
The slender form of a young woman lay stretched upon the ground in a
small open space a few yards in extent。 Her face was turned away； and
Frank could see at first only a tangled mass of dark brown hair； matted
with twigs and leaves and cockleburs； and hanging in wild profusion
around her neck。
Frank stood for a moment irresolute； debating the serious question
whether he should investigate further with a view to rendering assistance；
or whether he should put as great a distance as possible between himself
and this victim； as she might easily be； of some violent crime； lest he
should himself be suspected of ita not unlikely contingency； if he were
found in the neighborhood and the woman should prove unable to describe
her assailant。 While he hesitated； the figure moved restlessly； and a voice
murmured：
〃Mamma； oh； mamma！〃
The voice thrilled Frank like an electric shock。 Trembling in every
limb； he sprang forward toward the prostrate figure。 The woman turned
her head； and he saw that it was Rena。 Her gown was torn and dusty； and
fringed with burs and briars。 When she had wandered forth； half
delirious； pursued by imaginary foes； she had not stopped to put on her
shoes； and her little feet were blistered and swollen and bleeding。
Frank knelt by her side and lifted her head on his arm。 He put his hand
upon her brow； it was burning with fever。
〃Miss Rena！ Rena！ don't you know me？〃
She turned her wild eyes on him suddenly。 〃Yes； I know you； Jeff
Wain。 Go away from me！ Go away！〃
Her voice rose to a scream； she struggled in his grasp and struck at
him fiercely with her clenched fists。 Her sleeve fell back and disclosed
the white scar made by his own hand so many years before。
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〃You're a wicked man；〃 she panted。 〃Don't touch me！ I hate you
and despise you！〃
Frank could only surmise how she had come here； in such a condition。
When she spoke of Wain in this manner； he drew his own conclusions。
Some deadly villainy of Wain's had brought her to this pass。 Anger
stirred his nature to the depths； and found vent in curses on the author of
Rena's misfortunes。
〃Damn him！〃 he groaned。 〃I'll have his heart's blood fer dis； ter de
las' drop！〃
Rena now laughed and put up her arms appealingly。 〃George；〃 she
cried； in melting tones； 〃dear George； do you love me？ How much do
you love me？ Ah； you don't love me！〃 she moaned； 〃I'm black； you don't
love me； you despise me！〃
Her voice died away into a hopeless wail。 Frank knelt by her side；
his faithful heart breaking with pity； great tears rolling untouched down his
dusky cheeks。
〃Oh； my honey； my darlin'；〃 he sobbed； 〃Frank loves you better 'n all
de worl'。〃
Meantime the sun shone on as brightly as before； the mocking…bird
sang yet more joyously。 A gentle breeze sprang up and wafted the odor
of bay and jessamine past them on its wings。 The grand triumphal sweep
of nature's onward march recked nothing of life's little tragedies。
When the first burst of his grief was over； Frank brought water from
the branch； bathed Rena's face and hands and feet； and forced a few drops
between her reluctant lips。 He then pitched the cartload of tubs； buckets；
and piggins out into the road； and gathering dried leaves and pine… straw；
spread them in the bottom of the cart。 He stooped； lifted her frail form in
his arms； and laid it on the leafy bed。 Cutting a couple of hickory withes；
he arched them over the cart； and gathering an armful of jessamine quickly
wove it into an awning to protect her from the sun。 She was quieter now；
and seemed to fall asleep。
〃Go ter sleep； honey；〃 he murmured caressingly； 〃go ter sleep； an'
Frank'll take you home ter yo' mammy！〃
Toward noon he was met by a young white man； who peered
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inquisitively into the canopied cart。
〃Hello！〃 exclaimed the stranger； 〃who've you got there？〃
〃A sick woman； suh。〃
〃Why； she's white； as I'm a sinner！〃 he cried； after a closer inspection。
〃Look a…here； nigger； what are you doin' with this white woman？〃
〃She's not w'ite； boss；she's a bright mulatter。〃
〃Yas； mighty bright；〃 continued the stranger suspiciously。 〃Where
are you goin' with her？〃
〃I'm takin' her ter Patesville； ter her mammy。〃
The stranger passed on。 Toward evening Frank heard hounds baying
in the distance。 A fox； weary with running； brush drooping； crossed the
road ahead of the cart。 Presently； the hounds straggled across the road；
followed by two or three hunters on horseback； who stopped at sight of the
strangely canopied cart。 They stared at the sick girl and demanded who
she was。
〃I don't b'lieve she's black at all；〃 declared one； after Frank's brief
explanation。 〃This nigger has a bad eye；he's up ter some sort of
devilment。 What ails the girl？〃
〃 'Pears ter be some kind of a fever；〃 replied Frank； adding
diplomatically； 〃I don't know whether it's ketchin' er noshe's be'n out er
her head most er de time。〃
They drew off a little at this。 〃I reckon it's all right；〃 said the chief
spokesman。 The hounds were baying clamorously in the distance。 The
hunters followed the sound and disappeared m the woods。
Frank drove all day and all night； stopping only for brief periods of
rest and refreshment。 At dawn； from the top of the long white hill； he
sighted the river bridge below。 At sunrise he rapped at Mis' Molly's door。
Upon rising at dawn； Tryon's first step； after a hasty breakfast； was to
turn back toward Clinton。 He had wasted half a day in following the
false scent on the Lillington road。 It seemed； after reflection； unlikely
that a woman seriously ill should have been able to walk any considerable
distance before her strength gave out。 In her delirium； too； she might
have wandered in a wrong direction； imagining any road to lead to
Patesville。 It would be a good plan to drive back home； continuing his
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inquiries meantime； and ascertain whether or not she had been found by
those who were seeking her； including many whom Tryon's inquiries had
placed upon the alert。 If she should prove still missing； he would resume
the journey to Patesville and continue the search in that direction。 She
had probably not wandered far from the highroad； even in delirium she
would be likely to avoid the deep woods； with which her illness was
associated。
He had retraced more than half the distance to Clinton when he
overtook a covered wagon。 The driver； when questioned； said that he had
met a young negro with a mule； and a cart in which lay a young woman；
white to all appearance； but claimed by the negro to be a colored girl who
had been taken sick on the road； and whom he was conveying home to her
mother at Patesville。 From a further description of the cart Tryon
recognized it as the one he had met the day b
