the riverman-第20节

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energetically　to　distribute　small　〃iron…ware〃　dishes；　each　

containing　a　dab　of　something。　　When　the　clash　of　arrival　had　died；　

Orde　went　on：



〃I　got　into　your　department　a　little；　too。〃



〃How's　that？〃　asked　Newmark；　spearing　a　baked　potato。　　〃Heinzman　

said　he'd　buy　some　of　our　stock。　　He　seems　to　think　we　have　a　pretty　

good　show。〃



Newmark　paused；　his　potato　half…way　to　his　plate。



〃Kind　of　him；〃　said　he　after　a　moment。　　〃Did　he　sign　a　contract？〃



〃It　wasn't　made　out；〃　Orde　reminded　him。　　〃I've　the　memoranda　here。　　

We'll　make　it　out　to…night。　　I　am　to　bring　it　in　Monday。〃



〃I　see　we're　hung　up　here　over　Sunday；〃　observed　Newmark。　　〃No　

Sunday　trains　to　Redding。〃



Orde　became　grave。



〃I　know　it。　　I　tried　to　hurry　matters　to　catch　the　six　o'clock；　but　

couldn't　make　it。〃　　His　round；　jolly　face　fell　sombre；　as　though　a　

light　within　had　been　extinguished。　　After　a　moment　the　light　

returned。　　〃Can't　be　helped；〃　said　he　philosophically。



They　ate　hungrily；　then　drifted　out　into　the　office　again；　where　

Orde　lit　a　cigar。



〃Now；　let's　see　your　memoranda；〃　said　Newmark。



He　frowned　over　the　three　simple　items　for　some　time。



〃It's　got　me；〃　he　confessed　at　last。



〃What？〃　inquired　Orde。



〃What　Heinzman　is　up　to。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Orde；　turning　in　his　chair　with　an　air　of　

slow　surprise。



〃It　all　looks　queer　to　me。　　He's　got　something　up　his　sleeve。　　Why　

should　he　take　a　bond　with　that　security　from　us？　　If　we　can't　

deliver　the　logs；　our　company　fails；　that　makes　the　stock　worthless；　

that　makes　the　bond　worthlessjust　when　it　is　needed。　　Of　course；　

it's　as　plain　as　the　nose　on　your　face　that　he　thinks　the　

proposition　a　good　one　and　is　trying　to　get　control。〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　cried　Orde；　astounded。



〃Orde；　you're　all　right　on　the　river；〃　said　Newmark；　with　a　dry　

little　laugh；　〃but　you're　a　babe　in　the　woods　at　this　game。〃



〃But　Heinzman　is　honest；〃　cried　Orde。　　〃Why；　he　is　a　church　member；　

and　has　a　class　in　Sunday…school。〃



Newmark　selected　a　cigar　from　his　case；　examined　it　from　end　to　end；　

finally　put　it　between　his　lips。　　The　corners　of　his　mouth　were　

twitching　quietly　with　amusement。



〃Besides；　he　is　going　to　buy　some　stock；〃　added　Orde；　after　a　

moment。



〃Heinzman　has　not　the　slightest　intention　of　buying　a　dollar's　worth　

of　stock；〃　asserted　Newmark。



〃But　why〃



〃Did　he　make　that　bluff？〃　finished　Newmark。　　〃Because　he　wanted　to　

find　out　how　much　stock　would　be　issued。　　You　told　him　it　would　be　a　

hundred　thousand　dollars；　didn't　you？〃



〃Whyyes；　I　believe　I　did；〃　said　Orde；　pondering。　　Newmark　threw　

back　his　head　and　laughed　noiselessly。



〃So　now　he　knows　that　if　we　forfeit　the　bond　he'll　have　controlling　

interest；〃　he　pointed　out。



Orde　smoked　rapidly；　his　brow　troubled。



〃But　what　I　can't　make　out；〃　reflected　Newmark；　〃is　why　he's　so　sure　

we'll　have　to　forfeit。〃



I　think　he's　just　taking　a　long　shot　at　it；〃　suggested　Orde；　who　

seemed　finally　to　have　decided　against　Newmark's　opinion。　　〃I　

believe　you're　shying　at　mare's　nests。〃



〃Not　he。　　He　has　some　good　reason　for　thinking　we　won't　deliver　the　

logs。　　Why　does　he　insist　on　putting　in　a　date　for　delivery？　　None　

of　the　others　does。〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Orde。　　〃Just　to　put　some　sort　of　a　time　

limit　on　the　thing；　I　suppose。〃



〃You　say　you　surely　can　get　the　drive　through　by　then？〃



Orde　laughed。



〃Sure？　　Why；　it　gives　me　two　weeks'　leeway　over　the　worst　possible　

luck　I　could　have。　　You're　too　almighty　suspicious；　Joe。〃



Newmark　shook　his　head。



〃You　let　me　figure　this　out；〃　said　he。



But　bedtime　found　him　without　a　solution。　　He　retired　to　his　room　

under　fire　of　Orde's　good…natured　raillery。　　Orde　himself　shut　his　

door；　the　smile　still　on　his　lips。　　As　he　began　removing　his　coat；　

however；　the　smile　died。　　The　week　had　been　a　busy　one。　　Hardly　had　

he　exchanged　a　dozen　words　with　his　parents；　for　he　had　even　been　

forced　to　eat　his　dinner　and　supper　away　from　home。　　This　Sunday　he　

had　promised　himself　to　make　his　deferred　but　much…desired　call　on　

Jane　Hubbardand　her　guest。　　He　turned　out　the　gas　with　a　shrug　of　

resignation。　　For　the　first　tile　eyes　and　the　hair　with　the　soft　shadows。　　With

a　

sigh　he　felt　asleep。



Some　time　in　the　night　he　was　awakened　by　a　persistent　tapping　on　

the　door。　　In　the　woodsman's　manner；　he　was　instantly　broad　awake。　　

He　lit　the　gas　and　opened　the　door　to　admit　Newmark；　partially　

dressed　over　his　night　gown。



〃Orde；〃　said　he　briefly　and　without　preliminary；　〃didn't　you　tell　me　

the　other　day　that　rollways　were　piled　both　on　the　banks　and　IN　the　

river？〃



〃Yes；　sometimes；〃　said　Orde。　　〃Why？



〃Then　they　might　obstruct　the　river？〃



〃Certainly。〃



〃I　thought　so！〃　cried　Newmark；　with　as　near　an　approach　to　

exultation　as　he　ever　permitted　himself。　　〃Now；　just　one　other　

thing：　aren't　Heinzman's　rollways　below　most　of　the　others？〃



〃Yes；　I　believe　they　are；〃　said　Orde。



〃And；　of　course；　it　was　agreed；　as　usual；　that　Heinzman　was　to　break　

out　his　own　rollways？〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Orde　slowly。　　〃You　think　he　intends　to　delay　things　

enough　so　we　can't　deliver　on　the　date　agreed　on。〃



〃I　know　it；〃　stated　Newmark　positively。



〃But　if　he　refuses　to　deliver　the　logs；　no　court　of　law　will〃



〃Law！〃　cried　Newmark。　　〃Refuse　to　deliver！　　You　don't　know　that　

kind。　　He　won't　refuse　to　deliver。　　There'll　just　be　a　lot　of　

inevitable　delays；　and　his　foreman　will　misunderstand；　and　all　that。　　

You　ought　to　know　more　about　that　than　I　do。〃



Orde　nodded；　his　eye　abstracted。



〃It's　a　child…like　scheme；〃　commented　Newmark。　　〃If　I'd　had　more　

knowledge　of　the　business；　I'd　have　seen　　still　above　them　the　marshes　and　the

flats　

where　the　river　widened　below　the　Big　Bend。　　That　would　be　the　

location　for　the　booms　of　the　new　companya　cheap　property　on　which　

the　partners　had　already　secured　a　valuation。　　And　below　he　dropped　

in　imagination　with　the　slackening　current　until　between　two　greater　

sand…hills　than　the　rest　the　river　ran　out　through　the　channel　made　

by　two　long　piers　to　the　lakeblue；　restless；　immeasurable。　　To　

right　and　left　stretched　the　long　Michigan　coast；　with　its　low　

yellow　it　sooner。〃



〃I'd　never　have　seen　it　at　all；〃　said　Orde　humbly。　　〃You　seem　to　be　

the　valuable　member　of　this　firm；　Joe。〃



〃In　my　way；〃　said　Newmark；　〃you　in　yours。　　We　ought　to　make　a　good　

team。〃







XII





Sunday　afternoon；　Orde；　leaving　Newmark　to　devices　of　his　own；　

walked　slowly　up　the　main　street；　turned　to　the　right　down　one　of　

the　shaded　side　residence　streets　that　ended　finally　in　a　beautiful　

glistening　sand…hill。　　Up　this　he　toiled　slowly；　starting　at　every　

step　avalanches　and　streams　down　the　slope。　　Shortly　he　found　

himself　on　the　summit；　and　paused　for　a　breath　of　air　from　the　lake。



He　was　just　above　the　tops　of　the　maples；　which　seen　from　this　angle　

stretched　away　like　a　forest　through　which　occasionally　thrust　roofs　

and　spires。　　Some　distance　beyond　a　number　of　taller　buildings　and　

the　red　of　bricks　were　visible。　　Beyond　them　still　were　other　sand…

hills；　planted　raggedly　with　wind…twisted　and　stunted　trees。　　But　

between　the　brick　buildings　and　these　sand…hills　flowed　the　river

wide；　deep；　and　stillbordered　by　the　steamboat　landings　on　the　

town　side　and　by　fishermen's　huts　and　net…racks　and　small　boats　on　

the　other。　　Orde　seated　himself　on　the　smooth；　clean　sand　and　

removed　his　hat。　　He　saw　these　things；　and　in　imagination　the　far　

upper　stretches　of　the　river；　with　the　mills　and　yards　and　booms　

extending　for　miles；　andhills　topped　with　the　green　of　twisted　pines；　firs；　and　

beeches；　with　always　its　beach　of　sand；　deep　and　dry　to　the　very　

edge　of　its　tideless　sea；　strewn　with　sawlogs；　bark；　and　the　ancient　

remains　of　ships。



After　he　had　cooled　he　arose　and　made　his　way　back　to　a　pleasant　

hardwood　forest　of　maple　and　beech。　　Here　the　leaves　were　just　

bursting　from　their　buds。　　Underfoot　the　early　spring　flowersthe　

hepaticas；　the　anemones；　the　trilium；　the　dog…tooth　violets；　the　

quaint；　early；　bright…green　undergrowthswere　just　reaching　their　

perfection。　　Migration　was　in　full　tide。　　Birds；　little　and　big；　

flashed　into　view　and　out　again；　busy　in　the　mystery　of　their　

northward　pilgrimage；　giving　the　appearance　of　secret　and　silent　

furtiveness；　yet　each　uttering　his　characteristic　call　from　time　to　

time；　as　though　for　a　signal　to　others　of　the　host。　　The　woods　were　

swarming　as　city　streets；　yet　to　Orde　these　little　creatures　were　as　

though　invisible。　　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　a　great　multitude；　he　

felt　himself　under　the　observation　of　many　bright　eyes；　he　heard　the　

murmuring　and　twittering　that　proclaimed　a　throng；　he　sensed　an　

onward　movement　that　flowed　slowly　but　steadily　toward　the　p