the riverman-第22节
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melted back into the shadows of the forest。 Only the chickadee；
impudent as ever； retreated scolding rather ostentatiously； and the
jays； splendid in their ornate blue； screamed opinions at each other
from the tops of trees。
〃How would you like to be a bird？〃 she inquired。
〃Hadn't thought；〃 replied Orde。
〃Don't you ever indulge in vain and idle speculations？〃 she
inquired。 〃Never mind； don't answer。 It's too much to expect of a
man。〃
She set herself in idle motion down the slope； swinging the hat at
the end of its veil； pausing to look or listen； humming a little
melody between her closed lips； throwing her head back to breathe
deep the warm air； revelling in the woods sounds and woods odours
and woods life with entire self…abandonment。 Orde followed her in
silence。 She seemed to be quite without responsibility in regard to
him； and yet an occasional random remark thrown in his direction
proved that he was not forgotten。 Finally they emerged from the
beach woods。
They faced an open rolling country。 As far as the eye could reach
were the old stumps of pine trees。 Sometimes they stood in place；
burned and scarred； but attesting mutely the abiding place of a
spirit long since passed away。 Sometimes they had been uprooted and
dragged to mark the boundaries of fields； where they raised an
abatis of twisted roots to the sky。
The girl stopped short as she came face to face with this open
country。 The inner uplift； that had lent to her aspect the wide…
eyed； careless joy of a child； faded。 In its place came a new and
serious gravity。 She turned on him troubled eyes。
〃You do this；〃 she accused him quite simply。
For answer he motioned to the left where below them lay a wide and
cultivated countrysidefarmhouses surrounded by elms； compact wood
lots of hardwood； crops and orchards； all fair and pleasant across
the bosom of a fertile nature。
〃And this；〃 said he。 〃That valley was once nothing but a pine
forestand so was all the southern part of the State； the peach
belt and the farms。 And for that matter Indiana； too； and all the
other forest States right out to the prairies。 Where would we be
now； if we HADN'T done that？〃 he pointed across at the stump…covered
hills。
Mischief had driven out the gravity from the girl's eyes。 She had
lowered her head slightly sidewise as though to conceal their
expression from him。
〃I was beginning to be afraid you'd say 'yes…indeed；'〃 said she。
Orde looked bewildered； then remembered the Incubus； and laughed。
〃I haven't been very conversational；〃 he acknowledged。
〃Certainly NOT！〃 she said severely。 〃That would have been very
disappointing。 There has been nothing to say。〃 She turned and
waved her hat at the beech woods falling sombre against the lowering
sun。
〃Good…bye；〃 she said gravely； 〃and pleasant dreams to you。 I hope
those very saucy little birds won't keep you awake。〃 She looked up
at Orde。 〃He was rather nice to us this afternoon；〃 she explained；
〃and it's always well to be polite to them anyway。〃 She gazed
steadily at Orde for signs of amusement。 He resolutely held his
face sympathetic。
〃Now I think we'll go home；〃 said she。
They made their way between the stumps to the edge of the sand…hill
overlooking the village。 With one accord they stopped。 The low…
slanting sun cast across the vista a sleepy light of evening。
〃How would you like to live in a place like that all your life？〃
asked Orde。
〃I don't know。〃 She weighed her words carefully。 〃It would depend。
The place isn't of so much importance； it seems to me。 It's the
life one is called to。 It's whether one finds her soul's realm or
not that a place is liveable or not。 I can imagine entering my
kingdom at a railway water…tank；〃 she said quaintly； 〃or missing it
entirely in a big city。〃
Orde looked out over the raw little village with a new interest。
〃Of course I can see how a man's work can lie in a small place；〃
said he； 〃but a woman is different。〃
〃Why is a woman different？〃 she challenged。 〃What is her 'work；' as
you call it； and why shouldn't it； as well as a man's； lie in a
small place？ What is workoutside of drudgeryunless it is
correspondence of one's abilities to one's task？〃
〃But the compensations〃 began Orde vaguely。
〃Compensations？〃 she cried。 〃What do you mean？ Here are the woods
and fields； the river； the lake； the birds； and the breezes。 We'll
check them off against the theatre and balls。 Books can be had here
as well as anywhere。 As to people： in a large city you meet a great
many； and they're all busy； and unless you make an especial and
particular effortwhich you're not likely toyou'll see them only
casually and once in a great while。 In a small place you know fewer
people； but you know them intimately。〃 She broke off with a half…
laugh。 〃I'm from New York；〃 she stated humorously； 〃and you've
magicked me into an eloquent defense of Podunk！〃 She laughed up at
Orde quite frankly。 〃Giant Strides！〃 she challenged suddenly。 She
turned off the edge of the sand…hill； and began to plunge down its
slope； leaning far back； her arms extended； increasing as much as
possible the length of each step。 Orde followed at full speed。
When the bottom was reached； he steadied her to a halt。 She shook
herself； straightened her hat； and wound the veil around it。 Her
whole aspect seemed to have changed with the descent into the
conventionality of the village street。 The old； gentle though
capable and self…contained reserve had returned。 She moved beside
Orde with dignity。
〃I came down with Jane and Mrs。 Hubbard to see Mr。 Hubbard off on
the boat for Milwaukee last night；〃 she told him。 〃Of course we had
to wait over Sunday。 Mrs。 Hubbard and Jane had to see some relative
or other； but I preferred to take a walk。〃
〃Where are you staying？〃 asked Orde。
〃At the Bennetts'。 Do you know where it is？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Orde。
They said little more until the Bennetts' gate was reached。 Orde
declined to come in。
〃Good…night；〃 she said。 〃I want to thank you。 You did not once act
as though you thought I was silly or crazy。 And you didn't try； as
all the rest of them would； to act silly too。 You couldn't have
done it； and you didn't try。 Oh； you may have felt itI know！〃
She smiled one of her quaint and quizzical smiles。 〃But men aren't
built for foolishness。 They have to leave that to us。 You've been
very nice this afternoon； and it's helped a lot。 I'm good for quite
a long stretch now。 Good…night。〃
She nodded to him and left him tongue…tied by the gate。
Orde； however； walked back to the hotel in a black rage with himself
over what he termed his imbecility。 As he remembered it； he had
made just one consecutive speech that afternoon。
〃Joe；〃 said he to Newmark； at the hotel office； 〃what's the plural
form of Incubus？ I dimly remember it isn't 'busses。'〃
〃Incubi；〃 answered Newmark。
〃Thanks；〃 said Orde gloomily。
XIII
I have Heinzman's contract all drawn；〃 said Newmark the next
morning； 〃and I think I'll go around with you to the office。〃
At the appointed time they found the little German awaiting them； a
rotund smile of false good…nature illuminating his rosy face。 Orde
introduced his partner。 Newmark immediately took charge of the
interview。
〃I have executed here the contract； and the bonds secured by Mr。
Orde's and my shares of stock in the new company；〃 he explained。
〃It is only necessary that you affix your signature and summon the
required witnesses。〃
Heinzman reached his hands for the papers； beaming over his glasses
at the two young men。
As he read； however； his smile vanished； and he looked up sharply。
〃Vat is this？〃 he inquired； a new crispness in his voice。 〃You tolt
me；〃 he accused Orde； 〃dot you were not brepared to break out the
rollways。 You tolt me you would egspect me to do that for myself。〃
〃Certainly；〃 agreed Orde。
〃Vell； why do you put in this？〃 demanded Heinzman； reading from the
paper in his hand。 〃'In case said rollways belonging to said
parties of the second part are not broken out by the time the drive
has reached them； and in case on demand said parties of the second
part do refuse or do not exercise due diligence in breaking out said
rollways； the said parties of the first part shall themselves break
out said rollways； and the said parties of the second part do hereby
agree to reimburse said parties of the first part at the rate of a
dollar per thousand board feet。'〃
〃That is merely to protect ourselves；〃 struck in Newmark。
〃But；〃 exploded Heinzman； his face purpling； 〃a dollar a tousand is
absurd！〃
〃Of course it is；〃 agreed Newmark。 〃We expect it to
