the riverman-第37节

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〃You　don't　like　him；〃　he　stated。



〃I　don't　dislike　him；〃　said　Carroll。　　〃I've　not　a　thing　against　him。　　

But　we　could　never　be　in　the　slightest　degree　sympathetic。　　He　and　I　

don'tdon't〃



〃Don't　jibe；〃　Orde　finished　for　her。　　〃I　didn't　much　think　you　

would。　　Joe　never　was　much　of　a　society　bug。〃　　It　was　on　the　tip　of　

Carroll's　tongue　to　reply　that　〃society　bugs〃　were　not　the　only　sort　

she　could　appreciate；　but　she　refrained。　　She　had　begun　to　realise　

the　extent　of　her　influence　over　her　husband's　opinion。



Newmark　did　not　live　at　the　hotel。　　Early　in　the　fall　he　had　rented　

a　small　one…story　house　situated　just　off　Main　Street；　set　well　back　

from　the　sidewalk　among　clumps　of　oleanders。　　Into　this　he　retired　

as　a　snail　into　its　shell。　　At　first　he　took　his　meals　at　the　hotel；　

but　later　he　imported　an　impassive；　secretive　man…servant；　who　took　

charge　of　him　completely。　　Neither　master　nor　man　made　any　friends；　

and　in　fact　rebuffed　all　advances。　　One　Sunday；　Carroll　and　Orde；　

out　for　a　walk；　passed　this　quaint　little　place；　with　its　picket　

fence。



〃Let's　go　in　and　return　Joe's　call；〃　suggested　Orde。



Their　knock　at　the　door　brought　the　calm　valet。



〃Mr。　Newmark　is　h'out；　sir；〃　said　he。　　〃Yes；　sir；　I'll　tell　him　that　

you　called。〃



They　turned　away。　　As　they　sauntered　down　the　little　brick…laid　

walk；　Carroll　suddenly　pressed　close　to　her　husband's　arm。



〃Jack；〃　she　begged；　〃I　want　a　little　house　like　that；　for　our　very　

own。〃



〃We　can't　afford　it；　sweetheart。〃



〃Not　to　own；〃　she　explained；　〃just　to　rent。　　It　will　be　next　best　to　

having　a　home　of　our　own。〃



〃We'd　have　to　have　a　girl；　dear；〃　said　Orde；　〃and　we　can't　even　

afford　that；　yet。〃



〃A　girl！〃　cried　Carroll　indignantly。　　〃For　us　two！〃



〃You　couldn't　do　the　housework　and　the　cooking；〃　said　Orde。　　〃You've　

never　done　such　a　thing　in　your　life；　and　I　won't　have　my　little　

girl　slaving。〃



〃It　won't　be　slaving；　it　will　be　funjust　like　play…housekeeping；〃　

protested　Carroll。　　〃And　I've　got　to　learn　some　time。　　I　was　brought　

up　most　absurdly；　and　I　realise　it　now。〃



〃We'll　see；〃　said　Orde　vaguely。



The　subject　was　dropped　for　the　time　being。　　Later　Carroll　brought　

it　up　again。　　She　was　armed　with　several　sheets　of　hotel　stationery；　

covered　with　figures　showing　how　much　cheaper　it　would　be　to　keep　

house　than　to　board。



〃You　certainly　make　out　a　strong　caseon　paper；〃　laughed　Orde。　　〃If　

you　buy　a　rooster　and　a　hen；　and　she　raises　two　broods；　at　the　end　

of　a　year　you'll　have　twenty…six；　and　if　they　all　breedeven　

allowing　half　roostersyou'll　have　over　three　hundred；　and　if　they　

all　breed；　you'll　have　about　thirty…five　hundred；　and　if〃



〃Stop！　stop！〃　cried　Carroll；　covering　her　ears。



〃All　right；〃　agreed　Orde　equably；　〃but　that's　the　way　it　figures。　　

Funny　the　earth　isn't　overrun　with　chickens；　isn't　it？〃



She　thrust　her　tables　of　figures　into　her　desk　drawer。　　〃You're　just　

making　fun　of　me　always；〃　she　said　reproachfully。



Two　days　later　Orde　took　her　one　block　up　the　street　to　look　at　a　

tiny　little　house　tucked　on　a　fifty…foot　lot　beneath　the　shadow　of　

the　church。



〃It's　mighty　little；〃　said　he。　　〃I'll　have　to　go　out　in　the　hall　to　

change　my　collar；　and　we　couldn't　have　more　than　two　people　at　a　

time　to　call　on　us。〃



〃It's　a　dear！〃　said　she；　〃and　I'm　not　so　e…nor…mous　myself；　whatever　

YOU　may　be。〃



They　ended　by　renting　the　little　house；　and　Carroll　took　charge　of　

it　delightedly。　　What　difficulties　she　overcame；　and　what　laughable　

and　cryable　mistakes　she　made　only　those　who　have　encountered　a　like　

situation　could　realise。　　She　learned　fast；　however；　and　took　a　real　

pride　in　her　tiny　box　of　a　home。　　A　piano　was；　of　course；　out　of　the　

question；　but　the　great　golden　harp　occupied　one　corner；　or　rather　

one　side；　of　the　parlour。　　Standing　thus　enshrouded　in　its　covering；　

it　rather　resembled　an　august　and　tremendous　veiled　deity。　　To　

Carroll's　great　delight；　Orde　used　solemnly　to　go　down　on　all　fours　

and　knock　his　forehead　thrice　on　the　floor　before　it　when　he　entered　

the　house　at　evening。　　When　the　very　cold　weather　came　and　they　had　

to　light　the　base…burner　stove；　which　Orde　stoutly　maintained　

occupied　all　the　other　half　of　the　parlour；　the　harp's　delicate　

constitution　necessitated　its　standing　in　the　hall。　　Nevertheless；　

Carroll　had　great　comfort　from　it。　　While　Orde　was　away　at　the　

office；　she　whispered　through　its　mellow　strings　her　great　

happiness；　the　dreams　for　her　young　motherhood　which　would　come　in　

the　summer；　the　vague　and　lingering　pain　over　the　hapless　but　

beloved　ones　she　had　left　behind　her　in　her　other　life。　　Then　she　

arose　refreshed；　and　went　about　the　simple　duties　of　her　tiny　

domain。



The　winter　was　severe。　　All　the　world　was　white。　　The　piles　of　snow　

along　the　sidewalks　grew　until　Carroll　could　hardly　look　over　them。　　

Great　fierce　winds　swept　in　from　the　lake。　　Sometimes　Orde　and　his　

wife　drove　two　miles　to　the　top　of　the　sand　hills；　where　first　they　

had　met　in　this　their　present　home；　and　looked　out　beyond　the　

tumbled　shore　ice　to　the　steel…gray；　angry　waters。　　The　wind　pricked　

their　faces；　and；　going　home；　the　sleigh…bells　jingled；　the　

snowballs　from　the　horses'　hoofs　hit　against　the　dash；　the　cold　air　

seared　the　inside　of　their　nostrils。　　When　Orde　helped　Carroll　from　

beneath　the　warm　buffalo　robes；　she　held　up　to　him　a　face　glowing　

with　colour；　framed　in　the　soft　fluffy　fur　of　a　hood。



〃You　darling！〃　he　cried；　and　stooped　to　kiss　her　smooth；　cold　cheek。



When　he　had　returned　from　the　stable　around　the　corner；　he　found　the　

lit　lamp　throwing　its　modified　light　and　shade　over　the　little　round　

table。　　He　shook　down　the　base…burner　vigorously；　thrust　several　

billets　of　wood　in　its　door；　and　turned　to　meet　her　eyes　across　the　

table。



〃Kind　of　fun　being　married；　isn't　it？〃　said　he。



〃Kind　of；〃　she　admitted；　nodding　gravely。



The　business　of　the　firm　was　by　now　about　in　shape。　　All　the　boom　

arrangements　had　been　made；　the　two　tugs　were　in　the　water　and　their　

machinery　installed；　supplies　and　equipments　were　stored　away；　the　

foremen　of　the　crews　engaged；　and　the　crews　themselves　pretty　well　

picked　out。　　Only　there　needed　to　build　the　wanigan；　and　to　cart　in　

the　supplies　for　the　upper　river　works　before　the　spring　break…up　

and　the　almost　complete　disappearance　of　the　roads。　　Therefore；　Orde　

had　the　good　fortune　of　unusual　leisure　to　enjoy　these　first　months　

with　his　bride。　　They　entered　together　the　Unexplored　Country；　and　

found　it　more　wonderful　than　they　had　dreamed。　　Almost　before　they　

knew　it；　January　and　February　had　flown。



〃We　must　pack　up；　sweetheart；〃　said　Orde。



〃It's　only　yesterday　that　we　came；〃　she　cried　regretfully。



They　took　the　train　for　Redding；　were　installed　in　the　gable　room；　

explored　together　for　three　days　the　delights　of　the　old…fashioned　

house；　the　spicy　joys　of　Grandma　Orde's　and　Amanda's　cookery；　the　

almost　adoring　adulation　of　the　old　folks。　　Then　Orde　packed　his　

〃turkey；〃　assumed　his　woods　clothes；　and　marched　off　down　the　street　

carrying　his　bag　on　his　back。



〃He　looks　like　an　old　tramp　in　that　rig；〃　said　Grandma　Orde；　closing　

the　storm　door。



〃He　looks　like　a　conqueror　of　wildernesses！〃　cried　Carroll；　

straining　her　eyes　after　his　vanishing　figure。　　Suddenly　she　darted　

after　him；　calling　in　her　high；　bird…like　tones。　　He　turned　and　came　

back　to　her。　　She　clasped　him　by　the　shoulders；　reluctant　to　let　him　

go。



〃Good…bye；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃You'll　take　better　care　of　my　

sweetheart　than　you　ever　did　of　Jack　Orde；　won't　you；　dear？〃







XXII





Orde　had　reconnoitred　the　river　as　a　general　reconnoitres　his　

antagonist；　and　had　made　his　dispositions　as　the　general　disposes　of　

his　army；　his　commissary；　his　reserves。　　At　this　point　five　men　

could　keep　the　river　clear；　at　that　rapid　it　would　require　twenty；　

there　a　dozen　would　suffice　for　ordinary　contingencies；　and　yet　an　

emergency　might　call　for　thirtythose　thirty　must　not　be　beyond　

reach。　　In　his　mind's　eye　he　apportioned　the　sections　of　the　upper　

river。　　Among　the　remoter　wildernesses　every　section　must　have　its　

driving　camp。　　The　crews　of　each；　whether　few　or　many；　would　be　

expected　to　keep　clear　and　running　their　own　〃beats〃　on　the　river。　　

As　far　as　the　rear　crew　should　overtake　these　divisions；　either　it　

would　absorb　them　or　the　members　of　them　would　be　thrown　forward　

beyond　the　lowermost　beat；　to　take　charge　of　a　new　division　down　

stream。　　When　the　settled　farm　country　or　the　little　towns　were　

reached；　many　of　the　driving　camps　would　become　unnecessary；　the　men　

could　be　boarded　out　at　farms　lying　in　their　beats。　　A　continual　

advance　would　progress　toward　the　Lake；　the　drive　crews　passing　and　

repassing　each　other　like　pigeons　in　the　sown　fields。　　Each　of　th