the riverman-第65节
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too wearied in soul and body。 He dismissed the subject from his
mind。 The horses； left almost to themselves； lapsed into a sleepy
jog。 After a little they passed the bridge and entered the town。
Warm spicy odours of pine disengaged themselves from the broken
shingles and sawdust of the roadway； and floated upward through the
hot sunshine。 The beautiful maples with their dense shadows threw
the sidewalks into coolness。 Up one street and down another the
horses took their accustomed way。 Finally they pulled up opposite
the Orde house。 Orde hitched the horses； and； his step quickening
in anticipation； sprang up the walk and into the front door。
〃Hullo； sweetheart！〃 he called cheerily。
The echoes alone answered him。 He cried again； and yet again； with
a growing feeling of disappointment that Carroll should happen to be
from home。 Finally a door opened and shut in the back part of the
house。 A moment later Mary； the Irish servant girl； came through
the dining…room； caught sight of Orde； threw her apron over her
head； and burst into one of those extravagant demonstrations of
grief peculiar to the warm…hearted of her class。
Orde stopped short； a sinking at his heart。
〃What is it； Mary？〃 he asked very quietly。
But the girl only wept the louder； rocking back and forth in a fresh
paroxysm of grief。 Beside himself with anxiety Orde sprang forward
to shake her by the arm； to shower her with questions。 These
elicited nothing but broken and incoherent fragments concerning 〃the
missus；〃 〃oh； the sad day！〃 〃and me lift all alone with Bobby； me
heart that heavy；〃 and the like； which served merely to increase
Orde's bewilderment and anxiety。 At this moment Bobby himself
appeared from the direction of the kitchen。 Orde； frantic with
alarm； fell upon his son。 Bobby； much bewildered by all this
pother； could only mumble something about 〃smallpox；〃 and 〃took
mamma away with doctor。〃
〃Where？ where； Bobby？〃 cried Orde； fairly shaking the small boy by
the shoulder。 He felt like a man in a bad dream； trying to reach a
goal that constantly eluded him。
At this moment a calm； dry voice broke through the turmoil of
questions and exclamations。 Orde looked up to see the tall； angular
form of Doctor McMullen standing in the doorway。
〃It's all right；〃 said the doctor in answer to Orde's agonised
expression。 〃Your wife was exposed to smallpox and is at my house
to avoid the danger of spreading contagion。 She is not ill。〃
Having thus in one swift decisive sentence covered the ground of
Orde's anxiety； he turned to the sniffling servant。
〃Mary；〃 said he sternly； 〃la stuff might be worth saving any way we could
figure it。〃
〃Worth saving！〃 snorted Newmark； whirling in his chair。
〃Well； and
to the bookkeeper who answered he said： 〃John； bring me those
Newmark and Orde papers。〃
Orde heard the clang of the safe door。 In a moment the clerk
returned and handed to Lambert a long manilla envelope。 Lambert
opened this quite deliberately； spread its contents on his knee； and
assumed a pair of round spectacles。
〃Note for seventy…five thousand dollars with interest at ten per
cent。 Interest paid to January tenth。 MortI'm ashamed of you！ What kind of an
exhibition is this？ Go out to the kitchen and cook us some lunch！〃
He watched her depart with a humourous quirk to his thin lips。
〃Fool Irish！〃 he said with a Scotchman's contempt。 〃I meant to head
you off before you got home； but I missed you。 Come in and sit
down； and I'll tell you about it。〃
〃You're quite sure Mrs。 Orde is well？〃 insisted Orde。
〃Absolutely。 Never better。 As well a。 〃Why； I thought I remembered seeing
him up river only the other day。〃
〃No； his daughter。〃
〃Mina？〃
〃Yes。 Lord knows where she got it。 But get it she did。 Mrs。 Orde
happened to be with her when she was taken with the fever and
distressing symptoms that begin the disease。 As a neighbourly deed
she remained with the girl。 Of course no one could tell it was
smallpox at that time。 Next day； however； the characteristic rash
appeared on the thighs and armpits； and I diagnosed the case。〃 Dr。
McMullen laughed a little bitterly。 〃Lord； you ought to have seen
them run！ Servants； neighbours； friendsthey all skedaddled； and
you coudn't have driven them back with a steam…roller！ I
telegraphed to Redding for a nurse。 Until she came Mrs。 Orde stayed
by； like a brick。 Don't know what I should have done without her。
There was nobody to do anything at all。 As soon as the nurse came
Mrs。 Orde gave up her post。 I tell you；〃 cried Doctor McMullen with
as near an approach to enthusiasm as he ever permitted himself；
〃there's a sensible woman！ None of your story…book twaddle about
nursing through the illness； and all that。 When her usefulness was
ended； she knew enough to step aside gracefully。 There was not much
danger as far as she was concerned。 I had vaccinated her myself；
you know； last year。 But she MIGHT take the contagion and she
wanted to spare the youngster。 Quite right。 So I offered her
quarters with us for a couple of weeks。〃
〃How long ago was this？〃 asked Orde； who had listened with a warm
glow of pride to the doctor's succinct statement。
〃Seven days。〃
〃How is Mina getting on？〃
〃She'll get well。 It was a mild case。 Fever never serious after
the eruption appeared。 I suppose I'll have old Heinzman on my
hands； though。〃
〃Why； has he taken it？〃
〃No； but he will。 Emotional old German fool。 Rushed right in when
he heard his daughter was sick。 Couldn't keep him out。 And he's
been with her or near her ever since。〃
〃Then you think he's in for it？〃
〃Sure to he；〃 replied Dr。 McMullen。 〃Unless a man has been
vaccinated； continuous exposure means infection in the great
majority of cases。〃
〃Hard luck；〃 said Orde thoughtfully。 〃I'm going to step up to your
house and see Mrs。 Orde。〃
〃You can telephone her；〃 said the doctor。 〃And you can see her if
you want to。 Only in that case I should advise your remaining away
from Bobby until we see how things turn out。〃
〃I see；〃 said Orde。 〃Well；〃 he concluded with a sigh； after a
moment's thought； 〃I suppose I'd better stay by the ship。〃
He called up Dr。 McMullen's house on the telephone。
〃Oh； it's good to hear your voice again；〃 cried Carroll； 〃even if I
can't see you！ You must promise me right after lunch to walk up
past the house so I can see you。 I'll wave at you from the window。〃
〃You're a dear； brave girl； and I'm proud of you；〃 said Orde。
〃Nonsense！ There was no danger at all。 I'd been vaccinated
recently。 And somebody had to take care of poor Mina until we could
get help。 How's Bobby？〃
XLIV
After lunch Orde went downtown to his office where for some time he
sat idly looking over the mail。 About three o'clock Newmark came
in。
〃Hullo； Joe；〃 said Orde with a slight constraint； 〃sorry to hear
you've been under the weather。 You don't look very sick now。〃
〃I'm better；〃 replied Newmark； briefly； 〃this is my first
appearance。〃
〃Too bad you got sick just at that time；〃 said Orde； 〃we needed
you。〃
〃So I hear。 You may rest assured I'd have been there if possible。〃
〃Sure thing；〃 said Orde； heartily； his slight resentment
dissipating； as always； in the presence of another's personality。
〃Well； we had a lively time； you bet； all right； and got through
about by the skin of our teeth。〃 He arose and walked over to
Newmark's desk； on the edge of which he perched。 〃It's cost us
considerable； and it's going to cost us a lot more； I'll have to get
an extension on those notes。〃
〃What's that？〃 asked Newmark； quickly。
Orde picked up a paper knife and turned it slowly between his
fingers。
〃I don't believe I'll be able to meet those notes。 So many things
have happened〃
〃But；〃 broke in Newmark； 〃the firm certainly cannot do so。 I've
been relying on your assurance ell； keep your hair on；〃 said Orde； on whom
Newmark's manner was
beginning to have its effect； as Newmark intended it should。 〃You
have my Boom Company stock as security。〃
〃Pretty security for the loss of a tract like the Upper Peninsula
timber！〃
〃Well； it's the security you asked for； and suggested；〃 said Orde。
〃I thought you'd surely be able to pay it；〃 retorted Newmark； now
secure in the position he desired to take； that of putting Orde
entirely in the wrong。
〃Well； I expected to pay it； and I'll pay it yet；〃 rejoined Orde。
〃I don't think Heinzman will stand in his own light rather than
renew the notes。〃
He seized his hat and departed。 Once in the street； however； his
irritation passed。 As was the habit of the man； he began more
clearly to see Newmark's side
