sally dows-第25节

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〃Yes；　but　we　must　settle　that　NOW；〃　said　Bragg　sharply；　〃and　I
propose　to　tell　her　NOTHING。　　I'm　against　having　any　more
petticoats　mixed　up　with　our　affairs。　　I　propose　to　make　an
examination　of　the　place　without　bothering　our　heads　about　her。〃

〃But　we　must　give　some　reason　for　coming　here；　and　we　must　ask　her
to　keep　dark；　or　we'll　have　her　blabbing　to　the　first　person　she
meets；〃　urged　the　other。

〃She's　not　likely　to　see　anybody　before　night；　when　the　brig　will
be　in　and　the　men　and　guns　landed。　　Move　on；　and　let　Jim　take
soundings　off　the　cove；　while　I　look　along　the　shore。　　It's　just　as
well　that　there's　a　house　here；　and　a　little　cover　like　this〃
pointing　to　the　shrubbery〃to　keep　the　men　from　making　too　much　of
a　show　until　after　the　earthworks　are　up。　　There　are　sharp　eyes
over　at　the　Fort。〃

〃There　don't　seem　to　be　any　one　in　the　house　now；〃　returned　the
other　after　a　moment's　scrutiny　of　the　cottage；　〃or　the　woman　would
surely　come　out　at　the　barking　of　the　dog；　even　if　she　hadn't　seen
us。　　Likely　she's　gone　to　Saucelito。〃

〃So　much　the　better。　　Just　as　well　that　she　should　know　nothing
until　it　happens。　　Afterwards　we'll　settle　with　the　husband　for　the
price　of　possession；　he　has　only　a　squatter's　rights。　　Come　along；
we'll　have　bad　weather　before　we　get　back　round　the　Point　again；
but　so　much　the　better；　for　it　will　keep　off　any　inquisitive
longshore　cruisers。〃

They　moved　away。　　But　Mrs。　Bunker；　stung　through　her　benumbed　and
brooding　consciousness；　and　made　desperate　by　this　repeated
revelation　of　her　former　weakness；　had　heard　enough　to　make　her
feverish　to　hear　more。　　She　knew　the　intricacies　of　the　shrubbery
thoroughly。　　She　knew　every　foot　of　shade　and　cover　of　the
clearing；　and　creeping　like　a　cat　from　bush　to　bush　she　managed；
without　being　discovered；　to　keep　the　party　in　sight　and　hearing
all　the　time。　　It　required　no　great　discernment；　even　for　an
inexperienced　woman　like　herself；　at　the　end　of　an　hour；　to　gather
their　real　purpose。　　It　was　to　prepare　for　the　secret　landing　of　an
armed　force；　disguised　as　laborers；　who；　under　the　outward　show　of
quarrying　in　the　bluff；　were　to　throw　up　breastworks；　and　fortify
the　craggy　shelf。　　The　landing　was　fixed　for　that　night；　and　was　to
be　effected　by　a　vessel　now　cruising　outside　the　Heads。

She　understood　it　all　now。　　She　remembered　Marion's　speech　about
the　importance　of　the　bluff　for　military　purposes；　she　remembered
the　visit　of　the　officers　from　the　Fort　opposite。　　The　strangers
were　stealing　a　march　upon　the　Government；　and　by　night　would　be　in
possession。　　It　was　perhaps　an　evidence　of　her　newly　awakened　and
larger　comprehension　that　she　took　no　thought　of　her　loss　of　home
and　property；perhaps　there　was　little　to　draw　her　to　it　now；but
was　conscious　only　of　a　more　terrible　catastrophea　catastrophe　to
which　she　was　partly　accessory；　of　which　any　other　woman　would　have
warned　her　husbandor　at　least　those　officers　of　the　Fort　whose
business　it　was　to　　Ah；　yes！　the　officers　of　the　Fortonly　just
opposite　to　her！　　She　trembled；　and　yet　flushed　with　an
inspiration。　　It　was　not　too　late　yetwhy　not　warn　them　NOW？

But　how？　　A　message　sent　by　Saucelito　and　the　steamboat　to　San
Franciscothe　usual　waywould　not　reach　them　tonight。　　To　go
herself；　rowing　directly　across　in　the　dingey；　would　be　the　only
security　of　success。　　If　she　could　do　it？　　It　was　a　long　pullthe
sea　was　getting　upbut　she　would　try。

She　waited　until　the　last　man　had　stepped　into　the　boat；　in　nervous
dread　of　some　one　remaining。　　Then；　when　the　boat　had　vanished
round　the　Point　again；　she　ran　back　to　the　cottage；　arrayed　herself
in　her　husband's　pilot　coat；　hat；　and　boots；　and　launched　the
dingey。　　It　was　a　heavy；　slow；　but　luckily　a　stanch　and　seaworthy
boat。　　It　was　not　until　she　was　well　off　shore　that　she　began　to
feel　the　full　fury　of　the　wind　and　waves；　and　knew　the　difficulty
and　danger　of　her　undertaking。　　She　had　decided　that　her　shortest
and　most　direct　course　was　within　a　few　points　of　the　wind；　but　the
quartering　of　the　waves　on　the　broad　bluff　bows　of　the　boat　tended
to　throw　it　to　leeward；　a　movement　that；　while　it　retarded　her
forward　progress；　no　doubt　saved　the　little　craft　from　swamping。
Again；　the　feebleness　and　shortness　of　her　stroke；　which　never
impelled　her　through　a　rising　wave；　but　rather　lifted　her　half　way
up　its　face；　prevented　the　boat　from　taking　much　water；　while　her
steadfast　gaze；　fixed　only　on　the　slowly　retreating　shore；　kept　her
steering　free　from　any　fatal　nervous　vacillation；　which　the　sight
of　the　threatening　seas　on　her　bow　might　have　produced。　　Preserved
through　her　very　weakness；　ignorance；　and　simplicity　of　purpose；
the　dingey　had　all　the　security　of　a　drifting　boat；　yet　retained　a
certain　gentle　but　persistent　guidance。　　In　this　feminine　fashion
she　made　enough　headway　to　carry　her　abreast　of　the　Point；　where
she　met　the　reflux　current　sweeping　round　it　that　carried　her　well
along　into　the　channel；　now　sluggish　with　the　turn　of　the　tide。
After　half　an　hour's　pulling；　she　was　delighted　to　find　herself
again　in　a　reverse　current；　abreast　of　her　cottage；　but　steadily
increasing　her　distance　from　it。　　She　was；　in　fact；　on　the　extreme
outer　edge　of　a　vast　whirlpool　formed　by　the　force　of　the　gale　on　a
curving　lee　shore；　and　was　being　carried　to　her　destination　in　a
semicircle　around　that　bay　which　she　never　could　have　crossed。　　She
was　moving　now　in　a　line　with　the　shore　and　the　Fort；　whose
flagstaff；　above　its　green；　square；　and　white　quarters；　she　could
see　distinctly；　and　whose　lower　water　battery　and　landing　seemed　to
stretch　out　from　the　rocks　scarcely　a　mile　ahead。　　Protected　by　the
shore　from　the　fury　of　the　wind；　and　even　of　the　sea；　her　progress
was　also　steadily　accelerated　by　the　velocity　of　the　current；
mingling　with　the　ebbing　tide。　　A　sudden　fear　seized　her。　　She
turned　the　boat's　head　towards　the　shore；　but　it　was　swept　quickly
round　again；　she　redoubled　her　exertions；　tugging　frantically　at
her　helpless　oars。　　She　only　succeeded　in　getting　the　boat　into　the
trough　of　the　sea；　where；　after　a　lurch　that　threatened　to　capsize
it；　it　providentially　swung　around　on　its　short　keel　and　began　to
drift　stern　on。　　She　was　almost　abreast　of　the　battery　now；　she
could　hear　the　fitful　notes　of　a　bugle　that　seemed　blown　and
scattered　above　her　head；　she　even　thought　she　could　see　some　men
in　blue　uniforms　moving　along　the　little　pier。　　She　was　passing　it；
another　fruitless　effort　to　regain　her　ground；　but　she　was　swept
along　steadily　towards　the　Gate；　the　whitening　bar；　and　the　open
sea。

She　knew　now　what　it　all　meant。　　This　was　what　she　had　come　for；
this　was　the　end！　　Beyond；　only　a　little　beyond；　just　a　few　moments
longer　to　wait；　and　then；　out　there　among　the　breakers　was　the　rest
that　she　had　longed　for　but　had　not　dared　to　seek。　　It　was　not　her
fault；　they　could　not　blame　HER。　　He　would　come　back　and　never　know
what　had　happenednor　even　know　how　she　had　tried　to　atone　for　her
deceit。　　And　he　would　find　his　house　in　possession　ofofthose
devils！　　No！　No！　she　must　not　die　yet；　at　least　not　until　she　had
warned　the　Fort。　　She　seized　the　oars　again　with　frenzied　strength；
the　boat　had　stopped　under　the　unwonted　strain；　staggered；　tried　to
rise　in　an　uplifted　sea；　took　part　of　it　over　her　bow；　struck　down
Mrs。　Bunker　under　half　a　ton　of　blue　water　that　wrested　the　oars
from　her　paralyzed　hands　like　playthings；　swept　them　over　the
gunwale；　and　left　her　lying　senseless　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

〃Hold　har…rdor　you'll　run　her　down。〃

〃Now　then；　Riley；look　alive；is　it　slapin'　ye　are！〃

〃Hold　yer　jaw；　Flanigan；　and　stand　ready　with　the　boat…hook。　　Now
then；　hold　har…rd！〃

The　sudden　jarring　and　tilting　of　the　water…logged　boat；　a　sound　of
rasping　timbers；　the　swarming　of　men　in　shirtsleeves　and　blue
trousers　around　her；　seemed　to　rouse　her　momentarily；　but　she　again
fainted　away。

When　she　struggled　back　to　consciousness　once　more　she　was　wrapped
in　a　soldier's　jacket；　her　head　pillowed　on　the　shirt…sleeve　of　an
artillery　corporal　in　the　stern　sheets　of　that　eight…oared
government　barge　she　had　remembered。　　But　the　only　officer　was　a
bareheaded；　boyish　lieutenant；　and　the　rowers　were　an　athletic　but
unseamanlike　crew　of　mingled　artillerymen　and　infantry。

〃And　where　did　ye　drift　from；　darlint？〃

Mrs。　Bunker　bridled　feebly　at　the　epithet。

〃I　didn't　drift。　　I　was　going　to　the　Fort。〃

〃The　Fort；　is　it？〃

〃Yes。　　I　want　to　see　the　general。〃

〃Wadn't　the　liftenant　do　ye？　　Or　shure　there's　the　adjutant；　he's　a
foine　man。〃

〃Silence；　Flanigan；〃　said　the　young　officer　sharply。　　Then　turning
to　Mrs。　Bunker　he　said；　〃Don't　mind　HIM；　but　let　his　wife　take　you
to　the　canteen；　when　we　get　in；　and　get　you　some　dry　clothes。〃

But　Mrs。　Bunker；　spurred　to　convalescence　at　the　indignity；
protested　stiffly；　and　demanded　on　her　arrival　to　be　led　at　once　to
the　general's　quarters。　　A　few　officers；　who　had　been　attracted　to
the　pier　by　the　rescue；　acceded　to　her　demand。

She　recognized　the　gray…haired；　handsome　man　who　had　come　ashore
at　her　house。　　With　a　touch　of　ind