the night-born-第21节

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He　fastened　the　straps　for　her；　then；　with　the　pistol　belt；

buckled　himself　across　one　shoulder　to　the　outside　of　the　buoy。



〃We're　good　for　all　day　to…morrow；〃　he　said。　〃Thank　God　the

water's　warm。　It　won't　be　a　hardship　for　the　first　twenty…hour

hours；　anyway。　And　if　we're　not　picked　up　by　nightfall；　we've

just　got　to　hang　on　for　another　day；　that's　all。〃



For　half　an　hour　they　maintained　silence；　Duncan；　his　head

resting　on　the　arm　that　was　on　the　buoy；　seemed　asleep。



〃Boyd？〃　Minnie　said　softly。



〃Thought　you　were　asleep；〃　he　growled。　



〃Boyd；　if　we　don't　come　through　this〃



〃Stow　that！〃　he　broke　in　ungallantly。　〃Of　course　we're　coming

through。　There　is　isn't　a　doubt　of　it。　Somewhere　on　this　ocean

is　a　ship　that's　heading　right　for　us。　You　wait　and　see。　Just

the　same　I　wish　my　brain　were　equipped　with　wireless。　Now　I'm

going　to　sleep；　if　you　don't。〃



But　for　once；　sleep　baffled　him。　An　hour　later　he　heard　Minnie

stir　and　knew　she　was　awake。



〃Say；　do　you　know　what　I've　been　thinking！〃　she　asked。



〃No；　what？〃



〃That　I'll　wish　you　a　Merry　Christmas。〃



〃By　George；　I　never　thought　of　it。　Of　course　it's　Christmas

Day。　We'll　have　many　more　of　them；　too。　And　do　you　know　what

I've　been　thinking？　What　a　confounded　shame　we're　done　out　of

our　Christmas　dinner。　Wait　till　I　lay　hands　on　Dettmar。　I'll

take　it　out　of　him。　And　it　won't　be　with　an　iron　belaying　pin

either；　Just　two　bunches　of　naked　knuckles；　that's　all。〃



Despite　his　facetiousness；　Boyd　Duncan　had　little　hope。　He　knew

well　enough　the　meaning　of　one　chance　in　a　million；　and　was

calmly　certain　that　his　wife　and　he　had　entered　upon　their　last

few　living　hourshours　that　were　inevitably　bound　to　be　black

and　terrible　with　tragedy。



The　tropic　sun　rose　in　a　cloudless　sky。　Nothing　was　to　be　seen。

The　Samoset　was　beyond　the　sea…rim。　As　the　sun　rose　higher；

Duncan　ripped　his　pajama　trousers　in　halves　and　fashioned　them

into　two　rude　turbans。　Soaked　in　sea…water　they　offset　the

heat…rays。



〃When　I　think　of　that　dinner；　I'm　really　angry；〃　he　complained；

as　he　noted　an　anxious　expression　threatening　to　set　on　his

wife's　face。　〃And　I　want　you　to　be　with　me　when　I　settle　with

Dettmar。　I've　always　been　opposed　to　women　witnessing　scenes　of

blood；　but　this　is　different。　It　will　be　a　beating。〃



〃I　hope　I　don't　break　my　knuckles　on　him；〃　he　added；　after　a

pause。



Midday　came　and　went；　and　they　floated　on；　the　center　of　a

narrow　sea…circle。　A　gentle　breath　of　the　dying　trade…wind

fanned　them；　and　they　rose　and　fell　monotonously　on　the　smooth

swells　of　a　perfect　summer　sea。　Once；　a　gunie　spied　them；　and

for　half　an　hour　circled　about　them　with　majestic　sweeps。　And；

once；　a　huge　rayfish；　measuring　a　score　of　feet　across　the

tips；　passed　within　a　few　yards。



By　sunset；　Minnie　began　to　rave；　softly；　babblingly；　like　a

child。　Duncan's　face　grew　haggard　as　he　watched　and　listened；

while　in　his　mind　he　revolved　plans　of　how　best　to　end　the

hours　of　agony　that　were。　coining。　And；　so　planning；　as　they

rose　on　a　larger　swell　than　usual；　he　swept　the　circle　of　the

sea　with　his　eyes；　and　saw；　what　made　him　cry　out。



〃Minnie！〃　She　did　not　answer；　and　he　shouted　her　name　again　in

her　ear；　with　all　the　voice　he　could　command。　Her　eyes　opened；

in　them　fluttered　commingled　consciousness　and　delirium。　He

slapped　her　hands　and　wrists　till　the　sting　of　the　blows　roused

her。



〃There　she　is；　the　chance　in　a　million！〃　he　cried。



〃A　steamer　at　that；　heading　straight　for　us！　By　George；　it's　a

cruiser！　I　have　it！…　the　Annapolis；　returning　with　those

astronomers　from　Tutuwanga。



。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　



United　States　Consul　Lingford　was　a　fussy；　elderly　gentleman；

and　in　the　two　years　of　his　service　at　Attu…Attu　had　never

encountered　so　unprecedented　a　case　as　that　laid　before　him　by

Boyd　Duncan。　The　latter；　with　his　wife；　had　been　landed　there

by　the　Annapolis；　which　had　promptly　gone　on　with　its　cargo　of

astronomers　to　Fiji。



〃It　was　cold…blooded；　deliberate　attempt　to　murder；〃　said

Consul　Lingford。　〃The　law　shall　take　its　course。　I　don't　know

how　precisely　to　deal　with　this　Captain　Dettmar；　but　if　he

comes　to　Attu…Attu；　depend　upon　it　he　shall　be　dealt　with；

heahshall　be　dealt　with。　In　the　meantime；　I　shall　read　up

the　law。　And　now；　won't　you　and　your　good　lady　stop　for　lunch！〃



As　Duncan　accepted　the　invitation；　Minnie；　who　had　been

glancing　out　of　the　window　at　the　harbor；　suddenly　leaned

forward　and　touched　her　husband's　arm。　He　followed　her　gaze；

and　saw　the　Samoset；　flag　at　half　mast；　rounding　up　and

dropping　anchor　scarcely　a　hundred　yards　away。



〃There's　my　boat　now；〃　Duncan　said　to　the　Consul。　〃And　there's

the　launch　over　the　side；　and　Captain　Dettmar　dropping　into　it。

If　I　don't　miss　my　guess；　he's　coming　to　report　our　deaths　to

you。〃



The　launch　landed　on　the　white　beach；　and　leaving　Lorenzo

tinkering　with　the　engine；　Captain　Dettmar　strode　across　the

beach　and　up　the　path　to　the　Consulate。



〃Let　him　make　his　report；〃　Duncan　said。　〃We'll　just　step　into

this　next　room　and　listen。〃　



And　through　the　partly　open　door；　he　and　his　wife　heard　Captain

Dettmar；　with　tears　in　his　voice；　describe　the　loss　of　his

owners。



〃I　jibed　over　and　went　back　across　the　very　spot；〃　he

concluded。　〃There　was　not　a　sign　of　them。　I　called　and　called；

but　there　was　never　an　answer。　I　tacked　back　and　forth　and　wore

for　two　solid　hours；　then　hove　to　till　daybreak；　and　cruised

back　and　forth　all　day；　two　men　at　the　mastheads。　It　is

terrible。　I　am　heartbroken。　Mr。　Duncan　was　a　splendid　man；　and

I　shall　never。　。　。　〃



But　he　never　completed　the　sentence；　for　at　that　moment　his

splendid　employer　strode　out　upon　him；　leaving　Minnie　standing

in　the　doorway。　Captain　Dettmar's　white　face　blanched　even

whiter。



〃I　did　my　best　to　pick　you　up；　sir；〃　he　began。



Boyd　Duncan's　answer　was　couched　in　terms　of　bunched　knuckles；

two　bunches　of　them；　that　landed　right　and　left　on　Captain

Dettmar's　face。



Captain　Dettmar　staggered　backward；　recovered；　and　rushed　with

swinging　arms　at　his　employer；　only　to　be　met　with　a　blow

squarely　between　the　eyes。　This　time　the　Captain　went　down；

bearing　the　typewriter　under　him　as　he　crashed　to　the　floor。　



〃This　is　not　permissible；〃　Consul　Lingford　spluttered。　〃I　beg

of　you；　I　beg　of　you；　to　desist。〃



〃I'll　pay　the　damages　to　office　furniture；〃　Duncan　answered；

and　at　the　same　time　landing　more　bunched　knuckles　on　the　eyes

and　nose　of　Dettmar。



Consul　Lingford　bobbed　around　in　the　turmoil　like　a　wet　hen；

while　his　office　furniture　went　to　ruin。　Once；　he　caught　Duncan

by　the　arm；　but　was　flung　back；　gasping；　half…across　the　room。

Another　time　he　appealed　to　Minnie。



〃Mrs。　Duncan；　won't　you；　please；　please；　restrain　your

husband？〃



But　she；　white…faced　and　trembling；　resolutely　shook　her　head

and　watched　the　fray　with　all　her　eyes。



〃It　is　outrageous；〃　Consul　Lingford　cried；　dodging　the　hurtling

bodies　of　the　two　men。　〃It　is　an　affront　to　the　Government；　to

the　United　States　Government。　Nor　will　it　be　overlooked；　I　warn

you。　Oh；　do　pray　desist；　Mr。　Duncan。　You　will　kill　the　man。　I

beg　of　you。　I　beg；　I　beg。　。　。〃



But　the　crash　of　a　tall　vase　filled　with　crimson　hibiscus

blossoms　left　him　speechless。



The　time　came　when　Captain　Dettmar　could　no　longer　get　up。　He

got　as　far　as　hands　and　knees；　struggled　vainly　to　rise

further；　then　collapsed。　Duncan　stirred　the　groaning　wreck　with

his　foot。



〃He's　all　right；〃　he　announced。　〃I've　only　given　him　what　he

has　given　many　a　sailor　and　worse。〃



〃Great　heavens；　sir！〃　Consul　Lingford　exploded；　staring

horror…stricken　at　the　man　whom　he　had　invited　to　lunch。



Duncan　giggled　involuntarily；　then　controlled　himself。



〃I　apologize；　Mr。　Lingford；　I　most　heartily　apologize。　I　fear　I

was　slightly　carried　away　by　my　feelings。〃



Consul　Lingford　gulped　and　sawed　the　air　speechlessly　with　his

arms。



〃Slightly；　sir？　Slightly？〃　he　managed　to　articulate。　



〃Boyd；〃　Minnie　called　softly　from　the　doorway。



He　turned　and　looked。



〃You　ARE　a　joy；〃　she　said。



〃And　now；　Mr。　Lingford；　I　am　done　with　him；〃　Duncan　said。　〃I

turn　over　what　is　left　to　you　and　the　law。〃



〃That？〃　Consul　Lingford　queried；　in　accent　of　horror。



〃That；〃　Boyd　Duncan　replied；　looking　ruefully　at　his　battered

knuckles。　







WAR



HE　was　a　young　man；　not　more　than　twenty…four　or　five；　and　he

might　have　sat　his　horse　with　the　careless　grace　of　his　youth

had　he　not　been　so　catlike　and　tense。　His　black　eyes　roved

everywhere；　catching　the　movements　of　twigs　and　branches　where

small　birds　hopped；　questing　ever　onward　through　the　changing

vistas　of　trees　and　brush；　and　returning　always　to　the　clumps

of　undergrowth　on　either　side。　And　as　he　watched；　so　did　he

listen；　though　he　rode　on　in　silen