whirligigs-第30节

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Now；　where　did　I　get　that　money？〃



〃Take　it　easy；　Yancev。　　The　mountain　air　will　soon

clear　it　up。　　We'll　go　fishing；　first　thing；　at　the　Pinnacle

Falls。　　The　trout　are　jumping　there　like　bullfrogs。　　We'll

take　Stella　and　Lucy　along；　and　have　a　picnic　on　Eagle

Rock。　　Have　you　forgotten　how　a　hickory…cured…ham

sandwich　tastes；　Yancey；　to　a　hungry　fisherman？〃



Evidently　the　colonel　did　not　believe　the　story　of　his

lost　wealth；　so　Goree　retired　again　into　brooding　silence。



By　late　Afternoon　they　had　travelled　ten　of　the　twelve

miles　between　Bethel　and　Laurel。　　Half　a　mile　this　side

of　Laurel　lay　the　old　Goree　place；　a　mile　or　two　beyond

the　village　lived　the　Coltranes。　　The　road　was　now　steep

and　laborious；　but　the　compensations　were　many。　　The

tilted　aisles　of　the　forest　were　opulent　with　leaf　and　bird

and　bloom。　　The　tonic　air　put　to　shame　the　pharma…

cop鎖a。　　The　glades　were　dark　with　mossy　shade；　and

bright　with　shy　rivulets　winking　from　the　ferns　and

laurels。　　On　the　lower　side　they　viewed；　framed　in　the

near　foilage；　exquisite　sketches　of　the　far　valley　swooning

in　its　opal　haze。



Coltrane　was　pleased　to　see　that　his　companion　was

yielding　to　the　spell　of　the　hills　and　woods。　　For　now

they　had　but　to　skirt　the　base　of　Painter's　Cliff；　to　cross

Elder　Branch　and　mount　the　hill　beyond；　and　Goree

would　have　to　face　the　squandered　home　of　his　fathers。

Every　rock　he　passed；　every　tree；　every　foot　of　the　rocky

way；　was　familiar　to　him。　　Though　he　hid　forgotten　the

woods；　they　thrilled　him　like　the　music　of　〃Home；　Sweet

Home。〃



They　rounded　the　cliff；　decended　into　Elder　Branch；

and　paused　there　to　let　the　horses　drink　and　splash　in

the　swift　water。　　On　the　right　was　a　rail　fence　that

cornered　there；　and　followed　the　road　and　stream。

Inclosed　by　it　was　the　old　apple　orchard　of　the　home

place；　the　house　was　yet　concealed　by　the　brow　of　the

steep　hill。　　Inside　and　along　the　fence；　pokeberries；

elders；　sassafras；　and　sumac　grew　high　and　dense。　　At

a　rustle　of　their　branches；　both　Goree　and　Coltrane　glanced

up；　and　saw　a　long；　yellow；　wolfish　face　above　the　fence；

staring　at　them　with　pale；　unwinking　eyes。　　The　head

quicky　disappeared；　there　was　a　violent　swaying　of　the

bushes；　and　an　ungainly　figure　ran　up　through　the　apple

orchard　in　the　direction　of　the　house；　zigzagging　among

the　trees。



〃That's　Garvey；〃　said　Coltrane；　〃the　man　you　sold

out　to。　　There's　no　doubt　but　he's　considerably　cracked。

I　had　to　send　him　up　for　moonshining；　once；　several　years

ago；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　I　believed　him　irresponsible。

Why；　what's　the　matter；　Yancey？〃



Goree　was　wiping　his　forehead；　and　his　face　had　lost

its　colour。　　〃Do　I　look　queer；　too？〃　　he　asked；　trying

to　smile。　　〃I'm　just　remembering　a　few　more　things。〃

Some　of　the　alcohol　had　evaporated　from　his　brain。　　〃I

recollect　now　where　I　got　that　two　hundred　dollars。〃



〃Don't　think　of　it；〃　said　Coltrane　cheerfully。　　〃Later

on　we'll　figure　it　all　out　together。〃



They　rode　out　of　the　branch；　and　when　they　reached

the　foot　of　the　hill　Goree　stopped　again。



〃Did　you　ever　suspect　I　was　a　very　vain　kind　of　fellow；

Colonel〃　he　asked。　　〃Sort　of　foolish　proud　about

appearances？〃



The　colonel's　eyes　refused　to　wander　to　the　soiled；　sag…

ging　suit　of　flax　and　the　faded　slouch　hat。



〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　replied；　mystified；　but　humouring

him；　〃I　remember　a　young　buck　about　twenty；　with　the

tightest　coat；　the　sleekest　hair；　and　the　prancingest　saddle

horse　in　the　Blue　Ridge。〃



〃Right　you　are；〃　said　Goree　eagerly。　　〃And　it's　in

me　yet；　though　it　don't　show。　　Oh；　I'm　as　vain　as　a

turkey　gobbler；　and　as　proud　as　Lucifer。　　I'm　going　to

ask　you　to　indulge　this　weakness　of　mine　in　a　little

matter。〃



〃Speak　out；　Yancey。　　We'll　create　you　Duke　of

Laurel　and　Baron　of　Blue　Ridge；　if　you　choose；　and　you

shall　have　a　feather　out　of　Stella's　peacock's　tail　to　wear

in　your　hat。〃



〃I'm　in　earnest。　　In　a　few　minutes　we'll　pass　the　house

up　there　on　the　hill　where　I　was　born；　and　where　my

people　have　lived　for　nearly　a　century。　　Strangers　live

there　now　　and　look　at　me！　　I　am　about　to　show　myself

to　them　ragged　and　poverty…stricken；　a　wastrel　and　a

beggar。　　Colonel　Coltrane；　I'm　ashamed　to　do　it。　　I

want　you　to　let　me　wear　your　coat　and　hat　until　we　are

out　of　sight　beyond。　　I　know　you　think　it　a　foolish　pride；

but　I　want　to　make　as　good　a　showing　as　I　can　when

I　pass　the　old　place。〃



〃Now；　what　does　this　mean？〃　　said　Coltrane　to　him…

self；　as　he　compared　his　companion's　sane　looks　and

quiet　demeanour　with　his　strange　request。　　But　he

was　already　unbuttoning　the　coat；　assenting　readily；

as　if　the　fancy　were　in　no　wise　to　be　considered

strange。



The　coat　and　hat　fitted　Goree　well。　　He　buttoned

the　former　about　him　with　a　look　of　satisfaction　and

dignity。　　He　and　Coltrane　were　nearly　the　same　size　

rather　tall；　portly；　and　erect。　　Twenty…five　years　were

between　them；　but　in　appearance　they　might　have

been　brothers。　　Goree　looked　older　than　his　age；

his　face　was　puffy　and　lined；　the　colonel　had　the

smooth；　fresh　complexion　of　a　temperate　liver。　　He

put　on　Goree's　disreputable　old　flax　coat　and　faded

slouch　hat。



〃Now；〃　said　Goree；　taking　up　the　reins；　〃I'm　all

right。　　I　want　you　to　ride　about　ten　feet　in　the　rear　as　we

go　by；　Colonel；　so　that　they　can　get　a　good　look　at　me。

They'll　see　I'm　no　back　number　yet；　by　any　means。　　I

guess　I'll　show　up　pretty　well　to　them　once　more；　any…

how。　　Let's　ride　on。〃



He　set　out　up　the　hill　at　a　smart　trot；　the　colonel　fol…

lowing；　as　he　had　been　requested。



Goree　sat　straight　in　the　saddle；　with　head　erect；　but

his　eyes　were　turned　to　the　right；　sharply　scanning　every

shrub　and　fence　and　hiding…place　in　the　old　homestead

yard。　　Once　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃Will　the　crazy

fool　try　it；　or　did　I　dream　half　of　it？〃



It　was　when　he　came　opposite　the　little　family　burying

ground　that　he　saw　what　he　had　been　looking　for　　a

puff　of　white　smoke；　coming　from　the　thick　cedars　in　one

comer。　　He　toppled　so　slowly　to　the　left　that　Coltrane

had　time　to　urge　his　horse　to　that　side；　and　catch　him

with　one　arm。



The　squirrel　hunter　had　not　overpraised　his　aim。　　He

had　sent　the　bullet　where　he　intended；　and　where　Goree

had　expected　that　it　would　pass　…　through　the　breast

of　Colonel　Abner　Coltrane's　black　frock　coat。



Goree　leaned　heavily　against　Coltrane；　but　he　did　not

fall。　　The　horses　kept　pace；　side　by　side；　and　the　Colonel's

arm　kept　him　steady。　　The　little　white　houses　of　Laurel

shone　through　the　trees；　half　a　mile　away。　　Goree　reached

out　one　hand　and　groped　until　it　rested　upon　Coltrane's

fingers；　which　held　his　bridle。



〃Good　friend；〃　he　said；　and　that　was　all。



Thus　did　Yancey　Goree；　as　be　rode　past　his　old　home；

make；　considering　all　things；　the　best　showing　that　was

in　his　power。







　　　　　　　　　　THE　SONG　AND　THE　SERGEANT



Half　a　dozen　people　supping　at　a　table　in　one　of　the

upper…Broadway　all…night　restaurants　were　making　too

much　noise。　　Three　times　the　manager　walked　past

them　with　a　politely　warning　glance；　but　their　argument

had　waxed　too　warm　to　be　quelled　by　a　manager's　gaze。

It　was　midnight；　and　the　restaurant　was　filled　with

patrons　from　the　theatres　of　that　district。　　Some　among

the　dispersed　audiences　must　have　recognized　among　the

quarrelsome　sextet　the　faces　of　the　players　belonging　to

the　Carroll　Comedy　Company。



Four　of　the　six　made　up　the　company。　　Another　was

the　author　of　the　comedietta；　〃A　Gay　Coquette；〃

which　the　quartette　of　layers　had　been　presenting　with

fair　success　at　several　vaudeville　houses　in　the　city。　　The

sixth　at　the　table　was　a　person　inconsequent　in　the　realm

of　art；　but　one　at　whose　bidding　many　lobsters　had

perished。



Loudly　the　six　maintained　their　clamorous　debate。

No　one　of　the　Party　was　silent　except　when　answers

were　stormed　from　him　by　the　excited　ones。　　That　was

the　comedian　of　〃A　Gay　Coquette。〃　　He　was　a　young

man　with　a　face　even　too　melancholy　for　his　profession。



The　oral　warfare　of　four　immoderate　tongues　was

directed　at　Miss　Clarice　Carroll；　the　twinkling　star　of　the

small　aggregation。　　Excepting　the　downcast　comedian；

all　members　of　the　party　united　in　casting　upon　her　with

vehemence　the　blame　of　some　momentous　misfortune。

Fifty　times　they　told　her：　〃It　is　your　fault；　Clarice…

it　is　you　alone　who　spoilt　the　scene。　　It　is　only　of　late

that　you　have　acted　this　way。　　At　this　rate　the　sketch

will　have　to　be　taken　off。〃



Miss　Carroll　was　a　match　for　any　four。　　Gallic　ancestry

gave　her　a　vivacity　that　could　easily　mount　to　fury。　　Her

large　eyes　flashed　a　scorching　denial　at　her　accusers。　　Her

slender；　eloquent　arms　constantly　menaced　the　tableware。

Her　high；　clear　soprano　voice　rose　to　what　would　have

been　a　scream　had　it　not　possessed　so　pure　a　musical

qual