rowdy of the cross l-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


past　the　window。　Intuition　of　something　amiss　sent　her　to　the　door　before　he
reached　it。

〃Can't　you　give　the　kids　a　day　off？〃　he　began；　without　preface。　〃I've　got
such　a　lot　to　talk　aboutand　I　don't　come　very　often。〃　He　thought　that　his
tone　was　perfectly　natural；　but　all　the　same　she　turned　white。　He　rode　on　to
a　little　tree　and　tied　his　horsenot　that　it　was　necessary　to　tie　him；　but
to　avoid　questions。

Miss　Conroy　went　in　and　dismissed　the　children；　although　it　was　only　fifteen
minutes　after　nine。　They　gathered　up　their　lunch…pails　and　straggled　out
reluctantly；　round…eyed；　and　curious。　Rowdy　waited　until　the　last　one　had
gone　before　he　went　in。　Miss　Conroy　sat　in　her　chair　on　the　platform；　and
she　was　still　white；　otherwise　she　seemed　to　have　herself　well　in　hand。

〃It's　about　Harry；〃　she　asserted；　rather　sharply。

〃Have　theycaught　him？〃

Rowdy　stopped　half…way　down　the　aisle　and　stared。　〃How　did　you　know　they
wereafter　him？〃

〃He　came　to　me　night　before　last；　andtold　me。〃　She　bit　her　lip；　took　firm
hold　on　her　honesty　and　her　courage；　and　went　on　steadily。　〃He　came　because
hewanted　money。　I've　wanted　to　see　you　since；　to　tell　you　thatI
misjudged　you。　I　know　all　about　yourtrouble；　and　I　want　you　to　know　that　I
think　you　arethat　you　did　quite　right。　You　are　to　understand　that　I　cannot
honestly　upholdHarry。　He　isnot　the　kind　of　brotherI　thought。〃

Rowdy　went　clanking　forward　till　only　the　table　stood　between。　〃Did　he　tell
you？〃　he　demanded；　in　a　curious；　breathless　fashion。

〃No；　he　did　not。　He　denied　everything。　It　was　Pink。　He　told　me　long
agothat　evening；　just　after　youthe　last　time　I　saw　you。　I　told　him
helied。　I　tried　not　to　believe　it；　but　I　did。　Pink　knew　I　would；　he　said
so。　The　other　night　I　asked　Harry　aboutthose　things　he　did　to　you。　He　lied
to　me。　I'd　have　forgiven　himbut　he　lied。　Ican't　forgive　that。　I〃

〃Hush！〃　Rowdy　threw　out　a　gloved　hand　quickly。　He　could　not　bear　to　let　her
go　on　like　that。

She　looked　up　at　him；　and　all　at　once　she　was　shaking。　〃There's
somethingtell　me！〃

〃They　didn't　take　him；〃　he　said　slowly；　weighing　each　word　and　looking　down
at　her　pityingly　〃They　never　will。　Hehad　an　accident。　A　horsefell　with
himandhe　was　dead　when　they　picked　him　up。〃　It　was　as　merciful　a　version
as　he　could　make　it；　but　the　words　choked　him；　even　then。　〃Girlie！〃　He　went
around　and　knelt；　with　his　arms　holding　her　close。

After　a　long　while　he　spoke　again；　smoothing　her　hair　absently；　and　never
noticing　that　he　had　not　taken　off　his　gloves。　His　gray　hat　was　pushed
aslant　as　his　head　rested　against　hers。

〃Perhaps；　girlie；　it's　for　the　best。　We　couldn't　have　saved　him　fromthe
other；　and　that　would　have　been　worse；　don't　you　think？　We'll　forget　all　but
the　good　in　him〃he　could　not　help　thinking　that　there　would　not　be　much　to
remember〃and　I'll　get　a　little　home　ready；　and　come　back　and　get　you
before　snow　fliesandyou'll　be　kind　of　happy；　won't　you？

〃Maybe　you　haven't　heardbut　Eagle　Creek　has　made　me　foreman　of　his　outfit
that's　going　to　Canada。　It's　a　good　position。　I　can　make　you　comfortable；
girlieand　happy。　Anyway；　I'll　try；　mighty　hard。　You'll　be　ready　for　me
when　I　comewon't　you；　girlie？〃

Miss　Conroy　raised　her　face；　all　tear…stained；　but；　with　the　light　of
happiness　fighting　the　sorrow　in　her　eyes；　nodded　just　enough　to　make　the
movement　perceptible；　and　settled　her　head　to　a　more　comfortable
nestling…place　on　his　shoulder。






End