a girl of the limberlost-第59章

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She　leaned　against　him；　closed　her　eyes　and　lay　silent　so

long　the　man　fell　into　panic。



〃Edith；　you　are　not　unconscious？〃　he　whispered；　touching　her。



〃No。　　just　resting。　　Please　don't　leave　me。〃



He　held　her　carefully；　gently　fanning　her。　　She　was

suffering　almost　more　than　either　of　them　could　endure。



〃I　wish　you　had　your　boat；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃I　want

to　sail　with　the　wind　in　my　face。〃



〃There　is　no　wind。　　I　can　bring　my　motor　around　in　a

few　minutes。〃



〃Then　get　it。〃



〃Lie　on　the　sand。　　I　can　'phone　from　the　first　booth。　

It　won't　take　but　a　little　while。〃



Edith　lay　on　the　white　sand；　and　Henderson　covered　her

face　with　her　hat。　　Then　he　ran　to　the　nearest　booth　and

talked　imperatively。　　Presently　he　was　back　bringing　a

hot　drink　that　was　stimulating。　　Shortly　the　motor　ran

close　to　the　beach　and　stopped。　　Henderson's　servant

brought　a　row…boat　ashore　and　took　them　to　the　launch。　

It　was　filled　with　cushions　and　wraps。　　Henderson　made　a

couch　and　soon；　warmly　covered；　Edith　sped　out　over　the

water　in　search　of　peace。



Hour　after　hour　the　boat　ran　up　and　down　the　shore。　

The　moon　arose　and　the　night　air　grew　very　chilly。　

Henderson　put　on　an　overcoat　and　piled　more　covers　on　Edith。



〃You　must　take　me　home；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃The　folks

will　be　uneasy。〃



He　was　compelled　to　take　her　to　the　cottage　with　the

battle　still　raging。　　He　went　back　early　the　next　morning；

but　already　she　had　wandered　out　over　the　island。　

Instinctively　Henderson　felt　that　the　shore　would　attract　her。　

There　was　something　in　the　tumult　of　rough　little　Huron's

waves　that　called　to　him。　　It　was　there　he　found　her；

crouching　so　close　the　water　the　foam　was　dampening　her　skirts。



〃May　I　stay？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　been　hoping　you　would　come；〃　she　answered。　

〃It's　bad　enough　when　you　are　here；　but　it　is　a　little　easier

than　bearing　it　alone。〃



〃Thank　God　for　that！〃　said　Henderson　sitting　beside

her。　　〃Shall　I　talk　to　you？〃



She　shook　her　head。　　So　they　sat　by　the　hour。　　At　last

she　spoke：　　〃Of　course；　you　know　there　is　something　I

have　got　to　do；　Hart！〃



〃You　have　not！〃　cried　Henderson；　violently。　

〃That's　all　nonsense！　　Give　me　just　one　word

of　permission。　　That　is　all　that　is　required　of　you。〃



〃‘Required？'　　You　grant；　then；　that　there　is　something　‘required？'〃



〃One　word。　　Nothing　more。〃



〃Did　you　ever　know　one　word　could　be　so　big；　so　black；

so　desperately　bitter？　　Oh；　Hart！〃



〃No。〃



〃But　you　know　it　now；　Hart！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　still　you　say　that　it　is　‘required？'〃



Henderson　suffered　unspeakably。　　At　last　he　said：　　〃If　you

had　seen　and　heard　him；　Edith；　you；　too；　would　feel　that

it　is　‘required。'　　Remember〃



〃No！　　No！　　No！〃　she　cried。　　〃Don't　ask　me　to　remember　even

the　least　of　my　pride　and　folly。　　Let　me　forget！〃



She　sat　silent　for　a　long　time。



〃Will　you　go　with　me？〃　she　whispered。　



〃Of　course。〃



At　last　she　arose。



〃I　might　as　well　give　up　and　have　it　over；〃　she　faltered。　



That　was　the　first　time　in　her　life　that　Edith　Carr　ever

had　proposed　to　give　up　anything　she　wanted。



〃Help　me；　Hart！〃



Henderson　started　around　the　beach　assisting　her　all　he　could。　

Finally　he　stopped。



〃Edith；　there　is　no　sense　in　this！　　You　are　too　tired　to　go。　

You　know　you　can　trust　me。　　You　wait　in　any　of　these　lovely

places　and　send　me。　　You　will　be　safe；　and　I'll　run。　

One　word　is　all　that　is　necessary。〃



〃But　I've　got　to　say　that　word　myself；　Hart！〃



〃Then　write　it；　and　let　me　carry　it。　　The　message　is　not

going　to　prove　who　went　to　the　office　and　sent　it。〃



〃That　is　quite　true；〃　she　said；　dropping　wearily；　but　she

made　no　movement　to　take　the　pen　and　paper　he　offered。



〃Hart；　you　write　it；〃　she　said　at　last。



Henderson　turned　away　his　face。　　He　gripped　the　pen；

while　his　breath　sucked　between　his　dry　teeth。



〃Certainly！〃　he　said　when　he　could　speak。　　〃Mackinac；

August　27；　1908。　　Philip　Ammon；　Lake　Shore　Hospital；　Chicago。〃　

He　paused　with　suspended　pen　and　glanced　at　Edith。　　Her　white

lips　were　working；　but　no　sound　came。　　〃Miss　Comstock　is　with

the　Terence　O'Mores；　on　Mackinac　Island；〃　prompted　Henderson。



Edith　nodded。



〃Signed；　Henderson；〃　continued　the　big　man。



Edith　shook　her　head。



〃Say；　‘She　is　well　and　happy；'　and　sign；　Edith　Carr！〃

she　panted。



〃Not　on　your　life！〃　flashed　Henderson。



〃For　the　love　of　mercy；　Hart；　don't　make　this　any　harder！　

It　is　the　least　I　can　do；　and　it　takes　every　ounce　of

strength　in　me　to　do　it。〃



〃Will　you　wait　for　me　here？〃　he　asked。



She　nodded；　and；　pulling　his　hat　lower　over　his　eyes；

Henderson　ran　around　the　shore。　　In　less　than　an　hour　he

was　back。　　He　helped　her　a　little　farther　to　where　the

Devil's　Kitchen　lay　cut　into　the　rocks；　it　furnished　places

to　rest；　and　cool　water。　　Before　long　his　man　came　with

the　boat。　　From　it　they　spread　blankets　on　the　sand　for

her；　and　made　chafing…dish　tea。　　She　tried　to　refuse　it；

but　the　fragrance　overcame　her　for　she　drank　ravenously。　

Then　Henderson　cooked　several　dishes　and　spread　an

appetizing　lunch。　　She　was　young；　strong；　and　almost

famished　for　food。　　She　was　forced　to　eat。　　That　made

her　feel　much　better。　　Then　Henderson　helped　her　into　the

boat　and　ran　it　through　shady　coves　of　the　shore；　where

there　were　refreshing　breezes。　　When　she　fell　asleep　the

girl　did　not　know；　but　the　man　did。　　Sadly　in　need　of　rest

himself；　he　ran　that　boat　for　five　hours　through　quiet　bays；

away　from　noisy　parties；　and　where　the　shade　was　cool

and　deep。　　When　she　awoke　he　took　her　home；　and　as　they

went　she　knew　that　she　had　been　mistaken。　　She　would

not　die。　　Her　heart　was　not　even　broken。　　She　had　suffered

horribly；　she　would　suffer　more；　but　eventually　the　pain

must　wear　out。　　Into　her　head　crept　a　few　lines　of　an

old　opera：





　　　　　〃Hearts　do　not　break；　they　sting　and　ache；

　　　　　　For　old　love's　sake；　but　do　not　die；

　　　　　　As　witnesseth　the　living　I。〃





That　evening　they　were　sailing　down　the　Straits　before

a　stiff　breeze　and　Henderson　was　busy　with　the　tiller　when

she　said　to　him：　　〃Hart；　I　want　you　to　do　something　more

for　me。〃



〃You　have　only　to　tell　me；〃　he　said。



〃Have　I　only　to　tell　you；　Hart？〃　she　asked　softly。



〃Haven't　you　learned　that　yet；　Edith？〃



〃I　want　you　to　go　away。〃



〃Very　well；〃　he　said　quietly；　but　his　face　whitened　visibly。



〃You　say　that　as　if　you　had　been　expecting　it。〃



〃I　have。　　I　knew　from　the　beginning　that　when　this

was　over　you　would　dislike　me　for　having　seen　you　suffer。　

I　have　grown　my　Gethsemane　in　a　full　realization　of　what

was　coming；　but　I　could　not　leave　you；　Edith；　so　long　as　it

seemed　to　me　that　I　was　serving　you。　　Does　it　make　any

difference　to　you　where　I　go？〃



〃I　want　you　where　you　will　be　loved；　and　good　care

taken　of　you。〃



〃Thank　you！〃　said　Henderson；　smiling　grimly。　　〃Have　you

any　idea　where　such　a　spot　might　be　found？〃



〃It　should　be　with　your　sister　at　Los　Angeles。　　She　always

has　seemed　very　fond　of　you。〃



〃That　is　quite　true；〃　said　Henderson；　his　eyes　brightening

a　little。　　〃I　will　go　to　her。　　When　shall　I　start？〃



〃At　once。〃



Henderson　began　to　tack　for　the　landing；　but　his　hands

shook　until　he　scarcely　could　manage　the　boat。　　Edith　Carr

sat　watching　him　indifferently；　but　her　heart　was

throbbing　painfully。　　〃Why　is　there　so　much　suffering　in

the　world？〃　she　kept　whispering　to　herself。　　Inside　her

door　Henderson　took　her　by　the　shoulders　almost　roughly。



〃For　how　long　is　this；　Edith；　and　how　are　you　going　to

say　good…bye　to　me？〃



She　raised　tired；　pain…filled　eyes　to　his。



〃I　don't　know　for　how　long　it　is；〃　she　said。　　〃It　seems

now　as　if　it　had　been　a　slow　eternity。　　I　wish　to　my　soul

that　God　would　be　merciful　to　me　and　make　something

‘snap'　in　my　heart；　as　there　did　in　Phil's；　that　would　give

me　rest。　　I　don't　know　for　how　long；　but　I'm　perfectly

shameless　with　you；　Hart。　　If　peace　ever　comes　and　I　want

you；　I　won't　wait　for　you　to　find　it　out　yourself；　I'll　cable；

Marconigraph；　anything。　　As　for　how　I　say　good…bye；　any

way　you　please；　I　don't　care　in　the　least　what　happens　to　me。〃



Henderson　studied　her　intently。



〃In　that　case；　we　will　shake　hands；〃　he　said。　　〃Good…bye；　Edith。　

Don't　forget　that　every　hour　I　am　thinking　of　you　and　hoping

all　good　things　will　come　to　you　soon。〃









CHAPTER　XXV





WHEREIN　PHILIP　FINDS　ELNORA；

AND　EDITH　CARR　OFFERS　A　YELLOW　EMPEROR





Oh；　I　need　my　own　violin；〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃This　one

may　be　a　thousand　times　more　expensive；　and　much　older

than　mine；　but　it　wasn't　inspired　and　taught　to　sing

by　a　man　who　knew　how。　　It　doesn't　know　‘beans；'　as

mother　would　say；　about　the　Limberlost。〃



The　guests　in　the　O'More　music…room　laughed　appreciatively。



〃Why　don't　you　write　your　mother　to　come　for　a　visit

and　bring　yours？〃　suggested　Freckles。



〃I　did　that　three　days　ago；〃　acknowledged　Elnora。　

〃I　am　half　expecting　her　on　the　noon　boat。　　That　is

one　reason　why　this　violin　grows　worse　every　minute。　

There　is　nothing　at　all　the　matter　with　me。〃



〃Splendid！〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃I've　begged　and　begged

her　to　do　it。　　I　know　how　anxious　these　mothers　become。　

When　did　you　send？　　What　made　you？　　Why　didn't　you

tell　me？〃



〃‘When？'　Three　days　ago。　　‘What　made　me？'　　You。　‘Why　didn't

I　tell　you？'　　Because　I　can't　be　sure　in　the　least　that　she

will　come。　　Mother　is　the　most　individual　person。　　She　never

does　what　every　one　expects　she　will。



She　may　not　come；　and　I　didn't　want　you　to　be　disappointed。〃



〃How　did　I　make　you？〃　asked　the　Angel。



〃Loving　Alice。　　It　made　me　realize　that　if　you　cared　for

your　girl　like　that；　with　Mr。　O'More　and　three　other

children；　possibly　my　mother；　with　no　one；　might　like　to

see　me。　　I　know　I　want　to　see　her；　and　you　had　told　me　to

so　often；　I　just　sent　for　her。　　Oh；　I　do　hope　she　comes！　

I　want　her　to　see　this　lovely　place。〃



〃I　have　been　wondering　what　you　thought　of　Mackinac；〃

said　Freckles。



〃Oh；　it　is　a　perfect　picture；　all　of　it！　　I　should　like　to

hang　it　on　the　wall；　so　I　could　see　it　whenever　I　wanted　to；

but　it　isn't　real；　of　course；　it's　nothing　but　a　picture。〃



〃These　people　won't　agree　with　you；〃　smiled　Freckles。



〃That　isn't　necessary；〃　retorted　Elnora。　　〃They　know

this；　and　they　love　it；　but　you　and　I　are　acquainted　with

something　different。　　The　Limberlost　is　life。　　Here　it　is

a　carefully　kept　park。　　You　motor；　sail；　and　golf；　all　so

secure　and　fine。　　But　what　I　like　is　the　excitement　of

choosing　a　path　carefully；　in　the　fear　that　the　quagmire

may　reach　out　and　suck　me　down；　to　go　into　the　swamp

naked…handed　and　wrest　from　it　treasures　that　bring　me

books　and　clothing；　and　I　like　enough　of　a　fight　for　things