the vision spendid(美景)-第25章
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the election。 The word would leak out that he had been bought off。〃
The old buccaneer's eyes gleamed。 He was as daring a lawbreaker as
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ever built or wrecked a railroad。 〃Have you the nerve； young man？〃
〃When I'm working for you； sir；〃 retorted James coolly。
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃If I've studied your career to any purpose； sir； one thing stands out
pretty clear。 You haven't the slightest respect for law merely as law。 When
it's on your side you're a stickler for it； when it isn't you say nothing； but
brush it aside as if it did not exist。 In either case you get what you want。〃
〃I'm glad you've noticed that last point。 Now we'll have luncheon。〃 He
smiled grimly。 〃I daresay you'll enjoy it no less because I stole it from the
horny hand of labor； by your mad cousin's way of it。〃
〃Not a bit；〃 answered James cheerfully。
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CHAPTER 13
〃Must it be？ Must we then Render back to God again This； His broken
work； this thing For His man that once did sing？〃 Josephine Prestor
Peabody。
〃And listen！ I declare to you that if all is as you sayand I do not
doubt ityou have never ceased to be virtuous in the sight of God！〃
Victor Hugo。
THE REBEL PROVES THAT HE IS LOST TO GOOD FORM AND
RESPECTABILITY BY STEPPING BETWEEN A SINNER AND THE
WAGES OF SIN； THUS EVIDENCING TO THE PILLARS OF
SOCIETY HIS COMPLETE DEGENERATION
PART 1
Sam Miller came into Jeff's office one night as he was looking over the
editorials。 Farnum nodded abstractedly to him。
〃Take a chair； Sam。 Be through in a minute。〃
Presently Jeff pushed the galley proof to one side and looked at his
friend。 〃Well； Sam？〃 Almost at once he added： 〃What's the matter？〃
There were queer white patches on Miller's fat face。 He looked like a
man in hell。 A lump rose in his throat。 Two or three times he swallowed
hard。
〃It'sit's Nellie。〃
〃Nellie Anderson？〃
He nodded。
Jeff felt as if his heart had been drenched in icy water。 〃What about
her？〃
〃She'sgone。〃
〃Gone where？〃
〃We don't know。 She left Friday。 There was a note for her mother。 It
said to forget her； because she was a disgrace to her name。〃
〃You mean〃 Jeff did not finish his question。 He knew what the
answer was； and in his soul lay a reflection of the mortal sickness he saw
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in his friend's face。
Miller nodded； unable to speak。 Presently his words came brokenly。
〃She's been acting strangely for a long time。 Her mother noticed it。 。 。 。 So
did I。 Like as if she wasn't happy。 We've been worried。 I 。 。 。I 。 。 。〃 He
buried his face in his arm on the table。 〃My God； I love her； Jeff。 I have for
years。 If I'd only known 。 。 。 if she'd only told me。〃
Jeff was white as the galley proof that lay before him with the
unprinted side up。 〃Tell me all about it； Sam。〃
Miller looked up。 〃That's all。 We don't know where she's gone。 She
had no money to speak of。〃
〃And the man？〃 Jeff almost whispered。
〃We don't know who he is。 Might be any one of the clerks at the
Verden Dry Goods Company。
Maybe it's none of them。 If I knew I'd cut his heart out。〃
The clock on the wall ticked ten times before Jeff spoke。 〃Did she go
alone？〃
〃We don't know。 None of the clerks are missing from the store where
she worked。 I checked up with the manager yesterday。〃
Another long silence。 〃They may have rooms in town here。〃
〃Not likely。〃 Presently Miller added miserably： 〃She'sgoing to be a
mother soon。 We found the doctor she went to see。〃
〃You're sure she hasn't been married？ Of course you've looked over the
marriage licenses for the past year。〃
〃Yes。 Her name isn't on the list。〃
〃Did she have money？〃
〃About fifteen dollars； we figure。〃
〃That wouldn't take her farunless the man gave her some。 Have you
been to a detective agency？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃We'll put blind ads in all the papers telling her to come home。 We'll
rake the city and the state with a fine tooth comb。 We're bound to hear of
her。〃
〃She's desperate； Jeff。 If she's alone she'll think she has no friends。
We've got to find her in time or〃
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Jeff guessed the alternative。 She might take the easy way out； the one
which offered an escape from all her earthly troubles。 Girls of her type
often did。 Nellie was made for laughter and for happiness。 He had known
her innocent as a sunbeam and as glad。 Now that she was in the pit； facing
disgrace and disillusionment and despair； the horror and the dread of
existence to her would be a millstone round her neck。
The damnable unfairness of it took。 Jeff by the throat。 Was it her fault
that she had inherited a temperament where passions lurked unsuspected
like a banked fire？ Was she to blame because her mother had brought her
up without warning； because she had believed in the love and the honor of
a villain？ Her very faith and trust had betrayed her。 Every honest instinct
in him cried out against the world's verdict； that she must pay with salt
tears to the end of her life while the scoundrel who had led her into trouble
walked gaily to fresh conquests。
Cogged dice！ She had gone forth smiling to play the game of life with
them； never dreaming that the cubes were loaded。 He remembered how
once her every motion sang softly to him like music； with what dear
abandon she had given herself to his kisses。 Her fondness had been a thing
to cherish； her innocence had called for protection。 And her chivalrous
lover had struck the lightness forever from her soul。
For long he never thought of her without an icy sinking of the heart。
PART 2
Weeks passed。 Sam Miller gave his whole time to the search for the
missing girl。 Jeff supplied the means； in every way he could he
encouraged him and the broken mother。 For a thousand miles south and
east the police had her description and her photograph。 But no trace of her
could be found。 False clews there were aplenty。 A dozen haggard
streetwalkers were arrested in mistake for her。 Patiently Sam ran down
every story； followed every possibility to its hopeless end。
The weeks ran into months。 Mrs。 Anderson still hoped drearily。 Every
night the light in the hall burned now till daybreak。 And every night she
wept herself to sleep for that her one ewe lamb was lost in a ravenous
world。
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Tears were for the night。 Wan smiles for the day； when she and Sam；
drawn close by a common grief； met to understand each other with few
words。 He was back again at his work as curator of the museum at the
State House； a place Jeff had secured for him after the election。
Outside of Nellie's mother the one friend to whom Sam turned now
was Jeff。 He came for comfort； to sit long hours in the office while
Farnum did his night work。 Sometimes he would read； more often sit
brooding with his chin in his hands。 When the midnight rush was past and
Jeff was free they would go together to a restaurant。
Afterwards they would separate at the door of the block where Jeff had
his rooms。
PART 3
Yet when Jeff found her it was not Sam who was with him； but
Marchant。 They had been to see Sobieski about a place Captain Chunn had
secured for him as a night watchman of the shipbuilding plant of which
Clinton Rogers was part owner。 The Pole had mounted his hobby and it
had been late when they got away from his cabin under the viaduct。
Just before they turned into lower Powers Avenue from the deadline
below Yarnell Way； Marchant clutched at the sleeve of his friend。
〃See that woman's face？〃 he asked sharply。
〃No。〃
Jeff was interested at once。 For during the past months he had fallen
into a habit of scanning the countenance of any woman who might be the
one they sought。
〃She knew you。 I could see fear jump to her eyes。〃
〃We'll go back；〃 Jeff decided instantly。
〃She's in deep water。 Death is written on her face。〃
Already Jeff was swinging back； almost on the run。 But she had gone
swallowed up in the darkness of the night。 They listened； but could hear
only the steady splashing of the rain。 While they stood hesitating the
figure of a woman showed at the other end of the alley and was lost at
once down Pacific Avenue。
Jeff ran toward the lights of the other avenue； but before he reached it
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she had again disappeared。 Marchant joined him a few moments later。 The
little socialist leaned against the wall to steady himself against the fit of
coughing that racked him。
〃Nuisance 。 。 。 this 。 。 。 being a lunger。 。 。 What's it all 。 。 。 about； Jeff？〃
〃I know her。 We'll cover the waterfront。 Take from Coffee Street up。
Don't miss a wharf or a boathouse。 And if you find the girl don't let her get
away。〃
The editor crossed to the Pacific & Alaska dock； his glance sweeping
every dark nook and cranny that might conceal a huddled form。 Out of a
sodden sky rain pelted in a black night。
He was turning away when an empty banana crate behind him crashed
down from a pyramid of them。 Jeff whirled； was upon her in an instan
