the riverman-第13章

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sunshine。



〃Your　friend　seems　a　nice…appearing　young　man；〃　said　Grandma　Orde。　　

〃Wouldn't　he　stay　to　dinner？〃



〃I　asked　him；〃　replied　Orde；　〃but　he　couldn't。　　He　and　I　have　a　

scheme　for　making　our　everlasting　fortunes。〃



〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　grandma。



Orde　dropped　his　napkin　into　his　lap　with　a　comical　chuckle　of　

dismay。



〃Blest　if　I　have　the　slightest　idea；　mother；〃　he　said。　　〃Newmark　

joined　us　on　the　drive。　　Said　he　was　a　lawyer；　and　was　out　in　the　

woods　for　his　health。　　He's　been　with　us；　studying　and　watching　the　

work；　ever　since。〃







IX





I　think　I'll　go　see　Jane　Hubbard　this　evening；〃　Orde　remarked　to　his　

mother；　as　he　arose　from　the　table。　　This　was　his　method　of　

announcing　that　he　would　not　be　home　for　supper。



Jane　Hubbard　lived　in　a　low　one…story　house　of　blue　granite；　

situated　amid　a　grove　of　oaks　at　the　top　of　the　hill。　　She　was　a　

kindly　girl；　whose　parents　gave　her　free　swing；　and　whose　house；　in　

consequence；　was　popular　with　the　younger　people。　　Every　Sunday　she　

offered　to　all　who　came　a　〃Sunday…night　lunch；〃　which　consisted　of　

cold　meats；　cold　salad；　bread；　butter；　cottage　cheese；　jam；　

preserves；　and　the　like；　warmed　by　a　cup　of　excellent　tea。　　These　

refreshments　were　served　by　the　guests　themselves。　　It　did　not　much　

matter　how　few　or　how　many　came。



On　the　Sunday　evening　in　question　Orde　found　about　the　usual　crowd　

gathered。　　Jane　herself；　tall；　deliberate　in　movement　and　in　speech；　

kindly　and　thoughtful；　talked　in　a　corner　with　Ernest　Colburn；　who　

was　just　out　of　college；　and　who　worked　in　a　bank。　　Mignonne　Smith；　

a　plump；　rather　pretty　little　body　with　a　tremendous　aureole　of　hair　

like　spun　golden　fire；　was　trying　to　balance　a　croquet…ball　on　the　

end　of　a　ruler。　　The　ball　regularly　fell　off。　　Three　young　men；　

standing　in　attentive　attitudes；　thereupon　dove　forward　in　an　

attempt　to　catch　it　before　it　should　hit　the　floorwhich　it　

generally　did　with　a　loud　thump。　　A　collapsed　chair　of　slender　lines　

stacked　against　the　wall　attested　previous　acrobatics。　　This　much　

Orde；　standing　in　the　doorway；　looked　upon　quite　as　the　usual　thing。　　

Only　he　missed　the　Incubus。　　Searching　the　room　with　his　eyes；　he　at　

length　discovered　that　incoherent；　desiccated；　but　persistent　youth　

VIS…A…VIS　with　a　stranger。　　Orde　made　out　the　white　of　her　gown　in　

the　shadows；　the　willowy　outline　of　her　small　and　slender　figure；　

and　the　gracious　forward　bend　of　her　head。



The　company　present　caught　sight　of　Orde　standing　in　the　doorway；　

and　suspended　occupations　to　shout　at　him　joyfully。　　He　was　

evidently　a　favourite。　　The　strange　girl　in　the　corner　turned　to　him　

a　white；　long　face；　of　which　he　could　see　only　the　outline　and　the　

redness　of　the　lips　where　the　lamplight　reached　them。　　She　leaned　

slightly　forward　and　the　lips　parted。　　Orde's　muscular　figure；　

standing　square　and　uncompromising　in　the　doorway；　the　out…of…door　

freshness　of　his　complexion；　the　steadiness　of　his　eyes　laughing　

back　a　greeting；　had　evidently　attracted　her。　　Or　perhaps　anything　

was　a　relief　from　the　Incubus。



〃So　you're　back　at　last；　are　you；　Jack？〃　drawled　Jane　in　her　lazy；　

good…natured　way。　　〃Come　and　meet　Miss　Bishop。　　Carroll；　I　want　to　

present　Mr。　Orde。〃



Orde　bowed　ceremoniously　into　the　penumbra　cast　by　the　lamp's　broad　

shade。　　The　girl　inclined　gracefully　her　small　head　with　the　glossy　

hair。　　The　Incubus；　his　thin　hands　clasped　on　his　knee；　his　sallow　

face　twisted　in　one　of　its　customary　wry　smiles；　held　to　the　edge　of　

his　chair　with　characteristic　pertinacity。



〃Well；　Walter；〃　Orde　addressed　him　genially；　〃are　you　having　a　good　

time？〃



〃Yes…indeed！〃　replied　the　Incubus　as　though　it　were　one　word。



His　chair　was　planted　squarely　to　exclude　all　others。　　Orde　surveyed　

the　situation　with　good…humour。



〃Going　to　keep　the　other　fellow　from　getting　a　chance；　I　see。〃



〃Yes…indeed！〃　replied　the　Incubus。



Orde　bent　over；　and　with　great　ease　lifted　Incubus；　chair；　and　all；　

and　set　him　facing　Mignonne　Smith　and　the　croquet…ball。



〃Here；　Mignonne；〃　said　he；　〃I've　brought　you　another　assistant。〃



He　returned　to　the　lamp；　to　find　the　girl；　her　dark　eyes　alight　with　

amusement；　watching　him　intently。　　She　held　the　tip　of　a　closed　fan　

against　her　lips；　which　brought　her　head　slightly　forward　in　an　

attitude　as　though　she　listened。　　Somehow　there　was　about　her　an　air　

of　poise；　of　absolute　balanced　repose　quite　different　from　Jane's　

rather　awkward　statics；　and　in　direct　contrast　to　Mignonne's　

dynamics。



〃Walter　is　a　very　bright　man　in　his　own　line；〃　said　Orde；　swinging　

forward　a　chair；　〃but　he　mustn't　be　allowed　any　monopolies。〃



〃How　do　you　know　I　want　him　so　summarily　removed？〃　the　girl　asked　

him；　without　changing　either　her　graceful　attitude　of　suspended　

motion　or　the　intentness　of　her　gaze。



〃Well；〃　argued　Orde；　〃I　got　him　to　say　all　he　ever　says　to　any　girl

'Yes…indeed！'so　you　couldn't　have　any　more　conversation　from　him。　　

If　you　want　to　look　at　him；　why；　there　he　is　in　plain　sight。　　

Besides；　I　want　to　talk　to　you　myself。〃



〃Do　you　always　get　what　you　want？〃　inquired　the　girl。



Orde　laughed。



〃Any　one　can　get　anything　he　wants；　if　only　he　wants　it　bad　enough；〃　

he　asserted。



The　girl　pondered　this　for　a　moment；　and　finally　lowered　and　opened　

her　fan；　and　threw　back　her　head　in　a　more　relaxed　attitude。



〃Some　people；〃　she　amended。　　〃However；　I　forgive　you。　　I　will　even　

flatter　you　by　saying　I　am　glad　you　came。　　You　look　to　have　reached　

the　age　of　discretion。　　I　venture　to　say　that　these　boys'　idea　of　a　

lively　evening　is　to　throw　bread　about　the　table。〃



Orde　flushed　a　little。　　The　last　time　he　had　supped　at　Jane　

Hubbard's；　that　was　exactly　what　they　did　do。



〃They　are　young；　of　course；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　and　I　are　very　old　

and　wise。　　But　having　a　noisy；　good　time　isn't　such　a　great　crime

or　is　it　where　you　came　from？〃



The　girl　leaned　forward；　a　sparkle　of　interest　in　her　eyes。



〃Are　you　and　I　going　to　fight？〃　she　demanded。



〃That　depends　on　you；〃　returned　Orde　squarely；　but　with　perfect　

good…humour。



They　eyed　each　other　a　moment。　　Then　the　girl　closed　her　fan；　and　

leaned　forward　to　touch　him　on　the　arm　with　it。



〃You　are　quite　right　not　to　allow　me　to　say　mean　things　about　your　

friends；　and　I　am　a　nasty　little　snip。〃



Orde　bowed　with　sudden　gravity。



〃And　they　do　throw　bread；〃　said　he。



They　both　laughed。　　She　leaned　back　with　a　movement　of　satisfaction；　

seeming　to　sink　into　the　shadows。



〃Now；　tell　me；　what　do　you　do？〃



〃What　do　I　do？〃　asked　Orde；　puzzled。



〃Yes。　　Everybody　does　something　out　West　here。　　It's　a　disgrace　not　

to　do　something；　isn't　it？〃



〃Oh；　my　business！　　I'm　a　river…driver　just　now。〃



〃A　river…driver？〃　she　repeated；　once　more　leaning　forward。　　〃Why；　

I've　just　been　hearing　a　great　deal　about　you。〃



〃That　so？〃　he　inquired。



〃Yes；　from　Mrs。　Baggs。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Orde。　　〃Then　you　know　what　a　drunken；　swearing；　worthless　

lot　of　bums　and　toughs　we　are；　don't　you？〃



For　the　first　time；　in　some　subtle　way　she　broke　the　poise　of　her　

attitude。



〃There　is　Hell's　Half…Mile；〃　she　reminded　him。



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Orde　bitterly；　〃there's　Hell's　Half…Mile！　　Whose　

fault　is　that？　　My　rivermen's？　　My　boys？　　Look　here！　　I　suppose　you　

couldn't　understand　it；　if　you　tried　a　month；　but　suppose　you　were　

working　out　in　the　woods　nine　months　of　the　year；　up　early　in　the　

morning　and　in　late　at　night。　　Suppose　you　slept　in　rough　blankets；　

on　the　ground　or　in　bunks；　ate　rough　food；　never　saw　a　woman　or　a　

book；　undertook　work　to　scare　your　city　men　up　a　tree　and　into　a　

hole　too　easy；　risked　your　life　a　dozen　times　a　week　in　a　tangle　of　

logs；　with　the　big　river　roaring　behind　just　waiting　to　swallow　you；　

saw　nothing　but　woods　and　river；　were　cold　and　hungry　and　wet；　and　

so　tired　you　couldn't　wiggle；　until　you　got　to　feeling　like　the　

thing　was　never　going　to　end；　and　until　you　got　sick　of　it　way　

through　in　spite　of　the　excitement　and　danger。　　And　then　suppose　you　

hit　town；　where　there　were　all　the　things　you　hadn't　hadand　the　

first　thing　you　struck　was　Hell's　Half…Mile。　　Say！　you've　seen　water　

behind　a　jam；　haven't　you？　　Water…power's　a　good　thing　in　a　mill　

course；　where　it　has　wheels　to　turn；　but　behind　a　jam　it　just　RIPS　

thingsoh；　what's　the　use　talking！　　A　girl　doesn't　know　what　it　

means。　　She　couldn't　understand。〃



He　broke　off　with　an　impatient　gesture。　　She　was　looking　at　him　

intently；　her　lips　again　half…parted。



〃I　think　I　begin　to　understand　a　little；〃　said　she　softly。　　She　

smiled　to　herself。　　〃But　they　are　a　hard　and　heartless　class　in　

spite　of　all　their　energy　and　courage；　aren't　they？〃　she　drew　him　

out。



〃Hard　and　heartless！〃　exploded　Orde。　　〃There's　no　kinder　lot　of　men　

on　earth；　let　me　tell　you。　　Why；　there　isn't　a　man　on　that　river　who　

doesn't　chip　in　five　or　ten　dollars　when　a　man　is　hurt　or　killed；　

and　that　means　three　or　four　days'　hard　work　for　him。　　And　he　may　

not　know　or　like　the　injured　man　at　all！　　Why〃



〃What's　all　the　excitement？〃　drawled　Jane　Hubbard　behind　them。　　

〃Can't　you　make　it　a　to…be…continued…in…our…next？　　We're　'most　

starved。〃



〃Yes…indeed！〃　chimed　in　the　Incubus。



The　company　trooped　out　to　the　dining…room　where　the　table；　spread　

with　all　the　good　things；　awaited　them。



〃Ernest；　you　light　the　candles；〃　drawled　Jane；　drifting　slowly　along　

the　table　with　her　eye　on　the　arrangements；　〃and　some　of　you　boys　go　

get　the　butter　and　the　milk…pitcher　from　the　ice…box。〃



To　Orde's　relief；　no　one　threw　any　bread；　although　the　whole…hearted　

fun　grew　boisterous　enough　before　the　close　of　the　meal。　　Miss　

Bishop　sat　directly　across　from　him。　　He　had　small　chance　of　

conversation　with　her　in　the　hubbub　that　raged；　but　he　gained　full　

leisure　to　examine　her　more　closely　in　the　fuller　illumination。　　

Throughout；　her　note　was　of　fineness。　　Her　hands；　as　he　had　already　

noticed；　were　long；　the　fingers　tapering；　her　wrists　were　finely　

moulded；　but　slender；　and　running　without　abrupt　swelling　of　muscles　

into　the　long　lines　of　her　forearm；　her　figure　was　rounded；　but　

built　on　the　curves　of　slenderness；　her　piled；　glossy　hair　was　so　

fine　that　though　it　was　full　of　wonderful　soft　shadows　denied　

coarser　tresses；　its　mass　hardly　did　justice　to　its　abundance。　　Her　

face；　again；　was　long　and　oval；　with　a　peculiar　transparence　to　the　

skin　and　a　peculiar　faint；　healthy　circulation　of　the　blood　well　

below　the　surface；　which　relieved　her　complexion　of　pallor；　but　did　

not　give　her　a　colour。　　The　lips；　on　the　contrary；　were　satin　red；　

and　Orde　was　mildly　surprised；　after　his　recent　talk；　to　find　them　

sensitively　moulded；　and　with　a　quaint；　child…like　quirk　at　the　

corners。　　Her　eyes