the riverman-第53章

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Newmark　shrugged　his　shoulders　swiftly。



〃I　got　lots　of　logs　in　that　jam。　　If　that　jam　goes　out　I　vill　lose　a　

heap　of　money。〃



〃Well；　you'll　make　quite　a　heap　on　this　deal；〃　said　Newmark　

carelessly。



〃Suppose　he　holds　it；〃　said　Heinzman；　pausing。　　〃I　hate　like　the　

mischief　to　joomp　on　him。〃



〃Rot！〃　said　Newmark　decisively。　　〃That's　what　he's　there　for。〃　　He　

looked　at　the　German　sharply。　　〃I　suppose　you　know　just　how　deep　

you're　in　this？〃



〃Oh；　I　ain't　backing　oudt；〃　negatived　Heinzman。　　〃Not　a　bit。〃



〃Well；　then；　you　know　what　to　do；〃　said　Newmark；　terminating　the　

interview。







XLIII





Little　by　little　the　water　went　down。　　The　pressure；　already　

considerably　relieved　by　the　channel　into　Stearn's　Bayou；　slackened　

every　hour。　　Orde；　still　half　dazed　with　his　long…delayed　sleep；　

drove　back　along　the　marsh　road　to　town。



His　faculties　were　still　in　the　torpor　that　follows　rest　after　

exhaustion。　　The　warm　July　sun；　the　breeze　from　the　Lake；　the　flash　

of　light　from　the　roadside　water；　these　were　all　he　had　room　for　

among　his　perceptions。　　He　was　content　to　enjoy　them；　and　to　

anticipate　drowsily　the　keen　pleasure　of　seeing　Carroll　again。　　In　

the　rush　of　the　jam　he　had　heard　nothing　from　her。　　For　all　he　knew　

she　and　Bobby　might　have　been　among　the　spectators　on　the　bank；　he　

had　hardly　once　left　the　river。　　It　did　not　seem　to　him　strange　that　

Carroll　should　not　have　been　there　to　welcome　him　after　the　struggle　

was　over。　　Rarely　did　she　get　to　the　booms　in　ordinary　

circumstances。　　This　episode　of　the　big　jam　was；　after　all；　nothing　

but　part　of　the　day's　work　to　Orde　；　a　crisis；　exaggerated　it　is　

true；　but　like　many　other　crises　a　man　must　meet　and　cope　with　on　

the　river。　　There　was　no　reason　why　Carroll　should　drive　the　twelve　

miles　between　Monrovia　and　s　and　lumberyards；　Orde　shook　himself　fully　awake。　

He　began　to　

review　the　situation。　　As　Newmark　had　accurately　foreseen；　he　came　

almost　immediately　to　a　realisation　that　the　firm　would　not　be　able　

to　meet　the　notes　given　to　Heinzman。　　Orde　had　depended　on　the　

profits　from　the　season's　drive　to　enable　him　to　make　up　the　

necessary　amount。　　Those　profits　would　be　greatly　diminished；　if　not　

wiped　out　entirely；　by　the　expenses；　both　regular　and　irregular；　

incurred　in　holding　the　jam；　by　the　damage　suits　surely　to　be　

brought　by　the　owners　of　the　piles；　trees；　pile…drivers　and　other　

supplies　and　materials　requisitioned　in　the　heat　of　the　campaign；　

and　by　the　extra　labour　necessary　to　break　out　the　jam　and　to　sort　

the　logs　according　to　their　various　destinations。



〃I'll　have　to　get　an　extension　of　time；〃　said　Orde　to　himself。　　〃Of　

course　Joe　will　let　me　have　more　time　on　my　own　personal　note　to　the　

firm。　　And　Heinzman　surely　ought　toI　saved　a　lot　of　his　logs　in　

that　jam。　　And　if　he　doesn't　want　to；　I　guess　an　offer　of　a　little　

higher　interest　will　fetch　him。〃



Ordinarily　the　state　of　affairs　would　have　worried　him；　for　it　was　

exactl〃



〃Where　was　she　exposed？〃



〃Down　at　Heinzman's。　　You　knowor　perhaps　you　don'tthat　old　

Heinzman　is　the　worst　sort　of　anti…vaccination　crank。　　Well；　he's　

reaped　the　reward。〃



〃Has　he　smallpox？〃　asked　Ordethat　you　would　take　them　up　

personally。　　Our　resources　are　all　tied　up。〃



〃Can't　we　raise　anything　more　on　the　Northern　Peninsula　timber？〃　

asked　Orde。



〃You　ought　to　know　we　can't；〃　cried　Newmark；　with　an　appearance　of　

growing　excitement。　　〃The　last　seventy…five　thousand　we　borrowed　for　

me　finishes　that。〃



〃Can't　you　take　up　part　of　your　note？〃



〃My　note　comes　due　in　1885；〃　rejoined　Newmark　with　cold　disgust。　　〃I　

expect　to　take　it　up　then。　　But　I　can't　until　then。　　I　hadn't　

expected　anything　like　this。〃



〃Well；　don't　get　hot；〃　said　Orde　vaguely。　　〃I　only　thought　that　

Northern　Peninsuy　the　situation　he　had　fought　against　so　hard。　　But　now　he　was　

too　wearied　in　soul　and　body。　　He　dismissed　the　subject　from　his　

mind。　　The　horses；　left　almost　to　themselves；　lapsed　into　a　sleepy　

jog。　　After　a　little　they　passed　the　bridge　and　entered　the　town。　　

Warm　spicy　odours　of　pine　disengaged　themselves　from　the　broken　

shingles　and　sawdust　of　the　roadway；　and　floated　upward　through　the　

hot　sunshine。　　The　beautiful　maples　with　their　dense　shadows　threw　

the　sidewalks　into　coolness。　　Up　one　street　and　down　another　the　

horses　took　their　accustomed　way。　　Finally　they　pulled　up　opposite　

the　Orde　house。　　Orde　hitched　the　horses；　and；　his　step　quickening　

in　anticipation；　sprang　up　the　walk　and　into　the　front　door。



〃Hullo；　sweetheart！〃　he　called　cheerily。



The　echoes　alone　answered　him。　　He　cried　again；　and　yet　again；　with　

a　growing　feeling　of　disappointment　that　Carroll　should　happen　to　be　

from　home。　　Finally　a　door　opened　and　shut　in　the　back　part　of　the　

house。　　A　moment　later　Mary；　the　Irish　servant　girl；　came　through　

the　dining…room；　caught　sight　of　Orde；　threw　her　apron　over　her　

head；　and　burst　into　one　of　those　extravagant　demonstrations　of　

grief　peculiar　to　the　warm…hearted　of　her　class。



Orde　stopped　short；　a　sinking　at　his　heart。



〃What　is　it；　Mary？〃　he　asked　very　quietly。



But　the　girl　only　wept　the　louder；　rocking　back　and　forth　in　a　fresh　

paroxysm　of　grief。　　Beside　himself　with　anxiety　Orde　sprang　forward　

to　shake　her　by　the　arm；　to　shower　her　with　questions。　　These　

elicited　nothing　but　broken　and　incoherent　fragments　concerning　〃the　

missus；〃　〃oh；　the　sad　day！〃　〃and　me　lift　all　alone　with　Bobby；　me　

heart　that　heavy；〃　and　the　like；　which　served　merely　to　increase　

Orde's　bewilderment　and　anxiety。　　At　this　moment　Bobby　himself　

appeared　from　the　direction　of　the　kitchen。　　Orde；　frantic　with　

alarm；　fell　upon　his　son。　　Bobby；　much　bewildered　by　all　this　

pother；　could　only　mumble　something　about　〃smallpox；〃　and　〃took　

mamma　away　with　doctor。〃



〃Where？　where；　Bobby？〃　cried　Orde；　fairly　shaking　the　small　boy　by　

the　shoulder。　　He　felt　like　a　man　in　a　bad　dream；　trying　to　reach　a　

goal　that　constantly　eluded　him。



At　this　moment　a　calm；　dry　voice　broke　through　the　turmoil　of　

questions　and　exclamations。　　Orde　looked　up　to　see　the　tall；　angular　

form　of　Doctor　McMullen　standing　in　the　doorway。



〃It's　all　right；〃　said　the　doctor　in　answer　to　Orde's　agonised　

expression。　　〃Your　wife　was　exposed　to　smallpox　and　is　at　my　house　

to　avoid　the　danger　of　spreading　contagion。　　She　is　not　ill。〃



Having　thus　in　one　swift　decisive　sentence　covered　the　ground　of　

Orde's　anxiety；　he　turned　to　the　sniffling　servant。



〃Mary；〃　said　he　sternly；　〃la　stuff　might　be　worth　saving　any　way　we　could　

figure　it。〃



〃Worth　saving！〃　snorted　Newmark；　whirling　in　his　chair。



〃Well；　and　

to　the　bookkeeper　who　answered　he　said：　〃John；　bring　me　those　

Newmark　and　Orde　papers。〃



Orde　heard　the　clang　of　the　safe　door。　　In　a　moment　the　clerk　

returned　and　handed　to　Lambert　a　long　manilla　envelope。　　Lambert　

opened　this　quite　deliberately；　spread　its　contents　on　his　knee；　and　

assumed　a　pair　of　round　spectacles。



〃Note　for　seventy…five　thousand　dollars　with　interest　at　ten　per　

cent。　　Interest　paid　to　January　tenth。　　MortI'm　ashamed　of　you！　　What　kind　of　an　

exhibition　is　this？　　Go　out　to　the　kitchen　and　cook　us　some　lunch！〃　　

He　watched　her　depart　with　a　humourous　quirk　to　his　thin　lips。　　

〃Fool　Irish！〃　he　said　with　a　Scotchman's　contempt。　　〃I　meant　to　head　

you　off　before　you　got　home；　but　I　missed　you。　　Come　in　and　sit　

down；　and　I'll　tell　you　about　it。〃



〃You're　quite　sure　Mrs。　Orde　is　well？〃　insisted　Orde。



〃Absolutely。　　Never　better。　　As　well　a。　　〃Why；　I　thought　I　remembered　seeing　

him　up　river　only　the　other　day。〃



〃No；　his　daughter。〃



〃Mina？〃



〃Yes。　　Lord　knows　where　she　got　it。　　But　get　it　she　did。　　Mrs。　Orde　

happened　to　be　with　her　when　she　was　taken　with　the　fever　and　

distressing　symptoms　that　begin　the　disease。　　As　a　neighbourly　deed　

she　remained　with　the　girl。　　Of　course　no　one　could　tell　it　was　

smallpox　at　that　time。　　Next　day；　however；　the　characteristic　rash　

appeared　on　the　thighs　and　armpits；　and　I　diagnosed　the　case。〃　　Dr。　

McMullen　laughed　a　little　bitterly。　　〃Lord；　you　ought　to　have　seen　

them　run！　　Servants；　neighbours；　friendsthey　all　skedaddled；　and　

you　coudn't　have　driven　them　back　with　a　steam…roller！　　I　

telegraphed　to　Redding　for　a　nurse。　　Until　she　came　Mrs。　Orde　stayed　

by；　like　a　brick。　　Don't　know　what　I　should　have　done　without　her。　　

There　was　nobody　to　do　anything　at　all。　　As　soon　as　the　nurse　came　

Mrs。　Orde　gave　up　her　post。　　I　tell　you；〃　cried　Doctor　McMullen　with　

as　near　an　approach　to　enthusiasm　as　he　ever　permitted　himself；　

〃there's　a　sensible　woman！　　None　of　your　story…book　twaddle　about　

nursing　through　the　illness；　and　all　that。　　When　her　usefulness　was　

ended；　she　knew　enough　to　step　aside　gracefully。　　There　was　not　much　

danger　as　far　as　she　was　concerned。　　I　had　vaccinated　her　myself；　

you　know；　last　year。　　But　she　MIGHT　take　the　contagion　and　she　

wanted　to　spare　the　youngster。　　Quite　right。　　So　I　offered　her　

quarters　with　us　for　a　couple　of　weeks。〃



〃How　long　ago　was　this？〃　asked　Orde；　who　had　listened　with　a　warm　

glow　of　pride　to　the　doctor's　succinct　statement。



〃Seven　days。〃



〃How　is　Mina　getting　on？〃



〃She'll　get　well。　　It　was　a　mild　case。　　Fever　never　serious　after　

the　eruption　appeared。　　I　suppose　I'll　have　old　Heinzman　on　my　

hands；　though。〃



〃Why；　has　he　taken　it？〃



〃No；　but　he　will。　　Emotional　old　German　fool。　　Rushed　right　in　when　

he　heard　his　daughter　was　sick。　　Couldn't　keep　him　out。　　And　he's　

been　with　her　or　near　her　ever　since。〃



〃Then　you　think　he's　in　for　it？〃



〃Sure　to　he；〃　replied　Dr。　McMullen。　　〃Unless　a　man　has　been　

vaccinated；　continuous　exposure　means　infection　in　the　great　

majority　of　cases。〃



〃Hard　luck；〃　said　Orde　thoughtfully。　　〃I'm　going　to　step　up　to　your　

house　and　see　Mrs。　Orde。〃



〃You　can　telephone　her；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃And　you　can　see　her　if　

you　want　to。　　Only　in　that　case　I　should　advise　your　remaining　away　

from　Bobby　until　we　see　how　things　turn　out。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Orde。　　〃Well；〃　he　concluded　with　a　sigh；　after　a　

moment's　thought；　〃I　suppose　I'd　better　stay　by　the　ship。〃



He　called　up　Dr。　McMullen's　house　on　the　telephone。



〃Oh；　it's　good　to　hear　your　voice　again；〃　cried　Carroll；　〃even　if　I　

can't　see　you！　　You　must　promise　me　right　after　lunch　to　walk　up　

past　the　house　so　I　can　see　you。　　I'll　wave　at　you　from　the　window。〃



〃You're　a　dear；　brave　girl；　and　I'm　proud　of　you；〃　said　Orde。



〃Nonsense！　　There　was　no　danger　at　all。　　I'd　been　vaccinated　

recently。　　And　somebody　had　to　take　care　of　poor　Mina　until　we　could　

get　help。　　How's　Bobby？〃







XLIV





After　lunch　Orde　went　downtown　to　his　office　where　for　some　time　he　

sat　idly　looking　ov