the pit-第60部分

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able　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　by　and　by　began　turning　the　slips　of　a　calendar　that　stood　at　her　elbow。　　At　last　she　tore　off　one　of　the　slips　and　held　it　up。

〃Curtis。〃

〃Well；　old　girl？〃

〃Do　you　see　that　date？〃

He　looked　over　to　her。

〃Do　you　see　that　date？　　Do　you　know　of　anything　that　makes　that　day　differenta　littlefrom　other　days？　It's　June　thirteenth。　　Do　you　remember　what　June　thirteenth　is？〃

Puzzled；　he　shook　his　head。

〃Nono。〃

Laura　took　up　a　pen　and　wrote　a　few　words　in　the　space　above　the　printed　figures　reserved　for　memoranda。　　Then　she　handed　the　slip　to　her　husband；　who　read　aloud　what　she　had　written。

〃'Laura　Jadwin's　birthday。'　　Why；　upon　my　word；〃　he　declared；　sitting　upright。　　〃So　it　is；　so　it　is。　　June　thirteenth；　of　course。　　And　I　was　beast　enough　not　to　realise　it。　　Honey；　I　can't　remember　anything　these　days；　it　seems。〃

〃But　you　are　going　to　remember　this　time？〃　she　said。　〃You　are　not　going　to　forget　it　now。　　That　evening　is　going　to　mark　the　beginning　ofoh；　Curtis；　it　is　going　to　be　a　new　beginning　of　everything。　　You'll　see。　　I'm　going　to　manage　it。　　I　don't　know　how；　but　you　are　going　to　love　me　so　that　nothing；　no　business；　no　money；　no　wheat　will　ever　keep　you　from　me。　　I　will　make　you。　　And　that　evening；　that　evening　of　June　thirteenth　is　mine。　　The　day　your　business　can　have　you；　but　from　six　o'clock　on　you　are　mine。〃　　She　crossed　the　room　quickly　and　took　both　his　hands　in　hers　and　knelt　beside　him。　　〃It　is　mine；〃　she　said；　if　you　love　me。　　Do　you　understand；　dear？　　You　will　come　home　at　six　o'clock；　and　whatever　happensoh；　if　all　La　Salle　Street　should　burn　to　the　ground；　and　all　your　millions　of　bushels　of　wheat　with　itwhatever　happens；　you　willnotleavemenor　think　of　anything　else　but　just　me；　me。　　That　evening　is　mine；　and　you　will　give　it　to　me；　just　as　I　have　said。　　I　won't　remind　you　of　it　again。　　I　won't　speak　of　it　again。　　I　will　leave　it　to　you。　　Butyou　will　give　me　that　evening　if　you　love　me。　　Dear；　do　you　see　just　what　I　mean？　。。。　　_If　you　love　me。。。。_　　Nono　don't　say　a　word；　we　won't　talk　about　it　at　all。　　No；　no；　please。　　Not　another　word。　　I　don't　want　you　to　promise；　or　pledge　yourself；　or　anything　like　that。　　You've　heard　what　I　saidand　that's　all　there　is　about　it。　　We'll　talk　of　something　else。　　By　the　way；　have　you　seen　Mr。　Cressler　lately？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　falling　into　her　mood。　　〃No　haven't　seen　Charlie　in　over　a　month。　　Wonder　what's　become　of　him？〃

〃I　understand　he's　been　sick；〃　she　told　him。　　〃I　met　Mrs。　Cressler　the　other　day；　and　she　said　she　was　bothered　about　him。〃

〃Well；　what's　the　matter　with　old　Charlie？〃

〃She　doesn't　know；　herself。　　He's　not　sick　enough　to　go　to　bed；　but　he　doesn't　or　won't　go　down　town　to　his　business。　　She　says　she　can　see　him　growing　thinner　every　day。　　He　keeps　telling　her　he's　all　right；　but　for　all　that；　she　says；　she's　afraid　he's　going　to　come　down　with　some　kind　of　sickness　pretty　soon。〃

〃'Say；〃　said　Jadwin；　〃suppose　we　drop　around　to　see　them　this　afternoon？　　Wouldn't　you　like　to？　　I　haven't　seen　him　in　over　a　month；　as　I　say。　　Or　telephone　them　to　come　up　and　have　dinner。　　Charlie's　about　as　old　a　friend　as　I　have。　　We　used　to　be　together　about　every　hour　of　the　day　when　we　first　came　to　Chicago。　　Let's　go　over　to　see　him　this　afternoon　and　cheer　him　up。〃

〃No；〃　said　Laura；　decisively。　　〃Curtis；　you　must　have　one　day　of　rest　out　of　the　week。　　You　are　going　to　lie　down　all　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；　and　sleep　if　you　can。　　I'll　call　on　them　to…morrow。〃

〃Well；　all　right；〃　he　assented。　　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　sleep　if　I　can。　　And　then　Sam　is　coming　up　here；　by　five。　　He's　going　to　bring　some　railroad　men　with　him。　We've　got　a　lot　to　do。　　Yes；　I　guess；　old　girl；　I'll　try　to　get　forty　winks　before　they　get　here。　　And；　Laura；〃　he　added；　taking　her　hand　as　she　rose　to　go；　〃Laura；　this　is　the　last　lap。　　In　just　another　month　nowoh；　at　the　outside；　six　weeksI'll　have　closed　the　corner；　and　then；　old　girl；　you　and　I　will　go　somewheres；　anywhere　you　like；　and　then　we'll　have　a　good　time　together　all　the　rest　of　our　livesall　the　rest　of　our　lives；　honey。　　Good…by。　　Now　I　think　I　can　go　to　sleep。〃

She　arranged　the　cushions　under　his　head　and　drew　the　curtains　close　over　the　windows；　and　went　out；　softly　closing　the　door　behind　her。　　And　a　half　hour　later；　when　she　stole　in　to　look　at　him；　she　found　him　asleep　at　last；　the　tired　eyes　closed；　and　the　arm；　with　its　broad；　strong　hand；　resting　under　his　head。　　She　stood　a　long　moment　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　looking　down　at　him；　and　then　slipped　out　as　noiselessly　as　she　had　come；　the　tears　trembling　on　her　eyelashes。

Laura　Jadwin　did　not　call　on　the　Cresslers　the　next　day；　nor　even　the　next　after　that。　　For　three　days　she　kept　indoors；　held　prisoner　by　a　series　of　petty　incidents；　now　the　delay　in　the　finishing　of　her　new　gowns；　now　by　the　excessive　heat；　now　by　a　spell　of　rain。　　By　Thursday；　however；　at　the　beginning　of　the　second　week　of　the　month；　the　storm　was　gone；　and　the　sun　once　more　shone。　　Early　in　the　afternoon　Laura　telephoned　to　Mrs。　Cressler。

〃How　are　you　and　Mr。　Cressler？〃　she　asked。　　〃I'm　coming　over　to　take　luncheon　with　you　and　your　husband；　if　you　will　let　me。〃

〃Oh；　Charlie　is　about　the　same；　Laura；〃　answered　Mrs。　Cressler's　voice。　　〃I　guess　the　dear　man　has　been　working　too　hard；　that's　all。　　Do　come　over　and　cheer　him　up。　　If　I'm　not　here　when　you　come；　you　just　make　yourself　at　home。　　I've　got　to　go　down　town　to　see　about　railroad　tickets　and　all。　　I'm　going　to　pack　my　old　man　right　off　to　Oconomowoc　before　I'm　another　day　older。　　Made　up　my　mind　to　it　last　night；　and　I　don't　want　him　to　be　bothered　with　tickets　or　time　cards；　or　baggage　or　anything。　　I'll　run　down　and　do　it　all　myself。　　You　come　right　up　whenever　you're　ready　and　keep　Charlie　company。　　How's　your　husband；　Laura　child？〃

〃Oh；　Curtis　is　well；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　gets　very　tired　at　times。〃

〃Well；　I　can　understand　it。　　Lands　alive；　child　whatever　are　you　going　to　do　with　all　your　money？　　They　tell　me　that　J。　has　made　millions　in　the　last　three　or　four　months。　　A　man　I　was　talking　to　last　week　said　his　corner　was　the　greatest　thing　ever　known　on　the　Chicago　Board　of　Trade。　　Well；　good…by；　Laura；　come　up　whenever　you're　ready。　　I'll　see　you　at　lunch　Charlie　is　right　here。　　He　says　to　give　you　his　love。〃　　An　hour　later　Laura's　victoria　stopped　in　front　of　the　Cressler's　house；　and　the　little　footman　descended　with　the　agility　of　a　monkey；　to　stand；　soldier…like；　at　the　steps；　the　lap　robe　over　his　arm。

Laura　gave　orders　to　have　the　victoria　call　for　her　at　three；　and　ran　quickly　up　the　front　steps。　　The　front　entrance　was　open；　the　screen　door　on　the　latch；　and　she　entered　without　ceremony。

〃Mrs。　Cressler！〃　she　called；　as　she　stood　in　the　hallway　drawing　off　her　gloves。　　〃Mrs。　Cressler！　Carrie；　have　you　gone　yet？〃

But　the　maid；　Annie；　appeared　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　on　the　landing　of　the　second　floor；　a　towel　bound　about　her　head；　her　duster　in　her　hand。

〃Mrs。　Cressler　has　gone　out；　Mrs。　Jadwin；〃　she　said。　〃She　said　you　was　to　make　yourself　at　home；　and　she'd　be　back　by　noon。〃

Laura　nodded；　and　standing　before　the　hatrack　in　the　hall；　took　off　her　hat　and　gloves；　and　folded　her　veil　into　her　purse。　　The　house　was　old…fashioned；　very　homelike　and　spacious；　cool；　with　broad　halls　and　wide　windows。　　In　the　〃front　library；〃　where　Laura　entered　first；　were　steel　engravings　of　the　style　of　the　seventies；　〃whatnots〃　crowded　with　shells；　Chinese　coins；　lacquer　boxes；　and　the　inevitable　sawfish　bill。　The　mantel　was　mottled　white　marble；　and　its　shelf　bore　the　usual　bronze　and　gilt　clock；　decorated　by　a　female　figure　in　classic　draperies；　reclining　against　a　globe。　An　oil　painting　of　a　mountain　landscape　hung　against　one　wall；　and　on　a　table　of　black　walnut；　with　a　red　marble　slab；　that　stood　between　the　front　windows；　were　a　stereoscope　and　a　rosewood　music　box。

The　piano；　an　old　style　Chickering；　stood　diagonally　across　the　far　corner　of　the　room；　by　the　closed　sliding　doors；　and　Laura　sat　down　here　and　began　to　play　the　〃Mephisto　Walzer；〃　which　she　had　been　at　pains　to　learn　since　the　night　Corthell　had　rendered　it　on　her　great　organ　in　the　art　gallery。

But　when　she　had　played　as　much　as　she　could　remember　of　the　music；　she　rose　and　closed　the　piano；　and　pushed　back　the　folding　doors　between　the　room　she　was　in　and　the　〃back　library；〃　a　small　room　where　Mrs。　Cressler　kept　her　books　of　poetry。

As　Laura　entered　the　room　she　was　surprised　to　see　Mr。　Cressler　there；　seated　in　his　armchair；　his　back　turned　toward　her。

〃Why；　I　didn't　know　you　were　here；　Mr。　Cressler；〃　she　said；　as　she　came　up　to　him。

She　laid　her　hand　upon　his　arm。　　But　Cressler　was　dead；　and　as　Laura　touched　him　the　head　dropped　upon　the　shoulder　and　showed　the　bullet　hole　in　the　temple；　just　in　front　of　the　ear。



X


The　suicide　of　Charles　Cressler　had　occurred　on　the　tenth　of　June；　and　the　report　of　it；　together　with　the　wretched　story　of　his　friend's　final　surrender　to　a　temptation　he　had　never　outlived；　reached　Curtis　Jadwin　early　on　the　morning　of　the　eleventh。

He　and　Gretry　were　at　their　accustomed　places　in　the　latter's　office；　and　the　news　seemed　to　shut　out　all　the　sunshine　that　had　been　flooding　in　through　the　broad　plate…glass　windows。　　After　their　first　incoherent　horror；　the　two　sat　staring　at　each　other；　speechless。

〃My　God；　my　God；〃　groaned　Jadwin；　as　if　in　the　throes　of　a　deadly　sickness。　　〃He　was　in　the　Crookes；　ring；　and　we　never　knew　itI've　killed　him；　Sam。　　I　might　as　well　have　held　that　pistol　myself。〃　　He　stamped　his　foot；　striking　his　fist　across　his　forehead；　〃Great　Godmy　best　friendCharlieCharlie　Cressler！　Sam；　I　shall　go　mad　if　thisif　this

〃Steady；　steady　does　it；　J。；〃　warned　the　broker；　his　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　〃we　got　to　keep　a　grip　on　ourselves　to…day。　　We've　got　a　lot　to　think　of。　　We'll　think　about　Charlie；　later。　　Just　now　。。。　well　it's　business　now。　　Mathewson　&　Knight　have　called　on　us　for　marginstwenty　thousand　dollars。〃

He　laid　the　slip　down　in　front　of　Jadwin；　as　he　sat　at　his　desk。

〃Oh；　this　can　wait？〃　exclaimed　Jadwin。　　〃Let　it　go　till　this　afternoon。　　I　can't　talk　business　now。　　Think　of　CarrieMrs。　Cressler；　I〃

〃No