the woman-haters-第22部分

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than　we　have　to；　and　then　only　when　nobody　else　is　around。　　We　won't
let　my　Miss　Graham　nor　your　Brown　nor　anybody　know　we've　ever　met
aforeor　are　meetin'　now。　　Is　that　it？〃

Seth　hesitated。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃I　guess　that's　it。　　But；〃
he　added；　anxiously；　〃II　wish　you'd　be　'specially　careful　not　to
let　that　young　feller　who's　workin'　for　me　know。　　Him　and　me　had　a
a　sort　of　agreement　andand　II〃

〃He　sha'n't　know。　　Good…by。〃

She　fumbled　with　the　latch　of　the　heavy　door。　　He　stepped　forward
and　opened　it　for　her。　　The　night　was　very　dark；　a　heavy　fog；　almost
a　rain；　had　drifted　in　while　they　were　together。　　She　didn't　seem　to
notice　or　mind　the　fog　or　blackness；　but　went　out　and　disappeared
beyond　the　faint　radiance　which　the　lantern　cast　through　the　open
door。　　She　blundered　on　and　turned　the　corner　of　the　house；　then　she
heard　steps　behind　her。

〃Who　is　it？〃　she　whispered；　in　some　alarm。

〃Me；〃　whispered　the　lightkeeper；　gruffly。　　〃I'll　go　with　you　a
ways。〃

〃No；　of　course　you　won't。　　I'm　goin'　alone。〃

〃It's　too　dark　for　you　to　go　alone。　　You'll　lose　the　way。〃

〃I'm　goin'　alone；　I　tell　you！　　Go　back。　　I　don't　want　you。〃

〃I　know　you　don't；　but　I'm　goin'。　　You'll　fetch　up　in　the　cove　or
somewheres　if　you　try　to　navigate　this　path　on　your　own　hook。〃

〃I　sha'n't。　　I'm　used　to　findin'　my　own　way；　and　I'm　goin'　aloneas
I've　had　to　do　for　a　good　while。　　Go　back。〃

She　stopped　short。　　Seth　stopped；　also。

〃Go　back；〃　she　insisted；　adding　scornfully：　〃I　don't　care　for　your
help　at　all。　　I'm　partic'lar　about　my　company。〃

〃I　ain't；〃　sullenly。　　〃Anyhow；　I'm　goin'　to　pilot　you　around　the　end
of　that　cove。　　You　sha'n't　say　I　let　you　get　into　trouble　when　I
might　have　kept　you　out　of　it。〃

〃Say？　　Who　would　I　say　it　to？　　Think　I'm　so　proud　of　this　night's
cruise　that　I'll　brag　of　it？　　WILL　you　go　back？〃

〃No。〃

They　descended　the　hill；　Mrs。　Bascom　in　advance。　　She　could　not　see
the　path；　but　plunged　angrily　on　through　the　dripping　grass　and
bushes。

〃EmelineEmeline；〃　whispered　Seth。　　She　paid　no　attention　to　him。
They　reached　the　foot　of　the　slope　and　suddenly　the　lady　realized
that　her　shoes；　already　wet；　were　now　ankle　deep　in　water。　　And
there　seemed　to　be　water　amid　the　long　grass　all　about　her。

〃Why？　　What　in　the　world？〃　she　exclaimed　involuntarily。　　〃What　is
it？〃

〃The　salt　marsh　at　the　end　of　the　cove；〃　answered　the　lightkeeper。
〃I　told　you　you'd　fetch　up　in　it　if　you　tried　to　go　alone。　　Been
tryin'　to　tell　you　you　was　off　the　track；　but　you　wouldn't　listen　to
me。〃

And　she　would　not　listen　to　him　now。　　Turning；　she　splashed　past
him。

〃Hold　on；〃　he　whispered；　seizing　her　arm。　　〃That　ain't　the　way。〃

She　shook　herself　from　his　grasp。

〃WILL　you　let　me　be；　and　mind　your　own　business？〃　she　hissed。

〃No；　I　won't。　　I've　set　out　to　get　you　home；　and　I'll　do　it　if　I
have　to　carry　you。〃

〃Carry　me？　　You？　　You　DARE！〃

His　answer　was　to　pick　her　up　in　his　arms。　　She　was　no　light　weight；
and　she　fought　and　wriggled　fiercely；　but　Seth　was　big　and　strong
and　he　held　her　tight。　　She　did　not　scream；　she　was　too　anxious　not
to　wake　either　the　substitute　assistant　or　Miss　Graham；　but　she　made
her　bearer　all　the　trouble　she　could。　　They　splashed　on　for　some
distance；　then　Seth　set　her　on　her　feet；　and　beneath　them　was　dry
ground。

〃There！〃　he　grumbled；　breathlessly。　　〃Now　I　cal'late　you　can't　miss
the　rest　of　it。　　There's　the　bungalow　right　in　front　of　you。〃

〃Youyou〃　she　gasped；　chokingly。

〃Ugh！〃　grunted　her　husband；　and　stalked　off　into　the　dark。


CHAPTER　XI

BEHIND　THE　SAND　DUNE


〃A　fog　last　night；　wasn't　there？〃　inquired　Brown。　　Breakfast　was
over；　and　Seth　was　preparing　for　his　day's　sleep。

〃Yes；　some　consider'ble；〃　was　the　gruff　answer；　then；　more　sharply；
〃How'd　you　know？　　'Twas　all　gone　this　mornin'。〃

〃Oh；　I　guessed；　that's　all。〃

〃Humph！　　Guessed；　hey？　　You　wa'n't　up　in　the　night；　was　you？〃

〃No。　　Slept　like　a　top　all　through。〃

〃Humph！　。　。　。　　Well；　that's　good；　sleep's　a　good　thing。　　Cal'late
I'll　turn　in　and　get　a　little　myself。〃

He　moved　toward　the　living　room。　　At　the　door　he　paused　and　asked
another　question。

〃How'd　youerguess　there　was　fog　last　night？〃　he　inquired。

〃Oh；　that　was　easy；　everythinggrass　and　busheswere　so　wet　this
morning。　　Those　boots　of　yours；　for　example；〃　pointing　to　the　pair
the　lightkeeper　had　just　taken　off；　〃they　look　as　if　you　had　worn
them　wading。〃

His　back　was　toward　his　superior　as　he　spoke；　therefore　he　did　not
see　the　start　which　the　latter　gave　at　this　innocent　observation；
nor　the　horrified　glare　at　the　soaked　boots。　　But　he　could　not　help
noticing　the　change　in　Seth's　voice。

〃Wawadin'？〃　repeated　Atkins　faintly。　　〃What's　that　you　say？〃

〃I　said　the　boots　were　as　wet　as　if　you　had　been　wading。　　Why？〃

〃Whawhat　made　you　say　a　fool　thing　like　that？　　How　could　I　go
wadin'　on　top　of　a　lighthouse？〃

〃I　don't　know。　。　。　。　　There；　there！〃　impatiently；　〃don't　ask　any　more
questions。　　I　didn't　say　you　had　been　wading；　and　I　didn't　suppose
you　really　had。　　I　was　only　joking。　　What　IS　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃Nothin'　。　。　。　nothin'。　　So　you　was　just　jokin'；　hey？　　Ha；　ha！　　Yes；
yes；　wadin'　up　in　a　lighthouse　would　be　a　pretty　good　joke。　　II
didn't　see　it　at　first；　you　know。　　Ha；　ha！　　I　thought　you　must　be
off　your　head。　　Thought　you'd　been　swimmin'　too　much　or　somethin'。
So　long；　I'm　goin'　to　bed。〃

But　now　it　was　the　helper's　turn　to　start　and　stammer。

〃Wait！〃　he　cried。　　〃Whatwhat　did　you　say　about　myerswimming；
was　it？〃

〃Oh；　nothin'；　nothin'。　　I　was　just　jokin'；　same　as　you　was　about　the
wadin'。　　Ha；　ha！〃

〃Ha；　ha！〃

Both　laughed　with　great　heartiness。　　The　door　shut　between　them；　and
each　stared　doubtfully　at　his　side　of　it　for　several　moments　before
turning　away。

That　forenoon　was　a　dismal　one　for　John　Brown。　　His　troublesome
conscience；　stirred　by　Seth's　reference　to　swimming；　was　again　in
full　working　order。　　He　tried　to　stifle　its　reproaches；　tried　to
give　his　entire　attention　to　his　labors　about　the　lights　and　in　the
kitchen；　but　the　consciousness　of　guilt　was　too　strong。　　He　felt
mean　and　traitorous；　a　Benedict　Arnold　on　a　small　scale。　　He　had
certainly　treated　Atkins　shabbily；　Atkins；　the　man　who　trusted　him
and　believed　in　him；　whom　he　had　loftily　reproved　for　〃spying〃　and
then　betrayed。　　Yet；　in　a　way　his　treason；　so　far；　had　been
unavoidable。　　He　had　promisedhad　even　OFFERED　to　teach　the　Graham
girl　the　〃side　stroke。〃　　He　had　not　meant　to　make　such　an　offer　or
promise；　but　Fate　had　tricked　him　into　it；　and　he　could　not；　as　a
gentleman；　back　out　altogether。　　He　had　been　compelled　to　give　her
one　lesson。　　But　he　need　not　give　her　another。　　He　need　not　meet　her
again。　　He　would　not。　　He　would　keep　the　agreement　with　Seth　and
forget　the　tenants　of　the　bungalow　altogether。　　Good　old　Atkins！
Good　old　Seth；　the　woman…hater！　　How　true　he　was　to　his　creed；　the
creed　which　he；　Brown；　had　so　lately　professed。　　It　was　a　good
creed；　too。　　Women　were　at　the　bottom　of　all　the　world's　troubles。
They　deserved　to　be　hated。　　He　would　never；　never

〃Well；　by　George！〃　he　exclaimed　aloud。

He　was　looking　once　more　at　the　lightkeeper's　big　leather　boots。
One　of　them　was　lying　on　its　side；　and　the　upturned　sole　and　heel
were　thickly　coated　with　blue　clay。　　He　crossed　the　room；　picked　up
the　boots　and　examined　them。　　Each　was　smeared　with　the　clay。　　He
put　them　down　again；　shook　his　head；　wandered　over　to　the　rocking…
chair　and　sat　down。

Seth　had　cleaned　and　greased　those　boots　before　he　went　to　bed　the
day　before；　Brown　had　seen　him　doing　it。　　He　had　put　them　on　after
supper；　just　before　going　on　watch；　the　substitute　assistant　had
seen　him　do　that；　also。　　Therefore；　the　clay　must　have　been　acquired
sometime　during　the　evening　or　night　just　past。　　And　certainly　there
was　no　clay　at　the　〃top　of　the　lighthouse；〃　or　anywhere　in　the
neighborhood　except　at　one　spotthe　salt　marsh　at　the　inner　end　of
the　cove。　　Seth　must　have　visited　that　marsh　in　the　nighttime。　　But
why？　　And；　if　he　had　done　so；　why　did　he　not　mention　the　fact？　　And；
now　that　the　helper　thought　of　it；　why　had　he　been　so　agitated　at
the　casual　remark　concerning　wading？　　What　was　he　up　to？　　Now　that
the　Daisy　M。　and　story　of　the　wife　were　no　longer　secrets；　what　had
Seth　Atkins　to　conceal？

Brown　thought　and　guessed　and　surmised；　but　guesses　and　surmises
were　fruitless。　　He　finished　his　dishwashing　and　began　another　of
the　loathed　housekeeping　tasks；　that　of　rummaging　the　pantry　and
seeing　what　eatables　were　available　for　his　luncheon　and　the　evening
meal。

He　spread　the　various　odds　and　ends　on　the　kitchen　table；
preparatory　to　taking　account　of　stock。　　A　part　of　a　slab　of　bacon；
a　salt　codfish；　some　cold　clam　fritters；　a　few　molasses　cookies；　and
half　a　loaf　of　bread。　　He　had　gotten　thus　far　in　the　inventory　when
a　shadow　darkened　the　doorway。　　He　turned　and　saw　Mrs。　Bascom；　the
bungalow　housekeeper。

〃Good　mornin'；〃　said　Mrs。　Bascom。

Brown　answered　coldly。　　Why　on　earth　was　it　always　his　luck　to　be
present　when　these　female　nuisances　made　their　appearance？　　And　why
couldn't　they　let　him　alone；　just　as　he　had　determined　to　let　them
alonein　the　future？　　Of　course　he　was　glad　that　the　caller　was　not
Miss　Graham；　but　this　one　was　bad　enough。

〃Morning；〃　he　grunted；　and　took　another　dish；　this　one　containing　a
section　of　dry　and　ancient　cake；　Seth's　manufacture；　from　the
pantry。

〃What　you　doin'？　　Gettin'　breakfast　this　time　of　day？〃　asked　the
housekeeper；　entering　the　kitchen。　　She　had　a　small　bowl　in　her
hand。

〃No；〃　replied　Brown。

〃Dinner；　then？　　Pretty　early　for　that；　ain't　it？〃

〃I　am　not　getting　either　breakfast　or　dinneror　supper；　madam；〃
replied　the　helper；　with　emphasis。　　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for
you？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　but　there　is。　　I　come　over　hopin'　you　might。
How's　the　stings？〃

〃The　what？〃

〃The　wasp　bites。〃

〃They're　all；　right；　thank　you。〃

〃You're　welcome；　I'm　sure。　　Did　you　put　the　cold　mud　on　'em；　same　as
I　told　you　to？〃

〃No。　。　。　。　　What　was　it　you　wanted？〃

Mrs。　Bascom　looked　about　for　a　seat。　　The　rocker　was　at　the　opposite
side　of　the　room；　and　the　other　chair　contained　a　garment