the woman-haters-第23部分

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side　of　the　room；　and　the　other　chair　contained　a　garment　belonging
to　Mr。　Atkins；　one　which　that　gentleman；　with　characteristic
disregard　of　the　conventionalities；　had　discarded　before　leaving　the
kitchen　and　had　forgotten　to　take　with　him。　　The　lady　picked　up　the
garment；　looked　at　it；　and　sat　down　in　the　chair。

〃Your　boss　is　to　bed；　I　s'pose　likely？〃　she　asked。

〃You　mean　Mr。　Atkins？　　I　suppose　likely　he　is。〃

〃Um。　　I　judged　he　was　by〃with　a　glance　at　the　garment　which　she
still　held〃the　looks　of　things。　　What　in　the　world　ARE　you　doin'
cleanin'　house？〃

The　young　man　sighed　wearily。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　with　forced　resignation；
〃something　of　that　sort。〃

〃Seein'　what　there　was　to　eat；　I　guess。〃

〃You　guess　right。　　You　said　you　had　an　errand；　I　think。〃

〃Did　I？　　Well；　I　come　to　see　if　I　couldn't　。　。　。　　What's　that　stuff？
Cake？〃

She　rose；　picked　up　a　slice　of　the　dry　cake；　broke　it　between　her
fingers；　smelled　of　it；　and　replaced　it　on　the　plate。

〃'Tis　cake；　ain't　it？〃　she　observed；　〃or　it　was；　sometime　or　other。
Who　made　it？　　You？〃

〃No。〃

〃Oh；　your　boss；　Mr。erAtkins；　hey？〃

〃Yes。　　Considering　that　there　are　only　two　of　us　here；　and　I　didn't
make　it；　it　would　seem　pretty　certain　that　he　must　have。〃

〃Yes；　I　guess　that's　right；　unless　'twas　some　that　washed　ashore
from　Noah's　Ark；　and　it's　too　dry　for　that。　　What　on　earth　are
these？〃　picking　up　one　of　the　molasses　cookies；　〃stove　lids？〃

Brown　grinned；　in　spite　of　his　annoyance。

〃Those　are　supposed　to　be　cookies；〃　he　admitted。

〃Are　they？　　Yes；　yes。　　Mr。　Atkins　responsible　for　them？〃

〃Noo。　　I'm　afraid　those　are　one　of　my　experiments；　under　Mr。
Atkins's　directions　and　orders。　　I'm　rather　proud　of　those　cookies；
myself。〃

〃You'd　ought　to　be。　　There；　there！〃　with　a　smile；　〃I　guess　you　think
I'm　pretty　free　with　my　criticism　and　remarks；　don't　you？　　You　must
excuse　me。　　Housekeepin''specially　the　cookin'　partis　my　hobby；
as　you　might　say；　and　I　was　interested　to　see　how　a　couple　of　men
got　along　with　the　job。　　I　mustn't　set　around　and　keep　you　from　your
work。　　You　might　want　to　make　some　more　cookies；　or　somethin'。〃

The　substitute　assistant　laughed　aloud。　　〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　it；〃
he　said；　〃but　I　shall　be　glad　to　make　the　attempt　if　it　would　afford
you　amusement。〃

Mrs。　Bascom　laughed；　too。　　〃I　guess　you're　better　natured　than　I
thought　you　was；〃　she　observed。　　〃It　might　amuse　me　some；　I　will
admit；　but　I　ain't　got　the　time。　　I　came　to　borrow　some　butter；　if
you've　got　any　to　spare。　　Down　here　we're　as　far　from　supplies　as
the　feller　that　run　the　Ark　I　was　mentionin'；　old　Noah　himself。〃

Brown　took　the　bowl　from　her　hands　and　went　to　the　pantry　to　get　the
butter。　　When　he　turned　again　she　was　standing　by　the　door；　one　hand
hidden　beneath　her　apron。　　She　took　the　bowl　with　the　other。

〃Much　obliged；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　fetch　this　back　soon's　the　grocery
cart　comes。　　Miss　Graham　made　arrangements　to　have　him　drive　across
every　Saturday。　　Or；　rather；　I　arranged　for　it　myself。　　Her　head's
too　full　of　paintin'　and　scenery　to　think　of　much　else。　　I　tell　her
you　can't　eat　an　ile　paintin'unless　you're　born　a　goat。　　Good…by。〃

She　went　away。　　Brown　chuckled　and　went　on　with　his　account　of
stock。

Seth　〃turned　out〃　rather　early　that　day。　　At　half　past　one　he
appeared　in　the　kitchen；　partially　dressed。

〃Where　in　time　is　my　shirt？〃　he　demanded　impatiently。

〃Your　what？〃

〃My　shirt。　　I　thought　I　took　it　off　out　here。　　Could　have　sworn　I
did。　　Guess　likely　I　didn't；　though。　　Must　be　gettin'　absent…
minded。〃

He　was　on　his　way　back　to　the　bedroom　when　his　helper　called。

〃You　did　take　it　off　out　here；〃　he　cried。　　〃It　was　on　that　chair
there。　　I　remember　seeing　it。　　Probably　it　has　fallen　on　the　floor
somewhere。〃

Atkins　returned；　grumbling　that　the　kitchen　floor　was　a　〃healthy
place　to　heave　a　shirt。〃

〃Where　is　it？〃　he　asked　after　a　hurried　search。　　〃I　can't　find　it
nowheres。　　Didn't　put　it　in　the　fire；　did　ye？〃

〃Of　course　I　didn't。　　I　saw　it。　。　。　。　　Why；　I　remember　that　woman's
picking　it　up　when　she　sat　down。〃

〃Woman？　　What　woman？〃

〃That　BaskinBuskinwhatever　her　name　is。　　The　housekeeper　at　the
bungalow。〃

〃Was　sheHERE？〃　　Seth's　question　was　almost　a　shout。　　His　helper
stared　at　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃she　was。　　She　came　to　borrow　some　butter。〃

〃Toto　borrowbutter？〃

〃Why；　yes。　　You　didn't　think　I　invited　her　in　for　a　morning　call；
did　you？　　Don't　act　as　if　you　had　been　struck　by　lightning。　　It's
not　so　very　serious。　　We've　got　to　expect　some　trouble　of　that　kind。
I　got　rid　of　her　as　soon　as　I　could。〃

〃Youyou　did？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。　　You　should　thank　me。　　I　am　on　duty　during　the　day；　and
I　suppose　most　of　that　sort　of　thing　will　fall　on　me。　　You're　lucky。
Our　neighbors　aren't　likely　to　make　many　calls　after　dark。　。　。　。
What's　the　matter　now？　　Why　are　you　looking　at　me　like　that？〃

Seth　walked　to　the　door　and　leaned　against　the　post。　　Brown　repeated
his　question。　　〃What　IS　the　matter？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　act　just　as　you
did　when　I　first　happened　into　this　forsakthis　place。　　If　you've
got　any　more　hideous　secrets　up　your　sleeve　I'm　going　to　quit。〃

〃Secrets！〃　Atkins　laughed；　or　tried　to。　　〃I　ain't　got　any　secrets；〃
he　declared；　〃any　more　than　you　have。〃

The　latter　half　of　this　speech　shut　off　further　questioning。　　Brown
turned　hastily　away；　and　the　lightkeeper　went　into　his　bedroom　and
finished　dressing。

〃Find　your　shirt？〃　asked　the　young　man　an　hour　or　so　later。

〃Hey？　　Yes；　yes；　I　found　it。〃

〃In　your　room？　　That's　odd。　　I　could　have　sworn　I　saw　it　out　here。
Is　that　it　you're　wearing？〃

〃Hey？　　No。　　That　waswas　sort　of　s'iled；　so　I　put　on　my　other　one。
II　cal'late　I'll　go　over　and　work　on　the　Daisy　M。　a　spell；　unless
you　need　me。〃

〃I　don't　need　you。　　Go　ahead。〃

The　time　dragged　for　John　Brown　after　his　superior's　departure。
There　was　work　enough　to　be　done；　but　he　did　not　feel　like　doing　it。
He　wandered　around　the　house　and　lights；　gloomy；　restless　and
despondent。　　Occasionally　he　glanced　at　the　clock。

It　was　a　beautiful　afternoon；　just　the　afternoon　for　a　swim；　and　he
was　debarred　from　swimming；　not　only　that　day；　but　for　all　the
summer　days　to　come。　　No　matter　what　Seth's　new　secret　might　be；　it
was　surely　not　connected　with　the　female　sex；　and　Brown　would　be
true　to　the　solemn　compact　between　them。　　He　could　not　bathe　in　the
cove　because　Miss　Graham　would　be　there。

At　four　o'clock　he　stood　in　the　shadow　of　the　light　tower　looking
across　the　cove。　　As　he　looked　he　saw　Miss　Graham；　in　bathing
attire；　emerge　from　the　bungalow　and　descend　the　bluff。　　She　did　not
see　him　and；　to　make　sure　that　she　might　not；　he　dodged　back　out　of
sight。　　Then　he　saw　something　else。

Out　on　the　dunes　back　of　the　barn　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　figure
darting　to　cover　behind　a　clump　of　bushes。　　The　figure　was　a
familiar　one；　but　what　was　it　doing　there？　　He　watched　the　bushes；
but　they　did　not　move。　　Then　he　entered　the　house；　went　upstairs；
and　cautiously　peered　from　the　back　attic　window。

The　bushes　remained　motionless　for　some　minutes。　　Then　they　stirred
ever　so　slightly；　and　above　them　appeared　the　head　of　Seth　Atkins。
Seth　seemed　to　be　watching　the　cove　and　the　lights。　　For　another
minute　he　peered　over　the　bushes；　first　at　the　bathing　waters　below
and　then　at　his　own　dwelling。　　Brown　ground　his　teeth。　　The　light…
keeper　was　〃spying〃　again；　was　watching　to　see　if　he　violated　his
contract。

But　no；　that　could　not　be；　for　now　Seth；　apparently　sure　that　the
coast　was　clear；　emerged　from　his　hiding　place　and　ran　in　a　stooping
posture　until　he　reached　another　clump　further　off　and　nearer　the
end　of　the　cove。　　He　remained　there　an　instant　and　then　ran；　still
crouching；　until　he　disappeared　behind　a　high　dune　at　the　rear　of
the　bungalow。　　And　there　he　stayed；　at　least　Brown　did　not　see　him
come　out。

What　he　did　see；　however；　was　just　as　astonishing。　　The　landward
door　of　the　bungalow　opened；　and　Mrs。　Bascom；　the　housekeeper；
stepped　out　into　the　yard。　　She　seemed　to　be　listening　and　looking。
Apparently　she　must　have　heard　something；　for　she　moved　away　for
some　little　distance　and　stood　still。　　Then；　above　the　edge　of　the
dune；　showed　Seth's　head　and　arm。　　He　beckoned　to　her。　　She　walked
briskly　across　the　intervening　space；　turned　the　ragged；　grass…grown
corner　of　the　knoll　and　disappeared；　also。　　Brown；　scarcely
believing　his　eyes；　waited　and　watched；　but　he　saw　no　more。　　Neither
Seth　nor　the　housekeeper　came　out　from　behind　that　dune。

But　the　substitute　assistant　had　seen　enoughquite　enough。　　Seth
Atkins；　Seth；　the　woman…hater；　the　man　who　had　threatened　him　with
all　sorts　of　penalties　if　he　ever　so　much　as　looked　at　a　female；　was
meeting　one　of　the　sex　himself；　meeting　her　on　the　sly。　　What　it
meant　Brown　could　not　imagine。　　Probably　it　explained　the　clay
smears　on　the　boots　and　Seth's　discomfiture　of　the　morning；　but　that
was　immaterial。　　The　fact；　the　one　essential　fact；　was　this：　the
compact　was　broken。　　Seth　had　broken　it。　　Brown　was　relieved　of　all
responsibility。　　If　he　wished　to　swim　in　that　cove；　no　matter　who
might　be　there；　he　was　perfectly　free　to　do　it。　　And　he　would　do　it；
by　George！　　He　had　been　betrayed；　scandalously；　meanly　betrayed；　and
it　would　serve　the　betrayer　right　if　he　paid　him　in　his　own　coin。
He　darted　down　the　attic　stairs；　ran　down　the　path　to　the　boathouse；
hurriedly　changed　his　clothes　for　his　bathing　suit；　ran　along　the
shore　of　the　creek　and　plunged　in。

Miss　Graham　waved　a　hand　to　him　as　he　shook　the　water　from　his　eyes。

Over　behind　the　sand　dune　a　more　or　less　interesting　interview　was
taking　place。　　Seth；　having　made　sure　that　his　whistles　were　heard
and　his　signals　seen；　sank　down　in　the　shadow　and　awaited
developments。　　They　were　not　long　in　coming。　　A　firm　footstep
crunched　the　sand；　and　Mrs。　Bascom　appeared。

〃Well；〃　she　inquired　coldly；　〃what's　the　matter　now？〃

Mr。　Atkins　waved　an　agitated　hand。

〃Set　down；〃　he　begged。　　〃Scooch　down　out　of　sight；　Emeline；　for　the
land　sakes。　　Don't　stand　up　there　where　everybody　can　see　you。〃

The　lady　refused　to　〃scooch。〃

〃If　I　ain't　ashamed　of　bein'　seen；〃　she　observed；　〃I　don't　know　why
you　should　be。