the woman-haters-第34部分

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Bennie　D。　stared　at　the　speaker；　then　at　his　sister…in…law。

〃Sister；〃　he　cried；　in　growing　alarm；　〃sister；　come！　come！　we're
going　ashore；　I　tell　you。　　What　are　you　waiting　for？〃

Seth　put　his　arm　about　the　lady。

〃She　is　goin'　ashore；〃　he　said。　　〃But　she's　goin'　with　me；　and　she's
goin'　to　stay　with　me。　　Ain't　you；　Emeline？〃

The　lady　looked　up　into　his　face　and　then　down　again。　　〃If　you　want
me；　Seth；〃　she　said。

Bennie　D。　sprang　forward。　　〃Emeline；〃　he　shrieked；　〃what　do　you
mean？　　Are　you　going　to　leave　me？　　Have　you　forgotten〃

〃She　ain't　forgot　nothin'；〃　broke　in　Seth。　　〃But　YOU'RE　forgettin'
what　I　told　you。　　Will　you　go　aft　there　and　set　down；　or　shall　I
make　you？〃

〃Butbut；　Emelinesisterhave　you　forgotten　your　promise　to　your
dying　husband？　　To　my　brother？　　You　promised　to　give　me　a　home　as
long　as　you　owned　one。〃

Then　Seth　played　his　trump。

〃She　don't　own　any　home；〃　he　declared　triumphantly。　　〃She　sold　her
house；　and　she　ain't　got　any　homeexcept　the　one　I'm　goin'　to　give
her。　　And　if　you　ever　dare　to　show　your　head　inside　of　THAT；　I'll
I'll　heave　you　over　both　lights。　　If　you　think　I'm　foolin'；　just　try
and　see。　　Now　then；　Emeline。〃

And；　with　his　wife　in　his　arms；　Seth　AtkinsSeth　Atkins　Bascom
CAPTAIN　Seth　Atkins　Bascomswung　over　the　rail　and　waded　to　land。


CHAPTER　XVI

THE　EBB　TIDE


〃John　Brown；〃　his　long　night's　vigil　over；　extinguished　the　lights
in　the　two　towers；　descended　the　iron　stairs；　and　walked　across　the
yard　into　the　kitchen。　　His　first　move；　after　entering　the　house；
was　to　ring　the　telephone　bell　and　endeavor　to　call　Eastboro。　　He
was　anxious　concerning　Atkins。　　Seth　had　not　returned；　and　the
substitute　assistant　was　certain　that　some　accident　must　have
befallen　him。　　The　storm　had　been　severe；　but　it　would　take　more
than　weather　to　keep　the　lightkeeper　from　his　post；　if　he　was　all
right　he　would　have　managed　to　return　somehow。

Brown　rang　the　bell　time　and　time　again；　but　got　no　response。　　The
storm　had　wrecked　the　wires；　that　was　certain；　and　that　means　of
communication　was　cut　off。　　He　kindled　the　fire　in　the　range　and
tried　to　forget　his　anxiety　by　preparing　breakfast。　　When　it　was
prepared　he　waited　a　while　and　then　sat　down　to　a　lonely　meal。　　But
he　had　no　appetite；　and；　after　dallying　with　the　food　on　his　plate；
gave　it　up　and　went　outside　to　look　about　him。

The　first　thing　he　looked　at　was　the　road　from　the　village。　　No　sign
of　life　in　that　direction　as　far　as　he　could　see。　　Then　he　looked　at
the　bungalow。　　Early　as　it　was；　a　thread　of　blue　smoke　was　ascending
from　the　chimney。　　Did　that　mean　that　the　housekeeper　had　returned？
Or　had　Ruth　Graham　been　alone　all　through　the　miserable　night？
Under　ordinary　circumstances　he　would　have　gone　over　and　asked　if
all　was　well。　　He　would　have　done　that；　even　if　Seth　were　at　home
he　was　past　the　point　where　the　lightkeeper　or　their　compact　could
have　prevented　himbut　he　could　not　muster　courage　to　go　now。　　She
must　have　found　the　note　he　had　tucked　under　the　door；　and　he　was
afraid　to　hear　her　answer。　　If　it　should　be　no；　thenwell；　then　he
did　not　care　what　became　of　him。

He　watched　the　bungalow　for　a　time；　hoping　that　she　might　come　out
that　he　might　at　least　see　herbut　the　door　did　not　open。　　Auguring
all　sorts　of　dismal　things　from　this；　he　moped　gloomily　back　to　the
kitchen。　　He　was　tired　and　had　not　slept　for　thirty　hours；　but　he
felt　no　desire　for　bed。　　He　could　not　go　to　bed　anyway　until　Atkins
returnedand　he　did　not　want　to。

He　sat　down　in　a　chair　and　idly　picked　up　one　of　a　pile　of
newspapers　lying　in　the　corner。　　They　were　the　New　York　and　Boston
papers　which　the　grocery　boy　had　brought　over　from　Eastboro；　with
the　mail；　the　previous　day。　　Seth　had　not　even　looked　at　them；　and
Brown；　who　seldom　or　never　read　newspapers；　found　that　he　could　not
do　so　now。　　He　tossed　them　on　the　table　and　once　more　went　out　of
doors。　　After　another　glance　at　the　bungalow；　he　walked　to　the　edge
of　the　bluff　and　looked　over。

He　was　astonished　to　see　how　far　the　tide　had　risen　in　the　night。
The　line　of　seaweed　and　drift　marking　its　highest　point　was　well　up
the　bank。　　Now　the　ebb　was　foaming　past　the　end　of　the　wharf。　　He
looked　for　the　lobster　car；　which　should　have　been　floating　at　its
moorings；　but　could　not　see　it。　　Either　it　was　under　the　wharf　or　it
had　been　swept　away　and　was　gone。　　And　one　of　the　dories　was　gone；
too。　　No；　there　it　was；　across　the　cove；　high　and　dry　on　the　beach。
If　so　much　damage　was　visible　from　where　he　stood；　it　was　probable
that　a　closer　examination　might　show　even　more。　　He　reentered　the
kitchen；　took　the　boathouse　key　from　its　nailthe　key　to　Seth's
wonderful　purchase；　the　spring　lock　which　was　to　keep　out　thieves
and　had　so　far　been　of　no　use　except　as　a　trouble…makerand　started
for　the　wharf。　　As　he　passed　the　table　he　picked　up　the　bundle　of
newspapers　and　took　them　with　him。　　The　boathouse　was　the　repository
for　rubbish；　old　papers　and　magazines　included；　and　these　might　as
well　be　added　to　the　heap。　　Atkins　had　not　read　this　particular　lot；
but　the　substitute　assistant　did　not　think　of　this。

The　lobster　car　was　not　under　the　wharf。　　The　ropes　which　had　moored
it　were　broken；　and　the　car　was　gone。　　Splinters　and　dents　in　the
piles　showed　where　it　had　banged　and　thumped　in　the　grasp　of　the
tide　before　breaking　loose。　　And；　lying　flat　on　the　wharf　and
peering　under　it；　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　piles　themselves　were　a
trifle　aslant；　that　the　whole　wharf　had　settled　down　on　the　outer
side。

He　rose　and　was　about　to　go　further　out　for　another　examination；
when　his　foot　struck　the　pile　of　papers　he　had　brought　with　him。　　He
picked　them　up；　and；　unlocking　the　boathouse　doorit　stuck　and
required　considerable　effort　to　open　itentered　the　building；
tossed　the　papers　on　the　floor；　and　turned　to　go　out。　　Before　he
could　do　so　the　door　swung　shut　with　a　bang　and　a　click。

At　first　he　did　not　realize　what　the　click　meant。　　Not　until　he
tried　to　open　it　did　he　understand。　　The　settling　of　the　wharf　had
thrown　the　door　and　its　frame　out　of　the　perpendicular。　　That　was
why　it　stuck　and　opened　with　such　reluctance。　　When　he　opened　it；　he
had；　so　to　speak；　pushed　it　uphill。　　Its　own　weight　had　swung　it
back；　and　the　spring　lockin　which　he　had　left　the　keyhad　worked
exactly　as　the　circular　of　directions　declared　it　would　do。　　He　was
a　prisoner　in　that　boathouse。

Even　then　he　did　not　fully　grasp　the　situation。　　He　uttered　an
exclamation　of　impatience　and　tugged　at　the　door；　but　it　was　heavy；
jammed　tight　in　its　frame；　and　the　lock　was　new　and　strong。　　He
might　as　well　have　tried　to　pull　up　the　wharf。

After　a　minute　of　fruitless　effort　he　gave　up　the　attempt　on　the
door　and　moved　about　the　little　building；　seeking　other　avenues　of
escape。　　The　only　window　was　a　narrow　affair；　high　up　at　the　back；
hung　on　hinges　and　fastened　with　a　hook　and　staple。　　He　climbed　up
on　the　fish　nets　and　empty　boxes；　got　the　window　open；　and　thrust
his　head　and　one　shoulder　through　the　opening。　　That；　however；　was
as　far　as　he　could　go。　　A　dwarf　might　have　squeezed　through　that
window；　but　not　an　ex…varsity　athlete　like　Russell　Brooks　or　a　husky
longshoreman　like　〃John　Brown。〃　　It　was　at　the　back；　facing　the
mouth　of　the　creek　and　the　sea；　and　afforded　a　beautiful　marine
view；　but　that　was　all。　　He　dropped　back　on　the　fish　nets　and
audibly　expressed　his　opinion　of　the　lock　and　the　man　who　had　bought
it。

Then　he　tried　the　door　again；　again　gave　it　up；　and　sat　down　on　the
fish　nets　to　think。　　Thinking　was　unsatisfactory　and　provoking。　　He
gave　that　up；　also；　and；　seeing　a　knothole　in　one　of　the　boards　in
the　landward　side　of　his　jail；　knelt　and　applied　his　eye　to　the
aperture。　　His　only　hope　of　freedom；　apparently；　lay　in　the　arrival
home　of　the　lightkeeper。　　If　Seth　had　arrived　he　could　shout　through
that　knothole　and　possibly　be　heard。

The　knothole；　however；　commanded　a　view；　not　of　the　lighthouse
buildings；　but　of　the　cove　and　the　bungalow。　　The　bungalow！　　Ruth
Graham！　　Suddenly；　and　with　a　shock；　flashed　to　his　mind　the　thought
that　his　imprisonment；　if　at　all　prolonged；　was　likely　to　be；　not　a
joke；　but　the　most　serious　catastrophe　of　his　life。

For　Ruth　Graham　was　going　to　leave　the　bungalow　and　Eastboro　that
very　day。　　He　had　begged　to　see　her　once　more；　and　this　day　was　his
last　chance。　　He　had　written　her；　pleading　to　see　her　and　receive
his　answer。　　If　he　did　not　see　her；　if　Seth　did　not　return　before
long　and　he　remained　where　he　was；　a　prisoner　and　invisible；　the
last　chance　was　gone。　　Ruth　would　believe　he　had　repented　of　his
declaration　as　embodied　in　the　fateful　note；　and　had　fled　from　her。
She　had　intimated　that　he　was　a　coward　in　not　seeing　his　fiancee　and
telling　her　the　truth。　　She　did　not　like　his　writing　that　other　girl
and　running　away。　　Now　she　would　believe　the　cowardice　was　inherent；
because　he　had　written　her；　alsoand　had　run　away。　　Horrible！

Through　the　knothole　he　sent　a　yell　for　rescue。　　Another　and
another。　　They　were　unheardat　least；　no　one　emerged　from　the
bungalow。　　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and　made　another　circle　of　the
interior　of　the　boathouse。　　Then　he　sank　down　upon　the　heap　of　nets
and　again　tried　to　think。　　He　must　get　out。　　He　mustsomehow！

The　morning　sunshine　streamed　through　the　little　window　and　fell
directly　upon　the　pile　of　newspapers　he　had　brought　from　the　kitchen
and　thrown　on　the　floor。　　His　glance　chanced　to　rest　for　an　instant
upon　the　topmost　paper　of　the　pile。　　It　was　a　New　York　journal　which
devotes　two　of　its　inside　pages　to　happenings　in　society。　　When　he
threw　it　down　it　had　unfolded　so　that　one　of　these　pages　lay
uppermost。　　Absently；　scarcely　realizing　that　he　was　doing　so；　the
substitute　assistant　read　as　follows：


〃Engagement　in　High　Life　Announced。　　Another　American　Girl　to　Wed　a
Nobleman。　　Miss　Ann　Gardner　Davidson　to　become　the　Baroness
Hardacre。〃


With　a　shout　he　fell　upon　his　knees；　seized　the　paper　and　read　on：


〃Another　contemplated　matrimonial　alliance　between　one　of　New　York's
fairest　daughters　and　a　scion　of　the　English　nobility　was　made
public　yesterday。　　Miss　Ann　Gardner　Davidson；　of　this　city；　the
brea