initials only-第26部分

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　mood　had　shown　him　what　to　expect。　　These　letters　…　these　innocent　and　precious　outpourings　of　a　rare　and　womanly　soul　…　the　only　conceivable　open　sesame　to　the　hard…locked　nature　he　found　himself　pitted　against；　would　soon　be　resolved　into　a　vanishing　puff　of　smoke。

But　the　lid　was　thrust　back；　and　the　letters　remained　in　hand。　Mortal　strength　has　its　limits。　　Even　Brotherson　could　not　shut　down　that　lid　on　words　which　might　have　been　meant　for　him；　harshly　as　he　had　repelled　the　idea。

The　pause　which　followed　told　little；　but　when　Sweetwater　heard　the　man　within　move　with　characteristic　energy　to　the　door；　turn　the　key　and　step　back　again　to　his　place　at　the　table；　he　knew　that　the　danger　moment　had　passed　and　that　those　letters　were　about　to　be　read；　not　casually；　but　seriously；　as　indeed　their　contents　merited。

This　caused　Sweetwater　to　feel　serious　himself。　　Upon　what　result　might　he　calculate？　　What　would　happen　to　this　hardy　soul；　when　the　fact　he　so　scornfully　repudiated；　was　borne　in　upon　him；　and　he　saw　that　the　disdain　which　had　antagonised　him　was　a　mere　device　…　a　cloak　to　hide　the　secret　heart　of　love　and　eager　womanly　devotion？　Her　death　…　little　as　Brotherson　would　believe　it　up　till　now　…　had　been　his　personal　loss　the　greatest　which　can　befall　a　man。　　When　he　came　to　see　this　…　when　the　modest　fervour　of　her　unusual　nature　began　to　dawn　upon　him　in　these　self…revelations；　would　the　result　be　remorse；　or　just　the　deadening　and　final　extinction　of　whatever　tenderness　he　may　have　retained　for　her　memory？

Impossible　to　tell。　　The　balance　of　probability　hung　even。　Sweetwater　recognised　this；　and　clung；　breathless；　to　his　loop…hole。　Fain　would　he　have　seen；　as　well　as　heard。

Mr。　Brotherson　read　the　first　letter；　standing。　　As　it　soon　became　public　property；　I　will　give　it　here；　just　as　it　afterwards　appeared　in　the　columns　of　the　greedy　journals：

　　〃Beloved：

　　〃When　I　sit；　as　I　often　do；　in　perfect　quiet　under　the　stars；　　　and　dream　that　you　are　looking　at　them　too；　not　for　hours　as　I　　　do；　but　for　one　full　moment　in　which　your　thoughts　are　with　me　as　　　wholly　as　mine　are　with　you；　I　feel　that　the　bond　between　us；　　　unseen　by　the　world；　and　possibly　not　wholly　recognised　by　　　ourselves；　is　instinct　with　the　same　power　which　links　together　　　the　eternities。

　　〃It　seems　to　have　always　been；　to　have　known　no　beginning；　only　a　　　budding；　an　efflorescence；　the　visible　product　of　a　hidden　but　　　always　present　reality。　　A　month　ago　and　I　was　ignorant；　even；　of　　　your　name。　　Now；　you　seem　the　best　known　to　me；　the　best　understood；　　　of　God's　creatures。　　One　afternoon　of　perfect　companionship　…　one　　　flash　of　strong　emotion；　with　its　deep；　true　insight　into　each　　　other's　soul；　and　the　miracle　was　wrought。　　We　had　met；　and　　　henceforth；　parting　would　mean　separation　only；　and　not　the　　　severing　of　a　mutual　bond。　　One　hand；　and　one　only；　could　do　that　　　now。　　I　will　not　name　that　hand。　　For　us　there　is　nought　ahead　but　　　life。

　　〃Thus　do　I　ease　my　heart　in　the　silence　which　conditions　impose　　　upon　us。　　Some　day　I　shall　hear　your　voice　again；　and　then…〃

The　paper　dropped　from　the　reader's　hand。　　It　was　several　minutes　before　he　took　up　another。

This　one；　as　it　happened；　antedated　the　other；　as　will　appear　on　reading　it：

　　〃My　friend：

　　〃I　said　that　I　could　not　write　to　you　…　that　we　must　wait。　　You　　　were　willing；　but　there　is　much　to　be　accomplished；　and　the　　　silence　may　be　long。　　My　father　is　not　an　easy　man　to　please；　but　　　he　desires　my　happiness　and　will　listen　to　my　plea　when　the　right　　　hour　comes。　　When　you　have　won　your　place　…　when　you　have　shown　　　yourself　to　be　the　man　I　feel　you　to　be；　then　my　father　will　　　recognise　your　worth；　and　the　way　will　be　cleared；　despite　the　　　obstacles　which　now　intervene。

　　〃But　meantime！　　Ah；　you　will　not　know　it；　but　words　will　rise　　　　…　the　heart　must　find　utterance。　　What　the　lip　cannot　utter；　nor　　　the　looks　reveal；　these　pages　shall　hold　in　sacred　trust　for　you　　　till　the　day　when　my　father　will　place　my　hand　in　yours；　with　　　heart…felt　approval。

　　〃Is　it　a　folly？　　A　woman's　weak　evasion　of　the　strong　silence　of　　　man？　　You　may　say　so　some　day；　but　somehow；　I　doubt　it　…　I　doubt　　　it。〃

The　creaking　of　a　chair；　…　the　man　within　had　seated　himself。　　There　was　no　other　sound；　a　soul　in　turmoil　wakens　no　echoes。　　Sweetwater　envied　the　walls　surrounding　the　unsympathetic　reader。　　They　could　see。　　He　could　only　listen。

A　little　while；　then　that　slight　rustling　again　of　the　unfolding　sheet。　　The　following　was　read；　and　then　the　fourth　and　last：

　　〃Dearest：

　　〃Did　you　think　I　had　never　seen　you　till　that　day　we　met　in　Lenox？　　　I　am　going　to　tell　you　a　secret　…　a　great；　great　secret　…　such　a　　　one　as　a　woman　hardly　whispers　to　her　own　heart。

　　〃One　day；　in　early　summer；　I　was　sitting　in　St。　Bartholomew's　　　Church　on　Fifth　Avenue；　waiting　for　the　services　to　begin。　　It　　　was　early　and　the　congregation　was　assembling。　　While　idly　　　watching　the　people　coming　in；　I　saw　a　gentleman　pass　by　me　up　　　the　aisle；　who　made　me　forget　all　the　others。　　He　had　not　the　　　air　of　a　New　Yorker；　he　was　not　even　dressed　in　city　style；　but　　　as　I　noted　his　face　and　expression；　I　said　way　down　in　my　heart；　　　'That　is　the　kind　of　man　I　could　love；　the　only　man　I　have　ever　　　seen　who　could　make　me　forget　my　own　world　and　my　own　people。'　　　It　was　a　passing　thought；　soon~　forgotten。　　But　when　in　that　hour　　　of　embarrassment　and　peril　on　Greylock　Mountain；　I　looked　up　into　　　the　face　of　my　rescuer　and　saw　again　that　countenance　which　so　　　short　a　time　before　had　called　into　life　impulses　till　then　　　utterly　unknown；　I　knew　that　my　hour　was　come。　　And　that　was　why　　　my　confidence　was　so　spontaneous　and　my　belief　in　the　future　so　　　absolute。

　　〃I　trust　your　love　which　will　work　wonders；　and　I　trust　my　own；　　　which　sprang　at　a　look　but　only　gathered　strength　and　permanence　　　when　I　found　that　the　soul　of　the　man　I　loved　bettered　his　outward　　　attractions；　making　the　ideal　of　my　foolish　girlhood　seem　as　　　unsubstantial　and　evanescent　as　a　dream　in　the　glowing　noontide。〃

　　〃My　Own：

　　〃I　can　say　so　now；　for　you　have　written　to　me；　and　I　have　the　　　dancing　words　with　which　to　silence　any　unsought　doubt　which　might　　　subdue　the　exuberance　of　these　secret　outpourings。

　　〃I　did　not　expect　this。　　I　thought　that　you　would　remain　as　silent　　　as　myself。　　But　men's　ways　are　not　our　ways。　　They　cannot　exhaust　　　longing　in　purposeless　words　on　scraps　of　soulless　paper；　and　I　am　　　glad　that　they　cannot。　　I　love　you　for　your　impatience；　for　your　　　purpose；　and　for　the　manliness　which　will　win　for　you　yet　all　that　　　you　covet　of　fame；　accomplishment　and　love。　　You　expect　no　reply；　　　but　there　are　ways　in　which　one　can　keep　silent　and　yet　speak。　　　Won't　you　be　surprised　when　your　answer　comes　in　a　manner　you　have　　　never　thought　of？〃



XX

CONFUSION


In　his　interest　in　what　was　going　on　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　Sweetwater　had　forgotten　himself。　　Daylight　had　declined；　but　in　the　darkness　of　the　closet　this　change　had　passed　unheeded。　　Night　itself　might　come；　but　that　should　not　force　him　to　leave　his　post　so　long　as　his　neighbour　remained　behind　his　locked　door；　brooding　over　the　words　of　love　and　devotion　which　had　come　to　him；　as　it　were　from　the　other　world。

But　was　he　brooding？　　That　sound　of　iron　clattering　upon　iron！　That　smothered　exclamation　and　the　laugh　which　ended　it！　　Anger　and　determination　rang　in　that　laugh。　　It　had　a　hideous　sound　which　prepared　Sweetwater　for　the　smell　which　now　reached　his　nostrils。　The　letters　were　burning；　this　time　the　lid　had　been　lifted　from　the　stove　with　unrelenting　purpose。　　Poor　Edith　Challoner's　touching　words　had　met；　a　different　fate　from　any　which　she；　in　her　ignorance　of　this　man's　nature；　…　a　nature　to　which　she　had　ascribed　untold　perfections　…　could　possibly　have　conceived。

As　Sweetwater　thought　of　this；　he　stirred　nervously　in　the　darkness；　and　broke　into　silent　invective　against　the　man　who　could　so　insult　the　memory　of　one　who　had　perished　under　the　blight　of　his　own　coldness　and　misunderstanding。　　Then　he　suddenly　started　back　surprised　and　apprehensive。　　Brotherson　had　unlocked　his　door；　and　was　coming　rapidly　his　way。　　Sweetwater　heard　his　step　in　the　hall　and　had　hardly　time　to　bound　from　his　closet；　when　he　saw　his　own　door　burst　in　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　his　redoubtable　neighbour；　in　a　state　of　such　rage　as　few　men　could　meet　without　quailing；　even　were　they　of　his　own　stature；　physical　vigour　and　prowess；　and　Sweetwater　was　a　small　man。

However；　disappointment　such　as　he　had　just　experienced　brings　with　it　a　desperation　which　often　outdoes　courage；　and　the　detective；　smiling　with　an　air　of　gay　surprise；　shouted　out：

〃Well；　what's　the　matter　now？　　Has　the　machine　busted；　or　tumbled　into　the　fire　or　sailed　away　to　lands　unknown　out　of　your　open　window？〃

〃You　were　coming　out　of　that　closet；〃　was　the　fierce　rejoinder。　〃What　have　you　got　there？　　Something　which　concerns　me；　or　why　should　your　face　go　pale　at　my　presence　and　your　forehead　drip　with　sweat？　　Don't　think　that　you've　deceived　me　for　a　moment　as　to　your　business　here。　　I　recognised　you　immediately。　　You've　played　the　stranger　well；　but　you've　a　nose　and　an　eye　nobody　could　forget。　　I　have　known　all　along　that　I　had　a　police　spy　for　a　neighbour；　but　it　didn't　faze　me。　　I've　nothing　to　conceal；　and　wouldn't　mind　a　regiment　of　you　fellows　if　you'd　only　play　a　straight　game。　　But　when　it　comes　to　foisting　upon　me　a　parcel　of　letters　to　which　I　have　no　right；　and　then　setting　a　fellow　like　you　to　count　my　groans　or　whatever　else　they　expected　to　hear；　I　have　a　right　to　defend　myself；　and　defend　myself　I　will；　by　God！　But　first；　let　me　be　sure　that　my　accusations　will　stand。　　Come　into　this　closet　with　me。　　It　abuts　on　the　wall　of　my　room　and　has　its　own　secret；　I　know。　　What　is　it？　　I　have　you　at　an　advantage　now；　and　you　shall　tell。〃

He　did　have　Sweetwater　at　an　advantage；　and　the　detective　knew　it　and　disdained　a　struggle　which　would　have　only　called　up　a　crowd；　friendly　to　the　other　but　inimical　to　himself。　　Allowing　Brotherson　to　drag　him　into　the　closet；　he　stood　quiescent；　while　the　determined　man　who　held　him