initials only-第29部分

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t　wake　at　all。

The　anguish　trembling　in　that　latter　phrase　would　have　attracted　Sweetwater's　earnest；　if　not　pitiful；　attention　at　any　other　time；　but　now　he　had　ears　only　for　the　cry　which　at　that　moment　came　ringing　shrilly　from　within　　…　

〃Edith！　　Edith！〃

The　living　shouting　for　the　dead！　　A　heart　still　warm　sending　forth　its　longing　to　the　pierced　and　pulseless　one；　hidden　in　a　far…off　tomb！　　To　Sweetwater；　who　had　seen　Miss　Challoner　buried；　this　summons　of　distracted　love　came　with　weird　force。

Then　the　present　regained　its　sway。　　He　heard　her　name　again；　and　this　time　it　sounded　less　like　a　call　and　more　like　the　welcoming　cry　of　meeting　spirits。　　Was　death　to　end　this　separation？　　Had　he　found　the　true　0。　B。；　only　to　behold　another　and　final　seal　fall　upon　this　closely　folded　mystery？　　In　his　fear　of　this　possibility；　he　caught　at　Doris'　hand　as　she　was　about　to　bound　away；　and　eagerly　asked：

〃When　was　Mr。　Brotherson　taken　ill？　　Tell　me；　I　entreat　you；　the　exact　day　and；　if　you　can；　the　exact　hour。　　More　depends　upon　this　than　you　can　readily　realise。

She　wrenched　her　hand　from　his；　panting　with　impatience　and　a　vague　alarm。　　But　she　answered　him　distinctly：

〃On　the　Twenty…fifth　of　last　month；　just　an　hour　after　he　was　made　manager。　　He　fell　in　a　faint　at　the　Works。〃

The　day　…　the　very　day　of　Miss　Challoner's　death！

〃Had　he　heard　…　did　you　tell　him　then　or　afterwards　what　happened　in　New　York　on　that　very　date？〃

〃No；　no；　we　have　not　told　him。　　It　would　have　killed　him　…　and　may　yet。〃

〃Edith！　　Edith！　came　again　through　the　hush；　a　hush　so　deep　that　Sweetwater　received　the　impression　that　the　house　was　empty　save　for　patient　and　nurse。

This　discovery　had　its　effects　upon　him。　　Why　should　he　subject　this　young　and　loving　girl　to　further　pain？　　He　had　already　learned　more　than　he　had　expected　to。　　The　rest　would　come　with　time。　　But　at　the　first　intimation　he　gave　of　leaving；　she　lost　her　abstracted　air　and　turned　with　absolute　eagerness　towards　him。

〃One　moment；　said　she。　　〃You　are　a　stranger　and　I　do　not　know　your　name　or　your　purpose　here。　　But　I　cannot　let　you　go　without　begging　you　not　to　mention　to　any　one　in　this　town　that　Mr。　Brotherson　has　any　interest　in　the　lady　whose　name　we　must　not　speak。　　Do　not　repeat　that　delirious　cry　you　have　heard　or　betray　in　any　way　our　intense　and　fearful　interest　in　this　young　lady's　strange　death。　You　have　shown　me　a　letter。　　Do　not　speak　of　that　letter；　I　entreat　you。　　Help　us　to　retain　our　secret　a　little　longer。　　Only　the　doctor　and　myself　know　what　awaits　Mr。　Brotherson　if　he　lives。　　I　had　to　tell　the　doctor；　but　a　doctor　reveals　nothing。　　Promise　that　you　will　not　either；　at　least　till　this　crisis　is　passed。　　It　will　help　my　father　and　it　will　help　me；　and　we　need　all　the　help　we　can　get。〃

Sweetwater　allowed　himself　one　minute　of　thought；　then　he　earnestly　replied：

〃I　will　keep　your　secret　for　to…day；　and　longer；　if　possible。〃

〃Thank　you；　she　cried；　〃thank　you。　　I　thought　I　saw　kindness　in　your　face。〃　And　she　again　prepared　to　close　the　door。

But　Sweetwater　had　one　more　question　to　ask。　　〃Pardon　me；　said　he；　as　he　stepped　down　on　the　walk；　〃you　say　that　this　is　a　critical　day　with　your　patient。　　Is　that　why　every　one　whom　I　have　seen　so　far　wears　such　a　look　of　anxiety？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　cried；　giving　him　one　other　glimpse　of　her　lovely；　agitated　face。　　〃There's　but　one　feeling　in　town　to…day；　but　one　hope；　and；　as　I　believe；　but　one　prayer。　　That　the　man　whom　every　one　loves　and　every　one　trusts　may　live　to　run　these　Works。〃

〃Edith！　　Edith！〃　rose　in　ceaseless　reiteration　from　within。

But　it　rang　but　faintly　now　in　the　ears　of　our　detective。　　The　door　had　fallen　to；　and　Sweetwater's　share　in　the　anxieties　of　that　household　was　over。

Slowly　he　moved　away。　　He　was　in　a　confused　yet　elated　condition　of　mind。　　Here　was　food　for　a　thousand　new　thoughts　and　conjectures。　An　Orlando　Brotherson　and　an　Oswald　Brotherson　…　relatives　possibly；　strangers　possibly；　but　whether　relatives　or　strangers；　both　given　to　signing　their　letters　with　their　initials　simply；　and　both　the　acknowledged　admirers　of　the　deceased　Miss　Challoner。　　But　she　had　loved　only　one；　and　that　one；　Oswald。　　It　not　difficult　to　recognise　the　object　of　this　high　hearted　woman's　affections　in　this　man　whose　struggle　with　the　master…destroyer　had　awakened　the　solicitude　of　a　whole　town。



XXIV

SUSPENSE


Ten　minutes　after　Sweetwater's　arrival　in　the　village　streets；　he　was　at　home　with　the　people　he　found　there。　　His　conversation　with　Doris　in　the　doorway　of　her　home　had　been　observed　by　the　curious　and　far…sighted；　and　the　questions　asked　and　answered　had　made　him　friends　at　once。　　Of　course；　he　could　tell　them　nothing；　but　that　did　not　matter；　he　had　seen　and　talked　with　Doris　and　their　idolised　young　manager　was　no　worse　and　might　possibly　soon　be　better。

Of　his　own　affairs　…　of　his　business　with　Doris　and　the　manager；　they　asked　nothing。　　All　ordinary　interests　were　lost　in　the　stress　of　their　great　suspense。

It　was　the　same　in　the　bar…room　of　the　one　hotel。　　Without　resorting　to　more　than　a　question　or　two；　he　readily　learned　all　that　was　generally　known　of　Oswald　Brotherson。　　Every　one　was　talking　about　him；　and　each　had　some　story　to　tell　illustrative　of　his　kindness；　his　courage　and　his　quick　mind。　　The　Works　had　never　produced　a　man　of　such　varied　capabilities　and　all　round　sympathies。　　To　have　him　for　manager　meant　the　greatest　good　which　could　befall　this　little　community。

His　rise　had　been　rapid。　　He　had　come　from　the　east　three　years　before；　new　to　the　work。　　Now；　he　was　the　one　man　there。　　Of　his　relationships　east；　family　or　otherwise；　nothing　was　said。　　For　them　his　life　began　and　ended　in　Derby；　and　Sweetwater　could　see；　though　no　actual　expression　was　given　to　the　feeling；　that　there　was　but　one　expectation　in　regard　to　him　and　Doris；　to　whose　uncommon　beauty　and　sweetness　they　all　seemed　fully　alive。　　And　Sweetwater　wondered；　as　many　of　us　have　wondered；　at　the　gulf　frequently　existing　between　fancy　and　fact。

Later　there　came　a　small　excitement。　　The　doctor　was　seen　riding　by　on　his　way　to　the　sick　man。　　From　the　window　where　he　sat；　Sweetwater　watched　him　pass　up　the　street　and　take　the　road　he　had　himself　so　lately　traversed。　　It　was　so　straight　a　one　and　led　so　directly　northward　that　he　could　follow　with　his　eye　the　doctor's　whole　course；　and　even　get　a　glimpse　of　his　figure　as　he　stepped　from　the　buggy　and　proceeded　to　tie　up　the　horse。　　There　was　an　energy　about　him　pleasing　to　Sweetwater。　　He　might　have　much　to　do　with　this　doctor。　　If　Oswald　Brotherson　died　…　but　he　was　not　willing　to　consider　this　possibility　…　yet。　　His　personal　sympathies；　to　say　nothing　of　his　professional　interest　in　the　mystery　to　which　this　man　…　and　this　man　only　…　possibly　held　the　key；　alike　forbade。　　He　would　hope；　as　these　others　were　hoping；　and　if　he　did　not　count　the　minutes；　he　at　least　saw　every　move　of　the　old　horse　waiting　with　drooping　head　and　the　resignation　of　long　custom　for　the　re…appearance　of　his　master　with　his　news　of　life　or　death。

And　so　an　hour　…　two　hours　passed。　　Others　were　watching　the　old　horse　now。　　The　street　showed　many　an　eager　figure　with　head　turned　northward。　　From　the　open　door…ways　women　stepped；　looked　in　the　direction　of　their　anxiety　and　retreated　to　their　work　again。　Suspense　was　everywhere；　the　moments　dragged　like　hours；　it　became　so　keen　at　last　that　some　impatient　hearts　could　no　longer　stand　it。　A　woman　put　her　baby　into　another　woman's　arms　and　hurried　up　the　road；　another　followed；　then　another；　then　an　old　man；　bowed　with　years　and　of　tottering　steps；　began　to　go　that　way；　halting　a　dozen　times　before　he　reached　the　group　now　collected　in　the　dusty　highway；　near　but　not　too　near　that　house。　　As　Sweetwater's　own　enthusiasm　swelled　at　this　sight；　he　thought　of　the　other　Brotherson　with　his　theories　and　active　advocacy　for　reform；　and　wondered　if　men　and　women　would　forego　their　meals　and　stand　for　hours　in　the　keen　spring　wind　just　to　be　the　first　to　hear　if　he　were　to　live　or　die。　He　knew　that　he　himself　would　not。　　But　he　had　suffered　much　both　in　his　pride　and　his　purse　at　the　hands　of　the　Brooklyn　inventor；　and　such　despoliation　is　not　a　reliable　basis　for　sympathy。　　He　was　questioning　his　own　judgment　in　this　matter　and　losing　himself　in　the　mazes　of　past　doubts　and　conjectures　when　a　sudden　change　took　place　in　the　aspect　of　the　street；　he　saw　people　running；　and　in　another　moment　saw　why。　　The　doctor　had　shown　himself　on　the　porch　which　all　were　watching。　　Was　he　coming　out？　　No；　he　stands　quite　still；　runs　his　eye　over　the　people　waiting　quietly　in　the　road；　and　beckons　to　one　of　the　smaller　boys。　　The　child；　with　upturned　face；　stands　listening　to　what　he　has　to　say；　then　starts　on　a　run　for　the　village。　　He　is　stopped；　pulled　about；　questioned；　and　allowed　to　run　on。　　Many　rush　forth　to　meet　him。　　He　is　panting；　but　gleeful。　　Mr。　Brotherson　has　waked　up　conscious；　and　the　doctor　says；　HE　WILL　LIVE。



XXV

THE　OVAL　HUT


That　night　Dr。　Fenton　had　a　visitor。　　We　know　that　visitor　and　we　almost　know　what　his　questions　were；　if　not　the　answers　of　the　good　doctor。　　Nevertheless；　it　may　be　better　to　listen　to　a　part　at　least　of　their　conversation。　　Sweetwater；　who　knew　when　to　be　frank　and　open；　as　well　as　when　to　be　reserved　and　ambiguous；　made　no　effort　to　disguise　the　nature　of　his　business　or　his　chief　cause　of　interest　in　Oswald　Brotherson。　　The　eye　which　met　his　was　too　penetrating　not　to　detect　the　smallest　attempt　at　subterfuge；　besides；　Sweetwater　had　no　need　to　hide　his　errand；　it　was　one　of　peace；　and　it　threatened　nobody　…　〃the　more's　the　pity；　thought　he　in　uneasy　comment　to　himself；　as　he　realised　the　hopelessness　of　the　whole　situation。

His　first　word；　therefore；　was　a　plain　announcement。

〃Dr。　Fenton；　my　name　is　Sweetwater。　　I　am　from　New　York；　and　represent　for　the　nonce；　Mr。　Challoner；　whose　name　I　have　simply　to　mention；　for　you　to　understand　that　my　business　is　with　Mr。　Brotherson　whom　I　am　sorry　to　find　seriously；　if　not　dangerously；　ill。　　Will　you　tell　me　how　long　you　think　it　will　be　before　I　can　have　a　talk　with　him　on　a　subject　which　I　will　not　disguise　from　y