initials only-第31部分

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　the　full　nobility　of　their　expression　and　the　lurking　sweetness　underlying　her　every　look。　She　herself　made　the　charm　and　whether　placed　high　or　placed　low；　must　ever　attract　the　eye　and　afterwards　lure　the　heart；　by　an　individuality　which　hardly　needed　perfect　features　in　which　to　express　itself。

Young　yet；　but　gifted；　as　girls　of　her　class　often　are；　with　the　nicest　instincts　and　purest　aspirations；　she　showed　the　elevation

of　her　thoughts　both　in　her　glance　and　the　poise　with　which　she　awaited　events。　　Sweetwater　watched　her　with　admiration　as　she　superintended　the　unloading　of　the　wagon　and　the　disposal　of　the　various　boxes　on　the　floor　within；　but　as　nothing　she　said　during　the　process　was　calculated　to　afford　the　least　enlightenment　in　regard　to　their　contents；　he　presently　wearied　of　his　inaction　and　turned　back　towards　the　highway；　comforting　himself　with　the　reflection　that　in　a　few　short　hours　he　would　have　her　to　himself　when　nothing　but　a　blunder　on　his　part　should　hinder　him　from　sounding　her　young　mind　and　getting　such　answers　to　his　questions　as　the　affair　in　which　he　was　so　deeply　interested；　demanded。



XXVI

SWEETWATER　RETURNS


〃You　see　me　again；　Miss　Scott。　　I　hope　that　yesterday's　intrusion　has　not　prejudiced　you　against　me。

〃I　have　no　prejudices；　was　her　simple　but　firm　reply。　　〃I　am　only　hurried　and　very　anxious。　　The　doctor　is　with　Mr。　Brotherson　just　now；　but　he　has　several　other　equally　sick　patients　to　visit　and　I　dare　not　keep　him　here　too　long。

〃Then　you　will　welcome　my　abruptness。　　Miss　Scott；　here　is　a　letter　from　Mr。　Challoner。　　It　will　explain　my　position。　　As　you　will　see；　his　only　desire　is　to　establish　the　fact　that　his　daughter　did　not　commit　suicide。　　She　was　all　he　had　in　the　world；　and　the　thought　that　she　could；　for　any　reason；　take　her　own　life　is　unbearable　to　him。　　Indeed；　he　will　not　believe　she　did　so；　evidence　or　no　evidence。　　May　I　ask　if　you　agree　with　him？　　You　have　seen　Miss　Challoner；　I　believe。　　Do　you　think　she　was　the　woman　to　plunge　a　dagger　in　her　heart　in　a　place　as　public　as　a　hotel　reception　room？

〃No；　Mr。　Sweetwater。　　I'm　a　poor　working　girl；　with　very　little　education　and　almost　no　knowledge　of　the　world　and　such　ladies　as　she。　　But　something　tells　me　for　all　that；　that　she　was　too　nice　to　do　this。　　I　saw　her　once　and　it　made　me　want　to　be　quiet　and　kind　and　beautiful　like　her。　　I　never　shall　think　she　did　anything　so　horrible。　　Nor　will　Mr。　Brotherson　ever　believe　it。　　He　could　not　and　live。　　You　see；　I　am　talking　to　you　as　if　you　knew　him；　…　the　kind　of　man　he　is　and　just　how　he　feels　towards　Miss　Challoner。　　He　is　…　Her　voice　trailed　off　and　a　look；　uncommon　and　almost　elevated；　illumined　her　face。　　〃I　will　not　tell　you　what　he　is；　you　will　know；　if　you　ever　see　him。〃

〃If　the　favourable　opinion　of　a　whole　town　makes　a　good　fellow；　he　ought　to　be　of　the　best；〃　returned　Sweetwater；　with　his　most　honest　smile。　　〃I　hear　but　one　story　of　him　wherever　I　turn。〃

〃There　is　but　one　story　to　tell；〃　she　smiled；　and　her　head　drooped　softly；　but　with　no　air　of　self…consciousness。

Sweetwater　watched　her　for　a　moment；　and　then　remarked：　〃I'm　going　to　take　one　thing　for　granted；　that　you　are　as　anxious　as　we　are　to　clear　Miss　Challoner's　memory。〃

〃0　yes；　0　yes。〃

〃More　than　that；　that　you　are　ready　and　eager　to　help　us。　　Your　very　looks　show　that。〃

〃You　are　right；　I　would　do　anything　to　help　you。　　But　who　can　a　girl　like　me　do？　　Nothing；　nothing。　　I　know　too　little。　　Mr。　Challoner　must　see　that　when　you　tell　him　I'm　only　the　daughter　of　a　foreman。〃

〃And　a　friend　of　Mr。　Brotherson；〃　supplemented　Sweetwater。　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　smiled；　〃he　would　want　me　to　say　so。　　But　that's　his　goodness。　　I　don't　deserve　the　honour。〃

〃His　friend　and　therefore　his　confidante；〃　Sweetwater　continued。　〃He　has　talked　to　you　about　Miss　Challoner？〃

〃He　had　to。　　There　was　nobody　else　to　whom　he　could　talk；　and　then；　I　had　seen　her　and　could　understand。〃

〃Where　did　you　see　her？〃

〃In　New　York。　　I　was　there　once　with　father；　who　took　me　to　see　her。　I　think　she　had　asked　Mr。　Brotherson　to　send　his　little　friend　to　her　hotel　if　ever　we　came　to　New　York。〃

〃That　was　some　time　ago？〃

〃We　were　there　in　June。〃

〃And　you　have　corresponded　ever　since　with　Miss　Challoner？〃

〃She　has　been　good　enough　to　write；　and　I　have　ventured　at　times　to　answer　her。〃

The　suspicion　which　might　have　come　to　some　men　found　no　harbour　in　Sweetwater's　mind。　　This　young　girl　was　beautiful；　there　was　no　denying　that；　beautiful　in　a　somewhat　startling　and　quite　unusual　way；　but　there　was　nothing　in　her　bearing；　nothing　in　Miss　Challoner's　letters　to　indicate　that　she　had　been　a　cause　for　jealousy　in　the　New　York　lady's　mind。　　He；　therefore；　ignored　this　possibility；　pursuing　his　inquiry　along　the　direct　lines　he　had　already　laid　out　for　himself。　　Smiling　a　little；　but　in　a　very　earnest　fashion；　he　pointed　to　the　letter　she　still　held　and　quietly　said：

〃Remember　that　I'm　not　speaking　for　myself；　Miss　Scott；　when　I　seem　a　little　too　persistent　and　inquiring。　　You　have　corresponded　with　Miss　Challoner；　you　have　been　told　the　fact　of　her　secret　engagement　to　Mr。　Brotherson　and　you　have　been　witness　to　his　conduct　and　manner　for　the　whole　time　he　has　been　separated　from　her。　　Do　you；　when　you　think　of　it　carefully；　recall　anything　in　the　whole　story　of　this　romance　which　would　throw　light　upon　the　cruel　tragedy　which　has　so　unexpectedly　ended　it？　　Anything；　Miss　Scott？　　Straws　show　which　way　the　stream　flows。〃

She　was　vehement；　instantly　vehement；　in　her　disclaimer。

〃I　can　answer　at　once；　said　she；　〃because　I　have　thought　of　nothing　else　for　all　these　weeks。　　Here　all　was　well。　　Mr。　Brotherson　was　hopeful　and　happy　and　believed　in　her　happiness　and　willingness　to　wait　for　his　success。　　And　this　success　was　coming　so　fast！　　Oh；　how　can　we　ever　tell　him！　　How　can　we　ever　answer　his　questions　even；　or　keep　him　satisfied　and　calm　until　he　is　strong　enough　to　hear　the　truth。　　I've　had　to　acknowledge　already　that　I　have　had　no　letter　from　her　for　weeks。　　She　never　wrote　to　him　directly；　you　know；　and　she　never　sent　him　messages；　but　he　knew　that　a　letter　to　me；　was　also　a　letter　to　him　and　I　can　see　that　he　is　troubled　by　this　long　silence；　though　he　says　I　was　right　not　to　let　her　know　of　his　illness　and　that　I　must　continue　to　keep　her　in　ignorance　of　it　till　he　is　quite　well　again　and　can　write　to　her　himself。　　It　is　hard　to　hear　him　talk　like　this　and　not　look　sad　or　frightened。

Sweetwater　remembered　Miss　Challoner's　last　letter；　and　wished　he　had　it　here　to　give　her。　　In　default　of　this；　he　said：

〃Perhaps　this　not　hearing　may　act　in　the　way　of　a　preparation　for　the　shock　which　must　come　to　him　sooner　or　later。　　Let　us　hope　so；　Miss　Scott。

Her　eyes　filled。

〃Nothing　can　prepare　him；〃　said　she。　　Then　added；　with　a　yearning　accent；　〃I　wish　I　were　older　or　had　more　experience。　　I　should　not　feel　so　helpless。　　But　the　gratitude　I　owe　him　will　give　me　strength　when　I　need　it　most。　　Only　I　wish　the　suffering　might　be　mine　rather　than　his。〃

Unconscious　of　any　self…betrayal；　she　lifted　her　eyes；　startling　Sweetwater　by　the　beauty　of　her　look。　　〃I　don't　think　I'm　so　sorry　for　Oswald　Brotherson；〃　he　murmured　to　himself　as　he　left　her。　　〃He's　a　more　fortunate　man　than　he　knows；　however　deeply　he　may　feel　the　loss　of　his　first　sweetheart。

That　evening　the　disappointed　Sweetwater　took　the　train　for　New　York。　　He　had　failed　to　advance　the　case　in　hand　one　whit；　yet　the　countenance　he　showed　Mr。　Gryce　at　their　first　interview　was　not　a　wholly　gloomy　one。

〃Fifty　dollars　to　the　bad！〃　was　his　first　laconic　greeting。　　〃All　I　have　learned　is　comprised　in　these　two　statements。　　The　second　O。　B。　is　a　fine　fellow；　and　not　intentionally　the　cause　of　our　tragedy。　　He　does　not　even　know　about　it。　　He's　down　with　the　fever　at　present　and　they　haven't　told　him。　　When　he's　better　we　may　hear　something；　but　I　doubt　even　that。

〃Tell　me　about　it。〃

Sweetwater　complied；　and　such　is　the　unconsciousness　with　which　we　often　encounter　the　pivotal　circumstance　upon　which　our　future　or　the　future　of　our　most　cherished　undertaking　hangs；　he　omitted　from　his　story；　the　sole　discovery　which　was　of　any　real　importance　in　the　unravelling　of　the　mystery　in　which　they　were　so　deeply　concerned。　　He　said　nothing　of　his　walk　in　the　woods　or　of　what　he　saw　there。

〃A　meagre　haul；〃　he　remarked　at　the　close。

〃But　that's　as　it　should　be；　if　you　and　I　are　right　in　our　impressions　and　the　clew　to　this　mystery　lies　here　in　the　character　and　daring　of　Orlando　Brotherson。　　That's　why　I'm　not　down　in　the　mouth。　　Which　goes　to　show　what　a　grip　my　prejudices　have　on　me。〃

〃As　prejudiced　as　a　bulldog。〃

〃Exactly。　　By　the　way；　what　news　of　the　gentleman　I've　just　mentioned？　　Is　he　as　serene　in　my　absence　as　when　under　my　eye？〃

〃More　so；　he　looks　like　a　man　on　the　verge　of　triumph。　　But　I　fear　the　triumph　he　anticipates　has　nothing　to　do　with　our　affairs。　　All　his　time　and　thought　is　taken　up　with　his　invention。〃

〃You　discourage　me；　sir。　　And　now　to　see　Mr。　Challoner。　　Small　comfort　can　I　carry　him。〃



XXVII

THE　IMAGE　OF　DREAD


In　the　comfortable　little　sitting…room　of　the　Scott　cottage　Doris　stood；　looking　eagerly　from　the　window　which　gave　upon　the　road。　Behind　her　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　could　be　seen　through　a　partly　opened　door；　a　neatly　spread　bed；　with　a　hand　lying　quietly　on　the　patched　coverlet。　　It　was　a　strong　looking　hand　which；　even　when　quiescent；　conveyed　the　idea　of　purpose　and　vitality。　　As　Doris　said；　the　fingers　never　curled　up　languidly；　but　always　with　the　hint　of　a　clench。　　Several　weeks　had　passed　since　the　departure　of　Sweetwater　and　the　invalid　was　fast　gaining　strength。　　To…morrow；　he　would　be　up。

Was　Doris　thinking　of　him？　　Undoubtedly；　for　her　eyes　often　flashed　his　way；　but　her　main　attention　was　fixed　upon　the　road；　though　no　one　was　in　sight　at　the　moment。　　Some　one　had　passed　for　whose　return　she　looked；　some　one　whom；　if　she　had　been　asked　to　describe；　she　would　have　called　a　tall；　fine…looking　man　of　middle　age；　of　a　cultivated　appearance　seldom　seen　in　this　small　manufacturing　town；　seldom　seen；　possibly；　in　any　town。　　He　had　glanced　up　at　the　window　as　he