initials only-第37部分

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But　Orlando　Brotherson　had　no　difficulty　in　understanding　him；　and　for　the　second　time　in　this　extraordinary　interview；　he　gave　evidences　of　agitation　and　of　a　mind　shaken　from　its　equipoise。　But　only　for　an　instant。　　He　did　not　shun　the　other's　gaze　or　even　maintain　more　than　a　momentary　silence。　　Indeed；　he　found　strength　to　smile；　in　a　curious；　sardonic　way；　as　he　said：

〃Do　you　think　I　should　be　apt　to　broach　this　subject　with　any　one；　let　alone　with　him；　whose　connection　with　it　I　shall　need　days　to　realise？　　I'm　not　so　given　to　gossip。　　Besides；　he　and　I　have　other　topics　of　interest。　　I　have　an　invention　ready　with　which　I　propose　to　experiment　in　a　place　he　has　already　prepared　for　me。　　We　can　talk　about　that。〃

The　irony；　the　hardy　self…possession　with　which　this　was　said　struck　Mr。　Challoner　to　the　heart。　　Without　a　word　he　wheeled　about　towards　the　door。　　Without　a　word；　Brotherson　stood；　watching　him　go　till　he　saw　his　hand　fall　on　the　knob　when　he　quietly　prevented　his　exit　by　saying：

〃Unhappy　truths　cannot　be　long　concealed。　　How　soon　does　the　doctor　think　my　brother　can　bear　these　inevitable　revelations？〃

〃He　said　this　morning　that　if　his　patient　were　as　well　to…morrow　as　his　present　condition　gives　promise　of；　he　might　be　told　in　another　week。〃

Orlando　bowed　his　appreciation　of　this　fact；　but　added　quickly：

〃Who　is　to　do　the　telling？〃

〃Doris。　　Nobody　else　could　be　trusted　with　so　delicate　a　task。〃

〃I　wish　to　be　present。〃

Mr。　Challoner　looked　up；　surprised　at　the　feeling　with　which　this　request　was　charged。

〃As　his　brother　…　his　only　remaining　relative；　I　have　that　right。　Do　you　think　that　Dor　…　that　Miss　Scott；　can　be　trusted　not　to　forestall　that　moment　by　any　previous　hint　of　what　awaits　him？〃

〃If　she　so　promises。　　But　will　you　exact　this　from　her？　　It　surely　cannot　be　necessary　for　me　to　say　that　your　presence　will　add　infinitely　to　the　difficulty　of　her　task。〃

〃Yet　it　is　a　duty　I　cannot　shirk。　　I　will　consult　the　doctor　about　it。　　I　will　make　him　see　that　I　both　understand　and　shall　insist　upon　my　rights　in　this　matter。　　But　you　may　tell　Miss　Doris　that　I　will　sit　out　of　sight；　and　that　I　shall　not　obtrude　myself　unless　my　name　is　brought　up　in　an　undesirable　way。〃

The　hand　on　the　door…knob　made　a　sudden　movement。

〃Mr。　Brotherson；　I　can　bear　no　more　to…night。　　With　your　permission；　I　will　leave　this　question　to　be　settled　by　others。〃　　And　with　a　repetition　of　his　former　bow；　the　bereaved　father　withdrew。

Orlando　watched　him　till　the　door　closed；　then　he　too　dropped　his　mask。

But　it　was　on　again；　when　in　a　little　while　he　passed　through　the　sitting…room　on　his　way　upstairs。

No　other　day　in　his　whole　life　had　been　like　this　to　the　hardy　inventor；　for　in　it　both　his　heart　and　his　conscience　had　been　awakened；　and　up　to　this　hour　he　had　not　really　known　that　he　possessed　either。



XXXI

WHAT　IS　HE　MAKING


Other　boxes　addressed　to　0。　Brotherson　had　been　received　at　the　station；　and　carried　to　the　mysterious　shed　in　the　woods；　and　now；　with　locked　door　and　lifted　top；　the　elder　brother　contemplated　his　stores　and　prepared　himself　for　work。

He　had　been　allowed　a　short　interview　with　Oswald；　and　he　had　indulged　himself　in　a　few　words　with　Doris。　　But　he　had　left　those　memories　behind　with　other　and　more　serious　matters。　　Nothing　that　could　unnerve　his　hand　or　weaken　his　insight　should　enter　this　spot　sacred　to　his　great　hope。　　Here　genius　reigned。　　Here　he　was　himself　wholly　and　without　flaw；　…　a　Titan　with　his　grasp　on　a　mechanical　idea　by　means　of　which　he　would　soon　rule　the　world。

Not　so　happy　were　the　other　characters　in　this　drama。　　Oswald's　thoughts；　disturbed　for　a　short　time　by　the　somewhat　constrained　interview　he　had　held　with　his　brother；　had　flown　eastward　again；　in　silent　love　and　longing；　while　Doris；　with　a　double　dread　now　in　her　heart；　went　about　her　daily　tasks；　praying　for　strength　to　endure　the　horrors　of　this　week；　without　betraying　the　anxieties　secretly　devouring　her。　　And　she　was　only　seventeen　and　quite　alone　in　her　trouble。　　She　must　bear　it　all　unassisted　and　smile；　which　she　did　with　heavenly　sweetness；　when　the　magic　threshold　was　passed　and　she　stood　in　her　invalid's　presence；　overshadowed　though　it　ever　was　by　the　great　Dread。

And　Mr。　Challoner？　　Let　those　endless　walks　of　his　through　the　woods　and　over　the　hills　tell　his　story　if　they　can；　or　his　rapidly　whitening　hair；　and　lagging　step。　　He　had　been　a　strong　man　before　his　trouble；　and　had　the　stroke　which　laid　him　low　been　limited　to　one　quick；　sharp　blow　he　might　have　risen　above　it　after　a　while　and　been　ready　to　encounter　life　again。　　But　this　long　drawn　out　misery　was　proving　too　much　for　him。　　The　sight　of　Brotherson；　though　they　never　really　met；　acted　like　acid　upon　a　wound；　and　it　was　not　till　six　days　had　passed　and　the　dreaded　Sunday　was　at　hand；　that　he　slept　with　any　sense　of　rest　or　went　his　way　about　the　town　without　that　halting　at　the　corners　which　betrayed　his　perpetual　apprehension　of　a　most　undesirable　encounter。

The　reason　for　this　change　will　be　apparent　in　the　short　conversation　he　held　with　a　man　he　had　come　upon　one　evening　in　the　small　park　just　beyond　the　workmen's　dwellings。

〃You　see　I　am　here；〃　was　the　stranger's　low　greeting。　　　　〃Thank　God；〃　was　Mr。　Challoner's　reply。　　〃I　could　not　have　faced　to…morrow　alone　and　I　doubt　if　Miss　Scott　could　have　found　the　requisite　courage。　　Does　she　know　that　you　are　here？〃

〃I　stopped　at　her　door。〃

〃Was　that　safe？〃

〃I　think　so。　　Mr。　Brotherson　…　the　Brooklyn　one；…　is　up　in　his　shed。　He　sleeps　there　now；　I　am　told；　and　soundly　too　I've　no　doubt。〃

〃What　is　he　making？〃

〃What　half　the　inventors　on　both　sides　of　the　water　are　engaged　upon　just　now。　　A　monoplane；　or　a　biplane；　or　some　machine　for　carrying　men　through　the　air。　　I　know；　for　I　helped　him　with　it。　But　you'll　find　that　if　he　succeeds　in　this　undertaking；　and　I　believe　he　will；　nothing　short　of　fame　awaits　him。　　His　invention　has　startling　points。　　But　I'm　not　going　to　give　them　away。　　I'll　be　true　enough　to　him　for　that。　　As　an　inventor　he　has　my　sympathy；　but　…　Well；　we　will　see　what　we　shall　see；　to…morrow。　　You　say　that　he　is　bound　to　be　present　when　Miss　Scott　relates　her　tragic　story。　He　won't　be　the　only　unseen　listener。　　I've　made　my　own　arrangements　with　Miss　Scott。　　If　he　feels　the　need　of　watching　her　and　his　brother　Oswald；　I　feel　the　need　of　watching　him。〃

〃You　take　a　burden　of　intolerable　weight　from　my　shoulders。　　Now　I　shall　feel　easier　about　that　interview。　　But　I　should　like　to　ask　you　this：　Do　you　feel　justified　in　this　continued　surveillance　of　a　man　who　has　so　frequently；　and　with　such　evident　sincerity；　declared　his　innocence？〃

〃I　do　that。　　If　he's　as　guiltless　as　he　says　he　is；　my　watchfulness　won't　hurt　him。　　If　he's　not；　then；　Mr。　Challoner；　I've　but　one　duty；　to　match　his　strength　with　my　patience。　　That　man　is　the　one　great　mystery　of　the　day；　and　mysteries　call　for　solution。　　At　least；　that's　the　way　a　detective　looks　at　it。〃

〃　May　Heaven　help　your　efforts！〃

〃I　shall　need　its　assistance；〃　was　the　dry　rejoinder。　　Sweetwater　was　by　no　means　blind　to　the　difficulties　awaiting　him。



XXXII

TELL　ME；　TELL　IT　ALL


The　day　was　a　grey　one；　the　first　of　the　kind　in　weeks。　　As　Doris　stepped　into　the　room　where　Oswald　sat；　she　felt　how　much　a　ray　of　sunshine　would　have　encouraged　her　and　yet　how　truly　these　leaden　skies　and　this　dismal　atmosphere　expressed　the　gloom　which　soon　must　fall　upon　this　hopeful；　smiling　man。

He　smiled　because　any　man　must　smile　at　the　entrance　of　so　lovely　a　woman；　but　it　was　an　abstracted　smile；　and　Doris；　seeing　it；　felt　her　courage　falter　for　a　moment；　though　her　steps　did　not；　nor　her　steady　compassionate　gaze。　　Advancing　slowly；　and　not　answering　because　she　did　not　hear　some　casual　remark　of　his；　she　took　her　stand　by　his　side　and　then　slowly　and　with　her　eyes　on　his　face；　sank　down　upon　her　knees；　still　without　speaking；　almost　without　breathing。

His　astonishment　was　evident；　for　her　air　was　strange　and　full　of　presage；…　as；　indeed；　she　had　meant　it　to　be。　　But　he　remained　as　silent　as　she；　only　reached　out　his　emaciated　hand　and；　laying　it　on　her　head；　smiled　again　but　this　time　far　from　abstractedly。　Then；　as　he　saw　her　cheeks　pale　in　terror　of　the　task　before　her；　he　ventured　to　ask　gently：

〃What　is　the　matter；　child？　　So　weary；　eh？　　Nothing　worse　than　that；　I　hope。〃

〃Are　you　quite　strong　this　morning？　　Strong　enough　to　listen　to　my　troubles；　strong　enough　to　bear　your　own　if　God　sees　fit　to　send　them？〃　came　hesitatingly　from　her　lips　as　she　watched　the　effect　of　each　word；　in　breathless　anxiety。

〃Troubles？　　There　can　be　but　one　trouble　for　me；〃　was　his　unexpected　reply。　　〃That　I　do　not　fear　…　will　not　fear　in　my　hour　of　happy　recovery。　　So　long　as　Edith　is　well　…　Doris！　　Doris！　　You　alarm　me。　Edith　is　not　ill；　…　not　ill？〃

The　poor　child　could　not　answer　save　with　her　sympathetic　look　and　halting；　tremulous　breath；　and　these　signs；　he　would　not；　could　not　read；　his　own　words　had　made　such　an　echo　in　his　ears。

〃Ill！　　I　cannot　imagine　Edith　ill。　　I　always　see　her　in　my　thoughts；　as　I　saw　her　on　that　day　of　our　first　meeting；　a　perfect；　animated　woman　with　the　joyous　look　of　a　glad；　harmonious　nature。　　Nothing　has　ever　clouded　that　vision。　　If　she　were　ill　I　would　have　known　it。　　We　are　so　truly　one　that　…　Doris；　Doris；　you　do　not　speak。　　You　know　the　depth　of　my　love；　the　terror　of　my　thoughts。　　Is　Edith　ill？〃

The　eyes　gazing　wildly　into　his；　slowly　left　his　face　and　raised　themselves　aloft；　with　a　sublime　look。　　Would　he　understand？　　Yes；　he　understood；　and　the　cry　which　rang　from　his　lips　stopped　for　a　moment　the　beating　of　more　than　one　heart　in　that　little　cottage。　　　　〃Dead！〃　he　shrieked　out；　and　fell　back　fainting　in　his　chair；　his　lips　still　murmuring　in　semi…unconsciousness；　〃Dead！　　dead！〃

Doris　sprang　to　her　feet；　thinking　of　nothing　but　his　wavering；　slipping　life　till　she　saw　his　breath　return；　his　eyes　refill　with　light。　　Then　the　horror　of　what　was　yet　to　come　…　the　answer　which　must　be　given　to　the　how　she　saw　trembling　on　his　lips；　caused　her　to　sink　again　upon　her　knees　in　an　unconscious　appeal　for　strength。　If　that　one　sad