lavender and old lace-第14章

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He　lingered　upon　the　vision　till　Joe　spoke　again。　〃Be　you　goin'　up　to　Miss　Hathaway's　this　mornin'？〃

〃Why；　I　don't　know；〃　Winfield　answered　somewhat　resentfully；　〃why？〃

〃'Cause　I　wouldn't　gonot　if　I　was　in　your　place。〃

〃Why？〃　he　demanded；　facing　him。

〃Miss　Hathaway's　niece；　she's　sick。〃

〃Sick！〃　repeated　Winfield；　in　sudden　fear；　〃what's　the　matter！〃

〃Oh；'t　ain't　nothin'　serious；　I　reckon；　cause　she's　up　and　around。　I've　just　come　from　there；　and　Hepsey　said　that　all　night　Miss　Thorne　was　a…cryin'；　and　that　this　mornin'　she　wouldn't　eat　no　breakfast。　She　don't　never　eat　much；　but　this　mornin'　she　wouldn't　eat　nothin'；　and　she　wouldn't　say　what　was　wrong　with　her。〃

Winfield's　face　plainly　showed　his　concern。

〃She　wouldn't　eat　nothin'　last　night；　neither；〃　Joe　went　on。　〃Hepsey　told　me　this　mornin'　that　she　thought　p'raps　you　and　her　had　fit。　She's　your　girl；　ain't　she？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Winfield；　〃she　isn't　my　girl；　and　we　haven't　'fit。'　I'm　sorry　she　isn't　well。〃

He　paced　back　and　forth　moodily；　while　Joe　watched　him　in　silence。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　at　length；　〃I　reckon　I'll　be　movin'　along。　I　just　thought　I'd　tell　yer。〃

There　was　no　answer；　and　Joe　slammed　the　gate　in　disgust。　〃I　wonder　what's　the　matter；〃　thought　Winfield。　〃'T　isn't　a　letter；　for　to…day's　mail　hasn't　come　and　she　was　all　right　last　night。　Perhaps　she　isn't　illshe　said　she　cried　when　she　was　angry。　Great　Heavens！　I　hope　she　isn't　angry　at　me！

〃She　was　awfully　sweet　to　me　just　before　I　left　her；〃　he　continued；　mentally；　〃so　I'm　not　to　blame。　I　wonder　if　she's　angry　at　herself　because　she　offered　to　read　the　papers　to　me？〃

All　unknowingly　he　had　arrived　at　the　cause　of　Miss　Thorne's　unhappiness。　During　a　wakeful；　miserable　night；　she　had　wished　a　thousand　times　that　she　might　take　back　those　few　impulsive　words。

〃That　must　be　it；〃　he　thought；　and　then　his　face　grew　tender。　〃Bless　her　sweet　heart；〃　he　muttered；　apropos　of　nothing；　〃I'm　not　going　to　make　her　unhappy。　It's　only　her　generous　impulse；　and　I　won't　let　her　think　it's　any　more。〃

The　little　maiden　of　his　dreams　was　but　a　faint　image　just　then；　as　he　sat　down　to　plan　a　course　of　action　which　would　assuage　Miss　Thorne's　tears。　A　grey　squirrel　appeared　on　the　gate　post；　and　sat　there；　calmly；　cracking　a　nut。

He　watched　the　little　creature；　absently；　and　then　strolled　toward　the　gate。　The　squirrel　seemed　tame　and　did　not　move　until　he　was　almost　near　enough　to　touch　it；　and　then　it　scampered　only　a　little　way。

〃I'll　catch　it；〃　Winfield　said　to　himself；　〃and　take　it　up　to　Miss　Thorne。　Perhaps　she'll　be　pleased。〃

It　was　simple　enough；　apparently；　for　the　desired　gift　was　always　close　at　hand。　He　followed　it　across　the　hill；　and　bent　a　score　of　times　to　pick　it　up；　but　it　was　a　guileful　squirrel　and　escaped　with　great　regularity。

Suddenly；　with　a　flaunt　of　its　bushy　tail　and　a　daring；　backward　glance；　it　scampered　under　the　gate　into　Miss　Ainslie's　garden　and　Winfield　laughed　aloud。　He　had　not　known　he　was　so　near　the　other　house　and　was　about　to　retreat　when　something　stopped　him。

Miss　Ainslie　stood　in　the　path　just　behind　the　gate；　with　her　face　ghastly　white　and　her　eyes　wide　with　terror；　trembling　like　a　leaf。　There　was　a　troubled　silence；　then　she　said；　thickly；　〃Go！〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　answered；　hurriedly；　〃I　did　not　mean　to　frighten　you。〃

〃Go！〃　she　said　again；　her　lips　scarcely　moving；　〃Go！〃

〃Now　what　in　the　mischief　have　I　done；〃　he　thought；　as　he　crept　away；　feeling　like　a　thief。　〃I　understood　that　this　was　a　quiet　place　and　yet　the　strenuous　life　seems　to　have　struck　the　village　in　good　earnest。

〃What　am　I；　that　I　should　scare　the　aged　and　make　the　young　weep？　I've　always　been　considered　harmless；　till　now。　That　must　be　Miss　Thorne's　friend；　whom　I　met　so　unfortunately　just　now。　She's　crazy；　surely；　or　she　wouldn't　have　been　afraid　of　me。　Poor　thing；　perhaps　I　startled　her。〃

He　remembered　that　she　had　carried　a　basket　and　worn　a　pair　of　gardening　gloves。　Even　though　her　face　was　so　changed；　for　an　instant　he　had　seen　its　beautythe　deep　violet　eyes；　fair　skin；　and　regular　features；　surmounted　by　that　wonderful　crown　of　silvered　hair。

Conflicting　emotions　swayed　him　as　he　wended　his　way　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　with　the　morning　paper　in　his　pocket　as　an　excuse；　if　he　should　need　one。　When　he　approached　the　gate；　he　was　seized　by　a　swift　and　unexplainable　fear；　and　would　have　turned　back；　but　Miss　Hathaway's　door　was　opened。

Then　the　little　maiden　of　his　dreams　vanished；　waving　her　hand　in　token　of　eterna1　farewell；　for　as　Ruth　came　down　the　path　between　the　white　and　purple　plumes　of　lilac；　with　a　smile　of　welcome　upon　her　lips；　he　knew　that；　in　all　the　world；　there　was　nothing　half　so　fair。



VIII。　Summer　Days

The　rumble　of　voices　which　came　from　the　kitchen　was　not　disturbing；　but　when　the　rural　lovers　began　to　sit　on　the　piazza；　directly　under　Ruth's　window；　she　felt　called　upon　to　remonstrate。

〃Hepsey；〃　she　asked；　one　morning；　〃why　don't　you　and　Joe　sit　under　the　trees　at　the　side　of　the　house？　You　can　take　your　chairs　out　there。〃

〃Miss　Hathaway　allerss　let　us　set　on　the　piazzer；〃　returned　Hepsey；　unmoved。

〃Miss　Hathaway　probably　sleeps　more　soundly　than　I　do。　You　don't　want　me　to　hear　everything　you　say；　do　you？〃

Hepsey　shrugged　her　buxom　shoulders。　〃You　can　if　you　like；　mum。〃

〃But　I　don't　like；〃　snapped　Ruth。　〃It　annoys　me。〃

There　was　an　interval　of　silence；　then　Hepsey　spoke　again；　of　her　own　accord。　〃If　Joe　and　me　was　to　set　anywheres　but　in　front；　he　might　see　the　light。〃

〃Well；　what　of　it？〃

〃Miss　Hathaway；　she　don't　want　it　talked　of；　and　men　folks　never　can　keep　secrets；〃　Hepsey　suggested。

〃You　wouldn't　have　to　tell　him；　would　you？〃

〃Yes'm。　Men　folks　has　got　terrible　curious　minds。　They're　all　right　if　they　don't　know　there's　nothin'；　but　if　they　does；　why　they's　keen。〃

〃Perhaps　you're　right；　Hepsey；〃　she　replied；　biting　her　lips。　〃Sit　anywhere　you　please。〃

There　were　times　when　Ruth　was　compelled　to　admit　that　Hepsey's　mental　gifts　were　fully　equal　to　her　own。　It　was　unreasonable　to　suppose；　even　for　an　instant；　that　Joe　and　Hepsey　had　not　pondered　long　and　earnestly　upon　the　subject　of　the　light　in　the　attic　window；　yet　the　argument　was　unanswerable。　The　matter　had　long　since　lost　its　interest　for　Ruthperhaps　because　she　was　too　happy　to　care。

Winfield　had　easily　acquired　the　habit　of　bringing　her　his　morning　papers；　and；　after　the　first　embarrassment；　Ruth　settled　down　to　it　in　a　businesslike　way。　Usually；　she　sat　in　Miss　Hathaway's　sewing　chair；　under　a　tree　a　little　way　from　the　house；　that　she　might　at　the　same　time　have　a　general　supervision　of　her　domain；　while　Winfield　stretched　himself　upon　the　grass　at　her　feet。　When　the　sun　was　bright；　he　wore　his　dark　glasses；　thereby　gaining　an　unfair　advantage。

After　breakfast；　which　was　a　movable　feast　at　the　〃Widder's；〃　he　went　after　his　mail　and　brought　hers　also。　When　he　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　she　was　always　waiting　for　him。

〃This　devotion　is　very　pleasing；〃　he　remarked；　one　morning。

〃Some　people　are　easily　pleased；〃　she　retorted。　〃I　dislike　to　spoil　your　pleasure；　but　my　stern　regard　for　facts　compels　me　to　say　that　it　is　not　Mr。　Winfield　I　wait　for；　but　the　postman。〃

〃Then　I'll　always　be　your　postman；　for　I　'do　admire'　to　be　waited　for；　as　they　have　it　at　the　'Widder's。'　Of　course；　it's　more　or　less　of　an　expensethis　morning；　for　instance；　I　had　to　dig　up　two　cents　to　get　one　of　your　valuable　manuscripts　out　of　the　clutches　of　an　interested　government。〃

〃That's　nothing；〃　she　assured　him；　〃for　I　save　you　a　quarter　every　day；　by　taking　Joe's　place　as　reader　to　Your　Highness；　not　to　mention　the　high　tariff　on　the　Sunday　papers。　Besides；　the　manuscripts　are　all　in　now。〃

〃I'm　glad　to　hear　that；〃　he　replied；　sitting　down　on　the　piazza。　〃Do　you　know；　Miss　Thorne；　I　think　there's　a　great　deal　of　joyous　excitement　attached　to　the　pursuit　of　literature。　You　send　out　a　story；　fondly　believing　that　it　is　destined　to　make　you　famous。　Time　goes　on；　and　you　hear　nothing　from　it。　You　can　see　your　name　'featured'　on　the　advertisements　of　the　magazine；　and　hear　the　heavy　tread　of　the　fevered　mob；　on　the　way　to　buy　up