the lost road-第6章

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From　the　first；　the　mutual　friend　wrote；　the　life　of　Mrs。　Stedman
and　her　husband　was　thoroughly　miserable。　　Stedman　blamed　her
because　she　came　to　him　penniless。　　The　rich　aunt；　who　had
heartily　disapproved　of　the　artist；　had　spoken　of　him　so　frankly
that　Frances　had　quarrelled　with　her；　and　from　her　no　longer
would　accept　money。　　In　his　anger　at　this　Stedman　showed　himself
to　Frances　as　he　was。　　And　only　two　months　after　their　marriage
she　was　further　enlightened。

An　irate　husband　made　him　the　central　figure　in　a　scandal　that
filled　the　friends　of　Frances　with　disgust；　and　that　for　her　was
an　awakening　cruel　and　humiliating。　　Men　no　longer　permitted　their
womenfolk　to　sit　to　Stedman　for　a　portrait；　and　the　need　of　money
grew　imperative。　　He　the　more　blamed　Frances　for　having　quarrelled
with　her　aunt；　told　her　it　was　for　her　money　he　had　married　her；
that　she　had　ruined　his　career；　and　that　she　was　to　blame　for　his
ostracisma　condition　that　his　own　misconduct　had　brought　upon
him。　　Finally；　after　twelve　months　of　this；　one　morning　he　left　a
note　saying　he　no　longer　would　allow　her　to　be　a　drag　upon　him；
and　sailed　for　Europe。

They　learned　that；　in　Paris；　he　had　returned　to　that　life　which
before　his　marriage；　even　in　that　easy…going　city；　had　made　him
notorious。　　〃And　Frances；〃　continued　Lee's　correspondent；　〃has
left　Boston；　and　now　lives　in　New　York。　　She　wouldn't　let　any　of
us　help　her；　nor　even　know　where　she　is。　　The　last　we　heard　of　her
she　was　in　charge　of　the　complaint　department　of　a　millinery
shop；　for　which　work　she　was　receiving　about　the　same　wages　I
give　my　cook。〃

Lee　did　not　stop　to　wonder　why　the　same　woman；　who　to　one　man　was
a　〃drag；〃　was　to　another；　even　though　separated　from　her　by　half
the　world；　a　joy　and　a　blessing。　　Instead；　he　promptly　wrote　his
lawyers　to　find　Mrs。　Stedman；　and；　in　such　a　way　as　to　keep　her
ignorant　of　their　good　offices；　see　that　she　obtained　a　position
more　congenial　than　her　present　one；　and　one　that　would　pay　her
as　much　as；　without　arousing　her　suspicions；　they　found　it
possible　to　give。

Three　months　had　passed；　and　this　letter　had　not　been　answered；
when　in　Manila；　where　he　had　been　ordered　to　make　a　report；　he
heard　of　her　again。　　One　evening；　when　the　band　played　on　the
Luneta；　he　met　a　newly　married　couple　who　had　known　him　in
Agawamsett。　　They　now　were　on　a　ninety…day　cruise　around　the
world。　　Close　friends　of　Frances　Gardner；　they　remembered　him　as
one　of　her　many　devotees　and　at　once　spoke　of　her。

〃That　blackguard　she　married；〃　the　bridegroom　told　him；　〃was
killed　three　months　ago　racing　with　another　car　from　Versailles
back　to　Paris　after　a　dinner　at　which；　it　seems；　all　present
drank　'burgundy　out　of　the　fingerbowls。'　　Coming　down　that　steep
hill　into　Saint　Cloud；　the　cars　collided；　and　Stedman　and　a
woman；　whose　husband　thought　she　was　somewhere　else；　were　killed。
He　couldn't　even　die　without　making　a　scandal　of　it。〃

〃But　the　worst；〃　added　the　bride；　〃is　that；　in　spite　of　the　way
the　little　beast　treated　her；　I　believe　Frances　still　cares　for
him；　and　always　will。　　That's　the　worst　of　it；　isn't　it？〃　she
demanded。

In　words；　Lee　did　not　answer；　but　in　his　heart　he　agreed　that　was
much　the　worst　of　it。　　The　fact　that　Frances　was　free　filled　him
with　hope；　but　that　she　still　cared　for　the　man　she　had　married；
and　would　continue　to　think　only　of　him；　made　him　ill　with
despair。

He　cabled　his　lawyers　for　her　address。　　He　determined　that；　at
once；　on　learning　it；　he　would　tell　her　that　with　him　nothing　was
changed。　　He　had　forgotten　nothing；　and　had　learned　much。　　He　had
learned　that　his　love　for　her　was　a　splendid　and　inspiring
passion；　that　even　without　her　it　had　lifted　him　up；　helped　and
cheered　him；　made　the　whole　world　kind　and　beautiful。　　With　her　he
could　not　picture　a　world　so　complete　with　happiness。

Since　entering　the　army　he　had　never　taken　a　leave　of　absence；　and　he
was　sure；　if　now　he　asked　for　one；　it　would　not　be　refused。　　He　determined；
if　the　answer　to　his　cable　gave　him　the　address；　he　would　return　at　once；
and　again　offer　her　his　love；　which　he　now　knew　was　deeper；　finer；　and
infinitely　more　tender　than　the　love　he　first　had　felt　for　her。　　But　the　cable
balked　him。　　〃Address　unknown；〃　it　read；　〃believed　to　have　gone　abroad　in
capacity　of　governess。　　Have　employed　foreign　agents。　　Will　cable　their
report。〃

Whether　to　wait　for　and　be　guided　by　the　report　of　the
detectives；　or　to　proceed　to　Europe　and　search　for　her　himself；
Lee　did　not　know。　　He　finally　determined　that　to　seek　for　her　with
no　clew　to　her　whereabouts　would　be　but　a　waste　of　precious
moments；　while；　if　in　their　search　the　agents　were　successful；　he
would　be　able　to　go　directly　to　her。　　Meanwhile；　by　cable；　he
asked　for　protracted　leave　of　absence　and；　while　waiting　for　his
answer；　returned　to　his　post。　　There；　within　a　week；　he　received
his　leave　of　absence；　but　in　a　fashion　that　threatened　to　remove
him　forever　from　the　army。

The　constabulary　had　located　the　will…o'…the…wisp　brigands　behind
a　stockade　built　about　an　extinct　volcano；　and　Lee　and　his　troop
and　a　mountain　battery　attempted　to　dislodge　them。　　In　the　fight　that
followed　Lee　covered　his　brows　with　laurel　wreaths　and　received
two　bullet　wounds　in　his　body。

For　a　month　death　stood　at　the　side　of　his　cot；　and　then；　still　weak
and　at　times　delirious　with　fever；　by　slow　stages　he　was　removed　to　the
hospital　in　Manila。　　In　one　of　his　sane　moments　a　cable　was　shown
him。　　It　read：　〃Whereabouts　still　unknown。〃　　Lee　at　once　rebelled
against　his　doctors。　　He　must　rise；　he　declared；　and　proceed　to
Europe。　　It　was　upon　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　　The　surgeons
assured　him　his　remaining　exactly　where　he　was　also　was　a　matter
of　as　great　consequence。　　Lee's　knowledge　of　his　own　lack　of
strength　told　him　they　were　right。

Then；　from　headquarters；　he　was　informed　that；　as　a　reward　for
his　services　and　in　recognition　of　his　approaching　convalescence；
he　was　ordered　to　return　to　his　own　climate　and　that　an　easy
billet　had　been　found　for　him　as　a　recruiting　officer　in　New　York
City。　　Believing　the　woman　he　loved　to　be　in　Europe；　this　plan　for
his　comfort　only　succeeded　in　bringing　on　a　relapse。　　But　the　day
following　there　came　another　cablegram。　　It　put　an　abrupt　end　to
his　mutiny；　and　brought　him　and　the　War　Department　into　complete
accord。

〃She　is　in　New　York；〃　it　read；　〃acting　as　agent　for　a　charitable
institution；　which　one　not　known；　but　hope　in　a　few　days　to　cable
correct　address。〃

In　all　the　world　there　was　no　man　so　happy。　The　next　morning　a
transport　was　sailing；　and；　probably　because　they　had　read　the
cablegram；　the　surgeons　agreed　with　Lee　that　a　sea　voyage　would
do　him　no　harm。　　He　was　carried　on　board；　and　when　the　propellers
first　churned　the　water　and　he　knew　he　was　moving　toward　her；　the
hero　of　the　fight　around　the　crater　shed　unmanly　tears。　　He　would
see　her　again；　hear　her　voice；　the　same　great　city　would　shelter
them。　　It　was　worth　a　dozen　bullets。

He　reached　New　York　in　a　snow…storm；　a　week　before　Christmas；　and
went　straight　to　the　office　of　his　lawyers。　　They　received　him　with
embarrassment。　　Six　weeks　before；　on　the　very　day　they　had
cabled　him　that　Mrs。　Stedman　was　in　New　York；　she　had　left　the
charitable　institution　where　she　had　been　employed；　and　had　again
disappeared。

Lee　sent　his　trunks　to　the　Army　and　Navy　Club；　which　was
immediately　around　the　corner　from　the　recruiting　office　in　Sixth
Avenue；　and　began　discharging　telegrams　at　every　one　who　had　ever
known　Frances　Gardner。　　The　net　result　was　discouraging。　　In　the
year　and　a　half　in　which　he　had　been　absent　every　friend　of　the
girl　he　sought　had　temporarily　changed　his　place　of　residence　or
was　permanently　dead。

Meanwhile　his　arrival　by　the　transport　was　announced　in　the
afternoon　papers。　　At　the　wharf　an　admiring　trooper　had　told　a
fine　tale　of　his　conduct　at　the　battle　of　the　crater；　and
reporters　called　at　the　club　to　see　him。　　He　did　not　discourage
them；　as　he　hoped　through　them　the　fact　of　his　return　might　be
made　known　to　Frances。　　She　might　send　him　a　line　of　welcome；　and
he　would　discover　her　whereab