a girl of the limberlost-第68章

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in　the　swamps　and　forests　Elnora　made　a　perfect　picture；

but　I　neither　looked　nor　said　anything。　　I　never　met

any　girl　so　downright　noble　in　bearing　and　actions。　

I　never　hated　anything　as　I　hated　leaving　her；　for　we　were

dear　friends；　like　two　wholly　congenial　men。　　Her　mother

was　almost　always　with　us。　　She　knew　how　much　I　admired

Elnora；　but　so　long　as　I　concealed　it　from　the　girl；

the　mother　did　not　care。〃



〃Yet　you　left　such　a　girl　and　came　back　whole…hearted

to　Edith　Carr！〃



〃Surely！　　You　know　how　it　has　been　with　me　about

Edith　all　my　life。〃



〃Yet　the　girl　you　picture　is　far　her　superior　to　an

unprejudiced　person；　when　thinking　what　a　man　would

require　in　a　wife　to　be　happy。〃



〃I　never　have　thought　what　I　would　‘require'　to　be　happy！　

I　only　thought　whether　I　could　make　Edith　happy。　　I　have

been　an　idiot！　　What　I've　borne　you'll　never　know！　

To…night　is　only　one　of　many　outbursts　like　that；

in　varying　and　lesser　degrees。〃



〃Phil；　I　love　you；　when　you　say　you　have　thought

only　of　Edith！　　I　happen　to　know　that　it　is　true。　

You　are　my　only　son；　and　I　have　had　a　right　to　watch

you　closely。　　I　believe　you　utterly。　　Any　one　who　cares

for　you　as　I　do；　and　has　had　my　years　of　experience　in

this　world　over　yours；　knows　that　in　some　ways；　to…night

would　be　a　blessed　release；　if　you　could　take　it；　but

you　cannot！　　Go　to　bed　now；　and　rest。　　To…morrow；　go　back

to　her　and　fix　it　up。〃



〃You　heard　what　I　said　when　I　left　her！　　I　said　it　because

something　in　my　heart　died　a　minute　before　that；　and

I　realized　that　it　was　my　love　for　Edith　Carr。　　Never　again

will　I　voluntarily　face　such　a　scene。　　If　she　can　act

like　that　at　a　ball；　before　hundreds；　over　a　thing　of　which

I　thought　nothing　at　all；　she　would　go　into　actual　physical

fits　and　spasms；　over　some　of　the　household　crises　I've

seen　the　mater　meet　with　a　smile。　　Sir；　it　is　truth　that

I　have　thought　only　of　her　up　to　the　present。　　Now；　I

will　admit　I　am　thinking　about　myself。　　Father；　did　you

see　her？　　Life　is　too　short；　and　it　can　be　too　sweet；　to

throw　it　away　in　a　battle　with　an　unrestrained　woman。　

I　am　no　fighterwhere　a　girl　is　concerned；　anyway。　

I　respect　and　love　her　or　I　do　nothing。　　Never　again　is

either　respect　or　love　possible　between　me　and　Edith　Carr。　

Whenever　I　think　of　her　in　the　future；　I　will　see　her　as

she　was　to…night。　　But　I　can't　face　the　crowd　just　yet。　

Could　you　spare　me　a　few　days？〃



〃It　is　only　ten　days　until　you　were　to　go　north　for　the

summer；　go　now。〃



〃I　don't　want　to　go　north。　　I　don't　want　to　meet　people

I　know。　　There；　the　story　would　precede　me。　　I　do　not

need　pitying　glances　or　rough　condolences。　　I　wonder　if

I　could　not　hide　at　Uncle　Ed's　in　Wisconsin　for　awhile？〃



The　book　closed　suddenly。　　The　father　leaned　across

the　table　and　looked　into　the　son's　eyes。



〃Phil；　are　you　sure　of　what　you　just　have　said？〃



〃Perfectly　sure！〃



〃Do　you　think　you　are　in　any　condition　to　decide　to…night？〃



〃Death　cannot　return　to　life；　father。　　My　love　for

Edith　Carr　is　dead。　　I　hope　never　to　see　her　again。〃



〃If　I　thought　you　could　be　certain　so　soon！　　But；　come

to　think　of　it；　you　are　very　like　me　in　many　ways。　　I　am

with　you　in　this。　　Public　scenes　and　disgraces　I　would

not　endure。　　It　would　be　over　with　me；　were　I　in　your

position；　that　I　know。〃



〃It　is　done　for　all　time；〃　said　Philip　Ammon。　　〃Let　us

not　speak　of　it　further。〃



〃Then；　Phil；〃　the　father　leaned　closer　and　looked　at　the

son　tenderly；　〃Phil；　why　don't　you　go　to　the　Limberlost？〃



〃Father！〃



〃Why　not？　　No　one　can　comfort　a　hurt　heart　like　a

tender　woman；　and；　Phil；　have　you　ever　stopped　to　think

that　you　may　have　a　duty　in　the　Limberlost；　if　you

are　free？　　I　don't　know！　　I　only　suggest　it。　　But；　for　a

country　schoolgirl；　unaccustomed　to　men；　two　months

with　a　man　like　you　might　well　awaken　feelings　of　which

you　do　not　think。　　Because　you　were　safe…guarded　is　no

sign　the　girl　was。　　She　might　care　to　see　you。　　You　can

soon　tell。　　With　you；　she　comes　next　to　Edith；　and　you

have　made　it　clear　to　me　that　you　appreciate　her　in　many

ways　above。　　So　I　repeat　it；　why　not　go　to　the　Limberlost？〃



A　long　time　Philip　Ammon　sat　in　deep　thought。　　At　last

he　raised　his　head。



〃Well；　why　not！〃　he　said。　　〃Years　could　make　me

no　surer　than　I　am　now；　and　life　is　short。　　Please　ask

Banks　to　get　me　some　coffee　and　toast；　and　I　will　bathe

and　dress　so　I　can　take　the　early　train。〃



〃Go　to　your　bath。　　I　will　attend　to　your　packing

and　everything。　　And　Phil；　if　I　were　you；　I　would

leave　no　addresses。〃



〃Not　an　address！〃　said　Philip。　　〃Not　even　Polly。〃



When　the　train　pulled　out；　the　elder　Ammon　went　home

to　find　Hart　Henderson　waiting。



〃Where　is　Phil？〃　he　demanded。



〃He　did　not　feel　like　facing　his　friends　at　present；　and

I　am　just　back　from　driving　him　to　the　station。　　He　said

he　might　go　to　Siam；　or　Patagonia。　　He　would　leave　no　address。〃



Henderson　almost　staggered。　　〃He's　not　gone？　　And　left

no　address？　　You　don't　mean　it！　　He'll　never　forgive　her！〃



〃Never　is　a　long　time；　Hart；〃　said　Mr。　Ammon。　　〃And　it

seems　even　longer　to　those　of　us　who　are　well　acquainted

with　Phil。　　Last　night　was　not　the　last　straw。　　It　was

the　whole　straw…stack。　　It　crushed　Phil　so　far　as　she

is　concerned。　　He　will　not　see　her　again　voluntarily；　and

he　will　not　forget　if　he　does。　　You　can　take　it　from　him；

and　from　me；　we　have　accepted　the　lady's　decision。　　Will　you

have　a　cup　of　coffee？〃



Twice　Henderson　opened　his　lips　to　speak　of　Edith

Carr's　despair。　　Twice　he　looked　into　the　stern；　inflexible

face　of　Mr。　Ammon　and　could　not　betray　her。　　He　held

out　the　ring。



〃I　have　no　instructions　as　to　that；〃　said　the　elder

Ammon；　drawing　back。　　〃Possibly　Miss　Carr　would　have

it　as　a　keepsake。〃



〃I　am　sure　not；〃　said　Henderson　curtly。



〃Then　suppose　you　return　it　to　Peacock。　　I　will　phone　him。　

He　will　give　you　the　price　of　it；　and　you　might　add

it　to　the　children's　Fresh　Air　Fund。　　We　would　be　obliged

if　you　would　do　that。　　No　one　here　cares　to　handle　the　object。〃



〃As　you　choose；〃　said　Henderson。　　〃Good　morning！〃



Then　he　went　to　his　home；　but　he　could　not　think　of　sleep。　

He　ordered　breakfast；　but　he　could　not　eat。　　He　paced　the

library　for　a　time；　but　it　was　too　small。　　Going　on　the

streets　he　walked　until　exhausted；　then　he　called

a　hansom　and　was　driven　to　his　club。　　He　had　thought

himself　familiar　with　every　depth　of　suffering；　that　night

had　taught　him　that　what　he　felt　for　himself　was　not　to　be

compared　with　the　anguish　which　wrung　his　heart　over

the　agony　of　Edith　Carr。　　He　tried　to　blame　Philip　Ammon；

but　being　an　honest　man；　Henderson　knew　that　was　unjust。　

The　fault　lay　wholly　with　her；　but　that　only　made　it

harder　for　him；　as　he　realized　it　would　in　time　for　her。



As　he　sauntered　into　the　room　an　attendant　hurried　to　him。



〃You　are　wanted　most　urgently　at　the　'phone；　Mr。

Henderson；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　had　three　calls　from

Main　5770。〃



Henderson　shivered　as　he　picked　down　the　receiver　and

gave　the　call。



〃Is　that　you；　Hart？〃　came　Edith's　voice。



〃Yes。〃



〃Did　you　find　Phil？〃



〃No。〃



〃Did　you　try？〃



〃Yes。　　As　soon　as　I　left　you　I　went　straight　there。〃



〃Wasn't　he　home　yet？〃



〃He　has　been　home　and　gone　again。〃



〃Gone！〃



The　cry　tore　Henderson's　heart。



〃Shall　I　come　and　tell　you；　Edith？〃



〃No！　Tell　me　now。〃



〃When　I　reached　the　house　Banks　said　Mr。　Ammon

and　Phil　were　out　in　the　motor；　so　I　waited。　　Mr。　Ammon

came　back　soon。　　Edith；　are　you　alone？〃



〃Yes。　　Go　on！〃



〃Call　your　maid。　　I　can't　tell　you　until　some　one　is

with　you。〃



〃Tell　me　instantly！〃



〃Edith；　he　said　he　had　been　to　the　station。　　He　said

Phil　had　started　to　Siam　or　Patagonia；　he　didn't　know

which；　and　left　no　address。　　He　said〃



Distinctly　Henderson　heard　her