a girl of the limberlost-第79章

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Every　one　knew　it！　　I　wanted　you　to　bring　it　to　me。　

When　you　did　not；　I　knew　instantly　it　had　been　for　her

that　you　worked　last　summer；　she　who　suggested　my

dress；　she　who　had　power　to　take　you　from　me；　when　I

wanted　you　most。　　The　thought　drove　me　mad；　and　I　said

and　did　those　insane　things。　　Phil；　I　beg　your　pardon！　

I　ask　your　forgiveness。　　Yesterday　she　said　that　you　had

told　her　of　me　at　once。　　She　vowed　both　of　you　had　been

true　to　me　and　Phil；　I　couldn't　look　into　her　eyes　and　not

see　that　it　was　the　truth。　　Oh；　Phil；　if　you　understood　how

I　have　suffered　you　would　forgive　me。　　Phil；　I　never　knew

how　much　I　cared　for　you！　　I　will　do　anythinganything！〃



〃Then　tell　me　what　you　said　to　Elnora　yesterday　that

drove　her；　alone　and　friendless；　into　the　night；　heaven

knows　where！〃



〃You　have　no　thought　for　any　one　save　her？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　have。　　Because　I　once　loved　you；

and　believed　in　you；　my　heart　aches　for　you。　　I　will　gladly

forgive　anything　you　ask。　　I　will　do　anything　you　want；

except　to　resume　our　former　relations。　　That　is　impossible。　

It　is　hopeless　and　useless　to　ask　it。〃



〃You　truly　mean　that！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　find　out　from　her　what　I　said！〃



〃Come；　father；〃　said　Philip；　rising。



〃You　were　going　to　show　Miss　Comstock's　letter　to

Edith！〃　suggested　Mr。　Ammon。



〃I　have　not　the　slightest　interest　in　Miss　Comstock's

letter；〃　said　Edith　Carr。



〃You　are　not　even　interested　in　the　fact　that　she　says

you　are　not　responsible　for　her　going；　and　that　I　am　to　call

on　you　and　be　friends　with　you？〃



〃That　is　interesting；　indeed！〃　sneered　Miss　Carr。



She　took　the　letter；　read　and　returned　it。



〃She　has　done　what　she　could　for　my　cause；　it　seems；〃

she　said　coldly。　　〃How　very　generous　of　her！　　Do　you

propose　calling　out　Pinkertons　and　instituting　a

general　search？〃



〃No；〃　replied　Philip。　　〃I　simply　propose　to　go　back　to

the　Limberlost　and　live　with　her　mother；　until　Elnora

becomes　convinced　that　I　am　not　courting　you；　and　never

shall　be。　　Then；　perhaps；　she　will　come　home　to　us。　

Good…bye。　　Good　luck　to　you　always！〃









CHAPTER　XXIV





WHEREIN　EDITH　CARR　WAGES　A　BATTLE；

AND　HART　HENDERSON　STANDS　GUARD





Many　people　looked；　a　few　followed；　when　Edith　Carr

slowly　came　down　the　main　street　of　Mackinac；　pausing

here　and　there　to　note　the　glow　of　colour　in　one　small

booth　after　another；　overflowing　with　gay　curios。　

That　street　of　packed　white　sand；　winding　with　the

curves　of　the　shore；　outlined　with　brilliant　shops；

and　thronged　with　laughing；　bare…headed　people　in　outing

costumes　was　a　picturesque　and　fascinating　sight。　

Thousands　annually　made　long　journeys　and　paid　exorbitant

prices　to　take　part　in　that　pageant。



As　Edith　Carr　passed；　she　was　the　most　distinguished

figure　of　the　old　street。　　Her　clinging　black　gown　was

sufficiently　elaborate　for　a　dinner　dress。　　On　her　head　was

a　large；　wide；　drooping…brimmed　black　hat；　with　immense

floating　black　plumes；　while　on　the　brim；　and　among　the

laces　on　her　breast　glowed　velvety；　deep　red　roses。　

Some　way　these　made　up　for　the　lack　of　colour　in　her　cheeks

and　lips；　and　while　her　eyes　seemed　unnaturally　bright；

to　a　close　observer　they　appeared　weary。　　Despite　the

effort　she　made　to　move　lightly　she　was　very　tired；

and　dragged　her　heavy　feet　with　an　effort。



She　turned　at　the　little　street　leading　to　the　dock；　and

went　to　meet　the　big　lake　steamer　ploughing　up　the　Straits

from　Chicago。　　Past　the　landing　place；　on　to　the　very　end

of　the　pier　she　went；　then　sat　down；　leaned　against　a　dock

support　and　closed　her　tired　eyes。　　When　the　steamer

came　very　close　she　languidly　watched　the　people　lining

the　railing。　　Instantly　she　marked　one　lean　anxious　face

turned　toward　hers；　and　with　a　throb　of　pity　she　lifted　a

hand　and　waved　to　Hart　Henderson。　　He　was　the　first

man　to　leave　the　boat；　coming　to　her　instantly。　　She　spread

her　trailing　skirts　and　motioned　him　to　sit　beside　her。　

Silently　they　looked　across　the　softly　lapping　water。　

At　last　she　forced　herself　to　speak　to　him。



〃Did　you　have　a　successful　trip？〃



〃I　accomplished　my　purpose。〃



〃You　didn't　lose　any　time　getting　back。〃



〃I　never　do　when　I　am　coming　to　you。〃



〃Do　you　want　to　go　to　the　cottage　for　anything？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　let　us　sit　here　and　wait　until　the　Petoskey

steamer　comes　in。　　I　like　to　watch　the　boats。　

Sometimes　I　study　the　faces；　if　I　am　not　too　tired。〃



〃Have　you　seen　any　new　types　to…day？〃



She　shook　her　head。　　〃This　has　not　been　an　easy　day；　Hart。〃



〃And　it's　going　to　be　worse；〃　said　Henderson　bitterly。　

〃There's　no　use　putting　it　off。　　Edith；　I　saw　some　one　to…day。〃



〃You　should　have　seen　thousands；〃　she　said　lightly。



〃I　did。　　But　of　them　all；　only　one　will　be　of　interest　to　you。〃



〃Man　or　woman？〃



〃Man。〃



〃Where？〃



〃Lake　Shore　private　hospital。〃



〃An　accident？〃



〃No。　　Nervous　and　physical　breakdown。〃



〃Phil　said　he　was　going　back　to　the　Limberlost。〃



〃He　went。　　He　was　there　three　weeks；　but　the　strain

broke　him。　　He　has　an　old　letter　in　his　hands　that　he　has

handled　until　it　is　ragged。　　He　held　it　up　to　me　and　said：　

〃You　can　see　for　yourself　that　she　says　she　will　be　well　and

happy；　but　we　can't　know　until　we　see　her　again；　and　that

may　never　be。　　She　may　have　gone　too　near　that　place　her

father　went　down；　some　of　that　Limberlost　gang　may　have

found　her　in　the　forest；　she　may　lie　dead　in　some　city

morgue　this　instant；　waiting　for　me　to　find　her　body。〃



〃Hart！　　For　pity　sake　stop！〃



〃I　can't；〃　cried　Henderson　desperately。　　〃I　am　forced

to　tell　you。　　They　are　fighting　brain　fever。　　He　did　go

back　to　the　swamp　and　he　prowled　it　night　and　day。　

The　days　down　there　are　hot　now；　and　the　nights　wet　with

dew　and　cold。　　He　paid　no　attention　and　forgot　his　food。　

A　fever　started　and　his　uncle　brought　him　home。　

They've　never　had　a　word　from　her；　or　found　a　trace

of　her。　　Mrs。　Comstock　thought　she　had　gone　to　O'Mores'　at

Great　Rapids；　so　when　Phil　broke　down　she　telegraphed　there。　

They　had　been　gone　all　summer；　so　her　mother　is　as　anxious　as　Phil。〃



〃The　O'Mores　are　here；〃　said　Edith。　　〃I　haven't　seen

any　of　them；　because　I　haven't　gone　out　much　in　the

few　days　since　we　came；　but　this　is　their　summer　home。〃



〃Edith；　they　say　at　the　hospital　that　it　will　take　careful

nursing　to　save　Phil。　　He　is　surrounded　by　stacks　of

maps　and　railroad　guides。　　He　is　trying　to　frame　up　a　plan

to　set　the　entire　detective　agency　of　the　country　to　work。　

He　says　he　will　stay　there　just　two　days　longer。　　The　doctors

say　he　will　kill　himself　when　he　goes。　　He　is　a　sick

man；　Edith。　　His　hands　are　burning　and　shaky　and　his

breath　was　hot　against　my　face。〃



〃Why　are　you　telling　me？〃　　It　was　a　cry　of　acute　anguish。



〃He　thinks　you　know　where　she　is。〃



〃I　do　not！　　I　haven't　an　idea！　　I　never　dreamed　she

would　go　away　when　she　had　him　in　her　hand！　　I　should

not　have　done　it！〃



〃He　said　it　was　something　you　said　to　her　that　made　her　go。〃



〃That　may　be；　but　it　doesn't　prove　that　I　know　where

she　went。〃



Henderson　looked　across　the　water　and　suffered　keenly。　　At　last

he　turned　to　Edith　and　laid　a　firm；　strong　hand　over　hers。



〃Edith；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　realize　how　serious　this　is？〃



〃I　suppose　I　do。〃



〃Do　you　want　as　fine　a　fellow　as　Philip　driven　any　further？　

If　he　leaves　that　hospital　now；　and　goes　out　to　the

exposure　and　anxiety　of　a　search　for　her；　there　will　be　a

tragedy　that　no　after　regrets　can　avert。　　Edith；　what　did

you　say　to　Miss　Comstock　that　made　her　run　away　from　Phil？〃



The　girl　turned　her　face　from　him　and　sat　still；　but　the

man　gripping　her　hands　and　waiting　in　agony　could　see　that

she　was　shaken　by　the　jolting　of　the　heart　in　her　breast。



〃Edith；　what　did　you　say？〃



〃What　difference　can　it　make？〃



〃It　migh