the riverman-第17章
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〃You know the conditions here。 If such a firm should be organised
and should offer tomore than twenty thousand cents; I'm
lucky just now。〃
〃How much capital would we have to have?〃 asked Newmark。
Orde thought for several minutes; twisting the petal of an old
apple…blossom between his strong; blunt fingers。
〃Somewhere near seventy…five thousand dollars;〃 he estimated at
last。
〃That's easy;〃 cried Newmark。 〃We'll make a stock companysay a
hundred thousand shares。 We'll keep just enough between us to
control the companysay fifty…one thousand。 I'll put in my pile;
and you can pay for yours out of the earnings of the company。〃
〃That doesn't sound fair;〃 objected Orde。
〃You pay interest;〃 explained Newmark。 〃Then we'll sell the rest of
the stock to raise the rest of the money。〃
〃If we can;〃 interjected Orde。
〃I think we can;〃 asserted Newmark。
Orde fell into a brown study; occasionally throwing a twig or a
particle of earth at the offending lump in the turf。 Overhead the
migratory warblers balanced right…side up or up…side down; searching
busily among the new leaves; uttering their simple calls。 The air
was warm and soft and still; the sky bright。 Fat hens clucked among
the grasses。 A feel of Sunday was in the air。
〃I must have something to live on;〃 said he thoughtfully at last。
〃So must I;〃 said Newmark。 〃We'll have to pay ourselves salaries;
of course; but the smaller the better at first。 You'll have to take
charge of the men and the work and all the rest of itI don't know
anything about that。 I'll attend to the incorporating and the
routine; and I'll try to place the stock。 You'll have to see; first
of all; whether you can get contracts from the logging firms to
drive the logs。〃
〃How can I tell what to charge them?〃
〃We'll have to figure that very closely。 You know where these
different drives would start from; and how long each of them would
take?〃
〃Oh; yes; I know the river pretty well。〃
〃Well; then we'll figure how many days' driving there is for each;
and how many men there are; and what it costs for wages; grub;
toolswe'll just have to figure as near as we can to the actual
cost; and then add a margin for profit and for interest on our
investment。〃
〃It might work out all right;〃 admitted Orde。
〃I'm confident it would;〃 asserted Newmark。 〃And there'd be no harm
figuring it all out; would there?〃
〃No;〃 agreed Orde; 〃that would be fun all right。〃
At this moment Amanda appeared at the back door and waved an apron。
〃Mr。 Jack!〃 she called。 〃Come in to dinner。〃
Newmark looked puzzled; and; as he arose; glanced surreptitiously at
his watch。 Orde seemed to take the summons as one to be expected;
however。 In fact; the strange hour was the usual Sunday custom in
the Redding of that day; and had to do with the late…church freedom
of Amanda and her like。
〃Come in and eat with us;〃 invited Orde。 〃We'd be glad to have
you。〃
But Newmark declined。
〃Come up to…morrow night; then; at half…past six; for supper;〃 Orde
urged him。 〃We can figure on these things a little。 I'm in Daly's
all day; and hardly have time except evenings。〃
To this Newmark assented。 Orde walked with him down the deep…shaded
driveway with the clipped privet hedge on one side; to the iron gate
that swung open when one drove over a projecting lever。 There he
said good…bye。
A moment later he entered the long dining…room; where Grandpa and
Grandma Orde were already seated。 An old…fashioned service of
smooth silver and ivory…handled steel knives gave distinction to the
plain white linen。 A tea…pot smothered in a 〃cosey〃 stood at
Grandma Orde's right。 A sirloin roast on a noble platter awaited
Grandpa Orde's knife。
Orde dropped into his place with satisfaction。
〃Shut up; Cheep!〃 he remarked to a frantic canary hanging in the
sunshine。
〃Your friend seems a nice…appearing young man;〃 said Grandma Orde。
〃Wouldn't he stay to dinner?〃
〃I asked him;〃 replied Orde; 〃but he couldn't。 He and I have a
scheme for making our everlasting fortunes。〃
〃Who is he?〃 asked grandma。
Orde dropped his napkin into his lap with a comical chuckle of
dismay。
〃Blest if I have the slightest idea; mother;〃 he said。 〃Newmark
joined us on the drive。 Said he was a lawyer; and was out in the
woods for his health。 He's been with us; studying and watching the
work; ever since。〃
IX
I think I'll go see Jane Hubbard this evening;〃 Orde remarked to his
mother; as he arose from the table。 This was his method of
announcing that he would not be home for supper。
Jane Hubbard lived in a low one…story house of blue granite;
situated amid a grove of oaks at the top of the hill。 She was a
kindly girl; whose parents gave her free swing; and whose house; in
consequence; was popular with the younger people。 Every Sunday she
offered to all who came a 〃Sunday…night lunch;〃 which consisted of
cold meats; cold salad; bread; butter; cottage cheese; jam;
preserves; and the like; warmed by a cup of excellent tea。 These
refreshments were served by the guests themselves。 It did not much
matter how few or how many came。
On the Sunday evening in question Orde found about the usual crowd
gathered。 Jane herself; tall; deliberate in movement and in speech;
kindly and thoughtful; talked in a corner with Ernest Colburn; who
was just out of college; and who worked in a bank。 Mignonne Smith;
a plump; rather pretty little body with a tremendous aureole of hair
like spun golden fire; was trying to balance a croquet…ball on the
end of a ruler。 The ball regularly fell off。 Three young men;
standing in attentive attitudes; thereupon dove forward in an
attempt to catch it before it should hit the floorwhich it
generally did with a loud thump。 A collapsed chair of slender lines
stacked against the wall attested previous acrobatics。 This much
Orde; standing in the doorway; looked upon quite as the usual thing。
Only he missed the Incubus。 Searching the room with his eyes; he at
length discovered that incoherent; desiccated; but persistent youth
VIS…A…VIS with a stranger。 Orde made out the white of her gown in
the shadows; the willowy outline of her small and slender figure;
and the gracious forward bend of her head。
The company present caught sight of Orde standing in the doorway;
and suspended occupations to shout at him joyfully。 He was
evidently a favourite。 The strange girl in the corner turned to him
a white; long face; of which he could see only the outline and the
redness of the lips where the lamplight reached them。 She leaned
slightly forward and the lips parted。 Orde's muscular figure;
standing square and uncompromising in the doorway; the out…of…door
freshness of his complexion; the steadiness of his eyes laughing
back a greeting; had evidently attracted her。 Or perhaps anything
was a relief from the Incubus。
〃So you're back at last; are you; Jack?〃 drawled Jane in her lazy;
good…natured way。 〃Come and meet Miss Bishop。 Carroll; I want to
present Mr。 Orde。〃
Orde bowed ceremoniously into the penumbra cast by the lamp's broad
shade。 The girl inclined gracefully her small head with the glossy
hair。 The Incubus; his thin hands clasped on his knee; his sallow
face twisted in one of its customary wry smiles; held to the edge of
his chair with characteristic pertinacity。
〃Well; Walter;〃 Orde addressed him genially; 〃are you having a good
time?〃
〃Yes…indeed!〃 replied the Incubus as though it were one word。
His chair was planted squarely to exclude all others。 Orde surveyed
the situation with good…humour。
〃Going to keep the other fellow from getting a chance; I see。〃
〃Yes…indeed!〃 replied the Incubus。
Orde bent over; an