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第48章

the riverman-第48章

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is in itself an assurance of success。  The Heinzman affair; which 

under auspices of evil augury might have become a serious menace to 

the success of the young undertaking; now served merely to add a 

spice of humour to the situation。  Among the men gained currency a 

half…affectionate belief in 〃Orde's luck。〃



After this happy fashion the drive went; until at last it entered 

the broad; deep; and navigable stretches of the river from Redding 

to the lake。  Here; barring the accident of an extraordinary flood; 

the troubles were over。  On the broad; placid bosom of the stream 

the logs would float。  A crew; following; would do the easy work of 

sacking what logs would strand or eddy in the lazy current; would 

roll into the faster waters the component parts of what were by 

courtesy called jams; but which were in reality pile…ups of a few 

hundred logs on sand bars mid…stream; and in the growing tepid 

warmth of summer would tramp pleasantly along the river trail。  Of 

course; a dry year would make necessary a larger crew and more 

labour; of course; a big flood might sweep the logs past all 

defences into the lake for an irretrievable loss。  But such floods 

come once in a century; and even the dryest of dry years could not 

now hang the drive。  As Orde sat in his buckboard; ready to go into 

town for a first glimpse of Carroll in more than two months; he 

gazed with an immense satisfaction over the broad river moving brown 

and glacier…like as though the logs that covered it were viscid and 

composed all its substance。  The enterprise was practically assured 

of success。



For a while now Orde was to have a breathing spell。  A large number 

of men were here laid off。  The remainder; under the direction of 

Jim Denning; would require little or no actual supervision。  Until 

the jam should have reached the distributing booms above Monrovia; 

the affair was very simple。  Before he left; however; he called 

Denning to him。



〃Jim;〃 said he; 〃I'll be down to see you through the sluiceways at 

Redding; of course。  But now that you have a good; still stretch of 

river; I want you to have the boys let up on sacking out those 〃H〃 

logs。  And I want you to include in our drive all the Heinzman logs 

from above you possibly can。  If you can fix it; let their drive 

drift down into ours。



〃Then we'll have to drive their logs for them;〃 objected Denning。



〃Sure;〃 rejoined Orde; 〃but it's easy driving; and if that crew of 

his hasn't much to do; perhaps he'll lay most of them off here at 

Redding。〃



Denning looked at his principal for a moment; then a slow grin 

overspread his face。  Without comment he turned back to camp; and 

Orde took up his reins。







XXV





Oh; I'm so GLAD to get you back!〃 cried Carroll over and over again; 

as she clung to him。  〃I don't live while you're away。  And every 

drop of rain that patters on the roof chills my heart; because I 

think of it as chilling you; and every creak of this old house at 

night brings me up broad awake; because I hear in it the crash of 

those cruel great timbers。  Oh; oh; OH!  I'm so glad to get you!  

You're the light of my life; you're my whole life itself!〃she 

smiled at him from her perch on his knee〃I'm silly; am I not?〃 she 

said。  〃Dearg heart; don't leave me again。〃



〃I've got to support an extravagant wife; you know;〃 Orde reminded 

her gravely。



〃I know; of course;〃 she breathed; bending lightly to him。  〃You 

have your work in the world to do; and I would not have it 

otherwise。  It is great workwonderful workI've been asking 

questions。〃



Orde laughed。



〃It's work; just like any other。  And it's hard work;〃 said he。



She shook her head at him slowly; a mysterious smile on her lips。  

Without explaining her thought; she slipped from his knee and glided 

across to the tall golden harp; which had been brought from 

Monrovia。  The light and diaphanous silk of her loose peignoir 

floated about her; defining the maturing grace of her figure。  

Abruptly she struck a great crashing chord。



Then; with an abandon of ecstasy she plunged into one of those wild 

and sea…blown saga…like rhapsodies of the Hungarians; full of the 

wind in rigging; the storm in the pines; of shrieking; vast forces 

hurtling unchained through a resounding and infinite space; as 

though deep down in primeval nature the powers of the world had been 

loosed。  Back and forth; here and there; erratic and swift and 

sudden as lightning the theme played breathless。  It fell。



〃What is that?〃 gasped Orde; surprised to find himself tense; his 

blood rioting; his soul stirred。



She ran to him to hide her face in his neck。



〃Oh; it's you; you; you!〃 she cried。



He held her to him closely until her excitement had died。



〃Do you think it is good to get quite so nervous; sweetheart?〃 he 

asked gently; then。  〃Remember〃



〃Oh; I do; I do!〃 she broke in earnestly。  〃Every moment of my 

waking and sleeping hours I remember him。  Always I keep his little 

soul before me as a light on a shrine。  But to…nightoh! to…night I 

could laugh and shout aloud like the people in the Bible; with 

clapping of hands。〃  She snuggled herself close to Orde with a 

little murmur of happiness。  〃I think of all the beautiful things;〃 

she whispered; 〃and of the noble things; and of the great things。  

He is going to be sturdy; like his father; a wonderful boy; a boy 

all of fire〃



〃Like his mother;〃 said Orde。



She smiled up at him。  〃I want him just like you; dear;〃 she 

pleaded。







XXVI





Three days later the jam of the drive reached the dam at Redding。  

Orde took Carroll downtown in the buckboard。  There a seat by the 

dam…watcher's little house was given her; back of the brick factory 

buildings next the power canal; whence for hours she watched the 

slow onward movement of the sullen brown timbers; the smooth; 

polished…steel rush of the waters through the chute; the graceful 

certain movements of the rivermen。  Some of the latter were brought 

up by Orde and introduced。  They were very awkward; and somewhat 

embarrassed; but they all looked her straight in the eye; and 

Carroll felt somehow that back of their diffidence they were quite 

dispassionately appraising her。  After a few gracious speeches on 

her part and monosyllabic responses on theirs; they blundered away。  

In spite of the scant communication; these interviews left something 

of a friendly feeling on both sides。



〃I like your Jim Denning;〃 she told Orde; 〃he's a nice; clean…cut 

fellow。  And Mr。 Bourke;〃 she laughed。  〃Isn't he funny with his 

fierce red beard and his little eyes?  But he simply adores you。〃



Orde laughed at the idea of the Rough Red's adoring anybody。



〃It's so;〃 she insisted; 〃and I like him for itonly I wish he were 

a little cleaner。〃



She thought the feats of 〃log…riding〃 little less than wonderful; 

and you may be sure the knowledge of her presence did not discourage 

spectacular display。  Finally; Johnny Challan; uttering a loud 

whoop; leaped aboard a log and went through the chute standing bolt 

upright。  By a marvel of agility; he kept his balance through the 

white…water below; and emerged finally into the lower waters still 

proudly upright; and dry above the knees。



Carroll had arisen; the better to see。



〃Why;〃 she cried aloud; 〃it's marvellous!  Circus riding is nothing 

to it!〃



〃No; ma'am;〃 replied a gigantic riverman who was working near at 

hand; 〃that ain't nothin'。  Ordinary; however; we travel that way on 

the river。  At night we have the cookee pass us out each a goose…

ha'r piller; and lay down for the night。〃



Carroll looked at him in reproof。  He grinned slowly。



〃Don't git worried about me; ma'am;〃 said he; 〃I'm hopeless。  For 

twenty year now I been wearin' crape on my hat in memory of my 

departed virtues。〃



After the rear had 

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