the riverman-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃Recovered；〃　Newmark　repeated　coldly。　　〃I　don't　see　what　'recovered'　

has　to　do　with　it。　　If　the　mill　burned　down；　we'd　rebuild；　wouldn't　

we？　　Even　if　we　were　embarrassedwhich　we're　notwe'd　hardly　care　

to　acknowledge　publicly　that　we　couldn't　keep　up　our　equipment。　　And　

as　we're　making　twelve　or　fifteen　thousand　a　year　out　of　our　

freighting；　it　seems　to　me　too　good　a　business　to　let　slip　into　

other　hands。〃



〃I　suppose　so；〃　agreed　Orde；　a　trifle　helplessly。



〃Therefore　I　had　to　act　without　you；〃　Newmark　finished。　　〃I　knew　

you'd　agree。　　That's　right：　isn't　it？〃　he　insisted。



〃Yes；　that's　right；〃　agreed　Orde　drearily。



〃You'll　find　copies　of　the　contract　on　your　desk；〃　Newmark　closed　

the　matter。　　〃And　there's　the　tax　lists。　　I　wish　you'd　run　them　

over。〃



〃Joe；〃　replied　Orde；　〃II　don't　think　I'll　stay　down　town　this　

morning。　　I〃



Newmark　glanced　up　keenly。



〃You　don't　look　a　bit　well；〃　said　he；　〃kind　of　pale　around　the　

gills。　　Bilious。　　Don't　believe　that　camp　grub　quite　agrees　with　you　

for　a　steady　diet。〃



〃Yes；　that　must　be　it；〃　assented　Orde。



He　closed　his　desk　and　went　out。　　Newmark　turned　back　to　his　papers。　　

His　face　was　expressionless。　　From　an　inner　pocket　he　produced　a　

cigar　which　he　thrust　between　his　teeth。　　The　corners　of　his　mouth　

slowly　curved　in　a　grim　smile。



Orde　did　not　go　home。　　Instead；　he　walked　down　Main　Street　to　the　

docks　where　he　jumped　into　a　rowboat　lying　in　a　slip；　and　with　a　few　

rapid　strokes　shot　out　on　the　stream。　　In　his　younger　days　he　had　

belonged　to　a　boat　club；　and　had　rowed　in　the　〃four。〃　　He　still　

loved　the　oar；　and　though　his　racing　days　were　past；　he　maintained　a　

clean…lined；　rather　unstable　little　craft　which　it　was　his　delight　

to　propel　rapidly　with　long　spoon…oars　whenever　he　needed　exercise。　　

To…day；　however；　he　was　content　to　drift。



The　morning　was　still　and　golden。　　The　crispness　of　late　fall　had　

infused　a　wine　into　the　air。　　The　sky　was　a　soft；　blue…gray；　the　

sand…hills　were　a　dazzling　yellow。　　Orde　did　not　try　to　think；　he　

merely　faced　the　situation；　staring　it　in　the　face　until　it　should　

shrink　to　its　true　significance。



One　thing　he　felt　distinctly；　yet　could　not　without　a　struggle　bring　

himself　to　see。　　The　California　lands　must　be　mortgaged。　　If　he　

could　raise　a　reasonable　sum　of　money　on　them；　he　would　still　be　

perfectly　able　to　meet　his　notes。　　He　hated　fiercely　to　raise　that　

money。



It　was　entirely　a　matter　of　sentiment。　　Orde　realised　the　fact　

clearly；　and　browbeat　his　other　self　with　a　savage　contempt。　　

Nevertheless　his　dream　had　been　to　keep　the　western　timber　free　and　

unencumberedfor　Bobby。　　Dreams　are　harder　to　give　up　than　

realities。



He　fell　into　the　deepest　reflections　which　were　broken　only　when　the　

pounding　of　surf　warned　him　he　had　drifted　almost　to　the　open　lake。　　

After　all；　there　was　no　essential　difference　between　owing　money　to　

a　man　in　Michigan　and　to　a　man　in　California。　　That　was　the　net　

result　of　his　struggle。



〃When　the　time　comes；　we'll　just　borrow　that　money　on　a　long…time　

mortgage；　like　sensible　people；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃and　quit　this　

everlasting　scrabbling。〃



Back　to　town　he　pulled　with　long　vigorous　strokes；　skittering　his　

feathered　spoon…oars　lightly　over　the　tops　of　the　wavelets。　　At　the　

slip　he　made　fast　the　boat；　and　a　few　minutes　later　re…entered　the　

office；　his　step　springy；　his　face　glowing。　　Newmark　glanced　up。



〃Hullo！〃　said　he。　　〃Back　again？　　You　look　better。〃



〃Exercise；〃　said　Orde；　in　his　hearty　manner。　　〃Exercise；　old　boy！　　

You　ought　to　try　it。　　Greatest　thing　in　the　world。　　Just　took　a　row　

to　the　end　of　the　piers　and　back；　and　I'm　as　fit　as　a　fiddle！〃







XXXVI





Orde　immediately　set　into　motion　the　machinery　of　banking　to　borrow　

on　the　California　timber。　　Taylor　took　charge　of　this；　as　the　only　

man　in　Monrovia　who　had　Orde's　confidence。　　At　the　end　of　a　

necessary　delay　Orde　received　notice　that　the　West　had　been　heard　

from。　　He　stepped　across　the　hall　to　the　lawyer's　office。



〃Well；　Frank；〃　said　he；　〃glad　we　managed　to　push　it　through　with　so　

little　trouble。〃



Taylor　arose；　shut　carefully　the　door　into　his　outer　office；　walked　

to　the　window；　looked　contemplatively　out　upon　the　hotel　backyard；　

and　returned　to　his　desk。



〃But　there　is　trouble；〃　said　he　curtly。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Orde。



〃The　banks　refuse　the　loan。〃



Orde　stared　at　him　in　blank　astonishment。



〃Refuse！〃　he　echoed。



〃Absolutely。〃



〃What　grounds　can　they　possibly　have　for　that？〃



〃I　can't　make　out　exactly　from　these　advices。　　It's　something　about　

the　title。〃



〃But　I　thought　you　went　over　the　title。〃



〃I　did；〃　stated　Taylor　emphatically；　〃and　I'll　stake　my　reputation　

as　a　lawyer　that　everything　is　straight　and　clear　from　the　Land　

Office　itself。　　I've　wired　for　an　explanation；　and　we　ought　surely　

to　know　something　definite　by　tomorrow。〃



With　this　uncertainty　Orde　was　forced　to　be　content。　　For　the　first　

time　in　his　business　career　a　real　anxiety　gnawed　at　his　vitals。　　He　

had　been　in　many　tight　places；　but　somehow　heretofore　success　or　

failure　had　seemed　to　him　about　immaterial；　like　points　gained　or　

conceded　in　the　game；　a　fresh　start　was　always　so　easy；　and　what　had　

been　already　won　as　yet　unreal。　　Now　the　game　itself　was　at　issue。　　

Property；　reputation；　and　the　family's　future　were　at　stake。　　When　

the　three　had　lived　in　the　tiny　house　by　the　church；　it　had　seemed　

that　no　adversity　could　touch　them。　　But　now　that　long　use　had　

accustomed　them　to　larger　quarters；　servants；　luxuries；　Orde　could　

not　conceive　the　possibility　of　Carroll's　ever　returning　to　that　

simplest　existence。　　Carroll　could　have　told　him　otherwise；　but　of　

course　he　did　not　as　yet　bring　the　possibility　before　her。　　She　had　

economised　closely；　these　last　few　years。　　Orde　was　proud　of　her。　　

He　was　also　fiercely　resentful　that　his　own　foolishness；　or　untoward　

circumstances；　or　a　combination　of　both　should　jeopardise　her　

future。　　Therefore　he　awaited　further　news　with　the　greatest　

impatience。



The　message　came　the　following　day；　as　Taylor　had　predicted。　　Taylor　

handed　it　to　him　without　comment。



〃Land　Office　under　investigation；〃　Orde　read。　　〃Fraudulent　entries　

suspected。　　All　titles　clouded　until　decision　is　reached。〃



〃What　do　you　suppose　that　means？〃　asked　Orde；　although　he　knew　well　

enough。



Taylor　glanced　up　at　his　dull　eyes　with　commiseration。



〃They　simply　won't　lend　good　money　on　an　uncertainty；〃　said　he。



〃Frank；〃　said　Orde；　rousing　himself　with　an　effort；　〃I've　got　to　be　

here。　　I　couldn't　get　away　this　winter　if　my　life　depended　on　it。　　

And　I　won't　even　have　time　to　pay　much　attention　to　it　from　here。　　I　

want　you　to　go　to　California　and　look　after　those　interests　for　me。　　

Never　mind　your　practice；　man；〃　as　Taylor　tried　to　interrupt　him。　　

〃Make　what　arrangements　you　please；　but　go。　　It'll　be　like　a　sort　of　

vacation　to　you。　　You　need　one。　　And　I'll　make　it　worth　your　while。　　

Take　Clara　with　you。　　She'll　like　California。　　Now　don't　say　no。　　

It's　important。　　Straighten　it　out　as　quick　as　you　can：　and　the　

minute　it　IS　straight　borrow　that　money　on　it；　and　send　it　on　p。d。q。〃



Taylor　thoughtfully　tapped　his　palm　with　the　edge　of　his　eye…

glasses。



〃All　right；〃　he　said　at　last。



〃Good！〃　cried　Orde；　rising　and　holding　out　his　hand。



He　descended　the　dark　stairs　to　the　street；　where　he　turned　down　

toward　the　river。　　There　he　sat　on　a　pile　for　nearly　an　hour；　quite　

oblivious　to　the　keen　wind　of　latter　November　which　swept　up　over　

the　scum　ice　from　the　Lake。　　At　length　he　hopped　down　and　made　his　

way　to　the　office　of　the　Welton　Lumber　Co。



〃Look　here；　Welton；〃　he　demanded　abruptly　when　he　had　reached　that　

operator's　private　office；　〃how　much　of　a　cut　are　you　going　to　make　

this　year？〃