adventure-第49章

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tes；　and　Doctor　Welshmere　is　sure　to　be　on　board。　　So　all　we've　got　to　do　is　to　make　Tudor　comfortable。　　We'd　better　put　him　in　your　room　under　the　mosquito…netting；　and　send　a　boat　off　to　tell　Dr。　Welshmere　to　bring　his　instruments。〃

An　hour　afterward；　Dr。　Welshmere　left　the　patient　comfortable　and　attended　to；　and　went　down　to　the　beach　to　go　on　board；　promising　to　come　back　to　dinner。　　Joan　and　Sheldon；　standing　on　the　veranda；　watched　him　depart。

〃I'll　never　have　it　in　for　the　missionaries　again　since　seeing　them　here　in　the　Solomons；〃　she　said；　seating　herself　in　a　steamer…　chair。

She　looked　at　Sheldon　and　began　to　laugh。

〃That's　right；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　the　way　I　feel；　playing　the　fool　and　trying　to　murder　a　guest。〃

〃But　you　haven't　told　me　what　it　was　all　about。〃

〃You；〃　he　answered　shortly。

〃Me？　　But　you　just　said　it　wasn't。〃

〃Oh；　it　wasn't　the　kiss。〃　　He　walked　over　to　the　railing　and　leaned　against　it；　facing　her。　　〃But　it　was　about　you　all　the　same；　and　I　may　as　well　tell　you。　　You　remember；　I　warned　you　long　ago　what　would　happen　when　you　wanted　to　become　a　partner　in　Berande。　　Well；　all　the　beach　is　gossiping　about　it；　and　Tudor　persisted　in　repeating　the　gossip　to　me。　　So　you　see　it　won't　do　for　you　to　stay　on　here　under　present　conditions。　　It　would　be　better　if　you　went　away。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to　go　away；〃　she　objected　with　rueful　countenance。

〃A　chaperone；　then〃

〃No；　nor　a　chaperone。〃

〃But　you　surely　don't　expect　me　to　go　around　shooting　every　slanderer　in　the　Solomons　that　opens　his　mouth？〃　he　demanded　gloomily。

〃No；　nor　that　either；〃　she　answered　with　quick　impulsiveness。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　we'll　do。　　We'll　get　married　and　put　a　stop　to　it　all。　　There！〃

He　looked　at　her　in　amazement；　and　would　have　believed　that　she　was　making　fun　of　him　had　it　not　been　for　the　warm　blood　that　suddenly　suffused　her　cheeks。

〃Do　you　mean　that？〃　he　asked　unsteadily。　　〃Why？〃

〃To　put　a　stop　to　all　the　nasty　gossip　of　the　beach。　　That's　a　pretty　good　reason；　isn't　it？〃

The　temptation　was　strong　enough　and　sudden　enough　to　make　him　waver；　but　all　the　disgust　came　back　to　him　that　was　his　when　he　lay　in　the　grass　fighting　gnats　and　cursing　adventure；　and　he　answered；　…

〃No；　it　is　worse　than　no　reason　at　all。　　I　don't　care　to　marry　you　as　a　matter　of　expedience〃

〃You　are　the　most　ridiculous　creature！〃　she　broke　in；　with　a　flash　of　her　old…time　anger。　　〃You　talk　love　and　marriage　to　me；　very　much　against　my　wish；　and　go　mooning　around　over　the　plantation　week　after　week　because　you　can't　have　me；　and　look　at　me　when　you　think　I'm　not　noticing　and　when　all　the　time　I'm　wondering　when　you　had　your　last　square　meal　because　of　the　hungry　look　in　your　eyes；　and　make　eyes　at　my　revolver…belt　hanging　on　a　nail；　and　fight　duels　about　me；　and　all　the　restandand　now；　when　I　say　I'll　marry　you；　you　do　yourself　the　honour　of　refusing　me。〃

〃You　can't　make　me　any　more　ridiculous　than　I　feel；〃　he　answered；　rubbing　the　lump　on　his　forehead　reflectively。　　〃And　if　this　is　the　accepted　romantic　programmea　duel　over　a　girl；　and　the　girl　rushing　into　the　arms　of　the　winnerwhy；　I　shall　not　make　a　bigger　ass　of　myself　by　going　in　for　it。〃

〃I　thought　you'd　jump　at　it；〃　she　confessed；　with　a　naivete　he　could　not　but　question；　for　he　thought　he　saw　a　roguish　gleam　in　her　eyes。

〃My　conception　of　love　must　differ　from　yours　then；〃　he　said。　　〃I　should　want　a　woman　to　marry　me　for　love　of　me；　and　not　out　of　romantic　admiration　because　I　was　lucky　enough　to　drill　a　hole　in　a　man's　shoulder　with　smokeless　powder。　　I　tell　you　I　am　disgusted　with　this　adventure　tom…foolery　and　rot。　　I　don't　like　it。　　Tudor　is　a　sample　of　the　adventure…kindpicking　a　quarrel　with　me　and　behaving　like　a　monkey；　insisting　on　fighting　with　me'to　the　death；'　he　said。　　It　was　like　a　penny　dreadful。〃

She　was　biting　her　lip；　and　though　her　eyes　were　cool　and　level…　looking　as　ever；　the　tell…tale　angry　red　was　in　her　cheeks。

〃Of　course；　if　you　don't　want　to　marry　me〃

〃But　I　do；〃　he　hastily　interposed。

〃Oh；　you　do〃

〃But　don't　you　see；　little　girl；　I　want　you　to　love　me；〃　he　hurried　on。　　〃Otherwise；　it　would　be　only　half　a　marriage。　　I　don't　want　you　to　marry　me　simply　because　by　so　doing　a　stop　is　put　to　the　beach　gossip；　nor　do　I　want　you　to　marry　me　out　of　some　foolish　romantic　notion。　　I　shouldn't　want　you　。　。　。　that　way。〃

〃Oh；　in　that　case；〃　she　said　with　assumed　deliberateness；　and　he　could　have　sworn　to　the　roguish　gleam；　〃in　that　case；　since　you　are　willing　to　consider　my　offer；　let　me　make　a　few　remarks。　　In　the　first　place；　you　needn't　sneer　at　adventure　when　you　are　living　it　yourself；　and　you　were　certainly　living　it　when　I　found　you　first；　down　with　fever　on　a　lonely　plantation　with　a　couple　of　hundred　wild　cannibals　thirsting　for　your　life。　　Then　I　came　along〃

〃And　what　with　your　arriving　in　a　gale；〃　he　broke　in；　〃fresh　from　the　wreck　of　the　schooner；　landing　on　the　beach　in　a　whale…boat　full　of　picturesque　Tahitian　sailors；　and　coming　into　the　bungalow　with　a　Baden…Powell　on　your　head；　sea…boots　on　your　feet；　and　a　whacking　big　Colt's　dangling　on　your　hipwhy；　I　am　only　too　ready　to　admit　that　you　were　the　quintessence　of　adventure。〃

〃Very　good；〃　she　cried　exultantly。　　〃It's　mere　simple　arithmetic　the　adding　of　your　adventure　and　my　adventure　together。　　So　that's　settled；　and　you　needn't　jeer　at　adventure　any　more。　　Next；　I　don't　think　there　was　anything　romantic　in　Tudor's　attempting　to　kiss　me；　nor　anything　like　adventure　in　this　absurd　duel。　　But　I　do　think；　now；　that　it　was　romantic　for　you　to　fall　in　love　with　me。　　And　finally；　and　it　is　adding　romance　to　romance；　I　think　。　。　。　I　think　I　do　love　you；　Daveoh；　Dave！〃

The　last　was　a　sighing　dove…cry　as　he　caught　her　up　in　his　arms　and　pressed　her　to　him。

〃But　I　don't　love　you　because　you　played　the　fool　to…day；〃　she　whispered　on　his　shoulder。　　〃White　men　shouldn't　go　around　killing　each　other。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　love　me？〃　he　questioned；　enthralled　after　the　manner　of　all　lovers　in　the　everlasting　query　that　for　ever　has　remained　unanswered。

〃I　don't　knowjust　because　I　do；　I　guess。　　And　that's　all　the　satisfaction　you　gave　me　when　we　had　that　man…talk。　　But　I　have　been　loving　you　for　weeksduring　all　the　time　you　have　been　so　deliciously　and　unobtrusively　jealous　of　Tudor。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　go　on；〃　he　urged　breathlessly；　when　she　paused。

〃I　wondered　when　you'd　break　out；　and　because　you　didn't　I　loved　you　all　the　more。　　You　were　like　Dad；　and　Von。　　You　could　hold　yourself　in　check。　　You　didn't　make　a　fool　of　yourself。〃

〃Not　until　to…day；〃　he　suggested。

〃Yes；　and　I　loved　you　for　that；　too。　　It　was　about　time。　　I　began　to　think　you　were　never　going　to　bring　up　the　subject　again。　　And　now　that　I　have　offered　myself　you　haven't　even　accepted。〃

With　both　hands　on　her　shoulders　he　held　her　at　arm's…length　from　him　and　looked　long　into　her　eyes；　no　longer　cool　but　seemingly　pervaded　with　a　golden　flush。　　The　lids　drooped　and　yet　bravely　did　not　droop　as　she　returned　his　gaze。　　Then　he　fondly　and　solemnly　drew　her　to　him。

〃And　how　about　that　hearth　and　saddle　of　your　own？〃　he　asked；　a　moment　later。

〃I　well…nigh　won　to　them。　　The　grass　house　is　my　hearth；　and　the　Martha　my　saddle；　andand　look　at　all　the　trees　I've　planted；　to　say　nothing　of　the　sweet　corn。　　And　it's　all　your　fault　anyway。　　I　might　never　have　loved　you　if　you　hadn't　put　the　idea　into　my　head。〃

〃There's　the　Nongassla　coming　in　around　the　point　with　her　boats　out；〃　Sheldon　remarked　irrelevantly。　　〃And　the　Commissioner　is　on　board。　　He's　going　down　to　San　Cristoval　to　investigate　that　missionary　killing。　　We're　in　luck；　I　must　say。〃

〃I　don't　see　where　the　luck　comes　in；〃　she　said　dolefully。　　〃We　ought　to　have　this　evening　all　to　ourselves　just　to　talk　things　over。　　I've　a　thousand　questions　to　ask　you。〃

〃And　it　wouldn't　have　been　a　man…talk　either；〃　she　added。

〃But　my　plan　is　better　than　that。〃　　He　debated　with　himself　a　moment。　　〃You　see；　the　Commissioner　is　the　one　official　in　the　islands　who　can　give　us　a　license。　　Andthere's　the　luck　of　it　Doctor　Welshmere　is　here　to　perform　the　ceremony。　　We'll　get　married　this　evening。〃

Joan　recoiled　from　him　in　panic；