a girl of the limberlost-第76部分

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He　thrust　the　glittering　ruby　into　her　fingers　and　again

held　out　his　arms。　　She　dropped　the　ring；　and　it　rolled　some

distance　from　them。　　Hart　Henderson　followed　its　shining

course；　and　caught　it　before　it　was　lost。



〃You　really　mean　it？〃　demanded　Philip　in　a　voice　as

cold　as　hers　ever　had　been。



〃You　know　I　mean　it！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。



〃I　accept　your　decision　in　the　presence　of　these

witnesses；〃　said　Philip　Ammon。　　〃Where　is　my　father？〃　

The　elder　Ammon　with　a　distressed　face　hurried　to　him。　

〃Father；　take　my　place；〃　said　Philip。　　〃Excuse　me　to

my　guests。　　Ask　all　my　friends　to　forgive　me。　　I　am

going　away　for　awhile。〃



He　turned　and　walked　from　the　pavilion。　　As　he　went

Hart　Henderson　rushed　to　Edith　Carr　and　forced　the　ring

into　her　fingers。　　〃Edith；　quick。　　Come；　quick！〃　he　implored。　

〃There's　just　time　to　catch　him。　　If　you　let　him　go　that　way；

he　never　will　return　in　this　world。　　Remember　what　I　told　you。〃



〃Great　prophet！　aren't　you；　Hart？〃　she　sneered。　

〃Who　wants　him　to　return？　　If　that　ring　is　thrust　upon

me　again　I　shall　fling　it　into　the　lake。　　Signal　the

musicians　to　begin；　and　dance　with　me。〃



Henderson　put　the　ring　into　his　pocket；　and　began　the　dance。　

He　could　feel　the　muscular　spasms　of　the　girl　in　his　arms；

her　face　was　cold　and　hard；　but　her　breath　burned　with

the　scorch　of　fever。　　She　finished　the　dance　and　all

others；　taking　Phil's　numbers　with　Henderson；　who　had

arrived　too　late　to　arrange　a　programme。　　She　left　with

the　others；　merely　inclining　her　head　as　she　passed

Ammon's　father　taking　his　place；　and　entered　the　big　touring

car　for　which　Henderson　had　telephoned。　　She　sank　limply

into　a　seat　and　moaned　softly。



〃Shall　I　drive　awhile　in　the　night　air？〃　asked　Henderson。



She　nodded。　　He　instructed　the　chauffeur。



She　raised　her　head　in　a　few　seconds。　　〃Hart；　I'm　going

to　pieces；〃　she　said。　　〃Won't　you　put　your　arm　around　me

a　little　while？〃



Henderson　gathered　her　into　his　arms　and　her　head　fell

on　his　shoulder。　　〃Closer！〃　she　cried。



Henderson　held　her　until　his　arms　were　numb；　but　he

did　not　know　it。　　The　tricks　of　fate　are　cruel　enough；　but

there　scarcely　could　have　been　a　worse　one　than　that：　

To　care　for　a　woman　as　he　loved　Edith　Carr　and　have　her

given　into　his　arms　because　she　was　so　numb　with　misery

over　her　trouble　with　another　man　that　she　did　not　know　or

care　what　she　did。　　Dawn　was　streaking　the　east　when　he

spoke　to　her。



〃Edith；　it　is　growing　light。〃



〃Take　me　home；〃　she　said。



Henderson　helped　her　up　the　steps　and　rang　the　bell。



〃Miss　Carr　is　ill；〃　he　said　to　the　footman。　　〃Arouse　her

maid　instantly；　and　have　her　prepare　something　hot　as

quickly　as　possible。〃



〃Edith；〃　he　cried；　〃just　a　word。　　I　have　been　thinking。　

It　isn't　too　late　yet。　　Take　your　ring　and　put　it　on。

I　will　go　find　Phil　at　once　and　tell　him　you　have；　that

you　are　expecting　him；　and　he　will　come。〃



〃Think　what　he　said！〃　she　cried。　　〃He　accepted　my　decision

as　final；　‘in　the　presence　of　witnesses；'　as　if　it　were　court。　　

He　can　return　it　to　me；　if　I　ever　wear　it　again。〃



〃You　think　that　now；　but　in　a　few　days　you　will　find

that　you　feel　very　differently。　　Living　a　life　of　heartache

is　no　joke；　and　no　job　for　a　woman。　　Put　on　your　ring　and

send　me　to　tell　him　to　come。〃



〃No。〃



〃Edith；　there　was　not　a　soul　who　saw　that；　but　sympathized

with　Phil。　　It　was　ridiculous　for　you　to　get　so　angry　over

a　thing　which　was　never　intended　for　the　slightest　offence；

and　by　no　logical　reasoning　could　have　been　so　considered。〃



〃Do　you　think　that？〃　she　demanded。



〃I　do！〃　said　Henderson。　　〃If　you　had　laughed　and　stepped

aside　an　instant；　or　laughed　and　stayed　where　you　were；

Phil　would　have　been　back；　or；　if　he　needed　punishment

in　your　eyes；　to　have　found　me　having　one　of　his　dances

would　have　been　enough。　　I　was　waiting。　　You　could　have

called　me　with　one　look。　　But　to　publicly　do　and　say

what　you　did；　my　ladyI　know　Phil；　and　I　know　you

went　too　far。　　Put　on　that　ring；　and　send　him　word

you　are　sorry；　before　it　is　too　late。〃



〃I　will　not！　　He　shall　come　to　me。〃



〃Then　God　help　you！〃　said　Henderson；　〃for　you　are

plunging　into　misery　whose　depth　you　do　not　dream。　

Edith；　I　beg　of　you〃



She　swayed　where　she　stood。　　Her　maid　opened　the　door

and　caught　her。　　Henderson　went　down　the　hall　and　out

to　his　car。









CHAPTER　XX





WHEREIN　THE　ELDER　AMMON　OFFERS　ADVICE；

AND　EDITH　CARR　EXPERIENCES　REGRETS





Philip　Ammon　walked　from　among　his　friends　a

humiliated　and　a　wounded　man。　　Never　before　had

Edith　Carr　appeared　quite　so　beautiful。　　All　evening

she　had　treated　him　with　unusual　consideration。　

Never　had　he　loved　her　so　deeply。　　Then　in　a　few　seconds

everything　was　different。　　Seeing　the　change　in　her　face；

and　hearing　her　meaningless　accusations；　killed　something

in　his　heart。　　Warmth　went　out　and　a　cold　weight　took

its　place。　　But　even　after　that；　he　had　offered　the　ring

to　her　again；　and　asked　her　before　others　to　reconsider。　

The　answer　had　been　further　insult。



He　walked；　paying　no　heed　to　where　he　went。　　He　had

traversed　many　miles　when　he　became　aware　that　his　feet

had　chosen　familiar　streets。　　He　was　passing　his　home。　

Dawn　was　near；　but　the　first　floor　was　lighted。　

He　staggered　up　the　steps　and　was　instantly　admitted。　

The　library　door　stood　open；　while　his　father　sat　with

a　book　pretending　to　read。　　At　Philip's　entrance　the

father　scarcely　glanced　up。



〃Come　on！〃　he　called。　　〃I　have　just　told　Banks　to　bring

me　a　cup　of　coffee　before　I　turn　in。　　Have　one　with　me！〃



Philip　sat　beside　the　table　and　leaned　his　head　on　his

hands；　but　he　drank　a　cup　of　steaming　coffee　and　felt　better。



〃Father；〃　he　said；　〃father；　may　I　talk　with　you　a　little　while？〃



〃Of　course；〃　answered　Mr。　Ammon。　　〃I　am　not　at

all　tired。　　I　think　I　must　have　been　waiting　in　the

hope　that　you　would　come。　　I　want　no　one's　version

of　this　but　yours。　　Tell　me　the　straight　of　the

thing；　Phil。〃



Philip　told　all　he　knew；　while　his　father　sat　in　deep　thought。



〃On　my　life　I　can't　see　any　occasion　for　such　a　display　of

temper；　Phil。　　It　passed　all　bounds　of　reason　and　breeding。　

Can't　you　think　of　anything　more？〃



〃I　cannot！〃



〃Polly　says　every　one　expected　you　to　carry　the　moth

you　caught　to　Edith。　　Why　didn't　you？〃



〃She　screams　if　a　thing　of　that　kind　comes　near　her。　

She　never　has　taken　the　slightest　interest　in　them。　　I　was

in　a　big　hurry。　　I　didn't　want　to　miss　one　minute　of　my

dance　with　her。　　The　moth　was　not　so　uncommon；　but　by

a　combination　of　bad　luck　it　had　become　the　rarest　in

America　for　a　friend　of　mine；　who　is　making　a　collection　to

pay　college　expenses。　　For　an　instant　last　June　the　series

was　completed；　when　a　woman's　uncontrolled　temper　ruined

this　specimen　and　the　search　for　it　began　over。　　A　few

days　later　a　pair　was　secured；　and　again　t