a girl of the limberlost-第92部分

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They　left　the　street　and　started　around　the　beach；　but

Edith　was　breathless　from　running；　while　the　yielding　sand

made　difficult　walking。



〃Help　me！〃　she　cried；　clinging　to　Henderson。　　He　put

his　arm　around　her；　almost　carrying　her　from　sight　into　a

little　cove　walled　by　high　rocks　at　the　back；　while　there

was　a　clean　floor　of　white　sand；　and　logs　washed　from　the

lake　for　seats。　　He　found　one　of　these　with　a　back　rest；

and　hurrying　down　to　the　water　he　soaked　his　handkerchief

and　carried　it　to　her。　　She　passed　it　across　her　lips；

over　her　eyes；　and　then　pressed　the　palms　of　her　hands

upon　it。　　Henderson　removed　the　heavy　hat；　fanned　her

with　his；　and　wet　the　handkerchief　again。



〃Hart；　what　makes　you？〃　she　said　wearily。　　〃My　mother

doesn't　care。　　She　says　this　is　good　for　me。　　Do　you

think　this　is　good　for　me；　Hart？〃



〃Edith；　you　know　I　would　give　my　life　if　I　could　save

you　this；〃　he　said；　and　could　not　speak　further。



She　leaned　against　him；　closed　her　eyes　and　lay　silent　so

long　the　man　fell　into　panic。



〃Edith；　you　are　not　unconscious？〃　he　whispered；　touching　her。



〃No。　　just　resting。　　Please　don't　leave　me。〃



He　held　her　carefully；　gently　fanning　her。　　She　was

suffering　almost　more　than　either　of　them　could　endure。



〃I　wish　you　had　your　boat；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃I　want

to　sail　with　the　wind　in　my　face。〃



〃There　is　no　wind。　　I　can　bring　my　motor　around　in　a

few　minutes。〃



〃Then　get　it。〃



〃Lie　on　the　sand。　　I　can　'phone　from　the　first　booth。　

It　won't　take　but　a　little　while。〃



Edith　lay　on　the　white　sand；　and　Henderson　covered　her

face　with　her　hat。　　Then　he　ran　to　the　nearest　booth　and

talked　imperatively。　　Presently　he　was　back　bringing　a

hot　drink　that　was　stimulating。　　Shortly　the　motor　ran

close　to　the　beach　and　stopped。　　Henderson's　servant

brought　a　row…boat　ashore　and　took　them　to　the　launch。　

It　was　filled　with　cushions　and　wraps。　　Henderson　made　a

couch　and　soon；　warmly　covered；　Edith　sped　out　over　the

water　in　search　of　peace。



Hour　after　hour　the　boat　ran　up　and　down　the　shore。　

The　moon　arose　and　the　night　air　grew　very　chilly。　

Henderson　put　on　an　overcoat　and　piled　more　covers　on　Edith。



〃You　must　take　me　home；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃The　folks

will　be　uneasy。〃



He　was　compelled　to　take　her　to　the　cottage　with　the

battle　still　raging。　　He　went　back　early　the　next　morning；

but　already　she　had　wandered　out　over　the　island。　

Instinctively　Henderson　felt　that　the　shore　would　attract　her。　

There　was　something　in　the　tumult　of　rough　little　Huron's

waves　that　called　to　him。　　It　was　there　he　found　her；

crouching　so　close　the　water　the　foam　was　dampening　her　skirts。



〃May　I　stay？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　been　hoping　you　would　come；〃　she　answered。　

〃It's　bad　enough　when　you　are　here；　but　it　is　a　little　easier

than　bearing　it　alone。〃



〃Thank　God　for　that！〃　said　Henderson　sitting　beside

her。　　〃Shall　I　talk　to　you？〃



She　shook　her　head。　　So　they　sat　by　the　hour。　　At　last

she　spoke：　　〃Of　course；　you　know　there　is　something　I

have　got　to　do；　Hart！〃



〃You　have　not！〃　cried　Henderson；　violently。　

〃That's　all　nonsense！　　Give　me　just　one　word

of　permission。　　That　is　all　that　is　required　of　you。〃



〃‘Required？'　　You　grant；　then；　that　there　is　something　‘required？'〃



〃One　word。　　Nothing　more。〃



〃Did　you　ever　know　one　word　could　be　so　big；　so　black；

so　desperately　bitter？　　Oh；　Hart！〃



〃No。〃



〃But　you　know　it　now；　Hart！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　still　you　say　that　it　is　‘required？'〃



Henderson　suffered　unspeakably。　　At　last　he　said：　　〃If　you

had　seen　and　heard　him；　Edith；　you；　too；　would　feel　that

it　is　‘required。'　　Remember〃



〃No！　　No！　　No！〃　she　cried。　　〃Don't　ask　me　to　remember　even

the　least　of　my　pride　and　folly。　　Let　me　forget！〃



She　sat　silent　for　a　long　time。



〃Will　you　go　with　me？〃　she　whispered。　



〃Of　course。〃



At　last　she　arose。



〃I　might　as　well　give　up　and　have　it　over；〃　she　faltered。　



That　was　the　first　time　in　her　life　that　Edith　Carr　ever

had　proposed　to　give　up　anything　she　wanted。



〃Help　me；　Hart！〃



Henderson　started　around　the　beach　assisting　her　all　he　could。　

Finally　he　stopped。



〃Edith；　there　is　no　sense　in　this！　　You　are　too　tired　to　go。　

You　know　you　can　trust　me。　　You　wait　in　any　of　these　lovely

places　and　send　me。　　You　will　be　safe；　and　I'll　run。　

One　word　is　all　that　is　necessary。〃



〃But　I've　got　to　say　that　word　myself；　Hart！〃



〃Then　write　it；　and　let　me　carry　it。　　The　message　is　not

going　to　prove　who　went　to　the　office　and　sent　it。〃



〃That　is　quite　true；〃　she　said；　dropping　wearily；　but　she

made　no　movement　to　take　the　pen　and　paper　he　offered。



〃Hart；　you　write　it；〃　she　said　at　last。



Henderson　turned　away　his　face。　　He　gripped　the　pen；

while　his　breath　sucked　between　his　dry　teeth。



〃Certainly！〃　he　said　when　he　could　speak。　　〃Mackinac；

August　27；　1908。　　Philip　Ammon；　Lake　Shore　Hospital；　Chicago。〃　

He　paused　with　suspended　pen　and　glanced　at　Edith。　　Her　white

lips　were　working；　but　no　sound　came。　　〃Miss　Comstock　is　with

the　Terence　O'Mores；　on　Mackinac　Island；〃　prompted　Henderson。



Edith　nodded。



〃Signed；　Henderson；〃　continued　the　big　man。



Edith　shook　her　head。



〃Say；　‘She　is　well　and　happy；'　and　sign；　Edith　Carr！〃

she　panted。



〃Not　on　your　life！〃　flashed　Henderson。



〃For　the　love　of　mercy；　Hart；　don't　make　this　any　harder！　

It　is　the　least　I　can　do；　and　it　takes　every　ounce　of

strength　in　me　to　do　it。〃



〃Will　you　wait　for　me　here？〃　he　asked。



She　nodded；　and；　pulling　his　hat　lower　over　his　eyes；

Henderson　ran　around　the　shore。　　In　less　than　an　hour　he

was　back。　　He　helped　her　a　little　farther　to　where　the

Devil's　Kitchen　lay　cut　into　the　rocks；　it　furnished　places

to　rest；　and　cool　water。　　Before　long　his　man　came　with

the　boat。　　From　it　they　spread　blankets　on　the　sand　for

her；　and　made　chafing…dish　tea。　　She　tried　to　refuse　it；

but　the　fragrance　overcame　her　for　she　drank　ravenously。　

Then　Henderson　cooked　several　dishes　and　spread　an

appetizing　lunch。　　She　was　young；　strong；　and　almost

famished　for　food。　　She　was　forced　to　eat。　　That　made

her　feel　much　better。　　Then　Henderson　helped　her　into　the

boat　and　ran　it　through　shady　coves　of　the　shore；　where

there　were　refreshing　breezes。　　When　she　fell　asleep　the

girl　did　not　know；　but　the　man　did。　　Sadly　in　need　of　rest

himself；　he　ran　that　boat　for　five　hours　through　quiet　bays；

away　from　noisy　parties；　and　where　the　shade　was　cool

and　deep。　　When　she　awoke　he　took　her　home；　and　as　they

went　she　knew　that　she　had　been　mistaken。　　She　would

not　die。　　Her　heart　was　not　even　broken。　　She　had　suffered

horribly；　she　would　suffer　more；　but　eventually　the　pain

must　wear　out。　　Into　her　head　crept　a　few　lines　of　an

old　opera：





　　　　　〃Hearts　do　not　break；　they　sting　and　ache；

　　　　　　For　old　love's　sake；　but　do　not