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！
〃Be brave； sweetheart；〃 said he； 〃but remember that now you're my
wife。〃
She nodded at him gravely and disappeared。
Orde sat in the dim parlour for what seemed to be an interminable
period。 Occasionally the sounds of distant voices rose to his ear
and died away again。 The front door opened to admit some one； but
Orde could not see who it was。 Twice a scurrying of feet overhead
seemed to indicate the bustle of excitement。 The afternoon waned。
A faint whiff of cooking； escaping through some carelessly open
door； was borne to his nostrils。 It grew dark； but the lamps
remained unlighted。 Finally he heard the rustle of the portieres；
and turned to see the dim form of the general standing there。
〃Bad business！ bad business！〃 muttered the old man。 〃It's very hard
on me。 Perhaps you did the right thingyou must be good to her
but I cannot countenance this affair。 It was most high…handed；
sir！〃
The portieres fell again； and he disappeared。
Finally； after another interval； Carroll returned。 She went
immediately to the gas…fixture； which she lit。 Orde then saw that
she was sobbing violently。 She came to him； and for a moment hid
her face against his breast。 He patted her hair； waiting for her to
speak。 After a little she controlled herself。
〃How was it？〃 asked Orde； then。
She shivered。
〃I never knew people could be so cruel；〃 she complained in almost a
bewildered manner。 〃Jack； we must go to…night。 Sheshe has
ordered me out of the house； and says she never wants to see my face
again。〃 She broke down for a second。 〃Oh； Jack！ she can't mean
that。 I've always been a good daughter to her。 And she's very
bitter against Gerald。 Oh！ I told her it wasn't his fault； but she
won't listen。 She sent for that odious Mr。 Merritther rector； you
knowand he supported her。 I believe he's angry because we did not
go to him。 Could you believe such a thing！ And she's shut herself
up in her air of high virtue； and underneath it she's； oh； so
angry！〃
〃Well； it's natural she should be upset；〃 comforted Orde。 〃Don't
think too much of what she does now。 Later she'll get over it。〃
Carroll shivered again。
〃You don't know； dear； and I'm not going to tell you。 Why；〃 she
cried； 〃she told me that you and I were in a conspiracy to drive her
to her grave so we could get her money！〃
〃She must be a little crazy；〃 said Orde； still pacifically。
〃Come； help me；〃 said Carroll。 〃I must get my things。〃
〃Can't you just pack a bag and leave the rest until tomorrow？ It's
about hungry time〃
〃She says I must take every stitch belonging to me tonight。〃
They packed trunks until late that night； quite alone。 Gerald had
departed promptly after breaking the news； probably without
realising to what a pass affairs would come。 A frightened servant；
evidently in disobedience of orders and in fear of destruction；
brought them a tray of food； which she put down on a small table and
hastily fled。 In a room down the hall they could hear the murmur of
voices where Mrs。 Bishop received spiritual consolation from her
adviser。 When the trunks were packed； Orde sent for a baggage
waggon。 Carroll went silently from place to place； saying farewell
to such of her treasures as she had made up her mind to leave。 Orde
scribbled a note to Gerald； requesting him to pack up the
miscellanies and send them to Michigan by freight。 The baggage man
and Orde carried the trunks downstairs。 No one appeared。 Carroll
and Orde walked together to the hotel。 Next morning an interview
with Gerald confirmed them in their resolution of immediate
departure。
〃She is set in her opposition now； and at present she believes
firmly that her influence will separate you。 Such a state of mind
cannot be changed in an hour。〃
〃And you？〃 asked Carroll。
〃Oh； I；〃 he shrugged； 〃will go on as usual。 I have my interests。〃
〃I wish you would come out in our part of the country；〃 ventured
Orde。
Gerald smiled his fine smile。
〃Good…bye；〃 said he。 〃Going to a train is useless； and a bore to
everybody。〃
Carroll threw herself on his neck in an access of passionate
weeping。
〃You WILL write and tell me of everything； won't you？〃 she begged。
〃Of course。 There now； good…bye。〃
Orde followed him into the hall。
It would be quite useless to attempt another interview？〃 he
inquired。
Gerald made a little mouth。
〃I am in the same predicament as yourselves；〃 said he； 〃and have
since nine this morning taken up my quarters at the club。 Please do
not tell Carroll； it would only pain her。〃
At the station； just before they passed in to the train； the general
appeared。
〃There； there！〃 he fussed。 〃If your mother should hear of my being
here； it would be a very bad business； very bad。 This is very sad；
butwell； good…bye； dear； and you； sir； be good to her。 And write
your daddy； Carroll。 He'll be lonesome for you。〃 He blew his nose
very loudly and wiped his glasses。 〃Now； run along； run along；〃 he
hurried them。 〃Let us not have any scenes。 Here； my dear； open
this envelope when you are well started。 It may help cheer the
journey。 Not a word！〃
He hurried them through the gate； paying no heed to what they were
trying to say。 Then he steamed away and bustled into a cab without
once looking back。
When the train had passed the Harlem River and was swaying its
uneven way across the open country； Carroll opened the envelope。 It
contained a check for a thousand dollars。
〃Dear old daddy！〃 she murmured。 〃Our only wedding present！〃
〃You are the capitalist of the family；〃 said Orde。 〃You don't know
how poor a man you've married。 I haven't much more than the
proverbial silver watch and bad nickel。〃
She reached out to press his hand in reassurance。 He compared it
humorously with his own。
〃What a homely； knotted； tanned old thing it is by yours；〃 said he。
〃It's a strong hand；〃 she replied soberly； 〃it's a dear hand。〃
Suddenly she snatched it up and pressed it for a fleeting instant
against her cheek； looking at him half ashamed。
XXI
The winter months were spent at Monrovia； where Orde and his wife
lived for a time at the hotel。 This was somewhat expensive； but
Orde was not quite ready to decide on a home； and he developed
unexpected opposition to living at Redding in the Orde homestead。
〃No； I've been thinking about it；〃 he told Grandma Orde。 〃A young
couple should start out on their own responsibility。 I know you'd
be glad to have us； but I think it's better the other way。 Besides；
I must be at Monrovia a good deal of the time； and I want Carroll
with me。 She can make you a good long visit in the spring； when I
have to go up river。〃
To this Grandma Orde； being a wise old lady； had to nod her assent；
although she would much have liked her son near her。
At Monrovia； then； they took up their quarters。 Carroll soon became
acquainted with the life of the place。 Monrovia； like most towns of
its sort and size； consisted of an upper stratum of mill owners and
lumber operators； possessed of considerable wealth； some
cultivation； and definite social ideas； a gawky； countrified； middle
estate of storekeepers； catering both to the farm and local trade
and the lumber mill operatives； generally of Holland extraction； who
dwelt in simple unpainted board shanties。 The class first mentioned
comprised a small coterie； among whom Carroll soon found two or
three congenialsEdith Fuller； wife of the young cashier in the
bank； Valerie Cathcart； whose husband had been killed in the Civil
War； Clara Taylor； wife of the leading young lawyer of the village；
and； strangely enough； Mina Heinzman； the sixteen…year…old daughter
of old Heinzman； the lumberman。 Nothing was more indicative of the
absolute divorce of business and social life than the unbroken
evenness of Carroll's friendship for the younger girl。 Though later
the old German and Orde locked in serious struggle on the river；
they continued to meet socially quite as usual； and the daughter of
one and the wife of the other never suspected anything out of the
ordinary。 This impersonality of struggle has always been
characteristic of the pioneer business man's good…nature。
Newmark received the news of his partner's sudden marriage without
evincing any surprise； but with a sardonic gleam in one corner of
his eye。 He called promptly； conversed politely for a half hour；
and then took his leave。
〃How do you like him？〃 asked Orde； when he had gone。
〃He looks like a very shrewd man；〃 replied Carroll； picking her
words for fear of saying the wrong thing。
Orde laughed。
〃You don't like him；〃 he stated。
〃I don't dislike him；〃 said Carroll。 〃I've not a thing