the riverman- 第39部分

Monrovia。　　The　light　and　diaphanous　silk　of　her　loose　peignoir　

floated　about　her；　defining　the　maturing　grace　of　her　figure。　　

Abruptly　she　struck　a　great　crashing　chord。



Then；　with　an　abandon　of　ecstasy　she　plunged　into　one　of　those　wild　

and　sea…blown　saga…like　rhapsodies　of　the　Hungarians；　full　of　the　

wind　in　rigging；　the　storm　in　the　pines；　of　shrieking；　vast　forces　

hurtling　unchained　through　a　resounding　and　infinite　space；　as　

though　deep　down　in　primeval　nature　the　powers　of　the　world　had　been　

loosed。　　Back　and　forth；　here　and　there；　erratic　and　swift　and　

sudden　as　lightning　the　theme　played　breathless。　　It　fell。



〃What　is　that？〃　gasped　Orde；　surprised　to　find　himself　tense；　his　

blood　rioting；　his　soul　stirred。



She　ran　to　him　to　hide　her　face　in　his　neck。



〃Oh；　it's　you；　you；　you！〃　she　cried。



He　held　her　to　him　closely　until　her　excitement　had　died。



〃Do　you　think　it　is　good　to　get　quite　so　nervous；　sweetheart？〃　he　

asked　gently；　then。　　〃Remember〃



〃Oh；　I　do；　I　do！〃　she　broke　in　earnestly。　　〃Every　moment　of　my　

waking　and　sleeping　hours　I　remember　him。　　Always　I　keep　his　little　

soul　before　me　as　a　light　on　a　shrine。　　But　to…nightoh！　to…night　I　

could　laugh　and　shout　aloud　like　the　people　in　the　Bible；　with　

clapping　of　hands。〃　　She　snuggled　herself　close　to　Orde　with　a　

little　murmur　of　happiness。　　〃I　think　of　all　the　beautiful　things；〃　

she　whispered；　〃and　of　the　noble　things；　and　of　the　great　things。　　

He　is　going　to　be　sturdy；　like　his　father；　a　wonderful　boy；　a　boy　

all　of　fire〃



〃Like　his　mother；〃　said　Orde。



She　smiled　up　at　him。　　〃I　want　him　just　like　you；　dear；〃　she　

pleaded。







XXVI





Three　days　later　the　jam　of　the　drive　reached　the　dam　at　Redding。　　

Orde　took　Carroll　downtown　in　the　buckboard。　　There　a　seat　by　the　

dam…watcher's　little　house　was　given　her；　back　of　the　brick　factory　

buildings　next　the　power　canal；　whence　for　hours　she　watched　the　

slow　onward　movement　of　the　sullen　brown　timbers；　the　smooth；　

polished…steel　rush　of　the　waters　through　the　chute；　the　graceful　

certain　movements　of　the　rivermen。　　Some　of　the　latter　were　brought　

up　by　Orde　and　introduced。　　They　were　very　awkward；　and　somewhat　

embarrassed；　but　they　all　looked　her　straight　in　the　eye；　and　

Carroll　felt　somehow　that　back　of　their　diffidence　they　were　quite　

dispassionately　appraising　her。　　After　a　few　gracious　speeches　on　

her　part　and　monosyllabic　responses　on　theirs；　they　blundered　away。　　

In　spite　of　the　scant　communication；　these　interviews　left　something　

of　a　friendly　feeling　on　both　sides。



〃I　like　your　Jim　Denning；〃　she　told　Orde；　〃he's　a　nice；　clean…cut　

fellow。　　And　Mr。　Bourke；〃　she　laughed。　　〃Isn't　he　funny　with　his　

fierce　red　beard　and　his　little　eyes？　　But　he　simply　adores　you。〃



Orde　laughed　at　the　idea　of　the　Rough　Red's　adoring　anybody。



〃It's　so；〃　she　insisted；　〃and　I　like　him　for　itonly　I　wish　he　were　

a　little　cleaner。〃



She　thought　the　feats　of　〃log…riding〃　little　less　than　wonderful；　

and　you　may　be　sure　the　knowledge　of　her　presence　did　not　discourage　

spectacular　display。　　Finally；　Johnny　Challan；　uttering　a　loud　

whoop；　leaped　aboard　a　log　and　went　through　the　chute　standing　bolt　

upright。　　By　a　marvel　of　agility；　he　kept　his　balance　through　the　

white…water　below；　and　emerged　finally　into　the　lower　waters　still　

proudly　upright；　and　dry　above　the　knees。



Carroll　had　arisen；　the　better　to　see。



〃Why；〃　she　cried　aloud；　〃it's　marvellous！　　Circus　riding　is　nothing　

to　it！〃



〃No；　ma'am；〃　replied　a　gigantic　riverman　who　was　working　near　at　

hand；　〃that　ain't　nothin'。　　Ordinary；　however；　we　travel　that　way　on　

the　river。　　At　night　we　have　the　cookee　pass　us　out　each　a　goose…

ha'r　piller；　and　lay　down　for　the　night。〃



Carroll　looked　at　him　in　reproof。　　He　grinned　slowly。



〃Don't　git　worried　about　me；　ma'am；〃　said　he；　〃I'm　hopeless。　　For　

twenty　year　now　I　been　wearin'　crape　on　my　hat　in　memory　of　my　

departed　virtues。〃



After　the　rear　had　dropped　down　river　from　Redding；　Carroll　and　Orde　

returned　to　their　deserted　little　box　of　a　house　at　Monrovia。



Orde　breathed　deep　of　a　new　satisfaction　in　walking　again　the　

streets　of　this　little　sandy；　sawdust…paved；　shantyfied　town；　with　

its　yellow　hills　and　its　wide　blue　river　and　its　glimpse　of　the　lake　

far　in　the　offing。　　It　had　never　meant　anything　to　him　before。　　Now　

he　enjoyed　every　brick　and　board　of　it；　he　trod　the　broken；　aromatic　

shingles　of　the　roadway　with　pleasure；　he　tramped　up　the　broad　

stairs　and　down　the　dark　hall　of　the　block　with　anticipation；　he　

breathed　the　compounded　office　odour　of　ledgers；　cocoa　matting；　and　

old　cigar　smoke　in　a　long；　reminiscent　whiff；　he　took　his　seat　at　

his　roll…top　desk；　enchanted　to　be　again　in　these　homely　though　

familiar　surroundings。



〃Hanged　if　I　know　what's　struck　me；〃　he　mused。　　〃Never　experienced　

any　remarkable　joy　before　in　getting　back　to　this　sort　of　truck。〃



Then；　with　a　warm　glow　at　the　heart；　the　realisation　was　brought　to　

him。　　This　was　home；　and　over　yonder；　under　the　shadow　of　the　

heaven…pointing　spire；　a　slip　of　a　girl　was　waiting　for　him。



He　tried　to　tell　her　this　when　next　he　saw　her。



〃I　felt　that　I　ought　to　make　you　a　little　shrine；　and　burn　candles　

to　you；　the　way　the　Catholics　do〃



〃To　the　Mater　Dolorosa？〃　she　mocked。



He　looked　at　her　dark　eyes　so　full　of　the　sweetness　of　content；　at　

her　sensitive　lips　with　the　quaintly　upturned　corners；　and　he　

thouht　of　what　her　home　life　had　been　and　of　the　real　sorrow　that　

even　yet　must　smoulder　somewhere　down　in　the　deeps　of　her　being。



〃No；〃　said　he　slowly；　〃not　that。　　I　think　my　shrine　will　be　

dedicated　to　Our　Lady　of　the　Joyous　Soul。〃



The　rest　of　the　week　Orde　was　absent　up　the　river；　superintending　in　

a　general　way　the　latter　progress　of　the　drive；　looking　into　the　

needs　of　the　crews；　arranging　for　supplies。　　The　mills　were　all　

working　now；　busily　cutting　into　the　residue　of　last　season's　logs。　　

Soon　they　would　need　more。



At　the　booms　everything　was　in　readiness　to　receive　the　jam。　　The　

long　swing　arm　slanting　across　the　river　channel　was　attached　to　its　

winch　which　would　operate　it。　　When　shut　it　would　close　the　main　

channel　and　shunt　into　the　booms　the　logs　floating　in　the　river。　　

There；　penned　at　last　by　the　piles　driven　in　a　row　and　held　together　

at　the　top　by　bolted　timbers；　they　would　lie　quiet。　　Men　armed　with　

pike…poles　would　then　take　up　the　work　of　distribution　according　to　

the　brands　stamped　on　the　ends。　　Each　brand　had　its　own　separate　

〃sorting　pens；〃　the　lower　end　leading　again　into　the　open　river。　　

From　these　each　owner's　property　was　rafted　and　towed　to　his　private　

booms　at　his　mill　below。



Orde　spent　the　day　before　the　jam　appeared　in　constructing　what　he　

called　a　〃boomerang。〃



〃Invention　of　my　own；〃　he　explained　to　Newmark。　　Secret　invention　

just　yet。　　I'm　going　to　hold　up　the　drive　in　the　main　river　until　we　

have　things　bunched；　then　I'm　going　to　throw　a　big　crew　down　here　by　

the　swing。　　Heinzman　anticipates；　of　course；　that　I'll　run　the　

entire　drive　into　the　booms　and　do　all　my　sorting　there。　　Naturally；　

if　I　turn　his　logs　loose　into　the　river　as　fast　as　I　run　across　

them；　he　will　be　able　to　pick　them　up　one　at　a　time；　for　he'll　only　

get　them　occasionally。　　If　I　keep　them　until　everything　else　is　

sorted；　only　Heinzman's　logs　will　remain；　and　as　we　have　no　right　to　

hold　logs；　we'll　have　to　turn　them　loose　through　the　lower　sorting　

booms；　where　he　can　be　ready　to　raft　them。　　In　that　way　he　gets　them　

all　right　without　paying　us　a　cent。　　See？〃



〃Yes；　I　see；〃　said　Newmark。



〃Well；〃　said　Orde；　with　a　laugh；　〃here　is　where　I　fool　him。　　I'm　

going　to　rush　the　drive　into　the　booms　all　at　once；　but　I'm　going　to　

sort　out　Heinzman's　logs　at　these　openings　near　the　entrance　and　

turn　them　into　the　main　channel。〃



〃What　good　will　that　do？〃　asked　Newmark　sceptically。　　〃He　gets　them　

sorted　just　the　same；　doesn't　he？〃



〃The　current's　fairly　strong；〃　Orde　pointed　out；　〃and　the　river's　

almighty　wide。　　When　you　spring　seven　or　eight　million　feet　on　a　

man；　all　at　once　and　unexpected；　and　he　with　no　crew　to　handle　them；　

he's　going　to　keep　almighty　busy。　　And　if　he　don't　stop　them　this　

side　his　mill；　he'll　have　to　raft　and　tow　them　back；　and　if　he　don't　

stop　'em　this　side　the　lake；　he　may　as　well　kiss　them　all　good　bye

except　those　that　drift　into　the　bayous　and　inlets　and　marshes；　and　

other　ungodly　places。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Newmark　drily。



〃But　don't　say　a　word　anywhere；〃　warned　Orde。　　〃Secrecy　is　the　

watchword　of　success　with　this　merry　little　joke。〃



The　boomerang　worked　like　a　charm。　　The　men　had　been　grumbling　at　an　

apparently　peaceful　yielding　of　the　point　at　issue；　and　would　have　

sacked　out　many　of　the　blazed　logs　if　Orde　had　not　held　them　rigidly　

to　it。　　Now　their　spirits　flamed　into　joy　again。　　The　sorting　went　

like　clockwork。　　Orde；　in　personal　charge；　watched　that　through　the　

different　openings　in　his　〃boomerang〃　the　〃H〃　logs　were　shunted　into　

the　river。　　Shortly　the　channel　was　full　of　logs　floating　merrily　

away　down　the　little　blue　wavelets。　　After　a　while　Orde　handed　over　

his　job　to　Tom　North。



〃Can't　stand　it　any　longer；　boys；〃　said　he。　　〃I've　got　to　go　down　

and　see　how　the　Dutchman　is　making　it。〃



〃Come　back　and　tell　us！〃　yelled　one　of　the　crew。



〃You　bet　I　will！〃　Orde　shouted　back。



He　drove　the　team　and　buckboard　down　the　marsh　road　to　Heinzman's　

mill。　　There　he　found　evidences　of　the　wildest　excitement。　　The　mill　

had　been　closed　down；　and　all　the　men　turned　in　to　rescue　logs。　　

Boats　plied　in　all　directions。　　A　tug　darted　back　and　forth。　　

Constantly　the　number　of　floating　logs　augmented；　however。　　Many　had　

already　gone　by。



〃If　you　think　you're　busy　now；〃　said　Orde　t