The Merry Anne 35
"They might have to. I guess you don't know much about women, Joe."
"I reckon I know more 'n's good for me."
"Then you ought to see she's pretty near done for."
"Estelle? She's bluffing."
"No, she isn't. Not a bit of it. When a woman's worked up and tired out
at the same time, something's likely to break. You were a fool to bring
her, anyhow. I don't know why I let you."
"_You! You_ let me!"
"You said so much about her being strong. Why, she's a child."
"Look here, you've said some things tonight that I don't like."
"Oh, have I? But this isn't getting us along any. The first thing is to
look around here a little more. There are any number of ways they might
have taken without going down the road."
Even McGlory could see the reason in this suggestion. They lighted
matches and prowled about, peering behind trees and bushes, looking
for broken or bent twigs, for any indication of the passage of a human
being. But the heavy growth of trees shut out what light there was
overhead, and neither was skilful enough to direct his search well.
"Find anything, Joe?"
"Not a thing. When it comes to sneaking off, Roche has head enough. It's
the only thing he's good for."
"The more I think of it, Joe, the more I believe they've gone to the
house."
"You're off there."
"No, I'm not. Listen a minute. Supposing they started off in the woods
and tried to dodge the house. Pretty soon Estelle gives out--surer than
New Year's. And it would be pretty soon, too, because the excitement
wouldn't keep her up long. Now what is Roche going to do? He isn't the
man to face out a bad situation like that--never in this world. He'd do
one of two things--he would skip out and leave her, or he would get her
to the house. If he skipped, there isn't one chance in a thousand of our
finding either of them. If he took her to the house, we can get one or
both. We can't stay around here much longer. We'd better try the house,
and if they aren't there, or anywhere about the place, we 'll go on
toward Hewittson."
"You 'll have to go without me, then."
"You think so?"
"I don't leave this place till I see Roche curled up stiff." This was
said as quietly as McGlory could say anything, but it was convincing.
The other looked keenly at him.
Suddenly McGlory, feeling in his pockets, muttered a curse and started
back toward the spot where they had slept.
"What's up? Lost something?"
"None of your business!" McGlory was searching the ground feverishly.
"If you told me what it was, maybe I could help you."
No answer. McGlory's temper was rising again. Finding nothing where he
had lain, he began thrashing about the bushes.
"Unless it's something important, Joe, you're wasting a lot of time."
"Well, say--you--you ain't seen a paper--or anything, have you?"
"A letter?"
"Not exactly. It wasn't in an envelope."
"Oh, you mean this, maybe." With a lighted match in one hand, he drew
a folded paper from his pocket and started to open it. McGlory sprang
forward, recognized it, and tried to snatch it away.
"It ain't necessary to read that. It's private business."
"I have read it."
"You have read it! You've been prying into my affairs, have you?"
"Not at all. I found this on the ground and read it. You must have
written it back there when you kept us waiting. You had no business to
do it. I never saw such a fool as you are." As he spoke, he touched the
match to the paper.
"Here, quit that! Don't you burn that letter!"
"Now, Joe, you didn't think for a minute I'd let you send this, did
you?"
"What right you got--"
"The right of self-preservation. We can't do any letter writing yet
awhile. I 'll help you out with money, but I won't let you do this
sort of thing. Let's start back." He led the way to the road, McGlory
sullenly following; and side by side they stepped out for the farmhouse.
"Beastly sort of a thing to do, Joe,--ask Madge for money to help you
run off with this woman."
"Well, I'd like to know--Ain't she had enough from me--"
"I don't doubt she has stood a good deal from you. What sort of a woman
is she, Joe?"
"Madge? Oh, she's all right."
"Pretty fond of you, isn't she?"
"I guess there ain't much doubt about that."
"I've noticed her a little."
"Oh, you have, have you?"
"Certainly. What else can you expect, skylarking around this way?"
"That's all right. A man's got to have his fling. But when it comes
to--"
"Madge is a fine-looking woman. I don't believe you know how pretty she
is, Joe. If you got her decent clothes, and took her out to the theatre
now and then, so she could keep her spirits up, she would be hard to
beat."
This was a new idea to McGlory. But what he said was, "Seems to me
you've done a lot of thinking about my wife."
"It's your own fault. But look here, do you think such an awful lot of
Estelle?"
"Oh, yes. I've had some fun with her. Of course, she ain't the woman
that Madge is."
"I was wondering a little--" McGlory's companion paused.
"What was you wondering?"
"What you're going to do with Estelle when you find her."
"Do with her? Why--why--"
"You didn't think she'd come right back to you--things the same as they
was before--did you?"
"Why--"
"Did she know you had a wife?"
"Well, no,--she didn't know that."
"But she does now. She has read the letter."
McGlory had not thought of this.
"Estelle isn't altogether a fool, you know. Not so bad as Roche--or
you. If I were you, I'd stick to Madge. If you don't, some better fellow
will."
"Who do you mean now, for instance?"
"Never mind who I mean. I don't think you've seen yet how mussy this
business is. Here Estelle is, like enough, on our hands. Now we can't
leave her behind. She wouldn't come along with you; and even if she
would, she isn't strong enough. If we did leave her here, it simply
means that she would be blabbing out the whole story to the first
goodlooking chap that asked her a few questions."
"But don't you see? I can't let a man insult me like Roche done."
"No, you can't. But if you could fix things so Roche nor nobody could
get her, and still you'd be free to go back to Madge, you wouldn't
object, would you?"
"Why, no--sure not. How do you mean?"
"If you find her there at the house, or in the barn, or anywhere around,
you'd better just--here, your knife ain't much good. Take mine." He
opened his clasp knife--the blade was five inches long--and held it out.
McGlory took it, stood still in his tracks looking at it, and then
raised his eyes to the face of his companion.
"Well--have you got the nerve?"
"Have I got the nerve!" McGlory laughed out loud, and thrust the open
knife into his belt, at the side, under his coat.
"I wouldn't use a gun unless I had to." He paused, laid his hand on
McGlory's arm, and dropped his voice. "Look there! There's a light in
the window."McGlory swelled with rage. "I 'll put a stop to this!"
댓글 없음:
댓글 쓰기