the riverman-第18部分
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logs; so he won't have ame his brain cleared of its turmoil of
calculations; of guesses; of estimates; and of men。 He saw clearly
the limited illumination cast downward by the lamp beneath its wide
shade; the graceful; white figure against the shadow of the easy
chair; the oval face cut in half by the lamplight to show plainly
the red lips with the quaint upward quirks at the corners; and dimly
the inscrutabny use for security。 So it's just one way
of beating the devil around the bush。 He evidently wanted to give
us the business; but he hated like the devil to pass up his rules
you know how those old shellbacks are。〃
〃H'm; yes;〃 said Newmark。
The waitress sailed in through a violently kicked swinging door;
bearing aloft a tin tray heaped perilously。 She slanted around a
corner in graceful opposition to the centrifugal; brought the tray
to port on a sort of landing stage by a pillar; and began
energetically to distribute small 〃iron…ware〃 dishes; each
containing a dab of something。 When the clash of arrival had died;
Orde went on:
〃I got into your department a little; too。〃
〃How's that?〃 asked Newmark; spearing a baked potato。 〃Heinzman
said he'd buy some of our stock。 He seems to think we have a pretty
good show。〃
Newmark paused; his potato half…way to his plate。
〃Kind of him;〃 said he after a moment。 〃Did he sign a contract?〃
〃It wasn't made out;〃 Orde reminded him。 〃I've the memoranda here。
We'll make it out to…night。 I am to bring it in Monday。〃
〃I see we're hung up here over Sunday;〃 observed Newmark。 〃No
Sunday trains to Redding。〃
Orde became grave。
〃I know it。 I tried to hurry matters to catch the six o'clock; but
couldn't make it。〃 His round; jolly face fell sombre; as though a
light within had been extinguished。 After a moment the light
returned。 〃Can't be helped;〃 said he philosophically。
They ate hungrily; then drifted out into the office again; where
Orde lit a cigar。
〃Now; let's see your memoranda;〃 said Newmark。
He frowned over the three simple items for some time。
〃It's got me;〃 he confessed at last。
〃What?〃 inquired Orde。
〃What Heinzman is up to。〃
〃What do you mean?〃 asked Orde; turning in his chair with an air of
slow surprise。
〃It all looks queer to me。 He's got something up his sleeve。 Why
should he take a bond with that security from us? If we can't
deliver the logs; our company fails; that makes the stock worthless;
that makes the bond worthlessjust when it is needed。 Of course;
it's as plain as the nose on your face that he thinks the
proposition a good one and is trying to get control。〃
〃Oh; no!〃 cried Orde; astounded。
〃Orde; you're all right on the river;〃 said Newmark; with a dry
little laugh; 〃but you're a babe in the woods at this game。〃
〃But Heinzman is honest;〃 cried Orde。 〃Why; he is a church member;
and has a class in Sunday…school。〃
Newmark selected a cigar from his case; examined it from end to end;
finally put it between his lips。 The corners of his mouth were
twitching quietly with amusement。
〃Besides; he is going to buy some stock;〃 added Orde; after a
moment。
〃Heinzman has not the slightest intention of buying a dollar's worth
of stock;〃 asserted Newmark。
〃But why〃
〃Did he make that bluff?〃 finished Newmark。 〃Because he wanted to
find out how much stock would be issued。 You told him it would be a
hundred thousand dollars; didn't you?〃
〃Whyyes; I believe I did;〃 said Orde; pondering。 Newmark threw
back his head and laughed noiselessly。
〃So now he knows that if we forfeit the bond he'll have controlling
interest;〃 he pointed out。
Orde smoked rapidly; his brow troubled。
〃But what I can't make out;〃 reflected Newmark; 〃is why he's so sure
we'll have to forfeit。〃
I think he's just taking a long shot at it;〃 suggested Orde; who
seemed finally to have decided against Newmark's opinion。 〃I
believe you're shying at mare's nests。〃
〃Not he。 He has some good reason for thinking we won't deliver the
logs。 Why does he insist on putting in a date for delivery? None
of the others does。〃
〃I don't know;〃 replied Orde。 〃Just to put some sort of a time
limit on the thing; I suppose。〃
〃You say you surely can get the drive through by then?〃
Orde laughed。
〃Sure? Why; it gives me two weeks' leeway over the worst possible
luck I could have。 You're too almighty suspicious; Joe。〃
Newmark shook his head。
〃You let me figure this out;〃 said he。
But bedtime found him without a solution。 He retired to his room
under fire of Orde's good…natured raillery。 Orde himself shut his
door; the smile still on his lips。 As he began removing his coat;
however; the smile died。 The week had been a busy one。 Hardly had
he exchanged a dozen words with his parents; for he had even been
forced to eat his dinner and supper away from home。 This Sunday he
had promised himself to make his deferred but much…desired call on
Jane Hubbardand her guest。 He turned out the gas with a shrug of
resignation。 For the first tile eyes and the hair with the soft shadows。 With
a
sigh he felt asleep。
Some time in the night he was awakened by a persistent tapping on
the door。 In the woodsman's manner; he was instantly broad awake。
He lit the gas and opened the door to admit Newmark; partially
dressed over his night gown。
〃Orde;〃 said he briefly and without preliminary; 〃didn't you tell me
the other day that rollways were piled both on the banks and IN the
river?〃
〃Yes; sometimes;〃 said Orde。 〃Why?
〃Then they might obstruct the river?〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃I thought so!〃 cried Newmark; with as near an approach to
exultation as he ever permitted himself。 〃Now; just one other
thing: aren't Heinzman's rollways below most of the others?〃
〃Yes; I believe they are;〃 said Orde。
〃And; of course; it was agreed; as usual; that Heinzman was to break
out his own rollways?〃
〃I see;〃 said Orde slowly。 〃You think he intends to delay things
enough so we can't deliver on the date agreed on。〃
〃I know it;〃 stated Newmark positively。
〃But if he refuses to deliver the logs; no court of law will〃
〃Law!〃 cried Newmark。 〃Refuse to deliver! You don't know that
kind。 He won't refuse to deliver。 There'll just be a lot of
inevitable delays; and his foreman will misunderstand; and all that。
You ought to know more about that than I do。〃
Orde nodded; his eye abstracted。
〃It's a child…like scheme;〃 commented Newmark。 〃If I'd had more
knowledge of the business; I'd have seen still above them the marshes and the
flats
where the river widened below the Big Bend。 That would be the
location for the booms of the new companya cheap property on which
the partners had already secured a valuation。 And below he dropped
in imagination with the slackening current until between two greater
sand…hills than the rest the river ran out through the channel made
by two long piers to the lakeblue; restless; immeasurable。 To
right and left stretched the long Michigan coast; with its low
yellow it sooner。〃
〃I'd never have seen it at all;〃 said Orde humbly。 〃You seem to be
the valuable member of this firm; Joe。〃
〃In my way;〃 said Newmark; 〃you in yours。 We ought to make a good
team。〃
XII
Sunday afternoon; Orde; leaving Newmark to devices of his own;
walked slowly up the main street; turned to the right down one of
the shaded side residence streets that ended finally in a beautiful
glistening sand…hill。 Up this he toiled slowly; starting at every
step avalanches and streams down the slope。 Shortly he found
himself on the summit; and paused for a breath of air from the lake。
He was just above the tops of the maples; which seen from this angle
stretched away like a forest through which occasionally thrust roofs
and spires。 Some distance beyond a number of taller buildings and
the red of bricks were visible。 Beyond them still were other sand…
hills; planted raggedly with wind…twisted and stunted trees。 But
between the brick buildings and these sand…hills flowed the river
wide; deep; and stillbordered by the steamboat landings on the
town side and by fishermen's huts and net…racks and small boats on
the other。 Orde seated himself on the smooth; clean sand and
removed his hat。 He saw these things; and in imagination the far
upper stretches of the river; with the mills and yards and booms
extending for miles; andhills topped with the green of twisted pines; firs; and
beeches; with always its beach of sand; deep and dry to the very
edge of its tideless sea; strewn with sawlogs; bark; and the ancient
remains of ships。
After he had cooled he arose and made his way back to a pleasant
hardwood forest of maple and beech。 Here the leaves were just
bursting from their buds。 Underfoot the early spring flowersthe
hepaticas; the anemones; the trilium; the dog…tooth violets; the
quaint; early; bright…green undergrowthswere just reaching their
perfection。 Migration was in full tide。 Birds; little and big;
flashed into view and out again; busy in the mystery of their
northward pilgrimage; giving the appearance of secret and silent
furtiveness; yet each uttering his characteristic call from time to
time; as though for a signal to others of the host。 The woods were
swarming as city streets; yet to Orde these little creatures were as
though invisible。 He stood in the middle of a great multitude; he
felt himself under the observation of many bright eyes; he heard the
murmuring and twittering that proclaimed a throng; he sensed an
onward movement that flowed slowly but steadily toward the pole;
nevertheless; a flash of wings; a flutte