rudder grange-第12部分

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rushed　into　the　yard　and　was　greeted　with　a　succession　of　screams
from　two　voices；　that　seemed　to　come　from　the　vicinity　of　the　wood…
shed。　　Hurrying　thither；　I　perceived　Euphemia　standing　on　the　roof
of　the　shed　in　perilous　proximity　to　the　edge；　while　near　the　ridge
of　the　roof　sat　our　hired　girl　with　her　handkerchief　over　her　head。

〃Hurry；　hurry！〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃Climb　up　here！　　The　dog　is　loose！
Be　quick！　　Be　quick！　　Oh！　he's　coming；　he's　coming！〃

I　asked　for　no　explanation。　　There　was　a　rail…fence　by　the　side　of
the　shed　and　I　sprang　on　this；　and　was　on　the　roof　just　as　the　dog
came　bounding　and　barking　from　the　barn。

Instantly　Euphemia　had　me　in　her　arms；　and　we　came　very　near　going
off　the　roof　together。

〃I　never　feared　to　have　you　come　home　before；〃　she　sobbed。　　〃I
thought　he　would　tear　you　limb　from　limb。〃

〃But　how　did　all　this　happen？〃　said　I。

〃Och！　I　kin　hardly　remember；〃　said　the　girl　from　under　her
handkerchief。

〃Well；　I　didn't　ask　you；〃　I　said；　somewhat　too　sharply。

〃Oh；　I'll　tell　you；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃There　was　a　man　at　the　gate
and　he　looked　suspicious　and　didn't　try　to　come　in；　and　Mary　was　at
the　barn　looking　for　an　egg；　and　I　thought　this　was　a　good　time　to
see　whether　the　dog　was　a　good　watch…dog　or　not；　so　I　went　and
unchained　him〃

〃Did　you　unchain　that　dog？〃　I　cried。

〃Yes；　and　the　minute　he　was　loose　he　made　a　rush　at　the　gate；　but
the　man　was　gone　before　he　got　there；　and　as　he　ran　down　the　road　I
saw　that　he　was　Mr。　Henderson's　man；　who　was　coming　here　on　an
errand；　I　expect；　and　then　I　went　down　to　the　barn　to　get　Mary　to
come　and　help　me　chain　up　the　dog；　and　when　she　came　out　he　began
to　chase　me　and　then　her；　and　we　were　so　frightened　that　we　climbed
up　here；　and　I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；　how　I　ever　got　up　that　fence；
and　do　you　think　he　can　climb　up　here？〃

〃Oh　no！　my　dear；〃　I　said。

〃An'　he's　just　the　beast　to　go　afther　a　stip…ladder；〃　said　the
girl；　in　muffled　tones。

〃And　what　are　we　to　do？〃　asked　Euphemia。　　〃We　can't　eat　and　sleep
up　here。　　Don't　you　think　that　if　we　were　all　to　shout　out
together；　we　could　make　some　neighbor　hear？〃

〃Oh　yes！〃　I　said；　〃there　is　no　doubt　of　it。　　But　then；　if　a
neighbor　came；　the　dog　would　fall　on　him〃

〃And　tear　him　limb　from　limb；〃　interrupted　Euphemia。

〃Yes；　and　besides；　my　dear；　I　should　hate　to　have　any　of　the
neighbors　come　and　find　us　all　up　here。　　It　would　look　so　utterly
absurd。　　Let　me　try　and　think　of　some　other　plan。〃

〃Well；　please　be　as　quick　as　you　can。　　It's　dreadful　to　bewho's
that？〃

I　looked　up　and　saw　a　female　figure　just　entering　the　yard。

〃Oh；　what　shall　we　do〃　exclaimed　Euphemia。　　〃The　dog　will　get　her。
Call　to　her！〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　I；　〃don't　make　a　noise。　　It　will　only　bring　the　dog。
He　seems　to　have　gone　to　the　barn；　or　somewhere。　　Keep　perfectly
quiet；　and　she　may　go　up　on　the　porch；　and　as　the　front　door　is　not
locked；　she　may　rush　into　the　house；　if　she　sees　him　coming。〃

〃I　do　hope　she　will　do　that；〃　said　Euphemia；　anxiously。

〃And　yet；〃　said　I；　〃it's　not　pleasant　to　have　strangers　going　into
the　house　when　there's　no　one　there。〃

〃But　it's　better　than　seeing　a　stranger　torn　to　pieces　before　your
eyes；〃　said　Euphemia。

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　〃it　is。　　Don't　you　think　we　might　get　down　now？
The　dog　isn't　here。〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃There　he　is　now；　coming　this　way。　　And
look　at　that　woman！　　She　is　coming　right　to　this　shed。〃

Sure　enough；　our　visitor　had　passed　by　the　front　door；　and　was
walking　toward　us。　　Evidently　she　had　heard　our　voices。

〃Don't　come　here！〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃You'll　be　killed！　　Run！　run！
The　dog　is　coming！　　Why；　mercy　on　us！　　It's　Pomona！〃



CHAPTER　VIII。

POMONA　ONCE　MORE。


Sure　enough；　it　was　Pomona。　　There　stood　our　old　servant…girl；　of
the　canal…boat；　with　a　crooked　straw　bonnet　on　her　head；　a　faded
yellow　parasol　in　her　hand；　a　parcel　done　up　in　newspaper　under　her
arm；　and　an　expression　of　astonishment　on　her　face。

〃Well；　truly！〃　she　ejaculated。

〃Into　the　house；　quick！〃　I　said。　　〃We　have　a　savage　dog！〃

〃And　here　he　is！〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃Oh！　she　will　be　torn　to　atoms。〃

Straight　at　Pomona　came　the　great　black　beast；　barking　furiously。
But　the　girl　did　not　move；　she　did　not　even　turn　her　head　to　look
at　the　dog；　who　stopped　before　he　reached　her　and　began　to　rush
wildly　around　her；　barking　terribly。

We　held　our　breath。　　I　tried　to　say　〃get　out！〃　or　〃lie　down！〃　but
my　tongue　could　not　form　the　words。

〃Can't　you　get　up　here？〃　gasped　Euphemia。

〃I　don't　want　to；〃　said　the　girl。

The　dog　now　stopped　barking；　and　stood　looking　at　Pomona；
occasionally　glancing　up　at　us。　　Pomona　took　not　the　slightest
notice　of　him。

〃Do　you　know；　ma'am；〃　said　she　to　Euphemia；　〃that　if　I　had　come
here　yesterday；　that　dog　would　have　had　my　life's　blood。〃

〃And　why　don't　he　have　it　to…day？〃　said　Euphemia；　who；　with　myself；
was　utterly　amazed　at　the　behavior　of　the　dog。

〃Because　I　know　more　to…day　than　I　did　yesterday；〃　answered　Pomona。
〃It　is　only　this　afternoon　that　I　read　something；　as　I　was　coming
here　on　the　cars。　　This　is　it；〃　she　continued；　unwrapping　her　paper
parcel；　and　taking　from　it　one　of　the　two　books　it　contained。　　〃I
finished　this　part　just　as　the　cars　stopped；　and　I　put　my　scissors
in　the　place；　I'll　read　it　to　you。〃

Standing　there　with　one　book　still　under　her　arm；　the　newspaper
half　unwrapped　from　it；　hanging　down　and　flapping　in　the　breeze；
she　opened　the　other　volume　at　the　scissors…place；　turned　back　a
page　or　two；　and　began　to　read　as　follows：


〃Lord　Edward　slowly　san…ter…ed　up　the　bro…ad　anc…es…tral　walk；　when
sudden…ly　from　out　a　cop…se；　there　sprang　a　fur…i…ous　hound。　　The
marsh…man；　con…ce…al…ed　in　a　tree　expected　to　see　the　life's　blood
of　the　young　nob…le…man　stain　the　path。　　But　no；　Lord　Edward　did
not　stop　nor　turn　his　head。　　With　a　smile；　he　strode　stead…i…ly　on。
Well　he　knew　that　if　by　be…traying　no　em…otion；　he　could　show　the
dog　that　he　was　walking　where　he　had　a　right；　the　bru…te　would　re…
cog…nize　that　right　and　let　him　pass　un…sca…thed。　　Thus　in　this
moment　of　peril　his　nob…le　courage　saved　him。　　The　hound；　abashed；
returned　to　his　cov…ert；　and　Lord　Edward　pass…ed　on。

〃Foi…led　again；〃　mutter…ed　the　marsh…man。


〃Now；　then；〃　said　Pomona；　closing　the　book；　〃you　see　I　remembered
that；　the　minute　I　saw　the　dog　coming；　and　I　didn't　betray　any
emotion。　　Yesterday；　now；　when　I　didn't　know　it；　I'd　'a　been　sure
to　betray　emotion；　and　he　would　have　had　my　life's　blood。　　Did　he
drive　you　up　there？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Euphemia；　and　she　hastily　explained　the　situation。

〃Then　I　guess　I'd　better　chain　him　up；〃　remarked　Pomona；　and
advancing　to　the　dog　she　took　him　boldly　by　the　collar　and　pulled
him　toward　the　shed。　　The　animal　hung　back　at　first；　but　soon
followed　her；　and　she　chained　him　up　securely。

〃Now　you　can　come　down；〃　said　Pomona。

I　assisted　Euphemia　to　the　ground；　and　Pomona　persuaded　the　hired
girl　to　descend。

〃Will　he　grab　me　by　the　leg？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃No；　get　down；　gump；〃　said　Pomona；　and　down　she　scrambled。

We　took　Pomona　into　the　house　with　us　and　asked　her　news　of
herself。

〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃there　ain't　much　to　tell。　　I　staid　awhile　at　the
institution；　but　I　didn't　get　much　good　there；　only　I　learned　to
read　to　myself；　because　if　I　read　out　loud　they　came　and　took　the
book　away。　　Then　I　left　there　and　went　to　live　out；　but　the　woman
was　awful　mean。　　She　throwed　away　one　of　my　books　and　I　was　only
half　through　it。　　It　was　a　real　good　book；　named　'The　Bridal
Corpse；　or　Montregor's　Curse；'　and　I　had　to　pay　for　it　at　the
circulatin'　library。　　So　I　left　her　quick　enough；　and　then　I　went
on　the　stage。〃

〃On　the　stage！〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃What　did　you　do　on　the　stage？〃

〃Scrub；〃　replied　Pomona。　　〃You　see　that　I　thought　if　I　could　get
anything　to　do　at　the　theayter；　I　could　work　my　way　up；　so　I　was
glad　to　get　scrubbin'。　　I　asked　the　prompter；　one　morning；　if　he
thought　there　was　a　chance　for　me　to　work　up；　and　he　said　yes；　I
might　scrub　the　galleries；　and　then　I　told　him　that　I　didn't　want
none　of　his　lip；　and　I　pretty　soon　left　that　place。　　I　heard　you
was　akeepin'　house　out　here；　and　so　I　thought　I'd　come　along　and
see　you；　and　if　you　hadn't　no　girl　I'd　like　to　live　with　you　again；
and　I　guess　you　might　as　well　take　me；　for　that　other　girl　said；
when　she　got　down　from　the　shed；　that　she　was　goin'　away　to…morrow；
she　wouldn't　stay　in　no　house　where　they　kept　such　a　dog；　though　I
told　her　I　guessed　he　was　only　cuttin'　'round　because　he　was　so
glad　to　get　loose。〃

〃Cutting　around！〃　exclaimed　Euphemia。　　〃It　was　nothing　of　the　kind。
If　you　had　seen　him　you　would　have　known　better。　　But　did　you　come
now　to　stay？　　Where　are　your　things？〃

〃On　me；〃　replied　Pomona。

When　Euphemia　found　that　the　Irish　girl　really　intended　to　leave；
we　consulted　together　and　concluded　to　engage　Pomona；　and　I　went　so
far　as　to　agree　to　carry　her　books　to　and　from　the　circulating
library　to　which　she　subscribed；　hoping　thereby　to　be　able　to
exercise　some　influence　on　her　taste。　　And　thus　part　of　the　old
family　of　Rudder　Grange　had　come　together　again。　　True；　the　boarder
was　away；　but；　as　Pomona　remarked；　when　she　heard　about　him；　〃You
couldn't　always　expect　to　ever　regain　the　ties　that　had　always
bound　everybody。〃

Our　delight　and　interest　in　our　little　farm　increased　day　by　day。
In　a　week　or　two　after　Pomona's　arrival　I　bought　a　cow。　　Euphemia
was　very　anxious　to　have　an　Alderney；they　were　such　gentle；
beautiful　creatures；but　I　could　not　afford　such　a　luxury。　　I
might　possibly　compass　an　Alderney　calf；　but　we　would　have　to　wait
a　couple　of　years　for　our　milk；　and　Euphemia　said　it　would　be
better　to　have　a　common　cow　than　to　do　that。

Great　was　our　inward　satisfaction　when　the　cow；　our　OWN　cow；　walked
slowly　and　solemnly　into　our　yard　and　began　to　crop　the　clover　on
our　little　lawn。　　Pomona　and　I　gently　drove　her　to　the　barn；　while
Euphemia　endeavored　to　quiet　the　violent　demonstrations　of　the　dog
（fortunately　chained）　by　assuring　him　that　this　was　OUR　cow　and
that　she　was　to　live　here；　and　that　he　was　to　take　care　of　her　and
never　bark　at　her。　　All　this　and　much　more；　delivered　in