rudder grange-第17部分

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〃You　had　better　wait　until　I　begin　to　pop；〃　said　I；　〃before　you
make　such　a　fuss　about　it。〃

〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I'd　rather　make　the　fuss　before　you　begin。　　My
horse　is　skittish；〃　and　he　drove　off。

This　man　annoyed　me；　but　as　I　did　not；　of　course；　wish　to　frighten
horses；　I　left　the　road　and　made　my　way　back　to　the　tent　over　some
very　rough　fields。　　It　was　a　poor　day　for　birds；　and　I　did　not　get
a　shot。

〃What　a　foolish　man！〃　said　Euphemia；　when　I　told　her　the　above
incident；　〃to　talk　that　way　when　you　stood　there　with　a　gun　in　your
hand。　　You　might　have　raked　his　wagon；　fore　and　aft。〃

That　afternoon；　as　Euphemia　and　I　were　sitting　under　a　tree　by　the
tent；　we　were　very　much　surprised　to　see　Pomona　come　walking　down
the　peninsula。

I　was　annoyed　and　provoked　at　this。　　We　had　given　Pomona　positive
orders　not　to　leave　the　place；　under　any　pretense；　while　we　were
gone。　　If　necessary　to　send　for　anything；　she　could　go　to　the
fence；　back　of　the　barn；　and　scream　across　a　small　field　to　some　of
the　numerous　members　of　old　John's　family。　　Under　this　arrangement；
I　felt　that　the　house　was　perfectly　safe。

Before　she　could　reach　us；　I　called　out：

〃Why　did　you　leave　the　house；　Pomona？　　Don't　you　know　you　should
never　come　away　and　leave　the　house　empty？　　I　thought　I　had　made
you　understand　that。〃

〃It　isn't　empty；〃　said　Pomona；　in　an　entirely　unruffled　tone。
〃Your　old　boarder　is　there；　with　his　wife　and　child。〃

Euphemia　and　I　looked　at　each　other　in　dismay。

〃They　came　early　this　afternoon；〃　continued　Pomona；　〃by　the　1：14
train；　and　walked　up；　he　carrying　the　child。〃

〃It　can't　be；〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃Their　child's　married。〃

〃It　must　have　married　very　young；　then；〃　said　Pomona；　〃for　it　isn't
over　four　years　old　now。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Euphemia；　〃I　know！　　It's　his　grandchild。〃

〃Grandchild！〃　repeated　Pomona；　with　her　countenance　more　expressive
of　emotion　than　I　had　ever　yet　seen　it。

〃Yes；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃but　how　long　are　they　going　to　stay？　　Where
did　you　tell　them　we　were？〃

〃They　didn't　say　how　long　they　was　goin'　to　stay；〃　answered　Pomona。
〃I　told　them　you　had　gone　to　be　with　some　friends　in　the　country；
and　that　I　didn't　know　whether　you'd　be　home　to…night　or　not。〃

〃How　could　you　tell　them　such　a　falsehood？〃　cried　Euphemia。

〃That　was　no　falsehood；〃　said　Pomona；　〃it　was　true　as　truth。　　If
you're　not　your　own　friends；　I　don't　know　who　is。　　And　I　wasn't　a…
goin'　to　tell　the　boarder　where　you　was　till　I　found　out　whether
you　wanted　me　to　do　it　or　not。　　And　so　I　left　'em　and　run　over　to
old　John's；　and　then　down　here。〃

It　was　impossible　to　find　fault　with　the　excellent　management　of
Pomona。

〃What　were　they　doing？〃　asked　Euphemia。

〃I　opened　the　parlor；　and　she　was　in　there　with　the　child；putting
it　to　sleep　on　the　sofa；　I　think。　　The　boarder　was　out　in　the　yard；
tryin'　to　teach　Lord　Edward　some　tricks。〃

〃He　had　better　look　out！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Oh；　the　dog's　chained　and　growlin'　fearful！　　What　am　I　to　do　with
'em？〃

This　was　a　difficult　point　to　decide。　　If　we　went　to　see　them；　we
might　as　well　break　up　our　camp；　for　we　could　not　tell　when　we
should　be　able　to　come　back　to　it。

We　discussed　the　matter　very　anxiously；　and　finally　concluded　that
under　the　circumstances；　and　considering　what　Pomona　had　said　about
our　whereabouts；　it　would　be　well　for　us　to　stay　where　we　were　and
for　Pomona　to　take　charge　of　the　visitors。　　If　they　returned　to　the
city　that　evening；　she　was　to　give　them　a　good　supper　before　they
went；　sending　John　to　the　store　for　what　was　needed。　　If　they
stayed　all　night；　she　could　get　breakfast　for　them。

〃We　can　write；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃and　invite　them　to　come　and　spend
some　days　with　us；　when　we　are　at　home　and　everything　is　all　right。
I　want　dreadfully　to　see　that　child；　but　I　don't　see　how　I　can　do
it　now。〃

〃No；〃　said　I。　　〃They're　sure　to　stay　all　night　if　we　go　up　to　the
house；　and　then　I　should　have　to　have　the　tent　and　things　hauled
away；　for　I　couldn't　leave　them　here。〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃if　we　were　miles　away；　in　the　woods
of　Maine；　we　couldn't　leave　our　camp　to　see　anybody。　　And　this　is
practically　the　same。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　I；　and　so　Pomona　went　away　to　her　new　charge。



CHAPTER　XI。

THE　BOARDER'S　VISIT。


For　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；　and　indeed　far　into　the　night；　our
conversation　consisted　almost　entirely　of　conjectures　regarding　the
probable　condition　of　things　at　the　house。　　We　both　thought　we　had
done　right；　but　we　felt　badly　about　it。　　It　was　not　hospitable；　to
be　sure；　but　then　I　should　have　no　other　holiday　until　next　year；
and　our　friends　could　come　at　any　time　to　see　us。

The　next　morning　old　John　brought　a　note　from　Pomona。　　It　was
written　with　pencil　on　a　small　piece　of　paper　torn　from　the　margin
of　a　newspaper；　and　contained　the　words；　〃Here　yit。〃

〃So　you've　got　company；〃　said　old　John；　with　a　smile。　　〃That's　a
queer　gal　of　yourn。　　She　says　I　mustn't　tell　'em　you're　here。　　As
if　I'd　tell　'em！〃

We　knew　well　enough　that　old　John　was　not　at　all　likely　to　do
anything　that　would　cut　off　the　nice　little　revenue　he　was　making
out　of　our　camp；　and　so　we　felt　no　concern　on　that　score。

But　we　were　very　anxious　for　further　news；　and　we　told　old　John　to
go　to　the　house　about　ten　o'clock　and　ask　Pomona　to　send　us　another
note。

We　waited；　in　a　very　disturbed　condition　of　mind；　until　nearly
eleven　o'clock；　when　old　John　came　with　a　verbal　message　from
Pomona：

〃She　says　she's　a…comin'　herself　as　soon　as　she　can　get　a　chance　to
slip　off。〃

This　was　not　pleasant　news。　　It　filled　our　minds　with　a　confused
mass　of　probabilities；　and　it　made　us　feel　mean。　　How　contemptible
it　seemed　to　be　a　party　to　this　concealment　and　in　league　with　a
servant…girl　who　has　to　〃slip　off！〃

Before　long；　Pomona　appeared；　quite　out　of　breath。

〃In　all　my　life；〃　said　she；　〃I　never　see　people　like　them　two。　　I
thought　I　was　never　goin'　to　get　away。〃

〃Are　they　there　yet？〃　cried　Euphemia。

〃How　long　are　they　going　to　stay？〃

〃Dear　knows！〃　replied　Pomona。　　〃Their　valise　came　up　by　express
last　night。〃

〃Oh；　we'll　have　to　go　up　to　the　house；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃It　won't
do　to　stay　away　any　longer。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Pomona；　fanning　herself　with　her　apron；　〃if　you　know'd
all　I　know；　I　don't　think　you'd　think　so。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Euphemia。

〃Well；　ma'am；　they've　just　settled　down　and　taken　possession　of　the
whole　place。　　He　says　to　me　that　he　know'd　you'd　both　want　them　to
make　themselves　at　home；　just　as　if　you　was　there；　and　they　thought
they'd　better　do　it。　　He　asked　me　did　I　think　you　would　be　home　by
Monday；　and　I　said　I　didn't　know；　but　I　guessed　you　would。　　So　says
he　to　his　wife；　'Won't　that　be　a　jolly　lark？　　We'll　just　keep　house
for　them　here　till　they　come。　　And　he　says　he　would　go　down　to　the
store　and　order　some　things；　if　there　wasn't　enough　in　the　house；
and　he　asked　her　to　see　what　would　be　needed；　which　she　did；　and
he's　gone　down　for　'em　now。　　And　she　says　that；　as　it　was　Saturday；
she'd　see　that　the　house　was　all　put　to　rights；　and　after　breakfast
she　set　me　to　sweepin'；　and　it's　only　by　way　of　her　dustin'　the
parlor　and　givin'　me　the　little　girl　to　take　for　a　walk　that　I　got
off　at　all。〃

〃But　what　have　you　done　with　the　child？〃　exclaimed　Euphemia。

〃Oh；　I　left　her　at　old　Johnses。〃

〃And　so　you　think　they're　pleased　with　having　the　house　to
themselves？〃　I　said。

〃Pleased；　sir？〃　replied　Pomona；　〃they're　tickled　to　death。〃

〃But　how　do　you　like　having　strangers　telling　you　what　to　do？〃
asked　Euphemia。

〃Oh；　well；〃　said　Pomona；　〃he's　no　stranger；　and　she's　real
pleasant；　and　if　it　gives　you　a　good　camp　out；　I　don't　mind。〃

Euphemia　and　I　looked　at　each　other。　　Here　was　true　allegiance。　　We
would　remember　this。

Pomona　now　hurried　off；　and　we　seriously　discussed　the　matter；　and
soon　came　to　the　conclusion　that　while　it　might　be　the　truest
hospitality　to　let　our　friends　stay　at　our　house　for　a　day　or　two
and　enjoy　themselves；　still　it　would　not　do　for　us　to　allow
ourselves　to　be　governed　by　a　too　delicate　sentimentality。　　We　must
go　home　and　act　our　part　of　host　and　hostess。

Mrs。　Old　John　had　been　at　the　camp　ever　since　breakfast…time；
giving　the　place　a　Saturday　cleaning。　　What　she　had　found　to　occupy
her　for　so　long　a　time　I　could　not　imagine；　but　in　her　efforts　to
put　in　a　full　half…day's　work；　I　have　no　doubt　she　scrubbed　some　of
the　trees。　　We　had　been　so　fully　occupied　with　our　own　affairs　that
we　had　paid　very　little　attention　to　her；　but　she　had　probably
heard　pretty　much　all　that　had　been　said。

At　noon　we　paid　her　（giving　her；　at　her　suggestion；　something　extra
in　lieu　of　the　midday　meal；　which　she　did　not　stay　to　take）；　and
told　her　to　send　her　husband；　with　his　wagon；　as　soon　as　possible；
as　we　intended　to　break　up　our　encampment。　　We　determined　that　we
would　pack　everything　in　John's　wagon；　and　let　him　take　the　load　to
his　house；　and　keep　it　there　until　Monday；　when　I　would　have　the
tent　and　accompaniments　expressed　to　their　owner。　　We　would　go　home
and　join　our　friends。　　It　would　not　be　necessary　to　say　where　we
had　been。

It　was　hard　for　us　to　break　up　our　camp。　　In　many　respects　we　had
enjoyed　the　novel　experience；　and　we　had　fully　expected；　during　the
next　week；　to　make　up　for　all　our　short…comings　and　mistakes。　　It
seemed　like　losing　all　our　labor　and　expenditure；　to　break　up　now；
but　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　Our　place　was　at　home。

We　did　not　wish　to　invite　our　friends　to　the　camp。　　They　would
certainly　have　come　had　they　known　we　were　there；　but　we　had　no
accommodations　for　them；　neither　had　we　any　desire　for　even
transient　visitors。　　Besides；　we　both　thought　that　we　would　prefer
that　our　ex…boarder　and　his　wife　should　not　know　that　we　were
encamped　on　that　little　peninsula。

We　set　to　work　to　pack　up　and　get　ready　for　moving；　but　the
afternoon　passed　away　without　bringing　old　John。　　Between　five　and
six　o'clock　along　came　his　oldest　boy；　with　a　bucket　of　water。

〃I'm　to　go　back　after　the　milk；〃　he　said。

〃Hold　up！〃　I　cried。　　〃Where　is　your　father　and　his　wagon？　　We've
been　waiting　for　him　for　hours。〃

〃The　horse　is　si　　I　mean　he's　gone　to　Ballville　for