rudder grange-第29部分

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half…sister；　who　was　divorced　from　Brown；　and　a　man　named　Ramsey；
who　had　put　up　a　new　over…shot　wheel　to　the　grist…mill。〃

〃Oh　my！〃　exclaimed　Euphemia。　　〃How　could　you　remember　all　that？〃

〃I　heard　it　so　often；　I　couldn't　help　remembering　it；〃　replied
Pomona。　　And　she　went　on　with　her　narrative。

〃That　case　wasn't　a　easy　one　to　understand；　as　you　may　see　for
yourselves；　and　it　didn't　get　finished　that　day。　　They　argyed　over
it　a　full　week。　　When　there　wasn't　no　more　witnesses　to　carve　up；
one　lawyer　made　a　speech；　an'　he　set　that　crooked　case　so　straight；
that　you　could　see　through　it　from　the　over…shot　wheel　clean　back
to　Brown's　grandfather。　　Then　another　feller　made　a　speech；　and　he
set　the　whole　thing　up　another　way。　　It　was　jus'　as　clear；　to　look
through；　but　it　was　another　case　altogether；　no　more　like　the　other
one　than　a　apple…pie　is　like　a　mug　o'　cider。　　An'　then　they　both
took　it　up；　an'　they　swung　it　around　between　them；　till　it　was　all
twisted　an'　knotted　an'　wound　up；　an'　tangled；　worse　than　a　skein
o'　yarn　in　a　nest　o'　kittens；　an'　then　they　give　it　to　the　jury。

〃Well；　when　them　jurymen　went　out；　there　wasn't　none　of　'em；　as
Jone　tole　me　afterward；　as　knew　whether　is　was　Brown　or　Adams　as
was　dead；　or　whether　the　mill　was　to　grind　soup；　or　to　be　run　by
soup…power。　　Of　course　they　couldn't　agree；　three　of　'em　wanted　to
give　a　verdict　for　the　boy　that　died；　two　of　'em　was　for　Brown's
grandfather；　an'　the　rest　was　scattered；　some　goin'　in　for　damages
to　the　witnesses；　who　ought　to　get　somethin'　for　havin'　their　char…
ac…ters　ruined。　　Jone　he　jus'　held　back；　ready　to　jine　the　other
eleven　as　soon　as　they'd　agree。　　But　they　couldn't　do　it；　an'　they
was　locked　up　three　days　and　four　nights。　　You'd　better　believe　I
got　pretty　wild　about　it；　but　I　come　to　court　every　day　an'　waited
an'　waited；　bringin'　somethin'　to　eat　in　a　baskit。

〃One　day；　at　dinner…time；　I　seed　the　judge　astandin'　at　the　court…
room　door；　a…wipin'　his　forrid　with　a　handkerchief；　an'　I　went　up
to　him　an'　said；　'Do　you　think；　sir；　they'll　get　through　this　thing
soon？'

〃'I　can't　say；　indeed；'　said　he。　　'Are　you　interested　in　the　case？'

〃'I　should　think　I　was；'　said　I；　an'　then　I　told　him　about　Jone's
bein'　a　juryman；　an'　how　we　was　on　our　bridal…trip。

〃'You've　got　my　sympathy；　madam；'　says　he；　'but　it's　a　difficult
case　to　decide；　an'　I　don't　wonder　it　takes　a　good　while。'

〃'Nor　I　nuther；'　says　I；　'an'　my　opinion　about　these　things　is；
that　if　you'd　jus'　have　them　lawyers　shut　up　in　another　room；　an'
make　'em　do　their　talkin'　to　theirselves；　the　jury　could　keep　their
minds　clear；　and　settle　the　cases　in　no　time。'

〃'There's　some　sense　in　that；　madam；'　says　he；　an'　then　he　went
into　court　ag'in。

〃Jone　never　had　no　chance　to　jine　in　with　the　other　fellers；　for
they　couldn't　agree；　an'　they　were　all　discharged；　at　last。　　So　the
whole　thing　went　for　nuthin。

〃When　Jone　come　out；　he　looked　like　he'd　been　drawn　through　a　pump…
log；　an'　he　says　to　me；　tired…like；

〃'Has　there　been　a　frost？'

〃'Yes；'　says　I；　'two　of　'em。'

〃'All　right；　then；'　says　he。　　'I've　had　enough　of　bridal…trips；
with　their　dry　falls；　their　lunatic　asylums；　and　their　jury…boxes。
Let's　go　home　and　settle　down。　　We　needn't　be　afraid；　now　that
there's　been　a　frost。'〃

〃Oh；　why　will　you　live　in　such　a　dreadful　place？〃　cried　Euphemia。
〃You　ought　to　go　somewhere　where　you　needn't　be　afraid　of　chills。〃

〃That's　jus'　what　I　thought；　ma'am；〃　returned　Pomona。　　〃But　Jone
an'　me　got　a　disease…map　of　this　country　an'　we　looked　all　over　it
careful；　an'　wherever　there　wasn't　chills　there　was　somethin'　that
seemed　a　good　deal　wuss　to　us。　　An'　says　Jone；　'If　I'm　to　have
anything　the　matter　with　me；　give　me　somethin'　I'm　used　to。　　It
don't　do　for　a　man　o'　my　time　o'　life　to　go　changin'　his
diseases。'〃

〃So　home　we　went。　　An'　there　we　is　now。　　An'　as　this　is　the　end　of
the　bridal…trip　story；　I'll　go　an'　take　a　look　at　the　cow　an'　the
chickens　an'　the　horse；　if　you　don't　mind。〃

Which　we　didn't；and　we　gladly　went　with　her　over　the　estate。



CHAPTER　XVII。

IN　WHICH　WE　TAKE　A　VACATION　AND　LOOK　FOR　DAVID　DUTTON。


It　was　about　noon　of　a　very　fair　July　day；　in　the　next　summer；　when
Euphemia　and　myself　arrived　at　the　little　town　where　we　were　to
take　the　stage　up　into　the　mountains。　　We　were　off　for　a　two　weeks'
vacation　and　our　minds　were　a　good　deal　easier　than　when　we　went
away　before；　and　left　Pomona　at　the　helm。　　We　had　enlarged　the
boundaries　of　Rudder　Grange；　having　purchased　the　house；　with
enough　adjoining　land　to　make　quite　a　respectable　farm。　　Of　course
I　could　not　attend　to　the　manifold　duties　on　such　a　place；　and　my
wife　seldom　had　a　happier　thought　than　when　she　proposed　that　we
should　invite　Pomona　and　her　husband　to　come　and　live　with　us。
Pomona　was　delighted；　and　Jonas　was　quite　willing　to　run　our　farm。
So　arrangements　were　made；　and　the　young　couple　were　established　in
apartments　in　our　back　building；　and　went　to　work　as　if　taking　care
of　us　and　our　possessions　was　the　ultimate　object　of　their　lives。
Jonas　was　such　a　steady　fellow　that　we　feared　no　trouble　from　tree…
man　or　lightning　rodder　during　this　absence。

Our　destination　was　a　country　tavern　on　the　stage…road；　not　far
from　the　point　where　the　road　crosses　the　ridge　of　the　mountain…
range；　and　about　sixteen　miles　from　the　town。　　We　had　heard　of　this
tavern　from　a　friend　of　ours；　who　had　spent　a　summer　there。　　The
surrounding　country　was　lovely；　and　the　house　was　kept　by　a　farmer；
who　was　a　good　soul；　and　tried　to　make　his　guests　happy。　　These
were　generally　passing　farmers　and　wagoners；　or　stage…passengers；
stopping　for　a　meal；　but　occasionally　a　person　from　the　cities；
like　our　friend；　came　to　spend　a　few　weeks　in　the　mountains。

So　hither　we　came；　for　an　out…of…the…world　spot　like　this　was　just
what　we　wanted。　　When　I　took　our　places　at　the　stage…office；　I
inquired　for　David　Dutton；　the　farmer　tavern…keeper　before
mentioned；　but　the　agent　did　not　know　of　him。

〃However；〃　said　he；　〃the　driver　knows　everybody　on　the　road；　and
he'll　set　you　down　at　the　house。〃

So；　off　we　started；　having　paid　for　our　tickets　on　the　basis　that
we　were　to　ride　about　sixteen　miles。　　We　had　seats　on　top；　and　the
trip；　although　slow；for　the　road　wound　uphill　steadily；was　a
delightful　one。　　Our　way　lay；　for　the　greater　part　of　the　time；
through　the　woods；　but　now　and　then　we　came　to　a　farm；　and　a　turn
in　the　road　often　gave　us　lovely　views　of　the　foot…hills　and　the
valleys　behind　us。

But　the　driver　did　not　know　where　Dutton's　tavern　was。　　This　we
found　out　after　we　had　started。　　Some　persons　might　have　thought　it
wiser　to　settle　this　matter　before　starting；　but　I　am　not　at　all
sure　that　it　would　have　been　so。　　We　were　going　to　this　tavern；　and
did　not　wish　to　go　anywhere　else。　　If　people　did　not　know　where　it
was；　it　would　be　well　for　us　to　go　and　look　for　it。　　We　knew　the
road　that　it　was　on；　and　the　locality　in　which　it　was　to　be　found。

Still；　it　was　somewhat　strange　that　a　stage…driver；　passing　along
the　road　every　week…day；one　day　one　way；　and　the　next　the　other
way；should　not　know　a　public…house　like　Dutton's。

〃If　I　remember　rightly；〃　I　said；　〃the　stage　used　to　stop　there　for
the　passengers　to　take　supper。〃

〃Well；　then；　it　aint　on　this　side　o'　the　ridge；〃　said　the　driver；
〃we　stop　for　supper；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　on　the　other　side；
at　Pete　Lowry's。　　Perhaps　Dutton　used　to　keep　that　place。　　Was　it
called　the　'Ridge　House'？〃

I　did　not　remember　the　name　of　the　house；　but　I　knew　very　well　that
it　was　not　on　the　other　side　of　the　ridge。

〃Then；〃　said　the　driver；　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　where　it　is。　　But
I've　only　been　on　the　road　about　a　year；　and　your　man　may　'a'　moved
away　afore　I　come。　　But　there　aint　no　tavern　this　side　the　ridge；
arter　ye　leave　Delhi；　and；　that's　nowhere's　nigh　the　ridge。〃

There　were　a　couple　of　farmers　who　were　sitting　by　the　driver；　and
who　had　listened　with　considerable　interest　to　this　conversation。
Presently；　one　of　them　turned　around　to　me　and　said：

〃Is　it　Dave　Dutton　ye're　askin'　about？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　〃that's　his　name。〃

〃Well；　I　think　he's　dead；〃　said　he。

At　this；　I　began　to　feel　uneasy；　and　I　could　see　that　my　wife
shared　my　trouble。

Then　the　other　farmer　spoke　up。

〃I　don't　believe　he's　dead；　Hiram；〃　said　he　to　his　companion　〃I
heered　of　him　this　spring。　　He's　got　a　sheep…farm　on　the　other　side
o'　the　mountain；　and　he's　a　livin'　there。　　That's　what　I　heered；　at
any　rate。　　But　he　don't　live　on　this　road　any　more；〃　he　continued；
turning　to　us。　　〃He　used　to　keep　tavern　on　this　road；　and　the
stages　did　used　to　stop　fur　supperor　else　dinner；　I　don't　jist
ree…collect　which。　　But　he　don't　keep　tavern　on　this　road　no　more。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　said　his　companion；　〃if　he's　a　livin'　over　the
mountain。　　But　I　b'lieve　he's　dead。〃

I　asked　the　other　farmer　if　he　knew　how　long　it　had　been　since
Dutton　had　left　this　part　of　the　country。

〃I　don't　know　fur　certain；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　know　he　was　keeping
tavern　here　two　year'　ago；　this　fall；　fur　I　came　along　here；
myself；　and　stopped　there　to　git　supperor　dinner；　I　don't　jist
ree…collect　which。〃

It　had　been　three　years　since　our　friend　had　boarded　at　Dutton's
house。　　There　was　no　doubt　that　the　man　was　not　living　at　his　old
place　now。　　My　wife　and　I　now　agreed　that　it　was　very　foolish　in　us
to　come　so　far　without　making　more　particular　inquiries。　　But　we
had　had　an　idea　that　a　man　who　had　a　place　like　Dutton's　tavern
would　live　there　always。

〃What　are　ye　goin'　to　do？〃　asked　the　driver；　very　much　interested；
for　it　was　not　every　day　that　he　had　passengers　who　had　lost　their
destination。　　〃Ye　might　go　on　to　Lowry's。　　He　takes　boarders
sometimes。〃

But　Lowry's　did　not　attract　us。　　An　ordinary　country…tavern；　where
stage…passengers　took　supper；　was　not　what　we　came　so　far　to　find。

〃Do　you　know　where　this　house　o'　Dutton's　is？〃　said　the　driver；　to
the　man　who　had　once　taken　either　dinner　or　supper　there。

〃Oh　yes！　　I'd　know　the　house　well　enough；　if　I　saw　it。　　It's　the
fust　house　this　side　o'　Lowry's。〃

〃With　a　big　pole　in　front　of　it？〃　asked　the　driver。

〃Yes；　there　was　a　si