按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
her a telegram； and stood waiting while she tore it open。
〃Jim Weatherby brought it over from the crossroads；〃 he said。 〃It got there last night。〃
〃I hope there's nobody dead； child；〃 observed Miss Saidie； from the serving…table； where she was peeling tomatoes。
〃More likely it points to a marriage； eh； daughter？〃 chuckled Fletcher jocosely。
The girl folded the paper and replaced it carefully in the envelope。 〃It's from Jack Wyndham；〃 she said； 〃and he comes this evening。 May I take the horses to the crossroads； grandpa？〃
〃Well； I did have a use for them；〃 responded Fletcher； in high good…nature； 〃but； seeing as your young fellow doesn't come every day； I reckon I'll let you have 'em out。〃
Maria flinched at his speech； and then as the clear pink spread evenly in her cheeks； she spoke in her composed tones。 〃I may as well tell you； grandpa； that we shall marry almost immediately；〃 she said。
CHAPTER III。 Fletcher's Move and Christopher's Counterstroke
Not until September； when he lounged one day with a glass of beer in the little room behind Tom Spade's country store； did Christopher hear the news of Maria's approaching marriage。 It was Sol Peterkin who delivered it； hiccoughing in the enveloping smoke from several pipes； as he sat astride an overturned flour barrel in one corner。
〃I jest passed a wagonload of finery on the way to the Hall；〃 he said； bulging with importance。 〃It's for the gal's weddin'； I reckon； an' they do say she's a regular Jezebel as far as clothes go。 I met her yestiddy with her young man that is to be； an' the way she was dressed up wasn't a sight for modest eyes。 Not that she beguiled me； suh； though the devil himself might have been excused for mistakin' her for the scarlet womanbut I'm past the time of life when a man wants a woman jest to set aroun' an' look at。 I tell you a good workin' pair of hands goes to my heart a long ways sooner than the blackest eyes that ever oggled。〃
〃Well； my daughter Jinnie has been up thar sewin' for a month；〃 put in Tom Spade； a big； greasy man； who looked as if he had lived on cabbage from his infancy； 〃an' she says that sech a sight of lace she never laid eyes on。 Why； her very stockin's have got lace let in 'em； Jinnie says。〃
〃Now； that's what I call hardly decent；〃 remarked Sol； as he spat upon the dirty floor。 〃Them's the enticin' kind of women that a fool hovers near an' a wise man fights shy of。 Lace in her stockin's！ Well； did anybody ever？〃
〃She's got a pretty ankle； you may be sho'；〃 observed Matthew Field； a long wisp of a man who had married too early to repent it too late； 〃an' I must say； if it kills me； that I always had a sharp eye for ankles。〃
〃It's a pity you didn't look as far up as the hand；〃 returned Tom Spade； with boisterous mirth。 〃I have heard that Eliza lays hers on right heavy。〃
〃That's so； suh； that's so；〃 admitted Matthew； puffing smoke like a shifting engine； 〃but that's the fault of the marriage service； an' I'll stand to it at the Judgment Day yes； suh； in the very presence of Providence who made it。 I tell you； 'twill I led that woman to the altar she was the meekest…mouthed creetur that ever wiggled away from a kiss。 Why； when I stepped on her train jest as I swung her up the aisle； if you believe me； all she said was； 'I hope you didn't hurt yo' foot'； an'； bless my boots； ten minutes later； comin' out of church； she whispered in my year； 'You white…livered； hulkin' hound； you； get off my veil！' Well； well； it's sad how the ceremony can change a woman's heart。〃
〃That makes it safer always to choose a widow；〃 commented Sol。 〃Now； they do say that this is a fine weddin' up at the Hall but I have my doubts。 Them lace let in stockin's ain't to my mind。〃
〃What's the rich young gentleman like？〃 inquired Tom Spade； with interest。 〃Jinnie says he's the kind of man that makes kissin' come naturalbut I can't say that that conveys much to the father of a family。〃
〃Oh； he's the sort that looks as if God Almighty had put the finishin' touches an' forgot to make the man；〃 replied Sol。 〃He's got a mustache that you would say went to bed every night in curl papers。〃
Christopher pushed back his chair and drained his glass standing； then with a curt nod to Tom Spade he went out into the road。
It was the walk of a mile from the store to his house； and as he went on he fell to examining the tobacco； which appeared to ripen hour by hour in the warm； moist season。 There was no danger of frost as yet； and though a little of Fletcher's crop had already been cut； the others had left theirs to mature in the favourable weather。 From a clear emerald the landscape had changed to a yellowish green； and the huge leaves had crinkled at the edges like shirred silk。 Here and there pale…brown splotches on a plant showed that it had too quickly ripened； or small perforations revealed the destructive presence of a hidden tobacco worm。
As Christopher neared the house the hounds greeted him with a single bay； and the cry brought Cynthia hastily out upon the porch and along the little path。 At the gate she met him； and slipping her hand under his arm； drew him across the road to the rail fence that bordered the old field。 At sight of her tearless pallor his ever…present fear shot up； and without waiting for her words he cried out quickly： 〃Is mother ill？〃
〃No； no；〃 she answered； 〃oh； no； but； Christopher； it is the next worse thing。〃
He thought for a breath。 〃Then she has found out？〃
〃It's not that either；〃 she shook her head。 〃Oh； Christopher； it's Fletcher！〃
〃It's Fletcher！ What in thunder have we to do with Fletcher？〃
〃You remember the deed of trust on the placethe three hundred dollars we borrowed when mother was sick。 Fletcher has bought it from Tom Spade and he means to foreclose it in a week。 He has advertised the farm at the cross…roads。〃
He paled with anger。 〃Why； I saw Tom about it three days ago；〃 he said； striking the rotten fence rail until it broke and fell apart； 〃he told me it could run on at the same interest。〃
〃It's since then that Fletcher has bought it。 He meant it as a surprise； of course； to drive us out whether or no； but Sam Murray came straight up to tell you。〃
He stood thinking hard； his eyes on the waving goldenrod in the old field。
〃I'll sell the horses；〃 he said at last。
〃And starve？ Besides； they wouldn't bring the money。〃
〃Then we'll sell the furnitureevery last stick！ We'll sell the clothes from our backsI'll sell myself into slavery before Fletcher shall beat me now！〃
〃We've sold all we've got；〃 said Cynthia； 〃the old furniture is too heavyall that's left； nobody about here wants it。〃
〃I tell you I'll find those three hundred dollars if I have to steal them。 I'd rather go to prison than have Fletcher get the place。〃
〃Then he'd leave it in the end；〃 remarked Cynthia hopelessly； adding after a pause； 〃I've thought it all out； dear； and we must steal the moneywe must steal it from mother。〃
〃From mother！〃 he echoed； touched to the quick。
〃You know her big diamond；〃 sobbed the woman； 〃the one in her engagement ring； that she never used to take off； even at night； till her fingers got so thin。〃
〃Oh； I couldn't！〃 he protested。
〃There's n