下载辰思小说免费APP
SUSPENSE
TenminutesafterSweetwater’sarrivalinthevillagestreets，hewasathomewiththepeoplehefoundthere。HisconversationwithDorisinthedoorwayofherhomehadbeenobservedbythecuriousandfar-sighted，andthequestionsaskedandansweredhadmadehimfriendsatonce。Ofcourse，hecouldtellthemnothing，butthatdidnotmatter，hehadseenandtalkedwithDorisandtheiridolisedyoungmanagerwasnoworseandmightpossiblysoonbebetter。
Ofhisownaffairs-ofhisbusinesswithDorisandthemanager，theyaskednothing。Allordinaryinterestswerelostinthestressoftheirgreatsuspense。
Itwasthesameinthebar-roomoftheonehotel。Withoutresortingtomorethanaquestionortwo，hereadilylearnedallthatwasgenerallyknownofOswaldBrotherson。Everyonewastalkingabouthim，andeachhadsomestorytotellillustrativeofhiskindness，hiscourageandhisquickmind。TheWorkshadneverproducedamanofsuchvariedcapabilitiesandallroundsympathies。Tohavehimformanagermeantthegreatestgoodwhichcouldbefallthislittlecommunity。
Hisrisehadbeenrapid。Hehadcomefromtheeastthreeyearsbefore，newtothework。Now，hewastheonemanthere。Ofhisrelationshipseast，familyorotherwise，nothingwassaid。ForthemhislifebeganandendedinDerby，andSweetwatercouldsee，thoughnoactualexpressionwasgiventothefeeling，thattherewasbutoneexpectationinregardtohimandDoris，towhoseuncommonbeautyandsweetnesstheyallseemedfullyalive。AndSweetwaterwondered，asmanyofushavewondered，atthegulffrequentlyexistingbetweenfancyandfact。
Latertherecameasmallexcitement。Thedoctorwasseenridingbyonhiswaytothesickman。Fromthewindowwherehesat，Sweetwaterwatchedhimpassupthestreetandtaketheroadhehadhimselfsolatelytraversed。Itwassostraightaoneandledsodirectlynorthwardthathecouldfollowwithhiseyethedoctor’swholecourse，andevengetaglimpseofhisfigureashesteppedfromthebuggyandproceededtotieupthehorse。TherewasanenergyabouthimpleasingtoSweetwater。Hemighthavemuchtodowiththisdoctor。IfOswaldBrothersondied-buthewasnotwillingtoconsiderthispossibility-yet。Hispersonalsympathies，tosaynothingofhisprofessionalinterestinthemysterytowhichthisman-andthismanonly-possiblyheldthekey，alikeforbade。Hewouldhope，astheseotherswerehoping，andifhedidnotcounttheminutes，heatleastsaweverymoveoftheoldhorsewaitingwithdroopingheadandtheresignationoflongcustomforthere-appearanceofhismasterwithhisnewsoflifeordeath。
Andsoanhour-twohourspassed。Otherswerewatchingtheoldhorsenow。Thestreetshowedmanyaneagerfigurewithheadturnednorthward。Fromtheopendoor-wayswomenstepped，lookedinthedirectionoftheiranxietyandretreatedtotheirworkagain。
Suspensewaseverywhere；themomentsdraggedlikehours；itbecamesokeenatlastthatsomeimpatientheartscouldnolongerstandit。
Awomanputherbabyintoanotherwoman’sarmsandhurrieduptheroad；anotherfollowed，thenanother；thenanoldman，bowedwithyearsandoftotteringsteps，begantogothatway，haltingadozentimesbeforehereachedthegroupnowcollectedinthedustyhighway，nearbutnottoonearthathouse。AsSweetwater’sownenthusiasmswelledatthissight，hethoughtoftheotherBrothersonwithhistheoriesandactiveadvocacyforreform，andwonderedifmenandwomenwouldforegotheirmealsandstandforhoursinthekeenspringwindjusttobethefirsttohearifheweretoliveordie。
Heknewthathehimselfwouldnot。ButhehadsufferedmuchbothinhisprideandhispurseatthehandsoftheBrooklyninventor；
andsuchdespoliationisnotareliablebasisforsympathy。Hewasquestioninghisownjudgmentinthismatterandlosinghimselfinthemazesofpastdoubtsandconjectureswhenasuddenchangetookplaceintheaspectofthestreet；hesawpeoplerunning，andinanothermomentsawwhy。Thedoctorhadshownhimselfontheporchwhichallwerewatching。Washecomingout?No，hestandsquitestill，runshiseyeoverthepeoplewaitingquietlyintheroad，and
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