第22章

Jeffwrotebackthathehadbeensufferingwithasevereattackoferysipelas——hedecideduponerysipelasforthetimebeing，buthemeanttoletWestoverknowlaterthathehadbeeninarow——andthedoctorwouldnotlethimgooutyet。Hepromisedtocomeinassoonashepossiblycould。IfWestoverthoughtJacksonoughttobegothomeatonce，andwasnotfittotravelalone，heaskedhimtosendahospitalnursewithhim。

WestoverrepliedbyJeff’smessengerthatitwouldworryandalarmJacksontobeputinchargeofanurse；butthathewouldgohomewithhim，andtheywouldstartthenextday。HeurgedJefftocomeandseehisbrotherifitwasatallsafeforhimtodoso。Butifhecouldnot，Westoverwouldgivehismotherareassuringreasonforhisfailure。

Mrs。DurgindidnotwasteanyanxietyforthesicknesswhichpreventedJefffromcominghomewithhisbrother。Shesaidironicallythatitmustbeverybad，andshegaveallherthoughtandcaretoJackson。Thesickmanrallied，asheprophesiedheshould，inhisnativeair，andcelebratedthesenseandscienceofthelastdoctorhehadseeninEurope，whotoldhimthathehadmadeagreatgain，buthehadbetterhurryhomeasfastashecould，forhehadgotalltheadvantagehecouldexpecttohavefromhisstayabroad，andnowhomeairwasthebestthingforhim。

Itcouldnotbeknownhowmuchofthishebelieved；hehad，atanyrate，thepathetichopefulnessofhismalady；buthismotherbelieveditall，andshenursedhimwithafaithinhisrecoverywhichWhitwellconfidedtoWestoverwasaboutasmuchashewantedtosee，foronewhile。Sheseemedtogrowyoungerinthecareofhim，andtogetbacktoherself，moreandmore，fromthefactsofJeff’sbehavior，whichhadagedandbrokenher。ShehadtotellJacksonaboutitall，buthetookitwiththatindifferencetothethingsofthisworldwhichtheapproachofdeathsometimesbrings，andinthelightofhispassivityitnolongerseemedtohersoverybad。ItwasarelieftohaveJacksonsay，Well，perhapsitwasforthebest；anditwasacomforttoseehowheandCynthiatooktoeachother；itwasalmostasifthatdreadfultroublehadnotbeen。

ShetoldJacksonwhathardworkshehadhadtomakeCynthiastaywithher，andhowthegirlhadconsentedtostayonlyuntilJeffcamehome；

butsheguessed，nowthatJacksonhadgotback，hecouldmakeCynthiaseeitallinanotherlight，andperhapsitwouldallcomerightagain。SheconsultedhimaboutJeff’splanofgoingabroad，andJacksonsaiditmightbeaboutaswell；heshouldsoonbearound，andhethoughtifJeffwentitwouldgiveCynthiamoreofachancetogetreconciled。Afterall，hismothersuggested，agoodmanyfellowsbehavedworsethanJeffhaddoneandstillhadmadeitupwiththegirlstheywereengagedto；

andJacksongentlyassented。

HedidnottalkwithCynthiaaboutJeff，outofthatdelicacy，orthatcoldness，commontothemboth。Perhapsitwasnotnecessaryforthemtospeakofhim；perhapstheyunderstoodhimarightintheirunderstandingofeachother。

Westoverstayedon，dayafterday，thinkingsomehowthatheoughttowaittillJeffcame。Therewereonlyafewotherpeopleinthehotel，andthesewereofaquietsort；theywerenotsaddenedbythepresenceofadoomedmanunderthesameroof，asgayersummerfolksmighthavebeen，andtheywerethemselvesnodisturbancetohim。

Hesataboutwiththemontheveranda，andhemadefriendsamongthem，andtheydidwhattheycouldtoencourageandconsolehiminhisimpatiencetotakeuphisoldcaresinthemanagementofthehotel。TheWhitwellseasilylookedafterthewelfareoftheguests，andJacksonwassomuchbettertoeveryone’sperceptionthatWestovercouldhonestlywriteJeffagoodreportofhim。

ThereportmayhavebeensogoodthatJefftooktheaffairtooeasily。

ItwasafortnightafterJackson’sreturntoLion’sHeadwhenhebegantofailsosuddenlyandalarminglythatWestoverdecideduponhisownresponsibilitytotelegraphJeffofhiscondition。ButhehadthesatisfactionofWhitwell’sapprovalwhenhetoldhimwhathehaddone。

"Ofcourse，Jacksona’n’tlongforthisworld。Anybodybuthimandhismothercouldseethat；andnowhe’sjustmeltingaway，asyoumightsay。

Iha’n’tlikedhisnotcarin’toworkplantchettesincehegotback；

lookedtomefromthestartthathekindofknowedthatitwa’n’tworthwhileforhimtotroubleaboutaworldthathe’llknowallaboutsosoon，anyways；andd’younoticehedon’tseemtocareaboutMars，either？

I’vetriedtowakehimuponittwo—threetimes，butyoucan’tgithimtotakeaninterest。IguessJeffcan’tgithereanytoosoononJackson’saccount；butasfarforthasIgo，hecouldn’tgitheretoolate。I

shouldliketotakethetopofhisheadoff。"

WestoverhadbeeninWhitwell’sconfidencesincetheirfirstchanceofspeechtogether。Henowsaid：

"Iknowitwillberatherpainfultoyoutohavehimhereforsomereasons，but——"

"YoumeanCynthy？Well！IguesswhenCynthycan’tgetalongwiththesightofJeffDurgin，she’llbeadifferentgirlfromwhatshe’severbeenbefore。Ifshe’sgottoseethatskunkag’in，Iguessthisisaboutthebesttimetodoit。"

ItwasWestoverwhodrovetomeetJeffatthestation，whenhegothisdespatch，namingthetrainhewouldtake，andhefoundhimlookingverywell，andperhapsstouterthanhehadbeen。

Theyleftthestationinsilence，aftertheirgreetingandJeff’sinquiriesaboutJackson。Jeffhadtakenthereins，andnowheputthemwiththewhipinonehand，andpusheduphishatwiththeother，andturnedhisfacefulluponWestover。"Noticeanythinginparticular？"hedemanded。

"No；yes——someslightmarks。"

"Iguessthatfellowfixedmeupprettywell：paintsblackeyes，andthatkindofthing。Igottoscrappingwithaman，ClassDay；wewantedtosettlealittlebusinesswebeganattheTree，andhelefthismarksonme。ImeanttotellyouthetruthassoonasIcouldgetatyou；butI

hadtosayerysipelasinmyletter。Iguess，ifyoudon’tmind，we’llleterysipelasstand，withtherest。"

"Ishouldn’thavecared，"Westoversaid，"ifyou’dletitstandwithme。"

"Oh，thankyou，"Jeffreturned。

TherecouldhavebeennoshowofaffectionathismeetingwithJacksoneveniftherehadbeenanyfactofit；thatwasnotthelawoftheirlife。ButJeffhadalwaysbeenaturbulent，rebellious，youngerbrother，resentfulofJackson’scontrol，toomuchhisjuniortohavetheassociationsofanequalcompanionshipinthepast，andyettoonearhiminagetohaveanythinglikeafilialregardforhim。Theyshookhands，andeachaskedtheotherhowhewas，andthentheyseemedtohavedonewitheachother。Jeff’smotherkissedhiminadditiontothehandshaking，butmadehimfeelherpreoccupationwithJackson；sheaskedhimifhehadhurriedhomeonJackson’saccount，andhepromptlyliedheroutofthisanxiety。

HeshookhandswithCynthia，too，butitwasacrossthebarrierwhichhadnotbeenloweredbetweenthemsincetheyparted。HespoketoJacksonabouther，thedayafterhecamehome，whenJacksonsaidhewasfeelingunusuallystrongandwell，andthetwobrothershadstrolledoutthroughtheorchardtogether。Nowandthenhegavethesickmanhisarm，andwhenhewantedtositdowninasunnyplacehespreadtheshawlhecarriedforhim。

"Isupposemother’sto