下载辰思小说免费APP
"Allright，mother，"saidJeff。
Shemovedherselfrestivelyinbed。"What’sthis，"shedemandedofherson，"thatWhitwell’stellin’aboutyouandCynthybreakin’itoff？"
"Well，therewastalkofthat，"saidJeff，passinghishandoverhislipstokeepbackthesmilethatwasstealingtothem。
"Whodoneit？"
CynthiakepthereyesonJeff，whodroppedhistohismother’sface。
"Cynthydidit；butIguessIgavehergoodenoughreason。"
"AboutthathussyinBoston？Shewasfullmoretoblamethanwhatyouwas。Idon’tseewhatCynthywantedtodoitforonheraccount。"
"IguessCynthywasright。"
Mrs。Durgin’sspeechhadbeenthickeningmoreandmore。ShenowsaidsomethingthatJeffcouldnotunderstand。HelookedinvoluntarilyatCynthia。
"ShesaysshethinksIwashastywithyou，"thegirlinterpreted。
Jeffkepthiseyesonhers，butheansweredtohismother："NotanymorethanIdeserved。Ihadn’tanyrighttoexpectthatshewouldstandit。"
Againthesickwomantriedtosaysomething。Jeffmadeoutafewsyllables，and，afterhismotherhadrepeatedherwords，hehadtolooktoCynthiaforhelp。
"Shewantstoknowifit’sallrightnow。"
"WhatshallIsay？"askedJeff，huskily。
"Tellherthetruth。"
"Whatisthetruth？"
"Thatwehaven’tmadeitup。"
Jeffhesitated，andthensaid："Well，notyet，mother，"andhebentanentreatinglookuponCynthiawhichshecouldnotfeelwaswhollyforhimself。"I——Iguesswecanfixit，somehow。IbehavedverybadlytoCynthia。"
"No，nottome！"thegirlprotestedinanindignantburst。
"Nottothatlittlescalawag，then！"criedJeff。"Ifthewrongwasn’ttoyou，therewasn’tanywrong。"
"Itwastoyou！"Cynthiaretorted。
"Oh，IguessIcanstandit，"saidJeff，andhissmilenowcametohislipsandeyes。
Hismotherhadfollowedtheirquickparleywitheagerlooks，asifsheweretryingtokeepherintelligencetoitsworkconcerningthem。Theeffortseemedtoexhausther，andwhenshespokeagainherwordsweresoindistinctthatevenCynthiacouldnotunderstandthemtillshehadrepeatedthemseveraltimes。
Thenthegirlwassilent，whiletheinvalidkeptaneagerlookuponher。
SheseemedtounderstandthatCynthiadidnotmeantospeak；andthetearscameintohereyes。
"Doyouwantmetoknowwhatshesaid？"askedJeff，respectfully，reverentlyalmost。
Cynthiasaid，gently："Shesaysthatthenyoumustshowyoudidn’tmeananyharmtome，andthatyoucaredforme，allthrough，andyoudidn’tcareforanybodyelse。"
"Thankyou，"saidJeff，andheturnedtohismother。"I’lldoeverythingIcantomakeCynthybelievethat，mother。"
Thegirlbrokeintotearsandwentoutoftheroom。Shesentinthenight—watcher，andthenJefftookleaveofhismotherwithanunwontedkiss。
Intotheshadowofastarlitnighthesawthefigurehehadbeenwaitingforglideoutoftheglitterofthehotellights。Hefolloweditdowntheroad。
"Cynthia！"hecalled；andwhenhecameupwithherheasked："What’sthereasonwecan’tmakeittrue？Whycan’tyoubelievewhatmotherwantsmetomakeyou？"
Cynthiastopped，asherwontwaswhenshewishedtospeakseriously。
"Doyouaskthatformysakeorhers？"
"Forbothyoursakes。"
"Ithoughtso。Yououghttohaveaskeditforyourownsake，Jeff，andthenImighthavebeenfoolenoughtobelieveyou。Butnow——"
Shestartedswiftlydownthehillagain，andthistimehedidnottrytofollowher。
L。
Mrs。Durgin’sspeechneverregainedthemeasureofclearnessithadbefore；noonebutCynthiacouldunderstandher，andoftenshecouldnot。
ThedoctorfromLovewellsurmisedthatshehadsustainedanotherstroke，lighter，moreobscurethanthefirst，anditwasthatwhichhadrenderedheralmostinarticulate。Theparalysismighthavealsoaffectedherbrain，andsilencedherthoughtsaswellasherwords。EithershebelievedthatthereconciliationbetweenJeffandCynthiahadtakenplace，orelseshecouldnolongercare。Shedidnotquestionthemagain，butpeacefullyweakenedmoreandmore。NeartheendofSeptembershehadathirdstroke，andfromthisshedied。
ThedayafterthefuneralJeffhadatalkwithWhitwell，andopenedhismindtohim。
"I’mgoingovertotheotherside，andIshan’tbebackbeforespring，orabouttimetostarttheseasonhere。WhatIwanttoknowiswhether，ifI’moutofthehouse，andnotlikelytocomeback，you’llstayhereandlookaftertheplacethroughthewinter。Ithasn’tbeenagoodseason，butIguessIcanaffordtomakeitworthyourwhileifyoulookatitasamatterofbusiness。"
Whitwellleanedforwardandtookastrawintohismouthfromthegoldenwallofoatsheavesinthebarnwheretheyweretalking。AsoftrustlinginthemowoverheadmarkedtheremotepresenceofJombateeste，whowasgettingforwardthehayforthehorses，pushingittowardtheholeswhereitshouldfallintotheirracks。
"Ishouldwanttothinkaboutit，"saidWhitwell。"Ido’knowasCynthy’dcaremuchaboutstayin’——orFrank。"
"Howlongdoyouwanttothinkaboutit？"Jeffdemanded，ignoringthepossiblewishesofCynthiaandFrank。
"IguessIcouldletyouknowbynight。"
"Allright，"saidJeff。
Hewasturningaway，whenWhitwellremarked：
"Idon’tknowasIshouldwanttostaywithoutIcouldhavesomebodyI
coulddependon，withme，tolookafterthehosses。Frankwouldn’twantto。"
"Who’dyoulike？"
"Well——Jombateeste。"
"Askhim。"
WhitwellcalledtotheCanuck，andhecameforwardtotheedgeofthemow，andstood，forkinhand，lookingdown。
"Wanttostayherethiswinterandlookafterthehorses，Jombateeste？"
Whitwellasked。
"Nosseh！"saidtheCanuck，withamislikingeyeonJeff。
"Imean，alongwithme，"Whitwellexplained。"IfIconcludetostay，willyou？Jeff’sgoin’abroad。"
"IguessIstay，"saidJombateeste。
"Don’tstrainyourself，Jombateeste，"saidJeff，withmalevolentderision。
"Notforyou，JeffDorrgin，"returnedtheCanuck。"IstrainmyselftillIbust，ifIwant。"
JeffsneeredtoWhitwell："Well，then，themostimportantpointissettled。Letmeknowabouttheminordetailsassoonasyoucan。"
"Allright。"
Whitwelltalkedthematteroverwithhischildrenatsupperthatevening。
Jeffhadmadehimagoodoffer，andhehadthewinterbeforehimtoprovidefor。
"Idon’tknowwhatdeviltryhe’supto，"hesaidinconclusion。
Franklookedtohissisterfortheircommondecision。"Iamgoingtotryforaschool，"shesaid，quietly。"It’sprettylate，butIguessIcangetsomething。YouandFrankhadbetterstay。"
"Andyoudon’tfeelasifitwaskindofmeechin’，ourtakin’upwithhisoffer，afterwhat’s——"Whitwelldelicatelyforboretofillouthissentence。
"Youaredoingthefavor，father，"saidthegirl。"Heknowsthat，andI
guesshewouldn’tknowwheretolookifyourefused。And，afterall，what’shappenednowisasmuchmydoingashis。"
"Iguessthat’ssomethingso，"saidWhitwell，withalongsighofrelief。
"Well，I’mgladyoucanlookatitinthatlight，Cynthy。It’sthewaythefeller’sbuilt，Ipresume，asmuchasanything。"
Hisdaughterwaivedthepoint。"Ishouldn’tfeeljustrightifnoneofusstayedintheoldplace。IshouldfeelasifwehadturnedourbacksonMrs。Durgin。"
Hereyesshone，andherfathersaid："Well，Iguessthat’sso，cometothinkofit。She’sbeenlikeamothertoyou，thispastyear，ha’n’tshe？Anditmusthavecomepoottyhardforher，sidin’ag’in’Jeff。Butshedoneit。"
Thegirlturnedherheadaway。Theyweresittinginthelittle，lowkeeping—roomofWhitwell’shouse，andherfatherhadhishatonprovisionally。Throughthewindowtheycouldseethelightofthelanternattheofficedoorofthehotel，whosemasswaslostinthedarkaboveandbehindthelamp。Itwasallverystilloutside。
"Ideclare，"Whitwellwenton，musingly，"IwishtMr。Westoverwashere。"
Cynthiastarted，butitwastoask："DoyouwantIshouldhelpyouwithyourLatin，Frank？"
Whitwellca
