HEN Miller1's train reached Darley and he alighted in the car-shed, he was met by a blinding snow-storm. He could see the dim lantern of the hotel porter as he came towards him through the slanting2 feathery sheet and the yet dimmer lights of the hotel.
"Heer! Marse Miller!" shouted the darky; "look out fer dat plank3 er you 'll fall in er ditch. Marse Alan Bishop4 is at de hotel, an' he say tell you ter stop dar—dat you couldn't git home in dis sto'm no how."
"Oh, he's in town," said Miller. "Well, I was thinking of spending the night at the hotel, anyway."
In the office of the hotel, almost the only occupant of the room besides the clerk, sat Abner Daniel, at the red-hot coal stove.
"Why," exclaimed Miller, in surprise, "I didn't know you were in town."
"The fact is, we're all heer," smiled the old man, standing5 up and stretching himself. He looked as if he had been napping. "We fetched the women in to do some tradin', an' this storm blowed up. We could 'a' made it home all right," he laughed out impulsively6, "but the last one of 'em wanted a excuse to stay over. They are et up with curiosity to know how yore trip come out. They are all up in Betsy an' Alf's room. Go up?"
"Yes, I reckon I'd better relieve their minds."
Abner offered to pilot him to the room in question, and when it was reached the old man opened the door without knocking. "Heer's the man you've been hankerin' to see all day," he announced, jovially8. "I fetched 'im straight up."
They all rose from their seats around the big grate-fire and shook hands with the lawyer.
"He looks like he has news of some kind," said Adele, who was studying his face attentively9. "Now, sir, sit down and tell us are we to be rich or poor, bankrupt or robber."
"Don't put the most likely word last," said Abner, dryly.
"Well," began Miller, as he sat down in the semicircle. "As it now stands, we've got a chance to gain our point. I have a signed agreement—and a good one—that your price will be paid if we can get the citizens through whose property the road passes to donate a right of way. That's the only thing that now stands between you and a cash sale."
"They 'll do it, I think," declared Alan, elatedly.
"I dunno about that," said Abner. "It's owin' to whose land is to be donated. Thar's some skunks10 over in them mountains that wouldn't let the gates o' heaven swing over the'r property except to let themselves through."
No one laughed at this remark save Abner himself. Mrs. Bishop was staring straight into the fire. Her husband leaned forward and twirled his stiff fingers slowly in front of him.
"Huh! So it depends on that," he said. "Well, it does look like mighty11 nigh anybody ud ruther see a railroad run out thar than not, but I'm no judge."
"Well, it is to be tested two weeks from now," Miller said. And then he went into a detailed12 and amusing account of how he had brought Wilson to terms.
"Well, that beats the Dutch!" laughed Abner. "I'd ruther 'a' been thar 'an to a circus. You worked 'im to a queen's taste—as fine as split silk. You 'n' Pole Baker'd make a good team—you to look after the bon-tons an' him to rake in the scum o' mankind. I don't know but Pole could dress up an' look after both ends, once in a while, ef you wanted to take a rest."
"I'm always sorry when I heer of it bein' necessary to resort to trickery," ventured Mrs. Bishop, in her mild way. "It don't look exactly right to me."
"I don't like it, nuther," said Bishop. "Ef the land's wuth the money, an'—"
"The trouble with Alf," broke in Abner, "is that with all his Bible readin' he never seems to git any practical benefit out'n it. Now, when I'm in doubt about whether a thing's right or wrong, I generally find some Scriptural sanction fer the side I want to win. Some'rs in the Bible thar was a big, rich king that sent a pore feller off to git 'im kilt in battle so he could add his woman to his collection. Now, no harm ever come to the king that I know of, an', fer my part, I don't think what you did to yank Wilson into line was nigh as bad, beca'se you was work-in' fer friends. Then Wilson was loaded fer bear his-se'f. War's over, I reckon, but when Wilson's sort comes down heer expectin' to ride rough-shod over us agin, I feel like givin' a war-whoop an' rammin' home a Mini? ball."
"I sha 'n't worry about the morality of the thing," said Miller. "Wilson was dead set on crushing you to powder. I saw that. Besides, if he takes the property and builds the road, he 'll make a lot of money out of it."
After this the conversation languished13, and, thinking that the old people might wish to retire, Miller bade them good-night and went to his own room.
A snow of sufficient thickness for sleighing in that locality was a rare occurrence, and the next morning an odd scene presented itself in front of the hotel. The young men of the near-by stores had hastily improvised14 sleds by taking the wheels from buggies and fastening the axles to rough wooden runners, and were making engagements to take the young ladies of the town sleighing.
"Have you ever ridden in a sleigh?" Miller asked Adele, as they stood at a window in the parlor15 witnessing these preparations.
"Never in my life," she said.
"Well, you shall," he said. "I 'll set a carpenter at work on my buggy, and be after you in an hour. Get your wraps. My pair of horses will make one of those sleds fairly spin."
About eleven o' clock that morning Alan saw them returning from their ride, and, much to his surprise, he noted16 that Dolly Barclay was with them. As they drew up at the entrance of the hotel, Alan doffed17 his hat and stepped forward to assist the ladies out of the sled.
"Miss Dolly won't stop," said Miller. "Get in and drive her around. She's hardly had a taste of it; we only picked her up as we passed her house."
Alan's heart bounded and then it sank. Miller was smiling at him knowingly. "Go ahead," he said, pushing him gently towards the sled. "It's all right."
Hardly knowing if he were acting18 wisely, Alan took the reins19 and sat down by Dolly.
Adele stepped up behind to say good-bye to Dolly, and they kissed each other. It was barely audible, and yet it reached the ears of the restive20 horses and they bounded away like the wind.
"A peculiar21 way to start horses," Alan laughed.
"A pleasant way," she said. "Your sister is a dear, dear girl."
Then he told her his fears in regard to what her father would think of his driving with her.
"He's out of town to-day," she answered, with a frank upward glance, "and mother wouldn't care."
"Then I'm going to enjoy it fully," he said. "I've been dying to see you, Dolly."
"And do you suppose I haven't wanted to see you? When Mr. Miller proposed this just now it fairly took my breath away. I was afraid you might happen not to be around the hotel. Oh, there is so much I want to say—and so little time."
"When I'm with you I can' t talk," he said. "It seems, in some way, to take up time like the ticking of a clock. I simply want to close my eyes, and—be with you, Dolly—YOU."
"I know, but we must be practical, and think of the future. Mr. Miller tells me there is a chance for your big scheme to succeed. Oh, if it only would!"
"Yes, a pretty good chance," he told her; "but even then your father—"
"He'd not hold out against you then," said Dolly, just for an impulsive7 moment clasping his arm as they shot through a snow-drift and turned a corner of the street leading into the country.
"Then it must succeed," he said, looking at her tenderly. "It must, Dolly."
"I shall pray for it—that and nothing else."
Feeling the slack reins on their backs, the horses slowed up till they were plodding22 along lazily. Suddenly the sled began to drag on the clay road where the wind had bared it of snow, and the horses stopped of their own accord, looking back at their increased burden inquiringly. Alan made no effort to start them on again. It was a sequestered23 spot, well hidden from the rest of the road by an old hedge of Osage orange bushes.
"We must not stop, dear," Dolly said, laying her hand again on his arm. "You know driving is—is different from this. As long as we are moving in any direction, I have no scruples24, but to stop here in the road—no, it won't do."
"I was just wondering if we can start them," he said, a mischievous25 look in his laughing eye.
"Start them?" She extended her hand for the reins, but he held them out of her reach. "Why, what do you mean?"
"Why, you saw the way they were started at the hotel," he answered, in quite a serious tone. "Ray has trained them-that way. They won't budge26 an inch unless—"
"Oh, you silly boy!" Dolly was flushing charmingly.
"It's true," he said. "I'm sorry if you object, for it's absolutely the only available way."
She raised her full, trusting eyes to his.
"You make me want to kiss you, Alan, but—"
He did not let her finish. Putting his arm around her, he drew her close to him and kissed her on the lips. "Now, darling," he said, "you are mine."
"Yes, I am yours, Alan."
As they were nearing her house he told her that Wilson had agents out secretly buying land, and that she must not allow her father to dispose of his timbered interests until it was decided27 whether the railroad would be built.
She promised to keep an eye on the Colonel's transactions and do all she could to prevent him from taking a false step. "You may not know it," she said, "but I'm his chief adviser28. He 'll be apt to mention any offer he gets to me."
"Well, don't tell him about the railroad unless you have to," he said, in parting with her at the gate. "But it would be glorious to have him profit by our scheme, and I think he will."
"We are going to hope for success, anyway, aren't we?" she said, leaning over the gate. "I have believed in you so much that I feel almost sure you are to be rewarded."
"Miller thinks the chances are good," he told her, "but father is afraid those men over there will do their best to ruin the whole thing."
Dolly waved her handkerchief to some one at a window of the house. "It's mother," she said. "She's shaking her finger at me."
"I reckon she's mad at me," said Alan, disconsolately29.
"Not much," Dolly laughed. "She's simply crazy to come out and gossip with us. She would, too, if she wasn't afraid of father. Oh, young man, you 'll have a mother-in-law that will reverse the order of things! Instead of her keeping you straight, you 'll have to help us manage her. Father says she's 'as wild as a buck30.'"
They both laughed from the fulness of their happiness. A buggy on runners dashed by. It contained a pair of lovers, who shouted and waved their hands. The sun was shining broadly. The snow would not last long. The crudest sled of all passed in the wake of the other. It was simply a plank about twelve inches wide and ten feet long to which a gaunt, limping horse was hitched31. On the plank stood a triumphant32 lad balancing himself with the skill of a bareback rider. His face was flushed; he had never been so full of joy and ozone33. From the other direction came a gigantic concern looking like a snow-plough or a metropolitan34 street-sweeper. It was a sliding road-wagon35 to which Frank Hillhouse had hitched four sturdy mules36. The wagon was full of girls. Frank sat on the front seat cracking a whip and smoking. A little negro boy sat astride of the leading mule37, digging his rag-clothed heels into the animal's side. Frank bowed as he passed, but his face was rigid38.
"He didn't intend to ask me," said Dolly. "He hardly speaks to me since—"
"Since what?" Alan questioned.
"Since I asked him not to come to see me so often. I had to do it. He was making a fool of himself. It had to stop."
"You refused him?"
"Yes; but you must go now." Dolly was laughing again. "Mother will be out here in a minute; she can't curb39 her curiosity any longer. She'd make you take her riding, and I wouldn't have you do it for the world. Good-bye."
"Well, good-bye."
"Now, you must hope for the best, Alan."
"I'm going to. Good-bye."
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1
miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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skunks
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| n.臭鼬( skunk的名词复数 )；臭鼬毛皮；卑鄙的人；可恶的人 | |
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11
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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13
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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15
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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plodding
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| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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budge
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| v.移动一点儿；改变立场 | |
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27
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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adviser
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| n.劝告者，顾问 | |
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disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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31
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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ozone
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| n.臭氧，新鲜空气 | |
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metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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