Days passed, and in spite of the efforts that were being made to discover him, no clew had been obtained by Herbert's friends, either as to his whereabouts, or as to the identity of the party or parties hat had abducted6 him. It is needless to say that Grant heartily7 sympathized with the afflicted8 father, and was sad on his own account, for he had become warmly attached to the little boy whose instant companion he had been in his hours of leisure.
The only one in the house who took the matter coolly was Mrs. Estabrook, the housekeeper9. She even ventured to suggest that Herbert had run away.
“What do you mean, Mrs. Estabrook?” exclaimed the father, impatiently. “You ought to know my poor boy better than that!”
“Boys are a worrisome set,” returned the housekeeper, composedly. “Only last week I read in the Herald10 about two boys who ran away from good homes and went out to kill Indians.”
“Herbert was not that kind of a boy,” said Grant. “He had no fondness for adventure.”
“It is very clear that you didn't know him as well,” said Mr. Reynolds.
Mrs. Estabrook sniffed12, but said nothing. Without expressly saying so, it was evident that she dissented13 from Mr. Reynolds' opinion.
The broker's loss unfitted him for work, and he left the details of office work to his subordinates, while nearly all his time was spent in interviews with the police authorities or in following up faint clews. His loss seemed to strengthen the intimacy14 and attachment15 between him and Grant, in whom he confided16 without reserve. When at home in the evening he talked over with Grant, whom he found a sympathetic listener, the traits of the stolen boy, and brought up reminiscences, trifling17, perhaps, but touching18, under the circumstances. To Mrs. Estabrook he seldom spoke19 of his son. Her cold and unsympathetic temperament20 repelled21 him. She had never preferred to feel any attachment for Herbert, and the boy, quick to read her want of feeling, never cared to be with her.
One morning, after Mr. Reynolds and Grant had gone out, Mrs. Estabrook, on going to the hall, saw a letter on the table, which had been left by the postman. As curiosity was by no means lacking in the housekeeper's composition, she took it up, and peered at the address through her glasses.
It was directed to Mr. Reynolds in a round, schoolboy hand.
Mrs. Estabrook's heart gave a sudden jump of excitement.
“It's Herbert's handwriting,” she said to herself.
She examined the postmark, and found that it was mailed at Scipio, Illinois.
She held the letter in her hand and considered what she should do. Should the letter come into the hands of Mr. Reynolds, the result would doubtless be that the boy would be recovered, and would reveal the name of his abductor. This would subject her favorite, Willis Ford22, to arrest, and probably imprisonment23.
“He should have been more careful, and not allowed the boy to write,” said the housekeeper to herself. “Willis must have been very imprudent. If I only knew what was in the letter!”
The housekeeper's curiosity became so ungovernable that she decided24 to open it. By steaming it, she could do it, and if it seemed expedient25, paste it together again. She had little compunction in the matter. In a few minutes she was able to withdraw the letter from the envelope and read its contents.
This is what Herbert wrote:
“Scipio, ILL.
“DEAR PAPA: I know you must have been very anxious about me. I would have written you before, but I have had no chance. Willis Ford found me playing in the street, and got me to go with him by saying you had sent for me. I thought it strange you should have sent Mr. Ford, but I didn't like to refuse, for fear it was true. We went on board a steamer in the harbor, and Mr. Ford took me in a stateroom. Then he put a handkerchief to my face, and I became sleepy. When I waked up, we were at sea. I don't know where I went, but when we came to land, some time the next day, we got into the cars and traveled for a couple of days. I begged Mr. Ford to take me home, but it made him cross. I think he hates you and Grant, and I think he took me away to spite you. I am sure he is a very wicked man.
“Finally we came to this place. It is a small place in Illinois. The people who live here are Mr. and Mrs. Barton and their son Abner. Mr. Joel Barton is a drunkard. He gets drunk whenever he has money to buy whisky. Mrs. Barton is a hard-working woman, and she does about all the work that is done. Mr. Ford paid her some money in advance. She is a tall woman, and her voice sounds like a man's. She does not ill treat me, but I wish I were at home. Abner is a big, rough boy, a good deal older and larger than I am, but he is kind to me and he wants to come to New York. He says he will run away and take me with him, if we can get enough money to pay our fares. I don't think we could walk it so far. Abner might, for he is a good deal stronger than I am, but I know I should get very tired.
“Now, dear papa, if you will send me money enough to pay for railroad tickets, Abner and I will start just as soon as we get it. I don't know as he ought to run away from home, but he says his father and mother don't care for him, and I don't believe they do. His father doesn't care for anything but whisky, and his mother is scolding him all the time. I don't think she would do that if she cared much for him, do you?
“I have filled the paper, and must stop. Be sure to send the money to your loving son,
“HERBERT REYNOLDS.”
“How easy you write!” said Abner, in wonder, as he saw Herbert's letter growing long before his eyes. “It would take me a week to write as long a letter as that, and then I couldn't do it.”
“I can't write so easy generally,” said the little boy, “but, you see, I have a good deal to write about.”
“Then there's another thing,” said Abner. “I shouldn't know how to spell so many words. You must be an awful good scholar.”
“I always liked to study,” said Herbert. “Don't you like to read and study?”
“No; I'd rather play ball or go fishin', wouldn't you?”
“I like to play part of the time, but I wouldn't like to grow up ignorant.”
“I expect I'll always be a know-nothin', but I reckon I know as much as dad. The old man's awful ignorant. He don't care for nothin' but whisky.”
“And I hope you won't be like him in that, Abner.”
“No, I won't. I wouldn't like to have the boys flingin' stones at me, as they did at dad once when he was tight. I licked a couple of 'em.”
Mrs. Estabrook read Herbert's letter with intense interest. She saw that the little boy's testimony26 would seriously incriminate Willis Ford, if he were recovered, as he would be if this letter came into his father's hands.
“There's only one thing to do,” the housekeeper reflected, closing her thin lips tightly.
She lit the gas jet in her chamber27, and, without a trace of compunction, held the letter in the flame until it was thoroughly28 consumed.
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1
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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5
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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6
abducted
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| 劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展 | |
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7
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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11
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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12
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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13
dissented
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| 不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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16
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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19
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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21
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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23
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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24
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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26
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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27
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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28
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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