"Oh!" exclaimed Clip, "I never had such a delightful2 ride. I suppose that is what you call being motor mad—going and going until you cannot go fast enough. They say it is a disease, isn't it, doctor?"
"I believe it is so defined," answered Duncan with mock dignity. "But we are not to talk disease, if you please, young lady," and he smiled a command which might easily be interpreted to mean: "You must rest from that sort of thing for a while."
Cora turned to look back over the dusty road. Her face, usually alive to every mood, was strangely set—as if too anxious to venture a change of expression. Duncan from the front seat saw her look.
"Oh, he is not coming," he said. "No need to worry now. We are across the State line."
"I never was so frightened in my life," admitted Cora. "Not that I was afraid of going to court, but I was mortally afraid we would not be able to make the run in time. I should have known better, however, for Tom had qualified3 before to-day."
"Tom knows just how fast this machine ought to go," added Duncan. "I don't mind Tom hearing it, either."
The chauffeur smiled in acknowledgment to the compliment. It had been a hard run, and the Chelton lawyer had only turned back at the last mile post.
"Wonder where that motor-cycle officer is now?" remarked Cora. "I mean
"Oh, he's out having a good time on what he earned this morning," answered Duncan. "One hold-up in a day is plenty for Hanna."
"I have scarcely had a chance to speak to you, Clip," Cora began, as her nervousness vanished. "I am so glad to see you."
"Well, you have been looking whole vocabularies at me, Cora, in many and various languages," said Clip in her own inimitable way. "I have been wondering whether you had turned into a Sphynx or just Liberty."
"But, Clip, I did have a fright. Suppose I should have had to give up the run, and go to that stuffy5 old courtroom!"
"Well, I am glad you didn't," answered Clip sincerely. "I do think that a courtroom is about the meanest place I have ever visited—and I have been in a lot of queer places. And the girls," went on Clip. "Whatever will they say to you two runaways6?"
"What won't they say?" replied Duncan. "I am not to blame, of course.
"I saw Reed pass over the back country road a moment ago," interrupted
Tom. "I might guess where he is going."
"Where?" asked the trio in a breath.
"To that junk shop on the turnpike," replied Tom. "He seems to think the shop is haunted with a valuable ghost. He goes out there almost daily."
"You mean the antique shop?" asked Cora. "Oh, I know. He is after a table. I am sure it is he who has given the order—" She stopped—her finger on her lip. Tom seemed to know so much—what if he should know about the missing table? "Have you any idea what he is after?" asked Cora directly.
"Well, I ought to know," replied Tom, "for he has made no secret of it. He has searched every attic8 from Breakwater to Moreland. I caught an old junk dealer9 in our barn the other morning, and while I watched him get down the road I saw Reed come along. Of course, he had hired the man to search where he himself could not go. He is after some sort of ancient rustic10 table, I believe."
Clip and Cora exchanged meaning looks. Cora had not for a moment forgotten about the antique man's promise to have the original table in a few days. She was to see this and then—
"We are not out of the woods yet," remarked Clip. "I am thinking, Duncan, that you have undertaken a large contract. You have positively11 agreed to have me back in Chelton by to-morrow afternoon at four o'clock."
"Oh, we will see about that," replied the physician with a sly look at
Cora. "There is a telephone in Breakwater—"
"Duncan Bennet! If I thought I should be late for the 'clearing-up' to-morrow I would start right now," declared Clip most emphatically.
"Oh, you won't be. We will fix it so the 'clearing-up' will be late for you. I suppose you think everything that ever happened is going to repeat itself to-morrow afternoon, just because one Miss Cecilia Thayer is going—"
"Hush12, Duncan! Cora does not know one word about it. She may have guessed, but that is not knowing, is it, Cora?"
"I confess to a keen curiosity," answered Cora, "but as a matter of fact I expect to be very much busy myself to-morrow. Just now I cannot see how it is all going to be managed."
"Well, when the Chelton boys arrive I guess the girls will not be so particular about their time," said Duncan. "I fancy even the captain will have to show somebody the beauties of Breakwater. But hark! Wasn't that Daisy? I just heard a breath. We are only about ten miles from home—Daisy can easily breathe that long when she is excited. Oh, I am just aching to hear what they will say, Cora," and he laughed. "I'll wager13 Ray will be the aggrieved14 one. She will likely manage to keep out of the work, don't you think so?"
Cora did not reply in so many words, but she looked acquiescence15. Certainly those who knew Ray appreciated her ability to take care of her own personal self at the risk of all other matters. But Cora was thinking of something else—of Wren16 and the medical report. She knew better than to ask Duncan outright17 what might have been the result of their inquiry18. Nevertheless, she could not refrain from "begging the question."
"Is little Wren happy?" she asked, without apology for the sudden turn in their conversation.
"Well, just now," replied Duncan very seriously, "she can scarcely be expected to realize either happiness or unhappiness, for we had to give her a powerful anesthetic19."
"For an operation?" Cora could not refrain from asking. Clip showed no curiosity, and Cora knew at once that she was acquainted with the circumstances.
"Something of that kind," answered Duncan vaguely20. "But put your mind at rest—the child has every chance of ultimate recovery. The trouble was the wrong treatment. We use purely21 physical training for that sort of thing."
"Could the neglect have been intentional22?" asked Cora further. She had in mind the "quack23" doctor so long sent to Salveys' by the Roland branch of the family.
"Oh, I wouldn't like to venture an opinion on that," replied Duncan, "but ignorance is closely allied24 to criminal negligence25."
Clip set her deep dark eyes in a tense, strained expression. Then they all fell to thinking, and for a time conversation ceased.
"Ten more telegraph poles and we run into Breakwater," announced
Duncan, while Tom eyed his speedometer. "Then for our reception!"
It seemed but two minutes, at most, from that announcement that
Duncan's machine turned into the Bennet estate.
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1
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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5
stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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6
runaways
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| （轻而易举的）胜利( runaway的名词复数 ) | |
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7
inveigled
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| v.诱骗，引诱( inveigle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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15
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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16
wren
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| n.鹪鹩；英国皇家海军女子服务队成员 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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18
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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19
anesthetic
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| n.麻醉剂，麻药；adj.麻醉的，失去知觉的 | |
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20
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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21
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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22
intentional
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| adj.故意的，有意（识）的 | |
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23
quack
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| n.庸医；江湖医生；冒充内行的人；骗子 | |
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24
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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