登陆注册
4611900000078

第78章

"Why, no, I wa'n't. I ain't been to my store this mornin', and I'm 'fraid I ought to be there."To be frank, Abner was too great a sensation lover to forfeit the opportunity of springing his startling news on the community.

"Then, Josiah, you'll have to harness Dan'l and take me down. Imustn't wait another minute."

"Why, Mrs. Snow!" expostulated Captain Jerry, "you mustn't go down there. The Doctor's goin', and I'll go, and Pashy's there already."But the housekeeper merely waved him aside.

"I want you to stay here with Elsie," she said. "There's no tellin' how long I may be gone. Josiah 'll drive me down, won't you, Josiah?"There was no lack of enthusiasm in the "able seaman's" answer. The boy was only too glad of the chance.

"But it ain't fit weather for you to be out in. You'll git soakin'

wet."

"I guess if Pashy Davis can stand it, I can. Elsie, will you come and help me git ready, while Josiah's harnessin'?"As they entered the chamber above, Elsie was thunderstruck to see her companion seat herself in the rocker and cover her face with her hands. If it had been anyone else it would not have been so astonishing, but the cool, self-possessed housekeeper--she could scarcely believe it.

"Why, Mrs. Snow!" she exclaimed, "what IS it?"The lady from Nantucket hastily rose and wiped her eyes with her apron.

"Oh, nothin'," she answered, with an attempt at a smile. "I'm kind of fidgety this mornin', and the way that man started off to tell his yarn upset me; that's all. I mustn't be such a fool."She set about getting ready with a vim and attention to detail that proved that her "fidgets" had not affected her common-sense. She was pale and her hands trembled a little, but she took a covered basket and packed in it cloth for bandages, a hot-water bottle, mustard, a bottle of liniment, and numerous other things likely to be of use. Last of all, she added a bottle of whisky that had been prescribed as a stimulant for John Baxter.

"I s'pose some folks would think 'twas terrible carryin' this with me," she observed. "A woman pitched into me once for givin' it to her husband when he was sick. I told her I didn't favor RHUBARB as a steady drink, but I hoped I knew enough to give it when 'twas necessary."Ralph and Captain Perez were surprised men when the housekeeper, dripping, but cheerful, appeared on the scene. She and Josiah had had a stormy passage on the way down, for the easy-going Daniel had objected to being asked to trot through drifts, and Mrs. Snow had insisted that he should be made to do it. The ford was out of the question, so they stalled the old horse in the Mayo barn and borrowed Abner's dory to make the crossing.

Mrs. Snow took charge at once of the tired men, and the overtaxed Miss Patience was glad enough to have her do it. Luther Davis was in bed, and Captain Eri, after an hour's sojourn in the same snug harbor, had utterly refused to stay there longer, and now, dressed in a suit belonging to the commandant, was stretched upon a sofa in the front room.

The Captain was the most surprised of all when Mrs. Snow appeared.

He fairly gasped when she first entered the room, and seemed to be struck speechless, for he said scarcely a word while she dosed him with hot drinks, rubbed his shoulder--the bone was not broken, but there was a bruise there as big as a saucer--with the liniment, and made him generally comfortable. He watched her every movement with a sort of worshipful wonder, and seemed to be thinking hard.

Captain Davis, although feeling a little better, was still very weak, and his sister and Captain Perez were with him. Josiah soon returned to the Mayo homestead to act as ferryman for Dr. Palmer when the latter should arrive, and Ralph, finding that there was nothing more that he could do, went back to the cable station. The storm had abated somewhat and the wind had gone down. Captain Eri and Mrs. Snow were alone in the front room, and, for the first time since she entered the house, the lady from Nantucket sat down to rest. Then the Captain spoke.

"Mrs. Snow," he said gravely, "I don't believe you've changed your clothes sence you got here. You must have been soaked through, too. I wish you wouldn't take such risks. You hadn't ought to have come over here a day like this, anyway. Not but what the Lord knows it's good to have you here," he added hastily.

The housekeeper seemed surprised.

"Cap'n Eri," she said, "I b'lieve if you was dyin' you'd worry for fear somebody else wouldn't be comf'table while you was doing it.

同类推荐
  • 渔樵问对

    渔樵问对

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清丹元玉真帝皇飞仙上经

    上清丹元玉真帝皇飞仙上经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 氾论训

    氾论训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛为胜光天子说王法经

    佛为胜光天子说王法经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 元朝征缅录

    元朝征缅录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 幽默与人际关系

    幽默与人际关系

    阅读《幽默与人际关系》后,对于幽默有更加理性的认识和感性的了解。而当你在娴熟地运用幽默时,你会发现:你的人际关系会在不知不觉中变得和谐,而你身边的每一个人都越来越喜欢你。这,正是幽默能改善人际关系的魅力所在。
  • 守则与道德修养(道德修养集成)

    守则与道德修养(道德修养集成)

    《守则与道德修养》针对在思想道德修养、科学文化底蕴、语言表达能力等方面的问题,从多个角度、多个侧面加以研究分析,寻找解决问题的办法和途径,很具现实指导意义。全书注重实用性、可操作性。材料丰富翔实,经验之谈让读者感悟,适当的理论化又让读者得以升华。
  • 离恨天行

    离恨天行

    未证大道先破空魂穿异域前尘梦无缘本我祈相逢长吁短叹一曲颂来到异界的风行将会掀起怎样的波澜
  • 网恋77天

    网恋77天

    简介:该书是一本以QQ为题材的校园网恋的浪漫爱情故事。这里没有武侠里的刀光剑影,这里没有玄幻里的斗气魔法,这里没有科幻里的天马行空,这里没有历史里的源远流长,这里没有后宫里的勾心斗角,这里没有悬疑里的扑朔迷离,这里也没有灵异里的毛骨悚然……这里只有毫无营养的对白以及淡淡的故事构筑成平淡无奇的小说。
  • 八股文

    八股文

    文化是一种社会现象,是人类物质文明和精神文明有机融合的产物;同时又是一种历史现象,是社会的历史沉积。当今世界,随着经济全球化进程的加快,人们也越来越重视本民族的文化。我们只有加强对本民族文化的继承和创新,才能更好地弘扬民族精神,增强民族凝聚力。历史经验告诉我们,任何一个民族要想屹立于世界民族之林,必须具有自尊、自信、自强的民族意识。文化是维系一个民族生存和发展的强大动力。一个民族的存在依赖文化,文化的解体就是一个民族的消亡。
  • 一世倾尘

    一世倾尘

    四海八荒,灵山之上,天女出,四海同庆,卿渊奉仙帝之命,前来接天女回宫。而刚刚成形的天女只修得了魂魄却没有肉身,于是便由卿渊,这位八荒最善医药的西漓上仙为其塑成肉身,并唤名落尘。帝之九子钟漓化龙,在卿渊为其塑成肉身后,仙帝便命钟漓昭告四海八荒纳落尘为妃,即日后同升为天帝天后,而落尘心有所属便推却了仙君的要求。而自古以来,天帝之女必须入嫁天家才能保万世太平,聚其灵力不被魔族所用,若此不然,宁可其灰飞烟灭。钟漓不忍落尘落得如此下场,便逼她与自己成婚。新婚之日,落尘不愿就此留在天界,欲要逃往凡间,于此,三生树千百年一次七星会日聚转,卿渊借此将落尘送往凡间······--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 世界上最伟大的推销员

    世界上最伟大的推销员

    当今社会,销售为王。上至达官显贵,下至平民百姓,人人推销。任何一个成功和有影响力的人,都必然是很好地推销了自己的人。实用的销售技巧、根本的销售原则和有效的成交方法,将使你大开眼界,受益匪浅。还在等什么?快快行动起来,你再做什么都将会是优秀的!给你提出实用的建议,教会你如何培养成功推销的习惯,攻破顾客的心理防御,培养坚持不懈的精神,提高自尊心,让它成为你随“心”携带的推销宝典吧!
  • 王牌

    王牌

    在扑克牌中,最为邪恶的一张牌叫做小丑,嗜杀、夺命、人间人死、鬼见鬼愁,但是,在小丑的之后,还有一张牌,就叫做……王牌!这是一个空战为尊的世界,战机成为了战斗的主导,在这里王牌就是绝对的核心,就是天空的主宰!贫民区出身的岳鹏,原本一事无成、碌碌无为,混迹在贫困的边缘,在偶然收到一份神秘礼物后,从此命运出现了巨大的转折,他找到的人生的道路,并且通过坚毅与刻苦,迈向了通往空战王牌的道路……
  • 相公你醉了

    相公你醉了

    疯狂版下雨天遇上分手,过个马路遇上穿越。大四女生田甜在毕业季遇上前途爱情两茫茫的时候穿越成新娘子了,可是这新婚相公跟那个贱人长的一模一样是几个意思!于是乎,新婚夜,叉腰举火把:“我不嫁,你们再过来我就点火烧房子!”结果,新婚相公把她告上公堂,索赔……一辈子!狗血版慈祥和蔼的大哥对女儿溺爱成瘾……相貌堂堂的小叔却总对田甜为首是瞻,自己那个才十四的小妹却偏偏对他情有独钟……添乱!小夫妻家长里短的斗,娘家人又各个是极品,田甜奔溃之际发现相公人模人样起来了,正芳心暗许呢,隔壁村买豆腐的姑娘又不消停了。靠!你一村夫也有人跟姐抢!励志版算了,男人是长腿儿的,银子才是自己的。所以决定重操父业:酿酒!可这酒馆火了,相公的仕途却郁郁不得志,看在他当初帮忙的份上,田甜大手一挥:“相公,功名什么的都是浮云,我的酒馆里缺一厨子。”“……”
  • 如何创办美容美发店

    如何创办美容美发店

    本书为《“金阳光”新农村丛书》之一,围绕农民朋友所关心的话题展开,主要讲述了美容与美发、筹办美容美发店、美容基础知识、美容化妆技术、美容运用实例、美发的操作、发型设计运用实例及美容美发店的经营与管理,全书新颖实用,简明易懂。