登陆注册
5392600000013

第13章

This was no time for him to ask me such a question, especially to emphasize the "you.""Why shouldn't he write to me?" I asked, tartly.

"But--but HIM--writin' to YOU!"

"Humph! Even a god stoops once in a while.Read your mythology, Lute.""Hey? Say, look here, what are you swearin' about?""Swearing? Oh, that's all right.The god I referred to was a heathen one.""Well, it's a good thing Dorindy didn't hear you; she's down on swearin', heathen or any other kind.But what did Mr.Colton write to you for?""He says he wants to see me."

"See you? What for?"

"Don't know.Perhaps he wants to borrow money.""Borrow--! I believe you're crazy!"

"No, I'm tolerably sane.There! there! don't look at me like that.

Here's his letter.Read it, if you want to."Lute's fingers were so eager to grasp that letter that they were all thumbs.He dropped it on the grass, picked it up with as much care as if it was a diamond, and holding it a foot from his nose--he had broken his spectacles and was afraid to ask Dorinda for the money to have them repaired--he spelt it out to the last word.

"Well, by time!" he exclaimed, when he had finished."He wants to see you at his house this forenoon! And--and--why, the forenoon's all but gone now! What are you settin' here for?""Well, I thought I should enjoy watching you rake the yard.It is a pleasure deferred so far.""Watchin' me--! Roscoe Paine, you are out of your head! Ain't you goin' to see him?""No."

"You AIN'T!"

"No."

"Ros Paine, have you jined in with them darn fools uptown?""Who's swearing now? What fools do you mean?""Darn ain't swearin'.Dorindy herself says that once in a while.

I mean Alvin Baker, and Jed Dean and the rest of 'em.They was goin' on about Mr.Colton last night; said THEY wan't goin' to run at his beck and call.I told 'em, says I, 'You ain't had the chance.You'll run fast enough when you do.'""Did you say that to Captain Jed?"

"No-o.I said it to Alvin, but old Jed's just as bad.He's down on anybody that's got more'n he has.But Ros, you ain't foolish enough to side with Jed Dean.Just think! Here's Mr.Colton, richer'n King Solomon and all his glory.He's got servants and butlers and bonds and cowpons and horses and teams and automobiles and--"I rose from the wash bench.

"I know what he's got, Lute," I interrupted."And I know what he hasn't got.""What? Is there anything he ain't got?"

"He hasn't got me--not yet.If he wants to see me he may.I expect to be at home for the next day or two.""You don't mean you expect a millionaire like him to come cruisin'

after YOU! Well, by time! I think I see him!""When you do, let me know," I said."I should like to be prepared.""Well,--by--time!" said Lute, by way of summing up.I ate dinner with Dorinda.Her husband did not join us.Dorinda paid a visit to the back yard and, seeing how little raking had been done, announced that until the job was finished there would be "no dinner for some folks." So she and I ate and Lute raked, under protest, and vowing that he was so faint and holler he cal'lated to collapse 'most any time.

After the meal was finished I went down to the boathouse.The boathouse was a little building on the beach at the foot of the bluff below the house.It was a favorite resort of mine and Ispent many hours there.My eighteen foot motor launch, the Comfort, the one expensive luxury I allowed myself and which I had bought second-hand two years before, was jacked up in the middle of the floor.The engine, which I had taken apart to clean, was in pieces beside it.On the walls hung my two shot guns and my fishing rod.Outside, on the beach, was my flat-bottomed skiff, which I used for rowing about the bay, her oars under the thwarts.

In the boathouse was a comfortable armchair and a small shelf of books, novels for the most part.A cheap clock and a broken-down couch, the latter a discard from the original outfit of the cottage, made up the list of furniture.

My idea in coming to the boathouse was to continue my work with the engine.I tried it for a half hour or so and then gave it up.It did not interest me then.I shut the door at the side of the building, that by which I had entered--the big double doors in front I had not opened at all--and, taking a book from the shelf, stretched myself on the couch to read.

The book I had chosen was one belonging to the Denboro Ladies'

Library; Miss Almena Doane, the librarian, had recommended it highly, as a "real interesting story, with lots of uplifting thoughts in it." The thoughts might be uplifting to Almena, but they did not elevate my spirits.As for the story--well, the hero was a young gentleman who was poor but tremendously clever and handsome, and the heroine had eyes "as dark and deep as starlit pools." The poor but beautiful person met the pool-eyed one at a concert, where he sat, "his whole soul transfigured by the music,"and she had been "fascinated in spite of herself" by the look on his face.I read as far as that and dropped the book in disgust.

After that I must have fallen asleep.What awakened me was a knock on the door.It was Lute, of course.Probably mother wanted me for something or other, and Dorinda had sent her husband to hunt me up.

The knock was repeated.

"Come in," I said, sleepily.

The door opened and in came, not Lute, but a tall, portly man, with a yachting cap on the back of his gray head, and a cigar in his mouth.He looked at me as I lay on the couch and I lay on the couch and looked at him.

"Afternoon," he said, curtly."Is your name Paine?"I nodded.I was waking rapidly, but I was too astonished to speak.

"Roscoe Paine?"

"Yes."

"Well, mine's Colton.I sent you a letter this morning.Did you get it?"

同类推荐
  • 贤首五教仪开蒙

    贤首五教仪开蒙

    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。
  • 哭单父梁九少府

    哭单父梁九少府

    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。
  • 摩醯首罗大自在天王神通化生伎艺

    摩醯首罗大自在天王神通化生伎艺

    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。
  • 发财秘诀

    发财秘诀

    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。
  • 大宝积经

    大宝积经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 挪坟

    挪坟

    一切顺利,郭家的坟挪完了,郭主任和可好先生的女人们请了善人一起到新坟来烧火烛摆香桌,供酒是两瓶青花瓷的景芝。善人是香香的娘,她用公鸡冠子上的血下了符咒,口中念念有词,念完后顺手把公鸡撒开了手,让它往田野跑去,这只鸡是要放生的。只是这只鸡却不肯离开,它围着新修建的坟咯咯地叫着转起了圈儿,郭主任隐约觉得有些不安,不是说修寿坟的时候要放生这只活公鸡的吗?说如果公鸡一放就跑走了,那新坟的主人寿命还长着呢,若公鸡不肯走,还围着寿坟转圈儿,那新坟的主人命不久矣。
  • 墨下楠琛枕上书

    墨下楠琛枕上书

    我见证了许楠琛和沈枕书从相识到相知、相爱相守,最后分开再复合再分开,最后消失在彼此的世界里。阿枕打赌着说,他们会永远在一起,永远相爱,因为在许楠琛的整个青春里只有一个沈枕书进进出出。然而她忘了,爱情不能拿来赌,它不是赌注,当你决定赌一把爱情的时候,你就已经输了一直到后来我再次遇到阿枕,她拿着酒杯不停的往嘴里灌,我第一次看她哭得这么撕心裂肺,她跟我说:伊伊,你知道吗,他爱我是真的,想要离开我也是真的,原来先爱的人真的死得最惨呵呵。我觉得很可惜,但也仅仅只能可惜。
  • 私奔吧,总裁大人

    私奔吧,总裁大人

    [1v1甜宠]他是锦城商界的半壁江山,她是他的整个世界离开前,她在桌角留下纸条,上面寥寥数字“我想你应该知道,我最喜欢你了。”归来后,他看着熟睡的她在她眉间轻轻落下一吻,“我都知道。”离开三年后归来,她做的第一件事是掌掴他的未婚妻第二件事是打着他童养媳的名号胡作非为第三件事是将生了十年的米煮成熟饭吃干抹净后她转身要逃,他笑笑将她护照机票撕碎烧掉“你留下来,或者我和你走。”他勾起嘴角,“凭什么说我喜欢你?”她笑的眉眼弯弯,“我见青山多妩媚,料青山见我应如是。”
  • 做一个有修养会保养懂营养的魅力女人

    做一个有修养会保养懂营养的魅力女人

    这是一本写给女人的书。你可以在咖啡馆的某个角落静静地品读它,也可以在睡前的被窝里细细地思考它,还可以在厨房里或者餐桌上幸福地回味它。没错,这就是一本教女人如何完善自己、幸福自己、提高自己的美丽圣经!本书的宗旨就一个:让更多的女性朋友变得美丽,变得美好,变得健康,从平凡普通实现魅力出众的完美蜕变。真正地脱胎换骨,改变精神状态,收获精彩人生。本书奉献三大法宝:用修养美化心灵,用保养塑造形象,用营养收获健康。美丽就这么简单!
  • 至尊医妃:王爷,劫个色

    至尊医妃:王爷,劫个色

    一觉醒来,拥有高智商双学历在21世纪混的风生水起的苏祁穿越了。爹不疼,娘……没有,嫡母长姐各种欺辱,原身还是个神智不清的痴傻儿。苏祁表示,这枯燥无味的古代生活,还是可以来点调味剂的。嫡姐伪善,当众撕下她娇柔做作的面具。太子纠缠,直接送到庶妹床上。只是,她斗过了所有人,谁来告诉她这么个无赖王爷是从哪冒出来的?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 心理素质决定成败

    心理素质决定成败

    人的一切行为都是自内而外的。一个成功的人,一个成功的社会,都离不开心理的成功。世界巨富沃沦·巴菲特在有人问他为什么比上帝还富有时说:”这个问题很简单,就像聪明人会做一些阻碍自己发挥全部工效的事情,原因不在智商,而在于心理素质。”当时在场的比尔· 盖茨深表赞同。具有良好行为的人必有良好的品性,具有伟大人格的人必有伟大的心性。心理素质是一个人成功的基础,更是使一个人富有一生的资本。一种健全的人格,比一百种智慧都有力量。战胜别人从战胜自己开始。在个人整体素质中,处于基础、核心与归宿地位的心理素质,越来越成为人们身心健康、事业成败、生活幸福的决定因素,也越来越引起研究者和社会大众的热切关注。
  • 酒验方

    酒验方

    药酒在我国已有相当悠久的历史。酒与医药的结合是我国医药发展史上的重要创举。本书共分十二个部分:前五个部分突出药酒在养生保健上的作用;第六、七部分按强筋壮骨、外用擦疗分门别类;另外五个部分则按内科诸症、外科疾病、妇科、泌尿系统疾病和其他分类。每一部分以疾患为纲,读者朋友可以很方便地从中查找出自己所需药酒的有关内容,本书是一部极具实用价值的工具书。
  • 说话有技巧 做事需手段

    说话有技巧 做事需手段

    这是一个风云激荡的年代,这是一个机会频生、奇迹迭出的时代,这是一个人人都渴望成功的时代,每个人都必须在竞争中求生存,必须在思考和学习中塑造自己,通过本书的学习,你必将学到许多实实在在的成功方法,这些都将成为你今后生活、工作、事业中的指南。
  • 养阴人

    养阴人

    五岁那年,姥爷给了我一块玉佩,说它是我的媳妇,十几年后我真的见到了玉佩中的女子,芊芊玉体,笑靥盈盈,她是姥爷养的鬼,也是他许配给我的妻。“娘子,我们如何圆房?”我望着这缕青魂无从下手,可那个女鬼却按着我的肩膀把我压了个结实。“相公,你没听过什么叫鬼压床吗?”
  • 犹太人的智慧

    犹太人的智慧

    本书通过精彩的故事和案例,全面而简练地展示了犹太民族在赚钱、经营、营销、博弈、冒险、理财、谈判、管理、教子等方面的智慧。这些智慧法则都是犹太人经过多年实践总结出来的,在犹太人中流传甚广,也日益引起世界其他民族学习和研究犹太人智慧法则的兴趣。希望大家读过本书,从中了解犹太人的历史,掌握犹太人的成功智慧,在工作中有所借鉴和帮助。