Show r pa Ti OF THE ml DEVIL BEN BENu u AMES AME wa YV d r sit BIN ANES W CHAPTER X Continued X-Continued 13 13 As a matter of fact this was worse than carelessness With that particular pistol if the barrel is empty the action stays half half The fact that it was closed should have warned me that there was stilla still stilla a n cartridge in the barrel I was incredibly incredibly in in- credibly stupid There was a moments moment's silence Then Jerrell lI said uncomfortably Decent of you to say that Ned But after alter all if it I hadn't pointed the gun at Dan Dan Dan- He added in an incredulous recollection recollection rec rec- I 1 didn't mean to tried not to I cant can't understand it even even even ev ev- en now It was exactly as if some someone's someone's someone's ones one's band on mine swung the pistol pistol pistol pis pis- pis- pis tol toward Dan Dan Dan- If it had been empty you could have done no harm It Doctor Greed Greed- ing insisted Professor Carlisle looked keenly at nt the Doctor No one is is blame blamable blam- blam able for Cor an accident he remarked This of course was an nn accident Let it rest so And he repeated his qu question sUon of a moment before You think he will recover Yes Why the older man inquired On what signs do you re rely Doctor hesitated shook his head smiled I dont don't know he said Instinct A guess per per- haps He chuckled Or it may maybe maybe maybe be that Im I'm relying on my luck Iud I Iwas Iwas Iwas was born under a caul Professor The old women say that's a sign of luck you know and Ive I've ways been lucky certainly I Professor ProCessor Carlisle sat dow dowra doal i almost almost almost al al- al- al most suddenly as though he were tired His eyes still on Doctor face Cace he filled his bis pipe and lighted it So presently he s 5 spoke i Born under a caul were you Doctor he repeated thoughtfully And he said I remember you ou once told me some strange a experiences peri- peri of a friend of yours who was also born under a caul Doctor felt his flame then the blood drained away aNay and he cursed his to folly Iy his own loose tongue There was no accusation accusation acc Isa tion In the Professors Professor's tone yet Doctor felt Celt himself ac accused Yes so I 1 did he confessed lamely Professor Carlisle pulled at his pipe his old eyes stern and still Strange things do happen he said gravely some things too dark for forthe forthe forthe the human mind to contemplate i He Be met Doctor glance I I 1 perceive he said that Dan I and Nanc Nancy Nancy- Yes I 1 am much pleased Doctor Doctor Doctor Doc Doc- tor said hurriedly You Yo do not object not object the Professer Professor Pro Pro- lessor fessor asked No the other man assured him No Nol And he said Strange things yes Dans Dan's recovery recovery recovery-I I think he will recover recover recover-is is almost lUke like a miracle for instance Something Something Some- Some thing tiling like an appeal for mercy was i In lin his tone The old man said inflexibly Yes I II If he do does s recover And at that abruptly Doctor turned away and went out through the room billiard-room to where Dan lay He questioned Mary Ann with a glance Hes fine she said Not much pain and no temperature Doctor you lyou mustn't mustn't doubt Hell He'll get bet bet- ter She smiled Hes bound to This is one of your miracles miracles mir mir- acles you know Its already twenty four hours he reflected Wound draining Perfectly Ill stay with him for a while he suggested If you want to to- to rest And he did in fact stay close to Dans Dan's side during the days that fol fol- fol- fol lowed This was not all solicitude for Dan It was in part defensive since so long as he stayed near Dan who Dan who was conscious and rational ration al now now now-he he need not be alone with Professor Carlisle There was in Doctor a passionate desire to avoid that wise bold man whose shrewd eyes eye saw so much who might be keen enough to tos s 1 suspect aspect and even to credit the incredible He perceived that thai questions questions ques ques- multiplied in the others other's mind but so long as he himself himsel stayed near Dan who must overhear any catechism that might be attempted Professor Carlisle could not interrogate interrogate interrogate inter inter- rogate him And Doctor And Doctor had no answers answers an an- ready for the old mans man's unasked unasked un un- asked questions so he clung to Dan Danas as a n buckler and a shield He an and Mary MaryAnn Ann and Nancy shared that vigil but he bore the greater burden It was as though he poured his own life lite and strength into the hurt m men n. n He seemed in fact visibly to fail while Dan grew zt stronger For Dans Dan's strength did begin to return his color to im irn prove and his Ws spirits were brave and Doctor by contrast began began began be be- gan to look like an ill man Nancy paid him a heavenly tenderness And Mary Ann entered with her into into into in in- to this conspiracy of gentleness toward toward to to- ward the man who so visibly grew weary and drawn before beCore their eyes She said to him once at dawn You mustn't wear mustn't-wear wear yourself out Doctor And she added under under- Father told me you jOU blame yourself for Dans Dan's being hurlBut hurt hurl But that's wrong You mustn't wor wor- ry pry Grief and worry can make you ill and Dan doesn't blame you None of us do He said I wonder if that's why Dans Dan's getting better Because hes he's not blaming me not not hating hating me Hate and anger are poisonous things Mary Ann They can destroy destroy de de- de stroy a man if 11 he harbor them She protested smilingly Nobody hates anybody here He said gently Youre a very One line woman Mary Ann There was a question in his mind but he did not ask it There was no need To any discerning eye It was clear enough that between Mary Ann and J Jerrell rrell there was a n bond which grew stronger In these days under the same roof together Jerrell seemed younger each day and Mary Ann wore radiance like a garment and a happy certainty and pride The second day after Dans Dan's hurt there was a change in the weather It grew warmer and a hot haze obscured obscured obscured ob ob- ob- ob the sky diffusing the rays of the sun Dan suffered from the heat as they all did yet the day passed somehow After dinner Nancy Nancy Nancy Nan Nan- cy and Doctor went out outon outon outon on the open terrace In front of the house where a n faint breeze stirred The stars were obscured by the haze across ss the sky and Nancy said We need a n shower Father to clear the air He nodded Tomorrow probably probe ably he said Its never uncomfortably uncomfortably uncomfortably hot here for very long They stood side by side her arm through his But I dont don't think I Ishall Ishall Ishall shall ever like it here again she confessed He was shaken No Why Nancy Nancy Nancy Nan Nan- cy cy I r think partly because Dan was hurt hurt here she decided And It cant can't ever be the same without Mother When Dan can be moved lets let's go back to Cambridge Father Fa Fa- ther there Sell the island I wish you'd stay here with me he suggested For a while for this last time time time- She said with the blind cruelty of youth I hate leaving you Fa Fa- ther But But I I want to be with Dan always Lifes Life's so short I know that now Weve We've so little time I dont don't want to miss a single day I might have with him I shall be lonely without you Nancy he confessed I know she nodded And Im I'm sorry Its It's the way the world is though Isn't it Father No matter matter mat mat- ter how much I love you I must go to Dan He assented gravely Yes And AndI I shant try to keep you from him She laughed clinging to his arm her voice deep and md warm You couldn't ever she whispered ardently ar ar- dently No matter how you tried Nothing ever can He nodded humbly accepting this and a little later they returned indoors Doctor that night was unable to sleep but lay with his eyes open staring at the ceiling Dawn found him with burning eyes He went to swim and found in the water peace and contentment content ment meat for a while But later after he had dressed again the sultry heat settled down once more smothering smothering ering and stifling stilling him He relieved Mary Anns Ann's vigil by Dans Dan's side and saw that Dan was better Infection In must almost certainly have set in before now If it were to be feared at nt all and Mary Ann pointed point point- ed this out His Ris temperatures temperature's normal sh she whispered Dan was still asleep I think the danger Is past Doctor Dector nodded I think so he agreed Its only a matter matter matter mat mat- ter of nursing now of at avoiding complications Ill lU see sec to that she promised and left him He recognized the fact that his task was done that Dan would live But with this miracle accomplished pushed his life Ufe was left completely complete ly empty now flOW and at the thought great weariness oppressed him He who all night ha had been unable to sleep suddenly surrendered to deep slumber He went to the couch inthe Inthe in inthe the room billiard and lay down and ann when presently Nancy came and found him there she covered him over tenderly He slept till almust almost noon while the others moved quiet quIet- ly so that he might not be dis dis- dis- dis And he woke to peace a content and ordered mind Dan was fretful that afternoon The heat irked him and returning strength gave him sufficient energy energy energy ener ener- gy to resent it il Nancy was dIstressed distressed distressed dis dIs- dis- dis by his mood till Mary Ann jubilantly reassured her Its the best possible sign she said When a sick man begins to tobe tobe tobe be sulky and tempered bad you may know 1 hes he's getting welL So Nancy was amused The early afternoon she spent with Dan Dan Doe Doc Doctor tor was in his room and she and Dan found themselves involved Involved involved in in- In one of those arguments without either a beginning or an end which may arise between two people who are arc close to one another er He was flushed with something like anger when Mary Ann returned and found them so and Nancy said laughingly Mary Ann you stay with him for tor fora tora a while Hes He's unbearable Im I'm go- go I 7 Z I IA a w I t l 0 t Its the Way the World Is Though Isn't It Father ing swimming She spoke to Dan Dont you wish you could It willbe willbe will willbe be so beautifully coo cool Dan growled half hat angrily right make it tough for me Go on get out of here herel She kissed him on the forehead Im going Kiss me right he demanded Dont peck like that You dont don't deserve it she pro pro- tested But But there And she left him with Mary Ann She swam then lay on the wharf half The afternoon was stifling stifling sti sti- sti fling hot but to the northwest clouds were banking and she heard hearda a far roll roIl of thunder an and thought a shower was near and was grateful grate grate- ful for the approach of this relief After Alter a while she saw her father come down doom to the be beach ch and go into the water and she called ironically ironically ironi ironi- cally Beautifully cool isn't it Great he agreed He said Shower coming She nodded and watched him lazily through half closed eyes He swam slowly strongly out into nto the lake He often did this often swam from Cram the Island to the mainland half a mile away That he should do so now was not remarkable but she called Going across He did not answer probably did not hear her She thought of ot joining joining joining join join- ing him for the long swim but was too much at ease The clouds yonder came racing toward them a dark wall streaked now and then by lightning's flame She wa watched these flashes thrilling to the beauty of at them waiting ardently ardently ardently ar ar- ar- ar dently for the slashing of ot rain across neross her body Doctor swam straIghtaway straight straightaway straightaway away from rom shore yet et not with any purpose in his mind save to commit himself to the embrace of the cool water Once or twice he paused floating on on his back utterly re relaxed relaxed relaxed re- re resting The island the world was far away Floating thus he thought suddenly that Myra I was here beside him and this was absurd because Myra had never I been a strong swimmer never ventured ventured ventured ven- ven I far from shore Yet it seemed to him that she was here smil smiling ng tenderly her eyes full of at the sublime sublime sublime sub sub- lime and forgiving love of which only only only on on- ly women are nrc capable It was treacherously beautiful and comforting to think of her close to him he turned on his side to face face- her to speak to her But she was not here He heard Nancys Nancy's halloo Are Arc you all right Father He shouted Yes of course I thought I heard you call No Im I'm all right He could see Nancy standing by bythe bythe bythe the springboard looking toward him his eyes devoured her for tor a a I moment more Then he swam on toward the other shore Nancy watched him his head a adark adark dark dot on the lakes lake's mirror surface surface surface sur sur- sur- sur face and she watched the approaching approach approach- ing shower A veil of rain obscured obscured obscured ob ob- ob- ob the farther hills and swept down to the lake and darkened the water and raced toward her It was a deluge hiding everything She saw it reach her father and conceal him from her eyes and she stayed awhile there on the wharf welcoming the cool downpour on her body holding up her face to the sweet rain opening her arms as though to a lover The shower continued for half hat an hour but long before it ended she was almost chilled and she went up to the house to dress She was v in her room when the rain ceased suddenly the shower moved away down the lake withdrawing like a curtain like a wall It had swept away the hot stale stifling stilling air which had bad oppressed them for so long Then suddenly the sun shone welly wetly smilingly the world was washed bright and clean and beautiful Nancy had a great sense of well being of ot security She came downstairs Mary Ann and Jerrell were with Dan She saw Professor Carlisle on the veranda and went out to him This is better isn't it she said happ happily ly Sunshine after ra rain n he assent assent- ed Nothing more beautiful Then he asked slowly Where is your father lather She looked out across the lake He swam over to the theother other shore I expect she replied He said in mild surprise a long swim Oh he often does It she assured assured assured as as- him He looked at her thoughtfully Youre not concerned about him he inq inquired ired She smiled shook her head Not in the least Hell He'll swim back when hes he's ready Im I'm sure hes he's perfectly all right And she went into the house to be with Dan Professor ProCessor Carlisle stayed there on 00 the veranda for a while alone looking looking looking look look- ing out across the water but Doctor Doctor Doctor Doc Doc- tor did not reappear So presently the Professor nodded as though in assent to some remark as though accepting the explanation of some matter which for a n while had puzzled and disturbed him and his brow cleared and trouble left his eyes It was in fact impossible in the bright radiance of the sunshine to believe that in this world so newly washed and cleansed any dark blemish could remain No trace of Doctor ever was found He had vanished as if withdrawn by some superior power after he had hod served his purpose THE END |