第35章

But now--pshaw!" Joe broke off with a tired laugh."Tell them not to waste their time.Are you going out to the Beach this afternoon?"The little man lowered his eyes moodily."I'll be near there," he said, scraping his patched shoe up and down the curbstone."That feller's in town agin.""What fellow?""`Nashville' they call him; Ed's the name he give the hospital: Cory--him that I soaked the night you come back to Canaan.He's after Claudine to git his evens with me.He's made a raise somewheres, and plays the spender.And her--well, I reckon she's tired waitin' table at the National House; tired o' me, too.I got a hint that they're goin' out to the Beach together this afternoon."Joe passed his hand wearily over his aching forehead.

"I understand," he said, "and you'd better try to.Cory's laying for you, of course.You say he's after your wife? He must have set about it pretty openly if they're going to the Beach to-day, for there is always a crowd there on Sundays.Is it hard for you to see why he's doing it? It's because he wants to make you jealous.What for?

So that you'll tackle him again.And why does he want that? Because he's ready for you!"The other's eyes suddenly became bloodshot, his nostrils expanding incredibly."READY, is he? He BETTER be ready.I--""That's enough!" Joe interrupted, swiftly.

"We'll have no talk like that.I'll settle this for you, myself.You send word to Claudine that Iwant to see her at my office to-morrow morning, and you--you stay away from the Beach to-day.

Give me your word."

Mr.Fear's expression softened."All right, Joe,"he said."I'll do whatever you tell me to.Any of us 'll do that; we sure know who's our friend.""Keep out of trouble, Happy." Joe turned to go and they shook hands."Good day, and--keep out of trouble!"When he had gone, Mr.Fear's countenance again gloomed ominously, and, shaking his head, he ruminatively entered an adjacent bar through the alley door.

The Main Street bridge was an old-fashioned, wooden, covered one, dust-colored and very narrow, squarely framing the fair, open country beyond;for the town had never crossed the river.

Joe found the cool shadow in the bridge gracious to his hot brow, and through the slender chinks of the worn flooring he caught bright glimpses of running water.When he came out of the other end he felt enough refreshed to light a cigar.

"Well, here I am," he said."Across Main Street bridge--and it must be getting on toward noon!" He spoke almost with the aspect of daring, and immediately stood still, listening.

"`REMEMBER,"' he ventured to repeat, again daring, "`REMEMBER! ACROSS MAIN STREET BRIDGE AT NOON!' "And again he listened.Then he chuckled faintly with relief, for the voice did not return."Thank God, I've got rid of that!" he whispered."And of the circus band too!"A dust road turned to the right, following the river and shaded by big sycamores on the bank;the mongrel, intensely preoccupied with this road, scampered away, his nose to the ground."Good enough," said the master."Lead on and I'll come after you."But he had not far to follow.The chase led him to a half-hollow log which lay on a low, grass-grown levee above the stream, where the dog's interest in the pursuit became vivid; temporarily, however, for after a few minutes of agitated investigation, he was seized with indifference to the whole world; panted briefly; slept.Joe sat upon the log, which was in the shade, and smoked.

"`REMEMBER!' " He tried it once more."`ACROSSMAIN STREET BRIDGE AT NOON!' " Safety still; the voice came not.But the sound of his own repetition of the words brought him an eerie tremor;for the mist of a memory came with it; nothing tangible, nothing definite, but something very far away and shadowy, yet just poignant enough to give him a queer feeling that he was really keeping an appointment here.Was it with some water-sprite that would rise from the river? Was it with a dryad of the sycamores? He knew too well that he might expect strange fancies to get hold of him this morning, and, as this one grew uncannily stronger, he moved his head briskly as if to shake it off.The result surprised him; the fancy remained, but his headache and dizziness had left him.

A breeze wandered up the river and touched the leaves and grass to life.Sparrows hopped and chirped in the branches, absurdly surprised; without doubt having concluded in the Sunday stillness that the world would drowse forever; and the mongrel lifted his head, blinked at them, hopelessly wishing they would alight near him, scratched his ear with the manner of one who has neglected such matters overlong; reversed his position; slept again.The young corn, deep green in the bottomland, moved with a staccato flurry, and the dust ghost of a mad whirling dervish sped up the main road to vanish at the bridge in a climax of lunacy.