Part 39 (2/2)
”And you expect to drift on until that light comes?”
A halt, long enough for second thought or renewal of a decision. ”I can't do otherwise. There's no other way. It's inevitable.”
”'Inevitable!'” Roberts shrugged impatiently. ”I don't like the word. It belongs in the same cla.s.s with 'chance' and 'predestination' and 'luck.'
There are few things inevitable except death.”
”This is one--that I must wait.”
”And you can't even take me into your confidence, about the reason why?
Mind, I don't ask it unless you voluntarily desire. I merely suggest.”
”No,” steadily; ”I can't tell you the reason. I've got to decide for myself--when light comes.”
Roberts' great shoulders squared significantly.
”But if I know it already,” he suggested evenly, ”what then?”
No answer, although the other waited half a minute.
”I repeat: what if I know it already?”
”Do you know?”
Roberts' glance wandered into the shadow where the girl was, then returned slowly to the street and the red car.
”I rode East with Steve Armstrong,” he said, ”as far as he went. I also wired him when I was coming, and we returned together. He told me, I think, everything--except about your father. He forgot that, if he knew.
Do you doubt I know the reason, Elice?”
Out of the shadow came the girl's face,--the face only.
”You did this for Stephen Armstrong--after what is past! Why?”
”Because life is short and I wanted to know several things before I came to-night. Would you like to hear what it was I wished to learn?”
Again the face vanished.
”Yes,” said a voice.
”You know already, so it won't be news. One was that he still cares for you--as always. He perjured himself once, because he thought it was his duty; but he has never ceased to care. The other thing was that he's changed his mind and is going back to his literary work. His novel, that was accepted tentatively, will be published next Winter. What else I learned is immaterial. I don't often venture a prediction, but in his case I'll make the exception. I believe that this time he'll make good.
He has the incentive--and experience. Do you still doubt I know the reason, Elice?”
”No. But that you should tell me this!”
”I claim no virtue. You knew it already. I'm merely attempting to simplify--to aid the coming of the light.”
For the second time out of the shadow came the girl's face, her whole figure. ”Darley Roberts,” asked a voice, ”are you human, or aren't you? I don't believe another man in the world would, under like circ.u.mstances, do as you have done by Steve Armstrong. I can't believe you human merely.”
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