Part 43 (2/2)
”Say! She wouldn't hurt anything. Ain't she nice looking! I'll bet she was kind when she was all right,” said Gene.
”Talks of golden hair. Must be her baby drowned has made her crazy,”
said Spike.
”I'm going to speak to her, anyway,” and so saying, Gene boldly approached her.
”Say, lady! What are you looking for?” he asked, as he timidly stood in front of her.
”Dorothy,” she softly answered, and then slowly s.h.i.+fted her wistful eyes from the water to the boys.
”Whose Dorothy?” asked Spike, with an air of quiet respect, as he joined Gene and stood in front of her.
”The sweetest babe in all the world. See, in this--her likeness,” and she drew from the bosom of her dress a medallion and held it for the boys to look at.
”Sure! She's a beaut!” exclaimed Spike, admiringly.
”Say, that picture is just like you,” remarked Gene, looking over the medallion at the face before him.
”Yous dress is wet, Missus,” said Spike.
”Were you looking for your baby there?” queried Gene, nodding toward the river.
She suddenly arose to her feet and listened, meanwhile tenderly replacing the medallion in her corsage.
”I must not rest longer. The storm will soon be on us. The boat rocks.”
She paused in a listening att.i.tude: ”Her voice! I hear it again. She is calling, 'Mamma, papa, help! Save me!' There! There!”--and she pointed over the water. ”See that golden web glistening in the suns.h.i.+ne. It's her hair. She's beckoning me! Give me the paddles!--the paddles, quick!” And then she cried out with a gasp that sounded very much like a sob: ”Save Dorothy!”
CHAPTER XXI.
When John Thorpe left Virginia in search of Mr. Harris, he found him in conversation with Sam, at the foot of the piazza steps. Above them, on the piazza, was seated Mrs. Harris.
”I understand,” remarked Mr. Harris to Sam, ”that there was another man in the cabin, but somehow he escaped.”
”There was another man there,” replied Sam, ”but he went down through a trap door in the floor, Uncle.”
”Did he drown,” questioned Mr. Harris.
”Oh, no! The logs raised the floor of the cabin about a foot above the water. He got away between them and swam ash.o.r.e. We didn't find it out until he had made good his escape.”
It was then Mr. Thorpe addressed Mr. and Mrs. Harris. It being the first opportunity presented to perform a duty, that was clearly inc.u.mbent on him, and without further hesitation, he said: ”Mr. and Mrs. Harris and Sam, who heard me abuse Mr. Corway on this ground last Wednesday night, I wish now to recall what I then said. If an entire misapprehension of facts can be an excuse for the animosity with which I then spoke, I am anxious to apologize for my behavior, as circ.u.mstances have made me aware how unjust were my aspersions. I regret that Mr. Corway is not present to receive my apology and to shake hands with him, for there is not a man in Oregon for whom I have greater respect.”
Mr. Harris was unable to conceal his gratification at the sudden ending of an unpleasant dilemma, and exclaimed: ”John, I heartily congratulate you on the agreeable termination of an ugly affair.”
<script>