Part 31 (1/2)
”Mr. David and I were up on the hill. We had just come back from a walk up the brook. Mr. David was tired after his excitement, and so we sat down to rest. It was then that we saw you.”
”What made Mr. David excited?” Jasper enquired. ”I suppose it was the great change he saw at the falls, was it?”
”Oh, no, not that. It was the rolling log which did it. You see, Mr.
David was nearly killed this afternoon.”
At these words Jasper stopped short and looked keenly into Betty's face.
”Nearly killed! What do you mean?” he demanded.
”Yes, that was it.” Then in a few words the girl told him what had happened up the brook that afternoon, and of old David's narrow escape.
For a while Jasper walked slowly along the road after Betty had finished. He was greatly puzzled, for he could not believe that any log would become loosened at the exact moment when David was directly in front of it unless there was something to start it on its downward course.
”Did you see any men working near the logs when you were there?” he at length asked.
”I didn't see any,” was the reply. ”But we met several teams on our way up.”
”And you saw no one near the place at all?”
”We didn't see any one near where we were going to have our lunch, but as we were coming home we saw the artist down by our brook.”
”You did? And where was he?”
”Not far from Pyramid Rock. I don't think he saw us, for we hurried by as fast as we could.”
”Why did you do that?”
”Because I'm afraid of him.”
”What, did he ever do anything to frighten you?”
”No. But he makes me s.h.i.+ver all over. I can't understand why it is.”
Jasper found David crouched in his big easy chair near the open window facing the falls. His eyes brightened as the young man entered and sat down by his side.
”It is good of you to come,” David began, ”for I have been anxious to speak to you ever since we came back from up the brook. You may go,”
and he motioned Betty to the door. ”I wish to be alone for a while with Mr. Randall.”
He waited until the door had closed behind the girl, and then turned his eyes upon his visitor's face. Jasper noted the worry there, and at once connected it with his experience up the brook that afternoon.
”Has Betty told you?” and David laid his right hand gently upon Jasper's arm.
”About the rolling log, and your narrow escape this afternoon?”
David nodded.
”Yes, she told me about it on our way here. I am so thankful that you were not hurt.”
”I might have been killed! It was nothing less than a miracle that I escaped.”
”It has shaken you up a great deal, so I see. But you will be all right after a good night's sleep. Your nerves are somewhat unstrung now.”
”Perhaps so,” the old man mused. ”But I feel uneasy. It may be the shock, as you suggest. But there is something in my heart that I cannot explain. I never had such a feeling before, and I thought that perhaps you could help me.”