the fifth string-第11部分

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The　three　scoundrels　listened；　as　the

voices　rose　and　fell　on　the　air。　The

child；　with　the　fear　of　death　before　her；

and　in　the　clutches　of　her　horrible　captor；

gave　one　convulsive　sob　and　sank　swooning

at　his　feet。



Foley　picked　her　up　and；　walking

quickly；　placed　her　in　the　very　boat　her

father　and　friends　had　left　but　a　moment

before。　He　wrapped　her　in　a　ragged

coat；　loosened　the　hasp　of　the　door　on　the

boat…house；　and　took　out　the　oars。



Quickly　the　captors　pushed　the　craft

into　deep　water；　and　with　muffled　stroke

moved　through　the　inky　waves；　a　somber

specter　sneaking　along　the　banks　of　the

sleeping　marches。



When　they　neared　the　upper　bridge；

Foley　ran　the　boat　ashore　and　abandoned

it。　Picking　up　the　exhausted　and　benumbed

child；　he　led　his　two　companions

along　the　causeway　and　over　the　road

leading　to　the　bridge。



The　wind　came　out　of　the　north；

howling　through　the　leafless　boughs　of

the　mighty　monarchs　of　the　forest。　The

last　flickering　light　of　the　town　was　left

far　behind；　and　darkness；　like　a　great

shroud；　enveloped　river；　valley　and　woods。



In　due　time　Colonel　Franklin　and　his

party　reached　home；　hungry　after　their　fine

sail　on　the　river；　and　all　in　high　spirits。



‘‘Jedge；　you　and　the　boys　sit　right

down；　and　we'll　have　supper　in　a　jiffy。''



The　guests　thoroughly　enjoyed　the

evening　meal。　The　repast　was　about

concluded　when　Edith；　who　had　just

returned　from　the　parsonage；　came　in；

and　called　cheerily：



‘‘Hurry　up；　Lily；　it's　time　to　go　to　the

festival。　They're　going　to　light　up　thet

tree　at　half…past　eight；　and　it's　nearly

that　now。''



‘‘Why；　chil'；　Lily　ain't　here。　She's

wif　yo'　folks；''　exclaimed　Delia。



‘‘With　us？　She　hasn't　been　with　us

at　all；''　responded　Edith。



‘‘It's　likely　she's　at　one　of　the

neighbors；''　ventured　the　Colonel。



‘‘I'll　fin'　her；　Muster　Franklin；　an'

I'se　gwine　to　scol'　her　good　an'　hard　fo'

worryin'　her　ol'　mammy。　At　this　she

put　a　shawl　over　her　head　and　shoulderst

and　started　in　search　of　the　absent　one



‘‘Suppose　I　go　too；''　suggested　Gilbert；　rising。



‘‘I　don't　think　that's　necessary；''

interposed　the　Colonel。



‘‘It'll　only　take　me　a　minute；''　assured

the　son；　as　he　began　to　put　on　his　overcoat。



‘‘Go　if　you　like　then；''　consented　the　Colonel。



‘‘An'　if　yer　don't　mind；　Miss　Deed；''

volunteered　Sandy；　‘‘I'll　go　up　to　church

with　yer；　an'　then　come　back　an'　fetch

Lily　and　Gil。''



‘‘That's　a　good　idea；''　answered　Edith；

‘‘bring　her　right　over　to　the　church；　and

I'll　be　waiting　for　you　there。''



‘‘I　guess　I'll　go　up　to　my　house　an'

look。　Mebbe　Lily　is　playin'　with　Zorah；

an'　if　she　is；　I'll　come　right　back　an'　tell

yer；''　put　in　Dink。



Edith；　Delia　and　the　three　boys

departed；　leaving　the　Colonel　and　the

Jedge　alone；　smoking　their　pipes　and

discussing　the　sensational　events　of　the　week；

in　which　Dennis　Foley　was　the　central

figure。



The　conversation　was　stopped　by　the

appearance　of　Delia　and　Gilbert；　who

declared　that　not　one　of　the　neighbors

had　seen　Lillian　that　afternoon。



‘‘It　seems　almost　incredible　that　she

could　be　lost；''　said　the　father；　‘‘she　must

be　somewhere　about　here。　Perhaps　she

went　to　the　church；　and　fell　asleep　in

one　of　the　pews。''



The　searching　party　set　out　once　more；

this　time　accompanied　by　the　Colonel

himself；　and　by　the　Jedge。　At　the　church

they　heard　from　Sandy　and　Dink　that

no　trace　of　the　child　had　been　found；

so　the　father　requested　the　minister　to

inquire　of　the　congregation　if　the　missing

one　had　been　seen　anywhere。　There　was　no

response　from　those　present；　and　the　family

and　friends　began　to　show　grave　concern。



Another　effort　at　finding　her　was

immediately　made。　The　police　sergeant　was

notified；　and　he　sent　out　a　general　alarm。



All　night　long；　and　all　the　next　day　the

hunt　was　continued。　Wells　were　explored；

basements；　cellars　and　out…of…the…way

places　were　ransacked；　lumber　yards　and

coal　yards　were　gone　through　most　carefully。

In　fact；　not　a　foot　of　the　town　was

left　unsearched；　but　all　to　no　avail；　and

the　once　happy　home　of　the　Franklins

was　steeped　in　sorrow　and　despair。



The　morning　after　Lillian's　disappearance；

Mrs。　Foley　inquired　of　the　boys

in　the　neighborhood　if　they　had　seen

anything　of　her　son　Tom；　who；　she

declared；　had　been　gone　since　the

previous　morning。



From　Sandy　she　learned　that　Tom

had　taken　dinner　at　Gilbert's　the　day

before；　but　that　when　the　party　had

started　for　the　river　he　had　dropped

out；　claiming　he　was　too　down…hearted

to　join　in　the　pleasure。



‘‘That's　the　way　he　acted　at　home；''

said　the　widow；　‘‘and　it　seemed　to　me

it　was　almost　unnacheral　for　him　to

talk　against　his　father；　as　he　did。

However；　I'm　not　bothered　about　him；　for

he　comes　and　goes　just　as　he　pleases；

and　when　he　gets　good　and　ready　he'll

turn　up；　like　a　bad　penny。　I've　stopped

worryin'　about　him　years　an'　years　ago。''



‘‘If　I　see　Tom；''　volunteered　the　boy；

‘‘I'll　tell　him　yer　want　him；''and　he

hurried　away。



The　next　morning　Sandy　left　home

earlier　than　usual；　and　on　his　own　account

began　a　search　for　Lillian。　A　new　theory

had　taken　possession　of　him；　and　he

started　at　once　for　the　river。　At　the

magazine　gate　he　chatted　with　the　sentry

about　the　mysterious　disappearance；　and

passed　on。　When　he　reached　the　shore

half　a　mile　beyond；　he　was　surprised　to

find　that　the　padlock　on　the　door　of　the

shed　had　been　pried　off；　and　that　his

boat　was　missing。



Opening　the　door　he　saw　that　his

oars　and　blankets　were　gone；　and　he　began

to　feel　that　his　theory　might　lead　him

to　important　discoveries。　For　fully　five

minutes　he　stood　motionless；　and　gazed

into　the　river；　buried　deep　in　his　own

thoughts。　Then　he　soliloquized：　‘‘I

wonder　if　Lily's　been　stolen？　S'pose；

while　we've　been　searchin'　fer　her　high

an'　low；　Foley　an'　the　galoot　what

whacked　me　jest　took　the　little　girl　an'

carried　her　off　in　my　boat？　That　'ere

story　'bout　Dennis　Foley　buyin'　a　ticket

for　Philadelphy　struck　me　as　fishy　when

I　fust　heerd　it；　an'　now　I　don't　believe

it　a　t'all。　They　couldn't　git　through　the

magazine　gate　'thout　the　guards　seein'

them；　an'　whoever　took　my　boat　either

came　up　the　shore　or　down　the　shore。

'Tain't　likely　they　came　from　up　shore；

'cause　they　could　'a'　found　a　hundred

boats　'tween　here　an'　the　upper　bridge。''



Turning　around；　Sandy　started　down

the　beach　toward　the　cemetery。　He　was

studying　carefully　the　ground　beyond　the

point　of　high　tide；　and　in　a　few　moments

reached　the　ravine　where；　two　nights

before；　the　three　abductors　had　stopped；

upon　hearing　Colonel　Franklin　and　his

sailing　party　approach。



‘‘Well；　I'll　be　durned；''　he　exclaimed；

for　in　the　sand　before　his　very　eyes　was

the　impress　of　four　pairs　of　shoes。　Two

were　evidently　those　of　men；　one　small

enough　to　be　that　of　a　boy；　and　one　so　tiny

as　to　convince　him　it　was　that　of　a　child。



‘‘This　is　the　way　they　come；''　he　con…

tinued；　‘‘and　there　wuz　three　of　'em　in

the　gang　besides　the　little　one；　an'　I'm

sure　er　that。''



He　followed　the　footprints　until　he

reached　the　old　wharf。　Peering　through

the　rotten　timbers；　he　said：



‘‘That's　a　rum　ol'　hole。　I　don't

believe　Satan　hisself　would　go　in　there；

but　I'm　goin'；　an'　see　what　I　kin　see。''



Sandy　had　no　difficulty　in　entering　the

cave；　which　he　found　strewn　with　whisky

bottles；　pieces　of　bread　and　newly…picked

bones；　evidence　enough　that　some　one

had　been　there　but　a　short　time　before。

Penetrating　deeper　in　his　search；　he

made　a　find　of　the　utmost　importance。

Lying　at　one　side；　and　near　a　bed　of

rags；　was　an　envelop　addressed　to

Dennis　Foley；　and；　on　a　peg　which　had

been　driven　into　the　wall；　was　hanging

an　old　hat；　which　he　had　often　seen　on

Hildey's　head。



Elated　at　the　results　of　his　quest；　he

began　to　retrace　his　steps；　and　in　eager

haste　he　left　the　cave。　Picking　his　way

along　the　slimy　stones　under　the　wharf；

he　soon　neared　the　outlet　and　there　was

startled　by　the　most　significant　of　all

his　discoveries。　Right　before　him　lay

the　identical　hoop　which　he　had　given

the　lost　child　only　Christmas　Day；　and

which　bore　the　inscription；　‘‘From　Sandy

Coggles　to　Lillian　Franklin。''



Every　suspicion　now　was　confirmed；　and

he　was　sure　he　knew　the　culprits。　Taking

the　hoop；　he　returned　to　his　boat…

house　with　all　possible　speed；　and　leaping

into　his　skiff；　paddled　up　the　river；

his　eyes　scanning　the　marsh　lines　on

either　bank　of　the　channel。　Arriving　at

the　bridge；　he　learned　by　inquiry　from

the　tender　stationed　there　that　he　had

not　seen　the　Lillian　coming　up　stream

within　the　past　three　days。



‘‘But；''　explained　the　bridge…tender；

‘‘I'm　only　on　from　six　to　six　during

daylight；　and　of　course　if　anything

comes　through　at　night　I　wouldn't　know

about　it。　I'm　pretty　sure；　though；　there's

been　nothing　up　this　way　for　a　month

of　Sundays；　'cept　Buck　Wesley；　who

creeped　up　'bout　two　hours　ago；　following

a　gang　of　ducks　that　uses　right　over

there　above　Mayhew's　Meadows。　And

the　way　Buck's　been　shooting　for　the　last

hour；　he　must　be　having　a　time　and　no

mistake。''



‘‘Well；　so　long；''　called　Sandy。　‘‘I

guess　I'll　go　up　the　river　a　little　further

and　have　a　look。''　And　once　more　he

took　up　his　paddles。　As　he　came　abreast

of　the　Meadows　he　saw　Buck　Wesley

coming　out　of　the　creek　in　his　gunning

skiff。



‘‘Is　that　you；　Sandy？''　shouted　the　gunner。



‘‘That's　me；''　was　the　boy's　answer。



‘‘Come　over　here；　I　want　to　talk　to　you；''

requested　Buck。



When　Sandy　got　alongside　the　hunter's　boat；　he　asked：



‘‘Well；　Buck；　what's　the　trouble？''



‘‘No　trouble；　Sandy；　but　when　I　come

up　the　river　this　mornin'I　ain't　been

up　for　three