the oakdale affair-第23部分

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　head　and　smiled　ruefully〃but　there　ain't　a　chance。〃　His　eyes　travelled　to　the　slim　figure　sitting　so　straight　in　the　rear　seat　of　Jonas　Prim's　car。

Suddenly　the　little　head　turned　in　his　direction。　　　〃Hurry；　Bridge；〃　admonished　The　Oskaloosa　Kid；　〃you're　coming　home　with　us。〃


The　man　stepped　toward　the　car；　shaking　his　head。　〃Oh；　no；　Miss　Prim；〃　he　said；　〃I　can't　do　that。　　Here's　your　'swag。'〃　And　he　smiled　as　he　passed　over　her　jewels　and　money。

Mr。　Prim's　eyes　widened；　he　looked　suspiciously　at　Bridge。　　Abigail　laughed　merrily。　　〃I　stole　them　myself；　Dad；〃　she　explained；　〃and　then　Mr。　Bridge　took　them　from　me　in　the　jail　to　make　the　mob　think　he　had　stolen　them　and　not　I　he　didn't　know　then　that　I　was　a　girl；　did　you？〃

〃It　was　in　the　jail　that　I　first　guessed；　but　I　didn't　quite　realize　who　you　were　until　you　said　that　the　jewels　were　yoursthen　I　knew。　　The　picture　in　the　paper　gave　me　the　first　inkling　that　you　were　a　girl；　for　you　looked　so　much　like　the　one　of　Miss　Prim。　　Then　I　commenced　to　recall　little　things；　until　I　wondered　that　I　hadn't　known　from　the　first　that　you　were　a　girl；　but　you　made　a　bully　boy！〃　and　they　both　laughed。　　〃And　now　good…by；　and　may　God　bless　you！〃　His　voice　trembled　ever　so　little；　and　he　extended　his　hand。　　The　girl　drew　back。

〃I　want　you　to　come　with　us；〃　she　said。　　〃I　want　Father　to　know　you　and　to　know　how　you　have　cared　for　me。　　　Wont　you　comefor　me？〃

〃I　couldn't　refuse；　if　you　put　it　that　way；〃　replied　Bridge；　and　he　climbed　into　the　car。　　As　the　machine　started　off　a　boy　leaped　to　the　running…board。

〃Hey！〃　he　yelled；　〃where's　my　reward？　I　want　my　re…　ward。　　I'm　Willie　Case。〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Bridge。　　〃I　gave　your　reward　to　your　fathermaybe　he'll　split　it　with　you。　　Go　ask　him。〃　And　the　car　moved　off。

〃You　see；〃　said　Burton；　with　a　wry　smile；　〃how　simple　is　the　detective's　job。　　Willie　is　a　natural…born　detective。　　　He　got　everything　wrong　from　A　to　Izzard；　yet　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Willie　we　might　not　have　cleared　up　the　mystery　so　soon。〃

〃It　isn't　all　cleared　up　yet；〃　said　Jonas　Prim。　　〃Who　murdered　Baggs？〃

〃Two　yeggs　known　as　Dopey　Charlie　and　the　Gen…　eral；〃　replied　Burton。　　〃They　are　in　the　jail　at　Oakdale；　but　they　don't　know　yet　that　I　know　they　are　guilty。　　　They　think　they　are　being　held　merely　as　suspects　in　the　case　of　your　daughter's　disappearance；　whereas　I　have　known　since　morning　that　they　were　implicated　in　the　killing　of　Baggs；　for　after　I　got　them　in　the　car　I　went　behind　the　bushes　where　we　discovered　them　and　dug　up　everything　that　was　missing　from　Baggs'　house；　as　nearly　as　is　knowncurrency；　gold　and　bonds。〃

〃Good！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Prim。

On　the　trip　back　to　Oakdale；　Abigail　Prim　cuddled　in　the　back　seat　beside　her　father；　told　him　all　that　she　could　think　to　tell　of　Bridge　and　his　goodness　to　her。

〃But　the　man　didn't　know　you　were　a　girl；〃　suggested　Mr。　Prim。

〃There　were　two　other　girls　with　us；　both　very　pretty；〃　replied　Abigail；　〃and　he　was　as　courteous　and　kindly　to　them　as　a　man　could　be　to　a　woman。　　I　don't　care　any…　thing　about　his　clothes；　Daddy；　Bridge　is　a　gentleman　born　and　raisedanyone　could　tell　it　after　half　an　hour　with　him。〃

Bridge　sat　on　the　front　seat　with　the　driver　and　one　of　Burton's　men；　while　Burton；　sitting　in　the　back　seat　next　to　the　girl；　could　not　but　overhear　her　conversa…　tion。

〃You　are　right；〃　he　said。　　〃Bridge；　as　you　call　him；　is　a　gentleman。　　He　comes　of　one　of　the　finest　families　of　Vir…　ginia　and　one　of　the　wealthiest。　　You　need　have　no　hesitancy；　Mr。　Prim；　in　inviting　him　into　your　home。〃

For　a　while　the　three　sat　in　silence；　and　then　Jonas　Prim　turned　to　his　daughter。　　〃Gail；〃　he　said；　〃before　we　get　home　I　wish　you'd　tell　me　why　you　did　this　thing。　　　I　think　you'd　rather　tell　me　before　we　see　Mrs。　P。〃

〃It　was　Sam　Benham；　Daddy；〃　whispered　the　girl。　　〃I　couldn't　marry　him。　　I'd　rather　die；　and　so　I　ran　away。　　I　was　going　to　be　a　tramp；　but　I　had　no　idea　a　tramp's　existence　was　so　adventurous。　　You　won't　make　me　marry　him；　Daddy；　will　you？　I　wouldn't　be　happy；　Daddy。〃

〃I　should　say　not；　Gail；　you　can　be　an　old　maid　all　your　life　if　you　want　to。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　toI　only　want　to　choose　my　own　husband；〃　replied　Abigail。

Mrs。　Prim　met　them　all　in　the　living…room。　　At　sight　of　Abigail　in　the　ill…fitting　man's　clothing　she　raised　her　hands　in　holy　horror；　but　she　couldn't　see　Bridge　at　all；　until　Burton　found　an　opportunity　to　draw　her　to　one　side　and　whisper　something　in　her　ear；　after　which　she　was　graciousness　personified　to　the　dusky　Bridge；　in…　sisting　that　he　spend　a　fortnight　with　them　to　recuper…　ate。

Between　them；　Burton　and　Jonas　Prim　fitted　Bridge　out　as　he　had　not　been　dressed　in　years；　and　with　the　feel　of　fresh　linen　and　pressed　clothing；　even　if　ill　fitting；　a　sensation　of　comfort　and　ease　pervaded　him　which　the　man　would　not　have　thought　possible　from　such　a　source　an　hour　before。

He　smiled　ruefully　as　Burton　looked　him　over。　　〃I　ven…　ture　to　say；〃　he　drawled；　〃that　there　are　other　things　in　the　world　besides　the　open　road。〃

Burton　smiled。

It　was　midnight　when　the　Prims　and　their　guests　arose　from　the　table。　　Hettie　Penning　was　with　them；　and　ev…　eryone　present　had　been　sworn　to　secrecy　about　her　share　in　the　tragedy　of　the　previous　night。　　On　the　mor…　row　she　would　return　to　Payson　and　no　one　there　the　wiser；　but　first　she　had　Burton　send　to　the　jail　for　Giova；　who　was　being　held　as　a　witness；　and　Giova　promised　to　come　and　work　for　the　Pennings。

At　last　Bridge　stole　a　few　minutes　alone　with　Abi…　gail；　or；　to　be　more　strictly　a　truthful　historian；　Abigail　outgeneraled　the　others　of　the　company　and　drew　Bridge　out　upon　the　veranda。

〃Tell　me；〃　demanded　the　girl；　〃why　you　were　so　kind　to　me　when　you　thought　me　a　worthless　little　scamp　of　a　boy　who　had　robbed　some　one's　home。〃

〃I　couldn't　have　told　you　a　few　hours　ago；〃　said　Bridge。　　　〃I　used　to　wonder　myself　why　I　should　feel　toward　a　boy　as　I　felt　toward　you；it　was　inexplicable；and　then　when　I　knew　that　you　were　a　girl；　I　understood；　for　I　knew　that　I　loved　you　and　had　loved　you　from　the　mo…　ment　that　we　met　there　in　the　dark　and　the　rain　be…　side　the　Road　to　Anywhere。〃

〃Isn't　it　wonderful？〃　murmured　the　girl；　and　she　had　other　things　in　her　heart　to　murmur；　but　a　man's　lips　smothered　hers　as　Bridge　gathered　her　into　his　arms　and　strained　her　to　him。




End