第103章

"And so," said Jed, in conclusion, "you see, Maud, what a dreadful load the poor young feller's been carryin' ever since he came and especially since he--well, since he found out how much he was carin' for you.Just stop for a minute and think what a load 'twas.His conscience was troublin' him all the time for keepin'

the bank job, for sailin' under false colors in your eyes and your dad's.He was workin' and pinchin' to pay the two thousand to the man in Middleford.He had hangin' over him every minute the practical certainty that some day--some day sure--a person was comin' along who knew his story and then the fat would all be in the fire.And when it went into that fire he wouldn't be the only one to be burnt; there would be his sister and Babbie--and you;most of all, you."

She nodded."Yes, yes, I know," she cried."But why--oh, why didn't he come to me and tell me? Why did he go without a word?

He must have known I would forgive him, no matter what he had done.

It wouldn't have made any difference, his having been in--in prison.And now--now he may be--oh, Jed, he may be killed!"She was sobbing again.Jed patted her hand."We won't talk about his bein' killed," he said stoutly."I know he won't be; I feel it in my bones.But, Maud, can't you see why he didn't come and tell you before he went to enlist? Suppose he had.If you care for him so much--as much as I judge you do--"She interrupted."Care for him!" she repeated."Oh, Jed!""Yes, yes, dearie, I know.Well, then, carin' for him like that, you'd have told him just what you told me then; that about his havin' done what he did and havin' been where he's been not makin'

any difference.And you'd have begged and coaxed him to stay right along in the bank, maybe? Eh?""Yes," defiantly.Of course I would.Why not?""And your father, would you have told him?"She hesitated."I don't know," she said, but with less assurance.

"Perhaps so, later on.It had all been kept a secret so far, all the whole dreadful thing, why not a little longer? Besides--besides, Father knows how much Charlie means to me.Father and Ihad a long talk about him one night and I--I think he knows.And he is very fond of Charlie himself; he has said so so many times.

He would have forgiven him, too, if I had asked him.He always does what I ask.""Yes, ye-es, I cal'late that's so.But, to be real honest now, Maud, would you have been satisfied to have it that way? Would you have felt that it was the honorable thing for Charlie to do? Isn't what he has done better? He's undertakin' the biggest and finest job a man can do in this world to-day, as I see it.It's the job he'd have taken on months ago if he'd felt 'twas right to leave Ruth--Mrs.Armstrong--so soon after--after bein' separated from her so long.He's taken on this big job, this man's job, and he says to you: 'Here I am.You know me now.Do you care for me still?

If you do will you wait till I come back?' And to your dad, to Sam, he says: 'I ain't workin' for you now.I ain't on your payroll and so I can speak out free and independent.If your daughter'll have me I mean to marry her some day.' Ain't that the better way, Maud? Ain't that how you'd rather have him feel--and do?"She sighed and shook her head."I--I suppose so," she admitted.

"Oh, I suppose that you and he are right.In his letter he says just that.Would you like to see it; that part of it, I mean?"Jed took the crumpled and tear-stained letter from her hand.

"I think I ought to tell you, Maud," he said, "that writin' this was his own idea.It was me that suggested his enlistin', although I found he'd been thinkin' of it all along, but I was for havin'

him go and enlist and then come back and tell you and Sam.But he says, 'No.I'll tell her in a letter and then when I come back she'll have had time to think it over.She won't say 'yes' then simply because she pities me or because she doesn't realize what it means.No, I'll write her and then when I come back after enlistin'

and go to her for my answer, I'll know it's given deliberate.'"She nodded."He says that there," she said chokingly."But he--he must have known.Oh, Jed, how CAN I let him go--to war?"That portion of the letter which Jed was permitted to read was straightforward and honest and manly.There were no appeals for pity or sympathy.The writer stated his case and left the rest to her, that was all.And Jed, reading between the lines, respected Charles Phillips more than ever.

He and Maud talked for a long time after that.And, at last, they reached a point which Jed had tried his best to avoid.Maud mentioned it first.She had been speaking of his friendship for her lover and for herself.

"I don't see what we should have done without your help, Jed," she said."And when I think what you have done for Charlie! Why, yes--and now I know why you pretended to have found the four hundred dollars Father thought he had lost.Pa left it at Wapatomac, after all; you knew that?"Jed stirred uneasily.He was standing by the window, looking out into the yard.

"Yes, yes," he said hastily, "I know.Don't talk about it, Maud.

It makes me feel more like a fool than usual and...er...

don't seem as if that was hardly necessary, does it?""But I shall talk about it.When Father came home that night he couldn't talk of anything else.He called it the prize puzzle of the century.You had given him four hundred dollars of your own money and pretended it was his and that you had--had stolen it, Jed.He burst out laughing when he told me that and so did I.The idea of your stealing anything! You!"Jed smiled, feebly.