第95章

The clock in the steeple of the Methodist church boomed eleven times and still the lights shone from the sitting-room windows of the little Winslow house and from those of Jed's living quarters behind his windmill shop.At that time of year and at that time of night there were few windows alight in Orham, and Mr.Gabe Bearse, had he been astir at such an hour, might have wondered why the Armstrongs and "Shavings" were "settin' up." Fortunately for every one except him, Gabe was in bed and asleep, otherwise he might have peeped under Jed's kitchen window shade--he had been accused of doing such things--and had he done so he would have seen Jed and Charlie Phillips in deep and earnest conversation.Neither would have wished to be seen just then; their interview was far too intimate and serious for that.

They had been talking since eight.Charles and his sister had had a long conversation following Captain Hunniwell's visit and then, after a pretense at supper--a pretense made largely on Babbie's account--the young man had come straight to the shop and to Jed.

He had found the latter in a state of extreme dejection.He was sitting before the little writing table in his living-room, his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands.The drawer of the table was open and Jed was, apparently, gazing intently at something within.When Phillips entered the room he started, hastily slammed the drawer shut, and raised a pale and distressed face to his visitor.

"Eh?" he exclaimed."Oh, it's you, Charlie, ain't it? I--I--er--good mornin'.It's--it's a nice day."

Charles smiled slightly and shook his head.

"You're a little mixed on the time, aren't you, Jed?" he observed.

"It WAS a nice day, but it is a nice evening now.""Eh? Is it? Land sakes, I presume likely 'tis.Must be after supper time, I shouldn't wonder.""Supper time! Why, it's after eight o'clock.Didn't you know it?""No-o.No, I guess not.I--I kind of lost run of the time, seems so.""Haven't you had any supper?"

"No-o.I didn't seem to care about supper, somehow.""But haven't you eaten anything?"

"No.I did make myself a cup of tea, but twan't what you'd call a success....I forgot to put the tea in it....But it don't make any difference; I ain't hungry--or thirsty, either."Phillips leaned forward and laid a hand on the older man's shoulder.

"Jed," he said gently, "I know why you're not hungry.Oh, Jed, what in the world made you do it?"Jed started back so violently that his chair almost upset.He raised a hand with the gesture of one warding off a blow.

"Do?" he gasped."Do what?"

"Why, what you did about that money that Captain Hunniwell lost.

What made you do it, Jed?"

Jed's eyes closed momentarily.Then he opened them and, without looking at his visitor, rose slowly to his feet.

"So Sam told you," he said, with a sigh."I--I didn't hardly think he'd do that....Course 'twas all right for him to tell," he added hastily."I didn't ask him not to, but--but, he and I havin'

been--er--chums, as you might say, for so long, I--I sort of thought....Well, it don't make any difference, I guess.Did he tell your--your sister? Did he tell her how I--how I stole the money?"Charles shook his head.

"No," he said quietly."No, he didn't tell either of us that.He told us that you had tried to make him believe you took the money, but that he knew you were not telling the truth.He knew you didn't take it.""Eh? Now...now, Charlie, that ain't so." Jed was even more disturbed and distressed than before."I--I told Sam I took it and--and kept it.I TOLD him I did.What more does he want?

What's he goin' around tellin' folks I didn't for? What--""Hush, Jed! He knows you didn't take it.He knew it all the time you were telling him you did.In fact he came into your shop this afternoon to tell you that the Sage man over at Wapatomac had found the four hundred dollars on the table in his sitting-room just where the captain left it.Sage had just 'phoned him that very thing.He would have told you that, but you didn't give him the chance.Jed, I--"But Jed interrupted.His expression as he listened had been changing like the sky on a windy day in April.

"Here, here!" he cried wildly."What--what kind of talk's that?

Do--do you mean to tell me that Sam Hunniwell never lost that money at all? That all he did was leave it over at Wapatomac?""Yes, that's just what I mean."

"Then--then all the time when I was--was givin' him the--the other money and tellin' him how I found it and--and all--he knew--""Certainly he knew.I've just told you that he knew."Jed sat heavily down in the chair once more.He passed his hand slowly across his chin.

"He knew!" he repeated."He knew!..." Then, with a sudden gasp as the full significance of the thought came to him, he cried:

"Why, if--if the money wasn't ever lost you couldn't--you--"Charles shook his head: "No, Jed," he said, "I couldn't have taken it.And I didn't take it."Jed gasped again.He stretched out a hand imploringly."Oh, Lord," he exclaimed, "I never meant to say that.I--I--""It's all right, Jed.I don't blame you for thinking I might have taken it.Knowing what you did about--well, about my past record, it is not very astonishing that you should think almost anything."Jed's agonized contrition was acute.

"Don't talk so, Charlie!" he pleaded."Don't! I--I'd ought to be ashamed of myself.I am--mercy knows I am! But...Eh? Why, how did you know I knew about--that?""Ruth told me just now.After Captain Hunniwell had gone, she told me the whole thing.About how Babbie let the cat out of the bag and how she told you for fear you might suspect something even worse than the truth; although," he added, "that was quite bad enough.Yes, she told me everything.You've been a brick all through, Jed.And now--""Wait, Charlie, wait.I--I don't know what to say to you.I don't know what you must think of me for ever--ever once suspectin' you.