第29章

At the wharf boat there had not been a sign of life.But with the dying away of the second whistle lights--the lights of lanterns--appeared on the levee close to the water's edge and on the wharf boat itself.And, behind her, the doors of the Sutherland Hotel opened and its office lit up, in preparation for any chance arrivals.She turned abruptly out of the beaten path down the gravel levee, made for the lower and darker end of the wharf boat.There would be Sutherland people going up the river.But they would be more than prompt; everyone came early to boats and trains to begin the sweet draught of the excitement of journeying.So she would wait in the darkness and go aboard when the steamer was about to draw in its planks.At the upper end of the wharf boat there was the broad gangway to the levee for passengers and freight; at the lower and dark and deserted end a narrow beam extended from boat to shore, to hold the boat steady.Susan, balancing herself with her bundle, went up to the beam, sat down upon a low stanchion in the darkness where she could see the river.

Louder and louder grew the regular musical beat of engine and paddle.The searchlight on the forward deck of the _General Lytle_, after peering uncertainly, suspiciously, at the entire levee, and at the river, and at the Kentucky shore, abruptly focused upon the wharf boat.The _General Lytle_ now seemed a blaze of lights--from lower deck, from saloon deck, from pilot house deck, and forward and astern.A hundred interesting sounds came from her--tinkling of bells, calls from deck to deck, whistling, creaking of pulleys, lowing of cattle, grunting of swine, plaint of agitated sheep, the resigned cluckings of many chickens.Along the rail of the middle or saloon deck were seated a few passengers who had not yet gone to bed.On the lower deck was a swarm of black roustabouts, their sooty animal faces, their uncannily contrasting white teeth and eyeballs, their strange and varied rags lit up by the torches blazing where a gangplank lay ready for running out.And high and clear in the lovely June night sailed the moon, spreading a faint benign light upon hills and shores and glistening river, upon the graceful, stately mail steamer, now advancing majestically upon the wharf boat.Susan watched all, saw all, with quick beating heart and quivering interest.It was the first time that her life had been visited by the fascinating sense of event, real event.The tall, proud, impetuous child-woman, standing in the semi-darkness beside her bundle, was about to cast her stake upon the table in a bold game with Destiny.Her eyes shone with the wonderful expression that is seen only when courage gazes into the bright face of danger.

The steamer touched the edge of the wharf-boat with gentle care;the wharf-boat swayed and groaned.Even as the gangplanks were pushing out, the ragged, fantastic roustabouts, with wild, savage, hilarious cries, ran and jumped and scrambled to the wharf-boat like a band of escaping lunatics and darted down its shore planks to pounce upon the piles of freight.The mate, at the steamer edge to superintend the loading, and the wharf master on the levee beside the freight released each a hoarse torrent of profanity to spur on the yelling, laughing roustabouts, more brute than man.Torches flared; cow and sheep, pig and chicken, uttered each its own cry of dissatisfaction or dismay; the mate and wharf master cursed because it was the custom to curse; the roustabouts rushed ashore empty-handed, came filing back, stooping under their burdens.It was a scene of animation, of excitement, savage, grotesque, fascinating.

Susan, trembling a little, so tense were her nerves, waited until the last struggling roustabouts were staggering on the boat, until the deep whistle sounded, warning of approaching departure.Then she took up her bundle and put herself in the line of roustabouts, between a half-naked negro, black as coal and bearing a small barrel of beer, and a half-naked mulatto bearing a bundle of loud-smelling untanned skins."Get out of the way, lady!" yelled the mate, eagerly seizing upon a new text for his denunciations."Get out of the way, you black hellions!

Let the lady pass! Look out, lady! You damned sons of hell, what're you about! I'll rip out your bowels----"Susan fled across the deck and darted up the stairs to the saloon.The steamer was all white without except the black metal work.Within--that is, in the long saloon out of which the cabins opened to right and left and in which the meals were served at extension tables--there was the palatial splendor of white and gilt.At the forward end near the main entrance was the office.Susan, peering in from the darkness of the deck, saw that the way was clear.The Sutherland passengers had been accommodated.She entered, put her bundle down, faced the clerk behind the desk.

"Why, howdy, Miss Lenox," said he genially, beginning to twist his narrow, carefully attended blond mustache."Any of the folks with you?"She remembered his face but not his name.She remembered him as one of the "river characters" regarded as outcast by the Christian respectability of Sutherland.But she who could not but be polite to everybody smiled pleasantly, though she did not like his expression as he looked at her."No, I'm alone," said she.

"Oh--your friends are going to meet you at the wharf in the morning," said he, content with his own explanation."Just sign here, please." And, as she wrote, he went on: "I've got one room left.Ain't that lucky? It's a nice one, too.You'll be very comfortable.Everybody at home well? I ain't been in Sutherland for nigh ten years.Every week or so I think I will, and then somehow I don't.Here's your key--number 34 right-hand side, well down toward the far end, yonder.Two dollars, please.Thank you--exactly right.Hope you sleep well.""Thank you," said Susan.