the village watch-tower-第4章

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for　all　there　is。　　I　was　reading　a　detective　story　last　week。

It　seems　there　was　an　awful　murder　in　Schenectady；　and　a　mother

and　her　two　children　was　found　dead　in　one　bed；　with　bullet

holes　in　their　heads。　　The　husband　was　away　on　business；

and　there　wasn't　any　near　neighbors　to　hear　her　screech。

Well；　the　detectives　come　from　far　and　from　near；　and　begun

to　work　up　the　case。　　One　of　'em　thought　't　was　the　husband；

though　he　set　such　store　by　his　wife　he　went　ravin'

crazy　when　he　heard　she　was　dead；one　of　'em　laid　it

on　the　children；though　they　was　both　under　six　years　old；

and　one　decided　it　was　suicide；though　the　woman　was　a　church

member　and　didn't　know　how　to　fire　a　gun　off；　besides。

And　then　there　come　along　a　detective　younger　and　smarter　than

all　the　rest；　and　says　he；　‘If　all　you　bats　have　seen　everything

you　can　see；　I　guess　I'll　take　a　look　around；'　says　he。

Sure　enough；　there　was　a　rug　with　‘Welcome'　on　it　layin'　in　front

of　the　washstand；　and　when　he　turned　it　up　he　found　an　elegant

diamond　stud　with　a　man's　full　name　and　address　on　the　gold　part。

He　took　a　train　and　went　right　to　the　man's　house。

He　was　so　taken　by　surprise　（he　hadn't　missed　the　stud；

for　he　had　a　full　set　of　'em）　that　he　owned　right　up　and

confessed　the　murder。〃



〃I　don't　see　as　that's　got　anything　to　do　with　this　case；〃　said　Diadema。



〃It's　got　this　much　to　do　with　it；〃　replied　old　Mrs。　Bascom；

〃that　perhaps　you've　looked　all　round　the　room　and　seen　everything

you　had　eyes　to　see；　and　perhaps　I've　had　wit　enough　to　turn　up

the　rug　in　front　o'　the　washstand。〃



〃Whoever　he　marries　now；　Mis'　Bascom'll　have　to　say　't

was　the　one　she　meant；〃　laughed　the　Widow　Buzzell。



〃I　never　was　caught　cheatin'　yet；　and　if　I　live　till　Saturday　I　shall

be　seventy…one　years　old；〃　said　the　old　lady　with　some　heat。　　〃Hand　me

Jot's　lead　pencil；　Diademy；　and　that　old　envelope　on　the　winder　sill。

I'll　write　the　name　I　think　of；　and　shut　it　up　in　the　old　Bible。

My　hand's　so　stiff　to…day　I　can't　hardly　move　it；　but　I　guess　I　can　make

it　plain　enough　to　satisfy　you。〃



〃That's　fair　'n'　square；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；　〃and　for

my　pat　I　hope　it　ain't　Eunice；　for　I　like　her　too　well。

What　they're　goin'　to　live　on　is　more　'n　I　can　see。　　Add　nothin'

to　nothin'　'n'　you　git　nothin'；that's　arethmetic！　　He　ain't　hed

a　cent　o'　ready　money　sence　he　failed　up　four　years　ago；　'thout　it

was　that　hundred　dollars　that　fell　to　him　from　his　wife's　aunt。

Eunice'll　hev　her　hands　full　this　winter；　I　guess；　with　them

three　hearty　children　'n'　him　all　wheezed　up　with　phthisic

from　October　to　April！　。　。　。　Who's　that　coming'　down　Tory　Hill？

It's　Rube's　horse　'n'　Rube's　wagon；　but　it　don't　look　like　Rube。〃



〃Yes；　it's　Rube；　but　he's　got　a　new　Panama　hat；　'n'　he　's　hed　his

linen　duster　washed；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom。　　。　。　。　〃Now；　do　you

mean　to　tell　me　that　that　woman　with　a　stuck…up　hat　on　is　Eunice　Emery？

It　ain't；　'n'　that　green　parasol　don't　belong　to　this　village。　　He's　drivin'

her　into　his　yard！　。　。　。　Just　as　I　s'posed；　it's　that　little；　smirkin'

worthless　school…teacher　up　to　the　Mills。Don't　break　my　neck；　Diademy；

can't　you　see　out　the　other　winder？Yes；　he's　helpin'　her　out；　'n'　showin'

her　in。　　He　can't　'a'　ben　married　more'n　ten　minutes；　for　he's　goin'

clear　up　the　steps　to　open　the　door　for　her！〃



〃Wait　'n'　see　if　he　takes　his　horse　out；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia。

〃Mebbe　he'll　drive　her　back　in　a　few　minutes。　　。　。　。　No；　he's　onhitched！

。　。　。　There；　he's　hangin'　up　the　head…stall！〃



〃I've　ben　up　in　the　attic　chamber；〃　called　the　Widow　Buzzell；

as　she　descended　the　stairs；　〃she's　pulled　up　the　curtains；　and　took

off　her　hat　right　in　front　o'　the　winder；　's　bold　as　a　brass　kettle！

She's　come　to　stay！　　Ain't　that　Rube　Hobson　all　over；to　bring　another

woman　int'　this　village　'stid　o'　weedin'　one　of　'em　out　as　he'd　oughter。

He　ain't　got　any　more　public　sperit　than　ahedgehog；　'n'　never　had！〃



Almira　drew　on　her　mitts　excitedly；　tied　on　her　shaker；

and　started　for　the　door。



〃I'm　goin'　over　to　Eunice's；〃　she　said；　〃and　I'm　goin'

to　take　my　bottle　of　camphire。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　a　mite

if　I　found　her　in　a　dead　faint　on　the　kitchen　floor。

Nobody　need　tell　me　she　wa'n't　buildin'　hopes。〃



〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　said　the　Widow　Buzzell。

〃I'd　like　to　see　with　my　own　eyes　how　she　takes　it；

'n'　it'll　be　too　late　to　tell　if　I　wait　till　after　supper。

If　she'd　ben　more　open　with　me　'n'　ever　asked　for　my　advice；

I　could　'a'　told　her　it　wa'n't　the　first　time　Rube　Hobson　has

played　that　trick。〃



〃I'd　come　too　if　't　wa'n't　milkin'　but　Jot　ain't　home

from　the　Centre；　and　I've　got　to　do　his　chores；　come　in　as　you

go　along　back；　will　you？〃　asked　Diadema。



Hannah　Sophia　remained　behind；　promising　to　meet　them　at　the　post…office

and　hear　the　news。　　As　the　two　women　walked　down　the　hill　she　drew　the　old

envelope　from　the　Bible　and　read　the　wavering　words　scrawled　upon　it　in　old

Mrs。　Bascom's　rheumatic　and　uncertain　hand；





_the_　_milikins_　_Mills_　_Teecher。_





〃Well　Lucindy；　you　do　make　good　use　o'　your　winder；〃

she　exclaimed；　〃but　how　you　pitched　on　anything　so　onlikely

as　her　is　more'n　I　can　see。〃



〃Just　because　't　was　onlikely。　　A　man's　a　great　sight　likelier

to　do　an　onlikely　thing　than　he　is　a　likely　one；　when　it　comes

to　marryin'。　　In　the　first　place；　Rube　sent　his　children　to　school

up　to　the　Mills　'stid　of　to　the　brick　schoolhouse；　though　he　had

to　pay　a　little　something　to　get　'em　taken　in　to　another　deestrick。

They　used　to　come　down　at　night　with　their　hands　full　o'

'ward　o'　merit　cards。　　Do　you　s'pose　I　thought　they　got　'em

for　good　behavior；　or　for　knowin'　their　lessons？　　Then　aunt　Hitty

told　me　some　question　or　other　Rube　had　asked　examination　day。

Since　when　has　Rube　Hobson　'tended　examinations；　thinks　I。　　And

when　I　see　the　girl；　a　red…and…white　paper　doll　that　wouldn't　know

whether　to　move　the　churn…dasher　up　'n'　down　or　round　'n'　round；

I　made　up　my　mind　that　bein'　a　man　he'd　take　her　for　certain；

and　not　his　next…door　neighbor　of　a　sensible　age　and　a　house　'n'

farm　'n'　cow　'n'　buggy！〃



〃Sure　enough；〃　agreed　Hannah　Sophia；　〃though　that　don't

account　for　Eunice's　queer　actions；　'n'　the　pa'cels　'n'

the　fruit　cake。〃



〃When　I　make　out　a　case；〃　observed　Mrs。　Bascom　modestly；

〃I　ain't　one　to　leave　weak　spots　in　it。　　If　I　guess　at　all；

I　go　all　over　the　ground　'n'　stop　when　I　git　through。

Now；　sisters　or　no　sisters；　Maryabby　Emery　ain't　spoke　to　Eunice　sence

she　moved　to　Salem。　　But　if　Eunice　has　ben　bringin'　pa'cels　home；

Maryabby　must　'a'　paid　for　what　was　in　'em；　and　if　she's　ben　bakin'

fruit　cake　this　hot　day；　why　Maryabby　used　to　be　so　font　o'

fruit　cake　her　folks　were　afraid　she'd　have　fits　'n'　die。

I　shall　be　watchin'　here　as　usual　to…morrow　morning'；　'n'

if　Maryabby　don't　drive　int'　Eunice's　yard　before　noon　I　won't

brag　any　more　for　a　year　to　come。〃



Hannah　Sophia　gazed　at　old　Mrs。　Bascom　with　unstinted　admiration。

〃You　do　beat　all；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　wish　I　could　stay　all　night　'n'　see

how　it　turns　out；　but　Almiry　is　just　comin'　over　the　bridge；　'n'　I　must

start　'n'　meet　her。　　Good…by。　　I'm　glad　to　see　you　so　smart；　you　always

look　slim；　but　I　guess　you'll　tough　it　out's　long　's　the　rest　of　us。

I　see　your　log　was　all　right；　last　time　I　was　down　side　o'　the　river。〃





〃They　say　it　's　jest　goin'　to　break　in　two　in　the　middle；

and　fall　into　the　river；〃　cheerfully　responded　Lucinda。

〃They　say　it's　just　hanging'　on　by　a　thread。　　Well；　that's　what

they　've　ben　sayin'　about　me　these　ten　years；　'n'　here　I　be

still　hanging！　　It　don't　make　no　odds；　I　guess；　whether　it's

a　thread　or　a　rope　you　're　hangin'　by；　so　long　as　you　hang。〃



*　*　*





The　next　morning；　little　Mote　Hobson；　who　had　stayed　all　night

with　his　uncle　in　Union；　was　walking　home　by　the　side　of　the　river。

He　strolled　along；　the　happy；　tousle…headed；　barefooted　youngster；

eyes　one　moment　on　the　trees　in　t