按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Where are you going？〃 asked Orde quietly。
Newmark steadied himself with an effort。
〃I'm going to get myself a drink in my bedroom；〃 he snapped。 〃Any
objections？〃
〃No；〃 replied Orde。 〃None。 After you get your drink； come back。 I
want to talk to you。〃
Newmark snarled at him： 〃You needn't be afraid I'll run away。 How'd
I get out of town？〃
〃I know it wouldn't pay you to run away；〃 said Orde。
Newmark passed out through the door。 Orde looked thoughtfully at
Heinzman's affidavit； which； duly disinfected； had been handed him
by Dr。 McMullen as important； and thrust it and the other papers
into his inside pocket。 Then he arose to his feet and glided softly
across the room to take a position close to the door through which
Newmark had departed in quest of his drink。 For a half minute he
waited。 Finally the door swung briskly inward。 Like a panther； as
quickly and as noiselessly； Orde sprang forward。 A short but
decisive struggle ensued。 In less than ten seconds Orde had
pinioned Newmark's arms to his side where he held them immovable
with one of his own。 The other hand he ran down Newmark's right arm
to the pocket。 There followed an instant of silent resistance。
Then with a sharp cry of mingled anger and pain Newmark snatched his
hand out and gazed a trifle amazedly at the half crushed fingers。
Orde drew forth the revolver Newmark had grasped concealed in the
coat pocket。
Without hesitation he closed and locked the bedroom door； turned the
key in the lock of the other； tried and fastened the window。 The
revolver he opened； spilled out the cartridges into his hand； and
then tossed the empty weapon to Newmark； who had sunk into the chair
by the lamp。
〃There's your plaything；〃 said he。 〃So you wanted that affidavit；
did you？ Now we have the place to ourselves； and we'll thresh this
matter out。〃
He paused； collecting his thoughts。
〃I don't need to tell you that I've got you about where you live；〃
said he finally。 〃Nor what I think of you。 The case is open and
shut； and I can send you over the road for the best part of your
natural days。 Also I've got these notes and the mortgage。〃
〃Quit it；〃 growled Newmark； 〃you've got me。 Send me up； and be
damned。〃
〃That's the question；〃 went on Orde slowly。 〃I've been at it three
days； without much time off for sleep。 You hurt me pretty bad； Joe。
I trusted you； and I thought of you as a friend。〃
Newmark stirred slightly with impatience。
〃I had a hard time getting over that part of it； and about three…
quarters of what was left in the world looked mighty like ashes for
awhile。 Then I began to see this thing a little clearer。 We've
been together a good many years now； and as near as I can make out
you've been straight as a string with me for eight of them。 Then I
suppose the chance came and before you knew it you were in over your
neck。〃
He looked； half…pleading toward Newmark。 Newmark made no sign。
〃I know that's the way it might be。 A man thinks he's mighty brave；
and so he is； as long as he can see what's coming； and get ready for
it。 But some day an emergency just comes up and touches him on the
shoulder； and he turns around and sees it all of a sudden。 Then he
finds he's a coward。 It's pretty hard for me to understand
dishonesty； or how a man can be dishonest。 I've tried； but I can't
do it。 Crookedness isn't my particular kind of fault。 But I do
know this： that we every one of us have something to be forgiven for
by some one。 I guess I've got a temper that makes me pretty sorry
sometimes。 Probably you don't see how it's possible for a man to
get crazy mad about little things。 That isn't your particular kind
of fault。〃
〃Oh； for God's sake； drop that preaching。 It makes me sick！〃 broke
out Newmark。
Orde smiled whimsically。
〃I'm not preaching；〃 he said； 〃and even if I were； I've paid a good
many thousands of dollars； it seems； to buy the right to say what I
damn please。 And if you think I'm working up to a Christian
forgiveness racket； you're very much mistaken。 I'm not。 I don't
forgive you； and I surely despise your sort。 But I'm explaining to
youno； to myselfjust what I've been at for three days。〃
〃Well； turn me over to your sheriff； and let's get through with
this；〃 said Newmark sullenly。 〃I suppose you've got that part of it
all fixed。〃
Orde rose。
〃Look here； Newmark； that's just what I've been coming to； just what
I've had such a hard time to get hold of。 I felt it； but I couldn't
put my finger on it。 Now I know。 I'm not going to hand you over to
any sheriff； I'm going to let you off。 No；〃 he continued； in
response to Newmark's look of incredulous amazement； 〃it isn't from
any fool notion of forgiveness。 I told you I didn't forgive you。
But I'm not going to burden my future life with you。 That's just
plain； ordinary selfishness。 I suppose I really ought to jug you；
but if I do； I'll always carry with me the thought that I've taken
it on myself to judge a man。 And I don't believe any man is
competent to judge another。 I told you whyor tried toa minute
or so ago。 I've lived clean； and I've enjoyed the world as a clean
open…air sort of propositionlike a windy dayand I always hope
to。 I'd rather drop this whole matter。 In a short time I'd forget
you； you'd pass out of my life entirely。 But if we carry this thing
through to a finish； I'd always have the thought with me that I'd
put you in the pen； that you are there now。 I don't like the
notion。 I'd rather finish this up right here and now and get it
over and done with and take a fresh start。〃 He paused and wiped his
brow； wet with the unusual exertion of this self…analysis。 〃I think
a fellow ought to act always as if he was making the world。 He
ought to try not to put things in it that are going to make it an
unpleasant or an evil world。 We don't always do it； but we ought to
try。 Now if I were making a world； I wouldn't put a man in a
penitentiary in it。 Of course there's dangerous criminals。〃 He
glanced at Newmark a little anxiously。 〃I don't belieye you're
that。 You're sharp and dishonest； and need punishment； but you
don't need extinction。 Anyway； I'm not going to bother my future
with you。〃
Newmark； who had listened to this long and rambling exposition with
increasing curiosity and interest； broke into a short laugh。
〃You've convicted me；〃 he said。 〃I'm a most awful failure。 I
thought I knew you； but this passes all belief。〃
Orde brushed this speech aside as irrelevant。
〃Our association； of course； comes to an end。 There remain the
terms of settlement。 I could fire you out of this without a cent；
and you'd have to git。 But that wouldn't be fair。 I don't give a
damn for you； but it wouldn't be fair to me。 Now as for the
Northern Peninsula ti