章节正文
"Yes, sir!" said Fred, quite distinctly.
"No, sir! " said Miss Forbes, with equal distinctness. "I'm
not going to be left here alone--with all these trees. I'm
going with you."
"There may be a dog," suggested the young man, "or, I was
thinking if they heard me prowling about, they might take a
shot--just for luck. Why don't you go back to the car with
Fred?"
"Down that long road in the dark?" exclaimed the girl. "Do
you think I have no imagination?"
The man in front, the girl close on his heels, and the boy
with the buckets following, crawled through the broken gate,
and moved cautiously up the gravel driveway.
Within fifty feet of the house the courage of the chauffeur
returned.
"You wait here," he whispered, "and if I wake 'em up, you
shout to 'em that it's all right, that it's only me."
"Your idea being," said the young man, "that they will then
fire at me. Clever lad. Run along."
There was a rustling of the dead weeds, and instantly" target="_blank" title="ad.立即，立刻">instantly the
chauffeur was swallowed in the encompassing shadows.
Miss Forbes leaned toward the young man.
"Do you see a light in that lower story?" she whispered.
"No," said the man. "Where?"
After a pause the girl answered: "I can't see it now, either.
Maybe I didn't see it. It was very faint--just a glow--it
might have been phosphorescence."
"It might," said the man. He gave a shrug of distaste. "The
whole place is certainly old enough and decayed enough."
For a brief space they stood quite still, and at once,
accentuated by their own silence, the noises of the night grew
in number and distinctness. A slight wind had risen and the
boughs of the pines rocked restlessly, making mournful
complaint; and at their feet the needles dropping in a gentle
desultory shower had the sound of rain in springtime. From
every side they were startled by noises they could not place.
Strange movements and rustlings caused them to peer sharply
into the shadows; footsteps, that seemed to approach, and,
then, having marked them, skulk away; branches of bushes that
suddenly swept together, as though closing behind some one in
stealthy retreat. Although they knew that in the deserted
garden they were alone, they felt that from the shadows they
were being spied upon, that the darkness of the place was
peopled by malign presences.
The young man drew a cigar from his case and put it unlit
between his teeth.
"Cheerful, isn't it?" he growled.
"These dead leaves make it damp as a tomb. If I've seen one
ghost, I've seen a dozen. I believe we're standing in the
Carey family's graveyard."
"I thought you were brave," said the girl.
"I am," returned the young man, "very brave. But if you had
the most wonderful girl on earth to take care of in the
grounds of a madhouse at two in the morning, you'd be scared
too."
He was abruptly surprised by Miss Forbes laying her hand
firmly upon his shoulder, and turning him in the direction of
the house. Her face was so near his that he felt the uneven
fluttering of her breath upon his cheek.
"There is a man," she said, standing behind that tree."
By the faint light of the stars he saw, in black silhouette, a
shoulder and head projecting from beyond the trunk of a huge
oak, and then quickly withdrawn. The owner of the head and
shoulder was on the side of the tree nearest to themselves,
his back turned to them, and so deeply was his attention
engaged that he was unconscious of their presence.
"He is watching the house," said the girl. "Why is he doing
that?"
"I think it's Fred," whispered the man. "He's afraid to go
for the water. That's as far as he's gone." He was about to
move forward when from the oak tree there came a low whistle.
The girl and the man stood silent and motionless. But they
knew it was useless; that they had been overheard. A voice
spoke cautiously.
"That you?" it asked.
With the idea only of gaining time, the young man responded
promptly and truthfully. "Yes," he whispered.
"Keep to the right of the house," commanded the voice.
The young man seized Miss Forbes by the wrist and moving to
the right drew her quickly with him. He did not stop until
they had turned the corner of the building, and were once more
hidden by the darkness.
"The plot thickens," he said. "I take it that that fellow is
a keeper, or watchman. He spoke as though it were natural
there should be another man in the grounds, so there's
probably two of them, either to keep Carey in, or to keep
trespassers out. Now, I think I'll go back and tell him that
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water, and
that all they want is to be allowed to get the water, and go."
"Why should a watchman hide behind a tree?" asked the girl.
"And why----"
She ceased abruptly with a sharp cry of fright. "What's
that?" she whispered.
"What's what?" asked the young man startled. "What did you
hear?"
"Over there," stammered the girl. "Something--that--groaned."
"Pretty soon this will get on my nerves," said the man. He
ripped open his greatcoat and reached under it. "I've been
stoned twice, when there were women in the car," he said,
apologetically, "and so now at night I carry a gun." He
shifted the darkened torch to his left hand, and, moving a few
yards, halted to listen. The girl, reluctant to be left
alone, followed slowly. As he stood immovable there came from
the leaves just beyond him the sound of a feeble struggle, and
a strangled groan. The man bent forward and flashed the
torch. He saw stretched rigid on the ground a huge
wolf-hound. Its legs were twisted horribly, the lips drawn
away from the teeth, the eyes glazed in an agony of pain. The
man snapped off the light. "Keep back! he whispered to the
girl. He took her by the arm and ran with her toward the
gate.
"Who was it?" she begged.
"It was a dog," he answered. "I think----"
He did not tell her what he thought.
"I've got to find out what the devil has happened to Fred!" he
said. You go back to the car. Send your brother here on the
run. Tell him there's going to be a rough-house. You're not
afraid to go?"
"No," said the girl.
A shadow blacker than the night rose suddenly before them, and
a voice asked sternly but quietly: "What are you doing here?"
The young man lifted his arm clear of the girl, and shoved her
quickly from him. In his hand she felt the pressure of the
revolver.
"Well," he replied truculently, "and what are you doing here?"
"I am the night watchman," answered the voice. "Who are you?"
It struck Miss Forbes if the watchman knew that one of the
trespassers was a woman he would be at once reassured, and she
broke in quickly:
"We have lost our way," she said pleasantly. "We came
here----"
She found herself staring blindly down a shaft of light. For
an instant the torch held her, and then from her swept over
the young man.
"Drop that gun!" cried the voice. It was no longer the same
voice; it was now savage and snarling. For answer the young
man pressed the torch in his left hand, and, held in the two
circles of light, the men surveyed each other. The newcomer
was one of unusual bulk and height. The collar of his
overcoat hid his mouth, and his derby hat was drawn down over
his forehead, but what they saw showed an intelligent, strong
face, although for the moment it wore a menacing scowl. The
young man dropped his revolver into his pocket.
"My automobile ran dry," he said; "we came in here to get some
water. My chauffeur is back there somewhere with a couple of
buckets. This is Mr. Carey's place, isn't it?
"Take that light out of my eyes! said the watchman.
"Take your light out of my eyes," returned the young man. "You
can see we're not--we don't mean any harm."
The two lights disappeared simultaneously, and then each, as
though worked by the same hand, sprang forth again.
"What did you think I was going to do?" the young man asked.
He laughed and switched off his torch.
But the one the watchman held in his hand still moved from the
face of the girl to that of the young man.
"How'd you know this was the Carey house?" he demanded. "Do
you know Mr. Carey?"
"No, but I know this is his house." For a moment from behind
his mask of light the watchman surveyed them in silence. Then
he spoke quickly:
"I'll take you to him," he said, "if he thinks it's all right,
it's all right."
The girl gave a protesting cry. The young man burst forth
indignantly:
"You will NOT!" he cried. "Don't be an idiot! You talk
like a Tenderloin cop. Do we look like second-story workers?"
"I found you prowling around Mr. Carey's grounds at two in the
morning," said the watchmansharply, "with a gun in your hand.
My job is to protect this place, and I am going to take you
both to Mr. Carey."
Until this moment the young man could see nothing save the
shaft of light and the tiny glowing bulb at its base; now into
the light there protruded a black revolver.
"Keep your hands up, and walk ahead of me to the house,"
commanded the watchman. "The woman will go in front."
The young man did not move. Under his breath he muttered
impotently, and bit at his lower lip.
"See here," he said, "I'll go with you, but you shan't take
this lady in front of that madman. Let her go to her car.
It's only a hundred yards from here; you know perfectly well
she----"
"I know where your car is, all right," said the watchman
steadily, "and I'm not going to let you get away in it till
Mr. Carey's seen you." The revolver motioned forward. Miss
Forbes stepped in front of it and appealed eagerly to the
young man.
"Do what he says," she urged. "It's only his duty. Please!
Indeed, I don't mind." She turned to the watchman. "Which way
do you want us to go?" she asked.
"Keep in the light," he ordered.
The light showed the broad steps leading to the front entrance
of the house, and in its shaft they climbed them, pushed open
the unlocked door, and stood in a small hallway. It led into
a greater hall beyond. By the electric lights still burning
they noted that the interior of the house was as rich and well
cared for as the outside was miserable. With a gesture for
silence the watchman motioned them into a small room on the
right of the hallway. It had the look of an office, and was
apparently the place in which were conducted the affairs of
the estate.
In an open grate was a dying fire; in front of it a flat desk
"No, sir! " said Miss Forbes, with equal distinctness. "I'm
not going to be left here alone--with all these trees. I'm
going with you."
"There may be a dog," suggested the young man, "or, I was
thinking if they heard me prowling about, they might take a
shot--just for luck. Why don't you go back to the car with
Fred?"
"Down that long road in the dark?" exclaimed the girl. "Do
you think I have no imagination?"
The man in front, the girl close on his heels, and the boy
with the buckets following, crawled through the broken gate,
and moved cautiously up the gravel driveway.
Within fifty feet of the house the courage of the chauffeur
returned.
"You wait here," he whispered, "and if I wake 'em up, you
shout to 'em that it's all right, that it's only me."
"Your idea being," said the young man, "that they will then
fire at me. Clever lad. Run along."
There was a rustling of the dead weeds, and instantly" target="_blank" title="ad.立即，立刻">instantly the
chauffeur was swallowed in the encompassing shadows.
Miss Forbes leaned toward the young man.
"Do you see a light in that lower story?" she whispered.
"No," said the man. "Where?"
After a pause the girl answered: "I can't see it now, either.
Maybe I didn't see it. It was very faint--just a glow--it
might have been phosphorescence."
"It might," said the man. He gave a shrug of distaste. "The
whole place is certainly old enough and decayed enough."
For a brief space they stood quite still, and at once,
accentuated by their own silence, the noises of the night grew
in number and distinctness. A slight wind had risen and the
boughs of the pines rocked restlessly, making mournful
complaint; and at their feet the needles dropping in a gentle
desultory shower had the sound of rain in springtime. From
every side they were startled by noises they could not place.
Strange movements and rustlings caused them to peer sharply
into the shadows; footsteps, that seemed to approach, and,
then, having marked them, skulk away; branches of bushes that
suddenly swept together, as though closing behind some one in
stealthy retreat. Although they knew that in the deserted
garden they were alone, they felt that from the shadows they
were being spied upon, that the darkness of the place was
peopled by malign presences.
The young man drew a cigar from his case and put it unlit
between his teeth.
"Cheerful, isn't it?" he growled.
"These dead leaves make it damp as a tomb. If I've seen one
ghost, I've seen a dozen. I believe we're standing in the
Carey family's graveyard."
"I thought you were brave," said the girl.
"I am," returned the young man, "very brave. But if you had
the most wonderful girl on earth to take care of in the
grounds of a madhouse at two in the morning, you'd be scared
too."
He was abruptly surprised by Miss Forbes laying her hand
firmly upon his shoulder, and turning him in the direction of
the house. Her face was so near his that he felt the uneven
fluttering of her breath upon his cheek.
"There is a man," she said, standing behind that tree."
By the faint light of the stars he saw, in black silhouette, a
shoulder and head projecting from beyond the trunk of a huge
oak, and then quickly withdrawn. The owner of the head and
shoulder was on the side of the tree nearest to themselves,
his back turned to them, and so deeply was his attention
engaged that he was unconscious of their presence.
"He is watching the house," said the girl. "Why is he doing
that?"
"I think it's Fred," whispered the man. "He's afraid to go
for the water. That's as far as he's gone." He was about to
move forward when from the oak tree there came a low whistle.
The girl and the man stood silent and motionless. But they
knew it was useless; that they had been overheard. A voice
spoke cautiously.
"That you?" it asked.
With the idea only of gaining time, the young man responded
promptly and truthfully. "Yes," he whispered.
"Keep to the right of the house," commanded the voice.
The young man seized Miss Forbes by the wrist and moving to
the right drew her quickly with him. He did not stop until
they had turned the corner of the building, and were once more
hidden by the darkness.
"The plot thickens," he said. "I take it that that fellow is
a keeper, or watchman. He spoke as though it were natural
there should be another man in the grounds, so there's
probably two of them, either to keep Carey in, or to keep
trespassers out. Now, I think I'll go back and tell him that
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water, and
that all they want is to be allowed to get the water, and go."
"Why should a watchman hide behind a tree?" asked the girl.
"And why----"
She ceased abruptly with a sharp cry of fright. "What's
that?" she whispered.
"What's what?" asked the young man startled. "What did you
hear?"
"Over there," stammered the girl. "Something--that--groaned."
"Pretty soon this will get on my nerves," said the man. He
ripped open his greatcoat and reached under it. "I've been
stoned twice, when there were women in the car," he said,
apologetically, "and so now at night I carry a gun." He
shifted the darkened torch to his left hand, and, moving a few
yards, halted to listen. The girl, reluctant to be left
alone, followed slowly. As he stood immovable there came from
the leaves just beyond him the sound of a feeble struggle, and
a strangled groan. The man bent forward and flashed the
torch. He saw stretched rigid on the ground a huge
wolf-hound. Its legs were twisted horribly, the lips drawn
away from the teeth, the eyes glazed in an agony of pain. The
man snapped off the light. "Keep back! he whispered to the
girl. He took her by the arm and ran with her toward the
gate.
"Who was it?" she begged.
"It was a dog," he answered. "I think----"
He did not tell her what he thought.
"I've got to find out what the devil has happened to Fred!" he
said. You go back to the car. Send your brother here on the
run. Tell him there's going to be a rough-house. You're not
afraid to go?"
"No," said the girl.
A shadow blacker than the night rose suddenly before them, and
a voice asked sternly but quietly: "What are you doing here?"
The young man lifted his arm clear of the girl, and shoved her
quickly from him. In his hand she felt the pressure of the
revolver.
"Well," he replied truculently, "and what are you doing here?"
"I am the night watchman," answered the voice. "Who are you?"
It struck Miss Forbes if the watchman knew that one of the
trespassers was a woman he would be at once reassured, and she
broke in quickly:
"We have lost our way," she said pleasantly. "We came
here----"
She found herself staring blindly down a shaft of light. For
an instant the torch held her, and then from her swept over
the young man.
"Drop that gun!" cried the voice. It was no longer the same
voice; it was now savage and snarling. For answer the young
man pressed the torch in his left hand, and, held in the two
circles of light, the men surveyed each other. The newcomer
was one of unusual bulk and height. The collar of his
overcoat hid his mouth, and his derby hat was drawn down over
his forehead, but what they saw showed an intelligent, strong
face, although for the moment it wore a menacing scowl. The
young man dropped his revolver into his pocket.
"My automobile ran dry," he said; "we came in here to get some
water. My chauffeur is back there somewhere with a couple of
buckets. This is Mr. Carey's place, isn't it?
"Take that light out of my eyes! said the watchman.
"Take your light out of my eyes," returned the young man. "You
can see we're not--we don't mean any harm."
The two lights disappeared simultaneously, and then each, as
though worked by the same hand, sprang forth again.
"What did you think I was going to do?" the young man asked.
He laughed and switched off his torch.
But the one the watchman held in his hand still moved from the
face of the girl to that of the young man.
"How'd you know this was the Carey house?" he demanded. "Do
you know Mr. Carey?"
"No, but I know this is his house." For a moment from behind
his mask of light the watchman surveyed them in silence. Then
he spoke quickly:
"I'll take you to him," he said, "if he thinks it's all right,
it's all right."
The girl gave a protesting cry. The young man burst forth
indignantly:
"You will NOT!" he cried. "Don't be an idiot! You talk
like a Tenderloin cop. Do we look like second-story workers?"
"I found you prowling around Mr. Carey's grounds at two in the
morning," said the watchmansharply, "with a gun in your hand.
My job is to protect this place, and I am going to take you
both to Mr. Carey."
Until this moment the young man could see nothing save the
shaft of light and the tiny glowing bulb at its base; now into
the light there protruded a black revolver.
"Keep your hands up, and walk ahead of me to the house,"
commanded the watchman. "The woman will go in front."
The young man did not move. Under his breath he muttered
impotently, and bit at his lower lip.
"See here," he said, "I'll go with you, but you shan't take
this lady in front of that madman. Let her go to her car.
It's only a hundred yards from here; you know perfectly well
she----"
"I know where your car is, all right," said the watchman
steadily, "and I'm not going to let you get away in it till
Mr. Carey's seen you." The revolver motioned forward. Miss
Forbes stepped in front of it and appealed eagerly to the
young man.
"Do what he says," she urged. "It's only his duty. Please!
Indeed, I don't mind." She turned to the watchman. "Which way
do you want us to go?" she asked.
"Keep in the light," he ordered.
The light showed the broad steps leading to the front entrance
of the house, and in its shaft they climbed them, pushed open
the unlocked door, and stood in a small hallway. It led into
a greater hall beyond. By the electric lights still burning
they noted that the interior of the house was as rich and well
cared for as the outside was miserable. With a gesture for
silence the watchman motioned them into a small room on the
right of the hallway. It had the look of an office, and was
apparently the place in which were conducted the affairs of
the estate.
In an open grate was a dying fire; in front of it a flat desk
- instantly [´instəntli]
ad.立即，立刻 (初中英语单词) - shower [´ʃauə] n.展出者；阵雨；淋浴 (初中英语单词)
- retreat [ri´tri:t] v.&n.退却；撤退；放弃 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- abruptly [ə´brʌptli] ad.突然地；粗鲁地 (初中英语单词)
- breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)
- useless [´ju:sləs] a.无用的，无价值的 (初中英语单词)
- keeper [´ki:pə] n.管理人；看守；保管人 (初中英语单词)
- fright [frait] n.惊吓；恐怖；怪人 (初中英语单词)
- feeble [´fi:bəl] a.虚弱的，无力的 (初中英语单词)
- pressure [´preʃə] n.压榨 vt.对...施压力 (初中英语单词)
- instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)
- savage [´sævidʒ] a.野蛮的 n.蛮人 (初中英语单词)
- unusual [ʌn´ju:ʒuəl] a.不平常的；异常的 (初中英语单词)
- height [hait] n.高度；顶点；卓越 (初中英语单词)
- collar [´kɔlə] n.衣领；(狗等的)项圈 (初中英语单词)
- forehead [´fɔrid] n.额，前部 (初中英语单词)
- intelligent [in´telidʒənt] a.聪明的；理智的 (初中英语单词)
- sprang [spræŋ] spring 的过去式 (初中英语单词)
- sharply [´ʃɑ:pli] ad.锋利地；剧烈地 (初中英语单词)
- eagerly [´i:gəli] ad.渴望地，急切地 (初中英语单词)
- interior [in´tiəriə] n.&a.内部地(的) (初中英语单词)
- miserable [´mizərəbəl] a.悲惨的；可怜的 (初中英语单词)
- gesture [´dʒestʃə] n.手势 v.打手势 (初中英语单词)
- cautiously [´kɔ:ʃəsli] ad.小心地；谨慎地 (高中英语单词)
- gravel [´grævəl] n.砾石 vt.铺砾石 (高中英语单词)
- unconscious [ʌn´kɔnʃəs] a.无意识的；不觉察的 (高中英语单词)
- motionless [´məuʃənləs] a.静止的；固定的 (高中英语单词)
- sternly [´stə:nli] ad.严厉地；坚定地 (高中英语单词)
- pleasantly [´plezntli] ad.令人愉快地；舒适地 (高中英语单词)
- perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)
- springtime [´spriŋtaim] n.春季；青春期 (英语四级单词)
- withdrawn [wið´drɔ:n] withdraw过去分词 (英语四级单词)
- watchman [´wɔtʃmən] n.(夜间)看守人 (英语四级单词)
- reluctant [ri´lʌktənt] a.勉强的；难得到的 (英语四级单词)
- blindly [blaindli] ad.盲目地；没头脑地 (英语四级单词)
- revolver [ri´vɔlvə] n.左轮手枪；旋转者 (英语四级单词)
- chauffeur [´ʃəufə,ʃeu´fə:] n.(汽车)司机 (英语四级单词)
- simultaneously [,siməl´teinjəsli] ad.同时，一起 (英语四级单词)
- restlessly [´restlisli] ad.不安定地；烦躁地 (英语六级单词)
- silhouette [,silu:´et] n.剪影 vt.使出轮廓 (英语六级单词)
- immovable [i´mu:vəbəl] a.不能移动的，固定的 (英语六级单词)
- horribly [´hɔrəbli] ad.恐怖地 (英语六级单词)
- madman [´mædmən] n.疯子；狂人 (英语六级单词)
- hallway [´hɔ:lwei] n.(美)门厅，过道 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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