just david(公正的大卫)-第7节
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drove into the yard accompanied by William Streeter； the town's most
prominent farmer；and the most miserly one； if report was to be credited。
〃Well； could you get anything out of the boy？ 〃 demanded Higgins；
without ceremony； as Simeon Holly and Larson appeared on the kitchen
porch。
〃Very little。 Really nothing of importance；〃 answered Simeon Holly。
〃Where is he now？〃
〃Why； he was here on the steps a few minutes ago。〃 Simeon Holly
looked about him a bit impatiently。
〃Well； I want to see him。 I've got a letter for him。〃
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〃A letter！〃 exclaimed Simeon Holly and Larson in amazed unison。
〃Yes。 Found it in his father's pocket；〃 nodded the coroner； with all the
tantalizing brevity of a man who knows he has a choice morsel of
information that is eagerly awaited。 〃It's addressed to 'My boy David；' so I
calculated we'd better give it to him first without reading it； seeing it's his。
After he reads it； though； I want to see it。 I want to see if what it says is
any nearer being horse…sense than the other one is。〃
〃The other one！〃 exclaimed the amazed chorus again。
〃Oh； yes； there's another one；〃 spoke up William Streeter tersely。 〃And
I've read it all but the scrawl at the end。 There couldn't anybody read
that！〃 Higgins laughed。
〃Well； I'm free to confess 't is a stickerthat name；〃 he admitted。〃 And
it's the name we want； of course； to tell us who they aresince it seems the
boy don't know； from what you said last night。 I was in hopes； by this
morning； you'd have found out more from him。〃
Simeon Holly shook his head。
〃'T was impossible。〃
〃Gosh！ I should say 't was；〃 cut in Perry Larson； with emphasis。 〃An'
queer ain't no name for it。 One minute he'd be talkin' good common sense
like anybody： an' the next he'd be chatterin' of coats made o' ice； an' birds
an' squirrels an' babbling brooks。 He sure is dippy！ Listen。 He actually
don't seem ter know the diff'rence between himself an' his fiddle。 We was
tryin' ter find out this mornin' what he could do； an' what he wanted ter do；
when if he didn't up an' say that his father told him it didn't make so much
diff'rence WHAT he did so long as he kept hisself in tune an' didn't strike
false notes。 Now； what do yer think o' that？〃
〃Yes； I； know〃 nodded Higgins musingly。 〃There WAS something
queer about them； and they weren't just ordinary tramps。 Did I tell you？ I
overtook them last night away up on the Fairbanks road by the Taylor
place； and I gave 'em a lift。 I particularly noticed what a decent sort they
were。 They were clean and quiet…spoken； and their clothes were good；
even if they were rough。 Yet they didn't have any baggage but them
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fiddles。〃
〃But what was that second letter you mentioned？〃 asked Simeon
Holly。
Higgins smiled oddly； and reached into his pocket。
〃The letter？ Oh； you're welcome to read the letter；〃 he said； as he
handed over a bit of folded paper。
Simeon took it gingerly and examined it。
It was a leaf torn apparently from a note book。 It was folded three
times； and bore on the outside the superscription 〃To whom it may
concern。〃 The handwriting was peculiar； irregular； and not very legible。
But as near as it could be deciphered； the note ran thus：
Now that the time has come when I must give David back to the
world； I have set out for that purpose。
But I am illvery ill； and should Death have swifter feet than I； I must
leave my task for others to complete。 Deal gently with him。 He knows
only that which is good and beautiful。 He knows nothing of sin nor evil。
Then followed the signaturea thing of scrawls and flourishes that
conveyed no sort of meaning to Simeon Holly's puzzled eyes。
〃Well？〃 prompted Higgins expectantly。
Simeon Holly shook his head。
〃I can make little of it。 It certainly is a most remarkable note。〃
〃Could you read the name？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； I couldn't。 Neither could half a dozen others that's seen it。 But
where's the boy？ Mebbe his note'll talk sense。〃
〃I'll go find him；〃 volunteered Larson。 〃He must be somewheres
'round。〃
But David was very evidently not 〃somewheres'round。〃 At least he
was not in the barn； the shed； the kitchen bedroom； nor anywhere else that
Larson looked； and the man was just coming back with a crestfallen；
perplexed frown； when Mrs。 Holly hurried out on to the porch。
〃Mr。 Higgins；〃 she cried； in obvious excitement； 〃your wife has just
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telephoned that her sister Mollie has just telephoned HER that that little
tramp boy with the violin is at her house。〃
〃At Mollie's！〃 exclaimed Higgins。 〃Why； that's a mile or more from
here。〃 〃So that's where he is！〃 interposed Larson； hurrying forward。
〃Doggone the little rascal！ He must 'a' slipped away while we was eatin
breakfast。〃
〃Yes。 But； Simeon；Mr。 Higgins；we hadn't ought to let him go like
that；〃 appealed Mrs。 Holly tremulously。 〃Your wife said Mollie said she
found him crying at the crossroads； because he didn't know which way to
take。 He said he was going back home。 He means to that wretched cabin
on the mountain； you know； and we can't let him do that alonea child
like that！〃
〃Where is he now？〃 demanded Higgins。
〃In Mollie's kitchen eating bread and milk； but she said she had an
awful time getting him to eat。 And she wants to know what to do with him。
That's why she telephoned your wife。 She thought you ought to know he
was there。〃
〃Yes； of course。 Well； tell her to tell him to come back。〃
〃Mollie said she tried to have him come back； but that he said； no；
thank you； he'd rather not。 He was going home where his father could find
him if he should ever want him。 Mr。 Higgins； wewe CAN'T let him go
off like that。 Why； the child would die up there alone in those dreadful
woods； even if he could get there in the first placewhich I very much
doubt。〃
〃Yes； of course； of course；〃 muttered Higgins； with a thoughtful frown。
〃There's his letter； too。 Say！〃 he added； brightening； 〃what'll you bet that
letter won't fetch him？ He seems to think the world and all of his daddy。
Here；〃 he directed； turning to Mrs。 Holly； 〃you tell my wife to tellbetter
yet； you telephone Mollie yourself； please； and tell her to tell the boy
we've got a letter here for him from his father； and he can have it if he'll
come back。〃。
〃I will； I will；〃 called Mrs。 Holly； over her shoulder； as she hurried into
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the house。 In an unbelievably short time she was back； her face beaming。
〃He's started； so soon；〃 she nodded。 〃He's crazy with joy； Mollie said。
He even left part of his breakfast； he was in such a hurry。 So I guess we'll
see him all right。〃
〃Oh； yes； we'll see him all right；〃 echoed Simeon Holly grimly。 〃But
that isn't telling what we'll do with him when we do see him。〃
〃Oh； well； maybe this letter of his will help us out on that；〃 suggested
Higgins soothingly。 〃Anyhow； even if it doesn't； I'm not worrying any。 I
guess some one will want hima good healthy boy like that。〃
〃Did you find any money on the body？〃 asked Streeter。
〃A little changea few cents。 Nothing to count。 If the boy's letter
doesn't tell us where any of their folks are； it'll be up to the town to bury
him all right。〃
〃He had a fiddle； didn't he？ And the boy had one； too。 Wouldn't they
bring anything？〃 Streeter's round blue eyes gleamed shrewdly。
Higgins gave a slow shake of his head。
〃Maybeif there was a market for 'em。 But who'd buy 'em？ There ain't
a soul in town plays but Jack Gur
