The Argonauts of North Liberty | Page 5

sleet rattled
against the hood and leathern apron of the buggy, gusts of fierce wind
filled the vehicle and seemed to hold it back, but Demorest did not
appear to mind it. Blandford thrust his hands deeply into his pockets for
warmth, and contracted his shoulders as if in dogged patience. Yet, in
spite of the fact that he was tired, cold, and anxious to see his wife, he
was conscious of a secret satisfaction in submitting to the caprices of
this old friend of his boyhood. After all, Dick Demorest knew what he
was about, and had never led him astray by his autocratic will. It was
safe to let Dick have his way. It was true it was generally Dick's own
way--but he made others think it was theirs too--or would have been
theirs had they had the will and the knowledge to project it. He looked
up comfortably at the handsome, resolute profile of the man who had
taken selfish possession of him. Many women had done the same.
"Suppose if you were to tell your wife I was going to reform," said
Demorest, "it might be different, eh? She'd want to take me into the
church--'another sinner saved,' and all that, eh?"
"No," said Blandford, earnestly. "Joan isn't as rigid as all that, Dick.
What she's got against you is the common report of your free way of
living, and that--come now, you know yourself, Dick, that isn't exactly
the thing a woman brought up in her style can stand. Why, she thinks
I'm unregenerate, and--well, a man can't carry on business always like a
class meeting. But are you thinking of reforming?" he continued, trying
to get a glimpse of his companion's eyes.
"Perhaps. It depends. Now--there's a woman I know--"
"What, another? and you call this going to reform?" interrupted
Blandford, yet not without a certain curiosity in his manner.
"Yes; that's just why I think of reforming. For this one isn't exactly like
any other--at least as far as I know."
"That means you don't know anything about her."
"Wait, and I'll tell you." He drew the reins tightly to accelerate the

horse's speed, and, half turning to his companion, without, however,
moving his eyes from the darkness before him, spoke quickly between
the blasts: "I've seen her only half a dozen times. Met her first in 6.40
train out from Boston last fall. She sat next to me. Covered up with
wraps and veils; never looked twice at her. She spoke first--kind of half
bold, half frightened way. Then got more comfortable and unwound
herself, you know, and I saw she was young and not bad-looking.
Thought she was some school- girl out for a lark--but rather new at it.
Inexperienced, you know, but quite able to take care of herself, by
George! and although she looked and acted as if she'd never spoken to
a stranger all her life, didn't mind the kind of stuff I talked to her.
Rather encouraged it; and laughed--such a pretty little odd laugh, as if
laughing wasn't in her usual line, either, and she didn't know how to
manage it. Well, it ended in her slipping out at one end of the car when
we arrived, while I was looking out for a cab for her at the other." He
stopped to recover from a stronger gust of wind. "I--I thought it a good
joke on me, and let the thing drop out of my mind, although, mind you,
she'd promised to meet me a month afterwards at the same time and
place. Well, when the day came I happened to be in Boston, and went
to the station. Don't know why I went, for I didn't for a moment think
she'd keep her appointment. First, I couldn't find her in the train, but
after we'd started she came along out of some seat in the corner, prettier
than ever, holding out her hand." He drew a long inspiration. "You can
bet your life, Ned, I didn't let go that little hand the rest of the journey."
His passion, or what passed for it, seemed to impart its warmth to the
vehicle, and even stirred the chilled pulses of the man beside him.
"Well, who and what was she?"
"Didn't find out; don't know now. For the first thing she made me
promise was not to follow her, nor to try to know her name. In return
she said she would meet me again on another train near Hartford. She
did--and again and again--but always on the train for about an hour,
going or coming. Then she missed an appointment. I was regularly cut
up, I tell you, and swore as she hadn't kept her word, I wouldn't keep
mine, and began to hunt for her.