登陆注册
36811100000009

第9章 TWO LETTERS(2)

"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 sticker--that name,"he admitted."And it's the name we want,of course,to tell us who they are--since 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 Itell 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 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 superion "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 ill--very 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 signature--a 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 telephoned that her sister Mollie has just telephoned HERthat 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 alone--a 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,we--we 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 place--which 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 tell--better 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 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 him--a good healthy boy like that.""Did you find any money on the body?"asked Streeter.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 突然微微甜

    突然微微甜

    一想到要写简介就头疼的我................[轻松小甜文,男女主双洁,1v1。] 刚说了两个字就被打断的少女抬头看着少年“说了不许对除了我和通过我认证的人笑的那么可爱”少年凶巴巴的看着她“为什么啊?你有不是我男朋友”少女天真的看着他。 少年突然搂过少女,一把吻上去 “对,我不是你男朋友,我是你男人!”甜甜的宠文哦,青梅竹马,双向暗恋。女主不是傻白甜,不是圣母白莲花。男主不是霸总人设不喜欢看这个类型的谨慎入坑。
  • 女装大佬之超能牧师

    女装大佬之超能牧师

    夏季蝉鸣,阳光毒辣,微风带不走一丝热意。唧唧......有时尚前沿之称的花都芊花……
  • 人类牢笼

    人类牢笼

    宇宙到底有多大?宇宙是否有智慧?我们所处的物质的宇宙是真实存在的吗?我们的宇宙还是在超级服务器内模拟的呢?宇宙中是否就存在着人类唯一的智慧生命吗?宇宙中如果有无数的智慧文明为什么我们到现在都看不见呢?宇宙中是否存在黑暗森林法则呢?宇宙中若是存在黑暗森林法则,为何宇宙存在150亿年还未被超维武器所毁灭呢?宇宙宇宙的真实目的又是如何?我们能够产生智慧的目的是什么?我们来到这个宇宙的目的又是什么?宇宙是否给智慧生命两次进化机会,一次是物质世界,一次是在灵魂状的高速粒子世界?
  • 夏薇恩的黑暗契约

    夏薇恩的黑暗契约

    这是一个残疾女孩复仇的故事,两年前她的家族因不明原因遭到他人的袭击覆灭,格曼威尔家族从费尔伍德消失,普雷斯特和布落摩尔作为格曼威尔的盟友却无动于衷,原本以为是可能是腐败贵族和非法份子之间的联合,调查之后,并非想象中的那么简单,幕后操纵者究竟是谁,姐姐又躲在什么地方,最亲的人是背叛者,一场围绕着“血”的故事展开,少女在经历这么多糟糕的往事,是否能在这黑暗的世界维持人性与理智,找到真相。“如果你认为世界太过黑暗,请照照镜子,因为眼睛拥有唯一的白色——塞沃特。”
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 神圣之尊

    神圣之尊

    天道持苍,神圣授忆!凡轮之中,维灵者尊!神圣之下,皆为凡尘!“懒癌”患者李不凡自通天山而出!入北斗,闯内院,星域交流,撼北一,成就星主!星空深处,谁主沉浮?寻神圣,入永恒!敢问神圣谁为尊?这是一个“懒癌”患者在异界的故事!
  • 此间焰火琉年

    此间焰火琉年

    我走过许多条街,却遇到很少的我们。或许很多年以后,尹桐依然不会忘记那个漫天华彩的夜晚,更不会忘记那焰火色的此间琉年——还有那些琉璃般纯粹,琉璃般珍贵的男孩儿女孩儿。
  • 心性罪福因缘集

    心性罪福因缘集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 不会嫁给爱豆的女人们

    不会嫁给爱豆的女人们

    一代爱豆的真爱粉梦想,现实中大家都嫁给了别人,因为哥哥根本不娶我们啊!
  • 网游之舞侠缘

    网游之舞侠缘

    一款武侠网游,掀起了一波武侠情缘,且看一名小镇女孩如何收获友情、爱情,与好友们一起笑过、一起累过、一起哭过、最后一起走上了悠闲惬意的武侠路!谁说女玩家要卖萌、撒娇才能混的风生水起;谁说女玩家只能站在强者背后,成为一道漂亮的背影!她用实力证明,女玩家一样可以成神!******************************新书《一笔画天仙》全新开始,还望亲们多多支持!“风吹仙袂飘飘举,仙台生莲碧落情”那样的修仙美景是她最为向往的,不论多困难都要去追寻!