第56章

"Now listen to me, Mr.Bassett," I interrupted."I have no desire to concern myself in your association with Captain Jim, but since you persist in dragging me into it, you must allow me to speak plainly.From all that I can ascertain you have no serious intentions of marrying Polly Baxter.You have come here from Gilead to follow Mrs.Sweeny, whom I saw you with a moment ago.Now, why do you not frankly give up Miss Baxter toCaptain Jim, who will make her a good husband, and go your own way with Mrs.Sweeny? If you really wish to break off your connection with Captain Jim, that's the only way to do it."His face, which had exhibited the weakest and most pitiable consciousness at the mention of Mrs.Sweeny, changed to an expression of absolute stupefaction as I concluded.

"Wot stuff are you tryin' to fool me with?" he said at last roughly.

"I mean," I replied sharply, "that this double game of yours is disgraceful.Your association with Mrs.Sweeny demands the withdrawal of any claim you have upon Miss Baxter at once.If you have no respect for Captain Jim's friendship, you must at least show common decency to her."He burst into a half-relieved, half-hysteric laugh."Are you crazy?" gasped he."Why, Captain Jim's just huntin' ME down to make ME marry Polly.That's just what the row's about.That's just what he's interferin' for--just to carry out his darned fool ideas o' gettin' a wife for me; just his vanity to say HE'S made the match.It's ME that he wants to marry to that Baxter girl--not himself. He's too cursed selfish for that." I suppose I was not different from ordinary humanity, for in my unexpected discomfiture I despised Captain Jim quite as much as I did the man before me.Reiterating my remark that I had no desire to mix myself further in their quarrels, I got rid of him with as little ceremony as possible.But a few minutes later, when the farcical side of the situation struck me, my irritation was somewhat mollified, without however increasing my respect for either of the actors.The whole affair had assumed a triviality that was simply amusing, nothing more, and I even looked forward to a meeting with Captain Jim and HIS exposition of the matter--which I knew would follow--with pleasurable anticipation.But I was mistaken.

One afternoon, when I was watching the slanting volleys of rain driven by a strong southwester against the windows of the hotel reading-room, I was struck by the erratic movements of a dripping figure outside that seemed to be hesitating over the entrance to the hotel.At times furtively penetrating the porch as far as the vestibule, and again shyly recoilingfrom it, its manner was so strongly suggestive of some timid animal that I found myself suddenly reminded of Captain Jim and the memorable evening of his exodus from Eureka Gulch.As the figure chanced to glance up to the window where I stood I saw to my astonishment that it WAS Captain Jim himself, but so changed and haggard that I scarcely knew him.I instantly ran out into the hall and vestibule, but when I reached the porch he had disappeared.Either he had seen me and wished to avoid me, or he had encountered the object of his quest, which I at once concluded must be Lacy Bassett.I was so much impressed and worried by his appearance and manner, that, in this belief, I overcame my aversion to meeting Bassett, and even sought him through the public rooms and lobbies in the hope of finding Captain Jim with him.But in vain; possibly he had succeeded in escaping his relentless friend.