登陆注册
4716800000062

第62章

Meanwhile, the two brothers continued quietly on their journey toward Paterson. The baby slept. His bearer had laid him softly on the floor of the car. A few drops of paregoric, administered by Mrs. Schwartz as the child awoke for an instant on the way to the gate, insured sound slumber. The joggling of the car did not rouse the tiny sleeper; as he lay snugly between the feet of the man into whose care he had been given.

The first six miles of the easy journey were soon traversed.

Then, with a pop and a dispiritedly swishing sound, a rear tire collapsed. Out into the road jumped both men. Their nerves were none too steady. And, already, in fancy they could hear all the police cars in New Jersey close at their heels. It behooved them to change tires in a hurry, and to finish their nerve-twisting trip.

The driver vaulted over the side nearest him and began to explore the under-seat regions for a jack. The other man picked up the baby and hurried to the rear of the runabout to detach the spare tire from its dusty rack. Manifestly, he could not unstrap the tire while he was carrying a baby in his arms. So he set down his burden at the roadside, near him.

Then, still obsessed by fear of pursuit, he hit on a safer scheme. Picking up the sleeper again, he carried the warm little bundle to the far side of the road, some thirty yards beyond, and deposited it there, behind a dwarf alder bush which screened it from any stray automobilist who might be passing. Thus, in case of pursuit, he and his brother would merely be changing tires;and would know nothing of any missing baby.

Failing to find a jack under the seat, the driver climbed over into the adjoining field in search of two or three big stones to serve the same purpose in holding up the axle. For several minutes the men worked fast and tensely; blind and deaf to anything except the need of haste.

Thus it was that neither of them saw a tawny-and-snow collie,--huge and shaggy except for a pair of absurdly tiny white forepaws,--come pacing majestically along the road from the direction in which they were heading. The car lamps played but faintly upon the advancing Lad; for the dimmers had been applied.

The big dog was taking his usual before-bedtime stroll. Of old, that evening stroll had been confined to the Place's grounds, a quarter-mile beyond. But, lately, his new obsession for finding treasures for the Mistress had lured him often and oftener to the highway.

Tonight, as for a day or so past, he had drawn blank in his quest. The road had been distressingly bare of anything worth carrying home. But, now, as he moved along, his near-sighted eyes were attracted by a dim blur of white, behind a bush, at the road-edge; just within the dim radiance of the car-lamps. Even sooner than he saw this, his keen nostrils had told him of human presence there. He shifted his course to investigate.

Standing over the compactly-fastened swathing of clothes, Laddie bent down and sniffed. It was a human. He knew that; in spite of the thick veil that covered the slumberer's face. But it was also a bundle. It was a bundle which might well be expected to delight the Mistress almost as much as had the parasol;--far more than had the defunct chicken.

Daintily, with infinite gentleness, Lad fixed his teeth in the loosest portion of the bundle that he could find; and lifted it.

It was amazingly heavy, even for so powerful a dog. But difficulties had never yet swerved Lad from any set purpose.

Bracing his strength, he turned homeward, carrying the burden between his mighty jaws.

And now, he was aware of some subtler feeling than mere desire to bring the Mistress one more gift. His great heart had ever gone out in loving tenderness toward everything helpless and little.

He adored children. The roughest of them could take unpardonable liberties with him. He would let them maul and mistreat him to their heart's content; and he reveled in such usage; although to humans other than the Mistress and the Master, he was sternly resentful of any familiarity.

His senses told him this bundle contained a child;--a baby. It had been lying alone and defenseless beside the road. He had found it. And his heart warmed to the helpless little creature which was so heavy to carry.

Proudly, now, he strode along; his muscles tensed; moving as if on parade. The bundle swinging from his jaws was carried as lovingly as though it might break in sixty pieces at any careless step.

The spare tire was adjusted. The men glanced nervously up and down the road. No car or pedestrian was in sight. The driver scrambled to his place at the wheel. His brother crossed to the alder bush behind whose shelter he had left the baby. Back he came, on the run.

"'Tain't there!" he blithered. "'Tain't there! 'Tain't rolled nowheres, neither. It's been took! Lord! What're we goin' to--?"He got no further. His brother had scrambled down from the seat;and pushed him aside, in a dash for the alder. But a few seconds of frantic search proved the baby was gone. The two men glared at each other in silent horror. Then by tacit impulse they got into the car.

"It couldn't 'a' walked off, could it?" gurgled the driver. "They can't walk, can they;--not at six months? Not far, anyhow?""It--it was took!" sputtered his brother between chattering teeth.

Another moment of scared silence. Then the driver rallied his awed faculties. Stepping on the self-starter, he brought the runabout into motion, and headed down the road.

"Where are you goin'?" queried the other. "No use a-keepin' on, this d'rection. It--""If it was took," answered the driver, truculently, " 'twasn't took by no car. We'd 'a' heard a car or we'd 'a' saw it. If it had been took by two or three folks a-walkin', we'd 'a' heard 'em blat to each other when they seen the kid layin' there. That means it was took by one person, all alone. He didn't pass us, while we was workin'. Then, unless he's took to the fields, he's a-goin' the same way we are. An' we're due to overhaul him.

同类推荐
  • 菩提心义(海运)

    菩提心义(海运)

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 游禁苑幸临渭亭遇雪

    游禁苑幸临渭亭遇雪

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法集要颂经

    法集要颂经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Love for Love

    Love for Love

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法师功德品

    法师功德品

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 西藏岁月系列丛书·守望

    西藏岁月系列丛书·守望

    《西藏岁月系列丛书:守望》从不同角度,用不同形式,深刻描绘了西藏和平解放、进军西藏、解放西藏、建设西藏的重大历史变革,以及改革开放、现代化建设时期,中央如何继续关心西藏、全国无私支援西藏,使西藏飞速发展变化的可喜局面。
  • 我家祖母好英武

    我家祖母好英武

    一朝穿越,竟然穿到土匪窝里,嫡亲的祖母是土匪头子,自己是小土匪……祖母很痴情,这辈子的心愿就是等祖父回来,活到老等到老……宋大娘很傲娇,最喜感春伤秋,最爱诗词歌赋……福姨很神秘,医术高明,却不想悬壶济世……阿满力大无穷,有吃有喝,幸福美满……
  • 腹黑相爷的嚣张嫡妃

    腹黑相爷的嚣张嫡妃

    穿越?权相之子?女扮男装?江黎表示:淡定!然后……顺应天命,混吃等死!老爹位高权重,把持朝政?拼爹第一条啊,坚决拥护之!左相美色难当,刚正不阿?行!十八般训诫,掰弯了伸直了,任由折腾!小皇帝城府深,手段狠?但……此等正太,萌之当道,岂能放过!片段一:闷骚还是傲娇?“彦司明,东西掉了。”上好的化瘀膏捏在手心,她笑得欢愉。“家中搁置太多,无处可放。”“所以?眼巴巴的赶着大中午从城外跑回来,准备扔我这儿?你确定不是担心我,想我,非要来看我?”她再笑。“……不是。”“青天白日,说谎遭雷劈的。”“……是。”片段二:腹黑还是呆萌?她一时口误,“皇腾少谦,呐,叫声姐来听听?”他一脸无辜,“可是你是男的。”“那就喊哥!”“……哥哥。”“乖——”PS:此文一对一,宠文有爱,内容大爱!亲们,不要错过,放进书架,一起Happy~~~
  • 步步陷情:将军请绕行

    步步陷情:将军请绕行

    [完结文]“你是天女吗?”某女:“我……”“来人,拖出去砍了……”某女:“等一下,我是!”“如何证明?”某女:“好吧,我晕。”某女真的晕了,某奸臣,不错,此女还算机灵,留着;某忠将,此女准和某奸臣是一伙的,必须防。某小只骗子:“你个扫把女,遇到你真倒霉!但……我不后悔。”某女:“遇到你我也很倒霉,但至少比你幸运。”某敌国腹黑:“我死了你会哭吗?”某女:“不会!我的意思是……你不会死。”某女:“你愿意留下吗?”某忠将:“如若国定家安,我定陪你隐居于此。”某女:“好,我等你……”某道士对某女说:“你此生注定一个人。”某女:“姐才不信呢!”
  • 受益终生的精粹:受益终生的美术精粹

    受益终生的精粹:受益终生的美术精粹

    阅读的广度改变生命历程的长短,阅读的深度决定思想境界的高低。大师经典带来的影响,不只是停留在某个时代,而是会穿越时空渗透到我们的灵魂中去。英国著名诗人拜伦曾经说过:“一滴墨水可以引发千万人的思考,一本好书可以改变无数人的命运。”的确,读书对于一个人的文化水平高低、知识多少、志向大小、修养好坏、品行优劣、情趣雅俗,往往起着至关重要的作用。我们精心编写的这套丛书品位高雅,内容丰富,设计、装帧精美、时尚,不仅具有较高的阅读欣赏价值,还可以收藏,或作为礼物馈赠亲朋好友,是一套能让读者从中获益良多的读物。
  • 细节决定影响力

    细节决定影响力

    影响力无形无声,却力道刚劲。要提升个人的影响力,你就必须有无懈可击的个人细节。从细节处着手,你才可找到重塑影响力的便捷之路。本书从形象、情商、个人品牌、心态、为人处世、说话办事等生活的各个细节入手,为不同领域和不同层次的人提升影响力,实现组织和个人目标,提供了完美的实践指南。
  • 混天大魔女

    混天大魔女

    什么!杀人夺宝!待我颜祈儿重归之时,必是你们丧命之日!什么!抢了我爹?抢了我夫君?休怪我颜祈儿辣手摧花!说我是魔界的魔女!你们是瞎了眼吗?我颜祈儿明明是人见人爱的小仙女……好吧,既然你们不分青红皂白……我就是魔女又怎样!欺我者,我必百倍偿还!且看我颜祈儿怎样逆天改命,搅浑这苍生天下!!!
  • 天体观测之窗(天文科学丛书)

    天体观测之窗(天文科学丛书)

    宇宙是一块神奇的地方,太空是我们无限的梦想。高立来编著的《天体观测之窗》包括太阳的真面目、行踪不定的星星、瑰丽壮观的星云、五彩缤纷的彩虹、灰蓝色的巨蛋、令人惊奇的陨石、各种各样的怪云等内容,去伪存真地将未解之谜与科学研究结合起来,非常适合广大青少年读者阅读和收藏。
  • 雪关和尚语录

    雪关和尚语录

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 葡萄高效栽培技术

    葡萄高效栽培技术

    《葡萄优质高效栽培》,介绍了葡萄栽培概况、优良品种、生长结果特性、对环境条件的要求与选址建园、的营养特点与施肥、架式与整形修剪、新梢及花果管理、设施促成栽培、主要病害防治等一系列内容。本书内容全面,条理清晰,适合广大农民读者阅读。