the red cross girl-第17部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


saw　for　miles　along　the　coast　great　beacon　fires　burning
fiercely。

Herbert　came　to　an　abrupt　halt。

〃Since　seeing　those　fires；〃　he　explained；　〃I　feel　a　strange
reluctance　about　showing　myself　in　this　uniform　to　a　Coast
Guard。〃

〃Coast　Guards　don't　shoot！〃　mocked　Birrell。　〃They　only　look
at　the　clouds　through　a　telescope。　Three　Germans　with　rifles
ought　to　be　able　to　frighten　one　Coast　Guard　with　a
telescope。〃

The　whitewashed　cabin　of　the　Coast　Guard　was　perched　on　the
edge　of　the　cliff。　Behind　it　the　downs　ran　back　to　meet　the
road。　The　door　of　the　cabin　was　open　and　from　it　a　shaft　of
light　cut　across　a　tiny　garden　and　showed　the　white　fence　and
the　walk　of　shells。　v

〃We　must　pass　in　single　file　in　front　of　that　light；〃
whispered　Ford；　〃And　then；　after　we　are　sure　he　has　seen　us；
we　must　run　like　the　devil！〃

〃I'm　on　in　that　last　scene；〃　growled　Herbert。

〃Only；〃　repeated　Ford　with　emphasis；　〃We　must　be　sure　he　has
seen　us。〃

Not　twenty　feet　from　them　came　a　bursting　roar；　a　flash；　many
roars；　many　flashes；　many　bullets。

〃He's　seen　us！〃　yelled　Birrell。

After　the　light　from　his　open　door　had　shown　him　one　German
soldier　fully　armed；　the　Coast　Guard　had　seen　nothing
further。　But　judging　from　the　shrieks　of　terror　and　the
sounds　of　falling　bodies　that　followed　his　first　shot；　he　was
convinced　he　was　hemmed　in　by　an　army；　and　he　proceeded　to
sell　his　life　dearly。　Clip　after　clip　of　cartridges　he
emptied　into　the　night；　now　to　the　front；　now　to　the　rear；
now　out　to　sea；　now　at　his　own　shadow　in　the　lamp…light。　To
the　people　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away　at　Morston　it　sounded
like　a　battle。

After　running　half　a　mile；　Ford；　bruised　and　breathless；　fell
at　full　length　on　the　grass　beside　the　car。　Near　it；　tearing
from　his　person　the　last　vestiges　of　a　German　uniform；　he
found　Birrell。　He　also　was　puffing　painfully。

〃What　happened　to　Herbert？〃　panted　Ford。

〃I　don't　know；〃　gasped　Birrell；　〃When　I　saw　him　last　he　was
diving　over　the　cliff　into　the　sea。　How　many　times　did　you
die？〃

〃About　twenty！〃　groaned　the　American；　〃And；　besides　being
dead；　I　am　severely　wounded。　Every　time　he　fired；　I　fell　on
my　face；　and　each　time　I　hit　a　rock！〃

A　scarecrow　of　a　figure　appeared　suddenly　in　the　rays　of　the
head…lights。　It　was　Herbert；　scratched；　bleeding；　dripping
with　water；　and　clad　simply　in　a　shirt　and　trousers。　He
dragged　out　his　kit　bag　and　fell　into　his　golf　clothes。

〃Anybody　who　wants　a　perfectly　good　German　uniform；〃　he
cried；　〃can　have　mine。　I　left　it　in　the　first　row　of
breakers。　It　didn't　fit　me；　anyway。〃

The　other　two　uniforms　were　hidden　in　the　seat　of　the　car。
The　rifles　and　helmets；　to　lend　color　to　the　invasion；　were
dropped　in　the　open　road；　and　five　minutes　later　three
gentlemen　in　inconspicuous　Harris　tweeds；　and　with　golf　clubs
protruding　from　every　part　of　their　car；　turned　into　the
shore　road　to　Cromer。　What　they　saw　brought　swift　terror　to
their　guilty　souls　and　the　car　to　an　abrupt　halt。　Before　them
was　a　regiment　of　regulars　advancing　in　column　of　fours；　at
the　〃　double。〃　An　officer　sprang　to　the　front　of　the　car　and
seated　himself　beside　Ford。

〃I'll　have　to　commandeer　this；〃　he　said。　〃Run　back　to
Cromer。　Don't　crush　my　men；　but　go　like　the　devil！〃

〃We　heard　firing　here；〃　explained　the　officer　〃　at　the　Coast
Guard　station。　The　Guard　drove　them　back　to　the　sea。　He
counted　over　a　dozen。　They　made　pretty　poor　practice；　for　he
isn't　wounded；　but　his　gravel　walk　looks　as　though　some　one
had　drawn　a　harrow　over　it。　I　wonder；〃　exclaimed　the　officer
suddenly；　〃if　you　are　the　three　gentlemen　who　first　gave　the
alarm　to　Colonel　Raglan　and　then　went　on　to　warn　the　other
coast　towns。　Because；　if　you　are；　he　wants　your　names。〃

Ford　considered　rapidly。　If　he　gave　false　names　and　that　fact
were　discovered；　they　would　be　suspected　and　investigated；
and　the　worst　might　happen。　So　he　replied　that　his　friends
and　himself　probably　were　the　men　to　whom　the　officer
referred。　He　explained　they　had　been　returning　from　Cromer；
where　they　had　gone　to　play　golf；　when　they　had　been　held　up
by　the　Germans。

〃You　were　lucky　to　escape；〃　said　the　officer　〃And　in　keeping
on　to　give　warning　you　were　taking　chances。　If　I　may　say　so；
we　think　you　behaved　extremely　well。〃

Ford　could　not　answer。　His　guilty　conscience　shamed　him　into
silence。　With　his　siren　shrieking　and　his　horn　tooting；　he
was　forcing　the　car　through　lanes　of　armed　men。　They　packed
each　side　of　the　road。　They　were　banked　behind　the　hedges。
Their　camp…fires　blazed　from　every　hill…top。

〃Your　regiment　seems　to　have　turned　out　to　a　man！〃　exclaimed
Ford　admiringly。

〃MY　regiment！〃　snorted　the　officer。　〃You've　passed　through
five　regiments　already；　and　there　are　as　many　more　in　the
dark　places。　They're　everywhere！〃　he　cried　jubilantly。

〃And　I　thought　they　were　only　where　you　see　the　camp…fires；〃
exclaimed　Ford。

〃That's　what　the　Germans　think；〃　said　the　officer。　〃It's
working　like　a　clock；〃　he　cried　happily。　〃There　hasn't　been　a
hitch。　As　soon　as　they　got　your　warning　to　Colonel　Raglan；
they　came　down　to　the　coast　like　a　wave；　on　foot；　by　trains；
by　motors；　and　at　nine　o'clock　the　Government　took　over　all
the　railroads。　The　county　regiments；　regulars；　yeomanry；
territorials；　have　been　spread　along　this　shore　for　thirty
miles。　Down　in　London　the　Guards　started　to　Dover　and
Brighton　two　hours　ago。　The　Automobile　Club　in　the　first　hour
collected　two　hundred　cars　and　turned　them　over　to　the　Guards
in　Bird　Cage　Walk。　Cody　and　Grahame…White　and　eight　of　his
air　men　left　Hendon　an　hour　ago　to　reconnoitre　the　south
coast。　Admiral　Beatty　has　started　with　the　Channel　Squadron
to　head　off　the　German　convoy　in　the　North　Sea；　and　the
torpedo　destroyers　have　been　sent　to　lie　outside　of
Heligoland。　We'll　get　that　back　by　daylight。　And　on　land
every　one　of　the　three　services　is　under　arms。　On　this　coast
alone　before　sunrise　we'll　have　one　hundred　thousand　men；　and
from　Colchester　the　brigade　division　of　artillery；　from
Ipswich　the　R。　H。　A。's　with　siege…guns；　field…guns；　quick…
firing…guns；　all　kinds　of　guns　spread　out　over　every　foot　of
ground　from　here　to　Hunstanton。　They　thought　they'd　give　us　a
surprise　party。　They　will　never　give　us　another　surprise
party！〃

On　the　top　of　the　hill　at　Overstrand；　the　headwaiter　of　the
East　Cliff　Hotel　and　the　bearded　German　stood　in　the　garden
back　of　the　house　with　the　forbidding　walls。　From　the　road　in
front　came　unceasingly　the　tramp　and　shuffle　of　thousands　of
marching　feet；　the　rumble　of　heavy　cannon；　the　clanking　of
their　chains；　the　voices　of　men　trained　to　command　raised　in
sharp；　confident　orders。　The　sky　was　illuminated　by　countless
fires。　Every　window　of　every　cottage　and　hotel　blazed　with
lights。　The　night　had　been　turned　into　day。　The　eyes　of　the
two　Germans　were　like　the　eyes　of　those　who　had　passed
through　an　earthquake；　of　those　who　looked　upon　the　burning
of　San　Francisco；　upon　the　destruction　of　Messina。

〃We　were　betrayed；　general；〃　whispered　the　head…waiter。

〃We　were　betrayed；　baron；〃　replied　the　bearded　one。

〃But　you　were　in　time　to　warn　the　flotilla。〃

With　a　sigh；　the　older　man　nodded。

〃The　last　message　I　received　over　the　wireless；〃　he　said；
〃before　I　destroyed　it；　read；　'Your　message　understood。　We
are　returning。　Our　movements　will　be　explained　as　manoeuvres。
And；〃　added　the　general；　〃The　English；　having　driven　us　back；
will　be　willing　to　officially　accept　that　explanation。　As
manoeuvres；　this　night　will　go　down　into　history。　Return　to
the　hotel；〃　he　commanded；　〃And　in　two　months　you　can　rejoin
your　regiment。〃

On　the　morning　after　the　invasion　the　New　York　Republic
published　a　map　of　Great　Britain　that　covered　three　columns
and　a　wood…cut　of　Ford　that　was　spread　over　five。　Beneath　it
was　printed：　〃Lester　Ford；　our　London　correspondent；　captured
by　the　Germans；　he　escapes　and　is　the　first　to　warn　the
English　people。〃

On　the　same　morning；　In　an　editorial　in　The　Times　of　London；
appeared　this　paragraph：

〃The　Germans　were　first　seen　by　the　Hon。　Arthur　Herbert；　the
eldest　son　of　Lord　Cinaris；　Mr。　Patrick　Headford　Birrell
both　of　Balliol　College；　Oxford；　and　Mr。　Lester　Ford；　the
correspondent　of　the　New　York　Republic。　These　gentlemen
escaped　from　the　landing　party　that　tried　to　make　them
prisoners；　and　at　great　risk　proceeded　in　their　motor…car
over　roads　infested　by　the　Germans　to　all　the　coast　towns　of
Norfolk；　warning　the　authorities。　Should　the　war　office　fail
to　recognize　their　services；　the　people　of　Great　Britain　will
prove　that　they　are　not　ungrateful。〃

A　week　later　three　young　men　sat　at　dinner　on　the　terrace　of
the　Savoy。

〃Shall　we；　or　shall　we　not；〃　asked　Herbert；　〃tell　my　uncle
that　we　three；　and　we　three　alone；　were　the　invaders？〃

〃That's　hardly　correct；〃　said　Ford；　〃as　we　now　know　there
were　two　hundred　thousand　invaders。　We　were　the　only　three
who　got　ashore。〃

〃I　vote　we　don't　tell　him；〃　said　Birrell。　〃Let　him　think　with
everybody　else　that　the　Germans　blundered；　that　an　advance
party　landed　too　soon　and　gave　the　show　away。　If　we　talk；〃　he
argued；　〃We'll　get　credit　for　a　successful　hoax。　If　we　keep
quiet；　everybody　will　continue　to　think　we　saved　England。　I'm
content　to　let　it　go　at　that。〃



Chapter　4。　BLOOD　WILL　TELL

David　Greene　was　an　employee　of　the　Burdett　Automatic　Punch
Company。　The　manufacturing　plant　of　the　company　was　at
Bridgeport；　but　in　the　New　York　offices　there　were　working
samples　of　all　the　punches；　from　the　little　nickel…plated　hand
punch　with　which　conductors　squeezed　holes　in　railroad　tickets；
to　the　big　punch　that　could　bite　into　an　iron　plate　as　easily　as
into　a　piece　of　pie。　David's　duty　was　to　explain　these　different
punches；　and　accordingly　when　Burdett　Senior　or　one　of　the　sons
turned　a　customer　over　to　David　he　spoke　of　him　as　a　salesman。
But　David　called　himself　a　〃demonstrator。〃　For　a　short　time　he
even　succeeded　in　persuading　the　other　salesmen　to　speak　of
themselves　as　demonstrators；　but　the　shipping　clerks　and
bookkeepers　laughed　them　out　of　it。　They　could　not　laugh　David
out　of　it。　This　was　so；　partly　because　he　had　no　sense　of　humor；
and　partly　because　he　had　a　great…great…gra