the red cross girl-第5部分

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And　yet；　how　humble　she　had　been　when　he　begged　her　to　let
him　for　one　day　personally　conduct　her　over　the　great　city！
〃You　are　so　kind　to　take　pity　on　me；〃　she　had　said。　He
thought　of　many　clever；　pretty　speeches　he　might　have　made。
He　was　so　annoyed　he　had　not　thought　of　them　at　the　time　that
he　kicked　violently　at　the　seat　in　front　of　him。

He　wondered　what　her　history　might　be；　he　was　sure　it　was
full　of　beautiful　courage　and　self…sacrifice。　It　certainly
was　outrageous　that　one　so　glorious　must　work　for　her　living；
and　for　such　a　paltry　livingforty　dollars　a　month！　It　was
worth　that　merely　to　have　her　sit　in　the　flat　where　one　could
look　at　her；　for　already　he　had　decided　that；　when　they　were
married；　they　would　live　in　a　flatprobably　in　one
overlooking　Central　Park；　on　Central　Park　West。　He　knew　of
several　attractive　suites　there　at　thirty…five　dollars　a
weekor；　if　she　preferred　the　suburbs；　he　would　forsake　his
beloved　New　York　and　return　to　the　country。　In　his　gratitude
to　her　for　being　what　she　was；　he　conceded　even　that
sacrifice。

When　he　reached　New　York；　from　the　speculators　he　bought
front…row　seats　at　five　dollars　for　the　two　most　popular
plays　in　town。　He　put　them　away　carefully　in　his　waistcoat
pocket。　Possession　of　them　made　him　feel　that　already　he　had
obtained　an　option　on　six　hours　of　complete　happiness。

After　she　left　Sam；　Sister　Anne　passed　hurriedly　through　the
hospital　to　the　matron's　room　and；　wrapping　herself　in　a
raccoon　coat；　made　her　way　to　a　waiting　motor　car　and　said；
〃Home！〃　to　the　chauffeur。　He　drove　her　to　the　Flagg　family
vault；　as　Flagg's　envious　millionaire　neighbors　called　the
pile　of　white　marble　that　topped　the　highest　hill　above
Greenwich；　and　which　for　years　had　served　as　a　landfall　to
mariners　on　the　Sound。

There　were　a　number　of　people　at　tea　when　she　arrived　and
they　greeted　her　noisily。

〃I　have　had　a　most　splendid　adventure！〃　said　Sister　Anne。
〃There　were　six　of　us；　you　know；　dressed　up　as　Red　Cross
nurses；　and　we　gave　away　programmes。　Well；　one　of　the　New
York　reporters　thought　I　was　a　real　nurse　and　interviewed　me
about　the　Home。　Of　course　I　knew　enough　about　it　to　keep　it
up；　and　I　kept　it　up　so　well　that　he　was　terribly　sorry　for
me；　and。　。　。　。　〃

One　of　the　tea　drinkers　was　little　Hollis　Holworthy；　who
prided　himself　on　knowing　who's　who　in　New　York。　He　had　met
Sam　Ward　at　first　nights　and　prize　fights。　He　laughed
scornfully。

〃Don't　you　believe　it！〃　he　interrupted。　〃That　man　who　was
talking　to　you　was　Sam　Ward。　He's　the　smartest　newspaper　man
in　New　York；　he　was　just　leading　you　on。　Do　you　suppose
there's　a　reporter　in　America　who　wouldn't　know　you　in　the
dark？　Wait　until　you　see　the　Sunday　paper。〃

Sister　Anne　exclaimed　indignantly。

〃He　did　not　know　me！〃　she　protested。　〃It　quite　upset　him　that
I　should　be　wasting　my　life　measuring　out　medicines　and
making　beds。〃

There　was　a　shriek　of　disbelief　and　laughter。

〃I　told　him；〃　continued　Sister　Anne；　〃that　I　got　forty
dollars　a　month；　and　he　said　I　could　make　more　as　a
typewriter；　and　I　said　I　preferred　to　be　a　manicurist。〃

〃Oh；　Anita！〃　protested　the　admiring　chorus。

〃And　he　was　most　indignant。　He　absolutely　refused　to　allow　me
to　be　a　manicurist。　And　he　asked　me　to　take　a　day　off　with
him　and　let　him　show　me　New　York。　And　he　offered；　as
attractions；　moving…picture　shows　and　a　drive　on　a　Fifth
Avenue　bus；　and　feeding　peanuts　to　the　animals　in　the　park。
And　if　I　insisted　upon　a　chaperon　I　might　bring　one　of　the
nurses。　We're　to　meet　at　the　soda…water　fountain　in　the　Grand
Central　Station。　He　said；　'The　day　cannot　begin　too　soon。'〃

〃Oh；　Anita！〃　shrieked　the　chorus。

Lord　Deptford；　who　as　the　newspapers　had　repeatedly　informed
the　American　public；　had　come　to　the　Flaggs'　country…place　to
try　to　marry　Anita　Flagg；　was　amused。

〃What　an　awfully　jolly　rag！〃　he　cried。　〃And　what　are　you
going　to　do　about　it？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Anita　Flagg。　〃The　reporters　have　been　making
me　ridiculous　for　the　last　three　years；　now　I　have　got　back
at　one　of　them！　〃And；〃　she　added；　〃that's　all　there　is　to
that！〃

That　night；　however；　when　the　house　party　was　making　toward
bed；　Sister　Anne　stopped　by　the　stairs　and　said　to　Lord
Deptford：　〃I　want　to　hear　you　call　me　Sister。〃

〃Call　you　what？〃　exclaimed　the　young　man。　〃I　will　tell　you；〃
he　whispered；　〃what　I'd　like　to　call　you！〃

〃You　will　not！〃　interrupted　Anita。　〃Do　as　I　tell　you　and　say
Sister　once。　Say　it　as　though　you　meant　it。〃

〃But　I　don't　mean　it；〃　protested　his　lordship。　〃I've　said
already　what　I。　。　。　。〃

〃Never　mind　what　you've　said　already；〃　commanded　Miss　Flagg。
〃I've　heard　that　from　a　lot　of　people。　Say　Sister　just　once。〃

His　lordship　frowned　in　embarrassment。

〃Sister！〃　he　exclaimed。　It　sounded　like　the　pop　of　a　cork。

Anita　Flagg　laughed　unkindly　and　her　beautiful　shoulders
shivered　as　though　she　were　cold。

〃Not　a　bit　like　it；　Deptford；〃　she　said。　〃Good…night。〃

Later　Helen　Page；　who　came　to　her　room　to　ask　her　about　a
horse　she　was　to　ride　in　the　morning；　found　her　ready　for　bed
but　standing　by　the　open　window　looking　out　toward　the　great
city　to　the　south。

When　she　turned　Miss　Page　saw　something　in　her　eyes　that
caused　that　young　woman　to　shriek　with　amazement。

〃Anita！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃You　crying！　What　in　Heaven's　name
can　make　you　cry？〃

It　was　not　a　kind　speech；　nor　did　Miss　Flagg　receive　it
kindly。　She　turned　upon　the　tactless　intruder。

〃Suppose；〃　cried　Anita　fiercely；　〃a　man　thought　you　were
worth　forty　dollars　a　monthhonestly　didn't　know！honestly
believed　you　were　poor　and　worked　for　your　living；　and　still
said　your　smile　was　worth　more　than　all　of　old　man　Flagg's
millions；　not　knowing　they　were　YOUR　millions。　Suppose　he
didn't　ask　any　money　of　you；　but　just　to　take　care　of　you；　to
slave　for　youonly　wanted　to　keep　your　pretty　hands　from
working；　and　your　pretty　eyes　from　seeing　sickness　and　pain。
Suppose　you　met　that　man　among　this　rotten　lot；　what　would
you　do？　What　wouldn't　you　do？〃

〃Why；　Anita！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Page。

〃What　would　you　do？〃　demanded　Anita　Flagg。　〃This　is　what
you'd　do：　You'd　go　down　on　your　knees　to　that　man　and　say：
'Take　me　away！　Take　me　away　from　them；　and　pity　me；　and　be
sorry　for　me；　and　love　meand　love　meand　love　me！〃

〃And　why　don't　you？〃　cried　Helen　Page。

〃Because　I'm　as　rotten　as　the　rest　of　them！〃　cried　Anita
Flagg。　〃Because　I'm　a　coward。　And　that's　why　I'm　crying。
Haven't　I　the　right　to　cry？〃

At　the　exact　moment　Miss　Flagg　was　proclaiming　herself　a
moral　coward；　in　the　local　room　of　the　REPUBLIC　Collins；　the
copy　editor；　was　editing　Sam's　story'　of　the　laying　of　the
corner…stone。　The　copy　editor's　cigar　was　tilted　near　his
left　eyebrow；　his　blue　pencil；　like　a　guillotine　ready　to
fall　upon　the　guilty　word　or　paragraph；　was　suspended　in　mid…
air；　and　continually；　like　a　hawk　preparing　to　strike；　the
blue　pencil　swooped　and　circled。　But　page　after　page　fell
softly　to　the　desk　and　the　blue　pencil　remained　inactive。　As
he　read；　the　voice　of　Collins　rose　in　muttered　ejaculations；
and；　as　he　continued　to　read；　these　explosions　grew　louder
and　more　amazed。　At　last　he　could　endure　no　more　and；
swinging　swiftly　in　his　revolving　chair；　his　glance　swept　the
office。　〃In　the　name　of　Mike！〃　he　shouted。　〃What　IS　this？〃

The　reporters　nearest　him；　busy　with　pencil　and　typewriters；
frowned　in　impatient　protest。　Sam　Ward；　swinging　his　legs
from　the　top　of　a　table；　was　gazing　at　the　ceiling；　wrapped
in　dreams　and　tobacco　smoke。　Upon　his　clever；　clean…cut
features　the　expression　was　far…away　and　beatific。　He　came
back　to　earth。

〃What's　what？〃　Sam　demanded。

At　that　moment　Elliott；　the　managing　editor；　was　passing
through　the　room　his　hands　filled　with　freshly　pulled　proofs。
He　swung　toward　Collins　quickly　and　snatched　up　Sam's　copy。
The　story　already　was　lateand　it　was　important。

〃What's　wrong？〃　he　demanded。　Over　the　room　there　fell　a
sudden　hush。

〃Read　the　opening　paragraph；〃　protested　Collins。　〃It's　like
that　for　a　column！　It's　all　about　a　girlabout　a　Red　Cross
nurse。　Not　a　word　about　Flagg　or　Lord　Deptford。　No　speeches！
No　news！　It's　not　a　news　story　at　all。　It's　an　editorial；　and
an　essay；　and　a　spring　poem。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　And；
what's　worse；〃　wailed　the　copy　editor　defiantly　and　to　the
amazement　of　all；　〃it's　so　darned　good　that　you　can't　touch
it。　You've　got　to　let　it　go　or　kill　it。〃

The　eyes　of　the　managing　editor；　masked　by　his　green　paper
shade；　were　racing　over　Sam's　written　words。　He　thrust　the
first　page　back　at　Collins。

〃Is　it　all　like　that？〃

〃There's　a　column　like　that！〃

〃Run　it　just　as　it　is；〃　commanded　the　managing　editor。　〃　Use
it　for　your　introduction　and　get　your　story　from　the　flimsy。
And；　in　your　head；　cut　out　Flagg　entirely。　Call　it　'The　Red
Cross　Girl。'　And　play　it　up　strong　with　pictures。〃　He　turned
on　Sam　and　eyed　him　curiously。

〃What's　the　idea；　Ward？〃　he　said。　〃This　is　a　newspapernot　a
magazine！〃

The　click　of　the　typewriters　was　silent；　the　hectic　rush　of
the　pencils　had　ceased；　and　the　staff；　expectant；　smiled
cynically　upon　the　star　reporter。　Sam　shoved　his　hands　into
his　trousers　pockets　and　also　smiled；　but　unhappily。

〃I　know　it's　not　news；　Sir；〃　he　said；　but　that's　the　way　I
saw　the　storyoutside　on　the　lawn；　the　band　playing；　and　the
governor　and　the　governor's　staff　and　the　clergy　burning
incense　to　Flagg；　and　inside；　this　girl　right　on　the　job
taking　care　of　the　sick　and　wounded。　It　seemed　to　me　that　a
million　from　a　man　that　won't　miss　a　million　didn't　stack　up
against　what　this　girl　was　doing　for　these　sick　folks！　What　I
wanted　to　say；〃　continued　Sam　stoutly　〃was　that　the　moving
spirit　of　the　hospital　was　not　in　the　man　who　signed　the
checks；　but　in　these　women　who　do　the　workthe　nurses；　like
the　one　I　wrote　about；　the　one　you　called　'The　Red　Cross
Girl。'〃

Collins；　strong　through　many　years　of　faithful　service；
backed　by　the　traditions　of　the　profession；　snorted
scornfully。

〃But　it's　not　news！〃

〃It's　not　news；〃　said　Elliott　doubtfully；　〃but　it's　the　kind
of　story　that　made　Frank　O'Malley　famous。　It's　the　kind　of
story　that　drives　men　out　of　this　business　into　the　arms　of
what　Kipling　c