the red cross girl-第6部分

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story　that　drives　men　out　of　this　business　into　the　arms　of
what　Kipling　calls　'the　illegitimate　sister。'〃

It　seldom　is　granted　to　a　man　on　the　same　day　to　give　his
whole　heart　to　a　girl　and　to　be　patted　on　the　back　by　his
managing　editor；　and　it　was　this　combination；　and　not　the
drinks　he　dispensed　to　the　staff　in　return　for　its
congratulations；　that　sent　Sam　home　walking　on　air。　He　loved
his　business；　he　was　proud　of　his　business；　but　never　before
had　it　served　him　so　well。　It　had　enabled　him　to　tell　the
woman　he　loved；　and　incidentally　a　million　other　people；　how
deeply　he　honored　her；　how　clearly　he　appreciated　her　power
for　good。　No　one　would　know　he　meant　Sister　Anne；　save　two
peopleSister　Anne　and　himself；　but　for　her　and　for　him　that
was　as　many　as　should　know。　In　his　story　he　had　used　real
incidents　of　the　day；　he　had　described　her　as　she　passed
through　the　wards　of　the　hospital；　cheering　and　sympathetic；
he　had　told　of　the　little　acts　of　consideration　that　endeared
her　to　the　sick　people。

The　next　morning　she　would　know　that　it　was　she　of　whom　he
had　written；　and　between　the　lines　she　would　read　that　the
man　who　wrote　them　loved　her。　So　he　fell　asleep；　impatient
for　the　morning。　In　the　hotel　at　which　he　lived　the　REPUBLIC
was　always　placed　promptly　outside　his　door；　and；　after　many
excursions　into　the　hall；　he　at　last　found　it。　On　the　front
page　was　his　story；　〃The　Red　Cross　Girl。〃　It　had　the　place　of
honorright…hand　column；　but　more　conspicuous　than　the
headlines　of　his　own　story　was　one　of　Redding's；　photographs。
It　was　the　one　he　had　taken　of　Sister　Anne　when　first　she　had
approached　them；　in　her　uniform　of　mercy；　advancing　across
the　lawn；　walking　straight　into　the　focus　of　the；　camera。
There　was　no　mistaking　her　for　any　other　living　woman；　but
beneath　the　picture；　in　bold；　staring；　uncompromising　type；
was　a　strange　and　grotesque　legend。

〃Daughter　of　Millionaire　Flagg；〃　it　read；　〃in　a　New　Role；
Miss　Anita　Flagg　as　The　Red　Cross　Girl。〃

For　a　long　time　Sam　looked　at　the　picture；　and　then；　folding
the　paper　so　that　the　picture　was　hidden；　he　walked　to　the
open　window。　From　below；　Broadway　sent　up　a　tumultuous
greetingcable　cars　jangled；　taxis　hooted；　and；　on　the
sidewalks；　on　their　way　to　work；　processions　of　shop…girls
stepped　out　briskly。　It　was　the　street　and　the　city　and　the
life　he　had　found　fascinating；　but　now　it　jarred　and
affronted　him。　A　girl　he　knew　had　died；　had　passed　out　of　his
life　foreverworse　than　that　had　never　existed；　and　yet　the
city　went　or　just　as　though　that　made　no　difference；　or　just
as　little　difference　as　it　would　have　made　had　Sister　Anne
really　lived　and　really　died。

At　the　same　early　hour；　an　hour　far　too　early　for　the　rest　of
the　house　party；　Anita　Flagg　and　Helen　Page；　booted　and
riding…habited；　sat　alone　at　the　breakfast　table；　their　tea
before　them；　and　in　the　hands　of　Anita　Flagg　was　the　DAILY
REPUBLIC。　Miss　Page　had　brought　the　paper　to　the　table　and；
with　affected　indignation　at　the　impertinence　of　the　press；
had　pointed　at　the　front…page　photograph；　but　Miss　Flagg　was
not　looking　at　the　photograph；　or　drinking　her　tea；　or
showing　in　her　immediate　surroundings　any　interest
whatsoever。　Instead；　her　lovely　eyes　were　fastened　with
fascination　upon　the　column　under　the　heading　〃The　Red　Cross
Girl〃；　and；　as　she　read；　the　lovely　eyes　lost　all　trace　of
recent　slumber；　her　lovely　lips　parted　breathlessly；　and　on
her　lovely　cheeks　the　color　flowed　and　faded　and　glowed　and
bloomed。　When　she　had　read　as　far　as　a　paragraph　beginning；
〃When　Sister　Anne　walked　between　them　those　who　suffered
raised　their　eyes　to　hers　as　flowers　lift　their　faces　to　the
rain；〃　she　dropped　the　paper　and　started　for　telephone。

〃Any　man；〃　cried　she；　to　the　mutual　discomfort　of　Helen　Page
and　the　servants；　〃who　thinks　I'm　like　that　mustn't　get　away！
I'm　not　like　that　and　I　know　it；　but　if　he　thinks　so　that's
all　I　want。　And　maybe　I　might　be　like　thatif　any　man　would
help。〃

She　gave　her　attention　to　the　telephone　and　〃Information。〃
She　demanded　to　be　instantly　put　into　communication　with　the
DAILY　REPUBLIC　and　Mr。　Sam　Ward。　She　turned　again　upon　Helen
Page。

〃I'm　tired　of　being　called　a　good　sport；〃　she　protested；　〃by
men　who　aren't　half　so　good　sports　as　I　am。　I'm　tired　of
being　talked　to　about　moneyas　though　I　were　a　stock…broker。
This　man's　got　a　head　on　his　shoulders；　and　he's　got　the
shoulders　too；　and　he's　got　a　darned　good…looking　head；　and
he　thinks　I'm　a　ministering　angel　and　a　saint；　and　he　put　me
up　on　a　pedestal　and　made　me　dizzyand　I　like　being　made
dizzy；　and　I'm　for　him！　And　I'm　going　after　him！〃


〃Be　still！〃　implored　Helen　Page。　〃Any　one　might　think　you
meant　it！〃　She　nodded　violently　at　the　discreet　backs　of　the
men…servants。

〃Ye　gods；　Parker！〃　cried　Anita　Flagg。　〃Does　it　take　three　of
you　to　pour　a　cup　of　tea？　Get　out　of　here；　and　tell　everybody
that　you　all　three　caught　me　in　the　act　of　proposing　to　an
American　gentleman　over　the　telephone　and　that　the　betting　is
even　that　I'll　make　him　marry　me！〃

The　faithful　and　sorely　tried　domestics　fled　toward　the　door。
〃And　what's　more；〃　Anita　hurled　after　them；　〃get　your　bets
down　quick；　for　after　I　meet　him　the　odds　will　be　a　hundred
to　one！〃

Had　the　REPUBLIC　been　an　afternoon　paper；　Sam　might　have　been
at　the　office　and　might　have　gone　to　the　telephone；　and
things　might　have　happened　differently；　but；　as　the　REPUBLIC
was　a　morning　paper；　the　only　person　in　the　office　was　the
lady　who　scrubbed　the　floors　and　she　refused　to　go　near　the
telephone。　So　Anita　Flagg　said；　〃I'll　call　him　up　later；〃　and
went　happily　on　her　ride；　with　her　heart　warm　with　love　for
all　the　beautiful　world；　but　later　it　was　too　late。

To　keep　himself　fit；　Sam　Ward　always　walked　to　the　office。　On
this　particular　morning　Hollis　Holworthy　was　walking　uptown
and　they　met　opposite　the　cathedral。

〃You're　the　very　man　I　want；〃　said　Hollworthy　joyously
〃you've　got　to　decide　a　bet。〃

He　turned　and　fell　into　step　with　Sam。

〃It's　one　I　made　last　night　with　Anita　Flagg。　She　thinks　you
didn't　know　who　she　was　yesterday；　and　I　said　that　was
ridiculous。　Of　course　you　knew。　I　bet　her　a　theatre　party。〃

To　Sam　it　seemed　hardly　fair　that　so　soon；　before　his　fresh
wound　had　even　been　dressed；　it　should　be　torn　open　by
impertinent　fingers；　but　he　had　no　right　to　take　offense。　How
could　the　man；　or　any　one　else；　know　what　Sister　Anne　had
meant　to　him？

〃I'm　afraid　you　lose；〃　he　said。　He　halted　to　give　Holworthy
the　hint　to　leave　him；　but　Holworthy　had　no　such　intention。

〃You　don't　say　so！〃　exclaimed　that　young　man。　〃Fancy　one　of
you　chaps　being　taken　in　like　that。　〃I　thought　you　were
taking　her　ingetting　up　a　story　for　the　Sunday　supplement。〃

Sam　shook　his　head；　nodded；　and　again　moved　on；　but　he　was
not　yet　to　escape。　〃And；　instead　of　your　fooling　her；〃
exclaimed　Holworthy　incredulously；　〃she　was　having　fun；　with
you！〃

With　difficulty　Sam　smiled。

〃So　it　would　seem；〃　he　said。

〃She　certainly　made　an　awfully　funny　story　of　it！〃　exclaimed
Holworthy　admiringly。　〃I　thought　she　was　making　it　upshe
must　have　made　some　of　it　up。　She　said　you　asked　her　to　take
a　day　off　in　New　York。　That　isn't　so　is　it？〃

〃Yes；　that's　so。〃

〃By　Jove！〃　cried　Holworthyand　that　you　invited　her　to　see
the　moving…picture　shows？〃

Sam；　conscious　of　the　dearly　bought　front　row　seats　in　his
pocket；　smiled　pleasantly。

〃Did　she　say　I　said　thator　you？〃　he　asked

〃She　did。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　must　have　said　it。〃

Holworthy　roared　with　amusement。

〃And　that　you　invited　her　to　feed　peanuts　to　the　monkeys　at
the　Zoo？〃

Sam　avoided　the　little　man's　prying　eyes。

〃Yes；　I　said　that　too。〃

〃And　I　thought　she　was　making　it　up！〃　exclaimed　Holworthy。
〃We　did　laugh。　You　must　see　the　fun　of　it　yourself。〃

Lest　Sam　should　fail　to　do　so　he　proceeded　to　elaborate。

〃You　must　see　the　fun　in　a　man　trying　to　make　a　date　with
Anita　Flaggjust　as　if　she　were　nobody！〃

〃I　don't　think；〃　said　Sam；　〃that　was　my　idea。〃　He　waved　his
stick　at　a　passing　taxi。　〃I'm　late；〃　he　said。　He　abandoned
Hollis　on　the　sidewalk；　chuckling　and　grinning　with　delight；
and　unconscious　of　the　mischief　he　had　made。

An　hour　later　at　the　office；　when　Sam　was　waiting　for　an
assignment；　the　telephone　boy　hurried　to　him；　his　eyes　lit
with　excitement。

〃You're　wanted　on　the　'phone；〃　he　commanded。　His　voice
dropped　to　an　awed　whisper。　〃Miss　Anita　Flagg　wants　to　speak
to　you！〃

The　blood　ran　leaping　to　Sam's　heart　and　face。　Then　he
remembered　that　this　was　not　Sister　Anne　who　wanted　to　speak
to　him；　but　a　woman　he　had　never　met。

〃Say　you　can't　find　me；〃　he　directed。　The　boy　gasped；　fled；
and　returned　precipitately。

〃The　lady　says　she　wants　your　telephone　numbersays　she　must
have　it。〃

〃Tell　her　you　don't　know　it；　tell　her　it's　against　the
rulesand　hang　up。〃

Ten　minutes　later　the　telephone　boy；　in　the　strictest
confidence；　had　informed　every　member　of　the　local　staff　that
Anita　Flaggthe　rich；　the　beautiful；　the　daring；　the
original　of　the　Red　Cross　story　of　that　morninghad　twice
called　up　Sam　Ward　and　by　that　young　man　had　been　thrown
downand　thrown　hard！

That　night　Elliott；　the　managing　editor；　sent　for　Sam；　and
when　Sam　entered　his　office　he　found　also　there　Walsh；　the
foreign　editor；　with　whom　he　was　acquainted　only　by　sight。

Elliott　introduced　them　and　told　Sam　to　be　seated。

〃Ward；〃　he　began　abruptly；　〃I'm　sorry　to　lose　you；　but　you've
got　to　go。　It's　on　account　of　that　story　of　this　morning。〃

Sam　made　no　sign；　but　he　was　deeply　hurt。　From　a　paper　he　had
served　so　loyally　this　seemed　scurvy　treatment。　It　struck　him
also　that；　considering　the　spirit　in　which　the　story　had　been
written；　it　was　causing　him　more　kinds　of　trouble　than　was
quite　fair。　The　loss　of　position　did　not　disturb　him。　In　the
last　month　too　many　managing　editors　had　tried　to　steal　him
from　the　REPUBLIC　for　him　to　feel　anxious　as　to　the　future。
So　he　accepted　his　dismissal　calmly；　and　could　say　without
resentment：

〃Last　night　I　thought　you　liked　the　story；　sir？

〃I　did；〃　returned　Elliott；　〃I　liked　it　so　much　that　I'm
sending　you　to　a　bigger　place；　where　you　can　get　bigger
stories