on the firing line-第11部分

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　their　own　guns。　And　now　once　more　the　gunners　could　reopen　fire；　and　the　shells　dropped　thick　and　fast。　The　moment　for　a　general　advance　had　come。　In　open　order；　a　thousand　men　dashed　forward　and　reached　the　ridge；　only　to　see　the　retiring　foe　galloping　away　in　all　directions　across　the　open　veldt。　A　halt　was　ordered；　to　rest　the　winded　mounts。　Pickets　were　thrown　out　on　front　and　flank；　while　the　British　awaited　their　approaching　convoy。　That　night；　the　column　rested　upon　the　veldt　at　Vlaakfontein。

After　the　rush　of　the　day；　its　hope　and　its　succeeding　disappointment；　Weldon　was　long　in　falling　asleep。　Carew　was　out　on　picket；　Captain　Frazer；　coat　off　and　sleeves　rolled　to　his　shoulders；　was　busy　among　the　wounded；　and　Weldon　had　cared　to　make　few　other　close　friends　in　the　squadron。　Around　him；　he　could　hear　the　murmurs　of　other　sleepless　ones；　but　he　lay　silent；　his　arms　under　his　head；　his　face　turned　upward　to　the　shining　perspective　of　the　stars。　In　similar　perspective　there　ranged　them…selves　before　his　mind　the　events　of　the　past　twelve　weeks。

Already　the　month　at　Piquetberg　Road　seemed　a　chapter　out　of　another　volume。　It　had　culminated　in　that　languid　afternoon　spent　around　the　tea…table　under　the　wattle　tree　in　the　garden；　culminated　there　and　also　ended　there。　With　the　unexpectedness　that　marks　all　things　in　a　time　of　war；　the　next　noon　found　him　steaming　across　the　Cape　Flats；　with　Maitland　in　sight。　Two　days　later；　they　were　loaded　on　an　empty　hospital　ship　returning　to　Durban。　Piquetberg　Road　was　child's　play　now；　for　the　front　was　almost　in　sight。　The　voyage　had　been　beastly；　but　after　it　had　come　the　real　beginning　of　things。　Natal；　in　those　days　of　late　February；　had　seemed　deserving　of　its　name；　a　true　Garden　of　Africa。　The　crossing　was　now　a　memory　of　heavy　grades；　of　verdant　country；　of　ripened　fruits。　There　had　been　the　week's　delay　at　Pietermaritzburg　where　they　had　tasted　a　bit　of　civilization　in　the　intervals　of　completing　their　outfits；　there　had　been　the　brief　stop　at　Ladysmith；　already　recovered　from　her　hardships　of　the　year　before；　then　the　crossing　the　border　into　the　Transvaal　where　the　verdure　slowly　vanished　to　give　place　to　the　dreary　wastes　of　red…　brown　veldt。　At　Johannesburg；　he　had　manufactured　an　excuse　for　a　long　letter　to　Ethel　who

〃Show　a　leg　there！〃

The　sergeant's　voice　at　his　ear　called　him　back　to　the　realities　of　life。　He　sat　up　as　alertly　as　if　he　had　slept　upon　eider…down。

By　eight　o'clock；　Weldon　was　out　on　the　veldt；　two　miles　from　camp。　Before　him；　a　force　of　Yeomanry　was　guarding　the　two　guns；　around　him；　a　detail　from　his　own　squadron　protected　the　flank　on　the　right。　And；　still　farther　to　the　right；　a　cloud　of　yellowish　smoke　rose　skyward　across　the　yellower　sunshine。　Then；　of　a　sudden；　out　from　the　heart　of　the　wall　of　smoke　came　a　muffled　thud　and　roar；　confused　at　first；　growing　strident　and　more　detached　until；　sweeping　from　the　haze　of　smoke；　five　score　Boer　horsemen　rode　in　a　bolt…like　rush；　fierce　and　uncheckable。　Without　swerving　to　right　or　left；　they　charged　straight　towards　the　Yeomanry　drawn　up　beside　the　guns；　drove　them　back　and　shot　down　the　gunners　almost　to　a　man。　An　instant　later；　the　guns　were　whirled　about　and　trained　upon　their　quondam　owners。

From　over　his　breakfast；　that　morning；　the　General　raised　his　head　to　listen　to　the　booming　of　the　fifteen…pounders。　No　need　to　tell　him　that　heavy　fighting　had　begun。　His　experienced　ear　had　taught　him　that　magazine　firing　meant　business。　His　hand　went　in　search　of　his　field…glasses。

〃General；　the　enemy　have　captured　the　guns。　The　Major　asks　for　assistance　to　retake　them。〃

The　General　lowered　his　glasses。　Covered　with　dust；　and　breathless；　Weldon　was　before　him。

〃Mount　every　available　man；　and　gallop　to　the　scene　of　action！〃

Orderlies　carried　the　command　to　the　different　regiments。　Before　the　mounted　men　could　start；　the　infantry　were　half…way　to　the　guns。　But　already　shells　were　falling　into　the　camp；　telling　every　man　that　the　guns　were　in　the　hands　of　the　Boers。

In　the　forefront　of　the　remainder　of　his　squadron；　Weldon　found　himself　borne　onward　in　the　rush；　straight　from　the　camp　to　the　right　flank　of　the　guns。　The　broncho's　swinging　trot　had　long　since　changed　to　a　gallop；　and　her　eyes　were　flashing　with　the　wicked　light　of　her　old；　unbroken　days；　as　she　went　tearing　across　the　sun…　baked　veldt；　up　and　down　over　the　rises　and　through　the　rare　bits　of　thicket　at　a　pace　which　Weldon　would　have　been　powerless　to　check。　He　had　no　mind　to　check　it。　The　crisp　air；　full　of　ozone　and　warmed　by　the　sun；　set　his　cheeks　to　tingling　with　its　impact。　A　true　rider；　he　let　his　mood　follow　the　temper　of　his　horse　and；　like　a　pair　of　wild　things；　they　went　bolting　away　far　towards　the　head　of　the　squadrons。

And　always　the　firing　of　the　guns　grew　nearer　and　faster　and　more　murderous。

He　took　no　note　of　passing　moments；　none　of　the　miles　he　had　ridden　during　the　past　days。　These　counted　for　naught；　while；　with　photographic　distinctness；　the　picture　before　him　fixed　itself　sharply　in　his　mind：　the　dust…colored　troops　on　the　dusty　veldt；　the　brown…painted　guns；　the　distant　line　of　the　enemy's　fire　and；　far　to　the　eastward；　the　wall　of　smoke　which　was　fast　sweeping　towards　them　from　the　acres　of　burning　veldt。

〃Captain　Frazer；　the　General　orders　you　to　take　up　your　position　in　the　kraal　on　the　extreme　right；　and　to　hold　it　at　any　cost。〃

From　his　place　at　the　Captain's　side；　Weldon　glanced　at　the　orderly；　then；　turning；　looked　across　the　veldt　to　the　four　gray　walls　surrounding　the　clump　of　trees　a　mile　away。　His　hand　tightened　on　the　curb；　and　he　straightened　in　the　saddle；　as　the　Captain　led　the　way　into　the　purgatory　beyond；　an　orderly　purgatory；　but　crossed　with　leaden　lines　of　shot　and　shell。

At　such　moments；　the　brain　ceases　to　act　coherently。　When　Weldon　came　to　himself；　he　was　kneeling　behind　the　old　gray　wall；　revolver　in　hand；　firing　full　in　the　faces　of　the　Boer　horsemen；　scarce　fifteen　feet　away。　Carew；　his　right　foot　dangling；　had　been　hustled　to　the　rear　of　the　kraal　where　the　gray　broncho　and　her　mates　were　in　comparative　shelter。

〃Weldon？〃

He　looked　up　in　a　half…dazed　fashion。　The　wall　of　smoke　was　already　shutting　down　about　the　retreating　Boers。　Beside　him　stood　the　Captain；　his　yellow　hair　clinging　to　his　dripping　face；　his　blue　eyes；　under　their　fringe　of　black　lashes；　glittering　like　polished　gems。　Coated　as　he　was　with　dust　and　sweat；　his　clothing　torn　and　spotted　with　the　fray；　he　looked　ten　times　more　the　gallant　gentleman；　even；　than　when　he　had　met　Weldon　in　the　heart…shaped　bit　of　lawn　encircled　by　the　Dents'　driveway。　Now　he　held　out　his　hand。

〃Splendidly　done；　old　man！　One　doesn't　forget　such　things。〃




CHAPTER　NINE


Captain　Frazer　had　scarcely　finished　speaking；　when　the　voice　of　the　General　sounded　in　their　ears。

〃A　plucky　attack　and　a　plucky　defeat；　Captain　Frazer。　Kemp　is　a　man　worth　fighting。　You　are　not　wounded？〃

〃Thanks　to　Trooper　Weldon；〃　the　Captain　told　him；　with　a　smile。

The　General's　keen　glance　included　them　both。

〃Good！　And　now　can　you　spare　me　a　trusty　man？　One　who　can　ride？　I　must　have　some　despatches　at　Krugersdorp　before　midnight。　I　should　like　some　one　from　your　squadron。〃

The　eyes　of　Captain　Frazer　and　Weldon　met。　Again　the　General's　keen　glance　was　on　them　both；　then　it　concentrated　itself　upon　the　younger　man。

〃I　am　ready；〃　he　answered　to　its　unspoken　question。

〃You　are　sure　you　are　fit？　It　is　forty　miles；　and　the　rain　will　be　on　us　inside　of　an　hour。〃

〃It　makes　no　difference。〃

As　he　spoke；　Weldon　felt　himself　surveyed　from　hat　to　shoelace。

〃Very　well。　Get　yourself　fed；　and　come　to　my　tent　in　an　hour。　It　will　be　better　to　wait　until　dusk　before　starting；　for　these　hills　are　infested　with　Boers。　Do　you　know　the　country？〃

〃Partly。　I　can　learn　the　rest。〃

〃You　need　a　remount。〃

Weldon　stroked　the　little　gray　broncho。

〃If　I　had　my　own　horse。　Otherwise；　I　prefer　this。　I　can　trust　her；　even　if　she　is　tired。〃

Again　the　glance　swept　him　over；　beginning　at　the　boyish　face；　resolute　and　eager　beneath　its　streaks　of　red…brown　dust。　Then；　as　Weldon　saluted；　the　General　turned　and　rode　away；　with　the　Captain　at　his　side。

〃You've　the　making　of　a　man　there；　Captain　Frazer；〃　was　his　sole　comment。

Weldon；　meanwhile；　was　allowing　the　little　gray　broncho　to　pick　her　own　dainty　way　out　of　the　shambles　about　her　feet。　Then；　once　free　from　the　litter　of　men　and　horses；　he　turned　her　head　to　the　spot　where；　he　had　been　told；　his　squadron　were　gathering　together　their　diminished　forces。　As　he　rode　slowly　onward；　he　was　surprised　to　see　how　low　the　sun　had　dropped。　The　fighting　must　have　lasted　longer　than　he　had　thought。　It　had　been　hot　and　heavy；　but　at　least　he　had　not　funked　it。　For　so　much　he　could　be　thankful。　In　so　far　as　he　could　recall　any　of　his　emotions　as　he　had　dashed　into　range　of　the　pitiless　firing；　they　had　been　summed　up　in　a　dull　rage　against　the　enemy；　mingled　with　a　vague　hope　that　no　harm　should　come　to　the　plucky　little　mount。　Just　one　instant's　pause　he　could　remember。　That　was　when　he　had　put　forth　all　his　strength　to　check　her　pace　until　he　could　readjust　a　strap　that　was　plainly　galling　her。　And　afterwards？　Not　even　the　thoroughbred　Nig　could　have　played　her　part　in　the　fight　with　more　steady　gallantry。　Stooping；　he　eased　the　bit　and　patted　the　firm　gray　neck　where　the　mane　swept　upward　for　its　arching　fall。

〃Boss？〃

He　straightened　in　his　saddle。

〃Kruger　Bobs！　By　all　special　providences；　where　did　you　come　from？〃

〃Naauwpoort。　Kruger　Bobs　come　bring　Nig　to　Boss。〃

〃Kruger　Bobs；　you're　a　genius。〃

Kruger　Bobs　vanished　behind　his　smile。

〃Ya；　Boss；〃　he　replied　then。　〃Boss　all　right？〃

〃Yes；　all　right。〃

〃Dutchmans　no　killed　Boss？〃

〃No。〃

Doubtfully　Kruger　Bobs　shook　his　sable　bristles。　He　had　heard　the　firing；　such　firing　as　he　had　never　dreamed　of　until　then；　and　it　seemed　to　him　impossible　that　any　man　could　come　unscathed　out　of　the　heart　of　it。　Of　Weldon's　being　in　the　very　heart　of　it；　no　doubt　had　once　stained　the　loyal　whiteness　of　his　soul。　To　assure　himself　of　Weldon's　safety；　he　ambled　around　the　gray　broncho　in　a　clumsy　circle。　The　gray　broncho