on the firing line-第13部分

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；　he　pulled　himself　together　long　enough　to　answer；

〃Despatches　for　General　Kekewich　between　the　soles　of　my　left　boot。〃

Then　he　pitched　forward　on　his　broncho's　neck。




CHAPTER　TEN


〃Twelve　inches　make　one　foot；　six　feet　make　one　man；　sixty　men　make　one　troop；　four　troops　make　one　squadron；〃　the　monotonous　voice　ran　on。　Then　it　came　to　an　unexpected　finale。　〃And　three　squadrons　make　the　Boer　army　run。〃

The　man　in　the　next　bed　giggled。　His　wound　was　in　his　shoulder；　and　it　had　left　his　sense　of　humor　unimpaired。　As　a　rule；　the　fighting　records　of　the　wounded　never　came　inside　that　long；　bed…bordered　room；　but　there　were　few　within　it　now　who　were　ignorant　of　the　plucky　ride　made　by　the　lean；　boyish…looking　Canadian　trooper。　A　part　of　the　story　had　come　by　way　of　the　doctor　in　charge　of　the　ambulance　train　which　had　brought　him　from　Krugersdorp　to　Johannesburg；　a　part　of　it　had　come　from　the　trooper's　own　lips；　and　that　was　the　most　tragic　part　of　it　all。

Below；　in　the　courtyard　of　the　hospital；　Kruger　Bobs　squatted　on　his　heels　in　the　sun　and　waited。　Now　and　then；　he　vanished　to　look　after　the　creature　comforts　of　The　Nig　and　the　little　gray　broncho；　now　and　then　he　shuffled　forward　to　demand　news　from　some　passer…by　whose　sleeve　was　banded　with　the　Red…Cross　badge。　Then　he　shuffled　back　to　his　former　post　and　sat　himself　down　on　his　heels　once　more。　Kruger　Bobs　possessed　the　racial　traits　which　make　it　an　easy　matter　to　sit　and　wait　for　news。　He　was　also　an　optimist。　Nevertheless；　his　face　now　was　overcast　and　rarely　did　it　vanish　behind　the　spreading　limits　of　his　smile。

For　four　days；　Weldon　lay　prostrate　and　babbled　of　all　things；　past；　present　and　to　come。　Three　names　dotted　his　babblings。　One　was　that　of　his　mother；　one　of　his　captain；　and　the　third　that　of　Ethel　Dent。　With　all　three　of　them；　he　appeared　to　be　upon　the　best　of　terms。　Finally；　on　the　fifth　day；　he　suddenly　waked　to　the　fact　that　a　woman　was　bending　above　him；　to　wipe　his　face　with　a　damp　sponge。

He　was　too　weak　to　rise。　Nevertheless；　he　straightened　himself　into　a　rigid　line；　and　addressed　her　with　dignity。

〃I　beg　your　pardon。　Please　don't　wash　my　face　for　me；〃　he　said；　in　grave　displeasure。

She　smiled　down　at　him；　with　the　air　of　a　mother　smiling　at　a　fretful　child。　The　smile　irritated　him。

〃Doesn't　it　refresh　you？〃　she　asked　quietly。

〃No；〃　he　answered；　with　flat；　ungracious；　mendacity。

〃I　am　sorry。　You　have　been　sleeping　heavily；　and〃

He　felt　his　mind　slipping　out　of　his　own　grasp；　and　he　strove　to　hold　it　in　his　keeping。

〃No　matter　now；〃　he　interrupted　hastily。　〃Please　get　me〃

She　waited　in　silence。　Then　she　asked　encouragingly；

〃What　shall　I　get　you？〃

The　mind　was　almost　gone；　but　still　he　held　fast　to　the　edge　of　it；　as　he　murmured；

〃Some　bully　beef。〃

The　nurse　turned　away。　Her　lips　were　smiling；　but　her　eyes　clouded；　as　the　babbling　began　once　more。

Twenty…four　hours　later；　she　was　greeted　by　a　white…faced；　clear…　headed　trooper。

〃Good…morning；　nurse；〃　he　said　coolly。　〃You　see　I　am　better。〃

〃Much　better；　Mr。　Weldon；〃　she　assented　cordially。　He　looked　puzzled。　〃I　thought　we　fellows　in　hospital　had　no　names；　nothing　but　numbers；〃　he　answered。

〃It　depends。　When　one　meets　an　old　friend；　the　number　isn't　quite　the　right　name　for　him。〃

Turning　slightly；　he　stared　up　at　her　with　the　impassive　curiosity　of　a　man　just　coming　back　from　The　Unknown。　Then　he　shook　his　head。

〃I　am　afraid〃　he　began　slowly。

With　a　quick　gesture；　she　took　off　her　crisp　white　cap；　uncovering　a　heavy　pile　of　ink…black　hair。　〃There！〃　she　said；　with　a　smile。　〃Does　that　make　me　look　more　natural；　Mr。　Weldon？　I　am　Alice　Mellen；　Cooee　Dent's　cousin。〃

Instantly　he　put　out　his　hand；　sunburned　still；　but　curiously　thin。　The　smile　on　his　lips　was　the　boyish；　frank　smile　which　Alice　had　seen　and　liked；　that　afternoon　in　the　garden　at　home。

〃What　good　angel　brings　you　here？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

〃No　angel；　merely　the　lady　who　rules　over　the　household　of　Mars。　I　am　glad　to　find　you　again；　even　if　the　Johannesburg　hospital　isn't　a　good　place　for　a　man。　But　you　mustn't　talk　now。　Later；　we　can　make　up　for　lost　time。〃

Impetuously　his　fingers　shut　on　a　fold　of　her　apron。　Then　his　native　instincts　and　his　years　of　training　asserted　themselves；　and　he　let　go　once　more。　Nevertheless；　his　eyes　were　appealing。

〃Don't　go。〃

〃But　I　must；〃　she　answered；　her　hands　busy　with　her　cap。

Her　tone　showed　that；　like　himself；　she　too　had　learned　the　meaning　of　an　order。　He　yielded　to　its　quiet　firmness。

〃If　you　must。　But；　before　you　go；　tell　me　this：　have　I　been　off　my　head？〃

She　nodded　in　assent。

He　frowned。

〃Sorry；〃　he　said　briefly。　〃Please　answer　me　honestly。　Have　I　mumbled　things　and　made　a　blasted　fool　of　myself？〃

It　was　still　two　days　before　he　was　allowed　to　talk　to　his　own　satisfaction。　Then；　one　afternoon　in　her　rest　hour；　Alice　Mellen　let　him　have　his　way　and；　seated　by　his　cot；　she　answered　tersely　to　a　raking　fire　of　terse　questions。

〃How　long　have　I　been　here？〃

〃Just　a　week。〃

〃How　did　I　get　here？〃

〃Hospital　train　from　Krugersdorp。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃You　had　a　touch　of　fever。　We　could　treat　you　better　here。〃　Her　replies　were　man…like　in　their　brevity。

〃Fever？　I　thought　it　was　a　Mauser　bullet。〃

〃It　was。　Your　leg　was　not　so　bad；　but　the　long　ride　and　the　exposure　to　the　storm〃

He　interrupted　her。

〃What　do　you　know　about　my　ride？〃　he　asked。

Her　answer　showed　that　the　woman　was　not　lost　in　the　nurse。

〃Everybody　knows　of　your　ride。　Even　in　these　days　of　plucky　deeds；　we　are　proud　of　you。〃

He　shook　his　head；　though　the　color　came　into　his　cheeks；　brown　beneath　their　pallor。

〃It　was　nothing。　I　did　my　duty。〃

〃So　Kruger　Bobs　has　informed　us。〃

〃Kruger　Bobs？　Is　he　here？〃

This　time；　she　laughed　outright。

〃I　should　say　he　was。　For　a　week；　he　has　been　sitting　exactly　in　the　path　of　the　doctors；　waiting　for　news。　Twice　he　has　been　ordered　off；　but　he　merely　hitches　over　to　the　other　end　of　the　steps　and　refuses　to　budge　farther。　We　discovered　him；　the　first　night　you　were　here；　by　having　the　bead　surgeon　fall　headlong　over　him；　as　he　went　down　the　steps。　Kruger　Bobs　doesn't　show　up　well；　on　a　dark　night。〃

Weldon　clasped　his　hands　at　the　back　of　his　head。

〃If　I　thought　you　were　using　American　slang；　Miss　Mellen；　I　should　contradict　you；〃　he　answered；　with　a　touch　of　his　old　humor。　〃I　can　remember　at　least　one　dark　night　when　Kruger　Bobs　made　an　excellent　showing。〃

She　nodded。

〃We　have　bad　a　few　Americans　here　before；　Mr。　Weldon。　I　think　I　understand。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃　he　asked；　after　a　pause。

〃Ten　weeks。〃

〃And　you　like　it？〃

〃Why　else　should　I　be　here？〃

〃From　a　sense　of　duty。〃

〃Is　that　what　brought　you　out？〃

〃No。　My　coming　was　inevitable。　It　seemed　a　part　of　me　that　I　couldn't　help。〃

〃But　you　wished　to　come？〃　she　queried。

〃Of　course。　But　that　was　only　a　Dart　of　it。　I　have　wished　to　do　things　before；　and　have　done　them。　This　was　quite　different。　It　all　seemed　a　part　of　Fate；　and　I　walked　through　it；　like　a　puppet　with　somebody　else's　hand　pulling　the　strings。〃　He　paused　and　shook　his　head。　〃It　is　no　use。　I　can't　make　you　understand　it。　I　acted　freely　and　did　just　what　I　chose；　but　yet；　all　the　time；　I　felt　as　if　it　had　all　been　arranged　for　me；　whole　generations　ago。〃

Thoughtfully　she　bent　forward；　straightened　the　coverings　above　his　wounded　leg；　then　sat　up　again。　Then　she　shook　her　head　a　little　regretfully。

〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　afraid　I　don't　understand。　Perhaps　it　is　because　I　am　selfish；　but　I　usually　feel　as　if　I　made　my　plans；　regardless　of　Fate。〃

〃What　about　our　meeting　here？〃　he　asked　quizzically。

She　answered　in　the　same　tone。

〃Wait　until　we　see　what　comes　out　of　it。　Fate；　if　one　believes　in　such　a　thing；　only　works　in　an　endless　chain。〃

〃And　the　broken　links？〃

〃According　to　your　notion；　there　should　be　none；〃　she　retorted。　〃Fate　ought　to　be　a　better　workman　than　that。〃

〃Than　what？〃

〃Than　spoiling　her　work　as　she　goes　along。　If　there's　any　chain　at　all；　it　should　be　endless　and　durable。　But　a　man　with　a　Mauser　hole　in　his　leg　and　a　fever　in　his　head　has　no　business　to　be　talking　of　Fate。　Let's　talk　about　Ethel；　instead。〃

He　settled　himself　back　comfortably。

〃Perhaps　it　amounts　to　the　same　thing；　in　the　long　run。〃

〃Perhaps。　I　don't　see　how；　though。　Anyway；　Ethel　wouldn't　be　pleased　with　the　notion。　She　is　absolutely　independent；　and　generally　arranges　things　according　to　her　own　sweet　will。〃

〃Where　is　she　now？〃

〃In　Cape　Town；〃　Alice　answered；　quite　unaware　of　her　own　lack　of　truth。

〃And　well？〃

〃Gloriously。　In　fact；　as　far　as　I　can　learn；　Cooee　always　is　well。　Just　now　she　is　having　a　wonderfully　gay　time。　Since　Lord　Roberts　went　back　to　England；　Cape　Town　has　been　full　of　people；　resting　there　before　sailing　for　home。〃

〃Resting？〃

〃Haven't　they　earned　the　right？〃　she　questioned；　in　swift　challenge　to　the　quiet　scorn　in　his　tone。

〃Even　if　the　battles　are　over；　the　fighting　isn't；〃　he　answered　tersely。　〃The　glory　doesn't　lie　entirely　in　the　pulverizing　the　Boer　army；　there's　a　little　left　for　the　men　who　are　sweeping　up　the　pieces。〃

Her　trained　eye　saw　the　rising　color　in　his　face。　Swiftly　she　changed　the　subject。

〃Glory　for　all；　enough　and　to　spare；〃　she　replied。　〃But；　as　I　say；　Cape　Town　is　crowded　with　officers；　lying　up　for　repairs；　and　Ethel　is　queen　bee　among　them。　It's　not　only　for　herself；　it　is　what　you　would　call　Fate。　She　happens　to　be　the　only　girl　of　her　set　who　is　just　out　from　London；　she　had　met　a　good　many　of　them　there；　and　now　she　is　holding　a　veritable　salon。　She　even　has　one　sacred　teacup；　set　up　on　a　high　shelf　ever　since　the　day　that　Baden…Powell　used　it。〃

Weldon　smiled。

〃Miss　Dent　is　a　hero…worshipper；〃　he　commented。

〃So　are　we　all；　in　certain　directions。　Moreover；　most　women　like　their　heroes　to　have　a　little　personality。　One　can't　make　one's　admiration　stick　to　a　blank　wall　of　impersonal　perfection。〃

Weldon's　mind　moved　swiftly　backwards　to　two　blue；　black…fringed　eyes　glowing　out　from　a　dust…streaked　face。

〃No；〃　he　assented；　〃but　neither　can　one　ever　really　be　chums　with　his　hero。　Or；　even　if　he　can；　he　doesn't