on the firing line-第14部分

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

Alice　glanced　at　her　watch；　rose；　then　lingered。

〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　she　replied　thoughtfully。　〃I　want　the　pedestal　of　my　hero　to　be　a　low　one；　and　Cooee　declares　that　she　wishes　no　pedestal　at　all。　If　her　hero　is　worthy　of　the　name；　he　must　bear　inspection　even　from　above。　The　worst　flaw　of　all　might　lurk　in　the　very　crown　of　his　head。〃

Half　an　hour　later；　she　came　back　again。

〃Mr。　Weldon；　do　you　feel　strong　enough　to　see　Kruger　Bobs　for　exactly　five　minutes？〃　she　asked。

The　gray　eyes　lighted。

〃For　ten　times　five；〃　he　answered　eagerly。

Kruger　Bobs　shuffled　in　upon　the　heels　of　an　orderly。　Under　his　bristly　hair；　his　face　was　a　study　of　mingled　emotions　which　culminated　in　his　mouth。　A　grin　of　pure　happiness　had　drawn　up　the　upper　lip；　at　sight　of　his　prostrate　master；　the　lower　one　was　rolling　outward　in　a　sudden　wave　of　pure　pity。　Beside　the　cot；　he　halted　and　stood　looking　down　at　Weldon　with　eyes　which；　for　the　moment；　transformed　his　lazy；　jolly；　simian　face　into　a　species　of　nobility。　Lying　back　on　his　pillow；　Weldon　waited　for　him　to　speak；　waited　with　an　odd；　restless　beating　of　the　heart　for　which　he　was　wholly　at　a　loss　to　account。

The　pause　between　them　lengthened。　At　last　Kruger　Bobs　drew　his　mangy　brown　felt　hat　across　his　eyes。

〃I's　here；　Boss；〃　he　said　simply。

However；　it　was　enough。

The　next　morning　found　Weldon　sitting　up。　A　clean…cut　hole　through　the　flesh　of　a　man　who　has　lived　a　clean…cut　life　is　swift　in　healing。　Now　that　his　fever　had　left　him；　his　superb　vitality　was　asserting　itself　once　more；　and　he　rallied　quickly。　Meanwhile；　it　was　good　to　be　able　to　sit　up　and　eat　his　breakfast　like　a　civilized　being。　Weldon　had　all　the　detestation　of　the　average　healthy　being　for　invalid　ways。　Moreover；　he　longed　to　be　up　and　doing。　With　his　growing　strength；　the　orderly；　noiseless　routine　of　the　hospital　came　upon　his　nerves。　One　of　the　nurses　always　walked　on　the　points　of　her　toes；　and　he　was　conscious　of　a　wild　longing　to　throw　a　pillow　at　her；　as　she　went　diddling　to　and　fro　past　him；　a　dozen　times　a　day。　The　doctor；　a　man　of　iron　nerve　and　velvet　hand；　was　a　daily　delight　to　him。　And　there　was　always　Alice；　frank；　friendly　and　altogether　enjoyable。　During　the　past　three　days；　their　liking　had　grown　apace。　Absolutely　feminine；　yet　with　the　healthy　impersonality　of　a　growing　boy；　Alice　Mellen　was　a　born　comrade；　and　Weldon　enjoyed　her　just　as；　in　her　place；　he　would　have　enjoyed　Carew。

She　came　down　the　ward；　that　morning；　and　paused　beside　his　chair。

〃You　look　like　your　old　self　at　last；〃　she　said；　as　she　held　out　her　hand　in　congratulation。

〃I　might　echo　your　words；〃　he　answered；　while　he　looked　up　into　her　eyes；　shining　with　merriment　and　with　something　that　yet　seemed　to　him　closely　akin　to　annoyance。　〃Granted　the　apron；　you　might　be　pouring　tea　at　home。〃

〃Not　tea；　but　malted　milk；　in　these　latter　days；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃But　I　am　about　to　retire　from　your　case。　May　I　introduce　your　new　nurse；　Mr。　Weldon？〃

His　reluctant　assent　was　changed　to　eager　greeting。　Light；　swift　steps　came　down　the　room；　a　tall　figure　stopped　at　his　side　in　the　full　glare　of　a　sunshiny　window　which　all　at　once　seemed　focussing　its　light　upon　waving　strands　and　heaped…up　coils　of　vivid　yellow　hair。

〃Cooee！〃　Then；　too　late；　he　bethought　himself　of　his　manners　and　tried　to　bite　the　word　off　short。

Linking　her　arm　in　that　of　her　cousin；　the　girl　stood　looking　down　at　him　with　merry；　mocking　blue　eyes。

〃Invalids　are　supposed　to　have　privileges　denied　to　well　men；〃　she　answered　demurely。　〃It　might　perhaps　be　Cooee　here；　to…day；　but　it　will　have　to　be　Miss　Dent；　to…morrow；　when　you　are　back　in　the　field　again。　After　all；　it　is　hardly　worth　while　to　make　the　change；　Trooper　Weldon。〃




CHAPTER　ELEVEN


Upon　one　side；　at　least；　the　meeting　between　the　two　cousins　on　the　previous　night　had　been　wholly　unexpected。

Late　that　afternoon；　an　ambulance　train　had　come　in；　loaded　with　men　from　the　over…crowded　field　hospital　at　Krugersdorp；　and　for　hours　Alice　had　been　in　ceaseless　attendance　upon　the　surgeon　in　charge。　Little　by　little；　the　girl　had　found　her　nerves　steadying　down　to　the　task　in　hand；　nevertheless；　the　past　ten　weeks；　in　return　for　the　increase　of　her　poise；　had　taken　something　from　her　vitality。　Quickness　of　eye；　firmness　of　hand；　evenness　of　temper：　all　these　may　be　gifts　of　the　gods。　Their　use　is　a　purely　human　function；　and　proportionately　exhausting。　The　girl's　one　salvation　lay　in　the　fact　that　her　quick　sympathy　with　her　patients　was　for　the　most　part　impersonal。　Up　to　this　time；　Weldon　had　been　her　only　patient　whom　she　had　known　outside　the　routine　duties　of　her　hospital　life。　In　a　sense；　it　had　been　a　relief　to　meet　some　one　whom　she　knew　to　be　of　her　own　world；　in　a　sense；　the　case　had　worn　upon　her　acutely。　She　could　watch　with　a　greater　degree　of　stolidity　the　sufferings　of　other　men。

Among　her　new　charges；　that　day；　only　one　had　made　any　distinct　impression　upon　her　overworked　brain。　That　was　a　jovial　young　fellow；　handsome　as　Phoebus　Apollo；　in　spite　of　a　slashing　scar　across　one　cheek。　He　had　answered　to　her　questions　regarding　his　wounded　foot　with　an　accent　so　like　that　of　Weldon　that　involuntarily　she　lingered　beside　him　to　add　a　word　of　cheery　consolation。　His　was　her　final　case；　that　night。　As　she　wearily　turned　towards　her　own　room；　she　made　no　effort　to　analyze　her　exhaustion。

She　found　Ethel；　still　in　her　hat　and　jacket；　sitting　on　the　edge　of　her　own　narrow　cot。

〃Cooee　Dent！〃

〃Yes；　dear。〃　The　girl's　tone　was　nonchalant；　even　while　the　telltale　color　came　into　her　cheeks。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Visiting　you；　of　course。〃

〃Visiting　me！　But；　Cooee；　I　really　don't　know　where　I　can　put　you。〃

With　perfect　composure；　Ethel　passed　her　hand　over　the　surface　of　the　cot。

〃Oh；　I　think　this　nutmeg…grater　will　carry　two。　Still；　Alice；　I　must　say　that　your　hospitality　isn't　exactly　exuberant。〃

Alice　dropped　into　a　chair　and　wearily　pushed　her　hair　still　farther　back　from　her　forehead。

〃But；　Cooee〃

〃Aren't　you　glad　to　see　me？〃　Ethel　demanded。

〃Certainly。　You　are　always　a　dear；　butI　wish　I　had　known　you　were　coming。〃

Ethel　raised　her　brows；　and　a　slight　edge　came　into　her　voice。

〃If　you　don't　want　me；　Alice；　I　can　go　home　in　the　morning。〃

Dimly　aware　that　her　cousin　was　fencing　with　an　invisible　adversary；　nevertheless　Alice　Mellen　was　too　tired；　that　night；　to　range　herself　upon　the　side　of　that　adversary。　As　far　as　she　was　concerned；　Ethel　had　dropped　upon　her　like　a　bolt　from　the　blue。　She　was　too　busy；　too　absorbed　in　her　patients　to　give　more　than　a　passing　thought　to　even　her　most　intimate　cousin。　And　besides；　WeldonShe　pulled　herself　together　sharply。

〃Of　course　I　want　you；　Cooee　dear。　It　is　only　a　bit　sudden；　and　I　am　trying　to　think　what　to　do　with　you。〃

Now　and　then　Ethel　turned　wayward。　This　was　one　of　the　times。

〃If　you　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　me；　Alice；　then　why　did　you　ask　me　to　come？〃

〃But　I　didn't；〃　Alice　responded；　too　astonished　to　modify　her　denial　into　a　polite　form　of　fibbing。

Ethers　tone　was　gently　superior。

〃Oh；　yes；　you　did。〃

〃When？〃

〃When　you　were　leaving　home。　You　said　then　that　I　must　be　sure　to　come　up　to　spend　a　week　with　you；　early　in　the　winter。〃　Then　her　accent　changed。　〃You　poor　tired　child！〃　she　said；　as　she　rose　and　crossed　to　her　cousin's　side。　〃This　work　is　too　hard　for　you；　you　look　as　if　you　had　been　fighting　the　Boers　themselves；　instead　of　merely　enteric　and　bullet　holes。　I　think　it　is　just　as　well　that　I　am　here　to　look　out　for　you；　for　a　few　days。〃

Alice　lifted　her　hand　to　the　hand　that　lay　against　her　cheek。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　Cooee　dear。　I　am　only　so　surprised　that　it　makes　me　slow　to　tell　you　so。　If　you　can　sleep　here；　to…night；　I　can　find　a　better　place　for　you　in　the　morning。〃

〃This　will　do；〃　Ethel　answered；　while　she　slowly　drew　the　pins　from　her　hat。　〃It　is　neat；　even　if　it　isn't　spacious。　Really；　Alice；　I　should　have　let　you　know；　but　it　was　only　just　as　I　was　starting　that　I　found　I　could　come　at　all。　Father　is　at　home；　and　mother　is　unusually　well；　and　I　thought　I　would　best　make　the　most　of　the　opportunity。〃

Crossing　the　room　to　the　table；　she　stood　with　her　back　to　her　cousin；　while　she　smoothed　the　feathers　in　her　hat。　Then；　without　turning；　she　asked　abruptly；

〃How　is　Mr。　Weldon？〃

〃Better。〃

〃Out　of　all　danger？〃

〃Yes。　Not　that　he　has　been　in　much　danger；　anyway。〃

〃Oh；　I　thought〃

Then　silence　fell。

Alice；　meanwhile；　was　busy　with　a　swift　calculation。　Five　days；　in　these　troubled　times；　for　a　letter　to　go　from　Johannesburg　to　Cape　Town；　five　days　since　Ethel　could　have　left　Cape　Town。　And　her　one　letter　to　Ethel　since　Weldon's　arrival　had　been　posted　just　three　days　before。

〃How　did　you　know　Mr。　Weldon　was　here？〃　she　asked　sharply。

Ethel's　back　was　still　turned　towards　her。　Nevertheless；　she　could　see　the　scarlet　tide　mounting　to　the　ears　and　to　the　roots　of　the　vivid　gold　hair。

〃Why；　your　letter；　Alice；〃　Ethel　answered　composedly。

Alice's　laugh　was　sharp　and　edged　with　malice。

〃Yes；　dear。　My　letter；　telling　you　of　his　being　here；　will　be　delivered　at　your　house　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃Oh；　then　I　must　have　mixed　things　up；〃　Ethel　replied；　as　she　turned　to　face　her　cousin。　〃Probably　Captain　Frazer　told　me。〃

〃Captain　Frazer？〃

〃Yes；　he　came　down　to　Cape　Town；　just　before　I　left　there。　I　remember　now；　he　was　the　one　who　told　me。　He　was　near　Mr。　Weldon　at　Vlaakfontein；　he　knew　all　about　his　awful　ride　into　Krugersdorp；　and　I　believe　he　did　say　be　was　to　be　brought　here。〃

For　a　moment　more；　the　two　pairs　of　eyes；　the　blue　and　the　black；　met　in　steady　warfare；　neither　one　yielding　in　the　least；　neither　one　quite　aware　how　much　she　was　betraying　to　the　other。

〃Well；　what　of　it？〃　Ethel　demanded　tempestuously　then。

〃Nothing；　onlyare　you　sure　you　were　wise　to　come？〃

The　blue　eyes　blazed。

〃And　what　do　you　mean　by　that；　Alice？　You　asked　me　to　visit　you　here；　to　see　your　work　among　your　patients。　I　have　come。　If　I　came　at　all；　it　had　to