on the firing line-第22部分

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Weldon　laughed　again。

〃So　we　all　think。　Mr。　Carew　knows　her　much　better　than　I　do；　though；　and　Miss　Mellen　would　be　hurt；　if　he　didn't　go　out　to　see　her。〃

But　Kruger　Bobs　stood　his　ground。　〃Boss　Weldon　go　see　his　vrouw；　Kruger　Bobs　go　see　his　vrouw；　Boss　Carew　no　vrouw。〃

However；　in　spite　of　the　advice　of　Kruger　Bobs；　Carew　was　at　Weldon's　side；　as　they　rode　through　Winburg；　the　next　morning。

Already　the　country　was　taking　on　the　look　of　summer；　and　the　dusty　stretches　of　veldt　were　tinged　here　and　there　with　thin　patches　of　growing　green。　Over　the　hills　nearest　the　town　were　scattered　the　lines　of　ruined　trenches；　still　littered　here　and　there　with　rusty　tools　dropped　there　by　the　Boers　when；　long　months　before；　they　had　caught　sight　of　the　advancing　armies　of　French　and　Hutton。　As　they　drew　nearer；　Weldon　could　make　out　the　familiar　details　of　a　field　hospital：　the　low　white　tents　in　their　circle　of　whitewashed　stones；　the　Red…Cross　nurses　hurrying　to　and　fro　and　the　blue…coated　convalescents　strolling　leisurely　about　the　enclosure。　Carew；　meanwhile；　had　pushed　forward。　Above　the　P。　M。　O。's　tent　fluttered　the　Red　Cross；　and　he　had　caught　sight　of　a　white　apron　and　a　scarlet　cape　in　the　open　door。

〃Miss　Mellen！　Alice！〃

In　the　still　air　of　a　summer　noon；　Carew's　voice　carried　distinctly　back　to　Weldon。　He　glanced　towards　the　tent。　Then；　beckoning　to　Kruger　Bobs；　he　turned　and　rode　away　to　inspect　the　distant　landscape。

An　hour　later；　Kruger　Bobs　was　squatting　on　the　ground；　a　heaped　plate　on　his　knees　and　a　smile　of　rapture　surrounding　his　smacking　lips。　Near　him；　the　three　horses　munched　contentedly；　stamping　lightly　now　and　then　and　whisking　their　tails　to　drive　off　the　buzzing　flies。　Outside　the　door　of　the　tent；　Alice　Mellen　sat　on　a　bench；　with　Carew　at　her　side　and　Weldon　sprawling　lazily　on　the　ground　at　her　feet。

〃Twenty…seven　inside；〃　she　told　them。　〃It　is　mostly　enteric　and　S。　C。；　men　who　have　been　sent　here　from　Bloemfontein。　Their　hospitals　are　overcrowded。　We　have　both　sorts　here；　you　know。〃

〃Nursing　Boers？〃　Carew　asked；　disapprovingly。

〃Why　not？　They　are　men；　plucky　men；　too；　some　of　them。　I　rather　like　the　race。　Anyway；　it　makes　an　interesting　mixture。　We　have　had　to　put　them　all　together；　and　they　get　on　capitally；　exchanging　stories　and　gossip　and　sympathy　like　men　of　the　same　company。　One　of　them；　a　Boer；〃　she　hesitated　for　the　right　word；　then　she　adopted　the　vernacular　of　the　service〃went　out；　the　other　day；　and；　among　his　mourners；　the　sincerest　ones　were　the　two　London　Tommies　in　the　two　next　beds。　War　isn't　all　hatred；　by　any　means。　Turn　nurse　for　a　month　and　you'll　find　it　out。〃

〃Or　else　turn　patient；〃　Carew　interpolated　quietly。

Her　color　came；　but　she　only　turned　more　directly　to　Weldon。

〃I　was　glad　to　come　here　for　a　change；〃　she　added。　〃Shall　you　stay　here　long？〃

〃It　is　impossible　to　tell。　The　other　nurses　here　are　younger　at　it　than　I；　and　there　are　some　hard　cases。　If　it　were　not　for　Syb；　I　should　be　at　my　wits'　end　sometimes。〃

〃Then　ought　you　to　stay　here？〃　Carew　urged；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　proprietorship　which　sat　well　upon　him。

She　faced　him　with　a　smile。

〃Oh；　but　this　is　nothing　in　comparison　with　Johannesburg。　There　the　work　is　agonizing。　Between　wounds　and　enteric；　the　place　is　crammed；　and　we　can't　get　the　nurses　we　absolutely　need。　My　mother　thought　I　was　growing　too　tired；　and　she　sent　Syb　up　here　to　take　care　of　me。　Instead；　I　have　pressed　her　into　the　service　and　trained　her　until　she　is　one　of　the　best　nurses　I　have　ever　had　under　me。　The　men　adore　her；　she　is　so　strong　and　so　full　of　her　queer；　jolly　fun。〃

With　his　head　pillowed　on　his　arms；　Weldon　lay　watching　her　thoughtfully。　Under　her　piles　of　inky　hair；　her　face　looked　thin；　and　the　shadows　lay　heavy　around　her　eyes。　Nevertheless；　the　eyes　were　shining　and　the　curves　of　the　lips　were　all　upward。　Plainly　the　day　had　brought　her　a　tonic；　yet　the　past　six　months　had　told　upon　the　girl　pitilessly。

〃But；　for　God's　sake；　when　is　it　all　to　end？〃　he　burst　out　suddenly。

〃Tired　of　the　service；　Mr。　Weldon？〃　she　asked　gravely；　but　with　no　accent　of　reproach。

〃Not　tired　of　my　own。　But　the　worst　of　it　all　comes　back　on　you　women；　and　that　is　maddening。〃

She　smiled　down　at　him；　and　the　light　in　her　eyes　deepened　and　grew　yet　more　womanly。

〃It　is　all　we　can　do　to　help；　Mr。　Weldon。　Let　us　take　what　share　we　can。　The　work　is　hard；　hard　and　discouraging；　but〃　involuntarily　she　glanced　at　Carew's　happy；　handsome　face；　〃but　now　and　then　it　brings　its　own　reward。〃

The　short　silence　was　broken　only　by　Kruger　Bobs；　scraping　his　spoon　along　his　fast…emptying　plate。　Then　Alice　spoke　again。

〃You　hear　often　from　Cooee；　Mr。　Weldon？〃

〃Now　and　then。　Not　often。〃

〃Did　you　know　that　she　may　come　to　us；　after　Christmas？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　alertly。　〃To　Johannesburg？〃

She　nodded。

〃We　need　her；　and　my　aunt　has　almost　given　her　consent。　The　need　grows　greater；　every　day；　we　can't　hold　out　much　longer；　unless　we　can　have　more　help。　Cooee　isn't　trained　at　all；　but　she　has　endless　tact　and　she　knows　how　to　take　orders。　Unless　January　brings　us　fewer　patients；　I　think　she　will　come　north　for　a　month。〃　〃Does　she　wish　to？〃

Alice　laughed。

〃As　a　matter　of　mere　conscience。　Cooee　hates　lint　and　disinfectants　and　the　hush　of　things；　but　she　begins　to　see　the　need　before　her。　She　makes　all　manner　of　fun　of　me；　and　of　the　whole　hospital　scheme　of　things；　but　still　I　think　she　will　come。　My　aunt　opposes　it；　but　we　are　trying　to　compromise　on　a　month。　That　won't　wear　Cooee　out；　and　the　novelty　will　last　for　that　length　of　time；　and　help　keep　up　her　enthusiasm。〃

〃Did　you　know　Captain　Frazer　is　coming　up；　in　a　week　or　two？〃

For　an　instant；　Alice's　eyes　clouded。

〃No。　When　did　you　hear？〃

〃Just　as　I　left　camp。　The　appointment　took　him　quite　by　surprise；　and　he　wrote　to　me　at　once；〃　Weldon　answered　with　quiet　dignity；　for　he　was　not　slow　to　read　the　question　in　the　girl's　mind。

Her　face　cleared。

〃I　hadn't　heard。　Cooee's　last　letter　is　three　weeks　old；　so　it　couldn't　bring　the　news。〃　Then　she　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　as　one　of　the　doctors　halted　on　the　threshold。　〃Am　I　needed？〃

〃Young　Walpole　is　just　going；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃He　has　asked　for　you。〃

Both　men　rose　to　their　feet。　It　was　Carew；　however；　who　lingered。

〃We　are　leaving　Winburg；　to…morrow；　so　this　is　good　by；〃　he　said　regretfully。　〃Take　care　of　yourself；　Alice；　and　bless　you！〃　And；　underneath　its　happiness；　his　boyish　face　was　unusually　grave；　as　he　mounted　and　rode　away　at　Weldon's　side。




CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN


Christmas　morning　found　the　camp　at　Lindley　wakening　to　a　general　atmosphere　of　peace　and　good　will　to　man。　Scarcely　fifty　miles　away　at　Tweefontein；　De　Wet's　midnight　charge　had　left　behind　it　sixty　men　sleeping　their　last　grim　sleep　in　defiance　of　the　peace　ordained　for　the　Christmas　dawn。　And；　midway　between　the　camp　of　the　living　and　the　line　of　the　dead；　there　lay　the　little　town　of　Bethlehem。

After　the　frosty　night；　the　day　came；　hot　and　clear；　with　the　sun　beating　down　from　a　cloudless　sky　and　the　mirage　dancing　upon　the　distant　horizon。　To　the　men　from　the　north；　it　was　a　bit　of　a　shock　to　exchange　Christmas　greetings；　while　the　thermometer　went　sliding　up　to　the　mark　of　one　hundred　degrees。　Nevertheless；　they　hailed　one　another　lustily；　and　threw　themselves　into　the　spirit　of　the　holiday　feast　with　the　zest　of　schoolboys。

For　full　three　months　now；　the　greater　number　of　the　troopers　had　been　dodging　up　and　down　over　the　surface　of　the　Orange　River　Colony　on　the　heels　of　the　tireless　De　Wet。　After　accomplishing　forty　futile　miles　a　day；　after　subsisting　chiefly　upon　army　biscuits　and　bully　beef；　they　had　earned　their　right　to　rest。　This；　at　least；　was　the　opinion　of　their　adjutant。

All　the　day　before；　there　had　been　flying　rumors　of　a　forced　march　on　the　following　morning；　but　no　orders　had　been　given；　and　just　at　nightfall　had　come　the　definite　announcement　that　no　move　would　be　made　until　after　Christmas。　Those　who　had　seen　their　adjutant　going　away　from　the　colonel's　tent；　half　an　hour　before；　were　able　to　draw　their　own　conclusions。　The　rest　accepted　the　fact　as　it　stood；　and　made　no　effort　to　account　for　the　change　in　their　plans。　It　was　enough　for　them　that　two　thousand　sheep　were　to　be　roasted；　to　the　end　that　every　man　might　eat　his　fill；　and　they　took　an　eager　hand；　next　morning；　in　scooping　out　the　ant…hill　and　kindling　the　fires　inside。　Then；　seated　on　the　ground；　they　spun　their　yarns　while　they　waited　until　the　white…hot　earth　on　top　of　the　hill　gave　notice　that　the　oven　was　ready　for　the　roast。

Carew；　meanwhile；　was　unpacking　the　neat　little　parcel　which　had　come　to　him　with　Christmas　greeting　from　the　Daughters　of　the　Empire。　Lined　up　for　inspection　before　breakfast；　every　trooper　had　received　an　exactly　similar　parcel；　every　one　had　given　expression　to　his　thankful　heart；　then　every　one　had　gone　away　to　inspect　the　offering。

〃This　is　kind　of　the　ladies；　very　kind；〃　Carew　was　observing；　with　a　perfectly　grave　face；　as　he　drew　out　a　handkerchief　of　spotty　red　cotton　and　a　khaki…colored　nightcap。　〃Look；　Weldon！　These　fit　my　complexion　to　a　charm；　and　will　be　wonderfully　warm　and　comfortable。　What　is　in　your　grab　bag？〃

〃Ditto；　apparently；〃　Weldon　answered。　〃I　think　I　shall　keep　these　to　sport　about　at　home　in。〃

Carew　shook　his　head。

〃Oh；　no。　The　kind　ladies　wish　us　to　use　them　now；　and　you　should　accept　the　gift　according　to　the　spirit　in　which　it　is　given。〃　Taking　off　his　wide　felt　hat；　he　replaced　it　with　the　wool　nightcap；　covered　the　nightcap　with　the　handkerchief　and　then　put　on　the　hat　over　all　the　rest。　〃And　what　have　we　here？〃　he　continued。　〃A　pipe？　Oh；　the　naughty　ladies！　Cigarettes？〃　He　smelled　at　them　gingerly；　then　sneezed　into　a　corner　of　the　scarlet　kerchief。　〃Matches；　shoelaces；　and；　by　George；　a　cake　of　soap！　Now；　if　we　only　had　a　farmer's　almanac　and　a　flannel　chest…protector；　we'd　be　quite　complete。〃

Weldon　laughed。　Then　he　beckoned　to　a　little　trooper　standing　beside　the　nearest　ant…hill。

〃Paddy；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃these　toys　are　excellent　toys。　If　anything　should　happen　to　me；　I'll　will　them　to　you。〃

Paddy　thrust　his　hand　into　his