on the firing line-第32部分

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〃What　Boss　do？〃

〃My　discharge。　My　banker。　My　passage　home。〃

The　arm　of　Kruger　Bobs　tightened　about　the　bony　figure　of　his　master；　but　the　pressure　of　his　strong　arm　was　only　gentle　and　reassuring；　and　the　great；　white…ringed　eyes　glittered　wet。　This　was　not　the　boy　master　to　whom　Kruger　Bobs　had　sworn　allegiance。　This　was　an　older　man；　and　weak　withal。　But　the　weaker　grew　the　master；　the　stronger　grew　the　loyal；　loving　allegiance　of　the　man。

After　the　wide；　deserted　stretches　of　open　veldt；　the　roar　of　Adderley　Street　seemed　to　Weldon　like　the　maddening　tumult　of　Piccadilly。　The　noise　stunned　him；　the　hurrying　crowd　filled　him　with　terror。　Even　inside　the　cab；　he　still　clung　to　the　arm　of　the　faithful　Kruger　Bobs。　Still　clinging　to　that　faithful　arm；　he　came　out　from　the　citadel；　no　longer　Trooper　Weldon；　but　Mr。　Harvard　Weldon　once　more；　honorably　discharged　from　the　South　African　Light　Horse。　Kruger　Bobs　was　invisible　behind　the　spreading　limits　of　his　smile；　but　Weldon　had　scarcely　heeded　the　words　which　had　been　addressed　to　him。　All　at　once；　like　a　watch　about　to　run　down；　the　wheels　of　his　brain　were　moving　slowly　and　ever　more　slowly。　His　whole　resolution　now　centered　in　keeping　them　in　motion　long　enough　to　go　to　his　banker　and　to　the　office　of　the　steamship　company。　Once　on　the　steamer　and　sliding　out　across　Table　Bay；　he　could　leave　the　rest　to　the　ship's　doctor　and　to　Fate。

Even　in　the　multitude　of　strangers　who　had　passed　through　Cape　Town；　in　those　latter　months；　he　was　remembered　at　the　bank　and　greeted　with　a　word　of　congratulation　on　his　record　in　the　field。　At　the　word；　a　man　beside　him；　hearing；　turned　to　look；　looked　again；　and　then　held　out　his　hand。　It　was　the　father　of　Ethel　Dent。

That　night；　the　Dents　dined　alone。　Over　the　roast；　Mr。　Dent　looked　up　suddenly。

〃Whom　do　you　think　I　saw；　to…day；　Ethel？〃

〃Who　now？〃　she　asked；　smiling。　〃You　can't　expect　me　to　guess；　when　you　are　constantly　running　up　against　the　most　impossible　people。〃　〃Not　this　time。　It　was　quite　possible；　but　it　gave　me　a　shock。　It　was　Mr。　Weldon。〃

The　smile　died　from　her　lips。　Nevertheless；　she　asked；　with　a　forced　lightness；

〃What　shocked　you？〃

〃His　looks。　He　was　ghastly；　thin　to　a　shadow　and　burning　up　with　fever。　I　was　in　the　bank；　and　I　heard　some　one　speak　his　name；　but　I　had　to　look　at　him　for　a　second　time；　before　I　could　recognize　him。　The　man　is　a　wreck。　He　looked　sixty　years　old；　as　he　went　crawling　off；　on　the　arm　of　his　Kaffir　boy。　I'm　sorry。　I　always　liked　Weldon。〃

A　bit　of　bread　lay　by　Ethel's　plate。　For　an　instant；　her　finger　tips　vanished　inside　its　yielding　surface。　Then　she　looked　up。

〃Too　bad！　He　was　a　good　fellow；〃　she　said　quietly。　Then　she　lifted　her　hand　to　her　throat。　〃Dear　me！　Have　I　lost　my　diamond　pin？〃　she　added　hastily。　〃I　was　sure　I　put　it　on。　Please　excuse　me；　while　I　see　if　I　left　it　in　my　room。〃　And　she　ran　swiftly　out　of　the　room。

Mrs。　Dent　broke　the　pause。

〃Where　was　Mr。　Weldon　going？〃

〃To　his　hotel。　I　came　out；　just　as　they　drove　away；　and　I　heard　the　boy　give　the　order　to　the　driver。〃

〃Which　hotel　was　it？〃

〃IReally；　I　don't　remember。　He　used　to　go　to　the　Grand。〃

〃He　seemed　ill？〃

〃He　seemed〃　For　an　instant；　Mr。　Dent　held　the　word　in　suspension。　Then　he　let　it　drop　with　a　slow　quietness　which　added　tenfold　to　its　weight〃dead。〃

His　wife's　gentle　eyes　clouded。

〃I　am　sorry。　I　liked　the　boy。　He　was　good　to　me。〃

〃I　had　thought　Ethel　liked　him；　too；〃　her　husband　added　a　little　inconsequently。

〃So　she　did　in　a　way。　But　there　have　been　so　many　others。〃　The　mother　sighed　slightly。　In　her　young　days；　there　had　been　but　one。　Now；　remembering　that　one　and　watching　him　in　the　present；　she　found　it　hard　to　comprehend　Ethel's　free…handed　distribution　of　social　favors　among　so　great　a　throng　of　admirers。　There　had　always　been　many；　now；　since　her　recent　return　from　Johannesburg；　the　many　had　become　a　multitude；　and　each　of　the　multitude　could　show　proof　of　her　liking。　But　Mrs。　Dent　recurred　to　the　fact　of　Weldon's　illness。

〃Poor　boy！　Fancy　being　really　ill；　so　far　from　home　and　in　a　hotel！〃　she　added　slowly。

〃It　is　one　of　the　risks　of　a　soldier；〃　her　husband　reminded　her。

〃Yes；　and　the　soldiers　fought　for　us。　Where　would　your　mines　have　been　without　them？〃　she　suggested　in　return。　〃I　really　wish　you　would　telephone　to　the　hotel　and　find　out　something　more　definite　about　him。〃

Her　husband　looked　covetously　at　the　entree；　just　appearing　in　sight。

〃Now？〃　he　asked。

She　ignored　the　mockery　of　his　tone。

〃Yes；　please；〃　she　assented　quietly。　〃It　will　only　take　you　a　minute。〃

It　took　him　ten。　When　he　came　back　into　the　room；　his　hat　was　in　his　hand。

〃I　think　I　will　go　over　to　the　Grand　for　a　minute；〃　he　explained。　〃I　don't　quite　like　what　I　hear。〃

〃What　did　you　hear？〃

In　the　dim　upper　hallway；　a　girlish　figure　leaned　far　over　the　railing　and　strained　her　ears　for　the　reply。　Then；　noiselessly；　the　door　of　her　room　shut　again　behind　her。

〃They　tell　me；〃　Mr。　Dent　was　saying；　〃that　Weldon　is　there；　unconscious　in　his　room。　The　boy　brought　him　into　the　house　in　his　arms；　and　they　have　sent　for　Dr。　Wright。　It　is　a　bad　case　of　enteric；　mixed　with　some　trouble　with　the　brain。　He　appears　to　be　suffering　from　nervous　shock；　they　say；　increased　by　a　long　strain　of　anxiety。〃

Half　an　hour　later；　he　was　called　from　Weldon's　room　to　speak　to　his　wife　at　the　telephone。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered　her。　〃It　is　as　bad　as　I　heard；　as　bad　as　it　can　be。　You　think　so？　Are　you　strong　enough？　Sure？　Hold　the　wire；　then；　till　I　ask　the　doctor。〃　The　interval　was　short；　and　he　went　on　again；　〃The　doctor　says　he　can　be　moved　now；　but　not　later。　It　may　be　a　matter　of　weeks。　How　soon　can　you　be　ready？　Very　well。　Will　you　be　sure　to　save　yourself　all　you　can？　In　an　hour；　then。　And　the　doctor　will　have　a　nurse　waiting　there？　And　can　you　put　the　boy　into　some　corner？　He　would　be　frantic；　if　we　tried　to　leave　him　behind。　Very　well。　Yes。〃　And　the　telephone　rang　off。

It　was　midnight　before　the　Dent　household　was　fully　reconstructed。　Upstairs　in　the　great　eastern　front　room；　a　white…capped　nurse　was　bending　above　the　unconscious　man　in　the　bed；　downstairs　in　the　kitchen；　the　tears　of　Kruger　Bobs　were　mingling　with　the　cold　roast　beef　on　the　table　before　him。　The　doctor　had　just　gone　away；　and　in　the　room　underneath　the　sickroom；　Mr。　Dent　and　his　wife　were　quietly　laying　plans　to　meet　the　needs　of　the　changed　routine　which　had　fallen　upon　their　home。　He　looked　up；　as　Ethel　came　slowly　into　the　room。

〃By　the　way；　Ethel；　I　forgot　to　ask　you　before；　but　did　you　find　your　pin？〃

She　looked　at　him　wonderingly。　Her　face　was　pale　and　drawn；　but　her　eyes　were　shining　like　the　gems　she　had　professed　to　miss。

〃What　pin　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked　blankly。




CHAPTER　TWENTY…FIVE


〃Don't　wait　any　longer；　Carew。　Really；　it's　not　worth　while。〃

〃Too　late　for　us　to　part　company　now；〃　Carew　answered　serenely。

〃I　know。　You've　stood　by　me　like　a　good　fellow；　but　it　will　be　some　time　yet　before　I　can　sail。　And　you　know　you　are　in　a　hurry　to　get　away。〃

〃Don't　be　too　sure　of　that；〃　Carew　advised　him。　〃All　my　good　things　aren't　at　one　end　of　the　world。〃

Weldon's　lips　curled　into　the　ghost　of　his　old　smile。

〃Then　take　one　of　them　along　with　you；〃　he　suggested。

Elbows　on　knees　and　chin　on　fists　joined　knuckle　to　knuckle；　Carew　turned　and　smiled　blandly　down　at　the　face　on　the　pillow。

〃Weldon；　for　a　man　who　has　been　off　his　head　for　a　month；　you　do　have　singularly　wise　ideas。　But　do　you　suppose　she'd　go？〃

〃Which？〃

〃Miss　Mellen；　of　course。　It's　a　question　of　ages。　Young　Mahomet　is　easier　to　move　than　the　everlasting　hills。〃

〃Meaning　your　mother？　She　would　thank　you。〃　〃She　will　thank　me；　when　she　sees　Alice；〃　Carew　responded　hopefully。　〃But；　honor　bright；　do　you　suppose　Miss　Mellen　would　go　back　with　me？〃

〃I　thought　she　promised。〃

〃Yes；　but　now；〃　Carew　persisted；　with　the　eagerness　of　a　boy。　〃Right　off；　next　month。〃

〃There's　only　one　way　to　tell；　ask　her；〃　Weldon　answered。　〃If　she　is　the　girl　I　think　she　is；　she　will　say　yes。〃

〃You　do　like　her；　don't　you；　Weldon？〃　The　eagerness　was　still　in　his　tone。

〃Intensely；〃　Weldon　replied　quietly。　〃I　have　seen　few　women　I　have　liked　as　well。〃

〃What　larks　we'll　be　having；　this　time　next　year；　talking　it　all　over　together；〃　Carew　said；　in　a　sudden；　thoughtful　burst　of　prophecy。　〃By　the　time　we　get　home；　we　shall　forget　the　blood　and　the　dog…biscuit；　and　only　remember　the　skittles　and　beer。　If　only〃

〃What？〃　Weldon　looked　up　at　him　without　flinching。

Carew　did　flinch；　however。

〃Nothing；〃　he　said　hastily。　〃One　is　never　quite　content；　you　know。〃

Weldon　drew　a　deep；　slow　breath。

〃No；〃　he　echoed。　〃One　is　never　quite　content。〃

Carew　crossed　his　legs；　as　he　settled　back　in　his　chair。

〃Mayhap。　Some　of　us　ought　to　be；　though。〃

〃Yes。　You're　a　lucky　fellow；　Carew。〃

〃So　are　you。　The　trouble　is；　one　never　knows　when　he　is　well　off。〃

〃But　we　all　know　when　we　aren't；〃　Weldon　replied　succinctly。

Carew's　glance　was　expressive；　as　it　roved　about　the　luxurious　room；　with　the　bed　drawn　up　near　the　window　which　looked　out；　between　the　branches　of　an　ancient　oak　tree；　on　the　blue　waters　of　Table　Bay　and　on　the　fringe　of　shipping　by　the　Docks　far　to　the　eastward。　Faintly　from　the　room　below　came　the　sound　of　a　piano　and　of　a　hushed　girlish　voice　singing　softly　to　itself。

〃It　all　depends　on　one's　point　of　view；〃　Carew　said；　after　an　interval。　〃I　am　living　in　a　seven…by…nine　room　in　a　hotel；　and　Miss　Mellen　is　seventy…two　miles　and　three　quarters　away。　Weldon；　you　are　a　lucky　dog；　if　you　did　but　know　it。〃

Weldon　shut　his　teeth　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said　quietly；

〃Carew；　it　is　five　weeks　that　I　have　been　in　this　house。　Mr。　Dent　and　dear　little　Mother　Dent　have　been　angel…good　to　me。　Miss　Dent〃　He　hesitated。

〃Has　been　an　archangel？〃　Carew　supplemented　calmly。

〃Has　never　once　come　into　my　sight。〃

Deliberately；　forcefully；　the　next　words　dropped　from　Carew's　tongue。　〃Thedevilshehasn't！〃

〃No。〃

Then　Weldon　waited　for　Carew　to　speak；　but　Carew　merely　sat　and　stared　at　his　friend　in　speechless　stupefaction。

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　he　blurted　out　at　last。　〃Then　you　haven't　made　it　up？〃

〃There