on the firing line-第33部分

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

〃There　was　nothing　to　make　up；〃　Weldon　said　drearily。

Again　Carew's　elbows　came　down　on　his　knees　with　a　bump。

〃There　was；　too！〃　he　contradicted；　with　an　explosiveness　which　irresistibly　reminded　Weldon　of　their　kindergarten　days。

〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃

〃I　don't　think。　I　know。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃　Weldon　asked　listlessly。

〃Alice　Mellen　told　me；〃　Carew　replied　conclusively。

〃Told　you　what？〃

〃That　Cooee　Dent　is　in　love　with　you。〃

From　his　superior　knowledge；　Weldon　stared　disdainfully　up　at　him。

〃Then　there　is　one　thing　that　Alice　Mellen　doesn't　know。〃

〃She　does；　then。　She　told　me　about　it；　when　you　went　off　on　your　feed；　up　at　Lindley；〃　Carew　explained　hurriedly。　〃I　was　worried　about　you；　and　she　was　worried　about　Miss　Dent；　and　we　compared　notes。　You　hadn't　said　a　word　of　any　kind；　we　could　only　guess　at　things；　so　we　wrote　to　each　other　about　it。　She　told　me　then　about　Miss　Dent's　dashing　up　to　Johannesburg　after　Vlaakfontein。〃

〃She　went　to　see　her　cousin。〃

〃She　also　went　to　see　you。〃

Carew's　emphatic　pause　was　broken　by　the　coming　of　the　nurse；　who　bent　over　the　bed；　raising　her　brows　inquiringly；　as　she　laid　two　fingers　on　Weldon's　wrist。　Carew　took　the　obvious　hint。

〃I　hope　I've　not　stopped　too　long；〃　he　said；　as　he　rose。　〃It　has　been　good　to　see　Mr。　Weldon。　May　I　come　again？〃

The　nurse　was　a　true　woman。　Therefore　she　smiled　back　into　his　happy；　handsome　face。

〃I　think　you　may；〃　she　answered。　〃Mr。　Weldon　is　tired　now；　but　you　evidently　have　done　him　good。〃

Carew　meditated　aloud；　as　he　went　away　down　the　walk。

〃Out　of　every　five　women；　three　are　cats；〃　he　observed　tranquilly　to　himself。　〃I've　cornered　the　fourth。　It　remains　to　be　seen　whether　Weldon　is　cornered　by　the　fifth；　or　only　the　third。　Hasn't　been　to　see　him！　Little　beast！　But　I'll　bet　any　amount　of　gold　money　that　she　has　done　endless　messing　for　him　on　the　sly。〃

Carew's　words　showed　that　it　is　usually　not　the　man　in　love　with　a　woman　who　is　the　shrewdest　judge　of　the　hidden　recesses　of　that　woman's　nature。　The　fact　was；　Ethel　had　slaved　unceasingly；　but　unseen；　for　the　patient　above　stairs。　See　him　she　would　not。　Day　after　day；　she　invented　fresh　excuses　to　ward　off　her　mother's　suggestions　of　a　call　on　the　invalid；　but　also；　day　by　day；　she　invented　fresh　delicacies　to　tempt　the　appetite　dulled　by　months　of　army　biscuit　and　bully　beef。　And；　meanwhile；　she　was　waiting。

Rather　to　her　surprise；　no　message　came　down　to　her　from　the　invalid's　room。　She　had　supposed　as　a　matter　of　course　that　Weldon　would　intuitively　recognize　the　source　of　the　dainties　which　reached　him　anonymously。　Man…fashion；　however；　he　could　see　no　reason　that　his　beef　tea　and　his　wine　jelly　should　be　the　work　of　different　hands。　He　devoured　them　both；　and　reflected　thankfully　upon　the　skill　of　the　Kaffir　cook。　Mr。　Dent　had　been　scrupulously　literal　in　carrying　out　the　commands　laid　upon　him　by　his　daughter。　He　had　left　in　Weldon's　mind　no　doubt　whatsoever　about　the　truth　of　his　statement　that　Mrs。　Dent　alone　had　been　responsible　for　the　invalid's　present　quarters。　Weldon　had　lavished　thanks　upon　Mrs。　Dent；　and　she　had　received　them　without　demur；　as　her　own　lawful　property。　Even　now；　he　was　at　a　loss　whether　his　recovery　was　more　owing　to　Mrs。　Dent　or　to　the　nurse。　Each　had　given　to　him　a　large　share　of　her　vitality。

From　a　distance；　he　could　follow　Ethel's　doings；　could　assure　himself　that　his　presence　was　no　apparent　check　upon　her　happiness。　Now　it　was　the　muffled　whirr　of　the　bell；　followed　by　low　voices　from　the　room　beneath。　Now　it　was　the　roll　of　the　carriage；　bearing　her　away　to　dine　or　to　dance；　and　leaving　Weldon　to　lie　and　count　the　minutes　until　she　returned。　Now　it　was　her　light　footstep　on　the　stairs；　or；　but　this　was　only　at　long　intervals；　her　hushed　voice　in　the　hallway　outside　his　door。　At　first；　he　used　to　lie　and　hold　his　breath；　while　he　waited　for　her　to　open　the　door　of　his　room。　By　degrees；　however；　he　ceased　to　expect　her。　And；　as　the　expectation　died　away；　he　chafed　increasingly　at　the　slowness　of　his　recovery。　Anything　to　get　out　of　that　house！　She　treated　him　as　he　would　have　scorned　to　treat　an　invalid　dog　who　had　taken　refuge　in　his　stable。

All　this　came　slowly。　For　two　endless　weeks；　Weldon　lay　unconscious。　For　two　more　endless　weeks；　he　raved　in　delirium。　Happily；　his　nurse　was　a　discreet　woman。　She　discouraged　the　visits　of　Mrs。　Dent　and　her　husband；　offered　the　excuse　that　strange　faces　excited　the　invalid；　and　only　admitted　them　during　his　brief　intervals　of　sleep。　Meanwhile；　she　used　all　her　professional　principles　to　keep　herself　from　trying　to　solve　the　problem　before　her　eyes。　Upstairs　was　a　man　sick　unto　death；　a　man　who　raved　ceaselessly　of　the　daughter　of　the　house。　Downstairs；　the　daughter　of　the　house　was　going　her　accustomed　way；　with　never　a　question　in　regard　to　the　man　above。　What　had　happened？　How；　if　anything　had　happened；　how　did　he　chance　to　be　in　that　home；　with　Mrs。　Dent　as　his　devoted　and　anxious　slave？　Resolutely；　she　fell　to　studying　her　temperature　charts。　Her　specialty　was　fever；　not　heart　disease。

A　week　after　the　tide　had　turned；　Carew　had　been　allowed　to　spend　a　short　half…hour　with　the　invalid。　The　next　day；　by　advice　of　the　nurse；　Mr。　Dent　telephoned　to　him　to　come　again。　Something；　whether　in　his　personality　or　in　his　talk；　had　been　of　tonic　power　over　Weldon。　It　seemed　wise　to　repeat　the　experiment。

Carew　came　on　the　heels　of　his　own　voice　through　the　telephone；　and　his　face　was　smiling　broadly；　as　he　went　leaping　up　the　stairs。　After　all；　it　had　not　been　in　vain；　his　quixotic　lingering　in　Cape　Town　for　a　weary　month　after　receiving　his　discharge。　Weldon　and　he　had　been　good　friends　through　thick　and　thin；　it　would　have　been　beastly　to　leave　him。　And　now；　after　all　these　useless　weeks；　he　could　at　least　do　something　to　lighten　the　convalescence。　Moreover；　Carew's　pocket　held　three　letters；　received　that　very　noon；　one　of　grudging　approval　from　his　son…sick　mother；　one　of　chaotic；　but　heartfelt　thanks　from　Mrs。　Weldon；　and　the　third　one　an　affirmative　answer　to　a　telegram　he　had　sent　to　Alice　Mellen；　only　the　night　before。　He　went　into　Weldon's　room；　looking；　as　he　felt；　the　embodiment　of　happiness　and　health。

He　hailed　Weldon　from　the　threshold。　Tidings　like　his　could　wait　during　no　interchange　of　mere　conventional　greetings。　Weldon　heard　him　to　the　end；　congratulated　him；　demanded　the　repetition　of　all　the　details。　Then；　when　Carew's　excitement　had　quite　spent　itself；　Weldon　drew　a　letter　from　underneath　his　pillow。

〃It　came；　this　morning；〃　he　added　laconically。

Carew　seized　the　letter　and　ran　his　eye　down　the　page。　Then　his　face　lighted。

〃Nunc　dimittis！〃　he　said　piously。　〃It's　sure　to　be　yours！　Have　you　told　Miss　Dent？〃

〃I've　not　seen　Miss　Dent。〃

Carew's　face　fell。

〃Not　yet？　But　you　will。　And　then　you　will　tell　her？〃

Weldon's　lips　straightened　into　a　thin　line。　He　shook　his　head。

〃But　she　ought　to　know。〃

〃Why？〃

〃It　is　her　right。〃

〃Why？〃　Weldon　asked　again。

〃Becauseit　is。　It　might　make　some　difference　in〃

Weldon　stopped　him　abruptly。

〃It　could　make　no　difference；　Carew。　In　facing　the　main　question；　such　things　as　that　don't　count。　Even　if　they　did；　though；〃　he　rose　on　his　elbow　and　faced　his　friend　steadily；　〃even　if　they　did；　I　would　never　consent　to　try　to　bribe　a　girl　into　loving　me；　by　telling　her　I　had　won　the　V。　C。　It　will　be　time　enough　for　Miss　Dent　to　hear　of　it；　when　it　is　given。〃

〃But　you　will　be　in　England　then；〃　Carew　objected　practically。

Weldon　lay　down　again　and　drew　the　sheet　upward　till　its　shadow　lay　across　his　lips。

〃What　matter？〃　he　answered　slowly。　〃And；　besides；　Miss　Dent　isn't　the　girl　to　be　won　in　any　such　way　as　that。　Hers　is　a　love　to　be　given；　not　bought。〃

Half　an　hour　later；　Carew　met　Ethel　on　the　stairs。　As　he　halted　to　speak　to　her；　he　was　shocked　at　the　look　in　her　face。　The　lips　were　smiling；　but　the　eyes　were　the　eyes　of　a　hunted　animal。

〃So　long　since　we　have　met！〃　he　said；　as　he　took　her　hand。　〃And　so　much　has　happened。〃

〃Yes。　I　have　been　hoping　to　congratulate　you；〃　she　answered。

〃It　was　a　stunning　letter　you　wrote　me；〃　he　said　boyishly。　〃I　suppose　we　are　cousins　now。〃

Then　there　came　a　little　pause。　Before　either　of　them　quite　realized　it；　the　pause　had　lengthened　until　it　was　hard　to　break。

〃I　have　been　up　to　see　the　invalid；〃　he　blurted　out　at　last。

〃How　is　he？〃　the　girl　inquired　courteously。

〃Better。〃　Then　a　sudden　note　of　resentment　crept　into　Carew's　honest　voice。　〃He　is　counting　the　days　now　before　he　can　be　moved。　He　says　your　mother　has　been　wonderfully　good　to　him。〃

The　girl　stood　aside　to　let　Carew　pass　her　by。

〃She　is　good　to　everybody；〃　she　assented　quietly。　〃I　hope　Mr。　Weldon　won't　think　of　going　away　until　he　can　be　moved　with　perfect　safety。　It　is　really　no　trouble　to　have　him　here；　and　the　nurse　is　very　capable。〃

And　Carew　bowed　in　agreement。　Once　outside　the　door；　however；　he　freed　his　mind；　tersely　and　with　vigor。

〃Damn　the　nurse！〃　he　said　to　the　oak　tree；　as　he　passed　it。




CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX


　　　　　〃There's　a　true　Heart　in　the　West　World；　that　is　beating　　　　　　　　　still　for　me；　　　　　　Ever　praying　in　the　twilight　once　again　my　face　to　see。　　　　　　Oh；　the　World　is　good　and　gladsome；　with　its　Love　both　　　　　　　　　East　and　West；　　　　　　But　there's　ever　one　love　only　that　is　still　the　First　and　Best。〃

The　low　voice　died　away。　A　moment　later；　Ethel　Dent　pushed　open　one　of　the　long　windows　of　the　drawing…room　and　stepped　out　on　the　veranda。　The　flower…boxes　were　filled　with　limp　stalks；　chilled　by　the　frost　of　the　previous　night；　but　the　sun　lay　warm　over　the　wide；　white　steps；　over　the　lawn　and　over　the　bay　beyond。　She　stood　for　a　moment；　staring　thoughtfully　out　across　the　bay；　then　she　moved　on　to　the　western　end　of　the　veranda；　looked　up　at　Table　Mountain　with　its　cloth　of　cloud；　and　then　dropped　down　into　one　of　the　chairs　which　still　remained　in　the　sunny　corner。

That　corner　held　many　memories　for　her。　She　had　sought　it　now　unconsciously；　yet；　once　there；　she　lingered；　although　for　weeks　past　she　had　been　seeking　to　banish　those　memories　from　her　l