on the firing line-第6部分

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cornerwise；　and　Weldon　had　difficulty　in　impressing　upon　her　that　handsprings　were　not　an　approved　form　of　cavalry　tactics。　Nevertheless；　he　did　it　with　a　word　of　apology。　For　the　moment；　the　broncho　was　not　wholly　responsible　for　her　return　to　evil　ways。

Over　their　breakfast；　next　morning；　his　five　tentmates　fell　to　catechising　him　as　to　his　pensive　mood；　and　their　catechism　was　largely　intermingled　with　chaff。

〃Paddy's　compliments；　and　roll　up　for　your　tucker；〃　the　mess　orderly　proclaimed；　as　he　came　into　the　tent；　brandishing　a　coffee　pot　in　one　hand；　the　frying　pan　in　the　other。

Fork　in　hand；　Carew　nevertheless　paused　to　take　exception　to　the　word。

〃I　confess　I　can't　see　why　Tucker；　when　it　is　supposed　to　untuck　the　creases　of　us；〃　he　observed。　〃Hermit；　shall　I　serve　you　in　the　corner；　or　will　you　deign　to　join　us　about　the　festive　frying　pan？〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　Weldon；　anyhow？〃　another　of　the　group　queried；　as　dispassionately　as　if　the　subject　of　discussion　had　been　absent　in　Rhodesia。　〃His　face　is　a　yard　long；　and　his　lips　hang　down　in　the　slack　of　the　corners。〃

〃Brace　up；　man；　and　get　over　your　grouch；〃　a　third　adjured　him。　〃You　are　worse　than　O'Brien　was；　the　morning　after　he　was　shoved　in　kink。　Were　you　in　Cape　Town；　last　night？〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　Carew　put　in　hastily；　while　he　buried　his　knife…　blade　in　the　nearest　pot　of　jam。　〃My　left　ear　can　prove　an　alibi　for　him。　From　taps　till　midnight；　Weldon　discoursed　of　all　the　grewsome　things　in　the　human　calendar。〃

The　smallest　of　the　group　turned　himself　about　and　peered　up　into　Weldon's　face。

〃Homesick；　man？〃　he　queried。

〃Sure；〃　Weldon　replied　imperturbably。

〃Oh。　Then　get　over　it。　Just　dream　of　the　days　when　the　bronchos　cease　from　bucking　and　the　Stringies　shoot　no　more。　Meanwhile；　if　you　could　look　pleasant；　as　the　photographers　say；　it　would　help　on　things　wonderfully。〃

But　the　mess　orderly　interrupted。　He　had　tidings　to　impart；　and　they　burned　upon　his　tongue。

〃Have　you　heard　about　Eaton…Hill？〃　he　asked；　in　the　first　pause　that　offered　itself。

Five　faces　turned　to　him　with　gratifying　expectancy。　Eaton…Hill　had　come　out　on　the　Dunottar　Castle。　He　was　known　to　them　all　as　the　acknowledged　exquisite　of　the　entire　camp。

〃What　about　him？〃

〃C。　B。　I　met　him　coming　out　of　the　orderly　room。〃

〃Hm！　Camp　scavenger。　Eaton…Hill　will　like　that；〃　Weldon　commented　dryly。　〃What's　the　row　about？〃

〃Cupid　apparently。　He　went　calling　in　Cape　Town；　last　night；　without　leave；　stayed　till　past　eleven　and　undertook　to　come　in　by　sea。　He　shipped　in　a　leaky　boat　with　a　crew　composed　of　one　Kaffir　boy；　the　Kaffir　funked　the　surf；　they　had　an　upset　and　Eaton…Hill　waked　up　the　picket　by　the　fervor　of　his　swearing　at　the　half…drowned　Kaffir。〃

〃Poor　Eaton…Hill！　Both　his　morals　and　his　clothes　must　have　suffered；〃　Carew　suggested。　〃Weldon；　take　warning。　Next　time　you　go　to　call　on　Miss　Arthur；　start　early　and　be　sure　you　have　your　pass　pinned　to　the　lining　of　your　coat。〃

〃Who　is　Miss　Arthur？〃　demanded　the　chorus。

Deliberately　Carew　helped　himself　to　the　last　of　the　bacon。　Then　he　made　answer；　with　equal　deliberation；

〃Miss　Arthur　is　Weldon's　lawful　chaperon。〃

At　four　o'clock；　that　afternoon；　Weldon　arose　reluctantly　from　his　seat　on　the　western　end　of　the　Dents'　veranda。

〃Parade　at　five；　Miss　Dent；　and　Maitland　Camp　is　four　miles　away。〃

Without　rising；　she　smiled　up　into　his　waiting　eyes。

〃You　made　more　than　four　miles　an　hour；　when　Captain　Frazer　and　I　were　watching　you；　the　other　day；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

〃Yes；　twenty　at　least。　Still；　as　you　may　have　noticed；　my　mount　doesn't　always　choose　the　straightest　course。　If　she　elects　to　go　to　Maitland　by　way　of　Durban；　it　will　take　me　all　of　the　hour　to　make　the　journey。〃

She　laughed　at　his　words。　Then　of　a　sudden　her　face　grew　grave。

〃They've　no　right　to　give　you　such　a　horse；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

〃Right？　Oh；　I　beg　pardon。　I　chose　it。〃

〃Is　your　life　so　unhappy？〃　she　questioned；　in　mocking　rebuke。

〃It　is　no　suicidal　mania；　Miss　Dent；〃　he　reassured　her。　〃I　like　the　rush　and　excitement　of　it　all；　but　I　had　a　summer　on　a　ranch；　and　I　learned　the　trick　of　sitting　tight　until　the　beast　tires　itself　out。　Broncho…busting　is　only　a　concrete　form　of　philosophy；　after　all。〃

〃And　must　you　really　go？〃　she　asked　him。

He　lingered　and　hesitated。　Then；　with　a　glance　at　the　horse　fastened　to　a　post　in　the　drive　below；　he　straightened　his　shoulders。

〃I　must。〃

She　rose　to　her　feet。

〃Good　afternoon；　then。〃

〃And　good　by；〃　he　added。

〃What　does　that　mean？〃

〃That　we　leave　Maitland　Camp　in　the　morning。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　showed　her　regret。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　Maitland　station。　Then　into　a　train。　Beyond　that；　I　do　not　know。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　repeated；　〃but　very　glad。　It　is　time　you　were　doing　something。　I　know　you　didn't　take　all　this　journey　out　here　for　the　sake　of　being　drilled　in　Maitland　Camp　until　the　end　of　time。　We　shall　miss　you；　but　you　will　come　back　to　us；　some　day；　and　tell　us　all　the　story　of　your　deeds。　Success　to　you；　Trooper　Weldon！〃

She　gave　him　her　hand；　then　stood　looking　after　him；　as　he　went　down　the　steps。　Once　in　the　saddle；　he　turned　back　to　wave　a　farewell　to　the　tall　girl　framed　in　the　arching　greenery　that　sheltered　the　broad　veranda。　Then；　urging　on　his　horse；　he　went　galloping　away；　his　boyish　face　turned　resolutely　towards　the　front。

Careless　of　the　oldtime　superstition；　the　girl　watched　him　out　of　sight。　Then　slowly　she　moved　back　to　their　deserted　corner　where　she　sat　long；　her　elbows　on　the　arms　of　her　chair　and　her　chin　resting　on　her　hands。　Her　eyes　were　held　steadily　on　Table　Bay；　but　her　thoughts　followed　along　the　road　to　Maitland　Campand　beyond。




CHAPTER　FIVE


That　January　had　brought　the　second　irruption　of　Boers　into　Cape　Colony。　In　reality；　they　were　near　Calvinia；　but；　by　the　middle　of　the　month；　rumor　had　so　far　out…stripped　fact　that　certain　refugee　Uitlanders　were　ready　to　affirm　that　Table　Mountain　was　held　by　an　invading　army　who　patrolled　the　summit；　coffee　pot　in　one　hand　and　Bible　in　the　other。　Under　these　conditions；　the　little　Dutch　church　at　Piquetberg　Road　had　become；　in　all　truth；　the　abiding…place　of　the　Church　Militant。

In　deference　to　tradition；　the　altar　had　been　promptly　pulled　down　and　its　ornaments　stowed　away　to　be　safe　from　possible　desecration。　The　altar　rail　was　left；　however；　and　Weldon　sat　leaning　against　it；　his　eyes　vaguely　turned　upwards　to　the　organ　in　the　farther　end　of　the　church。　From　the　open　floor　between；　the　buzz　of　many　voices　and　the　smoke　of　many　pipes　rose　to　the　roof；　from　the　vestry　room　behind　him；　he　heard　the　cleaner…cut　accent　of　the　officers。　Outside；　above　the　light　spatter　of　rain　on　the　windows；　he　could　hear　the　horses　stamping　contentedly　in　the　leafy　avenue　without　the　churchyard　wall；　and　the　brawl　of　the　stream　beyond。　The　twilight　lay　heavy　over　the　church；　heaviest　of　all　over　the　distant　organ　gallery；　where　Weldon　could　barely　make　out　a　single　figure　moving　towards　the　bench。　There　was　a　rattle　of　stops；　a　tentative　chord　or　two　and　then　a　few　notes　of　this　or　that　melody；　as　if　the　player；　albeit　a　musician；　found　himself　continually　thwarted　by　the　darkness　and　the　absence　of　any　printed　notes。

〃Who　is　up　there；　Weldon？〃　Carew　asked；　as　he　peered　up　into　the　dimness。

〃Shut　up；　can't　you？〃　Weldon　ordered　him　abruptly。

And　Carew　subsided；　just　as　the　unseen　organist；　apparently　abandoning　his　more　ambitious　efforts；　with　sure　touch　swept　into　the　familiar　harmonies　of　the　Eventide　Hymn；　and　then；　still　with　his　hymnal　in　mind；　jerked　out　the　dozen　stops　and　set　the　air　rocking　to　the　steady　beat　of　Onward；　Christian　Soldiers。

As　he　listened；　Weldon's　mind　went　backward　to　his　last　Sunday　evening　in　the　cathedral　at　home。　He　had　known　why　the　old　rector　had　chosen　that　time…worn　hymn　for　a　recessional；　he　could　still　feel　the　stir　of　the　congregation　as　he　passed　them；　still　see　the　scarlet　blot　of　color　made　by　his　own　hymnal　against　his　stiffly　starched　cotta；　still　see　his　mother；　erect　and　pale；　staring　at　him　with　a　resolute　bravery　which　matched　his　own。　Since　then；　he　had　been　inside　no　church　until　to…day。　It　was　a　far　cry　from　worshipping　in　the　Gothic　cathedral　to　camping　in　the　simple　little　Dutch　church；　but　in　each　the　air　was　vibrating　to　the　same　martial　hymn。

Little　by　little；　the　groups　scattered　over　the　floor　fell　into　silence。　Here　and　there；　one　took　up　the　refrain；　now　humming　it　softly；　now　singing　it　with　full　voice。　Then　the　refrain　died　away；　there　was　an　instant's　hush；　an　instant's　modulation；　and；　as　a　man；　the　crowd　beneath　rose　to　their　feet　and　stood；　pipe　in　hand；　while　slowly；　steadily　from　the　organ　came　rolling　down　the　familiar　notes　of　God　Save　the　Queen。

The　organ　was　closed　with　a　muffled　clatter；　the　organist　rose　and　slowly　came　down　to　the　floor。　With　a　friendly　word　here　and　there；　he　passed　among　the　troopers　who　saluted　him　and　then　settled　themselves　again　for　comfort　and　their　pipes。　Last　of　all；　he　paused　beside　Weldon。

〃It　is　good　to　put　my　fingers　on　the　keys　again；〃　he　said；　as　he　sat　down　for　a　moment　on　the　low　rail。　〃We　had　an　organ　at　home；　and　I　miss　it。　I　builded　better　than　I　knew；　when　I　chose　this　place　for　our　barracks。　One　rarely　finds　an　organ　out　here。〃

Just　then　an　orderly　lighted　the　chancel　where　they　stood。　The　organist　gave　a　slight　exclamation　of　surprise。

〃Isn't　this　Trooper　Weldon？〃

The　speaker's　face　was　in　shadow。　Only　the　starred　shoulder　straps　gave　Weldon　any　clue　to　the　rank　of　his　companion。

〃It　is；〃　he　answered　briefly。

〃Miss　Dent　has　spoken　of　you。　In　fact；　we　were　together　at　Maitland　Camp；　last　week；　when　you　tried　issues　with　the　little　gray　broncho。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　moved　slightly；　and　the　light　fell　full　upon　his　yellow　hair　and　on　his　blue　eyes；　dark　and　fringed　with　long　black　lashes。　Weldon　looked　up　at　him　with　a　smile　of　recognition。

〃It　is　Captain　Frazer；　then？〃

〃Yes。　I　am　congratulating　you　on　having　won　your　way　into　Miss　Dent's　good　graces。　She　tells　me　you　were　most　thoughtful　for　her；　all　the　way　out。〃

〃You　have　known　Miss　Dent　for　a　long　time？〃　Weldon　queried。

Captain　Frazer　answer