a charmed life-第3章

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only　doctor；　had　exhausted　his　store　of　simple　medicines。

〃Nothing　can　stop　the　hemorrhage；〃　he　protested　wearily；　〃but　the
strongest　of　drugs。　　And　I　have　nothing！〃

Chesterton　bethought　him　of　the　medicine　case　Miss　Armitage　had
forced　upon　him。　　〃I　have　given　opium　to　the　men　for　dysentery；〃　he
said。　　〃Would　opium　help　you？〃

The　priest　sprang　at　him　and　pushed　him　out　of　the　door　and　toward
the　saddle…bags。

〃My　children；〃　he　cried；　to　the　silent　group　in　the　plaza；　〃God　has
sent　a　miracle！〃

After　an　hour　at　the　bedside　the　priest　said；　〃He　will　live；〃　and
knelt；　and　the　mother　of　the　boy　and　the　villagers　knelt　with　him。
When　Chesterton　raised　his　eyes；　he　found　that　the　landlord；　who
had　been　silently　watching　while　the　two　men　struggled　with　death
for　the　life　of　his　son；　had　disappeared。　　But　he　heard；　leaving
the　village　along　the　trail　to　Mayaguez；　the　sudden　clatter　of　a
pony's　hoofs。　　It　moved　like　a　thing　driven　with　fear。

The　priest　strode　out　into　the　moonlight。　　In　the　recovery　of　the
child　he　saw　only　a　demonstration　of　the　efficacy　of　prayer；　and　he
could　not　too　quickly　bring　home　the　lesson　to　his　parishioners。
Amid　their　murmurs　of　wonder　and　gratitude　Chesterton　rode　away。
To　the　kindly　care　of　the　priest　he　bequeathed　El　Capitan。　　With
him；　also；　he　left　the　gold　pieces　which　were　to　pay　for　the　fresh
pony。

A　quarter　of　a　mile　outside　the　village　three　white　figures
confronted　him。　　Two　who　stood　apart　in　the　shadow　shrank　from
observation；　but　the　landlord；　seated　bareback　upon　a　pony　that
from　some　late　exertion　was　breathing　heavily；　called　to　him　to
halt。

〃In　the　fashion　of　my　country；〃　he　began　grandiloquently；　〃we　have
come　this　far　to　wish　you　God　speed　upon　your　journey。〃　　In　the
fashion　of　the　American　he　seized　Chesterton　by　the　hand。　　〃I　thank
you；　senor；〃　he　murmured。

〃Not　me；〃　returned　Chesterton。　　〃But　the　one　who　made　me　'pack'
that　medicine　chest。　　Thank　her；　for　to…night　I　think　it　saved　a
life。〃

The　Spaniard　regarded　him　curiously；　fixing　him　with　his　eyes　as
though　deep　in　consideration。　　At　last　he　smiled　gravely。

〃You　are　right；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　us　both　remember　her　in　our
prayers。〃

As　Chesterton　rode　away　the　words　remained　gratefully　in　his　memory
and　filled　him　with　pleasant　thoughts。　　〃The　world；〃　he　mused；　〃is
full　of　just　such　kind　and　gentle　souls。〃


After　an　interminable　delay　he　reached　Newport；　and　they　escaped
from　the　others；　and　Miss　Armitage　and　he　ran　down　the　lawn　to　the
rocks；　and　stood　with　the　waves　whispering　at　their　feet。

It　was　the　moment　for　which　each　had　so　often　longed；　with　which
both　had　so　often　tortured　themselves　by　living　in　imagination；
that　now；　that　it　was　theirs；　they　were　fearful　it　might　not　be
true。

Finally；　he　said：　〃And　the　charm　never　failed！　　Indeed；　it　was
wonderful！　　It　stood　by　me　so　obviously。　　For　instance；　the　night
before　San　Juan；　in　the　mill　at　El　Poso；　I　slept　on　the　same　poncho
with　another　correspondent。　　I　woke　up　with　a　raging　appetite　for
bacon　and　coffee；　and　he　woke　up　out　of　his　mind；　and　with　a
temperature　of　one　hundred　and　four。　　And　again；　I　was　standing　by
Capron's　gun　at　El　Caney；　when　a　shell　took　the　three　men　who
served　it；　and　only　scared　ME。　　And　there　was　another　time〃　　He
stopped。　　〃Anyway；〃　he　laughed；　〃here　I　am。〃

〃But　there　was　one　night；　one　awful　night；〃　began　the　girl。　　She
trembled；　and　he　made　this　an　added　excuse　for　drawing　her　closer
to　him。　　〃When　I　felt　you　were　in　great　peril；　that　you　would
surely　die。　　And　all　through　the　night　I　knelt　by　the　window　and
looked　toward　Cuba　and　prayed；　and　prayed　to　God　to　let　you　live。〃

Chesterton　bent　his　head　and　kissed　the　tips　of　her　fingers。　　After
a　moment　he　said：　〃Would　you　know　what　night　it　was？　　It　might　be
curious　if　I　had　been〃

〃Would　I　know！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃It　was　eight　days　ago。　　The　night
of　the　twelfth。　　An　awful　night！〃

〃The　twelfth！〃　exclaimed　Chesterton；　and　laughed　and　then　begged
her　pardon　humbly。　　〃I　laughed　because　the　twelfth；〃　he　exclaimed；
〃was　the　night　peace　was　declared。　　The　war　was　over。　　I'm　sorry；
but　THAT　night　I　was　riding　toward　you；　thinking　only　of　you。　　I
was　never　for　a　moment　in　danger。〃






End