the red cross girl-第17章

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great…grandfather。　With　that　fact　itself　Miss　Anthony　was　almost
as　pleased　as　was　David　himself；　but　while　he　was　content　to　bask
in　another's　glory；　Miss　Anthony　saw　in　his　inheritance　only　an
incentive　to　achieve　glory　for　himself。

From　a　hard…working　salesman　she　had　asked　but　little；　but　from
a　descendant　of　a　national　hero　she　expected　other　things。　She
was　a　determined　young　person；　and　for　David　she　was　an　ambitious
young　person。　She　found　she　was　dissatisfied。　She　found　she　was
disappointed。　The　great…great…grandfather　had　opened　up　a　new
horizonhad；　in　a　way；　raised　the　standard。　She　was　as　fond　of
David　as　always；　but　his　tales　of　past　wars　and　battles；　his
accounts　of　present　banquets　at　which　he　sat　shoulder　to　shoulder
with　men　of　whom　even　Burdett　and　Sons　spoke　with　awe；　touched
her　imagination。

〃You　shouldn't　be　content　to　just　wear　a　button；〃　she　urged。　〃If
you're　a　Son　of　Washington；　you　ought　to　act　like　one。〃

〃I　know　I'm　not　worthy　of　you；〃　David　sighed。

〃I　don't　mean　that；　and　you　know　I　don't；〃　Emily　replied
indignantly。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　me！　I　want　you　to　be
worthy　of　yourself；　of　your　grandpa　Hiram！〃

〃But　HOW？〃　complained　David。　〃What　chance　has　a　twenty…five
dollar　a　week　clerk〃

It　was　a　year　before　the　Spanish…American　War；　while　the　patriots
of　Cuba　were　fighting　the　mother　country　for　their　independence。

〃If　I　were　a　Son　of　the　Revolution；〃　said　Emily；　〃I'd　go　to　Cuba
and　help　free　it。〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense；〃　cried　David。　〃If　I　did　that　I'd　lose　my
job；　and　we'd　never　be　able　to　marry。　Besides；　what's　Cuba　done
for　me？　All　I　know　about　Cuba　is；　I　once　smoked　a　Cuban　cigar　and
it　made　me　ill。〃

〃Did　Lafayette　talk　like　that？〃　demanded　Emily。　〃Did　he　ask　what
have　the　American　rebels　ever　done　for　me？〃

〃If　I　were　in　Lafayette's　class；〃　sighed　David；　〃I　wouldn't　be
selling　automatic　punches。〃

〃There's　your　trouble；〃　declared　Emily　〃You　lack　self…
confidence。　You're　too　humble；　you've　got　fighting　blood　and　you
ought　to　keep　saying　to　yourself；　'Blood　will　tell；'　and　the
first　thing　you　know；　it　WILL　tell！　You　might　begin　by　going　into
politics　in　your　ward。　Or；　you　could　join　the　militia。　That　takes
only　one　night　a　week；　and　then；　if　we　DID　go　to　war　with　Spain；
you'd　get　a　commission；　and　come　back　a　captain！〃

Emily's　eyes　were　beautiful　with　delight。　But　the　sight　gave
David　no　pleasure。　In　genuine　distress；　he　shook　his　head。

〃Emily；〃　he　said；　〃you're　going　to　be　awfully　disappointed　in
me。〃

Emily's　eyes　closed　as　though　they　shied　at　some　mental　picture。
But　when　she　opened　them　they　were　bright；　and　her　smile　was　kind
and　eager。

〃No；　I'm　not；〃　she　protested；　〃only　I　want　a　husband　with　a
career；　and　one　who'll　tell　me　to　keep　quiet　when　I　try　to　run　it
for　him。〃

〃I've　often　wished　you　would；〃　said　David。

〃Would　what？　Run　your　career　for　you？〃

〃No；　keep　quiet。　Only　it　didn't　seem　polite　to　tell　you　so。〃

〃Maybe　I'd　like　you　better；〃　said　Emily；　〃if　you　weren't　so
darned　polite。〃

A　week　later；　early　in　the　spring　of　1897；　the　unexpected
happened；　and　David　was　promoted　into　the　flying　squadron。　He　now
was　a　travelling　salesman；　with　a　rise　in　salary　and　a　commission
on　orders。　It　was　a　step　forward；　but　as　going　on　the　road　meant
absence　from　Emily；　David　was　not　elated。　Nor　did　it　satisfy
Emily。　It　was　not　money　she　wanted。　Her　ambition　for　David　could
not　be　silenced　with　a　raise　in　wages。　She　did　not　say　this；　but
David　knew　that　in　him　she　still　found　something　lacking；　and
when　they　said　good…by　they　both　were　ill　at　ease　and　completely
unhappy。　Formerly；　each　day　when　Emily　in　passing　David　in　the
office　said　good…morning；　she　used　to　add　the　number　of　the　days
that　still　separated　them　from　the　vacation　which　also　was　to　be
their　honeymoon。　But；　for　the　last　month　she　had　stopped　counting
the　daysat　least　she　did　not　count　them　aloud。

David　did　not　ask　her　why　this　was　so。　He　did　not　dare。　And；
sooner　than　learn　the　truth　that　she　had　decided　not　to　marry
him；　or　that　she　was　even　considering　not　marrying　him；　he　asked
no　questions；　but　in　ignorance　of　her　present　feelings　set　forth
on　his　travels。　Absence　from　Emily　hurt　just　as　much　as　he　had
feared　it　would。　He　missed　her；　needed　her；　longed　for　her。　In
numerous　letters　he　told　her　so。　But；　owing　to　the　frequency　with
which　he　moved；　her　letters　never　caught　up　with　him。　It　was
almost　a　relief。　He　did　not　care　to　think　of　what　they　might　tell
him。

The　route　assigned　David　took　him　through　the　South　and　kept　him
close　to　the　Atlantic　seaboard。　In　obtaining　orders　he　was　not
unsuccessful；　and　at　the　end　of　the　first　month　received　from　the
firm　a　telegram　of　congratulation。　This　was　of　importance　chiefly
because　it　might　please　Emily。　But　he　knew　that　in　her　eyes　the
great…great…grandson　of　Hiram　Greene　could　not　rest　content　with
a　telegram　from　Burdett　and　Sons。　A　year　before　she　would　have
considered　it　a　high　honor；　a　cause　for　celebration。　Now；　he
could　see　her　press　her　pretty　lips　together　and　shake　her　pretty
head。　It　was　not　enough。　But　how　could　he　accomplish　more。　He
began　to　hate　his　great…great…grandfather。　He　began　to　wish　Hiram
Greene　had　lived　and　died　a　bachelor。

And　then　Dame　Fortune　took　David　in　hand　and　toyed　with　him　and
spanked　him；　and　pelted　and　petted　him；　until　finally　she　made
him　her　favorite　son。　Dame　Fortune　went　about　this　work　in　an
abrupt　and　arbitrary　manner。

On　the　night　of　the　1st　of　March；　1897；　two　trains　were　scheduled
to　leave　the　Union　Station　at　Jacksonville　at　exactly　the　same
minute；　and　they　left　exactly　on　time。　As　never　before　in　the
history　of　any　Southern　railroad　has　this　miracle　occurred；　it
shows　that　when　Dame　Fortune　gets　on　the　job　she　is　omnipotent。
She　placed　David　on　the　train　to　Miami　as　the　train　he　wanted
drew　out　for　Tampa；　and　an　hour　later；　when　the　conductor　looked
at　David's　ticket；　he　pulled　the　bell…cord　and　dumped　David　over
the　side　into　the　heart　of　a　pine　forest。　If　he　walked　back　along
the　track　for　one　mile；　the　conductor　reassured　him；　he　would
find　a　flag　station　where　at　midnight　he　could　flag　a　train　going
north。　In　an　hour　it　would　deliver　him　safely　in　Jacksonville。

There　was　a　moon；　but　for　the　greater　part　of　the　time　it　was
hidden　by　fitful；　hurrying　clouds；　and；　as　David　stumbled
forward；　at　one　moment　he　would　see　the　rails　like　streaks　of
silver；　and　the　next　would　be　encompassed　in　a　complete　and
bewildering　darkness。　He　made　his　way　from　tie　to　tie　only　by
feeling　with　his　foot。　After　an　hour　he　came　to　a　shed。　Whether
it　was　or　was　not　the　flag　station　the　conductor　had　in　mind；　he
did　not　know；　and　he　never　did　know。　He　was　too　tired；　too　hot；
and　too　disgusted　to　proceed；　and　dropping　his　suit　case　he　sat
down　under　the　open　roof　of　the　shed　prepared　to　wait　either　for
the　train　or　daylight。　So　far　as　he　could　see；　on　every　side　of
him　stretched　a　swamp；　silent；　dismal；　interminable。　From　its
black　water　rose　dead　trees；　naked　of　bark　and　hung　with
streamers　of　funereal　moss。　There　was　not　a　sound　or　sign　of
human　habitation。　The　silence　was　the　silence　of　the　ocean　at
night　David　remembered　the　berth　reserved　for　him　on　the　train　to
Tampa　and　of　the　loathing　with　which　he　had　considered　placing
himself　between　its　sheets。　But　now　how　gladly　would　he　welcome
it！　For；　in　the　sleeping…car；　ill…smelling；　close；　and　stuffy；　he
at　least　would　have　been　surrounded　by　fellow…sufferers　of　his
own　species。　Here　his　companions　were　owls；　water…snakes；　and
sleeping　buzzards。

I　am　alone；〃　he　told　himself；　〃on　a　railroad　embankment；　entirely
surrounded　by　alligators。〃

And　then　he　found　he　was　not　alone。

In　the　darkness；　illuminated　by　a　match；　not　a　hundred　yards　from
him　there　flashed　suddenly　the　face　of　a　man。　Then　the　match　went
out　and　the　face　with　it。　David　noted　that　it　had　appeared　at
some　height　above　the　level　of　the　swamp；　at　an　elevation　higher
even　than　that　of　the　embankment。　It　was　as　though　the　man　had
been　sitting　on　the　limb　of　a　tree。　David　crossed　the　tracks　and
found　that　on　the　side　of　the　embankment　opposite　the　shed　there
was　solid　ground　and　what　once　had　been　a　wharf。　He　advanced　over
this　cautiously；　and　as　he　did　so　the　clouds　disappeared；　and　in
the　full　light　of　the　moon　he　saw　a　bayou　broadening　into　a
river；　and　made　fast　to　the　decayed　and　rotting　wharf　an
ocean…going　tug。　It　was　from　her　deck　that　the　man；　in　lighting
his　pipe；　had　shown　his　face。　At　the　thought　of　a　warm
engine…room　and　the　company　of　his　fellow　creatures；　David's
heart　leaped　with　pleasure。　He　advanced　quickly。　And　then
something　in　the　appearance　of　the　tug；　something　mysterious；
secretive；　threatening；　caused　him　to　halt。　No　lights　showed　from
her　engine…room；　cabin；　or　pilot…house。　Her　decks　were　empty。
But；　as　was　evidenced　by　the　black　smoke　that　rose　from　her
funnel；　she　was　awake　and　awake　to　some　purpose。　David　stood
uncertainly；　questioning　whether　to　make　his　presence　known　or
return　to　the　loneliness　of　the　shed。　The　question　was　decided
for　him。　He　had　not　considered　that　standing　in　the　moonlight　he
was　a　conspicuous　figure。　The　planks　of　the　wharf　creaked　and　a
man　came　toward　him。　As　one　who　means　to　attack；　or　who　fears
attack；　he　approached　warily。　He　wore　high　boots；　riding
breeches；　and　a　sombrero。　He　was　a　little　man；　but　his　movements
were　alert　and　active。　To　David　he　seemed　unnecessarily　excited。
He　thrust　himself　close　against　David。

〃Who　the　devil　are　you？〃　demanded　the　man　from　the　tug。　〃How'd
you　get　here？〃

〃I　walked；〃　said　David。

〃Walked？〃　the　man　snorted　incredulously。

〃I　took　the　wrong　train；〃　explained　David　pleasantly。　〃They　put
me　off　about　a　mile　below　here。　I　walked　back　to　this　flag
station。　I'm　going　to　wait　here　for　the　next　train　north。〃

The　little　man　laughed　mockingly。

〃Oh；　no　you're　not；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　walked　here；　you　can　just
walk　away　again！〃　With　a　sweep　of　his　arm；　he　made　a　vigorous　and
peremptory　gesture。

〃You　walk！〃　he　commanded。

〃I'll　do　just　as　I　please　about　that；〃　said　David。

As　though　to　bring　assistance；　the　little　man　started　hastily
toward　the　tug。

〃I'll　find　some　one　who'll　make　you　walk！〃　he　called。　〃You　WAIT；
that's　all；　you　WAIT！〃

David　decided　not　to　wait。　It　was　possible　the　wharf　was　private
property　and　he　had　been　trespassing。　In　any　case；　at　the　flag
station　the　rights　of　all　men　were　equal；　and　if　he　were　in　for　a
fight　he　judged　it　best　to　choose　his　own　battle…ground。　He
recrossed　the　tracks　and　sat　down　on　his　suit　case　in　a　dark
corner　of　the　shed。　Himself　hidden　in　the　shadows　he　could　see　in
the　moonlight　the　approach　of　any　other　person。

〃They're　river　pirates；〃　said　David　to　himself；　〃or　smugglers。
They're　certainly　up　to　some　mischief；　or　why　should　they　object
to　the　presence　of　a　perfectly　harmless　stranger？〃

Partly　with　cold；　partly　with　nervousness；　David　shivered。

〃I　wish　that　train　would　come；〃　he　sighed。　And　instantly？　as
though　in　answer　to　his　wish；　from　only　a　short　distance　down　the
track　he　heard　the　rumble　and　creak　of　approaching　cars。　In　a
flash　David　planned　his　course　of　action。

The　thought　of　spendin