the red cross girl-第20章

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a　blind。　You　came　to　volunteer　for　this　expedition。　Before　you
could　explain　your　wish　you　were　mistaken　for　a　secret…service
man；　and　hustled　on　board。　That　was　just　where　you　wanted　to　be；
and　when　the　moment　arrived　you　took　command　of　the　ship　and
single…handed　won　the　naval　battle　of　Nipe　Bay。〃

Jimmy　Doyle　nodded　his　head　approvingly。　〃You　certainty　did；
Dave；〃　protested　the　great　man；　〃I　seen　you　when　you　done　it！〃

At　Key　West　Carr　filed　his　story　and　while　the　hospital　surgeons
kept　David　there　over　one　steamer；　to　dress　his　wounds；　his　fame
and　features　spread　across　the　map　of　the　United　States。

Burdett　and　Sons　basked　in　reflected　glory。　Reporters　besieged
their　office。　At　the　Merchants　Down…Town　Club　the　business　men　of
lower　Broadway　tendered　congratulations。

〃Of　course；　it's　a　great　surprise　to　us；〃　Burdett　and　Sons　would
protest　and　wink　heavily。　〃Of　course；　when　the　boy　asked　to　be
sent　South　we'd　no　idea　he　was　planning　to　fight　for　Cuba！　Or　we
wouldn't　have　let　him　go；　would　we？〃　Then　again　they　would　wink
heavily。　〃I　suppose　you　know；〃　they　would　say；　〃that　he's　a
direct　descendant　of　General　Hiram　Greene；　who　won　the　battle　of
Trenton。　What　I　say　is；　'Blood　will　tell！'〃　And　then　in　a　body
every　one　in　the　club　would　move　against　the　bar　and　exclaim：
〃Here's　to　Cuba　libre！〃

When　the　Olivette　from　Key　West　reached　Tampa　Bay　every　Cuban　in
the　Tampa　cigar　factories　was　at　the　dock。　There　were　thousands
of　them　and　all　of　the　Junta；　in　high　hats；　to　read　David　an
address　of　welcome。

And；　when　they　saw　him　at　the　top　of　the　gang…plank　with　his　head
in　a　bandage　and　his　arm　in　a　sling；　like　a　mob　of　maniacs　they
howled　and　surged　toward　him。　But　before　they　could　reach　their
hero　the　courteous　Junta　forced　them　back；　and　cleared　a　pathway
for　a　young　girl。　She　was　travel…worn　and　pale；　her　shirt…waist
was　disgracefully　wrinkled；　her　best　hat　was　a　wreck。　No　one　on
Broadway　would　have　recognized　her　as　Burdett　and　Sons'　most
immaculate　and　beautiful　stenographer。

She　dug　the　shapeless　hat　into　David's　shoulder；　and　clung　to
him。　〃David！〃　she　sobbed；　〃promise　me　you'll　never；　never　do　it
again！〃

　

Chapter　5。　THE　SAILORMAN

Before　Latimer　put　him　on　watch；　the　Nantucket　sailorman　had　not
a　care　in　the　world。　If　the　wind　blew　from　the　north；　he　spun　to
the　left；　if　it　came　from　the　south；　he　spun　to　the　right。　But　it
was　entirely　the　wind　that　was　responsible。　So；　whichever　way　he
turned；　he　smiled　broadly；　happily。　His　outlook　upon　the　world
was　that　of　one　who　loved　his　fellowman。　He　had　many　brothers　as
like　him　as　twins　all　over　Nantucket　and　Cape　Cod　and　the　North
Shore；　smiling　from　the　railings　of　verandas；　from　the　roofs　of
bungalows；　from　the　eaves　of　summer　palaces。　Empaled　on　their
little　iron　uprights；　each　sailorman　whirledsometimes
languidly；　like　a　great　lady　revolving　to　the　slow　measures　of　a
waltz；　sometimes　so　rapidly　that　he　made　you　quite　dizzy；　and　had
he　not　been　a　sailorman　with　a　heart　of　oak　and　a　head　and
stomach　of　pine；　he　would　have　been　quite　seasick。　But　the
particular　sailorman　that　Latimer　bought　for　Helen　Page　and　put
on　sentry　duty　carried　on　his　shoulders　most　grave　and　unusual
responsibilities。　He　was　the　guardian　of　a　buried　treasure；　the
keeper　of　the　happiness　of　two　young　people。　It　was　really　asking
a　great　deal　of　a　care…free；　happy…go…lucky　weather…vane。

Every　summer　from　Boston　Helen　Page's　people　had　been　coming　to
Fair　Harbor。　They　knew　it　when　what　now　is　the　polo　field　was
their　cow　pasture。　And　whether　at　the　age　of　twelve　or　of　twenty
or　more；　Helen　Page　ruled　Fair　Harbor。　When　she　arrived　the
〃season〃　opened；　when　she　departed　the　local　trades…people
sighed　and　began　to　take　account　of　stock。　She　was　so　popular
because　she　possessed　charm；　and　because　she　played　no　favorites。
To　the　grooms　who　held　the　ponies　on　the　sidelines　her　manner　was
just　as　simple　and　interested　as　it　was　to　the　gilded　youths　who
came　to　win　the　championship　cups　and　remained　to　try　to　win
Helen。　She　was　just　as　genuinely　pleased　to　make　a　four　at　tennis
with　the　〃kids〃　as　to　take　tea　on　the　veranda　of　the　club…house
with　the　matrons。　To　each　her　manner　was　always　as　though　she
were　of　their　age。　When　she　met　the　latter　on　the　beach　road；　she
greeted　them　riotously　and　joyfully　by　their　maiden　names。　And
the　matrons　liked　it。　In　comparison　the　deference　shown　them　by
the　other　young　women　did　not　so　strongly　appeal。

〃When　I'm　jogging　along　in　my　station　wagon；〃　said　one　of　them；
〃and　Helen　shrieks　and　waves　at　me　from　her　car；　I　feel　as　though
I　were　twenty；　and　I　believe　that　she　is　really　sorry　I　am　not
sitting　beside　her；　instead　of　that　good…looking　Latimer　man；
who　never　wears　a　hat。　Why　does　he　never　wear　a　hat？　Because　he
knows　he's　good…looking；　or　because　Helen　drives　so　fast　he　can't
keep　it　on？〃

〃Does　he　wear　a　hat　when　he　is　not　with　Helen？〃　asked　the　new
arrival。　〃That　might　help　some。〃

〃We　will　never　know；〃　exclaimed　the　young　matron；　〃he　never
leaves　her。〃

This　was　so　true　that　it　had　become　a　public　scandal。　You　met
them　so　many　times　a　day　driving　together；　motoring　together；
playing　golf　together；　that　you　were　embarrassed　for　them　and　did
not　know　which　way　to　look。　But　they　gloried　in　their　shame。　If
you　tactfully　pretended　not　to　see　them；　Helen　shouted　at　you。
She　made　you　feel　you　had　been　caught　doing　something　indelicate
and　underhand。

The　mothers　of　Fair　Harbor　were　rather　slow　in　accepting　young
Latimer。　So　many　of　their　sons　had　seen　Helen　shake　her　head　in
that　inarticulate；　worried　way；　and　look　so　sorry　for　them；　that
any　strange　young　man　who　apparently　succeeded　where　those　who
had　been　her　friends　for　years　had　learned　they　must　remain
friends；　could　not　hope　to　escape　criticism。　Besides；　they　did
not　know　him：　he　did　not　come　from　Boston　and　Harvard；　but　from　a
Western　city。　They　were　told　that　at　home；　at　both　the　law　and
the　game　of　politics；　he　worked　hard　and　successfully；　but　it　was
rather　held　against　him　by　the　youth　of　Fair　Harbor　that　he
played　at　there　games；　not　so　much　for　the　sake　of　the　game　as
for　exercise。　He　put　aside　many　things；　such　as　whiskey　and　soda
at　two　in　the　morning；　and　bridge　all　afternoon；　with　the　remark：
〃I　find　it　does　not　tend　toward　efficiency。〃　It　was　a　remark　that
irritated　and；　to　the　minds　of　the　men　at　the　country　clubs；
seemed　to　place　him。　They　liked　to　play　polo　because　they　liked
to　play　polo；　not　because　it　kept　their　muscles　limber　and　their
brains　clear。

〃Some　Western　people　were　telling　me；〃　said　one　of　the　matrons；
〃that　he　wants　to　be　the　next　lieutenant…governor。　They　say　he　is
very　ambitious　and　very　selfish。〃

〃Any　man　is　selfish；〃　protested　one　who　for　years　had　attempted
to　marry　Helen；　〃who　wants　to　keep　Helen　to　himself。　But　that　he
should　wish　to　be　a　lieutenant…governor；　too；　is　rather　an
anticlimax。　It　makes　one　lose　sympathy。〃

Latimer　went　on　his　way　without　asking　any　sympathy。　The
companionship　of　Helen　Page　was　quite　sufficient。　He　had　been
working　overtime　and　was　treating　himself　to　his　first　vacation
in　yearshe　was　younghe　was　in　love　and　he　was　very　happy。　Nor
was　there　any　question；　either；　that　Helen　Page　was　happy。　Those
who　had　known　her　since　she　was　a　child　could　not　remember　when
she　had　not　been　happy；　but　these　days　she　wore　her　joyousness
with　a　difference。　It　was　in　her　eyes；　in　her　greetings　to　old
friends：　it　showed　itself　hourly　in　courtesies　and　kindnesses。
She　was　very　kind　to　Latimer；　too。　She　did　not　deceive　him。　She
told　him　she　liked　better　to　be　with　him　than　with　any　one
else；it　would　have　been　difficult　to　deny　to　him　what　was
apparent　to　an　entire　summer　colony；but　she　explained　that　that
did　not　mean　she　would　marry　him。　She　announced　this　when　the
signs　she　knew　made　it　seem　necessary。　She　announced　it　in　what
was　for　her　a　roundabout　way；　by　remarking　suddenly　that　she　did
not　intend　to　marry　for　several　years。

This　brought　Latimer　to　his　feet　and　called　forth　from　him
remarks　so　eloquent　that　Helen　found　it　very　difficult　to　keep
her　own。　She　as　though　she　had　been　caught　in　an　undertow　and　was
being　whirled　out　to　sea。　When；　at　last；　she　had　regained　her
breath；　only　because　Latimer　had　paused　to　catch　his；　she　shook
her　head　miserably。

〃The　trouble　is；〃　she　complained；　〃there　are　so　many　think　the
same　thing！〃

〃What　do　they　think？〃　demanded　Latimer。

〃That　they　want　to　marry　me。〃

Checked　but　not　discouraged；　Latimer　attacked　in　force。

〃I　can　quite　believe　that；〃　he　agreed；　〃but　there's　this
important　difference：　no　matter　how　much　a　man　wants　to　marry
you；　he　can't　LOVE　you　as　I　do！〃

〃That's　ANOTHER　thing　they　think；〃　sighed　Helen。

〃I'm　sorry　to　be　so　unoriginal；〃　snapped　Latimer。

〃PLEASE　don't！〃　pleaded　Helen。　〃I　don't　mean　to　be　unfeeling。　I'm
not　unfeeling。　I'm　only　trying　to　be　fair。　If　I　don't　seem　to
take　it　to　heart；　it's　because　I　know　it　does　no　good。　I　can　see
how　miserable　a　girl　must　be　if　she　is　loved　by　one　man　and　can't
make　up　her　mind　whether　or　not　she　wants　to　marry　him。　But　when
there's　so　many　she　just　stops　worrying；　for　she　can't　possibly
marry　them　all。〃

〃ALL！〃　exclaimed　Latimer。　〃It　is　incredible　that　I　have
undervalued　you；　but　may　I　ask　how　many　there　are？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　sighed　Helen　miserably。　〃There　seems　to　be
something　about　me　that〃

〃There　is！〃　interrupted　Latimer。　〃I've　noticed　it。　You　don't　have
to　tell　me　about　it。　I　know　that　the　Helen　Page　habit　is　a　damned
difficult　habit　to　break！〃

It　cannot　be　said　that　he　made　any　violent　effort　to　break　it。　At
least；　not　one　that　was　obvious　to　Fair　Harbor　or　to　Helen。

One　of　their　favorite　drives　was　through　the　pine　woods　to　the
point　on　which　stood　the　lighthouse；　and　on　one　of　these
excursions　they　explored　a　forgotten　wood　road　and　came　out　upon
a　cliff。　The　cliff　overlooked　the　sea；　and　below　it　was　a　jumble
of　rocks　with　which　the　waves　played　hide　and　seek。　On　many
afternoons　and　mornings　they　returned　to　this　place；　and；　while
Latimer　read　to　her；　Helen　would　sit　with　her　back　to　a　tree　and
toss　pine…cones　into　the　water。　Sometimes　the　poets　whose　works
he　read　made　love　so　charmingly　that　Latimer　was　most　grateful　to
them　for　rendering　such　excellent　first　aid　to　the　wounded；　and
into　his　voice　he　would　throw　all　that　feeling　and　music　that
from　juries　and　mass　meetings　had　dragged　tears　and　cheers　and
votes。

But　when　his　voice　became　so　appealing　that　it　no　longer　was
possible　for　any　woman　to　resist　it；　Helen　would　exclaim
excitedly：　〃Please　excuse　me　for　interrupting；　but　there　is　a
large　spider〃　and　the　spell　was　gone。

One　day　she　exclaimed：　〃Oh！〃　and　Latimer　patiently　lowered　the
〃Oxford　Book　of　Verse；〃　and　asked：　〃What　is　it；　NOW？〃

〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　Helen　said；　〃but　I　can't　help　watching　that
Chapman　boy；　he's　only　got　one　reef　in；　and　the　next　time　he　jibs
he'll　capsize；　and　he　can't　swim；　and　he'll　drown。　I　told　his
mother　only　yesterday〃

〃I　haven't　the　least　interest　in　the　Chapman　boy；〃　said　Latimer；
〃or　in　what　you　told　his　mother；　or　whether　he　drowns　or　not！　I'm
a　drowning　man　myself！〃

Helen　shook　her　head　firmly　and　repr