the red cross girl-第34章

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himself　an　ace　from　the　bottom　of　the　pack。　It's　a　pity！　He's　a
nice…looking　lad。〃

I　asked　what　the　excited　Smedburg　had　meant　by　telling　Talbot　not
to　call　himself　Meyer。

〃They　accused　him　of　travelling　under　a　false　name；〃　explained
the　purser；　〃and　he　told　'em　he　did　it　to　dodge　the　ship's　news
reporters。　Then　he　said　he　really　was　a　brother　of　Adolph　Meyer；
the　banker；　but　it　seems　Smedburg　is　a　friend　of　Meyer's；　and　he
called　him　hard！　It　was　a　silly　ass　thing　to　do；〃　protested　the
purser。　〃Everybody　knows　Meyer　hasn't　a　brother；　and　if　he　hadn't
made　THAT　break　he　might　have　got　away　with　the　other　one。　But
now　this　Smedburg　is　going　to　wireless　ahead　to　Mr。　Meyer　and　to
the　police。〃

〃Has　he　no　other　way　of　spending　his　money？〃　I　asked。

〃He's　a　confounded　nuisance！〃　growled　the　purser。　〃He　wants　to
show　us　he　knows　Adolph　Meyer；　wants　to　put　Meyer　under　an
obligation。　It　means　a　scene　on　the　wharf；　and　newspaper　talk；
and；〃　he　added　with　disgust；　〃these　smoking…room　rows　never
helped　any　line。〃

I　went　in　search　of　Talbot；　partly　because　I　knew　he　was　on　the
verge　of　a　collapse；　partly；　as　I　frankly　admitted　to　myself；
because　I　was　sorry　the　young　man　had　come　to　grief。　I　searched
the　snow…swept　decks；　and　then；　after　threading　my　way　through
faintly　lit　tunnels；　I　knocked　at　his　cabin。　The　sound　of　his
voice　gave　me　a　distinct　feeling　of　relief。　But　he　would　not
admit　me。　Through　the　closed　door　he　declared　he　was　〃all　right；〃
wanted　no　medical　advice；　and　asked　only　to　resume　the　sleep　he
claimed　I　had　broken。　I　left　him；　not　without　uneasiness；　and　the
next　morning　the　sight　of　him　still　in　the　flesh　was　a　genuine
thrill。　I　found　him　walking　the　deck　carrying　himself
nonchalantly　and　trying　to　appear　unconscious　of　the
glancesamused；　contemptuous；　hostilethat　were　turned　toward
him。　He　would　have　passed　me　without　speaking；　but　I　took　his　arm
and　led　him　to　the　rail。　We　had　long　passed　quarantine　and　a
convoy　of　tugs　were　butting　us　into　the　dock。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。

〃Doesn't　depend　on　me；〃　he　said。　〃Depends　on　Smedburg。　He's　a
busy　little　body！〃

The　boy　wanted　me　to　think　him　unconcerned；　but　beneath　the
flippancy　I　saw　the　nerves　jerking。　Then　quite　simply　he　began　to
tell　me。　He　spoke　in　a　low；　even　monotone；　dispassionately；　as
though　for　him　the　incident　no　longer　was　of　interest。

〃They　were　watching　me；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　knew　they　were；　and
besides；　no　matter　how　close　they　watched　I　could　have　done　what
they　said　I　did　and　they'd　never　have　seen　it。　But　I　didn't。〃

My　scepticism　must　have　been　obvious；　for　he　shook　his　head。

〃I　didn't！〃　he　repeated　stubbornly。　〃I　didn't　have　to！　I　was
playing　in　luckwonderful　lucksheer；　dumb　luck。　I　couldn't
HELP　winning。　But　because　I　was　winning　and　because　they　were
watching；　I　was　careful　not　to　win　on　my　own　deal。　I　laid　down；
or　played　to　lose。　It　was　the　cards　they　GAVE　me　I　won　with。　And
when　they　jumped　me　I　told　'em　that。　I　could　have　proved　it　if
they'd　listened。　But　they　were　all　up　in　the　air；　shouting　and
spitting　at　me。　They　believed　what　they　wanted　to　believe；　they
didn't　want　the　facts。〃

It　may　have　been　credulous　of　me；　but　I　felt　the　boy　was　telling
the　truth；　and　I　was　deeply　sorry　he　had　not　stuck　to　it。　So；
rather　harshly；　I　said：

〃They　didn't　want　you　to　tell　them　you　were　a　brother　to　Adolph
Meyer；　either。　Why　did　you　think　you　could　get　away　with　anything
like　that？〃

Talbot　did　not　answer。

〃Why？〃　I　insisted。

The　boy　laughed　impudently。

〃How　the　devil　was　I　to　know　he　hadn't　a　brother？〃　he　protested。
〃It　was　a　good　name；　and　he's　a　Jew；　and　two　of　the　six　who　were
in　the　game　are　Jews。　You　know　how　they　stick　together。　I　thought
they　might　stick　by　me。〃

〃But　you；〃　I　retorted　impatiently；　〃are　not　a　Jew！〃

〃I　am　not；〃　said　Talbot；　〃but　I've　often　SAID　I　was。　It's
helpedlots　of　times。　If　I'd　told　you　my　name　was　Cohen；　or
Selinsky；　or　Meyer；　instead　of　Craig　Talbot；　YOU'D　have　thought
I　was　a　Jew。〃　He　smiled　and　turned　his　face　toward　me。　As　though
furnishing　a　description　for　the　police；　he　began　to　enumerate：

〃Hair；　dark　and　curly；　eyes；　poppy；　lips；　full；　nose；　Roman　or
Hebraic；　according　to　taste。　Do　you　see？〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃But　it　didn't　work；〃　he　concluded。　〃I　picked　the　wrong　Jew。〃

His　face　grew　serious。　〃Do　you　suppose　that　Smedburg　person　has
wirelessed　that　banker？〃

I　told　him　I　was　afraid　he　had　already　sent　the　message。

〃And　what　will　Meyer　do？〃　he　asked。　〃Will　he　drop　it　or　make　a
fuss？　What　sort　is　he？〃

Briefly　I　described　Adolph　Meyer。　I　explained　him　as　the　richest
Hebrew　in　New　York；　given　to　charity；　to　philanthropy；　to　the
betterment　of　his　own　race。

〃Then　maybe；〃　cried　Talbot　hopefully；　〃he　won't　make　a　row；　and
my　family　won't　hear　of　it！〃

He　drew　a　quick　breath　of　relief。　As　though　a　burden　had　been
lifted；　his　shoulders　straightened。

And　then　suddenly；　harshly；　in　open　panic；　he　exclaimed　aloud：

〃Look！〃　he　whispered。　〃There；　at　the　end　of　the　wharfthe　little
Jew　in　furs！〃

I　followed　the　direction　of　his　eyes。　Below　us　on　the　dock；
protected　by　two　obvious　members　of　the　strong…arm　squad；　the
great　banker；　philanthropist；　and　Hebrew；　Adolph　Meyer；　was
waiting。

We　were　so　close　that　I　could　read　his　face。　It　was　stern；　set；
the　face　of　a　man　intent　upon　his　duty；　unrelenting。　Without
question；　of　a　bad　business　Mr。　Smedburg　had　made　the　worst。　I
turned　to　speak　to　Talbot　and　found　him　gone。

His　silent　slipping　away　filled　me　with　alarm。　I　fought　against　a
growing　fear。　How　many　minutes　I　searched　for　him　I　do　not　know。
It　seemed　many　hours。　His　cabin；　where　first　I　sought　him；　was
empty　and　dismantled；　and　by　that　I　was　reminded　that　if　for　any
desperate　purpose　Talbot　were　seeking　to　conceal　himself　there
now　were　hundreds　of　other　empty；　dismantled　cabins　in　which　he
might　hide。　To　my　inquiries　no　one　gave　heed。　In　the　confusion　of
departure　no　one　had　observed　him；　no　one　was　in　a　humor　to　seek
him　out；　the　passengers　were　pressing　to　the　gangway；　the
stewards　concerned　only　in　counting　their　tips。　From　deck　to
deck；　down　lane　after　lane　of　the　great　floating　village；　I
raced　blindly；　peering　into　half…opened　doors；　pushing　through
groups　of　men；　pursuing　some　one　in　the　distance　who　appeared　to
be　the　man　I　sought；　only　to　find　he　was　unknown　to　me。　When　I
returned　to　the　gangway　the　last　of　the　passengers　was　leaving
it。

I　was　about　to　follow　to　seek　for　Talbot　in　the　customs　shed　when
a　white…faced　steward　touched　my　sleeve。　Before　he　spoke　his　look
told　me　why　I　was　wanted。

〃The　ship's　surgeon；　sir；〃　he　stammered；　〃asks　you　please　to
hurry　to　the　sick…bay。　A　passenger　has　shot　himself！〃

On　the　bed；　propped　up　by　pillows；　young　Talbot；　with　glazed；
shocked　eyes；　stared　at　me。　His　shirt　had　been　cut　away；　his
chest　lay　bare。　Against　his　left　shoulder　the　doctor　pressed　a
tiny　sponge　which　quickly　darkened。

I　must　have　exclaimed　aloud；　for　the　doctor　turned　his　eyes。

〃It　was　HE　sent　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　he　doesn't　need　you。
Fortunately；　he's　a　damned　bad　shot！〃

The　boy's　eyes　opened　wearily；　before　we　could　prevent　it　he
spoke。

〃I　was　so　tired；〃　he　whispered。　〃Always　moving　me　on。　I　was　so　
tired！〃

Behind　me　came　heavy　footsteps；　and　though　with　my　arm　I　tried　to
bar　them　out；　the　two　detectives　pushed　into　the　doorway。　They
shoved　me　to　one　side　and　through　the　passage　made　for　him　came
the　Jew　in　the　sable　coat；　Mr。　Adolph　Meyer。

For　an　instant　the　little　great　man　stood　with　wide；　owl…like
eyes；　staring　at　the　face　on　the　pillow。

Then　he　sank　softly　to　his　knees。　In　both　his　hands　he　caught　the
hand　of　the　card…sharp。

〃Heine！〃　he　begged。　〃Don't　you　know　me？　It　is　your　brother
Adolph；　your　little　brother　Adolph！〃






End