the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第21章
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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。
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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
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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
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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 spending the night in a swamp infested by alligators
and smugglers had become intolerable。 He must escape； and he must
escape by the train now approaching。 To that end the train must be stopped。
His plan was simple。 The train was moving very； very slowly； and though
he had no lantern to wave； in order to bring it to a halt he need only stand
on the track exposed to the glare of the headlight and wave his arms。
David sprang between the rails and gesticulated wildly。 But in amazement
his arms fell to his sides。 For the train； now only a hundred yards distant
and creeping toward him at a snail's pace； carried no head…light； and
though in the moonlight David was plainly visible； it blew no whistle；
tolled no bell。 Even the passenger coaches in the rear of the sightless
engine were wrapped in darkness。 It was a ghost of a train； a Flying
Dutchman of a train； a nightmare of a train。 It was as unreal as the black
swamp； as the moss on the dead trees； as the ghostly tug…boat tied to the
rotting wharf。
〃Is the place haunted！〃 exclaimed David。
He was answered by the grinding of brakes and by the train coming to
a sharp halt。 And instantly from every side men fell from it to the ground；
and the silence of the night was broken by a confusion of calls and eager
greeting and questions and sharp words of command。
So fascinated was David in the stealthy arrival of the train and in her
mysterious passengers that； until they confronted him； he did not note the
equally stealthy approach of three men。 Of these one was the little man
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from the tug。 With him was a fat； red…faced Irish…American He wore no
coat and his shirt…sleeves were drawn away from his hands by garters of
pink elastic； his derby hat was balanced behind his ears； upon his right
hand flashed an enormous diamond。 He looked as though but at that
moment he had stopped sliding glasses across a Bowery bar。 The third
man carried the outward marks of a sailor。 David believed he was the
tallest man he had ever beheld； but equally remarkable with his height was
his beard and hair； which were of a fierce brick…dust red。 Even in the mild
moonlight it flamed like a torch。
〃What's your business？〃 demanded the man with the flamboyant hair。
〃I came here；〃 began David； 〃to wait for a train〃
The tall man bellowed with indignant rage。
〃Yes；〃 he shouted； 〃this is the sort of place any one would pick out to
wait for a train！〃
In front of David's nose he shook a fist as l
