adventure-第43节

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d　the　handkerchief　around　his　neck　to　keep　off　the　stinging　gnats　that　lurked　in　the　grass。　Never　had　he　felt　so　great　a　disgust　for　the　thing　called　〃adventure。〃　　Joan　had　been　bad　enough；　with　her　Baden…Powell　and　long…barrelled　Colt's；　but　here　was　this　newcomer　also　looking　for　adventure；　and　finding　it　in　no　other　way　than　by　lugging　a　peace…　loving　planter　into　an　absurd　and　preposterous　bush…whacking　duel。　If　ever　adventure　was　well　damned；　it　was　by　Sheldon；　sweating　in　the　windless　grass　and　fighting　gnats；　the　while　he　kept　close　watch　up　and　down　the　avenue。

Then　Tudor　came。　　Sheldon　happened　to　be　looking　in　his　direction　at　the　moment　he　came　into　view；　peering　quickly　up　and　down　the　avenue　before　he　stepped　into　the　open。　　Midway　he　stopped；　as　if　debating　what　course　to　pursue。　　He　made　a　splendid　mark；　facing　his　concealed　enemy　at　two　hundred　yards'　distance。　　Sheldon　aimed　at　the　centre　of　his　chest；　then　deliberately　shifted　the　aim　to　his　right　shoulder；　and；　with　the　thought；　〃That　will　put　him　out　of　business；〃　pulled　the　trigger。　　The　bullet；　driving　with　momentum　sufficient　to　perforate　a　man's　body　a　mile　distant；　struck　Tudor　with　such　force　as　to　pivot　him；　whirling　him　half　around　by　the　shock　of　its　impact　and　knocking　him　down。

〃'Hope　I　haven't　killed　the　beggar；〃　Sheldon　muttered　aloud；　springing　to　his　feet　and　running　forward。

A　hundred　feet　away　all　anxiety　on　that　score　was　relieved　by　Tudor；　who　made　shift　with　his　left　hand；　and　from　his　automatic　pistol　hurled　a　rain　of　bullets　all　around　Sheldon。　　The　latter　dodged　behind　a　palm　trunk；　counting　the　shots；　and　when　the　eighth　had　been　fired　he　rushed　in　on　the　wounded　man。　　He　kicked　the　pistol　out　of　the　other's　hand；　and　then　sat　down　on　him　in　order　to　keep　him　down。

〃Be　quiet；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　got　you；　so　there's　no　use　struggling。〃

Tudor　still　attempted　to　struggle　and　to　throw　him　off。

〃Keep　quiet；　I　tell　you；〃　Sheldon　commanded。　　〃I'm　satisfied　with　the　outcome；　and　you've　got　to　be。　　So　you　might　as　well　give　in　and　call　this　affair　closed。〃

Tudor　reluctantly　relaxed。

〃Rather　funny；　isn't　it；　these　modern　duels？〃　　Sheldon　grinned　down　at　him　as　he　removed　his　weight。　　〃Not　a　bit　dignified。　　If　you'd　struggled　a　moment　longer　I'd　have　rubbed　your　face　in　the　earth。　I've　a　good　mind　to　do　it　anyway；　just　to　teach　you　that　duelling　has　gone　out　of　fashion。　　Now　let　us　see　to　your　injuries。〃

〃You　only　got　me　that　last；〃　Tudor　grunted　sullenly；　〃lying　in　ambush　like〃

〃Like　a　wild　Indian。　　Precisely。　　You've　caught　the　idea；　old　man。〃　Sheldon　ceased　his　mocking　and　stood　up。　　〃You　lie　there　quietly　until　I　send　back　some　of　the　boys　to　carry　you　in。　　You're　not　seriously　hurt；　and　it's　lucky　for　you　I　didn't　follow　your　example。　　If　you　had　been　struck　with　one　of　your　own　bullets；　a　carriage　and　pair　would　have　been　none　too　large　to　drive　through　the　hole　it　would　have　made。　　As　it　is；　you're　drilled　cleana　nice　little　perforation。　　All　you　need　is　antiseptic　washing　and　dressing；　and　you'll　be　around　in　a　month。　　Now　take　it　easy；　and　I'll　send　a　stretcher　for　you。〃



CHAPTER　XXVIIICAPITULATION



When　Sheldon　emerged　from　among　the　trees　he　found　Joan　waiting　at　the　compound　gate；　and　he　could　not　fail　to　see　that　she　was　visibly　gladdened　at　the　sight　of　him。

〃I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you；〃　was　her　greeting。　〃What's　become　of　Tudor？　　That　last　flutter　of　the　automatic　wasn't　nice　to　listen　to。　　Was　it　you　or　Tudor？〃

〃So　you　know　all　about　it；〃　he　answered　coolly。　　〃Well；　it　was　Tudor；　but　he　was　doing　it　left…handed。　　He's　down　with　a　hole　in　his　shoulder。〃　　He　looked　at　her　keenly。　　〃Disappointing；　isn't　it？〃　he　drawled。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　that　I　didn't　kill　him。〃

〃But　I　didn't　want　him　killed　just　because　he　kissed　me；〃　she　cried。

〃Oh；　he　did　kiss　you！〃　Sheldon　retorted；　in　evident　surprise。　　〃I　thought　you　said　he　hurt　your　arm。〃

〃One　could　call　it　a　kiss；　though　it　was　only　on　the　end　of　the　nose。〃　　She　laughed　at　the　recollection。　　〃But　I　paid　him　back　for　that　myself。　　I　boxed　his　face　for　him。　　And　he　did　hurt　my　arm。　It's　black　and　blue。　　Look　at　it。〃

She　pulled　up　the　loose　sleeve　of　her　blouse；　and　he　saw　the　bruised　imprints　of　two　fingers。

Just　then　a　gang　of　blacks　came　out　from　among　the　trees　carrying　the　wounded　man　on　a　rough　stretcher。

〃Romantic；　isn't　it？〃　Sheldon　sneered；　following　Joan's　startled　gaze。　　〃And　now　I'll　have　to　play　surgeon　and　doctor　him　up。　Funny；　this　twentieth…century　duelling。　　First　you　drill　a　hole　in　a　man；　and　next　you　set　about　plugging　the　hole　up。〃

They　had　stepped　aside　to　let　the　stretcher　pass；　and　Tudor；　who　had　heard　the　remark；　lifted　himself　up　on　the　elbow　of　his　sound　arm　and　said　with　a　defiant　grin；　…

〃If　you'd　got　one　of　mine　you'd　have　had　to　plug　with　a　dinner…　plate。〃

〃Oh；　you　wretch！〃　Joan　cried。　　〃You've　been　cutting　your　bullets。〃

〃It　was　according　to　agreement；〃　Tudor　answered。　　〃Everything　went。　We　could　have　used　dynamite　if　we　wanted　to。〃


〃He's　right；〃　Sheldon　assured　her；　as　they　swung　in　behind。　　〃Any　weapon　was　permissible。　　I　lay　in　the　grass　where　he　couldn't　see　me；　and　bushwhacked　him　in　truly　noble　fashion。　　That's　what　comes　of　having　women　on　the　plantation。　　And　now　it's　antiseptics　and　drainage　tubes；　I　suppose。　　It's　a　nasty　mess；　and　I'll　have　to　read　up　on　it　before　I　tackle　the　job。〃

〃I　don't　see　that　it's　my　fault；〃　she　began。　　〃I　couldn't　help　it　because　he　kissed　me。　　I　never　dreamed　he　would　attempt　it。〃

〃We　didn't　fight　for　that　reason。　　But　there　isn't　time　to　explain。　If　you'll　get　dressings　and　bandages　ready　I'll　look　up　'gun…shot　wounds'　and　see　what's　to　be　done。〃

〃Is　he　bleeding　seriously？〃　she　asked。

〃No；　the　bullet　seems　to　have　missed　the　important　arteries。　　But　that　would　have　been　a　pickle。〃

〃Then　there's　no　need　to　bother　about　reading　up；〃　Joan　said。　　〃And　I'm　just　dying　to　hear　what　it　was　all　about。　　The　Apostle　is　lying　becalmed　inside　the　point；　and　her　boats　are　out　to　wing。　　She'll　be　at　anchor　in　five　minutes；　and　Doctor　Welshmere　is　sure　to　be　on　board。　　So　all　we've　got　to　do　is　to　make　Tudor　comfortable。　　We'd　better　put　him　in　your　room　under　the　mosquito…netting；　and　send　a　boat　off　to　tell　Dr。　Welshmere　to　bring　his　instruments。〃

An　hour　afterward；　Dr。　Welshmere　left　the　patient　comfortable　and　attended　to；　and　went　down　to　the　beach　to　go　on　board；　promising　to　come　back　to　dinner。　　Joan　and　Sheldon；　standing　on　the　veranda；　watched　him　depart。

〃I'll　never　have　it　in　for　the　missionaries　again　since　seeing　them　here　in　the　Solomons；〃　she　said；　seating　herself　in　a　steamer…　chair。

She　looked　at　Sheldon　and　began　to　laugh。

〃That's　right；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　the　way　I　feel；　playing　the　fool　and　trying　to　murder　a　guest。〃

〃But　you　haven't　told　me　what　it　was　all　about。〃

〃You；〃　he　answered　shortly。

〃Me？　　But　you　just　said　it　wasn't。〃

〃Oh；　it　wasn't　the　kiss。〃　　He　walked　over　to　the　railing　and　leaned　against　it；　facing　her。　　〃But　it　was　about　you　all　the　same；　and　I　may　as　well　tell　you。　　You　remember；　I　warned　you　long　ago　what　would　happen　when　you　wanted　to　become　a　partner　in　Berande。　　Well；　all　the　beach　is　gossiping　about　it；　and　Tudor　persisted　in　repeating　the　gossip　to　me。　　So　you　see　it　won't　do　for　you　to　stay　on　here　under　present　conditions。　　It　would　be　better　if　you　went　away。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to　go　away；〃　she　objected　with　rueful　countenance。

〃A　chaperone；　then〃

〃No；　nor　a　chaperone。〃

〃But　you　surely　don't　expect　me　to　go　around　shooting　every　slanderer　in　the　Solomons　that　opens　his　mouth？〃　he　demanded　gloomily。

〃No；　nor　that　either；〃　she　answered　with　quick　impulsiveness。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　we'll　do。　　We'll　get　married　and　put　a　stop　to　it　all。　　There！〃

He　looked　at　her　in　amazement；　and　would　have　believed　that　she　was　making　fun　of　him　had　it　not　been　for　the　warm　blood　that　suddenly　suffused　her　cheeks。

〃Do　you　mean　that？〃　he　asked　unsteadily。　　〃Why？〃

〃To　put　a　stop　to　all　the　nasty　gossip　of　the　beach。　　That's　a　pretty　good　reason；　isn't　it？〃

The　temptation　was　strong　enough　and　sudden　enough　to　make　him　waver；　but　all　the　disgust　came　back　to　him　that　was　his　when　he　lay　in　the　grass　fighting　gnats　and　cursing　adventure；　and　he　answered；　…

〃No；　it　is　worse　than　no　reason　at　all。　　I　don't　care　to　marry　you　as　a　matter　of　expedience〃

〃You　are　the　most　ridiculous　creature！〃　she　broke　in；　with　a　flash　of　her　old…time　anger。　　〃You　talk　love　and　marriage　to　me；　very　much　against　my　wish；　and　go　mooning　around　over　the　plantation　week　after　week　because　you　can't　have　me；　and　look　at　me　when　you　think　I'm　not　noticing　and　when　all　the　time　I'm　wondering　when　you　had　your　last　square　meal　because　of　the　hungry　look　in　your　eyes；　and　make　eyes　at　my　revolver…belt　hanging　on　a　nail；　and　fight　duels　about　me；　and　all　the　restandand　now；　when　I　say　I'll　marry　you；　you　do　yourself　the　honour　of　refusing　me。〃

〃You　can't　make　me　any　more　ridiculous　than　I　feel；〃　he　answered；　rubbing　the　lump　on　his　forehead　reflectively。　　〃And　if　this　is　the　accepted　romantic　programmea　duel　over　a　girl；　and　the　girl　rushing　into　the　arms　of　the　winnerwhy；　I　shall