the red cross girl-第21节

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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　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　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　rema