the red cross girl-第25节

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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　reprovingly。　〃Men　get　over　THAT
kind　of　drowning；〃　she　said。

〃Not　THIS　kind　of　man　doesn't！〃　said　Latimer。　〃And　don't　tell
me；〃　he　cried　indignantly；　〃that　that's　ANOTHER　thing　they　all
say。〃

〃If　one　could　only　be　sure！〃　sighed　Helen。　〃If　one　could　only　be
sure　that　youthat　the　right　man　would　keep　on　caring　after　you
marry　him　the　way　he　says　he　cares　before　you　marry　him。　If　you
could　know　that；　it　would　help　you　a　lot　in　making　up　your　mind。〃

〃There　is　only　one　way　to　find　that　out；〃　said　Latimer；　〃that　is
to　marry　him。　I　mean；　of　course；〃　he　corrected　hastily；　〃to　marry
me。〃

One　day；　when　on　their　way　to　the　cliff　at　the　end　of　the　wood
road；　the　man　who　makes　the　Nantucket　sailor　and　peddles　him
passed　through　the　village；　and　Latimer　bought　the　sailorman　and
carried　him　to　their　hiding…place。　There　he　fastened　him　to　the
lowest　limb　of　one　of　the　ancient　pine…trees　that　helped　to
screen　their　hiding…place　from　the　world。　The　limb　reached　out
free　of　the　other　branches；　and　the　wind　caught　the　sailorman
fairly　and　spun　him　like　a　dancing　dervish。　Then　it　tired　of　him；
and　went　off　to　try　to　drown　the　Chapman　boy；　leaving　the
sailorman　motionless　with　his　arms　outstretched；　balancing　in
each　hand　a　tiny　oar　and　smiling　happily。

〃He　has　a　friendly　smile；〃　said　Helen；　〃I　think　he　likes　us。〃

〃He　is　on　guard；〃　Latimer　explained。　〃I　put　him　there　to　warn　us
if　any　one　approaches；　and　when　we　are　not　here；　he　is　to
frighten　away　trespassers。　Do　you　understand？〃　he　demanded　of　the
sailorman。　〃Your　duty　is　to　protect　this　beautiful　lady。　So　long
as　I　love　her　you　must　guard　this　place。　It　is　a　life　sentence。
You　are　always　on　watch。　You　never　sleep。　You　are　her　slave。　She
says　you　have　a　friendly　smile。　She　wrongs　you。　It　is　a
beseeching；　abject；　worshipping　smile。　I　am　sure　when　I　look　at
her　mine　is　equally　idiotic。　In　fact；　we　are　in　many　ways　alike。
I　also　am　her　slave。　I　also　am　devoted　only　to　her　service。　And　I
never　sleep；　at　least　not　since　I　met　her。〃

From　her　throne　among　the　pine　needles　Helen　looked　up　at　the
sailorman　and　frowned。

〃It　is　not　a　happy　simile；〃　she　objected。　〃For　one　thing；　a
sailorman　has　a　sweetheart　in　every　port。〃

〃Wait　and　see；〃　said　Latimer。

〃And；〃　continued　the　girl　with　some　asperity；　〃if　there　is
anything　on　earth　that　changes　its　mind　as　often　as　a
weather…vane；　that　is　less　CERTAIN；　less　CONSTANT〃

〃Constant？〃　Latimer　laughed　at　her　in　open　scorn。　〃You　come　back
here；〃　he　challenged；　〃months　from　now；　years　from　now；　when　the
winds　have　beaten　him；　and　the　sun　blistered　him；　and　the　snow
frozen　him；　and　you　will　find　him　smiling　at　you　just　as　he　is
now；　just　as　confidently；　proudly；　joyously；　devotedly。　Because
those　who　are　your　slaves；　those　who　love　YOU；　cannot　come　to　any
harm；　only　if　you　disown　them；　only　if　you　drive　them　away！

The　sailorman；　delighted　at　such　beautiful　language；　threw
himself　about　in　a　delirium　of　joy。　His　arms　spun　in　their
sockets　like　Indian　clubs；　his　oars　flashed　in　the　sun；　and　his
eyes　and　lips　were　fixed　in　one　blissful；　long…drawn…out；
unalterable　smile。

When　the　golden…rod　turned　gray；　and　the　leaves　red　and　yellow；
and　it　was　time　for　Latimer　to　return　to　his　work　in　the　West；　he
came　to　say　good…by。　But　the　best　Helen　could　do　to　keep　hope
alive　in　him　was　to　say　that　she　was　glad　he　cared。　She　added　it
was　very　helpful　to　think　that　a　man　such　as　he　believed　you　were
so　fine　a　person；　and　during　the　coming　winter　she　would　try　to
be　like　the　fine　person　he　believed　her　to　be；　but　which；　she
assured　him；　she　was　not。

Then　he　told　her　again　she　was　the　most　wonderful　being　in　the
world；　to　which　she　said：　〃Oh；　indeed　no！〃　and　then；　as　though　he
were　giving　her　a　cue；　he　said：　〃Good…by！〃　But　she　did　not　take
up　his　cue；　and　they　shook　hands。　He　waited；　hardly　daring　to
breathe。

〃Surely；　now　that　the　parting　has　come；〃　he　assured　himself；　〃she
will　make　some　sign；　she　will　give　me　a　word；　a　look　that　will
write　'total'　under　the　hours　we　have　spent　together；　that　will
help　to　carry　me　through　the　long　winter。〃

But　he　held　her　hand　so　long　and　looked　at　her　so　hungrily　that
he　really　forced　her　to　say：　〃Don't　miss　your　train；〃　which　kind
consideration　for　his　comfort　did　not　delight　him　as　it　should。
Nor；　indeed；　later　did　she　herself　recall　the　remark　with
satisfaction。

With　Latimer　out　of　the　way　the　other　two　hundred　and　forty…nine
suitor　attacked　with　renewed　hope。　Among　other　advantages　they
had　over　Latimer　was　that　they　were　on　the　ground。　They　saw　Helen
daily；　at　dinners；　dances；　at　the　country　clubs；　in　her　own
drawing…room。　Like　any　sailor　from　the　Charlestown　Navy　Yard　and
his　sweetheart；　they　could　walk　beside　her　in　the　park　and　throw
peanuts　to　the　pigeons；　and　scratch　dates　and　initials　on　the
green　benches；　they　could　walk　with　her　up　one　side　of
Commonwealth　Avenue　and　down　the　south　bank　of　the　Charles；　when
the　sun　was　gilding　the　dome　of　the　State　House；　when　the　bridges
were　beginning　to　deck　themselves　with　necklace