the red cross girl-第36节

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A　terrible　and　icy　chill　crept　down　the　spine　of　Fred　Keep。　He
moved　so　that　the　light　from　the　hall　fell　full　upon　the　face　of
the　stranger。

〃Will　you　kindly　tell　me；〃　Fred　demanded；　〃who　the　devil　you
are？〃

The　stranger　exclaimed　peevishly。　〃I've　BEEN　telling　you　all
evening；〃　he　protested。　〃I'm　Harry　Van　Warden！〃

Gridley；　the　ancient　butler；　appeared　in　the　open　door。

〃Dinner　is　served；　madam；〃　he　said。

The　stranger　gave　an　exclamation　of　pleasure。　〃Hello；　Gridley！〃
he　cried。　〃Will　you　please　tell　Mr。　Keep　who　I　am？　Tell　him；　if
he'll　ask　me　to　dinner；　I　won't　steal　the　spoons。〃

Upon　the　face　of　Gridley　appeared　a　smile　it　never　had　been　the
privilege　of　Fred　Keep　to　behold。　The　butler　beamed　upon　the
stranger　fondly；　proudly；　by　the　right　of　long　acquaintanceship；
with　the　affection　of　an　old　friend。　Still　beaming；　he　bowed　to
Keep。

〃If　Mr。　HarryMr。　Van　Warden；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　stay　to　dinner；
might　I　suggest；　sir；　he　is　very　partial　to　the　Paul　Vibert；
'84。〃

Fred　Keep　gazed　stupidly　from　his　butler　to　the　stranger　and　then
at　his　wife。　She　was　again　radiantly　beautiful　and　smilingly
happy。

Gridley　coughed　tentatively。　〃Shall　I　open　a　bottle；　sir？〃　he
asked。

Hopelessly　Fred　tossed　his　arms　heavenward。

〃Open　a　case！〃　he　roared。

At　ten　o'clock；　when　they　were　still　at　table　and　reaching　a
state　of　such　mutual　appreciation　that　soon　they　would　be　calling
each　other　by　their　first　names；　Gridley　brought　in　a　written
message　he　had　taken　from　the　telephone。　It　was　a　long…distance
call　from　Yonkers；　sent　by　James；　the　faithful　chauffeur。

Fred　read　it　aloud。

〃I　got　that　party　the　articles　he　needed；〃　it　read；　〃and　saw　him
safe　on　a　train　to　Boston。　On　the　way　back　I　got　arrested　for
speeding　the　car　on　the　way　down。　Please　send　money。　I　am　in　a
cell　in　Yonkers。〃



Chapter　8。　THE　BOY　WHO　CRIED　WOLF

Before　he　finally　arrested　him；　〃Jimmie〃　Sniffen　had　seen　the　man
with　the　golf…cap；　and　the　blue　eyes　that　laughed　at　you；　three
times。　Twice；　unexpectedly；　he　had　come　upon　him　in　a　wood　road
and　once　on　Round　Hill　where　the　stranger　was　pretending　to　watch
the　sunset。　Jimmie　knew　people　do　not　climb　hills　merely　to　look
at　sunsets；　so　he　was　not　deceived。　He　guessed　the　man　was　a
German　spy　seeking　gun　sites；　and　secretly　vowed　to　〃stalk〃　him。
From　that　moment；　had　the　stranger　known　it；　he　was　as　good　as
dead。　For　a　boy　scout　with　badges　on　his　sleeve　for　〃stalking〃
and　〃path…finding；〃　not　to　boast　of　others　for　〃gardening〃　and
〃cooking；〃　can　outwit　any　spy。　Even　had；　General　Baden…Powell
remained　in　Mafeking　and　not　invented　the　boy　scout；　Jimmie
Sniffen　would　have　been　one。　Because；　by　birth　he　was　a　boy；　and
by　inheritance；　a　scout。　In　Westchester　County　the　Sniffens　are
one　of　the　county　families。　If　it　isn't　a　Sarles；　it's　a　Sniffen；
and　with　Brundages；　Platts；　and　Jays；　the　Sniffens　date　back　to
when　the　acres　of　the　first　Charles　Ferris　ran　from　the　Boston
post　road　to　the　coach　road　to　Albany；　and　when　the　first
Gouverneur　Morris　stood　on　one　of　his　hills　and　saw　the　Indian
canoes　in　the　Hudson　and　in　the　Sound　and　rejoiced　that　all　the
land　between　belonged　to　him。

If　you　do　not　believe　in　heredity；　the　fact　that　Jimmie's
great…great…grandfather　was　a　scout　for　General　Washington　and
hunted　deer；　and　even　bear；　over　exactly　the　same　hills　where
Jimmie　hunted　weasles　will　count　for　nothing。　It　will　not　explain
why　to　Jimmie；　from　Tarrytown　to　Port　Chester；　the　hills；　the
roads；　the　woods；　and　the　cow…paths；　caves；　streams；　and　springs
hidden　in　the　woods　were　as　familiar　as　his　own　kitchen　garden；

Nor　explain　why；　when　you　could　not　see　a　Pease　and　Elliman　〃For
Sale〃　sign　nailed　to　a　tree；　Jimmie　could　see　in　the　highest
branches　a　last　year's　bird's　nest。

Or　why；　when　he　was　out　alone　playing　Indians　and　had　sunk　his
scout's　axe　into　a　fallen　log　and　then　scalped　the　log；　he　felt
that　once　before　in　those　same　woods　he　had　trailed　that　same
Indian；　and　with　his　own　tomahawk　split　open　his　skull。　Sometimes
when　he　knelt　to　drink　at　a　secret　spring　in　the　forest；　the
autumn　leaves　would　crackle　and　he　would　raise　his　eyes　fearing
to　see　a　panther　facing　him。

But　there　ain't　no　panthers　in　Westchester；〃　Jimmie　would
reassure　himself。　And　in　the　distance　the　roar　of　an　automobile
climbing　a　hill　with　the　muffler　open　would　seem　to　suggest　he
was　right。　But　still　Jimmie　remembered　once　before　he　had　knelt
at　that　same　spring；　and　that　when　he　raised　his　eyes　he　had
faced　a　crouching　panther。　〃Mebbe　dad　told　me　it　happened　to
grandpop；〃　Jimmie　would　explain；　〃or　I　dreamed　it；　or；　mebbe；　I
read　it　in　a　story　book。〃

The　〃German　spy〃　mania　attacked　Round　Hill　after　the　visit　to　the
boy　scouts　of　Clavering　Gould；　the　war　correspondent。　He　was
spending　the　week　end　with　〃Squire〃　Harry　Van　Vorst；　and　as　young
Van　Vorst；　besides　being　a　justice　of　the　peace　and　a　Master　of
Beagles　and　President　of　the　Country　Club；　was　also　a　local
〃councilman〃　for　the　Round　Hill　Scouts；　he　brought　his　guest　to　a
camp…fire　meeting　to　talk　to　them。　In　deference　to　his　audience；
Gould　told　them　of　the　boy　scouts　he　had　seen　in　Belgium　and　of
the　part　they　were　playing　in　the　great　war。　It　was　his
peroration　that　made　trouble。

〃And　any　day；〃　he　assured　his　audience；　〃this　country　may　be　at
war　with　Germany；　and　every　one　of　you　boys　will　be　expected　to
do　his　bit。　You　can　begin　now。　When　the　Germans　land　it　will　be
near　New　Haven；　or　New　Bedford。　They　will　first　capture　the
munition　works　at　Springfield；　Hartford；　and　Watervliet　so　as　to
make　sure　of　their　ammunition；　and　then　they　will　start　for　New
York　City。　They　will　follow　the　New　Haven　and　New　York　Central
railroads；　and　march　straight　through　this　village。　I　haven't　the
least　doubt；〃　exclaimed　the　enthusiastic　war　prophet；　〃that　at
this　moment　German　spies　are　as　thick　in　Westchester　as
blackberries。　They　are　here　to　select　camp　sites　and　gun
positions；　to　find　out　which　of　these　hills　enfilade　the　others
and　to　learn　to　what　extent　their　armies　can　live　on　the　country。
They　are　counting　the　cows；　the　horses；　the　barns　where　fodder　is
stored；　and　they　are　marking　down　on　their　maps　the　wells　and
streams。〃

As　though　at　that　moment　a　German　spy　might　be　crouching　behind
the　door；　Mr。　Gould　spoke　in　a　whisper。　〃Keep　your　eyes　open！〃　he
commanded。　〃Watch　every　stranger。　If　he　acts　suspiciously；　get
word　quick　to　your　sheriff；　or　to　Judge　Van　Vorst　here。　Remember
the　scouts'　motto；　'Be　prepared！'〃

That　night　as　the　scouts　walked　home；　behind　each　wall　and
hayrick　they　saw　spiked　helmets。

Young　Van　Vorst　was　extremely　annoyed。

〃Next　time　you　talk　to　my　scouts；〃　he　declared；　you'll　talk　on
'Votes　for　Women。'　After　what　you　said　to…night　every　real　estate
agent　who　dares　open　a　map　will　be　arrested。　We're　not　trying　to
drive　people　away　from　Westchester；　we're　trying　to　sell　them
building　sites。〃

〃YOU　are　not！〃　retorted　his　friend；　〃you　own　half　the　county　now；
and　you're　trying　to　buy　the　other　half。〃

〃I'm　a　justice　of　the　peace；〃　explained　Van　Vorst。　〃I　don't　know
WHY　I　am；　except　that　they　wished　it　on　me。　All　I　get　out　of　it
is　trouble。　The　Italians　make　charges　against　my　best　friends　for
overspeeding　and　I　have　to　fine　them；　and　my　best　friends　bring
charges　against　the　Italians　for　poaching；　and　when　I　fine　the
Italians；　they　send　me　Black　Hand　letters。　And　now　every　day　I'll
be　asked　to　issue　a　warrant　for　a　German　spy　who　is　selecting　gun
sites。　And　he　will　turn　out　to　be　a　millionaire　who　is　tired　of
living　at　the　Ritz…Carlton　and　wants　to　'own　his　own　home'　and
his　own　golf…links。　And　he'll　be　so　hot　at　being　arrested　that
he'll　take　his　millions　to　Long　Island　and　try　to　break　into　the
Piping　Rock　Club。　And；　it　will　be　your　fault！〃

The　young　justice　of　the　peace　was　right。　At　least　so　far　as
Jimmie　Sniffen　was　concerned；　the　words　of　the　war　prophet　had
filled　one　mind　with　unrest。　In　the　past　Jimmie's　idea　of　a
holiday　had　been　to　spend　it　scouting　in　the　woods。　In　this
pleasure　he　was　selfish。　He　did　not　want　companions　who　talked；
and　trampled　upon　the　dead　leaves　so　that　they　frightened　the
wild　animals　and　gave　the　Indians　warning。　Jimmie　liked　to
pretend。　He　liked　to　fill　the　woods　with　wary　and　hostile
adversaries。　It　was　a　game　of　his　own　inventing。　If　he　crept　to
the　top　of　a　hill　and　on　peering　over　it；　surprised　a　fat
woodchuck；　he　pretended　the　woodchuck　was　a　bear；　weighing　two
hundred　pounds；　if；　himself　unobserved；　he　could　lie　and　watch；
off　its　guard；　a　rabbit；　squirrel；　or；　most　difficult　of　all；　a
crow；　it　became　a　deer　and　that　night　at　supper　Jimmie　made
believe　he　was　eating　venison。　Sometimes　he　was　a　scout　of　the
Continental　Army　and　carried　despatches　to　General　Washington。
The　rules　of　that　game　were　that　if　any　man　ploughing　in　the
fields；　or　cutting　trees　in　the　woods；　or　even　approaching　along
the　same　road；　saw　Jimmie　before　Jimmie　saw　him；　Jimmie　was　taken
prisoner；　and　before　sunrise　was　shot　as　a　spy。　He　was　seldom
shot。　Or　else　why　on　his　sleeve　was　the　badge　for　〃stalking。〃　But
always　to　have　to　make　believe　became　monotonous。　Even　〃dry
shopping〃　along　the