the red cross girl-第6节

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but　standing　by　the　open　window　looking　out　toward　the　great
city　to　the　south。

When　she　turned　Miss　Page　saw　something　in　her　eyes　that
caused　that　young　woman　to　shriek　with　amazement。

〃Anita！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃You　crying！　What　in　Heaven's　name
can　make　you　cry？〃

It　was　not　a　kind　speech；　nor　did　Miss　Flagg　receive　it
kindly。　She　turned　upon　the　tactless　intruder。

〃Suppose；〃　cried　Anita　fiercely；　〃a　man　thought　you　were
worth　forty　dollars　a　monthhonestly　didn't　know！honestly
believed　you　were　poor　and　worked　for　your　living；　and　still
said　your　smile　was　worth　more　than　all　of　old　man　Flagg's
millions；　not　knowing　they　were　YOUR　millions。　Suppose　he
didn't　ask　any　money　of　you；　but　just　to　take　care　of　you；　to
slave　for　youonly　wanted　to　keep　your　pretty　hands　from
working；　and　your　pretty　eyes　from　seeing　sickness　and　pain。
Suppose　you　met　that　man　among　this　rotten　lot；　what　would
you　do？　What　wouldn't　you　do？〃

〃Why；　Anita！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Page。

〃What　would　you　do？〃　demanded　Anita　Flagg。　〃This　is　what
you'd　do：　You'd　go　down　on　your　knees　to　that　man　and　say：
'Take　me　away！　Take　me　away　from　them；　and　pity　me；　and　be
sorry　for　me；　and　love　meand　love　meand　love　me！〃

〃And　why　don't　you？〃　cried　Helen　Page。

〃Because　I'm　as　rotten　as　the　rest　of　them！〃　cried　Anita
Flagg。　〃Because　I'm　a　coward。　And　that's　why　I'm　crying。
Haven't　I　the　right　to　cry？〃

At　the　exact　moment　Miss　Flagg　was　proclaiming　herself　a
moral　coward；　in　the　local　room　of　the　REPUBLIC　Collins；　the
copy　editor；　was　editing　Sam's　story'　of　the　laying　of　the
corner…stone。　The　copy　editor's　cigar　was　tilted　near　his
left　eyebrow；　his　blue　pencil；　like　a　guillotine　ready　to
fall　upon　the　guilty　word　or　paragraph；　was　suspended　in　mid…
air；　and　continually；　like　a　hawk　preparing　to　strike；　the
blue　pencil　swooped　and　circled。　But　page　after　page　fell
softly　to　the　desk　and　the　blue　pencil　remained　inactive。　As
he　read；　the　voice　of　Collins　rose　in　muttered　ejaculations；
and；　as　he　continued　to　read；　these　explosions　grew　louder
and　more　amazed。　At　last　he　could　endure　no　more　and；
swinging　swiftly　in　his　revolving　chair；　his　glance　swept　the
office。　〃In　the　name　of　Mike！〃　he　shouted。　〃What　IS　this？〃

The　reporters　nearest　him；　busy　with　pencil　and　typewriters；
frowned　in　impatient　protest。　Sam　Ward；　swinging　his　legs
from　the　top　of　a　table；　was　gazing　at　the　ceiling；　wrapped
in　dreams　and　tobacco　smoke。　Upon　his　clever；　clean…cut
features　the　expression　was　far…away　and　beatific。　He　came
back　to　earth。

〃What's　what？〃　Sam　demanded。

At　that　moment　Elliott；　the　managing　editor；　was　passing
through　the　room　his　hands　filled　with　freshly　pulled　proofs。
He　swung　toward　Collins　quickly　and　snatched　up　Sam's　copy。
The　story　already　was　lateand　it　was　important。

〃What's　wrong？〃　he　demanded。　Over　the　room　there　fell　a
sudden　hush。

〃Read　the　opening　paragraph；〃　protested　Collins。　〃It's　like
that　for　a　column！　It's　all　about　a　girlabout　a　Red　Cross
nurse。　Not　a　word　about　Flagg　or　Lord　Deptford。　No　speeches！
No　news！　It's　not　a　news　story　at　all。　It's　an　editorial；　and
an　essay；　and　a　spring　poem。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　And；
what's　worse；〃　wailed　the　copy　editor　defiantly　and　to　the
amazement　of　all；　〃it's　so　darned　good　that　you　can't　touch
it。　You've　got　to　let　it　go　or　kill　it。〃

The　eyes　of　the　managing　editor；　masked　by　his　green　paper
shade；　were　racing　over　Sam's　written　words。　He　thrust　the
first　page　back　at　Collins。

〃Is　it　all　like　that？〃

〃There's　a　column　like　that！〃

〃Run　it　just　as　it　is；〃　commanded　the　managing　editor。　〃　Use
it　for　your　introduction　and　get　your　story　from　the　flimsy。
And；　in　your　head；　cut　out　Flagg　entirely。　Call　it　'The　Red
Cross　Girl。'　And　play　it　up　strong　with　pictures。〃　He　turned
on　Sam　and　eyed　him　curiously。

〃What's　the　idea；　Ward？〃　he　said。　〃This　is　a　newspapernot　a
magazine！〃

The　click　of　the　typewriters　was　silent；　the　hectic　rush　of
the　pencils　had　ceased；　and　the　staff；　expectant；　smiled
cynically　upon　the　star　reporter。　Sam　shoved　his　hands　into
his　trousers　pockets　and　also　smiled；　but　unhappily。

〃I　know　it's　not　news；　Sir；〃　he　said；　but　that's　the　way　I
saw　the　storyoutside　on　the　lawn；　the　band　playing；　and　the
governor　and　the　governor's　staff　and　the　clergy　burning
incense　to　Flagg；　and　inside；　this　girl　right　on　the　job
taking　care　of　the　sick　and　wounded。　It　seemed　to　me　that　a
million　from　a　man　that　won't　miss　a　million　didn't　stack　up
against　what　this　girl　was　doing　for　these　sick　folks！　What　I
wanted　to　say；〃　continued　Sam　stoutly　〃was　that　the　moving
spirit　of　the　hospital　was　not　in　the　man　who　signed　the
checks；　but　in　these　women　who　do　the　workthe　nurses；　like
the　one　I　wrote　about；　the　one　you　called　'The　Red　Cross
Girl。'〃

Collins；　strong　through　many　years　of　faithful　service；
backed　by　the　traditions　of　the　profession；　snorted
scornfully。

〃But　it's　not　news！〃

〃It's　not　news；〃　said　Elliott　doubtfully；　〃but　it's　the　kind
of　story　that　made　Frank　O'Malley　famous。　It's　the　kind　of
story　that　drives　men　out　of　this　business　into　the　arms　of
what　Kipling　calls　'the　illegitimate　sister。'〃

It　seldom　is　granted　to　a　man　on　the　same　day　to　give　his
whole　heart　to　a　girl　and　to　be　patted　on　the　back　by　his
managing　editor；　and　it　was　this　combination；　and　not　the
drinks　he　dispensed　to　the　staff　in　return　for　its
congratulations；　that　sent　Sam　home　walking　on　air。　He　loved
his　business；　he　was　proud　of　his　business；　but　never　before
had　it　served　him　so　well。　It　had　enabled　him　to　tell　the
woman　he　loved；　and　incidentally　a　million　other　people；　how
deeply　he　honored　her；　how　clearly　he　appreciated　her　power
for　good。　No　one　would　know　he　meant　Sister　Anne；　save　two
peopleSister　Anne　and　himself；　but　for　her　and　for　him　that
was　as　many　as　should　know。　In　his　story　he　had　used　real
incidents　of　the　day；　he　had　described　her　as　she　passed
through　the　wards　of　the　hospital；　cheering　and　sympathetic；
he　had　told　of　the　little　acts　of　consideration　that　endeared
her　to　the　sick　people。

The　next　morning　she　would　know　that　it　was　she　of　whom　he
had　written；　and　between　the　lines　she　would　read　that　the
man　who　wrote　them　loved　her。　So　he　fell　asleep；　impatient
for　the　morning。　In　the　hotel　at　which　he　lived　the　REPUBLIC
was　always　placed　promptly　outside　his　door；　and；　after　many
excursions　into　the　hall；　he　at　last　found　it。　On　the　front
page　was　his　story；　〃The　Red　Cross　Girl。〃　It　had　the　place　of
honorright…hand　column；　but　more　conspicuous　than　the
headlines　of　his　own　story　was　one　of　Redding's；　photographs。
It　was　the　one　he　had　taken　of　Sister　Anne　when　first　she　had
approached　them；　in　her　uniform　of　mercy；　advancing　across
the　lawn；　walking　straight　into　the　focus　of　the；　camera。
There　was　no　mistaking　her　for　any　other　living　woman；　but
beneath　the　picture；　in　bold；　staring；　uncompromising　type；
was　a　strange　and　grotesque　legend。

〃Daughter　of　Millionaire　Flagg；〃　it　read；　〃in　a　New　Role；
Miss　Anita　Flagg　as　The　Red　Cross　Girl。〃

For　a　long　time　Sam　looked　at　the　picture；　and　then；　folding
the　paper　so　that　the　picture　was　hidden；　he　walked　to　the
open　window。　From　below；　Broadway　sent　up　a　tumultuous
greetingcable　cars　jangled；　taxis　hooted；　and；　on　the
sidewalks；　on　their　way　to　work；　processions　of　shop…girls
stepped　out　briskly。　It　was　the　street　and　the　city　and　the
life　he　had　found　fascinating；　but　now　it　jarred　and
affronted　him。　A　girl　he　knew　had　died；　had　passed　out　of　his
life　foreverworse　than　that　had　never　existed；　and　yet　the
city　went　or　just　as　though　that　made　no　difference；　or　just
as　little　difference　as　it　would　have　made　had　Sister　Anne
really　lived　and　really　died。

At　the　same　early　hour；　an　hour　far　too　early　for　the　rest　of
the　house　party；　Anita　Flagg　and　Helen　Page；　booted　and
riding…habited；　sat　alone　at　the　breakfast　table；　their　tea
before　them；　and　in　the　hands　of　Anita　Flagg　was　the　DAILY
REPUBLIC。　Miss　Page　had　brought　the　paper　to　the　table　and；
with　affected　indignation　at　the　impertinence　of　the　press；
had　pointed　at　the　front…page　photograph；　but　Miss　Flagg　was
not　looking　at　the　photograph；　or　drinking　her　tea；　or
showing　in　her　immediate　surroundings　any　interest
whatsoever。　Instead；　her　lovely　eyes　were　fastened　with
fascination　upon　the　column　under　the　heading　〃The　Red　Cross
Girl〃；　and；　as　she　read；　the　lovely　eyes　lost　all　trace　of
recent　slumber；　her　lovely　lips　parted　breathlessly；　and　on
her　lovely　cheeks　the　color　flowed　and　faded　and　glowed　and
bloomed。　When　she　had　read　as　far　as　a　paragraph　beginning；
〃When　Sister　Anne　walked　between　them　those　who　suffered
raised　their　eyes　to　hers　as　flowers　lift　their　faces　to　the
rain；〃　she　dropped　the　paper　and　started　for　telephone。

〃Any　man；〃　cried　she；　to　the　mutual　discomfort　of　Helen　Page
and　the　servants；　〃who　thinks　I'm　like　that　mustn't　get　away！
I'm　not　like　that　and　I　know　it；　but　if　he　thinks　so　that's
all　I　want。　And　maybe　I　might　be　like　thatif　any　man　would
help。〃

She　gave　her　attention　to　the　telephone　and　〃Information。〃
She　demanded　to　be　instantly　put　into　communication　with　the
DAILY　REPUBLIC　and　Mr。