the red cross girl-第8节

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morrow　nine…thirty　from　Greenwich；　the　day　cannot　begin　too
soon；　don't　forget　you　promised　to　meet　me。　Anita　Flagg　〃he
was　able　to　reply：　〃　Extremely　sorry；　but　promise　made　to　a
different　person；　who　unfortunately　has　since　died！〃'

When　Anita　Flagg　read　this　telegram　there　leaped　to　her
lovely　eyes　tears　that　sprang　from　self…pity　and　wounded
feelings。　She　turned　miserably；　appealingly　to　Helen　Page。

〃But　why　does　he　do　it　to　me？〃　Her　tone　was　that　of　the
bewildered　child　who　has　struck　her　head　against　the　table；
and　from　the　naughty　table；　without　cause　or　provocation；　has
received　the　devil　of　a　bump。

Before　Miss　Page　could　venture　upon　an　explanation；　Anita
Flagg　had　changed　into　a　very　angry　young　woman。

〃And　what's　more；〃　she　announced；　〃he　can't　do　it　to　me！〃

She　sent　her　telegram　back　again　as　it　was；　word　for　word；
but　this　time　it　was　signed；　Sister　Anne。〃

In　an　hour　the　answer　came：　〃Sister　Anne　is　the　person　to
whom　I　refer。　She　is　dead。〃

Sam　was　not　altogether　at　ease　at　the　outcome　of　his
adventure。　It　was　not　in　his　nature　to　be　rudecertainly　not
to　a　woman；　especially　not　to　the　most　beautiful　woman　he　had
ever　seen。　For；　whether　her　name　was　Anita　or　Anne；　about　her
beauty　there　could　be　no　argument；　but　he　assured　himself
that　he　had　acted　within　his　rights。　A　girl　who　could　see　in
a　well…meant　offer　to　be　kind　only　a　subject　for　ridicule　was
of　no　interest　to　him。　Nor　did　her　telegrams　insisting　upon
continuing　their　acquaintance　flatter　him。　As　he　read　them；
they　showed　only　that　she　looked　upon　him　as　one　entirely　out
of　her　worldas　one　with　whom　she　could　do　an　unconventional
thing　and　make　a　good　story　about　it　later；　knowing　that　it
would　be　accepted　as　one　of　her　amusing　caprices。

He　was　determined　he　would　not　lend　himself　to　any　such
performance。　And；　besides；　he　no　longer　was　a　foot…loose；
happy…go…lucky　reporter。　He　no　longer　need　seek　for
experiences　and　material　to　turn　into　copy。　He　was　now　a　man
with　a　responsible　positionone　who　soon　would　be　conferring
with　cabinet　ministers　and　putting　ambassadors　At　their　ease。
He　wondered　if　a　beautiful　heiress；　whose　hand　was　sought　in
marriage　by　the　nobility　of　England；　would　understand　the
importance　of　a　London　correspondent。　He　hoped　someone　would
tell　her。　He　liked　to　think　of　her　as　being　considerably
impressed　and　a　little　unhappy。

Saturday　night　he　went　to　the　theatre　for　which　he　had
purchased　tickets。　And　he　went　alone；　for　the　place　that
Sister　Anne　was　to　have　occupied　could　not　be　filled　by　any
other　person。　It　would　have　been　sacrilege。　At　least；　so　it
pleased　him　to　pretend。　And　all　through　dinner；　which　he　ate
alone　at　the　same　restaurant　to　which　he　had　intended　taking
her；　he　continued；　to　pretend　she　was　with　him。　And　at　the
theatre；　where　there　was　going　forward　the　most　popular　of
all　musical　comedies；　the　seat　next　to　him；　which　to　the
audience；　appeared　wastefully　empty；　was　to　him　filled　with
her　gracious　presence。　That　Sister　Anne　was　not　therethat
the　pretty　romance　he　had　woven　about　her　had　ended　in
disasterfilled；　him　with　real　regret。　He　was　glad　he　was；；
leaving　New　York。　He　was　glad　he　was　going；　where　nothing
would　remind　him　of　her。　And　then　he　glanced　upand　looked
straight　into　her　eyes！

He　was　seated　in　the　front　row；　directly　on　the　aisle。　The
seat　Sister　Anne　was　supposed　to　be　occupying　was　on　his
right；　and　a　few　seats　farther　to　his　right　rose　the　stage
box　and　in　the　stage　box；　and　in　the　stage　box；　almost　upon
the　stage；　and　with　the　glow　of　the　foot…lights　full　in　her
face；　was　Anita　Flagg；　smiling　delightedly　down　on　him。　There
were　others　with　her。　He　had　a　confused　impression　of　bulging
shirt…fronts；　and　shining　silks；　and　diamonds；　and　drooping
plumes　upon　enormous　hats。　He　thought　he　recognized　Lord
Deptford　and　Holworthy；　but　the　only　person　he　distinguished
clearly　was　Anita　Flagg。　The　girl　was　all　in　black　velvet；
which　was　drawn　to　her　figure　like　a　wet　bathing　suit；　round
her　throat　was　a　single　string　of　pearls；　and　on　her　hair　of
golden…rod　was　a　great　hat　of　black　velvet；　shaped　like　a
bell；　with　the　curving　lips　of　a　lily。　And　from　beneath　its
brim　Anita　Flagg；　sitting　rigidly　erect　with　her　white…gloved
hands　resting　lightly　on　her　knee；　was　gazing　down　at　him；
smiling　with　pleasure；　with　surprise；　with　excitement。

When　she　saw　that；　in　spite　of　her　altered　appearance；　he
recognized　her；　she　bowed　so　violently　and　bent　her　head　so
eagerly　that　above　her　the　ostrich　plumes　dipped　and
courtesied　like　wheat　in　a　storm。　But　Sam　neither　bowed　nor
courtesied。　Instead；　he　turned　his　head　slowly　over　his　left
shoulder；　as　though　he　thought　she　was　speaking　not　to　him
but　some　one　beyond　him；　across　the　aisle。　And　then　his　eyes
returned　to　the　stage　and　did　not　again　look　toward　her。　It
was　not　the　cut　direct；　but　it　was　a　cut　that　hurt；　and　in
their　turn　the　eyes　of　Miss　Flagg　quickly　sought　the　stage。
At　the　moment；　the　people　in　the　audience　happened　to　be
laughing；　and　she　forced　a　smile　and　then　laughed　with　them。

Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　Sam　could　not　help　seeing　her
profile　exposed　pitilessly　in　the　glow　of　the　foot…lights；
saw　her　lips　tremble　like　those　of　a　child　about　to　cry；　and
then　saw　the　forced；　hard　smileand　heard　her　laugh　lightly
and　mechanically。

〃That's　all　she　cares。〃　he　told　himself。

It　seemed　to　him　that　in　all　he　heard　of　her；　in　everything
she　did；　she　kept　robbing　him　still　further　of　all　that　was
dear　to　him　in　Sister　Anne。

For　five　minutes；　conscious　of　the　foot…lights；　Miss　Flagg
maintained　upon　her　lovely　face　a　fixed　and　intent
expression；　and　then　slowly　and　unobtrusively　drew　back　to　a
seat　in　the　rear　of　the　box。　In　the'　darkest　recesses　she
found　Holworthy；　shut　off　from　a　view　of　the　stage　by　a
barrier　of　women's　hats。

〃Your　friend　Mr。　Ward；〃　she　began　abruptly；　in　a　whisper；　〃is
the　rudest；　most　ill…bred　person　I　ever　met。　When　I　talked　to
him　the〃　other　day　I　thought　he　was　nice。　He　was　nice；　But　he
has　behaved　abominablylike　a　boorlike　a　sulky　child。　Has
he　no　sense　of　humor？　Because　I　played　a　joke　on　him；　is
that　any　reason　why　he　should　hurt　me？〃

〃Hurt　you？〃　exclaimed　little　Holworthy　in　amazement。　〃Don't
be　ridiculous！　How　could　he　hurt　you？　Why　should　you　care　how
rude　he　is？　Ward's　a　clever　fellow；　but　he　fancies　himself。
He's　conceited。　He's　too　good…looking；　and　a　lot　of　silly
women　have　made　such　a　fuss　over　him。　So　when　one　of　them
laughs　at　him　he　can't　understand　it。　That's　the　trouble。　I
could　see　that　when　I　was　telling　him。〃

〃Telling　him！〃　repeated　Miss　Flagg〃Telling　him　what？〃

〃About　what　a　funny　story　you　made　of　it；〃　explained
Holworthy。　〃About　his　having　the　nerve　to　ask　you　to　feed　the
monkeys　and　to　lunch　with　him。〃

Miss　Flagg　interrupted　with　a　gasping　intake　of　her　breath。

〃Oh！〃　she　said　softly。　〃So…so　you　told　him　that；　did　you？
Andwhat　else　did　you　tell　him？〃　；

〃Only　what　you　told　usthat　he　said　'the　day　could　not　begin
too　soon'；　that　he　said　he　wouldn't　let　you　be　a　manicure　and
wash　the　hands　of　men　who　weren't　fit　to　wash　the　streets　you
walked　on。〃

There　was　a　pause。

〃Did　I　tell　you　he　said　that？〃　breathed　Anita　Flagg。

〃You　know　you　did；〃　said　Holworthy。

There　was　another　pause。

〃I　must　have　been　mad！〃　said　the　girl。

There　was　a　longer　pause　and　Holworthy　shifted　uneasily。

〃I'm　afraid　you　are　angry；〃　he　ventured。

〃Angry！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Flagg。　〃I　should　say　I　was
angry；　but　not　with　you。　I'm　very　much　pleased　with　you。　At
the　end　of　the　act　I'm　going　to　let　you　take　me　out　into　the
lobby。〃

With　his　arms　tightly　folded；　Sam　sat　staring　unhappily　at
the　stage　and　seeing　nothing。　He　was　sorry　for　himself
because　Anita　Flagg　had　destroyed　his　ideal　of　a　sweet　and
noble　womanand　he　was　sorry　for　Miss　Flagg　because　a　man
had　been　rude　to　her。　That　he　happened　to　be　that　man　did　not
make　his　sorrow　and　indignation　the　less　intense；　and；
indeed；　so　miserable　was　he　and　so　miserable　were　his　looks；
that　his　friends　on　the　stage　considered　sending　him　a　note；
offering；　if　he　would　take　himself　out　of　the　front　row；　to
give　him　back　his　money　at　the　box　office。　Sam　certainly
wished　to　take　himself　away；　but　he　did　not　want　to　admit
that　he　was　miserable；　that　he　had　behaved　ill；　that　the
presence　of　Anita　Flagg　could　spoil　his　eveningcould；　in
the　slightest　degree　affect　him。　So　he　sat；　completely
wretched；　feeling　that　he　was　in　a　false　position；　that　if　he
were　it　was　his　own　fault；　that　he　had　acted　like　an　ass　and
a　brute。　It　was　not　a　cheerful　feeling。

When　the　curtain　fell　he　still　remained　seated。　He　knew
before　the　second　act　there　was　an　interminable　wait；　but　he
did　not　want　to　chance　running　into　Holworthy　in　the　lobby
and　he　told　himself　it　would　be　rude　to　abandon　Sister　Anne。
But　he　now　was　not　so　conscious　of　the　imaginary　Sister　Anne
as　of　the　actual　box　party　on　his　near　right；　who　were
laughing　and　chattering　volubly。　He　wondered　whether　they
laughed　at　himwhether　Miss　Flagg　were　again　entertaining
them　at　his　expense；　again　making　his　advances　appear
ridiculous。　He　was　so　sure　of　it　that　he　flushed
indignantly