the red cross girl-第9节

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them　at　his　expense；　again　making　his　advances　appear
ridiculous。　He　was　so　sure　of　it　that　he　flushed
indignantly。　He　was　glad　he　had　been　rude。

And　then；　at　his　elbow；　there　was　the　rustle　of　silk；　and　a
beautiful　figure；　all　in　black　velvet；　towered　above　him；
then　crowded　past　him；　and　sank　into　the　empty　seat　at　his
side。　He　was　too　startled　to　speakand　Miss　Anita　Flagg
seemed　to　understand　that　and　to　wish　to　give　him　time；　for；
without　regarding　him　in　the　least；　and　as　though　to
establish　the　fact　that　she　had　come　to　stay；　she　began
calmly　and　deliberately　to　remove　the　bell…like　hat。　This
accomplished；　she　bent　toward　him；　her　eyes　looking　straight
into　his；　her　smile　reproaching　him。　In　the　familiar　tone　of
an　old　and　dear　friend　she　said　to　him　gently：

〃This　is　the　day　you　planned　for　me。　Don't　you　think　you've
wasted　quite　enough　of　it？〃

Sam　looked　back　into　the　eyes；　and　saw　in　them　no　trace　of
laughter　or　of　mockery；　but；　instead；　gentle　reproof　and
appealand　something　else　that；　in　turn；　begged　of　him　to　be
gentle。

For　a　moment；　too　disturbed　to　speak；　he　looked　at　her；
miserably；　remorsefully。

〃It's　not　Anita　Flagg　at　all；〃　he　said。　〃It's　Sister　Anne
come　back　to　life　again！〃　The　girl　shook　her　head。

〃No；　it's　Anita　Flagg。　I'm　not　a　bit　like　the　girl　you
thought　you　met　and　I　did　say　all　the；　things　Holworthy　told
you　I　said；　but　that　was　before　I　understoodbefore　I　read
what　you　wrote　about　Sister　Anneabout　the　kind　of　me　you
thought　you'd　met。　When　I　read　that　I　knew　what　sort　of　a　man
you　were。　I　knew　you　had　been　really　kind　and　gentle；　and　I
knew　you　had　dug　out　something　that　I　did　not　know　was
therethat　no　one　else　had　found。　And　I　remembered　how　you
called　me　Sister。　I　mean　the　way　you　said　it。　And　I　wanted　to
hear　it　again。　I　wanted　you　to　say　it。〃

She　lifted　her　face　to　his。　She　was　very　near　himso　near
that　her　shoulder　brushed　against　his　arm。　In　the　box　above
them　her　friends；　scandalized　and　amused；　were　watching　her
with　the　greatest　interest。　Half　of　the　people　in　the　now
half…empty　house　were　watching　them　with　the　greatest
interest。　To　them；　between　reading　advertisements　on　the
programme　and　watching　Anita　Flagg　making　desperate　love　to　a
lucky　youth　in　the　front　row；　there　was　no　question　of　which
to　choose。

The　young　people　in　the　front　row　did　not　know　they　were
observed。　They　were　aloneas　much　alone　as　though　they　were
seated　in　a　biplane；　sweeping　above　the　clouds。

〃Say　it　again；〃　prompted　Anita　Flagg　〃Sister。〃

〃I　will　not！〃　returned　the　young　man　firmly。　〃But　I'll　say
this；〃　he　whispered：　〃I'll　say　you're　the　most　wonderful；　the
most　beautiful；　and　the　finest　woman　who　has　ever　lived！〃

Anita　Flagg's　eyes　left　his　quickly；　and；　with　her　head　bent；
she　stared　at　the　bass　drum　in　the　orchestra。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　〃but　that　sounds　just　as　good。〃

When　the　curtain　was　about　to　rise　she　told　him　to　take　her
back　to　her　box；　so　that　he　could　meet　her　friends　and　go　on
with　them　to　supper；　but　when　they　reached　the　rear　of　the
house　she　halted。

〃We　can　see　this　act；〃　she　said；　〃ormy　car's　in　front　of
the　theatrewe　might　go　to　the　park　and　take　a　turn　or　two
or　three。　Which　would　you　prefer？〃

〃Don't　make　me　laugh！〃　said　Sam。

As　they　sat　all　together　at　supper　with　those　of　the　box
party；　but　paying　no　attention　to　them　whatsoever；　Anita
Flagg　sighed　contentedly。

〃There's　only　one　thing；〃　she　said　to　Sam；　〃that　is　making　me
unhappy；　and　because　it　is　such　sad　news　I　haven't　told　you。

It　is　this：　I　am　leaving　America。　I　am　going　to　spend　the
winter　in　London。　I　sail　next　Wednesday。〃

〃My　business　is　to　gather　news；〃　said　Sam；　but　in　all　my　life
I　never　gathered　such　good　news　as　that。〃

〃Good　news！〃　exclaimed　Anita。

〃Because；〃　explained　Sam；　〃I　am　leaving；　Americaam
spending　the　winter　in　England。　I　am　sailing　on　Wednesday。
No；　I　also　am　unhappy；　but　that　is　not　what　makes　me
unhappy。〃

〃Tell　me；〃　begged　Anita。

〃Some　day；〃　said　Sam。

The　day　he　chose　to　tell　her　was　the　first　day　they　were　at
seaas　they　leaned　upon　the　rail；　watching　Fire　Island
disappear。

〃This　is　my　unhappiness；〃　said　Samand　he　pointed　to　a　name
on　the　passenger　list。　It　was：　〃The　Earl　of　Deptford；　and
valet。〃　〃And　because　he　is　on　board！〃

Anita　Flagg　gazed　with　interest　at　a　pursuing　sea…gull。

〃He　is　not　on　board；〃　she　said。　〃He　changed　to　another　boat。〃

Sam　felt　that　by　a　word　from　her　a　great　weight　might　be
lifted　from　his　soul。　He　looked　at　her　appealinglyhungrily。

〃Why　did　he　change？〃　he　begged。

Anita　Flagg　shook　her　head　in　wonder。　She　smiled　at　him　with
amused　despair。

〃Is　that　all　that　is　worrying　you？〃　she　said。



Chapter　2。　THE　GRAND　CROSS　OF　THE　CRESCENT

Of　some　college　students　it　has　been　said　that；　in　order　to
pass　their　examinations；　they　will　deceive　and　cheat　their
kind　professors。　This　may　or　may　not　be　true。　One　only　can
shudder　and　pass　hurriedly　on。　But　whatever　others　may　have
done；　when　young　Peter　Hallowell　in　his　senior　year　came　up
for　those　final　examinations　which；　should　he　pass　them　even
by　a　nose；　would　gain　him　his　degree；　he　did　not　cheat。　He
may　have　been　too　honest；　too　confident；　too　lazy；　but　Peter
did　not　cheat。　It　was　the　professors　who　cheated。

At　Stillwater　College；　on　each　subject　on　which　you　are
examined　you　can　score　a　possible　hundred。　That　means
perfection；　and　in；　the　brief　history　of　Stillwater；　which
is　a　very；　new　college；　only　one　man　has　attained　it。　After
graduating　he　〃accepted　a　position〃　in　an　asylum　for　the
insane；　from　which　he　was；　promoted　later　to　the　poor…house；
where　he　died。　Many　Stillwater　undergraduates　studied　his
career　and；　lest　they　also　should　attain　perfection；　were
afraid　to　study　anything　else。　Among　these　Peter　was　by　far
the　most　afraid。

The　marking　system　at　Stillwater　is　as　follows：　If　in　all　the
subjects　in　which　you　have　been　examined　your　marks　added
together　give　you　an　average　of　ninety；　you　are　passed　〃with
honors〃；　if　of　seventy…five；　you　pass　〃with　distinction〃；　if
Of　fifty；　You　just　〃pass。〃　It　is　not　unlike　the　grocer's
nice　adjustment　of　fresh　eggs；　good　eggs；　and　eggs。　The
whole　college　knew　that　if　Peter　got　in　among　the　eggs　he
would　be　lucky；　but　the　professors　and　instructors　of
Stillwater　'were　determined　that；　no　matter　what　young
Hallowell　might　do　to　prevent　it；　they　would　see　that　he
passed　his　examinations。　And　they　constituted　the　jury　of
awards。　Their　interest　in　Peter　was　not　because　they　loved
him　so　much；　but　because　each　loved　his　own　vine…covered
cottage；　his　salary；　and　his　dignified　title　the　more。　And
each　knew　that　that　one　of　the　faculty　who　dared　to　flunk
the　son　of　old　man　Hallowell；　who　had　endowed　Stillwater；　who
supported　Stillwater；　and　who　might　be　expected　to　go　on
supporting　Stillwater　indefinitely；　might　also　at　the　same
time　hand　in　his　official　resignation。

Chancellor　Black；　the　head　of　Stillwater；　was　an　up…to…date
college　president。　If　he　did　not　actually　run　after　money　he
went　where　money　was；　and　it　was　not　his　habit　to　be
downright　rude　to　those　who　possessed　it。　And　if　any　three…
thousand…dollar…a…year　professor；　through　a　too　strict
respect　for　Stillwater's　standards　of　learning；　should　lose
to　that　institution　a　half…million…dollar　observatory；
swimming…pool；　or　gymnasium；　he　was　the　sort　of　college
president；　who　would　see　to　it　that　the　college　lost　also　the
services　of　that　too　conscientious　instructor。

He　did　not　put　this　in　writing　or　in　words；　but　just　before
the　June　examinations；　when　on；　the　campus　he　met　one　of　the
faculty；　he　would　inquire　with　kindly　interest　as　to　the
standing　of　young　Hallowell。

〃That　is　too　bad！〃　he　would　exclaim；　but；　more　in　sorrow　than
in　anger。　〃Still；　I　hope　the　boy　can　pull　through。　He　is　his
dear　father's　pride；　and　his　father's　heart　is　set　upon　his
son's　obtaining　his　degree。　Let　us　hope　he　will　pull
through。〃　For　four　years　every　professor　had　been　pulling
Peter　through；　and　the　conscience　of　each　had　become
calloused。　They　had　only　once　more　to　shove　him　through　and
they　would　be　free　of　him　forever。　And　so；　although　they　did
not　conspire　together；　each　knew　that　of　the　firing　squad
that　was　to　aim　its　rifles　at；　Peter；　HIS　rifle　would　hold
the　blank　cartridge。

The　only　one　of　them　who　did　not　know　this　was　Doctor　Henry
Gilman。　Doctor　Gilman　was　the　professor　of　ancient　and　modern
history　at　Stillwater；　and　greatly　respected　and　loved。　He
also　was　the　author　of　those　well…known　text…books；　〃The
Founders　of　Islam；〃　and　〃The　Rise　and　Fall　of　the　Turkish
Empire。〃　This　latter　work；　in　five　volumes；　had　been　not
unfavorably　compared　to　Gibbon's　〃Decline　and　Fall　of　the
Roman　Empire。〃　The　original　newspaper　comment；　dated　some
thirty　years　back；　the　doctor　had　preserved；　and　would
produce　it；　now　somewhat　frayed　and　worn；　and　read　it　to
visitors。　He　knew　it　by　heart；　but　to　him　it　always　possessed
a　contemporary　and　news　interest。

〃Here　is　a　review　of　the　history；〃　he　would　sayhe　always
referred　to　it　as　〃the〃　history〃that　I　came　across　in　my
TRANSCRIPT。〃

In　the　eyes　of　Doctor　Gilman　thirty　years　was　so　brief　a
period　t