the lost road-第54节

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harm　to　Mrs。　Cohen；　that；　much　as　the　young　lady　may　have　needed
the　money　Mrs。　Cohen　had　loaned　her　on　the　cup；　he　needed　the
address　of　the　young　lady　still　more。

Mrs。　Cohen　retired　behind　a　screen；　and　Lee　was　conscious　that
from　the　other　side　of　it　the　whole　family　of　Cohens　were　taking
his　measurements。　　He　approved　of　their　efforts　to　protect　the
owner　of　the　cup；　but　not　from　him。

He　offered；　if　one　of　the　younger　Cohens　would　take　him　to　the
young　lady；　to　let　him　first　ask　her　if　she　would　receive　Captain　Lee；
and　for　his　service　he　would　give　the　young　Cohen　untold　gold。
He　exhibited　the　untold　gold。　　The　young　Cohen　choked　at　the　sight
and　sprang　into　the　seat　beside　the　driver　of　a　taxicab。

〃To　the　Working　Girls'　Home；　on　Tenth　Street！〃　he　commanded。


Through　the　falling　snow　and　the　flashing　lights　they　slid；
skidded；　and　leaped。　　Inside　the　cab　Lee　shivered　with　excitement；
with　cold；　with　fear　that　it　might　not　be　true。　　He　could　not
realize　she　was　near。　　It　was　easier　to　imagine　himself　still　in
the　jungle；　with　months　of　time　and　sixteen　thousand　miles　of
land　and　water　separating　them；　or　in　the　hospital；　on　a
white…enamel　cot；　watching　the　shadow　creep　across　the
whitewashed　wall；　or　lying　beneath　an　awning　that　did　not　move；
staring　at　a　burning；　brazen　sea　that　did　not　move；　on　a　transport
that；　timed　by　the　beating　of　his　heart；　stood　still。

Those　days　were　within　the　radius　of　his　experience。　　Separation；
absence；　the　immutable　giants　of　time　and　space；　he　knew。　　With
them　he　had　fought　and　could　withstand　them。　　But　to　be　near　her；
to　hear　her　voice；　to　bring　his　love　into　her　actual　presence；　that　was
an　attack　upon　his　feelings　which　found　him　without　weapons。　　That
for　a　very　few　dollars　she　had　traded　the　cup　from　which　she　had　sworn
never　to　part　did　not　concern　him。　　Having　parted　from　him；　what　she
did　with　a　silver　mug　was　of　little　consequence。　　It　was　of　significance
only　in　that　it　meant　she　was　poor。　　And　that　she　was　either　an　inmate
or　a　matron　of　a　lodging…house　for　working　girls　also　showed　she　was
poor。

He　had　been　told　that　was　her　condition；　and　that　she　was　in　ill　health；
and　that　from　all　who　loved　her　she　had　refused　to　accept　help。　　At　the
thought　his　jaws　locked　pugnaciously。　　There　was　one　who　loved　her；
who；　should　she　refuse　his　aid；　was　prepared　to　make　her　life　intolerable。
He　planned　in　succession　at　lightning　speed　all　he　might　do　for　her。　　Among
other　things　he　would　make　this　Christmas　the　happiest　she　or　he　would
ever　know。　　Not　for　an　instant　did　he　question　that　she　who　had　refused
help　from　all　who　loved　her　could　refuse　anything　he　offered。　　For　he
knew　it　was　offered　with　a　love　that　demanded　nothing　in　return；　with
a　love　that　asked　only　to　be　allowed　to　love；　and　to　serve。　　To　refuse　help
inspired　by　such　a　feeling　as　his　would　be　morbid；　wicked；　ridiculous；
as　though　a　flower　refused　to　turn　its　face　to　the　sun；　and　shut　its　lips
to　the　dew。

The　cab　stopped　in　front　of　a　brick　building　adorned　with　many　fire…
escapes。　　Afterward　he　remembered　a　bare；　brilliantly　lit　hall　hung　with
photographs　of　the　Acropolis；　and　a　stout；　capable　woman　in　a　cap；　who
looked　him　over　and　said：

〃You　will　find　Mrs。　Stedman　in　the　writing…room。〃

And　he　remembered　entering　a　room　filled　with　Mission　furniture　and
reading…lamps　under　green　shades。　　It　was　empty；　except　for　a　young
girl　in　deep　black；　who　was　seated　facing　him；　her　head　bent　above　a
writing…desk。　　As　he　came　into　the　circle　of　the　lamps　the　girl　raised
her　eyes　and　as　though　lifted　to　her　feet　by　what　she　saw；　and　through
no　effort　of　her　own；　stood　erect。

And　the　young　man　who　had　persuaded　himself　his　love　demanded
nothing；　who　asked　only　to　worship　at　her　gate；　found　his　arms　reaching
out；　and　heard　his　voice　as　though　it　came　from　a　great　distance；　cry；
〃Frances！〃

And　the　girl　who　had　refused　the　help　of　all　who　loved　her；　like　a
homing　pigeon　walked　straight　into　the　outstretched　arms。

After　five　minutes；　when　he　was　almost　able　to　believe　it　was　true；
he　said　in　his　commanding；　masterful　way：　〃And　now　I'm　going　to
take　you　out　of　here。　　I'm　going　to　buy　you　a　ring；　and　a　sable　coat；
and　a　house　to　live　in；　and　a　dinner。　　Which　shall　we　buy　first？〃

〃First；〃　said　Frances；　frowning　happily；　〃I　am　afraid　we　must　go
to　the　Ritz；　to　tell　Aunt　Emily。　　She　always　loved　you；　and　it　will
make　her　so　happy。〃

〃To　the　Ritz！〃　stammered　the　young　man。　　〃To　Aunt　Emily！　I　thought
they　told　me　your　aunt　and…you…〃

〃We　quarrelled；　yes；〃　said　Frances；　〃and　she　has　forgiven　me；　but　she
has　not　forgiven　herself；　so　she　spoils　me；　and　already　I　have　a　house
to　live　in；　and　several　sable　coats；　and；　oh！　everything；　everything　but
the　ring。〃

〃I　am　so　sorry！〃　cried　Lee。　　〃I　thought　you　were　poor。　　I　hoped　you　were
poor。　　But　you　are　joking！〃　he　exclaimed　delightedly。　　〃You　are　here　in
a　working　girls'　home…〃

〃It　is　one　of　Aunt　Emily's　charities。　　She　built　it；〃　said　Frances。　　〃I
come　here　to　talk　to　the　girls。〃

〃But；〃　persisted　Lee　triumphantly；　〃if　you　are　not　poor；　why　did　you
pawn　our　silver　loving…cup？〃

The　face　of　the　girl　became　a　lovely　crimson；　and　tears　rose　to　her　eyes。
As　though　at　a　confessional；　she　lifted　her　hands　penitently。

〃Try　to　understand；〃　she　begged；　〃I　wanted　you　to　love　me；　not　for
my　money…〃

〃But　you　knew！〃　cried　Lee。

〃I　had　to　be　sure；〃　begged　the　girl；　〃and　I　wanted　to　believe　you　loved
me　even　if　I　did　not　love　you。　　When　it　was　too　late　I　knew　you　loved　me
as　no　woman　ever　deserved　to　be　loved；　and　I　wanted　that　love。　　I　could
not　live　without　it。　　So　when　I　read　in　the　papers　you　had　returned　I
wouldn't　let　myself　write　you；　I　wouldn't　let　myself　beg　you　to　come
to　see　me。　　I　set　a　test　for　you。　　I　knew　from　the　papers　you　were　at　the
Army　and　Navy　Club；　and　that　around　the　corner　was　the　recruiting
office。　　I'd　often　seen　the　sergeant　there；　in　uniform；　at　the　door。　　I　knew
you　must　pass　from　your　club　to　the　office　many　times　each　day；　so　I
thought　of　the　loving…cup　and　the　pawn…shop。　　I　planted　it　there。　　It　was
a　trick；　a　test。　　I　thought　if　you　saw　it　in　a　pawn…shop　you　would　believe　I
no　longer　cared　for　you；　and　that　I　was　very　poor。　　If　you　passed　it　by；
then　I　would　know　you　yourself　had　stopped　caring；　but　if　you　asked
about　it；　if　you　inquired　for　me；　then　I　would　know　you　came　to　me　of
your　own　wish；　because　you…〃

Lee　shook　his　head。

〃You　don't　have　to　tell　me；〃　he　said　gently；　〃why　I　came。　　I've　a　cab
outside。　　You　will　get　in　it；〃　he　commanded；　〃and　we　will　rescue　our
cup。　　I　always　told　you　they　would　look　well　together　over　an　open
fireplace。〃





THE　MIRACLE　OF　LAS　PALMAS




This　is　the　story　of　a　gallant　officer　who　loved　his　profession；
his　regiment；　his　country；　but　above　all；　whiskey；　of　his
miraculous　conversion　to　total　abstinence；　and　of　the　humble
instrument　that　worked　the　miracle。　　At　the　time　it　was　worked；　
a　battalion　of　the　Thirty…third　Infantry　had　been　left　behind　to　
guard　the　Zone；　and　was　occupying　impromptu　barracks　on　the　hill
above　Las　Palmas。　　That　was　when　Las　Palmas　was　one　of　the　four　
thousand　stations　along　the　forty　miles　of　the　Panama　Railroad。　
When　the　railroad　was　〃reconstructed〃　the　name　of　Las　Palmas　did
not　appear　on　the　new　time…table；　and　when　this　story　appears　
Las　Palmas　will　be　eighty　feet　under　water。　　So　if　any　one　wishes
to　dispute　the　miracle　he　will　have　to　conduct　his　investigation
in　a　diving…bell。

On　this　particular　evening　young　Major　Aintree；　in　command　of　the　
battalion；　had　gone　up　the　line　to　Panama　to　dine　at　the　Hotel　
Tivoli；　and　had　dined　well。　　To　prevent　his　doing　this　a　paternal　
government　had　ordered　that　at　the　Tivoli　no　alcoholic　liquors　
may　be　sold；　but　only　two　hundred　yards　from　the　hotel；　outside　
the　zone　of　temperance；　lies　Panama　and　Angelina's；　and　during　
the　dinner；　between　the　Tivoli　and　Angelina's；　the　Jamaican　
waiter…boys　ran　relay　races。

After　the　dinner；　the　Jamaican　waiter…boys　proving　too　slow；　the　
dinner…party　in　a　body　adjourned　to　Angelina's；　and　when　later；　
Major　Aintree　moved　across　the　street　to　the　night　train　to　Las　
Palmas；　he　moved　unsteadily。

Young　Standish　of　the　Canal　Zone　police；　who；　though　but　twenty…
six；　was　a　full　corporal；　was　for　that　night　on　duty　as　〃train　
guard；〃　and　was　waiting　at　the　rear　steps　of　the　last　car。　　As　
Aintree　approached　the　steps　he　saw　indistinctly　a　boyish　figure　
in　khaki；　and；　mistaking　it　for　one　of　his　own　men；　he　clasped　
the　handrail　for　support；　and　halted　frowning。

Observing　the　condition　of　the　officer　the　policeman　also　frowned；　
but　in　deference　to　the　uniform；　slowly　and　with　reluctance　raised　
his　hand　to　his　sombrero。　　The　reluctance　was　more　apparent　than　
the　salute。　　It　was　less　of　a　salute　than　an　impertinence。

Partly　out　of　regard　for　his　rank；　partly　from　temper；　chiefly　
from　whiskey；　Aintree　saw　scarlet。

〃When　you　s'lute　your　s'perior　officer；〃　he　shouted；　〃you　s'lute　him
quick。　　You　unnerstan'；　you　s'lute　him　quick！　S'lute　me　again；〃　he　
commanded；　〃and　s'lute　me　damn　quick。〃

Standish　remained　motionless。　　As　is　the　habit　of　police