on the firing line-第20节

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an't　explain　things　very　clearly；　and　so；〃　she　hesitated　a　little；　〃and　so　I　think　I　shall　leave　his　soul　in　your　hands。　There　are　plenty　of　people　still　in　South　Africa；　there　are　never　too　many　men。〃　And；　with　a　grave　little　nod；　half　intent；　half　girlish；　she　turned　away　from　the　door；　leaving　the　heavy　drapery　to　sway　to　and　fro　behind　her。




CHAPTER　FOURTEEN


Three　days　later；　Weldon　ran　lightly　up　the　stone　steps　and　rang　at　the　Dents'　door。

〃Is　Miss　Dent　in？〃　he　asked　the　maid。　〃I　know　it　isn't　her　day；　but　tell　her　I　am　leaving　town　almost　immediately；　and　I　wish　to　say　good　by。〃

Notwithstanding　his　message；　Ethel　was　long　about　appearing；　and　her　face　and　manner；　when　she　halted　on　the　threshold；　were　a　bit　unapproachable。　Then；　as　her　eyes　lighted　on　the　brown　uniform　and　the　wide　slouch　hat；　her　whole　expression　changed；　and　she　came　forward　with　an　eagerness　which　she　was　at　no　pains　to　conceal。

〃Mr。　Weldon。〃

He　bowed　in　mock　humility。

〃Trooper　Weldon；　if　you　please。〃

〃I　am　delighted。　Is　it　your　old　troop？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃No。　I　know　the　Transvaal　and　all　its　resources　by　heart。　I　have　chosen　the　Orange　Free　State。　It　is　a　new　country；　and；　besides；　all　the　best　of　the　fighting　is　going　to　be　there；　on　the　heels　of　De　Wet。〃

〃Are　you　a　prophet？〃　she　asked；　while　she　dropped　into　a　chair　and　motioned　to　him　to　be　seated。

〃No；　but　I　suspect　that　Captain　Frazer　is；〃　he　answered；　as　he　obeyed　her。

She　raised　her　brows　questioningly。

〃Does　he　go；　too？〃

〃Not　now。　His　staff　work　holds　him　here　among　the　fleshpots；〃　he　replied。〃　Later；　he　may　be　able　to　come　up　to　us。〃

〃Us？〃

〃The　South　African　Light　Horse。〃

〃Why　did　you　choose　them？〃

〃Because　they　are　to　operate　in　the　Orange　River　country；　and　because　they　would　have　me。〃

〃Is　that　a　matter　to　consider？〃

Weldon　laughed　while；　placing　his　hat　on　the　floor；　he　settled　himself　more　comfortably　in　his　chair。　His　face　was　unusually　animated；　that　day；　and　his　trim　new　uniform　and　his　carefully…wound　putties　added　inches　to　his　height　and　showed　his　lithe；　lean　figure　at　its　very　best。

〃I　considered　it；〃　he　answered　then。　〃It　is　a　trick　of　mine；　as　soon　as　I　decide　I　want　a　thing；　to　be　in　living　terror　of　losing　it。　However；　the　ordeal　was　short　and　not　too　severe。　Captain　Frazer　introduced　me　to　a　little　lieutenant　who　looked　me　over；　asked　me　if　I　could　ride；　if　I　could　shoot　a　rifle　and　if　I　had　had　any　experience。　I　fancy　the　matter　was　settled　beforehand。　Then　I　went　out　and　treated　The　Nig　and　Piggie　to　some　new　shoes；　and　myself　to　a　new　uniform；　and　the　deed　was　done。〃

〃Are　you　glad；　or　sorry？〃　she　asked　slowly。

〃That　there　was　no　more　red　tape？〃

〃That　you　decided　as　you　did？〃

He　stared　at　her　thoughtfully　for　a　minute。　Then　he　answered；

〃But　I　imagine　it　rather　decided　itself。　I　spoke　of　it　to　you　once　before；　I　remember；　when　we　were　up　in　hospital；　how　there　never　seemed　to　be　much　choice　open　to　me。　I　fancy　I　am　deciding　things；　I　mull　over　them　till　I　am　disgusted　with　the　whole　matter。　Then；　after　I　have　made　up　my　mind　what　I　am　going　to　do；　I　suddenly　realize　that　there　was　never　any　question　about　it　from　the　start。　I　have　simply　said　'yes'　to　an　irresistible　force。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　she　assented　slowly。　〃I　am　not　so　sure。〃　Then　she　turned　to　the　tangible　fact。　〃But　when　do　you　go？〃

〃To…morrow　morning。〃

〃I　am　sorry　it　must　be　so　soon；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Still；　I　am　glad　you　are　going。　You　never　would　have　been　satisfied　to　sail　for　home　now。〃

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃I　should　not。〃

Then　the　talk　halted　again。

〃Where　is　Mr。　Carew？〃　she　asked　abruptly　at　length；　less　from　interest　in　Carew　than　from　a　desire　to　escape　so　insistent　a　pause。

〃At　the　Mount　Nelson。〃　〃Here　in　Cape　Town？〃

〃Yes。　He　came　down　with　me。　We　volunteered　together；　you　know；　and　his　time　was　ended；　too。〃

〃Does　he　go　home？〃

〃No；　not　Harry　Carew。　We　had　decided　to　keep　together　in　our　plans；　in　fact；　it　was　one　of　the　conditions　of　our　coming　out。　But；　from　the　start；　he　has　hated　the　idea　of　going　back　home　as　long　as　there　was　an　armed　Boer　left　in　the　field。〃

〃And　he　goes　with　you？〃

〃Yes；　to　Springfontein。　We　have　our　headquarters　there　for　the　present。　For　Carew's　sake；　I　hope　it　will　be　more　riding　and　scouting　than　actual　fighting。　The　man　is　made　of　some　material　that　draws　all　the　bullets　in　sight。〃

Ethel　smiled。

〃Don't　let　him　stop　near　you；　then；〃　she　advised。

〃Why　not？　He　is　as　good　as　a　shield。　It　is　hard　on　him；　though。　He　was　hit　four　or　five　times　before　Vlaakfontein；　and　has　had　one　scratch　since。〃

〃What　is　the　trouble？　Is　he　foolhardy？〃

〃Foolhardy　in　war；　Miss　Dent？〃

〃Yes；　just　that。　There　is　no　sense　in　taking　needless　risks。〃

〃But　it　is　mighty　hard　to　draw　the　line　between　avoiding　needless　risks　and　funking　necessary　ones；〃　he　answered。　〃But　Carew　isn't　reckless。　He　is　plucky；　but　very　level…headed；　and　he　means　to　take　care　of　himself；　when　he　can。　One　can't　always；　you　know。　And　then　he　is　wonderfully　unlucky。〃

〃You　believe　in　luck；　then？〃

〃Yes；　or　Fate。　What　else　makes　a　man　move　out　of　the　way；　just　in　time　for　the　bullet　to　graze　his　cheek？　He　doesn't　see　the　bullet　coming；　neither　does　the　man　who　stops　it。　Both　of　them　are　busy　about　something　else。　For　the　man　who　escapes　it；　it　is　Providence；　for　the　man　who　gets　killed；　it　is　Fate。〃

She　tried　to　rouse　him　from　his　sudden　gravity。

〃And　for　both；　it　is　mere　chance。〃

〃If　you　call　it　that。　Miss　Dent〃　He　hesitated。

〃Yes；〃　she　assented　gravely。

〃It　was　only　a　chance；　but　a　strange　one；〃　he　went　on；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　topmost　ridge　of　his　brown　puttie。　〃We　were　climbing　the　face　of　a　kopje；　one　day。　It　was　very　steep；　and　we　crawled　up　a　narrow　trail　in　single　file。　Two　days　before；　our　guns　had　been　shelling　the　whole　kopje；　and　they　must　have　cracked　it　up　badly。　All　at　once；　the　man　above　me　loosened　a　great　lump　of　rock。　I　was　exactly　underneath　it。　It　gave　a　little　bound　outward；　went　completely　over　me　and　struck　full　on　the　head　of　the　next　man　in　line。〃

The　girl　sat；　bending　forward　in　her　chair；　her　strong；　quiet　hands　clasped　loosely　in　her　lap。

〃And　he？〃　she　asked　quite　low。

〃He　dropped　to　the　foot　of　the　kopje；　dead。　In　his　fall；　he　dragged　down　the　next　man　after　him；　and　his　leg　was　crushed。〃

〃And　you　were　saved！〃　she　said　a　bit　breathlessly。

〃Doesn't　it　make　you　feel　a　vague　responsibility；　as　if　you　must　live　up　to　something　that　you　couldn't　quite　understand？〃

Without　looking　up；　he　bowed　in　assent。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　then。　〃Don't　think　me　foolishly　superstitious；　Miss　Dent；　or　too　egotistic。　I　try　not　to　pay　much　attention　to　it。　Once　in　a　while；　though；　not　too　often；　it　all　comes　back　over　me；　and　I　feel　then　as　if　my　life　might　have　been　kept　for　something　that　is　still　ahead　of　me。〃

〃And　doesn't　it　leave　you　feeling　anxious　about　making　all　your　decisions？〃　she　asked　slowly；　as　she　leaned　back　again　in　her　chair。

〃At　first。　Then　I　remember　how　that；　and　some　other　things　have　been　settled　for　me。〃

〃What　then？〃

〃Then　I　shut　my　teeth　and　face　forward。　All　one　can　do；　is　to　forget　the　future　and　take　the　present　as　it　comes；　making　the　best　of　each　minute　and　leaving　the　hour　to　look　out　for　itself；〃　he　answered　simply。　〃Sometimes　one　makes　better　progress　by　drifting　than　he　does　by　punting　against　the　current。〃

She　bit　her　lip。

〃Sometimes　I　think；　though〃　Suddenly　she　roused　herself　and　gave　a　nervous　little　laugh。　〃Captain　Frazer　is　coming　up　the　steps；〃　she　added。

〃You　think？〃　Weldon　reminded　her；　as　she　rose。

But　she　shook　her　head　and　laughed　again；　this　time　more　in　her　natural　manner。

〃I　think　that　I　wish　you　would　bring　Mr。　Carew　to　call　on　me；　next　time　you　come；〃　she　said　evasively。

〃Thank　you。　He　will　be　glad　to　come。　The　only　question　is　when　the　next　time　will　arrive。〃

〃You　said　Captain　Frazer　was　a　prophet；〃　she　said；　as　she　moved　towards　the　door。　〃Ask　him。〃

Tall；　alert；　eager；　the　Captain　entered　the　room　in　time　to　catch　her　words。

〃A　prophet　of　what　and　to　whom；　Miss　Dent？〃　he　asked；　as　he　bowed　over　her　outstretched　hand。

〃To　Mr。　Weldon；　in　regard　to　the　future　fighting；〃　she　answered　gayly。

〃You　here；　Weldon？〃

〃Yes；　to　say　good　by。〃

Captain　Frazer　nodded。

〃I　saw　Mitchell；　this　morning。　He　spoke　well　of　you；　of　Carew；　too；　for　the　matter　of　that。　He　told　me　your　troop　would　be　off　in　the　morning；　and　asked　me　to　diagnose　；your　best　points。〃

〃Could　you　find　any？〃　Weldon　asked　imperturbably。　〃A　few。　I　told　him　you　could　sit　tight　and　shoot　straight；〃　the　Captain　answered；　laughing。　Then　he　added　gravely；　〃And　I　also　told　him　you　could　ride　the　fiend　incarnate；　and　that；　as　far　as　I　knew；　you　didn't　lose　your　head　when　you　were　under　fire。〃

For　the　instant；　Weldon　forgot　his　hostess；　as　he　looked　up　to　meet　the　Captain's　blue　eyes　squarely。

〃Thank　you。　But　it　is　more　than　I　deserve。〃

〃Then　you　must　try　to　live　up　to　it；〃　Ethel　advised　him　languidly。　〃It　merely　increases　your　responsibilities；　for　now　you　have　two　reputations　to　support；　your　own　for　pluck　and　the　Captain's　for　being　a　judge　of　his　fellowmen。　It　is　an　awful　weight　that　you　are　carrying　on　y