the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第43节
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its lesson； he exclaimed explosively：
〃My name's Van Warden。 I'm Harry Van Warden。〃
He seemed as little convinced of the truth of his statement as though
he had announced that he was the Czar of Russia。 It was as though a stage…
manager had drilled him in the lines。
But upon Winnie； as her husband saw to his dismay； the words
produced an instant and appalling effect。 She fairly radiated excitement
and delight。 How her husband had succeeded in capturing the social prize
of Scarboro she could not imagine； but； for doing so； she flashed toward
him a glance of deep and grateful devotion。
Then she beamed upon the stranger。 〃Won't Mr。 Van Warden stay to
dinner？〃 she asked。
Her husband emitted a howl。 〃He will NOT！〃 he cried。 〃He's not that
kind of a Van Warden。 He's a plumber。 He's the man that fixes the
telephone！〃
He seized the visitor by the sleeve of the long motor…coat and dragged
him down the steps。 Reluctantly； almost resistingly； the visitor stumbled
after him； casting backward amazed glances at the beautiful lady。 Fred
thrust him into the seat beside the chauffeur。 Pointing at the golf…cap and
automobile goggles which the stranger was stupidly twisting in his hands；
Fred whispered fiercely：
〃Put those on！ Cover your face！ Don't speak！ The man knows what to
do。〃
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With eager eyes and parted lips James the chauffeur was waiting for
the signal。 Fred nodded sharply； and the chauffeur stooped to throw in the
clutch。 But the car did not start。 From the hedge beside the driveway；
directly in front of the wheels； something on all fours threw itself upon the
gravel； something in a suit of purple…gray； something torn and bleeding；
smeared with sweat and dirt； something that cringed and crawled； that
tried to rise and sank back upon its knees； lifting to the glare of the head…
lights the white face and white hair of a very old； old man。 The kneeling
figure sobbed； the sobs rising from far down in the pit of the stomach；
wrenching the body like waves of nausea。 The man stretched his arms
toward them。 From long disuse his voice cracked and broke。
〃I'm done！〃 he sobbed。 〃I can't go no farther！ I give myself up！〃
Above the awful silence that held the four young people； the prison
siren shrieked in one long； mocking howl of triumph。
It was the stranger who was the first to act。 Pushing past Fred； and
slipping from his own shoulders the long motor…coat； he flung it over the
suit of purple…gray。 The goggles he clapped upon the old man's frightened
eyes； the golf…cap he pulled down over the white hair。 With one arm he
lifted the convict； and with the other dragged and pushed him into the seat
beside the chauffeur。 Into the hands of the chauffeur he thrust the roll of
bills。
〃Get him away！〃 he ordered。 〃It's only twelve miles to the Connecticut
line。 As soon as you're across； buy him clothes and a ticket to Boston。 Go
through White Plains to Greenwichand then you're safe！〃
As though suddenly remembering the presence of the owner of the car；
he swung upon Fred。 〃Am I right？〃 he demanded。
〃Of course！〃 roared Fred。 He flung his arm at the chauffeur as though
throwing him into space。
〃Get…to…hell…out…of…here！〃 he shouted。
The chauffeur； by profession a criminal； but by birth a human being；
chuckled savagely and this time threw in the clutch。 With a grinding of
gravel the racing…car leaped into the night； its ruby rear lamp winking in
farewell； its tiny siren answering the great siren of the prison in jeering
notes of joy and victory。
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Fred had supposed that at the last moment the younger convict
proposed to leap to the running…board； but instead the stranger remained
motionless。
Fred shouted impotently after the flying car。 In dismay he seized the
stranger by the arm。
〃But you？〃 he demanded。 〃How are you going to get away？〃
The stranger turned appealingly to where upon the upper step stood
Winnie Keep。
〃I don't want to get away；〃 he said。 〃I was hoping； maybe； you'd let me
stay to dinner。〃
A terrible and icy chill crept down the spine of Fred Keep。 He moved
so that the light from the hall fell full upon the face of the stranger。
〃Will you kindly tell me；〃 Fred demanded； 〃who the devil you are？〃
The stranger exclaimed peevishly。 〃I've BEEN telling you all
evening；〃 he protested。 〃I'm Harry Van Warden！〃
Gridley； the ancient butler； appeared in the open door。
〃Dinner is served； madam；〃 he said。
The stranger gave an exclamation of pleasure。 〃Hello； Gridley！〃 he
cried。 〃Will you please tell Mr。 Keep who I am？ Tell him； if he'll ask me to
dinner； I won't steal the spoons。〃
Upon the face of Gridley appeared a smile it never had been the
privilege of Fred Keep to behold。 The butler beamed upon the stranger
fondly； proudly； by the right of long acquaintanceship； with the affection
of an old friend。 Still beaming； he bowed to Keep。
〃If Mr。 HarryMr。 Van Warden；〃 he said； 〃is to stay to dinner； might I
suggest； sir； he is very partial to the Paul Vibert； '84。〃
Fred Keep gazed stupidly from his butler to the stranger and then at his
wife。 She was again radiantly beautiful and smilingly happy。
Gridley coughed tentatively。 〃Shall I open a bottle； sir？〃 he asked。
Hopelessly Fred tossed his arms heavenward。
〃Open a case！〃 he roared。
At ten o'clock； when they were still at table and reaching a state of
such mutual appreciation that soon they would be calling each other by
their first names； Gridley brought in a written message he had taken from
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the telephone。 It was a long…distance call from Yonkers； sent by James； the
faithful chauffeur。
Fred read it aloud。
〃I got that party the articles he needed；〃 it read； 〃and saw him safe on a
train to Boston。 On the way back I got arrested for speeding the car on the
way down。 Please send money。 I am in a cell in Yonkers。〃
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
CHAPTER 8。 THE BOY WHO
CRIED WOLF
Before he finally arrested him； 〃Jimmie〃 Sniffen had seen the man
with the golf…cap； and the blue eyes that laughed at you； three times。 Twice；
unexpectedly； he had come upon him in a wood road and once on Round
Hill where the stranger was pretending to watch the sunset。 Jimmie knew
people do not climb hills merely to look at sunsets； so he was not deceived。
He guessed the man was a German spy seeking gun sites； and secretly
vowed to 〃stalk〃 him。 From that moment； had the stranger known it； he
was as good as dead。 For a boy scout with badges on his sleeve for
〃stalking〃 and 〃path…finding；〃 not to boast of others for 〃gardening〃 and
〃cooking；〃 can outwit any spy。 Even had； General Baden…Powell remained
in Mafeking and not invented the boy scout； Jimmie Sniffen would have
been one。 Because； by birth he was a boy； and by inheritance； a scout。 In
Westchester County the Sniffens are one of the county families。 If it isn't a
Sarles； it's a Sniffen； and with Brundages； Platts； and Jays； the Sniffens
date back to when the acres of the first Charles Ferris ran from the Boston
post road to the coach road to Albany； and when the first Gouverneur
Morris stood on one of his hills and saw the Indian canoes in the Hudson
and in the Sound and rejoiced that all the land between belonged to him。
If you do not believe in heredity； the fact that Jimmie's great…great…
grandfather was a scout for General Washington and hunted deer； and even
bear； over exactly the same hills where Jimmie hunted weasles will count
for nothing。 It will not explain why to Jimmie； from Tarrytown to Port
Chester； the hills； the roads； the woods； and
