the lost road-第60章

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followed　Lee　covered　his　brows　with　laurel　wreaths　and　received
two　bullet　wounds　in　his　body。

For　a　month　death　stood　at　the　side　of　his　cot；　and　then；　still　weak
and　at　times　delirious　with　fever；　by　slow　stages　he　was　removed　to　the
hospital　in　Manila。　　In　one　of　his　sane　moments　a　cable　was　shown
him。　　It　read：　〃Whereabouts　still　unknown。〃　　Lee　at　once　rebelled
against　his　doctors。　　He　must　rise；　he　declared；　and　proceed　to
Europe。　　It　was　upon　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　　The　surgeons
assured　him　his　remaining　exactly　where　he　was　also　was　a　matter
of　as　great　consequence。　　Lee's　knowledge　of　his　own　lack　of
strength　told　him　they　were　right。

Then；　from　headquarters；　he　was　informed　that；　as　a　reward　for
his　services　and　in　recognition　of　his　approaching　convalescence；
he　was　ordered　to　return　to　his　own　climate　and　that　an　easy
billet　had　been　found　for　him　as　a　recruiting　officer　in　New　York
City。　　Believing　the　woman　he　loved　to　be　in　Europe；　this　plan　for
his　comfort　only　succeeded　in　bringing　on　a　relapse。　　But　the　day
following　there　came　another　cablegram。　　It　put　an　abrupt　end　to
his　mutiny；　and　brought　him　and　the　War　Department　into　complete
accord。

〃She　is　in　New　York；〃　it　read；　〃acting　as　agent　for　a　charitable
institution；　which　one　not　known；　but　hope　in　a　few　days　to　cable
correct　address。〃

In　all　the　world　there　was　no　man　so　happy。　The　next　morning　a
transport　was　sailing；　and；　probably　because　they　had　read　the
cablegram；　the　surgeons　agreed　with　Lee　that　a　sea　voyage　would
do　him　no　harm。　　He　was　carried　on　board；　and　when　the　propellers
first　churned　the　water　and　he　knew　he　was　moving　toward　her；　the
hero　of　the　fight　around　the　crater　shed　unmanly　tears。　　He　would
see　her　again；　hear　her　voice；　the　same　great　city　would　shelter
them。　　It　was　worth　a　dozen　bullets。

He　reached　New　York　in　a　snow…storm；　a　week　before　Christmas；　and
went　straight　to　the　office　of　his　lawyers。　　They　received　him　with
embarrassment。　　Six　weeks　before；　on　the　very　day　they　had
cabled　him　that　Mrs。　Stedman　was　in　New　York；　she　had　left　the
charitable　institution　where　she　had　been　employed；　and　had　again
disappeared。

Lee　sent　his　trunks　to　the　Army　and　Navy　Club；　which　was
immediately　around　the　corner　from　the　recruiting　office　in　Sixth
Avenue；　and　began　discharging　telegrams　at　every　one　who　had　ever
known　Frances　Gardner。　　The　net　result　was　discouraging。　　In　the
year　and　a　half　in　which　he　had　been　absent　every　friend　of　the
girl　he　sought　had　temporarily　changed　his　place　of　residence　or
was　permanently　dead。

Meanwhile　his　arrival　by　the　transport　was　announced　in　the
afternoon　papers。　　At　the　wharf　an　admiring　trooper　had　told　a
fine　tale　of　his　conduct　at　the　battle　of　the　crater；　and
reporters　called　at　the　club　to　see　him。　　He　did　not　discourage
them；　as　he　hoped　through　them　the　fact　of　his　return　might　be
made　known　to　Frances。　　She　might　send　him　a　line　of　welcome；　and
he　would　discover　her　whereabouts。　　But；　though　many　others　sent
him　hearty　greetings；　from　her　there　was　no　word。

On　the　second　day　after　his　arrival　one　of　the　telegrams　was
answered　in　person　by　a　friend　of　Mrs。　Stedman。　　He　knew　only　that
she　had　been　in　New　York；　that　she　was　very　poor　and　in　ill
health；　that　she　shunned　all　of　her　friends；　and　was　earning　her
living　as　the　matron　of　some　sort　of　a　club　for　working　girls。　　He
did　not　know　the　name　of　it。

On　the　third　day　there　still　was　no　news。　　On　the　fourth　Lee
decided　that　the　next　morning　he　would　advertise。　　He　would　say
only：　〃Will　Mrs。　Arthur　Stedman　communicate　with　Messrs。　Fuller　&
Fuller？〃　Fuller　&　Fuller　were　his　lawyers。　　That　afternoon　he
remained　until　six　o'clock　at　the　recruiting　office；　and　when　he
left　it　the　electric　street　lights　were　burning　brightly。　　A　heavy
damp　snow　was　falling；　and　the　lights　and　the　falling　flakes　and
the　shouts　of　drivers　and　the　toots　of　taxicabs　made　for　the　man
from　the　tropics　a　welcome　homecoming。

Instead　of　returning　at　once　to　his　club；　he　slackened　his　steps。
The　shop　windows　of　Sixth　Avenue　hung　with　Christmas　garlands；
and　colored　lamps　glowed　like　open　fireplaces。　　Lee　passed　slowly
before　them；　glad　that　he　had　been　able　to　get　back　at　such　a
season。　　For　the　moment　he　had　forgotten　the　woman　he　sought；　and
was　conscious　only　of　his　surroundings。　　He　had　paused　in　front　of
the　window　of　a　pawn…shop。　　Over　the　array　of　cheap　jewelry；　of
banjos；　shot…guns；　and　razors；　his　eyes　moved　idly。　　And　then　they
became　transfixed　and　staring。　　In　the　very　front　of　the　window；
directly　under　his　nose；　was　a　tarnished　silver　loving…cup。　　On　it
was　engraved；　〃Mixed　Doubles。　Agawamsett；　1910。〃　　In　all　the　world
there　were　only　two　such　cups；　and　as　though　he　were　dodging　the
slash　of　a　bolo；　Lee　leaped　into　the　shop。　　Many　precious　seconds
were　wasted　in　persuading　Mrs。　Cohen　that　he　did　not　believe　the
cup　had　been　stolen；　that　he　was　not　from　the　Central　Office；
that　he　believed　the　lady　who　had　pawned　the　cup　had　come　by　it
honestly；　that　he　meant　no　harm　to　the　lady；　that　he　meant　no
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