the lost road-第94章
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of the Sea； the linen in the valise had turned to pig iron； his pipe…
stem legs were wabbling； his eyes smarted with salt sweat； and the
fingers supporting the valise belonged to some other boy； and were
giving that boy much pain。 But as the motor…cars flashed past with
raucous warnings； or； that those who rode might better see the boy
with bare knees； passed at 〃half speed；〃 Jimmie stiffened his shoulders
and stepped jauntily forward。 Even when the joy…riders mocked with
〃Oh； you scout！〃 he smiled at them。 He was willing to admit to those
who rode that the laugh was on the one who walked。 And he regretted
oh； so bitterlyhaving left the train。 He was indignant that for his
〃one good turn a day〃 he had not selected one less strenuousthat；
for instance； he had not assisted a frightened old lady through the
traffic。 To refuse the dime she might have offered； as all true scouts
refuse all tips； would have been easier than to earn it by walking five
miles； with the sun at ninety…nine degrees； and carrying excess baggage。
Twenty times James shifted the valise to the other hand； twenty times
he let it drop and sat upon it。
And then； as again he took up his burden； the good Samaritan drew
near。 He drew near in a low gray racing…car at the rate of forty miles
an hour； and within a hundred feet of Jimmie suddenly stopped and
backed toward him。 The good Samaritan was a young man with white
hair。 He wore a suit of blue； a golf cap； the hands that held the wheel
were disguised in large yellow gloves。 He brought the car to a halt and
surveyed the dripping figure in the road with tired and uncurious eyes。
〃You a Boy Scout？〃 he asked。
With alacrity for the twenty…first time Jimmie dropped the valise；
forced his cramped fingers into straight lines； and saluted。
The young man in the car nodded toward the seat beside him。
〃Get in；〃 he commanded。
When James sat panting happily at his elbow the old young man； to
Jimmie's disappointment； did not continue to shatter the speed limit。
Instead； he seemed inclined for conversation； and the car； growling
indignantly； crawled。
〃I never saw a Boy Scout before；〃 announced the old young man。
〃Tell me about it。 First； tell me what you do when you're not
scouting。〃
Jimmie explained volubly。 When not in uniform he was an office
boy； and from peddlers and beggars guarded the gates of Carroll
and Hastings； stock…brokers。 He spoke the names of his employers
with awe。 It was a firm distinguished； conservative； and long
established。 The white…haired young man seemed to nod in assent。
〃Do you know them？〃 demanded Jimmie suspiciously。 〃Are you a
customer of ours？〃
〃I know them；〃 said the young man。 〃They are customers of mine。〃
Jimmie wondered in what way Carroll and Hastings were customers
of the white…haired young man。 Judging him by his outer garments；
Jimmie guessed he was a Fifth Avenue tailor； he might be even a
haberdasher。 Jimmie continued。 He lived； he explained； with his
mother at One Hundred and Forty…sixth Street； Sadie； his sister；
attended the public school； he helped support them both； and he
now was about to enjoy a well…earned vacation camping out on
Hunter's Island； where he would cook his own meals； and； if the
mosquitoes permitted； sleep in a tent。
〃And you like that？〃 demanded the young man。 〃You call that fun？〃
〃Sure！〃 protested Jimmie。 〃Don't you go camping out？〃
〃I go camping out；〃 said the good Samaritan； 〃whenever I leave
New York。〃
Jimmie had not for three years lived in Wall Street not to
understand that the young man spoke in metaphor。
〃You don't look；〃 objected the young man critically； 〃as though
you were built for the strenuous life。〃
Jimmie glanced guiltily at his white knees。
〃You ought ter see me two weeks from now；〃 he protested。 〃I get all
sunburnt and hard…
…hard as anything！〃
The young man was incredulous。
〃You were near getting sunstruck when I picked you up；〃 he
laughed。 〃If you're going to Hunter's Island； why didn't you go
to Pelham Manor？〃
〃That's right！〃 assented Jimmie eagerly。 〃But I wanted to save
the ten cents so's to send Sadie to the movies。 So I walked。〃
The young man looked his embarrassment。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he murmured。
But Jimmie did not hear him。 From the back of the car he was
dragging excitedly at the hated suit…case。
〃Stop！〃 he commanded。 〃I got ter get out。 I got ter walk。〃
The young man showed his surprise。
〃Walk！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What is ita bet？〃
Jimmie dropped the valise and followed it into the roadway。 It
took some time to explain to the young man。 First； he had to be
told about the scout law and the one good turn a day； and that it
must involve some personal sacrifice。 And； as Jimmie pointed out；
changing from a slow suburban train to a racing…car could not be
listed as a sacrifice。 He had not earned the money； Jimmie argued；
he had only avoided paying it to the railroad。 If he did not walk
he would be obtaining the gratitude of Sadie by a falsehood。
Therefore； he must walk。
〃Not at all；〃 protested the young man。 〃You've got it wrong。 What
good will it do your sister to have you sunstruck？ I think you are
sunstruck。 You're crazy with the heat。 You get in here； and we'll
talk it over as we go along。〃
Hastily Jimmie backed away。 〃I'd rather walk；〃 he said。
The young man shifted his legs irritably。
〃Then how'll this suit you？〃 he called。 〃We'll declare that first 'one
good turn' a failure and start afresh。 Do me a good turn。〃
Jimmie halted in his tracks and looked back suspiciously。
〃I'm going to Hunter's Island Inn；〃 called the young man； 〃and I've
lost my way。 You get in here and guide me。 That'll be doing me
a good turn。〃
On either side of the road； blotting out the landscape； giant
hands picked out in electric…light bulbs pointed the way to
Hunter's Island Inn。 Jimmie grinned and nodded toward them。
〃Much obliged；〃 he called。 〃I got ter walk。〃 Turning his back
upon temptation； he waddled forward into the flickering heat
waves。
The young man did not attempt to pursue。 At the side of the road；
under the shade of a giant elm； he had brought the car to a halt and
with his arms crossed upon the wheel sat motionless； following with
frowning eyes the retreating figure of Jimmie。 But the narrow…chested
and knock…kneed boy staggering over the sun…baked asphalt no longer
concerned him。 It was not Jimmie； but the code preached by Jimmie；
and not only preached but before his eyes put into practice； that
interested him。 The young man with white hair had been running
away from temptation。 At forty miles an hour he had been running
away from the temptation to do a fellow mortal 〃a good turn。〃 That
morning； to the appeal of a drowning Caesar to 〃Help me； Cassius；
or I sink；〃 he had answered： 〃Sink！〃 That answer he had no wish to
reconsider。 That he might not reconsider he had sought to escape。
It was his experience that a sixty…horse…power racing…machine is a
jealous mistress。 For retrospective； sentimental； or philanthropic
thoughts she grants no leave of absence。 But he had not escaped。
Jimmie had halted him； tripped him by the heels； and set him again
to thinking。 Within the half…hour that followed those who rolled
past saw at the side of the road a car with her engine running； and
leaning upon the wheel； as unconscious of his surroundings as
though he sat at his own fireplace； a young man who frowned and
stared at nothing。 The half…hour passed and the young man swung
his car back toward the city。 But at the first road…house that showed
a blue…and…white telephone sign he left it； and into the iron box at
the end of the bar dropped a nickel。 He wished to communicate with
Mr。 Carroll； of Carroll and Hastings； and when he learned Mr。 Carroll
had just issued orders that he must not be disturbed； the young man
gave his name。
The effect upon the barkeeper was instantaneous。 With the aggrieved
air of one who feels he is the victim of a jest he laughed scornfully。
〃What are you putting over？〃 he demanded。
The young man smiled reassuringly。 He had begun to speak and；
though apparently engaged with the
