the call of the canyon-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　Bedford　Park。　Through　her　bountiful　presence　Virgil　Rust　and　his　comrades　had　many　dull　hours　of　pain　and　weariness　alleviated　and　brightened。　Interesting　herself　in　the　condition　of　the　seriously　disabled　soldiers　and　possibility　of　their　future　took　time　and　work　Carley　gave　willingly　and　gladly。　At　first　she　endeavored　to　get　acquaintances　with　means　and　leisure　to　help　the　boys；　but　these　overtures　met　with　such　little　success　that　she　quit　wasting　valuable　time　she　could　herself　devote　to　their　interests。

Thus　several　weeks　swiftly　passed　by。　Several　soldiers　who　had　been　more　seriously　injured　than　Rust　improved　to　the　extent　that　they　were　discharged。　But　Rust　gained　little　or　nothing。　The　nurse　and　doctor　both　informed　Carley　that　Rust　brightened　for　her；　but　when　she　was　gone　he　lapsed　into　somber　indifference。　He　did　not　care　whether　he　ate　or　not；　or　whether　he　got　well　or　died。

〃If　I　do　pull　out；　where'll　I　go　and　what'll　I　do？〃　he　once　asked　the　nurse。

Carley　knew　that　Rust's　hurt　was　more　than　loss　of　a　leg；　and　she　decided　to　talk　earnestly　to　him　and　try　to　win　him　to　hope　and　effort。　He　had　come　to　have　a　sort　of　reverence　for　her。　So；　biding　her　time；　she　at　length　found　opportunity　to　approach　his　bed　while　his　comrades　were　asleep　or　out　of　hearing。　He　endeavored　to　laugh　her　off；　and　then　tried　subterfuge；　and　lastly　he　cast　off　his　mask　and　let　her　see　his　naked　soul。

〃Carley；　I　don't　want　your　money　or　that　of　your　kind　friendswhoever　they　areyou　say　will　help　me　to　get　into　business；〃　he　said。　〃God　knows　I　thank　you　and　it　warms　me　inside　to　find　some　one　who　appreciates　what　I've　given。　But　I　don't　want　charity。　。　。　。　And　I　guess　I'm　pretty　sick　of　the　game。　I'm　sorry　the　Boches　didn't　do　the　job　right。〃

〃Rust；　that　is　morbid　talk；〃　replied　Carley。　〃You're　ill　and　you　just　can't　see　any　hope。　You　must　cheer　upfight　yourself；　and　look　at　the　brighter　side。　It's　a　horrible　pity　you　must　be　a　cripple；　but　Rust；　indeed　life　can　be　worth　living　if　you　make　it　so。〃

〃How　could　there　be　a　brighter　side　when　a　man's　only　half　a　man〃　he　queried；　bitterly。

〃You　can　be　just　as　much　a　man　as　ever；〃　persisted　Carley；　trying　to　smile　when　she　wanted　to　cry。

〃Could　you　care　for　a　man　with　only　one　leg？〃　he　asked；　deliberately。

〃What　a　question！　Why；　of　course　I　could！〃

〃Well；　maybe　you　are　different。　Glenn　always　swore　even　if　he　was　killed　no　slacker　or　no　rich　guy　left　at　home　could　ever　get　you。　Maybe　you　haven't　any　idea　how　much　it　means　to　us　fellows　to　know　there　are　true　and　faithful　girls。　But　I'll　tell　you；　Carley；　we　fellows　who　went　across　got　to　see　things　strange　when　we　came　home。　The　good　old　U。　S。　needs　a　lot　of　faithful　girls　just　now；　believe　me。〃

〃Indeed　that's　true；〃　replied　Carley。　〃It's　a　hard　time　for　everybody；　and　particularly　you　boys　who　have　lost　soso　much。〃

〃I　lost　all；　except　my　lifeand　I　wish　to　God　I'd　lost　that；〃　he　replied；　gloomily。

〃Oh；　don't　talk　so！〃　implored　Carley　in　distress。　〃Forgive　me；　Rust；　if　I　hurt　you。　But　I　must　tell　youthatthat　Glenn　wrote　meyou'd　lost　your　girl。　Oh；　I'm　sorry！　It　is　dreadful　for　you　now。　But　if　you　got　welland　went　to　workand　took　up　life　where　you　left　itwhy　soon　your　pain　would　grow　easier。　And　you'd　find　some　happiness　yet。〃

〃Never　for　me　in　this　world。〃

〃But　why；　Rust；　why？　You're　nonoOh！　I　mean　you　have　intelligence　and　courage。　Why　isn't　there　anything　left　for　you？〃

〃Because　something　here's　been　killed；〃　he　replied；　and　put　his　hand　to　his　heart。

〃Your　faith？　Your　love　ofof　everything？　Did　the　war　kill　it？〃

〃I'd　gotten　over　that；　maybe；〃　he　said；　drearily；　with　his　somber　eyes　on　space　that　seemed　lettered　for　him。　〃But　she　half　murdered　itand　they　did　the　rest。〃

〃They？　Whom　do　you　mean；　Rust？〃

〃Why；　Carley；　I　mean　the　people　I　lost　my　leg　for！〃　he　replied；　with　terrible　softness。

〃The　British？　The　French？〃　she　queried；　in　bewilderment。

〃No！〃　he　cried；　and　turned　his　face　to　the　wall。

Carley　dared　not　ask　him　more。　She　was　shocked。　How　helplessly　impotent　all　her　earnest　sympathy！　No　longer　could　she　feel　an　impersonal；　however　kindly；　interest　in　this　man。　His　last　ringing　word　had　linked　her　also　to　his　misfortune　and　his　suffering。　Suddenly　he　turned　away　from　the　wall。　She　saw　him　swallow　laboriously。　How　tragic　that　thin；　shadowed　face　of　agony！　Carley　saw　it　differently。　But　for　the　beautiful　softness　of　light　in　his　eyes；　she　would　have　been　unable　to　endure　gazing　longer。

〃Carley；　I'm　bitter；〃　he　said；　〃but　I'm　not　rancorous　and　callous；　like　some　of　the　boys。　I　know　if　you'd　been　my　girl　you'd　have　stuck　to　me。〃

〃Yes；〃　Carley　whispered。

〃That　makes　a　difference；〃　he　went　on；　with　a　sad　smile。　〃You　see；　we　soldiers　all　had　feelings。　And　in　one　thing　we　all　felt　alike。　That　was　we　were　going　to　fight　for　our　homes　and　our　women。　I　should　say　women　first。　No　matter　what　we　read　or　heard　about　standing　by　our　allies；　fighting　for　liberty　or　civilization；　the　truth　was　we　all　felt　the　same；　even　if　we　never　breathed　it。　。　。　。　Glenn　fought　for　you。　I　fought　for　Nell。　。　。　。　We　were　not　going　to　let　the　Huns　treat　you　as　they　treated　French　and　Belgian　girls。　。　。　。　And　think！　Nell　was　engaged　to　meshe　loved　meand；　by　God！　She　married　a　slacker　when　I　lay　half　dead　on　the　battlefield！〃

〃She　was　not　worth　loving　or　fighting　for；〃　said　Carley；　with　agitation。

〃Ah！　now　you've　said　something；〃　he　declared。　〃If　I　can　only　hold　to　that　truth！　What　does　one　girl　amount　to？　I　do　not　count。　It　is　the　sum　that　counts。　We　love　Americaour　homesour　women！　。　。　。　Carley；　I've　had　comfort　and　strength　come　to　me　through　you。　Glenn　will　have　his　reward　in　your　love。　Somehow　I　seem　to　share　it；　a　little。　Poor　Glenn！　He　got　his；　too。　Why；　Carley；　that　guy　wouldn't　let　you　do　what　he　could　do　for　you。　He　was　cut　to　pieces〃

〃PleaseRustdon't　say　any　more。　I　am　unstrung；〃　she　pleaded。

〃Why　not？　It's　due　you　to　know　how　splendid　Glenn　was。　。　。　。　I　tell　you；　Carley；　all　the　boys　here　love　you　for　the　way　you've　stuck　to　Glenn。　Some　of　them　knew　him；　and　I've　told　the　rest。　We　thought　he'd　never　pull　through。　But　he　has；　and　we　know　how　you　helped。　Going　West　to　see　him！　He　didn't　write　it　to　me；　but　I　know。　。　。　。　I'm　wise。　I'm　happy　for　himthe　lucky　dog。　Next　time　you　go　West〃

〃Hush！〃　cried　Carley。　She　could　endure　no　more。　She　could　no　longer　be　a　lie。

〃You're　whiteyou're　shaking；〃　exclaimed　Rust；　in　concern。　〃Oh；　Iwhat　did　I　say？　Forgive　me〃

〃Rust；　I　am　no　more　worth　loving　and　fighting　for　than　your　Nell。〃

〃What！〃　he　ejaculated。

〃I　have　not　told　you　the　truth；〃　she　said；　swiftly。　〃I　have　let　you　believe　a　lie。　。　。　。　I　shall　never　marry　Glenn。　I　broke　my　engagement　to　him。〃

Slowly　Rust　sank　back　upon　the　pillow；　his　large　luminous　eyes　piercingly　fixed　upon　her；　as　if　he　would　read　her　soul。

〃I　went　Westyes〃　continued　Carley。　〃But　it　was　selfishly。　I　wanted　Glenn　to　come　back　here。　。　。　。　He　had　suffered　as　you　have。　He　nearly　died。　But　he　foughthe　foughtOh！　he　went　through　hell！　And　after　a　long；　slow；　horrible　struggle　he　began　to　mend。　He　worked。　He　went　to　raising　hogs。　He　lived　alone。　He　worked　harder　and　harder。　。　。　。　The　West　and　his　work　saved　him；　body　and　soul　。　。　。　。　He　had　learned　to　love　both　the　West　and　his　work。　I　did　not　blame　him。　But　I　could　not　live　out　there。　He　needed　me。　But　I　was　too　littletoo　selfish。　I　could　not　marry　him。　I　gave　him　up。　。　。　。　I　lefthimalone！〃

Carley　shrank　under　the　scorn　in　Rust's　eyes。

〃And　there's　another　man；〃　he　said；　〃a　clean；　straight；　unscarred　fellow　who　wouldn't　fight！〃

〃Oh；　no…II　swear　there's　not；〃　whispered　Carley。

〃You；　too；〃　he　replied；　thickly。　Then　slowly　he　turned　that　worn　dark　face　to　the　wall。　His　frail　breast　heaved。　And　his　lean　hand　made　her　a　slight　gesture　of　dismissal；　significant　and　imperious。

Carley　fled。　She　could　scarcely　see　to　find　the　car。　All　her　internal　being　seemed　convulsed；　and　a　deadly　faintness　made　her　sick　and　cold。


CHAPTER　X

Carley's　edifice　of　hopes；　dreams；　aspirations；　and　struggles　fell　in　ruins　about　her。　It　had　been　built　upon　false　sands。　It　had　no　ideal　for　foundation。　It　had　to　fall。

Something　inevitable　had　forced　her　confession　to　Rust。　D