on the firing line-第12章

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　one　else。　Now　he　turned　his　gray　eyes　upon　Alice　Mellen；　partly　from　real　interest　in　her　personality；　partly　to　counterbalance　the　rapt　attention　which　Ethel　was　bestowing　upon　the　Captain。　She　had　been　the　selfsame　Ethel；　a　bundle　of　contradictions　that　attracted　him　at　one　moment　and　antagonized　him　at　the　next。　He　liked　her　absolutely；　his　very　liking　for　her　increased　the　sense　of　antagonism　when；　for　the　instant；　she　departed　from　his　ideals　of　what　she　ought　to　be。　And　yet；　Weldon　was　candid　enough　to　admit　to　himself　that　she　departed　from　them；　rather　than　fell　below　them。　Often　as　she　had　antagonized　him；　she　had　never　really　disappointed　him。

As　for　Alice　Mellen；　he　confessed　himself　surprised。　Gathering　together　all　that　Ethel　had　ever　told　him　of　her　cousin；　of　her　living　her　entire　life　out　there　in　the　southern　end　of　South　Africa；　of　her　desire　to　be　a　nurse；　he　had　pieced　together　an　effigy　of　the　combined　traits　of　a　Hottentot　and　a　vivandiere。　This　girl　answered　to　neither　description。　Her　clothes　and　her　manners　and　her　accent　all　had　come；　albeit　with　slow　indirectness；　from　London。　Not　only　would　she　and　her　gowns　pass　muster　in　a　crowd；　but　furthermore　she　would　end　by　being　the　focal　point　of　a　good　share　of　that　crowd。　Nevertheless；　Weldon　found　it　impossible　to　discover　her　most　distinctive　point。　Even　while　he　sought　it；　he　wondered　to　himself　whether　this　might　not　be　another　cousin　of　whom　he　had　never　heard。　The　women　doctors　and　nurses　at　home　wore　stout　shoes　and　had　pockets　let　in　at　the　seams　of　their　frocks；　useful；　doubtless；　but　with　an　unlovely　tendency　to　yawn　and　show　their　contents。　This　girl　was　a　mere　fluff　of　pale　yellow　organdie　which　brought　out　the　purplish　lights　in　her　ink…black　hair。

〃Did　you　have　the　heart　to　disturb　her？〃　he　asked；　reverting　to　the　subject　of　Syb's　nap。

〃I　was　forced　to。　She　was　on　all　the　cushions；　and　I　needed　one　for　myself。　She　took　it　in　good　part；　though。　She　told　me　she　had　been　disturbed；　the　night　before；　by　the　snoring　of　the　parrot；　two　rooms　away。　As　a　result；　she　left　me　feeling　that　the　apology　really　ought　to　come　from　me。〃

〃Is　that　the　way　of　the　race？〃　Weldon　queried；　as　he　set　down　his　empty　cup。　〃If　so；　you　make　me　tremble。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because；　without　in　the　least　intending　it；　I　have　accumulated　a　boy。〃

She　looked　up　suddenly。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　don't　know　how。　It　apparently　did　itself。　It　was　the　day　before　we　went　out　to　be　fired　at；　and　he　said　his　name　was　Kruger　Roberts；　and　I　fed　him　some　empty　jam　tins。〃

〃A　huge　black　boy　with　bristly　hair？〃　she　interpolated。

〃Yes；　and　a　mouth　so　large　that　one　wonders　how　his　face　can　hold　it　all。〃

She　sat　up　alertly；　resting　her　folded　arms　on　the　edge　of　the　table。

〃This　becomes　interesting。　Kruger　Roberts　is　Syb's　avowed　and　lawful　lover。〃

Weldon　laughed。

〃Mine　also；　as　it　appears。　As　I　say；　I　fed　him　jam　tins。　There　were　four　of　them；　and　they　were　very　jammy。　Then　we　became　interested　in　the　Boers；　and　I　forgot　Kruger　Roberts。　When　I　came　back；　yesterday　morning；　dead　tired　and　my　horse　all　in　a　mess；　I　found　Kruger　Roberts　calmly　sitting　on　my　extra　blankets；　cleaning　my　shoes　with　Paddy's　best　dishcloth。　Paddy　was　in　a　wild　state　of　mutiny；　and　told　me　that　that　chattering　baboon　had　vowed　he　was　Trooper　Weldon's　boy。　Since　then；　I　have　tried　in　vain　to　dislodge　him；　but　it　is　no　use。　The　Nig　is　like　a　piece　of　satin；　and　it　is　all　I　can　do　to　keep　my　compressed…paper　buttons　from　winking　defiance　at　the　Boers　on　the　northern　edge　of　Sahara。〃

Alice　Mellen　laughed　with　the　air　of　one　who　understood　the　situation。

〃You　builded　better　than　you　knew；　Mr。　Weldon；　and　your　jam　tins　will　be　no　house　of　cards。　The　Kaffirs　are　an　unaccountable　race　of　beings；　lazy　and　good…natured。　Once　let　them　love　or　hate；　though；　and　all　their　strength　goes　into　the　working　out　of　the　feeling。　Kruger　Roberts　obviously　has　a　sweet　tooth；　the　day　may　come　when　your　enemies　may　find　it　changed　to　a　poisoned　fang。　Do　you　want　the　advice　of　one　who　knows　the　country？〃

〃I　do；〃　he　assented　heartily。

〃Then　keep　your　Kruger　Roberts；〃　she　said　decisively。

〃But　what　shall　I　do　with　him？〃

〃Let　him　do　for　you。〃

〃As　a　valet？　I've　never　been　used　to　such　luxury；〃　he　protested；　laughing。

She　shook　her　head。

〃Not　only　valet。　He　will　be　groom；　cook；　guide；　interpreter　and；　whether　you　wish　it　or　not；　your　chum。　Moreover；　he　will　do　it　all　with　the　face　of　a　clown　and　the　manner　of　a　tricksy　monkey。　As　a　panacea　for　the　blues；　you　will　find　him　invaluable。〃

There　was　a　little　pause。　Then　she　added；　with　a　complete　change　of　tone；　〃My　cousin　has　spoken　of　you　so　often；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

〃And　of　you；〃　he　returned。

The　directness　of　her　answer　pleased　him。

〃Then　we　ought　to　start　as　friends；　and　not　waste　time　over　mere　acquaintance。〃

〃I　thought　there　were　no　acquaintances　out　here；〃　he　answered　lightly。　〃In　camp；　our　first　question　is：　Friend；　or　foe？〃

〃In　the　towns；　we　have　every　grade　between。　Often　the　same　person　slides　through　all　the　grades　in　a　single　day。　But　you　haven't　answered　me。〃

His　eyes　met　her　eyes　frankly。

〃About　the　friendship？　I　thought　that　wasn't　necessary。〃

〃Customary；　however；〃　she　suggested；　with　a　smile。

〃But；　as　I　say；　there　are　no　customs　here；〃　he　retorted。　〃At　least；　I　should　have　said　so；　this　morning。　Now　I　am　not　so　sure。〃　Then　he　laughed。　〃I've　bungled　that　horribly；　Miss　Mellen。　What　I　meant　was　that　you　have　given　me　a　very　good　time；　this　afternoon。〃

〃Prove　it　by　coming　again；〃　she　advised　him。

〃If　I　may。　I　don't　wish　to　wear　out　my　welcome；　but　one　hasn't　so　many　friends　in　South　Africa。〃

〃What　about　Kruger　Roberts？〃　she　reminded　him。

〃That　gives　me　two。〃

〃And　Captain　Frazer？〃

Weldon's　eyes　lighted。

〃Some　day；　perhaps。　I　would　be　willing　to　wait　for　that。〃

Gravely　her　glance　roved　from　the　alert　young　Canadian　at　her　side　to　the　older；　more　steadfast　face　across　the　table。　Then　she　shook　her　head。

〃You　will　not　have　to　wait　long；　Mr。　Weldon？〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Captain　Frazer　spoke　of　you；　a　week　ago。　I　have　known　him　for　months；　I　know　what；　with　him；　stands　for　enthusiasm。〃

〃I　wish　you　might　be　a　true　prophet。　I　would　honor　you；　even　here　in　your　own　garden。　For　the　sake　of　Captain　Frazer's　regard；　I　would　give　up　most　things；〃　he　replied；　too　low　to　be　overheard　by　the　couple　who　were　now　chaffing　each　other　above　their　cooling　cups。

Later　on；　he　wondered　a　little　how　far　the　apparent　inconsequence　of　her　next　question　was　the　result　of　chance。

〃What　about　Cooee？〃　she　asked；　in　a　voice　as　low　as　his　own　had　been。

He　hesitated。　Then　he　looked　up　at　her　steadily。

〃Miss　Mellen；　I　am　sure　I　don't　know；〃　he　answered　gravely。




CHAPTER　EIGHT


〃Beastly　shame　that　the　Boers　hadn't　buried　themselves　instead　of　the　guns！〃　Carew　remarked；　as　he　wrestled　with　a　tough　thong　of　bully　beef　which　yielded　to　his　jaws　much　as　an　India…rubber　eraser　might　have　done。

Without　making　any　pretence　of　extracting　nutriment　from　his　own　ration；　Weldon　converted　it　into　a　missile　and　hurled　it　straight　at　his　companion。

〃There's　this　difference；〃　he　returned　pithily；　〃a　gun　is　a　good　enough　fellow　to　deserve　Christian　burial。　Carew；　do　you　ever　yearn　for　the　fleshpots？〃

Without　bringing　his　jaws　to　a　halt；　Carew　shook　his　head。

〃Do　you？〃　he　asked；　after　a　prolonged　interval。

〃Yes；　if　they　could　be　brought　here；　not　otherwise。　I　like　the　game；　but　I　also　like　a　little　more　oats　mixed　with　my　fodder。　How　long　is　it　since　we　had　a　square　meal？〃

〃How　long　since　we　halted　in　that　pineapple　grove；　coming　up　from　Durban？〃　Carew　retorted。　〃That　made　up　for　a　good　deal。　You　have　no　cause　to　rebel；　though。　Between　Paddy　and　Kruger　Bobs；　you　stand　in　for　all　the　tidbits　that　are　going。〃

With　a　mock　sigh；　Weldon　pointed　backward　over　his　shoulder。

〃But　unfortunately　Kruger　Bobs　and　The　Nig　are　left　behind　in　the　shadow　of　Naauwpoort's　dreary　heights。　By　the　way；　Carew；　does　it　ever　strike　you　that　these　Boers　make　a　lot　more　fuss　over　their　spelling　than　they　do　over　their　pronunciation？　At　home；　we'd　get　as　good　results　out　of　dozens　less　letters。〃

〃They　make　as　g