on the firing line-第22章

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；　returning　to　the　drawing…　room；　he　had　joined　Ethel　beside　the　deserted　tea…table。

〃After　six　months　of　the　billy　and　the　fryingpan；　it　is　wonderfully　good　to　handle　china　again；〃　he　said；　as　he　halted　on　the　hearth　rug　and　stood　smiling　down　at　her。

She　smiled　back　at　him　in　full　approval。　Weldon　looked　very　much　the　lord　of　creation；　as　he　stood　there　with　his　back　to　the　fire　and　one　elbow　resting　on　the　mantel　beside　him。　The　position　suited　him；　and；　speaking　in　quite　another　sense；　it　suited　her　also。

〃Then　a　taste　of　civilization　is　pleasant　now　and　then；　even　to　a　grizzled　warrior　like　yourself？〃　she　questioned　lightly。

〃Yes；　for　the　time　being。　One　never　knows；　though；　how　long　that　time　being　will　last。〃

〃What　shall　you　do；　when　the　war　ends？〃

〃Go　home；　take　up　a　share　in　the　pater's　business；　and　grow　stout　and　lazy；〃　he　answered　her　unsmilingly。

〃An　alluring　prospect。〃

〃Yes；　but　there　will　be　other　things：　an　occasional　dinner；　and　even　a　tea　now　and　then。〃

Leaning　back　in　her　chair；　she　looked　up　at　him　through　her　long　yellow　lashes。

〃And　shall　you　never　remember　to　miss　Africa？〃　she　asked　indolently。

His　eyes　rested　upon　her　gravely。

〃Yes；　often。　Moreover　forgive　my　bluntness；　but　it　is　one　of　the　privileges　of　a　soldiermoreover；　Miss　Dent；　I　shall　miss　you。〃

Her　color　came；　but　she　made　no　effort　to　ignore　his　words。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　with　equal　gravity。　〃I　am　glad　to　have　you　say　so。　But　I　hope　it　may　be　long　before　that　day　comes。〃　〃I　can't　tell。　I　had　expected　to　sail　for　home；　in　a　week　or　two。　Now　I　am　not　so　sure。〃

〃Whether　you　wish　to？〃

〃Whether　I　ought。　When　I　left　the　Transvaal；　the　work　seemed　nearly　done。　Down　here；　the　stories　are　less　promising。〃　He　paused；　then　he　added　thoughtfully；　〃But　it　leaves　me　a　good　deal　puzzled　in　my　mind。〃

Coffee　was　served　in　the　drawing…room；　that　night。　Ethel　roused　herself　from　a　reverie　as　Weldon　and　Captain　Frazer　joined　her。　To　their　half…mocking　questions；　she　admitted　the　fact　of　her　thoughtfulness。　To　neither　one　did　she　see　fit　to　acknowledge　its　cause。　The　mood　passed　swiftly；　however；　and　it　left　her　more　brilliantly　gay　than　either　man　had　ever　seen　her　until　then。　Each　frankly　confessed　himself　dazzled；　each　one　of　them；　more　grave　by　nature　than　she　often　showed　herself；　was　secretly　uneasy　lest　her　sudden　overflow　of　spirits　was　in　some　fashion　directed　towards　his　companion；　yet　so　skilfully　did　she　lead　the　conversation　that；　at　the　evening's　end；　neither　Weldon　nor　the　Captain　could　produce　any　valid　claim　to　being　considered　the　favored　guest。

〃It　has　been　good　to　have　you　here；〃　she　said　gayly；　as　she　gave　them　each　a　hand　at　parting。　〃Even　if　I　was　not　present　at　your　meeting；　I　have　always　felt　that　I　had　a　finger…tip；　at　least；　in　your　friendship。〃　Then；　as　she　dropped　their　hands；　she　faced　the　Captain　with　sudden　seriousness。　〃Captain　Frazer；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃Mr。　Weldon's　time　is　over；　and　he　has　left　the　service。　He　thinks　the　fighting　is　all　done。　I　am　only　a　woman；　I　can't　explain　things　very　clearly；　and　so；〃　she　hesitated　a　little；　〃and　so　I　think　I　shall　leave　his　soul　in　your　hands。　There　are　plenty　of　people　still　in　South　Africa；　there　are　never　too　many　men。〃　And；　with　a　grave　little　nod；　half　intent；　half　girlish；　she　turned　away　from　the　door；　leaving　the　heavy　drapery　to　sway　to　and　fro　behind　her。




CHAPTER　FOURTEEN


Three　days　later；　Weldon　ran　lightly　up　the　stone　steps　and　rang　at　the　Dents'　door。

〃Is　Miss　Dent　in？〃　he　asked　the　maid。　〃I　know　it　isn't　her　day；　but　tell　her　I　am　leaving　town　almost　immediately；　and　I　wish　to　say　good　by。〃

Notwithstanding　his　message；　Ethel　was　long　about　appearing；　and　her　face　and　manner；　when　she　halted　on　the　threshold；　were　a　bit　unapproachable。　Then；　as　her　eyes　lighted　on　the　brown　uniform　and　the　wide　slouch　hat；　her　whole　expression　changed；　and　she　came　forward　with　an　eagerness　which　she　was　at　no　pains　to　conceal。

〃Mr。　Weldon。〃

He　bowed　in　mock　humility。

〃Trooper　Weldon；　if　you　please。〃

〃I　am　delighted。　Is　it　your　old　troop？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃No。　I　know　the　Transvaal　and　all　its　resources　by　heart。　I　have　chosen　the　Orange　Free　State。　It　is　a　new　country；　and；　besides；　all　the　best　of　the　fighting　is　going　to　be　there；　on　the　heels　of　De　Wet。〃

〃Are　you　a　prophet？〃　she　asked；　while　she　dropped　into　a　chair　and　motioned　to　him　to　be　seated。

〃No；　but　I　suspect　that　Captain　Frazer　is；〃　he　answered；　as　he　obeyed　her。

She　raised　her　brows　questioningly。

〃Does　he　go；　too？〃

〃Not　now。　His　staff　work　holds　him　here　among　the　fleshpots；〃　he　replied。〃　Later；　he　may　be　able　to　come　up　to　us。〃

〃Us？〃

〃The　South　African　Light　Horse。〃

〃Why　did　you　choose　them？〃

〃Because　they　are　to　operate　in　the　Orange　River　country；　and　because　they　would　have　me。〃

〃Is　that　a　matter　to　consider？〃

Weldon　laughed　while；　placing　his　hat　on　the　floor；　he　settled　himself　more　comfortably　in　his　chair。　His　face　was　unusually　animated；　that　day；　and　his　trim　new　uniform　and　his　carefully…wound　putties　added　inches　to　his　height　and　showed　his　lithe；　lean　figure　at　its　very　best。

〃I　considered　it；〃　he　answered　then。　〃It　is　a　trick　of　mine；　as　soon　as　I　decide　I　want　a　thing；　to　be　in　living　terror　of　losing　it。　However；　the　ordeal　was　short　and　not　too　severe。　Captain　Frazer　introduced　me　to　a　little　lieutenant　who　looked　me　over；　asked　me　if　I　could　ride；　if　I　could　shoot　a　rifle　and　if　I　had　had　any　experience。　I　fancy　the　matter　was　settled　beforehand。　Then　I　went　out　and　treated　The　Nig　and　Piggie　to　some　new　shoes；　and　myself　to　a　new　uniform；　and　the　deed　was　done。〃

〃Are　you　glad；　or　sorry？〃　she　asked　slowly。

〃That　there　was　no　more　red　tape？〃

〃That　you　decided　as　you　did？〃

He　stared　at　her　thoughtfully　for　a　minute。　Then　he　answered；

〃But　I　imagine　it　rather　decided　itself。　I　spoke　of　it　to　you　once　before；　I　remember；　when　we　were　up　in　hospital；　how　there　never　seemed　to　be　much　choice　open　to　me。　I　fancy　I　am　deciding　things；　I　mull　over　them　till　I　am　disgusted　with　the　whole　matter。　Then；　after　I　have　made　up　my　mind　what　I　am　going　to　do；　I　suddenly　realize　that　there　was　never　any　question　about　it　from　the　start。　I　have　simply　said　'yes'　to　an　irresistible　force。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　she　assented　slowly。　〃I　am　not　so　sure。〃　Then　she　turned　to　the　tangible　fact。　〃But　when　do　you　go？〃

〃To…morrow　morning。〃

〃I　am　sorry　it　must　be　so　soon；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Still；　I　am　glad　you　are　going。　You　never　would　have　been　satisfied　to　sail　for　home　now。〃

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃I　should　not。〃

Then　the　talk　halted　again。

〃Where　is　Mr。　Carew？〃　she　asked　abruptly　at　length；　less　from　interest　in　Carew　than　from　a　desire　to　escape　so　insistent　a　pause。

〃At　the　Mount　Nelson。〃　〃Here　in　Cape　Town？〃

〃Yes。　He　came　down　with　me。　We　volunteered　together；　you　know；　and　his　time　was　ended；　too。〃

〃Does　he　go　home？〃

〃No；　not　Harry　Carew。　We　had　decided　to　keep　together　in　our　plans；　in　fact；　it　was　one　of　the　conditions　of　our　coming　out。　But；　from　the　start；　he　has　hated　the　idea　of　going　back　home　as　long　as　there　was　an　armed　Boer　left　in　the　field。〃

〃And　he　goes　with　you？〃

〃Yes；　to　Springfontein。　We　have　our　headquarters　there　for　the　present。　For　Carew's　sake；　I　hope　it　will　be　more　riding　and　scouting　than　actual　fighting。　The　man　is　made　of　some　material　that　draws　all　the　bullets　in　sight。〃

Ethel　smiled。

〃Don't　let　him　stop　near　you；　then；〃　she　advised。

〃Why　not？　He　is　as　good　as　a　shield。　It　is　hard　on　him；　though。　He　was　hit　four　or　five　times　before　Vlaakfontein；　and　has　had　one　scratch　since。〃

〃What　is　the　trouble？　Is　he　foolhardy？〃

〃Foolhardy　in　war；　Miss　Dent？〃

〃Yes；　just　that。　There　is　no　sense　in　taking　needless　risks。〃

〃But　it　is　mighty　hard　to　draw　the　line　between　avoiding　needless　risks　and　funking　necessary　ones；〃　he　answered。　〃But　Carew　isn't　reckless。　He　is　plucky；　but　very　level…headed；　and　he　means　to　take　care　of　himself；　when　he　can。　One　can't　always；　you　know。　And　then　he　is　wonderfully　unlucky。〃

〃You　believe　in　luck；　then？〃

〃Yes；　or　Fate。　What　else　makes　a　man　move　out　of　the　way；　just　in　time　for　the　bullet　to　gra