on the firing line-第24章

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　serious　rival。　Then　had　come　the　war；　and　Ethel's　absence　from　town　had　made　a　farewell　impossible。　Captain　Frazer　had　sailed　away；　leaving　the　past　behind　him；　but　the　future　was　still　his；　to　be　lost　or　won；　according　to　the　use　he　made　of　his　manhood's　chances。

And　then；　on　the　dazzling　summer　morning　which　had　ushered　in　the　new　century；　he　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　Ethel　riding　towards　home。　Three　days　later；　as　he　had　gone　away　down　the　broad　white　steps；　he　had　felt　convinced　that　the　future　already　lay　in　his　grasp。　It　had　been　the　selfsame　Ethel；　unchanged　and　changeless　to　his　loyal　mind；　who　had　met　him　with　smiling；　eager　cordiality。　The　year　of　separation　was　cast　aside；　their　friendship　began　again　at　the　precise　spot　where　it　had　been　broken　off。

Since　then；　he　had　seen　her　often；　occasionally　alone；　sometimes　with　her　mother；　sometimes　the　central　figure　of　a　little　crowd　who　were　obviously　striving　to　win　her　favor。　Her　father's　fortune　was　in　part　the　cause　of　this；　but　the　greater；　surer　cause　lay　within　the　girl's　own　personality。　Ethel　Dent　was　no　negative　character。　However；　Captain　Frazer　had　never　found　her　too　absorbed　in　her　other　companions　to　be　able　to　give　him　a　share　of　her　attention　which　differed　from　all　other　shares　that　she　bestowed；　in　being　a　bit　more　personal　in　its　cordiality。　His　black…fringed　blue　eyes　were　keen　and　far…sighted。　They　assured　him　that；　whatever　her　regard　for　him；　at　least　it　was　true　that；　in　all　her　Cape　Town　life；　there　was　no　man　for　whom　Ethel　Dent　had　a　sincerer　liking。　And　then；　all　at　once；　a　doubt　had　assailed　his　mind；　and　the　doubt　had　centered　itself　in　this　long；　lean　Canadian　with　the　grave；　steady　face　and　the　boyish　manner。　Worst　of　all；　the　doubt　had　scarcely　arisen　before　he　himself　had　become　aware　of　his　own　growing　liking　for　the　young　Canadian。　Captain　Leo　Frazer　was　strictly　just。　He　admitted　to　himself　that　Weldon　was　in　every　way　worthy　to　be　chosen　by　Ethel　Dent。　However；　he　was　determined　as　well　as　just；　and　he　had　no　mind　at　all　to　allow　Ethel　Dent　to　choose　any　man　but　one；　and　that　one　was　himself；　Leo　Frazer。

And　now　he　was　sitting　moodily　by　her　fireside；　listening　to　her　light；　easy　flow　of　talk　and　asking　himself　certain　questions；　which　he　was　powerless　to　answer。

As　he　rose　at　last；　some　sudden　impulse　made　him　speak　from　the　very　midst　of　his　train　of　thought。

〃Did　you　know　he　had　refused　a　commission？〃　he　asked；　regardless　of　antecedents。

She　made　no　pretence　of　misunderstanding　him。

〃No。　Did　he？〃

〃Yes。　Mitchell　told　me；　this　morning。〃

〃I　wonder　why。〃

〃He　said　he　had　pledged　himself　to　stay　with　the　rank　and　file；　that　it　was　easier　to　take　orders　than　to　give　them。〃

〃Strange！〃　she　said　thoughtfully。

〃Strange　that　he　should　feel　so？〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃No。　He　told　me　about　that；　coming　out。　I　am　not　surprised。　But　it　is　strange　that　he　shouldn't　have　spoken　of　the　matter　now。〃

〃It　was　like　him。　He　doesn't　tell　all　his　best　deeds；〃　Captain　Frazer　said；　with　direct　frankness　〃Still；　I　thought　it　was　fairer　that　you　should　know。〃

Her　color　came；　as　she　met　his　eyes；　but　she　offered　no　question　in　regard　to　the　meaning　of　his　final　phrase。




CHAPTER　FIFTEEN


〃Good　reason　they　call　them　kopjes；〃　Carew　grumbled　scornfully；　as　he　swept　his　arm　about　the　encircling　landscape。　〃Every　flat…top　hill　is　an　exact　copy　of　every　other　flat…top　hill；　and　they　all　are　more　or　less　hideous　to　behold。　My　one　source　of　rejoicement　lies　in　the　fact　that　the　pattern　was　worn　out　down　here；　instead　of　being　sent　up　to　make　our　mountains　by。　I　hate　a　bobtail　horse；　but　it's　nothing　so　bad　as　these　everlasting　bobtail　hills。　And；　by　Jove；　there　comes　another　dust　devil！〃

Far　away　across　the　veldt；　a　tiny　spurt　of　dust　twirled　up　into　the　air　and　came　spinning　towards　them　like　a　huge；　translucent　top。　Gaining　momentum　as　it　spun　along　and　picking　up　more　dust　as　it　advanced；　it　came　whirling　onward；　rising　high　and　higher　until　it　swept　down　on　them；　a　huge；　khaki…colored；　balloon…like　mass。　It　caught　them　in　its　whirl；　ground　its　stinging；　sifting　particles　into　their　clothing；　their　skin　and　even　into　their　shut　eyes。　Then　it　passed　them　by；　and　went　spinning　away　in　its　course。　Carew　swore　softly；　as　he　wiped　the　dust　from　his　lashes。

〃Beastly　things！　There　really　ought　to　be　a　society　formed　for　the　suppression　of　dust　devils　in　their　infancy。　What　do　you　suppose　becomes　of　the　things；　Weldon？　There's　no　stopping　them；　once　they　get　under　way；　and；　at　their　rate　of　growth；　they　could　bury　a　township　in　their　old　age。〃

〃Granted　they　could　find　one　to　bury；〃　Weldon　returned。　〃Meanwhile；　observe　your　bath　tub。〃

Carew　glanced　down　at　the　dust…filled　buckets　at　his　feet。

〃Oh；　hang！〃　he　said　concisely。　〃And　I　was　about　to　prink。〃

〃One　would　think　you　needed　it　now　more　than　ever；〃　Weldon　answered；　as　he　shook　himself　free　from　the　thickest　of　the　dust。　〃What's　the　use　of　trying　to　keep　clean；　Carew？〃

〃Precious　little。　I　used　to　talk　about　I　'the　un…tubbed。'　Now　I　mean；　merely　for　the　sake　of　example；　to　shave　twice　in　the　month；　and　swab　myself　off　between　whiles。　It's　not　for　comfort；　I　assure　you。　It's　my　belief　that　an　occasional　bath　is　worse　than　none。　It　merely　stirs　up　memories　of　the　buried　past；　and　aspirations　that　can't　be　fulfilled。　However〃　And　Carew；　the　quondam　exquisite；　pulled　off　his　socks　and　shirt；　punched　them　down　into　one　of　the　buckets　and　then　did　his　British　best　to　wash　himself　in　the　other。

His　lamentations　rose　again；　however；　when　he　put　on　his　time…　stained　uniform　once　more。

〃I　now　understand　why　Brother　Boer　sleeps　in　his　clothes；〃　he　observed　grimly。　〃Cleanliness；　may　be　next　to　godliness；　but　it　is　mighty　near　the　edge　of　the　diabolical　to　put　yourself　back　into　clothes　that　are　only　fit　for　the　dust　bin。　When　I　am　field　marshal　of　a　long　campaign；　my　first　act　will　be　to　establish　swimming　tanks　and　laundries　as　a　branch　of　the　Army　Service　Corps。　Meanwhile；　see　here！〃　His　open　hand　came　down　on　his　dust…colored　coat。　Ten　minutes　later；　the　print　of　every　finger　was　still　distinctly　visible。

Weldon　watched　him　sympathetically。　Thanks　to　the　efforts　of　Kruger　Bobs；　his　own　clothing　was　slightly　less　filled　with　dust；　and　his　abandoned　socks　came　back　to　him　in　a　state　of　comparative　cleanliness。　Satisfied　with　the　fact；　he　made　no　effort　to　inquire　into　the　method　of　its　achievement。

Carew；　meanwhile；　his　coat　off；　his　sleeves　rolled　to　his　elbows；　was　grappling　with　his　efforts　to　produce　laundry　effect　from　a　wooden　bucket　and　a　few　quarts　of　dingy　water。　Beyond　splashing　his　putties　and　giving　himself　a　pain　in　the　hinges　of　his　back；　he　accomplished　little。　The　garments　were　very　wet；　but　their　griminess　was　increased；　rather　than　diminished。　Carew's　face　fell；　as　he　lifted　them　one　by　one。　Then　he　shook　his　head。

〃They　certainly　aren't　cleaner；　but　they　may　be　a　bit　fresher　for　being　irrigated；〃　he　observed　hopefully。　〃Look　out！〃

Weldon　dodged　out　of　range；　as　a　sock；　squeezed　from　the　ankle　downward；　yielded　up　its　irrigation　in　a　sudden　spurt　through　the　toe。

〃Hold　on；　Carew；　I'm　no　candidate　for　baptism；〃　he　adjured　his　friend。　〃Let　your　things　soak　for　a　while；　and　I'll　send　Kruger　Bobs　over　to　take　them　in　hand；　as　soon　as　he　gets　through　polishing　off　The　Nig。〃

Carew　straightened　his　aching　back。

〃I'll　change　work　with　him；〃　he　suggested　promptly。　〃A　horse　is　on　your　own　level；　it's　degrading　to　run　a　Chinese　laundry。〃

Weldon　glanced　from　the　wooden　bucket　to　the　soaked　wrists　and　splashed　putties　of　his　companion。

〃I　wish　Miss　Mellen　could　see　you　now；　Carew；〃　he　remarked　unkindly。

With　unexpected　suddenness；　Carew　mounted　his　dignity。

〃Unfortunately　Miss　Mellen　is　at　Johannesburg。　Moreover；　Miss　Mellen　has　probably　seen　men　in　this　mess　before　now；〃　he　answered　a　little　shortly。

〃Doubtless。　She　may　have　been　in　a　similar　fix；　herself。　If　she　were；　I　suspect　she　would　put　it　through　and　come　out　on　top；〃　Weldon　replied；　with　an　accent　of　hearty　and　respectful　admiration　which　mollified　his　companion。　〃There's　my　call。　I　must　go　to　inspect　my　day　nursery。〃　And；　leaving　Carew　beside　his　amateur　wash…