on the firing line-第27章

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〃Syb　be　my　vrouw　soon。〃

〃Oh；　I　see。　No　wonder　you　look　elated；　you　rascal。　So　you　have　been　courting？〃

The　grin　reappeared。　〃Ya；　Boss。　More；　too。〃

〃What　now？〃　〃Kruger　Bobs　got　despatch　from　Syb　for　Boss。〃

Weldon's　face　expressed　his　amusement。

〃Much　obliged　to　the　lady。　Give　her　mine。〃　〃Syb　say〃　Again　the　thick　black　lips　approached　Weldon's　ear；　and　the　bristly　head　nodded　energetically　in　time　to　the　moving　lips。

〃Who？〃　Weldon　said　incredulously。　〃Miss　Mellen？〃

〃Ya；　Boss。〃

〃How　does　SybIs　that　what　you　call　her？how　does　she　know？　Oh；　I　remember　now。　It　is　the　girl　who　served　at　Miss　Mellen's　home；〃　Weldon　said；　as　light　began　to　dawn。

〃Ya；　Boss；　dat　Syb。〃

〃And　she　is　here　with　Miss　Mellen？〃

Kruger　Bobs　nodded。

〃What　are　they　doing？〃

〃Dey　is　nurses　sick　mens。〃　〃How　long　have　they　been　here？〃

〃One；　tree；　five　day。〃

〃Five　days；〃　Weldon　translated　to　himself。　〃It　was　an　odd　chance；　your　running　on　her　so　soon。　Did　she　know　we　were　here？〃

〃She　tink　ya；〃　Kruger　Bobs　replied。　〃Syb　no　tell。〃　〃But　why　not？〃

The　matter…of…course　question　appeared　to　fill　Kruger　Bobs　with　amazement。

〃Boss　make　night　march；〃　he　answered。　〃She　may　not　care　to　have　me。　Still；　we'll　ride　out　there　with　you　in　the　morning。〃

〃Boss？〃

〃Mr。　Carew　and　myself。〃

Kruger　Bobs　looked　hurt。　In　hot　excitement；　the　black　fingers　closed　on　a　fold　of　the　brown　sleeve。

〃Kruger　Bobs　go；　too？〃

〃What　makes　you　want　to　go？〃

〃Syb　dere；　Boss。〃

〃I　don't　see　what　difference　that　makes；〃　Weldon　said　reflectively。

Once　more　Kruger　Bobs　turned　coy。

〃Boss　go　see　his　vrouw；　me　go　see　Syb；〃　he　explained　briefly。

Weldon's　laugh　astonished　him；　still　more　Weldon's　answer。

〃Oh；　Kruger　Bobs；　you　love…struck　calf！　Because　you're　in　love　with　Syb；　do　you　think　it　follows　that　I　am　in　love　with　Miss　Mellen？〃

Kruger　Bobs　plotted　geometrical　problems　with　his　left　toe。

〃Syb　say；〃　he　replied　at　length。　Then　he　raised　his　eyes　from　his　problem。　〃Boss　vrouw　good；〃　he　ventured　persuasively。

Weldon　laughed　again。

〃So　we　all　think。　Mr。　Carew　knows　her　much　better　than　I　do；　though；　and　Miss　Mellen　would　be　hurt；　if　he　didn't　go　out　to　see　her。〃

But　Kruger　Bobs　stood　his　ground。　〃Boss　Weldon　go　see　his　vrouw；　Kruger　Bobs　go　see　his　vrouw；　Boss　Carew　no　vrouw。〃

However；　in　spite　of　the　advice　of　Kruger　Bobs；　Carew　was　at　Weldon's　side；　as　they　rode　through　Winburg；　the　next　morning。

Already　the　country　was　taking　on　the　look　of　summer；　and　the　dusty　stretches　of　veldt　were　tinged　here　and　there　with　thin　patches　of　growing　green。　Over　the　hills　nearest　the　town　were　scattered　the　lines　of　ruined　trenches；　still　littered　here　and　there　with　rusty　tools　dropped　there　by　the　Boers　when；　long　months　before；　they　had　caught　sight　of　the　advancing　armies　of　French　and　Hutton。　As　they　drew　nearer；　Weldon　could　make　out　the　familiar　details　of　a　field　hospital：　the　low　white　tents　in　their　circle　of　whitewashed　stones；　the　Red…Cross　nurses　hurrying　to　and　fro　and　the　blue…coated　convalescents　strolling　leisurely　about　the　enclosure。　Carew；　meanwhile；　had　pushed　forward。　Above　the　P。　M。　O。's　tent　fluttered　the　Red　Cross；　and　he　had　caught　sight　of　a　white　apron　and　a　scarlet　cape　in　the　open　door。

〃Miss　Mellen！　Alice！〃

In　the　still　air　of　a　summer　noon；　Carew's　voice　carried　distinctly　back　to　Weldon。　He　glanced　towards　the　tent。　Then；　beckoning　to　Kruger　Bobs；　he　turned　and　rode　away　to　inspect　the　distant　landscape。

An　hour　later；　Kruger　Bobs　was　squatting　on　the　ground；　a　heaped　plate　on　his　knees　and　a　smile　of　rapture　surrounding　his　smacking　lips。　Near　him；　the　three　horses　munched　contentedly；　stamping　lightly　now　and　then　and　whisking　their　tails　to　drive　off　the　buzzing　flies。　Outside　the　door　of　the　tent；　Alice　Mellen　sat　on　a　bench；　with　Carew　at　her　side　and　Weldon　sprawling　lazily　on　the　ground　at　her　feet。

〃Twenty…seven　inside；〃　she　told　them。　〃It　is　mostly　enteric　and　S。　C。；　men　who　have　been　sent　here　from　Bloemfontein。　Their　hospitals　are　overcrowded。　We　have　both　sorts　here；　you　know。〃

〃Nursing　Boers？〃　Carew　asked；　disapprovingly。

〃Why　not？　They　are　men；　plucky　men；　too；　some　of　them。　I　rather　like　the　race。　Anyway；　it　makes　an　interesting　mixture。　We　have　had　to　put　them　all　together；　and　they　get　on　capitally；　exchanging　stories　and　gossip　and　sympathy　like　men　of　the　same　company。　One　of　them；　a　Boer；〃　she　hesitated　for　the　right　word；　then　she　adopted　the　vernacular　of　the　service〃went　out；　the　other　day；　and；　among　his　mourners；　the　sincerest　ones　were　the　two　London　Tommies　in　the　two　next　beds。　War　isn't　all　hatred；　by　any　means。　Turn　nurse　for　a　month　and　you'll　find　it　out。〃

〃Or　else　turn　patient；〃　Carew　interpolated　quietly。

Her　color　came；　but　she　only　turned　more　directly　to　Weldon。

〃I　was　glad　to　come　here　for　a　change；〃　she　added。　〃Shall　you　stay　here　long？〃

〃It　is　impossible　to　tell。　The　other　nurses　here　are　younger　at　it　than　I；　and　there　are　some　hard　cases。　If　it　were　not　for　Syb；　I　should　be　at　my　wits'　end　sometimes。〃

〃Then　ought　you　to　stay　here？〃　Carew　urged；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　proprietorship　which　sat　well　upon　him。

She　faced　him　with　a　smile。

〃Oh；　but　this　is　nothing　in　comparison　with　Johannesburg。　There　the　work　is　agonizing。　Between　wounds　and　enteric；　the　place　is　crammed；　and　we　can't　get　the　nurses　we　absolutely　need。　My　mother　thought　I　was　growing　too　tired；　and　she　sent　Syb　up　here　to　take　care　of　me。　Instead；　I　have　pressed　her　into　the　service　and　trained　her　until　she　is　one　of　the　best　nurses　I　have　ever　had　under　me。　The　men　adore　her；　she　is　so　strong　and　so　full　of　her　queer；　jolly　fun。〃

With　his　head　pillowed　on　his　arms；　Weldon　lay　watching　her　thoughtfully。　Under　her　piles　of　inky　hair；　her　face　looked　thin；　and　the　shadows　lay　heavy　around　her　eyes。　Nevertheless；　the　eyes　were　shining　and　the　curves　of　the　lips　were　all　upward。　Plainly　the　day　had　brought　her　a　tonic；　yet　the　past　six　months　had　told　upon　the　girl　pitilessly。

〃But；　for　God's　sake；　when　is　it　all　to　end？〃　he　burst　out　suddenly。

〃Tired　of　the　service；　Mr。　Weldon？〃　she　asked　gravely；　but　with　no　accent　of　reproach。

〃Not　tired　of　my　own。　But　the　worst　of　it　all　comes　back　on　you　women；　and　that　is　maddening。〃

She　smiled　down　at　him；　and　the　light　in　her　eyes　deepened　and　grew　yet　more　womanly。

〃It　is　all　we　can　do　to　help；　Mr。　Weldon。　Let　us　take　what　share　we　can。　The　work　is　hard；　hard　and　discouraging；　but〃　involuntarily　she　glanced　at　Carew's　happy；　handsome　face；　〃but　now　and　then　it　brings　its　own　reward。〃

The　short　silence　was　broken　only　by　Kruger　Bobs；　scraping　his　spoon　along　his　fast…emptying　plate。　Then　Alice　spoke　again。

〃You　hear　often　from　Cooee；　Mr。　Weldon？〃

〃Now　and　then。　Not　often。〃

〃Did　you　know　that　she　may　come　to　us；　after　Christmas？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　alertly。　〃To　Johannesburg？〃

She　nodded。

〃We　need　her；　and　my　aunt　has　almost　given　her　consent。　The　need　grows　greater；　every　day；　we　can't　hold　out　much　longer；　unless　we　can　have　more　help。　Cooee　isn't　trained　at　all；　but　she　has　endless　tact　and　she　knows　how　to　take　orders。　Unless　January　brings　us　fewer　patients；　I　think　she　will　come　north　for　a　month。〃　〃Does　she　wish　to？〃

Alice　laughed。

〃As　a　matter　of　mere　conscience。　Cooee　hates　lint　and　disinfectants　and　the　hush　of　things；　but　she　begins　to　see　the　need　before　her。　She　makes　all　manner　of　fun　of　me；　and　of　the　whole　hospital　scheme　of　things；　but　still　I　think　she　will　come。　My　aunt　opposes　it；　but　we　are　trying　to　compromise　on　a　month。　That　won't　wear　Cooee　out；　and　the　novelty　will　last　for　that　length　of　time；　and　help　keep　up　her　enthusiasm。〃

〃Did　you　know　Captain　Frazer　is　coming　up；　in　a　week　or　two？〃

For　an　instant；　Alice's　eyes　clouded。

〃No。　When　did　you　hear？〃

〃Just　as　I　left　camp。　The　appointment　took　him　quite　by　surprise；　and　he　wrote　to　me　at　once；〃　Weldon　answered　with　quiet　dignity；　for　he　was　not　slow　to　read　the　question　in　the　girl's　mind。

Her　face　cleared。

〃I　hadn't　heard。　Cooee's　last　letter　is　three　weeks　old；　so　it　couldn't　bring　the　news。〃　Then　she　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　as　one　of　the　doctors　halted　on　the　threshold。　〃Am　I　n