on the firing line-第39章

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ce　downward；　and　buried　his　head　in　his　sheltering　arms。　But　Weldon　staggered　to　his　feet。　In　the　thick　of　the　flying　troop　of　horses；　he　had　seen　the　little　gray　broncho；　and　now；　before　she　swept　on　out　of　hearing；　he　turned　his　back　to　the　gale　and　gave　a　high；　shrill　whistle。　It　was　months；　now；　since　Piggie　had　learned　that　call。　Again　and　again　she　had　come　trotting　up　to　him；　to　rub　her　muzzle　against　his　neck　in　token　that　she　had　heard　and　understood。　There　was　scant　chance　that　the　call　would　be　carried　to　her　by　the　boisterous　wind；　scanter　chance　still　that；　hearing　it　now　in　that　mad　rout；　she　would　heed。　Nevertheless；　Weldon　took　the　chance。　Obviously　stampeded　by　the　enemy；　the　missing　horses　would　leave　the　column　powerless　to　repel　the　attack　which　was　imminent。　If　Piggie　could　be　recalled；　there　was　still　a　chance　to　regain　the　other　mounts。　Yet；　even　while　he　was　weighing　all　the　chances；　he　smiled　to　himself　as　he　recalled　the　ineffectual　little　whistle　that　had　gone　out　on　the　whistling　wind。　The　chance　was　gone。　Like　Carew；　he　would　lie　down　and　seek　what　shelter　he　could　get　from　the　earth　and　from　his　own　clasping　arms。

The　hail；　falling　thickly；　shut　down　about　the　troop　of　horses　and　took　them　from　his　sight。　If　his　eyes　could　have　followed　them；　he　would　have　seen　one　little　gray　head　toss　itself　upward　from　the　heart　of　the　throng；　one　sturdy　little　gray　back　move　more　and　more　slowly；　turn　slightly；　then　weave　its　patient　way　in　and　out　between　its　frightened　companions　until；　free　from　the　press　of　the　crowd；　it　stood　alone　on　the　hail…lashed　plain。　Ten　minutes　later；　Weldon　felt　a　soft；　wet　muzzle　poking　its　way　between　his　tight…locked　arms。　The　rest　was　simple。　It　amounted　to　riding　back　to　the　column　to　give　warning　of　the　enemy　who　rode　close　in　the　rear；　to　summoning　Kruger　Bobs　and　The　Nig；　and　then；　without　stopping　for　a　saddle；　to　go　galloping　away　to　the　sky…line　to　round　up　the　stampeded　herd。　The　first　dash　of　hail　over；　the　rain　fell　fast　upon　them；　but；　above　its　roar；　they　could　hear　the　steady　firing　of　the　pom　pom　behind　them　and　the　crackle　of　musketry　mingled　with　the　heavier　fire。

Four　o'clock　had　brought　the　stampede　and　the　storm。　Seven　o'clock　brought　Weldon　and　Kruger　Bobs；　drenched　to　the　skin；　back　into　a　demoralized　camp。　Nine　o'clock　found　Weldon　still　in　the　saddle；　his　teeth　chattering；　his　brown　cheeks　ablaze　and　his　eyes　hot　with　fever；　while　he　waited　for　the　pitching　of　his　tattered　tent。　Then；　even　before　its　soggy；　torn　folds　were　stretched　and　pegged　into　position；　he　turned　and　rode　off　in　search　of　a　doctor。

〃Sorry；〃　he　said　briefly；　〃but　I　think　I've　a　touch　of　fever。　Can　you　put　me　to　bed　somewhere？〃

The　next　morning；　he　greeted　Kruger　Bobs　by　the　name　of　a　girl　cousin　who　had　died；　ten　years　before。




CHAPTER　TWENTY…FOUR


For　two　weeks；　the　fever　held　Weldon　in　its　grip。　For　two　weeks；　he　was　prostrate；　first　with　the　halting　column；　then　at　the　base　hospital　at　Kroonstad。　The　fever　was　never　very　high；　nor　was　it　intermittent。　It　merely　hung　about　him　and　ate　away　his　strength。　For　the　time　being；　he　was　content　to　lie　quiet　and　stare　up　at　the　electric　lights　scattered　through　the　tent　and　wonder　about　Ethel。　Now　and　then　some　sight　in　the　hospital　set　him　to　thinking　about　the　Captain；　wondering　if　he　were　happy　in　his　new　life　of　rest　and　peace；　he　who　had　so　often　been　in　the　thick　of　the　fiercest　fight。　Or　he　thought　of　Paddy；　brave；　merry　little　Irishman　who；　fighting　like　an　angry　wolf；　had　died　with　a　joke　still　hanging　on　his　lips。　Then　his　mind　went　back　again　to　Ethel。

In　vain　they　urged　him　to　sleep；　in　vain　they　gave　him　bromides。　The　body　was　at　rest；　but　the　wheels　of　the　brain　whirred　as　busily　as　ever；　and　as　logically。　No　hint　of　delirium　mingled　with　his　thought　processes。　It　might　have　saved　something　if　there　had。

Then；　one　day；　Weldon　sat　up　for　an　hour。　The　next　day；　he　was　put　into　his　clothes　and；　three　days　later；　supported　on　the　strong　arm　of　Kruger　Bobs；　he　crawled　into　a　hospital　train　bound　for　Cape　Town。　It　was　an　order；　and　he　obeyed。　Nevertheless；　he　shrank　from　the　very　mention　of　Cape　Town。　It　had　been　the　core　of　his　universe；　but　now　the　core　had　gone　bad。　But　his　time　of　service　had　expired。　Red　tape　demanded　that　he　receive　the　papers　for　his　discharge　from　the　Cape　Town　citadel。　That　done；　he　would　take　the　first　outgoing　steamer　for　London。　Afterwards；　he　would　leave　his　life　in　the　hands　of　Fate。　He　took　no　note　of　the　fact　that　Fate　might　step　into　the　game　earlier　than　he　then　foresaw。

For　full　seven　hundred　miles；　the　train　lumbered　on　to　the　southward。　It　was　tedious；　exhausting；　yet　Weldon　found　a　certain　interest　in　the　jar　of　the　rolling　wheels　to　which　he　fitted　the　measure　of　his　whirring　thoughts。　As　long　as　the　rhythm　of　the　wheels　lasted；　his　thoughts　slowed　down　to　meet　their　time。　When　the　train　halted；　his　thoughts　dashed　off　again；　but　they　resumed　their　slower　course　as　soon　as　the　wheels　began　once　more。　He　took　no　note　of　the　country　about　him；　as　they　passed　from　veldt　to　karroo；　from　karroo　to　the　coast　plateau；　and　from　the　coast　plateau　down　across　the　Cape　Flats；　sparsely　covered　with　pipe　grass　and　acacias。　Then；　as　Table　Mountain　and　the　Devil's　Peak　lifted　themselves　on　his　right　hand；　he　knew　that　Cape　Town　was　near；　and　he　braced　himself　to　go　through　what　was　before　him。

Kruger　Bobs　eyed　him　anxiously。

〃Boss　sick；〃　he　announced　for　the　dozenth　time；　as　the　train　drew　in　at　the　Adderley　Street　station。　〃Boss　berry　sick　mans。　Boss　go　hotel　soon。〃

But　Weldon　shook　his　head。　Even　now；　rest　had　scant　space　in　his　plans；　least　of　all；　rest　in　Cape　Town。

〃I　can　do　it；〃　he　asserted　resolutely。　〃Steady　me　till　I　get　started；　Kruger　Bobs。　Then　I　shall　astonish　you　by　my　agility。〃

〃Boss　go　hotel；〃　Kruger　Bobs　muttered　in　low…voiced　mutiny。　〃Boss　too　sick　to　trek。〃

〃No　fear。　Did　you　ever　know　me　to　give　out；　when　there　was　something　still　to　be　done；　Kruger　Bobs？〃

〃What　Boss　do？〃

〃My　discharge。　My　banker。　My　passage　home。〃

The　arm　of　Kruger　Bobs　tightened　about　the　bony　figure　of　his　master；　but　the　pressure　of　his　strong　arm　was　only　gentle　and　reassuring；　and　the　great；　white…ringed　eyes　glittered　wet。　This　was　not　the　boy　master　to　whom　Kruger　Bobs　had　sworn　allegiance。　This　was　an　older　man；　and　weak　withal。　But　the　weaker　grew　the　master；　the　stronger　grew　the　loyal；　loving　allegiance　of　the　man。

After　the　wide；　deserted　stretches　of　open　veldt；　the　roar　of　Adderley　Street　seemed　to　Weldon　like　the　maddening　tumult　of　Piccadilly。　The　noise　stunned　him；　the　hurrying　crowd　filled　him　with　terror。　Even　inside　the　cab；　he　still　clung　to　the　arm　of　the　faithful　Kruger　Bobs。　Still　clinging　to　that　faithful　arm；　he　came　out　from　the　citadel；　no　longer　Trooper　Weldon；　but　Mr。　Harvard　Weldon　once　more；　honorably　discharged　from　the　South　African　Light　Horse。　Kruger　Bobs　was　invisible　behind　the　spreading　limits　of　his　smile；　but　Weldon　had　scarcely　heeded　the　words　which　had　been　addressed　to　him。　All　at　once；　like　a　watch　about　to　run　down；　the　wheels　of　his　brain　were　moving　slowly　and　ever　more　slowly。　His　whole　resolution　now　centered　in　keeping　them　in　motion　long　enough　to　go　to　his　banker　and　to　the　office　of　the　steamship　company。　Once　on　the　steamer　and　sliding　out　across　Table　Bay；　he　could　leave　the　rest　to　the　ship's　doctor　and　to　Fate。

Even　in　the　multitude　of　strangers　who　had　passed　through　Cape　Town；　in　those　latter　months；　he　was　remembered　at　the　bank　and　greeted　with　a　word　of　congratulation　on　his　record　in　the　field。　At　the　word；　a　man　beside　him；　hearing；　turned　to　look；　looked　again；　and　then　held　out　his　hand。　It　was　the　father　of　Ethel　Dent。

That　night；　the　Dents　dined　alone。　Over　the　roast；　Mr。　Dent　looked　up　suddenly。

〃Whom　do　you　think　I　saw；　to…day；　Ethel？〃

〃Who　now？〃　she　asked；　smiling。　〃You　can't　expect　me　to　guess；　when　you　are　constantly　running　up　against　the　most　impossible　people。〃　〃Not　this　time。　It　was　quite　possible；　but　it　gave　me　a　shock。　It　was　Mr。　Weldon。〃

The　smile　died　from　her　lips。　Nevertheless；　she　asked；　with　a　forced　lightness；

〃What　shocked　you？〃

〃His　looks。　He　was　ghastly；