on the firing line-第7章

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　of　a　little　gray　broncho　who　was　making　tentative　motions　towards　a　complete　handspring。　By　the　time　the　pony　was　convinced　of　the　proper　function　of　her　own　hind　legs；　Weldon　found　himself　being　driven　from　the　door　of　the　cooking　tent　by　Paddy　and　a　volley　of　potatoes。　The　broncho　surveyed　Paddy　with　scorn；　rose　to　her　hind　legs　and　strolled　towards　the　corner　of　the　camp　sacred　to　visitors。　There　she　delivered　herself　of　one　final；　mighty　buck。　When　Weldon　regained　the　perpendicular；　he　found　himself　directly　facing　the　merry；　admiring　eyes　of　Ethel　Dent。　By　Ethel's　side；　mounted　on　a　huge　khaki…colored　horse；　sat　the　man　he　had　met；　only　the　week　before；　in　the　driveway　of　the　Dents'　home。

Scarlet　with　his　exertions；　grimly　aware　that　his　sleeve　was　pulled　from　its　armhole　and　his　left　puttie　was　strained　out　of　its　usual　compact　folds；　nevertheless　Weldon　saluted　her　smilingly　and；　his　mount　well　in　hand；　galloped　off　in　search　of　his　squadron。　That　night；　however；　his　clear　baritone　voice　was　missing　from　the　usual　chorus　about　the　camp　fire；　and；　as　he　thoughtfully　drained　his　tin　billy　of　coffee；　next　morning；　he　was　revolving　in　mind　the　relative　merits　of　his　banker　and　a　dead　mother…in…law；　as　excuses　for　demanding　a　pass　to　town；　that　afternoon。

However；　afternoon　found　him　moodily　riding　about　the　camp。　His　body　was　on　a　subdued　gray　broncho；　his　mind　was　solely　upon　Ethel　and　her　companion。　He　liked　the　girl　for　herself；　as　well　as　for　the　fact　that；　in　this　remote　corner　of　the　world；　she　represented　the　sole　bit　of　feminine　companionship　which　is　the　rightful　heritage　of　every　son　of　Eve。　True；　there　was　Miss　Arthur；　but　Miss　Arthur　was　antediluvian。　Under　these　conditions；　it　was　galling　to　Weldon　to　see　Ethel　absorbed　by　a　comrade　who；　he　frankly　admitted　to　himself；　was　far　the　more　personable　man　of　the　two。　And　the　girl's　blue　eyes　had　laughed　up　into　the　eyes　of　the　stranger　just　exactly　as；　two　short　weeks　before；　they　had　laughed　up　into　his　own。　Then　the　little　gray　broncho　jumped　cornerwise；　and　Weldon　had　difficulty　in　impressing　upon　her　that　handsprings　were　not　an　approved　form　of　cavalry　tactics。　Nevertheless；　he　did　it　with　a　word　of　apology。　For　the　moment；　the　broncho　was　not　wholly　responsible　for　her　return　to　evil　ways。

Over　their　breakfast；　next　morning；　his　five　tentmates　fell　to　catechising　him　as　to　his　pensive　mood；　and　their　catechism　was　largely　intermingled　with　chaff。

〃Paddy's　compliments；　and　roll　up　for　your　tucker；〃　the　mess　orderly　proclaimed；　as　he　came　into　the　tent；　brandishing　a　coffee　pot　in　one　hand；　the　frying　pan　in　the　other。

Fork　in　hand；　Carew　nevertheless　paused　to　take　exception　to　the　word。

〃I　confess　I　can't　see　why　Tucker；　when　it　is　supposed　to　untuck　the　creases　of　us；〃　he　observed。　〃Hermit；　shall　I　serve　you　in　the　corner；　or　will　you　deign　to　join　us　about　the　festive　frying　pan？〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　Weldon；　anyhow？〃　another　of　the　group　queried；　as　dispassionately　as　if　the　subject　of　discussion　had　been　absent　in　Rhodesia。　〃His　face　is　a　yard　long；　and　his　lips　hang　down　in　the　slack　of　the　corners。〃

〃Brace　up；　man；　and　get　over　your　grouch；〃　a　third　adjured　him。　〃You　are　worse　than　O'Brien　was；　the　morning　after　he　was　shoved　in　kink。　Were　you　in　Cape　Town；　last　night？〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　Carew　put　in　hastily；　while　he　buried　his　knife…　blade　in　the　nearest　pot　of　jam。　〃My　left　ear　can　prove　an　alibi　for　him。　From　taps　till　midnight；　Weldon　discoursed　of　all　the　grewsome　things　in　the　human　calendar。〃

The　smallest　of　the　group　turned　himself　about　and　peered　up　into　Weldon's　face。

〃Homesick；　man？〃　he　queried。

〃Sure；〃　Weldon　replied　imperturbably。

〃Oh。　Then　get　over　it。　Just　dream　of　the　days　when　the　bronchos　cease　from　bucking　and　the　Stringies　shoot　no　more。　Meanwhile；　if　you　could　look　pleasant；　as　the　photographers　say；　it　would　help　on　things　wonderfully。〃

But　the　mess　orderly　interrupted。　He　had　tidings　to　impart；　and　they　burned　upon　his　tongue。

〃Have　you　heard　about　Eaton…Hill？〃　he　asked；　in　the　first　pause　that　offered　itself。

Five　faces　turned　to　him　with　gratifying　expectancy。　Eaton…Hill　had　come　out　on　the　Dunottar　Castle。　He　was　known　to　them　all　as　the　acknowledged　exquisite　of　the　entire　camp。

〃What　about　him？〃

〃C。　B。　I　met　him　coming　out　of　the　orderly　room。〃

〃Hm！　Camp　scavenger。　Eaton…Hill　will　like　that；〃　Weldon　commented　dryly。　〃What's　the　row　about？〃

〃Cupid　apparently。　He　went　calling　in　Cape　Town；　last　night；　without　leave；　stayed　till　past　eleven　and　undertook　to　come　in　by　sea。　He　shipped　in　a　leaky　boat　with　a　crew　composed　of　one　Kaffir　boy；　the　Kaffir　funked　the　surf；　they　had　an　upset　and　Eaton…Hill　waked　up　the　picket　by　the　fervor　of　his　swearing　at　the　half…drowned　Kaffir。〃

〃Poor　Eaton…Hill！　Both　his　morals　and　his　clothes　must　have　suffered；〃　Carew　suggested。　〃Weldon；　take　warning。　Next　time　you　go　to　call　on　Miss　Arthur；　start　early　and　be　sure　you　have　your　pass　pinned　to　the　lining　of　your　coat。〃

〃Who　is　Miss　Arthur？〃　demanded　the　chorus。

Deliberately　Carew　helped　himself　to　the　last　of　the　bacon。　Then　he　made　answer；　with　equal　deliberation；

〃Miss　Arthur　is　Weldon's　lawful　chaperon。〃

At　four　o'clock；　that　afternoon；　Weldon　arose　reluctantly　from　his　seat　on　the　western　end　of　the　Dents'　veranda。

〃Parade　at　five；　Miss　Dent；　and　Maitland　Camp　is　four　miles　away。〃

Without　rising；　she　smiled　up　into　his　waiting　eyes。

〃You　made　more　than　four　miles　an　hour；　when　Captain　Frazer　and　I　were　watching　you；　the　other　day；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

〃Yes；　twenty　at　least。　Still；　as　you　may　have　noticed；　my　mount　doesn't　always　choose　the　straightest　course。　If　she　elects　to　go　to　Maitland　by　way　of　Durban；　it　will　take　me　all　of　the　hour　to　make　the　journey。〃

She　laughed　at　his　words。　Then　of　a　sudden　her　face　grew　grave。

〃They've　no　right　to　give　you　such　a　horse；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

〃Right？　Oh；　I　beg　pardon。　I　chose　it。〃

〃Is　your　life　so　unhappy？〃　she　questioned；　in　mocking　rebuke。

〃It　is　no　suicidal　mania；　Miss　Dent；〃　he　reassured　her。　〃I　like　the　rush　and　excitement　of　it　all；　but　I　had　a　summer　on　a　ranch；　and　I　learned　the　trick　of　sitting　tight　until　the　beast　tires　itself　out。　Broncho…busting　is　only　a　concrete　form　of　philosophy；　after　all。〃

〃And　must　you　really　go？〃　she　asked　him。

He　lingered　and　hesitated。　Then；　with　a　glance　at　the　horse　fastened　to　a　post　in　the　drive　below；　he　straightened　his　shoulders。

〃I　must。〃

She　rose　to　her　feet。

〃Good　afternoon；　then。〃

〃And　good　by；〃　he　added。

〃What　does　that　mean？〃

〃That　we　leave　Maitland　Camp　in　the　morning。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　showed　her　regret。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　Maitland　station。　Then　into　a　train。　Beyond　that；　I　do　not　know。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　repeated；　〃but　very　glad。　It　is　time　you　were　doing　something。　I　know　you　didn't　take　all　this　journey　out　here　for　the　sake　of　being　drilled　in　Maitland　Camp　until　the　end　of　time。　We　shall　miss　you；　but　you　will　come　back　to　us；　some　day；　and　tell　us　all　the　story　of　your　deeds。　Success　to　you；　Trooper　Weldon！〃

She　gave　him　her　hand；　then　stood　looking　after　him；　as　he　went　down　the　steps。　Once　in　the　saddle；　he　turned　back　to　wave　a　farewell　to　the　tall　girl　framed　in　the　arching　greenery　that　sheltered　the　broad　veranda。　Then；　urging　on　his　horse；　he　went　galloping　away；　his　boyish　face　turned　resolutely　towards　the　front。

Careless　of　the　oldtime　superstition；　the　girl　watched　him　out　of　sight。　Then　slowly　she　moved　back　to　their　deserted　corner　where　she　sat　long；　her　elbows　on　the　arms　of　her　chair　and　her　chin　resting　on　her　hands。　Her　eyes　were　held　steadily　on　Table　Bay；　but　her　thoughts　followed　along　the　road　to　Maitland　Campand　beyond。




CHAPTER　FIVE


That　January　had　brought　the　second　irruption　of　Boers　into　Cape　Colony。　In　reality；　they　were　near　Calvinia；　but；　by　the　middle　of　the　month；　rumor　had　so　far　out…stripped　fact　that　certain　refugee　Uitlanders　were　ready　to　affirm　that　Table　Mountain　was　held　by　an　invading　army　who　patrolled　the　summit；　coffee　pot　in　one　hand　and　Bible　in　the　other。　Under　these　conditions；　the　little　Dutch　church　at　Piquetberg　Road　had　be