on the firing line- 第16部分

Among　her　new　charges；　that　day；　only　one　had　made　any　distinct　impression　upon　her　overworked　brain。　That　was　a　jovial　young　fellow；　handsome　as　Phoebus　Apollo；　in　spite　of　a　slashing　scar　across　one　cheek。　He　had　answered　to　her　questions　regarding　his　wounded　foot　with　an　accent　so　like　that　of　Weldon　that　involuntarily　she　lingered　beside　him　to　add　a　word　of　cheery　consolation。　His　was　her　final　case；　that　night。　As　she　wearily　turned　towards　her　own　room；　she　made　no　effort　to　analyze　her　exhaustion。

She　found　Ethel；　still　in　her　hat　and　jacket；　sitting　on　the　edge　of　her　own　narrow　cot。

〃Cooee　Dent！〃

〃Yes；　dear。〃　The　girl's　tone　was　nonchalant；　even　while　the　telltale　color　came　into　her　cheeks。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Visiting　you；　of　course。〃

〃Visiting　me！　But；　Cooee；　I　really　don't　know　where　I　can　put　you。〃

With　perfect　composure；　Ethel　passed　her　hand　over　the　surface　of　the　cot。

〃Oh；　I　think　this　nutmeg…grater　will　carry　two。　Still；　Alice；　I　must　say　that　your　hospitality　isn't　exactly　exuberant。〃

Alice　dropped　into　a　chair　and　wearily　pushed　her　hair　still　farther　back　from　her　forehead。

〃But；　Cooee〃

〃Aren't　you　glad　to　see　me？〃　Ethel　demanded。

〃Certainly。　You　are　always　a　dear；　butI　wish　I　had　known　you　were　coming。〃

Ethel　raised　her　brows；　and　a　slight　edge　came　into　her　voice。

〃If　you　don't　want　me；　Alice；　I　can　go　home　in　the　morning。〃

Dimly　aware　that　her　cousin　was　fencing　with　an　invisible　adversary；　nevertheless　Alice　Mellen　was　too　tired；　that　night；　to　range　herself　upon　the　side　of　that　adversary。　As　far　as　she　was　concerned；　Ethel　had　dropped　upon　her　like　a　bolt　from　the　blue。　She　was　too　busy；　too　absorbed　in　her　patients　to　give　more　than　a　passing　thought　to　even　her　most　intimate　cousin。　And　besides；　WeldonShe　pulled　herself　together　sharply。

〃Of　course　I　want　you；　Cooee　dear。　It　is　only　a　bit　sudden；　and　I　am　trying　to　think　what　to　do　with　you。〃

Now　and　then　Ethel　turned　wayward。　This　was　one　of　the　times。

〃If　you　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　me；　Alice；　then　why　did　you　ask　me　to　come？〃

〃But　I　didn't；〃　Alice　responded；　too　astonished　to　modify　her　denial　into　a　polite　form　of　fibbing。

Ethers　tone　was　gently　superior。

〃Oh；　yes；　you　did。〃

〃When？〃

〃When　you　were　leaving　home。　You　said　then　that　I　must　be　sure　to　come　up　to　spend　a　week　with　you；　early　in　the　winter。〃　Then　her　accent　changed。　〃You　poor　tired　child！〃　she　said；　as　she　rose　and　crossed　to　her　cousin's　side。　〃This　work　is　too　hard　for　you；　you　look　as　if　you　had　been　fighting　the　Boers　themselves；　instead　of　merely　enteric　and　bullet　holes。　I　think　it　is　just　as　well　that　I　am　here　to　look　out　for　you；　for　a　few　days。〃

Alice　lifted　her　hand　to　the　hand　that　lay　against　her　cheek。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　Cooee　dear。　I　am　only　so　surprised　that　it　makes　me　slow　to　tell　you　so。　If　you　can　sleep　here；　to…night；　I　can　find　a　better　place　for　you　in　the　morning。〃

〃This　will　do；〃　Ethel　answered；　while　she　slowly　drew　the　pins　from　her　hat。　〃It　is　neat；　even　if　it　isn't　spacious。　Really；　Alice；　I　should　have　let　you　know；　but　it　was　only　just　as　I　was　starting　that　I　found　I　could　come　at　all。　Father　is　at　home；　and　mother　is　unusually　well；　and　I　thought　I　would　best　make　the　most　of　the　opportunity。〃

Crossing　the　room　to　the　table；　she　stood　with　her　back　to　her　cousin；　while　she　smoothed　the　feathers　in　her　hat。　Then；　without　turning；　she　asked　abruptly；

〃How　is　Mr。　Weldon？〃

〃Better。〃

〃Out　of　all　danger？〃

〃Yes。　Not　that　he　has　been　in　much　danger；　anyway。〃

〃Oh；　I　thought〃

Then　silence　fell。

Alice；　meanwhile；　was　busy　with　a　swift　calculation。　Five　days；　in　these　troubled　times；　for　a　letter　to　go　from　Johannesburg　to　Cape　Town；　five　days　since　Ethel　could　have　left　Cape　Town。　And　her　one　letter　to　Ethel　since　Weldon's　arrival　had　been　posted　just　three　days　before。

〃How　did　you　know　Mr。　Weldon　was　here？〃　she　asked　sharply。

Ethel's　back　was　still　turned　towards　her。　Nevertheless；　she　could　see　the　scarlet　tide　mounting　to　the　ears　and　to　the　roots　of　the　vivid　gold　hair。

〃Why；　your　letter；　Alice；〃　Ethel　answered　composedly。

Alice's　laugh　was　sharp　and　edged　with　malice。

〃Yes；　dear。　My　letter；　telling　you　of　his　being　here；　will　be　delivered　at　your　house　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃Oh；　then　I　must　have　mixed　things　up；〃　Ethel　replied；　as　she　turned　to　face　her　cousin。　〃Probably　Captain　Frazer　told　me。〃

〃Captain　Frazer？〃

〃Yes；　he　came　down　to　Cape　Town；　just　before　I　left　there。　I　remember　now；　he　was　the　one　who　told　me。　He　was　near　Mr。　Weldon　at　Vlaakfontein；　he　knew　all　about　his　awful　ride　into　Krugersdorp；　and　I　believe　he　did　say　be　was　to　be　brought　here。〃

For　a　moment　more；　the　two　pairs　of　eyes；　the　blue　and　the　black；　met　in　steady　warfare；　neither　one　yielding　in　the　least；　neither　one　quite　aware　how　much　she　was　betraying　to　the　other。

〃Well；　what　of　it？〃　Ethel　demanded　tempestuously　then。

〃Nothing；　onlyare　you　sure　you　were　wise　to　come？〃

The　blue　eyes　blazed。

〃And　what　do　you　mean　by　that；　Alice？　You　asked　me　to　visit　you　here；　to　see　your　work　among　your　patients。　I　have　come。　If　I　came　at　all；　it　had　to　be　now。　I　can't　always　leave　home　for　a　week　at　a　time。　And　I　can't　help　it；　can　I；　if　Mr。　Weldon　happens　to　be　one　of　your　patients？〃

〃No；　you　can't；〃　Alice　admitted　slowly。　〃It　only　remains　to　be　seen　whether　you　would　care　to　help　it；　if　you　could。〃

Again　Ethel　crossed　the　room。　This　time；　she　dropped　down　at　her　cousin's　side。

〃Don't　let　us　argue　about　it　and　get　cross　at　each　other；　dear。　If　I　have　made　a　mistake　in　coming　now；　I　am　sorry。　But　I　am　here。　Let　me　stay　a　few　days；　I　may　be　able　to　help　you　a　little。　Anyway；　I　promise　not　to　be　a　trouble　to　you。　It　is　so　long　since　I　have　seen　you；　Alice。　And〃　Again　the　silence　dropped。

Alice　roused　herself　from　the　reverie　which　was　creeping　over　her。　She　was　glad　to　see　Ethel；　unfeignedly　glad。　The　bright；　animated　presence　of　her　cousin；　during　the　next　few　days；　could　not　fail　to　be　a　tonic。　And；　as　Ethel　had　said；　she　herself　had　been　the　one　to　suggest　the　first　idea　of　the　winter　visit。　Chance　and　Captain　Frazer　had　decreed　that　it　should　take　place　now；　when　Alice's　hands　were　immoderately　full　of　work。　But　then；　so　much　the　better。　Ethel　could　make　herself　invaluable　among　the　convalescents。　She　herself　had　not　put　on　her　Red…Cross　badge　for　the　sake　of　taking　her　rest　hour　at　the　bedside　of　Trooper　Harvard　Weldon。

Half　undressed；　Ethel　paused；　hair　brush　in　hand。　〃You　can't　imagine　how　tired　I　am；　Alice。　It　is　a　terrible　journey　up　here　nowadays。　I　was　in　terror　of　a　train…wreck　at　any　moment；〃　she　said　drowsily。　〃Don't　let　me　sleep　too　long　in　the　morning；　because；〃　she　pulled　open　her　eyes　long　enough　to　dart　a　mocking　glance　over　her　shoulder　at　her　cousin；　〃because　you　know；　right　after　breakfast；　you　are　going　to　let　me　begin　to　help　you　take　care　of　some　of　your　people。〃

From　behind　her　own　sheltering　veil　of　ink…black　hair；　Alice　laughed。

〃Cooee；　you　are　a　dear；　but　you're　rather　a　trial；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃However；　now　that　you　are　here；　I　think　I　shall　ask　the　P。　M。　O。　to　set　you　to　work　to　watch　over　the　needs　of　Mr。　Weldon。　He　won't　be　here　much　longer；　but；　while　he　stays；　I　shall　consider　him　your　patient。〃　Then；　brushing　aside　the　veil；　she　bent　forward　and　touched　her　lips　to　her　cousin's　cheek。

〃Might　I　ask　what　brought　you　up　here；　Miss　Dent？〃　Weldon　asked；　the　next　day。

Beside　him　sat　Ethel；　her　hands　demurely　clasped　in　the　lap　of　her　broad　white　apron。

〃My　cousin's　invitation；〃　she　replied。

〃Then　Miss　Mellen　knew　you　were　coming？〃

〃Yes。　She　asked　me　to　come；　early　in　the　winter。〃

〃Strange　she　said　nothing　about　it！　We　were　talking　about　you；　only　yesterday。〃

〃She　didn't　know；　even　then；　that　I　was　so　imminent；〃　Ethel　answered。　〃I　took　her　quite　by　surprise；　at　the　last。〃

〃A　surprise　all　around；　then；〃　he　said；　with　a　boyish　laugh。　〃I　was　astonished　to　find　Miss　Mellen　here；　and　you　must　have　been　equally　astonished　to　find　me。　If　only　Captain　Frazer　would　appear；　our　old　quartette　would　be　complete。〃

〃I　am　afraid　we　must　get　on　without　him；〃　she　said　lightly。

〃Unfortunately；　yes。　I　wonder　where　he　is。〃

〃In　Cape　Town；〃　she　replied　unexpectedly。

〃Really？　What　is　he　doing　there？〃

〃Don't　expect　me　to　tell。　It　has　something　to　do　with　a　staff；　but　whether　he　carries　it；　or　becudgels　recruits　with　it；　I　have　no　idea　at　all。〃

〃He　hasn't　left　the　Scottish　Horse？〃

〃In　fact；　but　not　in　name。　Your　regiment　is　still　in　the　Transvaal；　but　he　keeps　a　sort　of　vicarious　connection　with　it。　Please　don't　expect　me　to　grasp　military　details；　Mr。　Weldon。　I　merely　repeat　the　facts；　parrot　fashion；　you　must　interpret　them　to　suit　yourself。〃

He　laughed　again。　Already；　in　that　one　morning；　he　appeared　to　have　taken　a　long　stride　towards　the　regaining　of　his　old　self。

〃You　are　a　perfect　gazette；　Miss　Dent；　the　first　bit　of　news　that　has　crept　inside　this　place。　Where　did　you　get　all　your　information？〃

〃From　Captain　Frazer。〃　Her　rising　color　belied　her　unconcerned　tone。

〃You　have　seen　him；　then？〃

〃Yes。　He　is　usually　very　good　about　calling；　whenever　he　comes　to　Cape　To