the lost road-第1部分

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The　Lost　Road；　etc。

by　Richard　Harding　Davis




THE　NOVELS　AND　STORIES　OF

RICHARD　HARDING　DAVIS




TO

MY　WIFE




Contains：

THE　LOST　ROAD
THE　MIRACLE　OF　LAS　PALMAS
EVIL　TO　HIM　WHO　EVIL　THINKS
THE　MEN　OF　ZANZIBAR
THE　LONG　ARM
THE　GOD　OF　COINCIDENCE
THE　BURIED　TREASURE　OF　COBRE
THE　BOY　SCOUT
SOMEWHERE　IN　FRANCE
THE　DESERTER




AN　INTRODUCTION　BY
JOHN　T。　McCUTCHEON

WITH　DAVIS　IN　VERA　CRUZ；　BRUSSELS；　AND　SALONIKA

In　common　with　many　others　who　have　been　with　Richard　Harding
Davis　as　correspondents；　I　find　it　difficult　to　realize　that　he
has　covered　his　last　story　and　that　he　will　not　be　seen　again
with　the　men　who　follow　the　war　game；　rushing　to　distant　places
upon　which　the　spotlight　of　news　interest　suddenly　centres。

It　seems　a　sort　of　bitter　irony　that　he　who　had　covered　so　many
big　events　of　world　importance　in　the　past　twenty　years　should
be　abruptly　torn　away　in　the　midst　of　the　greatest　event　of
them　all；　while　the　story　is　still　unfinished　and　its　outcome
undetermined。　　If　there　is　a　compensating　thought；　it　lies　in　the
reflection　that　he　had　a　life　of　almost　unparalleled　fulness；
crowded　to　the　brim；　up　to　the　last　moment；　with　those
experiences　and　achievements　which　he　particularly　aspired　to
have。　　He　left　while　the　tide　was　at　its　flood；　and　while　he　still
held　supreme　his　place　as　the　best　reporter　in　his　country。　　He
escaped　the　bitterness　of　seeing　the　ebb　set　in；　when　the　youth
to　which　he　clung　had　slipped　away；　and　when　he　would　have　to　sit
impatient　in　the　audience；　while　younger　men　were　in　the　thick　of
great；　world…stirring　dramas　on　the　stage。

This　would　have　been　a　real　tragedy　in　〃Dick〃　Davis's　case；　for；
while　his　body　would　have　aged；　it　is　doubtful　if　his　spirit　ever
would　have　lost　its　youthful　freshness　or　boyish　enthusiasm。

It　was　my　privilege　to　see　a　good　deal　of　Davis　in　the　last　two
years。

He　arrived　in　Vera　Cruz　among　the　first　of　the　sixty　or　seventy
correspondents　who　flocked　to　that　news　centre　when　the　situation
was　so　full　of　sensational　possibilities。　　It　was　a　time　when　the
American　newspaper…reading　public　was　eager　for　thrills；　and　the
ingenuity　and　resourcefulness　of　the　correspondents　in　Vera　Cruz
were　tried　to　the　uttermost　to　supply　the　demand。

In　the　face　of　the　fiercest　competition　it　fell　to　Davis's　lot　to
land　the　biggest　story　of　those　days　of　marking　time。

The　story　〃broke〃　when　it　became　known　that　Davis；　Medill
McCormick；　and　Frederick　Palmer　had　gone　through　the　Mexican
lines　in　an　effort　to　reach　Mexico　City。　　Davis　and　McCormick；
with　letters　to　the　Brazilian　and　British　ministers；　got　through
and　reached　the　capital　on　the　strength　of　those　letters；　but
Palmer；　having　only　an　American　passport；　was　turned　back。

After　an　ominous　silence　which　furnished　American　newspapers　with
a　lively　period　of　suspense；　the　two　men　returned　safely　with
wonderful　stories　of　their　experiences　while　under　arrest　in　the
hands　of　the　Mexican　authorities。　　McCormick；　in　recently　speaking
of　Davis　at　that　time；　said　that；　〃as　a　correspondent　in
difficult　and　dangerous　situations；　he　was　incomparablecheerful；
ingenious；　and　undiscouraged。　　When　the　time　came　to　choose
between　safety　and　leaving　his　companion　he　stuck　by　his　fellow
captive　even　though；　as　they　both　said；　a　firing…squad　and　a　blank
wall　were　by　no　means　a　remote　possibility。〃

This　Mexico　City　adventure　was　a　spectacular　achievement
which　gave　Davis　and　McCormick　a　distinction　which　no　other
correspondents　of　all　the　ambitious　and　able　corps　had　managed　to
attain。

Davis　usually　〃hunted〃　alone。　　He　depended　entirely　upon　his　own
ingenuity　and　wonderful　instinct　for　news　situations。　　He　had　the
energy　and　enthusiasm　of　a　beginner；　with　the　experience　and
training　of　a　veteran。　　His　interest　in　things　remained　as　keen
as　though　he　had　not　been　years　at　a　game　which　often　leaves　a
man　jaded　and　blase。　　His　acquaintanceship　in　the　American　army
and　navy　was　wide；　and　for　this　reason；　as　well　as　for　the
prestige　which　his　fame　and　position　as　a　national　character　gave
him；　he　found　it　easy　to　establish　valuable　connections　in　the
channels　from　which　news　emanates。　　And　yet；　in　spite　of　the　fact
that　he　was　〃on　his　own〃　instead　of　having　a　working　partnership
with　other　men；　he　was　generous　in　helping　at　times　when　he　was
able　to　do　so。

Davis　was　a　conspicuous　figure　in　Vera　Cruz；　as　he　inevitably　had
been　in　all　such　situations。　　Wherever　he　went；　he　was　pointed
out。　　His　distinction　of　appearance；　together　with　a　distinction
in　dress；　which；　whether　from　habit　or　policy；　was　a　valuable
asset　in　his　work；　made　him　a　marked　man。　　He　dressed　and　looked
the　〃war　correspondent；〃　such　a　one　as　he　would　describe　in　one
of　his　stories。　　He　fulfilled　the　popular　ideal　of　what　a　member
of　that　fascinating　profession　should　look　like。　　His　code　of　life
and　habits　was　as　fixed　as　that　of　the　Briton　who　takes　his
habits　and　customs　and　games　and　tea　wherever　he　goes；　no　matter
how　benighted　or　remote　the　spot　may　be。

He　was　just　as　loyal　to　his　code　as　is　the　Briton。　　He　carried　his
bath…tub；　his　immaculate　linen；　his　evening　clothes；　his　war
equipmentin　which　he　had　the　pride　of　a　connoisseurwherever
he　went；　and；　what　is　more；　he　had　the　courage　to　use　the　evening
clothes　at　times　when　their　use　was　conspicuous。　　He　was　the　only
man　who　wore　a　dinner　coat　in　Vera　Cruz；　and　each　night；　at　his
particular　table　in　the　crowded　〃Portales；〃　at　the　Hotel
Diligencia；　he　was　to　be　seen；　as　fresh　and　clean　as　though　he
were　in　a　New　York　or　London　restaurant。

Each　day　he　was　up　early　to　take　the　train　out　to　the　〃gap；〃
across　which　came　arrivals　from　Mexico　City。　　Sometimes　a　good
〃story〃　would　come　down；　as　when　the　long…heralded　and　long…
expected　arrival　of　Consul　Silliman　gave　a　first…page　〃feature〃
to　all　the　American　papers。

In　the　afternoon　he　would　play　water　polo　over　at　the　navy
aviation　camp；　and　always　at　a　certain　time　of　the　day　his
〃striker〃　would　bring　him　his　horse　and　for　an　hour　or　more　he
would　ride　out　along　the　beach　roads　within　the　American　lines。
After　the　first　few　days　it　was　difficult　to　extract　real　thrills
from　the　Vera　Cruz　situation；　but　we　used　to　ride　out　to　El　Tejar
with　the　cavalry　patrol　and　imagine　that　we　might　be　fired　on　at
some　point　in　the　long　ride　through　unoccupied　territory；　or　else
go　out　to　the　〃front；〃　at　Legarto；　where　a　little　American　force
occupied　a　sun…baked　row　of　freight…cars；　surrounded　by　malarial
swamps。　　From　the　top　of　the　railroad　water…tank；　we　could　look
across　to　the　Mexican　outposts　a　mile　or　so　away。　　It　was　not　very
exciting；　and　what　thrills　we　got　lay　chiefly　in　our　imagination。

Before　my　acquaintanceship　with　Davis　at　Vera　Cruz　I　had　not
known　him　well。　　Our　trails　didn't　cross　while　I　was　in　Japan　in
the　Japanese…Russian　War；　and　in　the　Transvaal　I　missed　him　by　a
few　days；　but　in　Vera　Cruz　I　had　many　enjoyable　opportunities　of
becoming　well　acquainted　with　him。

The　privilege　was　a　pleasant　one；　for　it　served　to　dispel　a
preconceived　and　not　an　entirely　favorable　impression　of　his
character。　　For　years　I　had　heard　stories　about　Richard　Harding
Davisstories　which　emphasized　an　egotism　and　self…assertiveness
which；　if　they　ever　existed；　had　happily　ceased　to　be　obtrusive
by　the　time　I　got　to　know　him。

He　was　a　different　Davis　from　the　Davis　whom　I　had　expected　to
find；　and　I　can　imagine　no　more　charming　and　delightful　companion
than　he　was　in　Vera　Cruz。　　There　was　no　evidence　of　those
qualities　which　I　feared　to　find；　and　his　attitude　was　one　of
unfailing　kindness；　considerateness；　and　generosity。

In　the　many　talks　I　had　with　him；　I　was　always　struck　by　his
evident　devotion　to　a　fixed　code　of　personal　conduct。　　In　his　writings
he　was　the　interpreter　of　chivalrous；　well…bred　youth；　and　his　heroes
were　young；　clean…thinking　college　men；　heroic　big…game　hunters；
war　correspondents；　and　idealized　men　about　town；　who　always　did
the　noble　thing；　disdaining　the　unworthy　in　act　or　motive。　　It　seemed
to　me　that　he　was　modelling　his　own　life；　perhaps　unconsciously；
after　the　favored　types　which　his　imagination　had　created　for　his
stories。　　In　a　certain　sense　he　was　living　a　life　of　make…believe；
wherein　he　was　the　hero　of　the　story；　and　in　which　he　was　bound
by　his　ideals　always　to　act　as　he　would　have　the　hero　of　his
story　act。　　It　was　a　quality　which　only　one　could　have　who　had
preserved　a　fresh　youthfulness　of　outlook　in　spite　of　the
hardening　processes　of　maturity。

His　power　of　observation　was　extraordinarily　keen；　and　he　not
only　had　the　rare　gift　of　sensing　the　vital　elements　of　a
situation；　but　also　had；　to　an　unrivalled　degree；　the　ability　to
describe　them　vividly。　　I　don't　know　how　many　of　those　men　at　Verz
Cruz　tried　to　describe　the　kaleidoscopic　life　of　the　city　during
the　American　occupation；　but　I　know　that　Davis's　story　was　far
and　away　the　most　faithful　and　satisfying　picture。　　The　story　was
photographic；　even　to　the　sounds　and　smells。

The　last　I　saw　of　him　in　Vera　Cruz　was　when；　on　the　Utah；　he
steamed　past　the　flagship　Wyoming；　upon　which　I　was　quartered；
a