the lost road-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

〃Frances！〃

And　the　girl　who　had　refused　the　help　of　all　who　loved　her；　like　a
homing　pigeon　walked　straight　into　the　outstretched　arms。

After　five　minutes；　when　he　was　almost　able　to　believe　it　was　true；
he　said　in　his　commanding；　masterful　way：　〃And　now　I'm　going　to
take　you　out　of　here。　　I'm　going　to　buy　you　a　ring；　and　a　sable　coat；
and　a　house　to　live　in；　and　a　dinner。　　Which　shall　we　buy　first？〃

〃First；〃　said　Frances；　frowning　happily；　〃I　am　afraid　we　must　go
to　the　Ritz；　to　tell　Aunt　Emily。　　She　always　loved　you；　and　it　will
make　her　so　happy。〃

〃To　the　Ritz！〃　stammered　the　young　man。　　〃To　Aunt　Emily！　I　thought
they　told　me　your　aunt　and…you…〃

〃We　quarrelled；　yes；〃　said　Frances；　〃and　she　has　forgiven　me；　but　she
has　not　forgiven　herself；　so　she　spoils　me；　and　already　I　have　a　house
to　live　in；　and　several　sable　coats；　and；　oh！　everything；　everything　but
the　ring。〃

〃I　am　so　sorry！〃　cried　Lee。　　〃I　thought　you　were　poor。　　I　hoped　you　were
poor。　　But　you　are　joking！〃　he　exclaimed　delightedly。　　〃You　are　here　in
a　working　girls'　home…〃

〃It　is　one　of　Aunt　Emily's　charities。　　She　built　it；〃　said　Frances。　　〃I
come　here　to　talk　to　the　girls。〃

〃But；〃　persisted　Lee　triumphantly；　〃if　you　are　not　poor；　why　did　you
pawn　our　silver　loving…cup？〃

The　face　of　the　girl　became　a　lovely　crimson；　and　tears　rose　to　her　eyes。
As　though　at　a　confessional；　she　lifted　her　hands　penitently。

〃Try　to　understand；〃　she　begged；　〃I　wanted　you　to　love　me；　not　for
my　money…〃

〃But　you　knew！〃　cried　Lee。

〃I　had　to　be　sure；〃　begged　the　girl；　〃and　I　wanted　to　believe　you　loved
me　even　if　I　did　not　love　you。　　When　it　was　too　late　I　knew　you　loved　me
as　no　woman　ever　deserved　to　be　loved；　and　I　wanted　that　love。　　I　could
not　live　without　it。　　So　when　I　read　in　the　papers　you　had　returned　I
wouldn't　let　myself　write　you；　I　wouldn't　let　myself　beg　you　to　come
to　see　me。　　I　set　a　test　for　you。　　I　knew　from　the　papers　you　were　at　the
Army　and　Navy　Club；　and　that　around　the　corner　was　the　recruiting
office。　　I'd　often　seen　the　sergeant　there；　in　uniform；　at　the　door。　　I　knew
you　must　pass　from　your　club　to　the　office　many　times　each　day；　so　I
thought　of　the　loving…cup　and　the　pawn…shop。　　I　planted　it　there。　　It　was
a　trick；　a　test。　　I　thought　if　you　saw　it　in　a　pawn…shop　you　would　believe　I
no　longer　cared　for　you；　and　that　I　was　very　poor。　　If　you　passed　it　by；
then　I　would　know　you　yourself　had　stopped　caring；　but　if　you　asked
about　it；　if　you　inquired　for　me；　then　I　would　know　you　came　to　me　of
your　own　wish；　because　you…〃

Lee　shook　his　head。

〃You　don't　have　to　tell　me；〃　he　said　gently；　〃why　I　came。　　I've　a　cab
outside。　　You　will　get　in　it；〃　he　commanded；　〃and　we　will　rescue　our
cup。　　I　always　told　you　they　would　look　well　together　over　an　open
fireplace。〃





THE　MIRACLE　OF　LAS　PALMAS




This　is　the　story　of　a　gallant　officer　who　loved　his　profession；
his　regiment；　his　country；　but　above　all；　whiskey；　of　his
miraculous　conversion　to　total　abstinence；　and　of　the　humble
instrument　that　worked　the　miracle。　　At　the　time　it　was　worked；　
a　battalion　of　the　Thirty…third　Infantry　had　been　left　behind　to　
guard　the　Zone；　and　was　occupying　impromptu　barracks　on　the　hill
above　Las　Palmas。　　That　was　when　Las　Palmas　was　one　of　the　four　
thousand　stations　along　the　forty　miles　of　the　Panama　Railroad。　
When　the　railroad　was　〃reconstructed〃　the　name　of　Las　Palmas　did
not　appear　on　the　new　time…table；　and　when　this　story　appears　
Las　Palmas　will　be　eighty　feet　under　water。　　So　if　any　one　wishes
to　dispute　the　miracle　he　will　have　to　conduct　his　investigation
in　a　diving…bell。

On　this　particular　evening　young　Major　Aintree；　in　command　of　the　
battalion；　had　gone　up　the　line　to　Panama　to　dine　at　the　Hotel　
Tivoli；　and　had　dined　well。　　To　prevent　his　doing　this　a　paternal　
government　had　ordered　that　at　the　Tivoli　no　alcoholic　liquors　
may　be　sold；　but　only　two　hundred　yards　from　the　hotel；　outside　
the　zone　of　temperance；　lies　Panama　and　Angelina's；　and　during　
the　dinner；　between　the　Tivoli　and　Angelina's；　the　Jamaican　
waiter…boys　ran　relay　races。

After　the　dinner；　the　Jamaican　waiter…boys　proving　too　slow；　the　
dinner…party　in　a　body　adjourned　to　Angelina's；　and　when　later；　
Major　Aintree　moved　across　the　street　to　the　night　train　to　Las　
Palmas；　he　moved　unsteadily。

Young　Standish　of　the　Canal　Zone　police；　who；　though　but　twenty…
six；　was　a　full　corporal；　was　for　that　night　on　duty　as　〃train　
guard；〃　and　was　waiting　at　the　rear　steps　of　the　last　car。　　As　
Aintree　approached　the　steps　he　saw　indistinctly　a　boyish　figure　
in　khaki；　and；　mistaking　it　for　one　of　his　own　men；　he　clasped　
the　handrail　for　support；　and　halted　frowning。

Observing　the　condition　of　the　officer　the　policeman　also　frowned；　
but　in　deference　to　the　uniform；　slowly　and　with　reluctance　raised　
his　hand　to　his　sombrero。　　The　reluctance　was　more　apparent　than　
the　salute。　　It　was　less　of　a　salute　than　an　impertinence。

Partly　out　of　regard　for　his　rank；　partly　from　temper；　chiefly　
from　whiskey；　Aintree　saw　scarlet。

〃When　you　s'lute　your　s'perior　officer；〃　he　shouted；　〃you　s'lute　him
quick。　　You　unnerstan'；　you　s'lute　him　quick！　S'lute　me　again；〃　he　
commanded；　〃and　s'lute　me　damn　quick。〃

Standish　remained　motionless。　　As　is　the　habit　of　policemen　over　
all　the　world；　his　thumbs　were　stuck　in　his　belt。　　He　answered　
without　offense；　in　tones　matter…of…fact　and　calm。

〃You　are　not　my　superior　officer；〃　he　said。

It　was　the　calmness　that　irritated　Aintree。　　His　eyes　sought　for　
the　infantryman's　cap　and　found　a　sombrero。

〃You　damned　leatherneck；〃　he　began；　〃I'll　report〃　

〃I'm　not　a　marine；　either；〃　interrupted　Standish。　　〃I'm　a　policeman。
Move　on；〃　he　ordered；　〃you're　keeping　these　people　waiting。〃　

Others　of　the　dinner…party　formed　a　flying　wedge　around　Aintree　
and　crowded　him　up　the　steps　and　into　a　seat　and　sat　upon　him。　
Ten　minutes　later；　when　Standish　made　his　rounds　of　the　cars；　
Aintree　saw　him　approaching。　　He　had　a　vague　recollection　that
he　had　been　insulted；　and　by　a　policeman。

〃You！〃　he　called；　and　so　loudly　that　all　in　the　car　turned；　〃I'm　
going　to　report　you；　going　to　report　you　for　insolence。　　What's
your　name？〃

Looking　neither　at　Aintree　nor　at　the　faces　turned　toward　him；　
Standish　replied　as　though　Aintree　had　asked　him　what　time　it　was。

〃Standish；〃　he　said；　〃corporal；　shield　number　226；　on　train　
guard。〃　　He　continued　down　the　aisle。

〃I'll　remember　you；〃　Aintree　shouted。

But　in　the　hot；　glaring　dawn　of　the　morning　after；　Aintree　forgot。
It　was　Standish　who　remembered。

The　men　of　the　Zone　police　are　hand…picked。　　They　have　been　
soldiers；　marines；　cowboys；　sheriffs；　〃Black　Hussars〃　of　the　
Pennsylvania　State　constabulary；　rough　riders　with　Roosevelt；　
mounted　police　in　Canada；　irregular　horse　in　South　Africa；　they　
form　one　of　the　best…organized；　best…disciplined；　most　efficient；
most　picturesque　semi…military　bodies　in　the　world。　　Standish
joined　them　from　the　Philippine　constabulary　in　which　he　had
been　a　second　lieutenant。　　There　are　several　like　him　in　the
Zone　police；　and　in　England　they　would　be　called　gentlemen　
rankers。　　On　the　Isthmus；　because　of　his　youth；　his　fellow　
policemen　called　Standish　〃Kid。〃　　And　smart　as　each　of　them　was；
each　of　them　admitted　the　Kid　wore　his　uniform　with　a　difference。
With　him　it　always　looked　as　though　it　had　come　freshly　ironed　
from　the　Colon　laundry；　　his　leather　leggings　shone　like　
meerschaum　pipes；　the　brim　of　his　sombrero　rested　impudently　on
the　bridge　of　his　nose。

〃He's　been　an　officer；〃　they　used　to　say　in　extenuation。　　〃You　can
tell　when　he　salutes。　　He　shows　the　back　of　his　hand。〃　　Secretly；
they　were　proud　of　him。　　Standish　came　of　a　long　chain　of　soldiers；
and　that　the　weakest　link　in　the　chain　had　proved　to　be　himself　was
a　sorrow　no　one　else　but　himself　could　fathom。　　Since　he　was　three
years　old　he　had　been　trained　to　be　a　soldier；　as　carefully；　with　the
same　singleness　of　purpose；　as　the　crown　prince　is　trained　to　be　a
king。　　And　when；　after　three　happy；　glorious　years　at　West　Point；
he　was　found　not　clever　enough　to　pass　the　examinations　and　was
dropped；　he　did　not　curse　the　gods　and　die；　but　began　again　to　work
his　way　up。　　He　was　determined　he　still　would　wear　shoulder…straps。
He　owed　it　to　his　ancestors。　　It　was　the　tradition　of　his　family；　the　one　
thing　he　wanted；　it　was　his　religion。　　He　would　get　into　the　army　
even　if　by　the　side　door；　if　only　after　many　years　of　rough　and　
patient　service。　　He　knew　that　some　day；　through　his　record；　
through　the　opportunity　of　a　war；　he　would　come　into　his　
inheritance。　　Meanwhile　he　officered　his　soul；　disciplined　his　
body；　and　daily　tried　to　learn　the　lesson　that　he　who　hopes　to　
control　others　must　first　control　himself。

He　allowed　himself　but　one　dissipation；　one　excess。　　That　was　
to　hate　Major　Aintree；　commanding　the　Thirty…third　Infantry。　　Of　
all　the　world　could　give；　Aintree　possessed　everything　that　
Standish　considered　the　most　to　be　desired。　　He　was　a　graduate　of　
West　Point；　he　had　seen　service　in　Cuba；　in　the　Boxer　business；
and　in　the　Philippines。　　For　an　act　of　cons