the red cross girl-第6章

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even　that　I'll　make　him　marry　me！〃

The　faithful　and　sorely　tried　domestics　fled　toward　the　door。
〃And　what's　more；〃　Anita　hurled　after　them；　〃get　your　bets
down　quick；　for　after　I　meet　him　the　odds　will　be　a　hundred
to　one！〃

Had　the　REPUBLIC　been　an　afternoon　paper；　Sam　might　have　been
at　the　office　and　might　have　gone　to　the　telephone；　and
things　might　have　happened　differently；　but；　as　the　REPUBLIC
was　a　morning　paper；　the　only　person　in　the　office　was　the
lady　who　scrubbed　the　floors　and　she　refused　to　go　near　the
telephone。　So　Anita　Flagg　said；　〃I'll　call　him　up　later；〃　and
went　happily　on　her　ride；　with　her　heart　warm　with　love　for
all　the　beautiful　world；　but　later　it　was　too　late。

To　keep　himself　fit；　Sam　Ward　always　walked　to　the　office。　On
this　particular　morning　Hollis　Holworthy　was　walking　uptown
and　they　met　opposite　the　cathedral。

〃You're　the　very　man　I　want；〃　said　Hollworthy　joyously
〃you've　got　to　decide　a　bet。〃

He　turned　and　fell　into　step　with　Sam。

〃It's　one　I　made　last　night　with　Anita　Flagg。　She　thinks　you
didn't　know　who　she　was　yesterday；　and　I　said　that　was
ridiculous。　Of　course　you　knew。　I　bet　her　a　theatre　party。〃

To　Sam　it　seemed　hardly　fair　that　so　soon；　before　his　fresh
wound　had　even　been　dressed；　it　should　be　torn　open　by
impertinent　fingers；　but　he　had　no　right　to　take　offense。　How
could　the　man；　or　any　one　else；　know　what　Sister　Anne　had
meant　to　him？

〃I'm　afraid　you　lose；〃　he　said。　He　halted　to　give　Holworthy
the　hint　to　leave　him；　but　Holworthy　had　no　such　intention。

〃You　don't　say　so！〃　exclaimed　that　young　man。　〃Fancy　one　of
you　chaps　being　taken　in　like　that。　〃I　thought　you　were
taking　her　ingetting　up　a　story　for　the　Sunday　supplement。〃

Sam　shook　his　head；　nodded；　and　again　moved　on；　but　he　was
not　yet　to　escape。　〃And；　instead　of　your　fooling　her；〃
exclaimed　Holworthy　incredulously；　〃she　was　having　fun；　with
you！〃

With　difficulty　Sam　smiled。

〃So　it　would　seem；〃　he　said。

〃She　certainly　made　an　awfully　funny　story　of　it！〃　exclaimed
Holworthy　admiringly。　〃I　thought　she　was　making　it　upshe
must　have　made　some　of　it　up。　She　said　you　asked　her　to　take
a　day　off　in　New　York。　That　isn't　so　is　it？〃

〃Yes；　that's　so。〃

〃By　Jove！〃　cried　Holworthyand　that　you　invited　her　to　see
the　moving…picture　shows？〃

Sam；　conscious　of　the　dearly　bought　front　row　seats　in　his
pocket；　smiled　pleasantly。

〃Did　she　say　I　said　thator　you？〃　he　asked

〃She　did。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　must　have　said　it。〃

Holworthy　roared　with　amusement。

〃And　that　you　invited　her　to　feed　peanuts　to　the　monkeys　at
the　Zoo？〃

Sam　avoided　the　little　man's　prying　eyes。

〃Yes；　I　said　that　too。〃

〃And　I　thought　she　was　making　it　up！〃　exclaimed　Holworthy。
〃We　did　laugh。　You　must　see　the　fun　of　it　yourself。〃

Lest　Sam　should　fail　to　do　so　he　proceeded　to　elaborate。

〃You　must　see　the　fun　in　a　man　trying　to　make　a　date　with
Anita　Flaggjust　as　if　she　were　nobody！〃

〃I　don't　think；〃　said　Sam；　〃that　was　my　idea。〃　He　waved　his
stick　at　a　passing　taxi。　〃I'm　late；〃　he　said。　He　abandoned
Hollis　on　the　sidewalk；　chuckling　and　grinning　with　delight；
and　unconscious　of　the　mischief　he　had　made。

An　hour　later　at　the　office；　when　Sam　was　waiting　for　an
assignment；　the　telephone　boy　hurried　to　him；　his　eyes　lit
with　excitement。

〃You're　wanted　on　the　'phone；〃　he　commanded。　His　voice
dropped　to　an　awed　whisper。　〃Miss　Anita　Flagg　wants　to　speak
to　you！〃

The　blood　ran　leaping　to　Sam's　heart　and　face。　Then　he
remembered　that　this　was　not　Sister　Anne　who　wanted　to　speak
to　him；　but　a　woman　he　had　never　met。

〃Say　you　can't　find　me；〃　he　directed。　The　boy　gasped；　fled；
and　returned　precipitately。

〃The　lady　says　she　wants　your　telephone　numbersays　she　must
have　it。〃

〃Tell　her　you　don't　know　it；　tell　her　it's　against　the
rulesand　hang　up。〃

Ten　minutes　later　the　telephone　boy；　in　the　strictest
confidence；　had　informed　every　member　of　the　local　staff　that
Anita　Flaggthe　rich；　the　beautiful；　the　daring；　the
original　of　the　Red　Cross　story　of　that　morninghad　twice
called　up　Sam　Ward　and　by　that　young　man　had　been　thrown
downand　thrown　hard！

That　night　Elliott；　the　managing　editor；　sent　for　Sam；　and
when　Sam　entered　his　office　he　found　also　there　Walsh；　the
foreign　editor；　with　whom　he　was　acquainted　only　by　sight。

Elliott　introduced　them　and　told　Sam　to　be　seated。

〃Ward；〃　he　began　abruptly；　〃I'm　sorry　to　lose　you；　but　you've
got　to　go。　It's　on　account　of　that　story　of　this　morning。〃

Sam　made　no　sign；　but　he　was　deeply　hurt。　From　a　paper　he　had
served　so　loyally　this　seemed　scurvy　treatment。　It　struck　him
also　that；　considering　the　spirit　in　which　the　story　had　been
written；　it　was　causing　him　more　kinds　of　trouble　than　was
quite　fair。　The　loss　of　position　did　not　disturb　him。　In　the
last　month　too　many　managing　editors　had　tried　to　steal　him
from　the　REPUBLIC　for　him　to　feel　anxious　as　to　the　future。
So　he　accepted　his　dismissal　calmly；　and　could　say　without
resentment：

〃Last　night　I　thought　you　liked　the　story；　sir？

〃I　did；〃　returned　Elliott；　〃I　liked　it　so　much　that　I'm
sending　you　to　a　bigger　place；　where　you　can　get　bigger
stories。　We　want　you　to　act　as　our　special　correspondent　in
London。　Mr。　Walsh　will　explain　the　work；　and　if　you'll　go
you'll　sail　next　Wednesday。〃

After　his　talk　with　the　foreign　editor　Sam　again　walked　home
on　air。　He　could　not　believe　it　was　realthat　it　was
actually　to　him　it　had　happened；　for　hereafter　he　was　to
witness　the　march　of　great　events；　to　come　in　contact　with
men　of　international　interests。　Instead　of　reporting　what　was
of　concern　only　from　the　Battery　to　Forty…seventh　Street；　he
would　now　tell　New　York　what　was　of　interest　in　Europe　and
the　British　Empire；　and　so　to　the　whole　world。　There　was　one
drawback　only　to　his　happinessthere　was　no　one　with　whom　he
might　divide　it。　He　wanted　to　celebrate　his　good　fortune；　he
wanted　to　share　it　with　some　one　who　would　understand　how
much　it　meant　to　him；　who　would　really　care。　Had　Sister　Anne
lived；　she　would　have　understood；　and　he　would　have　laid
himself　and　his　new　position　at　her　feet　and　begged　her　to
accept　thembegged　her　to　run　away　with　him　to　this
tremendous　and　terrifying　capital　of　the　world；　and　start　the
new　life　together。

Among　all　the　women　he　knew；　there　was　none　to　take　her
place。　Certainly　Anita　Flagg　could　not　take　her　place。　Not
because　she　was　rich；　not　because　she　had　jeered　at　him　and
made　him　a　laughing…stock；　not　because　his　admirationand　he
blushed　when　he　remembered　how　openly；　how　ingenuously　he　had
shown　it　to　hermeant　nothing；　but　because　the　girl　he
thought　she　was；　the　girl　he　had　made　dreams　about　and　wanted
to　marry　without　a　moment's　notice；　would　have　seen　that　what
he　offered；　ridiculous　as　it　was　when　offered　to　Anita　Flagg；
was　not　ridiculous　when　offered　sincerely　to　a　tired；　nerve…
worn；　overworked　nurse　in　a　hospital。　It　was　because　Anita
Flagg　had　not　seen　that　that　she　could　not　now　make　up　to　him
for　the　girl　he　had　lost；　even　though　she　herself　had
inspired　that　girl　and　for　a　day　given　her　existence。

Had　he　known　it；　the　Anita　Flagg　of　his　imagining　was　just　as
unlike　and　as　unfair　to　the　real　girl　as　it　was　possible　for
two　people　to　be。　His　Anita　Flagg　he　had　created　out　of　the
things　he　had　read　of　her　in　impertinent　Sunday　supplements
and　from　the　impression　he　had　been　given　of　her　by　the
little　ass；　Holworthy。　She　was　not　at　all　like　that。　Ever
since　she　had　come　of　age　she　had　been　beset　by　sycophants
and　flatterers；　both　old　and　young；　both　men　and　girls；　and
by　men　who　wanted　her　money　and　by　men　who　wanted　her。　And　it
was　because　she　got　the　motives　of　the　latter　two　confused
that　she　was　so　often　hurt　and　said　sharp；　bitter　things　that
made　her　appear　hard　and　heartless。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　in　approaching　her　in　the　belief　that　he
was　addressing　an　entirely　different　person；　Sam　had　got
nearer　to　the　real　Anita　Flagg　than　had　any　other　man。　And
sowhen　on　arriving　at　the　office　the　next　morning；　which
was　a　Friday；　he　received　a　telegram　reading；　〃Arriving　to…
morrow　nine…thirty　from　Greenwich；　the　day　cannot　begin　too
soon；　don't　forget　you　promised　to　meet　me。　Anita　Flagg　〃he
was　able　to　reply：　〃　Extremely　sorry；　but　promise　made　to　a
different　person；　who　unfortunately　has　since　died！〃'

When　Anita　Flagg　read　this　telegram　there　leaped　to　her
lovely　eyes　tears　that　sprang　from　self…pity　and　wounded
feelings。　She　turned　miserably；　appealingly　to　Helen　Page。

〃But　why　does　he　do　it　to　me？〃　Her　tone　was　that　of　the
bewildered　child　who　has　struck　her　head　against　the　table；
and　from　the　naughty　table；　without　cause　or　provocation；　has
received　the　devil　of　a　bump。

Before　Miss　Page　could　venture　upon　an　explanation；　Anita
Flagg　had　changed　into　a　very　angry　young　woman。

〃And　what's　more；〃　she　announced；　〃he　can't　do　it　to　me！〃

She　sent　her　telegram　back　again　as　it　was；　word　for　word；
but　this　time　it　was　signed；　Sister　Anne。〃

In　an　hour　the　answer　came：　〃Sister　Anne　is　the　person　to
whom　I　refer。　She　is　dead。〃

Sam　was　not　altogether　at　ease　at　the　outcome　of　his
adventure。　It　was　not　in　his　nature　to　be　rudecertainly　not
to　a　woman；　especially　not　to　the　most　beautiful　woman　he　had
ever　seen。　For；　whether　her　name　was　Anita　or　Anne；　about　her
beauty　there　could　be　no　argument；　but　he　assured　himself
that　he　had　acted　within　his　rights。　A　girl　who　could　see　in
a　well…meant　offer　to　be　kind　only　a　subject　for　ridicule　was
of　no　interest　to　him。　Nor　did　her　telegrams　insisting　upon
continuing　their　acquaintance　flatter　him。　As　he　read　them；
they　showed　only　that　she　looked　upon　him　as　one　entirely　out
of　her　worldas　one　with　whom　she　could　do　an　unconventional
thing　and　make　a　good　story　about　it　later；　knowing　that　it
would　be　accepted　as　one　of　her　amusing　caprices。

He　was　determined　he　would　not　lend　himself　to　any　such
performance。　And；　besides；　he　no　longer　was　a　foot…loose；
happy…go…lucky　reporter。　He　no　longer　need　seek　for
experiences　and　material　to　turn　into　copy。　He　was　now　a　man
with　a　responsible　positionone　who　soon　would　be　conferring
with　cabinet　ministers　and　putting　ambassadors　At　their　ease。
He　wondered　if　a　beautiful　heiress；　whose　hand　was　sought　in
marriage　by　the　nobility　of　England；　would　understand　the
importance　of　a　London　correspondent。　He　hoped　someone　would
tell　her。　He　liked　to　think　of　her　as　being　considerably
impressed　and　a　little　unhappy。

Saturday　night　he　went　to　the　theatre　for　which　he　had
purchased　tickets。　And　he　went　alone；　for　the　place　that
Sister　Anne　was　to　have　occupied　could　not　be　filled　by　any
other　person。　It　would　have　been　sacrilege。　At　least；　so　it
pleased　him　to　pretend。　And　all　through　dinner；　which　he　ate
alone　at　the　same　restaurant　to　which　he　had　intended　taking
her；　he　continued；　to　pretend　she　was　with　him。　And　at　the
theatre；　where　there　was　going　forward　the　most　popular　of
all　musical　comedies；　the　seat　next　to　him；　which　to　the
audience；　appeared　wastefully　empty；　was　to　him　filled　with
her　gracious　presence。　That　Sister　Anne　was　not　therethat
the　pretty　romance　he　had　woven　about　her　had　ended　in
disasterfilled；