the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第24章
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breech shut； felt the rubber tire of the brace give against the weight of his
shoulder； down a long shining tube saw the pursuing gun…boat； saw her
again and many times disappear behind a flash of flame。 A bullet gashed
his forehead； a bullet passed deftly through his forearm； but he did not
heed them。 Confused with the thrashing of the engines； with the roar of the
gun he heard a strange voice shrieking unceasingly：
〃Cuba libre！〃 it yelled。 〃To hell with Spain！〃 and he found that the
voice was his own。
The story lost nothing in the way Carr wrote it。
〃And the best of it is；〃 he exclaimed joyfully； 〃it's true！〃
For a Spanish gun…boat HAD been crippled and forced to run herself
aground by a tug…boat manned by Cuban patriots； and by a single gun
served by one man； and that man an American。 It was the first sea…fight of
the war。 Over night a Cuban navy had been born； and into the limelight a
cub reporter had projected a new 〃hero；〃 a ready…made； warranted…not…to…
run； popular idol。
They were seated in the pilot…house； 〃Jimmy〃 Doyle； Carr； and David；
the patriots and their arms had been safely dumped upon the coast of Cuba；
and The Three Friends was gliding swiftly and； having caught the Florida
straits napping； smoothly toward Key West。 Carr had just finished reading
aloud his account of the engagement。
You will tell the story just as I have written it；〃 commanded the proud
author。 〃Your being South as a travelling salesman was only a blind。 You
came to volunteer for this expedition。 Before you could explain your wish
you were mistaken for a secret…service man； and hustled on board。 That
was just where you wanted to be； and when the moment arrived you took
command of the ship and single…handed won the naval battle of Nipe
Bay。〃
Jimmy Doyle nodded his head approvingly。 〃You certainty did； Dave；〃
protested the great man； 〃I seen you when you done it！〃
At Key West Carr filed his story and while the hospital surgeons kept
David there over one steamer； to dress his wounds； his fame and features
spread across the map of the United States。
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Burdett and Sons basked in reflected glory。 Reporters besieged their
office。 At the Merchants Down…Town Club the business men of lower
Broadway tendered congratulations。
〃Of course； it's a great surprise to us；〃 Burdett and Sons would protest
and wink heavily。 〃Of course； when the boy asked to be sent South we'd
no idea he was planning to fight for Cuba！ Or we wouldn't have let him go；
would we？〃 Then again they would wink heavily。 〃I suppose you know；〃
they would say； 〃that he's a direct descendant of General Hiram Greene；
who won the battle of Trenton。 What I say is； 'Blood will tell！'〃 And then
in a body every one in the club would move against the bar and exclaim：
〃Here's to Cuba libre！〃
When the Olivette from Key West reached Tampa Bay every Cuban in
the Tampa cigar factories was at the dock。 There were thousands of them
and all of the Junta； in high hats； to read David an address of welcome。
And； when they saw him at the top of the gang…plank with his head in
a bandage and his arm in a sling； like a mob of maniacs they howled and
surged toward him。 But before they could reach their hero the courteous
Junta forced them back； and cleared a pathway for a young girl。 She was
travel…worn and pale； her shirt…waist was disgracefully wrinkled； her best
hat was a wreck。 No one on Broadway would have recognized her as
Burdett and Sons' most immaculate and beautiful stenographer。
She dug the shapeless hat into David's shoulder； and clung to him。
〃David！〃 she sobbed； 〃promise me you'll never； never do it again！〃
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CHAPTER 5。 THE SAILORMAN
Before Latimer put him on watch； the Nantucket sailorman had not a
care in the world。 If the wind blew from the north； he spun to the left； if it
came from the south； he spun to the right。 But it was entirely the wind that
was responsible。 So； whichever way he turned； he smiled broadly； happily。
His outlook upon the world was that of one who loved his fellowman。 He
had many brothers as like him as twins all over Nantucket and Cape Cod
and the North Shore； smiling from the railings of verandas； from the roofs
of bungalows； from the eaves of summer palaces。 Empaled on their little
iron uprights； each sailorman whirledsometimes languidly； like a great
lady revolving to the slow measures of a waltz； sometimes so rapidly that
he made you quite dizzy； and had he not been a sailorman with a heart of
oak and a head and stomach of pine； he would have been quite seasick。
But the particular sailorman that Latimer bought for Helen Page and put
on sentry duty carried on his shoulders most grave and unusual
responsibilities。 He was the guardian of a buried treasure； the keeper of the
happiness of two young people。 It was really asking a great deal of a care…
free； happy…go…lucky weather…vane。
Every summer from Boston Helen Page's people had been coming to
Fair Harbor。 They knew it when what now is the polo field was their cow
pasture。 And whether at the age of twelve or of twenty or more； Helen
Page ruled Fair Harbor。 When she arrived the 〃season〃 opened； when she
departed the local trades…people sighed and began to take account of stock。
She was so popular because she possessed charm； and because she played
no favorites。 To the grooms who held the ponies on the sidelines her
manner was just as simple and interested as it was to the gilded youths
who came to win the championship cups and remained to try to win Helen。
She was just as genuinely pleased to make a four at tennis with the 〃kids〃
as to take tea on the veranda of the club…house with the matrons。 To each
her manner was always as though she were of their age。 When she met the
latter on the beach road； she greeted them riotously and joyfully by their
maiden names。 And the matrons liked it。 In comparison the deference
shown them by the other young women did not so strongly appeal。
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〃When I'm jogging along in my station wagon；〃 said one of them； 〃and
Helen shrieks and waves at me from her car； I feel as though I were twenty；
and I believe that she is really sorry I am not sitting beside her； instead of
that good…looking Latimer man； who never wears a hat。 Why does he
never wear a hat？ Because he knows he's good…looking； or because Helen
drives so fast he can't keep it on？〃
〃Does he wear a hat when he is not with Helen？〃 asked the new arrival。
〃That might help some。〃
〃We will never know；〃 exclaimed the young matron； 〃he never leaves
her。〃
This was so true that it had become a public scandal。 You met them so
many times a day driving together； motoring together； playing golf
together； that you were embarrassed for them and did not know which way
to look。 But they gloried in their shame。 If you tactfully pretended not to
see them； Helen shouted at you。 She made you feel you had been caught
doing something indelicate and underhand。
The mothers of Fair Harbor were rather slow in accepting young
Latimer。 So many of their sons had seen Helen shake her head in that
inarticulate； worried way； and look so sorry for them； that any strange
young man who apparently succeeded where those who had been her
friends for years had learned they must remain friends； could not hope to
escape criticism。 Besides； they did not know him： he did not come from
Boston and Harvard； but from a Western city。 They were told that at home；
at both the law and the game of politics； he worked hard and successfully；
but it was rather held against him by the youth of Fair Harbor that he
played at there games； not so much for the sake of the game as for exercise。
He put aside many things； such as whiskey and soda at two in the morning；
and bridge all afternoon； with the remark： 〃I find it does not tend toward
efficiency。〃 It was a remark that irritated and； to the minds of the men at
the country clubs； seemed to place him。 They liked to play polo because
they liked to play polo； not because it kept their muscles limber and their
brains clear。
〃Some Western people were telling me；〃 said one of the matrons； 〃that
he wants to be the next lieutenant…governor。 They say he is very ambitious
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and very selfish。〃
〃Any man is selfish；〃 protested one who for years had attempted to
marry Helen； 〃who wants to keep Helen to himself。 But that he should
wish to be a lieutenant…governor； too； is rather an anticlimax。 It makes one
lose sympathy。〃
Latimer went on his way without asking any sympathy。 The
companionship of Helen Page was quite sufficient。 He had been working
overtime and was treating himself to his first vacation in yearshe was
younghe was in love and he was very happy。 Nor was there any question；
either； that Helen Page was happy。 Those who had known her since she
was a child could not remember when she had not been happy； but these
days she wore her joyousness with a difference。 It was in her eyes； in her
greetings to old friends： it showed itself hourly in courtesies and
kindnesses。 She was very kind to Latimer； too。 She did not deceive him。
She told him she liked better to be with him than with any one else；it
would have been difficult to deny to him what was apparent to an entire
summer colony；but she explained that that did not mean she would marry
him。 She announced this when the signs she knew made it seem necessary。
She announced it in what was for her a roundabout way； by remarking
suddenly that she did not intend to marry for several years。
This brought Latimer to his feet and called for
