the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第38章
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
on the ground at the top of the hill opposite； in the deep shadow of an oak；
his back against the stone wall。 With the binoculars to his eyes he had
leaned too far forward； and upon the glass the sun had flashed a warning。
Jimmie appreciated that his attack must be made from the rear。
Backward； like a crab he wriggled free of the golden…rod； and hidden by
the contour of the hill； raced down it and into the woods on the hill
opposite。 When he came to within twenty feet of the oak beneath which he
had seen the stranger； he stood erect； and as though avoiding a live wire；
stepped on tip…toe to the wall。 The stranger still sat against it。 The
binoculars hung from a cord around his neck。 Across his knees was spread
a map。 He was marking it with a pencil； and as he worked； he hummed a
tune。
Jimmie knelt； and resting the gun on the top of the wall； covered him。
〃Throw up your hands！〃 he commanded。
The stranger did not start。 Except that he raised his eyes he gave no
sign that he had heard。 His eyes stared across the little sun…filled valley。
They were half closed as though in study； as though perplexed by some
deep and intricate problem。 They appeared to see beyond the sun…filled
valley some place of greater moment； some place far distant。
Then the eyes smiled； and slowly； as though his neck were stiff； but
still smiling； the stranger turned his head。 When he saw the boy； his smile
was swept away in waves of surprise； amazement； and disbelief。 These
were followed instantly by an expression of the most acute alarm。 〃Don't
point that thing at me！〃 shouted the stranger。 〃Is it loaded？〃 With his cheek
pressed to the stock and his eye squinted down the length of the brown
barrel； Jimmie nodded。 The stranger flung up his open palms。 They
accented his expression of amazed incredulity。 He seemed to be
exclaiming； 〃Can such things be？〃
〃Get up！〃 commanded Jimmie。
With alacrity the stranger rose。
〃Walk over there；〃 ordered the scout。 〃Walk backward。 Stop！ Take off
those field…glasses and throw them to me。〃 Without removing his eyes
162
… Page 163…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
from the gun the stranger lifted the binoculars from his neck and tossed
them to the stone wall。 〃See here！〃 he pleaded； 〃if you'll only point that
damned blunderbuss the other way； you can have the glasses； and my
watch； and clothes； and all my money； only don't〃
Jimmie flushed crimson。 〃You can't bribe me；〃 he growled。 At least； he
tried to growl； but because his voice was changing； or because he was
excited the growl ended in a high squeak。 With mortification； Jimmie
flushed a deeper crimson。 But the stranger was not amused。 At Jimmie's
words he seemed rather the more amazed。
〃I'm not trying to bribe you；〃 he protested。 〃If you don't want anything；
why are you holding me up？〃
〃I'm not；〃 returned Jimmie； 〃I'm arresting you！〃
The stranger laughed with relief。 Again his eyes smiled。 〃Oh；〃 he cried；
〃I see！ Have I been trespassing？〃
With a glance Jimmie measured the distance between himself and the
stranger。 Reassured； he lifted one leg after the other over the wall。 〃If you
try to rush me；〃 he warned； 〃I'll shoot you full of buckshot。〃
The stranger took a hasty step BACKWARD。 〃Don't worry about
that；〃 he exclaimed。 〃I'll not rush you。 Why am I arrested？〃
Hugging the shotgun with his left arm； Jimmie stopped and lifted the
binoculars。 He gave them a swift glance； slung them over his shoulder； and
again clutched his weapon。 His expression was now stern and menacing。
〃The name on them〃 he accused； 〃is 'Weiss； Berlin。' Is that your
name？〃 The stranger smiled； but corrected himself； and replied gravely；
〃That's the name of the firm that makes them。〃
Jimmie exclaimed in triumph。 〃Hah！〃 he cried； 〃made in Germany！〃
The stranger shook his head。
〃I don't understand；〃 he said。 〃Where WOULD a Weiss glass be
made？〃 With polite insistence he repeated； 〃Would you mind telling me
why I am arrested； and who you might happen to be？〃
Jimmie did not answer。 Again he stooped and picked up the map； and
as he did so； for the first time the face of the stranger showed that he was
annoyed。 Jimmie was not at home with maps。 They told him nothing。 But
the penciled notes on this one made easy reading。 At his first glance he
163
… Page 164…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
saw； 〃Correct range； 1；800 yards〃； 〃this stream not fordable〃； 〃slope of hill
15 degrees inaccessible for artillery。〃 〃Wire entanglements here〃； 〃forage
for five squadrons。〃
Jimmie's eyes flashed。 He shoved the map inside his shirt； and with the
gun motioned toward the base of the hill。 〃Keep forty feet ahead of me；〃
he commanded； 〃and walk to your car。〃 The stranger did not seem to hear
him。 He spoke with irritation。
〃I suppose；〃 he said； 〃I'll have to explain to you about that map。〃
〃Not to me； you won't；〃 declared his captor。 〃You're going to drive
straight to Judge Van Vorst's； and explain to HIM！〃
The stranger tossed his arms even higher。 〃Thank God！〃 he exclaimed
gratefully。
With his prisoner Jimmie encountered no further trouble。 He made a
willing captive。 And if in covering the five miles to Judge Van Vorst's he
exceeded the speed limit； the fact that from the rear seat Jimmie held the
shotgun against the base of his skull was an extenuating circumstance。
They arrived in the nick of time。 In his own car young Van Vorst and a
bag of golf clubs were just drawing away from the house。 Seeing the car
climbing the steep driveway that for a half…mile led from his lodge to his
front door； and seeing Jimmie standing in the tonneau brandishing a gun；
the Judge hastily descended。 The sight of the spy hunter filled him with
misgiving； but the sight of him gave Jimmie sweet relief。 Arresting
German spies for a small boy is no easy task。 For Jimmie the strain was
great。 And now that he knew he had successfully delivered him into the
hands of the law； Jimmie's heart rose with happiness。 The added presence
of a butler of magnificent bearing and of an athletic looking chauffeur
increased his sense of security。 Their presence seemed to afford a feeling
of security to the prisoner also。 As he brought the car to a halt； he breathed
a sigh。 It was a sigh of deep relief。
Jimmie fell from the tonneau。 In concealing his sense of triumph； he
was not entirety successful。
〃I got him！〃 he cried。 〃I didn't make no mistake about THIS one！〃
〃What one？〃 demanded Van Vorst。
Jimmie pointed dramatically at his prisoner。 With an anxious
164
… Page 165…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
expression the stranger was tenderly fingering the back of his head。 He
seemed to wish to assure himself that it was still there。
〃THAT one！〃 cried Jimmie。 〃He's a German spy！〃
The patience of Judge Van Vorst fell from him。 In his exclamation was
indignation； anger； reproach。
〃Jimmie！〃 he cried。
Jimmie thrust into his hand the map。 It was his 〃Exhibit A。〃 〃Look
what he's wrote；〃 commanded the scout。 〃It's all military words。 And these
are his glasses。 I took 'em off him。 They're made in GERMANY！ I been
stalking him for a week。 He's a spy！〃
When Jimmie thrust the map before his face； Van Vorst had glanced at
it。 Then he regarded it more closely。 As he raised his eyes they showed
that he was puzzled。
But he greeted the prisoner politely。
〃I'm extremely sorry you've been annoyed；〃 he said。 〃I'm only glad it's
no worse。 He might have shot you。 He's mad over the idea that every
stranger he sees〃
The prisoner quickly interrupted。
〃Please！〃 he begged； 〃Don't blame the boy。 He behaved extremely well。
Might I speak with youALONE？〃 he asked。
Judge Van Vorst led the way across the terrace； and to the smoking…
room； that served also as his office； and closed the door。 The stranger
walked directly to the mantelpiece and put his finger on a gold cup。
〃I saw your mare win that at Belmont Park；〃 he said。 〃She must have
been a great loss to you？〃
〃She was；〃 said Van Vorst。 〃The week before she broke her back； I
refused three thousand for her。 Will you have a cigarette？〃
The stranger waved aside the cigarettes。
〃I brought you inside；〃 he said； 〃because I didn't want your servants to
hear； and because I don't want to hurt that boy's feelings。 He's a fine boy；
and he's a damned clever scout。 I knew he was following me and I threw
him off twice； but to…day he caught me fair。 If I really had been a German
spy； I couldn't have got away from him。 And I want him to think he has
captured a German spy。 Because he deserves just as much credit as though
165
… Page 166…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
he had； and because it's best he shouldn't know whom he DID capture。〃
Van Vorst pointed to the map。 〃My bet is；〃 he said； 〃that you're an
officer of the State militia； taking notes for the fall manoeuvres。 Am I
right？〃
The stranger smiled in approval； but shook his head。
〃You're warm；〃 he said； 〃but it's more serious than manoeuvres。 It's the
Real Thing。〃 From his pocketbook he took a visiting card and laid it on the
table。 〃I'm 'Sherry' McCoy；〃 he said； 〃Captain of Artillery in the United
States Army。〃 He nodded to the hand telephone on the table。
〃You can call up Governor's Island and get General Wood or his aide；
Captain Dorey； on the phone。 They sent me here。 Ask THEM。 I'm not
picking out gun sites for the Germans； I'm picking out positions of defense
for Americans when the Germans come！〃
Van Vorst laughed derisively。
〃My word！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You're as bad as Jimmie！〃
Captain McCoy regarded him w
