the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第41章
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lonely。〃
But he was not to escape with the last word。
His prosecutor pointed his finger at him。
〃And the next time you take the name of Adolph Meyer；〃 he shouted；
〃make sure first he hasn't a friend on board； some one to protect him from
sharpers and swindlers〃
Talbot turned savagely and then shrugged his shoulders。
〃Oh； go to the devil！〃 he called； and walked out into the night。
The purser was standing at my side and； catching my eye； shook his
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head。
〃Bad business；〃 he exclaimed。
〃What happened？〃 I asked。
〃I'm told they caught him dealing from the wrong end of the pack；〃 he
said。 〃I understand they suspected him from the firstseems our surgeon
recognized himand to…night they had outsiders watching him。 The
outsiders claim they saw him slip himself an ace from the bottom of the
pack。 It's a pity！ He's a nice…looking lad。〃
I asked what the excited Smedburg had meant by telling Talbot not to
call himself Meyer。
〃They accused him of travelling under a false name；〃 explained the
purser； 〃and he told 'em he did it to dodge the ship's news reporters。 Then
he said he really was a brother of Adolph Meyer； the banker； but it seems
Smedburg is a friend of Meyer's； and he called him hard！ It was a silly ass
thing to do；〃 protested the purser。 〃Everybody knows Meyer hasn't a
brother； and if he hadn't made THAT break he might have got away with
the other one。 But now this Smedburg is going to wireless ahead to Mr。
Meyer and to the police。〃
〃Has he no other way of spending his money？〃 I asked。
〃He's a confounded nuisance！〃 growled the purser。 〃He wants to show
us he knows Adolph Meyer； wants to put Meyer under an obligation。 It
means a scene on the wharf； and newspaper talk； and；〃 he added with
disgust； 〃these smoking…room rows never helped any line。〃
I went in search of Talbot； partly because I knew he was on the verge
of a collapse； partly； as I frankly admitted to myself； because I was sorry
the young man had come to grief。 I searched the snow…swept decks； and
then； after threading my way through faintly lit tunnels； I knocked at his
cabin。 The sound of his voice gave me a distinct feeling of relief。 But he
would not admit me。 Through the closed door he declared he was 〃all
right；〃 wanted no medical advice； and asked only to resume the sleep he
claimed I had broken。 I left him； not without uneasiness； and the next
morning the sight of him still in the flesh was a genuine thrill。 I found him
walking the deck carrying himself nonchalantly and trying to appear
unconscious of the glancesamused； contemptuous； hostilethat were
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turned toward him。 He would have passed me without speaking； but I took
his arm and led him to the rail。 We had long passed quarantine and a
convoy of tugs were butting us into the dock。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I asked。
〃Doesn't depend on me；〃 he said。 〃Depends on Smedburg。 He's a busy
little body！〃
The boy wanted me to think him unconcerned； but beneath the
flippancy I saw the nerves jerking。 Then quite simply he began to tell me。
He spoke in a low； even monotone； dispassionately； as though for him the
incident no longer was of interest。
〃They were watching me；〃 he said。 〃But I knew they were； and besides；
no matter how close they watched I could have done what they said I did
and they'd never have seen it。 But I didn't。〃
My scepticism must have been obvious； for he shook his head。
〃I didn't！〃 he repeated stubbornly。 〃I didn't have to！ I was playing in
luckwonderful lucksheer； dumb luck。 I couldn't HELP winning。 But
because I was winning and because they were watching； I was careful not
to win on my own deal。 I laid down； or played to lose。 It was the cards
they GAVE me I won with。 And when they jumped me I told 'em that。 I
could have proved it if they'd listened。 But they were all up in the air；
shouting and spitting at me。 They believed what they wanted to believe；
they didn't want the facts。〃
It may have been credulous of me； but I felt the boy was telling the
truth； and I was deeply sorry he had not stuck to it。 So； rather harshly； I
said：
〃They didn't want you to tell them you were a brother to Adolph
Meyer； either。 Why did you think you could get away with anything like
that？〃
Talbot did not answer。
〃Why？〃 I insisted。
The boy laughed impudently。
〃How the devil was I to know he hadn't a brother？〃 he protested。 〃It
was a good name； and he's a Jew； and two of the six who were in the game
are Jews。 You know how they stick together。 I thought they might stick by
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me。〃
〃But you；〃 I retorted impatiently； 〃are not a Jew！〃
〃I am not；〃 said Talbot； 〃but I've often SAID I was。 It's helpedlots of
times。 If I'd told you my name was Cohen； or Selinsky； or Meyer； instead
of Craig Talbot； YOU'D have thought I was a Jew。〃 He smiled and turned
his face toward me。 As though furnishing a description for the police； he
began to enumerate：
〃Hair； dark and curly； eyes； poppy； lips； full； nose； Roman or Hebraic；
according to taste。 Do you see？〃
He shrugged his shoulders。
〃But it didn't work；〃 he concluded。 〃I picked the wrong Jew。〃
His face grew serious。 〃Do you suppose that Smedburg person has
wirelessed that banker？〃
I told him I was afraid he had already sent the message。
〃And what will Meyer do？〃 he asked。 〃Will he drop it or make a fuss？
What sort is he？〃
Briefly I described Adolph Meyer。 I explained him as the richest
Hebrew in New York； given to charity； to philanthropy； to the betterment
of his own race。
〃Then maybe；〃 cried Talbot hopefully； 〃he won't make a row； and my
family won't hear of it！〃
He drew a quick breath of relief。 As though a burden had been lifted；
his shoulders straightened。
And then suddenly； harshly； in open panic； he exclaimed aloud：
〃Look！〃 he whispered。 〃There； at the end of the wharfthe little Jew in
furs！〃
I followed the direction of his eyes。 Below us on the dock； protected
by two obvious members of the strong…arm squad； the great banker；
philanthropist； and Hebrew； Adolph Meyer； was waiting。
We were so close that I could read his face。 It was stern； set； the face
of a man intent upon his duty； unrelenting。 Without question； of a bad
business Mr。 Smedburg had made the worst。 I turned to speak to Talbot
and found him gone。
His silent slipping away filled me with alarm。 I fought against a
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growing fear。 How many minutes I searched for him I do not know。 It
seemed many hours。 His cabin； where first I sought him； was empty and
dismantled； and by that I was reminded that if for any desperate purpose
Talbot were seeking to conceal himself there now were hundreds of other
empty； dismantled cabins in which he might hide。 To my inquiries no one
gave heed。 In the confusion of departure no one had observed him； no one
was in a humor to seek him out； the passengers were pressing to the
gangway； the stewards concerned only in counting their tips。 From deck to
deck； down lane after lane of the great floating village； I raced blindly；
peering into half…opened doors； pushing through groups of men； pursuing
some one in the distance who appeared to be the man I sought； only to find
he was unknown to me。 When I returned to the gangway the last of the
passengers was leaving it。
I was about to follow to seek for Talbot in the customs shed when a
white…faced steward touched my sleeve。 Before he spoke his look told me
why I was wanted。
〃The ship's surgeon； sir；〃 he stammered； 〃asks you please to hurry to
the sick…bay。 A passenger has shot himself！〃
On the bed； propped up by pillows； young Talbot； with glazed；
shocked eyes； stared at me。 His shirt had been cut away； his chest lay bare。
Against his left shoulder the doctor pressed a tiny sponge which quickly
darkened。
I must have exclaimed aloud； for the doctor turned his eyes。
〃It was HE sent for you；〃 he said； 〃but he doesn't need you。
Fortunately； he's a damned bad shot！〃
The boy's eyes opened wearily； before we could prevent it he spoke。
〃I was so tired；〃 he whispered。 〃Always moving me on。 I was so
tired！〃
Behind me came heavy footsteps； and though with my arm I tried to
bar them out； the two detectives pushed into the doorway。 They shoved me
to one side and through the passage made for him came the Jew in the
sable coat； Mr。 Adolph Meyer。
For an instant the little great man stood with wide； owl…like eyes；
staring at the face on the pillow。
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Then he sank softly to his knees。 In both his hands he caught the hand
of the card…sharp。
〃Heine！〃 he begged。 〃Don't you know me？ It is your brother Adolph；
your little brother Adolph！〃
End of the Project Gutenberg Etext of The Red Cross Girl by Richard
Harding Davis
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