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！
He could feel the answering pressure of the muscles beneath the shining skin。 That was enough。 He and The Nig were in perfect understanding； one with another。
〃Weldon？〃
He spurred forward to the Captain's side and saluted。
〃In the flurry； last night； I forgot to tell you that Miss Dent comes to Piquetberg Road； to…day。 She is to visit a cousin； Miss Mellen； and she wished me to tell you that she hoped you could find time to call upon her。〃
The Captain spoke low； his eyes； after the first moment； steadily fixed upon the line of hills before them。 Weldon answered in the same low tone。
〃You have heard from Miss Dent？〃
〃Yes。 A note came； last night。 She is to be here for a month； while her uncle is in England on a business trip。 Mr。 Mellen is the mayor。 You probably know the house。〃
〃I can easily find it。 Please tell Miss Dent I shall be sure to call as〃
A blinding flash ran along the line of hills close in the foreground where； an instant before； had been only empty ground。 There was a sharp crackle； a strident hum and then the muffled plop of bullets burying themselves in the earth six hundred feet in the rear。 The Nig grew taut in every muscle； then she edged slowly towards the huge khaki…colored horse that bore the Captain； and； for an instant； the two muzzles touched。
〃Too long a range； man。 Try it again；〃 Frazer observed coolly； as his glance swept the empty landscape； then； turning； swept the faces of his men。
That last sight was to his liking。 He nodded to himself and straightened in his saddle； while the orders dropped from his lips； swift； clean…cut and brooking no question nor delay。 Ten men went galloping off far to the southward； to vanish among the foothills and reappear on the pass behind the enemy； while a dozen Boers； springing up from the bowels of the earth； followed hard on their heels。 Ten more took the horses and fell back out of range of the firing； and the remainder of the squadron stayed in their places and helped to play out the game。
It was all quite simple； all a matter of course。 Instead of the fuss and fume and chaos of fighting； it had worked itself out like a problem in mathematics； and Weldon； as he lay on the ground with his Lee…Enfield cuddled into the curve of his shoulder； felt himself reducing it to a pair of simultaneous equations： if X Britons equal Y Boers on the firing line； and Y Britons draw off the fire of W Boers； then how many BritonsBut there came a second flash and a second spatter； nearer； this time； and he lost his mathematics in a sudden rush of bad temper which made him long to fly at the invisible foe and beat him about the head with his clubbed rifle。 It was no especial satisfaction for a man in his position to climb up on his elbow and help to discharge a volley at an empty landscape。 The war pictures he had been prone to study in his boyhood had been full of twisty…necked prancing horses and bright…coated swaggering men； all on their feet； and very hot and earnest。 Here the picture was made up of a row of brown…clothed forms lying flat on their stomachs and； far before them； a single flat…topped hill and a few heaps of scattered black rocks。 And this was modern war。
There came a third blaze； a third hum of Mauser bullets。 Then he heard a swift intake of the breath； followed by Carew's voice； the drawling； languid voice which Weldon had learned to associate with moments of deep excitement。
〃Say； Weldon； some beggar has hit me in the shoulder！〃
Then of a sudden Weldon realized that at last he knew what it meant to be under fire。
CHAPTER SEVEN
〃Oh； truce！ Truce！〃 Alice Mellen protested。 〃Don't talk shop； Cooee。〃
〃It's not shop； it is topics of the day；〃 Ethel responded tranquilly。 〃Besides； I want to hear about Mr。 Carew。 Is he dangerous？〃
Weldon laughed。
〃No； for his wound； yes； for his temper。 One was only a scratch； the other way； he was horribly cut up。〃
〃Did he swear？〃 Alice queried； while she distributed lumps of sugar among the cups。
〃Alice！〃
〃Don't pretend to be shocked； Cooee。 Even if you haven't been out but one season； you ought to know what happens when a man turns testy。 Frankly； I think it is a healthy sign； if a man stops to swear when he is hit。 It shows there are no morbid secretions。〃
〃You prefer superficial outbreaks； Miss Mellen？〃 Frazer inquired； as he handed Ethel her cup。
〃Yes。 They are far less likely to produce mortification later on；〃 she answered； laughing up into his steady eyes。 〃What do you do； when you are hit； Captain Frazer？〃
〃They call me Lucky Frazer； you know；〃 he replied。 〃I've been in no end of scrimmages； and I was never hit but once。〃
Bending over； Ethel turned back the cloth and thumped on the under side of the table。
〃Unberufen and Absit omen；〃 she said hastily。 〃Don't tempt Providence too far； Captain Frazer。 At my coming…out reception； I met a man who boasted that he always broke everything within range； from hearts to china。 Ten minutes later； he tripped over a rug and fell down on top of the plate of salad he was bringing me。 And he didn't break a thing〃
〃Except his own record；〃 Weldon supplemented unexpectedly。 〃I suspect he also broke the third commandment。 The keeping of that and the falling down in public are totally incompatible。〃
〃And that reminds me； you were going to tell what Mr。 Carew did when he was hit；〃 Ethel reminded him。
〃I never tell tales； Miss Dent。〃
〃But； really； how does it feel to be under fire？〃 she persisted。
〃Ask Captain Frazer。 He has had more experience than I。〃
She barely turned her eyes towards Frazer's face。
〃He is talking to my cousin and won't hear。 Were you frightened？〃
〃No。〃
〃Truly？ But you wouldn't confess； if you were。〃
He blushed at the mockery in her tone。
〃Yes。 Why not？ I expected to be desperately afraid； but I was only desperately angry。〃
〃At what？〃
〃Nothing。 That's the point。 There was nothing in sight to be angry at。 Bullets came from nowhere in a pelting shower。 Most of them didn't hit anything； there was no cloud from which the shower could come。 One resented it； without knowing exactly why。 It was being the big fellow who can't hit back when the little one torments him。〃
〃Cooee！〃
The remonstrance was long…drawn and forceful。 This time； Ethel heeded。
〃What is it； Alice？〃
〃Do you remember that； this noon； we agreed not to mention the war？ These men fight almost without ceasing。 When they aren't fighting； they do sentry and stables and things。 This is an afternoon off for them。 We really must talk accordingly。〃
〃What are you and Captain Frazer talking about？〃
〃Cricket and seven…year locusts。〃
Ethel held out her empty cup。
〃Very well。 Then Mr。 Weldon and I will discuss mosquitoes and seven… day Baptists。 No sugar； please； and I'd like another of those snappy things。〃
〃Does that mean a Mauser？〃 Weldon asked； as he brought back her cup。
〃No。 I mean biscuits； not cats。 But you sinned then。 However； my cousin has her eye upon us； so we must be distinctly frivolous。 Is there any especially peaceful subject you would like to discuss？〃
〃Yes。 Please explain your name。〃
She looked up at him with sudden literalness。
〃It is for my grandmother。