CHAPTER X
DICK OBLIGES HIS FRIEND
BOTH Hiram Sill and Frank Sacobie completed the cadet course and passedthe final examinations. After one last fling at Washington and one moreastounding suggestion to the War Office, Mr. Sill went back to Franceand his battalion and took command of a platoon. Mr. Sacobietransferred, with his new rank, to the Royal Flying Corps andimmediately began another course of instruction. His brother officersdecided that he was of a family of Italian origin. He did not bother hishead about what they thought and applied himself with fervor tomastering the science of flying.
Dick recovered his strength steadily. He saw Davenport frequently andthe Kingstons still more frequently. His friendship with theKingstons--particularly with Kathleen--deepened without a check. No twodays ever went by consecutively without his seeing one or another ofthat family--usually one.
On a certain Tuesday morning near the end of November he left thehospital at ten o'clock in high spirits. He had that morning discardedhis last crutch and now moved along with the help of two big sticks. Thedressing on his head was reduced to one thin strip of linen boundsmoothly round just above the line of his eyebrows. It showed beneathhis cap and gave him somewhat the air of a cheerful brigand. Though hisleft foot came into contact with the pavement very gingerly, he twirledone of the heavy sticks airily every now and again.
Dick found Jack Davenport in the library. A woman and two little girlswere leaving the library as he entered. The woman was poorly dressed,and her eyelids were red from recent tears--but now a look of relief,almost of joy, shone in her eyes. She turned on the threshold.
"Bill will have more heart now, sir, for the fighting of his troublesand miseries over there," she said. "If I were to stand and talk anhour, sir, I couldn't tell you what's in my heart--but I say again, Godbless you for your great kindness!"
She turned again then and passed Dick, and the butler opened the bigdoor and bowed her out of the house with an air of cheery good will.
Capt. Starkley-Davenport sat with his crutch and stick leaning againstthe table. On the cloth within easy reach his check book lay open beforehim. He was dressed with his usual completeness of detail and studiedsimplicity.
"Have you been boarded yet?" asked Jack.
"To-morrow," replied Dick. "All the M. O.'s are friends of mine, so Iexpect to wangle back to my battalion in two weeks."
Jack smiled and shook his head. "Your best friend in the world--or themaddest doctor in the army--wouldn't send you back to France on one leg,old son. Six weeks is nearer the mark."
"I can make it in two. You watch me."
"And is it still your old battalion, Dick? I have refrained fromworrying you about it this time, because you deserved a rest--but I'mkeener than ever to see you in my old outfit; and your third pip isthere for you to put up on the very day of your transfer."
"I've been thinking about it, Jack--and of course I'd like to do itbecause you want me to. But the colonel wouldn't understand. No one whodoes not know you would understand. People would think I'd done it forthe step, or that I hadn't hit it off, as an officer, with the oldcrowd. I want to stay, and yet I want to go. I want to fight on, as faras my luck will take me, with the 26th, and yet I'd be proud as abrigadier to sport three pips with your lot. As for doing something thatyou want me to do--why, to be quite frank with you, there isn't anotherman in the world I'd sooner please than you. Give me a few months morein which to decide. Give me until my next leave from France."
Dick had become embarrassed toward the end of his speech, and now helooked at Davenport with a red face. The other returned the glance witha flush on his thin cheeks.
"Bless you, Dick," he said and looked away. "Your next leave fromFrance," he continued. "Six or seven months from now, with luck. Theydon't give me much more than that." Dick stared at his friend.
"I had to send for an M. O. early this morning," Jack went on in a levelvoice. "Wilson did it; he heard me fussing about. By seven o'clock therewere three of the wisest looking me over--all three familiar with mycase ever since I got out of hospital. They can't do anything, foreverything that could be removed--German metal--was dug out long ago. Afew odds and ends remain, here and there--and one or another of those isbound to get me within ten or twelve months. So it will read in the_Times_ as 'Died of wounds,' after all."
Dick's face turned white. "Are you joking?" he asked.
"Not I, old son," said the captain, smiling. "I have a sense ofhumor--but it doesn't run quite to that."
"And here you are all dolled up in white spats! Jack, you have a giant'sheart! And worrying about me and your regiment! Jack, I'll do it! I'lltransfer. I'll put in my application to-day."
"No. I like your suggestion better. Wait till your next leave fromFrance. I have taken a fancy to that idea. You'll come home in six orseven months, and you'll ask me to let you put off your decision untilyou return again. Of course I shall have to say yes--and, since I amdetermined to see the Essex badges on you, I'll wait another six orseven months. I am stubborn. Between your indecision and mystubbornness, the chances are that I'll fool the doctors. That would bea joke, if you like!"
Dick hobbled round the table and grasped Jack's hand.
"Done!" he exclaimed. "I am with you, Jack. We'll play that game for allit is worth. But you didn't seriously believe what the doctors said, didyou?"
"Yes, until five minutes ago."
"Two years ago they said you would be right as wheat in six months; andnow they say you will be dead in a year. If they think they'reprophets--they are clean off their job. Would they bet money on it? Idon't think! One year! Fifty years would have sounded almost as knowingand a good sight more likely."
Dick stayed to luncheon, and he remained at the table after Wilson hadtaken Jack away to lie down. Wilson came back within fifteen minutes andfound the Canadian subaltern where he had left him.
"Sir, I am anxious about Capt. Jack," he said.
"Why do you say that?" asked Dick.
"Sir Peter Bayle and two other medical gentlemen of the highest standingwarned him this very morning, sir, that he was only one year more forthis world; and now he is singing, sir,--a thing he has not done inmonths,--and a song which runs, sir, with your permission, 'All the boysand girls I chance to meet say, Who's that coming down the street? Why,it's Milly; she's a daisy'--and so on, sir. I fear his wounds haveaffected his mind, sir."
"Wilson, I know that song and approve of it," said Dick. "If Sir PeterBayle told you, in November, 1916, that you were to die in November,1917, of wounds received in 1914, should you worry? Nix to that! Youwould seriously suspect that Sir Peter had his diagnosis of your casemixed up in his high-priced noddle with Buchan's History of the War; andif you are the man I think you are, you, too, would sing."
"I thank you, Mr. Richard. You fill my heart with courage, sir," saidWilson.
Dick reached the Kingston house at four o'clock and was shown as usualinto the drawing-room. The ladies were not there, but an officer whomDick had never seen before stood on the hearthrug with his back to thefire. He wore the crown and star of a lieutenant colonel on hisshoulders, a wound stripe on his left sleeve, the red tabs of thegeneral staff on his collar, on his right breast the blue ribbon of theRoyal Humane Society's medal and on his left breast the ribbons of theD. S. O., of the Queen's and the King's South African medals, of severalIndian medals and of the Legion of Honor. His figure was slight and oflittle more than the medium height. A monocle without a cord shone inhis right eye, and his air was amiable and alert. Dick halted on his twosticks and said, "I beg your pardon, sir."
The other flashed a smile, advanced quickly and in two motions put Dickinto a deep chair and took possession of the sticks. Then he shook thevisitor's hand heartily.
"Glad to see you," he said. "There is no mistaking you. You areKathleen's Canadian subaltern. I am Kathleen's father."
Dick knew that there were plenty of suitable things to say in repl
y, butfor the life of him he could not think of one of them. So he saidnothing, but returned the colonel's smile.
"Don't be bashful, Dick," continued the other. "I was a boy myself notso long ago as you think--but I hadn't seen a shot fired in anger when Iwas your age. It's amazing. I wonder what weight of metal has gone overyour head, not to mention what has hit you and fallen short. Tons andtons, I suppose. It's an astounding war, to my mind. Don't you find itso?"
"Yes, sir," replied Dick.
"And you are right," continued the other. "I wish I were your age, so asto see it more clearly. Stupendous!"
At that moment Mrs. Kingston and the two girls entered. It had beenDick's and Kathleen's intention to go out to tea; but the colonel upsetthat plan by saying that he was very anxious to hear Dick talk. So theyremained at home for tea--and the colonel did all the talking. Dickagreed with everything he said about the war, however, and then he saidthat Dick was right--so it really made no difference after all which ofthem actually said the things.
During the ten days of the colonel's leave he and Dick became firmfriends. They knocked about town together every morning, often lunchedwith Jack Davenport and every afternoon and evening took Mrs. Kingstonand the girls out. Dick dined at home with the family on the colonel'slast night of leave. After dinner, when the others left the table, thecolonel detained Dick with a wink.
"I won't keep you from Kathleen ten minutes, my boy," he said. "I wantto tell you, in case I don't see you again for a long time,--meetingsbetween soldiers are uncertain things, Dick,--that this little affairbetween you and my daughter has done me good to see. You are bothbabies, so don't take it too seriously. Take it happily. Whatever mayhappen in the future, you two children will have something verybeautiful and romantic and innocent to look back at in this war. Thoughyou should live to be ninety and marry a girl from Assiniboia, yet youwill always remember this old town with pleasure. If, on the other hand,you should continue in your present vein--that is, continue to feel likethis after you grow up--that it is absolutely necessary to yourhappiness to have tea with my daughter every day--well, good luck toyou! I can't say more than that, my boy. But in the meantime, be happy."
Then he shook Dick vigorously by the hand, patted his shoulder andpushed him out of the room.
Dick handled the medical officers so ably that he and his transportationwere ready for France on New Year's Day. The Kingstons saw him off. Hefound a seat in a first-class compartment and deposited his haversack init. Then the four stood on the platform and tried in vain to think ofsomething to say. Even Mrs. Kingston was silent. Officers of all ranksof every branch of the service, with their friends and relatives,crowded the long platform. Late arrivals bundled in and out of thecarriages, looking for unclaimed seats. Guards looked at their bigsilver watches and requested the gentlemen to take their seats. ThenMrs. Kingston kissed Dick; then Mary kissed him; and then, lifted to astate of recklessness, he kissed Kathleen on her trembling lips. He sawtears quivering in her eyes.
"When I come back--next leave--will it be the same?" he asked.
She bowed her head, and the tears spilled over and glistened on hercheeks. Standing in the doorway of the compartment, Dick saluted, thenturned, trod on the toes of a sapper major, moved heavily from there tothe spurred boots of an artillery colonel and sat down violently andblindly on his lumpy haversack. The five other occupants of thecompartment glanced from Dick to the group on the platform.
"STANDING IN THE DOORWAY OF THE COMPARTMENT, DICK SALUTED."]
"We all know it's a rotten war, old son," said the gunner colonel and,stooping, rubbed the toes of his outraged boots with his gloves.
Dick found many old faces replaced by new in the battalion. Enemysnipers, shell fire, sickness and promotion had been at work. Dick actedas assistant adjutant for a couple of weeks and was then posted to acompany as second in command and promised his step in rank at theearliest opportunity. In the same company was Lieut. Hiram Sill'splatoon. Hiram, busy as ever, had distinguished himself several timessince his return and was in a fair way to be recommended for a MilitaryCross.
The commander of the company was a middle-aged, amiable person who hadbeen worked so hard during the past year that he had nothing left tocarry on with except courage. At sight of Dick he rejoiced, for Dick hada big reputation. He took off his boots and belt, retired to hisblankets and told his batman to wake him when the war was over. Therelief was too much for him; it had come too late. The more he restedthe worse he felt, and at last the medical officer sent him out on astretcher. Fever and a general breakdown held him at the base forseveral weeks, and then he was shipped to Blighty. So Dick got a companyand his third star, and no one begrudged him the one or the other.
The Canadian Corps worked all winter in preparation for its great springtask. The Germans fortified and intrenched and mightily garrisoned alongall the great ridge of Vimy, harassed the preparing legions with shellsand bombs and looked contemptuously out and down upon us from theirstrong vantage points. Others had failed to wrest Vimy from them. Butnight and day the Canadians went on with their preparations.
Word that the United States of America had declared war on Germanyreached the toilers before Vimy on April 7; and within the week therecame a night of gunfire that rocked the earth and tore the air. Withmorning the gunfire ceased, only to break forth again in lesser volumeas the jumping barrages were laid along the ridge; and then, in a stormof wind and snow, the battalions went over on a five-division front,company after company, wave after wave, riflemen, bombers and Lewisgunners. The Canadians were striking after their winter of drudgery.
One of our men, a Yankee by birth, went over that morning with aminiature Stars and Stripes tied to his bayonet. We cleared out the Hunsand took the ridge; and for days the water that filled the shell holesand mine craters over that ground was red with Canadian blood, and theplank roads were slippery with it from the passing of our wounded.
Dick went through that fight in front of his company and came out of itspeechless with exhaustion, but unhit. Hiram Sill survived it with hisarm in a sling. Maj. Henry Starkley was wounded again, again notseriously. Maj. Patrick Hammond was killed, and Corp. Jim Hammond wascarried back the next day with a torn scalp and a crushed knee.
On the tenth day after that battle Lieut. Hiram Sill and his companycommander were the recipients of extraordinary news. Mr. Sill wasrequested to visit the colonel without loss of time. He turned up withinthe minute and saluted with his left hand.
"You are wanted back in the U. S. A., Hiram, for instructionalpurposes," said the colonel, looking over a mess of papers at his elbow."You don't have to go if you don't want to. Here it is--and to be madeout in triplicate, of course."
Hiram examined the papers.
"And here is something else that will interest you," continued thecolonel. "News for you and Dick Starkley. You have your M. C."
Hiram's eyes shone.
"And Dick seems to have hooked the same for his work on the Somme--and Ihad given up all hope of that coming through. I recommended him for a D.S. O. last week. The way these recommendations for awards are handledbeats me. They put them all into a hat and then chuck the hat out of thewindow, I guess, and whatever recommendations are picked up in thestreet and returned through the post are approved and acted upon. I knowa chap--come back here!"
Hiram turned at the door of the hut.
"Do you intend to accept that job?"
"Yes, sir."
"You have a choice between going over to the American army with yourrank or simply being seconded from the Canadians for that duty. What doyou mean to do?"
"Seconded, sir. I am an American citizen clear through, colonel, but Ihave worn this cut of uniform too long to change it in this war."
Hiram found Dick in his billet, reading a letter. Dick received the newsof the awards and of Hiram's appointment very quietly.
"Jack Davenport has gone west," he said.
Hiram sat down and stared at Di
ck without a word.
"This letter is from Kathleen," continued Dick. "She says Jack went outon Monday to visit some of the people he helps. He had taken on six morewidows and seven more babies since the Vimy show. On his way home towardevening he and Wilson were outside the Blackfriars underground station,looking for a taxi, when a lorry took a skid fair at an old woman andlittle boy who were just making the curb. Wilson swears that Jack jumpedfrom the curb as if there were nothing wrong with him, landed fair infront of the lorry, knocked the old woman and kid out from under, butfell before he could get clear himself."
"Killed?"
"Instantly."
Hiram gazed down at his muddy boots, and Dick continued to regard theletter in his hand.
"Can you beat it?" said Hiram at last.
Dick got up and paced about the little room, busy with his thoughts.Finally he spoke.
"Sacobie is flying, and you are booked for the States, and I am going totransfer to Jack's old lot," he said slowly.
Hiram looked up at him, but did not speak.
"Jack wanted me to," continued Dick. "Well, why not? It's the same oldarmy and the same old war. A fellow should make an effort to oblige aman like Jack--dead or alive." He was silent for several seconds, thenwent on: "Henry has been offered a staff job in London. Peter is safe.Sacobie has brought down four Boche machines already. What have youheard about Jim Hammond?"
"It's Blighty for him--and then Canada. He'll never in the world bendthat leg again."
For a while Dick continued to pace back and forth across the muddy floorin silence.
"We are scattering, Old Psychology," he said. "This war is a greatscatterer--but there are some things it can't touch. You'll be homesickat your new job, Hiram,--and I'll be homesick with the Essex bunch, Isuppose,--but there are some things that make it all seem worth therotten misery of it." He glanced down at Kathleen's letter, then put itinto his pocket. "Jack Davenport, for one," he ended.
"A soldier and a gentlemen," said Hiram.
THE END
Transcriber Notes:
Passages in italics were indicated by _underscores_.
Passages in bold were indicated by =equal signs=.
Small caps were replaced with ALL CAPS.
Throughout the dialogues, there were words used to mimic accents ofthe speakers. Those words were retained as-is.
The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break upparagraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate. Thusthe page number of the illustration might not match the page number inthe List of Illustrations, and the order of illustrations may not be thesame in the List of Illustrations and in the book.
Errors in punctuation and inconsistent hyphenation were not correctedunless otherwise noted.
On page 142, "comissions" was replaced with "commissions".
On page 243, "harrassed" was replaced with "harassed".
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