CHAPTER XVIII
THE LIBERTY CHEER
After Nita's arrival the two Pioneer-Liberty girls were so occupied withthings to see and do, that at the week's end it was hard to realize itwas not a month since her coming.
In the order of events had been the anxious moments waiting to know thedoctor's decision as to the condition of the young English soldier. Thishad been followed by Nathalie's deep joy when she realized that her"drop in the bucket" was doing its bit. Yes, the doctor announced thatthe young man's condition was serious, induced by his gangrenous woundand the life he had lived for the last two years. Still, as he had agood constitution, and youth is a ready up-builder, with proper care andfood,--emphasizing the word "food,"--he would be all right in a shorttime. Yes, Janet had sensed the situation when she had proclaimed thatshe believed the man was more than half starved.
Under the care of the skillful surgeon, with Janet's good nursing,assisted by Nathalie and Nita, who had begged hard to be allowed tohelp, the patient soon began to improve. Possibly the atmosphere createdby having three young nurses, the soldier-boy as orderly, Danny as handyman, with the other children as servitors, with nourishing food, haddone as much as medicine and skill in giving renewed ambition to a manwho had been dragging out his life on half-rations, in the solitude of afriendless existence.
The most important aid to the convalescent's recovery, undoubtedly, wasthe thought of being able to refill an empty pocketbook, for Mrs. VanVorst, as soon as she learned that he was a proficient Frenchscholar,--he had lived in France, his mother being a French woman,--andwas graduated from Oxford, had immediately made the suggestion that hegive Nita French lessons. With her usual tact the suggestion had been sodelicately made, pleading it as a personal favor to her, so as not tooffend the fine sensibilities of the young man, that it had been soonarranged.
The young soldier's peculiar situation had been noised about, andgeneral interest and sympathy being awakened, many of the guests fromthe near-by hotels had climbed the mountain trails, with offerings offruit or some delicacy for the invalid.
When the fact became known that Nita was to take French lessons fromhim, other young ladies at the hotels were eager to be his pupils, amongthem Nathalie's two New York schoolmates, who ardently sounded thepraises of the handsome English soldier, whose refined scholarly face,tall, athletic figure, his romantic story, bade fair to make him apossible rival of the Count, who was considered the most eligible_parti_ at the hotel. But the fact that the young man up in the cabinhad played a soldier's part in the present war, was an asset thatcarried more weight than mere wealth, in the minds of the ladies,particularly when it was fashionable to be patriotic.
Possibly Nathalie's two friends seized upon this opportunity to makethemselves one of a very happy party of young people, who somehowmanaged to have a most enjoyable time in ministering to their charge. Assoon as the sick man was able, he was made comfortable in a hammockunder the trees, on a clearing near the cabin, where each one vied withthe other to cheer him.
Sometimes there would be a reading, then again just a merry chat, but asthe meetings gained in numbers, stories became the vogue, thestory-teller generally relating some tale about the mountains, or anIndian legend, while the listeners sat and knitted for the soldiers, aseven Sheila and the boys,--all but poor Jean,--had become expertknitters, under Nathalie's tutelage. As the patient had brightened soperceptibly at these little mountain-top gatherings, Nathalie had dubbedthem Liberty Cheers.
When Blue Robin saw that her two schoolmates had foisted themselves uponthe party, she felt indignantly grieved, as the snub they hadadministered to her still rankled. She had been on the point ofrevealing the incident to Nita, in one of their little confidentialchats, when that young lady had remained at Seven Pillars over night, asshe loved to do. But second thoughts stayed her, as she knew herfriend's loyal devotion to her, and her vehement way of disposing ofpeople when they displeased her, the result of her spoiled childhood.Nathalie, also, was afraid to offend the two girls, for fear they wouldnot continue to take lessons of Philip de Brie, and she knew that wouldmean a loss to him.
Van Darrell, the Camp Mills soldier, and Philip had fraternized as"mates"; for the latter, by his life on the battlefield, and in thetrenches, and with his experiences in a German prison-camp, had a stockof information at his command that Van was greedy to devour. With thewholehearted patriotic enthusiasm of our young American boys when calledto the colors, he was keen to be on the "firing-line," so as to get achance, as he expressed it, "to get a few jabs at the Big Willie gang."
Philip's deep appreciation of Nathalie's kindness to him, and also thatof her friends, was not only expressed in words, but by the warm,eloquent glances of his dark eyes. His deferential courtesy to all, hischivalrous manner towards her and Janet, and his kindly, winning way ofmaking friends with the children, had won the girl's admiration.Nevertheless she had noticed that it was Janet who had won his deepestregard. It was to her that he turned with questioning eyes when anythingof moment came up, on her that his admiring, ardent glances fell whenthat young lady appeared in some simple, but fluffy, bewitching littlecostume, which she had taken to doing lately, somewhat to Nathalie'ssurprise.
When he grew tired and showed a restlessness, a desire to be free of themerry-makers, a pleased look would dawn in his eyes when they left himto the ministrations of the head nurse. The somber shadows in his eyeswould light with a strange glow as she hovered about him, trying to makehim comfortable, or giving him the medicine that he probably would haveforgotten if she had not been there to give it to him.
And Janet? Well, she had been, as it were, curiously transformed into anew creature, seemingly, by the sweet pity in her soft eyes, and theflush on her winsome face, as, with tireless patience and quietdiligence, she performed her duties. Evidently, for the nonce, hervocation of mingled pacifist, farmerette, and suffragette had beenrelegated to the past.
Oh, no, the girls did not spend all their time with Philip, for, as thiswas Nita's first visit to the White Hills, there were many things tosee. One of the first places she had been taken by her friend was to theSweet Pea Tea-House, to meet the invalid and the deaf-and-dumb lady. Shewas not only charmed with their garden of gardens, but enthusiastic inher warm admiration of the charms of its owners. And it was not longbefore she was alternating with Nathalie in reading to Miss Whipple, forNathalie had managed, with her many duties and joys, to keep up thereadings to the shut-in.
Mrs. Carney, of the little red house, also received a call, and theyoung girl had come away curiously impressed with the oddities of thequeer little old lady, whose small black figure, with her basket of yarnfor knitting, always in that funny poke-bonnet, was a familiar sight onthe road.
Janet, Nita declared, was "just lovely," and that this admiration wasreciprocated was evidenced by Janet taking her down to her farm,although sadly neglected at present. Here Nita not only did her share ofweeding, but returned with such glowing accounts of the farm'sluxuriance, expatiating so glowingly upon its fertility, and whatwonders Janet had been able to accomplish so late in the season, thatNathalie forebore poking fun at it, as she generally did.
Nita had gazed at the mystery room with a keen desire to peep within,had read Nathalie's diary of each day's doings, and had prowled all overthe house, intent on selecting what she thought was the most valuablething for Nathalie to select, as she, too, was anxious that she should"win the prize," as the children called it. She had even visited Cynthiain her sanctum sanctorum, to Nathalie's astonishment, the artistapparently having taken a great fancy to the hunchback girl, beingparticularly cordial to her, and returning Mrs. Van Vorst's call, to theamazement of Mrs. Page, before that lady had had a chance to do so.
But the reason therefor was apparently explained, when it became knownthat she had suggested to Mrs. Van Vorst that she allow her to paintNita's portrait, insisting that her golden hair and violet eyes wouldshow up beautifully on
a canvas. Nathalie was still more surprised whenthat kind-hearted lady, whose income was amply sufficient to allow herto indulge in many whims, consented, and Cynthia was in a glorifiedstate at the success of her plan.
Liberty Fort had proved a good inspirer of patriotism, as Nita not onlybecame, for the time, a most valiant Son of Liberty, entering with greatzest into the children's sham battles on the meadow below, but sheintroduced an element of war that was hailed with delight. This was abattery gun, which she contrived to make, with the help of Jean, out ofan old lead pipe found in the cellar, and which was placed on wheels,the remains of an old hayrack, and installed at the top of the terracein front of the fort.
She had also helped the boys to make wooden swords out of sticks, andalso hand-grenades of thick paper filled with gravel, which would havehad a most disastrous effect upon the enemy if the latter had not beenimaginary.
It was here one afternoon, as the boys were having a battle with all thehorrors of war, that young Darrell appeared, and as he and the two girlssat on the stone ledge, he told them how he was "all in" by having had aboxing-match with a prisoner when on police duty.
"The chap was a foreigner," he explained. "He could only speak a littleEnglish, and I had heard him mutter to himself several times in rather aqueer way. Suddenly, when I was off my guard, he let his club fly at meand gave me a whack on the head that knocked me silly. I saw stars for amoment, and then I let out on the chap,--he was a big fellow, as strongas an ox,--and was just about to use my automatic when the MilitaryPolice rushed up and in a few moments they had him as tight as a drum.It turned out that he was off his nut, and I believe he is now in someasylum. Anyway he put me in the hospital with a cracked skull for awhile, and then I was granted a furlough, and came up here with mother."
The girls, under the spell of the military, were inclined to make a heroof the soldier-boy, with the long-lashed, merry blue eyes and cheerylaugh, in their minds at least, if not openly. Later, when he wassitting alone with Nathalie, in a burst of confidence, with suddengravity, he lamented that he feared that he would never reach the"firing-line" overseas. When Nathalie expressed her surprise at hisfears, he explained that he had been detailed to sanitary work in thehospital, and then he added, with gloom-shadowed eyes, "And it looks tome as if it would be steady company; but it is up to Uncle Sam, and asoldier is no soldier if he kicks at his job."
"Oh, I just wish I were a man, so I could go over there," sighedNathalie a little dolefully. "Sometimes I wish I had a million lives soI could give them to my country, and go over and fight."
"Ho! ho! Blue Robin! You have changed your mind then, haven't you?"good-naturedly jeered Nita, who had just come up behind them. Her blueeyes gleamed mischief as she continued laughingly, "Surely that was notthe way you felt a short while ago."
"No, that is true," replied Nathalie with reddened cheeks, "but I wasselfish then, and failed to read the handwriting on the wall."
As Nathalie looked up in a shamefaced way at the young soldier she saw astrange expression flit across his face as he gazed down at her.
"Did you call Miss Page Blue Robin?" he asked hurriedly of Nita, with asudden, strange interest.
"Oh, that is just a nickname," began Nathalie, "and----"
"No, it isn't a nickname," returned Nita, with a defiant toss of herhead. "It is just your own particular name. Shall I tell Mr. Darrell howyou came by it?" And then, without waiting for permission, she toldtheir companion the story of how Nathalie found the nest of bluebirds inthe old cedar tree and thought they were blue robins. And when the GirlPioneers claimed that she must become one of them, she had to join theBluebird group. "Because, you see, she was a real bluebird," ended thegirl.
It was then that Nathalie, who hated to be the subject of aconversation, began to tell the young soldier of her many trials intraining her boys in military tactics. To her joy he offered to givethem a lesson, whereupon the young Sons of Liberty were lined up, Nitaand Sheila with them, and drilled in a simple manual-of-arms,--how tostand as a sentinel on post, how to salute an officer or civilian, andhow to stand at attention when the national anthem, the "Call to theColors," or "To the Standard," were played, and when the flag went by.
There was a drill in calisthenics, and then the young militaryinstructor explained to his youthful audience the necessity for a Son ofLiberty--he had caught the phrase from Nathalie--to have clean hands,face, teeth, and finger-nails. "No boy or young man," he emphasized,"will ever make a good soldier who will not discipline himself in thesesmall things. It is also essential for a soldier not only to be clean,but to be courteous, helpful, and kind, especially to the aged andweak."
The drill was conducted in such a masterful, soldier-like way, and thelittle talk made significant by so many points that Nathalie waslaboring to teach her boys, that the girls were greatly impressed, andalso the children, if one were to judge by their alert attention and theworshipful glances they cast upon the young soldier as they went throughtheir war maneuvers.
Nathalie and the boys were anxious to show Nita their mountain walks,and so, with young Darrell, they spent many an afternoon, from glen andvale, in studying the mountains, with their rugged crests and beautifulcloud-effects. Their ever-changing beauty, their gigantic immensity,their awe-inspiring silences lifted the newcomers to a reverent calm, asthey gazed at these everlasting memorials to the omnipotency of theCreator.
Sometimes the little party would walk four or five miles, something thatthe little hunchback had never been able to do until she became aPioneer. The visit to the Flume was not only repeated, but they visitedthe Lost River. The weird mystery of the silver stream, as it gleamedluringly between massive gray bowlders, tempted them down the littleladder, to slide over rocky ledges, and climb stony declivities, untilat last they were standing beneath the rocks in Shadow Cave. The Giant'sPot Hole, with the shiny water peering at them from between the stonewalls, so suggestive of giants and strange dragons, with its weird,mystical stream, made the underground trip to Mother Nature's caverns arevelation and a delight to all of the party.
They ascended Mount Agassiz at Bethlehem, where they tried to signal toPhilip and Janet on the top of Garnet, through the sun's rays shining ona mirror, but although this method of signaling was greatly enjoyed, itwas not very successful. With all of the merry times, however, the younginvalid on the mountain was not forgotten, although he and Janet--withMrs. Page for company sometimes--passed many hours in each other'scompany.
Then came a cool, sunny afternoon in August, when they all gatheredaround a trench camp-fire on the top of Garnet, for Philip hadconvalesced sufficiently to do a little climbing, and had a luncheon inthe woods. And it was the two young soldiers who boiled the potatoes ina pot that hung from a green pole, fastened in crotches on two uprightsaplings over the fire-pit, from which a trench a foot deep branched outon each of its four sides. This new kind of fire, as Sheila called it,was a real soldier's fire, for it was where Philip had cooked his mealsbefore he was visited by Nathalie and Janet, his good angels, as hecalled them.
With keen satisfaction the children watched Philip toast the sweet,nutty bacon for his guests, while Van showed the girls _his way_ ofmaking flapjacks, as he tossed them so high in the air that a shrill,"Oh, you'll lose it!" almost unnerved the would-be cook.
But no such dire catastrophe happened, and soon they were all enjoyingthe brown cakes spread with maple sugar, and war-bread sandwiched withbacon between. After the edibles had been disposed of and the fire wasbanked, as Philip called it, for a later meal, Danny and Tony made aPioneer Camp-fire, and around its glowing embers--for the wind was keenthat cool August day up there on those craggy heights--they held aLiberty Cheer.
As they were about to cast lots as to who should tell the first story,Van, who never tired of listening to Philip's experiences, begged him totell the girls something of his life as a soldier fighting in France.