\"AsthoughIcaredforyournewhonors。IwantYOU,YOU,YOU——onlyYOU。\"
WhenSantiagosurrenderedandtheinvadingarmysettleddowntoarrangetermsofpeace,andimbibefever,andGeneralMilesmovedtoPortoRico,Chestertonmovedwithhim。
Inthatprettylittleislandacommandofregularsunderageneraloftheregulararmyhad,inanightattack,drivenbacktheSpaniardsfromAdhuntas。Thenextafternoonasthecolumnwasinlineofmarch,andthemenwereshakingthemselvesintotheiraccoutrements,adusty,sweatingvolunteerstaffofficerrodedownthemainstreetofAdhuntas,andwiththeauthorityofafieldmarshal,helduphishand。
\"GeneralMiles\'scompliments,sir,\"hepanted,\"andpeaceisdeclared!\"
Differentmenreceivedthenewseachinadifferentfashion。Somewhirledtheirhatsintheairandcheered。Thosewhosawpromotionandthenewinsigniaontheirstrapsvanish,sworedeeply。
Chestertonfelluponhissaddle-bagsandbegantodistributehispossessionsamongtheenlistedmen。Afterhehadremobilized,hiseffectsconsistedofachangeofclothes,hiscamera,water-bottle,andhismedicinecase。Inhispresentstateofhealthandspiritshecouldnotbelievehestoodinneedofthemedicinecase,butitwasagiftfromMissArmitage,andcarriedwithitapromisefromhimthathealwayswouldcarryit。Hehad\"packed\"itthroughoutthecampaign,andforothersithadprovedofvalue。
\"Itakeityouareleavingus,\"saidanofficerenviously。
\"Iamleavingyousoquick,\"criedChestertonlaughing,\"thatyouwon\'tevenseethedust。There\'satransportstartsfromMayaguezatsixto-morrowmorning,and,ifIdon\'tcatchit,thisponywilldieonthewharf。\"
\"TheroadtoMayaguezisnothealthyforAmericans,\"saidthegeneralincommand。\"Idon\'tthinkIoughttoletyougo。Theenemydoesnotknowpeaceisonyet,andtherearealotofguerillas——\"
Chestertonshookhisheadinpityingwonder。
\"Notletmego!\"heexclaimed。\"Why,General,youhaven\'tenoughmeninyourcommandtostopme,andasfortheSpaniardsandguerillas——!I\'mhomesick,\"criedtheyoungman。\"I\'msodamnedhomesickthatIamliabletodieofitbeforethetransportgetsmetoSandyHook。\"
\"Ifyouareshotupbyanoutpost,\"growledthegeneral,\"youwillbeworseoffthanhomesick。It\'sfortymilestoMayaguez。Betterwaittilldaylight。Where\'sthesenseofdying,afterthefighting\'sover?\"
\"IfIdon\'tcatchthattransportIsureWILLdie,\"laughedChesterton。Hisheadwasbentandhewastuggingathissaddlegirths。Apparentlytheeffortbroughtadeepershadowtohistan,\"butnothingelsecankillme!Ihaveacharm,General,\"heexclaimed。
\"Wehadn\'tnoticedit,\"saidthegeneral。
Thestaffofficers,accordingtoregulations,laughed。
\"It\'snotthatkindofacharm,\"saidChesterton。\"Good-by,General。\"
Theroadwashardlymorethanatrail,butthemoonmadeitaslightasday,andcastacrossitblacktracingsoftheswingingvinesandcreepers;whilehighintheairitturnedthepolishedsurfaceofthepalmsintoglitteringsilver。AsheplungedintothecooldepthsoftheforestChestertonthrewuphisarmsandthankedGodthathewasmovingtowardher。Theluckthathadaccompaniedhimthroughoutthecampaignhadhelduntiltheend。
Hadhebeenforcedtowaitforatransport,eachhourwouldhavemeantamonthoftorment,anarid,wastedplaceinhislife。Asitwas,witheacheagerstrideofElCapitan,hislittlePortoRicanpony,hewasbroughtclosertoher。Hewassohappythatashegallopedthroughthedarkshadowsofthejungleoroutintothebrilliantmoonlightheshoutedaloudandsang;andagainasheurgedElCapitantogreaterburstsofspeed,heexplainedinjoyous,breathlessphraseswhyitwasthatheurgedhimon。
\"Forsheiswonderfulandmostbeautiful,\"hecried,\"themostgloriousgirlinalltheworld!And,ifIkeptherwaiting,evenforamoment,ElCapitan,Iwouldbeunworthy——andImightloseher!Soyouseewerideforagreatprize!\"
TheSpanishcolumnthat,thenightbefore,hadbeendrivenfromAdhuntas,nowinignoranceofpeace,occupiedbothsidesofthevalleythroughwhichrantheroadtoMayaguez,andinambushbytheroaditselfhadplacedanoutpostoftwomen。Onewasasharp-
shooterofthepickedcorpsoftheGuardiaCivile,andoneasergeantoftheregimentthatlayhiddenintheheights。IftheAmericansadvancedtowardMayaguez,thesemenweretowaituntiltheheadofthecolumndrewabreastofthem,whentheyweretofire。ThereportoftheirrifleswouldbethesignalforthoseinthehillabovetowipeoutthememoryofAdhuntas。
Chestertonhadbeenridingatagallop,but,ashereachedtheplacewherethemenlayinambush,hepulledElCapitantoawalk,andtookadvantageofhisfirstbreathingspelltolighthispipe。
Hehadalreadyfilledit,andwasnowfumblinginhispocketforhismatch-box。Thematch-boxwasofwoodsuchasonecanbuy,filledtothebrimwithmatches,foronepenny。Butitwasamostpreciouspossession。IntheearlydaysofhisinterestinMissArmitage,astheywereoncesettingforthuponamotortrip,shehadhandedittohim。
\"Why,\"heasked。
\"Youalwaysforgettobringany,\"shesaidsimply,\"andhavetoborrowsome。\"
Theothermeninthecar,knowingthistobeajustreproof,laughedsardonically,andatthelaughthegirlhadlookedupinsurprise。Chesterton,seeingthelook,understoodthatheract,triflingasitwas,hadbeensincere,hadbeeninspiredsimplybythoughtofhiscomfort。AndheaskedhimselfwhyyoungMissArmitageshouldconsiderhiscomfort,andwhythefactthatshedidconsideritshouldmakehimsoextremelyhappy。Andhedecideditmustbebecauseshelovedhimandhelovedher。
Havingarrivedatthatconclusion,hehadaskedhertomarryhim,anduponthematch-boxhadmarkedthedateandthehour。Sincethenshehadgivenhimmanyprettypresents,markedwithherinitials,markedwithhiscrest,withstrangecabalisticmottoesthatmeantnothingtoanyonesavethemselves。Butthewoodenmatchboxwasstillthemostvaluedofhispossessions。
Asherodeintothevalleytheraysofthemoonfellfullyuponhim,andexposedhimtotheoutpostaspitilesslyasthoughhehadbeenheldinthecircleofasearch-light。
ThebronzedMauserspushedcautiouslythroughthescreenofvines。