Quick Action

by Robert W. Chambers

  XXX

  When they came to their tents he went into hers, slung her hammockproperly, shook a scorpion out of her slippers, and set his heel on it;drove a non-poisonous but noisy puff-adder from under her foot-rug, thecreature hissing like a boiling kettle and distending its grey and blackneck.

  Terrified but outwardly calm, she stood beside him, now clutching hisarm very closely; and at last her tent was in order, the last spider andlizard hustled out, the oil cook-stove burning, the tinned goods ready,the aluminum batterie-de-cuisine ranged at her elbow.

  "I wonder," he said, hesitating, "whether I dare leave you long enoughto go and dig some holes with a crow-bar."

  "Why, of course!" she said. "You can't have me tagging at your heelsevery minute, you know."

  He laughed: "It's _I_ who do the tagging."

  "It isn't disagreeable," she said shyly.

  "I don't mean to dog every step you take," he continued, "but now, whenyou are out of my sight, I--I can't help feeling a trifle anxious."

  "But you mustn't feel responsible for me. I came down here on my owninitiative. I certainly deserve whatever happens to me. Don't I?"

  "What comfort would that be to me if anything unpleasant did happen toyou?"

  "Why," she asked frankly, "should you feel as responsible for my welfareas that? After all, I am only a stranger, you know."

  He said: "Do you really feel like a stranger? Do you really feel that Iam one?"

  She considered the proposition for a few moments.

  "No," she said, "I don't. And perhaps it is natural for us to take afriendly interest in each other."

  "It comes perfectly natural to me to take a v-very v-vivid interest inyou," he said. "What with snakes and scorpions and wood-ticks andunboiled water and the actinic rays of the sun, I can't very well helpworrying about you. After all," he added lucidly, "you're a girl, youknow."

  She admitted the accusation with a smile so sweet that there could be nodoubt of her sex.

  "However," she said, "you should entertain no apprehensions concerningme. I have none concerning you. I think you know your business."

  "Of course," he said, going into his tent and returning loaded withcrow-bar, pick-axe, dynamite, battery, and wires.

  She laid aside the aluminum cooking-utensils with which she had beenfussing and rose from her knees as he passed her with a pleasant nod of_au revoir_.

  "You'll be careful with that dynamite, won't you?" she said anxiously."You know it goes off at all sorts of unexpected moments."

  "I think I understand how to handle it," he reassured her.

  "Are you quite certain?"

  "Oh, yes. But perhaps you'd better not come any nearer----"

  "Mr. White!"

  "What!"

  "It _is_ dangerous! I don't like to have you go away alone with thatdynamite. You make me very anxious."

  "You needn't be. If--in the very remote event of anything goingwrong--now don't forget what I say!--but in case of an accident to me,you'll be all right if you start back to Verbena at once--instantly--andtake the right-hand road----"

  "Mr. _White_!"

  "Yes?"

  "I was _not_ thinking of myself! I was concerned about _you_!"

  "Me?--_personally_?"

  "Of course! You say you have me on your mind. Do you think I am devoidof human feeling?"

  "Were you--really--thinking about _me_?" he repeated slowly. "That wasvery nice of you.... I didn't quite understand.... I'll be careful withthe dynamite."

  "Perhaps I'd better go with you," she suggested irresolutely.

  "Why?"

  "I could hold a green umbrella over you while you are digging holes. Youyourself say that the sun is dangerous."

  "My sun-helmet makes it all right," he said, deeply touched.

  "You won't take it off, will you?"

  "No."

  "And you'll look all around you for snakes before you take the nextstep, won't you?" she insisted.

  He promised, thrilled by her frank solicitude.

  A little way up the path he paused, looked around, and saw her standingthere looking after him.

  "You're sure you'll be all right?" he called back to her.

  "Yes. Are you sure _you_ will be?"

  "Oh, yes!"

  They made two quick gestures of adieu, and he resumed the path.Presently he turned again. She was still standing there looking afterhim. They made two gestures of farewell and he resumed the path. After awhile he looked back. She--but what's the use!

  When he came to the spot marked for destruction, he laid down hisparaphernalia, seized the crow-bar, and began to dig, scarcely consciousof what he was about because he had become so deeply absorbed in otherthings--in _an_-other thing--a human one with red hair and otherwisedivinely endowed.

  The swift onset of this heavenly emotion was making him giddy--orperhaps it was unaccustomed manual labor under a semi-tropical sun.

  Anyway he went about his work blindly but vigorously, seeing nothing ofthe surrounding landscape or of the immediate ground into which herammed his crow-bar, so constantly did the charming vision of herpiquant features shut out all else.

  And all the time he was worrying, too. He thought of snakes biting herdistractingly pretty ankles; he thought of wood-ticks and of her snowyneck; of scorpions and of the delicate little hands.

  How on earth was he ever going to endure the strain if already, in thesefew hours, his anxiety about her welfare was assuming such deep andportentous proportions! How was he going to stand the worry until shewas safe in the snakeless, tickless North again!

  She couldn't remain here! She must go North. His mind seemed alreadytottering under its new and constantly increasing load ofresponsibility; and he dug away fiercely with his bar, making twice asmany holes as he had meant to.

  For he had suddenly determined to be done with the job and get her intosome safe place, and he meant to set off a charge of dynamite thatwould do the business without fail.

  Charging and tamping the holes, he used caution, even in spite of hisincreasing impatience to return and see how she was; arguing very justlywith himself that if he blew himself up he couldn't very well learn howshe was.

  So he attached the wires very carefully, made his connections, picked upthe big reel and the remainder of his tools, and walked toward thedistant tents, unreeling his wire as he moved along.

  She was making soup, but she heard the jangle of his equipment, sprangto her feet, and ran out to meet him.

  He let fall everything and held out both hands. In them she laid herown.

  "I'm so glad to see you!" he said warmly. "I'm so thankful that you'reall right!"

  "I'm so glad you came back," she said frankly. "I have been most uneasyabout you."

  "I've been very anxious, too," he said. Then, drawing an unfeigned sighof relief: "It does seem good to get back again!" He had been awaynearly half an hour.

  She examined the wire and the battery gingerly, asking him innumerablequestions about it.

  "Do you suppose," she ended, "that it will be safe for you to set offthe charge from this camp?"

  "Oh, perfectly," he nodded.

  "Of course," she said, half to herself, "we'll both be blown up if itisn't safe. And that is _something_!"

  And she came up very close when he said he was ready to fire, and laidher hand on his arm. The hand was steady enough. But when he glanced ather he saw how white she had become.

  "Why, Jean!" he said gently. "Are you frightened?"

  "No.... I won't mind it if I may stand rather near you." And she closedher eyes and placed both hands over her ears.

  "Do you think I'd fire this charge," he demanded warmly, "if there wasthe slightest possible danger to _you_? Take down your hands andlisten."

  Her closed eyelids quivered: "We'll both--there won't be anything leftof either of us if anything does happen," she said tremulously. "I amnot afraid.... Only tell me when to close my ears."

  "Do you really think there is danger?"
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br />   "I don't know."

  He looked at her standing there, pale, plucky, eyes tightly shut, herpretty fingers resting lightly on her ears.

  He said: "Would you think me crazy if I tell you something?"

  "W-What?"

  "Would you think me insane, Jean?"

  "I don't think I would."

  "You wouldn't consider me utterly mad?"

  "N-no."

  "No--_what_?"

  "No, I wouldn't consider you mad----"

  "No--_what_?" he persisted.

  And after a moment her pallor was tinted with a delicate rose.

  "No--_what_?" he insisted again.

  "No--Jim," she answered under breath.

  "Then--close your ears, Jean, dear."

  She closed them; his arm encircled her waist. She bore it nobly.

  "You may fire when you are ready--James!" she said faintly.

  A thunder-clap answered her; the Causeway seemed to spring up undertheir feet; the world reeled.

  Presently she heard his voice sounding calmly: "Are you all right,Jean?"

  "Yes.... I was thinking of you--as long as I could think at all. I wasready to go--anywhere--with you."

  "I have been ready for that," he said unsteadily, "from the moment Iheard your voice. But it is--is wonderful of _you_!"

  She opened her blue eyes, dreamily looking up into his. Then the coloursurged into her face.

  "If--if you had spoken to me across the aisle," she said, "it would havebegun even sooner, I think.... Because I can't imagine myselfnot--caring for you."

  He took her into his arms:

  "Don't worry," he said, "I'll make a place for you in the world, even ifthat Maltese cross means nothing."

  She looked into his eyes fearlessly: "I know you will," she said.

  Then he kissed her and she put both arms around his neck and offered herfresh, young lips again.