第57章

And Henri's nerves were not good.He was unhappy - that always - and he was not yet quite recovered from his wounds.There was on his mind, too, a certain gun which moved on a railway track, back and forth, behind the German lines, doing the work of many.He had tried to get to that gun, and failed.And he hated failure.

Certainly in this story of Sara Lee and of Henri, whose other name must not be known, allowance must be made for all those things.Yet - perhaps no allowance is enough.

Sara Lee told him that evening of her recall, told him when the shuffling of many feet in the street told of the first weary men from the trenches coming up the road.

He heard her in a dazed silence.Then:

"But you will not go?" he said."It is impossible! You - you are needed, mademoiselle.""What can I do, Henri? They have recalled me.My money will not come now.""Perhaps we can arrange that.It does not cost so much.I have friends - and think, mademoiselle, how many know now of what you are doing, and love you for it.Some of them would contribute, surely."He was desperately revolving expedients in his mind.He could himself do no more than he had done.He, or rather Jean and he together, had been bearing a full half of the expense of the little house since the beginning.But he dared not tell her that.And though he spoke hopefully, he knew well that he could raise nothing from the Belgians he knew best.Henri came of a class that held its fortunes in land, and that land was now in German hands.

"We will arrange it somehow," he said with forced cheerfulness."No beautiful thing - and this is surely beautiful -must die because of money."It was then that Sara Lee took the plunge."It is not only money, Henri.""He has sent for you!"

Harvey was always "he" to.Henri.

"Not exactly.But I think he went to some one and said I should not be here alone.You can understand how he feels.We were going to be married very soon, and then I decided to come.It made an awful upset."Henri stood with folded arms and listened.At first he said nothing.When he spoke it was in a voice of ominous calm:

"So for a stupid convention he would destroy this beautiful thing you have made! Does he know your work? Does he know what you are to the men here? Have you ever told him?""I have, of course, but -" "Do you want to go back?" "No, Henri.Not yet.I -""That is enough.You are needed.You are willing to stay.I shall attend to the money.It is arranged.""You don't understand," said Sara Lee desperately."I am engaged to him.I can't wreck his life, can I?""Would it wreck your life?" he demanded."Tell me that and I shall know how to reason with you."But she only looked at him helplessly.

Heavy tramping in the passage told of the arrival of the first men.They did not talk and laugh as usual.As well as they could they came quietly.For Rene had been a good friend to many of them, and had admitted on slack nights many a weary man who had no ticket.Much as the neighbors had entered the house back home after Uncle James had gone away, came these bearded men that night.And Sara Lee, hearing their muffled voices, brushed a hand over her eyes and tried to smile.

"We can talk about it later," she said."We mustn't quarrel.I owe so much to you, Henri."Suddenly Henri caught her by the arm and turned her about so that she faced the lamp.

"Do you love him?" he demanded."Sara Lee, look at me!" Only he pronounced it Saralie."He has done a very cruel thing.Do you still love him?"Sara Lee shut her eyes.

"I don't know.I think I do.He is very unhappy, and it is my fault." "Your fault!""I must go, Henri.The men are waiting." But he still held her arm.

"Does he love you as I love you?" he demanded."Would he die for you.?""That's rather silly, isn't it? Men don't die for the people they love." "I would die for you, Saralie."She eyed him rather helplessly.

"I don't think you mean that." Bad strategy that, for he drew her to him.His arms were like steel, and it was a rebellious and very rigid Sara Lee who found she could not free herself.

"I would die for you, Saralie!" he repeated fiercely."That would be easier, far, than living without you.There is nothing that matters but you.Listen - I would put everything I have - my honor, my life, my hope ofeternity - on one side of the scale and you on the other.And I would choose you.Is that love?" He freed her.

"It's insanity," said Sara Lee angrily."You don't mean it.And I don't want that kind of love, if that is what you call it.""And you will go back to that man who loves himself better than he loves you?""That's not true!" she flashed at him."He is sending for me, not to get me back to him, but to get me back to safety.""What sort of safety?" Henri demanded in an ominous tone."Is he afraid of me?""He doesn't know anything about you."

"You have never told him? Why?" His eyes narrowed."He wouldn't have understood, Henri.""You are going back to him," he said slowly; "and you will always keep these days of ours buried in your beart.Is that it? His eyes softened."I am to be a memory! Do you know what I think? I think you care for me more than you know.We have lived a lifetime together in these months.You know me better than you know him, already.We have faced death together.That is a strong tie.And I have held you in my arms.Do you think you can forget that?""I shall never want to forget you."

"I shall not let you forget me.You may go - I cannot prevent that perhaps.But wherever I am; Saralie, I shall stand between that lover of yours and you.And sometime I shall come from this other side of the world, and I shall find you, and you will come back with me.Back to this country - our country."They were boyish words, but back of them was the iron determination of a man.His eyes seemed sunken in his head.His face was white.But there was almost a prophetic ring in his voice.

Sara Lee went out and left him there, went out rather terrified and bewildered, and refusing absolutely to look into her own heart.