按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
York reporters thought I was a real nurse and interviewed me
about the Home。 Of course I knew enough about it to keep it
up； and I kept it up so well that he was terribly sorry for
me； and。 。 。 。 〃
One of the tea drinkers was little Hollis Holworthy； who
prided himself on knowing who's who in New York。 He had met
Sam Ward at first nights and prize fights。 He laughed
scornfully。
〃Don't you believe it！〃 he interrupted。 〃That man who was
talking to you was Sam Ward。 He's the smartest newspaper man
in New York； he was just leading you on。 Do you suppose
there's a reporter in America who wouldn't know you in the
dark？ Wait until you see the Sunday paper。〃
Sister Anne exclaimed indignantly。
〃He did not know me！〃 she protested。 〃It quite upset him that
I should be wasting my life measuring out medicines and
making beds。〃
There was a shriek of disbelief and laughter。
〃I told him；〃 continued Sister Anne； 〃that I got forty
dollars a month； and he said I could make more as a
typewriter； and I said I preferred to be a manicurist。〃
〃Oh； Anita！〃 protested the admiring chorus。
〃And he was most indignant。 He absolutely refused to allow me
to be a manicurist。 And he asked me to take a day off with
him and let him show me New York。 And he offered； as
attractions； moving…picture shows and a drive on a Fifth
Avenue bus； and feeding peanuts to the animals in the park。
And if I insisted upon a chaperon I might bring one of the
nurses。 We're to meet at the soda…water fountain in the Grand
Central Station。 He said； 'The day cannot begin too soon。'〃
〃Oh； Anita！〃 shrieked the chorus。
Lord Deptford； who as the newspapers had repeatedly informed
the American public； had come to the Flaggs' country…place to
try to marry Anita Flagg； was amused。
〃What an awfully jolly rag！〃 he cried。 〃And what are you
going to do about it？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Anita Flagg。 〃The reporters have been making
me ridiculous for the last three years； now I have got back
at one of them！ 〃And；〃 she added； 〃that's all there is to
that！〃
That night； however； when the house party was making toward
bed； Sister Anne stopped by the stairs and said to Lord
Deptford： 〃I want to hear you call me Sister。〃
〃Call you what？〃 exclaimed the young man。 〃I will tell you；〃
he whispered； 〃what I'd like to call you！〃
〃You will not！〃 interrupted Anita。 〃Do as I tell you and say
Sister once。 Say it as though you meant it。〃
〃But I don't mean it；〃 protested his lordship。 〃I've said
already what I。 。 。 。〃
〃Never mind what you've said already；〃 commanded Miss Flagg。
〃I've heard that from a lot of people。 Say Sister just once。〃
His lordship frowned in embarrassment。
〃Sister！〃 he exclaimed。 It sounded like the pop of a cork。
Anita Flagg laughed unkindly and her beautiful shoulders
shivered as though she were cold。
〃Not a bit like it； Deptford；〃 she said。 〃Good…night。〃
Later Helen Page； who came to her room to ask her about a
horse she was to ride in the morning； found her ready for bed
but standing by the open window looking out toward the great
city to the south。
When she turned Miss Page saw something in her eyes that
caused that young woman to shriek with amazement。
〃Anita！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You crying！ What in Heaven's name
can make you cry？〃
It was not a kind speech； nor did Miss Flagg receive it
kindly。 She turned upon the tactless intruder。
〃Suppose；〃 cried Anita fiercely； 〃a man thought you were
worth forty dollars a monthhonestly didn't know！honestly
believed you were poor and worked for your living； and still
said your smile was worth more than all of old man Flagg's
millions； not knowing they were YOUR millions。 Suppose he
didn't ask any money of you； but just to take care of you； to
slave for youonly wanted to keep your pretty hands from
working； and your pretty eyes from seeing sickness and pain。
Suppose you met that man among this rotten lot； what would
you do？ What wouldn't you do？〃
〃Why； Anita！〃 exclaimed Miss Page。
〃What would you do？〃 demanded Anita Flagg。 〃This is what
you'd do： You'd go down on your knees to that man and say：
'Take me away！ Take me away from them； and pity me； and be
sorry for me； and love meand love meand love me！〃
〃And why don't you？〃 cried Helen Page。
〃Because I'm as rotten as the rest of them！〃 cried Anita
Flagg。 〃Because I'm a coward。 And that's why I'm crying。
Haven't I the right to cry？〃
At the exact moment Miss Flagg was proclaiming herself a
moral coward； in the local room of the REPUBLIC Collins； the
copy editor； was editing Sam's story' of the laying of the
corner…stone。 The copy editor's cigar was tilted near his
left eyebrow； his blue pencil； like a guillotine ready to
fall upon the guilty word or paragraph； was suspended in mid…
air； and continually； like a hawk preparing to strike； the
blue pencil swooped and circled。 But page after page fell
softly to the desk and the blue pencil remained inactive。 As
he read； the voice of Collins rose in muttered ejaculations；
and； as he continued to read； these explosions grew louder
and more amazed。 At last he could endure no more and；
swinging swiftly in his revolving chair； his glance swept the
office。 〃In the name of Mike！〃 he shouted。 〃What IS this？〃
The reporters nearest him； busy with pencil and typewriters；
frowned in impatient protest。 Sam Ward； swinging his legs
from the top of a table； was gazing at the ceiling； wrapped
in dreams and tobacco smoke。 Upon his clever； clean…cut
features the expression was far…away and beatific。 He came
back to earth。
〃What's what？〃 Sam demanded。
At that moment Elliott； the managing editor； was passing
through the room his hands filled with freshly pulled proofs。
He swung toward Collins quickly and snatched up Sam's copy。
The story already was lateand it was important。
〃What's wrong？〃 he demanded。 Over the room there fell a
sudden hush。
〃Read the opening paragraph；〃 protested Collins。 〃It's like
that for a column！ It's all about a girlabout a Red Cross
nurse。 Not a word about Flagg or Lord Deptford。 No speeches！
No news！ It's not a news story at all。 It's an editorial； and
an essay； and a spring poem。 I don't know what it is。 And；
what's worse；〃 wailed the copy editor defiantly and to the
amazement of all； 〃it's so darned good that you can't touch
it。 You've got to let it go or kill it。〃
The eyes of the managing editor； masked by his green paper
shade； were racing over Sam's written words。 He thrust the
first page back at Collins。
〃Is it all like that？〃
〃There's a column like that！〃
〃Run it just as it is；〃 commanded the managing editor。 〃 Use
it for your introduction and get your story from the flimsy。
And； in your head； cut out Flagg entirely。 Call it 'The Red
Cross Girl。' And play it up strong with pictures。〃 He turned
on Sam and eyed him curiously。
〃What's the idea； Ward？〃 he said。 〃This is a newspapernot a
magazine！〃
The click of the typewriters was silent； the hectic rush of
the pencils had ceased； and the staff； expectant； smiled
cynically upon the star reporter。 Sam shoved his hands into
his trousers pockets and also smiled； but unhappily。
〃I know it's not news； Sir