When Jeb opened his eyes next morning, rather heavy after a scanty
sleep, he did not at once remember the great change that had come into
his life. He vaguely knew something had happened; then suddenly the
captaincy loomed ahead, startling him as though it were an exploding
bomb. There was nothing imaginary about this, and he lay awhile
considering it.
The same unpleasant weight crept over him; his heart beat rapidly, and
his body seemed to be very hollow. Unceasing panoramas of heroism cast
on his mental screen were one thing, but the military company in the
broad daylight of cold, hard fact did not appeal to him at all.
Embarking for a distant shore where men were torn by shells, where the
ground was slippery with the blood of countless thousands, where a
fellow's chances of getting back alive were, so he pictured it, one in a
million, brought a distinct feeling of panic. He could see the air
literally filled with bursting shrapnel, while red-hot bullets from
machine-guns swept the earth as clean as a scythe goes through the
ripening wheat. Man simply could not endure in a hell like that! It was
utterly impossible!
For a little while he gained a modicum of comfort by swearing at the
Administration, the President, the Cabinet. What right had they to
declare war, anyhow? Now, if we were going to fight Mexico!--or if the
Germans tried to come over _here_!--well, that would be a different
proposition!
The usual tonic of his bath, a shave, fresh clothes and breakfast began
to improve the situation, but he was still desperately depressed. The
adoring solicitude of his aunts--more tender after their night of
prayerful and palpitating concentration--helped but little.
"Where are you going this morning, dear?" Miss Sallie, trying to seem
natural, asked as he arose from the table. Miss Veemie repeated the
question with a look, not trusting herself to speak.
"Oh," he answered, with that indifference which is intended to imply
the highest type of courage--but never does unless the courage is
there!--"I suppose I ought to run downtown and see if the War Department
has answered about our uniforms and rifles. Then I'll stop by for a game
of tennis with Marian."
Miss Veemie, still silent, closed her eyes as though shutting out a
reality that her prayers had been unable to dissolve. Her sister became
busy taking up and putting down into their same places the sideboard
silver. Jeb felt an undeniable interest in the uniforms and rifles,
looking forward to them very much as a condemned man might view a
gallows. Nevertheless, after he had walked halfway to the _Eagle_
office, the mood sufficiently passed for him to enter with a certain
amount of _savoir faire_.
The Colonel had been there since eight o'clock, properly ensconced
behind a table especially placed for him. A ledger for recruits' names
lay open, with pens and ink-pot ready. Mr. Strong had not yet come down;
neither had a man thus far been recruited, although the _Eagle's_ story
was setting Hillsdale aflame with patriotism.
"Any news?" Jeb asked, shaking hands.
"No, sir," the Colonel answered, leaning near the window to glance up at
the courthouse clock. "But our telegrams have been received, and the War
Department is doubtless busily packing the things at this moment. They
ought to reach here to-morrow, without fail, if sent by express--as they
will be sent, of course. In times of war, Jeb, materials have to move
quickly, remember that! It was the secret of Stonewall Jackson's
greatest strength--and of Napoleon's. They moved like meteors!"
To-morrow! This brought the crisis so close that Jeb sat down and drew a
long breath. The old gentleman watched him for a moment, then in a voice
of tenderness asked:
"Did you know that Marian leaves to-night? Her father is going with her
as far as New York."
"Leaves for where?" Jeb exclaimed, straightening up.
"For France, of course! Where else would she be leaving for at a time
like this? Her father burned the wires last night; although I know how
each message burned more deeply into his heart! They leave here about
midnight."
Jeb remained silent, crushed by feelings of self-condemnation. How was
it that she possessed the courage to go, and he did not! The Colonel,
divining a different type of depression and wanting to cheer him up,
cried good humoredly:
"Here, sir! Before giving yourself over to moonings, just sign this
page; then you'll belong to your government body and soul! Your name
should be the first, anyhow!"
He held out the pen, but Jeb did not appear to see it. Instead, he arose
abruptly, saying:
"I'll--I'll have to attend to something first," and he hurried out.
"I'll sign it for you," the Colonel called; adding to himself, as he
chuckled merrily: "Gone after Marian, the young cub!"
But Jeb was after nothing but to escape that terrifying page which
suddenly appeared to him as a chamber of horrors; he heard nothing now
but the Colonel's promise to sign it by proxy, and an outraged voice
within which called him to look upon the courage of a girl. They were
driving him mad. He turned toward the open country, walking fast, but as
one who walks in sleep. Many tried to stop him, to congratulate him on
the good fortune of being a captain, but he rudely passed with scarcely
a word. Some looked after him, and a few complained rather knowingly:
"That's the trouble with militarism; it makes the officers so stuck up!"
On and on he went, to the wood where he had killed imaginary Germans;
and there, throwing himself on the ground, he began to fight another, a
very much more real battle.
In the meanwhile, long before the courthouse clock struck the hour of
noon, the Colonel had filled many pages of his ledger. Marian and her
father had come down, being afraid to leave each other during these last
few hours they would have together. The Colonel had told of Jeb's brief
visit, adding his own belief that the lad had gone out to the Strong
residence; and Marian took a seat by the window, where she could watch
the street and at the same time greet each recruit who entered to put
his name down on the company roster.
Despite the nearness of her departure, Mr. Strong and Colonel Hampton
were almost joyous as they noted the happy, though firm, looks of
determination radiating from the faces of men who came in streams to
offer the best they had.
The barber's assistant followed Hillsdale's most promising young lawyer;
the driver of Hincky's grocery wagon reached the door simultaneously
with the rising banker, and Mr. Strong felt a catch of pleasure at his
throat when the financier, stepping aside and putting a hand on the
driver's shoulder, said:
"After you, old fellow!"
An Italian bootblack from the hotel-stand looked in, asking shyly:
"You tak'a me?"
A woman in a faded dress brought her husky lad who twisted his hat with
awkward fingers.
"He ain't quite twenty-one," she said, in a low voice, "so I come to
give consent. He wants to go, thank God!--an' I can git along."
Colonel Hampton sprang up and embraced them both in one sweep of his
long arms; and, when the woman cried a little, Marian soothed her with
endearing words of praise.
Hillsdale, one way or another, was responding to its country's need.
During the day the recruiting list grew past the four-hundred mark--but,
although Marian's eyes grew tired gazing down upon those who were coming
and going in the street, nowhere did she get a glimpse of Jeb.
There had been neither time nor thought of luncheon, and during a lull,
about the middle of the afternoon, she arose wearily, saying:
"I think I'll go home now, and pack."
Both of the old gentlemen turned and looked at her mutely, their eyes
expressive of pain; for in the excitement of recruiting they had
temporarily forgotten the nearness of her leaving.
"Don't be sad," she smiled, bending over her father. "You'll have me for
several more days!" The Colonel, who for once forgot his gallantry and
remained seated, she kissed upon the forehead, murmuring: "I won't say
goodbye to you now, Uncle Roger, because I know you'll be down at the
train to-night. But you'll promise me to take care of daddy, won't you?
And Daddy," she turned, making a brave effort to laugh, "you promise to
take care of Uncle Roger, too!"
She realized that were either of them to attempt a word they would make
a sorry showing, and this would throw her into a torrential storm of
tears. Of all three in the editor's office, her shoulders carried the
heaviest burden. Each of the men was losing but one whom he loved; she
was losing two--and, besides these two, there was Jeb! Jeb, who had
thought more of his targets than of her return!--Jeb, who had not signed
the company roster, although over four hundred of Hillsdale's men had
come in gladly! She patted the Colonel's head and threw a hurried kiss
to her father, then was gone.
"I've never been more proud of her," the Colonel said, beginning to
cough; and there was a huskiness in the editor's throat as he replied:
"I wish her dear mother could have lived to share our pride, Roger."
When at sundown the Colonel, closing his ledger with a bang, announced
the time was up, Mr. Strong took his arm and drew him gently from the
chair.
"I don't make a practice of this, Roger," he said, "but I think we're
entitled to stop by the hotel for a small--er----"
About this time a man, deep in a distant wood, turned wearily over on
the ground. His hair was disordered, and there were signs of suffering
in his face. A close observer would have noticed that his finger nails
were dirty, not from personal untidyness but because, while in some
mental anguish, they had been dug into the earth.
As wearily as he had turned, he now arose, swaying slightly from his
long prostrate position. Then he started cityward, at the same moment
that Colonel Hampton and Mr. Strong were touching glasses, with an
unspoken toast, to the health and safety of a girl who personified the
fighting spirit of America.
Long after Miss Sallie and Miss Veemie had retired that night Jeb sat in
the garden, a prey to desperate thoughts. When, far across the
undulating landscape, he heard the long, low whistle of an express that
would stop at Hillsdale, he arose and went slowly, with hesitating
steps, to the station. Mr. Strong and Marian and the Colonel were there
when he came within the circle of light; and, to his surprise, they
greeted him warmly--for he had feared this meeting, and would have been
almost glad to avoid it. Within his own conscience he had been so
pitilessly accused that it seemed as though every man and woman must
accuse him, also.
Through the silence of that midnight hour they stood, speaking
nervously, oppressed by the torturing heaviness which accompanies such
partings. With an effort Marian turned to him suddenly:
"When will you be coming over, Jeb?"
He was expecting this question; before leaving the garden he knew to a
certainty that it would be asked, and now answered promptly:
"I wish I were going with you to-night! But you're lucky in having had
your training, while mine is still to come. You can look for me, though,
just as soon as we can get the company in shape!"
"By gad," the Colonel exclaimed.
"Oh, Jeb," Marian leaned impulsively toward him, "you can't possibly
know how happy that makes me!"
The rails were beginning to hum, and a glaring headlight shot into view.
It was but a matter of seconds then before the brake-shoes ground upon
the metal wheels--another few seconds for hasty adieux--and the train
was off again.
Jeb and the Colonel watched the two red signal lights growing smaller,
until shut out by a curve; but they continued to stand, listening to the
rumble as it faded into the distance--into the dawn of a new world,
where the souls of men were calling, and from which the souls of
slackers stood back in fear!
When the last faint sound had become lost, and the purity of the night
was undisturbed, the two saddened men turned by mutual consent and
walked slowly homeward.