第2章

"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。