The cry of rapt identification came from Iver Davenport’s seventeen-year-old sister, Sara.
“Yes, one can single out his shoulders at a glance--an inch higher than those of any other man in his company--Lieutenant2 O. Pips!”
It was Colonel Deering who amusedly spoke3, president of the Board of Directors of the Craig Steel Works, retired4 colonel of a national guard regiment5, and father of two very attractive daughters, Olive and Sybil, Camp Fire Girls, of whom only one was present here, on the sear skirts of Gas Valley, the outskirts6 of the great military training-camp, where the army chemists of the Gas Defense7 Division were again holding their so-called “classes” initiating8 soldiers into an experience with poison gas.
“Oh! I’m so glad that we’ll have a chance to see him again--Iver--before he goes over. I didn’t let him know that we were coming to-day; ’twill be quite a surprise when he stalks up out of the trenches9--and unmasks.” Again the eager exclamation10 burst from Sara, a kindling11 flame of excitement, as standing12 on the edge of the camp trenches, behind the skirting sand-bags, she craned her young neck over, to gaze along a narrow earth-cut, six feet deep, to a curving trench-bay in which her brother was stationed with a few other officers--all still without their masks--to undergo an initiation13 on his own account.
“He said, last week, that if we happened to be visiting camp to-day, we might see him getting his medicine at the hands of the young chemists of the Gas Defense Division, who have a witch’s imagination when it comes to horrors.” Olive smiled. “I don’t suppose that this is his first initiation, though, by any manner of means.”
“No, they keep ‘putting them through gas’--or some substitute for poison gas--right along here, so that they may be able to get their masks adjusted inside of six seconds,” remarked her father. “I believe it isn’t really going to be gas and sulphur smoke to-day--simply powder-puffs15.”
“Powder-puffs! Pelt--pelt them with powder-puffs!” Sesooā nipped off a comic little shriek16.
“Oh! not of the vanity-box order.” Colonel Deering’s smooth-shaven lip twitched17. “These puffs are just tiny brown-paper sacks, containing, each, a tablespoonful of black powder with three or four inches of red-capped fuse sticking up out of it. They explode when they strike in the trenches, near a man’s feet, throwing up, each, its own little spitting, venomous spurt18 of flame, so that if he should be slow about getting into his mask his eyesight might suffer.”
“O dear! To-day I hope it won’t be a case of:
“‘The gas came down and caught the blighter slow!’”
murmured Olive, shuddering19 with a recollection of last week’s smoky Inferno20, with its shaking roar of dynamite21, its bright flash of bursting “tear-shells,” its popping of monster fire-crackers in the yellow cloud--and of what that cloud gave forth22.
“Oh, no, it won’t! This seems quite tame compared with the real ‘Fritzie’s show’ last week!” Sara’s voice was an echo of her soldier-brother’s. “But who wants to see another smoky spectacle? Not me! To-day, by craning our necks over and looking along the traverse, we can see things--see the boys scrambling23 into their masks in a blessed hurry! Oh! here come the chemists now, with their bundles of powder-puffs. Funny-looking things those puffs are--like pert snails24 with their long red necks thrust up, peering around them.”
She laughed, that little Camp Fire Flame, of the shading hair and eyelashes, as the members of the Gas Defense Division, four young privates and a corporal, took up their stations at intervals25 along the edge of the trenches, near.
Suddenly a gong gave out its loud-tongued signal.
“There! that gives the warning this time,” proclaimed the colonel, almost as eager in his interest as the two girls. “Six seconds and over go the puffs! See the officers and men are all at Gas Alert! See their hands go diving into their breast-satchels, snatching out their masks--adjusting them!”
“Iver had his on the soonest of any,” gloated Iver’s sister. “He--he’s just as quick’s a flash about everything--from temper to task!” the last words half under her breath, in a low chuckle26 of intense excitement, as she leaned forth over the pale, lumpy sand-bags, on which soldiers rested their weapons in rifle-practice, gazing along the narrow brown traverse beneath.
Over floated breezily the red-necked puffs--a few into one rounded trench-bay, a few into another.
Pop, pop, pop! went their snappy explosions, within a foot or two of an officer’s feet--the men not being stationed very close together--throwing up the prettiest little spitting foam27 of rose-red flame, lively to look upon against the brown earth of the trench-bay.
But what! All in one petrified28 instant the pale sand-bag became an ice-bag under the girls’ feet--to which their trembling, curdling29 soles froze!
Two low, pinched cries of startled fright rang out over that brown trench traverse.
Even Colonel Deering gave way to a hectic30 exclamation and hung, horrified31, over the trench-brim! For--was it only a wild freak of the April gust32, intent on the sham-battle, too, or a young chemist’s blundering aim?--one of those pelting33 powder-puffs drifted astray.
Wildly--wildly astray!
It lit not on the ground at an officer’s feet, but close and warm against his khaki breast--as if it would fire his heart--between his braided blouse and the respirator-satchel upon that heaving breast.
With his bare left hand he grasped it--nestling like a red-necked snail--to toss it to earth. But in the very act it exploded and wrapped those bare wrists of his in golden bracelets34 of flame;--a fierce, fledgling flamelet, just hatched out, which, winging upward, pecked greedily at the mask over his face, trying to peck through to his eyes! A stinging, searing flame that twined itself brilliantly about his stretched neck, his ears, the sides of his face, the roots of his hair--wherever it could find a sentient35 inch that the mask did not cover--with the pitting, piercing burn that only black powder can inflict36.
“Oh-h--Iver!” Sara Davenport felt as if the earth were seamed with one great brown trench, all flame-lined, swallowing her.
But before her piteous exclamation died away, her brother--that young lieutenant--had plucked the fiery37 scorpion38 from his breast, shaken himself free of the hissing39, spitting powder, was stamping fiercely up the beaten sod-steps of the trench, removing his mask with fingers that shook--some of them--like charred40 twigs41, in a withering42 tempest of pain.
“Thank God! I was into my mask pretty quickly. Otherwise--otherwise I’d have been blinded for life!”
He shuddered43, that Boy-Officer, who had prematurely44 “bawled out” a sergeant45, as the words broke from him, seeming to make their way out through a great smoking hole upon his breast, where the tight khaki blouse was burned away.
“Iver! Oh--Iver!” From a distance his young sister started towards him.
Blistered46 within by pain and rising anger--as without by powder--he did not see her. Nor yet the other visitors back of her--one of them the girl with whom he had exchanged twilight47 confidences a week before!
His eye, a lurid48 lightning-flash above the bitten, twisted lips, had instantly singled out the face of a young chemist--a penitent49 private--nearer, as the latter, in an agony of apology, started towards him.
“I--I didn’t mean it, sir,” stammered50 the youth, feeble in his confusion. “It--’twas an accident----”
For just one-half minute Lieutenant Davenport’s tall figure loomed51, rigid52, in the sunlight, that powder-hole smoking upon his breast.
His breath smoked, too--the smoke of his agonizing53 burns.
The lightning of his eye withered54 the blunderer before him.
Then, suddenly, with masterful grip, the soldier seized the red-eyed powder-puff14 of temper exploding within him, tossed it deep into the trenches of his soul, and set his foot upon it.
“What! Are you the young rascal55 who potted me?”
Above his bitten, pain-wrung lips, above the storm of blue powder blisters56 puffing57 out around his wrists, his neck, the edges of his face, the explosive lightnings of the eye melted--wavered--towards the mellow58 sunlight of a smile--a humorous smile.
“Well! take a better aim next time. Pshaw! it might not have been your fault at all--boy.... A puff--a puff may have caught the puff--and landed it on me!”
Moved by a sudden impulse, the lieutenant held out the fingers of his less injured right hand to the blanching59 private--who touched but did not grasp them!
Silence almost confounded reigned60 among the three guests, now drawn61 near!
A voice--a voice broke it, that of Colonel Deering:
“Onward, Christian62 Soldiers!”
he chanted in a low, exultant63 sing-song. “That Boy--that officer--will go over the top smiling, master of himself, gassed by no blinding smoke-cloud of anger or hate! And his father was always telling me that he had a brute64 of a temper.”
“So he has! Had! Mine’s like it--somewhat! Oh-h, quite often my flame’s a powder-puff!” Sara Davenport was quivering from neck to heel now, with the purest, proudest flame that can crown a young heart, that of a seventeen-year-old girl’s pride in her hero-brother.
“But, oh! there’ll be no excuse for its--ever--being a spitfire in future; if Iver could--master.... Hif-f! He must be suffering--ter-ri-bly!”
The other, older, dark-eyed girl was silent. But perhaps, at that moment, as she drew her breath sharply through closed teeth, even the romance of looking through a periscope’s eye, with a Junior Aide, having a fascinating gold epaulet cord drooping65 from his left shoulder, paled beside the romance of that victor’s eye, humorously smiling, triumphant66 alike over pain and passion.
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1
trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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initiating
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| v.开始( initiate的现在分词 )；传授；发起；接纳新成员 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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initiation
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| n.开始 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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inferno
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| n.火海；地狱般的场所 | |
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dynamite
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| n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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24
snails
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| n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 ) | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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curdling
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| n.凝化v.（使）凝结( curdle的现在分词 ) | |
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hectic
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| adj.肺病的；消耗热的；发热的；闹哄哄的 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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sentient
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| adj.有知觉的，知悉的；adv.有感觉能力地 | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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scorpion
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| n.蝎子，心黑的人，蝎子鞭 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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40
charred
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| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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43
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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prematurely
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| adv.过早地，贸然地 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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47
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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49
penitent
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| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
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50
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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52
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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53
agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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54
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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blisters
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| n.水疱( blister的名词复数 )；水肿；气泡 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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blanching
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| adj.漂白的n.热烫v.使变白( blanch的现在分词 )；使（植物）不见阳光而变白；酸洗（金属）使有光泽；用沸水烫（杏仁等）以便去皮 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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