Rudyard Kipling : The Complete Novels and Stories. Редьярд Джозеф Киплинг

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СКАЧАТЬ cried, ‘What is it? What has happened?’

      No doors could keep out the shriek that rang through the echoing house a moment later, when her husband blurted out the news.

      ‘And that’s all right,’ said the doctor serenely to the typewriter. ‘About the only medical statement in novels with any truth to it is that joy don’t kill, Miss Kinzey.’

      ‘I know it; but we’ve a heap to do first.’ Miss Kinzey was from Milwaukee, somewhat direct of speech, and as her fancy leaned towards the secretary, she divined there was work in hand. He was looking earnestly at the vast roller-map of America on the wall.

      ‘Milsom, we’re going right across. Private car—straight through—Boston. Fix the connections,’ shouted Cheyne down the staircase.

      ‘I thought so.’

      The secretary turned to the typewriter, and their eyes met (out of that was born a story—nothing to do with this story). She looked inquiringly, doubtful of his resources. He signed to her to move to the Morse as a general brings brigades into action. Then he swept his hand musician-wise through his hair, regarded the ceiling, and set to work, while Miss Kinzey’s white fingers called up the Continent of America.

      ‘K. H. Wade, Los Angeles—The “Constance” is at Los Angeles, isn’t she, Miss Kinzey?’

      ‘Yep.’ Miss Kinzey nodded between clicks as the secretary looked at his watch.

      ‘Ready? Send “Constance” private car, here, and arrange for special to leave here Sunday in time to connect with New York Limited at Sixteenth Street, Chicago, Tuesday next.[’]

      Click—click—click! ‘Couldn’t you better that?’

      ‘Not on those grades. That gives ’em sixty hours from here to Chicago. They won’t gain anything by taking a special east of that. Ready? Also arrange with Lake Shore and Michigan Southern to take “Constance” on New York Central and Hudson River Buffalo to Albany, and B. and A. the same Albany to Boston. Indispensable I should reach Boston Wednesday evening. Be sure nothing prevents. Have also wired Canniff, Toucey, and Barnes.—Sign, Cheyne.’

      Miss Kinzey nodded, and the secretary went on.

      ‘Now then. Canniff, Toucey, and Barnes, of course. Ready? Canniff, Chicago. Please take my private car “Constance” from Santa Fé at Sixteenth Street next Tuesday p.m. on N. Y. Limited through to Buffalo and deliver N. Y. C. for Albany.—Ever bin to N’York, Miss Kinzey? We’ll go some day.—Ready? Take car Buffalo to Albany on Limited Tuesday p.m. That’s for Toucey.’

      ‘Haven’t bin to Noo York, but I know that!’ with a toss of the head.

      ‘Beg pardon. Now, Boston and Albany, Barnes, same instructions from Albany through to Boston. Leave three-five p.m. (you needn’t wire that); arrive nine-five p.m. Wednesday. That covers everything Wade will do, but it pays to shake up the managers.’

      ‘It’s great,’ said Miss Kinzey, with a look of admiration. This was the kind of man she understood and appreciated.

      ‘’Tisn’t bad,’ said Milsom modestly. ‘Now, any one but me would have lost thirty hours and spent a week working out the run, instead of handing him over to the Santa Fé straight through to Chicago.’

      ‘But see here, about that Noo York Limited. Chauncey Depew himself couldn’t hitch his car to her,’ Miss Kinzey suggested, recovering herself.

      ‘Yes, but this isn’t Chauncey. It’s Cheyne—lightning. It goes.’

      ‘Even so. Guess we’d better wire the boy. You’ve forgotten that, anyhow.’

      ‘I’ll ask.’

      When he returned with the father’s message bidding Harvey meet them in Boston at an appointed hour, he found Miss Kinzey laughing over the keys. Then Milsom laughed too, for the frantic clicks from Los Angeles ran: ‘We want to know why—why—why? General uneasiness developed and spreading.’

      Ten minutes later Chicago appealed to Miss Kinzey in these words: ‘If crime of century is maturing please warn friends in time. We are all getting to cover here.’

      This was capped by a message from Topeka (and wherein Topeka was concerned even Milsom could not guess): ‘Don’t shoot, Colonel. We’ll come down.’

      Cheyne smiled grimly at the consternation of his enemies when the telegrams were laid before him. ‘They think we’re on the war-path. Tell ’em we don’t feel like fighting just now, Milsom. Tell ’em what we’re going for. I guess you and Miss Kinzey had better come along, though it isn’t likely I shall do any business on the road. Tell ’em the truth—for once.’

      So the truth was told. Miss Kinzey clicked in the sentiment while the secretary added the memorable quotation, ‘Let us have peace,’ and in board-rooms two thousand miles away the representatives of sixty-three million dollars’ worth of variously manipulated railroad interests breathed more freely. Cheyne was flying to meet the only son, so miraculously restored to him. The bear was seeking his cub, not the bulls. Hard men who had their knives drawn to fight for their financial lives put away the weapons and wished him God-speed, while half a dozen panic-smitten tinpot roads perked up their heads and spoke of the wonderful things they would have done had not Cheyne buried the hatchet.

      It was a busy week-end among the wires; for, now that their anxiety was removed, men and cities hastened to accommodate. Los Angeles called to San Diego and Barstow that the Southern California engineers might know and be ready in their lonely round-houses; Barstow passed the word to the Atlantic and Pacific; and Albuquerque flung it the whole length of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fé management, even into Chicago. An engine, combination-car with crew, and the great and gilded ‘Constance’ private car were to be ‘expedited’ over those two thousand three hundred and fifty miles. The train would take precedence of one hundred and seventy-seven others meeting and passing; despatchers and crews of every one of those said trains must be notified. Sixteen locomotives, sixteen engineers, and sixteen firemen would be needed—each and every one the best available. Two and one-half minutes would be allowed for changing engines; three for watering and two for coaling. ‘Warn the men, and arrange tanks and chutes accordingly; for Harvey Cheyne is in a hurry, a hurry—a hurry,’ sang the wires. ‘Forty miles an hour will be expected, and division superintendents will accompany this special over their respective divisions. From San Diego to Sixteenth Street, Chicago, let the magic carpet be laid down. Hurry! oh, hurry!’

      ‘It will be hot,’ said Cheyne, as they rolled out of San Diego in the dawn of Sunday. ‘We’re going to hurry, mamma, just as fast as ever we can; but I really don’t think there’s any good of your putting on your bonnet and gloves yet. You’d much better lie down and take your medicine. I’d play you a game o’ dominoes, but it’s Sunday.’

      ‘I’ll be good. Oh, I will be good. Only—taking off my bonnet makes me feel as if we’d never get there.’

      ‘Try to sleep a little, mamma, and we’ll be in Chicago before you know.’

      ‘But it’s Boston, father. Tell them to hurry.’

      The six-foot drivers were hammering their way to San Bernardino and the Mohave wastes, but this was no grade for speed. СКАЧАТЬ