The White Shield Page 18

  The Knighthood of Tony

  It was such a pretty bicycle! Tony fondled the glittering spokes andexamined the pedals with the air of a connoisseur. He forgot the humpon his back, and his solitary little house on the outskirts of thevillage in the joy of his new possession.

  Only the night before Mrs. Carroll had sent for him and given it tohim. "Arthur wanted you to have it;" she said with a tremor in hervoice. Between Tony and the delicate child for whom the wheel wasbought, there had been a strong bond of sympathy. Tony was always readyto talk to him, or to take him to the woods, and Arthur was the onlyhuman being Tony knew, aside from Mrs. Carroll, who did not jeer at thehump on his back, or shrink from him as though he were an evil thing.

  When Arthur died, Tony felt a terrible sense of loss, although he was aman in years and his friend was but a child.

  On account of his deformity, the wheel was none too small. If he couldonly ride it! He shivered as he thought of the shout of derision whichwould inevitably be his share, should he venture to ride it through thevillage streets. But there was the long smooth stretch of road whichled to the next town, and there were innumerable paths through thewoods that he knew and loved. The people in the village need never knowthat he had it. He could ride out there and no one be the wiser.

  He pushed it into his bedroom and shut the door. He had one othertreasure--an old flute; and in spite of the cruel hump it was a veryhappy Tony who went to sleep that night, with one hand stretched outupon the saddle of the beautiful new wheel.

  His father had been a shoemaker and by lifelong toil had left a littlecompetence to his son. Tony knew the trade also and sometimes workedat it. All that he was thus enabled to make by his own efforts, heinvested in books at the store in the next town. He felt dimly that itwould not be right to use his father's money in this way, but his ownwas a different matter.

  There was a tiny paint-box too, with which he sometimes copied thepictures in the books. On the white wall of his bedroom was a poor copyof a Madonna, whose beauty he felt, but could not express. In some way,the Madonna took the place of the mother he had never known, and whosepicture, even, he had never seen.

  Man though he was in years, Tony had dreams of a soft hand brushingback his hair, and sweet cool lips pressed against his own. When hecame back from his weekly trips to the village store, stung to thequick by the taunts and derisions of his fellow-men, he had sobbedhimself to sleep many a time longing for that gracious hollow in awoman's shoulder, which seemed made for such as he.

  With the first streaks of dawn, Tony started for the woods with hisbicycle. There was a wide shady path, well hidden by trees, and here,he made his first attempts. It seemed a long, long time before hecould ride even a little way, and the hard falls bruised, but did notdiscourage him. Day after day, in the early light, he led his silentsteed to the secret place and returned after nightfall that none mightsee him.

  The trees at the side of the path were more of a help than a hindrance.Often he had restored his balance by reaching out to a friendly trunk.The feeling of confidence which every bicyclist remembers, came atlast, and he rode up and down the path, making the turns at the endwith perfect ease, until he dropped off from sheer weariness.

  The next day he took his flute and his wheel and a bit of lunch intothe woods. He rode on the path until he was a bit tired, and then satdown on the grass and began to play. He knew no music but what thebirds had taught him, and the simple little melodies he had heard hisfather hum.

  Call after call of the mocking-bird and robin he imitated on his flute,until the little creatures flocked around him as if he had been one ofthem.

  Tony found the purest pleasure in the society of his feathered friends.They never noticed his crooked body, but with that unfailing sightwhich seems to belong to birds and animals, recognised the soulwithin, and knew that they need have no fear of him.

  At that very minute, a robin was perched upon the handle-bar of hiswheel, his bright eyes fixed upon Tony, who was calling to him with hisown voice in such a wonderful way that the red-breasted visitor waswell-nigh dumb with astonishment.

  With a sudden cry of alarm, Sir Robin fluttered into a tree above andTony looked up to behold a strange and altogether lovely thing.

  It was only a pretty girl in a well-made bicycle suit of blue corduroy,with her wheel beside her, but to Tony she was even more beautiful thanthe Madonna.

  "Excuse me," she said; "but I simply couldn't help stopping to listen."

  Tony blushed uncomfortably but he made no reply.

  "It must be a great pleasure to be able to call the birds to you likethat," she went on; "I really envy you the gift."

  He was transfixed with delight. This beautiful straight human beingactually envied him the tiny bit of music he could make with his flute!His primitive hospitality came to the rescue.

  "Won't you sit down?" he said timidly.

  She was very willing to sit down, and almost before he knew it, hefound himself telling her about his little cabin, the father whobrought him up, and how Mrs. Carroll had given him the bicycle becausehe had been good to her little boy before he died.

  She admired the wheel very much and talked over its good points withTony until he felt perfectly at ease. She asked him his name and gavehim her own. She was Miss Atherton, staying in a house just outside thevillage with her invalid brother.

  The doctor thought the air of the woods would be good for him, so shehad "packed up, bag and baggage," as she expressed it, and brought herhorse, bicycle, piano and a trained nurse to the village for the summer.

  She wanted Tony to come and see them the very next morning and bringhis flute. Her brother would enjoy the music and he could come up onhis wheel and stay all day.

  She waved her hand to him as she rode away through the woods towardsher home.

  It was the first time Tony had ever been asked to visit any one exceptthe little boy who had died. He remembered every detail of her faceand dress, the velvety softness of the corduroy, the tiny watch at herbelt, and the brown eyes, so much like those of the Madonna, that hefelt as if he had known her always. But one thing troubled him. She didnot seem to see the curve between his shoulders. Perhaps it was becausehe was leaning against a tree all the time she was there. If she hadseen it, she would certainly have spoken of it. She might not make funof him, but she would surely have pitied him, which was almost as bad.Even Mrs. Carroll who was always kind, did that. No, Miss Atherton hadnot seen it, and his dread of her discovering it was the one flaw inhis present anticipations.

  She, herself, in a pretty white gown, welcomed him at the door. Mr.Atherton lay in an invalid chair with a table at his side, and shookhands graciously with Tony.

  It was such a happy day! He learned the first moves in chess and MissAtherton played a tender, running accompaniment on the piano to thebird music he made with his flute.

  They all had luncheon on the wide veranda and Tony had not dreamed suchdainty things were possible.

  They talked of their travels in Europe and Egypt, before Mr. Athertonwas taken ill, and showed him pictures of wonderful things in the landsacross the sea. She read aloud and sang softly to the half-hushedchords her brother picked out on the guitar, and Tony in a perfectwilderness of enjoyment, forgot all about his crooked shoulders.

  That day was the first in a long series of happy ones. He learned toplay chess well enough to make himself a formidable antagonist, andafter Miss Atherton taught him the notes on the piano he found them onthe flute, and began to play simple melodies from the music. Sometimesthey all played together, very softly in the twilight--piano, flute andguitar; until it became time for the invalid to be wheeled into hisroom. Sometimes even after that, Tony would sit on the veranda whileshe sang or talked to him. Through the long night he dreamed of her,as many a lover dreams of his sweetheart. Beautiful Miss Atherton! Heworshipped her from afar off, as a child looks at a star.

  It was Tony who knew where the violets grew, and who in the dim silenceof dawn laid handfuls
of them at her door. And it was he who broughther a great sheaf of pond-lilies, dripping and sweet.

  "Oh, Tony!" she cried, "where do they grow?"

  His face flushed with pleasure. "I'll take you there if you want to go."

  "Indeed I do," she exclaimed, "can we go on our wheels?"

  "Yes, that's the best way, though it's rough in some places."

  "I don't mind that," she answered, "come early in the morning and we'llstay all day."

  That afternoon he went to the village store to buy his week'sprovisions. Half-a-dozen men who were loafing in front of it askedno better sport than to get him into a corner, so that he could notescape, and fling at him taunts and jeers about his crooked body. Itwas fun to see the sensitive face flush with anger, or quiver withpain, and it was not until his self-control was entirely gone and hesank in a sobbing heap on the floor, that they let him go.

  The night was one of torture to him. It was not the mother he hadnever seen who could comfort him now, but Miss Atherton. His idea ofheaven was a place where he might always be within the sound of hervoice, within reach of her hand, and where she would look kindly uponhim.

  He was thankful that the way to her house lay beyond the village andnot through it. He would never dare to show himself there on his wheel.And the road to the lilies ran through the woods; none would seeto-morrow when he went there with her.

  She was already on the veranda in her bicycle suit when he rode up thenext morning. She tied a basket of lunch to his wheel and a book to herown.

  "You see we are going to stay all day," she said, "and I couldn't thinkof starting without refreshment for body and mind. My brother has anarmful of new books which came from the city yesterday, and he didn'teven hear me when I said good-bye."

  They started, Miss Atherton chatting busily and Tony too happy to speakexcept in monosyllables. A turn in the road brought them to a branchof the river, white with lilies in full bloom. She dismounted with alittle cry of delight. "Oh, how white and sweet they are!"

  Tony found a boat moored by the side of the stream and they soonhad gathered a great sheaf of the golden-hearted censers, rich withfragrance, which they covered with cool ferns in the shade of the treesuntil they should be ready to take them home. Being collected early inthe day they were fresher and sweeter than if they had been allowed tofeel the heat of the later morning sun.

  The lilies well cared for, they sat down under a tree and she read tohim the story of Launcelot. His brave deeds and manly service, his lovefor Guenevere, and the spirit of romance and knightly courage whichseemed to fairly breathe from the pages, held Tony spellbound.

  "Miss Atherton," he said wistfully, as she finished, "I'd like to beone of those fellows."

  "You can be," she answered.

  "How?" he asked, his eyes wide open in astonishment.

  "Any man is a knight," she said, "who does what is given him to do,wisely and well. It's not the horses and the armour, Tony, it's theman, and you can be as brave and true as Launcelot, if you only will.Never permit yourself to speak, or even think slightingly of a woman,and if you have the opportunity to help one, do it at any cost. That'sthe foundation of true knighthood and true manhood, too. See, I giveyou my colours; be my knight if you will," and she leaned forwardsmilingly to tie a white fragrant scarf around his arm.

  But to her surprise, Tony burst into tears. And then a part of hisdream came true, for Miss Atherton put her arm around him and drew himclose to her. "Tony, dear, what is it? Tell me!" With his face halfburied in the sweet comforting place he had longed for, but had neverknown, he sobbed out all the bitterness of his heart. He told her ofthe taunts and jeers which made his crooked life a burden--of all theloneliness before he knew her, and someway too, he told her of hislonging for his mother whom he had never seen, and whose place he hadtried to fill with the picture of the Madonna.

  That day in the woods gave Tony undreamed-of strength. He even offeredto do Miss Atherton's errands at the store.

  They did not know that he was a knight bearing his lady's colours--thathe was in her service and would be to the very end of the world, foreven death, he thought, could never make any difference in his loyaltyto her. He was Launcelot and she was Guenevere--it was his secret, andeven she must never know.

  Toward the end of the summer he rode up to Miss Atherton's with a greatbunch of goldenrod, which only he knew where to find. She came to thedoor white and worried. "My brother is very ill, Tony," she said, "andI have sent my groom for the doctor, but he has been gone so long thatI fear something may have happened to him. Would you go--on your wheel?"

  For a moment, as the vision of the village store, on the only streetthat led to the doctor's house, with its crowd of loafers came beforehim, Tony hesitated. Would Launcelot hesitate with Guenevere in need?"I'll go, Miss Atherton," he said quietly.

  Terror struck him as he came in sight of the store and saw the men hemost feared, sitting in front of it. Mutely praying for help, he bentto his pedals. But they had seen him, and rushed out into the streetwith a shout. It was an easy matter for them to stop his wheel.

  "Let me go! Let me go!" he cried, "Miss Atherton's brother is sick, andI'm going for the doctor!"

  "That's a likely story," said one of them. "Bet a hat you stole thisvelocipede. She wouldn't send a hunchy like you anywheres."

  "Mebby she might," said the keeper of the store. "That's the city galhe's goin' to marry. I seen her in the woods kissin' him!"

  White with rage, not for himself, but that the dear name of his Ladyshould be soiled by their lips, Tony raised his slender arm to strike."Say what you please to me," he muttered between his clenched teeth,"but if you dare to even _speak_ of her, I'll----"

  Tony said no more, for one of the men half crazed with liquor, liftedthe bicycle suddenly, and with a single blow across the curve betweenhis shoulders, dashed him heavily to the ground. Thoroughly frightened,the crowd dispersed leaving Tony in the dusty road, amid the wreck ofhis wheel.

  Meanwhile the doctor had arrived with Miss Atherton's servant. In halfan hour the invalid was resting quietly, and as the doctor took hisleave, Miss Atherton told him how she had sent Tony after him on hisbicycle only a few minutes before he arrived.

  "You shouldn't have done that," he said. "There's a rough crowd of menin the town, and they are very likely to harm the little chap if theyhave half a chance. I'll look for him as I go home and have him comeand tell you that he is safe."

  Not a man was in sight when the doctor found Tony, and even the shadesof the store windows were closely drawn.

  After vainly knocking at the door, he smashed in the window with astrong stick, and entering, found the men who were wont to loaf infront of the store, huddled in a corner of it. With the voice of oneaccustomed to command, he made them improvise a stretcher under hisdirections, and three of them helped him carry Tony home.

  The doctor shook his head gravely when questioned as to the extent ofthe injury. "Some one must stay with him to-night," he said.

  One of the men volunteered, but a look of such helpless terror cameinto Tony's eyes, that he sent them all away, telling the last one togo for Miss Atherton.

  It was from him that she learned the whole story and fairly tremblingwith indignation, turned upon him.

  "There isn't one of you in this whole village worthy to touch even thehand of the boy you have killed to-day. He was a man--you are nothingbut brutes. Now go, and never let me see your face again."

  The doctor met her at the door of Tony's little house. "You'd betterstay with him," he said in a low tone. "He can't last until morning,and your brother will be perfectly safe with the nurse. I'll go up toyour house and send down anything you may need. My man will come andstay within call."

  Miss Atherton gave him a note to the nurse, and then went in to Tony.His eyes brightened at the sight of her, and he tried to speak.

  "Hush, dear," she said, "it's all right. The doctor came just after youleft, and my brother is in no danger now. I've come to stay
with you."

  Her cool hand brushed back the hair from his forehead, and moved byan impulse of womanly pity, she knelt beside him and laid her cheekagainst his own. He closed his eyes and seemed to sleep.

  Her eyes wandered around the little room. A table stood in the cornerof it. A cabinet photograph of herself in a pasteboard frame, aroundwhich Tony had painted a wreath of pond-lilies, stood in the centre ofit beside a cracked cup filled with early autumn flowers. The flute laystraight across the front, like a votive offering, and underneath thephotograph was written in his large, unformed hand: "My Guenevere."

  At last she understood, and feeling that his little shrine was too holyfor even her eyes to see, she turned them away.

  Tony stirred, and she slipped her arm under his shoulders.

  "Miss Atherton?"

  "Yes, dear."

  "Did--did--they--tell you--what they said?"

  "Yes, dear." Her eyes filled.

  "I didn't mind--for myself--but----"

  "Hush, dear; I know."

  Feeling herself unworthy in the presence of a true knightly soul, MissAtherton held him untiringly in her arms. When he cried out with pain,she drew him close to her, and pillowed his head upon her breast."Am--I--going to--die--Miss Atherton?"

  She could hardly whisper the words: "I am afraid so, Tony."

  "Will you--stay--until----"

  "Yes, dear."

  "And--afterward--you won't let--them--touch me?"

  "No, Tony, no."

  His eyes followed hers as she looked at the little shrine again.

  "Do you mind?" he whispered anxiously. "I thought--you wouldn'tknow--if I called--you--Guenevere--at home."

  "Tony, dear, no queen ever had a braver, truer knight than you havebeen to me. Even Launcelot was not half so noble in the service ofGuenevere, as you have been in mine."

  He smiled happily and seemed to sleep again.

  Just at dawn, he said weakly: "Miss Atherton?"

  "What is it, Tony?"

  "The lilies--are opening--about now,--ar'n't they?"

  "I shouldn't wonder. Is there anything you want?"

  "Would--you--you--kiss me--just--once? I used--to dream--youdid--and--and----"

  With a sob she could not hide, she drew him close. He sighedcontentedly as he put his frail arms around her, like a weary child,and with his Guenevere's kisses on his lips and brow, her littleLauncelot blossomed into the light of which she had told him.

  Her Volunteer