THE PRISONER’S SISTER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 41, 27 November 1942, Page 6

THE PRISONER’S SISTER

SERIAL STORY.

* (Copyright).

By PEARL BELLAIRS.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

OPERATION A SUCCESS.

So Rand was no longer engaged! That left him free to follow any inclination he wished. Julie hardly heard what Stuart was saying as she accustomed herself to this new idea. “When I've got through my exams, I’m going to Cambridge to do physiological research. I’ve got about fifteen hundred a year of my own. What do you think about fifteen hundred a year as an income?”

“Oh, excellent!” said Julie airily, “You think it’s all right?”

“Quite good enough,” said Julie absently, while she watched for the little patches of purple violets among the leaves and grass, and thought about other things. “How would you like to live in Cambridge?” said Stuart. “How would I like what?” “How would you like to live in Cambridge—you yourself, I mean?” “I think it would be quite nice,” said Julie, and suddenly realised where they had got to in the conversation. What did he mean by what he had been saying? And what sort of interpretation had he been putting on her answers?

“I think we ought to get back to the hotel,” she said hurriedly, changing her tone. “It’s nearly half-past four!” Julie was disconcerted and wondered about Stu'art for a moment. But it was no more than a moment. By the time they had turned round to walk back she was thinking of Rand again. From doubting him, she turned to doubting herself. Her bitterness aobut Tom was no longer a bitterness certainly. ... Stuart went on talking in a perfectly normal matter-of-fact manner, and when they got back to ,the hotel Julie took up her duties agajn, which kept her busy for most of the evening. She saw Stuart for a while before she went over to her rooms.

He was going back to town in a week’s time to take a final exam.

“Wish me luck, Julie!” he said,, as he sat on her desk in the office, smoking a cigarette. “It’s going to be awful if I don’t get through. Waiting about —for so many things!” He smiled appealingly—meaningly; but Julie didn’t meet his eye, and wasn’t willing to face the implication behind his remark. She had a vague idea that he was misunderstanding her attitude; she meant to correct the, impression, but couldn’t think of the nicest way of doing it just then, and so she let it pass for the moment.There were more important things to think of. In spite of her feeling that’she must! struggle against Rand, since the afternoon she had grown more and more tense. Every time the telephone rang she thought it might be a call from. his London office to say he was coming down; evei’y time a car drove up to the door she thought that he might have come.

Try as she might, she couldn’t get the better of this feeling of suspense, and all. the time she felt a growing wrath that he could have so much hold over her.

Stuart strolled out with’ her when she went over to her rooms to go to bed.-" She rather wished that he wasn't with her, because if she had been alone she might perhaps have stopped for a minute to stand in the shadow of a certain garage doorway —to remember and ponder. There was a brilliant moon. “Oh, Stuart, isn’t it a. gorgeous night!” , , ■/ Julie raised her arms towards the light-filled night sky in a sudden ecstasy. It wasn’t, perhaps, the tone to use when she was with Stuart, who naturally adopted these moods as meant for himself; nor to have pressed hi 3 hand so 1 warmly when he took hers to say good night. But it was only that she felt a great friendliness towards the world because she was suddenly so full of unreasonable, overflowing happiness. She ran upstairs to her room, called “Goodnight” to him, and while Stuart stood below waiting to see her light go on, Julie had forgotten his existence as soon as the door closed.

Next morning, as Stuart had said, the paper contained an announcement: . “The marriage arranged between Lorna Evelyn, daughter of Sir Hurst and Lady of Treeves Towers, Gloucestershire, and Mr Perris Rand, will not take place.” There was one way of getting rid Of restlessness and suspense, Julie had found, and that was to work frantically hard. She- rushed at her duties that morning, did everything at high speed and with minute thoroughness. No call came from London. Stuart had to amuse himself by himself. ,

In the early afternoon Julie decided to check the stock of linen in the hotel. The consequence was that when she had shut her ears to the sound of all cars arriving, and all telephones ringing, and she was muffled in the recesses of the linen room on the top floor, Rand arrived. He came alone in his sports car, not intending to stay the night. His arrival therefore was attended by Connor only. He went into the smoking room, where he found Stuart, and they sat down. “Where’s Miss Moffat?” said Rand to Connor.

“Miss Moffat is engaged upstairs— I’ll inform her that you’re here, sir.” “No, no! Don’t bother her! I'll see her when she comes down!” said Rand, and ordered a gin squash. The last thing lie wanted to do was

to appear to send for Julie, though he immediately hoped that Connor would tell her that he'was there.

“Well,” he said to Stuart, “you’re looking fit!” . “I’m feeling fit,” said Stuart. “I see you've had your name in the papers again.” “Yes. Lorna and I decided it was rather a farce to go on with things.” “You know, I never quite understood why you wanted to marry her. I don’t think you’re the marrying port.” i Rand cocked an enquiring eyebrow at him, and then replied dryly: “Possibly not!” After a minute he asked, “How’s the work' going?”

“Not badly—but I’m afraid I’ve not had my mind on it,” said Stuart, with a smile.

“How are you in these days? How’s the leg?” “Better.” Ferris was the only person toi whom Stuart could talk about his- crippled foot. “In fact, I’ve had no’ trouble with it. And I’ve been using it a good deal.” “So on the whole the operation was a success?” \

“Yes; I’m jolly glad you made me have it .done! You know, Ferris, though you’re a mug when it comes to dealing with your own personal affairs —” “Thanks!”

“Not at all —I don’t know where I’d be .if I hadn’t had you to deal with mine!”

“I’ve done nothing for you!” said Rand.

“Oh, haven’t you?” “Don’t be a fool. Anyhow, even though you are an obstinate young half-wit. I’m pleased to see you looking better.” “Yes. I’ve been having a healthy time down here. Julie and I have been walking all over the countryside.” “Oh?” Rand looked up. “You and Julie?” he repeated. (To be Continued.)