JUST OUTSIDE EUSTON

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 122, 25 May 1935, Page 10 (Supplement)

JUST OUTSIDE EUSTON

By JOHN ANTHONY Author, of "THE ELUSIVE LADY," etc.

A Fine, Human Story of Metropolitan Life.

CHAPTER Xl.—(Concluded.) A Heart Attack. Sibloy turned to him: "It's all right," he said. "Tliis gentleman was taken ill — a mild heart attack. But he's better now." "Sounded more like a fight to mo," said the commercial. "Nice goings on in a respectable hotel, I must say!" Win tour seized the opportunity and slipped away. Anna closed the bedroom door, leaving Sibley explaining to the commercial gentleman that nothing luul happened out of the ordinary. "What on earth will Ronald think about it?" Mary demanded. "I shouldn't worry." "But Phil said something about summoning him." "Not on your life!" Anna laughed. "All Master Phil wants trt do is to forget it and get away. You didn't notice the look he gave mo when he went out first?" "No." "Snako poison was sweet compared with it. I've wa'nted to make him hate mo as much as I hated him, and I've succeeded." "I hopo Ronald won't misunderstand," Mary said anxiously. "Of course, lie won't. Wo can tell him tho truth. Good Lord, look at the time! Good-night." "I do hope it's all right," said Mary, doubtfully. "You go to sleep and don't worry," said Anna from the doorway. "See you later." There was no sign of Wintour at breakfast, but when Anna returned in the evening sho found Mrs. Sebright talking to Mary in the lounge. "Do you hear this, Anna," Mary said. "Wo'vo lost Mr. Wintour. He went oil' this morning, left his luggage to be sent for, and isn't coining back." "Why?" "Ho 'didn't say," Mrs. Sebright said. "Saul was in the office and didn't even ask him. Saul wouldn't! He paid his bill and just went. It's all so sudden. It's a pity," she went on. ''You all seemed so happy together. Things are much easier if the regulars get on well. You were almost like one family." "I'm glad lie's gone," said Mary. "But I really thought ..." Mrs. Sebright began. "Yes, I know you did," Mary smiled. "But it wasnt' so." "And I'm glad, too," Anna said. "So is Mr. Sibley, I'm certain. And I know Bruce Wayne will be. But he'll be surprised." "I'm Getting Married." Bruce Wayne heard about Wintour'a departure almost ns soon as he reached the hotel on his return from the farm. "Splendid!" he said. "Everybody all right ?" "Yes, I think so," said Mrs. Sebright. "Miss Letherby is well? She won't be back for another three weeks, of course." "She's line. She's a different girl in the country. It's a sin for her to be teaching in London." "She has wonderful holidays, of course." "Yes. But you don't ask how I am." "I can sec," Mrs. Sebright smiled. "I've got a surprise for you. A shock! Arc you ready?" "Yes." "I'm going to be married," he announced in solemn tones. "To Grace, of course?" Mrs. Sebright asked calmly. "My goodness, woman, how did you know? I expected you almost to collapse with surprise." "I'm very pleased, my dear," she said, without hesitation. "She is a sensible girl and suitable in every way. I'm very pleased, for both your sakes I'm not really surprised in the least." "She won't be coming back here at all. We're going to live in the country. As a matter of fact, we fixed : f all up quite a time ago, but there didn't seem any point in making a> song and dance about it." "I always said that office of yours was a waste!" Mrs. Sebright said with apparent irrelevance. "But I'm keeping it on," he smiled. "Don't mention it to Mary or Anna. I'll break it to them at dinner in my own way." He found Anna in the lounge before the meal. "Hallo, my dear!" he grooted her. "I hear you've got rid of the eminent actor?" "I got rid of him?" "Yes .. . you. At least I assumed it was you. Good business! How's things ?"* "Better than I hoped. But I've good news for you." "Oh?" "Do you remember a book you wrote years ago called 'Climax'?" "Dimly. It's a long time ago." "I picked up a copy on a stall nnri read it. I thought there was fine film material in it. so I gave it to Mr. Ropley to read." " 'Pon my soul, I've almost forgotten the story. " It's ten years since I looked at it." "Ropley liked it. He's sent it over to tho scenario department and they've simply fallen for the yarn." "That's fine of you, Anna," he said warmly. She smiled and for a moment her hand rested on his: "If you knew how pleased I was to be able to do something for you." "That makes us quits and more than quits. Ah, hero his Highness, Gum Arabic." Sibley came in. "Welcome home!" he said. "The place really does seem like home now that swine Wintour's gone." "Why didn't you like him?" Wayne asked, innocently. "I haven't gone into a decline because he left ns. I don't know now what happened. Not altogether." "The main thing is that he's gone," said Anna. "What are we doing to-night?" asked Bruce Wayne. "There (fre four of us." "I'm afraid Mary and I are going into the country," said Sibley. "Then we must think of something to do. Anna," Bruce said. "Dinner's ready," said Mary from the doorway. "Hallo. Bruce!" "Hallo, my dear. Come in for a minute. I've something to tell all of you." "You seem very mysterious." she said as she came in. "I am. And it's enough to make anyone mysterious. I'm getting married." "Bruce!" "Early in September. Grace and 1 have just fixed it up."

"She's a dear!" said Mary. "And you're very, very wise, and you'll both be happy." "She's a lucky girl," said Anna. "And if she were here I'd tell her so. I'm . . . delighted!" She held out both hands to Bruce Wayne and impulsively kissed him. "That's the lirst time I've ever kissed yon. and I should have done it just the same if she'd been here. And now we've got to write out a long, expensive telegram to Grace. We must all sign it." "Put it there, Wayne," said Sibley. "We must have some champagne tonight." "1 never drink the stuff," said Wayne. "I'm beer all the time." "It's a pity she's not her with us,' said Anna. Anna Sees It Through. "Now, young woman, you'd better tell me what's been happening," Wayne said, when Sibley and Mary left them at the table in the window and went oil to their beech woods. "I'm dying to," said Anna. "But I'm terrified that you'll say 1 played a low-down trick on him." "I don't think for a moment I shall —whatever you did." '■You knew, of course, that he was married?" "I understood so." "A day or so ago I met a man who knew him intimately, and 1 found that he was not married, had never been married." "Then he's not such a blackguard as I thought lie was." "That's the whole point, Bruce. He'd used this non-existent wife as a reason , for making love without any idea of marrying the girl he was making love to. A girl like Mary, for example." "I see," he said, as the reason dawned on him. "The cunning devil!" " "If only we had met before.' You see the appeal it would make to a girl like Mary, backed up with his good looks and his cleverness. If things went wrong all ho had to say was: 'You knew I was a married man,' to put the poor wretched girl in the wrong. He did it with me. When I found it out, of course, I saw red for a bit, but then I settled down to think things out. And I fancy I got my own back." "Go on, tell me what happened." Anna did so. She explained how she had told Mary and described the scene in Mary's room witli an impish vividness of detail that made him laugh aloud. "Lovely!" he said when she had finished. "And Sibley dotted, him one?" "Good and proper. And that wretched little commercial traveller standing there, peeping into the room and complaining about the lioisc just gave it the finishing touch. In the morning, Master Wintour had simply gone." "You know," Bruce Wayne said gravely. "There's a story in this. A damn good story. Wants a bit of touching up. but that commercial traveller can be made really funny. Peeping into the room and protesting all the time!" '•And you don't, think it was a low trick?" she asked. "Of course it was! The lowest trick I've ever heard of! I only wish I'd been hern In have taken part in it. I've known Mary since she was so high. To think that that nasty swine thought ho could . . . I'm glad" Sibley dotted him one lie didn't make any mistake about it, did he?" he demanded. '"in the dotting? I don't think so. He nearly knocks 1 him back through Mary's door. I didn't sec him in the morning, but I fancy he'll want rather more make-up than usual. What about a stroll?" "I'd like one." They reached the hotel again at halfpast ten, whereupon Anna went up to her room, leaving Bruce Wayne in the lounge, where presently Saul would bring to him the inevitable "bol of beer." From her window the last faint light, of the eunset lingered and she stood quite still looking out as the minutes passed. Somewhere —on the top of a hill or beneath those beech woods they had talked about —Mary and Sibley were smoothing out misunderstandings, planning, talking of the future—their future. If not to-night, then to-morrow, or the day after. It was only a matter of time before 1 hey found each other. And down on that lonely farm, Grace Letlierby would probably be lying awake, watching the old moon, thinking of Bruce Wayne, just as Anna was doing. Dear old blustering Bruce! A smile touched Anna's lips, hovered round them. lie was the first man she had kissed since that night, ages and ages ago, when she had kissed Phil Wintour. And now he would never know how much she had wanted to pay her debt. In spite of everything, she had always known, deep down, that she had never loved that, other man. In rspitc of everything! Thoughts were flitting in and out of her lira in like moths in a still wood. She flung herself on her bed and lay there, very still, in the soft moonlight from the open window. Outside the night was filled with the rhufHed monotone of a great city, that soothing imitation of silence. It was broken by the sound of a car pulling up outside the hotel. Anna, realised, with a sleepy smile, that Mary and Ronald were back from the beech woode. THE END.