OUR CLIENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20536, 10 April 1930, Page 5

OUR CLIENT.

BY MARIE MAYIIEW.

" Como along if you're coining John .William, don't stay fooling about there. Isabel's getting cross." John William rolled one of Isabel's fat puppies over with a condescending paw, and strolled out of tho stable. As his mistress swung easily into the saddle, he sniffed his annoyanco.

" Going to ride are you ? What a bore. I'd hoped you'd be a sport and walk. A fellow gets tired chasing after .a horse. You might walk and chuck a few sticks—good exercise for us both." Monica turned and looked back. " Come along if you're corning," she said for tlio second time. "Good dog! Como on!"

" Oh, all right, all right." lie trotted behind the walking horseall the way up the hillside. Monica had let tho reins drop on Fireaway's neck, and her lithe body swayed gently with the movement of her horse. John William's tonguo was hanging out when they reached the summit, and Monica dismounted. " I'm going to leave you here, darling," sho said, and Fireaway nuzzled her shoulder affectionately. "Be good till 1 come back, I'm going for a ramble. John William, you come with me. Don't sit there with your tongue out as if you were tired." She took the steep path that led to tho top of the cliff, where there was a patch of bush. Soon she came to her special "thinking seat," a huge bounlder, shaped like a seat, and worn smooth and shiny. John William sat down facing her, and mechanically her hand went out to stroke his head. He wriggled appreciatively and came closer. " You're a dear soul, John," the girl said, " what shall I ever do without you? I wonder if they'd give you to mo ?" " Don't worry, I'll come. His tail thumped the ground. " It's going to be rotten, you know. Of course, I ought riot to grumble, because I'm young and strong, and I .can soon get another job. But this well, it hasn't been a job at all, it's been just heavenly. I'm mean though, to bo so miserable, when those two dear souls are giving up everything. Oh, if only I could speak my mind to that wretched Morris!" she concluded fiercely. . "Talking to yourself is usually considered to bo tlio first sign of lunacy—oh, I'm sorry, I suppose you were talking to the dog?" The voice, apparently coming from the ground at her feet, made Monica cry out. A tall form straightened itself, and came round from behind tho boulder.

" Thrusting yourself on strangers, is usually considered to be a sign of bad manners," she countered swiftly. He ran brown fingers through the thick mane of black hair, making it stand up untidilv. He had good eyes, she noticed, blue and deep set. His laugh was refreshing. " I'm sorry," lie said. " I must have gone to sleep you know. The first thing 1 knew was a voice, apparently talking to itself." "How did you know? You must have listened." " Not intentionally. But tell me, what were you so fierce about?" "How did you come here?" He waved a comprehensive arm toward the distant town, sweeping it to embrace the road that wound like a gipsy ribbon threading in and out the hills across the valley. 1 was in town. I came out here—on a motor-bike. I left the thing down there in somo bushes, and climbed up here to look around and think." " I came up here to think too," Monica

said.- " Let's think, then. What shall we think about?", ■ She laughed shortly. " I'm afraid I can't think about anything except what a nuisance it is having to go away," she said. Ho* hunched up his long limbs and sat at her feet, staring across the valley. " You live down there ?" lie asked at last, pointing to where a pale spiral of smoke curled up above the tree-tops. Little patches of brilliant colour spoke of a garden; scarlet of rata, gold of kowhai, and starry clematis, in a lovely confusion formed the boundary. And nearer tho house, orderly little patches that meant hours spent with gardening gloves and an old sun hat. All those flowers tended for nothing. Monica sighed. "At present I do. I've got to go away. That's why I'm in a bad temper." " I'm sorry. "He hesitated, then, "Arc—do your parents live there?" " Oh, 110. Though really you know, they are more like parents to me than employers. - Such dears they are. They are getting old now, and I came here two years ago, really as a companion to Mrs. Shaw, because she had no one for company. They've made a daughter of me. I shall hato going." 44 May ono ask why you are going ?

" You se<j poor Mr. Shaw has been very ill, and hasn't been able to look after tho place for years, and the man lie had —an awfully pood man—was accidentally killed a month ago. Then poor Mr. Shaw was worse, and the doctor said lie ought, to have some expensive treatment, which would jnean he'd have to live in town. Oh, it S a shame! They neither of them want to go. but they can't manage any other way. Lovely as this all is, it hasn't been paying for the last two seasons. It needs young blood, Mr. Shaw says." "And they have no family?" Monica spoke hotly, "They have! They have a wretched son who came back from the war and turned up his nose at tho old place, and talked a lot of rot about 'life.' and went away—at least," she added truthfully, " Mr. Shaw turned him out and I old him never to show his face hero again. " So the son sneered at the old place did he? Did his mother tell you so?" " Well, no," Monica hesitated. " I oughtn't to have said that. As a matter of fact-, his mother stood up for him—does still. You know what mothers are. And just quietly, I think his father is pining for him, but lie's awfully obstinate, and won't.say so. ]f flic son turned up, I think it'd be all right, Hut, of course, ho won't—lie's as pig-headed as—as—"

" As his fat her ?" She laughed. " Well, yes'. It's I who say lie sneered at tho old honm. They say'tho war liad unsettled him." " In that, case oughtn't they to have made allowances ?"

" I suppose so. I daresay the war was unsettling." Ho laughed grimly. " You're right. 1 ousjlit to know. It unsettled me." Monica looked at. him closely. " Did you go'! You look too young. ,110—110, you don't—l think you look older than I thought at first, ph. I'm sorry!" " It's all right. Yes, 1 wont. I think I can understand this young—Shaw, did you say ? Yes. I'll tell you how it affected mo, if I may. It. may help you to understand him—when ho comes home. I lived in tho country once—knew every inch of tho bush, arid never wanted to go a milo away from it. Then —the war. It was a horriblo thing, the war. Used to affect, men nil ways. With mo it was a ghastly interlude. I just thought of home all tho time—when I had time to think. Perhaps I'd he standing in the trench with my eyes on my watch ready to say, 1 0110 minuto to- go, boys.' and in a flash—oh, quicker than it takes to say one word—T'd see a scrap of the home scenery. Maybe a bit of the house—the faco of 0110 of my horses, tho creek where 1 used to fish., or oven only a tangle of undergrowth, clematis and supplejack — anything. Then it was gone and I was looking at tho watch again, and tho hand didnit seem to have moved a bit. That's how it was all tho time. I. never sat and pictured any definite scene, the flashes used to como at tlic weirdest moments, and were just there and gone. I told mvself that once I got back—well, nothing would move me. Then 1 came back. Camo back to peace, and the creek, and the bush, and tho dear old faces, Jittlo changed. I wens out the first day into the bush and tried to recapture the old

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spirit. The tui's call hadn't (hanged, and the bell-bird was just as I had heard it in my dreams, but I had changed, Fof weeks 1 nearly went mad. [ had to go and seek noise. Oh!—" ho flung oufi his hands, " how can you, or anyone, understand? But you ought not to blame this young Shaw. .All the chaps felt something of it " Monica nodded gently: " Y»s—l see." " So the place is to bo sold 1" lie asked,' coming out of the deep reverio into which, his words had thrown liirrrT " I might bo able to help. I think I know a man who might buy it." Monica stood up and shook her skirt: " Jt is sold," she said, " j.nd that reminds ine T must get back. The buyer is corning out to see it tc-morrow—ho bought it through a firm of solicitors, and they wroto that * our client ' would bo hero to-morrow. Seems pretty easy to suit, doesn't he? Catch me buying a pig in a poke!" " Well, it ought to suit him—it looks good to me. Sorry I can't help. Must you go in'!" She seemed suddenly to realise that sho had been confiding in a stranger to no small extent, and her cheeks flushed. " I've been out far too long. Look how bored John William is looking! And Fireaway will have gone home in despair. That's another thing I shell miss—my riding. Oh, well!" Ho held out his hand. "Cheer up," he said, " if you had let me find a buyer for you, you might have stayed on as companion to his wife if he had one. Perhaps wo shall meet again—l shall bo in town for some time, anci I often ga for long rides. Good-bye." " Good-bye." Monica" saiii. •" Come along, John William." " Well, of all the boring ivalks I ever took—" John William yawned and followed the girl dismally. " not .one single blessed stick, and not even a. rabbit in sight!" Firea.way whinnied delightedly as Monica approached. She hugged his gentle neck with sudden passion. " Oh, horsie darling! Waat a rotten life it is. Why wasn't thai, nice young man the prodigal son? And why must I say good-bye to you. Idp like his eyes," she ; ; dded inconsequcntly, wiping her own fu.'tively, and snifiin'g. "Had a nice ride, dearV asked Mrs. Shaw, as they sat down to tea. Monica nodded. " I went to my own spot," sho said, " ar.d found a strkngesr* had stolen it. I talked to him—" " Him ?" " Yes, a nice boy." " Was he—he wasn't a tramp ? ' didn't know—"

" Oil, lie wasn't a tram]). Came out from town on a motor-bike, so he said. He'll be late getting back. I ought to have asked him down, I suppose, but it never occurred to me." "He wasn't in search of work?"

" Apparently not. He looked a very nice boy, though his clothes were awfully old and he was all dust," she laughed at the memory of his touslfd hair, " and his hair was all anyhow. Still, I think he was all right.." Monica lied cheerfully. She was avoiding all mention of a subject that might touch hidden wounds. " Oh t we just chattered. You know how young people grabble on about anything and nothing. John "William was bored stiff. Oh, have you seen that sweet fat puppy of Isabel's —the one. with a, black face? It's the Ms), one in the litter."

" I haven't seen much of them yet. Isabel is always so very fussy over her babies. If they were older I would ask Mr. Jeffs if ho would like one of them when ho comes to-morrow. When Isabel had her last puppies he wanted one of them. Well, we might mention it to. him —if we think of it," she sighed suddehly, and the girl rose ; with a swift impulse and kissed her. " Don't worry, darling. And you know' it wi3l be worth all this when you sea Mr. Shaw getting better and better every day."

The woman caught the slim form to her with a hungry little dry. ■" Oh, my dear! But I want my boy! Only to know where he was! Owen wants hinj too. He said so. ■He itaid only this afternoon, that if lie knew where Morrif was, he'd write, Think of that, Monnie S It's wonderful to think he has come round* You know, he has frightened me sometimes, he has been so, well, hard," she whispered the word as though afraid even of her own voice. " I love him, but, oh, child, I love my boy, and to be deprived of him! They were both of them so obstinate. If either had been calmer, Morris need never have gone. It was such a silly row and Owen, tried to treat him as a child A child! And lio'fl been four years at the front! I'm glad Owen wants him, though it frightens mo in a sense, it ;[nakes me fear that Ow«n may be much worse—"

Monica laughed shakily. " Nonsense.If I may say so, he's learning to be sensible. He's wanted Morris all along only ho wouldn't say so. Poor little you and your two pig-headed men-folk. Why, my "dear, this going away may be a god-send you may run across Morriit any day, in a town —just think." The mother's eyes lightened. " Why, so 1 may! Oh, Monnie, do you really think I shall ?"

" I think there's a purpose in everything," said tho girl soberly, " and now I'm going to do some work, we must look nice and tidy when Mr. Jeffs brings ' our client' to-morrow. Doesn't the little man love to use law language?" " Becauso he's a lawyer, I suppose,'s smiled Mrs. Shaw.

Slio was very tremulous, however, nest day when Mr. Jeffs and liis client were almost due. Monica hovered about with beating heart. She knew Low Mrs. Shaw felt, and wished the poor little, woman could be out of the house while the business was being done, Mrs. Shaw was in her bedroom when finally Betty announced tho visitors. la spite of her watching Monica had missed seeing the car drive up to the door. She went into the sitting room and Mr. Jeffs bustled forward. " Miss Dawney'! Good afternoon. Mrs. Shaw got, my letter ?". But Monica was staring all the man who stood by tho window. "Oh,"this is my client. I believe I wrote to the effect that——' " I —l'll call Mrs. Shaw," blurted Monica almost rudely. She ttirned to leave tho room, but Mrs. Shaw was just entering, and the girl walked into her arms only to bo thrust aside- with sucli force that she nearly fell. Holding on to the edge of tho door slio stared at a sceno that nearly look her breath away. With a little cry, Mrs. Sliiiw had rushed to tho man who stood by tho window, and in a second they were in each other's arms. "Morris! Darling!" " Mummic —little muminie—ot>, my

dear "t Breathless, falling over her own feet, with tears running down, her cheoks, Monica ran through the house to where Mr. Shaw lay in a long chair 011 the verandah. She fell 011 her knees at his " Oli, Mr. Shaw, he's corns back, Morris, lie's tho ' client,' 011, I fed as i( I shall go mad with joy!" - . ■■ The old mail got to his f<et uncertainly, and just then three peoplo camo out. Morris and his mother, their arms round each other, and a light in their eyes. Behind thorn trailed Mr. Jjft's, and whil» Morris and his father made their peace >, he drew Monica aside. - "Oh, my dear young lady," ho said, and for oneo forgot to be legal, I feel so happy to have brc.ight this about. When -I'wrote about. ' tlie client' I used to laugh out loud. I'm i.ure my clerks thought I had gone mad. - My dear young lady', with all this kissing going 011, do you mind " Monica kissed his wrinkled cheek heartily, ami turned to find. blue eyes smiling quizzically at her. " Seems to bo pretty general," lie said, then sank his voice to a whisper, " but I'm not going to take mine—yet!"