LADY FOR SHANGHAI

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1939, Page 10

LADY FOR SHANGHAI

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

KAYE FOX

CHAPTER V

(Continued)

"You mean that you will not tell me why you have done sucii an amazing thing? You must nave some reason for leaving tne hospital lor twenty minutes. Did one ol your passengers send lor you?- —you had no right to go, even then, but it would at least be an excuse.”

“I cannot tell you why I left the hospital. Doctor," she said in a low voice. He turned away from her with an impatient shrug, and stood by the window, looking out into the darkness. He had thrown off his white cap, and Christine saw his fair head outlined, against the deep blue background of the tropic sky, pierced with bright stars. And it was as though, in that moment, when she had lost his friendship, lost his trust, she saw him with new eyes—as the man she loved. Until then she had not know that she loved him.

"You know what will happen if I report this matter to the Chief Steward?" he said at last. “I shall be dismissed at the end of the voyage," she said quietly. "I understand that, Doctor —1 knew the risk I was taking when I left the hospital." “And —what you had to do was so important that you look that risk? You put me in a very difficult position, Miss Jordan. 1 could have sworn that you were reliable —-I'm completely puzzled.” He swung round to face her again, and she met his eyes bravely. She would not ask him for mercy, would not beg him not to make a report to Mr Perrin, who hated her. and who would think, as Mrs Parr did, that her reason for leaving the hospital was that she was carrying on an intrigue with some man on board. She knew that John Stanhope would be perfectly justified in making such a report to Perrin, and she would not tell him of the squalid accusations which would certainly be added to that report, before it was passed on to headquarters. He said slowly: “Miss Jordan. I am not going to press for your confidence —I am not sure that I even want to know why you failed in your duty tonight. You have your own reasons for keeping silent. Eut —I am not going to report what has happened. It would mean the loss of your job. and no harm has come to the patient.’’ “Thank you, Doctor," she said, and was ashamed of herself because she could not keep her voice from shaking.

“Then we will not speak of this incident again, Miss Jordan. I cannot pretend that I shall forget it, but I have said all that I have to say. You had better go to your own room now. You need sleep.” Sleep! Did he really think that she could go calmly to her own room and sleep, after that scene with him? She left the hospital at once, with a murmured “Goodnight” to him. but in the deep shadow below one of the boats she flung herself down on the deck, her face hidden in her hands, and long slow sobs racked her. John Stanhope would never forget. They would work together until the end of the voyage, perhaps for many voyages, but lie would never again have any real confidence in her. Always there would be the knowledge between them that, she had once failed in her duty, for a reason which she could not explain to him. From John Stanhope there would be no more friendly smiles. He would give her his orders, and he would wonder, as he gave them, whether she would obey them faithfully. After a little time, she stumbled to her feet and went to the rail. The moon had risen, and beyond the narrow silver ribbon of the Suez. Canal the great desert stretched to the far horizon, pale gold in the moonlight. An Arab wrapped in his burnoose, still as a statue on his white camel, watched the liner go past from the bank of the Canal. The great quietness of the desert brought peace to Christine’s tormented spirit. It was as though that Arab watcher on his white camel was a symbol of the desert itself, as though so many human griefs and joys had passed before his hooded eyes, passed and been forgotten, for human griefs and joys were fleeting, and the desert endured for ever. "I must go to Fay," she said wearily, under her breath and turned, and went red.

It was long after midnight, and she met no one on her way to the lower deck, though the lights were still on in the cabin de luxe, and she could hear that Royde had turned on the gramophone again. Probably Doria Smythe and Iris Collins were still with him. Fay's room was in darkness:, but when Christine switched on the light, she saw that Fay had thing herself across the narrow bed and was fast asleep, still fully dressed. Christine noticed the Jong chain of amber beads on the dressing table, and guessed that Royde had bought them for Fay in Port Said that day. and that she had not worn thpm because her dross was red.”

‘‘Wake up." she said softly. Fay stirred, but did not wake until Christine deftly began to take off her shoes and then her red frock. Then she opened her eyes and stared sleepily at Christine. "Is it morning—time to get up?” she murmured drowsily. ‘‘No —you've not been to bed yet. Fay.”

“I’m so—sleepy, Christine," Fay said closing her eyes again. Christine saw that it would be useless to try to talk seriously to Fay that night, for she was not shamming drowsiness: she was so drugged with sleep that she simply did not know where she was, or why Christine had come to her. The only thins to do was to

get her into bed. And Fay, letting Christine undress her and luck her up in bed like a child, was so like a baby sister whom Christine had mothered, years ago, that it was difficult to remember how I much trouble she had caused Christine, ; that very night. For ten minutes, they were back in a distant past. “Good night, darling," Christine said gently, stooping over Fay to kiss her. "Good night, Christine,” Fay whispered. Christine went along the alley-way to her own cabin. She undressed in the dark, very quietly, and neither Mrs Pari- nor Miss Crane spoke to her, but she was almost sure that she heard a faint movement from the upper bunk. Miss Crane at least was awake, and would tell Mrs Parr tomorrow that Christine had come into the cabin in the small hours of the morning. There was something else which Christine had to decide before she fell asleep—whether she was to take any notice at all of the accusations which Mrs Parr had hurled at her in the hospital that night. It seemed to her that the only thing to do was to ignore them. Spiteful though the two women were, their suspicions could do Christine no harm unless they had definite proof to back them up. and they could certainly get no. proof that she was meeting any man. When she stumbled out of bed in the morning, after less than five hours sleep, she found that Mrs Parr and Miss Crane had also decided on a kind of truce.

“How's your patient?” Miss Crane said, sourly enough, as she picked up the tray which she was taking down to the pantry for fruit. "She’s not very bad —she was delirious last night, but Dr Stanhope thinks she will be all right today, except for a headache. “I’ve only once had a bad case of sunstroke —and that was ' touch and go,” Mrs Parr said, “but we never seem to get through the Canal without one oi- two slight cases.” She did not look at Christine as she spoke, but Christine was thankful that the two of them were still more or less on speaking terms with her. She was angry and disgusted with them, but she did not want to quarrel with people with whom she must share a room for the next three months. Perhaps, she thought, Mrs Parr had realised that she had gone 100 far the night before, and was a little sorry—but it was even more likely that this comparative politeness was meant to put her off her guard, so that she i might not suspect how closely they 1 were watching her. ' Christine went up to the hospital as soon as she had taken round the mornling tea and fruit, to her passengers. John Stanhope was in the outer room, drinking the hot lea which the doctor’s “tiger" had. just brought up to him. and he nodded coldly to Christine, without smiling. ; “Miss Robins’ temperature is quite normal now,” he said, “though it may rise again tonight. I will see the Chief Steward now about a special diet for her, and I will try to arrange for one of the passengers to sit with her during the morning, while you are busy, and during the afternoon .too, or part of it, so that you get your rest.” “You want me to sit up with her tonight?” she asked quietly. "Until midnight, when I will relieve) you. Although I don’t really think it is necessary, I want to be on the safe side. If she sleeps through tonight, she can go back to her own room tomorrow.”

He went on to give her detailed directions about the patient’s meals, which would be put ready in the pantry. but which Christine would have to take up to the hospital. The doctor’s ’tiger.” who was also hospital steward, would do the work which was done by th bedroom stewards in the ordinary staterooms, but of course Chrisltine would have to make the bed and do ill the nursing. It was no easy matter to fit it all into' i day which was already full enough,' md Christine was so busy’ that she had io time to think about Fay. whom she mist try to see that night, or about I'ohn Stanhope. She would never have jecn ready for inspection if Arthur. Hrant had not done a great deal of

rer own work m addition to his own. Sator, though Miss Robins came from ois section, and he knew that she was n the hospital, did nothing at all to help Christine. “You're not sitting up again fought?” Miss Crane asked sharply, at on o'clock, wnen Christine slipped in,o their cabin to change her slippers 'or a heel-less pair. “Dr Stanhope thinks il will be saf■st.” Christine answered, and saw the wifi, suspicious glance winch Miss '.'rune gave to Mrs Parr. She was much too tired to bother ibeut them, after all. if they really bought that sire was not going to the lospital. they could always ask the hospital steward, who was up there now. waiting in the outer room for her o relieve him. Christine knew by this ime that they did not mind whom hey questioned, if they were curious about anything. Miss Robins was quietly asleep when Christine went up, and for the first .ime that day. she haci leisure to think. All that day, she had not had even a .listant glimpse of Fay, or hoard her name spoken. But she must see Fay that night. John Stanhope came in a little before twelve, and Christine stood up to make her report. “Miss Robins has not stirred since came up at ten.” she said. “Good night. Miss Jordan. You I look dead beat.”

(To be continued.)