Love Against The World

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17008, 22 January 1927, Page 12 (Supplement)

Love Against The World

CHAPTER XXL (Continued.) ‘“=he would,” relumed wace. But she won't if yau leave hnr alonc .-tic wants to go if only she had thc coma*re. If you do nothing she wi-1 * - at home’eating her heart owL bu, u you persuade her, you can. hav > y own way-” . “Come to that” said Davey,. ‘-h" don't seem much chance of seeing ki now she’s given up the allotmen.,. “If only Mr Norriogton ’ Davey hastily interrupted“Norrey’s not taking any.” he exclaimed: “I don't blame him for that. It. seems after all there was something in what you said at first. Ills world’s a different place from mine.’ “It’s true,” Grace admitted, “that he was obstinate enough this afternoon.” “Has Ncrrey been here to-day? demanded Davey. “Look here, Grace,” he continued, “I hope to heaven you didn’t get snouting this sort of rot to him, s&nic tis you vc done to me.” “It's time,” she murmured. “I said I felt certain -that Jean wanted to go ” . “Dash it all,” cried Davey. Pushing back his chair, he started to his feet. “Why the deuce can't you leave things alone? What d’ye want to go interfering for? You only make things worse. Why can’t you let me get away quiet and have done with it?”

For once -Davey had thoroughly lost his temper. Taking his hat from the chair on which he generally flung it on reaching home, he left the room. Grace heard him go downstairs and slam the street door violently as he went out of the bouse. Turning in Lire direction of Ilolloway Road, he walked with long strides to High gate, and under the archway to Finchley. Turning to his left on reaching Tally Ho Corner, he followed a circuitous rente hack to Camden Town, letting himself into the house shortly before midnight.

Grace was sitting up for him, and as he entered the sitting room, she raff swiftly forward resting her hands on his shoulders:

“Davey,” she whispered, “you mustn’t be angry!”

“Pm net,” he answered, sinking into his chair, loaning forward and resting his head on his hands. “I was only a bit forcible like. I know you mean well, Gracie, but you don’t seem to understand. I don’t say she doesn’t, like me. I konw she does. But that’s all there is in it. I’ve always managed to keep myself in hand, and that’s what Pm going to do till the end—see? We won’t talk about it any more. I tefl you, it’s more than I can stick,”

Grace's hopes were scotched but not killed. Again and again during the next day or two she told herself that Davey might obtain lus heart s desire if only he went the proper way to work. It is to be feared that for his sake she was entirely unscrupulous. . On Thursday afternoon she received another visit from Boyd. who. notwithstanding his soreness at the line she appeared determined to take, could not keep away from King’s Park Road. He managed to show a cheerful face, greeting her smilingly as his friend the enemy and inquiring what progress she had to report. She wished devoutly it were possible to tell him more than that Davey had booked his passage on the “Carapace,” and had arranged to have Crockers’ on Saturday week. “When is Jean coming home?' 5 asked Grace.

Boyd looted surprised at the question:' “How do you know she is coming just yet?" he said. “■A matter of deduction,” was the answer. “If lam right, If she meant me to pass on what she said to Davey ” “As presumably you have done? “Oh, dear yes. She would naturally wish to be on the spot lest—lest anything should turn up in consequence,” said Grace. ' “But,” suggested Boyd, “nothing has turned up?”

“Not yet,” she admitted. “1 will tell you frankly. Davey is even merre incredulous than you. He is too humble-minded to realise the possibility that Jean can be longing for him to take her away. But wait and see!” she added in a significant tone.

“How long,” demanded Boyd with a laugh, “am I to be kept in suspense?” “1111 the time comes for them to say ‘good-bye,’ ” returned Grace with a triumphant air. “You count on their being carried away by their feelings!” “Don’t you think it. is rather likely?” she said. “First catch your hare,” he retorted.

They were standing on the hearthrug. hut now Grace took a step backwards, looking up into his face with unmistakable indignation on her own. “Do yon actually mean to say,” she cried, “that you would be brutal enough to prevent their meeting before Davey sails?” “I shall be cruel to be kind,” he insisted. “They certainly shall not see each other if I can keep them a part.” “You can’t," she excitedly exclaimed. “Circumstances will prove too strong for all your poor precautions ” “That means that you think you will prove too strong,” he suggested.

“Mr Norrington?” she said solemnly, “I declare that Davey shall not leave England without seeing Jean.”

“Well, now, the issue is joined,” he answered lightly. “We know where we stand. You are going to try to bring those two together. You will do no good. You are only preparing more trouble for Davey,” “You haven’t told me,” said Grace, “when your sister is coming home.” He hesitated for a moment. “On Saturday, the day after tomorrow,” he replied. “Yon would have kept, her away longer if you could,” cried Grace, a.s he held out his hand.

“There are one or two things 1 would do if I could,” said Boyd, retaining it for a few moments. “Such as what?” she asked, looking up rather provocatively into his eyes.

“Don’t tempt me to tell you now," he answered. “Wait till the burly burly’s done.”

“I wonder,” murmured Grace, “whether you’re a good loser-’*

IHE Sii uii n iiJLLfc&ib jj Si

(BY THOMAS COBS) (.Copyright),

CHAPTER XXII. .Alter dinner that evening Helen dwelt upon her regret at .lean’s cell im. The letter had arrived only [hat morning announcing her in ten Lion to come home on. Saturday, th ough she hinted at other week-end jaunts to Uournclcy in the near future. For the ■resent, however, she insisted that alio had stayed in Constable Streetlong enough. “At all events,” said Boyd, “there won’t be, any more visits to the allotment Thank goodness that’s done with.”

“Still,” Helen insisted, “if Jean is really misguided enough to desire to meet the man, allotment or no allotment, how is it possible to preventher?”

“Davey is engaged the whole day,” urged Boyd. “At least till Saturday week. It’s true he is to leave Crockers’ then, but lie may sail within a few days. lie has hooked his passage on the ‘Carapace,’ anyhow.” “Who told you that?” asked Helen, “I saw Grace this afternoon,” ho felt compelled to admit. “How I wish,” exclaimed Helen, “that you had never seen her.” They were sitting by the open draw-ing-room window, and now Boyd rose from his chair, stepped into the garden and took his pipe from his pocket. As he filled it, strolling a few yards along the path, a short, sharp struggle was taking place in Ids mind. “I don’t want ytfu to think by and bye that I have been deceiving you,” lie said, when he had retraced his steps to the window. “What —what about?” faltered Helen. “Though,” she added, "I know you are incapable of deception.” “About Grace!" he answered.

“Boyd!” she said reproachfully, “you gave me your word. I trusted to that.”

“All I can tell you is that I spoke what was the truth at the time,” he insisted. “I can’t pretend never to change my mind.” “My dear, you led me to believe that the —the woman was nothing to you I” “In that case,” he admitted, “I must have gone a little too far even then. She has 'become pretty well everything since.”

For Helen it was a bitter disillusionment. She was afraid to trust herself to speak, and when she went to bed earlier than usual, she told tierself there was really nobody whom she could trust, neither Jean, nor Boyd, nor even, she feared, Wingfield Hare. She knew that lie had been constantly at Constable Street, during Jean’s visit, to say nothing of his presence at Rourneley. In her low spirited mood, she was surprised to see him on Friday afternoon, but when he had taken her hand and sat down, she became conscious once more of the agreeable sense of intimacy such as she had never experienced with anybody else.

“Well, now, what’s the matter, Nell?” lie asked. “You 10-ok as if you have something on your mind." “I had a great—l really must call it —a shook last night,” she answered. “Boyd virtually told me that he intends to ask Davey Giles’s sister to marry him.”

“All!” exclaimed Wingfield. “That shows devilish good taste on his part. I read her books on the voyage home. A little sentimental,‘but a dose of that sort, of thing does one no harm in moderation now and then. Besides, slic’s one of the most charming women I’ve ever seen."

“I didn’t know you had seen her, Bunny!”

“Didn’t the fellow tell you? Uncommonly mysterious of him. She turned up at Bourneley on Sunday, you know, siie and her brother?” “I had not the remotest notion,” murmured Helen.

“Well, well, I daresay he didn’t want to bother you. The fact is I may be a fool for rushing in, but 1 thought I should like to talk about Davey before Jean comes borne. Somehow, I feel an interest. Because I happened to be here when that odd Little chap let the cat out of the bag I suppose.”

“You—you saw Mr Giles and Jean together?” suggested Helen. “Upon my word,” said Wingfield, “they make a magnificent pair as far as appearances go. A splendid specimen of a man, and according to Jcau lie’s as sound as he looks.” “For mercy's sake, don’t talk as if—as if they ” “No, no,” Wingfield continued. “It mustn’t be thought of for a second. I don’t imagine Jean does think of it. That’s what I wanted to assure you. I saw them together, and led her to talk of him after tie had gone. Well, now, NelL, this is the conclusion I’va come to. I shan’t mince matters. It’s my opinion that Jean has a warm admiration for the young fellow, and what she i'cels is that the little more and how much it is, you know. J daresay she’s found herself wishing before to-day that he was a prince in disguise—that sort of thing, but depend upon it that matters being as they arc, there’s nothing to worry about. I want to give you a word of. advice. I can sec how easy it would lie for a sort of coolness to grow up between you and your girl. We can’t have that, Nell. If I were you when she cornes home on Saturday, I should just give her a hint that the past is over and done with.' Show that she still lias your confidence. Speak freely about her brother. A little tact, and you’ll be as good friends as ever., again.” After Sir Wingfield had left the house, Helen began to feel much more equable. She reproached herself for imagining that Jean had bwcorne in any sense her rival. Bunny’s obvious interest in the girl might be due rather to a desire to facilitate his union with her mother! Lamentable us Boyd’s marriage might be, too, ii would 'certainly clear the air from Wingfield’s point of view. At least Helen determined to follow his advice as far as ‘her own treatment of the erring Jean was concerned. “My dear,” she said, shortly after her daughter’s arrival on Saturday afternoon, “although I expected you to stay with Mary a week or two longer I am very' thankful to have you home again. And,” Helen added, “as to the reason, for your going away, perhaps the least said the soonest mended. I have been feeling extremely bothered about Boyd.” “■What has he been doing?” asked Jean.

Helen explained that, having formerly declared that he had no thought of marriage in his mind, he hud now spoken in such terms of Grace, that bis intentions were perfectly' obvious. “Of course,” exclaimed Jean, “Boyd is a man. He is at liberty to please himself.” _.

Although Helen started slightly, she deemed it judicious to take no notice of the somewhat alarming remark,.-and after dinner that evening she saw Jean hanging on Boyd’s arm as they walked slowly along the garden- .path, and wondered what confidences they were exchanging. “Poor dear little moth-erj” Jean was saying. “She has been opening her heart since I got home. Jf you are not careful, you will come near to .breaking it. I! wonder how far you have gone. Has the time come to felicitate you, Boyd?”

“Not quite,” he gloomily answered. “A pleasure deferred?” suggested Jean.

“If 1 didn’t believe that, I should be the most miserable beggar* on the. face of the earth,” he admitted. “I quite understand what you’re waiting for,” sire exclaimed, a few moments later.

“What?” demanded Boyd. “Till Davey is safely out of the way."

“He has taken bis passage, anyhow,” said Boyd. “On the ’Carapace.”’ “The old story,” cried Jean. “One person may steal a horse while another mayn’t look over the hedge. I am not, allowed to speak to Davey, you can marry his sister. I have to obey in silence, you shout rebellion from the housetops. But,” she continued, “don’t flatter yourself you’re out of the wood. Mother detests Davey because lie’s himself, and Grace, because she’s his sister.”

“I know that. I’m sorry,” said Boyd. “Still you can't deny that the cases are rather different, and a man can’t, be expected to sacrifice what he holds dearest even to gratify his mother.”

Jean remained silent for the whole length of the garden path. Then she seemed to clasp Boyd's arm more tightly: “I suppose nothing lass would be expected of a woman,” she whispered.

Although her words might be accepted as an alarming confirmation of Grace’s assertion, Boyd still tried to believe that she was merely insisting as he had frequently known her to do, on the incongruity of the unwritten laws pertaining to the sexes. For his own part, while feeling by no means certain enough for his own perfect comfort, lie was inclined to take somewhat the same point of vjew as that which Sir Wingfield Ilarc had dwelt upon to Helen on Friday. That Jean took a warm interest in Davey could no .longer be denied, that this migl.it have developed into love if his training had been different seemed extremely probable, but being the man he actually >vas, it was utterly inconceivable that Jean would dream of marrying him.

“Boyd," she continued, “if Davey hadn't gone out of his way years ago to help Grace, she would have turned out something like —well, like one of our kitchen maids. Suppose you had happened to met her. to* fall in love with her, should you still have made up your mind to ask her to marry you?” “She would have been entirely different. 1 wouldn’t have fallen in love with her.”

“Ton can’t tell. Love is a curious thing, my dear!”

“I’m beginning to find that out,” said Boyd.

“Look round at the married couples we know,” Jean persisted. “What in the world can there have been to attract them? Yet, they were attracted. . There must have been something, something that isn’t always visible to the naked eye. Perhaps it’s too subtle for our comprehension.” “According to that we are merely puppets!”

“I have wondered before to-day,” said Jean. “When one looks back, life does really seem like a tale that is told. Each incident seems to fit into its place as if everything was bound to occur exactly in that way and no other.”

“Probably all our biggest actions are due to emotion,” Boyd admitted. “Still, I suppose it can be checked byreason.”

“We were talking of love. Does reason take a hand where that is concerned?” suggested Jean. “Surely,” he said, unable to avoid the personal application of her argument, “if one sees disaster lying ahead ”

“One doesn’t,” she insisted. “Or, if one does, one doesn’t care a scrap. The future is nothing-—nothing. Love lives in the passing day—the passing hour.”

“Not a bit,” returned Boyd. “It’s like Oliver Twist. It’s always asking for more.”

“But,” said Jean quietly, “not always getting it.

Boyd turned to look at her face, which had grown pale in the fading light. The stars were coming out one by one, and the sky was uninterruptedly blue. Jean raised her disengaged hand to push back her short, dark hair from her cheeks, and notwithstanding his increasing alarm, he felt more sympathetic than he trad ever done since Mr Bannerman’s visit There was, however, a stronger reason than before that Jean should not come into contact with Davey until he was safely on board, though it might prove impossible to keep them apart if there existed a mutual desire for a meeting.

After all, Boyd's chief dependence was on Davey, himself, who in a sense was a laggard in love. Not precisely what one would have expected him to be, but then the justice must ik; done to admit, as even Grace confessed, that be was too humble-minded to be capable of conceiving lliut Jean could be had for the asking. in spite of the present conversation, Boyd did not go so far as to believe that she could he. He still told himself it was rather a case of wishing that Davey were different, so that union with him might be brought within the sphere of practical politics. Without finding this consummation the slightest degree less abnoxious, Boyd could not refrain from letting his voice become more kindly:

“I’m afraid,” he said, looking down at Jean’s bowed head, “there’s no help for it. old girl. We’ve got to take the world as we find it. We’re bound to face facts.”

“Mi, but how easy it is to say that when they’re all in one’s favour,” she answered. Perhaps the tremor in her voice, such as he had never heard till now, led him farther than he had intended to go. “You know it would never do, Jcannie,” lie whispered. “You can’t help seeing what the fellow is.”

“Yes, he’s a man, anyhow,” she exclaimed.

(To he continued next Saturday.)