Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1937)

PILWRtGOLR Vveexi ANOTHER DAWN— continued She galloped towards the ridge, where she had been told she could see the departing column, as though fife were at her heels This man who laughed -ike Duncan Hitcheii. this soldier in his prime whose courage and love of life stamped his face with more than mere good looks, what danger might he become to her -to John? While she and Denny Koark had eoftee together after dinner m the lounge and listened to a Bedouin love-song which was being sung in the native quarter, Julia did her best to dissipate the atmosphere of enchantment which she knew quite well existed for them both " If it weren't for your husband, I'd have been drummed out of the Army and into perdition long ago." he said lightly when she had tried to bring John into the conversation "He doesn t think that, I in sure In fact, he actually boasts about your dependability. 1 m sure you 11 never let him down," she declared Being utterly feminine, it was impossible for her not to take a pleasure in dressing for Sheik Mutessaref's ball, to which the start received a somewhat unexpected invitation. "Madame, you look ravishing Denny said as he prepared to escort her Pleasure in her all-white gown and feather fan emphasising the darkness of her hair and eyes were increased by his companionable mood, which survived a seemingly unending round of cocktails, courses and sleep-inducing music She was glad to escape at last from the banqueting-hall to the garden, with its fountains and roses. Suddenly, without warning, Denny's lips were upon hers. A guilty feeling that she had encouraged him made rrer plead as she tried to get back to normal . " Forgive me. "You? — I'm the om "No. I think we can both be forgiven. It — -it was just one of those things that happen and has no meaning. We'd be foolish if we made anything of it." " Yes, vou're right 1 can onlv apologise ' Her thoughts were with him, though on return to quarters she had refused a nightcap and gone to bed, when someone knocked on the \ enetian shutters "John ! It's vou ' tome in You re not disturbing me C aptain Koark and 1 just got back from Mutessaref's partv. lell me about your trip " I'll tell you in the morning that is. it you're uj> before 1 leave." "You're not going awav again?' "At dawn. That scoundrel. Achaben. I've got to wangle a. sort of truce with him, promise to with draw troops or something ll 1 can get across the river without disturbing his sniper~ "Cant you send someone else' 1 know -I know 1 shouldu t interfere, but I don t want you to go " Panic induced her to rush on " How about Captain Koark He wouldn't mind, would he ? " "Good lord, no ' I ve never known anyone get more enjoyment out of a bit ol trouble than that lad Why don't you ask him? Alter all, you went last time. "All right. But you'll have to be responsible." The most acute misery that can fall on those who have their surface wishes granted visited Julia during the ensuing days. Denny's lightheartedness in leaving with a handful of men to become, as he put it, likely targets for Achaben's snipers was sheer torture. Wilkins, by special request, joined the column. On a former occasion, Julia heard he had earned the box of white feathers with which his messmates had presented him, and was bent on retrieving his lost courage. She felt a sincere sympathy with Wilkins while she spent hours in the radio-room waiting for messages to come through. The first was the reverse of encouraging Eight miles south of the border sof Achaben's terntorv. snipers had attacked. Denny reported: "Outnumbered six to one Five dead, ammunition running low. Sufficient water. Can hold out till sunset. Having a marvellous time Wish you were here " He hasn't a chance, has he, John ; Julia said "Yes. he has \\ e ve sent help. He'll pull through; at least. I hope so, though I admit his chance is one in a hundred Why don t you go and lie down' 1 '11 send news as soon as anything comes over "No -I'll wait here 1 hat s the least I can do," she added under her breath Eternity seemed to pass before word by word another communic ition was delivered " Kunmng o it of ammunition, but not Arabs Five of us left Good fight Can't win all the time . . ." " Something s wrong," theoperator said " All 1 can get is one long call For hours Julia pictured Denny dying in agony and herself a murderess The relief of seeing him brought into barracks, wounded in the shoulder, but with a fifty-fifty chance of pulling through, enabled her to say, when the M O. permitted a visitor : "You go, John 1 don't think it would be good for both of us to see him " His report of the patient renewed Julia's heart-ache. " He had only time to tell me that Wilkins ran out from cover to get a lx>x of ammunition and got fatally hit, before he fainted," John told her. " I was trying to find out about our position as regards Achaben That was really important. Anyway. I m glad Wilkins picked up his white feathers." With that Julia had to be content It was a further relief when Denny, before he was well enough to talk, was removed to hospital and then to the charming villa (trace rented in Dikut to be near her brother Julia by this time succeeded in telling herself that Denny, -if he hadn t forgotten her, at least was no more serious than he had claimed to be about the kiss in Mutessarel s garden Alas, the conviction only added to her misery, her inability to concentrate, her proneness to nerves ' Worse, John noticed her jumpiness. charitably putting it down one afternoon to the rising wind which howled increasingly across the desert "Why haven't you been to see Denny ' he asked " Yon haven t been near him either at hospital or at Grace s "I've been meaning to go I'll make a point of it "1 wish you would. He might think it odd. Why not go to-day' By to-morrow this breeze will have whipped itself up into a sirocco." Ihe weather suited her mood as Julia covered the two miles between barracks and the railhead. With heart beating faster than the blood in her cheeks, she was blown, rather than ushered, into Grace's hall to find her hostess dressed for going out. "Do tell me you've come to see Denny exclusively," she begged. " I've calls I simply must make. . . . Oh, yes, he's much better ! You'll find him in the library playing solitaire I'll send Ah in with drinks " She would take no refusal. Had Julia time for anything but the wish to keep her own emotional self' in hand, she might have suspected a meaning behind Grace's cordiality, which was in advance of her usual quiet manner with acquaintances. Grace might not have a notion of Julia's feeling for Denny, but neither did Julia nor, indeed, anyone else detect a sign of Grace s love for John Wister. a love as deep as it had been long standing While Grace paid her calls. Julia, coming into the library, had no eyes for anyone but Denny — Denny with his neck bandaged, a look of weakness under his tan, but, oh — no mistaking it— glad to see her ! She tried to put off his reproaches about her not having come before with banter, but he had left his chair and was bending over her, looking into her eyes. "Julia It's no use. I love you. That s why you stayed away." "I tried to stop loving you, but 1 can t. I thought 1 should never love anyone again, but I do It's all — so futile, Denny " "And wrong, too. I suppose We coulu never be happy together because of John — your husband and mv friend. 1 owe him more than I owe myself " " 1 , too Because he asked so very little I'd better be getting back " He went with her to the door and opened it. A hurricane met them, driving her against the wall, blowing through her white frock as though it had been paper But though, during -the hours of waiting, Denny 's talk of a honeymoon cottage in Ireland was very sweet, return to reality and the outpost faced them both Denny, having reported immediately on arrival, came out of the Colonel's office with serious news Achaben had turned traitor. By damming the river where it crossed his territory, he had cut off water from the cotton district and left some five hundred people with only enough water to last twenty-four hours "Troops would take lour davs to tight their way there. Denny said' "The Mutassarel s been told to briln Achalien any amount to have the dam destroyed within twelve hours The government will reimburse him "Wont John have to answer to the War Office for that "It may cost him his command He says it s all his fault he trusted Achaben to the extent of disbanding troops near his territory . . Julia, I must tell you I decided, after last night, to ask for a transfer. The applic.i Denr.y with his neck bandaged, a look of weakness under his tan, but, oh — no mistaking, it — glad to see her ! November 6, 1937 tion was on John s desk this morning, but he won't consider it. He thinks I'm needed here." Beyond all caring for appearances, in a few hours she knocked at the door of Denny's quarters. "It's all right.' she said, answering his startled look. " I — I've come to say good-bye. I m leaving you and John and Dikut for ever. One of us must go If we don't, something terrible will happen. You and I aren't strong enough " " Julia, you can t. What'll happen to him 5 " He s got his job, like you — building a nation. And 1 can go on being Julia Ashton. I can't stayhere. Denny. Kespecting him, loving you, hating myself. It's just not possible He reiterated, as she knew he would, that there was no solution in running away, when an orderly arrived with a message. Captain Koark was wanted by the Colonel at once in his office. Before she expected it, Denny was back and calling to her as she was leaving her room for a breath of air. He came towards her by the palms on the parade ground, and for once the lightness of his manner deceived her. "Just off up country to do a job of work A permanent station. Orders." "Then Fate's shown us one kindness," she breathed. "Denny, it's not dangerous, is it?" "If it were, you'd hear my knees rattling all over the place. Don t be frightened If I thought there was any risk, I'd be saying all sorts of silly things to you, like ' I love you " You mustn't. Denny, whjt s the matter * " A roar overhead drowned her words Denny's face, upturned towards a rapidly-moving machine, changed There was no forced lightness in his tone as he said : " It's John taking off in my plane Mutessaref refused bribes. John said one of us must fly my person*! plane full of explosives and blow up the dam. We tossed for who should be pilot, and I won Now he s taken it in his own hands — gone out there to die — for me. Only a miracle can save him." Through the Eastern night, Denny and Julia waited on the ramparts, hoping for that miracle The stars were growing indistinct when the wireless operator brought a message. Denny crushed the Himsy and his hand shook "The dam was blown up He s not coming 6ack. he said very low " Whv did he do it? " Julia asked. Denny looked out to where the rising sun tinged every cloud with roseate splendour "To give us that -anothei dawn "He knew. then. Dennv . "Yes — knew that we three could only keep together spiritually it he went awav