COWARD?

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 429, 11 August 1904, Page 3

COWARD?

SHORT STORY.

5 ISf H , IS * observed Balph Endicott, (S aafls leaning Injuriously in his chair • *™ a cigar tilted upwards ( . from the corner of his mouth, is a oonsiderable improvement on our evening meals of the last twelve months.' - /£? °S? r DM Sroated in deep content. •pi. *.\ a P l * 7 "' he ■*• ' Ssene I.— g* ■£*-*£"» jangles- A year passes. Scene II -Dining-room at the Travellers.' an friend laughed. 'And Scene 111. P' Harry p H igra„ hentated. The barber's, I think.' he said. 'I sever did fancy myself in a beard.' Again his friend laughed. 'The removal of the beard will take place between the acts. I'll make a gu« s at the third scene. Drawing-room in Mr « eetmrcotfs town hoase.' The tan on Palgrave's face took on a slightly redder tinge. ' Perhaps,' he said. They were both young men, lean, wiry, and sunburnt, with the unmistakable traces of hard travelling on their faces. ' Pni off to Busaex in two days/ said Balph Endicott. 'l've one or two things to see to in town first. Jf ycuiike we could call at Westmacotfs together. When are you thinking of going V - Palgrave looked at him with a smile. 'l'm going the day after to-morrow. And I'm going alone,' he added, with a frankness of unreserved friendship. ' Good!' returned the other. * You evidently mean business. Well, perhaps I shall look in there to-morrow—as a sort of courier, to announce your coming.' 'Dol She—they know I'm back, though, I've written.' ' You haven't lest much time. Still, I can't talk. To-morrow morning there'll be jiy and expectation in one home at least out on the breeay Downs. And in two days'—he raised his hands and stretched his arms luxuriously—•' pale blue eky, gocd, brown, steaky fields, crisp, dry air, skylarks and rabbits, and a whiff of the sea, and a goddess in a Tamo' Sbanter sitting on a stile looking down the road for me, jcat like a summer number supplement. Gad! but it's good to be home again !' *ln two days' time,' replied his friend. ' I'll let yen know whether it's good enough for me.' Endicott nodded at him cheerily. ' That'll be all right,' he said, as he rose and shook himself. Then he came round to hid friend's side and laid his hand Hitbtly on his shoulder. *Go in and win. Whit's more, go in as though you knew you'd win. That's the way. Don't funk it.' He Bpok« l'ghtly, with the flippant outward eeemin? with which men try to conceal earnestness; but Harry Palgrave Btaited from his touch, and sat, with lowered eyes, grinding his dead cigar on to his plate. * Why, Hairy!' said his friend. Then he stopped, and a tush of enlightenment showed in his eyes. When he spoke again bis voice had changed to gruff btuequeness. ■ Don't be a fool, Harry! I didn't mean—great Scott, man, don't jump at a chance word! That's all over and forgotten ! I've told yon so scores of times. It might have happened to anyone.' ' It happened to me,' retorted Palgrave doggedly, 'and I haven't forgotten if His friend held out his hand. 'I have,* he said. «Poff!—ifs gone. Good night, old man; sleep welL* Harry Palgrave gripped the extended hand and looked up at him. • Thanks V he said. ' You're a brick, Balph!' 'Don'ttalk rot 1 Good night!' Then, as he turned to go,' Any message for Miss Westmacott P' he added, with a twinkle in his eye. 1 Thanks—no,* returned bis friend, .ind then a sudden thonght appeared to strike him, and he rose hurriedly from bis chair. ' You won't—you won't say much about me—out there, you know V •Oh, Harry, Harry V Balph Endicott turned and faced him, shaking his head reproachfully. ' Wait till you hear what I've said,' he added, with his quick, bright smile, and was gone. * » • * * ' Adventures 1' laughed Btiph Endicott. ' Why, yee, Miss Westmacott j I suppose they .would be considered that' 'Oh, do tell me something! Molly We3tmacott leaned forward eagerly, her chin on her hands. ' it's too bad! The men that have never done anything or seen anything won't stop talking, and the men that have been and seen and done everything won't open their mouths.' «I assure you. I'm only too willing to oblige. Bu**. it was all very much the same thing over and over again—jungle and flies and snakes and tangled creepers and prickly cactus and stewing, damp neat all day and .misty, damp cold all night, and native bearers—ugly-looking beggars, too—and very fair sport all through' «But didn't you have any fights—real, dangerous rights with cannibals or dwarfs, or Uonsand tigers t' Balph laughed. ' Not a single cannibal or a fraction of a dwarf, I assure yon. I had an internew with a king, certainly; but as he was very fat, very dirty, and very drunk at the time, it was hardly impressive and not at all dangerous' ■ You re laughing at me,* she said. ' What about the bag game you went out for?' 'Oh, well, we had one or two rather interesting incidents, and we've got a few skins- I had a narrow Bqueak or two.* Miss Westraacott disappeared behind the tea-kettle for a moment, « Ec—and Mr Palgrave,' said her voice; ' did he—er have any narrow—squeaks ?' There was a pause of quite thirty seconds before Eodicott spoke ' I owe Harry Palgrave my life,' he said, slowly and distinctly. ' Oh!' Misß Westmacott sat straight up, and her eyee were very bright. ' And you said you had nothing to tell me 1' she remarked, a trifle breathlessly. B ilph shifted a little on his chair, "* He—he wouldn't like me to tell you/ he began • Don't be eiUy!' interrupted his hostess. ' WelJ, promise you won't tell him I kid you?' said Balph. ' All right, only go on.' 'lt was one night after we'd been oat dome months. We'd jast got clear of a patch of j angle, and had brought up at the end of the day on the shore of a small lake. We had two fire —one for ourselves and one for our black fellows—about fifty yards apart. We took it ia turn to watch the fire* to see it didn't burn low. Bcaree the be&stiea eff, you know,' he put in explanatorily. Molly nodded. ■ What happened was all my fault. I suppose I was extra tired, or something. Anyhow, during my watch I must have dczed cti Harry was on the other aide of the fite in his blankets. Something woke me suddenly—the crack of a branch, I think it must have been—and I knew instantly by the coldness of my toes that the fire was down. It was nearly out. I roused myself and leaned forward to rake it together.'

Br pebcy e, beingantjm.

He hesitated, and the girl waited, watching him eagerly. * What happened next is all ra*her confused in my mind, I remember a meat hideous noise, more of a howl than a roar, and then I was being squashed flat by what felt like several tonß of fur rugs on my chest. I had no pais, you understand, and my head was quite free, so that I could see distinctly. I could have done so, at least, but I'm afraid I Bhut my eyeß.' ' I ehonld think eo!' shuddered Molly. * Thero was a great yelling and shouting from our blacks, and a Fort of snarling j rcw coming out of the far bundle on top if me. In an hour or so I opened my eyfs/ ' In—how long P' exclaimed the girl. * Wdll, it seemed iike an hour,' said Bilph. 'Call it ten seconds, My head seemed to be pressed down sideways, but I could see Harry.' He stopped short then, and remained silent for so long that she prompted him. * You eaw Harry—Mr Palgrave ?' 'I saw him spring to his feet,' he began again slowly, and stirring his tea. Then he went on rapidly, his eyes fixed on his cup. ' He took it all in at a glance. His gun was close to his hand. He was across the fire in a moment. I heard two deafening explosions, and thee everything went ont in flame and noise and smoke, and—and—and that's all,' he ended tamely, and smiled across at her rather feebly. I And you—wore you hurt ?' she asked politely. * I didn't know anything much until I found someone pouring brandy all over my face and begging me to open my eyes. Tnat was Harry. The lion—a young one; fine beaßt—lay next to me. with inoßt of hiß head—well, the skin was spoilt. I was all right, except for a scratch and Borne rather bad braises. Tnat was a narrows queak—a wonderfully narrow one.' I I think it was too awful for words,' said the girl,«but very brave,' she added musingly. * Nothing very brave about lying down and being half smothered,' said Endicott, with intentional obtueeness. ' I meant Mr Palgrave—his presence of mind,' she said, and Bhe blushed as she said it- Bat Bhe locked frankly at him meanwhile. 'Thank you for telling me, Mr Endicott/ she said. And when he left a little later ehe shoos: hands with him very warmly and thanked him for calling. ' She loved him for the dangers he had passed,' Eilph misquoted to himself as he walked away; and he laughed a little drily. 'And when/ asked Mies Westmacott, ' did you first think you—cared for me 9' Her head was on Harry Palgrave's shoulder and Harry Palgrave's right arm was invisible, had there been any third person present to look for it 'I don't know,' He looked musingly down at the little hand that lay in his. ' I only know I missed you the first day out on board. I know I saw your face every night out there, sometimes smiling at me, sometimes grave, sometimes '—his voice dropped—'turning away from me; but that was after.' ' Turning from you! How ridiculoua ! After what P' ' After—oh, after we'd started for home.' He laughed uneasily; ' You see, that was when I really knew what I was going to ask you, and didn't dare to hope.' She gave a happy little laugh, and moved her head to look up into his face, ' And you,' he said, after succumbing to the temptation of her upturned lips, ' when did you discover there was such a person ss myself ?' ' I loved you before yon left England!' she whispered. 'I don't remember when I didn't.' 'Good heavens I' breathed the yoang man in an awe-struck whisper. 'I felt it in me aii the time ycit were away. When I got your letter to Eay you were back I cried with joy. When I had seen Mr Endicott, and we had talked about you, I cried again. I think I cried with pride then. I suppose I oughtn't to tell you all this. Is it really a mistake to tell a man how much you love him ? He did not seem to hear her last words. 4 You talked to Endicott about me P' ' Inquisitive boy! Oh, about your journey and your adventures, and—' She stopped abruptly. 'And what f His arm ceased to clasp her. Her hand lay loosely in his. ' I promised Ma Endicott not to tell/ she ■aid. •Not to tell what?* • Ob, you needn't be suspicious! It wasn't anything uncomplimentary/ • What was it about P' ' Do you want to be flattered P Bsnd down and let me whisper. It was about your bravery/ He drew a little away from her. She looked at him astonished, and he forced a smile •Tell me,'he said; 'tell me all Bilph told you.' ' I promised not to/ she add doubtfully; ■but then Balph didn't know we were going to, be engaged,' she went on radiantly, with undoubting feminine logic,'and, of course, that makes all the difference/ So she told him. Sitting a little apart, she declaimed the whole story vith a mocking exaggeration that could not hide the love and pride shining in her eyes. And when Bhe had come to the eni she leaned forward and laid her hands on his ehoulders. • My hero!' ehe whispered, His hands went up to hers and gripped them light. ' Tell me/ he said hoarsely,' would you love me jast as much if—if I hadn't had the obasce of doing this ?' 'Don'task stupid riddles. It's you I love, and yon did it. How could I love a man that wasn't brave P' For a long moment he looked into her eyes, that smiled so trustfully into his . Then, with a little sigh, he rose slowly. I He drew her hands gently from bis shoulders as he did so, and laid them en her * lap He stood back from her aad looked at Hex'gravely. She returned his look with/a smile, bat the smile faded as she . watched him. 'I love you!" he said. His voice was ■ low, but quite steady. ' God knows I'd ! do anything to spare you pain. Bat I'm | going to hurt you—badly. I must—l ! must.' , He thrust his hands into his coat-pockets I and nodded thoughtfully, as though agreeing within argument presented by himi self. She stared at him amazedly. | ' Balph lied/ he went on very distinctly. ' Part of that tale's true; the rest is a lie. The truth isVt pretty, but you must hear .it.' He stopped a moment, and moistened ,his dry lips. His hands clenched thempelves in his pockets. ' He said that when his cry and the roar woke me up I sprang to my feet and jumped across the fire to his rescue. I didn't. I ran away. She opened hor lips to speak. Sfie was very pale. He raised his voice a little. ■■ ' Please/ he said, ' let me go on. I'd

[ been dreaming, I think, horrible dreams. | A touch of fever, perhaps. Bat that's no excuse, of course There isn't any excuse. I woke suddenly, and I saw those awful eyes and jaws, and I was frightened—badly frightened 1 think I went off my head a little. I turned and ran and ran—anywhere to get away from it. Through the bushes and undergrowth and the tangled creepers, till I caught my foot and fell, fall length. And then I la? on my face—afraid, real, sobbing, shaking fear. I don't know how long.' Ho paused, drew his handkerchief from his poctet, and dabbed hie lips. She said not a word, but matched him, wide-ejed. 'Then I went back to the camp. Oae of ocr black men had shot the beaefc and B*lph wae safe, He's forgiven—forgotten, he Bays, God toless him!—though goodness only It no ws why. But I took up my shams when I rose to go back, and I've carried it about with me over since.' Again he paused, and still Bhe said nothing. He turned and took ap his hat from the table.

'That's all/ he eaid, mechanically brushing it on his sleeve. He moved slowly towards the door, and then, with his head a little bent and his eyes lowered, he said:

' Miss Westmacott, when I said I loved you I spoke the truth. That's my only excuse for coming here at all. Perhaps, ia a little while, you'll be able to forgive me Good-bye!' His band r?as on the handle before she moved. She came across the rocm like a whirlwind. •I said I couldn't love a man who wasn't brave. I thitk you're the bravest man I know!' she eaid.