NO WOMAN'S LAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 July 1938, Page 14

NO WOMAN'S LAND

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

COPYRIGHT

BY

JANE ENGLAND

(Author of “Sjambok,” “Trader’s License,” &c.)

CHAPTER XXX. Nella Howard and Christian Engleburg were saying good-bye to Archie. He was piling kit into a hired car that stood outside the Klinter’s Dorp Club. “Well, so long,” said Christian. “So long,” said Archie, “and good luck. I tiope the farm goes well, Engleburg.” “Good-bye, Archie,” said Nella softly. “Good-bye and good luck.” “Good-bye, Nella,” he answered. “Good-bye, my dear, and very good luck to s you.” He got into the car, and Bennet bustled out of the Club. “Good-bye Fellowes,” he spluttered, “good-bye, old man. Hi! Wait a minute, old man, Mrs Carfrae wants to say good-bye to you.” Nella and Christian glanced at each other. Their lips did not twitch, nor did their eyes change their expression; but somehow they understood each other perfectly. Christian smiled down at Mrs Carfrae as she came out of the Club. “Good-bye, Mr Fellowes,” she said, “good-bye.” The car started and went down the street, past the ugly gap where the store had been. Mrs Carfrae watched it for a moment, sighed, and then looked at Nella. “And how are the Hastings?” she asked graciously. L . “They’re very well,”'said Nella. “And you are going to farm Mr Fellowes’ land?” said Mrs Carfrae to Christian. “Both his and the Howard land,” said Engleburg. “I think it is most enterprising of you. Well, will you both be coming in for the garden party next week? I do hope you can.” “We’d love to came,” said Christian, “so long as the drifts are passable.” Mrs Carfrae nodded brightly, and went back to the Club lounge. “Come on,” said Nella, “let’s get back. “I don’t like the look of those clouds. I’m glad we’ve carted the mealies.” . ■ They collected their horses; Christian’s raking’ black; and the mustard coloured pony. Then they mounted, and- rode knee to knee out of Klinter’s Dorp. The afternoon was heavy with heat. “It feels like rain to me,” said Nella. “It’ll break any moment,” he said, “we’d better hurry.” She spurred forward. Her hair was hidden under her felt hat, and her skin, was a lovely uniform brown. And her eyes were a brilliant blue, like the Mediterranean. Engleburg rode after her. “Nella,” he said, “did you ever hear about me? About the Engleburgs?” “I’ve known for some time.” “Don’t you mind?” “Why should I? It doesn’t matter to us.” She drove her heels into the flanks of the mustard-coloured pony, and the animal went into ai light, striding gallop. She wasn’t troubled. She was never troubled with Christian. They could not quarrel, couldn’t misunderstand. Some day they would marry, and ride together over the veld, their own veld. “The Hastings won’t know what to do when the rains start,” she called back over her shoulder. “You can’t spend your life with the Hastings.” The black ranged alongside the pony, and she saw Christian’s face, taut and brown, and the glint of his hair under his terai. “One day, I’ll have my own land,” she said. The clouds were tumbling into the sky. No longer a gleaming white now, like marble for a king’s palace, but grey and dirty, and casting cold shadows on to the baking ground. A blue flicker of lightning dazzled their eyes, and thunder rumbled bodingly through the day. 4 A feflz drops of heavy rain fell with little plops on to the hard soil. “Just wouldn’t that Carfrae woman wait for her party until the rains came,” panted Nella. “She didn’t want to start social events immediately after the tragedy in the town ... In other words, Hudson,” said Christian. “Well, what’s the good of that?” said Nella. “He was a criminal, wasn’t he?” “When will you marry me?” said Christian. “Oh heavens! Not now. I’ve got to get the Hastings straight first.” “They'll be straight by the end of the rains.” “Maybe they will, by then. We'd better hurry. The rains are really starting.” She hit the pony with her whip, and the animal bounded forward and went very fast; the black leapt up with him easily enough. ‘l’ll marry him when the rains are over,” she thought, “and it won’t matter then about his sister or my uncle —it won’t matter any more.” Quite suddenly water poured out of the sky, and the whole veld was enveloped in an almost impenetrable greyness. A wind swept across the soaked vlei, bending the grass. They could see Bloots in the distance, half hidden by the streaming wall of rain. The lightning flickered again, and the thunder was louder now, louder and more ominous. “Things will grow after this,” panted Nella. « * * * Bloots was very quiet on the following day. Water dripped off the thatch and fell into the ruts that ran round the house. Dolly went out on to the stoep. Already, after the preliminary rain, the couch grass was a pale green; and the pergola was no longer twined round with dead, brown, tendrils—faint,

green shoots had sprung up. Even the pergola poles had sprouted, and were putting forth green shoots of their own.

Already Dolly was conscious of a deep change in herself. Since she had been with child, she had felt more peaceful. The hot day, the slowly burgeoning earth; seemed to her to be a part of her, and she a part of it. The past fell away. There was only the present. Herself and David and Bloots.

She saw Nella coming up from the steaming track. A red cow walked in front, and Nella fpllowed it, carrying in her arm's a limp, bony, little redgold body. It legs were very long and hung limply. The cows walked with a. slow and weary content. Dolly ran off the stoep to meet her. “Hullo,” said Nella, “this calf needs attention. It’ll be all right, though.” They both stood still. The heavy afternoon quiet seeped into their souls. They saw the sapling gum trees flickering their leaves in the golden light; and between them, on the horizon, the blue sky burdened with more rain. The tall, gaunt house that was Bloots glimmered in the afternoon. There was the sound of a boy chopping wood. A plume of white wood-smoke rose lazily from the kitchen chimney. In the distance the bush wavered in the haze, but already it was taking on a young, green look. The calf in Nella’s arms gave a weak moo, and she said quickly, “I must look after this young thing.” Together they walked to the back of the homestead. It was curious how quickly the mine had been obliterated. There was now nothing but land rising to the heavy sky, land that was sprinkled with thin vivid grass, that by the end of the rains would be tall and graceful, and ripple like a sea under the wind. “David is down at the drift,” said' Dolly.

“Christian hopes to be able to get up here for scoff,” said Nella. There seemed nothing more to say. Nella busied herself with the calf, and Dolly stared at the skyline, and dreamed of the future, her eyes smiling and content. ' (The End.)