OUTPOST IN CHINA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1940, Page 10

OUTPOST IN CHINA

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT,

By

VAL GIELGUD.

Author of “Africa Flight” and Part Author of “Death at Broadcasting House.”

CHAPTER IV. (Continued.)

“Of course that’s true. But it’s more than arrogance on my part. Havelock’s not cut out for this sort of job. or for this sort of place. He’s lazy, and he’s ignorant. He won’t even begin to learn to talk in the vernacular. He's too fond of his comforts, Pat.”

"You can’t expect him a break himself of all his bad habits inside a week.”

Dale jumped up. and walked over to the window.

“You’re perfectly fair and reasonable,” he said, turning, "and you're also perfectly wrong. It’s a question of temperament and upbringing, not of bad habits. He’s been bred soft He’s always walked on the sunny side of the street —and the street has always had a policeman at the corner. He's taken cn this job, not for the job’s sake, but to prove to himself what a fine fellow ne can be if he likes. And I don’t believe that he even though: of that for himself.”

“You mean he got the idea from his wife? Then she might pull it off foi him. A woman can. you know. Look at Janet.”

“There’s as little in common between Sheila Havelock and Janet as there is between Gerald Havelock and you, my dear Pat!” “How can you know —yet?”

Dale shrugged his shoulders. “Her shoes —her stockings—her make-up—her general attitude—what’s the good of particularising? Oh. I’m not blaming her especially. She’s an attractive young woman —and she ought to be somewhere just off Piccadilly, with a cigarette and a cocktail, and a young man with hair like patent leather!”

“You seem to have given her a good deal of thought, my dear Leslie.” “Obviously. She’s the one of the pair that counts. Without her, Gerald would throw it up and go home. But he’s frightened of her as well as in love with her. And she thinks that you can run Tan Fu by going about in well-cut riding breeches, and being pretty terse with your Chinese servants. She must have read a packet of novels about the British raj on the boat coming out. Women do, when they go East. And then you get —well, just what we’re getting with Sheila Havelock: the deuce and all of a mess!”

“I’m sorry, Leslie.” Dale stared out towards the tumbled roofs of Tan Fu. and went on talking rather to himself than to the missionary.

“No, Pat, I shall have to quit. I shall have to start again, probably this time in a civilised place which I shall loathe! And half the time I shall be thinking of the heat and the smells and the go-downs here, and of you and Janet, and of the good time I’ve had making Tan Fu into what it was out of a stinking mud-hole. And I shall make a mess of it accordingly!” Patrick James went out and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. Dale swung round at the touch, his face working. “Thank you, Pat. You’re a good chap—and what I ’ owe to you and Janet I shall never be able to tell you. But I’ve got to work this out by myself. At the moment I'm afraid my vanity’s got me down! I’ll be seeing you.”

He picked up nis hat, and walked quickly out of the room. As he mounted his pony he heard the clatter of hoofs coming down the road higher up the hill. He turned his head to see who it was, and barely managed to stiflle an unamiable oath. For it was Sheila Havelock; attractively—but in Leslie’s opinion unsuitably—dressed in a silk shirt, open at the neck, breeches, and a “smasher” hat. The pony was in a lather, and she had no business to be cracking down the hill at that pace, if she had any respect for its feet.

She pulled up as she drew level with him, and lifting her crop to her hat as if in a mocking salute. Under tno broad brim of the hat he noticed that her eyes were beaming—excitement or malice? . “I hope you've had a good ride,” he muttered. “Pretty fair," said Sheila. “It's a nice change from Rotten Row. I wish you'd tell me why you dislike me quite as much as you do!” CHAPTER V. For perhaps a hundred yards the ponies walked on. neither rider speaking. "I don't dislike you," said Leslie at last. The girl laughed. "Oh yes you do. I know we preserve appearance all right. You even use my Christian name, when you remember, and yet me use yours—under protest. But you hate me really. And I think it's a pity. Dale's mouth tightened. "I suppose this is what’s called frankness by the younger generation. You know. I don't think it does as much good as some people like to make cut. It only leads to general discomfort. “Of course, if you're just going to be stuffy and elderly—just how old arc you. Leslie?" "Old enough to resent what might be called impertinent questions." Sheila Havelock flushed angrily. "I was only trying to have it out." she said. “If you don't want to be friends " Dale looked her straight in the face. "Is there much point in making a fuss about it?" he asked. "I shan't be here so much longer that it's going to worry you whether wo get on or | not." "What do you mean?” 1 “I've had my instructions from Shanghai. I'm to leave your husbandi in control here in exactly eleven] weeks’ time." "Then who's corning to help him?"

No one. He'll be in sole charge

I was before he came.” “It’s not true.” “I beg your pardon," said Leslie stiffly. “Oh, I’m sorry," Sheila went on, "but it’s too absurd! How can they leave him to run the show on his own? Heaven knows what’ll happen to us.” "I thought he’d come out here to find out just that,” said Leslie maliciously. "I know that's his idea, Leslie. But, fond as I am of Gerry, I know something of his limitations. Do you think he chose Tan Fu?” "I don’t know.” “Or care? Well, I chose it.”

“You?” “Yes —me. And I chose it because I found out, while I was in Shanghai that you were considered the best man on the whole Harwood and Greer staff.” “Oh rubbish, Sheila.”

"It’s true Leslie. You’re a tin god with the younger crowd in that office, t was determined Gerry should have he best tutor there was —so I vamped old Greer accordingly.” “I wish you wouldn't say that sort of thing, Sheila!" “Am I being a little vulgar? I expect my manners are going to seed here. I’m sorry." Dale smiled.

“It’s probably only that I’m oldfashioned as well as elderly,” he said. “I expect the target is' irresistible!”

“You know,” said Sheila, suddenly, “you’re the most maddeningly goodtempered man I’ve ever met!”

"I thought it was I who was supposed to be disliking you.” To that Sheila said nothing. For the moment it seemed that she was disinclined to pick up the foils, so Dale decided that he might do worse than try to improve the occasion. “Talking of good temper,” he said, as as they pulled up their ponies below the verandah of his house, “you would do your husband a good turn if you could persuade him that it’s never the slightest use getting worked up with Chinese. It merely proves to them conclusively that they’ve got you rattled. That’s why you must never threaten a Chinese unless you’re prepared to go ■the whole hog.” Sheila nodded. For once her face was entirely serious without being sulky. ’

“Gerry isn't good with them, is he?” “I don’t say that. But the upper Yangtse is very different from the upper reaches of the Cher ”

He broke off abruptly. Gerald Havelock had appeared on the verandah. A rifle was slung over one shoulder, and a pistol bulged obviousty in one of the side-pockets of his jacket. “I thought you were in the office this afternoon. Havelock,” said Leslie. “1 wish you cl let me know if you’re going shooting.” “I’m going to the office this minute." said Geraid unamiably.

"With all that ironmongery? What on earth for?”

If you want to know, because the streets of Tan Fu aren't safe today.” “What’s up?" demanded Dale bluntly.

“How should I know? The place is full of toughs, and a lot of ’em are carrying weapons. There was a row down by the water about mid-day, and I distinctly heard shooting ” Dale walked up the steps of the verandah and faced the younger man full.

“You know, Havelock," he said quietly, deliberately dropping his voice so that Sheila shouldn’t hear, “you’d do better if you’d stick to your work, and not worry about what you don’t begin to understand. Today’s a Chinese fsetival. The shooting you heard was the report of firecrackers, or I'll cat my hat. And the toughs. I’ll bet. are some of my old friend Wu’s blackguards out for a quiet beano. The one chance of their getting fresh with you is for you to go into the town looking like an arsenal.”

"You carry a pistol yourself,” muttered Gerald, sulkily. "Once in a blue moon—and then no one can see that I do.”

There was an awkward silence. What is it?” asked Sheila, coming up the steps.

Nothing,” said Dale hurriedly. “We muddled who was to be in the office afternoon, that’s all. I'm going down there right away.”

And before Havelock could protest, he had run down the steps to his pony' swung himself into the saddle, and cantered off toward the town.

Husband and wife were left staring uneasily at each other.

“Gerry,” sadi Sheila, “did you know that Leslie was going to leave us after three months?”

Gerald dropped his eyes to contemplate the polished lips of his ridingboots.

"Yes.’’ he admitted finally "I did Why?”

“You mean you knew he wouldn’t be replaced when he goes? That we’ll be quite alone here?”

Certainly. What are you getting at. Sheila?"

“I just wanted to know—that’s all." And she tucked her riding whip under her arm, and brushed past him into the house. (To be Continued).