OUTPOST IN CHINA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1940, Page 10

OUTPOST IN CHINA

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. Cc

By

VAL GIELGUD.

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

CHAPTER XV. Behind the two men, as they waited a couple of white-jacketed houseboys were lighting the lamps, and placing three chairs at a table. They shuffled uneasily as they worked, and whispered nervously in carefully-lowered voices. From outside the french window sounded a word of command, uttered in a singularly thin precise voice, and two armed men appeared on the verandah. They wore nondescript khaki uniforms, carried a rifle and an umbrella slung across their shoulders, and heavy Mauser pistols prominent in their belts. They wheeled inward to face each other, and waited impassively for their leader. A moment later Wu walked in, his spurs clinking. He looked more like a figure out of a musical comedy than ever, in his big fur hat, with gold lace draped all over the breast of his tunic and his great curved sabre tucked under his arm. He bowed lov, from the waist, and peered curiously at Gerald Havelock. “I am not late, I trust,” he said. Gerald nodded stiffly. “Not at all, General. You know Mr James, I think?” Wu smiled expansively, and stroked his thin silky moustache. “We are old friends —I hope,” he said. “You will have a drink after your long ride from the hills?” Gerald suggested; and noticed the missionary frowning. General Wu sat down at the table. Behind him his guards sensibly relaxed, but kept their hands on the butts of their pistols. “Later I shall be very glad, Mr Havelock,” said Wu, clasping his thin yellow fingers together on the table in front of him. But you have a proverb in your country which I greatly admire! Business before pleasure!” Gerald coughed nervously, and complimented the General on the fluency of his English. “I thought perhaps,” said Wu, slightly lifting one eyebrow, “that Mr Dale—whose departure I so greatly regretmight have informed you that I hold degrees of the universities of Canton and San Francisco.” Gerald winced. “You were good friends with Mr Dale,” he said, taking one of the other chairs. ’“I hope we shall be friends also." Wu studied his long finger-nails, which were very long and pointed. “We say in China,” he observed, apparently to the world at large, “that a youth is to be regarded with respect. But also—admonish your friends and kindly try to lead them. If you find them impractical, stop.” This enigmatical pronouncement put an immediate stop to the slightly strained exchange of compliments. “I suggest we get to business,” said Patrick James gruffly. “By all means,” agreed Wu. Gerald Havelock squared his shoulders. “What have you to say, General?” he said abruptly.

"Nothing,” replied Wu blandly. “1 believe a communication was faithfully delivered to you, Mr Havelock. I see no change in the situation.” “I am to take as serious then, General, your threat to burn and loot Tan Fu unless I pay you 50 thousand silver dollars on behalf of my company?” Wu lowered his eye lids modestly. “Thai,” he said very quietly, “is so.” “But it’s absurd —outrageous!” “Superior men,” remarked Wu “according to our proverb in China, are not invariably virtuous.” James grinned, and his expression stung Gerald Havelock into asserting himself. “It’s not a question of virtue,” ne snapped. “It’s a question of cash. I don’t possess such a sum. It’s not to be had.” "I am assured,” said Wu blandly, “that its equivalent is in your godowns. Your company can send the money.” "You’re pretty frank, General!" "Sincerity,” said Wu apologetically, “is of everything the beginning and the end. Without it there can be nothing.” "Then,” said Gerald. “I’ll be as sincere as you like! Your demand is absurd and I refuse it flatly! I’ve paid you more than enough money as it is.” James sat up startled. “What on earth do you mean, Gerald? You haven’t been paying—” He stopped. Wu had lifted one hand, and was looking steadily at Gerald Havelock from under his lowered lids. “I shall raid Tan Fu tomorrow at sundown,” he said quietly. ' CHAPTER XVI. Faced with the ultamatum of a raid on Tan Fu—delivered with an agreeable casualness more appropriate to an invitation to tea in a cathedral town in England'—the two Englishmen could only regard one another blankly. Rather oddly, it was Gerald Havelock who first found his voice. "I think not,” said he. “There’s a gunboat at Chungking. She can be up here in plenty of time, if I send a message to her commander.” Wu smiled pleasantly, less at Gerald than upon the world at large. “To see what is right,” he observed, “and not to do it, is want of courage.” "What do you mean by that?” demanded Gerald angrily. Wu spread out his hands upon the table before him. "It is a proverb of our country," ho answered quietly. "You see what is right, Mr Havelock —but you will not do it.” “And why not?” asked Patrick James. Wu turned courteously to the missionary. "Mr James, 1 do not think that Mr Havelock is a fool —though he is young. He dare not send for the gun-1 beat. It would be folly. The country! between here and Chungking is in my ‘ hands. No message could get through

If the boat were here, it would not dare to open fire. These incidents are no longer popular with your countrymen, Mr James. lam en relation with the Republican authorities of China, who pay my soldiers.” “You’re nothing but a brigand,” began Gerald; then he saw the warning look in James’s eyes, and changed his tone. What on earth have you to gain by violence, General? If you hold your hand, I might persuade my Company to pay you some kind of monthly subsidy—on condition that you guarantee the safety of Tan Fu against other —marauders.” Patrick James frowned ferociously at this, but now Gerald took no notice. “Well, General?” “Fine words,” said Wu Tso Ling slowly, “and an insinuating manner are seldom associated with true virtue.” “Confound your virtue and your proverbs!” The General ignored the outburst. 'You will pay, Mr Havelock?” “I said —No!” Wu rose ponderously to his feet, pushing back his chair. "The superior man,” he said, “has neither anxiety nor fear. I shall be here a little before sundown for the money.” > Gerald rose in his turn. “You couldn’t bluff Mr Dale, General, and you can’t bluff me! I may not send for the gunboat—but you won't sack Tan Fu!” Whether from the mention of Leslie Dale’s name causing a certain uneasiness in the bandit’s mind, or. from a determination to scare Gerald Havelock thoroughly, Wu for the first time in the course of the interview displayed anger. "To sack Tan Fu would be a righteous act!” he said. “It is only a shelter for foreign devils! The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness.” “And yet,” interrupted Patrick James smoothly, leaning back in his chair, and looking the Chinaman over coolly, “for fifty thousand dollars you would refrain from that righteous act! I know some of your proverbs too. General. The mind of the mean man is conversant with gain.” He smiled politely. Equally politely Wu dropped his assumption of wrath as quickly as he had picked it up, and smiled back. ' “I am indebted to you, Mr James. My scholarship is not quite what it was!” Gerald had no intention of seeing the initiative in the negotiations pass from his own hands to those of the missionary. “Surely we can be sensible —come to a reasonable compromise?” he protested. “Mr Havelock, you have heard my terms.” Patrick James yawned vastly, displaying his many large and excellent teeth. “You realise, General, this means a fight, if you persist?” Wu shook his head, as if in melancholy regret. “No, Mr James. I understand the position of Mr Havelock perfectly. He is bound to do all he can to save the money of his Company. He has tried. But he has paid me too much money already to be able to convince me that no more is forthcoming. The man of virtue makes the difficulty his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration. I advise him therefore to continue to think of his difficulties. He will pay, and I shall be nappy to appreciate him as a friend. If, by any mischance, he does not pay, it will not be a fight. It will be a massacre.” He settled his fur hat, and raised a hand in salute before turning away. With that ceremonial close of the interview something seemed to snap in Gerald Havelock’s brain. He was conscious only of a swirling red mist before his eyes, through which loomed Wu’s sneering face;, of the conviction that once again he had failed in a task to which he had set his hand. He whipped the pistol from his pocket and levelled it between Wu’s shoulder-blades. “Two can play at shooting you know!" he snarled, as he did so. Next moment Patrick James, with a speed incredible in a man of his size and bulk, had flung himself across the table, and gripped Gerald’s wrist, twisting it savagely until the barrel of the pistol pointed to the ceiling. It was as well, for the Mausers of Wu’s two guards were already naif way from their holsters. Wu himself checked them with the slightest of gestures, and watched the two Englishmen struggling with an expression of mildly amiable curiosity. "Let go!” gasped Gerald. “Will you swear to behave reasonably?” “Boldness without the rules of propriety,” observed Wu sweetly, "becomes insubordination.” "You're hurting me," whimpered Gerald. “I won’t touch the swine!" “Candour without the rules of propriety,” continued Wu, "becomes rudeness.” The missionary dropped Gerald’s hand. Gerald stuffed the pistol back into his pocket, and turned miserably away. "I think there is no more to be said." continued the bandit. “Mr Jatnes. 1 have been happy to meet you again. Mr Havelock, it has been a pleasure fo make your acquaintance. I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow. J Gentlemen, good evening." He bowed slightly and, followed by his men. left the room. There was a little, rather dreadful silence, until there came the sound of the horses' hooves clattering into the distance along the stony track. I . (To be Continued). I