The Troubled Journey

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19886, 15 May 1936, Page 4

The Troubled Journey

SERIAL STORY

By MARGARET GLENN.

SYNOPSIS. Joan Marlin cannot "get on" with Janet. her stepmother. The other Martin omm; ren. Felicity and Jimmy. “’9l the sum”! but it is easier for them. as Felicity 15 married and living In London, and Jimmy is away in scnuoi. M last Joan revolts, and goes to live with Felicity. She attends a private commercial school owned. by Derek Graham, 3 young widower. and later is successful in obtaining a post as secretary to Georrrey Matthews, head or the Vast commercial enterprise or Matthews and Wyatt.

ueanwn'iie'f' s&aéiss"hli§ "fine‘if‘kiéry ' deeply into Janet Martin's mind. She limes ‘ her stepchildren, and plans to hurt them in every way she can, Felicity‘s husband goes abroad to super—vise an engineering Job, and Felicity ac-l rumpanies him. After seeing them on‘ at Southampton. Joan ts surprised to and iterek Graham waiting to run back to Lumton. CHAPTER VII (continued). ’ She learned very little about his home life. although she knew that he] was married. and that he had a son. who, she imagined, was about Jimmy's age. Ralph Matthews frequently ‘ telephoned to the Strand oilice. but, aloan did not see him. She didl Inotice, however, that Matthews the father always seemed more cheerful: after ‘he had had a talk with his 5011.: Matthews and Wyatt hurt lingers in so 1 many financial pics that it was hardly. u mincidenuo that they were inter—t esleLi in the engineering works which‘ Dirk Jackson was going to supervise in the Canary Islands. The workH i-unsisting (if the building or a great warehouse and a railroad to span the islands, was partly financed 'by Matthews nnd \Vyatt. Geoffrey Matthews, therefore, was interested in the young engineer who was to take charge of the work, and he had no hesitation in lettingr Joan take a day from work to see Dick, Felicity and the baby of! from Southampton. ' ’l‘ho hustle and bustle of the docks, t and the sight of the great liner leaving the quayslde, was wonderfully impres—sive, People lined the side of the ship. and the sides of the quays. They were shouting and waving and, sometimes, crying. Mothers were seeing their only sons starting {or a Journey half way across the world. Young men and women were starting the greatest adventures in their lives. Tragedy, hope and faith was there almost visible in the expressions on those thousands of faces.

But Joan. regarding the people: about her. told herself that sadness, predominated. No matter what rea-g son the journey. there was always' sadness at parting. \: Her own eyes were filled with tears, as she saw the ship moving majesii-; cally away. as Felicity. Dick and Babs were no longer distinguishable from tho other people lining the ship's decks. Then the crowd began to move from the docks. slowly at first, as though no one was anxious to slart. as if many would gladly have stayed there, watching until the ship was no more than a vague mark on the hori—l zon. : Joan was glad to get away. 1 She felt that loneliness which had‘ assailed her once or twice before. Danohester and her father seemed very far away; and she knew that Old John would not last many months longer. She would never forget thei encouragement of his words to her; if. he had reproaohed her in any way for . leaving the house. she would have" felt terrible. ; But he had assured her that shot had done the right thing. I That helped; but it did not assuage i the loneliness which engulfed her..’ iApart from one or two girls at her work. Geoffrey Matthews, Mrs Gregory at her lodgings, she knew no one in| London. E No-one? 5 She laughed at herself. as she re—§ membered Derek Graham. -j She had realised for some time,‘ now. that, he was in love with her. although he had never spoken or that. love. She ~knew. nevertheless, that he would help her to the uttermost. no matter what was the nature of her need. Her heart, warmed towards him. He was so calm. so serious, so -—rellnhle. That was the word which suited hlm hest. Her heart warmed towards him, certainly: but she felt no thrill as she thought of him. Several times she had told herself that she loved him. .lnut she doubled. in her oulmer mo—lnn‘uts. whether she could eVL-r have

‘l more than a liking for him. 3 Thinking i‘hus, she walked toi “aids the station. ' .im had come down by road, in a chauffeur-driven car which was, re—quired on the return Journey by importani members of Dick‘s firm. Her trip hack to London, therefore, would have to be made by train. Perhaps for the first time in her lure the thought of a train journey , failed to give her any real enjoyment, 'Loneliness seemed to swallow her lcompleiely as she went. towards the sheds. And then she stopped dead ‘siiil. staring at me little car which was parked Just outside the station. and at. the figure of the driver. For a momeni. she went a deep red. Then: "Dereki" she cried. Derek Graham, smiling delighiediy at her obvious surprise, Jumped oui of a liitin Morris two-senior and hurried inwards her. They shook hands eagerly; .Tnnn was hardly conscious of iim pi‘t‘fifilll‘c of his Fl‘ip: silo icoulll nui miss ihc glow in his eyes. “Rm. what brings you down here?" Rho dmnundvd. , l‘iorok smllvd, a liiiic awkwardly. l “\Voii." ho said, “i gnossed ynu‘d 1w ‘f‘fliilillf’: hark by ii‘ain and I lilmughi, you‘d i‘m‘lfior—innviy.” i “i was feeling liko noihing on ivm'ih,“ sniii Juan, warmly. I it. was ihu irnih, of course. but a moment luior sili‘ huii‘ \Vishmi ihni shn inui nui put. llllilt‘ sn inlu'h warmih lniu lwi- \\'l\l'lls. ii wnuhi im un—-ni.-r-i.nniui)lv if he innkwl nn ”mm as pussmsing :i «lnuliin nn‘uninlx, illill. lin—iiuhimi limlipzh silv was in SOO him. Sili‘ (“ll nui i‘m'i iilui silo \\';uiimi, ini' iiiu lll‘\i. i'l‘\\' nluys. in lu‘ i‘ui'mi with any iinpni'iuni «Incision. ”t‘l' HilllLL'iiiS \\'|‘l'i' not. \Viiimui Jnsiiih-uilnn. Sin- imii imii‘nmi 1n linim‘ linroli wulL [in “as nui iin‘ inn- in iwni. ninnli iilu Ailush: Uili‘ tiny, soon. in\\|llil|l prulmsn iiiiii‘i‘iJfll‘ in lII‘I'. Sinl\\;i.\' 1H sni'v ni' iimi us siiu \\.|». snro iimi, iln‘ il£i\\'ll\\l>lilli in'mi; nil iiw ill-\i morning. Ami shn \\.i~‘ I[~‘~'|N‘l‘.li|‘l}‘ :in\iuu>’. jusi. iliun, nui in iliink .liililll ii.;limui Jili_\'”liii’£. Sliv lunxhwi, iiL'iiil)’. "\ln'im“: il \\.l\ inn-I} ..1' ‘\‘ii[ in .uun.-.lu\\n."~|u~ siliii, iinliimruivly Indium: ill‘l' \nivn mnnni mm‘v rislmi iimn Ii hinl inmn imini'v , inn-w i‘ui'lnni. siiv‘ iimuziii. iwrwk socmeri in naii-‘w lin riwncw. "ii isn‘t exactly a Rails Rmcrz,” he said, with a deprecstins smiia.

Joan 'had noticed, more frequently lately, that he smiled a great deal.’ and that he possessed very shrewd wit, at times. It was not so much what hr. said as how he said it which appealed to her sense of humour. "It‘ll take us back to London," she said. "I didn‘t know you ‘had a car, Derek." They had been using their Christian names {or several weeks, although neither of them overworked the words. "I bought it last week—end," said Derek. He did not add, as he could have done, that he had bought it in the hope that she would accompany him in it at week—ends and for evening runs. He realised that for a. while‘ she would feel at a loose end. and he wanted to make the next tew weeks as pleasant for her as was possible. There was also. of course, his desire to be near her. But Derek Graham was unselfish in the truest sense of the word. ‘His own desires always came second, where Joan was concerned. Provided she was happy. he was quite satisfied. He tucked. her into the seat next to the steering wheel, and started the car. She noticed—Joan had always noticed small things, from her childhood days—that he was a capable driver. He made no fuss at letting in the clutch; everything was done easily and without effort. ’l‘hey drove through the crowded streets of Southampton without talking a great deal. Joan had more time to think, now. It was wonderful rot Derek to have taken the trouble to fetch her from‘ Southampton. in order to make the im—mediate loneliness easier. It was typi- ‘ cal of him, she knew. He had always been considerate, and she was sure that hc.w-ould always be so. . She stole a glance at his profile as they went along. He was handsome, in a manuish way, she decided. There was strength and character in the lines of his face. Quickly. before she realised it. he looked at her and smiled. ' There was something in his smile which hurt her. He seemed to have a great confidence. it was almost as if he oon~ sidered that he had already asked his great question without the use of words. and that her answer Ihad lbeen "yes." Yet. at that moment, she knew that her answer would have to he " no." More than ever she hoped that he “would not brooch the topic that

day. ‘Ten miles outside Southampton. hel drew up outside a. small, friendly—looking cafe, for tea. They spoke little, as they had their light meal. Derek was wondering whether it would be fair to worry her, at that moment. He was keenly aware of the fact that she was likely to the more easily approached, then, than at. any other time, and he told himself that it was not fair to take advantage or her loneliness. He wanted, desperately, to hear her say “yes" when he asked her lto marry him; but he wanted to be [certain that she loved him. At that ‘lime, he realised, he could not be sure. Consequently, he dld not broach the subject that was near his heart. Joan appreciated his silence; she could almost f-ollow his reasoning. ; “‘hen he left her, outside the house ‘where she was living, his hand-shake ,was very firm, and he said: I, “You‘ll remember, won‘t you. that {l‘ln always ready to help?" ii. “I know,“ said Joan, quickly, and

|they parted. ; Mrs Gregory was waiting for her. j Her new friend—Joan felt that she could not call this charming littlel middle-aged woman her landlady; il. |sounded tee stitt’ and formal—was iproving a very true one. Joan felt in [many ways that she was nearer home, ihere, than she had ever ‘lJeen at Dnn< ichester since her mother had died. i Sam, the Dalmatian, greeted her with ghls tall wagging nineteen to the .dozen, and his great eyes fixed on her ‘as though in expectation of great Jthinigs. She smoothed his muzzle, delighting in the siikiness of his skin, -and the way in which he nestled to— her. 2 After a little idle conversation, while tshe hall a light supper, she went up‘ :10 her room. 1‘ It was :1 pleasant little ehzm'rber. , 1 The r‘hintz curtains at the windows were clean and :hright. The furniture,

ithough not heavy, was ample for her :needg and, to make it even better, the Erooni overlooked the sloping grounds lol’ a smell park. A cool breeze was ihlowing towards her, for the day had iheen warm and sultry, although it; was lmid—winter. i As she undressed, she felt that she would so to sleep as soon as her head [touched the pillow, but she was dis- ‘ appointed. 1 The past few months seemed to ‘pass in front of her eyes as she rested ,there. The absurd little quarrel with :Janet which had started this; the glordons sense of freedom which she had lexperieneed in the first few weeks, the exultation of getting that Joli), the delight which she had in keeping it. l.»\nd there was the very warm friend—'ship 01‘ Felicity and Dick; the cheeky lloreliness oi’ Babs, the solid reliability lot” Uerek——ihose things and a dozen lothers. i The last thing which she Isaw in her ‘liili‘id's eye, however, before she Jdmpped to sleep, was her father's face, very lined, and tinged over‘su little Jwith blue. ‘ CHAPTER VIII. l i-‘elh'lty and her husband had left ll‘lnx‘luntl in the early (lays of January. ‘urm- :iii. The next three months went Iwry tlllit'kl)’ to Joan, illltl the lonrti—mess which hud almost i'rlghtcncd her fut first scrim-ii :1 long wary iiwuy. 1 She “ii-s happy. i 'l'hrrt- was no doubt almut that. She !(‘Jljll)'t‘tl every minute at" her life, even :tho littlr anxieties of her work; they Isoonnul to h.- :1 port of hor happiness; }\\'lihoul, thi'ni it would have ‘llL‘t‘ll iiigt'iillllllt‘ll‘. r lino Friday in April, tieoi‘t‘rt‘y Mut—tthrws lohl her that in future shc {would not he needed oi the oillre on :S.itiirntii,\ moriiinusl Shi- to“ limit .o\ri'_\l|iin: was \\|H‘liiil_n€ \\'oinlorl’ull_\‘, ;i’ur hor. 'r‘ho roiilil have the full ‘xwrl‘ oml I’or lit-insult, now, :iinl \\i|h :lllv' \\.irii| \\t‘i|”|i‘l' ruining; she know" i|h.il \h-I “olihl rnjoy them to ”it“ llilll'l‘lllnbsl. l shi- “at" just :i liith‘ ronrvrned uhontl (tooth-o) Matthews. however. ‘ Ht'l' oniployor \V.-rs :is roiirtomis its" im-r to her, hill to many others he Eu.» urntt‘. iiiltl even tinlilmrutnly l‘lll‘lifii Thu pnlirnro :invl :u-lul-hlilnour “lili‘lli ‘iimi ('lmrnrim'ism] him in tho tlrst few" [months itmt Joan hm’l Lllai\\|l him had} [er-no almost Ruinrnletely _‘P\l‘l'rll llii]4‘~‘ [she had rhsrmere-i that he had \Vorhed‘ tcmuw tr mu soiumuq

at (no, nmvn unlil Hm early hours -nl‘ the morning. and he 500111911 [0 gm fhusil'r uml husivl'. Yr! sln‘ rlinl lIOL thin]; Hlul (lu'm' was :1 grout 11ml mun' \wn'l; passing" llnwug'h Hu' ufiiuu lelll them had lll‘t‘ll. 811 v lH‘mmw cum'inx‘ml HmL his “'OlI‘ll's \\'L‘l‘l' Almnvslit' onus. Slut ‘lnul still nnl sown Ralph Mal— Hu-ws. ulthvnll‘gh she knuw him \H'II nnuugh m'vl' lhu l1‘ll'|}lll|ll!‘. 'l‘lw )‘Illlll):“l' man's culls hzm nul [mun su [mun-m ol' lulu, Juan \vumlm'ml “My. (To In: continuud.) '