The Troubled Journey

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19893, 23 May 1936, Page 5

The Troubled Journey

SERIAL STORY. -

' "n 0"... < Joan Martin cannor "get on" with Janet. her stepmother. The other Martin children, Felicity and Jimmy, feel the same, [but it is easier for them, as Felicity is ‘marrled and living in London, and Jimmy is away at school. I At last Joan revolts, and goes to live with Felicity. she attends a private com.mercial school owned by Derek Graham. a young widower, and later is successful 'ln obtaining a post as secretary to Geo:Jl‘ey Matthews, head or the vast commer‘clal enterprise of Matthews and WW"- ‘ Meanwhile, avarice has bitten very ‘deeDly into Janet .\lartin’s mind. she hates her stepchildren, and plans to hurt them in every way she can. ‘ Felicity's husband goes abroad to superivise an engineering Joh‘ and Felicity ac‘ companies him. After seeing them or! at Southampton, Joan is surprised to find therek Graham waiting to run back ‘0 London. CHAPTER XII.—-(Continued.) , He was still lying back, White to the lips, and the blood had coursed down his face from the wound in his tore—head. It looked horribly as if he was dead. His face was set in 'grlm lines; he looked very much as he had seemed to her when she had first met him. Trouble always seemed to beset him. and he was prepared for it. \Vhat would happen to him? i in the anguish of the moment she felt that she must burst out crying. but she managed ’to keep control over herself. The pain in her leg was in—creasing. It was as it two pieces of‘ red—hot metal transfixed her; she‘ stopped trying to free herself, for the i pain increased when she moved. ‘ The thing which frightened her‘ most was the fire. ‘ ’l‘wice she saw little shoots ofi flame, and she heard someone shout in alarm. The man who had spoken‘ to her was bending over the dash—board and working quietly but calmly] to tree her. Two or three others were with him now, and they were trying to ‘ i‘ree Derek and the lorry driver from; the wreckage. it was horrible, like a l slow—motion picture. \Vould they ever l succeed in freeing her—in freeing them all? ‘ A strange acrid smell assailed her nostrils, after a few minutes, and she saw a man standing in the road and spraying the car with a fire extinguisher. lieliet‘ surged through her. The danger of fire, at least, had gone. she was vaguely aware of other things. 'l‘wicc policemen loomed over her, looking very grim in their blue uni—form. An oldish-looking man. grey—haired and wry capable, bent over her and felt lmr pulse. it seemed a foolish ‘ thing to do. l "She‘ll be all right," the man Said: A dortnr, olninusly. “Let's have a‘ look at the man." ‘ .\t the mun—licrrk, who was her :iillnnl‘mi liusimnrll Surely nothing would happen to lion-k. ||4i\\‘, .\‘urvly he would he, safe rnuligh. >ln' .\lolo n glance at him, anti >ll(‘ \\iis i‘riglilz‘nml ivy [he nl.irl)lu ;\\lllionvss ui' his i'm'o. ‘ 'l‘hc. tinrlur lmlkml grim, lnli, said nothing liul :1 rt-w si-i'untis lull-r thu‘. efforts in iron l’i‘l'i'k \\'(‘l'o l'i‘llllllllli‘tli ‘ .lnnn \\ns Slitlill'lll)’ :l\\;ll‘t‘. of :1 great. ;rvlicf (It lll'l' lugs. 'l‘lic lllilll \\‘lioni who hml Ilrsl svrn snlilml at her. ill: lsm‘inrll \‘vry largo. nlniust like J. 111.111 ‘i'roin another “will. i “You‘ll lu- nut in .1 jiffy." lit" said. E Joan innldwl, .\‘llu i'olt lvrrilily weary, luui .\llt‘ \\il.\ t-nnst'iuus nt‘ \'t‘l'}' little pain ’l‘livrt‘ \\iis (t twinge or two in her right log .15 \\llllllfs' llitllilS lii'iml ln'r from tho \\rorkng.‘ and Lilli livr ‘(vn a stroll-hrr lly llll‘ Slill‘ Inf iln' l‘llll'l. i \\'uril,\ I'3lllll‘ In llni' lips. ‘ , "l‘in all right,“ she murmured.

By MARGARET GLENN.

“Derek—where‘s Derek?" There was a murmur of sympathetic voices. The grey-haired man iceme to her, and put a flask to her lips. “He's all right," he said. “Take a sip of this—you‘ll feel much better. That's right—another llttle drop—" Joan drank it. The liquid had a bitter taste, but it was not very ampleasant. It seemed to ease her mind. She looked upwards at the sky. listllessly. The men and women about her seemed a long way off. Slowly her eyes closed, and she dropped into a deep sleep. » l CHAPTER XIII. The doctor who had been bending over Joan straightened up with a satisfied smile. He beckoned to an ambulance man who was standing near by. “She will be all right." he said. “Get her to the hospital, with the lorry driver, and then come back." The man nodded, and turned. The doctor went again to Derek Graham. He knew that the driver or the Morris was in a bad way. It would he touch and so whether he lived. His breathing was very weak, and it was obvious that his ribs had been crushed. The problem was whether the lungs had been pierced. It was a long task to free Derek. but it was accomplished at last. Throughout the whole period he had been unconscious, and he did not open his eyes even as they lifted him, very gently. into the ambulance. He looked like a. dead man. The doctor felt a little more optimistic than he had done at ilrst. He knew that it would mean a. serious operation, but he believed that it could be performed successfully. For some reason the medico had formed an attachment for the young couple in the Morris. They had looked 50—— l"thcCllL" seemed the best word. And‘ the girl had believed wonderfully. The doctor sighed a little, and his lips were twisted. lie met so many tragedies. So many people Who de—served to live died; so many who seemed to deserve death lived. There‘ was no understanding the ways ol‘ Providence. l at It a: t l Joan opened her eyes and lookedi around the room. l it was strange, unlike any room in‘ which she had ever been before.‘ She trimi to remember why she was" “here. but hrr mind refused to lune-l [lien for a while. She realised, slowly. 'llmt the white—clad ilgurcs which she imuld see were women; and she saw that there were several beds in the l l'UUlli, .\‘ursosl She was in hospital. ‘ I Then realisation C‘dllll) to her and who lllcrml it little cry. She would ’lmro li‘lt'll in got up. but u iil'm hand was plnrcxi on llL'l‘ shoulder, and she sunk lnh'li on 1101' pillows. ’ A lmnn'lx—lhrml nurso smiled at her. ‘ 1 "You‘ll lw all right," the nurse Hurnniiswl. "llow zm- )0” feeling?“ I .luitll \\.ls runsriuus ul’ :1 dull tlirob— l him; in hvr log", and hvr head was 'ilt'.l\)_ tlllll‘l‘\\l5“ slil- l'rlt all right, iJllll .\hr .\lltl us mnrh. The nurse‘ th‘l'llll‘tl plinlsril. . I “\hu‘vr‘ nothing; at all to worry ‘ulmnlfi‘ silo will. ‘ ‘ .lmh >lllll'|\ hrr haul and smiled LL‘ 1 lilllv. l ‘ llvr mind was still runfusmL 'l‘ln'l ,nl‘l'nii' nu lln- London l‘uml 1111 l null-l ivnlm‘ [Link In Ill‘l' i'llllll'lnllll'l). -lll‘ll lain; i'l‘u\\liL‘Ll he hilt trim] to rumum-l

her why she was in hospital. A vague memory of the smash came to her. Then—"Derekl" she cried out. and her voice broke. ”Derek—where is he? Where is he?" The nurse smoothed her forehead soothingly. “There‘s nothing to worry about," she said. “Derek will be all right, as you are, very soon. Now don't worry. Try to sleep." , But Joan could not sleep. She remembered the accident. and all its horrors. very clearly now. Derek‘s face, chalk-white saving for the ugly streak of blood. seemed to lhover in front of her eyes. Little did she realise that the wound on his forehead was a minor one, and that the danger would come from his crushed ribs. The nurse gave her something to drink again, and sleep encompassed her. When she awakened it was to see a familiar figure at her bedside. She smiled a little, and her hand moved towards his. . “Jimmy," she said, “how did you know?" “The hospital people sent me a wire," he said. “My address was in your handbag, old girl. You're a fine one, you are, to do this just after you'd got engaged.” Joan's eyes held fear, suddenly, “Have you seen him?" she demended. Jimmy shook his head. but he was cheerful enough. i “I’m told that he'll recover all might," he said; “but he suffered irather more than you did. There's inothing to worry about, all the same." i “You're sure or that?" Joan demended. Jimmy nodded, and smoothed her hand. As she looked at him she thought that he had aged :1 great deal since she had last seen him. He was eighteen, but he looked and acted like a young man of twenty-odd. His face reminded her very strongly of her father‘s as he smiled at her. He stood up suddenly. “I'm going now,“ he said. “One or two of your other friends want to see you, but I’ll come again soon." Joan smiled and pressed his hand. Mrs Gregory, wide-eyed with concern, but as cheerful as ever, entered the room next. From her Joan learned that the accident had taken place nearl Surblton, and that she was in that‘ local hospital. “it's quite near Wimbledon," said Mrs Gregory, “so you’ll be able to have me as a visitor quite a lot. And no worrying. my dear. I‘ve been talking to the house surgeon about Derek. and he‘ll be as good as ever in a few weeks." Joan nodded. All of them would not lie to her. “I‘d love to see him," she said wistfully. “You'll be able to soon," promised Mrs Gregory. “Now. let me see. Dorothy is Mining 10 see you to—nighi; she‘s had special permission, as she can't get here during the regular visiting llours——-" Joan interrupted her. "1 must have hrr‘n here a long time if you‘ve hrrn able to gr! In [011“]! with llnrolhy, and if Jimmy‘s imd linm in come from «l'imulfi‘ “Nearly two days,” said Mrs Gregory. “’l'hry gm'o smnclhing to make you sleep. my Ilr‘nr. 1 \\'.is nearly i‘runtir Hm! Sunday night when you didn‘t ronm lionu‘. hill. I had :1 message from the polii'u quiiu Lite, and I knew you wore 2111 right.“ Joan Krimm'wl. “i wish 1 \\us much more :11] right," 5111' will. 1 "(ii'm'ioils inn!" “\VLIiIIIWI .\li‘s‘ lii‘l‘ilfil‘)’. "You're lurk} In 11.1 w rsveiln'li \\‘iih )‘uur “11'. Juan. \\lllll Imm” .mylhin: .iw.“ Juull nunillmi, .mii .I>l\l‘ll :I tilll‘hll'lll \\hil'll I|.ul in'v‘ll “arm“: lit." «mun Sillr‘l'llbl). ‘ i “Do you lulu“ how the dimer ull

Ithe lorry is?" she asked. Mrs Gregory nodded. “Bad. but getting on all right, so you've still nothing to worry about." She leaned over and kissed Joan. "Now you've another visitor, and I mustn't take up all your time." "Someone else?" Joan exclaimed. .\[rs Gregory nodded, but said nothing else. As Joan waited she wondered who else voulri have called on her. She was sharing at His door. and saw the figure or a man who entered the ward. but for 1110 moment she could not see his face. When she dld she gasped in astonishment. it was lialph .\iaitthewsl (To be continued.)