The Troubled Journey

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19894, 25 May 1936, Page 12

The Troubled Journey

SERIAL STORY

By MARGARET GLENN.

I SYNOPeIu. I Joan Martin cannot ”get on" with Janet. her stepmother. The other Martin children. Felicity and Jimmy. reel the same, but it is easier for them, as Felicity is married 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 commercial school owned by Derek Graham. is young widower. and later is successful in obtaining a post as secretary to Geo?.frey Matthews. head of the vast commEllCifll enterprise of Matthews and \\'yatt. | Meanwhile, EYlll'iCe has bitten very ‘deeply into Janet .\iartin's mind. She hates her stepchildren, and plans to hurt them .‘in every way she can. i Feliciiy’s husband goes abroad to supervise an engineering Job, and Felicity aC‘ 'companies him. Artei- seeing them on a! ißoumammon. Jean is surprised to 11nd ‘Derak Graham waiting to run back to iLondon, i "“ CHAPTER XIII, (Continued) I The son of her employer was smil,ing cheerfully. He carried a small ibut exquisite bunch of oarnetions. Iwhieh he placed on the cupboard at I the side of her bed. . He shook hands, and asked her how she was. “ Not half as bad. as I might have been," said Joan. a little uncertain of herself. “ It‘s awfully nice of you to come along, Mr Matthews." Ralph laughed the suggestion away. ” When my father heard of the little spot 01‘ bother." he said, ”the ilrst ; thing we suggested was that one of lus should come and try to cheer you lup. Please don‘t worry about. your 1 job, Miss .\iariin. It. will be ready for I you whenever you like." 1 Joan vsmiled gratefully. That was a 'big load 0113 her mind. Ralph Matthews chatted pleasantly for 10 minutes, and then rose to go. Joan could not help admiring the ease of his manner, and the handsomeiness of him. There was something 'attractive about Ralph Matthews, and lagain she recalled Dorothy‘s opinion I of him. without being able to underIstand the reason for it. The pres{sure of his hand when he left her ‘ seemed to linger. I Jimmy came again, soon afterwards. Ibut he was not able to stay for long. iHe was with Mrs Gregory for a few I days. Joan learned. That little woman ' was certainly proving a good friend. Joan dropped into a day—dream when her visitors had gone. The accident seemed a thing of tho . past. a hazy memory. it hardly I seemed possible that it had happened I only a day or two ago. And the hull—day seemed even further away. I \Vas it. really true? Had she seen that. dream—roiiage. with Derek: had she promised to marry him? She felt the ring: on her finger, and she knew that it was true. She had t given her word. I The glow which had illled her in lthe first few days of the engagement §\\'RS missing. now. She had felt ter— Iribly anxious for Derek, but it had iheen a friendly interest rather than i fear for the man she loved. She could jnot understand her emotions. She real—- ? ised that. the two weeks‘ holiday had I been wonderful, but they had seemed Ipart of another world. She seemed i to have dreamed them. and that they I hadh ad no real existence. i The ring gave the lie to that impression. Joan sighed. and tried to forget her thoughts. They did not. have the I soothing effect which she would have liked. I The day dream into which she sank was confused and uncertain. At first 5 Felicity and Dick played a greatpart ‘ln it. Then she remembered the fat I man. Jacques. whom she had seen at Ithe Matthews' house, the night on I which she had been summoned to her father's side. People who worked for IMaithews and \Vyntt. passed in front of her mind‘s eye, and she seemed to I remember Dorothy Sayers very vividly, and her mother. I Ralph .\iniihcws continually came into her mind. I Ills easy smile. the deep tan of his . face. his line features and his cheerful I laugh seemed to hold some fascination i for her. Filo could not understand it. land several times she tried to for-Wet 'him. But the thought persisted. She compared him with Derek. I It wasn't fair, she know. but she felt that she had not the strength. lust I then, to discipline her thoughts. Derek compared poorly. Derek was homely; I Ralph Matthews was somehow magnificent. Joan felt a curious sense of anxiety. Surely she was not falling in love with Ralph? All her earlier doubts of her love tor Derek assailed her with redeuhied force. She liked him. she respected him, and she would never be able to _ repay 'him for all that he had done for I her. She had promised to marry him; and she would. But she doubted whether the affection which she felt for him was really love. .She sighed a little, and dropped into [a troubled sleep. I For the next few days. her thoughts were Very similar. Ralph Matthews i loomed largely in them. She pictured I him walking through the magic garden at. her side, and it seemed like heaven. She recalled wllh startling -rlearness the things which she had said to him. and he to her. when he had called at the, hospital: nnd she found with sur—- | prise that she could remember almost I everything they had said on the Journey to Manchester that night in April. I Everything about Ralph was crystal clear. Everything about Derek seemed vague and uncertain. As she recovered her strength. she tried more strenuously to put all thought of Ralph out of her mind. but I it. was not an eusy task. She told her— Iseir that, mire she could talk with Derek. and establish that warm relatiionship which had started so beauti—fully during the holiday. it would he better. This thinking of her employer 3 I son was hut :l passing infatuation. ii I ilitil no depth, no real moaning. i She was not able to see Derek {or [several days. I .\'ho realised that ho had been very isuriuusly hurt. or else ihcrc wont! have ill‘t‘il no lil‘t‘ii for her ii) iii' iit‘llt ‘i'rnin him. llui ilm nurses :issiii'wl iit‘l‘ that he \\'.‘lS i'l-i'nvci'inj: :lilli that iilt‘i‘t‘ was no howl in in‘ afraid for him. I i Silo hzui not soon him on iilt‘ ful~l ‘ inwiu: .\‘iiiuln. \\ilt‘ii her \‘isiiui's \\'l‘i'l‘.‘ l:liiuwml :iudiu. . Jimmy \\.i,< _:uiuy: inn-k to svhuui nn ihu i'iliii\\\iii'—Z tidy. although ill‘ ii.lvi| Hniy :x i‘v\\ umi'v li.i}§ ni‘ iiw il‘i‘ill rv- I lll.ililiii‘.“. Hi‘ siwiiimi l'lliill‘l' {l\\i\\\ili'li.l .ltmn thought. \\livu ili‘ lirsi l'lllill‘ iu.l .\‘hv made no i-nmiuuni for .1 low min-2 uivs. and thou sud quietly: ' “\\'iidl's \\nrrlxim: you. Jim?" iit‘i‘ iii'iiliit'i' :‘ivlr-tirwi .l iiiiiv, iiiii. lin .insnend i'i'iiiLl} vimiizii. I ‘i‘m l'ofl'ii‘ii ilmui mini“. irl.l]i iI I—i hate bolus dependent on her torl u

every penny, and it seems that that‘s lthe case." ’ Joan nodded, a. little anxiously, This was one of the things which had worried her when she had rea[lised that her father had died without imaking a second \Vili. Jimmy had gheen educated wrll. and hr had been iled to expect that he would be going 'to a university. lie was in no way prepared for a commercial life; but he would be faced with the need for working, Very soon, unless he allowed Janet to pay his way. lie would not have minded that. for he knew that the only money which his step—mother had had came from his father. But Janet would make his life a misery. She would never cease reminding him that he was de—pendent on her. It would he a condi—tion of affairs which Jim Martin could not stand. Joan. who understood her brother very well, was sure of that. She smiled at him, a little wistiuily. “I suppose we mustn't grumble,“ she said, “but I did think that things would have worked out a little better than'they did in that respect." Jim nodded, and frowned. "I hate talking about Dad‘s money," he said. “It doesn‘t matter two pins whether he left us any or not, really. But I was sure that he‘d—he‘d look after all the fees and things that I'd want, until I came down from Cam—bridge." Joan nodded, knowing that Jim‘s greatest ambition was to go to that university. “ But it seems as if he didn't," said Jim, with a wry smile, “ so I‘ll have to forget. it. Joanwyou don‘t happen to know of a job I could handle, do you?" Joan was silent for a moment. “I don‘t," she said. “But, Jim—— it's up to her (neither of them ever spoke of Janet in any other way) to look after those fees, for a while. She knew perfectly well that Dad wanted you to continue your education.” ‘ Jim nodded, and smiled, but his lips were set. ' “ It's up to her," he admitted, “but Ido you think I can ask her for it, old girl? I'd sooner starve." Joan did not laugh; she know it was true. Jim‘s manner eased. “Now we‘ve got that off our chests," he said, “\\'e'il feel better. Have you seen Derek yet?“ Joan shook her hood. “ .\’ot yet,“ she said, "'hut I‘m hop—ing to see him early in the week, But, Jim—we haven‘t iinishetl with the other subject yet. i'ni worried, be—eiluso I'm almost sure that lhul Said he was going to make an addition to his new will a. few _weeks before i left. home.“ Jim frowned, a little uneertainly. For a moment brother and sister stared at each other in silence. it was the iirst time that Joan had allowed her—self to think of it; but the (act re—mained _that, her father had mentioned the second will, and yet. apparently. he had never made it. “ it isn’t as it the—the end came suddenly,” Joan went on. “ He'd been expecting it for some time. and—" she broke off, suddenly. with a little gesture oi'wearlness. “Well, 1 suppose we mustn‘t worry about it, but i‘d give a great deal. to think that you were all right for Cambridge, Jim." “If I can't go, I can’t." said Jim with a smile. But his disappointment was obvious. Joan puzzled her mind about the wills, after he had gone. it was strange, and, hateful though the thought was, she wondered whether Junet knew anything about the second one. Suddenly she said to herself: " This won‘t do, Joan. You're getting morbid. First you think of a man whom you‘ve hardly eyer sen, and forget the man to whom you‘re engaged. And then you start suspecting funny business with Dad's will. You must pull yourself together." The little homily did her good. She felt better, and on the Monday she was able to walk about the word a. litttle. She was cheered when a. nurse told her she would be able to see Derek for a few minutes later in the day, and she almost forgot the doublts and fears which she had possessed concerning him. Early in the atternoon, however. these doubts returned, stronger than ever. A parcel was delivered to the hospital, containing another wonderful bunch of carnations. They were from [Ralph Matthews. When they were brought to Joan by a nurse who was smiling broadly. Joan saw the inscription on the card which was tied to them. It read: , “ With Warmest regards. Ralph." With warmest regardsl What did that mean? It was certainly not a message which would have come, normally, from the son of her employer. Joan wished heartily that the flowers had come a little later. so that she would have boon~more collected when she saw Derek. But the damage was done. CHAPTER XIV. Joan was horrified when she saw Derek. lie was heavily bandaged, and he was very still in his bed. There was a cage over his legs, which were raised a little, and his face was writer than the'pillows on which he rested. lie opened his eyes a. little, and it was lobvious. that he recognised her, but he could not smile. \\’as it possible that this wreck of (l. nmn was Derek? The thought hurt her, but she took this one unbaudnged hand and fondled it. llis lips opened, to utter her name, but he seemed very, \‘ory tired. ;\ nurse warned Jouu to leave him, before site had been there the min~ ulrs. \\'hiie—i'uirird. Joun was very near to tons, but the nurse told her cherri‘ull): “ in it month or two, .\ilss Martin. he'll he its well as he ever way, lie was very hmlly crushed, but the opera~ iiions whirh wort: nrrrssur)‘ lnin Tiern [sin-whim. llr‘s rr.illy sum-ringr its liilli'li i'l‘i-ni Ihr, t‘lTL‘l'l ot' liiL‘lli its from tho :n-rhlrnt." .loun l‘i-Il more rhr‘rrl‘ul, nlilmnsrh sliv hail ililii d slim-it iruui \\hirh shr «lnl n-ii easily rrrmor. lirri'yonu iii. the hospital was lvillli in hrr; iiii‘ lllll'.~t‘> :nnl iln- oihvr inilivtlis \\i‘ili out «it' ihrir \\,|_\ in make ihv ii.|,‘:~' simin ~iinrlrl', :in.l lhr nmii'tizi t'lnl nol i'.ii.~r :ll‘l}‘ {[uui'y \\hrn lluruth)‘ Hurrs l'iliil'il in tho Pronlnus. (TO DO i‘illlllllilt‘ilJ Si‘?/T=