The Troubled Journey

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19896, 27 May 1936, Page 4

The Troubled Journey

SERIAL STORY

By MARGARET GLENN.

i BVNOPbIaT Jo'an .\iariin cannot “get on" will) Janet. liii‘r stepmother. The other .\iartin childEren. Felicity and Jimmy. feel the same! 'but it is easier for them. as felicity is married and living in London. and Jimmy is away at school. . .\t last Joan revolts. and goes to IIVB \\'liii l-‘elirity. :he attends a DNVMO comliil'l‘Clfll school owned by DCN‘K Grahal“: fl young widower. and later is successful in obtaining a post as secretary to oeottrey Matthews. head or the vast ronnneh .cial enterprise of Matthews 3nd Wyatt. ' Meanwhile, avarice has bitten very ltleeply into Janet .\iartin's mind. She hates {liar stepchildren. and plans to hurt them till every way she can. _ Feiicity's husband goes abroad to super vise nu cnrinecring Job, and Felicity ac—companies ‘ilin. After seeing them oil a! .southampton. Joan is surprised to null lflerek Graham waiting to run back Wt tLondon. . CHAPTER XV.—(Continued.) Joan was very thoughtful as she made her tea and drank it. She shared with Jimmy an inability to understand the reason for this action on her stepmotiier‘s part. Janet had alwayl been bitt r towards them both, and she showed no signs of relaxing when Joan had gone north at her father's death. But the great thing was that Jimmy was happy. But for the mistake which she had made in accepting Derek Graham. everything would have been working out splendidly. The sharpness of her pain had died, however. She felt that she was prepared to face the future, and to stick ‘to her bargin, while she felt fully capable at keeping the real truth' from Derek. Nothing else mattered. She went to see Derek on the following afternoon. He was making wonderful progress and he was able to talk a. little with her. She was thankful that his mind lhad not been damaged. He was quite sensible, and he still possessed that rather dry humour which was one of the many things about him which she liked. “That‘s one way to end up a really good holiday." he said. “I suppose it'll be a couple of months before I‘m about again. But oh, my dear, I‘m glad you're all right!" Joan pressed his fingers. “Just a few bruises and more than a little shock.“ she said. “But forget. it. dear. is there anything you‘d like me to do, while you're here?" Derek deliberated. “I can‘t think of anything," he said, “only be careful.“ “For your sake I'll do that,“ said Joan, with a smile. , Derek gave a little Sign, which seemed to no one. of complete conieut— ‘ ment. lie closed his eyes, and his flng— l ers tightened round hers. 1 Dorothy Sayers was waiting for Joan when she reached home that. evening. Joan was still a little puzzled by her friend‘s manner. Dorothy refused to enlarge on the fact she had taken another Job, and she still appeared to be sure that she had acted wisely. Nowadays, however, she was always ready to talk about Bobbie, and her mother, in Sussex. “We won‘t be able to go down there in the Morris again." said Joan, ruefuliy. The little car had been completely wrecked. Dorothy shook her head, but said. quickly: “\\’e'il have to try and go down by train as soon as you can (ind a weekend to spare, my dear. By the way—— how's Derek?“ “He seems much better," said Joan, quickly. . Dorothy eyed her thoughtfully. “0! course.“ She said. “It's no business of mine, really. but I wish your were happier about your engagement, Joan." Joan coloured a little. “i'\'e never suggested that I'm not. happy." she said. "Not by words," admitted Dorothy. “hut the fact remains—anyhow. don‘t talk about it if you‘d rather not.” Joan preferred not to. Despite her fondness for Dorothy she did not feel that she could conilde in her, or in anyone, about the love She had for Ralph Matthews. , ‘ She had not seen Ralph since that ‘i‘ztteful day, and she knew that when ‘she did see him again it wonld he a chance meeting. She was glad, It would do no good to turn the sword in the wound which was beginning to heal a little. . Dorothy poured out a cup of tea. She usually took charge of the teathings when she called at Joan's, who had a little _gas ring in her own room When she had callers with whom she wanted to talk privately. “HOW 10115 will he be in tho hos—pilal‘.’" she asked. “Another month. at least." said Joan. “And he‘ll have to have at least another four weeks ronvnlescanoc." “ilumm 1“ said Dorothy. and colouror] a littlr‘. Rut shr- sairl quickly: l “-lvinn—-}'ruii won't think i‘Vr nu (mu fill check. will you?" ‘ .lonu lauzhcrl. impulsively. "Heavens, no! \\’hiii is it, dear?" . ”l “as ihiullinz.” suit] Dorothy. ' “that if Doro]; wants :1 quinl 1.1 a”, ff, 1 5’0." for a. tow \\rcks. mother‘s rut— ; in?“ would hr irimi. it‘s \ory ”our iiic runsi. mill he‘ll Kf‘l all the from My . that ho nerds. \\llill‘ mother would look aftcr him as \\rli as ho could i wish. ",\u:‘l-~—" immiliy linsiiuimi . a innmrnt, but tlir'n \\cnl on. “it. 1 would be a hit: lmip in Us, niitilli‘if-illV, 1 without hitting him up hm harm" . Joan loaned hark in hrr chair and i laughed. “And you‘ were frizhirned of put‘ 4 ling your fool in it by surgcsliug limi."

she Scoi‘fed. “[ think it‘s the ideal we‘ve been waiting for, Dot. .\rel you sure your mother will like to! have him?" i “Certain," said Dorothy. “You can; so down week—ends. too. There's' a little place nearby where you could stay the night." Joan‘s eyes gieamed. “You can call it settled," she said. “Derek hates crowded places. but. it‘si not. wise to go to a private house un~ less you know the people. He‘ll be more than pleased." Joan was pleased im‘selL, She had been more than a little worried about. the convalrsr-enr-e which she knew , Derek would have to undergo, and she had spoken the truth when she hadi told Dorothy or his dislike of large] hotels and boarding-houses. : CHADTER XVI. 1 Derek left hospital at the end of - August. | He was very different from the a happy man whom Joan had known 1 during- the holiday at. Looe. There . was no colour in his cheeks. a few r yards of walking tired ’him, and he lacked interest in his surroundings. l The last few weeks at the hospital . had tired him a. great deal. i Joan 'was astonished to find that he was so listness. , He tried to be cheerful, When she - visited him at his home—he lived, i near the commercial school. and had - the some landlady as when he had i first moved to \Nimbledon—but it was obviously at effort. The joy which . he had found in Joan's company a 'few weeks before, seemed to have disap—- . peared. i He was pitifully anxious that she l shouldn't misunderstand the reason a for it. ; “I Just feel that my legs won't carry 3 me, and my arms won‘t work. I haven’t ‘ a the strength for anything.“ he told her. “A week or two at the sea will i put. me on my feet again." 1 Joan nodded. » They had not expected his discharge 1 from the hospital so quickly. and she had not told him or the idea of making his convalescent holiday in Sussex. . \\’ith a. gentle smile she said: . "Dorothy had an idea. Derek. while i you were in hospital. You know we went to her mother's plane, in Sussex. early in the Spring?" Derek nodded. revealing more. interest. than he had (lone in anything recently, "She thought you'd like in no there for your holiday." said Joan. “it'll be restfulmanil I think you‘ll love it." The suggestion certainly put new lifn into Derek. “l'd been haunted it)“ thoughts of hoarding—houses. especially at the middle or a Slimmer season.” he said. “i’d be glad to so—especially if you think I‘ll like ii." “I'm surr‘ you will." vsald Joan. They hired a saloon car, on the fol—lowing Saturday, and went to Glenham. Dorothy was with them. of course. She had prepared her mother for the visitor, and the little cottage looked its best. when they arrived there towards four o‘clock on a delizhti'ul summer day. Bobbie was playing in the garden. Dorothy's eyes glistened as they had done when Joan had seen her greet her little son on a previous occasion. There was something lovable in her expression which made Joan feel choky. Derek seemed to settle down immediately. He could not be shy with Mrs Sayers, and Bobbie took to him im-

mediately, thus giving promise at many happy days to come. Towards evening. Joan took him for a stroll along the leafy lane in which the cot—tage stood. ' “You think you‘ll like it?" she said. “l-‘m sure 7 will.“ said Derek. squeezing hm‘ arm :1 little. She could not, resist the thought. that. ihern was nothing like the same pressure as there had heen a few weeks he‘t'ore. and she tnhl herself gulliily. that she was forgetting his weakness. Actually she knew that she wanted to believe that. Derek was not. so ardent as he had been. although she knPw, in her heart. that there was no likeli» hood or that hamwniniz. She wanted to feel free, so that; she could think of Ralph. Ralph! - Even on that lovely summer eveniniz. with her fiance at her side. she thouxht of the man she loved. Nothing seemed to be able to dim the picture of him. She ached to see him again. to hear his voice, to see the smile in his eyes. But that rlny would never come. PM was musrrl from hm‘ reverie by Derek's \‘nir‘r‘. "\\'hat is it, Joan?" he asked. “’l'? thir‘tl)’. Joan managed to smile. naturally enough. “I was thinking ni~ni that tiny" shr SFIiIL and hr: gunssml, as she ex« pwtml him to. that shn meant thn (lay nt‘ thn smash. llr‘ pressed lir‘i‘ arm again. “We mm nnly he thankful that. it wasn't \\ni'sr‘." hr said. l‘im‘nthy “as iilr'nsrrl that Dm‘nk ti:er snttlml ilrm'n >0 fillil'k])'. (\‘he would haw horn worried it she had thought ttirro was any likelihood ui‘ his \\'i.~llil\g that. he hurt ironr nonin\\'horr nisr. but. she was confident that. he would t‘iljn)’ his l‘F‘Sl-Clll‘t‘. The in» girls \\’(‘nt hack to London 1 m 1 llll‘ #iiiirlny evening. 1 {To no i'uiitiiiuod.) I