Long Remorse
(Continued from Page 2)
As the morning proceeded the weather gradually Improved. But a long time before the sky was really elear Bulger found himself chuckling inrestainedly at Walkins's jokes. He couldn't remember Wotiles, in, Letter form. And the way the dear: chap never repeated himself was nothing less than astonishing!.
Bulger stopped short. Bulger Buddenly remembered what he'd organised the whole business for. He remembered what had induced him to get up at so fiendish an-hour, to tolerate a breakfast a senvenger would have sneered at to set off in The tallowy darkness into the cold.
"I must take myself in hand," be wore inwardly. "This will never dol Bulger, I tell you this will| never do. Take yourself in hand, Bulger!"
'The Ider had been, as I have said, to get Watkins face to face withi
the big things,, the pure things, të see the picture he'd make in his metropolitan wrappings stripped" from him. But that's where the paradox was. Watkins brought metropolis with him. He'd never been in happier form in his own special corner at the club near the fire, with all his own particular pals around him, and the smoke of the best llavanas circling the air. The very waiters, who prided them- selves on the correctness of their demeanour, would be doubled up with laughter as salty followed Bally. Ruthlessly strip the town from him, indeed! You might as well divorce him from his nose and ears.
"Now or never!" muttered Bulger| between his teeth."1 get to the bottom of it to-day or never. Do
I like him? Don't I? Do I like him? Don't 17 Do 17 Do I
“What's that, old follow?” inquir- ed Watkins.
"Nothing, nothing at all! I was Just humming a tane to myself!"
"Surry, uld fellow! My mistake!" The fact was that, then and there, Bulger knew he liked Walkins is) much as everybody else and rather; more. But he was trying, desper-j ately hard, as he had never tried) before in Watkins's préstence, to keep clear in his mind just what would happen as soon as they part- ed."
They miched their luncheon. sandwiches. Bulger' hated sand- wiches, they didn't agree with him. You would have thought that Wat- king preferred Jumpy beef sand- wiches they had left out the muse tard) to raviare and roaŝt quail and a bottle of Chateau Margaux to; wash. them down.
They set off again. Bulger real- ly disliked walking. The heels of
his stockings were chafing horribly,
He became more and more preaccu- pied. "Da hate him? Don't I? 'Do 17
'Don't }? ́ ́ Heaven help me!} Don't 12 Do 17 Don't I? Do 17 This preoccupation made no differ ence to Watkins, Once Watkins: had an audience, typhoons and earthquakes couldn't upset him. Hej just went on being charming. Oh, X0 ineffably, 30 unmitigatedly charming!
now.
It was getting on towards dusk Soun they would have to deg- cend into the valley to spend the night in some odious road-house be tween damp sheets. They would be awakened by foul cows mooing, shameless cocks crowing. The question would not have been ang- wered. Did he like him? Didn't] be? Did be? Didn't he? Oh damn, did he?
Nu answer. The day had been wasted. Bulgar's head was aching, splitting. Casually, through "thef corner of his eye, he became aware that they were walking alongside a deep gravel-pit. Watkins could not be more than a foot from the edgo; Bulger did not think; he just actad ewiftly, instinctively. He, thrust out both his hands with all the power in him and hurled Watkine Into the pit. There was no more Watkins.
"Glory! Glory Glory!" shrieked Bulger. "'s fluished! · It's 'over!
·I‹áhan't ever be worried again! Good-bye. Watkinsi Glory! Glory1| Glory!". Oh, it was a lovely night!| Bulger strode on for hours over the moonlit hill-tops. "Halelujah!" he said. "It's finished! It's over for ever and over.” ·
I present you a picture of Bulger in his room 30 years later, a wrinkl- ed, tormented greybeard, his head between his hands. Ah, he had long had time to learn that it wasn't finished, it wasn't over. “He had only burked his problem, poor old Bulger, he had not solved it. [^\"Did÷1 ̧]]ke him? Didn't I likë |hím 7: Did:11, Didn't I?: Did 17
Didn't 11 Did It Didn't 17 Oh! damn, did 17”.
(THE END]
IT'S SO NICE OF
YOU "~D DROP IN LIKE THIS
THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY,
APRIL 26, 1935
Bringing Up Father
WELL-BEING NEIGHBORS, I
THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO STOP IN AND CHAT PEOPLE ARE 30 "THOUGHTLESS - AND IN-
CONSIDERATE-
GRACIOUS - SHE TÄLKED SO MUCH. Į NEARLY FORGOT TO STUDY MÝ SINGING
LESSON-
LET ME HAVE SOME CHANGE
TO PLAY TO-NIGHT.
IT'S A GOOD THING SHE DON'T KNOW SWHAT I'M THUNKIN'"
DO CALL AGAIN-WE HAD SUCH A NICE
VISIT:
I-NEVER HAD A NICER TIME. NOW YOU MUST CALL
ON ME SOON-
HORRORS!*A
THOUGHT THAT · WOMAN WOULD
NEVER GO HOME. PEOPLE ARE SO "THOUGHTLESS
AND IN CON SID~ „ERATE-
CANT UNDER- STAND HOW A WOMAN WITHE
OUT. BRAINS LIKE HER 'CAN'. THINK OF SOM MUCH TO TAL
ABOUT-
THEN SHE DIDN'T TALK LONG ENOUGH-
LIFE
IS JUST
DREAM - MY QUEEN -
MINE 19
NIGHTMARE
MOTHER! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN? WE ARE DUE AT MRS. BELLE DONNAS. HOUSE TO PLAY
BRIDGETM
"OH. DEAR!THAT-
WOMAN IS SO INCONSIDERATE: SHE ALWAYS HAS PARTIES WHEN, WANT TO STAY
HOME-
JUST ANOTHER THOUGHTLESS
PERSON f
I'LL NEED SOME, TOO-NOW DON'T BE
STINGY IT WOULD BE THOUGHTLESS OF YOU NOT TO WANT US TO ENJOY THE EVENING-
NOW-AINT THAT NICE? JUST SOME MORE THOUGHTLESS GUYS IN
· THE NEXT APARTMENT-
Rosie's
BEAU
4.
VERY WELL
© 1932, King Features Syndicate, Inc., Great Britain rights reserved,
GEOM-HANUS
Registered U. 5. Patent Office.
IT'S A FUNNY THING HOW THOUGHTLESS
EVERYONE IS TO -THE OTHER BUT THE
ONE WHO SAYS IT- IT'LL BE QUIET HERE
WHILE
THEY'RE
OUT-
THIS WILL LET 'EM KNOW WHAT I THINK OF THEIR SINGIN'-"THEM 'GUYS DON'T THINK OF ANYONE
BUT THEMSELVES -
YOU SAY YOU WERE TRYING TO
GET MR.C.U LAYTOR ON THE 'PHONE? DO YOU KNOW YOU
CAN'T MAKE A SALE OVER THE 'PHONE” NOW YOU PUT ON.
YOUR HAT AND
·GO CALL'ON HIM-
SO THAT OLD ·FOSSIL SENT YOU OVER: WELL! I'LL JUST SHOW HIM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN ORDER AND YOU SHOULD
GET A RAISE IN SALARY FROM HIM
FOR GETTING THIS ORDER-
AND IN THE MEAN- TIME. ROSIE 18. WONDERING
ARCHIE
HUNG UP "THE PHONE(S)
ON HERS
BANG
SANG
BANK
BANG!
BAN
GEEN WISH I HADN'T LED- NOW I'LL HAVE TO CALL ON MR C.U. LAYTÖR AND I KNOW HE HATES THE
BOSS.
SHE
HURRAH! WAIT. -UNTIL ROSIES? HEARS ABOUT THIS-
IS
MY
GAL
SAL
„AGIN,
BOYS-
SAY-THE PEOPLE NEXT:DOOR, ARE COMPLAININ' ABOUT YOU HANGIN' PICTURES AT THIS HOUR OF THE NIGHT- CONSIDER OTHER
PEOPLE — WILL YOU?!
HOW TO KEEP FROM GETTING OLD
FORE!
R
HEY FORE! YOU!