THE CHINA MAIL THURSDAY SUPPLEMENT, APRIL
1937
THE RACE
RACE A SHORT STORY
A Beautiful young woman almost snapped
TH
between two cousins. But there was a strong force which banished her spell.
HE large verandah of the Edelweiss Casino, that most fashionable resort of the Swiss Alps, was warm and gay. five o'clock
It was Novem→
on а late ber afternoon. Guests lounged, laughed with one another; fresh- faced waiters moved quickly be- tween the tables; from inside the hall floated the strains of an or- chestra.
Outside, the spectacle was one of magnificent splendour, with the last rays of the sun breaking upon the snow-capped summits of the mountains. Dark purple shadows slowly crept into gorges down below.
the
"Look!" a voice cried out. "Look! The Penningtons! There
·
Blanc.
on the track from 'Mont
"
All eyes turned at once towards the sinuous path etched like а ribbon on the mountain's flank.. How small seemed the two figures that moved along the winding track!
"The Penningtons," added a laughing French voice. "They are. together always to- gether.
SITTING alone in a corner of
the verandah, a woman gaz- ` ed with rapt attention upon the silhouettes of the skiers.
Marjorie West had come to the Edelweiss Casino only a week ago. She was handsome, wealthy. The women admired her clothes; the men the ease with which she accepted
the attention they lavished upon her. She smiled and she danced. Yet all the while dissatisfaction was in her heart.
Have you ever met your really greedy woman? She who needs to have everything and Of every man's attention? such women was Marjorie West wanting always want- wanting just now that devotion John and Henry Pen- nington gave to a mountain.
ing
+
•
Her eyes turned to the majestic peak towering so far above her: A little smile played upon her lips. Challenging.
:
"In love with a mountain," she murmured; "we shall see
J
P
She rose, and, advancing to the wooden balustrade that encircled the verandah, watched the two young men who stood on the ter- race down below.
"How handsome they really are!" thought Marjorie West. And, indeed, it would have been difficult to find anywhere in the world a finer pair than John and Henry Pennington.
.
Cousins and in their early twenties, they had the same clear grey eyes that looked fearlessly at danger; the same athletic, easy carriage; the same passion for mountaineering. Their friendship was proverbial. Rarely had any- one seen them apart.
Their faces flushed. from the keen, long race, they stood reply- ing to a volley of questions
No, they had not taken a guide with them
Oh yes, they crossed the Grand-Vert quite easily. all the glaciers seem- ed very hard,
With a friendly wave of the hand, the cousins disappeared through the hotel door, leaving their skis and sticks in the hands of an attendant.
Long afterwards, Marjorie West sat, pensive, upon the ver- andah.
TOW I envy you
Tell
"Home' about these wondrous
mountains.
**
It was nine o'clock of that same evening, and the brilliantly-lit, flower-banked ballroom of the Casino was crowded with dancers. Only Marjorie West sat apart her lovely, serious face turned full towards her companion.
Shyly at first John Pennington began to speak of luminous, resplendent dawns seen from mountain ranges; of dangerous climbs, pick in hand, cutting foot- holds along icy banks; of the in- toxication of vertiginous descents, with the blood racing madly through one's body.
"Oh! thank you you.
thank
Deep and caressing was the voice. John Pennington looked at first the speaker, and, for the time, he saw her as she really was beautiful, alluring. A slight
flush
upon his face. The clear, grey eyes seemed to take a darker hue. With an imperceptible figh
of satisfaction, Marjorie West sat back against the sofa, and smiled mto the young and eager face.
HE
* *
ER conquest of Henry Pen- nington was more difficult. Perhaps he was more reserved;
By YVONNE DESPRES
a little older, too. How careful, therefore, was her approach of him! With what gentleness she
··brought ·~ down one by one his small, invisible fences! And what singing a triumphant song was in
heart on that glorious her
near morning, when, standing him on the hotel verandah, she watched a solitary figure setting out alone along the snow-track.
John
Henry had won both.
*
them
*
She won them
OHN PENNINGTON raced
Joswiftly upon the frosty path.
of his heart He was conscious beating furiously; perplexed by the intensity of his emotions.
He was in love with Marjorie West. Of that he was certain. How But Henry also loved her. they had grown apart these days, hardly speaking to each other! Well, she must choose between them
That was
the only To-night he would seek Henry, tell him.
way
That evening the two cousins came to Marjorie West. They told. her of their love, of the hope they had for one of them to win. her. Was she glad of her suc- · céss? Or was she angry? Per- haps events had grown stronger than she had meant them to be. It is a way events so often have. Still she must make a choice......... or rather
yes, why not let the mountains do the choosing for her.
from the peak A thrilling intoxicat
"A long race yonder.
ing race for the fair hand of a fair lady.
The two young men looked at each other, then gravely, bowed their acceptance.
LREADY the sun was high over the mountains. How peaceful, how satisfying the silence of these virginal snows! It filled the heart of the two men racing along the slopes. Bound them together as only the vast- ness of the sea or the mountain know how to bind men.
.
Nearer and nearer came the casino and the woman waiting on a verandah. Suddenly a hand shot out, was gripped by another; hand. Gone were the rancour and. the jealousy. Born from that peace which is beyond words, un- derstanding had come again.
Fifteen minutes later Marjorie West watched two figures paasing shoulder to shoulder at the foot of the terrace.