1940-05-17 — Page 16

SHORT STORY

THE

BLINDING

LIGHT

ed, slowly and quietly. Her light- brown hair was hardly streaked with white. She had grey, serious, wor- ried eyes.

+

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 17, 1940.

By VIOLET QUIRK

Abel to himself. "Everything I have I've worked for." He couldn't help but think about the incident, and after a time he found himself unsatisfied with Mrs. Myl- chreest's explanation. He felt

married, and to a real good girl too" nothing?" said

"Where are you going to live?" "Here," she answered. "Christian couldn't keep two homes going."

"So it will make no difference to you?"

that

there was more in the whole business than het the eye. People didn't give luxuries, to beggars unless they had good reason.

HD

ERE he was, not fifty, with a good business, property, money in the bank, and without the expense of wife or children. What more 'could a man want. Life was perfectly satisfac- She had one son, Christian, who was tory to Abel Lean till he had what he soon to be married. Abel had done a thought was a sharp attack of indiges- great deal of skilful gossiping at the tion. He went to a doctor expecting barber's, and he had discovered that worried about to get a bottle of medicine, but instead Mrs. Mylchreest was he was given strict orders to go away her son's marriage, because the young and rest. He said indignantly that he couple would be living with her and hand over the had no time to rest, and the doctor, she would have to

up, told him management of the house to the new quickly sizing him sharply that if he didn't rest here he'd wife, Christian had kept the home

going since he was seventeen, when husband's mother pushing me out, and and Mrs. Kinrade. They were giving soon be resting in his grave.

Abel went away appalled and re- signed himself to taking his first holiday.

his father had been drowned. He had inherited his father's boat, and in spite of some bad times had never parted

"It will make a lot of difference," she said soberly. "I've been, mistress of this house since I was married."

"And now you'll have to take a back seat."

had

"Well, Essie has the same right as I have liked my

I

wouldn't

I won't do it to Essie."

now and

By degrees it came to him-the old man wasn't poor at all. He had a good big nest egg hidden away, and Mrs, Mylchreest knew it. So did Mrs. Quine

sprats to catch a mackerel.

"Then you won't mind?"

How much had the old boy put by? "Yes, I do mind. I'm going to feel wondered Abel. If he had been living it. A woman gets set in her own ways, on others for years it might be con- He found just what he wanted in with it. He was a skilful fisherman.

Idleness was so unfamiliar to Abel and I've always done everything here, siderable. Abel felt kindled. The very the Isle of Man, and he arranged to

attraction for- at the that he found quite a bit of pleasure everything. And Essie won't be able to word money had an get a room and attendance

him, and the thought came: why house of a Mrs. Mylchreest. He beat in gossip, and, sitting in the kitchen help out with a boarder her down two shillings, though the watching Mrs. Mylchreest roll pastry, again as I've done, because I'll be shouldn't he compete with Mrs. Myl- taking up the boarder's room. But chreest, Mrs. Quine, Mrs. Kinrade and smallness of her charges had amazed though she didn't like to be watched, it'll work out all right. I hope so. all the rest of them for the old man's him, Terrible to think of being mar- he said inquisitively, wanting to know Though," she said. longingly, "I'd like money? He could give bigger bribes ried to a woman like that, a woman more. "I believe your son's getting a little place of my own, if it was than they could with their cups of who had no business head. She was married." between forty-five and fifty, and He expected some fencing or else a only a two-roomed cottage where I tea, bowls of broth and slices of bacon. His lassitude, already decreased: by though she was inclined to be heavy plea for sympathy, but she answered could light my own fire in the morn- she had a very gentle walk. She talk- quite simply, "Yes, he's going to get ing and put my own kettle on and the vital air, almost vanished. made his plans and didn't ́let name of Corney pass his lips until a fortnight later, when he asked Mrs. Mylchreest where he lived.

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arrange my own day."

Abel's sense of his own power filled Thim with such emotion that for a moment he couldn't speak. A two- roomed cottage would be heaven to this woman. And he had three streets of houses, as well as the one he liv- led in.

He the

"In the open generally," she said, "but he can sleep if he likes in a barn Mr. Caine, the farmer, always has. ready for him."

In the open doorway a man appear- So Mr. Caine, the farmer, was... ed. He was a very old man with a another competitor! Abel nearly snig- long white curly beard and thick gered. He had never played games, white hair: Though his clothes were but now understood their allure. They not in rags and his face was clean, combine ambition with amusement. he gave the impression of poverty. "Does he wander about, then?" he

“Good morning, mistress," he said n a deep, dignified voice.

"Good morning, Corney," answered Mrs. Mylchreest gladly, "sit yourself down there." She drew out a chair and he sat down, his noble head sink- ing cn his chest.

asked.”

"No. He's fixed up a place for him- self not far from Mr. Caine's by. clump of bushes.”

Abel set out, and when he drew near Mr. Caine's farm he stood still and looked round. He soon spotted the clump of bushes. There was a fire "No, thank you. I've just had two burning near it, and beside it the old cups with Mrs. Kinrade."

"Like a cup of tea, Corney?”

"A bowl of broth then. It wouldn't take me a minute warming it up.""

"I'd a big bowl of broth with Mrs.. Quine."

"Well then, what would you like?" "I could do with a piece of bacon fat to give a bit of flavour to my bread

-, ཾ।

"Good

man sat attending to a kettle.

Abel walked up to him. morning," he said cheerfully.

"Good morning," said the old man, raising his calm, unimpressionable eyes to his visitor. Those eyes Interes- ted Abel. They showed neither plea- sure nor discomfiture, not even curi-

in the morning, and a twist of tea to osity.Abel wanted to snigger again. put in my pot."

Mrs. Mylchreest fetched down her canister from the mantel-piece, took out considerably more than a twist of tea, wrapped a slice of bacon in clean paper, and making a parcel handed it to the old man, who took it with the

itmost composure.

No wonder the old man could look: like that, living on others with his own money

tucked away. . Nothing but: money could have given him such dignity, Abel was certain.

"Can I give you a cup of tea?" ask ed Corney, turning his majestic head towards the kettle.

He might be getting something he's "No, thank you, I've just had some." paid for, thought · Abel indignantly. Corney made tea for himself, perhaps.

"I'll be going now," said Corney. out of the twist. Mrs. Mylchreest had: "There's no hurry, is there?"

given him, thought Abel mirthfully. "I see you have company," he said, He watched Corney put a kipper on a and turned his venerable head towards frying-pan and begin to cook it. So Abel. He had sea-blue eyes, and there someone had given him a kipper! was an amazing stillness în them. There was still another competitor. Strange eyes,

thought Abel. He Abel, who wasn't used to laughter, watched the old man walk with his felt laughter bubbling within him. He natural dignity to the door, and as had to complete with kippers now as soon as he had gone said heatedly, "I well as tea, broth, bacon and a barn. call that pretty cool, coming round to He looked at Corney with something people's houses hinting for charity.” like admiration. He thought that the

"Corney's no need to hint."

old boy. was a knock-out. "Hm. You'd think he'd take what he could get instead of asking for bacon and tea.”

"If he didn't say what he wanted how would I know what to give him? There'd be no sense in making tea for a man who's just had two cups, or warming up a bowl of broth when he's no room for it."

"I think he's got a nerve.”

t

"I've a little surprise for you,” he said, thinking how appetising was the smell of tea and kipper in the open air, "I've bought a little cottage, the White Cottage in the Orry road, and I want you to live in it as long as you like.”

Thank you," said Corney, turning his kipper.

The old-Abel didn't know what to .... Mrs. Mylchreest didn't answer, and say or think. He might at least. have- Abel went out for his afternoon walk. looked pleased, but there he sat calm- His mind was still on the old man ly turning his, kipper without a smile. and his strange behaviour He thought on his face. It might have been the that a beggar should at least pretend most ordinary thing in the world for to be destitute. That was only decent, che man to offer a cottage to another. If he made out he was starving he hid But his behaviour, maddening as it was, some excuse for begging, but to walk was final proof to Abel that he was in like a lord, admitting he'd had tea rich. His acceptance of the loan of and broth, and then to ask for tea and the cottage was not a poor man's ac- bacon-it was preposterous. And to ceptance. It was the acceptance encourage such men was encouraging a rich man, a man who knew that ir vagrancy. It was a slur on men who he liked he could buy a cottage for worked,

himself. "Who ever gave me anything

for

(Contínued on Page 17)