1940-09-20 — Page 2

SHORT STORY

Chance Or Design?

་་

By Frank Weston

"What do you mean?”

"THERE are queerer things in ton-but the man from the Coning a month's local holiday, and the medium. Tell my son he is rot-the truth is the other way

heaven and earth, Thursby, go shook his head and got up. where he had first met his present not to worry about Afice. Is round!" than are dreamt of in your philo-* "Not now-I'm going to eat companion. Even in that rough that clear to you?" sophy," misquoted the man from Are you fellows dining here?" environment Thursby, with hi the Congo, who had been yarning

"I mean that I'm the danger!— af African witchcraft..

"I had lunch very late," replied great physical strength, his brute. "I have a sister called Alice."

"And you've been troubled And instead of disappearing I've Clinton. "Couldn't face any more courage, his relentless nature, had Thursby stretched his huge food yet.".

been a man much more feared about her affairs, haven't you?" just turned up! I'm going to limbs, and grinned cynically. "But

than liked.

"I have!"

| make it hot for that bird he's "Nor 1," said Thursby. "But they've all got natural explana-what the devil can-one do on a Among other exploits, he had "Well, your, mother says she is Fleming, the swine who stole Jess tions-what do you say, Clinton?"

Sunday night?"

killed a Dutchman in what the helping you, and all will come from mel"

"You are certain?" I'm very "Well, I'm for the open mind." "You might do worse than go court had ruled was self-defence, right soon. Tell him answered Clinton. "There certo the spirits," offered the Congo but there were varying views happy, she says, and that I'm "Dead surel-I haven't seen him tainly are plenty of mysteries man who left them as soon as among the diggers about that, with Richard."Do you know who for years, but I'd know him in

a million. Now I've found him, I suppose biggest of all is life he had answered Clinton's ques- Clinton recalled, too, his surprise she refers to?" itself."

"Her brother."

at last he's going to pay, believe jons as to the hour and place of at Thursby's marriage to an Eng- "Mine's no mystory," retorted the meeting.

lish girl who had come out to "Good!"

me! I they've married, it was Thursby. "It's simply due to a "I shall go there," decided Clin-the Transvaal on a visit. A girl The medium turned next to a bigamy-and if they've got kids, marriage that took place forty ton. "I've never seen anything of of culture and in every way de-woman in another part of the they're illegitimate! That'll be years ago."

interesting to their friends, won't that sart."

sirable, who had seemingly been hall, and minutely described "That's mere biology," object- "It's a waste of time, anyhowblinded by the looks and virile young girl whose spirit she alleg-{it?”? ed the Congo man, "and doesn't what about a pub-crawl?” qualities of the man who sought ed to be present. "My daughter!" "Let's get out of here," propos- explain in the least what life "No, thanks!"

said the woman, when the details ed Clinton. really is you can't tell us that!" "Then I guess I'll go with you For a while they had lived in had been given." Sh?, too, receiv-“So you didn't divorce her,” he

"I reckon it's simply being alive-better

than mooning about Johannesburg, where Clinton was ed o message.

said as soon as they were in the --and you'd do well to get that alone."

Clinton listened in growing as-street. employed, and he had come to magic stuff out of your mind, my This decision did not please like Jess Thursby, and to sym-tanishment while some wight or "No, and never

will! She's lad! You'll be swallowing the Clinton, for there was no friend-pathise with her. Though she ne people were dealt with in mine by law, and I'm going to get heaven and hell dope next!"

accuracy of the her back-she's the only woman ship between them, though they was brave about it, he knew she this way, the "Oh, I'm no dogmatist. I'm had known each other in South was having a bad time, and was particulars given being in each I ever cared a curse for!" like Clinton-open to argument Africa, whence Clinton was home not surprised when she left her case remarkable. Having learnt, "It seems me," reasoned Which reminds me that last Sun-on leave, and having met again husband and fled to England

that these meetings were held Clinton, "that if you cared very day I went to a spiritualist meet at the club, and being more ar But all that was years ago. He every week, he could scarcely deeply you'd leave her alone, ing.

less solitary in London, had spent had lost touch with Jess, and Knavery of that kind would neces

credit the theory of collusion. "Bosh!" "What!" sneered Thursby odd hours together during the Thursby never spoke a word ofsitate a large number of accom-she's living with Fleming now?" "Thanks! How do you know "Holding hands with old womenflast few weeks.

her. Doubtless he had divorced plices, would be in constant dan in a dark room!"

Now as they strolled through her. Under South African law,

"Of course she is what that "Nothing of the kind! There the West End, speaking but little desertion was a sufficient

ker of exposure, and he did not medium woman, said fitted it too was a big crowd-no hand-hold- Clinton's thoughts went back to

see what object it could have well!” ing, and no darkness."

the Vaal River diamond diggings "This looks like the spook-The appearance and responses of "But you don't believe in med- "Tell us more," suggested Clin (where he had tried his luck dur- show," said Thursby.

the people addressed had the airiums."

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A minute or so later they were of genuineness, as did the medium "No, I don't-but that one made seated in the rapidly Alling hall, herself, even when she was os-in lucky guess." where the great organ was being tensibly exchanging rapid words "Anyway, you've let it go on played to pass the time of waiting. with visitors from the unknown. so long way stay it now?" Clinton was impressed by the size Once or twice there seemed to be "I couldn't quit Africa till of the congregation. He had al- sounds like mystic voices, answer-struck that big stone. Didn't ways imagined the cult rather asing hers

even know where they were. But Explain it how Thursby had, as being carried on

you would, I've got 'em now--and if I don't in out-of-the-way places in

here was food for wonder. Herel get Jess back, God help Flem- atmosphere of darkness, with its was in function some notable phe-ingr

nomenon. Here, you were trend- "If you see him again." concomitant suggestion of trickery.Į

ing the frontiers at the shadowy "Must be at least two thousand world beyond, seeking to pierce right enough. And I'll fix him- "He'll turn up at that show, people here," he remarked the veil of the infinite, probing no man ever put anything over

"A credulous mob," answered the ineffable problem of survival me without paying for it!! Thursby.

aften as he had dwelt on that Clinton lay long awake that "They look pretty normal arcanum, never had its solemnity, night, pondering the threatened hullo, here come the principals!" its immensity, gripped him as in disaster; and surprised seeing that Jess had been so long out of Two men and the woman med-

Who could be sure that the no-this life at the strength of his fum now came on to the platform, tion of an after-life, so strongly desire to avert it. It might be, he and the service began. A prayer held by mankind since the birth thought, due to some reaction for peace was offered to the Eter of history, was not well found- from the meeting upon a suscep- nal Spirit: A hymn was sung, ed? Who could assert that in tible mind-but it was as though followed by a bible-reading and this baffling universe there were some other will, some inscrutable, a restrained and beautiful chant-not beings so spiritually perfect inexorable force were urging him ing of the Lord's Prayer.

as to shame our grossness? Be-to intervene.

this moment.

The address, given by a man ings that for want of a better Before going to sleep, he decid- prominent in civil life, stressed word we called spirits, and who ed to try a newspaper advertise- the ignobility of purely material were able to

ment with the object of getting living, and the true happiness to "My God!" exclaimed Thursby into touch with Jess and Fleming. be found in spiritual things. Spir Clinton turned sharply. His But no response had come by itualism was a creed that gave companion was gazing rigidly at the following Saturday-on which proofs, affirmed the orator, Proofs a man teaning forward in the day he Junched with the man through mediums who were at front row of the balcony to from the Congo, to whom he told tuned by nature and training to whom the medium gave the des- in confidence what had passed, in vibrations beyond the receptivity 'cription of an elderly man, and the hope of eliciting some useful of the average human being. the name of Fleming. "Do you suggestion.

This he had no doubt would be follow, sir?" demonstrated by the medium with "Yes-It's my father!"" them to-night, who would endea- "He says that years ago you did ous man—I must do my damned- vour to describe, and transmitja thing that the world would est to warn them, even now." - messages from friends who had condemn, but that you believed "No harm in trying," answered passed on, "but who are much right and honourable. He is the other. "But," he went on, ! more alive than we are who are here beside me now! ('All right, "perhaps it won't be necessary." here with us at this very instant!" all right-give me time!') He's "Why not?"

"I don't like it," he concluded. "Thursby's an extremely danger-

His peroration was a cry of saying, Tell him that very soon "Well, in my observation, crises faith, a cry of what to him was there will be no more danger like this are often taken out of certainty-"There is no death!" [nelther to him nor his wife and our hands and settled by --by "Working up the atmosphere!" children. He doesn't tell me what one might call a higher pow commented Thursby.

what the danger -is-but you er." The chairman. announced that know, don't you?”

"Now you say that, I'll confess the clairvoyance would now be "Yes!"

I've had a sort of hope that the given. The medium rose, ad- When the clairvoyance was medium's message would turn vanced to the edge of the plat- over, and the concluding hymn out to be true. Still, it seems so. form, and pointed to a spot near had been sung, Clinton was sur-Incredible such a faint chance." where Clinton and Thursby were prised at the haste with which "Chance?—I wonder, Clinton, scated.

Thursby tried to get out of the whether our lives are really rul

"I want that gentleman. there, hall. But in that crowd, speeded by chance, or by design” with a light suit on-will you raise was impossible, and it took them. On the Sunday evening, Clinton, your hand, please? No not you some time to get to the outer who had not seen Thursby all the sir. Just behind." Another hand exit, where Thursby stopped and week, arrived outside the hall went up. "That's right!... Listen, stood scanning the faces sir—there's a lady standing be- dopacting people, side you. I should say ghout What's the idea of sixty years old. I get the Im- hora?" asked Clinton, pression that she pass ? over Just having a lpolst about seven years ago-guddenly uys, growled the other, She has a brand forehead. aquiline nose, grey hair brushe straight backs?

So the descrip- main tion continued in great detall, 41. "I recognised fellow Inside" newspaper, get a name like Hethering — he then explained. “He must If they came early, he might Hetherington, And Joan or Jean. have, slipped out dorned quick, be able to get them away before From the hushed assembly, the confound him! ... let's go and Thursby turned up. It was an |mon's quiet" but distinct reply, have a spat."

optimistle)iden, he reflected, and "That's my mother-Jean Hethoi - In thip bar they went to Thurs- there was, of course, no certainty | Ington!" drew a goth, faint sound. by who rapidly consumed several that they would come at all on

like a deep breath taken. drinks, ridiculed the meeting they this particular-

that

nt--the well before the meeting was due.

set to begin. He was far from sure waiting that he would recognise Moming,

junless Teso was with him, but her these he believed, he would know again and he despite the length of time since to go unul he was desur-lhe had seen her. He watched ed that none of the lie re-¡from as obscure a spot as possible,"

partly hiding his face with

Joss Was

"She's up hore on the platform had come from, insisting that {{} _Yes—there they weref now!" resumed the medium, who wile based on deception, or at brilliant lamp-light,“ Was walking to and fro, making best on telepathy. Clinton's non- unmistakable. Restures and ultering geides. ns commital answers appeared to He hastened across the road to though to sohip unosen provence irritate him, and at length he de- meet them, but as he reached the with her. (Yes, yes,

clared he could prove the whole opposite curb a voice behind him thing to be nonsenso.

called out "Clinton!" How?"

He swung round just in time to "Because of that chap in the see Thursby dodge a bus and run Balcony. She told him the dan-into the overtaking car that kill 'ger he was in is hearly past That's ed him..

I'll tell him.")

"Is your name Arthur,

esth

"Accomplice!!! muttered Thur

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