1955-06-17 — Page 4

M

Some things must be done-

-but I drink

McEWAN'S because I like it

THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1955.

THE RAIL CRISIS CATCHES UP WITH THE GILES HOLIDAY GUIDE

OF THE

BULL

(contd.)

• RED LABEL SPARKLING BEER—M÷LWAN-YOUNGER, LTD, EDINBURGH, Solo Agents

DODWELL & CO., LTD.

Queen's Bldg.

What more can you do?

KEEPING A FAMILY FIT AND WELL is not easy. You make sure they get good meals and plenty of fresh air and sleep. Yet süll they pick up infections and inesses, Can you guard against this? Yes

give them daily Ribena. For Ribena-the natural way to take Vitamin C--is a great source of health. It strengthens. It provides energy. It stantly fights infection. No other product does so much good in quite the same way as Ribena.

WHAT YOUR DOCTOR KNOWS. Ribena, made only from fresh ripe blackcurrants and pure cane sugar, is a rich source of natural Vitamin C and many other factors essential to good health. It is delicious and extremely kind to the tenderest digestion. Ribena is used by famous hospitals and recommended by eminent doctors. Its value has been proved in searching clinical tests. All good reasons why you should give Ribena regularly to the family.

You can give them Ribena

THE NATURAL WAY TO KEEP FIT AND FIGHT INFECTION -

TO DOCTORS AND NURSES. The therapeutic value of Ribena for 'shildren, nursing end expectant mother and wallde generally is fully documented in medical reprints and papers. If you have not yet received your copies, please write to the Technical Eireaor; V. £ 5, Charley, & Sc., Ph.D., H. W. CARTER & CO. LTD., The Barol Forest Labarataner, Coleford, Gloucestershire, England.

Sale Ristributors. S. H. Langston & Co. Lid,

1, Ice House St., Hong Kong

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10

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from

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DID

HAPPEN? ?

The Family, not getting very far with their holiday, decided to rest awhile to enjoy the natural beauty of the countryside.

FIRE! FIRE!

T was in Brittany that I met the Wellands. (That wasn't the name, but it will serve.) They were a charming trio, father, mother and a young son, Nigel, aged about 13. We struck up friendship that seemed to bid fair to outlast the holiday period, because they invited me to stay with them in August at their home in the country outside Penborough. I accepted gladly. They were so nice, I looked forward to seeing them again.

I went home through Paris, and all that is relevant to this tale is that at a restaurant I picked up one of those small folders of matches these places give away as advertisement. The matches were bright blue in colour with yellow tips, and I put them in my handbag and forgot about them.

met

me

at

Soon after my return home. I set off, in very hot weather. The three of for my visit to the Wellands at Hurcote Gränge. them

Pen- borough and, talking hard, we drove through the 20-. odd miles of peaceful countryside.

.

by DOROTHY WHIPPLE

Drawing by SHOWELL

He was tired out, begrimed and very worried" The third rick burned out in a fortnight," he said.

London Express Service

A famous author, a 13-year-old boy, and a packet of blue matches with yellow tips pose today's problem-FACT or FICTION? against Nigel?

You've always

profess to be so fond of him, Does it never occur to you that he must be shielding some- body?"

"D I gesped. On--that might be it That really might be it!

E felt week and happy with relict. 1 beamed at her.

"I never thought of that," I sald foolishly. "Do please for give me!"

I can't forgive anyone who makes such

trible charges

against my son," she said.

In

fact, I think it would be better for all of us if you went. Will

you please go today?"

**I

Yes, I will" I said. myself would rather go now.

Perhaps I have made a fool of I can be myself. I'm sorry.

someone body quite soon, if can drive me to Penborough."

The chauffeur

wil

take "I shall

I felt I culdn't face George rying to make us laugh away the gloom that had settled over Wetland." Besides I had seen you," she said coldly. the house, and he succeeded. that Nigel was frightened of tell my husband you

I decided to tell called away."" At lunch we had almost his father;

Within the hour I was on my The responsibility "This is dreadful,” said Clare sit under the giant cedar and unished when George Welland his mother. Welland to me. There was a read. I enjoyed my afternoon. came in.

way home. terrible fire only last week. It's Nigel kipt me company for a drought. Everything's little while and then went off cu

does take

"

Forgot again

I had not known until how that George Welland the owned a good deal of land in tinder dry. Poor Jackson, And his bicycle.

He poor George. these parts. Many of the these things so much to heart." farms we passed were rent- ed from him, and as we went along he cast a know- ledgeable eye over them and this dropped comments' on and that..

1.

"Mummy, can I put the car away?" asked Nigel eagerly,

Yes, dear, if you like, but George," she drive carefully. called as her husband passed her, hurrying after Hepworth. "What about dinner?"

as to what must be done after "Well," he said, 'carving him- that was hers, not mine. I had

'do

distasteful part, my self some beef. I've spent this

that and Kave the rest to her. morning whole blackened, stinking, sopping site where the ricks were, I've

on

Her face changed

Welland Mr

Some days later I opened my morning paper and saw in. heavy type half-way down the *RICK FIRES: front page: SQUIRE'S SON CHARGED."

So I had been right after all,

combed the grass around and When I saw about for hours. And I've been leave the house, I went down and he had donò it again.

I've got a clue at and found her in the drawing- WORLD rewarded.

I read, I had tea, I smoked, had to find the tile Parisian

last**

room with her feet up, reading match-folder. still in my bag, because it saved

me from He put down the carving knife a novel

his and feeling in

"I'm tired," she said, smiling journey into the house to find and fork

"George is on, waistcoat pocket, he brought as I came in.

laid on the table

a

I dropped the folder to the out and

а

grass beside me with my books fragment of a blue match with now and it is 50

He flapped a hand ather and others. a town-dweller, brought mild trouble on my head by disappeared round the side of

had been a

the house. suying that it glorious summer.

"Hardly any rain at all," said

.is

I

Him

"He won't be back for hours. We shall have to dine without I'm so sorry this should have happened just at the start of your visit, my dear."

Look of hatred

had

a woman

#F

I

like my errani. and papers, and later when I a yellow tip.

could hardly get out what I Picked them up to go in. I didn't.

But I said come to say. think about it. I didn't see it

it. As she listened, her face changea I saw So that's how you look at it,

and went in without it. About an hour later, I remembered it, and

A chill went down my spine, didn't recognise, hard, cold. it?"

said Alr. Welland

I gazed at it in borror, I almost evincing extreme dislike of me. I murmured that I was sorry pet wishing to litter the well- caustically. The drought has

exclaimed. I almost said the "I've never heard anything been ruinous to us as farmers." it should have happened at alt kept lawn, I went out to look

for it. I couldn't find it, so con match was mire. But as I open- But the hay's good, isn't it?" and followed her into the house.

30 preposterous in my life," she "I said, anxious to retrieve my In spite of the host's absence, cluded that I had it among my ·

fell on Nigel, He was looking at and towering above me. "How self, and looking at the huge the evening passed pleasantly. papers after all, and forgot it cd my mouth to speak my eyes said, getting up from the sofa

me with such a strange, bright ricks standing in the burnished Nigel persuaded his mother and again.

Two days later there was stubble of the fields. "There me to play Canasta.

that my voice died in my throat, seems to be plenty of hay."

to the scene of disaster?" I said darkening sky was lit up by the I couldn't speak. My thoughts

"So you don't want to go down another rick are. At sight, The look of terror and of hatred, dare you make these charges

blaze. We didn't play Canasta

Reluctant

Yes. the hay's good," said Mr Welland, "It's all we've got this year."

What about the Corn. father?" said Nigel, winking at

me.

"Oh, well, the corn might be all right." said his father, and wer this farmerish all laguhed at

reluctance to admit that things were going anything but badly,

We

were now arriving at Hurcote Grange, but just as was exclaiming with pleasure at my first sight of the beauti- ful old house, a man appeared into drive, signalling in agita-

tion for us to stop.

said George "Hepworth!" Weiland. "Anything wrong?"

"Jackson's ricks on fire, sir. Upper Meadow."

Have

"My God, another! you got the fire-brigade?" sald George Welland, clambering out of the car.

"Yes, they're here, but they can't do any good," said the man. It's burning like hell. Jackson wants you to ring up' the Weston fire-brigade if you will, sir."

Too late

to him.

"Oh, no" he said. "No fun that evening. We stood watch were in such chaos, I couldn't

they're when

burned outing the burning ricks, fascinated think. I didn't hear what Mrs Welland was saying to her hus- and appalled, Though I do enjoy a good fire, I must say."

Mrs Welland sent Nigel off band, I get away from the table as soon as I could and went up to bed, but since she wanted to

to my room. wait up for her, husband to

How did that blue match get come in, I waited with her there? Who had taken my folder When at last he came, he was from the lawn? If it wasn't tired out, begrimed and yery Nigel, why did he look at me

We called him a callous little brute and went on playing.

Acrid smell

worried.

The third tick burned out in a fortnight," he said throwing himself into a chair.

like that?

As I stood at the window, I went up to my room, which

trying to clear, my head and had yellow chiniz covers and, pink rasts in a bowl. The room

"It's the weather, dear," said think, I saw Nigel walking across was charming, my bed was com, his wife, "It's the heat and the the front of the house. As soon as he wasg out of sight of the drought, ortable, but the acrid smell of

"Oh, don't be silly, Clare," he dining-room windows, he burned hay drifted through the windows all night long welland snapped. You don't think I'm rubbers. I made up my mind quickly in the direction of the At breakfast George was still distressed,

"It's very hard co poor Jack- on," he said with feeling. He's got cze of the finest herds of Friesians in the country and he's always prided himself on feeding them his cum hay. Now this.. Winter he'll have to buy."

"But he's insured, isn't he, father?" said Nigel, pouring cream over his porridge.

know

ran

such a fool as not.. to somebody's setting these ricks to go after him. He must settle the awful question that was drumming in my mind. alight, do you??

Some maniac

I ran downstairs and out of the house by the side door. I

COPYRIGHT RESERVED

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

YES

NO

Put your tick in the space above and keep this panel by you until tomorrow.... whan the answar will be given-

this with another story series by *

ERIC AMBLER

■ Did yesterday's story—A Mansion For Sale, by Erla Willame actual happen? The answer, by z NO.

Something more than just "Good!

Caster

a sugar

of superfine quality.

hygienically packed.

ran over grass noiselessly, to the Pure, white crystals We stared at him in horri shrubbery But what I saw bushes there The through fied amazement.

"George!" cried his wife, "I'd brought me to a standstill, Nigel no idea you suspected anybody." was tearing up the blue folder "I don't suspect anybody," he into small pieces as I watched That's just the sort of it said. "I suspect some maniac, he pulled apart some of the spensible remark you would make," said his father, but did some malicious vagrant. Any rockery and began to bury it, way, I'm going to bed. I've had net enlarge upon

Jacicoon's enough for today. You insurance.

I was surprised at his tone. It. Excuse me, won't you?" he said, was the first time I had heard turning to me with his old “I'll get them, but it'll prob- anything but affection in his friendliness "But I'm very ably be too late," said Mr vore when he spoke to his sc, worried about this affair." Welland, making for the house. And I was surprised at the lock. I agreed that he must be He was not at breakfast it start

gave him I was rather

I ten minutes, they told me, sir. Cowards the end of that week, to

it. But of course we couldn't get at

I spent the afternen alue in had notice

"When did eft the house disturbed too, licugh I soon for

Back to the house

I turned and ran back to the

house back to my room, Cer tainty had frightened me be yond reason I daren't charge the boy with what he im said I didn't know how George went out Carly sure done, alat key to desed my door and trembling, sat on noticed before that my bed to think what I ought "And I've been dawaling along the garden. Mrs Welland had Nigel was gayer when his father, to do, the lance," said Mr. Welland ge to some village anair, and was abant I noticed it again It I didn't tell someone, more bitterly,

"It was silll as hot I was gled to now, He seemed deliberately ricks might be fred

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1